parryhandy

well im in lao at the moment and have just been told i cannot obtain another non immigrant o (married persons) visa next time unless i show them a bank book contaning 300000 baht.Things are definately changing.I asked the woman who told me this if she would like to explain to my 1 year old daughter why daddy might have to go away for a while.

Please try to reckon this:- Drug use is not a victimless crime. Drug users commit crimes under the influence of drugs, cause car, plane and train crashes, cause industrial and numerous other accidents — creating unsafe and unhealthy conditions. Drug users destroy families and take rights and freedom from law-abiding citizens. No one has the "personal right" to endanger the health, safety, and well being of others. Public health and welfare far outweigh ones self-interest.

Many drug users commit murder, child and spouse abuse, rape, property damage, assault and other violent crimes under the influence of drugs. Drug users, many of whom are unable to hold jobs, commit robberies not only to obtain drugs, but also to purchase food, shelter, clothing and other goods and services. A proper deterrent will increase awareness that one has to become socially acceptable to others around us. My vote goes to places like the BKK Hilton and similar places.

Ridding the world of drug pushers and producers is impossible because of the wealth drugs produce for these scums. Its unfortunate legalizing drugs will not eliminate illegal trafficking of neither drugs nor the violence associated with the illegal drug trade. A black market would still exist unless all psychoactive and addictive drugs in all strengths were made available to all ages in unlimited quantity at no cost. “Then God / Buddha / Allah etc help us all.” As a study of international drug policy and its effects on countries has shown that countries with lax drug law enforcement have had an increase in drug addiction and crime. Conversely, those with strong drug policies have reduced drug use and enjoy low crime rates.

Yes you may think I am on my soapbox, but when one has been touched personally by the evilness, sadness, lawlessness, and the total disregard that a drug user can bring to ones family maybe just maybe you will understand.

So to this: I say keep the guilty away from the acquiescent persons of the world.

most of the pain and suffering caused by drugs are because they are illegal.Some people are born to self destruct in life , why punish people who can handle drugs in moderation.Surely a person has a right to stick what he or she likes inside them.

When i first read your comments i honestly thought you were talking about ALCOHOL.

Methinks that there is an element of the FEER pandering to its readers' prejudicies in this.

For years now I have been uneasy about the way the Western press seeks to put the most unsympathetic, even subtly racist, slant on its stories and editorials about the East.

In Singapore I wondered why the British press were only interested in what they could portray in such a way as to denigrate Singapore's success. Ultimately I came to feel that there is an (understandably) ingrained guilt in British minds over the way Britain let down Singapore so badly 60+ years ago. And that 'knocking' Singapore was a subconscious result of that.

But, more generally, is there a lurking fear of the East in the collective mind of the West?. Faced with a situation that "They're as bright as us, and there's more of them than there are of us" it would be understandable that news of any of their failings would appeal to Western readerships.

Last week I had this 'brightness' underlined. In hospital (not in Bangkok, but out in 'BanNawkLand') I was really impressed by the sheer intellectual-horsepower, as well as factual knowledge and social skills, of the fourth-year medical students. Especially the young women.

As I talked with them to try to find out if there was particularly good teaching or mentoring at the bottom of it, I found that it was largely due to them using the Internet to network with the brightest young medical students all round the world. I used to wonder why people reckoned that the Internet was going to be a big thing, but the light is dawning on me. Maybe it won't be long before a Far West Economic Review is looking from here to there and puncturing a few posturings!

absolute rubbish .The article is coming down on Thailand because Taskin and his policies is a great example of why businessmen should not become politicians.Of course they will use their power for themselves who wouldnt afterall business is all about getting an edge.But with no real competion and choice how can intelligence which you rightly pointed out that Thais have ever be rewarded and encouraged.Simply it cant and you end up with a kind of capatilist / comunist soceity.

Just imagine have proved yourself a brilliant student only to find you can work for one man paying crap wages.What do you do ?

Also you knock the western media and then later go on to praise it. Where did the internet come from? Is it not a western media/commuication creation.Will it not be that the willingness of mainly western students to share their ideas and knowledge through western media be the reason why these Thai medical students are showing such promise.

He told police he noticed a brown female stray dog wagging its tail and "acting sexy" and pulled it into some tall grass by the roadside.

classic

well some of us have been saying this would happen since day one .Will they print such a letter now because if the great plan continues they wont in a years time.

Great letter though.

i notice that 7 out of the 12 activities listed are in fact illegal anyway or did being a student somehow exempt you from the law before ?

gambling,

visiting brothels

carrying weapons,

brawling

extortion

stealing

dealing or using drugs,

i may be wrong but i beleive they receive an amount per pill "found". Who knows how many of these pills are pills when alls said and done , cant beleive they test them all.You have to remember that the police in Thailand only catch criminals when offered financial incentive to do so.After the recent crackdown the was a huge party for officials in our town and one of my friends enquired what was going on and was told that all the officials had just received their bonuses for hitting their quotas.At the end of the day when offered money for figures, criminals will always be found no matter what.Irrelevent in this case because this guy is guilty as sin .

Suwatchai Paksamran, 18, and Jirapong Hongnoi, 17, both of Jehhay village, were arrested while riding a motorcycle in their village around 1am.

Both allegedly told police they were planning to attack a local Muslim teenager. They were charged with possessing a weapon and plotting a murder.

what is it with these NON muslims ? is violence just a part of their .............

In the macho West, you're seen as a loser if you quit - without a fat redundancy package!

No one quits any more because we live in a world without honour. Certainly,

Dont give him that option.Sack him and if he wont walk somebody should prosecute him.......

“The EU and every other big food importer has known about this for months, regardless of whatever nonsense the Thais were putting out,” a Singapore-based trader said yesterday. “There was no excuse for helping them to prolong the cover-up.”

This Mr Byrne wants suing if anybody falls sick in the EU because of his incompetence.It stinks of vested interests and his head should roll because hes obviously in bed with the wrong side.

Yet another post, started by IT, which fails to make any sense.

Are you pissed again? I can feel another apology coming on. ''Oh, I don't have many big nights any more, so please forgive my excesses.

''I was just sitting here with my son, tossing back a few, and I just had to post this topic about the scum card. Never mind that no one knows what that is, because I'm bound to apologise for the post tomorrow anyway.''

It's time you and your excesses were curbed.

its called humour tool........

But we do have to admit that in Thailand, there are far many ‘bad cases’ that did happen to some farangs here.

Some thai guys did once tell me that "Thai law is drafted so to protect the thai only , never intended to protect the foreigner”. Be it the 30yrs leasehold thing or the recent promotion of Elite cards. All in all, foreigners have to bear the consequence if anything should happen unexpectedly.

We are always in the mercy of them.

Cheers!!

Id have to agree with that.Its ok trying to do things legally and officially but it could be a waste of time and money in my view if there is no proper enforcement of the law.As someone said on here in another post the smallest book in the world is the list of all foreigners that have won court cases here if by a miracle it gets that far.

I recently read a on another forum about a guy whos wife died prematurely rather sadly and now cannot get on the land and property he shared with her because the mother in law has claimed it.He complained to the local police who told him tough basically and if he caused any more trouble he would be deported and blacklisted.Heresay but worth mentioning.

Ok its worth trying to do things properly but i would forget trying to cover yourself and try to look after any children involved as much as possible .I think thats the best option until attitudes change here towards foreigners.Anybody buying property here should always have enough money to fall back in the worst case senario, to do otherwise is taking an awful risk in my view.

The first question id ask any lawyer is how, after trying to protect my life here and investment for the future, is the best way of being able to enforce this practically.

tks

Brilliant post and absolutely spot on ........

Selling more cards doesn't make it MORE elite now does it?

no but its makes it profitable.......

It may be just me, but PM me what SCOTW is... obviously don't put it here.

Another well worded, thoroughly researched post Daveyo and thanks a lot for it.. I think.

im guessing but SCOTW = sex capital of the world. as for the rest of daves post ?????????????

If you are not sure about the lady yet, rent a house for them instead. You get a luxory house in Isaan for 5,000 Baht/month.

yes why on earth are you building a house for your mother in law , unless you have money to burn ?

well a couple of farangs i know have had houses built where i am, using local people and having worked in the buliding trade in the Uk i am very impressed with the quality. The 2 houses are superb imo.The final costs are more than "local" costs but still fairly good deals the only drawback being you never own the land the house is on yourself.

You will end up paying more than you should because deals and backhanders will be going on everywhere between your inlaws and the main builder and him and people who he gets to do the work but compared to western prices you will be getting value for money.If its for the mother in law (why??) then your best just coming to a figure that you thinks reasonable and giving them the cash after first having agreed a price with whoever to do the work. Make it clear to the inlaws and builder there will be no more money and leave them to it.Otherwise it could turn into a stressfull and costly experience if you try to get invovled too much.

As for local builders and costs ask around the village /area and try to talk with people who have done similar things .Where i am almost every nice , recently built property has connections to a farang somewhere.Also look around at the prices of houses on new estates popping up everywhere recently in Thailand to give you some idea of the real costs.

well anybody have a report on the programme to share ?

Why doesnt he just send the ex health minister who managed to win "240 million baht " from aussie casinos in 8 months and not pay offs from drug companies as claimed. He would wipe them out with his luck.

Do give us a full report on the programme .me thinks because they have schedueled it on News years day and its Thailand it will be a good one.

Whats the real story here then ? Its obvious that "gambling " isnt the issue because Thailand itself is considering casinos and football betting is currently allowed unofficially and soon to be officially allowed through the government lottery organisations.So whats the real agenda.Have they fell out with Cambodia about something ?

My opinion on the matter is two fold.

ONE: He could have delivered the statement in a more politically correct manner. I don't believe it was truly a horrible statement however.

TWO: The lady in question seems quite thin skinned! At the most she should have reacted to the situation by being annoyed rather than breaking all ties.

Since this lady reacted the way she did, she may not be a good choice for a friend in any case! Who needs a hothead that explodes at the slightest provocation.

As most Thai people in my experience are more civil than her I would lean towards her having an alterior motive for the break in communication.

My two cents!

greg

spot on ! though she didnt act like a hothead did she as you would expect if youd have hurt someones feelings over the phone ?

Thanks for the replies.

Well it sounds like I made a mistake saying that, I was very pleasant and

it just came to my mind when i was talking to her. And she agreed whole

heartedly with me.

But it was no more than when was I standing in the US Embassy picking up my

wifes visa and while we waited we talked to 3 young Thai girls with tickets to

NYC for the first time. I told my wife "explain to these girls to be very careful over

there etc". And the girls seemed happy I told them.

All this said, I still believe Thais are thin(ner) skinned and choose your words carefully.

My wife even agrees.

regards

nam

You said it yourself the reaction from a friend would be yes be careful you can get ripped off in my country like ANY country so why the sudden cold shoulder ?

Your biggest worry about getting ripped off here will come from fellow farangs.

Despite Parry's intellectual contribution, it remains true that farangs have more to fear from farangs than they do from Thai. Why would those of obviously negative outlooks and anti Thai sentiments, bother to come to Thailand ? It really is beyond me.

Because it makes them feel superior; it gives them an inflated self-importance; it enables them to make the transition from nobodies to all-knowing intellectuals with the answer to everything.

The letters' page in the Bangkok Post is a fine example of this; fools who would never be published back home are all too often granted column inches in which to air disparaging and ill-informed "views".

An obvious parallel exists at the red light areas. Ordinary men become "handsome'; ageing and obese men learn that they have "good hearts"; misfits discover that they come from "good countries". It's all about ego.

It's pathetic, but it's a reality.

You dont know me but i see where your coming from but let me tell you this .Not for a single minute do i consider myself superior , self important etc .I have answered a question (on an anonymous forum) based on my experience on knowing closely people from all walks of life and having lived in Thailand with my wife and our 3 children in a village with a very high number (50+) of farang / Thai relationships.If id have never set foot in Thailand in my life id have still given the same advice.

From what the guy wrote especially the opinion of his wifes (a Thai) the womans reaction wasnt one of a pride hurt nationalist it was the reaction of "he knows the score" ######.Read his post his wife beleived that her friend was taking him for a ride.Thats right his THAI wife not a self important know it all farang .

Give me strength.

Had a quick squiz at Ch 7, "Competitiveness and Capability Enhancement Strategy". As I have worked on documents that are similar to this (although not this one) for the RTG, I think I can comment.

One has to remember that the NESDB, while a government agency, has no real sway over government policy where it matters (either by law or in practice), that is, amongst the inner circle of advisors, ministers and cabinet. This is where real policy is developed, sometimes on the run, mostly without the help of the civil service. 

In essence these national "plans" are a political and PR documents, to show outsiders that Thailand has a 'plan' so to speak. Whether or not it sticks to it is a different matter.

The RTG at various levels does this all the time. I have found myself at different times putting together presentations that have been pure fiction for outside investors or multilateral institutions. This is not necessarily a criticism in itself. After all, all governments around the world do this and is part of the face that it has to put on.

What is disappointing though is that some much needed economic policy reform in Thailand, is little more than shabbily hidden measures to help certain business interests. The playing field while now technically open, is seriously tilted in a certain direction.

Take for instance the recent decision to deregulate the airline industry in Thailand. While long overdue, it coincidently didn't happen till certain parties wanted to open a competitor to THAI Air. So while transport in Thailand is now certainly going to become more competitive, certain parties will have a head start into cashing in on the profit.

Nor have we seen effective de-regulation of the Telecoms industry. Again, this is partly to do with certain business interests, but also to do with turf wars between CAT and TOT and how they divvy up their revenues. All this is to the detriment of the Thai consumer through the monopolistic pricing that gouges their wallets. So while I can call the UK from Australia for the equivalent of 1 baht per minute, it costs me 24 baht per minute to call either of those countries (legally) from Bangkok. While I can sometimes afford this, God knows how the thousands of Thais who have relatives living and working overseas as labourers can afford to call their relatives. 

I could go on... My main point to make here is that a lot of what we see is glossy PR dressed up as serious policy. If implemented properly, then maybe it would be beneficial to the nation. Unfortunately there aren't enough voices in Thai society who are able or willing to state these things out in the open (me included unfortunately!).

Very insightful and worded post.Totally agree but as a layman id have called it total vested interest politics and business.Your words "seriously titlted" i would describe as a massive understatement. One day these people will realise that true "wealth" at a national level is created by widespread quality education, level playing fields and competition, whereas at the moment he/she who makes the rules gets the gold.Hopefully he/she one day will have enough gold to satisfy themseleves that they might bother to implement seriously imposed laws and reforms.