ianf

Tom, after reading through all the above comments I think if only the westerners are allowed to vote in the last election, Ahbisit and the Democrats would have won the election hands down...

Off course.

I suspect that if he were any more of a mug, he would have a handle in the middle of his back.

Read this soft-soap interview with a touch of cynicism and his image becomes clearer;

His business folds due to the asian economic crisis - of course that can't be because of his failure to adapt, it must be the government's fault.

He is inspired by Thaksin, despite all the evidence that the man is corrupt - I wonder what he aspires to.

Doesn't want to be anybody's enemy, but gets sucked into the red shirt mess.

Becomes a "people's politician" and is rejected. No worries, get on the party list.

Is glad he joined the "fight for democracy" - probably will never see the light and realise he was used to get thaksin's cronies back into power.

Thinks Thaksin should be allowed to return because he has a lot to offer - whereas Thaksin wants to return because there is still a lot to take.

How about an interview with some REAL questions, like is corruption acceptable, why were armed militants allowed to mix with protesters, was it necessary to burn BKK ?

you guys are so funny.

The Drivel showers roses over the Dems and you people don't say squat, but if it is a piece about red shirt, suddenly you know how to "read critically".

maybe you should remember : in the financial crisis of the 90s a lot of companies went under - and it was primarily due to imposed conditions from the IMF which (and yeah, it's documented) made the situation worse. The Dem government in the 90s fell in due to extraordinary corruption. This guy runs out of the democratic strong-hold, how many PTP were elected in the south? But you imply he is a failure. He took a stand against a military coup which in his mind is a fight for democracy, but clearly not in your mind. Yay for TVF democracy. Sure he feels that Thaskin should come back - and other people feel that he shouldn't - but his right to an opinion is called "being used" by you. And let's just forget that it was the PAD who were the first "armed-militants" or that the protests last year were peaceful for over a month before the violence started. Let's forget that the PM Abhisit rejected the request to hold elections (which is what had to happen in the end anyway), and that 90+ people are now dead because of it. And let's forget that the government was the side doing the killing on a 10-1 scale - why was that ?? Why did they use a sniper to kill an ex-military man while he was giving an interview? Why did the government authorize, EVER, the use of lethal force against the protesters? And *someone* did torch Central World (do you know how hard it is to set a building like that on fire?) - anyway, last time I was in BKK Central World was looking just fine, but 91 people are still dead - ohhhh, poor burning Bangkok, tears of a clown...

Cheers, Tom

Obviously Tom when the GOOD reds marched peacefully to Bangkok, they ignored their leaders' speeches that were riddled with violence. They didn't bring empty bottles or petrol; they didn't engage 300 'men in black'; they didn't steal weapons from the military and the police; they didn't threaten to burn Bangkok. They didn't take any advice from Mein Kampf and listen to speeches that offered no 'argumentation' only emotional manipulation in the time honoured fashion of fascist leaders, etc etc, boring etc. When Khun Abhisit offered an early election, they didn't accept because it wasn't soon enough. Or perhaps that offer was made in Jest. And when the famous military leader was targeted as a high profile sacrifice to the red movement, they rang Khun Abhisit and asked if he would kindly send a sniper in to blow his brains out. So kind of the then PM to oblige. Dear Tom, I must say to you that what you think you see is not what you get. You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can certainly fool the dispossessed all of the time. And if you get that right, then you can grab back the ownership of the country and do as you will. Or perhaps I'm just a cynic and the then PM was really out there pulling triggers? Somehow my intellectual reasoning thinks not!!

I would imagine he is referring to his Thai driver's license and not Thai ID which is available to Thai Nationals only.

C.M. Night Safari is a great cheap outing for those with kids. Sometimes they even waive the 50 Baht fee. We've been about 15 times over the years. We buy a big bag of carrots at the market and get there at dusk when the deer come out for feeding. The sun conures are my favorite. You can go inside the cage and feed them. 10 or 15 of them will come and sit on your shoulders and arms while you hand feed them. They are very gentle and playful birds. My kid loves going to the Night Safari.

Having said that, some of the animals there are in absolutely horrible condition.

This is what I have been told and read many of the negative reports.

Personally, I would like to see people boycott this place and put out of business those that make profits at the expense of the sufferings of these animals.

There is no way that I would contribute anything towards this so-called animal sanctuary travesty they call the night safari.

I understand that until a couple of years ago the animals were not well looked after and some died. It seems that a new European CEO was appointed and animal husbandry improved. On my last visit a couple of weeks ago the animals seemed well cared for and the place was clean etc. A great improvement. These types of places are important for preservation of the species, although I am not sure what CMNS is doing in this regard although I understand it has a programe of sorts.

Seems to me the most obvious answer here is that the mechanic removed the paperwork from the car and then forgot to put it back in. I think the point you all forget is that when they do something stupid here they never admit it because of 'loss of face'. Any excuse or lie will do because they can never admit they are wrong about anything. TIT.

And given the scenario you describe, or similar, the mechanic took the documents out of the car for whatever reason, quite possibly legitimate or as part of a company process, then put them back and somehow the blue book got separated, no intent to do anything wrong, later discovered, nothing much said.

And all of that could have been in any country in the world, and anywhere in the world it's possible that nothing would be said, for all sorts of reasons including simple embarrassment.

And I guess you've never overlooked something and kept quiet?

Why therefore make negative statements about Thai people, not fair.

Negative statements about Thai people? Not fair? Do you know me? Do you know anything about my attitudes?

Lets look at this from another perspective: If there is a genuine Scam going on (and I only asked the question) then am I right or not to bring this to the attention of other farangs on this board?

Also, my partner, Pim, is Thai. And she absolutely thinks they were trying to scam me and was upset at my soft approach to this matter by not going to their manager.

Think before you pour scorn, my friend.

the blue book is title to the vehicle

And all it takes to replace it is a police report and about 100 baht.

Again, the point of this thread was to report something that happened. The guys may well have been innocent of anything, but to me there were too many unanswered questions such as Why did three people look under the seat and not see the book ?? (etc). Perhaps the answer was that they did it that way to save loss of face. And that might well be the answer if the blue book is not that important!

nobody would put the blue book into the car;

a photocopy showing that taxes have been paid is sufficient

original insurance papers must be in the car

Whether it is correct or not to put the blue book in the car is not the point of this thread. But I have learnt my lesson about that and should have removed the blue book after coming back from the DL office.

I've never heard of mechanics stealing the blue book in order to run a scam of some sort. Even with the blue book they need your signature to transfer ownership. Sounds like the book fell off the seat and they found it later. You have been reading too many farang forums so will think the worst.

The only reason I had the blue book was because it was with the car documents and the reason for that was that we had just changed 'ownership' and therefore the number of the car at the DL office. Therefore the blue book was in the folder with the car documents. It could not have fallen off the seat at the front and ended up underneath and only retrievable from the back because of the design of the underneath of the seats. And indeed we all looked under the seat and 100% it was not there. When they returned the car, after they had driven it to the back of the garage it was there.

Today I had my CRV serviced at the Honda Garage on the Hang Dong Road between Big C & Tesco.

My blue book was with the documents in the car which I gave to the service reception guy at 8:05 this morning.

Soon after I picked up the car at 4pm, we had just driven onto the garage forecourt (not exiting the garage) when my partner noticed that the blue book was missing.

We searched the car, then went to see the guy I had been dealing with.

He came to the car and searched again, crucially we all looked under the passenger and driver seats.

We then had a chat, at first he said he had put the blue book ON the seat. Later he said that he thought I had taken the blue book with me when I left. (impossible, I was in cycling kit and off for a 70km jaunt)

Contradictory statements. (He also said that we had driven home and left the blue book there! Impossible, as we saw him 3 minutes after picking up the car)

We then asked to speak to a Director and he looked momentarily worried.

He then asked for the key so he could drive the car to the back of the garage to find the mechanic who had serviced the car.

He drove back with the mechanic, and the mechanic looked under the passenger seat and lo & behold, found the blue book. Just like that.

It was only as I was driving away that it struck me (I know I'm a bit slow at times) that this was a well organised scam.

How many foreigners would have noticed their blue book was missing?

Now my partner does not want me to go back and complain as she said they must be part of a gang who will take action against me if I disturb them!!!!!

TWO LESSONS here: 1. Only have a photocopy of your blue book and insurance in the car. Originals at home please; 2: Use another Honda dealership!

In my experience (and I've had some) Waldorf schools are usually loving, arts-rich, happy places. As I've seen it in the States and Europe, teachers will stay with children as they move up through the years, which makes it good to hear kind words about a particular teacher in the area. Parents unfamiliar with the system who are considering it for the long haul might want to ask directly about the general approach to reading, as it may or may not fall within their comfort level.

I thought Waldorf was a type of salad (aka Fawlty Towers)

So now begins the splitting of the country. North Thailand and South Thailand. Thaksin back to rule the Republic of North Thailand. There will be trouble ahead.

Quite.

The danger with declared 'Red-Villages', is that there may then be declared 'Red-Provinces' (with fire-proof provincial-buildings ?), followed eventually by a by a 'Red Country'.

This is hardly a move towards the reconciliation, which the new PM wants, perhaps she will speak-out against the trend, and explain why it's bad for Thailand ? Or perhaps she will delegate the task.

Odds on-delegate the task. More or less all tasks will be handed from him to her to them

Fascism, not communism. Red shirts = brown shirts.

Dangerous stuff.

Worawat claims the reds deserve posts because they were elected...... They WEREN'T. They were each given places on the party list. Nobody voted for them in a constituency.

Same as Yingluck. And we've all witnessed her lack of ability to carry out her appointed role last week.

This government is an absolute joke.

No it is not a joke. It is all part of a longer term plan.

Went two Wimping two bye a sore sage. Butt kood knot fine a god one. Adz on ear seam two ave corzed a wun on sore sages. Praps the Sore Sage King kan mek maw?

Iz this speld rite?

Cheap-skates unite!

Now, now UG, this is a Haddock not a Skate fish thread.

Anyone who has tried Gecko's F&C will know what a bargain it is.

I came to Chiang Mai to get away from Fish & Chips. But happily found a restaurant serving Fish & Ships

OK...would you care to tell us where this is?

Its just near the junction of Canal Road and the road goes to night safari!

This restaurant also has its main branch in Bangkok (same name), so if you do a search for that it will probably bring up more details.

Isn't there a Le Beaulieu on the Samoeng Road just as you are getting into the first set of hills? Any connection?????

Did you read post #46?

And the answer is ...... NO

Cheap-skates unite!

Now, now UG, this is a Haddock not a Skate fish thread.

Anyone who has tried Gecko's F&C will know what a bargain it is.

I came to Chiang Mai to get away from Fish & Chips. But happily found a restaurant serving Fish & Ships

I for one certainly would not miss it. Soi Cowboy and Patpong 1 & 2 is enough to go around for those whose desires are bent in this direction.

And when Bangkok finally becomes a replica of Milton Keynes and Warrington New Town, you will presumably be truly happy.

Bangkok will never become a replica of Milton Keynes. There are not enough roundabouts!!

No different to any other country with an elected government, it's simply pay back time for the supporters. Not going to give positions to the dems or other opposition now are they!

Just that here in Thailand it is somewhat more transparent..

If people in this country were appointed on the basis of ability then the above appointments would be fine. But this is clearly not the case and more examples of Nepotism on a grand scale. Today is not the problem. I wonder what shape this country will be in, in say 2013?????

This restaurant also has its main branch in Bangkok (same name), so if you do a search for that it will probably bring up more details.

Isn't there a Le Beaulieu on the Samoeng Road just as you are getting into the first set of hills? Any connection?????

Two troublemakers were caught making what is tantamount to a death threat, and people are condemning those that stopped the troublemakers?

Look at what happened;

Around noon, two men dressed like students stepped out of a taxi to place a wreath titled "To Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont who is sitting in the heart of Thaksin - from the Democratic Student Group" in front of the Parliament compound.

1. Dressed like students? Was it to give the impression that they were students so that students would be blamed?

2. Democratic Student Group? The group has not link to this event and it was a false cover set up to mislead the public to give the impression that students were upset.

3. A wreath? This is what is sent for funerals. Does one not understand the message? It was the equivalent of a message saying you are dead.

The fact of the matter is that 2 people concealing their identity and intending to mislead the public were caught in the act. Instead of blaming the people that stopped these 2 conmen, ask who these people were and who sent them. What was uncovered was the M.O. of the saboteurs and agent provocateurs that havebeen at the heart of the political violence in Thailand.

It could be saying that 'Democracy is Dead' which it is now in this crazy country.

the government could not dismiss the fact that red shirts were involved in insulting the monarchy.

Have never seen any condemnation of those involved Red Shirts by the Pheu Thai Party.

Have never seen any condemnation of those involved Red Shirts by the Red Shirt Leaders.

Have never seen any condemnation of those involved Red Shirts by anyone associated with the Red Shirts.

,

What part of this do you not comprehend?

- Do not make any accusations about any individual's or groups' loyalty toward The Monarchy.

Don't make the accusations surreptitiously or otherwise.

Please cease and desist from questioning people's loyalty. You may not like the redshirts, but they have a love for the nation apparently do not understand. Because you do not understand, that does not mean they do not have it. Thank you.

I would not question the average red's loyalty to the Monarchy. My maid is red through and through but has pictures of the King in her home and she loves the King. What is clear is that the average red does not understand the depth of the politics they support. Mass psychology of fascism at work? I wonder, it is just a thought.

I think the point that I was making earlier, that the mods appear not to have understood (hence their removal of a perfectly good post), is that the bad treatment of people runs throughout this society at every level. Which is why these things happen to poor migrants (at the bottom end), why in the middle we have 'perfectly respectable' and educated Thai wives treating decent farang husbands like Sh..... and why the things that happen in Government and politics happen. This is basically a me-first and selfish society. I see a Thai couple mistreat their Burmese maid on a regular basis - I wouldn't treat my dog like that!

The whole report sounds fishy to me. I can believe the part that monks may not have known what was going on at their temple (they didn't acknowledge the multiple fetus stored for many months, and many wats have feral dogs which monks are adept at not noticing). However, I cannot believe so many dead bodies could be moved around without raising alarms, ....even in the land of 'mai pen rai.'

Some mentioned Rohinga or Burmese - which sounds slightly plausible. Or other SE Asians hired by the Thaksin machine which fueled the Bkk riots or 2009 and 2010, and, if killed, were expendable in their view.

This could all be filed under 'False Stories' until we hear more. Too often in Thailand, there are inflamatory stories - which turn out to be either badly reported or just plain false. - like the recent report of a Thai gang of near dozen members who brutally murdered a Swede - which turned out to be false on several counts. Even numbers can't always be relied upon when spoken. in Thai, the number 11 sounds almost identical to the number 18. And have you ever looked closely at numbers written by a Thai? a number one looks like a seven, and a number four could look like a nine or a zero or a six, or......who knows? Who teaches the kids how to write numbers? Add to that, the word for 'far' (glai) sounds almost identical to the word for 'near' (glai). Imagine if there were Thai soldiers in a forward trench, attempting to call back artillery aiming adjustments on a nearby target. The soldier says 'glai', and the gunner thinks 'close' rather than 'far' and 'KA_BOOM!" ......game over.

The Thai Visa notification in my Hotmail inbox headlined: "169 bodies of re-shirts found in mass graces; Fire safety checks...." etc

Interesting eh? Here is Thai Visa making wild claims that do not carry the word 'alleged' or 'suspected' as if the above statement is fact`. And yet if us mere punters (or posters) posted say a quote with exactly stating the source we are kicked out of existence.

This was a poor editorial choice by Thai Visa and one that should never have occurred.

Off course there is no evidence and one of the monks is now alleged to have said that these were not red shirt bodies.

Also, how many red shirts disappeared during their riots? There have been no real news stories about the disappeared such as there has been about those that disappeared in Uruguay under Pinochet. No pictures of sad husbands/wives/parents etc asking where their relative is? Actually, yes, I saw one story in Chiang Mai. And that was because she was the wife of a farang.

thai is a tonal language and even if the word is spelt the same it is spoken differently so there are on errors maybe if you listened to them speak you would know this uless of course your tone deaf.

During the 2009 Red riots in Bkk, Thaksin was interviewed on CNN and said, in effect, "hundreds of (Red) protesters have been killed by security forces." It was wishful thinking on his part, as such mass killings would add impetus to his crusade to get back the PM's seat. However, (no surprise to people familiar with Thaksin) it was simply another of his long string of lies.

And then the factor of no parents/siblings/children complaining about missing relatives for many months ......the whole story seems too fishy. As Geriatric kid suggests: there are too many factors we don't know yet. If true, it qualifies for international news headlines, and also for possible Hague prosecutions for mass murder. Though expect Thai investigative prowess to be flaccid.

" ....police would look into whether the bodies were victims of Typhoon Gay from Chumphon province in 1989, as claimed by the temples' abbots.

as reported by another major newspaper out Bkk

Can investigators gauge whether a body has been decomposing for 22 years or 1 year? Do temple abbots lie?

+We might eventually learn that Thaksin's aspirations run much higher than being the mere PM, a position where others can do his dirty work for him.

It is the people of Thailand that I feel sorry for. These despots are keeping the people poor whilst stealing the money of Thailand. IMO opinion the only person in Thailand that would have any chance to affect change and is revered by almost every Thai and could bring bring the people together and move Thailand forward has been suspiciously silent these past few dark years. Very strange, is it possible that he is being controlled in some way.

Yes. He is being controlled and is himself a stooge of extremely wealthypeople with more intelligence than he. www.landdestroyer.com is a good starting point but there are many other resources on the net you can use to learn about this board's favourite meglomaniac!!

This is hilarious. And shows the last Democrat government in its true light. It is time now to grant Thaksin the amnesty that everyone knows is on the way, so that the country can move on to more pressing matters...

Another Thaksin fan! Why? It is quite possible that this story is not true either or that the Thai police mislead the Democrat government into believing that there was a warrant. Thaksin remains a dangerous, dishonest and manipulative human being responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocents during his tenure. Anyone who cannot see the true nature of this evil man must lack something somewhere!