tracer

Anything to allow the BIB to shake down business owners for more bribes.

well, who else pays them?? Very few tourists around ....

Most of the ones back are the ones coming every year... Note I see very few one-off tourists sofar.

Just remind me again what is actually achieved by restricting alcohol sales in the afternoon?

Simple, if they go and buy between 11 and 2 which is the opening time in the morning, most will be sleeping it off in the afternoon...

And note that's only for people without a place to sell it....

Makes sense though as otherwise the supply companies haven't got enough hours to deliver the booze...

Obviously question is why some bars are open during the same hours... (!!)

Anyone wants to get drunk, just go to a bar, there are enough cheap ones open....

I would find it a LOT more useful if they start checking those villages where nobody checks on people wearing the helmets , and secondly if someone with decent experience would be assigned to TEST the damned helmets and NOT give them a license to be sold if cheap spare parts are unavailable. Whats the use of buying a decent full face helmet if you cannot get a replacement for the see-through thing if it gets rusted away: STUPID CONSTRUCTION in my opinion!)

Also this morning some equally stupid lady (THAI) was driving a bike and I didn't trust it so I waited, yes, on the bloody phone. Anyone knows what law book says if you kill a Thai on motorbike and on the phone who is wrong.... Yes, I know, ME.

Forum rules: "8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais."

It's a pastime of ignorant people on this forum. They find something in Thailand to complain about (predominantly a British pastime), and all of a sudden it's TIT, or the Thai way, or part of Thai culture.

To call laziness a Thai thing is absolutely ridiculous. I'm lazy too and most visitors are pretty lazy from what I've seen. On the other hand, there are a number of Thai workers where I live that work their a**es off all day long and I'm amazed at their energy.

Most of the complaints can be made in any country. Bad workmanship is not a Thai thing at all...it happens everywhere, as does laziness.

Most of the complaints come from naive people who only know 2 countries. Their own and Thailand. For some reason they cannot see the warts back in their home countries.

As soon as something is seen as not up to scratch, it's a Thai thing.

They need to get out more and explore the world.

I once read a long time ago in a Psychology book that its a problem with almost all countries around the equator..

In the past food was hunted / collected and there was enough of it... Situation has clearly changed as most of what was posted here could have been posted about many countries in that strip.... It likely excludes Singapore and some places like it were people have learned to think... However learning to think is not something you learn out of the air... In addition many foreigners

have adjusted too well to these circumstances...

I'm all for the yellows being sued for closing the airport.

I also think that the Government should sue the Reds for the cancelation of the Asean summit in Pattaya

fairs fair chaps

More important their boss still has money.. Takki takki (look it up in google...)

**********

Mondays are bad.

Fridays are bad.

Any time before or after a public holiday is bad.

There are no good times - they are always busy so just get there very early.

The 5-year license is very easy to get. No forms to fill in, no medical cert., no Immigration letter (unless you have changed address). Just take your expired Thai license, your passport (and a copy), two photos (you can get these done at any one of a number of shop-houses across the road from the Centre) and 505 Baht. Takes all of 30 minutes - if you get there early.

DM

***********

A question though: Does the drivers license office use a digital camera or not??

And are all those UN cards I see around valid or copies... I have to go through that mess next year and I thought I had been told that the license included the international part for a Thai license but only valid for a few months... Who did the renew recently...

what does a 7 day campaign mean? Which part of the so far unenforced laws are they going to enforce? I can see it now, deciding on which ones to enforce, and for whom. So let's see, no riding the wrong way on a street, or kids under 18 w/out helmets, text messaging while driving, text messaging while driving and balancing an infant, riding on the shoulders, ( i guess that's ok, they probably should've made the roads wider, seat belts, that's a good one, car seats are out of the question, can't make someone buy something they don't have, even if required. 3 on a bike, 4 on a bike, 2 adults and 3 children on a bike? Good thing it's only for 7 days, no one likes to be called a jerk.

4 on a bike is nothing, One time I saw 5! and in 2 cases 3 people were having a pig with them...

Whatever, I would imagine that most streets in town if they are busy are watched anyway, but if you want to have fun go and look near the villages! If you look around at how many people wear a helmet it should be easy to catch many violators!

I like it! Don't think anybody would want to be responsible for screwing up a national holiday. Great move.

I second that. Now the ball is in the red-shirt's park. Great move by the gov.!

opalhort

the deceitful swine will do anything, use "anybody" to discredit the redshirts.

How low can they get ?

What does it matter? Who believes them as long as that crook Taksin supports them...

Donot forget people normally look at the last years he was in government: look back many years and you sea he also cheated his farang partner in AIS... As far as I know they guy never got his money back...

And I was told he sold lousy old IBM's to the goverment, but no idea if true or not as there is no way to check without asking....

Excellent move. Slowly but surely the money Mr. T stole is moving further away.

Haud Trado Haud Verto

Should never have taken that long, the country can use that money AND all the other stuff Mr T salted away via familly...

, Thai people have no compassion for animals at all. so many times,

I believe this is nonsense. I see Thais feeding feral dogs and cats everyday in Pattaya. I never see them running over dogs and cats either. In other countries in the region they're looked upon as food.

From what I see generally, Thais love animals.

However this time there is a major difference: liking anymals or buying them food...

try telling your wife or girlfriend you bring a young hippo home but it needs FOOD...

, Thai people have no compassion for animals at all. so many times,

I believe this is nonsense. I see Thais feeding feral dogs and cats everyday in Pattaya. I never see them running over dogs and cats either. In other countries in the region they're looked upon as food.

From what I see generally, Thais love animals.

It would be a lot more useful to pick up the ex owners and not feed them for a week...

if this were not all deadly serious . . . the wedding photo category!

When will there be a requirement for an Immigration official, plus a ranked Police Officer, to actually appear in all your wedding photos?

As I may fall into this category in 2010, to be safe I'll add one each of the above, plus their partners if desired, to attend the full service and pose in pics with us. May save us time and inconvenience in the long run, and the uniforms will add some formality to the occasion.

Wish us well!

Thanks to the posters who've provided this information, will save this thread for reference.

Cheers!

Invite one as guest at the wedding in uniform!

Just to add, you need everything in duplicate.

Two copies of everything.

Doesnt always to be true either, likely depends on office...

I know nothing about Thai income tax structure. Let us say a man of France comes to live here upon retirement. His pension auto-deposits to his banque account in Nante. He manages his account via internet. He does not to transfer all of it to his Thai banque account--just enough to meet his living expenses.

Is his entire pension taxable here? Are the transferred funds taxable as income here? If yes, what is the rate? Can you direct me to that informacion?

All farang ought to pay tax in Thailand for whatever duration they reside here. Coming from higher income societies, they should they not receive the benefits of Thai society without paying their fair share of income tax. Even if they only live here part-time, they should pay a pro-rated tax for the same purpose.

Merci.

As far as I know the tax system in the EEC is rather screwed up depending on which nationalities are involved... Secondly its a subject you should if possible arange with an accountant in France but if you have

or are paying tax in France at source, there shouldnt be any reason to be taxed double unless you would pay less tax here then in France BUT remember certain things are possible to do from Malaysia and not from Thailand. It depends on what Tax agreements France made with Thailand, Laos etc etc.

Also means that some people may prefer to be taxed at home since their pension is there or other things they are in need of. One thing almost all foreigners from Europe likely have in common is that if you ever sold a house to pay for your 'holiday' here, its something you likely can never can revert as in most countries

it is to expensive to buy a small house let alone a big one like sold...

Anyway, your last phrase I donot agree with. I see NO reason for anyone to be treated and charged extra because in his home country they did... Especially since we havent got the same rights as Thais do either.

If one could be sure of something, live would be easy but that will likely never be the case here.

So, a good BKK (International) Lawyer's office should be able to prevent him to be extradited to Hungary; after all, he didn't commit a crime in Thailand...

Look at the photo of his passport: 10 years validity!!

On the other hand you donot know if he has any money here besides whats in the pocket.

In 10 years who is interested anyway...

The lawyer will want money and that could be the thing he hasnt got enough of...

Did he "Evade" tax or just "Avoid" tax?????

Very different charges.

Am I right in saying tax evasion is a crime, but tax avoidance is what you pay your accountant for?

A good accountant should know where and what you can LEGALLY cheat and where not (g).

His job is to know where the loopholes were build in which are normal as politicians also need them....

Did he "Evade" tax or just "Avoid" tax?????

Very different charges.

I think I was always told that avoid paying tax is utterly legal and even a DUTY. Evading is not, its illegal...

Ie, one can supposedly get you in jail, the other one cannot...

Currently booze is cheap for the BiB - they set up roadblocks and fine drivers a couple of times each month, and the pocket

money pays for the booze.

Well, I heard they even collect free beer from the karaokes instead of the tax as most of those karaokes Have Leo beer but no money....

Currently booze is cheap for the BiB - they set up roadblocks and fine drivers a couple of times each month, and the pocket

money pays for the booze.

Well, I heard they even collect free beer from the karaokes instead of the tax as most of those karaokes Have Leo beer but no money....

Enforce the helmet law. A lot of head injuries are more than likely in those figures. See so many people just coming off their bikes.

Not just enforce it, educate Thais and farangs that its NOT for the police or so, its for you HEAD. Assuming you buy a decent one...

Brings me to a complaint: I have a Honda Helmet and after a year the plastic in front is broken but all I am told is they cannot get them... They should make helmets illegal if those plastic things cannot be separately bought.

As if not having a license would ever stop anyone from driving here.

How many HAVE a license or how many did buy one...

Or even better, how many with a license can drive...

I live in Phuket, but I normally don't go out in the evening and at night, and main reason is simple:

To many idiots drive a motor bike who shouldn't be on one...

Same goes for motorcars as I distinctly remember how several of my friends passed their exams...

Many other reasons play a roll but after the last motorbike accident where a double length truck with hanger kicked me off the road... OK, leaving this aside, I traveled extensively by foot, car etc around the world for work and IF you know what you are doing, which likely many tourists DON'T, you will encounter very few problems. A simple recommendation is a list which was maintained for travelers on something the USA embassy issued and likely has on the internet. I never looked for it and the best way is to look what they say about your OWN country.... Your town..

I was surprised about what silly things can happen if people don't know the places they go to and will likely never happen to them if they live in the middle of the most dangerous place...

Your should never ever do certain things, but as I mentioned earlier, I found I had too many accidents so I donot drive at night.

Reason is simple, other guys drive stupid BUT I get older , slower and I see little at night.

Best way to describe that was with an accident I had in the army years ago: I walked into the dirty place the cooks had dug to clean their plates etc.... And I was absolutely sober!!

Probably best explained by that I was wearing special clothing keeping water etc out and I got out of that bloody pit before I even got wet!!

You go somewhere, talk to locals, friends etc and yes even those in a bar can be useful. Just donot believe all the bad stories. After about 26 years in Thailand, in many places but mostly in Phuket, I have seen and heard about stupid things, but mostly

Cue the Chicken Littles.

Don't you mean barbeque?

These people are like estimators and planners the world over. Come up with a plan, estimate, and continually adjust it until on the last day it agrees exactly with reality. Then organise a party where everyone congratulates each other on a job well done.

It doesnt matter who they are but in my opinion if they say they drop arrivals by 20% + they are likely STILL too high.

Its stupid but living in phuket it seems to me totally impossible to get ANY high season...

If people wanted to come here they already should have tickets... If not sold, forget tourists, they arent coming!! And with travel insurance even THAT is not sure...

They should ban all those stupid red or yellow or whatever colour Tshirt demonstration's till tourist's have gone home.

...We've long been allowed to refer to Thaksin Chinnawat as Taksin Shinawatra.

No. On ThaiVisa, please refer to any person by one of the names he/she uses himself/herself. Thank you. Maestro

Then I assume it's ok to refer to Takki as:

"Thaksin, the only one who can save Thailand from the aspersions that I cast at it and its people, and the only person who can call off the Red Shirts from threatening the PM's life and office, and the only savior who can lift Thailand from chasm of economic downturns."

Well, as he himself now is wanting to be called takki, I would recommend to google 'takki' ...

Have a good read as I donot think he looked for what it means....

sorry but I go with the Thai Authorities here in that case. A tourist is someone who is VISITING the country, NOT someone who is LIVING here!

btw, we have already too many farangs here living on one month TOURIST Visa

I also support this feeling, if you want to live there get the correct visa.

It is all the cowboys (no insult to the real cowboys) that make it difficult for the people with married lives / family, good jobs or a respectfull business. I understand rental property is an excemption and so it should, costs a lot less that a hotel for 30 - 60 days.

It is not difficult to plan the visa process in advance to ensure last minute runs are avoided or unnecessary. use the correct visa, follow their instructions, it is their country and they can do whatever they want. we just want to live there.

Sorry, if he works here, why not get a non B and pay the tax etc....

Saves all kind of problems especially if you do something needing a workpermit.

Dormicum / Midazolam to use it's generic name is a very short acting benzodiazepine drug. There is no way they were out of it for two days unless they were given repeated doses.

This is the drug of preference that I use (when available) to sleep on long haul flights. When I say very short acting in it's tablet form it makes me sleep for about two hours on a flight, then I take another one. I have often used four of these on a 12 hour flight. They're also very addictive, if people abuse this drug I've heard of them actually taking it during the day, as crazy as that sounds, it's true - who would want to be sleepy during the day ?

Dormicum: has several names and first time I got them was from my doctor 37 years ago, last time I took it was about 12 years ago, in an airplane. Its really if I remember correctly a sleepregulator to get over time lags...

Works marvelous for falling asleep, you have time to go toilet but likely are asleep in 30 minutes and depending an capsule size the can last 4 hours ar about 8...

I think another name is dalmadorm etc... Never got a habbit from it...