Grey11

Mildly amusing.

Hun Sen is a former Khmer Rouge murderer & should be brought before the World Court charged with crimes against humanity. Hun Sen is the kind of ally the convicted criminal Thaksin associates with. There will be nothing but trouble with the Cambodian Government as long as these two criminals are together.

Real big news, isn't it?

It is if a foreigner lives in Phuket. Immigration is already a huge mess & with the transfer of so many employees @ the Immigration Office, it can only get worse.

I have been a member of this list for sometime now (and I rarelyread anything truly enlightening or intelligent...sad indeed!) to the contrary, this forum seems gutted with dissatisfied, unhappy, "nothing-else-to-do-but-bitch-moan-and-get-drunk" types, IMHO...and no, I did not say ALL of you! We could be reading about death and destruction under horrible circumstances and immediately there appear a large number of Sherlocks and Colombos in this forum who hardly give a thought to the nature of the crime, the victim, or to the sensitive emotions of their families and close friends who haven't fully understood what really happened. Often times I am so disgusted, I kill the post after the first few insensitive but "experienced detective" type comments from people who 'claim' to "KNOW-IT-ALL", from people who 'claim' they've "BEEN-THERE-DONE-THAT" but now end up here airing baseless opinions they'd hardly get away with if it were not ALL cloaked in the anonymity of Cyber-Space! Get a life y'all....you know exactly who you are!

To specifically those "KNOW-IT-ALLS":

Though I can not and will not account for ALL private schools as has been mentioned in this post that ... at the PRIVATE school I work at here in Chiang Mai we still subject all our students, all staff both Thai and Farang, including the bus drivers, kitchen staff and gardening and security staff...in short everyone who requires entrance to our campus to get a temperature check...we have never discontinued this daily routine since we first introduced it shortly after the outbreak was initially reported...many months ago! The few cases we did have were immediately reported and the students were first isolated, the parents duly informed and the students were then admitted to the local hospital where they underwent the whole battery of tests and treatment lasting approx. 10 days. They were 'medically' released and only then permitted back on campus.

I don't think I have what it takes to can sit here reading your baseless assumptions any longer.

By the way, for you 'know-it-alls' out there....we, our International School never lost a student in fact we attracted a few more due to us being proactive. Not ALL private Schools are what you "know-it-alls" claim them to be.....it's just like claiming ALL Germans are Nazis or ALL Frangs living here are running from somebody or something....ALL...ALL...ALL! Watch how you use the word ALL, EVERYONE, ALWAYS, NEVER and try and exercise some respected level of maturity and sensitivity while sharing your opinions in this anonymous yet very public forum......I enjoy reading other opinions and points-of-view, it's the claiming to "have all the answers" part that really gets to me!

Continue to have a great day, week, month or permanent stay here in Thailand!

Over and Out!

Seems like you are wound a little bit too tight! Life must be pure H--L.

very surpised.... that some officials finally decide to take some action.

any way, it is never too late to start the cracking down....

wonder.... how long this will last....

bravo....

This is just another attempt by the Government of Thailand to rid the country of Caucasian foreigners and replace them with Koreans, Japanese & Indians. The Government wants Western farangs to come in and spend money for three weeks or so and get the hel_l out! They don't want Westerners in this country for long periods of times. Now, the Government is trying to get more Koreans, Japanese, Chinese & Indians to enter the country & share businesses with the corrupt Thais - mostly Chinese control the country, especially here in Phuket - who don't want Westerners (farangs) to own anything. Perhaps farangs aren't as easy to take money from than the other Asians whose countries are more corrupt and better understand payoffs. The more farangs who take Thai wives, the more heat the male dominated Thai Government wants to get rid of the farangs.

with all the bs that farangs have to put up with in Phuket, why does anyone even go there.?? I am confused..

Indeed why?

My wife (Thai) & I have lived here in Phuket for 5 1/2 months. Everything here is a rip-off. We intend on selling both homes & moving somewhere else in Thailand. We retired here after having visited every year for almost 20 years. It is very noticeable to us that Thais ripping off farangs on everything, has gotten worse each year. Roads all over the eastern side of the island - as well as most sois - are covered with trash in the ditches and there are so many rats all up and down East Chao Fah Rd. that it is unbelievable. Wind blows hundreds of pieces of paper, cartons, plastic bags, etc. each night - we are one street down from a 7-Eleven. As these motorcycle drivers throw all trash on the road & speed in and out of traffic, I have yet to see even one policeman in this area. Thais know that there are no laws for littering, speeding, etc. being enforced. These motorcycle drivers are the terror of the road. No. I no longer recommend my friends to visit Phuket - though the Phi Phi Islands are beautiful. The Indian Ocean is cleaner than the Gulf of Thailand. The Chinese mafia runs everything in Phuket. Whose side is the governor on? Certainly not the tourists.

# All very typical of the state of intelligence we come to expect from government departments and pollititions.

# Normal poor reporting from The Nation

"politicians This is what expect of ALL politicians in every country in the world. They are a bunch of shysters, theives, liars, scum of the earth. Control the information, you control the people. Theft by Government is necessary to achieve the most Power & Influence. Hence, being a "good" politician must always be dishonest and involve theft.

Rulers are men accustomed to gaining and using Power. Those who rule tend to be overly aggressive, rapacious, hard-nosed, opportunistic, pragmatic, cruel, violent and manipulative.

The issue today is the same as it has been throughout history, whether man shall be allowed to rule himself or be ruled by a small elite.

the law should not apply to a good red wine

health benefits and all that

From what I've seen since coming to Thailand is that there are so many wine drinkers - rich Thais & foreigners - that the whole island is becoming a haven for winos. Seriously. Thailand has the most stupid laws I have ever heard of. I have never seen one of these kids in uniforms - some still on the streets all dressed up and no place to go - all over the place. Never have I seen even one of them with a bottle or can of beer or a wine bottle. This is just another of the ridiculous laws Thanksin left us with. God help us - farangs which he hates worse than life itself - if the coward ever gets back in this country!

Nothing changes, everything stays the same. We'll be here in 10, 20 or even 30 years and the same crap will still be happening whilst people's pockets are lined.

So sad, could be anyone really.

Exactly what my Thai wife said when we returned to Thailand to retire: "I left 30 years ago and when I returned everything is the same." The context was the corruption by the Government, the corporations, etc.

Interesting twist. Did he plead guilty to get out of the country? Did he do it? I see a saga beginning.

I would not be surprised if he really kicked the tuk tuk driver.....I have seen too many aggressive farangs.

If farangs had kicked a Tuk Tuk driver they would be in jail. I have been coming to Phuket for more than 10 years and now live here permanently. I have stayed at several hotels. There was always a mob of those Tuk Tuk drivers across the street from the Kata Beach Resort taking up all the parking spaces on more than a block just sitting around making remarks about farang women. I am not surprised that after one visit to Phuket that people - particularly families - decide not to come back. Not only for the high prices of everything - including the very high charges the Tuk Tuk drivers charge - and the rudeness of those Tuk Tuk drivers. I would love for some farang to kick their as--s up one side of the street and down another. "Aggressive farangs?!" Give me a break! None of them are as rude and just plain nasty like the Tuk Tuk drivers along Kata, Karon, & Patong. It appears as though only the Government in Bangkok can do something about them. Certainly the Governor of Phuket - who probably gets kickbacks from the Tuk Tuk mob - isn't going to do anything. He is a big talker. He is all over the island dining with big wheels and talking. That's all he does, talk, talk, talk.

Love to see what this forum got to say now .

seem like the cry wolf had been caught and of cos he is a tourist and a 1000b fine is ok and he can go ..

what happen to yesterday .. big words about how we should punish the Tuk tuk driver .. what about the tourist , how about he go to jail .

This is really a Farang experience -

what is new

and all this cos of 50b

Since the Tuk Tuk driver was released on bail, chances are he will eventually pay a small fine or time will let the case drop. There are bad farangs that come to Phuket but I would never believe one word these little fiery rude crooks say. They get away with theft from passengers, calling foreign women names, and assault anyone who doesn't get out of their way. They only way they get away with it is that the Governor of Phuket and most of the police get kickbacks from these Tuk Tuk thugs. Nothing will ever be done about them because the politicians and the police are making too much money. Tourists? hel_l, Phuket officials say, it doesn't matter if they come back to visit, another will take their place and the scenario with the rude Tuk Tuk drivers continue unabated. Like my wife says, "I left Thailand (for the U.S.) 30 years ago. We come back and nothing has changed."

Hamas, Hezbollah comes to mind.

WHY?

Yesterday I was robbed of 700 baht by your granddad's best friend. My offense - besides driving whilst in possession of a white face - was for being 'over limit'. As I was stopped at a motorway toll booth, I don't know what limit he was on about. As he started by asking for 4000 baht, paying him everything I had, seemed a victory. He showed he was thinking of Thailand's tourist reputation by wishing me a Happy New Year AND letting me keep enough for the toll charge.

Though not surprised and glad it didn't happen to me, I hope you aren't offended that I couldn't help but laugh. I'm sure that if I live here long enough it will happen to me also. It is really too bad that things like this happen. I don't go along with those on ThaiVisa who always take the side of the "poor underpaid" government official. Corruption in the government from top to bottom hurts everybody except those millions of "public" officials who are on the take, just plain dishonest, with no honor whatsoever. When the police are the real criminals, we have a real problem.

Scum. Short and simple.

How do you know?? Were you there??

Talk about pronouncing guilt without evidence. And they were French!! I would back the Tuk Tuk driver until proven otherwise.

Are you trying to earn the label too?

I have lived in Phuket long enough that I it would be very difficult for me to believe a Tuk Tuk driver. A rather large percentage of these people are out and out criminals and know they can get away with assault or anything else on foreigners as long as they pay off the police.

so sad. The fact of the sign IMO is irrelevant, as, if the cable was not secure then it could have fallen during daytime too.

RIP young man.

Very sad, agree about the cable, imagine it falling with a pool full of people.

Though Thailand is now intent on legislating all morality, especially following the U.S. and trying to ban smoking everywhere, one person was saved by the evil tobacco as he got out of the pool to smoke a cigarette. That saved his life.

"We need some time to investigate. We cannot just draw conclusions from information we received verbally," he said.

Thailand has to abide by international law, as it is a signatory to the international treaty on weapons transportation.

Unless the weapons were delivered in full compliance with international law, they would be destroyed, Panitan said.

"Transportation of weapons is rare these days. Doing so requires proper declaration and reporting," he said.

As much as I think the trade of weapons only leads to human suffering. We seem to have quite a double standard in this world. Seems alright for any of the super power governments to deliver weapons anywhere to any group of people including those trying to overthrow their government thus supporting revolution (weather right or wrong) when it seems in our interest. The US, Britain, France, and Russia all have supplied weapons to African nations, Latin American nations which have cost thousands of lives. Look at the problems in Africa because of weapons supplied by the West. But hey, don't let North Korea do the same thing. The thinking of the West with regard to the "axis of evil" (North Korea and Iran) is foolish. Why does "international law" and the UN work against countries like North Korea and Iran when Britain, France, Russia, China and the US exempt from compliance with their veto power in the Security Council?

Nuclear weapons technology is going to eventually reach nations which should not have it. North Korea and Iran have the technology and the attempt by the West to stop them is wasted energy and will not work. Rather it would be better to bring these countries into the world of nations and engage them. However what Obama and other western leaders should tell the leaders of Iran and North Korea is that if one of their weapons ever are used to strike a western country the West will obliterate them and make their countries wasteland. After all why wouldn't Iran in particular want nuclear weapons. The US invaded Iraq and Afganistan didn't it. Israel has nuclear weapons doesn't it. If I was Iran I guess I would want to develop a standoff too. Only makes sense from their point of view. The Middle East policy of the US has been a mess for over 30 years. Does anyone expect it to change?

So this story is basically about a group of arms dealers no doubt trying to make a couple of million dollars. They will bring misery to many for greed while the Western countries seem to do the same thing for so-called "national interest" which has only made the world the mess it is today.

Thanks to the U.S. veto power Israel, which has had nuclear weapons for years, is immune to visits by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israel refuses to abide by IAEA rules. Yet, the Western countries expect Iran & N. Korea to not only have inspections by the IAEA, but have decided that they cannot have nuclear weapons. I think that it is correct that Iran has brought it to the attention of the IAEA that if Israel & Western countries are allowed to have a nuclear program, why not them? Different rules for different countries.

Why the detour so south to us?

Yes, I also wonder. It does not seem Thailand is on the way between Ukraine and North Korea.

May be they think "oh, if we go through Russia or China and we need emergency landing then we're in deep sh*t. Let's then fly through all the 2nd tier countries"

Communist China is the major ally and arms supplier to Communist North Korea and the Russians sell weapons to anybody and is also an ally of North Korea.

So I doubt an airplane loaded with weaponry would have any problems with the mafia that now runs Russia or the Communist Chinese.

Ha, if it were not for PAD's protest I would not have found or joined this forum, or had such a grand week long full expense paid vacation at a nice 5-star hotel, compliments Thai Airways. I also understand this was not the case for many travelers that week. But what I noticed the most was that most tourists/business people that come from a "democratic" country, is how intolerant they are were when faced with democracy in action. I guess freedom is only for those that already have it, and for those that do, they can't be inconvenienced when others want it. Just my opinion:)

That's a funny definition of democracy. Are you saying that any minority group can go and close down government houses or airports to get what they want? I thought that was called anarchy.

It happened in the Southern United States in the 1960s.

Good. Hope Thai Airways wins.

Whether or not you agree with the PAD cause, effectively closing an international airport wasn't the right way to go about it and the leaders should face the consequences.

Wish there was a way we, as passengers, could sue Thai Airways for their dilapidated seats and poor service. They are the most overpriced airline there is for what you get. We fly LA straight to Bangkok and last July was the hottest and most uncomfortable I have ever been on an airplane. We only fly Thai because it is the only straight shot from LAX to Bkk. We don't like the layovers in Taiwan, Seoul or Narita so we fly Thai. Each trip we have taken on Thai was worse than the one before. They overcharge and need an opportunity to line the bigwigs in the Thai Government who fly free all over Thailand and the world to get back some of that money. Sure, the PAD was stupid for closing the airports but I will not be taking the side of Thai. But with the Government officials that fly Thai sitting as judge and jury I would put my money on Thai.

Not really - the 'scam' (only referring to the case that was brought up previously here) was in-fact not a scam at all, as we could all see from the surveillance tapes. The 'scam' part would be how organized the system was to allow people to pay their way out of the trouble. So next time I am sure the couple is more than happy to go to jail instead. No?

And I doubt this is a 'scam' in the sense that they did in-fact steal perfume valued 22k baht and no negotiation has been reported taking place.

Leaving aside whether or not they really did lift the stuff (none of us is in a position to know really) the following snippet from the article caught my eye

"With more than a week having passed since their arrest, it appears the case is not off to a swift start through the Thai criminal justice system, however.

Tha Chat Chai Police duty officer Sarit Bodnongsand told the Gazette today the case would stay with the police for the full two weeks allowable before it is forwarded to the courts".

It sounds to me rather as if they were offered the "pay up and get out of jail (free except for 100k or so)" but would not or could not go along. So the MIB are getting back at them by stringing it out as long as possible - point here is to demonstrate that costs of longer stay, lost wages, flying parent out, legal costs are higher than customary brown envelope - so that others will not go the same route, innocent or not.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Great point.

Seems the Red shirts are desperate and Taksin is doing a last minute grab for his money. He even tried to bargain last week claiming he would call off the demonstrations if he was pardoned - this idiot exiled criminal actually said he was not inciting to riot yet openly claimed he was behind it all - usual stuff for a liar, cannot remember what he has already lied about. He has no interest other than his wealth and if Thai's believe he has their interests at heart - it is very sad indeed.

Red shirt rallies of any description right now would bring this country to its knees - again.

Despite the politics behind the decision to extend, it is a move to decrease possibility of problems so I for one, endorse it even if my thoughts are not behind this Govt and its obvious weaknesses. They are a far better option than led by the corrupt opposition.

It's usually the second or third post before Taksin is blamed for everything, must have caught you napping!

Administrator: Seems like this is way off topic - Thaksin. I haven't seen but one post that even brought that crook up. But, I guess it isn't off topic because Thaksin needs the redshirts to ovethrown the present government and if not get back into office get back the billions of dollars he stole while PM.

LOL the data will be used in line with the Data Protection Act . That really makes me laugh. British government agencies are renowned for breaching the act by their negligence.

...............or for law enforcement purposes! The U.S. does the same thing and passes the information directly on to the F.B.I.!

100% CORRECT! And, like ALL Western countries keeps a data base taken from emails (especially those sent overseas) and rates them on a scale of whether this person or that person is likely to become a "terrorist" or already is a "terrorist. " This spying does create tens of thousands of jobs however so it does help the economy.

Thailand doesn't (officially) execute drug dealers - that's Singapore.

Whilst Thai law says they can execute drug dealers, this is only to scare the crap out of people. In reality Thailand executes only a handful of people each year and almost all are serious murderers (not sure what criteria they use - maybe this group almost qualified?).

Sorry, I don't have the source (too busy to google for it) but there is a list that can be found on the web showing how many people each country officially executed each year over the past 10 years or so. It breaks down the USA into states with Texas grabbing the lions share. I recall only China (as a whole) tops Texas but my memory is a little sketchy.

Seems that your source failed to mention Communist China, Burma, Vietnam, Tibet, Cambodia, Laos, Haiti, Cuba, North Korea, Arab countries, Israel, all of Central & South America and all of Africa. You don't necessarily have to commit murder in the aforementioned countries to get the death penalty. That's a pretty long list.

I don't think it's a heavy sentence at all. If a Thai that's caught with large amounts of money, drugs, guns, admits he's a big time dealer, and why have the guns? only gets 5 years and probably less with "confessing" more, where as these people acted in cold blooded murder, get their sentenced reduced by admitting the crime. The crime is the a crime, why is the sentence reduced for admitting it? I do understand that 17 year old boys are not consequence conscious and should have a rehab program, but to reduce sentences for cold blooded murder is stupid. Death sentences for foreigners with drugs, minimum sentences for the Thai counterparts, and reduced sentences if you admit the crime after getting caught red handed. <deleted>?

Just thought of it, "heavy sentence" by Thai standards. That must be it. But at least they caught somebody.

They should have gotten the death penalty. Those who commit premeditated cold blood murder deserve nothing less.

If you dont have anything to hide ,whats the problem .

What a simplistic view of this complex privacy issue. I seem to remember gentlemen in brown shirts in a certain European country around the middle of the last century saying that to all the Jews, communists, gypsies and homosexuals.

Just how old are you? Of course we watch it on television at least once a day on some channel don't we?

Ask the residents of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Three Mile Island, or Chernobyl if nuclear power is dangerous or 'non-polluting'! Thailand should be leading SE Asia in the inevitable move toward "Green Power"...sun, wind, thermal (if available), and especially massive planting of hemp! Growing and processing hemp plants could supply cheap fuel, revive the economy with foreign sales, has over 35 substantial commercial uses for local needs (such a fibers for ropes, clothes, construction materials, and is good for the soil), grows without the need for pesticides & chemical fertilizers, etc. Unfortunately, however, the greedy power-mongers (even Thailand has them) can't make as much money off cheaper, practical solutions that would help spread a little of the potential wealth of meeting non-polluting power demands of the future.

This is one protest we ALL need to support---politely & by invitation, of course! I live here (8 yrs. now) and would love to see the Thais show some foresight about going GREEN for energy and solve most of the air pollution, garbage dumping, and widespread lack of meaningful jobs & wages! It could be so easy if the authorities would get over the American-exported paranoia about growing hemp; even though hemp has no THC to get you high like ganja (which should be grown also). The U.S. is so screwed up that it has to import hemp products from other countries! Might as well provide them with another booming market supplier...

Ciao, Paul

Nothing burns cleaner than natural gas. All that you have stated are great sources of energy. Coal is the biggest polluter in the world. Unfortunately there is too much of it and processing it is cheap. No country will ever allow the legal planting and harvesting of hemp. Too much money to be made by too many to ever legalise it in any way. In Mexico alone millions of people profit in one way or another from marijuana being illegal. More get rich than die in drug cartel gun battles. Here in Phuket people throw trash wherever they are. I have seen business employees dumping their garbage into the klongs beside their restaurants. Thailand has no laws against making the highways, roads and klongs garbage dumps. All of this sewer washes right into the Andaman Sea. Never have I heard one Thai speak out against this pollution. Cast a line in any klong on Phuket, reel it in and you will have two or three plastic bags on your hook. How can you stop it if even the always talking politicians will not even discuss it?