kmart

"Hypocritical farang sex addicts" and "pompous cockroaches" will be my phrases for today. Thank you.

Btw, apart from your excellent English, your opinions sound like those of some shirtless, Beer Chang swilling labourer.

Wrong mate. We have millions of immigrants from East europe, Africa, etd.coming to UK and living there with no personal wealth all relaying on Social Services.

Yes, but they're such quality people arn't they?

Getting back to the subject, and US bashing aside,....-

My wife was recently hospitalised with food poisoning and the doctor told her that a lot of people have had similar problems due to eating shrimps. He said that there is something viral going around the shrimp farms at the moment, and the farmers in their infinite wisdom have responded by chucking even more pesticide; hormones and steroids+gawdknowswhat else into the mix to combat this. Giving shrimp a wide berth at the moment.

names.

What has that got to do with the fact that they are a pair of theiving <deleted> and deserve what's due to them. "nuff said"

Its got quite a lot to do with it. Remember the Paris riots just over a year ago?

Its the N. African contingent who don't like being made to obey sovereign law of a country that they try to corrode and take advantage of from within.

They'll get theirs here, hopefully.

Its nice being preached to and having censored films / internet / news etc, because the government really endorses family values. Most of them have more than one anyway....

What are the Thai carrot and sticks, btw? Why don't farangs know/have access to/use them?

Some people do. But you need the patience of Job to use / implement them.

If nobody has noticed...I have seen the seven day adventists putting them up, it is their 2007 catchcry 'Be Nice Everybody'

Be nice everybody! And take Saturdays off, too.

Call me daft, but what use would dead animals be to anyone?

You eat live ones do you?

Chinese medicine probably.

I am not sure the statement on the press being a bastion of democracy hold true any more. Just take a look at the US lot before Iraq or since for that matter.

The press over here had their heyday during Chuan Two. It has been downhill very rapidly since then. But the interantional role models have also been going downhill since that period too. Although both the current and previous governments have/had little time for press freedom it is also very easy to limit it when the leading lights of democracy or what is seen as democracy these days also have incredibly self censored media or corporate elite controlled media.

I agree. A lot of of the Western media has been co-opted by special interest parties while they were asleep at the wheel, as it were. The US seems to have cowed a large section of its populace with scaremongering tactics to usher in draconian laws and foreign policies that take away its people's hard-fought rights.

The Thai media are guilty of sensationalism and being very Bangkok-centric in their reporting, but there are some very brave people in the Thai media who are not scared of the bullies in charge. I'm very surprised to see Thailand ranking so low in the press freedom tables though????

The tourists they want are the ones who will pitch up at LHR (et al) and throw all their fat wallets and credit cards into a container which is then loaded onto a BKK bound freight flight. The "tourists" then p1ss off back to Surbiton, or wherever, and go back to work to earn the money to do it again next year. In a way this would be good for the tourists, at least they only get ripped off once in their holiday!

What does Thailand have to offer?

Beaches?

In the main scruffy, dirty and plagued by scabby dogs and pushy vendors for everything from tee shirts to game boys (of both types ). In any case why do tourists go to, say, Samui, and spend their time around the hotel pool?

Temples?

Again, in the main, see beaches above minus some of the vendors. Those that are not of that ilk are the big ones in BKK and they're not temples they are tourist traps. But nevertheless just how many temples do folks want to visit in an average two week holiday?

National Parks?

Disregarding the pricing ripoff, which is a subject that elicits a fair number of conflicting views, they are nothing but scruffy garbage strewn tracts of once beautiful forest now sadly abused for commercial gain. At weekends they are infested by the 4x4 brigade complete with ghetto blasters.

Sports?

OK, but just how many times do they want to go paragliding, bungee jumping, jet ski noise-making etc etc. For golfers it's a paradise but for golfer's wives and families it may be hel_l on earth. The main attraction is that the weather is always conducive to outdoor activities and it's cheap. Scuba diving is one of the big attractions but you really have to go to the Andaman sea to get the best.

Culture?

Yes you can go round hill tribe villages and see the cuddly little folks in their traditional costumes and pay to have you photo taken with them. It's OK, as soon as your coach is round the corner they are back in their Mega Death tee shirts and denim pants and their minders have stripped them of any takings.

Food?

Now you got me! The food is arguably the best on earth, so why do so many tourists patronise MacDonalds, Pizza Hut et al?

Shopping?

Well I'll go to the foot of my stairs! Just dragged the family on a 12 hour flight costing a couple of grand all to go round a fcukin' shopping mall and buy stuff you can get in any high street . Or you can go round the markets and buy touristy trash at ripoff prices.

Nightlife?

Yeeeaaahhhh, way to go baybeee! NO! Quality tourists do not indulge in that sort of activity. Quality tourists sit on their hotel balconys in the evening sipping Chardonnay and reading Dostoyevsky.

I could go on but I won't (thank god you all say!). So why do I like Thailand? Precisely because it aint a "quality tourist" place. Sure it's scruffy, disorganised, dishonest and sleazy but I love it. Some one defined quality tourists as those who spend 7000 Baht a day against those who stay in 500 Baht guest houses spending 1000 Baht a day. Well I stay in a 500 Baht guest house and budget 100 GBP (circa 7000 Baht) per day, and usually spend it, so where does that leave me? Replies not required, I know my place.

PS any truth in the rumour that a copy of Quiet Flows The Don has been spotted in the Dog's B*ll*cks?

LOL

A tad cynical Phil, but made me chuckle.

Thailand gets the tourists it deserves, and thats it.

Some people on this board lead very different lives to others; I am sure my advice is appropriate for middle Thailand; Pattaya, going south. Isaan; well maybe that is entirely different?????

Agreed. Pattaya cops are a different breed entirely in my experience. And not in a good way.

Just make sure that you're legal; insured; and sober. I would never try to "flee the scene" like a lot of irresponsible locals try to do. They don't always get away with it.

It might not be your fault, but always try to stay calm, even if you are angry or injured. There might be a mob of people turn up before the cops get there, and an incoherent foreigner shouting off and using aggressive body language doesn't go down too well.

Always call your insurance people. Keep the tel no. on speed dial if you travel a lot. I've had a lot of small accidents with the amount of driving I had to do, but fortunately never anything that cost me too much in injury or financial cost.

Thailand has all things to all people. Sexually pliant women has always been a staple though.

What was the point of bringing his younger sister with him? She was not scheduled to testify, and he was supposed to testify alone. Did she endure the media crush just to sit outside the interrogation room door for two hours?

She can cook some burgers?

I don't why everyone seems to have it in for the siblings? They are largely innocents whatever you might think of their Dad / Mum. What's next; Spanish Inquisition for the maids too?

If you have doubts you should leave now. I will remain and endure the growing pains of the political process in Thailand. It has been worse and will always be in flux. I would not compare Thailand to Laos , Vietnam or Cambodia. The same problems will happen there soon enough.

yes mate,

all this talk of bolting over to vietnam, cambodia and laos is a load of <deleted>.

ive been to all these country's and one would have to be mad to think things are fantastic over there compared to thailand.

but if you think better boys, off you go then and good luck.

They are just 'babies' compared to Thailand though,but they are growing up and growing up fast.

Ive spent plenty of time in all four and i can honestly say LOS isn't all that much better.

I have visited those countries and I'm glad to say that coming back here was a relief. I agree that the teething troubles that Thailand has endured with development is just starting to bite in those countries as well. People say that Thailand is xenophobic, but communist / socialist countries really take the biscuit for that. There are good opportunities in those countries for business, but the authorities are looking over your shoulder all the time, and the law there is much weaker than even here in Thailand.

Be careful what you wish for.

Foreigners are always a soft target when it comes to apportioning blame. Always have been, always will. I don't just mean Thailand either.

M.R. Pridiyathorn seems to be the hand puppet for all those clueless retired generals in the back room, doesn't he?

They might be using dear old Thaksin in the way that the US uses bogeymen like Osama; to bring in sweeping new powers?

Anyone want to hear a "flied lice" joke?

I am concerned about the immense amount of publicity that the gov't is making over it's security matters. This may have been a one-off thing, since there hasn't been any bombings since. Regardless of what it is, the gov't might want to hold it's cards a little closer to their chest if they really want to prevent/catch perpetrators.

All this security and meanwhile in the South.....

I'd say they know exactly who is responsible for those Bkk bombings. Its just a part of the stampede at the trough after the coup... A pie-carving exercise.

Not that they'd miss any opportunity to use the publicity for extra funds though.

Burning shit seems to be a great pastime or hobby here. There is ash all over the place here at the moment.

How many Thai managers have been sent abroad to work in foreign countries? Or expatriated from Thailand by multinational firms? How did they fare? Does anybody have any experience of this?

I do know of 1 large multinational who wanted to rotate their top Thai manager around the world. He fought it and in the end stayed put. Certainly put an end to any further promotions but he was/is happy staying here.

I have sent staff overseas (within SE Asia) and they have done very well for the company. Thai tradesmen are very much in demand overseas, especially oil / gas pipeline guys and welders. Management by locals is seemingly always the weakest link though.

The 50-per cent cap will only apply to companies that deal with areas considered important to national security, or that have an impact on natural resources or Thai culture, he said.

Ok this is a very important point...

it says little about regular companies, but specifically states

this applies to certain areas.

And would seems to address the Temasek Shin deal,

mining, oil, gas etc, and handicrafts or inherantly Thai products.

And not little companies such as tourist support, housing,

exporting of commercial items, and other 'non crtitical functions.

Don't ya just wish they would make it ALL clear when they do it,

and not put it out in dribs and drabs,

with VERY salient points hidden in the fine print.

This little sentance above would have done a lot to slow

the SET tanking over the anouncement.

Yes, but the three areas outlined can be interpreted as anything here. Usually on a selective whim.

Ok, according to the latest "opinion poll" done by one of the thai newspapers(Manageronline)

Here is the result on this lastest news released and it indicated a very broad support for this among the thais.

เห็นด้วย - agree

78 %

ไม่เห็นด้วย - disagree

22 %[/quote]

Greed, nationalism and crass stupidity explain this away.

The very idea that a Thai Comic's readership can play a useful part in a debate on Financial matters is absurd.

The wording will have been somthing like: Agree - Disagree

Do you think the beloved Thai Minister MR ML Whatever, was right to stop the foreigner baby eaters raping our beloved country, taking our women and threatening our morals based culture?

Most ministers even in other third world countries, consult BEFORE the go ahead with stuff like this. But what do falangs know about finances?

We only live in the most developed wealthy countries in the world and attend PROPER UNIVERSITIES where you CANNOT buy your degree.. so obviously not as much as a Thai!

There is a mis-placed sense of entitlement here, to things that Thais have never earned for themselves. Or had the discipline to earn for themselves. They are standing on the shoulders of giants, and are easily knocked off when the giant wakes up.

The old elites are all educated abroad and know the score. The militarists know only nationalism and blind allegiance to their country above all else. This is worrying when the latter are allowed free reign over economics and politics. Oh, and nationalism is always the last refuge of a scoundrel, as someone famous once said.

If they don't want you,leave. Teach them a lesson. Let them know they cannot

survive without you.

Allow them to become bankrupt without your wise guidance.

It's their country and not yours. If these farang managers are truly skilled, why can't they find work in their own countries?

Why do they insist on being in Thailand, is it their sense

of Thai nationalism or patriotism. Well they aren't Thai, so why don't they help improve their own countries with their

highly educated backgrounds. Sounds like they want to be in Thailand for different reasons.

They are mostly sent here by their companies. Not by choice. To look after their companies interests overseas. This may change in the near future due to the new laws on limited foreign stakes in companies here.

Are you real?

What data led you to believe theat most are sent here by their companies?

And if they are sent by their companies, presumably against their wishes, why would they mind going back?

So think Again

Well, personal experience for one... I was sent here by my company, and when my contract expires I will be happy to leave. I am looking forward to civilisation.