Cabradelmar

Why not. Thailand has already lost control of immigration. More overstays, more shaddy foreigners staying longer under these extended VERs/extensions, or buying golden visas, and gaming ED visas. And it has nothing to do with tourism/tourist. The majority of tourist stay 30 days tops. Thing is Thailand can't/doesn't distinguish tourist from the undesirables (shiftless opportunists with no purpose) that make Pattaya and Phuket the dumpster fires they've become.

Easy to get visas, weak law "enforcement" (the only thing the law does here is "respond after the fact"), and an entire culture and infrastructure catering to sex-for-money... is there really any wonder?

Russian on pseudo Russian crime... nothing to see here.

Pattaya and Phuket are disgusting places because they attract disgusting human beings (of all nationalities). And it's only getting worse.

To make money

And it's only February 2024... Memory loss is a common side effect after visiting Pattaya...

There is no accounting for taste. And never underestimate the power of the world's whore mongers to vote their conscience.

Classic Thai... thin skinned and fragile to the point of absurdity. I hope I never have that fly that airline.

Teacher's diddling their Thai students seems to be a national pastime.

Anyone who did not hold an Israeli passport, and was deported to Israel was handed a gift.

Oh my... someone helped someone who may (or may not have) really needed it. So what. It does beg the question of how anyone (tourist/backpacker) in Thailand can't scrape together 50 THB for a meal. But them again there is no shortage of shiftless foreigners in Thailand. So there is that.

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.