ianf

9 hours ago, maewang99 said:

everyday something more nutty.... the linked article says....

"with Thailand you [British] pay 15,000 US dollars (£12,033) and you can stay there for five years"

 

but I will only pay about 260 US dollars (1900 Thai Baht a year, I think it is).... for 5 years..... why Brits have to pay so much?

I was also (still am) trying to find out how a Brit might lose a state pension by being here.... that sure doesn't happen with USA's Soc Sec program.... what's the idea there too? is that why they say it's a ****state**** pension... it ain't your pension... it's a state pension? say what??? in the UK???



  
 

All Brits living overseas have their pensions frozen and do not have the cost of living increases applied to them. However, we still pay UK taxes on our pensions. This is off course a gross injustice. Typical British legal scamming.

The worst accident I have ever seen: 6pm one evening on the Canal Road, Chiang Mai. After the121 junction (about 14km), there used to be a sharp left turn. The canal turned with the road and was probably 20 metres below the road height.

Scenario: ick up with 8 workers in the back. Fails to negotiate the left turn and carries straight on at about 80/90 kph. Hits the barrier, goes flying over it and ends up 20 metres below in the canal.

What happened to the workers? Well, as the pick up turned over these poor working folk went flying all over the place. None survived.

On another occasion I saw a pick-up turn on to it's side in a ditch. This was on the main Lampang-Bangkok highway. They had overtaken me earlier and the family were having a picnic in the back of their truck whilst the driver was on the outside lane doing about 100kph. One of the children was killed. I saw her lying on the road, obviously dead.

This happens with alarming regularity.

But, hey, Thais are free spirits. "We don't need no education" as Pink Floyd sang. "We don't need no regulation". Land of free spirits or of kwais?

Being a retired old bugger in this country I have spent the past few years catching up on my reading, I have been particularly interested  in the lives of famous people, politicians and so forth who have been leaders in their fields. These include Mao, Stalin, Amin, Saddam  and so on. In my own personal life I have been targeted by a relative who turned out to be a conman and I lost a lot of money to him. Academically it is interesting to reflect on how he held me in thrall and managed to get me to believe his lies.  In my sporting interests (cycle racing) I have watched over the years the events and behavior surrounding Lance Armstrong. All of these people have social behaviour patterns in common - some on a greater scale than others. Some more damaging than others. The personality disorder - we can call them either sociopaths or psychopaths or both - seem to be the common thread linking all of these people. And to my mind Thaksin fits into this mould exactly, fairly and squarely. That he is less than straight forward is a given. He manages to build and maintain a loyal following and he believes his own lies to such an extent that others believe them too. His protestations of innocence, how he has been unfairly treated, his denial of events over the years that everyone knows are centred around him and so points to a sociopathic disorder. Trump is another example of these types of people and I am watching carefully as he day-by-day reinforces my view of him. These people are dangerous. Mao is one of the best examples of how someone with this disorder can ruin the lives of millions of people. To this day he maintains a devoted following despite the fact that he was an absolute monster in every sense of the word. These people quite often reach a status that does not equal their ability so their behaviour and actions become more alarming as each day passes.

On 3/28/2017 at 2:47 PM, SkyNets said:

Careful, the last couple that came here to cycle through were ran over by a lorry.

There have been hundreds of other cyclists here from all over the world since then. None of them can be found under a lorry. Accidents hapen yes, but it doesn't mean it happens to ALL cyclists!!!!

4 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

I'll think you'll find it's dehydration/heat exposure causing heat stroke. Still this usually happens with sun/heat exposure coupled with lack of hydration. Your right alcohol and extreme heat is not the best but if you drink plenty of water you should be ok. Don't know the circumstances i.e. had he been out in the heat pissing on all day. 40's hot but shouldn't kill a 52 yr old.

Your right? You are right. You're right. Which is correct? The winner get a bottle of Chang!

All seems OK. I am still managing to ride 3 hours everyday on my bicycle and today just short of 100km. Not pushing too hard in this heat. Just drink a lot.

12 hours ago, sharecropper said:

A weapons cache after so long? Hmm.

 

But when you read about the absurd assassination "plot", you realise this is almost certainly a set-up.

My gut feeling is that NO this is not a set up. Unless you have the evidence to the contrary, off course.

After so long? Well there has been an increase of red-shirt meetings in the countryside around Chiang Mai. Very cleverly (not) they make a route for the reds to follow by hanging triangular flags in various combinations. Why the army hasn't spotted these and removed them or gone to the red meets I don't know. But the evidence of red activity is all around.

4 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Sorry I had to go with the following " I think they are being selective " key word think. My crystal ball is in for a silicon patch and so it is rather cloudy at the moment. I am going to butcher a chicken and read its entrails and after that I will get back to you. Please be patient as I am new at entrail reading. 

Your response highlights the stupidity and prejudice one finds in forums. Not funny at all.

28 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

I think they are being selective. Between now and the next election they will periodically trot more of these PTP illegal enrichment cases to subtly entrench their own ideas of who should govern which of course will be themselves in one guise or another. 

Could you elaborate? Evidence? Analysis? W.H.Y.?

19 hours ago, redwinecheese said:

Well I don't care if you disagree with me liking Thaksin but I bet you Thais will always remember him for introducing 30 baht health coverage program.

If you research this the original plan came from Chuan Leekpie  and Thaksin hijacked the plan as he could immediately see that it would further his own selfish interests. This is how sociopaths work. Queue Trump. Create the lie that it was HIS plan and HIS idea and people will love him forever. Get it?

On 3/13/2017 at 4:11 PM, sjaak327 said:

One band of thieves being replaced by yet another. One thing is certain Thaksin has shown more respect to laws than the current lot...

I do not think there is a grain of truth in your statement. Sounds like blind prejudice to me.

So The Burmese two have been sentenced to death for killings that they did not do. Meanwhile, people, in particular pretty young farang blondes, are still dying on Koh Tao. Is there someone in a position of authority in Thailand who is able to add 2 and 2 together and make 4? Because to me the appeal court was out of order to uphold the sentence on the Burmese 2, and if they needed any more evidence this death must be a pointer. But perhaps money is still talking?

Do you all really believe in the mushroom story? Well, if you talk with real forest people or environmentalists, it's pure fantasy. They may burn to promote the growth of mushrooms, but it does not work. Point number 2: The Government itself is causing some of the worse and most toxic fires. If you look at the hundreds of kilometres of verges that are burnt at this time of the year and you'll get my drift. Over at Mae Tha in the Chiang Mai region I cycled past about 10km of burnt verges some of which spread well into the adjoining jungle. This burning saves them clearing the mountains of rubbish that Thais seem to think is ok to dump by the bag-load along the edge of the road. The local governments are under an obligation to keep the areas clean, so they simply burn it all. And as the plastic is burnt at low temperatures what happens? Well they fill the air with poisonous toxins. Clever eh? But the sting in the tail is that all the posters about "No burning" that the SAME government workers erected got burnt too! What fun! Now how about the Northern Thai Sports Authority who decided to build an incinerator in the 700-year sports complex, Chiang Mai. Now the mountains of rubbish, including polystyrene and plastic, can all be happily burnt. Yes! Burnt at low temperatures using wood as a fuel and without, to the best of my knowledge, any scrubbers in the stack. Clever eh? So the kids in the local school can breathe in this noxious and dangerous air all the year around. Wow! They no longer have to wait for the burning season!!!! And the people using the sports facilities? Same thing. Nice dirty air for all. Now that's what I call intelligent thinking. "Have you tried telling them?" I was aked. "Yes", I said "Have you ever tried talking to a brick wall?"

We had some friends come to stay. They caught a red songteaw which charged them 200 baht a person from the town to Hang Dong and then dumped them near Ob Khan in the middle of nowhere instead of at the Moo Baan where we live. The friends had detailed address and map so there was no need. 4 people x 200 = 800 baht from the City centre to the Ob Khan road near the Canyon.

This is a dangerous movement with political undertones. Any self-respecting Buddhist would keep well away from these people. My wife has view on these 'agitators' who are the paid political force very heavily involved and embedded. Now who would have the funds to pay them?

How stupid.

First of all let's answer the poster who says "Fake is affordable..." Perhaps but by buying Fakes you are participating in theft. You don't have to buy the "real" thing: Just avoid it and buy something else. I don't want and don't buy fake brans and contribute to the pockets of people who are basically criminal thieves.

Secondly: Tourists? Don't make me laugh! How about all those little Thai girls driving around on their motorbikes with fake Louis Vuitton? How about all the Thai cyclists buying Fake Oakleys? And on and on it goes.

How about the expats buying fakes from China such as Fake Pinarellos and Fake Time bicycles. OMG! Yes, some expats and some tourists buy Fakes but it's the Thais that consume the large majority of this sh**.

Just tell the Chinese manufacturers to design their own brands - they'll make more money and everyone will be happy. Except those little Thai girls who want to look "Hi So" with their fake handbags that, if real, would have cost more than their motorbikes.

Ruddy nonsense if you ask me.

2 minutes ago, thetruth revealer said:

And if the Wife is Thai, who is gonna pay the entry Fee ???? RICH FARANG once again.

Its a bout time to leave !!!

Simply refuse to pay and refuse to go inside. I do that each time I am faced with this issue. Went to night safari with 6 people (friends from the UK). We refused to pay the extortionate price and demanded to see the boss. No boss forthcoming and we didn't go inside the Safari. Can pay won't pay. Only the local price.

Chiang Mai night Safari: Thais 300 baht; Foreigners 800 baht.

How do they get away with it?

The nasty cheats put the Thai prices in the Thai numerals and the Western in nornal numerals.

Interesting, eh? I don't see them use Thai numerals elsewhere. Bank notes, prices in supermarkets, time tables and cars (etc) all use Western numerals.

That's why it is deliberate cheating.

If anybody from Night Safari or the Zoo in Chiang Mai can answer this point then please do so.

I have tried I like HD but although they offer a good service I get constant buffering. Perhaps in a 1-hour programme I get to reboot 20 times. It ain't fun. I have checked all our devices and our internet speed. verything OK.

Now when I try to renew they won't take credit card online. Why ever not? They want me to jump in the car and go and find a 7-11 and pay with True money. Ridiculous.

So are there any alternatives to this madness? How can I get BBC/Eurosport etc?

Thanks

15 Years ago I went out on patrol with some local social workers who were keeping an eye on the welfare of underaged folk. These ust have been the  only social workers in the world carrying loaded guns!

It's the lowlife that some parts of Thailand attract that I don't like. You only have to look at these women's faces to see the sort of creatures they are.

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

You should have hired the "Pattaya 2" hitmen to take out your nephew? Just contact them on Facebook.

They don't operate in France!!!!!

12 hours ago, jimstar1 said:

I am horrified when I see mothers holding new born babies in their arms as their partners drive motor bikes and none of them are wearing helmets. I see it every day in Chiang Mai.  My partner works in the ICU at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital and shows me horrible photos and pictures on the internet of young children with their heads caved in and their bodies damaged with horrific injuries every day.  There will never be anything done as the police are too busy targeting tourists for 'tea money'.

Corrected