Orac

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=702085386512976&set=vb.518726644848852&type=2&theater

Just like a night out in Glasweegie. Only things missing was the Balti, Kebabs and deep fried Mars Bars.

Not quite - it was right by McDonners kebab van. Arguably one of the best lamb kebabs in Pattaya.

Would depend on your age and what sort of lifestyle you want to lead - rough rule of thumb would be 3 to 4 per cent a year if invested sensibly so certainly possible but very much dependant on personal circumstances.

They seem to have copied the crossed arm symbolism from Pink Floyd though - in The Flesh from The Wall movie.

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Don't write Pattaya off just yet, especially based on an article from the Phuket News (??)

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I think the Phuket News version is to get round certain other issues - it did originate elsewhere.....

I assume this would also do away with the minimum wage requirements as well.

By shifting the burden from employers to state it would enable Thailand to expand its low paid, unskilled labour exports again and compete with the likes of Bangladesh and Cambodia.


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Going through the process at the moment at Nongprue Office in Pattaya. Required...

Passport picture page translated by local translator

Copies of visa/extension/ arrival card

Parents names translated

Wife with blue book and id

Witness with blue book and id

First visit my wife and witness were questioned with loads of notes taken - they didn't appear to want to deal with me at all! Told to come back a week later.

Second visit still with witness in tow was for signing loads of paperwork that had been prepared - took minutes and told we would be called in 4 weeks when done.

3 weeks later had phone call to come back in with witness and had to sign all the paperwork again as they got it wrong the first time. Told to expect a call in a week to go and collect now.

Not sure how useful it will be to have but seemed like something that is better to have than not - you never know what changes might come in the future that make them harder to get or more things it can be used for.

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Surely this was the whole point of nuclear weapons. If you ignore which countries are involved here then all that is being said is literally 'if you try to destroy us then we will target our nastiest weapons at your government and military headquarters' which would sound quite reasonable if said by virtually any other country.

Anyway, I thought The North Koreans were still celebrating their world cup win???


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In the army soldiers are taught to obey, they work as a team but a country is not a military unit and never will be. Army regimes in the past, in various countries around the world have tried to oppress and pacify their people but have never succeeded. Every dictatorship has always ended in failure, so will this latest coup be any different?
I not being a pessimist but a realist basing my outlook not only on history but the general inability of the Thai people to work together for a united country.
Thailand is still feudal and therefore the army's task of trying to make everyone into good, law abiding citizens is absolutely impossible. Their successes to date are both minor and shortlived as you all will see. Thailand is like a school playground, mayhem and chaos, and no way the army can keep control for long. Too many factions, too many greedy people, too many ass*oles.
Think what you can do for your country has long gone, now its only what your country can do for you.

Having seen some pictures of the methods used by the army to teach soldiers to obey on the internet i dread to think what i may come across in a park one day if they try the same with the general population.


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Interesting that the Thai govt is stating it was an Israeli air strike that killed him???

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Why the need for the defence PS to be on the commission? This is an inappropriate move, although many will say it's necessary inorder for the military to keep the police under control. I agree with what is happening to the police in the interim, but in the long term, no, - no control of one arm of government by another, totally unrelated arm. This is not how I envisage democracy.

The RTP are the 4th branch of the Thai Defence Forces, it has little or nothing to do with the Army maintaining a hold over the police. The Defence PS obviously has all 4 branches in his portfolio.

Well either way its wrong. One of the major problems in Thailand concerns limiting and understanding the role of the army.

The police should not be the 4th arm of anything and the army should definitely not be involved in running it.

They have to find something for the 1700 generals to do.

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How is this house owned? If in your wifes name then understandable that they won't lend you money if she has no visible income that you can demonstrate.

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What exactly is an 'illegal checkpoint"?

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It still makes me chuckle that prostitution is illegal in Thailand...

Just make it legal already and make them start paying tax... Imagine the revenue!... ££££££££

Making prostitution legal and make them pay taxes only benefit the tax department.

Asking tea money to keep them out of jail makes more benefit to the people who are actually arresting them and need a day of paperwork.

70 x 1,000 = 70,000 Baht in one day.

And release them as soon as possible so that the they can arrest them again the next day.

Given that there was one man and 10 Thai women out of 70 then logically the other 59 must be foreign women so they would also need to change the employment laws to give them work permits as well.

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Valuable lesson to be learnt here - stopping at a police roadside check and waving your wallet at them may not be the wisest thing to do.

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Sophon engineer has now told me that he cannot fix my connection here on the Darkside and i need to go to the office for a refund on the 6 months remaining.

Anyone have any suggestions for a new broadband service over here?


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democracy: the most misunderstood word in Thailand. Democracy does not mean you have to do what Taksin and his lackies tell you what to do!

Thailand is 'special' because people dont follow the laws and the police dont enforce them. Money buys power and privilege and those that have it enforce their own view of democracy.

I am glad a coup occurred. Now Thai people are free from the Shinawatras grip on the country. Like the Marcos's did in the Philippines.

Your comparison with Marcos is perfect.

Would that be the same Ferdinand Marcos who imposed Martial Law in 1972 and then disbanded Congress, imprisoned opposition politicians, critics and militant activists before changing large parts of the constitution???

(Edited year)

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The whole Military is only 250,000 so if the people decide to rise up there is no way the Military will be able to control them all all over Thailand.

Isn't that just the number of Generals???

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Kick off times are not great ranging from 11pm to 5am(Thai time) . Not quite as bad as Japan/Korea 2002 for those who were in UK. Beers for breakfast Englands games are starting at v Italy 5am, v Uraguay 2am, Costa Rica 11pm.... I will be in Patts so hopefully some of the Bars will have it on.

I did ask my local bar here in Pattaya if they had world cup coverage and he said no problem as sophon cable will have it on the astro channels they carry.

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Another confusing article - many references to tourist visas rather than visa exempt arrivals. Are they now saying that even on a double entry tourist visa you are not allowed to do an 'in-out'?

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No he didn't, read the line where it says 15 or 30 days entry.

Where? I see no mention in the article about 15 days - only 30 days - which would be appropriate for a visa exempt stamp however there are several references to tourist visas.

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