RAMPAGE

I've been told by a Thai with very senior connections in the international law enforcement community that the reason Thaksin and his wife are hanging on by their fingertips to power is because they fear being charged with money-laundering (the penalty for which is asset confiscation). Don't forget that for the past five years 10% of every department's budget has been padded with this amount going direct to TRT. Apparently a lot of this money is now in the Cayman Islands.

The Phillippines had Ferdinand and Imelda and we have Thaksin and Pojaman. Some things never change.

No need for the holy-rollers to ban the movie...it will die a natural death. Sometimes you just should let a great book be a great book and not try to make it into a movie.

First, I know this won't change a thing, its just a rant. (And perhaps a warning to those with heart conditions). I've used the HH-BKK mini-van service since it began a few years ago. the driving has always been bad, but in 3 times this week: First trip up- no air-con, no shocks, insane driver. 2nd trip up, insane driver, but just before the Rama 2 mall we're going about 100 and suddenly we drop to 60, then 30. I look over (i'm in the death seat) and our driver has fallen asleep at the wheel. i said, in my most polite thai "excuse me, but is it a good idea to be asleep right now?" loud enough to wake him up (and the rest of the pasengers). after jerking back out of his little dream world he gave me the typical smile and laugh. then to prove he was awake he sped up, got to within a foot of the car in front of us and tailgated until the thai woman sitting next to me told him to slow down. anther smile and laugh. finally, a return trip, in the rain, passing trucks on the left, swerving between lanes, etc. The thing that gets me (aside from my own stupidity) is the complete lack of the any sense by the drivers that "hey, i've got the lives of 14 people in my hands". I mean, i change the way i ride my bike if i've got a passenger on the back.

every time i'm in one of these vans i tell myself "never again". then every time its time to go to the big city its "hmm, blue bus? too slow, southern bus station too far. dusit van? just raised the price to 600 baht, time not convenient. train? ha. taxi? 1800-2000 baht. too expensive."

for price, schedule, location in bangkok - the van has it. but one of these times.....

just wondering if anyone else goes through this....

Just out of curiosity...what would you be willing to pay for a safe, comfortable, reliable, regularly-scheduled bus service between Hua Hin and Bangkok?

I have similar experiences to you both. I find myself attracted to people who are very different from myself- usually completely different body type, personality type, etc., etc. I think it helps keep the couple well-rounded. Too much intellectualism or too much practicality or too much emotionalism or too much of anything is probably unhealthy in a couple.

I still kind of insist on a minimum work ethic, though.... I wouldn't expect someone to have car, apartment, engineering position, etc., but if they weren't willing to work at a semi-normal job (if only home-making) at least a few days a week, I wouldn't make any long-term commitment. Free spirits are one thing, freeloaders quite another.

"Steven"

After 18 years in Thailand, I think I can say you have touched on the single most important attribute..."work ethic" in identifying a Thai partner. I've met more than my share of well-educated, hiso Thais whose personal character didn't hold a candle to some others from much more modest backgrounds.

A Thai who knows the importance of diligence, either at school or in the workplace is to be desired. Forget about equality.....there is too much of an educational and cultural gap between Thais and foreigners. Too many farang try to be Dr. Doolittle....once you give up the idea of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, you'll relax and be much happier with your Thai partner.

You might check this recent thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=64728&st=0

and the first part of the thread that's stuck to the top of this forum's index. Still, I'm not sure about the service. I checked another forum which said there was service between Koh Samui and Hua Hin just a week or two ago, but I can't find the website or phone number of the service. They say it's not Bangkok Airways.

Only airline flying regular scheduled flights out of HH airport is SGA. They have four flights daily on a 12 passenger plane. Nokair are reputed to be considering a Chiang Mai-Hua Hin-Samui route. Their current CM-Samui flight is very popular and they are thinking of making a stop in Hua Hin.

Someone posted information about a new hospital coming to Hua Hin

"The hospital is being built on the grounds of the old Hua Hin Hospital which has moved to temporary quarters across the street. The hospital is being built for the King and the top floor is reserved for the Royal Family. The remaining floors will be open to the public and the doctors will be the best in the Kingdom. Doctors will spell each other off for a month at a time, coming from Siriraj, Chulalongkorn...all the best hospitals in Thailand will send doctors to Hua Hin. It will be a world-class medical facility."

Does anyone know if this is actually being built...or is it another grand plan...like the "expressway to Hua Hin over the sea"

I posted this information. Doubting Thomas' can see for themselves....construction is well underway.

Everything EVO says can be disputed.

Beach is good enough for me, it has sand and warm water.

Infrastructure compared to where?

Please tell me where in Thailand it is significantly better?

Oh, you mean its better in Europe and America. I should hope so, but TiT. Apples and oranges.

Ins and outs of owning/renting property is a decision for an individual to make based on comfort level. You aren't comfortable with it? No pompem, don't do it. I'm sure buying property in Croatia is a treat. Hasn't been a nasty war in Thailand for quite some time though. Can't say that about Croatia.

BTW, Croatian "cuisine" doesn't really threaten Thai cuisine in the flavour sweepstakes, does it?

Let me know when it does.

Corpus Christie (sic)? You mean USA? Prices not same same at all. Enjoy your BigMac. Apples and oranges for dessert.

HH a giant contruction site? Really? Is the sky full of huge cranes? Building activity is on the outskirts, invisible from the centre of town and not high rise like Costa del Sol or Pattaya.

You claim to love HH but it doesn't sound that way.

I have lived in Hua Hin for fourteen years...I also maintain homes in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. I can assure anyone that Hua Hin has the best air quality of anywhere in Thailand. Creaking infrastructure? Have you visited Pattaya or Samui lately? Construction boom? Yes, but it is mostly out of sight. The good side of the construction boom is that we have now a proper shopping complex...If you didn't live here ten years ago you won't appreciate the fact that you can now buy packaged meat just like the folks in Bangkok without tiptoeing through a fresh market in the centre of town, competing with the rats.

I live 50 meters from the beach and while it isn't the best in Thailand it isn't the worst either....I do my swimming in a pool so for me the beach is purely scenic and my beach is just great in that department. Hua Hin boasts some of the best seafood in Thailand, its quiet most of the time and now if its raining and you're bored you can even take in a movie or go bowling.

It has been happening for over a year, gay men from Western countries are set up, kidnapped and robbed of hundreds of thousands of Bhat. Men from the USA, England, German, Australia and many other countries are contacted by a gang of 3 or more.

The pattern is always the same. Mature men are contacted through several of the online websites and a meeting is schedule in a public place and then you are taken to an apartment that turns out to be a hotel and a second man is there with a gun and knife. You are then held and forced to give up your PIN to access your credit card and ATM accounts.

Every abduction is very similar with the same results..money gone and you are told not to contact the police because the kidnappers have placed illegal drugs in your home or hotel room and they will notify the Thai Police.

You are terrified and don’t know what to do.

This happened to me a month ago and I’m still dealing with the terror that I went through but I’m also working with the US Embassy and the Thai Police. I have decided to fight these men and try to stop them from hurting and robbing others. I have found out that at least 10 other men have gone through this, as late as February and my kidnapping in March. This kidnapper has now contacted a friend of mine, it is a small world, and we have now informed the US Embassy and will contact the Thai Police regarding this.

The kidnapper is a 26 year old man who is half Thai and Indian, 183cm tall and nice looking. He was arrested last year for the same crime but has been released and is now back at it again. He works with another man who will just show up and act as if he is a good friend. But soon the gun and knife come out and you are stripped naked and handcuffed. Threats are made and a knife is put to your neck and you give your PIN up very easily.

Once they have all the money they can get out of your accounts, you are released and sent on your way with a final warning not to contact police or you will regret it.

For those who have accounts outside of Thailand, you will most likely get your money back. BUT if you have money in any Thai bank, your money is gone. The people at Bangkok Bank told me I shouldn’t have given out my PIN. The only way to get my money back is for the Thai Police to get the thieves and have them return my money.

I’m attaching a photo of the man who kidnapped me. The kidnapper sent his photo to my friend who is talking with him now. So please be on the lookout for him. He will trap you…he is very good at this. If you know of anyone who has had the same experience, please let me know..I’d like to get his information and pass it on to the US Embassy. Names are not necessary, are just trying to get a list of times and date when these kidnapping are taking place so IF these men are caught, we have more information for the police.

Please pass this on to anyone you think should know about this.

Thank for your help.

I have a friend who is worried that he may be in touch with this person via the internet....the person with whom he is in contact is half-Indian, half-Thai, claims to work for IBM and live in Soi 71....could it be the same one??

We only lack a first-class hospital and that's under construction, due to open in 18 months.

thats good news , i wasnt aware that they were building one.

where will it be and do you know who is running it ?

the san paulo has a very poor reputation , with all specialists having to be brought down from bangkok when needed , thus giving the accounts department there even more opportunities for bill padding and extortion.

the hospital with the best reputation in the area seems to be petcharaat hospital near big C.

The hospital is being built on the grounds of the old Hua Hin Hospital which has moved to temporary quarters across the street. The hospital is being built for the King and the top floor is reserved for the Royal Family. The remaining floors will be open to the public and the doctors will be the best in the Kingdom. Doctors will spell each other off for a month at a time, coming from Siriraj, Chulalongkorn...all the best hospitals in Thailand will send doctors to Hua Hin. It will be a world-class medical facility.

First, I visited Thailand from Texas, and fell in love with Chiang Mai. Lived there for two years, and made one holiday run to Hua Hin with the boyfriend. Then I visited HHin alone, found a place to live, and moved within five weeks. No regrets. I'm right at the beach, a ways out of town, but can run there any time of daylight, by songtaew or private transport. The winter's been fun, with longterm expats from N. America, the UK, and Scandanavia staying here for four to six months. It's going to be lonely by April 15, but the boyfriend's back with me, so that's good.

Clean air, fresh breezes, warm water in the winter, cheap prices, adequate food choices (Thai or Western), traffic that's only maddening on the weekends or in the tourist area in the evening.....that's enough for me. Oh, and did I say, the cheap prices?

Nice to see someone from Texas move to Hua Hin. We cremated my last Texas friend in November and the town hasn't seemed the same since....in my case, the boyfriend's in Bangkok but otherwise, I can attest that after 13 years in Hua Hin....there's nothing like it....absolutely the best air quality in Thailand, the best seafood and now we have joined the rest of the civilized world with a proper supermarket and even a movie theatre (4 in fact). We only lack a first-class hospital and that's under construction, due to open in 18 months. Chiang Mai and Bangkok have their attractions but for a permanent residence you can't beat Hua Hin.

We can only hope the Hua Hin tesabaan wake up and do something about the visual pollution being caused by billboards between Cha-am and Khao Takiab. There must be 50 billboards for just one brand of ice cream...its getting beyond ridiculous. Index and Market Village are trying to out-do each other to see who can put up the most billboards; not to mention a new real estate project almost every week being trumpeted by a series of billboards every 20 meters. There...I feel better now.