pansted00

On getting to immigration, the lines were spilling back out into the check in area, total chaos and a 50 minute wait in line to get out of the country.

Had exactly the same experience on Monday morning. Queues were spilling back out of the Immigration area, staff checking boarding passes were overwhelmed by the volume of passengers and it took approximately 30 to 40 minutes to get stamped out of the country. Total chaos.

Unacceptable.

The thiNg is, this happened the Last time I flew to S'pore a few months back. Clearly they haven't managed to or can't be bothered to deal with the problem. It's all well and good having the biggets terminal and highest control tower, but as a passenger we just want things to be orderly and efficient. I'm not sure if it is any better during other times of the day, but this was around 6.30am, as I usually take the 07.45 flight out of BKK to S'pore.

Flew out today on MH at 5 pm.

Immigration queues spilling out of the immigratioon area into main terminal, at all immigrations areas ( except TG biz check in area, which I couldn't use even if flying C on a TG ticket code share with MH).

Out of 16 available immigration counters, in the area where I was , only 7 were manned,and 3 of them for Thai passports only.

Simply ridiculous and unacceptable.There are at least 3 747's leaving BKK at around 5 pm for Sydney only....

With one runway partially closed ( Mind you, they are still using it for take off of small airplanes, although 1/3 is closed for repairs and loaded with trucks and resurfacing equipmenst...), this airport is fast becoming nothing but a big lump of shit ( on the face of Thai people, who do not seem to mind, judging from the hero's welcome last week).

Appaling.

trucks and resurfacing equipmenst...) this airport is fast becoming nothing mor ethan a big luilp of shit on the face of the Thai peol

A little more from the Bangkok Post

"Police refused to grant bail to the key leaders, fearing they may instigate unrest once out of police custody. All nine are being kept behind bars at Samsen police station."

Meanwhile the cold blooded killer who rammed his benz into a bus stop killing one and injuring several is enjoying his life as free man...

My wife and I got invited to go to the gala fund raiser last saturday. There were well over 10,000 people there (BITEC), and it was a good chance to meet and greet the Bangkok movers and shakers. We were guests at the ThaiBev table, and all the big Democrats came over to meet us. I got my picture taken with Apirak and Apisit. (ThaiBev sponsored the Thailand Philharmonic's perforamance at the event, and my boss got some tickets to the event as a courtesy, which is how a lowly college professor got in amongst the big dogs, lol)

I was very impressed with the way Abhisit carried himself that evening. He gave an hour long speech from memory, with no cue cards, telepromter, etc. It was empassioned and straightforward, and I left feeling that he would be a quality guy to be entrusted with the next premiership. I didn't hear the whole speech (since my understanding is only about 15%, at this point), but my wife translated for me the main points. She was also impresssed by a few statements he made concerning government involvement in the economy. He stated that the government shouldn't interfere so much with the Thai economy, but instead, should let private businesses work without a lot of complicated interference from different ministries. Again, that is not word for word, but was what my wife mentioned as being the general idea.

He finished off the speech by alluding to Thaksin, without naming him. Pledging to serve honestly, without using the office for personal gain. That would certainly be a pleasant change from most of the politicians here. I'd like to see him get the chance. I think he would be good for the country. (and the expat community as an extension)

It has always seemed to me that the Democrat Party is the only party which is a 'real' political party in the western democratic sense, i.e. it has policies!!! All the others seem to be fan clubs for the rich and famous (and usually corrupt!).

G

Don't be fooled.They are just as corrupt as the others.

They are all part of a clique taking turns at milking the country.

Words , words and words...

Thailand IS a country where the rule of law prevails.

Would you dare say that in the face of the widow of the cop that was killed by one of the Yumbarung boys ?

"I booked one unit two years ago of a five-star condos at the price of Baht 8.8 M and having paid 30% thereof, as advertised in the Post, there have been people trying to sell at a price of 13 M. This is another cause for the high price. "

I am sorry but expecting a 40% return on an real estate investment in 2 years time is pure greed and the clear sign that people in Thailand mistake the real estate business with the casino.

I believe its a much higher return than 40% if someone is really able to sell at B13 million

If you paid 30% down in cash thats only B2,640,000 with the remaining 70% (B6,160,000) payable in future ot the developer on completion....

If you sell your contract for B 13 million, then the buyer will hand over to you now B6,840,000 (with the remaining B6,160,000 paid to the developer in future)

therefore you get B6,840,000 for the initial B2,640,000 cash outlay (not taking into consideration any contract transfer fees)....now that's a better bet than banc or player in baccarat BUT it relies on someone actually agreeing to pay B13 mil!

Your are very correct.

Obviously tolerating such practices of flipping can only fuel a speculative bubble.

The saving grace for the Bangkok market , at least for the high end of the market , is that it is still relatively cheap compared to markets like Singapore or HK ( even if the infrastructure and overall quality of construction is not fully comparable) .

But with such practices, this cannot remain true for much longer.

Disgusting but not surprising.

"I booked one unit two years ago of a five-star condos at the price of Baht 8.8 M and having paid 30% thereof, as advertised in the Post, there have been people trying to sell at a price of 13 M. This is another cause for the high price. "

I am sorry but expecting a 40% return on an real estate investment in 2 years time is pure greed and the clear sign that people in Thailand mistake the real estate business with the casino.

A degenerate offspring .

Inbreeding is starting to take its toll on the Thai-Chin.

and this the "Hub" of South-East Asia Aviation???

Brand spanking new....and already a continuous embarassment to this Nation...

150 Billion Baht and counting.....

well done, Thaksin

your legacy will last a generation...

Well maybe less than that as it could well sink back into the swamp before a generation has passed...

Not surprising to see the amount of support this guy gets, knowing the scum of the world lives in Pattaya.

Not surprising.

An explosive cocktail : thai hookers+ farang scum .

Police arrested Rungnapa and Nardini at 00.10am yesterday and charged them with murdering Friedrich and possessing an unlicensed gun, said Chon Buri police deputy commander Colonel Pairat Supasawat, who headed the investigation.

After being questioned separately for six hours, Rungnapa and Nardini both confessed that they were involved in the murder and that a French gunman, identified only as Marc, had shot Friedrich, he said.

Police raided Marc's condominium in Pattaya yesterday but found he had already gone. A witness said he had moved out in a hurry on Wednesday evening.

Nardini reportedly told police that he had planned the murder and offered Marc, a 53-year-old fugitive criminal, Bt1 million to carry it out.

-- The Nation 2007-06-30

As usual , with quotes from supposedly educated governement officials, this makes no sense.

The real problem is that Swanpypoon is already running at its maximum capacity ( 45 Million/year if I'm not wrong).

There is a plan at AOT to start building phase 2 of Swanpypoon which would bring an extra 15 Million/year capacity, more than enough to bring back all domestic flights from DMK and cope with the expected traffic growth.

This plan has been more or less nipped in the bud since the opening of the airport and the military coup.

I see several reasons to that :

1) The men in uniforms are happy with the reopening of DMK for obvious financial benefits.

2) AOT, which must finance phase 2, may not have the financial capacity to do so, so soon after financing the main airport.

3) I smell something motre fishy also, maybe related to the runway cracks and other problems at BKK. It could be that if they want to build phase 2 , the way the main airport should have been to prevent those problems, the real price tag could be several times what they expected.

Probably other "political" and "local" reasons which I ignore .

Crooks will be crooks.

Just forget about these racist morons who don't want to be your parents in law.

Live your life with your boyfriend and see what happens.

Just another Pattaya hooker trying to make a quick buck.

Just one question : since all transactions above 2 million THB must be reported to the Bank of Thailand, how could such transfers/withdrawals go un-noticed ???

here how to move money off-shore ...............................

THAKSIN'S ASSETS

Bt8 bn more goes missing

Bank accounts hold only Bt43 bn after rush of withdrawals last week

Amazing how sex can anhilate all the negatives Thailand has to put up with just now.

Had they tested the IQ of Thai politicians, I have a gut feeling the results would have been more embarassing for the country...

the tracks and the signalling systems are installed by B Grimm / STECON and Siemens respectively.

Incorrect.

The tracks are being built by a chinese subcontractor.

As for the track components used, you don;t want to know...

Zoewatch ,

Since you are so well informed , maybe you can also touch on the subject of who is actually building the tracks and with what kind of track components.

The probability of Samak ever spending a single day in detention is as remote as that of a simple bloke winning the jackpot in a Vegas Casino, i.e insignificant.

If they want to change, they have to change.

None of the Thai elite and power holders want any change.

Quite the contrary actually.

The status quo is their best life insurance.

The problem with Thaksin is that he forgot to share with his former buddies.

Greed can be God for some.God sometimes is a devil in disguise

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra® stands next to his wife Pojaman at the military airport in Bangkok in February 2006. Thai prosecutors said Wednesday they would charge the wife of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra with tax evasion.

AFP

==============================================

I hope they wait until I return to Thailand before they throw her into Bang Khen Womens Prison. I'd like to be there for the send-off.

Dream On...

That will never,ever happen.

Last time I parked at the main parking in front of the main terminal it was free ( they were handing out parking tickets at the entrance , but only for test purposes).

Does anyone know if it's still free or if it's changed.

If no longer free, does anyone have the rates?

Thanks

The extra safety measures taken at shopping malls are a complete joke.

When you enter the carpark, they check the underside of your car with mirrors , but they don't even ask you to open your trunk...

This was the case today at the Central World parking entrance, right across from where one of the bombs was detonated last week.