jingjai9

The way the current law is written it appears as if it was written by a lobbyist.

I would love to see statistics and a categorization of medical problems cannabis has caused the general public, i.e. empirical data with details from medical and psychiatric professionals on specific cases and the number of cases nationwide. So far I have heard about the pros and cons of legalizing weed, but there is a dearth of supporting evidence. I guess that is because in the age of social media it is more important to have an opinion than knowledge of a given subject matter.

Thai authorities seem to be paying the price for ignoring the rise of the Chinese mafia over the last two decades. Part of this is no doubt due to corruption, but another part is simply ignoring a problem that will one day blow up in their faces. This is similar to The US presidential administrations in the 70s simply ignoring or underestimating the increasing power, influence and wealth of the drug cartels in South America. It seems as though the Chinese criminals in Thailand have amassed so much wealth over the decades they can open their wallets and ask government officials to name their price. It would seem to me if Thai children who have gained wealth from the proceeds of ill begotten funds, should be forced to give it up regardless of their parents' nationalities. It is not clean money, is it?

Is this tactic of multiple checkpoints intended to stop danger on the highways or simply another way to enrich the police. Will there be any records kept of who receives citations and fines? Does anyone follow the money? Will offenders be booked, held and arraigned or will people simply pay a fine by the roadside and continue along on their merry way still intoxicated? Will there be violation points put on licenses? Sounds to me like this is just more of the same up to the point where these DUI campaigns simply insult the intelligence of the general public. People need to be reassured that moral, sound law enforcement is in motion and until that happens, Thailand will continue to spin in a treadmill of corruption. I pray that Thailand can be saved from itself. This is a wonderful country with lovely people in general. Unfortunately, it has allowed itself to slowly sink into a swamp of corruption - over the years, gradually but steadily. Does this analogy work: corruption is to Thailand as guns are to America

How can using an agent be illegal if they have shops out in the open and advertise as well? How can a customer of these agents be liable? If the agencies are illegal, why aren't they shut down? Seems to me the governor of the province or the highest law enforcement agencies should be the ones liable. They appear to be the ones who enable this industry. Are there any "legal" services agents can do? Does the government raid visa agencies the same as they would a massage parlor or bar?

I just got back from Hua Hin. We stayed for one month in LaCasita. On the day I was leaving I saw a sign where they were renting condos for 12,000 a month. The place is clean, with a pool and it is about a 10 minute walk to the beach (toting children along). The condo is small but I saw many families staying there. You can find it on Airbnb. I would be happy to answer any further questions you may have. It is NOT on the beach, but it is close.

I think the parents should worry more about violence in the school than a sculpture by one of the greatest artists of the ages. When I look at this piece of art and reflect on the controversy, the Beatles song, " I am the Walrus" comes to mind where at the end they repeatedly say "Everybody's got one, Everybody's got one.."

If Thailand wants to keep children out of danger, they should start with the children selling flowers in the bars. Recently I saw a five year old girl come into a bar. She had a burn on her arm which she claimed was done by her mother for not selling enough flowers. She also touched one of the women working in the bar inappropriately. Have any of you seen drunken patrons of a bar fondle these children? Don't think it happens? What provokes me is these children (boys and girls) do not hide. They are walking from bar to bar in plain sight. They could easily be seen by any law enforcement personnel and removed from the area. Keeping children out of bar areas would illustrate to the world that Thai authorities are sincere about protecting children. News stories about underage sex workers or employees are widely published. They provide good publicity for the police. Whereas, exploitation of child labor does not seem to receive equal publicity. These flower children who sell at bars and pubs cover both areas of exploitation - labor and sexual abuse. Double the reason to put this business out of commission. I suspect a lot of the energy behind this crusade against underage sex workers by the Thai police is to be sure Thailand receives a good report from the American sponsored agency that monitors Trafficking of People (TIP). The agency rates each country according to its efforts to stop domestic trafficking. They release an annual report and rate each country. When the new government came to power in 2014, I believe Thailand received level three. They have since risen to a level 2. I understand The US will recommend sanctions against countries who they feel are not making adequate effort to combat human trafficking, not to mention publishing the name of suspect countries around the world.

AI could one day replace teachers, but it should not replace teachers. AI could be a valuable assistant to teachers. We have to realize at some point that as cost saving and convenient as AI and IT are, they do take away the human element in interpersonal relationships.

What happened to Udon Thani immigration. They were right in the middle of this before?

I agree with Bay Area's post. I taught in Vietnam and the classroom culture is more conducive to learning. Thais seem to have a short attention span in general and the schools I have worked at in Thailand have a "don't get too serious attitude" which undermines the discipline for learning and maintaining a learning environment. On the other side, I found Vietnamese people to be friendly but very keen to overcharge foreigners for any and all good and services. I saw many Vietnamese vendors quite reluctant to take "no" for answer. I find Thai vendors less aggressive. I think the Vietnamese have more of a brash demeanor compared to Thai people on a day to day basis. As I traveled in Vietnam and encountered government officials crossing the borders, I came to the conclusion that Thai people are more gentle and know how to tolerate foreigners traveling in their country. Perhaps in the 2020s it has changed. Finally, anyone who has spent time in Vietnam knows the country experiences a lot of theft, bicycles, home burglaries, etc.

keith cresswell Thank you for informative post. You answered my questions. I appreciate it.

Kalasin Joe, no this is not a home country marriage. We plan to marry in Thailand.

I plan to marry a Thai citizen. I will go to my embassy and have a marriage/divorce affidavit notarized along with obtaining a certified copy of my passport. I then will go to the Thai Ministry to have my documents authenticated. Does my wife-to- be have to come with me to the Thai ministry of Foreign Affairs? I know I will need to have my paperwork translated to Thai. - - Has anyone on the forum been to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently? -- Do you need an appointment? My info. from the US embassy says an appointment is not needed (to the best of their knowledge). -- Does anyone know the average fee for translations in the Bangkok area? -- How much does the Thai ministry charge to validate the documents (My embassy says "a nominal fee")? -- How far is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the US embassy on Wireless Road in Bangkok? Anyone have any other details about this process that would be helpful? Thanks. I consistently get useful information from this forum and of course a few laughs as well.

Can you travel WITHIN Thailand and take weed along with you on the plane? What is the policy of the Thai government? I am talking about a small amount, maybe half an ounce rolled into joints.

The crackdown mentality or war on drugs theme translates to: "We don't know what else to do so let's make a show of it. This tactic comes complete with photo opps and tons of publicity which gives the appearance the police are doing their job. America's war on drugs ended up giving the good old US of A the dubious distinction of having the highest incarceration rate (number of people incarcerated as a proportion of its total population.) in the world. Not to mention all those exciting police shows and movies. How effective are Thailand's rehabilitation programs? Is it a true program that runs a course, or is it a just show up and you get the certificate affair? What is Thailand's success rate with their rehab programs? Did Thailand develop its own programs or are they adapted from another country. I would venture to guess the rehab programs are not working if the Thai government wants to resort to such severe penalties for two pills. Do crackdowns ever serve to solve problems such as drug abuse? Is drug abuse a psychological problem or can you possibly arrest you way out of it? Taking a good, hard luck at Thailand's rehab programs may be the place to start.

My guess would be that once flying taxis are available they will be expensive and serve as one more luxury for the rich.

I contacted Bell Travel Service and they told me: "I am sorry we don't have a transfer service from Donmuang to Huahinnor Pattaya these days. Sorry for any inconvenience." Are there any other travel companies that anyone here knows about?

Thank you for your responses

I will be going to Hua Hin on a Friday. I will land at Don Muang Airport at 8:35 in the morning. What is the best way to get to Hua Hin from Don Muang? There will be 2 adults and a young child. What is the fastest way do get there? What is the cheapest way to get there? What is the most comfortable way to get there? I will weight the information and choose the most suitable. Thanks

Thanks I will be down in March and wanted some books to read.

In 2023, are there any book exchanges or used books stores in Hua Hin? Thanks

I think this is a helpful article based on my time spent in Thailand and personal experiences. This article is trying to tell you the best way to get out of the situation. Of course it is up to you to judge the attitude of the police when you are stopped and conduct yourself in a manner that is in tune with Thai culture. On the bottom line the article proposes a logical, realistic plan if you are stopped. Everyone has a idea about police corruption in Thailand. You must remember if you chose to live here or stay her long term, you signed up for this possible situation.

How about connecting with Universities who award degrees in tourism and business English? In the 2nd term of the senior year, students go on an externship or work/study program. In the past many students did their fourth year training at hotels. Having students do a work/study program at a hotel gives the hotel "audition time" where they can see how well the trainee is doing and if they are interested in hiring, make offers for those they want to keep.

The vans to Nong Khai are available for 85 baht. You will see a very small shelter-like structure in the front parking lot at Central. I took this van on December 24th. Although they have a scheduled departure time, if the van is not near capacity the driver will wait for more passengers.