redewenur

What I don't understand is why this equipment wasn't installed before the airport opened? They've had enough time!

Maybe they couldn't agree on it either

I'd say that, in theory, it's an excellent idea. It sounds as though it won't obstruct passenger flow, and given sufficient computer power and intelligent usage, it offers yet another step in right direction, i.e. enabling passengers to reach their destinations in one piece, and denying air transport to known enemies of peaceful, law-abiding society.

As far as inconvenience goes, it's a small price. I find it inconvenient to double look my front door, but life's like that...

It's all par for the course. It's how Thailand functions. Someone once said that people get the government they deserve. Well, as anyone who's lived in Thailand is well aware, there are countless opportunities for corruption throughout Thai society, and these are, by 'virtue' of human nature, seized upon. Let's not pretend that, given such opportunities, we ourselves would be totally immune to temptation. It's ironic, however, that Taksin, who has been declared guilty of curruption on a huge scale, has been seen by the rural communities to have taken many effective steps to reduce corruption at their local level.

World leaders will, of course, stand up and roundly comdemn the coup; what else would they do, as democratically elected leaders? Yet they must know perfectly well that democracy is alien to understanding of Thais. Certainly, it's a concept that fits poorly into the traditions of the past. The process of assimilation will be very prolonged. The West knows this for sure, but a democratic Thailand is strategically very important, so there will be endless patience and help.

I came to live in Thailand 10 yrs ago. Being married to a Thai national (and having a minimum of 250,000 baht in a Thai bank), I was able to get a renewable 1yr visa. I have a house here. I have a young son. It's a pleasant life. I was making enough money growing longan fruit to keep things ticking over. Then two things happened: (1) the longan fruit market collapsed - it's worth less now than 10 yrs ago; (2) the minimum bank balance was almost doubled, literally overnight, to 450,000 baht. The financial downturn together with the new regulation meant that I no longer qualified for a 1yr visa. To cut a long story short, I was finally reduced to so called 'border runs' (makes you feel like a criminal on the run, right?). Now, what? At a glance, I guess my family have to abandon our house, land and life here, and become virtual 'refugees' back in the UK, at year zero. Nothing like starting afresh, is there?

I can imagine that there are some reading this and thinking 'Your own damned stupid fault. You took a risk, now your paying the price'. OK, maybe you're right. Faith in human nature has nothing to do with politics.