hansnl

Everywhere in the world there seem to be political refugees.

In the Netherlands, where a friend is working for the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation service) somewhere in the main office there is a steel office cupboard, filled with party stuff.

This cupboard is closed, normally, and will be opened 2-3 times a year.

Then a party is thrown, big one, for all the staff.

They have that party because they found a real political refugee.

One of his bosses last year stated, that of all the so-called political refugees, 95% was almost certainly economically motivated.

And definitely not political

Now, I just wonder, what motives the UNCHR is having.

That office really does not have a track record of non-biased exploits.

shit happens some time there is a real one

A real shit?

agreed, jjonz's sentence structure just defeated a lonely Estonian

Oh dear, how sad, never mind.

Everywhere in the world there seem to be political refugees.

In the Netherlands, where a friend is working for the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation service) somewhere in the main office there is a steel office cupboard, filled with party stuff.

This cupboard is closed, normally, and will be opened 2-3 times a year.

Then a party is thrown, big one, for all the staff.

They have that party because they found a real political refugee.

One of his bosses last year stated, that of all the so-called political refugees, 95% was almost certainly economically motivated.

And definitely not political

Now, I just wonder, what motives the UNCHR is having.

That office really does not have a track record of non-biased exploits.

Attac hed to the airport building is a car park, 3 floors, plenty of space, and free.

Park the car there from time to time, long time or short time....no problem.

Airport staff also parks there.

Quite simple.

Like petrol and diesel prices, if the dollar goes up, the prices for petrol and diesel go up.

If the dollar goes dowm, the prices for petrol and diesel go up.

If the dollar remains on the same level, the prices for diesel and petrol go up.

This really is very logical!

I presume it is the same for anything else, including grapefruit juice.

Being married to a UK citizen entitles her to visit any othere shezan country without a visa. Eg. if you your son and daughter were in Thailand then she could acompany him to France without a visa - although she would need a visa to visit her spouses home country - the UK.

This is a little know rule.

Quite wrong

The UK is not in the Schengen group of countries.

So a UK visa is valid for the UK

If she wants to go to any Schengen country, get a Schengen visa.

If my wife goes with me to the Netherlands with a Schengen visa I can visit all Schengen countries with that visa.

For the UK I need a seperate visa.

Thailand...It never ceases to Amaze. May the Red shirts show up in droves, and continue to protest this un-elected government.JMHO

Now, the Mr T government was indeed ousted.

After that there were elections.

No party had a majority, or 51% of the seats in Parliament

The Government was formed out of a coalition of parties, including Mr T's proxies.

Then some parties left this coalition for various reasons.

A new Government comprising different parties was formed, excluding Mr T's proxies.

So......alll very legal.

And formed in the same way as the former government.

Try to remember that in nearly all countries a Government is not elected but formed out of a majority in the parliament.

So if you think this Government is un-elected, so was the former.

Yawn, Yawn.

You and your official figures.

All about me is a mirage then!

Maybe, maybe not. GDP is C+I+G+(N-X). If real GDP falls 3% and (N-X) is +9% then the domestic economy has fallen 12%.

So I have no idea what you are seeing. Maybe a US$45bn increase in reserves (forex reserves/GDP now higher than China) or maybe collapsing banking system, house prices, stockmarket, ballooning fiscal deficit etc.. So what do you see?

I see a very sharp recovery. One property company sold condo 2,000 units in 2 days, two weeks ago. Consumption rising fast, investment still a bit depressed but savings gap far too wide and room for increased fiscal spending. Business confidence is at a 3 year high.

That maybe your perception-but I see many Thai's struggling and many factories closing their doors. factories going down. Real estate investment does not reach the average Thai. The selling of condo to wealthy or above average Thai's or foreigners does not constitute a economic recovery. Their have always been the wealthy in Thailand to the determent of the masses. Virtually free labor does keep Thailand going. Daily wages of 250 -300 baht day inspire no one. Monthly salaries of 6000-10000 baht -people barely get by. Even in America with 10-11% unemployment the wealthy continue to rake it in. Trickle down economics does not work. There is more to a economy than selling condos.

Daily wage of 250 baht?

In and around Khon Kaen 150-180 Baht.

Teachers with 8000-12000 get worked out of their job for graduates from university that get paid 5000 baht a month.

Building is still "vibrant", but at a much slower pace, or coming to a (temporarily) standstill.

My neighbour, running quite a big building company, normally employing 1500-2000 people, had to lay off 40% of his staff, not enough orders,

and he tells me his income went down nearly 60%.

And indeed, he also told me that a lot of rich people are seeing a loss of income, especially in the Thai-Chinese community.

Due to the loss of income house staff is being laid off, many.

Factories are laying off people, or not hiring new people.

A good indicator that things are not really well is the growth of foodstalls, which is called the considerable growth of self employed!

And the best indicator, crime is rising!

I do have a feeling that the numbers supplied by the officials might be ........, ehhhhh........, doctored?

That Thailand in recent times was angling to purchase second hand tanks from Switzerland (of all places) makes me extra sceptical.

Due to the arms reductions in Europe lots of very good tanks from war storages, most never used. are available.

Yes, also in Switzerland.

As long as there are accidents possible, they are bound to happen.

Murphy's law!

And maybe it was a loud bang, maybe the children were frightened.

But be happy nothing else happened.

Anywhere in the western world the press and the politicians would make it a long term division from their normal grabbing and deluding exercises.

Nothing worse than sitting next to somebody who is obese on a plane

Yes there is...... the seat recliners are worse.

Especially the ones who refuse the meal served, because they want to sleep, and therefore you can't get YOUR meal either...until they are forced to put their seat up so you can get your tray down.

If an obese person should be forced to buy two seats, then the "seat recliners" should be forced to buy two seats...his/hers and the one behind him/her.

Oh and how about the "elbow pokers". I was on a flight to BKK once with an eldely woman. Everytime she feel asleep she jerked about, poking me with her elbows into my ribs. On a 10 hour flight, I managed to get possibly 15 minutes of sleep. The next day my ribs were stll sore from her poking. Obviously she should be made to pay for two seats.

Oh, and then how about the people who spend most of the flight standing in the aisle and talking to their friends with a drink in their hand. Should they pay for a seat where the person they keep awake for the entire flight has to sit?

And then we have to crying infant question....obviously the mother/father should pay extra for all the seats their crying child disturbs.

You see now where I am going, don't you? Where do the limits start and end. If everyone you don't like is banned or requires compensation...where does it end?

(Oh and if I don't like you for some reason, can I ask the airline to make you buy another seat so I won't have to sit next to you.)

But, for the record, the photo above does in fact show a person too obese...and a safety hazard due to the fact he is blocking the aisle...and who should be made to pay for a second seat for that reason. In his case, I agree that the airline could charge for an extra seat just on the safety issue.

Right!

And when are airlines going to give you a seat where one can sit in, recline a little?

Tall people, thick people, whatever, are all subjected to seats designed for small men or women with a maximum length of 165 cm, a maximum width of 55 cm and a maximum seatlength of 50 cm.

Most European and American people are bigger, and I am not even talking about 200 cm long or +100 kg.

Instead of bitching about bigger sized people, bitch about the stupid childsized "seats"where you pay a considerable amount of money for to get get tortured in for 10-12 hours.

Now that is a shame!

But......now suppose he pays for 2 seats, and also suppose he can use 2 seats, what about the armrest poking in his back all the time?

There are a few established (Korean) protestant churches in Khon Kaen, as far as I know a Roman Catholic church, there should be more protestant churches.

Not so long ago I saw in passing the sign of a Baptist church, but where that was?

However, friend of mine seems to have found out that a lot of the churches are financial driven, as they say.

Aren't they all. Show me a church that is not financial driven and I will show you a locked door.

Hmmmmm

I agree that many churches, or temples, are obsessed with money.

But, there are still churches and temples that only gather money to do good things.

Yes, I know, only a few.

But I know a few churches in KK, where the leading figure is having a ball with the proceeds of the collections.

And that is, in my view, very shameful.

Sorry for the man, RIP

An uncommonly amount of farang jump and fall of balconies in Thailand.

The passport is not lost and a police report would be a serious mistake in my opinion (as in a false report). The passport belongs to the US Government and they have every right to hold it. If he has a police problem all he needs to do is inform them it is at the Embassy and the police will contact them.

Indeed, all passports belong to the issuing state.

But, what country takes the passport away from you when you are abroad?

In fact making you an illegal in the country where you are at that moment.

And not offering an explanation, or in this case, playing dumb, seems to me quite stupuid.

Making a report to the local police that your passport is in the process of renewal or being upgraded by your own country's officials might be a good idea, however, I seem to have read somewhere that the same officials need to give you a receipt for the passport.

I just wonder if under international law, it is permitted for a country to withhold a passport from one of its subjects or citizens without giving an explanation, or giving a recognised receipt, or temporary papers to travel back to your country.

On ThaiVisa I have read something like this before, and that man had to return to the US, indeed for outstanding child benefit or even payments to the ex.

He can only stay a few weeks, Its good luck for his parents, many Lady's do the same , its a form of cleansing of the soul or spirit. It can only be good . pity some falang dont do the same .

I am shure sme farang would like to do this but..... ,the farang does not speak or understand anuf Thai and......The monks dont speak any foreign language !So how can this work.Visit a few times the temple in the village I live but no result.Responce yes ,everybody is veru happy to have a farang but it does not work.Even in a big city like Ciang Mai , very hard to find a monk and or teacher !!!!!!

My wife and I did folow teachings in our home country ( Belgium and the Netherlands ) so actualy we stay maround in our spiritual live.We had hoped to find the way in Thailand but......... no result so far.

Perhaps you know how and where in the North ??? We would even go for longer period !!!

In Khon Kaen there are, as far as I could find out, three temples where some monks speak reasonable English.

One of the monks in the big temple (the 9-tier one), to my pleasure, speaks English fluently.

I presume, that in other places you might also find monks with English knowledge.

Some time ago I visited a very small temple near Khon Kaen, Wat Pa in Chiang Yueng, and there was also a monk speaking reasonable English.

I have no idea if he is still there.

I love those wooden house, they look beautiful

The wife has some land near Chiang Yueng, we are having serious talks at the moment.

Anyone could give some advise about the pitfalls, traps & all???

There are a few established (Korean) protestant churches in Khon Kaen, as far as I know a Roman Catholic church, there should be more protestant churches.

Not so long ago I saw in passing the sign of a Baptist church, but where that was?

However, friend of mine seems to have found out that a lot of the churches are financial driven, as they say.

And of course...the boys in brown will see to it that his stock of cars are well looked after and safe whilst he sorts out his tax affairs

!!!!!!

And one more time, with feeling: the cost of plane tickets is based on the strength and value of local currency at the point of origin.

Nonsense!

The price of tickets is based on how much the airline thinks it can charge a passenger!

At this moment the cheapest way is to buy a single to Europe (shop around) and book a return ticket departing from Europe.

Take a bus or the train

Much cheaper!

And many more per day!

i suppose if we want to improve on the aesthetics of the area, then we should ban the

hordes of fat, old caucasian men --- particularly the ones wearing loud hawaiian shirts,

bermuda shorts, sandals and black socks.

What would you say if we just ban ALL caucasian males?

Now, that would be a much better sight.

OP and everybody else! Strawberies ... Yammm.

I miss them too. For years...

Soft, Juicy, Sweet, Aromatic, Tender, Red inside out, Bruise easily,- Remember how they used to be? In season for a brief time only.

Hard, Dry, Sour, No Smell, Crunchy, Red outside, Green inside, Keep for weeks,- this is what they call strawberies today. Delivered 6am all year around.

Please, don't call them strawberies, those GM mutant freaks, weighing at 6-8 pce/pound.

Nostalgic Backsoon.

It is not only the way strawberries are grown (under glass, open country), but also the race.

Under glass are mostly the races that are soft & juicy.

In lots of European countries the soft kind is still readily available.

But the hard kind is making inroads.....in the big supermarket chains.

Your first line tells it all, soft, bruising easily.......

Your second line tells it too, hard, dry, crunchy.

It is not what the customers really want, it is just very much cheaper for the shops to tell you that you prefer those imitation strawberiies.

And of course, much more profitable for the shops!

Government Housing Bank is set up to provide loans to poor Thais and they do not consider a Thai married to a Farang to be poor as all Farangs are rich.

They also won't sell condos in the Government Housing blocks to Thais married to Farangs as my mate and his missus were told when they tried to buy into those blocks on the top end of Thepprasit in Pattaya when they were first built.

That is true.

However, it is not a rule used by all branches.

Dont't know about Bangkok or Pattaya, and (touch wood) personally never needed any "medicalexpress service".

However, in Khon Kaen we use the number 1669 for EMS, and an ambulance will arrive shortly, either from the state hospital, the university hospital or one of the private hospitals.

And the nice thing is, if there is someone to tell them, they will bring you to any hospital you want.

Of course, the private hospital ambulances try to bring you to their homebase, understandable.

The cowboy community, the pickup freelancers, also tend to fly in the general direction of the phone call, but if you ask for a hospital ambulance, that will appear.

I presume you have online facilities with your bank in the UK? Just initiate the transfer from the UK to your Thai account at SCB. Minimal cost and is in your account in a few days.

Unfortunately my Uk bank doesn't permit international transfers online (Barclays). I know there are some Uk banks who do, but I'm loathe to change banks after 45 years with the same branch. And it would require a trip to the Uk to do so.

But thanks for the suggestion.

Not on line, but most certainly by fax

..thought she was 24..in any case.. i smell a RAT.. i hate violence against women..its so cowardly and unacceptable..man's cross to bear for the small minority of supreme male F'd up coward scumbag losers ( human refuse..i would not piss on them if they were on fire) that perpetuate these dastardly crimes against female humanity..we have one in canada.. clifford olsen, who languishes in jail as we don't have the death penalty since 1966.. signed: LIVID

The woman died, no known cause.

So sorry.

But you seem to know more about this case, it seems.

You start ranting about things that maybe are not related to the woman's death at all.

Maybe read the article again, and wait for what the cause of death will really be?