Colin Yai

Just a rumour of course but I have heard that an enterprising farang has opened a shop right next to the airport selling all sorts of self defense items such as gumshields ,pick handles ,base ball bats etc, just to ward off the usual rip off merchants who may attack en mass any farang who refuses to pay for the exorbitant tuk tuk fares or imaginary damage to motor cycles and jet ski's!!

What is that to do about best bargains in Phuket

Just thought I would write something positive about the negative aspects of holidaying in Phuket!,LOL.

A shop in Rawia near where we live, they also have a shop in Kata/Karon

At the end of the high season they take all of there left over stock from kata and sell it of cheap in Rawai

Then restock the shop in Kata

All womens swimsuits 100Baht as a example and they sell out of stock in hours

Just a rumour of course but I have heard that an enterprising farang has opened a shop right next to the airport selling all sorts of self defense items such as gumshields ,pick handles ,base ball bats etc, just to ward off the usual rip off merchants who may attack en mass any farang who refuses to pay for the exorbitant tuk tuk fares or imaginary damage to motor cycles and jet ski's!!

An accurate overview of this thread provided in the OP

"One side is defending Chalerm as a courageous politician not afraid to do the necessary dirty jobs. The other side has been left speechless by the speed at what they see as political retribution taking place."

I do think however 'political retribution' is a little strong for replacing somebody the OP states 'did not fulfil his responsibilty'

... with someone who doesn't have a much better history. (But that's OK, because it's Thaksin's relative).

I didn't realise he had a 'better history' at all.....has he done the job before?.............but it would appear by the comments of the OP that they expect Chalerm may run the show, hence the reference to political interference, I would expect he wants somebody who will carry out instructions

I guess the removal could be unfair if Wichean neither had the authority or instruction to curb corruption.....if that is the case, he can hardly blame the incoming government can he?

I always had the impression Wichean was out of his depth and maybe had never really even wanted the job. He is probably by police standards quite a nice guy too. He certainly doesnt have that scary side to him and didnt make much attempt to fight Chalerm, which he could have and has managed to upset all those who put him there by not fighting. He likely rose a long way by not upsetting anyone and not playing politics and not being put on a radar to squash, and then all of a sudden he was the only choice the anti-Thaksinistas had at that level among a Thaksin riddled force for the top job and was put in this highly political role that he wasnt comfortable with. He never really looked comfortable at all.

May be Chalerm made Wichean an offer he could not refuse (ala The Godfather)!!!

This Shinawatra government and previous Shinawatra governments were voted in by the people in fair elections. I say fair because, I'm pretty sure, all parties used whatever means, fair or unfair, to try and get elected. Therefore all were on equal grounds and that's what makes it fair.

don't think anybody can say that the Shinawatra's have not been naughty boys and girls. Opinions about how naughty and where the naughtiness took place will differ individual to individual.

Having said that the Thai people voted in governments known to be naughty, corrupt, nepotistic, selfish, etc.

What does that make the Thai people?

Believers in Father Christmas???

Thaksin's regime was not that bad..........compared to Mugabe's.

or Idi Amin's or Pol Pot's..

Sorry my friend but you seem to have forgot Russia's Stalin or China's Mao , we might as well go the "whole hog" eh.

The new government's populist rice-pledging scheme will be a short-lived subsidy lasting only one year if it fails to influence market prices for rice, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong said yesterday.

In the case of an unsatisfactory price outcome, the government will seriously consider reducing the area planted with rice as an alternative mechanism to increase prices.

Am I reading this right?

The government are trying to force the price of rice to increase?

No wonder they want increase wages. No one's going to be able to afford to eat.

The government is trying to squeeze the 30 or so rice families who have kept most of the nations farmers poor for decades. There is enough profit margin in the price the exporter buys and then sells for. The mark up for the farmer will not effect the Thai rice price greatly, the rice families who export all the rice will have to reduce their profit to compete. Previously these families retained their profit margins by reducing, at will, the price to the farmer. It is likely the rice barons also own all the mills and do all the exporting. These rice families are big part of the reason that all Thai farmer are poor.

If they are really serious about this, perhaps they should nationalize the rice wholesaling industry?

While this would be a radical step, there are precedents. After all, rice is Thailand's most strategic export, as well as being of growing importance to the Thai and global economy. If the price is rice is already being manipulated, why not have the government manipulate it for the benefit of all, rather than let a small number of people manipulate it for their own benefit?

Great idea, nationalize the rice industry with the Shinawatra "family" in charge of its running , I am sure everything will run like clockwork being that Thaksin is a man of the people for the people.

The new government's populist rice-pledging scheme will be a short-lived subsidy lasting only one year if it fails to influence market prices for rice, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong said yesterday.

Scrapping another key election promise? Thanks for voting, suckers!!!

I think global prices are sufficient this year that the govt may not get hit too hard on this scheme this year. I think they've got some time to figure out how to unwind it.

"Too late" was the cry , the Genie is well and truly out of the bottle , they are now committed , the outcome of this extreme folly will finish up with Embarrassing excuses by PTP and tears all round for the consumer!.

An unsustainable policy and I think that the penny has finally dropped hence the backtracking.

In our area there has been a phenomenal incraese in the amount of rice planted as all the farmers are under the impression that they are all going to get substantially more for their product.

Sadly I think many will be disappointed.

Throw yet another Pheu Thai Party policy on the trash heap.

I think quite a lot will be disappointed as each promise falls by the wayside, one by one by one.

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Yeah Buchholz ,I think its called the "domino effect" in lay mans lingo.!

Do you have evidence that she was telling the truth?

I'm not the one, on a public forum, accusing her of lying.

What kind of evidence will you accept? Flaming letters on a stone tablet handed down by God? The available evidence is consistent with the view that her statement was (being kind) "wrong". Taking into account that she is PM and presumably has a legion of advisers and briefings a reasonable person might suspect it was somewhat more than just wrong.

If a politician does something bad you should criticise them, not apologise for it.

Yingluck has only got one adviser and everyone with half a gramme of grey matter knows who he is!!.

"Not fair! How can I be expected to know the existence of so many gambling dens in Bangkok. I cannot be everywhere." National Police Chief Pol General Wichean Potephosree said. "it's sabotage! It's Bush's fault."

Good old GW Bush's fault?, total nonsense, I have had firm evidence sent to me that its down to the Israeli secret service Mossad who are doing their level best to destabilize the Country !.

Keep it all in the family,

Manipulation of the law starts at the grass roots as of course the income derived from assorted activities does as well, the ultimate plan is being put into place for the benefit of Brother No.1 and his family and their acolytes.

What a wonderful recipe for a government. Nepotism, criminals empowered into office known corrupt individuals in positions of power, threats from violent political organizations regarding that which one can or cannot do, the plundering of state coffers to fulfil popular election promises and all at the behest of the Puppet master Brother No.1.

Mind you there could well be some stirring in the rank and file population, even now little murmurs of discontent are being heard from various sources.

Sadly it would seem as if there is indeed a civil unrest storm cloud on the horizon, in the not so distant future that storm is going to break.

Yep a potpourri of dried unadulterated bullshit, the putrid stench is getting more severe every day it would appear , how long it will be before it becomes unbearable to even the deluded that believed all the false Pre GE promises is anyone's guess!.

Asked about how red shirts could be held responsible to the law, Kokaew said if there was anything in public opinion that could be deemed an improper act or against the law, it was the red-shirt leaders' duty to take control.

Mr.T's coup insurance, he'll come back stronger than ever.

Oh my Buddha, shade's of Mao and the "red guard " in China, ahh yes the "good old days" could be returning !.

More like the Brown Shirts of Germany's National Socialist Party of the early 1930s, They will prevent any repeat of the Yellow Shirt protest of 2006.

No arguments there RTD, I do see the similarity to Hitler's "bully boys" just like you.

Message to the kiddies -- crime pays.

He said the red shirts would continue their activities........i'm not sure which ones. attempting to burn bangkok to the ground, waylaying residents and forcing them to undergo body searches while trying to enter their residences, trying to blow up transmission towers or fuel tanks at the airport. he might mean starting up the grenade launcher factories or he could be advocating the threats to journalists. the red shirts have done so many things for thailand, must make thaksin supporters proud.

I'm afraid that Thaksin May have created a monster he cannot control ,on second thoughts Thaksins money has bought them in the past he can do so ago, only this time the financial anti will have to be raised somewhat IMHO .

BKK Post website says Pol Chief Wichean "seems doomed" & has photo to prove it. YL isn't smiling http://yfrog.com/h8ypoxvj /via@terryfrd

YL is also showing a rather startlingly rapid aging process after just a couple of weeks in office.

Clearly so.

Sad too, I doubt she signed on for the stress levels she is getting.

2 years and she'll resemble Golda Mier!

Nope, snap election before the crows feet reach her knees.

Why pour scorn on poor Yingluck?, shame on you all!,surely brotherly love has no boundaries , such devotion is to be admired, making herself the target of so much abuse and breaking pre Election promises to all and sundry , just to get her hands on the tiller so she can bring her beloved Brother back to his rightful place to save Thailand from imploding ,I tell you such devotion fair brings a tear to my eyes, LOL

we all know the new surname will be Damapong - yet another relative of Thaksin

but...but...but... they're divorced.

Hey Buchholz, the only thing this lot are divorced from is reality !!.

As has been forecasted a totalitarian state is in the making by the Red Shirts and their political ideals and philosophies. Brother No.1 is stalking in the background and acting as the catalyst for upcoming social unrest to fulfil his plans and the continued looting of Thailand and the indoctrination of the people to sate his maniacal ego with its insatiable lust for absolute power.

The statements made by the likes of Pheu Thai party-list MP Kokaew Pikulthong (incedentally not an elected M.P. but someone who has been forced upon the electorate like many others) is tantamount to incitement by virtue of the statement content.

The Pheu Thai party-list MP said the existence and presence of the red-shirted group could [make] opponents [think again].

Indeed a thinly veiled threat that the Red Shirt leadership is intent like Brother No1in fomenting social unrest much like as already been stated by Colin Yai regarding Mao Tse Tung and his Red Guard movement.

It will be interesting to see just how things progress in the next twelve months. Will the future be one of bloody conflict fuelled by a rabid Red Shirt movement in their attempts to overthrow the machinery of state so as Brother No.1 can return, or will other factors come into play?

One is prompted to ask just who is actually leading the Red Shirt movement in reality, perchance the puppet master is pulling more strings than we know about both physically and financially?

Methinks whatever happens it will be an ugly scenario.

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

(John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton)

"Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it"

(William Pitt, the Elder)

The two quotes above to mind encapsulate the current situation succinctly,therein sad to say is the frightening truth.

Yeah SP I concur ,a truly frightening scenario ,it makes one wonder just what might have happened if the PTP had lost the GE !!!

Asked about how red shirts could be held responsible to the law, Kokaew said if there was anything in public opinion that could be deemed an improper act or against the law, it was the red-shirt leaders' duty to take control.

Mr.T's coup insurance, he'll come back stronger than ever.

Oh my Buddha, shade's of Mao and the "red guard " in China, ahh yes the "good old days" could be returning !.

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Considering his sons' interactions with the police, it's staggering irony for Chalerm to be deciding the fate of policemen once again, ten years later.

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Hmm do I detect the putrid stench of yet ANOTHER whitewash!!

The article was disturbinbing in it's entirety, but IMO the most disturbing part was this:

Up to 42% of the respondents feel that the 300 baht minimum wage adjustment is unsettling. The policy will directly send repercussions to investors which may affect the local workforce. Companies may seek for expatriate instead.

It would seem to speak volumes as to how highly Thais regard themselves.

There's an article in today's Bangkok Post that says the Finance Minister stated the govt has no authority to force the private sector to increase the minimum wage to 300 baht; however, the govt will enforce the new rate for govt workers....and the govt will then ask the state enterprises and companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand to also provide a minimum wage of 300 baht. So, for now, it looks like some lower paid govt workers will be getting a raise while lower paid private sector workers may not. That's sure going to make a lot of folks mad; but I expect the govt will come up with means of making it happen in the private sector also.

As stated the Govt cannot force the private sector to adopt the MW ,so if many private sector employers just say they cannot afford the increase ,due to competition from other Countries who are already selling their products cheaper than the Thai Company's are selling theirs ,just what can the Govt do?, the answer is quite plain ,nothing at all.

Ah yes, 'pandering' ... we can't have democratically elected governments giving the people what they want, can we?

Oh wait, the Democrats and Yellow Shirts wouldn't know anything about that, so we shouldn't ask them.

What's next? An end to some of the OTHER protectionist taxes that place unnecessary burdens on citizens, hurt tourism and encourage smuggling?

Sorry SB1, giving the people what they want?, don't you mean "promising" them what they want?, the time for Yingluck is over , She and her party have "talked the talk" now its time they "walked the walk" , In my neck of the woods in Darkest Manchester England we always say talks comes cheap .promises are somewhat more expensive!!!, and so far I ain't seen any time frame on what she promised, Have you???

Thai drivers are the most inconsiderate, ill trained, bad mannered drivers of any of the 52 countries I have traveled to, other than maybe India or China. I will not get into what I feel what all the reasons are, however, being in Law Enforcement for much of my life I must say there is an almost constant and total failure of authorities to enforce the traffic laws or understand their purpose as they are written in Thai law. and ..... The laws are there ! Much of the problem is both Westerner's and Thai's beleive the main reason of traffic enforcement is revenue, which it is not. The main reason is and always has been throughout the word, is Education. Without it, you have what has happened in Thailand a country out of driving control where thousands die needlessly every year, both drivers and pedestrians with no hope of any improvement any time in the next few decades, it appears.

Ahh yes , I see you mentioned China ,"the masters of disasters" the music score to the Vid is somewhat out of tune with the carnage http://pop.6park.com/life2/messages/24007.html

"BTW, Israel already knows she will lost this vote in the UN --"

Israel has absolutely no power in the UN anyway so they have no say as to whether they win or lose. US has the power to veto which they probably will because the Palestinians refuse to stop firing rockets into Israel. Both the Hamas and Hezbollah charters state that they will never recognize Israel as a State and they will never stop fighting until Israel is wiped off the map.

Hi Timtang , the depth of the problem is portrayed all to well when the Hamas kids are being indoctrinated into killing jews ,please Google up YOUTUBE "Children of Hamas" , as far as I am concerned there will never be peace so long as Hamas is being bankrolled by various Islamic Country's such as Iran www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTGbP55HGi8

I just cannot understand what the fuss is all about, Yingluck and her bevy of very able cabinet ministers will receive instructions from the " real" PM into solving this problem almost overnight, "Oh ye of little faith" !!!!

I am so surprised that being the first female Prime Minister of Thailand is not the main focus as it really is a world first and an event that should be celebrated. But as usual, its straight to the throat of the new prime minister. Good luck to her, and Thailand, perhaps it takes the prowess of a female to sort out Thialands mess.

A world first for what.....Did you Never hear of The Iron Lady.... Margaret Thatcher.... what a bitch she was..! and she was just one female at the top... Indira Ghandi.... Golda Myer, Corizon Aquino, and many many more

I just wonder how many lady PM's was voted in for three terms as good old Maggie was , for me and countless millions of others on both sides of the pond she was "simply the best" !

How unwise to make it more cumbersome for people to apply for a tourist visa just as a global recession is about to take hold.

If you truly want families and quality tourists here, how about these long term measures:

- Police reform to battle corruption. Like in South Korea. If they could do it, so can you. It's 2011 now, time to get real.

- Clean up the prostitution from the major tourist spots. Most tourists in the family category tend not to be impressed by prostitution in their face, and the prostitution business is a magnet for undesirables, both Thais and foreigners.

- Educate Thai electricians properly so fewer tourists are electrocuted in the shower. Parents tend to be quite upset when their children die because of neglect and incompetence.

- Regulate and ENFORCE the use of pesticides and insecticides so you won't have to wring your hands after tourists "inexplicably" drop dead in hotels and from eating poisonous food. Research, educate and encourage organic growth practices, natural and least dangerous pest control measures. Make sure the knowledge gets all the way to the actual farmers by engaging the village networks.

- Arrest ALL beggars on sight, interrogate them about their conditions and mafia networks, gather enough evidence, appropriate the assets of the leaders of the trafficking rings, give harsh punishments (fines and jail time) to everyone else involved or benefitting, use the money/assets collected in fines to rehabilitate and educate the beggars where possible. Keep up these arrests until it simple becomes too much hassle to beg or to benefit from begging.

- Clean up the scamming in tourist areas. That includes jet ski scams, gem scams, card game scams, and all the others.

I'd can agree with some of your points, but I think changing to much would take all the fun from Thailand.

Well I for one agree with all of weary's suggestions,could you please inform me which of the points he put forward do you disagree with and would leave them as they are ,cos to change them may take the "fun" out of coming here for an holiday?