slapout

If these small shops, mom/pop stores, etc, and those who sell something for those going to work to eat, were not there, then unemployement would probably be in double didget figures. Many do not want to work for other people as they do not like being told what to do. others have a family member who share the take from a noodle shop in the evening/morning. Seems few cook at home anymore as they live in small apartments and many times its takes 2 people working to stay ahead of the debt/bills due.

Just my take on oberservations I have made.

Wifes cousins, son ( a real mess from a early age) kicked out of public school, temple , and father fired him from farm work) joined the army, came back to village (home) after about 4 months training or whatever they do as he was bored with it.  He hung arounde village borrowed begged from eveyone he could , moved in with sister in CM for several months. She fed him and gave him cig and beer money. army never even looked for him in the village. he went back to army base after sister kicked him out (6months) the army put him on kitchen duty and cleaning around the base for about 5 months then discharged him. No penalty such as stockade, hard labor, etc were given the kid.

Discharge papers must have been favorable as he got a job as security at a bank and found his true calling as he has been there 4 years now and seems to be weaned from the family/village teat now.

25 minutes ago, DSJPC said:

do US passports really have to go back to US for renewal?...never used to be...I had a passport stolen about 6 yrs. ago and a new one took 3-4 days at BKK Embassy...

Yes, '' Used to be is over ''

Sometimes we read more into something said in a second language than was intended by the person speaking. I find this to true of the Thai language for  me and I think it is the same for Thai and a foreign language, to them.

Even after 25 years, I have to ask for a translation to English from my wife and many times she says she cannot. The facial expressions are usually a normal give away, that and do they make eye contact when they answer your inquiry.

Some of the stories, problems, experiences, etc described, on TV, seem to either bring a tear, a chuckle, or are not very believable.  A few bring back memories of similar experiences, but this one seems to have missed on all counts.

In CM its the police who control some of the larger lotto stands. They are set up on the foot path and have signs that parking for lotto customers only ( on the public parking along kerb) They also ask more for multiple sets of same numbers. I have no idea who or how thew latter price is determined.

The village headman can attest that she was born at home, on the date on other official documents, 2 or 3 witness signiture are required. This paper needs village stamp and its done.  Wife never went to ampor, it was all done at village headmans house. I do know  he had lived there when the wife was born.

My wife did this and there was no charge made. sounds like a village head man is going for a self declared bonus.

Its not an amnesty completly as the taxpayer who owes undeclared / backtaxes and declares such only has to pay about 50% of what he had illegally not paid.

The info out of the Panama banking system gave names and amounts so they get to keep about half of what they stole and have a clean slate???

I see India is having success with this program as have several other countries. Do you think it would bring in revenue if the Thai government had a similar program or would they find a way to corrupt a system forgiving them for past trangressions?

I was informed it was to cover the sound of the fart they proceeded their business with.

Maybe they were or aspire to beThai politicians in that next life cycle they seem to promote to followers of the faith.

I have never seen monks come to the aid of those who have suffered a loss, nor pitch in and help during the floods of a few years back. Maybe I just was not at the right place at the right time. I kind of lost intrest in Buddists when I watched a Monk in the US, sponser locals to come to US on tourist? visa to help in construction of a temple. Most of them went to work for local Thai owned shops, paid in cash, overstayed visa, stayed/ate at temple facilities and put little work on temple building. This continued for several years, temple building is slow work, for several reasons.

I think the Japenese use it (kanten) so you might check with them for their sources. May be more sources there than here

and shipping is probably cheaper. Shipping agents/companies normally combine several customer orders to fill a container,

if not full and going to same place. 100 kg should not be that expensive into LA for a shared container.

I do not know what you call expensive but there a many freight forwarding agents in CM and they are usually quite reasonable for

shared container.

The incidences of violence in Thailand seems to have increased since the min. wage was raised nation wide to 300 baht.The

service companies seemed to have laid off 1 out of 3 of their labor force to offset the increase in labor expense and those laid off cannot or will not look for or find other employment. They were never the pick of the litter, thus they were let go to start with.

I think a fairly large percent of those laid of have gone through their severance pay and there are few avaliable positions they want to take as they have gotten more lazy and feel they are above the menial labor. The choice many seem to have made is criminal activity and sometimes this turn violent. Add the number of mobil phones added during this time and the public awareness and recording of criminal acts and it would appear the country is becoming more violent. And probably with a lot of justification.

Just an opinion of mine based on factors I have mentione. Tthere are othe factors that enter the puzzle, costs of basic needs, cost of having a good time, etc but these items are just some things that have brought out the bad side of some of the population who were recieving money legally to satisfy their basic needs and wants a few years back and now are not.

I heard a fellow comment just the other morning that Thailand was going to hell in a handbasket since he had arrived to make his new home here. Is it possible that he knows something that the rest of us may not be aware of ?

I have asked myself this question many times, but it always raises another question in my mind, ''Where would the several tens of millions of people be, that lost their lives in WW1 and 2 as well as the population increase they would have produced? ''

How would they have found enough work to support their families much less the food to live on? The house we call earth is becoming too small to provide what is required to support in a comfortable style the growing population as it is. Personal freedoms are probable the least of the problems the upcoming generation will have to solve.

The older generation, myself included, as well as those before us, may be right about those were the good old days.

That was what snackbar was subjected to on Monday, just wait until you look at the list for the full week.

but it does make shopping much more entertaining than a walmart, etc, keeps you on your toes, and alert to what others pay, etc.

the oil price drop has been reflected at pump,but not on motor oil and other by products. the refining profit increase was/is also increased by refining cost per bbl which has also increased at the whim of the owners of same.

The cost of transport ofr fuel by truck from Bangkok north has also been raised and never lowered back to orginal / reasonable charge depending on area delivered to.

The telephone number to report this very type of detestable behavior by the BIB, is directed to the army /anti corruption office in your area.. I think the army may be able to put things straight rather quickly, in your wifes favor.

The BIB deserve absolutly nothing in the way of money , from insurance, family. etc.

I have had and still use several good companies in CM. The one thing they have in common is they are family owned and the family knows the business and gets their hands dirty right along with the hired help, plus they depend on repeat business , not tourists as their source of income. A trane dealer, a cockpit , and a body repair shop, and a tire repair /replacement shop all come to mind.

I reckon the % of the monks who are what your looking for, good, concerned with local problems, give back to their village, etc are in line with the innocents who have been falsely convicted and are in prison in the western civilized countries. In Thailand the % may be about the same as a honest politician or policeman or the % of general public who took part in opinion poll, about corruption, who felt it was ok if it benifited them.

As you are a new member on TV, I am not doubting your word on this discribed fisco, but why do you or your bother in law want him to be granted a visa to visit the land of the free, brave and sometimes disappearing tourists who have disappeared after being admitted to the country.

If anything has been noted in the passport he will, could, would present to homeland security upon on arrival, (if /when the consulant ever approves his application for visa) he could run into other people just as obstinate or even more so and put on the next plane home.;

I have been married to his sister for nearly 20 years and she lives with me in the US. He just wants to visit us.

Unfortunately the Consulate nor Homeland security care less what he ,you, or your wife wants. They want to be convienced that he will return to Thailand by the end of any ''permission to stay in the US until....?" has passed.

As you are a new member on TV, I am not doubting your word on this discribed fisco, but why do you or your bother in law want him to be granted a visa to visit the land of the free, brave and sometimes disappearing tourists who have disappeared after being admitted to the country.

If anything has been noted in the passport he will, could, would present to homeland security upon on arrival, (if /when the consulant ever approves his application for visa) he could run into other people just as obstinate or even more so and put on the next plane home.;

As mentioned , according to current rules, he should be ok with current plans etc.

In reality the real answer will come when he has a seat on aircraft heading east with passport in hand with no

conditions in same, in regard to any future arrival in Thailand.

feral dogs are as unpredicatable as are any other wild undomesticated wild animal.

The small dogs are dead, fact, that is known. Most of the posts are guess work, attempts to talk bad about a unknown which resulted in the death , placement of bodies, etc.

You cannot reverse the outcome or what lead to it, no matter how you feel and if a person was involved, i doubt they really give a dang about feeling of disgust, outrage, etc. chase a good cause before it happens not the result of what cannot be corrected/changed

For some apparent reason I would guess master craig fancies himself a wannabe '' top dog'' commonly said to not know ''come here from sic--em'' by those who know and experienced of what they covey to others.