navajo

DPM raids Pantip Plaza and seizes 1 pornographic VCD

The Deputy Prime Minister then visited entertainment venues along Patpong district on Silom Road and reports finding no illegal activities.

Artist's conception, photograph unavailable.

Nice one!

Actually, this is more accurate:

('tis the blind leading the blind... )

They sould have sent that mentally retarded group of censors everything. Then they could had a group jerk-off session.

The police would do better cleaning up their own "horsepucky" departments. This country must be at least 100 years behind the times.

Thailand is starting to act like my county... anything that is good or fun tax the hel_l out of it or get rid of it.

Cabinet approves alcohol consumption control bill

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet Tuesday approved a bill to control alcohol consumption and prohibit advertisement of alcoholic drinks.

Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said the bill would provide comprehensive control of alcohol consumption.

Among other things, it would prohibit the sale of alcoholic drinks to people under 20 years old.

It would also set zoning for alcoholic drinks sale and consumption, he said, adding that the sale would be prohibited near temples and schools.

The bill would be submitted to the National Legislative Assembly for deliberation soon.

-- The Nation 2007-03-13

Anti-booze campaigners sign up Surayud

BANGKOK: -- Campaigners trying to reduce the availability of alcohol in Thailand - through restrictions on sales and advertising - have enlisted a high-profile supporter.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has added his name to a rapidly growing petition, which lists people who back the alcohol control bill.

The bill faces opposition from businesses, especially over plans to totally ban alcohol advertising. If passed, the legislation will ban alcohol sales to people under-20 and sales near religious sites and educational institutes.

The anti-alcohol network of 246 organisations is gathering signatures in support of the bill, due to go to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) this month.

Caravans in support of the bill are converging on the capital from four directions and have collected around 4 million signatures along the way with the help of www.stopdrink.com and numerous health clinics. Teenage anti-booze campaigner Kan-anek Thanapornditsanand invited the premier to pledge his support.

"I'm very glad that he accepted. It shows that he gives importance to the issue and wants to keep alcohol away from young people," Kan-anek said.

Campaign coordinator Khamron Chudecha said the caravans were expected to collect more than 8 million signatures before they arrive at Sanam Luang this Sunday, where they will be joined by Bangkok joggers and more than 50,000 supporters.

The signatures will be presented to the prime minister and NLA Speaker Meechai Ruchuphan.

The movement aimed to protect the young and the vulnerable from problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption, Khamron said.

--The Nation 2007-03-13

NO PROBLEM: 3 million baht is fine so long as there are no hassels from the Thai Government...That means no shake downs by the underpaid police force here looking to extort money. That means no bullshit! No more red tape. At least that is what it should mean.

ALSO: The same rules should apply to Thai companies doing business in the U.S. except that we should also increase the amount of money they need to keep in a U.S. Bank on U.S. SOIL. SAY 20,000,000 BAHT.

Gov gets tough on bars, violence and encroachment

PHUKET CITY: -- Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit has ordered police to continue their crackdown on bars in Patong opening after hours, saying that there were no exceptions in the law for “tourist provinces”.

At the Phuket Provincial Security Committee’s monthly meeting at the Thavorn Grand Plaza Hotel on Tuesday, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Decha Budnampeth asked the Governor to clarify the province’s stance on the crackdown.

“I would like to know what provincial policy on the issue is because I’m sure that if we wanted to we could put a stop to all the entertainment venues that are breaking the law, but I’m worried that it could destroy the atmosphere in Patong.

“If I don’t take action, then police from Bangkok will come here and make arrests, and I will be the first one to be blamed,” Gen Decha said.

“Some entertainment venues don’t even have entertainment licenses, they have only licenses to sell alcohol off site. There are also venues that close at 1 am when the police are around then open again at 4 am or 5 am when police aren’t around. In fact we know who the owners of most of the places are but they continue to open illegally,” he added.

Gov Niran replied, “We have to enforce the law. If we do not we ourselves may get in trouble. There is no clause in the law saying that entertainment venues can open longer because we are a tourism province, so we have to follow the law as it is.

“If we have to arrest people, then we must arrest them. We should also introduce new measures to deal with repeat offenders such as permanently shutting bars that break the rules a certain number of times.”

The Governor also raised concern at the high level of violent crime on the island and urged police to bring perpetrators to justice.

Gen Decha told the Governor that he had recently gone to inspect developments by helicopter and had found many luxury properties, especially around Laem Son and Leam Sing, that have built steps down to the sea that are possibly illegal.

Gov Niran said that next time he would go up in the helicopter with him and if he found that any department or organization was not doing its job then action would be taken.

--Phuket Gazette 2007-03-02

WOW: Extortion, murder of tourists, fraud, corruption, police pay-offs...now isn't that part of the charm of thailand. Why crack down on all these good things?

Amazing Thailand...I am curious to know if any other expats have noticed how rude and discourteous

the Thai people are to foreigners at some of the Thai Consulates and Thai Embassies outside of Thailand.

After visiting the Thai Consulate in the Philippines, I was "AMAZED" how amazingly rude and dis-

discourteous the Thai people are there.

However, I should mention in the U.S.A. the Thai people working behind the counters at the Thai

consulates there are very courteous and never rude. Of course, most people from the west

wouldn't put up with it. So much so for Amazing Thailand.

Perhaps the reason the death penalty is not a deterrent for these types of crimes, is because it is not given often enough, because of the bleeding heart liberals; unless of course its their daughters, their children, that have been raped and beaten to death, murded, molested etc. They do seem to sing a different tune at those times.

If it were my daughter or son, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger and blow their butts away, but that would only be after I continually beat the sh-t out of them for a couple of hours. although it is true the death penalty does not deter murder in the first degree, these 2 scum bags never rape and beat someone to death anymore. They would be permaantly elimated from the gene pool.

I didn't follow this story right to the end but I was under the impression that they had been executed already.

If it was a Thai woman they had raped they WOULD have beeen!!

Thailand once again enhances it's international reputation!

I doubt they would have been executed for it. Rape is very common here. Men get minimal sentences for it, and then are let out after a few years.

I would like to see a lot more Thai men executed in this country (as well as the Irishman in Jomtien for killing his GF) for their heinous crimes, but it does not happen very often.

Does anyone have statistics on the death penalty in this country?

But the lady was also KILLED, not just raped.

Futher more their is evidence that the death penatly does not work as a deterent, just look at america, 11,000 gun killings every year, more people in prison than any other contry in the world... (The land of the free)

If it were a Thai woman that was raped, they wouldn't have bothered to search for the killer's at all; unless of course it was a farrang who committed the crime.

I think suffering will be moer if they stay in jail. Execution is absolution.

What Bullshit! So they volunteer their confession after they planned to rape and beat her to death, and after they swam out to their boats, and after the DNA, at that time they volunteered their guilt. They deserve to die.

That is good....It is well documented that intergration of different cultures into both the social and economic fabric of Western societies has been responsible for their strength as nations. It is good to see this happening to some extent here in Thailand, though I am quite sure there still very much

prejuduice/ignorance here. Whether they like it or not, it is nice to see some negative aspects of Thai culture eroding; whether they like it or not. One thing that I have noticed is some Thais of course irrespective of what part of their country they are from their lack of open mindedness in

trying different foods from different cultures other than their own, with the exception of the Thais which have been abroad. Whether that reluct ance on their part is a matter of economics or closed mindedness is hard to say or perhaps both. I am quite sure that least Issan the major benefits to the families in those areas who's daughters marry farrangs is the induction of money when the woman and the great white father (farrang pay them a visit). I have been with both my American and British friends to those areas on occasions when they have come to visit their inlaws and have watched the children come running with their hands out. And of course the mother isolates the daughter for a moment or to (which I am sure she is asking her daughter, "wheres the money"? ) But such is life.

Judging by the large percentage of both unemployed and marginal skilled people in this country, it appears the "ministry of education" isn't worth a tinker's dam. If I were evaluating their performance, they word get a big fat F for failure; in fact, failure would be an understatement. It is partly their fault for being totally incompetent. If you were to add up all the money that is taken by the government from corruption, fraud, and extorting money from their own people as well as farrangs, they could no doubt deliver a first class education/skill to every man, woman and child here.

It is obvious that when speaking English to a Thai person who has attended even University level English classes, their ability to speak the language it is substandard. They seem to miss much of which is spoken in just normal conversation. Most of the conversation flies right over their heads.

The only exception to this are the Thais who have been educated in the west and spent time there, and of course who now live in the west. Native english speaking men who have married Thai women, have helped these women to become vastly better in the language for two very good reasons. There is no substitute for being around native speakers no matter what language it is.

Also, many of these men have sent their gals to better English teaching schools. Something the ministry could never do, nor would they.

It is also doubtful that any one of the members who sits on the "ministry of education" could pass any of the requirements they demand of not only their own Thai teachers much less educated or non educated native English speaking people.

Have you spent time in Thailand ? Have you heard Thais speaking English?

Any Thai that can speak English fluently will already have or be applying for a job that is far higher paid than any English language school is prepared to offer.

That would be akin to expecting English speakers to learn Thai from a farang who is fluent in Thai.

Any farang fluent in Thai will be able to hold a high paying job in this country as well.

The reason they hire native speakers is so that Thai students can learn correct pronunciation and learn something of the western culture. .

Quite so. As a decent speaker of Thai and an English native I would agree that I would only be tempted by B250000+ to do any kind of work. In addition, I don't have a Bachelor's Degree, so teaching would seem impossible. Also I hate the idea of teaching rather than doing something, so that wouldn't work either...

That's the problem of many farangs. They LOVE Thailand, they LOVE the Thais, they absolutely WANT to live here, they DO enjoy the easy going life style here. Just one little thing should be like at home, the salary. I wonder whether all these overpaid long noses realize how much less funny and comfortable their life would be if they had to accept Thai conditions. I wonder if they still would love this country and their people if they had to live and work like them.

Have you spent time in Thailand ? Have you heard Thais speaking English?

Any Thai that can speak English fluently will already have or be applying for a job that is far higher paid than any English language school is prepared to offer.

That would be akin to expecting English speakers to learn Thai from a farang who is fluent in Thai.

Any farang fluent in Thai will be able to hold a high paying job in this country as well.

The reason they hire native speakers is so that Thai students can learn correct pronunciation and learn something of the western culture. .

Quite so. As a decent speaker of Thai and an English native I would agree that I would only be tempted by B250000+ to do any kind of work. In addition, I don't have a Bachelor's Degree, so teaching would seem impossible. Also I hate the idea of teaching rather than doing something, so that wouldn't work either...

That's the problem of many farangs. They LOVE Thailand, they LOVE the Thais, they absolutely WANT to live here, they DO enjoy the easy going life style here. Just one little thing should be like at home, the salary. I wonder whether all these overpaid long noses realize how much less funny and comfortable their life would be if they had to accept Thai conditions. I wonder if they still would love this country and their people if they had to live and work like them.

Ban on under-20 girl presenters/dancers urged

BANGKOK: -- The Culture Ministry will push for a new ministerial regulation that will ban students under 20 years of age from working as scantily-clad product presenters and dancers at events.

The Culture and Education ministries will soon meet to discuss on the issuance of the regulation.

"The regulation can be issued under the Children Protection Act and it can take immediate effect," Ladda Tangsupachai, who heads the Culture Ministry's cultural monitoring centre, said Monday.

....

Are 19 year olds children?

Ah geewiz! Darn it, just when I was thinking about buying a lawn mower so I could make a few extra bucks; whoops, I mean Baht! Ah shucks! U mean I can't even become a motor cycle taxi here or a tuk tuk driver? Now how about you foreign women here, is there anything that prohibits them from selling poontang, or do they need a work permit? I mean isn't that manual labor? O.K. no more $100,000 in aid, I'm writing my congressman today!

This was just updated and released Oct 26th 2006 by the Royal Thai Government.

Annex attached to the Royal Decree

Prescribing works relating to occupation and professional in which an alien is prohibited to engage B.E.2522

1. Manual work

2. Work in agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry or fishery excluding specialized work in each particular branch or farm supervision

3. Bricklaying, carpentry or other construction works

4. Wood carving

5. Driving mechanically propelled carried or driving non-mechanically-propelled vehicle, excluding international aircraft piloting

6. Shop attendance

7. Auction

8. Supervising, auditing or giving service in accountancy excluding internal auditing on occasions

9. Cutting or polishing jewelry

10. Haircutting, hairdressing or beauty treatment

11. Cloth weaving by hand

12. Weaving of mate or making products from reeds, rattan, hemp, straw or bamboo pellicle

13. Making of Sa paper by hand

14. Lacquer ware making

15. Making of Thai musical instrument

16. Niello ware making

17. Making of products from gold, silver or gold-copper alloy

18. Bronze ware making

19. Making of Thai dolls

20. Making of mattress or quilt blanket

21. Alms bowls casting

22. Making of silk products by hand

23. Casting of Buddha images

24. Knife making

25. Making of paper of cloth umbrella

26. Shoemaking

27. Hat Making

28. Brokerage or agency excluding brokerage or agency in international trade business

29. Engineering work in civil engineering branch concerning designing and calculation, organization, research, planning, testing, construction supervision or advising excluding specialized work

30. Architectural work concerning designing, drawing of plan, estimating, construction directing or advising

31. Garments making

32. Pottery or ceramic ware making

33. Cigarette making by hand

34. Guide or conducting sightseeing tours

35. Street Vending

36. Type setting of Thai characters by hand

37. Drawing and twisting silk-thread by hand

38. Office or secretarial work

39. Legal or lawsuit services

This was the previous Annex

The following Schedule Annexed to the Royal Decree Stipulating Work in Occupations and Professions Prohibited to Aliens B.E. 2522 (A.D. 1979) closes 39 occupations to foreigners and reserves them for Thais:

1. Labor work.

2. Agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry or fishery, except work requiring specialized knowledge or farm supervision.

3. Bricklaying, carpentry, or other construction work.

4. Wood carving.

5. Driving motor vehicles or vehicles which do not use machinery or mechanical devices, except piloting aircraft internationally.

6. Front shop sale.

7. Auction sale work.

8. Supervising, auditing, or giving service in accountancy, except occasional internal auditing.

9. Cutting or polishing precious or semi-precious stones.

10. Haircutting, hairdressing, or beautification.

11. Cloth weaving by hand.

12. Mat weaving or making utensils from reed, rattan, jute, hay, or bamboo.

13. Making rice paper by hand.

14. Lacquer work.

15. Making Thai musical instruments.

16. Niello work.

17. Goldsmith, silversmith, or gold-and-copper alloy smith work.

18. Stone work.

19. Making Thai dolls.

20. Making mattresses or quilts.

21. Making alms bowls.

22. Making silk products by hand.

23. Making Buddha images.

24. Knife making.

25. Making paper or cloth umbrellas.

26. Making shoes.

27. Making hats.

28. Brokerage or agency except in international trading.

29. Professional civil engineering concerning design and calculation, systemization, analysis, planning, testing, construction supervision, or consulting services, excluding work requiring specialized techniques.

30. Professional architectural work concerning design, drawing-making, cost estimation, or consulting services.

31. Dressmaking.

32. Pottery.

33. Cigarette rolling by hand.

34. Tour guiding or conducting.

35. Hawking of goods.

36. Thai typesetting by hand.

37. Unwinding and twisting silk by hand.

38. Clerical or secretarial work.

39. Providing legal services or engaging in legal work, except in cases of legal arbitration.

Source: Sunbelt Asia Group 2006-10-27

MARRIAGE VISAS: THE LONG TERM COSTS OF GETTING MARRIED TO A THAI LADY JUST TO STAY HERE OUT WEIGH THE BENEFITS. TO PEOPLE FROM THE WEST WHO HAVE BEEN MARRIED AND DIVORCED ONCE OR TWICE AND MAYBE MORE, NEED TO REALISE NOTHING NOTHING REALLY CHANGES EXCEPT THE PICTURE ON THE WALL.

THE NEXT TIME SOME THAI GAL HERE TAKES YOU UP COUNTRY TO MEET HER PARENT'S, AND HER PARENT'S ASK YOU HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE THEM TO MARRY THEIR DAUGHTER, YOUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE THE FOLLOWING: ITS NOT HOW MUCH MONEY I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU TO MARRY YOUR DAUGHTER, BUT RATHER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE ME TO TAKE HER OFF YOUR HANDS."

I would like to know why all the people living in thailand on a so called permanent basis do not become a citizen of Thailand and saves themselve the hazzle of forever obtaining vizas

Because they aren't eligible? Because they can't afford it? Because they don't want dual citizenship?

You don't just decide to become a Thai citizen and wander down to immigration one day and tell them so. Same thing for the PR, permanent resident visa. Many are simply not eligible. For example, my husband and I are here to retire, and will be getting our proper visas when the dust settles a bit. We will never have the years on an appropriate visa to apply for PR if, as I have read here, the retirement visa is ineligible. I would cheerfully pay Thai taxes if I thought it would help me get PR, but I have been told Thailand does not tax foreign pensions.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

ANSWER: WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO BECOME A CITIZEN HERE. LOOK AROUND YOU. WHAT KINDS OF BENEFITS ARE THE THAI CITIZENS RECEIVING....ANSWER: ZERO! and IF THAT WERE NOT THE CASE, TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF THAI PEOPLE AT YOUR OWN EMBASSY WAITING TO HAVE AN INTERVIEW TRYING TO GET OUT OF THIS COUNTRY

Surely the only real criteria should be

1) you have a valid reason to live in thailand (marriage, gay partner, work etc)

and

2) that you have enough funds to be able to live there without any support (as if you would get any anyway!) the figures being quoted here would be enough to live in a hotel!!

The UK and US have enriched their countries by embracing immigration (yes they do really even though it seems difficult at times) Real integration is the key with immigrants playing a full role in social, academic, industrial and even political life

WELL YOU HIT THE NAIL SQUARELY ON THE HEAD....THE U.K., U.S.A. AUSTRALIA, CANADA AND MOST OF THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES DO IN FACT EMBRACE IMMIGRATION, AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES AND HAS MADE THEM STRONG ECONOMICALLY WITHOUT QUESTION. THE THAIS WON'T DO THAT AND THAT IS WHY THEY ARE AND WILL REMAIN A 3RD WORLD COUNTRY. MANY OF THE THAIS WHO LIVE IN THE U.S.A AND WHO ARE NOW AMERICAN CITIZENS (SOMETHING WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO OBTAIN IN THIS COUNTRY), DON'T WANT TO COME BACK TO THAILAND. WHY?

BECAUSE AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE THIS COUNTRY OF THAILAND, THEY BEGIN TO REALIZE HOW SCREWED UP IT IS.

NOW YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF...WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO HAVE A CORPORATION IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE YOU CANNOT OWN IT LOCK STOCK AND BARREL; ARE SUBJECT TO THIS 49/51% RULE HERE, WHERE YOU CANNOT OWN A HOME AS AN INDIVIDUAL, WHERE THERE IS NO RULE OF LAW, WHERE YOU SUBJECT TO THE WHIMS OR MERCURIAL NATURE OF THIS GOVERNMENT, AND NO MATTER IF YOU STAYED HERE IN THAILAND 1000 YEARS (ASSUMING YOU COULD LIVE THAT LONG OF COURSE), COULD NEVER BECOME A CITIZEN OF THAILAND; and of course who would want to. THESE PEOPLE CAN GO TO THE WEST and have the OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A CITIZEN, TO OWN RAW LAND, IMPROVED REAL ESTATE, OPEN UP A BANK ACCOUNT IN THEIR NAME, FORM A CORPORATION IN THEIR NAME AND EVEN GET ON WELL-FARE. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF MONIES IN TERMS OF A TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT THE WESTERN COUNTRIES GIVE THIS COUNTRY OF THAILAND, BUT WHATEVER IT IS, ITS TOO MUCH. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THEY WANT ALL OF US OUT. COME TO THINK OF IT, THINGS AIN'T SO BAD BACK HOME IN THE U.S.A. THAT I WOULD WANT TO TRADE MY RIGHTS AND PRIVLEDGES BACK HOME FOR NO RIGHTS AND NO PRIVLEGES HERE.

Interesting that tourist visas will now be valid for a full 90 days. That saves the 1 mth extension fee of 1900 Baht (2 mth+1 mth). I presume a tourist visa costs about that 2000 Baht. I.e. for the 30 day visa runner/2 times tourist visa the costs just fell 3800 Baht compared to the 2+1 system.

Investment visa: glad that they will grand-father renewals.

Cheers!