petercool

The legal channels for any kind of business are the same for everyone. Register a company, get licences, have Thai partners to 51%, have proper visa and work permits etc. If you are seeing some who seemingly are not complying but getting away with it, that just means they are breaking Thai laws.

Everything is relative. London has more muggings and car thefts. LA has more murders. Sydney has more assaults. Manila has more drug addicts. Moscow has more drunks. Yes, they are all larger than Pattaya but per capita statistics would be interesting to know.

I see this as paying lip-service to his countrymen just as any response is paying lip-service to fellow officials. Nothing new here.

Not sure either party has really studied the issues related to numbers of Russian residents and tourists and the antics they get up to as well as their potential vulnerability.

I guess you never read the book "Zen and the art of defoliage" ... ?

Pattaya city may be looking forward to it but anyone living close to Mabprachan reservoir will have to deal with bumper to bumper traffic and a bit of chaos for a few hours ....

Just a note regarding the legality of driving a golf cart on roads here. Tourist and City Hall police have them but they are authorised to be on the road whereas you would not be. Even the 4 wheel bikes (whatever they are called) are not legal although available for sale and offered for rent.

I have had reports from tourists of seemingly mad men and/or women who attack, threaten and throw things at people in Walking Street even in the day time so I have no reason to doubt the story at all as some have nor do I think the OP caused it as some do. There are indeed, as another poster mentioned, crazed, drug induced and plain anti social types here who think foreigners are easy targets. I am, however, surprised that the Tourist Police reacted as reported.

There is no Iranian "policeman" just a hanger-on who might translate things at times at Soi 9 station. He is in it to make commissions and overstates his connections to police in order to do that.

The whole point of the check points is to try and ensure peaceful assembly without weapons. Can't see that as curtailing anyone's freedom - if they are law abiding.

The sad reality is that these people are recruited in their own countries and many are scammed from day one of paying their finders fees, lied to about work regulations then treated poorly when here and often turned in by their own employers who renege on their salaries.

There is a big difference between FPV who operate in police stations and TPFA who operate in Walking street. There is no TVP that I know of.

Firstly, I am not TPV and secondly proper security training teaches restraint and thirdly I am quite entitled to be prepared to believe what I like just as you are. If I was involved in any police enquiry into this, which I am not nor will be, then I might indeed look deeper into the issues but right now I am just having an opinion.

^^^

I agree (with pattayadingo) but proper security training is not common. On the other hand there are abusive, aggressive and drunk Russians apprehended daily in Walking Street and I am prepared to believe a challenge was made by the guy in question and that is not something anyone should do anywhere here with young Thai males.

It is hardly a "technicality" to sell anything considered as under the Thai FDA regulations without their approval to do so, to operate a non registered business to avoid tax, and to do so without a work permit.

The chap on the right might be of Ukranian parents but speaks fluent English and could well have been born in Australia. I have met him many times when he was assisting Russian speakers and maybe that was his living - getting fees. He was well known at the police station but hardly an official member of any law enforcement group so using any connection to police for his scam was not based on anything real. He is a very personable guy and I am surprised to see this lapse in judgement but have seen others who think they have police friends fall foul of their delusions.

You are allowed to protect yourself in Thailand but your reaction has to be proportionate to the danger and while the facts are unclear in this case, 17 stabs with a knife seems disproportionate - or that dog was incredibly persistent. I have no love for stray dogs, but have found a verbal response sends most away when they approach. There are laws about carrying weapons such as a knife so that might be another issue for this guy and police. Personal protection hardly warrants such a weapon whereas a stick while walking is acceptable and in my opinion would have sufficed.

I think the percentage calculation is not the issue. A small tip of 20 to 50 baht regardless of the cost of service is not outrageous for most foreigners and I would tip service guys when they come to fix my internet for free, or I will add something to a bar bill and think nothing of it.

Thais, just like me, don't think in percentage terms but only in terms of "nam-chai" or "hai gamlang chai". So I do think the OP is a cheap charlie and so will those who he doesn't tip something for a massage or other things where it is common practice.

Market forces are what generally keep prices down to a level where enough people will pay them. When fixed pricing happened in other countries,goods were just not available as it wasn't profitable to produce them. When that was de-regulated, products and produce became available and were often cheaper in the end than the fixed prices due to volume being generated. A bar, like any other business, would not survive if people were not paying their prices regularly enough to keep it afloat. Supply and demand may not be a perfect system but beats most others. No-one is forced to buy anything other than absolute necessities and a bar drink is not one of those.

Not all riders of motorbikes here have licences nor have been taught the skills to avoid simple hazards like wet roads, roads slick with oil from fumes, other vehicle actions etc. and they often ride at speeds that are beyond their ability to control in all situations. Having excess weight from more than one passenger compounds those things... hope they are all OK.

Three young guys (about 20yr old the OP mentions) on one motocy involved in an accident at 5.30am, with no mention of any other vehicles involved, and there were no issues regarding inclement weather either if my memory serves. I would guess the simple hazard that should have been avoided was the bar / karaoke that they had just left. I could be wrong of course.

Indeed, There are quite a few things I did not mention and alcohol was one of them. We can add amphetamines, lack of sleep and lots of things to the list.

Not all riders of motorbikes here have licences nor have been taught the skills to avoid simple hazards like wet roads, roads slick with oil from fumes, other vehicle actions etc. and they often ride at speeds that are beyond their ability to control in all situations. Having excess weight from more than one passenger compounds those things... hope they are all OK.

Insomnia prices .... that's enough to keep me awake all night .....

If asked, I tell people I've been in Thailand 40 years because 46 years sounds too long ....

It's all too easy to ask "why are police not doing something more important ?".

That can be said no matter what they do and wherever in the world they are doing it.

No matter what the crime, there will always be a bigger one happening somewhere but right now they are doing something and tomorrow they will do something else.

If police resources were finite in any country all crimes would be tackled and solved but they are not and so they aren't.

I really would love to know just where the Utopia is that many posters came from in which all things are so perfect.

Does it look like water to you ?