khunjeff

8 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The truck driver told police that he had parked his truck with warning lights on, as he when to purchase some noodles at a roadside stall.

I assumed this incident was entirely the pickup's fault, until I read this. Were these the typical faded, dark, nearly invisible warning lights that most trucks have? And did he stop on the shoulder, or just leave his vehicle in the traffic lane?

3 hours ago, Paradise Pete said:

The upgrade to Category 1 is what matters here.

The upgrade is necessary for Thai carriers to start flying nonstop to the US, but not sufficient. (The Category 2 rating never prevented airlines from the US or other countries from operating between the US and Thailand.)

If Thailand-registered airlines can't see a way to make a profit from nonstop US flights, they won't operate them - no matter what TAT wants.

14 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

This was Thai Airways - which reason was it really - unprofitable or deemed unsafe by the FAA?

1) Thai Airways was never "deemed unsafe". The FAA rates countries, not individual airlines. 

2) A Category 2 downgrade doesn't stop existing flights to the US - those are "allowed to continue operations at current levels under heightened FAA surveillance". It only forbids new or expanded services. 

https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/iasa/definitions

14 hours ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

Former Democrat Party MP Watchara Phetthong expressed concerns over the transparency of Apichart’s early release.

 

Apichart’s early release is reduction in sentence via Royal pardon. This chap Watchara should be charged with lese majeste 

"Apichart’s original sentence was reduced through multiple royal pardons to 12 years, 8 months, and 12 days. With these reductions, his sentence is now due to conclude on July 27, 2034."

5 hours ago, webfact said:

PPP Net Cost, allows the selected private partner—determined through a bidding process—to invest primarily in the motorway’s construction.

 

In return, the partner will have the right to collect toll fees for three decades

I hope the contract is written very carefully. Every time they've done this in the past, the operator eventually ends up elevating the toll to such a high level that the government starts whining about how unfair it is, and trying to get it lowered. 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The bidding process is expected to commence late next year, with the contract anticipated to be signed in the latter half of 2026. The motorway is slated for completion and opening in 2029.

There is zero chance that the project will be completed and open for traffic just three years after the contract is signed...that just never happens.

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The governor stressed that the EV buses would alleviate traffic congestion, reduce air pollution, and cater to all residents, including students, the elderly, disabled individuals, and tourists.

That's all well and good, but how will it affect the profits of the tuk tuk and taxi mafia? That's always the most important question in Phuket.

Most of the stateless hill tribe people were born in Thailand, and have parents and grandparents who were also born in Thailand. So rather than just patting itself on the back for this magnanimous gesture, perhaps Thailand should ask itself how it ever allowed this situation to develop in the first place.

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

AirAsia clarified that the issue stems from its travel booking platform app, AirAsia MOVE, not the airline directly.

"It's not us at all! It's our wholly-owned online platform that has our name and that we've been heavily advertising! Why are you blaming us??"

1 hour ago, pedro01 said:

The office in the pic above - that's the LTR section.

14 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

I found that part a bit strange. A whole office for LTR? 

There is no "whole office for LTR".

The photo shows BoI's (clumsily named) "One Start One Stop Investment Center", which is where LTR applicants go to get their processing done. That office does a lot more than just LTRs, and the couple of times I went there it appeared that LTRs make up only a small part of the workload.

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Koh Chang Grand Laguna cruise hotel was Asia’s first boat hotel when it opened in 2004.

Not even close - the Saigon Floating Hotel opened in 1989.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Haegumgang

5 hours ago, khunpin said:

Nothing else than prostitution. 🤷🏼‍♂️ 

What is described in the article certainly sounds like nothing more than garden variety prostitution. The real rental wives were a major phenomenon back during the days of the US military bases in Thailand during the 1970s, when soldiers might arrange for a woman to live with them for six months or a year. There are still popular Isaan songs about "mia chow" (rental wives).

11 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The area was poorly lit, and Mrs. Noppawan may not have seen the approaching train in the darkness

I would think an oncoming train would be easier to see in a dimly lit area, not harder, considering that it would have a very bright headlight on the front (and would probably be blowing its horn quite loudly, but that's a separate issue).

2 hours ago, Enoon said:

Having those two walk the same path is like you and a Neanderthal walking down Beach Road one after the other.

...which happens pretty frequently, especially in the wee hours. Or at least it feels like it 😄

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Direct flights between Thailand and the United States are poised to restart in February

Absolutely nothing in this article backs up this statement. Regaining Category 1 status will allow flights between Thailand and the US to resume, but the flights will only happen if some airline sees them as economically viable. Has any carrier announced that they plan to initiate these routes once they're permitted?

33 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

WRONG! I flew from Chiang Mai to Bangkok (DMK) on the 14th November and the facial recognition system at the Air Asia check-in desk was not working. All passengers were lined up checking as normal. In fact the camera was covered by a display placard informing of cabin baggage size and weight.

But if AoT bragged about it, it must be true! 

Seriously, though, just because a system has been implemented doesn't mean it will always be functioning properly.

2 hours ago, ashkale said:

Also the new stamps have already taken up 3 pages of the new passport!

I was hoping that particular idiocy might be different with the LTR than it was with the Non-O, but apparently not. I don't understand why immigration seems to think of a passport as a sort of free-form notepad where they can jot down your entire visa history, rather than just keeping most of those details in their own computer system 🤷

12 hours ago, John207 said:

Does anyone know if it's possible for an accompanying passenger to use the LTR visa's fast track option in Suvarnabhumi for both arrivals and departures when flying in economy class, or is it only available to the visa holder?

It's not officially permitted, but I've read accounts on these forums from people who asked politely if their spouse or friend could join them and were told, sure, go ahead. This is similar to the Thai citizens line, which officially is only for Thais, but which accompanying foreign spouses are almost always permitted to use as well. Just give it a try - the worst that can happen is that they say no.

On 11/27/2024 at 7:38 PM, dinsdale said:

she was an absolutely useless, cackling idiot, inarticulate, non question answering candidate

As opposed to Trump's incisive, sparkling, laser-focused responses in interviews. Uh huh.

And so the comedy continues.