The Beguiled

Lost,

Thank you for posting this.

I think the best way to help these people is through Education.

The poor people farmers of Cambodia are a lot worse off than

Thailand. In Kampon Speu province 4 years ago they were living

on .50c about 15B a day.

In Asia we have the super rich & the super poor.

Some Thai friends drove me to an orphanage where the only children

allowed have HIV. This wealthy Thai family that took me refused to get out of the

car in case they might catch HIV.

Its a very sad state of affairs we live in.

Thanks for your post. Reminds me of a nightmare, that was real.The "Sarnelli house" near Nong Khai.

It must have been about 14 years ago when my wife and I traveled through Thailand and arrived in Nong Khai.

I saw a poster of "father Michael Shee" with a few kids who had already developed AIDS. On the next day we drove to this place and I'll never ever forget what I saw.

Kids from two to about 16, almost all had already developed the AIDS symptoms and medicine at this time was not available from Thai hospitals.

WE spoke to most of the kids and then to Michael. They received money from a foreign organization and bought as much medicine as they could from the States.

Instead of receiving help from Thais, some village headmen, but also health officials just dropped some more infected kids off.

Nobody wanted any contact with them and more and more kids had to be treated.

I remember the boy with a cast, who had a broken leg and all the smiling faces. All I could do was to leave some money and I'll never forget the feelings we had when we left after a full day with the kids. I couldn't tell Michael that there's no god,, because that kept him going.

I remember one chat with Michael when he had to cremate two kids on the same day, whose relatives " couldn't make it" None of the relatives had the time to say goodbye.

Please see;

http://sarnelliorphanage.org/about-us

To "Lostinisaan", thank you for the truth in your writings.

In the village where my wife was raised it is just like what you have written.

I have been able to help some but there are too many that live in third world conditions.

Many, including the government, turn a blind eye and either ignore or just pass it off.

So Sad.

Then there are organisations such as Sarnelli House, a small ray of hope.

I have been fortunate to have visited and stayed there on many occasions and have assisted with money and gifts to the children.

For those bloggers who haven't really seen some of Thailands real life, just take a visit to a well run orphanage, such as this one, and see the really great work that is being done to help these unfortunate children that the Thai government many years back said "their going to die so why spend money on them" when asked for help!

My reply relates to Ball Rubber which is a step before Sheet Rubber as the ops is questing.

I have relatives in the North East of Thailand and they are rubber farmers.

The current price for Ball rubber (latex of the tree in ball configuration) not sheet rubber is 12-13 baht per kilo and the cost to

1) Fertilise;

2) Hardening chemicals;

3) Diesel to transport the ball rubber, to and from the farm, weed between trees, etc

Costs 22-24 baht per kilo.

So why are they still tapping rubber?

Because there is little else for them apart from the once a year rice crop in a poor soil area in a area that is also affected by drought.

Negative cash flow is better than no cash flow.

People need some baht to buy food to eat.

The above also answers another question as to why many Isan people leave their children with relatives and travel to Bangkok or even overseas to work so they can send money back to their parents to help feed them and try to make the parents more comfortable.

Here i am not saying that all Isan people do it to help their families.

Contrary to many replies, many farmers were encouraged by previous governments to grow rubber in the new province of Bueng Kan and now with the world oil price very low, natural rubber follows suit in price and is low also as synthetic rubber competes with natural rubber by price.

Trusting this assists you in understanding why

To answer your question, generally I have found that the best way to calculate the sin-sod is to ask around and find out what the amount would be if it were a Thai guy marrying a Thai woman.

If you are happy to pay the same then that is your decision and leave the two bit advice where it belongs.

From some of the posts, there are many happily married foreigners married to Thai women and who enjoy happiness.

Most of us ended up here due to a breakdown in a previous relationship so the law of averages does apply universally and there will be mixed marriages that don't last for many reasons - just read between the lines in some of the above posts.

My personal experience in this matter is how the parents of the women act with you and if they respect you and it is a two way street with yours and theirs relationship.

Good luck for your future.

"Wanichsan Ruangsri, a merchant in Trang, said he had to stop selling rubber seedlings during the prolonged slump, as some planters had switched to other crops such as palm and fruit trees."

At least some of the farmers are starting to diversify.

What's the bet, though, that they ALL plant the same fruit, whichever has a good price NOW? And in four years time, the market will be flooded with that fruit, and prices will drop.

It's a never-ending cycle of poverty.

I don't like to generalsie, but it does seem that many Thais can simply not plan for the future, whether it be in 10 seconds after the lights have just turned red and they continue to accelerate, or in ten years when all their neighbours have planted the same crop and the price will inevitably drop.

You are so very, very right.

Yes, all well and good for the Thai retailers to advise what is good for the country when they are the ones profiteering very, very well from this government scheme.

What are these retailers doing to help the less fortunate people who can least afford?

The sad fact in Thailand is that when the price of rubber was high (especially 4 years back when ball rubber was over 90 Baht a kilo) every person thought they could make the same money (get rich) and did not plan for the future as markets rise and fall.

Lots of folk went out and planted rubber trees and tendered their trees and when it was time to milk their trees in came the money.

Then the world oil price started to drop and drop and drop to the point where the cost of fertiliser; chemicals; transport costs; cutting tools; etc is now higher than the 16 Baht per kilo of ball rubber.

Result is that all these farmers, that saw lots of Baht, now have none and lots of these farmers went out and bought, on finance up to 7 years, new pickup vehicles.

If these farmers were better educated and did not go with the crowd mentality maybe there would be less broke farmers.

The Thai governments are also to blame for not providing better industry assistance packages (years back) in guiding farmers in budgeting and learning about markets.

Thais are envious of others and if they see someone doing better in a industry, them many go and follow (sheep mentality) and try to do the same without any idea of the costs. In my in laws village there was only one reasonable shop for food supplies (no ice cream; no real coffee shop) so I built a proper shop (stand alone brick with glass front doors; air cond; good lighting) that provided Ice cream to the level of Swensen's; coffee like Black Cannon and a supermarket like a mini Tesco/Big C.

Guess what some local Thais did....Yes, went and tried to copy without any idea of costs and their building (house front) are dirty from the dry season dust and the food hygiene is very questionable.

Envy and Sheep mentality, so how to fix?

"Amazing Thailand"

Geez what could EF be up to with the earth shattering report? Of course English skill in Thai are low, but many are blinded by the spin...Just listen to yourselves.. all Thai English teachers from University cannot hold a conversation.. oh pleeseeeeeeeeeeeeee W Man syndrome.

The English business is alive and well.. Linguistic imperalism still rules..

First off, try reading a post correctly. No one said ALL THAI ENGLISH TEACHERS. But I personally know of 5 Thai, all with Master's in English from Chula who can not hold a simple conversation. Two of them happen to live right across the street from me. One of the others is a friend of my son. Same story. Master's from Chula in ENGLISH, and they can't even talk to me. The problem? Thai learn English GRAMMAR, but they never learn how to SPEAK it. Most bar girls couldn't pass a 6th grade (U.S.) grammar test, but have English speaking skills that put those "educated" Thai to shame. Until Thai learn to develop SPEAKING skills in English, they are always going to be sucking hind tit.

Lot's of variations of this. When I was a senior in a management consulting company in Bkk, I did a second detailed interview about knowledge and experience to do the job, Job advertisements always mentioned very clearly: 'applicants must be able to conduct very detailed discussions in full English, there will be occasions where you have to support a consulting project in Singapore and other locations and it will all be in full English'. We had three groupings:

1. Thais who could in fact speak very advanced English and were relaxed to speak / discuss in English all day if needed.

2. Applicants who had A for grammar on their transcript but had zero English conversation ability. This often produced the scenario; 'This is not fair, my transcript says A for English'. All attempts to get the applicants to understand that for this job you will need to converse / discuss in detailed English just produced the same response: 'This is not fair, my transcript says A for English'.

On a few occasions the applicant might say 'why can't you interview me in Thai language?'

3. Applicants who arrived with a friend. Applicant told to come into my room and friend comes too, applicant told it's a one on one interview. Applicant says 'my friend has to come with me to translate for me'. All attempts to try to get the applicant to understand that you will have to talk to many clients in English, your friend cannot be with you, gets same response as situation 2 above.

I did discover a few times:

- Some of the above had attended English language bachelor and/or masters degree programs taught by local professors who can speak English but after maybe the first 30 minutes on day one they revert to Thai and use Thai for the rest of the program.

- The 'it's not fair I got A .....' attitude / logic had come from some of their professors who, in some cases had pushed the line: 'this is Thailand, we speak Thai, English not needed.

You are right on the money "scorecard".

The Thais in your point 2 & 3 just don't understand or get it.

Why is it that when the Thais in 2 & 3, travel to other countries, they end up as dishwashers or the like in the foreign country and I have experienced Thais even with Master Degrees in this very situation.

Wake up Thailand and get your head out of the sand.

There is a larger world out there and for better or worse, English is the preferred language.

"Trouble on the horizon"

not only for the few Thai's who speak "weak" English as people from the other better English speaking countries in ASEAN will be able to take Thai jobs in the 10 specified industries - with Tourism the No 1 looser for Thai's.

But also on the other spectrum of the employment market that being the low paid.

In the Northeast of Thailand several years back the locals were being paid 300 baht per day for rice harvesting and the next year they wanted 500 baht but 20 kilometers over the boarder to Lao the Lao's were happy to be paid the 300 baht per day.

Local Thai group (bit like a mafia) put a stop to the employment of the Laos so that their people could be paid the 500 baht per day.

Only problem was that a foreigner (who had invested in a harvester in his Thai family's name) was able to cut out the Thai workers as the cost to harvest was equivalent to just over 300 baht per worker per day.

So the loosers were

1/ The Lao workers

2/ The Thai workers

And the winners were

A) the Thai family of the foreigner

the foreigner.

Can anyone else see problems for the Thais?

"Keeping ones head in the sand will only lead to dehydration and death ultimately".

BookMan

Those with intelligence would understand a stay is dependent on having a valid visa !

Anyway, I suggest you obtain clarification from " www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente/Visa/community-status resolution-service" as I did when I discovered my visa was only valid for 29 days. I was advised to obtain a new visa if I wished to remain in Australia beyond the visas expiry date.

END of this conversation.

It is misinformation like this we don't need

You can enter one week or one day before the 12 months expires.

You are then given 3 months on entry, so your visa is valid for 3 months from entry. How is that complicated?.

A 12 month multi entry can be valid for 15 months

You are 100% correct.

To all you cynics and miss believers, I can assure you that in my experience of taking my wife to Australia on Twenty One occasions, the important true information is the :"Arrival Before Date". Three months extra stay is for sure acceptable. Our recent entry into Australia was on 19th. December 2015 and our return is 14th. March 2016. Her "Last Day of Entry" was 21 December 2015.

Information I Have given is 100% true.

.

Regards P.E A..P.

You are 100% correct.

I'm pretty sure it is the same as Thailand.

Enter anytime before the expiry date of your visa and you will get another 3 months.

Did you bother to read post number 3?

Did you?

The visa is valid for one year, each entry can be a maximum of 3 months. Enter the day before it expires and u have 3 months

It is correct that your Tgf can arrive up to the day before the Australian Visa expires and she can stay for up to 90 day. In effect your tgf can get just under 15 months stay (in periods of not more than 90 days at a visit) on one Australian 12 months multi entry visa.

My wife has just returned from Australia and her 12 month visa expired on October 27 and she arrived on October 8.

"Cost cutting and the lower oil price" but they made a major portion of the profits from the Fuel Surcharge and their Frequent Flyer Program.

The surcharge from Australia to United States is AU$340 and to London / Frankfurt AU$380 and Sydney to Bangkok AU$200.

The fuel surcharge was introduced to help offset the high oil prices but Qantas has forgotten about it as it is a real money spinner for them.

Lower oil prices but still high fuel surcharge to offset higher oil prices seems a contradiction!

They are going to do this 'test' at the actual accident scene, using a real car? Have they not heard of computer simulations? Likely such a computer simulation may not exist in Thailand, but I would think that Toyota in Japan could do it. But no, Thais can handle it, no need for outside help.

Many countries have traffic investigation teams and an accident similar to this would have been measured, calculated and a result produced in a matter of weeks.

Yes computer simulations would solve this riddle.

Some out there in TV land may not be aware that most vehicle manufactures now use computer modeling and very few cars need to be or are crash tested.

Toyota (Lexus division), if asked, could easily have produce results for the Land Cruiser V8/Lexus LX430 simulated crash tests or modeled one with the same input from this Thai accident.

Thailand is a place where so many things can be bought rather than earned - students and lecturers in the Uni system are able to "achieve" all sorts of qualifications that they simply don't deserve - nepotism, corruption and graft are endemic....there are plenty of examples anecdotes and observations above. It is of course very difficult to gather hard facts on this as no-one wants to admit to being part of a system that is so corrupt.

Yet the result is that people are going around with bits of paper claiming academic achievements that they just aren't capable of......

One of the most worrying concerns here is the training of doctors and other medical practitioners - their training is not immune to the vagaries of the Thai higher education system and the result yet again is that hospitals end up employing people who can't actually do the job properly.

many doctors place "certificates" from American medical institutions on their surgery walls. Many of these institutions have wonderful sounding names but are of dubious worth.

firstly this shows that even in Thailand there is little confidence in the training of doctors.

Secondly it shows the Thai love of bits of paper over common sense.

Thirdly on closer examination most of these "certificates" are misleading - they don't indicate that the doctor practices or trained in America, they usually indicate the doctor paid for a course in a particular topic - as an observer - and then got another bit of paper to stick on their wall at the end. Most of these certificates come from the US as it is far less common in Europe.

Two years back I became very unwell in a matter of two hours.

My wife took me to the nearest hospital (that I later inspected and it would be no more than a clinic in a western country) and I was in and out of consciousness and all the "good doctor" would do was wait and watch as he was unsure if I was "on drugs".

He would not give me water to drink!

He was qualified Thai doctor no less.

I was dehydrating at a fast pace and my wife decided to call an ambulance to take me to Bangkok Hospital where they diagnosed me within 5 minutes of having Dengue fever (second time around) and I almost ended up dying from the poor service from the first doctor.

I was a full paying patient with medical travel insurance and both hospitals were advised by my wife at my arrival to their hospital.

So qualifications are a real problem in Thailand.

And why is it that many western countries do not recognise Thai BA's, MA's. etc?

Why doesn't any Thai government establish a "work for this money" scheme in these villages.

Benefits would be villages having better roads and drainage; better work ethic; no new debt to villagers; money would likely be spent by the villager more slowly than just getting a hit of 10,000 to 25,000; lower dislike by the Bangkok tax payers of their country people; just to name a few.

In the village my in-laws live in, almost all the villagers are in debt (only 3 family's have money and they own most of the real businesses) and at the moment with rubber prices so low the lowly educated villagers just keep getting deeper into debt.

Sad but this is why there are "owner and renters" in this world and smart people need workers and in Thailand there are millions.

True, like most other service providers in Thailand, useless service.

In the village that the wife's folks live in a true technician came to fix the wifi box (wireless from tower) on the outside of the house and in asking the technician advised that the True optic cable was in the next street with a box (15 spots with 2 used) at the school.

Went to true district office to arrange connection and was quoted 39,000 Baht plus modem!

I explained that their optic cable was 460 metres (via pole to pole) but I was told by the manager that I would have to pay for a new optic cable to run 5 kilometres from the next village as each optic cable has only 1 user.

What bull sh_t!

Amazing Thailand

One wonders: Do those spouting, "WP" and "Taxes" go on about Thai businesses that do all sorts of "funny" things to stay open?

Some of which they most probably frequent and patronize.

Watered down liquid condiment.

My woman has been running registered businesses for 5 years in Thailand and has yet to pay a single cent in tax(1 or 2 payment a 4-5 years ago was enough for the local official). The banks are so retarded that transferring funds from one of her bank account to the other one is accepted as proof of income for large loans.

Exactly what I have stated earlier on this topic.

Someone previously wrote "when in Rome........"

Amazing Thailand

From one of the leading stories in Bangkok Post today and as quoted "Meanwhile, Mr Somkid has said ease of doing business is the government's first priority, and measures will be introduced to streamline the process, starting with help in setting up shop" (http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/697648/finance-ministry-weighs-incentives)

would seem to suggest that the Thai government recognises problems similar to "marcofunny" situation!

"duanebigsby" is right on the money when referring to entities that operate in Thailand and it is not just the large corporations that play with books and licences. A builder (with a family) I know has 17 passbook bank accounts and every 3 years makes enough money to buy a block of land; build a house and rent it out and he has been doing this for 20+ years yet only pays tax as an employee which if under 180,000 baht in a year is nil tax. It would seem that it is common to cheat the Thai system and the volume of people benefiting from this are Thais.

Last point is the acceptance of corruption in Thailand by Thais, from memory the last published survey was 2 years ago and "68% said corruption is OK as long as they can get some".

Amazing Thailand

The Beguiled, on 14 Sept 2015 - 14:02, said:

Why persecute marcofunny when there are millions of Thai's in Thailand that are doing the same or at greater Baht amounts!

Just look at the Luxury car market as an example of Thai cheating the system.

10,000+ new vehicles sold over 3,000,000 Baht per year yet there are less than 2,400 Thai tax payers paying 3,000,000 baht a year in tax!

Who are the real cheats or criminals?

"I could be just as "clever" as you and avoid paying the 35% tax I pay here in Thailand. Somehow - I just don't fancy the life of a criminal!"

Amazing Thailand.

____________________________________________________________________

"How does the comparison between the number of cars being sold here each year at a certain price and the number of tax payers in a certain category become an example of Thais cheating the system?

Do you have access to all the tax-payers records here which enables you to distinguish between Thai tax-payers and non-Thais?

______________________________________________________

I think the chances of you being as clever as anyone else is fairly remote."

Simple answer to your first question is "if you don't earn it you cannot pay for it"

If you have lived in Thailand for long enough and have had direct access to Thai SME and you asked direct questions of the owners

"How can you afford that 7 series or S Class?"

You may be surprised to hear their answers from

"We have two sets of books" to "I have 17 different bank accounts" or "I not pay full tax as they [government] not smart enough".

In answer to your last point, recently I was looking at buying one of 3 Thai businesses and after seeing the books (one even gave me access to both sets of books!) I was surprised at how easily it is for Thai's to cheat their tax system.

Very sad and it is no wonder that the minority own the majority of this country and don't want outsiders showing/helping them as I believe that many would not survive the "Face" if a Thai government established the equivalent of the IRS or the ATO.

From the the first part of my original post, which are government figures, I was highlighting how in Thailand with 2.7 million SME that only a small proportion pay the fair and correct tax and the majority cheat the system.

So Thai's do cheat their country.

"I could be just as "clever" as you and avoid paying the 35% tax I pay here in Thailand".

"So the OP is/was a criminal, positively withholding tax revenue whilst illegally employing illegal aliens"

Many responses seem to miss the Thailand double standards.

"The prevailing business practice for SMEs is to keep two accounts — one for internal use and another for tax purposes that understates revenue. (Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/690148/more-sme-aid-tax-cuts-in-the-works)"

Thailand has 2.7 million SME and most don't pay the correct taxes or taxes at all and how many of the 2 million+ illegals from Lao, Cambodia and Myanmar are employed by Thai company's.

Why persecute marcofunny when there are millions of Thai's in Thailand that are doing the same or at greater Baht amounts!

Just look at the Luxury car market as an example of Thai cheating the system.

10,000+ new vehicles sold over 3,000,000 Baht per year yet there are less than 2,400 Thai tax payers paying 3,000,000 baht a year in tax!

Who are the real cheats or criminals?

"I could be just as "clever" as you and avoid paying the 35% tax I pay here in Thailand. Somehow - I just don't fancy the life of a criminal!"

Amazing Thailand

It is great news and a relief for Chutima and Alan who have had many sleepless nights wondering if justice will prevail.

Congratulations for their fortitude.

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

8) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.

9) You will not post inflammatory messages on the forum, or attempt to disrupt discussions to upset its participants, or trolling. Trolling can be defined as the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

Thank you "Jockstar" for posting the above.

I trust you are fair and that you have read the initial and follow up posts from "wilai" where you would have noted the tone and words used.

"victims"

"Insane"

"your bong"

"son"

"sanctimonious crap"

In my posts I was referring to how much better some of the sponsorship money could do if these Thai owned companies directed some of the money to assisting "the poor, orphanages or programs to help the alcoholics that ended up due to the side effects of the same drink companies product?"

The initial Nation news item was not posted in the Football/Soccer Forum and I believe my initial post was a fair comment.

I do not believe the personal attack on me by "wilai" was warranted and that the points referred in your post 7), 8) and 9) should be directed to "Wilai".

^ I have read it again son....you stick to reading your scientific 'research' and stop posting boring, sanctimonious crap on the footie forum

You really have a problem with reality when the medical and research community don't agree with your narrow views.

Go and keep drinking and don't be so condescending ("son" wouldn't want you as my dad with your attitude!) to others who do care for people that have been affected.

^ <deleted> are you on about? The topic is Carabao sponsorship. Led by the popular Thai folk/rock singer in partnership with a beer producer!

Your statement regarding the "victims" of a non alcoholic product is probably the most inane paragraph I have ever read on this forum....which takes some doing

Suggest you get back to your bong and stay off the footie forum

Wilai, What are You on about?

You don't seem to understand the basis of what I wrote.

I suggest you re-read what I wrote and then think about it before you put your <deleted> pen to paper.

I also suggest you research the medical consequences of what too much "energy drinks" do to the human body apart from the damage caused from alcohol.

Scientific research far outweighs your comment.

Also thank you for showing your character in the last line of your comment!

The law requires that every journey in a red-plated vehicle is recorded in the brown cover Tabien Roht so a new book is required periodically to replace the full one on vehicles retaining the red plates for months.......of course, you knew that....

When bought wife's HRV we went on a 3 week road trip and my wife filled in every day the Red Plate Log Book (mentioned above) and at one checkpoint the police officer scratched his head when he looked in the book at all the entries.

He stated that he had never seen someone fill in every drive for every day that they used the Red Plated car and most people he stopped only filled in the day they were stopped!

He then asked WHY we did it.