Paul123456

Based on reports from his attorney, Thaksin is calling for: the 1997 constitution to be reinstated, all post Sept. 19, 1996 coup criminal court cases to be dropped, the government to dissolve parliament and call for a general election with all parties ceasing outside-parliament movements and accepting the poll results.

It would be acceptable to me to see him get 4 out of 5.

1997 constitution can come back.

Government can be dissolved and an election called.

All shirt colours stop silliness and accept poll results.

All OK.

But the criminal square headed man should go to jail.

What a shame to hear this.

Its another nail in the coffin. I am definitely not going back to a Western country where people attack innocent tuk tuk drivers.

Its about time the Thais were able to decide for themselves. I disagree to most of this and I have been married to a thai for 6 years.

Visas have been mis-used for many years. Retirement visas should be limited to the age of the expats pension age, eg UK at 65. You cannot be retired at 59, just escaping into another country for whatever reasons because you have nothing to do in your own country.

The other visas like teaching should be contracted for term times or for the academic year. It is strange that none of these teaching expat experts return to there country and sit in Thailand forever. Surely they go home to see they family or is it they dare not go home and there family have to come to Thailand to see them.

Also in the UK now we have gone to a points system for work permits. I dont see lots of Thais getting in to the UK through method. Why cannot Thais do the same and let people in on a similar system.

Some fair points I think

I am not sure if they can help, but you could get your girlfriend to ring the Mirror Foundation - their Citizenship Project works with assisting many stateless people and they have stateless people on staff.

Worth a try.

http://www.tobethai.org/

053-737585

[email protected]

Great news.

I can't remember the details of how to get there, but can remember it is a very well sign posted road; very good quality road; plenty of petrol stations and places to stop along the way for toilet or snack; and just a very easy and convenient way to go. I don't think you need a visa company at all. There was parking quite close to the border in amongst the market.

Have a good trip.

Bangkok's still about 1,000,000 times safer than most big cities in the western world.

I agree. I always feel safer in any area of Thailand compaired to the USA. True every place in the world has it's problems but Thailand always seems different.

Also agree. It isn't 100% heaven, but largely it does feel safer than many other big cities I have visited. I used to live up the road from Lat Prao.

I love Thailand, Thai culture and Thai people, but, for all the reasons already stated and more, the idea of Thailand building a nuclear power station is one of the stupidest I have ever heard of.

Has anyone tried to buy a computer that hasn't got illegal software loaded on it, in Thailand? It is near impossible.

What nonsense!

Hitler is a famous historical figure and it makes sense to have a wax statue of him and use him on the advertising.

If the poster said "Isn't Hitler a lovely man" or something - OK, I could understand the complaints. He was quite a brutal destructive lunatic. We all know that. But that isn't what the wax museum is saying - so leave them alone and stop telling people what to do.

Hi,

What type of visa would you recommend for someone making 3 or 4 entries into Thailand over the next 12 months and staying up to 6 weeks at a time?

I'm a 48 year old British national working at a school run by a registered charity.

I'm so confused so thanks for any helpful information!

Multi Entry Non Imm O Visa obtainable from the Thai Consulate in Hull. http://www.thaiconsul.co.uk/

Don't forget that you also need a Work Permit to work.

My thoughts (which will be opposed by some in here):

Similar to the above. Get a letter from the school and get an multi entry non immigrant O from Hull. Note: getting it from Hull is an important point, I think there is another Embassy in London, and they are less likely to get it.

If the school is a small charity - I wouldn't worry about the Work Permit - it will be beyond the school's capacity to achieve without severely draining their resources and interfering with the charity work they are doing. Anyway, Work Permits are done when you are in Thailand - so you can ask about it when you get here. But it is something more appropriate for larger profit making companies - you will be unlikely to be asked for one.

Ha ha - just replying to the headline without reading anything else:

AND PIGS WILL FLY.

I wish the headline was true and I wish it could be drugs free and a family destination - but I think like many others, I have no faith in the authorities to be able to do this, or even make a real attempt at it.

Talk Talk Talk

And yes I signed Avaaz's online petition.

Don't have any idea what could be done though.

This is a good point. Many people have been interested in this cause for a long time, but it has lead nowhere. The people in power around the world don't want to help. I am thinking, people have to do it themselves.

Sign the petition. Sign other petitions. Write to politicians and to the companies that prop up the junta.

But also, perhaps if the 50 000 that signed the petition were willing to put in $10 - $100 each we could hire mercenaries to send into Myanmar or buy weapons to give to the ethnic groups fighting the Burmese. Or perhaps go there.

I really can't see the world lifting a finger to help unless they are pushed by people doing something themselves.

Can anyone else suggest a better way?

For what it's worth, please consider signing Avaaz's online petition

It'd be nice to believe the junta's days are numbered, but they've managed to cling onto power for this long....

The rumours about their nuclear ambitions, possible alliances with North Korea etc, are also becoming a little disturbing.

While they have Chinese support they can go on and on and on...

This won't end until the Chinese stance changes, if it ever does.

It is not just Chinese support. The USA props up the junta through AMOCAL's gas pipeline. And various other companies from Thailand, Britain, Singapore and other - are looking into further financial support for the damming of the Salween river. Who knows how many countries buy gems from Myanmar, etc.

Yeah, I have no doubt that Buddhism in waning. It seems many monks are not interested in following the path of Buddha, nor in developing their minds, nor in keeping to the guidelines that Buddha laid out for his followers.

Lay people have less and less respect for monks and Buddhism and less and less understanding of Dhamma. The actions (and inactions) of monks contribute to this, as does the direction of society that is increasingly valuing money, possessions, greed / whilst devaluing family, compassion, good behaviour, wisdom, nature, etc.

It is a sad state, but perhaps just a swing.

In the end, we control only our own brains and actions and so the solution is for people to develop their own practice and minds - there is no other way.

I very much like the original description first posted by Visible.

From there the conversation has gone elsewhere. From my perspective Thailand is not a Buddhist country. Buddhism does not hold Thailand together and nor is there much understanding or real respect of Buddhist teachings in daily life. I probably wouldn't even go as far as describing many monks in Thailand as Buddhist. Buddhism in Thailand is the same as other religions in other places in this respect.

But moving back to the original posting - perhaps we can all learn and develop ourselves from this thought? If we can ignore fear and greed and ignorance and try to develop true understanding of the world - in your own way is fine - then perhaps you will be a better person and therefore the world will also develop into a better place?

Australian jailed for life in Thailand

Andrew Hood pleaded guilty to the crime.

(Reuters: Sukree Sukplang, file photo)

BANGKOK: -- An Australian man who confessed to trying to smuggle three kilograms of heroin out of Thailand has been sentenced to life in jail.

Police arrested Andrew Hood, 37, in early December last year as he tried to leave Bangkok airport for Sydney.

During Hood's trial earlier this month, two police officers gave evidence and showed photographs of a number of packages taped to his stomach and legs.

The packages contained heroin worth about $500,000.

When he was first detained, Hood told reporters he attempted to smuggle the drugs for the money.

Hood's feet were chained as he stood in the court as the verdict was read.

The judge told him he was due a death sentence, but his confession meant he was given a jail term instead.

Outside the court Hood told reporters he was disappointed with the life sentence.

Thai authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the 34-year-old Australian who was with Hood at the time he was arrested, but who escaped.

-- abc.net.au 2009-08-05

Excellent

Thanks for posting that - sounds like a good idea

WOW. I am amazed at the salaries.

I worked for a while as a teacher in Bangkok a few years ago and got 34 000 Baht a month. I was happy with that, although could always have more.

I now work for an NGO and get 8000 a month.

I would appreciate recommendations of places not more than 1500 - but less is obviously preferable - in or within 10 minutes of chiangrai which has a) car parking, and good wifi in the room or at least in a designated zone.

Mirror Art Guest house.

About 350 Baht. Has WiFi. Car park outside. Very new and clean and friendly.

http://mirrorartgroup.org/guesthouse/

Thanks

Thanks for those links, but they didn't really have the answers to the questions. Anyone else got any info?

I posted that last one in the wrong spot - so it isn't a similar question to here - but it is still my question.

See ya