dageurreotype

In the case you refered to, it has been discovered that he was killed by his Thai neighbor because he slandered and insulted his Thai neighbor's family on a number of public occasions.

It could have happened anywhere in the world.

Again. But, in 'any other country in the world' the perpetrator would have been found and brought to justice. Name just ONE case where any farang murdered by a Thai has seen any justice here? Just ONE. Christ ..

I've been here 2 months, but have rented a house for a year.

Guess I don't fit in.

Why not you have committed.... it is slightly unusual for a single mid age lady to pick BKK to live, do you want to share why................or just tell me ..........NO..!!..........there's 29 ways to say it.

What part of the UK did you come from......?

I had a friend who come live here as he said there were to many foreigners in the UK.........I don't quite know what he expected to find over here.

Off topic,

From central London, I have a flat 200m from Kensington Palace. Only one of three Native English speakers in my 15 flat block. Your friend was correct, almost no English spoken around me in London.

Flat so small I can touch both walls at same time. Chiang Mai, I'm living in a bigger place (2 bed bungalow) for 70 gbp a month. (Vs 350,000gbp for my flat).

Don't socialize, so the same as back home, but warmer. I can stay in watch TV (via internet) and it makes a nice change.

You should get to places around and discover Bangkok,...get lost in some sois and go further and further until you find a great looking place to eat or have a coffee....there are some incredibly beautiful places which are not in the tourist travel books... if you get lost there is always a taxi to get you back...this is what i love when in BKK,..I love to discover places like Chinatown,...the old quarters....Don't waist you're time in front of a TV..

best regards.

Yeah. All of that gets really really old after twenty years The envy I feel when a chum from the UK calls and mentions they're just off to a pub, or a theater, or a concert, or a stand up night ..

I doubt if he will be allowed to go to Phuket,my interpretation of the new rules is that he will be deported to his home country and banned from returning for a period of time....not sure how long,someone else will reply to this with better info

Believe 50k going rate for 3+ months now.

Police will do as little as possible. When you come to the Police station they will simply read you the charges against you. You will not be asked for a statement. Prepare a statement beforehand and try to submit it to the police file, little chance police will file it but try anyway. It all comes down to the court hearing. Get a good lawyer from Bangkok (not from Pattaya or the provinces, they are all corrupt, lazy and worthless) and the lawyer should come with you to the police station. Ask your Embassy to recommend a lawyer, they usually have the right lawyers.

Police will not do an investigation for small petty crimes, and certainly will not do anything if there is no money in it for them.

And hope said 'embassy recommend' doesn't end up representing your opponent. Full knowledge of your case against them already to hand.

What are your 'rights'?

Bahaha, nice one.

Really rather depends on how much money you're prepared to part with.

Ask any imm office to point out which LAW requires this. If there isn't one (rhetorical question), simply hand it back. Or roll over and let them scratch your tummy.

The cops arrested him near his condo. And the OP still hasn't answered why? If it were a random check, there'd be hundreds of reports of this happening. There aren't. So, what has your chum been up to? Besides having a dodgy visa, that is?

When I first came here a friend said 'I wish they'd just get on with it instead of all the having to prat about with everything before you get served anywhere'. He's a fun guy and it didn't take me long to find out what he was talking about. I was also advised to aim for getting just one thing done a day. Anything more is too damned difficult with all this 'sanuk' nonsense.

Is it true that most Thais believe that foreigners come here because LOS is amazing?

Only the uneducated ones. Even those with a moderate education wonder why we'd rather be here than in a first world country they all aspire to visit/migrate to.

This very morning my Thai lawyer accompanied me to my Thai accountant's office to negotiate the return of my property without having to resort to the onerous court filing process here (again). My Thai lawyer stayed the course of verbiage of my Thai accountant's drawn out of excuses and obfuscations and won. Both are Thai men. And I've known both for 20 years. The Thai accountant is a POS. The lawyer, not so much. Don't tar them all with the same brush, but erring on the side of caution always a given. Same goes for the farang here. Whom I'd never touch with a bargepole.

All of my interactions with the Thai Police have been good.

A few years back a friend was murdered by his ex-wife's mother-in-law and the police apprehended her, the ex-wife and her brother very quickly.

I understand that most people only interact with traffic or street police, and at the lower levels they are annoying but go further up the chain and they are effective, professional and reliable.

No, they're not. Having said that, I do know some very good station chiefs and conscientious police constables. But it's usually the rotten apple in a position of power that holds sway.

Thailand gets the police service it designed.

At its very foundation it was provided with no operating budget, this was to be obtained from fines and penalties the newly formed police force levied on those it policed.

Those it policed are of course the poor and powerless - because it has been set up that way.

The OP's observation is however founded on a truth, the police can act effectively ( almost always when the perp is poor but occassionaly when protection is 'removed' from the wealthy/connected).

But there is something else, behind the disgraceful and very rightly criticised behaviour of the police in such cases as Kho Toa, the investigation of the murdering police officers children and many others there are officers who do a good job, there are plenty of officers who deal with and witness things the rest of us hope we never have to see and there are officers who die in the line of duty.

Thailand's police force was established to meet the ends of the rich and powerful, Thailand has changed and the police force needs to change.

The people of Thailand deserve a better police force and so too do those officers who do their best in a very difficult police culture and despite what they see or the very real risks they face.

Put my tick in the 'glimmer of hope box'.

This is much the same as the UK when the peelers were set up. Thailand's simply playing catch up.

Actually their double pricing is against their own constitution which states that all people, regardless of race, are treated equally. Be a brave farang that tried to sue though! Count me out as I live here!

A Thai lawyer told me this btw.

I believe it's time for some Thai SJWs

They really look and sound Indian, they don't look and sound like the typical Burmese in Thailand. It's a staggering number as well was quite strange too see.

I have been reliably informed they are indeed Burmese, the Rohingya sort who pass themselves off as Nepalese in the tailors shops, by an Indian gentleman.

Officials claim Thai citizens do illegal things in Korea and will overstay their visas.

Many years ago, I'd asked my Thai tutor 'Why the antipathy between the Thais and the Chinese' 'Because they say we are lazy and stupid' she replied. 'Poot jing nit noi chai mai?' I replied.

And no, I personally won't be 'boycotting S.Korea' because they have a problem with your Thai girlfriend.

I've been in a situation or two where Thais would order and then 'doggy bag', those I've forgotten and never include in any invitation to dine out again. Mostly I'm either given so much I can't eat or chastised because I've given the leftovers to a passing soi dog. Having said that, I've seen what you describe, rarely, and believe it's an 'eyes bigger than stomach' thing.

What is it with Thai people that they don't sweat are they more adjusted to the climate then us farang's are?

Whilst I agree the locals don't stink up the place like some farang do (apparently it's the diet, they don't do dairy, who knows?), they're most certainly flopping about complaining about the heat everywhere I go. My electrician showed up this morning and told me he's been staying in his house as much as possible as it's too hot to go outside unnecessarily. So the perception the locals stay cooler than those of us from colder climes is just that, a perception, and an erroneous one.

"What would your plans be if you reach a good age?"

I think we need to think about just what is a "good age".

I once asked my doctor how many years it would add to my life if tried to lead a "healthier life" no smoking, no drinking healthy diet and more exercise?

He asked me how many extra years of wearing a diaper I really wanted.

Just what is a good age if the quality of life sucks?

1. The living healthily and mentally together as an older person is one thing. I am there now!!!

Being dead is another.

3. One we can handle ourselves and the other we don't need to handle.

In the middle (stage 2???) is the possibility of up to several or even many years of frail mental and physical existence. It is alright being flippant abut the first and third stages but the question undoubtedly covers the middle stage which those of us who do not have the good fortune to go straight from stage 1 to 3 will have to live through and that's obviously what the OP asks about. I'm in stage one but like everyone else in a healthy stage one, have no idea about stages 2 or 3 hold for me.

I too am interested in hearing about sensible options for a dignified and caring stage 2.

Part 2. I do not smoke, I drink on average a can of beer a day maximum, get some exercise and have excellent health signs for my age. I have no natural children (that I know of) and 10 years into my second marriage to a loving supportive Thai 25 years younger than me. I am the youngest in the family, now in my late 60's and do not really have any family in my home country that i could impose upon in my real dotage. One or two nieces who could/would help have huge medical problems themselves and may not outlast me. It is a pretty bleak picture here if things go badly wrong, early and my current Thai wife is not able to help. Most of the rest of the family here would not be candidates for help beyond helping themselves. (There are a few exceptions.) I have moderately large assets back home but am not "still" rich, income wise, like when i had a business. I too toy with the idea that I may voluntarily remove myself somehow but the difficulty is that at the time I might not be able or cognizant to do it. Splatting myself from a balcony onto the parking area of a condo does not seem attractive, considerate or dignified and one may not be able to get the drugs and/or administer them correctly to do it cleanly. Perhaps the swimming thing mentioned by another poster, is a good idea, done at night. Yes, the whole thing is scary and yes it keeps me awake at nights.

I recommend everyone watch the film 'Chronic'. That'll put things in perspective for you

This is a topic that's discussed with what would some would call depressing frequency on the Chiang Mai forum where some expats don't even make the decision to relocate to Thailand until after age 70.

For example, this thread on Dok Kaew Gardens, one of the better known, longer established and reasonably priced cared home in Chiang Mai that is able to accomodate foreigners:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/767980-assisted-living-at-dok-kaew-gardens-at-mckean/page-3

Unlike similar places in the west, the facilities in Chiang Mai are staffed by caring people who don't "slag off and neglect you".

From what I've seen (I'm president of the CM Expats Club, basically a club for retired people) the most successful older expats are those with a wide social network, who have kept active, both mentally and socially. Not necessarily those who have a Thai wife/GF, but those who have some close and caring western friends who they trust to step in if they are unable to take care of themselves. Accidents happen or people can get to the point that they aren't capable of remembering when to take medication properly or how to handle their finances. Those are usually the first two things to go when people start to have declining mental function. It's important to have someone close to you that is able and trusted enough to intervene before you get into trouble because you're not managing your medications and/or your finances properly. Often a Thai spouse or trusted maid isn't the person able to do this.

Well if I'm that far gone I'd rather simply let nature take it's course. Old folk's home? No thanks.

I do think if there's an opportunity to hurt a 'farang',a few Thais will take that opportunity.

Such a situation took place in Khaosan during songkran. I witnessed an English guy who was picked out to go through the security tent. Feeling bullied he refused, the security got heavy, he pushed them away and they beat the crap out of him. This was the official security at Khaosan!!

"Feeling bullied he refused, the security got heavy, he pushed them away and they beat the crap out of him" - how is he at airports in the West with the security people, does he refuse security staff instructions and push security staff away and then what happens! It's actually laughable when posters try to use those types of examples as a justification to support Thai people wanting to hurt farangs at any opportunity.

Coincidentally, a report of an English mother and her daughter being attacked by a bunch of ladyboys on KSR was linked in with the Hua Hin story. The daughter had gone to the aid of a man being savagely beaten by this band of er, brothers and they'd turned on her and then her mother when she went to her daughter's aid. Therefore it does appear that violence is escalating in predominantly tourist areas.

I'd really want to understand the detail a little better before I could pass judgement or even comment on the KSR incident.

If memory serves, this was linked to a newspaper banned in Thailand, unless you have a VPN. hint hint.

I do think if there's an opportunity to hurt a 'farang',a few Thais will take that opportunity.

Such a situation took place in Khaosan during songkran. I witnessed an English guy who was picked out to go through the security tent. Feeling bullied he refused, the security got heavy, he pushed them away and they beat the crap out of him. This was the official security at Khaosan!!

"Feeling bullied he refused, the security got heavy, he pushed them away and they beat the crap out of him" - how is he at airports in the West with the security people, does he refuse security staff instructions and push security staff away and then what happens! It's actually laughable when posters try to use those types of examples as a justification to support Thai people wanting to hurt farangs at any opportunity.

Coincidentally, a report of an English mother and her daughter being attacked by a bunch of ladyboys on KSR was linked in with the Hua Hin story. The daughter had gone to the aid of a man being savagely beaten by this band of er, brothers and they'd turned on her and then her mother when she went to her daughter's aid. Therefore it does appear that violence is escalating in predominantly tourist areas.

No more than normal,it's just becoming more visible due to an increased use of social media and the like.

There is more violence here now than there was 10 or 20 or 30 years ago, but previously much violence (and other undesirable things) were simply brushed under the carpet and not reported. The recent incident in Hua Hin also went unreported for many days.

As you point out, with the increase of social media it is becoming increasingly more difficult to hide things, and that's good news for everyone (except those who would prefer to hide things).

Whilst I agree that which was routinely brushed under the carpet up until very recently, by virtue of social media, I believe an overriding factor is the enormous increase in mass tourism. Twenty years ago it was pretty quiet and relaxed here on Phuket, nowadays it can look like something out of Mad Max. I'd quickly learned, after an ill advised trip to KPG, the more Westerners about, the less friendly the Thais. Not to blame tourists per se, but some of their more boorish habits were quickly seized upon. There also appears to be more frustration at rising prices and less tourists here now. Instead of making the ones who are here feel valued, it appears this frustration is taken out on them. Rather akin to the 'if there are less customers, raise the price' mindset here.

500k! Cheap! And still 90 day reports

18k a year ? Christ if thats all they are earning how did they afford a holiday in Thailand to find a foreign bride in the first place ? Making 300 quid a week and expecting the tax payer to subsidise their fags, booze and any future kids.. The self entitled gang all expect a millionaires lifestyle on a tuppeny ha'ppenny budget.. What next ? Ferraris for all ?

The higher echelons (earning more than 18 lousy K) of British society do not travel to third world countries to find foreign' brides'

So you present yourself at the witching hour as "Premium" to immigration and present incorrectly filled out arrival card and require the immigration peons correct your mistake? Somehow can understand there might not be a smile. Did you have a smile?

Thai Immigration are THE surliest ignorant bunch I've ever come across. Why, in Singapore they greet you with a smile, and sweeties!