samjaidee

Why is what she was wearing relevant to the story?

Is that supposed to be reporting?

What is the new law all these organisations are supporting? Plain packaging? Increase in taxes to help cover the cost of smoking related diseases? Ban on smoking indoors? Age limit for the purchase of cigarettes?

That wasn't a news article, it was a space filling exercise.

I have to agree that the Turkish link is highly suspect.

However, the Turkish Embassy, they would say that wouldn't they.

Why would they say that?

They forgot one charge, littering. 2,000 Baht fine, isn't it?

So are tourists cancelling in droves, or not?

Yes

What has not been mentioned so far is the location of where he left the bag in relation to the location of the crater the bomb left in the ground. If they are one in the same place then the chances are that he is the bomber but if they're not in the same place then they must be barking up the wrong tree.

Since every announcement coming from Thailand contradicts the previous announcement, who knows what's really happening?

Do not use US$ to pay for things in Vietnam, you won't get a good deal.. Change whatever currency you have into Dong. I've lived there for a decade. I know what I'm talking about.

"In its protest note to the Indian External Affairs Ministry, Cambodia had said it "considers that this copy of Angkor Wat Temple for commercial benefit seriously violates the World heritage" which is also the emblem that has been used in its national flag for many centuries."

That's not true. Angkor Wat was first used on a flag in 1863 when it was a French Protectorate.

With all these committees and subcommittees, isn't it time they set up a few quangos as well.

Is a Malaysian who pops over the border for a day's shopping a tourist? In Thailand, probably, yes. Gotta keep the numbers up!

I guess these blokes have never heard of IP protection? So while your in Samui or Phuket Chiang Mai, downloading or streaming the latest music and movies while it looks like your in Costa Rica or Timbuktu, Man these blokes are really on the ball huh Ya think some one should tell em???

The IP in this context had nothing to do with the internet. You're thinking of Internet Protocol whereas in this context it mean Intellectual Property

Who's on the ball?

Where does one sign up for this? Went to the City Hall last month and the young kids there said all the registrations (= free t shirts?) were closed/full?

Will there be a lot of un-registered cyclists as well?

Here, I think.

https://www.bikeformom2015.com/

That seems a bit strange.

All smart phones have a sim card with 3G but many tablets do not have a sim card, they only have WiFi, including my Nexus 7. How do I get the password if it's sent by SMS to the phone I don't have?

Thai logic strikes again.

"capable of carrying 300 to 500 people at a time, depending on weather and sea conditions"

In a nutshell shouldn't ships the world over have a maximum capacity...No matter what the weather??? Weather and therefore sea conditions can change n an instant, you would think the deputy head of the naval brigade might know this??? but the again this is South east asia :-(

The weather conditions determine whether they can carry passengers on deck as well as within the superstructure of the ship. I hope that explains it for you.

After seeing the Thai emergency services in action at a RTA, I'm really surprised he managed to survive those injuries.

What is an RTA?

I'm gonna guess. Road Traffic Accident.

As a Christian you are may or may not be aware that during Jesus' undocumented years from 14 - 29 years old he spent his time in Kashmir discovering the teachings of the Buddha. That is why, when he returned home, his teachings bore a remarkable resemblance to Buddhist teachings and little or no connection to the Judaism he grew up with. Although there will be a lot of superstition taught in Thai classrooms just think of the connection between the Buddha and Jesus. It might make you more comfortable.

If Thailand does inprison these journalists for exercising freedom of speech, then there will be serious repercussions for the country.

Thailand is already on thin ice with both the EU & US, and it continues to act with impunity on other violations. There is now concern that the country is joining the ranks of other repressive regimes upheld in Iran, Mayanmar & North Korea, where similar tactics of silencing the media also take place.

The world will be watching closely on the outcome of the trial of Phuketwan journalists.

As far as I can see the "world" doen't know nor does it care about freedom of speech or human rights in Thailand or anywhere else in the world for that matter.

Some sections care more than others but they are paid to care and interfere.

Go online to any one of thousands of newspapers, local, national and international, go to any of thousands of blog sites, web sites etc in 100 countries and ask this simple question:

"What do you think about the trial of the Phuketwan journalists"? Don't give ANY information before you ask the question and see what responses you get.

If even 1% of the people asked know anything about it I would be surprised.

It would be nice to think that the whole world does care but in reality it doesn't.

News sources from around the world have this story on their websites including, the guardian, reuters, abc, huffington post, cnn, voice of america, al jazeera, rfl world.

I can only assume you live in a bubble.

That's less than $10,000. Good luck. I suspect that his Kuwaiti family value his life a little higher than a couple of months salary.

Compensation for the loss of a lifetime's earnings would be a good start.

"If the salinity soars past standard level, we will ask people to store water beforehand," Thanasak said.

Should read: "We will warn people if the salinity looks like it's going to exceed standard level, so they can store water beforehand."

It's a bit late if it's soared past already.

You will be very much surprised how many hookers are from the South and Central Thailand. I would say 40% of all are not from Isaan but the South, Central and Northern Thai provinces. If you go to Rachada 70% are hookers from Bangkok and Central Thailand. You seem to be only in the cheap places.

BTW: The hookers in Isaan are from Lao.

UNICEF report 2012

Northeastern Thailand, referred to as Isan in the country,^[8] is a completely different world than Central Thailand.^] As Bangkok and its surrounding area continue to develop, Isan is going in the opposite direction. Although it is populous, the farming potential for this area is low.^[8] The people there are unable to farm, and thus face massive amounts of poverty. This poverty is one of, if not the most, important contributing factors to child prostitution in Thailand. In Pattaya alone there is thought to be approximately 2,000 underage prostitutes involved in the prostitution industry, while approximately 900 underaged are thought to come to the area for prostitution every year.^[9]

Adult prostitute from Bangkok and Pattaya are 80-90% from Issan .... and not from lao. Buriram or Surin are not in LAO

That means that only a small % are Thai,as Issan is technically speaking not Thai

Technically speaking Issan is an area whose boundaries are all within the Thai border. Not one part of Issan goes beyond the Mekong river.

To suggest that a person from Issan is not Thai is an absurd notion that selectively ignores national boundaries.

Do you also believe the the Rohingya people are not Burmese?

Good to see the hotels stepping up to help clean the beaches. They obviously understand that a good deal of their livelihood depends upon tourists' perception of the beach.

Interesting to note that there's no mention of the people who (legally or otherwise) operate their businesses directly on the beach helping out.

Yes there is. Can't you read? Here's the quote from the article. Look for three words; beach business operators.

"Staffers and representatives from the Patong Hotel Association as well as lifeguards and beach business operators today (July 3) joined forces to clear debris that washed ashore at Patong and Kalim Beach."

Is it 27 or 47 years? Don't no one proof read?

You missed another one.

"The Terminal closure will make way for improved service and way finding around the airport and eventually an extension of the new Terminal 2 will take its place."

What is "way finding"?

18 comment and no one has mentioned their room rate of 4,208 Baht. Is that the average room rate over all the hotels used to get the statistics from? How many hotels were used in the survey

It's all a little bit arbitrary really.

Thai definition of boat: Device that floats on top of the water until it sinks.

That definition also applies to every boat ever made in the history of mankind.