Sig

If you ever end up, through whatever sort of unfortunate event, being accused of something, you'll appreciate very much the idea of needing your guilt to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Although this guy appears to be a genuine scumbag, the evidence is not as clear as one would hope in order to convict this guy (on the charge of physical assault/battery). I don't know how a juror/judge could convict on the evidence that we've heard here. It is plausible that he could have slipped and struck her by accident that way, and the real time apology stating as much lends some credence to the idea, even if one is reluctant to believe it because of his character. The fact is, that could have been what happened. It is not beyond a reasonable doubt. His inability to control his anger and ego doesn't make that an implausible event. But other than the disputable accusation of kicking her, I don't see why he shouldn't be charged with assault. There may be no battery, but I believe there absolutely is a case for simple assault (if such a charge exists in Thailand) in his aggressive and threatening demeanor toward her and her friend. I think that should be VERY easy to convict him on. Sometimes lawyers go for charges that require a higher bar of evidence and end up losing, when they could have gone for a lower charge and won. That's what this appears to be IMO. Of course, all of that is assuming no brown envelopes were floating around....

I'd have guessed more like 55, at least!

It's such common knowledge these days, it would take a whole 10 seconds on Google to find myriad papers or reports on this topic. Amazingly, it appears you didn't know about it already.

Or maybe Canada's Betraying Cronies

I'm glad you enjoy friendship with some Chinese. On the other hand, I'm not sure why it "SHOULD be" that one only has non-farang friends, even though there are several thousand farang living in the area and in the course of life, it isn't unlikely to come into contact with any given number of them and maybe even strike up a friendship. In the decade+ of living in Japan, when there weren't many white foreigners around at all, I did end up with a Swedish friend and a couple of other non-white expats. In the 20+ years in Thailand, I have likewise ended up making a few farang friends in the course of life. It actually seems odd to me that one would think it SHOULD NOT be this way and by inference, farang should be shunned. Some of my Thai friends (not in the tourism industry) have more farang friends than I do! Why SHOULD this be, or not be? I can't figure out what your reasoning behind this could be. You aren't one of those woke "white privilege" crap believers, are you? That could explain it....? If that is the case... well... whatever suits you and makes you happy, then carry on, but hopefully it's not with the judgement that comes across here toward others who actually do have farang friends and who don't find it abnormal.

You saw the picture of their shop, right? I don't hardly know what would look anymore Muslim than that. It doesn't mean that there was some kind of exploitation directed at any other particular religion.... It is interesting though.....

There was a movie, Lost in Thailand (2012?), that for some reason made the Chinese fanatical about coming....

It has already been over a decade since the Chinese started flooding Thailand with massive numbers of tourists and their companies VERY quickly came in snapping up that business. Now it's gone beyond the Chinese because "officials" did nothing but line their drawers with brown envelopes instead of dealing with the problem when it arose.

"possible"? How about the "obvious". It's not possible, it is obvious. The only question is: Who exactly are the people whose heads need to roll? Nobody cares if a "state body" would face legal action. Not a whit. Specific heads need to roll. Personal responsibility is the only way this crap will ever end. 🤣😂🤣😂 If you believe that, DM me about a bridge I have for sale in Brooklyn! Unless the "official" is some lowly inspector at some bus inspection place.... Not that I think inspectors are lowly in their person or even position. I'm speaking in relative terms, compared to the levels this needs to go on a genocidal hunt for. (I shouldn't need to explain, but with the insane level of woke idiocy these days, I should mention that I am speaking with metaphoric hyperbole and not calling for violence) Like major CYA operations.... "integrity"? I don't think they know what that word even means. Yeah... investigations continue... I recall particular "investigations" that have continued so vigorously, for years, regarding a wealthy heir killing a policeman, all the while he dodges justice as he enjoys his elite lifestyle hopping around the globe to anywhere except Thailand.... yep the investigations continue... NOTHING is to be believed until these corrupt criminals masquerading as elite and important people are removed from society and spend some years in prison.

Yeah, a MUCH broader strategy, like fix the roads!!! Meter the lights, etc... Making a congestion fee without making the roads more properly usable just creates a non-incentive to fix/improve anything and just let the traffic get congested to collect more fees. What a scam.

How utterly insane that "offer" is. Insulting! How despicable the lawyer is to make such a dehumanizing offer! The lawyer and his firm should be named in the article. It would be a public service for people to know what law firm to avoid hiring at all costs. This piss-poor journalism is not the fault of ASEANNOW, of course. They are just passing the news on for us. I just wish there could be some real journalism practiced somewhere on this planet! That driver should get 2 - 5 years in prison. Forfeiture of the vehicle, with any value from it going to the victims. And monetary damages should be at least 1 - 5 million, for each victim, along with any medical costs (that insurance doesn't cover), associated with the accident, paid by him for the rest of the victim's lives. He's too poor? That's just too bad. Wages should be garnished for the rest of his life. And if he plays games to get around wage/asset garnishment, send him to prison for a few more years.

The definition of a highway in the US is not so different at all. Most Americans seem to have the idea that a highway is only a major road like the freeways that connect cities, with no traffic lights. They (we) will also consider some major roads with traffic lights as highways too, but normally we'd never refer to a city street or residential road as a highway, even though, technically, it is. The colloquial usage is not in line with the proper definition. I learned that from a policeman when I was a little kid and never forgot it. Just in case any of my fellow countrymen beg to differ... here is the definition that the Federal Highway Administration uses - from Title 23 United States Code, Section 101 "Definitions and declaration of policy." (11) Highway. - The term "highway" includes - (A) a road, street, and parkway; (B) a right-of-way, bridge, railroad-highway crossing, tunnel, drainage structure including public roads on dams, sign, guardrail, and protective structure, in connection with a highway; and (C) a portion of any interstate or international bridge or tunnel and the approaches thereto, the cost of which is assumed by a State transportation department, including such facilities as may be required by the United States Customs and Immigration Services in connection with the operation of an international bridge or tunnel.

That one in the flip flops was particularly scandalous!

If your daughter is being educated in a Thai high school, she'll be well prepared for the nonsensical childlike treatment the university will treat her with, unless you find an exceptional program. It takes an excessive amount of research to really know what one is getting into, unless you're living/working in that industry and have direct knowledge and contacts. I recall talking with an Australian professor and his Thai colleague at Chula some years ago and they were candid enough to talk about the immaturity of the Thai students (and particularly international programs, there seem to be a lot of very spoiled and entitled students) and the frustration of trying to have a high level program. Most of the professors I've met at international colleges or international programs have their postgrad degrees from overseas, although some of the degrees are a bit suspect IMO (from little private colleges that are more like diploma mills), but many of them are very highly qualified. Whether or not they are able to teach or not is a different story. The Thai professors, from my experience are a broad mix, many completely inept and some younger, bright professors who wish the system would change and get the old fashioned ideas out and start acting like a professional body rather than a place to build one's ego at the expense of students. The foreign professors, on the other hand, surprised me. I was not expecting many highly qualified people, but more like people who couldn't cut it anywhere else. It was eye opening to find some genuinely excellent professors and many others who are very good. The inept ones were fewer. One of the things that was pretty amazing to me, when I learned of it, was that some international programs have maybe one or two international students in them! Some probably don't have any. Many of the programs are money makers for the college and that's the sole reason for their existence. I don't know if it's true, but I've heard standards are lower to enter international programs, although English ability needs to be higher. But I've seen some students in international programs, who somehow graduated, without being able to converse in English without some serious struggle. There's so much cheating and being carried along by other students, somehow they make it. Thankfully, bribery seems to be waning. I remember a friend telling me about one wealthy Chinese mother who came with a thick brown envelope, to let her son pass the program, who was sent home crying because the head of the department refused her and her son flunked out. Then, there's this professor I spoke with at a top uni... he would fail 80% of the class if he could (and he's a decent teacher, so I know it wasn't because of poor teaching), but he can't for whatever pressures are put on him. So, there are a LOT of students passing who should be failing. More than once, I've heard about Thai students coming to their professor on their knees crying and waiing, begging to be passed. Personally, if I were sending a kid to college, I'd avoid any program that is nearly all Thai students. I couldn't care less if it's at Chula or anywhere. Although there are a fair number of Thai students who studied high school overseas. Those on many occasions prove to be diligent students. You have your work cut out for you to find a good program for your daughter. On the bright side, a bachelor's degree is pretty useless anyway IMO. So, even if it's not the greatest program, it's not the end of the world, since the value is already low to begin with. Depending on the field, it can of course be important, but I personally don't put much of any weight on the majority of bachelor's degrees anymore (I don't care what country or university they are coming from). Postgrad is another story. Bachelor's diplomas have become the new high school diploma. One time ago, it was a nice achievement to graduate from high school. Depending on where one lives, that can still be the case, but in a relatively well educated society, a high school degree is expected to be the absolute minimum and a bachelor's is expected in many fields of work. In my circles of friends, I'd say that around 50% of the people have done postgrad work. But, again, it depends on the field of work. If one is going to be a tradesman, college is a waste of time and money. There are many careers for which college would just be an exercise to inflate one's ego while deflating their pocketbook. One of my closest friends is also one of the wealthiest and he never did a day of college. He learned his business as he went, directly from high school. I think most 18 year olds are completely clueless as to why they want a degree or even what they want to do for a career, in which a college degree may or may not be useful. It is a very individually circumstantial situation or decision. Good luck!

I don't believe "The basic question is, how many locals can teach the Korean language or even halfway decent English?" I believe the basic question at hand is the kind of visa the foreigner is on. How many locals can speak any given language is irrelevant. You're right, I didn't mention that the students were attending degree programs. I suppose I figured that since I mentioned the university names, it would be understood, although I imagine some people do attend university with no intention of attaining a degree. I didn't think it mattered much, since the issue at hand is the visa. But if you'd like to know, one of them was a bachelor's student and one a master's. The bachelor's was something along the lines of Communicative Thai Language (I guess it makes more sense in Thai? To me that degree name sounds strange.) The master's student... I don't know. I only know she was studying in the Thai Language department. But I do know that her thesis had something to do with translation of an epic Chinese poem in Thai. It may have even been Thai linguistics, I don't know. As to the program completely run by foreigners (I only mentioned that I know of one like this), I'd be reticent to share about it to a stranger or in a public forum because there is conflict at that university about it and it is in a precarious position. There is massive amounts of envy and insecurity among a lot of the Thai faculty and administration about it. There are regular incidents of sensitivities that need assuaging.... It seems to sometimes be on the brink of getting booted. But, I imagine it brings some good money to the university, as well as helps them with university rankings due to the research papers produced by the professors and students. It is also a degree recognized by the US and American students are even eligible for some kinds of US financial assistance, if they qualify, of course. As for other foreigner run programs... I've come across some others over the years. No idea if they still exist. But at one time, there were programs nearly completely staffed by foreigners in Chula and Mahidol. Of course, I can't imagine the position of Dean or even Department Head in those universities ever being allowed to be taken by/given to a foreigner. That would be far too humiliating to the Thais. I totally and 100% wholeheartedly agree that the traditional bureaucratic education system is far from ideal, to say the least. It sickens me when I think about how much better it could be if the system weren't seemingly only in pursuit of making a profit. Actual education seems so very much to be greatly distant from the various universities' administrations' main pursuit. The detriment to a serious education is overwhelming. But, until someone (or some group) is wealthy enough and cares enough to do differently... it seems this is what society is burdened with. I have no idea what you meant by, "BKK is in Thailand, but Thailand is not only BKK." I mentioned nothing at all about Bangkok. I don't know what you may be referring to here. It seems to be a statement that virtually anyone in the civilized world would know already without the need of it being stated. I'm guessing that it has some sort of meaning that is going right over my head?

Good try at deflection... that didn't work, "ex-magistrate".... Anyone seeing that video would wonder what on earth you were looking at.

That's an amazingly narrow idea of "the point of sex". But, that's fine if that's what it is for you. I don't imagine there's a "right" answer for that. Now I understand what you meant when you said, "Technology has made sexual union redundant." In my limited imagination, I was defining "technology" as that which is employed (scientific means) to create the very things that you are calling "tech", thus my confusion. Now that you mentioned it, I do realize that it is also sometimes used with the definition with which you were using. It just didn't dawn on me at the moment....

When I ride, I don't split lanes if cars have enough room to change lanes so easily. I only split if the traffic is quite bad and going very slowly with very little room between cars. Splitting lanes like this rider was doing is insane and asking for trouble. I don't care what country it might be in. The car driver also displayed amazingly bad driving as well... (not to mention the immoral act of fleeing the scene of where they may have just killed someone, for all they know) Just another day on the roads in a big city. Pretty much the same in any big city I've ever been in, whether Tokyo, Bangkok, Manila, Paris, Milano, London, New Delhi, Lahore, Los Angeles, New York, Kunming, etc...

What I would think the most egregious action of the entire incident, you, as an "ex-magistrate", don't even bother to mention! Or would you consider a policeman trying "to pursue" an accusation of hit and run, unreasonable and belligerent?? (Even though policemen don't pursue anything, they simply issue a legal notice of an accusation and the alleged offender's requirements thereunto. "Pursuing" a charge/an accusation is what the role of the court and the prosecutor is.) Very curious as to where you were a magistrate....

Just curious... how does technology make sexual union redundant? I, for one, get no sexual satisfaction from technology. Could that be some kind of fetish?? I truly don't get it.

Every country has laws that people agree or disagree on. I don't think it is an unusual law for students on study visas to be banned from working or opening/operating a business. The reason for their visa is study, not work. There are work visas and business visas for those purposes. Not sure why you may think that is a stupid law. If categories of visas are stupid, then just let everyone in for whatever purpose they desire? You are apparently not well informed on university degrees and their usefulness. The Chinese girl who I mentioned, was in a program for a degree in Thai language. So, you'd esteem a degree in Thai language from any run of the mill European university over a Thai university just because of your perception of Thai education? There are a number of programs in Thailand that are very decent even on an international level. I even know of at least one program at a mid tier Thai university that is completely run by foreigners, from the Dean and Department Head to every professor, most of whom are members of a well respected (throughout the world and top level universities) international organization pertaining to their program. You need to look at specific programs if you care about an education in any specific field, which any meaningful employer would know. But if you only care about a piece of paper that says you finished uni, then I suppose your generalization would hold ok. I wouldn't say excellent programs is the norm for their international programs, but using such a broad brush to dismiss Thai university degrees altogether is about as informed and rational as the rest of your comment.

A Thai who had just arrived from Chiangmai is not a local....

Of course, this is with the assumption of illegal work, which I don't even know this article was actually even truly talking about.... With that assumption, add a 5 or 10 year ban with that deportation. I think that would make a lot of people think twice before doing such stupid things, although, of course, it wouldn't deter all of them. I knew a Korean who risked their university education by teaching Korean part time at a local language school. She ended up banned and lost her study opportunities and wasted 3 years of study time at Thammasat. Another student, a Chinese girl that I knew, decided she would open a little Chinese restaurant with her Chinese boyfriend (both studying at Kasetsart Uni). They also got booted and lost the years of time they spent toward getting a uni degree. It made the foreign students in those universities think a lot more about trying to make a few extra baht while they were here for studies. I remember back in the early 2000's (in Mae Sot) seeing trucks with cages on the back, loaded up (and I mean jam packed) with Burmese illegals being hauled back to Burma. They definitely didn't look thrilled with their situation. I'm sure some will just come back, but with their names being on the naughty list, I'd imagine it deterred a lot of others from trying to cross back in again.

Yes, I agree. And at the same time as I prefer to do business in my native language... at the same time, I prefer to support the local people, so I would choose an agency run by locals. I do the same in my hometown too. But too each his own. If it is legal, then I don't see the point of the article and any sort of complaining by anybody at all. Unfortunately, the article was not clear at all about this. I don't know the intricacies of the law, but as I mentioned, I look for businesses run by locals anyway, so it isn't something that I care to know about or spend time trying to figure out.... Of course there are exceptions to every "rule". I definitely will go to a business owned by anyone if it is a service or product that isn't being filled to my satisfaction by a local.

"This issue", could be the issue of Phuket having been a "lawless land" for a long time. I know a Thai woman, now a Colonel in the army, who, some years ago, dated the son of the Mayor of Phuket. She left him due to how uneasy she felt with the level of lawlessness involving his family and Phuket. She didn't feel safe at all with the knowledge and experiences she found herself surrounded by. Some of the stories I heard are truly mind-numbing. That place has been the epitome of lawlessness for a VERY long time. It isn't anytime soon about to become the world-class family resort area that Pattaya is so renowned for! 😇