bamnutsak

Best take so far.... New 767 Restaurant to open in Phuket Curious how the 309 pax are handled? Stamped back in at Immigration? Then accommodated on other flights? Azur has two scheduled arrivals (from VKO, both 763) today. ZF2907/RA73078 ZF3703/RA73080 Both are delayed. Maybe one of those will be used to fly the stranded pax back home? And deliver spares and techs?

It sounds like there was a serious incident at Phuket (HKT) yesterday involving an Azur Air aircraft, resulting in significant delays. Engine failure on take-off, aborted landing. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/307457 Translation from Thai aviation website: Phuket hasn't recovered yet!! ️Boeing 767 Azur Air is obstructed and blocked Taxiway⛔️ both in/out flights, we have to wait longer than usual⚠️ Update on the latest situation at 21.50 p.m. On 4 February 2566???? from the Boeing plane incident. Russian Azur Air 767-300ER crashed while taking off Runway09 of Phuket Airport at around 16.55pm. In the past, the plane had to land on the road (Taxiway) along the runway. way️ According to a recent inspection, planes to land and board in Phuket are not available on this route ???? resulting in landing on the runway also having to taxis on the runway to enter the passenger building. This increases the step and time each plane has to wait for landing and take off. เครื่อง There have been accumulated delays in both incoming flights and outbound flights in Phuket. To wait for the runway to be empty and safe ✅ Flight route data images from Flightradar24 แล้ว platform show that planes arriving in Phuket have to wait and wait for a taxi on the way back to the parking area in front of the passenger building, which resulted in further flights waiting for empty runway to land or run longer. Some flights have decided to change routes to backup airports such as Krabi Airport. เส้น️ Azur Air 767 rejected take-off at Phuket, engine catches fire and tires explode https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1481269&p=23659891 Will be interesting to see how this aircraft is "repaired".

Whoa. He was found guilty of defaming Suthep and Abhisit and sentenced to a one (1) year prison sentence. Ex-DSI chief Tarit given 1-year jail term by Supreme Court for defaming Suthep https://www.thaipbsworld.com/ex-dsi-chief-tarit-given-1-year-jail-term-by-supreme-court-for-defaming-suthep/ Although the article mentions two years. Tarit and three co-defendants were acquitted by the Criminal Court, but the Appeals Court sentenced them to two years each without suspension. The Supreme Court’s verdict is yet to be read due to Tarit’s postponements. Defaming Suthep and his ventroloquist's dummy, probably deserves a reward, and not a prison sentence. Suthep is out on bail now after having been found guilty of Sedition.

It's about weak moral character, a pyramidal societal structure and a society trained to be submissive. It's not about saving money. Just look at the total take.

I suspect the RTP management aren't kicking up all that they are supposed to; they're skimming too much. Someone is feeding Chuwit details only available to a few. Maybe Big Joke doesn't want to wait another year or two for the top job, so he's waging an internal conflict, into which he will ride to "save the day".

I think these six can be excused. ???? I mean it was the end of the month, and collections were running behind for their station quota. So they were ordered out to shake-down anyone they could. It's not like these are the only bad apples - suspect they're low-level foot-soldiers. The RTP is what it is, a revenue collection orgainization, essentially taxing the populace, with a bit of traffic direction, and putting down student demonstrations. At least we know to stay close to home near the end of the month. And foreign tourists are low-hanging fruit for the predators in brown.

I see what you did there. ????

ABC, Always Be Closing. It is Organized. Organized Crime. Without extortion, graft, corruption, kick-backs, theft, murder what would the police do? No wonder they need ~ 210,000 employees, a number necessary to shake-down the rest of the population. What an utter embarassment; there's no walking this back.

It is odd that those extolling the virtues of inexpensive cannabis feel the need to constantly whinge about more expensive cannabis, and those who enjoy it? Why? It's not like you participate in that market. Or that it impacts your ability to purchase cannabis at your desired price-point. And eventually the market will settle. If people do not want to pay a lot then they won't. I suspect tourists are less price-sensitive as they may not have the time to sort out online purchasing, but rather want to walk into the nearest dispensary and start blazing.

"Up to 2,000 baht fine", is the wording, I think. Yes, I was thinking of the jaywalking fine, which seems to settle at 200 baht, but can range from 100 to 1,000 baht.

I can't imagine anyone thinks this is a good idea? Aren't we supposed to "comply" with the police? IMO, Phipat and the TAT need to issue an informative graphic novel/cartoon which details the exact rules and regulations for tourists, what to expect at traffic stops, and their dealings with the police. Also provide a price list for "fees" associated with infractions. And, assuming vaping is some sort of major problem in Thai society, then make sure all tourists are aware of the rules/laws/enforcement and fines. Provide signage, and drop bins at the entrance to the Customs channels. Have tourists who've been arrested agree to make PSA videos. "Hi, my name is Jill, I spent 30 days in a Thai jail for vaping, and paid a 20,000 baht fine. Do not Vape!" Maybe Ms. An could make such a video?

And in use everywhere, 99.95% by Thais.

Ouch. I'd say that they are an "in-control" mafia in uniform, a well-oiled, corrupt machine, fine-tuned over 100 years of "service". Other than the odd murder, mass shooting, extortion, drug dealing, letting 20 Chinese gangsters walk for 20M baht, they hum right along, collecting "revenue", become unusually wealthy and purchasing "elephant tickets".

IME OLCI is always challenging with a U.S. passport, I don't think I've ever been able to do OLCI when returning to Thailand. Even a kiosk check-in says "See agent". I suspect there is something in Timatic which precludes OLCI to Thailand? Is your wife traveling on her Thai passport or her U.S. passport? Are you both on the same PNR? Your itin is USA-THL-USA? How long is the ticketed stay in THL? Not really seeing an issue here. B6 may check you through, but you can just check in with JL in Terminal E at Logan/BOS.

And then there's the "one plastic bag", and "one murder" cards.

I don't know. All I can say is that the police have proven to be unreliable narrators in this incident.

The Bangkok sidewalk police (tessakit) are back to extorting tourists for littering (cigarette butts). Opening bid is 2,000 baht. I am very much against littering, but would like to see the "law" equally enforced with both tourists and Thais. And the fine is more like 200 baht.

Anutin wanted to make it zero pills, but Thai legal experts advised him against that. The meth problem here is GIGANTIC, rarely a week goes by without a bust of MILLIONS of pills. Yes, much of that is transhipment via Thailand for "export", but much falls off the truck and affects the local population. How about stopping the shipment of precursors from Thailand to Maynamar? How about arresting someone other than the vehicle driver? Lowering the threshold from 15 to 2 seems rash, and not very well thought out.

Note that The actress told Taiwanese media that Thai police put a vaping device into her hand and that she did not know what it was. https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024441 So "If" is correct. Given how often the "police" narative changed, I am more than comfortable assuming that the police planted the vape device. And that would make their crime(s) much, much worse. And tourists should be warned that the police can and will plant evidence in order to extort cash.

All of the folks here carrying the RTP's water on this incident must feel a bit ashamed. IMO, TAT and the RTP need to issue guidelines for tourists re: stop & search procedures. Why are they stopping and searching vehicles? What should tourists do when stopped? What legal rights do yourists have? How much should tourists pay for bribes? And the police need to get out to Thai clubs and clamp down on this illegal eCig use. And maybe issue an apology to Ms. An for defaming her in public.

In 1998 a change was made so that the RTP report directly to the PM. Up until then they did report to the Minister of the Interior. So Prayut is the PM, the Defense Minister and the top cop. Handy that.

Normally this sort of issue would be resolved with a face to face meeting and much wai-ing, and be classified as a misunderstanding due to lnaguage and culture issues. That is not possible as the complainant has left Thailand. So this can only end one way. The police will investigate themselves and find no wrong-doing. And then it could be dropped. But suspect the RTP will charge her with Defamation, at a minimum. She would probably not be tried in absentia and the case will remain open. The police cannot allow foreigners to question their integrity, and claim corruption, without a firm response. This would just encourage others to report their interractions.

Over/under on when she will be charged with Defamation? Three days? Over/under in days before the RTP issue an Interpol Red Notice on this woman? Five days?

Fidelity does offer fee-free international SWIFT wire transfers (perhaps to a limited number of their customers?) , which can be directed to BBL THL (and not BBL NYC). JP Morgan/Chase is the intermediary, USD are sent and converted at BBL THL at their TT rate, less 0.25% (200 min/500 max). Unfortunately you may need to have a first-person standing wire transfer order on file - which you submitted with a Medallion signature (best done in the U.S. at a Fidelity office). And you need to initiate the transfer with a myVoice certified call. That's my experience anyway. Transfers take ~ 12 hours assuming Mon-Fri. I've never tried a WISE transfer from Fidelity. I have done one WISE transfer from BofA to BBL THL. Fidelity offers free ACH transfers so if you have a regular bank transfer to that then use WISE. I don't use Schwab but based on posts here it seems like they allow on-line initiated transfers, and do not charge a fee for SWIFT int'l transfers?

Great Circle says 4,481 miles... http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=vko-utp This aircraft/flight (weekly service, in flight now) gets re-fueled here. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/zf3711#2efe4edf Re-fueling seems to have been on the list of prohibited/sanctioned activities by the U.S. Commerce Department in the past, but suspect the State Department won't push on this with Thailand? Single aisle (73x/75x) charters from eastern Russia were affected by the Laos fly-over issue but this may have been resolved?