Orac

Abhisit must surely despair at the assortment of idiots that he's obliged to work with.

Yep - that kinda says it all. And whose story do you believe? Foreign Ministry says they were in Cambodia, the Thais (of course) claim they were in Thailand and the comment about stirring up 'nationalism' is real. Thai's love that stuff! Thai rak Thai. But if they were in Thailand then why didn't Thai troops resist the Cambodian soldiers arresting? Muddied waters continue with this political football.

It is one thing to be obliged to work with idiots but, according to an AFP report, "Abhisit said he had tasked Panich with seeking information about the border issue."

Granted he didn't tell him to get together with a bunch of ultra-nationalist nutters and go and invade Cambodia but there is a limited amount of involvement here.

All very well in theory...oh wait I'll just wave my magic wand and invent a highly effecient anti terrorist unit in a few days. The best that can be taken from the Red led terrorist events in Bangkok is that the Governement and Army are now wise to the need to defend Thailand from such cowardice attack in the future and should now be training those who served in the 2010 operation, and other units loyal to Thailand, to a higher level of achievement.

Maybe they should have deployed the Pattaya SWAT team in their yellow humvee - or did they get lost trying to find Bangkok???

The Russian eye candy is very sparse on Pattaya beach. Baltic whale preserve is a more accurate description.

I was on Tien beach on Koh Larn a couple of days before christmas and it was heaving with them there.

According to one of the four passengers who survived: He was sitting in the second row of the van in the seat closest to the door (if you are familiar with the Thammasat vans, it is the seat that can be folded up so that the other passengers can move to their seats in the back). He said that the van driver was driving normal (not swerving and driving straight and even smiled to him when he entered the van). When the accident occured, he initially felt a crash into the back of the van. Then he remembers spinning and says that he thinks he fell out before the van crashed into the wall. He was lying on the tollway in pain and yelling for help and water. He remembers looking over and he saw a girl outside of a white car and using her cellphone (at the time, he didn't know that she was the girl that caused the accident) . She was on her phone while he was on the ground yelling in pain for water and help. She did not provide any assistance to the injured. He finally got help when rescue help came.

What you can't see from the camera is that the accident occurred approximately 100-150 meters from the Kasetsart exit.

This account seems to contradict the statement from her mother which says she was trapped in the car and freed by rescuers???

Not secular representative parliamentary democracies like Israel;

secular??

"Jewish and Democratic State – Is the definition of the nature and character of the State of Israel, as the Jewish nature was first defined within the Declaration of Independence of 1948, and the "Democratic" character, was first officially added to the "Jewish" nature, in the amendment to the Basic Law: the Knesset that was passed in 1985 (amendment 9, clause 7A)."

from Wikipedia

Yes but it's not just about that is it? it's about the culture here of irresponsibility - letting kids ride bikes and drive cars - paying people off if they get caught or cause damage etc. In this case it just highlights the total cultural irresponsibility and that's why there has been such a reaction - she's just a catalyst. This sort of thing could happen everyday of the week - the driving here is appalling - most of it lack of education and training but most of it sheer selfishness. Tragic... wasteful loss of life.

A very good point. As a number of posters have pointed out there is no enforcement of the rules on the roads here and it is not at all uncommon to see young ppl driving cars and motorbikes who are very clearly underage. I have been stopped by the police outside schools a number of times so as these kids can get out on the motorbikes. The greatest tragedy here would be that, in peoples desire to see this girl punished, the cultural issues involved with driving here are brushed back under the carpet.

Congratulations!

It's the UDD asking us to believe, not the DSI. Okay then, show us.

UDD? Reuters claim that the reports were leaked to them directly from the DSI and the Nation attributes them to a 'reliable source' though this source did say they would be published in full which I have not seen anywhere yet.

The UDD has the most to gain from these revelations. I'm sure they're pushing for the public distribution of this 'leaked' report as much as we are. Let's hope this 'reliable source' pulls through soon for the sake of clarity.

Something we agree on!

If the documents are not available to the public can they still be considered "leaked" ?

How many days has it been now? What could possibly be the delay in producing the report along with all its damaging content? Are they waiting to drip-feed other revelations in the report to the media? But what could they be given we've already seen the alleged conclusion which might as well be laying the blame on Elvis...?

The longer they leave us waiting, the more this begins to smell of Juttaporn.

You could equally argue that they have not been released because they is more damaging info to be seen. It seems very odd that, since there seems to be no doubt that these reports exist, they have not been officially made public since this would be the easiest way to prove that the 'leaked' reports are a fabrication. I assume the problem with this is that the government would have to act on them if this were the case.

There seem to be far too many posts on here trying to discredit these leaks rather than calling on the government/DSI to officially publish them so that the 'truth' can be known.

It's the UDD asking us to believe, not the DSI. Okay then, show us.

UDD? Reuters claim that the reports were leaked to them directly from the DSI and the Nation attributes them to a 'reliable source' though this source did say they would be published in full which I have not seen anywhere yet.

If the documents are not available to the public can they still be considered "leaked" ?

How many days has it been now? What could possibly be the delay in producing the report along with all its damaging content? Are they waiting to drip-feed other revelations in the report to the media? But what could they be given we've already seen the alleged conclusion which might as well be laying the blame on Elvis...?

The longer they leave us waiting, the more this begins to smell of Juttaporn.

You could equally argue that they have not been released because they is more damaging info to be seen. It seems very odd that, since there seems to be no doubt that these reports exist, they have not been officially made public since this would be the easiest way to prove that the 'leaked' reports are a fabrication. I assume the problem with this is that the government would have to act on them if this were the case.

There seem to be far too many posts on here trying to discredit these leaks rather than calling on the government/DSI to officially publish them so that the 'truth' can be known.

Curious,

a Chilean, issued a Swedish passport in August of 2010.

Any Swedes on the forum here (?), is it easy to get a Swedish passport if you are not from Sweden?

Possibly not a great deal different from my daughter who has a UK passport but was born in Thailand.

Quite a Big difference I because he is not half Swedish, he is an immigrant... and when your daughter is 18 she will have to make the choice which nationality she will take... I take it her mother is Thai, if her mother is not Thai , then she will never have a Thai passport , born here or not.

Still not seeing the difference - I do not see anywhere in the OP information that clarifies the issue or states that he is not half swedish. Just to drag things further off topic, though not common, it is not unusual for ppl to have a country of birth that differs from their country of residence or where they class themselves as a citizen - you only need to look at arguably the two most important ppl in Thailand as an example.

Can't say about the 5 yr renewal but I was there last Wednesday for my first 1 yr - IDP so only paperwork and reaction/vision tests. Got there at 0930 and left with 1 yr car licence at 1120. It was very busy but they seemed organised enough.

I think you're lost, Harry! To get to Soi Buakhao from Walking Street try getting a bahtbus along Pattaya Tai from the traffic lights. Some may turn left into Buakhao but most will carry on towards Sukhumvit. If they carry on, ring the bell and walk up Buakhao or wait for another bahtbus going up Buakhao. Motorbike taxi might be the best option for you though.

I think he's lost too

If I walk the not insignificant distance up second road to Soi Bukhao

Second Road doesn't meet Soi Buakhao and the walk up South Road to Buakhao is only about 500m.

There's a shorcut from Second Rd. through the back of The Avenue, and also the road just opposite Soi Pattayaland, depending on what part of Buakhao you want

the last one sounds interesting

where is soi pattayaland please?

Boyztown area!

About time this scam was addressed.

I've heard of too many Brits living like wretches and claiming benefits in Thailand.

Surely if they are claiming benefits they aren't living like wretches - they are the ones without the money???

Several posters seems to think that Pattaya is like Iraq or Afghanistan, that's not the case. If you behave yourself and don't get so drunk that you can't stand on your feet and walk alone at 0300AM you will be OK.

I been in Patts for over 3 years now and I never had any problems. When I get too drunk, I catch a MC taxi home

And how about renting a jetski what I like to do when my Philippine gf comes to Thailand ?

Some police even touristpolice seem involved in the scams.

So after reading all the threads on here and elsewhere about the problems with renting jetskis all over Thailand and particularly in Pattaya, you intend to arm yourself with a Taser and come and rent one - where can I buy a ticket for this event???

Curious,

a Chilean, issued a Swedish passport in August of 2010.

Any Swedes on the forum here (?), is it easy to get a Swedish passport if you are not from Sweden?

Possibly not a great deal different from my daughter who has a UK passport but was born in Thailand.

I assume they mean the Bay Breeze Hotel

Yet another reason to avoid Pattaya...

Maybe the OP could let us know when he is planning on visiting Pattaya 'tooled up' so you know when to avoid it???

Switzerland used to allow holders of a UK settlement visa entry for up to 3 months, but Switzerland signed up to the Schengen Agreement in December 2008 so I don't think this is still possible.

Moot point anyway as the OP's wife doesn't have a UK settlement visa.

Thanks for the correction - saved me a bit of embarrassment as I was planning on taking the wife there again in few months!

She may be able to visit switzerland on a UK visa as they accept the UK visa in some cases.

Before anyone mentions it I do know Switzerland is not in the EU, just giving the OP a suggestion on somewhere that can be visited without too much hassle.

well-known Red Shirt guard Noi Banjong, also known as "DJ Daeng Kotchasarn"

police quickly inspected the scene but they were unable to identify the victim until two days later, Mr Suthep said.

surely a bit of a contradiction here

I notice a couple of months back when McDonalds in Central Beach opened how petite and pretty most of the staff were (obviously in a very non predatory sort of way).

Having passed there earlier today it appears there has been some significant change and I can't help but see this as a warning sign.

Thanks guys - exactly the info i was looking for.

Note however that, in addition to the deaths being "likely caused by soldiers" deployed, the reports say...

acting on duty

What does this actually mean? Self defence? Or in uniform?

It could also mean under orders which has significant implications however we need to wait for these reports to be published in full. Surely, since they are complete and subject to so much controversy, the sooner they are officially released the better.

I have to drive up from Pattaya to Nong Khai in a couple of days, a trip I am very familiar with and usually takes me about 10 hours, however, my wife has asked me if we can go via Surin to drop someone off this time.

Though the Pattaya to Surin bit is fairly straight forward and looks like i just need to get on route 24 the bit from Surin to Nong Khai seems to take me all over the place.

Anyone got any experience of the route from Surin to Nong Khai via Roi-Et and Kalasin or would I be better just tracking back across to route 2???