Lancelot

Legal to drive motorbikes on the side walk, but illegal to go around a parked bus in the left lane.

Yeah, I was ticketed for going around a parked bus.

What ever...

Smart move by the NCPO.

*Is Mr. Chang a Thai national? Just asking

Why not buy a large amulet and get some traditional Thai protective tattoos? Be a lot cooler :)

* Before I'm flamed- just kidding :)

With a textile jacket it's not so hot. With a perforated jacket the wind blows through it keeping you cool. They have protection in the right places incase of a fall. Not perfect by any means but better than nothing. I wear this one.

 

FJT180_1850UF_300RGB08.jpg

+1 I bought a similar jacket and I'm really comfortable- when the bike is moving :)

But even sitting at a red light, in the full sun, wearing shorts and a tee shirt  would be hot as well. I'll take the extra protection :)

I think that straight boys in Thialand used to hold hands, but Western influence stopped it. They used to do it in the Philippines when I last visited about 20 years ago.

Men in Bangladesh often hold hands; I was told that it was a sign of friendship, not sexual preference...

I was not ticketed, but a similar thing happened to me on my bike. Pulled up to a red light, the curb to my left and a large truck to my right. A Thai moron behind me on a bike was beeping his horn and shouting Go!, Go!

The light turns and we proceed. I checked in my mirror and sure enough, Mr. Moron stops immediately after the intersection for som tom.

Gotta save a micro second every chance you get :)

This is great news. Hopefully it will force land speculators who buy land and then just sit on it for generations to actually do something with it or sell it, rather than waiting 30 years for some fool to come and offer 3x market value.

 

This vacant land tax rate should probably be calculated at 5% inside designated metropolitan boundaries. Hopefully this would create a fluid and realistic property market that reflects true value for the landowner rather than a few rich families owning all the good positions.

I'll believe that the elites will consent to be taxed -and actually pay- on their properties and future wealth bequeaths about that same time that herds of pigs gracefully fly over Thailand.

Umm, OK. The ongoing scam continues, just at a lower rate of extortion.

Beam me up Scotty

The way i read this, and other immigration issues is the provincial bosses are scared of this new junta so are looking up their books to see what the book says and enforcing it out of fear and to cover their own backs. I understand why they "panic" but with a bit of relaxed common sense amongst the expat and long termers along with the contacts Thai Visa has we eventually get to the real ruling.

Exactly. I've even worked in very rigidly controlled companies in the US where employees were very cautious about policy interpretations.

This is probably a tempest in a tea cup.

To be devils advocate, the question was first put to the Hua Hin Immigration Boss. Remember Thailand is very hierarchal and the Hua Hin boss didn't want to appear to contradict Thai law. So what's the safe answer? Quote the letter of the law. The big boss clarifies things and every one is happy. TIT

I carry a photo copy of the front page of my passport, the visa page and my Thai driver's license. Color copies of pass ports look even more impressive. I also keep photos of my passport, visa and 90 day report on my smart phone.

Overwhelm 'em with documents and they will be happy to be rid of you

I love these "I'm Fed up With Thailand" type of threads. Yeah, I figure the OP is a troll but it is so easy to jerk the collective chains of the 'Thailand- Love it or Leave it' crowd. Both groups need each other to work them selves into self righteous hissy fits, supporting their black and white positions of: A, Thailand is terrible or B. Thailand is perfect.

You guys are joined at the hip,

I have no problem being required to carry ID on me at all times in Thailand. However, carrying my passport with me at all times just isn't practical. What if it gets lost or stolen?

 

Isn't my Thai driving license and work permit already enough identification?

 

Or how about giving farangs some kind of ID card same as they do with people from Laos and Myanmar?

Because TIT (This is Thailand) and the law is what ever the police, officer, Immigration and government says it is :)

I agree that after a certain amount of time, say three consecutive annual extensions, expats could be issued an ID card. I've been here for 10 years on retirement extensions, but I'm really just a tourist -in the eyes of the law- and technically must carry my passport with me at all times. One of the reasons I'm considering moving back to the USA.

But its a potential nice little earner for some ambitious 'enforcement' persons :)

Pretty much all the Thais I see now are happy

^ From Wiki:

Patani came under Thai rule briefly during the Sukhothai period, and more extensively during the later Ayuthaya period.

In 1791 and 1808, there were rebellions within Pattani against Thai rule, following which Pattani was divided into 7 largely autonomous states (Mueang): Pattani, Nongchik, Saiburi (Teluban), Yala (Jala), Yaring (Jambu), Ra-ngae (Legeh) and Raman. All were ruled by the King of Ligor.

After the British had taken a large part of southern Thailand in 1909, Great Britain and Thailand signed the Bangkok Treaty of 1909. The British recognised Thailand's sovereignty over Pattani, and, in return, Thailand gave up a territory called Kelantan to the British.[2] All seven mueang were reunited into a monthon and incorporated into the kingdom. Later, the central government in Bangkok renamed certain localities with Thai versions of their names and merged some of the mueang.

When the monthon system was dissolved in 1933, three provinces remained: Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patani_(region)

Yeah, tourism revenues are negligible for the Thai economy...

If that's true, then why do the Thais go to such great lengths to preserve the lucrative tourist trade?

So I suspect Thai police will probably not notice the homicidal moron driving an SUV while texting on a mobile,

Yes, the Cops have to be out patrolling the streets to catch these offenders...

Me thinks the Junta is taking a page from Thaksin's Populist Playbook

Many hate US foreign policy

But they like American culture. European kids dressing in US ghetto style, rapping and hip hop.

They don't hate everything about us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cxi75Yv65hk

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cxi75Yv65hk?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

you base your county's status in the world on the opinion of teenagers?

I've often found teenagers to be more open minded than set in their ways elderly folks

Where do you fit in?

Many hate US foreign policy

But they like American culture. European kids dressing in US ghetto style, rapping and hip hop.

They don't hate everything about us

He said these problematic teens should improve themselves quickly and should find some jobs or complete their studies.

Uh, good luck with that