dcnx

1994 charged. 12 impounded cars.

What a cash cow their new campaign turned out to be.

In the early 2000's, not so long ago... back when the number of tourists to Thailand was around 8 million and growing year on year at double digits, and there were no 5 star hotels in Chiang Mai ... and the future was clear. TAT did nothing, which is understandable because TAT is not the dept responsible for tourism in country, but rather promoting tourism abroad. The department of Sports and Tourism, did nothing either.

The greatest % contribution to tourism dollars came from MICE - meetings, conventions, exhibitions, and expositions. At the same time, Singapore was investing heavily in this sector as well as casinos and more. This segment of the tourism sector has grown in Thailand since then, but not nearly at the same rate as other segments. This segment spends more per day than any other targeted segment. Wouldn't that be the definition of quality tourist?

Data from TAT has always been suspect - it is from the TM-7 cards at the airport, where everybody tells the truth. Japanese who come here for business on a tourist visa only to spend their time doing business are counted as tourists. Same for Malaysians. Malaysia has been the largest tourist visitor to Thailand since the beginning of time until around 2007. I mention Chiang mai as it is perhaps the easiest to see as an example of how tourism affects Thailand. How many 5 star hotels are there now?

This begs another question: What is the status of star rating system in Thailand? Is it using an internationally accredited system? Are there checks? Again with Chiang mai... what happened to the Holiday Inn? The Westin? Why did they lose their brand names? The answer is that the Brand company stripped it from the management of the property because they could not maintain standards.

While Chiang mai officials knew there were plans for 6 high end properties under construction or slated to be built back in 2004, did they invest in even a decent Information Booth at the airport? Does Chiang Mai have a decent tourism Information Booth in the arrival lounge? Someone put one there back in 2004 and it was hilarious and sad. The kids inside could not understand simple English. How are the taxis doing? Are the meters running? How about the red buses in CM? Why has it been impossible to get rid of them or decrease them? If you want to draw people for those 5 star (and 4 star etc.) properties do you really expect them to hop on a red songtaew?

Regarding Farang ... the number who come here for business or longer stays but are counted as tourists is also inflating tourist figures. The remaining contributors to tourism figures come from places like Russia, Vietnam, and China. These nationalities are probably true tourists for the most part, and are not spending nearly the figure per head per day that MICE folks spend. More people spending less per day is not the direction one wants to go. Whether the country has the ability to direct policy to address this is obvious.

As long as Thailand continues to let tourism develop with no planning at all it will always develop into the mess that is CM today, and the mess that is Pattaya, and Phuket downtown, and so on and on and on. Same with Bangkok. No city planning leads to the streets in the mess they are today.

Motorcades continue to work very well. The police are effective at shutting off roads and moving VIP around town. So there is a segment that is well served and always will be. Thai banks are a joke around the world, but monopolies here. The newspapers are printing what they want people to know, including the article referenced above, not the deeper story, not the reality.

Thais do not seem to want to make things better

In addition to not wanting to make things better, I don't think they know how.

You are talking about people who can literally have a family picnic next to a huge pile of garbage covered with insects, and not blink and eye. You are talking about people, who for the most part, sleep in tiny hot boxes with the unmatching insides purchased from Lotus and Big C, and so on. Many are hoarders. This is the majority of Thailand. Such people don't care nor know how to make anything better. They can't even maintain things. Thailand has a third world mentality even if it is no longer considered a third world country.

Speed limit all cars in Thailand to 80 or 100km an hour.

Worked on all mine sites I worked at in reducing accidents.

Thailands is not a nanny state. No thanks. You can even buy peptides in 7-11s here.

Yet you can't get Tylenol PM or any other half dozen drugs that really help ease the misery when you're ill. You also don't have freedom of speech, you can't say anything about anyone without the risk of a law suit, and so on. So no, Thailand is not a westernized nanny state, it's more like a big bully brother who will punish you if you don't agree with him.

I'm in Chiang Mai. I haven't seen a single police check point anywhere, not even the usual 1am stops. I actually see more police on a random Friday night than I have this past weekend and Monday. So much for their 2016 road safety campaign.

Some people are just not meant to survive. Hate to say it, but Natural Selection is real and happening live before our eyes.

Good luck with that.

Close the majority of the language schools or only give an Ed visa if working on a degree. Raise the age of retirment visas to 62. ......That would see a mass exodus.

65+

With at least a few million $ in the bank

Actually make that few million in the bank a requirement for any and all visas.... No exceptions if they really "need" to get rid of this blight of farang scum...

After that, we will see how many people still want to abuse the education visas by being a fake student or a fake teacher..

And just how would that stop the fake teachers and fake students trying to stay here? For that matter, what do your replies have to do with a Marraige Visa which, this article is about. Making any of the changes you mentioned have absolutely no affect on Marraige Visa holders.

It is also a pointless comment about the money requirements because their are agencies all over the country that would be happy to deposit money in your account for a fee until you get your visa.

Raise it up to 5 or 10 million a year (dollars, not baht obviously)

Make It so the money gets locked in a Thai bank account and cannot be withdrawn while the visa is still valid.... Overstay or other crimes would get appropriate jail and also automatic forfeiture of the deposit...

How many of your sham companies will work around that?

Seems like some very easy solutions to get rid of all the wasters if that's what this is really about...

Sorry, but those who have 10 million they could tie up in a Thai bank wouldn't be wasting their time living in Thailand unless they were feeding an addiction. You would be living in a proper tropical nation where you could have a nice car you could drive without motorbikes slamming into the back of you, a nice (well built) home, be free of garbage and pollution, and living around people who actually don't despise you.

Dont you have to proof your marriage with photos, interviews, witnesses and even home visits to get a year extension?

Yes, if they went by the book. However, a lot of corruption and laziness on the officials are to blame for their inaction in following all of the rules. So they will just take it out on the foreigners. When I applied for my visa they came to the house and talked with neighbors and spoke to the family and looked around. It's not hard to see if a foreigner lives there. We accumulate much more valuable things than a Thai would and have many conveniences that Thais don't care about.

They will take it out on all foreigners because no foreigner is different to them. In their eyes, you're either Thai or you're not. Doesn't matter if you speak the language, are married, have kids, and everyone in the village seems to like you. Reality is, you're still just a foreigner.

Curious to see how they are going to come after the retirees once they are done with the married lot. ED and Tourist visas have already been dealt with. All it will take is 1 elderly person here on a retirement visa to break the law and a "crackdown" will be in order.

Best of luck to everyone. The visa situation here is silly, and is probably going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Honestly, do most Thais even know what their "core culture" is?

These leaders and their values. They are chasing something that no longer exists.

If they really want to be true to their culture they will have woman run around topless again. Or is that too much culture?

In an air-conditioned condominium room, she was found dead caused by heat stroke......................

The British guy found dead in the bathtub, again of heat stroke..

I wish our brilliant police close their mouths and wait for the autopsies before they give us this so professional assumptions..

I think they need the ThaiVisa investigation Bureau on the case.

I'd take 5 Western educated TV members over 100 local police or detectives any day of the week.

Let the carnage begin.

Perhaps better at playing video games and hitting the LIKE on Facebook, but I would have to see real data showing the PM's claim before I believe it.

Most of the national parks are quite boring anyway, my garden is much more fascinating and its free 365 days of the year.

Utterly subjective and facile comment that says more about the poster than the issues involved

His post is valid. If you have been to parks outside of Thailand, especially Western, Japanese or Korean, the Thai parks are quite lacking and often poorly kept.

Whatever makes them feel safe. Doesn't bother me to show my ID when I ship something.

And foreigners with Thai families?

Why am I even bother to ask.

If foreigners with Thai families cant be arsed to get citizenship then of course they should have to pay. Most can't even be bothered to attempt to integrate judging on the Thai language level of many I've met. If you want to live as an outcast take the consequences.

Integrate? lol

No offense, but you never will be one of them, no matter how much you are day dreaming about it or pretend you're accepted.

That said, the locals deserve their one free day. So many of them are going to die next week, or know someone who will, a freebie park visit may be the last thing they ever get to do.

People said that about Jamaicans and Indians in the UK not so long ago.

People said that about blacks in the USA 50 years ago.

I have a dream that we will get equal rights, is there anything wrong with that. I'm applying for citizenship, you can bend over for them if you like.

They will self destruct into a failed state 100 times before foreigners will ever have equal rights.

There is no bending here, I speak the language decent enough and have no desire to integrate or even remotely be like them. If becoming a Thai citizen on paper makes you happy, that's fantastic. To each his own. However, you still won't be a Thai to them. Foreigners will always be foreigners. But I can understand it from the standpoint of ditching your home passport for a number of reasons, especially if you're American and are trying to get out of the hands of the IRS.

It all a Thai thing...Thainess. Really is hard for a farang to understand Thai ways---I know I don't understand many of them....guess I'm a stupid farang.

I disagree.

All you need to do is open your eyes, brain, and observe and learn.

It's a sickening, cowardly society from top to bottom. Self-advantage and face before everything else.

Often funny, this is not one of those times.

I agree. I find their "culture" disgusting in any aspects. I'm not sure what it is they are trying so hard to preserve.

Having said that, I'm not here for their culture so I accept them for being dysfunctional human beings and go about my business. A bit harsh, I know, but it is what it is.

Another recommendation for 'The Whole Earth Restaurant.' Good Thai and Indian food, nice sized servings at honest prices. Very nice ambiance too, both inside and out.

The Whole Earth is on the river?

Road carnage exported.

And foreigners with Thai families?

Why am I even bother to ask.

If foreigners with Thai families cant be arsed to get citizenship then of course they should have to pay. Most can't even be bothered to attempt to integrate judging on the Thai language level of many I've met. If you want to live as an outcast take the consequences.

Integrate? lol

No offense, but you never will be one of them, no matter how much you are day dreaming about it or pretend you're accepted.

That said, the locals deserve their one free day. So many of them are going to die next week, or know someone who will, a freebie park visit may be the last thing they ever get to do.

A majority of the plastic garbage in the oceans comes from here in Asia.

And 7/11's still want to give you a plastic bag for a pack of cigarettes, not that I smoke.

As well as a straw for every drink and a tiny spoon for edibles.

The waste from 7-11 alone is probably mind numbing.

Update:

As a current account holder they would open a new account now. Pethaps that was a misunderstanding from before. However, the person with me from before returned and was treated rudely in front of me so I chose to not open a new account with them.

The person with me is a Chinese citizen, a somewhat wealthy, very normal person. Not a moat pooper. I've never in my life seen anyone at any bank treat a potential customer with such contempt. While we were trying to find the best solution for her, hitting more roadblocks, they (two of them) actually told her to go look at another bank, because now Bangkok Bank is now "very strict" with new account holders, "starting this year." Translated, hit the bricks Chinese.

Curious, we went to the mall branch at Festival later in the day and they opened an account for her with no problem, the same as UOB.

It is painfully clear what the original problem was at the first branch, and that is they obviously do not want to deal with Chinese customers in that branch.

I'll be changing branches as well. I like Bangkok Bank, but I prefer not to deal with this branch any longer. The smug face on the pretty boy (wearing foundation face make up) working with the chubby woman was enough to make me want to vomit. He kept rolling his eyes, leaning back in his chair and looking away, and mumbling under his breath. Totally unprofessional in every way.

That's my update. The issues were all branch and Chinese related.

I have two cards, two different accounts, worked internationally for years. Now neither work about 80% of the time. No one at any of their branches or support has been able to figure it out.

It even stopped working to purchase items through PayPal's card payment service.

Oddly, it works here and there.

I always get a chuckle when police arrest anyone for prostitution here.

"Six army officers accused of beating to death an army private in Yala province have been ordered to apologize in front of the victims body placed at a temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat province."

Is that not going to compromise any future trial if they are going to plead not guilty?

Have you ever been in a Thai court?

No, but I watched plenty of cartoons growing up.

WOW long post for a small Q.

Rental returns here are awful. The rest is so variable its impossible to answer..

yup my 8 to 9% NET returns over the last 8 years are AWFUL

In 15 years in rental homes I have paid 2 - 4 % of the property value in annual rents.

Then the homes needed maintaining.. 2 of those 7 or so properties cost more in maintenance than my rent gave them. One of those properties, a miulti million dollar clifftop villa, the retaining wall gave way and the villa ended up a total loss, half of it at the bottom of the 25 cliff.. Millions of usd flushed.. The Thai insurance refused to pay the farang.

I just moved last month, into a lovely budget home with pool, large garden, etc where rent is less than I have had electric bills.

well I own several condos in Chiang Mai - renovated them - I get 8% minimum RoI for most of the last decade and they have nearly paid for themselves

Not bad at all. You do mostly long term contracts with your tenants?

So let me get this straight - Six officers beat one serviceman to death and no inquiry about it, no court marshall, nor anything else done, but presented an apology?

Looks like that's it. All is forgiven.