Cabradelmar

And water is wet...

Thai stick is legendary. Ganja has been part of Thai life way longer than any expat currently living here has been alive. But legalization has been a bit of a curse though. It just made the people who can't handle the truth more annoying.

Why not. Give everyone no-strings-attached 90 days visa exempt. Thailand has already lost control (if it ever really had it) of immigration. More overstays. More sketchy characters staying longer (under these extended VERs/extensions), or people buying in on golden visas (or gaming EDs). And none of this has anything to do with tourist. Tourist stay/need maybe 30 days (at most). Thing is Thailand can't/doesn't distinguish tourist from the undesirables (shiftless opportunists with no purpose) that make Pattaya and Phuket the chit-holes they've become.

The upside is expats/foreigners/tourist flock to Pattaya and Phuket (making them the least desirable places to live), so at least one knows where NOT to live. Let's hope the cancer does not spread.

Working without a permit will get anyone deported. And rightly so. But deporting Israeli citizens to Russia... sees doubtful. But deport they will.

Roland was pissed because his new sugar-baby liked to gamble and wouldn't give him any more money to go to Pattaya to party (ThaiRath32). She also had a history of losing 100s of thousands of baht playing cards. So he choked her out in a fit a rage. The way he handled disposal of her body (using a motorbike to dump her in a corn field 6km away) tells me he had no plan. None of this is really surprising. The love of money (her's and his) led them to this place. Her gambling (trying to turn 13 million into 30 million), and his anger at not getting to spend her money as he wanted.

The fact that her inheritance was widely known makes for a large pool of suspects. If Roland (Swiss husband #2) didn't scheme to have her killed (which seems unlikely, but not out of the question), there were probably quite a few local Thais who thought about a similar scheme. She will either turn up dead, or in a casino somewhere (with a new b/f).

Unfortunate. Sad ever. Certainly bad luck. But it's hard to feel pity (except for the people who will miss him) when someone does something that amounts to nothing more than an unsanctioned glory seeking stunt.

The PMs idea that BKK can be THE regional SE Asia hub loses steam when the nations flagship carrier is such a tragic story.

If any of this is true, he deserves to suffer for an extended period of time.

Stupid is as stupid does. He might only have had a small amount, and probably bought it locally, but if there is one thing you don't want to do in Thailand is get caught with what they consider illegal drugs. If you want to use, use, but never carry. I feel sorry for this guy to be honest. But just because they are okay with ganja does not make it a free for all now.

I suspect foul play... which is why I suspect the RTP will reach a different conclusion.

SIN, KUL and BKK are already THE hubs for air travel in SE Asia. Announcing a goal that has already been met (prior to the current PM taking office) are the only goals this PM can achieve.

dispensaries in tourist areas sell mediocre bud at California prices... because that can (for now)... if you live here and have your own home (with a little bit of privacy, just get a couple clones and grow-your-own... like every other Thai does who smokes.

arrested 3 weeks later on suspicion... wouldn't be surprised if the RTP got it wrong.

Would like to know what visa he held. Non-B presumably (if the club he worked at was above board -- else they should penalize the club too). Wouldn't be surprised if it was an elite privilege visa.

It's great when it works (is available)... the tm47 is the least of the problem... it's the tm30 that's a pain

legal for now... just don't get caught smoking in the wrong place... and even if the gov't decides to revert the laws, there will never be a shortage of ganja in Thailand...

No confidence debate and vote coming soon...

Probably the children of police officers...

Nope. Only about 15% of Thai farmers have formal contracts with agribusinesses. Most Thai farmers are independent smallholders, owning and operating their own land (source: World Bank). The reality is far more complex, with the majority of farmers being independent smallholders. Again, these farmers choose to burn based on their own cost-benefit calculations and limited access to alternatives.

a better headline would have been "Policeman posing as deranged unlicensed beer seller wields knife to increase sales"

Outrage seems to be a form of entrainment for netizens.. or just virtue signaling... one thing for sure its contagious 🤣

A little less talk, a little more action, please. Truth is farmers have to burn. Many Thai farmers, especially in rural areas, lack access to modern and cost-effective equipment for land clearing (and using people or cattle to clear is slow and ineffective especially when you are trying to turnover fields to plant sooner). Burning is the inexpensive option, and saves time and resources. You want to fix that, bring your checkbook Mr. PM. But more education of poor farmers ain't gonna help one bit.

Anyone who lets an unpaid fee for beach chairs escalate to an arrest really needs to reexamine their own lives.