Galong

check out the guardian story

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/st...2236672,00.html

And my favorite quote from that, "The policeman, who is about 1.6m tall, was beaten to the ground by the man, a bodybuilder, and the hippy woman," said the local police chief, Wanchai Suwanririkate.

So Thai sympathizers, it seems like the 'other side' is just as racist as we are... at least that's the way I read it. Poor little innocent Thai man was defending himself against bodybuilders and hippies...

Why is it that we never hear about a one-on-one fight with Thais? It's always a gang-on-one or a gun. Isn't Muay Thai supposed to be a fighting art? The degree of cowardice in many Thai men is truly Amazing...

I don't believe the cop's story... but I wouldn't bet against him getting off scott free. This is, after all, A Mess in Thailand

Cave reopens to tourists

Surat Thani _ The scenic Nam Talu cave, closed since October after eight people drowned in a flash flood, has been reopened to welcome end of year holidaymakers. Khao Sok National Park head Chaitat Bunpupantanti said visitors can be assured of their safety inside the cave. Water swept through the cave in October killing six foreigners and two Thai guides who were inside.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/19Dec2007_news13.php

I was in the cave yesterday and three days ago. There are brand new signs up at the head of the trail and at the entrance to the cave warning people not to go into the cave when it's raining. They weren't there before the last deaths.

And, a sign doesn't mean anything if the guides still don't know how to make judgment calls. Khun Chaitat is dreaming if he thinks these signs are all that's necessary. I still saw a single "local" guide leading a group 6 of intrepid travelers through the cave the other day. That size group should demand at least two guides. If there was a problem, what exactly is one guide with one non-waterproof light going to do? If there aren't any newly revised training programs in the workings, this is a waste of time and there will be deaths again... for sure.

A couple of years ago I got stuck on Ko Tarutao due to storms in the middle of December. Once I did make it to the mainland, I had to wait at one town for the flood water to go down far enough for my truck to be able to plow through it. There were floods in several towns on my way north.

So, normal? Don't know... but it seems to happen.

Wouldn't you know it, I'm heading to Tarutao tomorrow about noon and out to the islands the next day... reckon I'll pack a 'brella.

In all other instances, RESIDENCY matters. If you live somewhere and pay taxes, you are treated the same as anyone else living there and paying taxes. Show me an instance where that isn't true, and I'll show you discrimination.

Well, I don't have residency and I don't plan on dishing out several thousand dollars to get it either, BUT, I pay a sh1t-load of taxes... probably more than most well-to-do nationals. I have a non-b visa, a work permit, I speak Thai, I have a Thai driver's license, etc. That should count for something and it does in some parks, but not in all.

There are plenty of very nice Thais on Phuket. I run into them (not literally) all the time. I don't blame some of the Phuketians for being a bit nasty as there are tourists and expats who act up and disrespect them rather often.

I've been doing a lot of mountain biking just across the Sarasin Bridge and it's like being in a different country. EVERYONE is extremely nice and polite. It's so refreshing.

Vitamins are ok. Most vitamins are available over here with a few exceptions. If you are not sure or want to play safe, get a letter from your doctor so you can show if needed

I certainly would not say that it is easy to find most vitamins in Phuket. I cannot find many of the vitamins and amino acids that I want. Yes, I can find basic multivitanims, C, D, E, etc, but none of the special vitamins I need for a particular disease I am fighting.

Doctors generally know squat about vitamins. That is not something that medical schools tend to teach a lot of. They are into pills of another sort...

I think what they're trying to get through is:

Don't assume that by simply visiting an immigration office & paying you're fee that you will automatically get a (full 30 day) extension to your visa, regardless of what you've read elsewhere !!

OMG Goshawk, what a cool avatar!!

From Bangkok Post:

Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a leading marine biologist at Kasetsart University, said lowering the entrance fees would only benefit tour operators.

Foreign tourists mostly buy a package tour from local operators which includes the park fees. So the new rates are unlikely to lure more foreign tourists to the national parks, he said.

So this man ignores the expat community.

With lower fees I would and will vistit parks.

And what's so wrong with helping tour operators? Many, if not most of them are Thai. All tour operators have been hit hard by increases in transportation costs thanks to oil company greed. This would only help a little bit I reckon.

Why should Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a biologist, be able to vent his apparently racist views? He should have his hands full with finding ways to protect the marine environment that is being raped by Thai fishermen... concentrate on that Khun Thon.

And (to me at least) the most surprising bit in this article is, "locals will be charged more at some popular sites". I'm guessing that that will be changed as the locals start complaining.

This is a move in the right direction. Now, if only they would improve the facilities at most national parks and start patrolling the parks to catch poachers.

I don't recall ever hearing about a Thai man fighting one on one. Three on one with chairs against a 65 year-old man... wow, what a bunch of cowards.

Strange days we live in.

I read Dawkins book a few months ago and posted a thread about it then.

He made some points which made me think, but at the end of the day he has nothing to offer.

He is just another person pointing out the faults in others without offering anything positive in return.

This naysayers are making plenty of money and gaining celebrity without adding anyting to the planet.

These atheists point to science but forget that it is just another religion which relies on faith,

They are just as arrogant and closed-minded as any other religious fundamentalist.

This naysayers are making plenty of money and gaining celebrity without adding anyting to the planet.

Um, organized religion has PLENTY of money. I seriously doubt that Mr. Hawkins' bank account will ever come close to, say, the Catholic church's.

What they are 'adding' if that's important to you, is the disassembling of a mindset that has caused as many wars as anything else in history. A current example would be the battle between Bush's Christians and the Muslim world.

The most dangerous person on this planet is one who 'believes' that killing someone else or blowing oneself up will result in a better seat in the afterlife.

Advances in science are being held back by religious beliefs. If the money thrown into the churches was put into more worthwhile causes, such as fighting HIV/AIDS or cancer or anything else, that could make a difference. Oh, but wait, according the many of the faithful, AIDS is God's punishment for being a homosexual, even though that's not the only way people contract this horrible virus.

So, I beg to differ, what Mr. Dawkins and others are doing does have merit and could potentially add a lot to the growth of humanity. We are stuck in the Dark Ages and much of this can be contributed to organized religion. I have no problems with anyone's personal beliefs, but the organizations are dangerous and scary.

These atheists point to science but forget that it is just another religion which relies on faith,

Can you give examples? You mean that all of the medical advances, transportation, chemistry, math, engineering, the fact that the earth revolves around the sun, the earth is actually round and not flat, etc are all based on faith?

They are just as arrogant and closed-minded as any other religious fundamentalist.

Horse hockey… nothing, in my opinion, matches the arrogance of religious fundamentalists. I came from the bible belt and the crap I had to endure was part of what drove me to move to Thailand.

Your closed-mindedness is a prime example… science relies on faith… give us a break.

I already mentioned in a previous post why science relies on faith.

I admire your faith in medical technology but surely you must know that most drugs originate from traditional herbal remedies.

I am sure that you are also aware that surgery was first practiced in India before the the rise of modern science.

I am also sure that you are familiar with the fact that many great mathmatical discoveries were made by followers of Islam.

I am glad to hear that Dawkins et al are publishing their books for the good of humankind.

Have they stopped charging for this 'literature' and attendence at their lecture tours?

I find it worrying that followers of atheism feel the need to preach to followers of other beliefs, such as Buddhism, about how they are getting it wrong but I suppose they are merely following the example of other evangelistics in their need to have everyone think the same as they do.

I admire your faith in medical technology but surely you must know that most drugs originate from traditional herbal remedies.

I am sure that you are also aware that surgery was first practiced in India before the the rise of modern science.

I am also sure that you are familiar with the fact that many great mathmatical discoveries were made by followers of Islam.

OK, with that in mind, we need to define science. If someone involved in a belief-based system accidentally or intentionally comes across a finding that to most would satisfy the criteria for being considered a science, what is it? Herbal remedies work because of chemistry. The fact that old-timers and/or 'religious' people discovered them doesn't, in my mind, mean that it was faith-based. They found a chemical compound that worked... scientifically.

"Before the rise of modern science" doesn't mean it wasn't science back then. It merely wasn't labeled that. "Religious" people aren't dumb necessarily , so the fact that they discover or invent things that most would feel fall under the realm of science doesn't mean that they aren't scientists.

I don't think that I preach at anyone. I merely point out incorrect assumptions and/or correct historically inaccurate information. My degree is in Eastern Philosophy and I've read the vast majority of source material for all of the major religions and many of the minor/less popular beliefs... so I'm not talking from a position of ignorance about the subject. I admit that my professor taught it as strictly a philosophical study and took the religious aspect out of it.

Again, I have absolutely no problem with a person's personal beliefs. If it makes someone happy and doesn't hurt anyone else... cool! Historically however, organized religion has a very bad and violent reputation.

Demon Est Deus Inversus

Strange days we live in.

I read Dawkins book a few months ago and posted a thread about it then.

He made some points which made me think, but at the end of the day he has nothing to offer.

He is just another person pointing out the faults in others without offering anything positive in return.

This naysayers are making plenty of money and gaining celebrity without adding anyting to the planet.

These atheists point to science but forget that it is just another religion which relies on faith,

They are just as arrogant and closed-minded as any other religious fundamentalist.

This naysayers are making plenty of money and gaining celebrity without adding anyting to the planet.

Um, organized religion has PLENTY of money. I seriously doubt that Mr. Hawkins’ bank account will ever come close to, say, the Catholic church’s.

What they are ‘adding’ if that’s important to you, is the disassembling of a mindset that has caused as many wars as anything else in history. A current example would be the battle between Bush’s Christians and the Muslim world.

The most dangerous person on this planet is one who ‘believes’ that killing someone else or blowing oneself up will result in a better seat in the afterlife.

Advances in science are being held back by religious beliefs. If the money thrown into the churches was put into more worthwhile causes, such as fighting HIV/AIDS or cancer or anything else, that could make a difference. Oh, but wait, according the many of the faithful, AIDS is God's punishment for being a homosexual, even though that's not the only way people contract this horrible virus.

So, I beg to differ, what Mr. Dawkins and others are doing does have merit and could potentially add a lot to the growth of humanity. We are stuck in the Dark Ages and much of this can be contributed to organized religion. I have no problems with anyone's personal beliefs, but the organizations are dangerous and scary.

These atheists point to science but forget that it is just another religion which relies on faith,

Can you give examples? You mean that all of the medical advances, transportation, chemistry, math, engineering, the fact that the earth revolves around the sun, the earth is actually round and not flat, etc are all based on faith?

They are just as arrogant and closed-minded as any other religious fundamentalist.

Horse hockey… nothing, in my opinion, matches the arrogance of religious fundamentalists. I came from the bible belt and the crap I had to endure was part of what drove me to move to Thailand.

Your closed-mindedness is a prime example… science relies on faith… give us a break.

why the hel_l are most of you living her when you show such total disrspect for the Thai?

The weather is nice most of the time.

Who is the 'her' you refer to?

Relocation won't help much if I recall correctly. The employee can either choose to relocate as well, or else they can opt not to relocate and be entitled to 50% of severance pay. At least that's only half the burden.

You would have to have a pretty good idea of the employee's mentality to figure this one out - but you could always "accidentally" drop or forget a sheet of paper with the "easy to cheat your company" email on it somewhere near her...

Thanks onethailand!

I'll ask my attorney about the 50% severance pay if she doesn't want to relocate. That's a lot better than 150K.

I'm not sure if emails hold up in court as they can be manipulated. I recall someone telling me that before. But again, I reckon an attorney will know whether this is true or not.

Thanks again...

Out of curiosity, how common is it for workers to take the boss to court? It seems these laws only apply to the well paid office workers. How many 'low skilled' and non-office workers take their bosses to court? Are these ppl also covered by the same laws?

Some. The reality is she is not breaking the labour laws now, and is (from looking at it at both sides) possibly able to justify that she has been hard done by in not receiving any raise. The courts here and everywhere else in the world tend to take the sides of employees.

I would suggest - if relocating - advise all staff the company is going to be wound up, and shut the doors, no need to pay anyone - fairly drastic and mean.

Or.....

Bring her into the office, explain that you see she is clearly not performing which you conclude is due to boredom, so then see if she is willing to sign a new contract which has very clear performance guidelines and an immediate small raise; put in some specific guidelines about what constitutes her job including time to work, lunch breaks, use of MSN, everything. Give her more responsibility; with more money comes more work.

Then once you have the new contract, you can meet her weekly and if she isn't shaping up, then start giving warnings and whatever and building up that papertrail.

Who knows, maybe she was bored, and can shape up.

If not, she won't suspect much, and you will have an airtight case if after 3+ warnings of shortfalls all documented, that you can get rid of her either free, or pay her out one month and that's it.

Or...to be honest i'd recommend you just talk to her over dinner about what her future plans are, and offer to pay her out to leave. 25k X 6 months is almost nothing; thats what, 150k. If you offer her less, she can always come back and sue you for the rest anyway most likely if she wanted to.

Solid advice steveromagnino, thanks!

I do wonder if relocating to a different province would mean that I don't have to pay severance pay. I would think that I'd still have to pay it. Perhaps if I invite her to move with us and she doesn't want to that would be a factor.... any thoughts?

Thanks...

The official term for a Sex Tourist is "Customer".

The official term for a 'Working Girl' is Sex Worker, as defined by the govt.

So, there are NO Sex Tourists here....only customers.

Spot on Innovator!

I reckon they haven't figured out a way to charge (fleece) foreigners who wish to attend this event.

I wonder how Thais would act if they went to a Western country and were asked to pay ten times as much as the locals to get into a national park? Or if they went into a shop and someone said, "you Thai, you pay more."

qualtrough, the swastika is actually much older than Nazi-ism. It is an ancient Buddhist symbol. I don't know why Hitler and the gang chose it... perhaps someone else does. But you're right... there are shirts with Bin Laden and all sort of offensive stuff that we don't spit the dummy about... aren't there.

In a word, it's <deleted>! If they feel the locals should be subsidized, then fine, charge us double; but attributing the extra charge as a counter to tax-paying locals is so <deleted> transparent it's almost funny. Some numb nut mentioned about the amount farang spend in the bars. Sorry, but <deleted> has that got to do with the price of fish? That's their prerogative and no discrimination, but if Bill Gates gets charged 10- or 20-times more than Somchai Bloggs to get into a national park, all because of the colour of his skin and perceived wealth, then that's short-sighted crap. Sure, one can vote with one's feet and piss off back home, but that ain't the point and anyone arguing otherwise is a little bit simple in my book.

Spot on Jackr!

Every time I hear about taxes it reminds me that I should stop paying so much so that their accusations can actually be true. Trying to get a tax receipt out of a hotel or bungalow in many of the places where my company runs tours is akin to pulling teeth. I've I had a dollar for every time I heard, "we don't have VAT receipt, my mee." Or, "We'll send it to you in the mail later (never happens)" I could afford to... um, uh, screw it... We're wrong and they're right obviously.

I just handed over 66,000 Baht yesterday to the tax man. What do I get for that? Nothing.

“We bent over backward all the time to accommodate foreign investors,” Vongthip said.

“In years past we’ve always targeted numbers: trying to achieve the highest numbers of arrivals possible,” said Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, a spokesman for the Tourism Authority of Thailand. “It’s time to change. If we continue to focus mainly on numbers, some destinations will not be able to handle that many people.”

"Bent over backwards"?? Give us a break. Boy, that's a laugh.

Compare what it takes for an American to open a company in Thailand vs a Thai opening a company in the US.

If they don't want foreign investment, why don't they just come out and say the truth: We don't want you, but we do want your money....

The TAT has been saying this (yawn) forever, but they seem to only be happy filling plane and hotels with big numbers. And what would happen if the big numbers stopped coming? Well, I'm sure it'll be someone else's fault, because Thais generally don't accept responsibility for anything.

Why don't they put a big sign up at the airports saying: Welcome to Thailand, empty your wallet and leave!

I'd have more respect for them if they were at least honest.

[stepping off of soap box]

Wow, thanks again for yet more helpful advice or insight.

Camerata, love the Beep Awk idea...

I am in Phuket and I am really tired of this place. I am considering relocating to Phang Nga Town or somewhere else. I guess this would be a way to get rid of her and not have her lose face (not that that is high on my priority list right now).

Yep, I am very nice to my staff. Perhaps, as some of you pointed out, this is seen as a weakness. Crap! I was brought up to respect people and give a nice wage for a nice day of work. I guess I am a fool... that sucks.

I will go to see an attorney soon and see what my options are.

Thanks again guys!

Thanks a million Torrenova!!

That's excellent advice and it all make a lot of sense.

Unfortunately, we're a small company and we don't have anyone who could fill in for her either temporarily or permanently... except for me. I don't want to do her job as it's tedious and I need to do other things that are much more beneficial to the company. But alas, I do see your point and it is rather silly (foolish?) to not have someone else ready to stand in for her just in case.

Thanks a lot to all who have contributed

I might add... my other guides are really pissed off at the guide who quit. They can't believe that he would do this to me.

How much were you paying the guide?

If substantially less than the dolly in the office then I'm sure he wasn't happy.

You perhaps should consider doing a short course on man management or some reading up on management and motivation.

I pay my guides a bit more than any other tour operator on Phuket. My theory is to buy loyalty. He was making at least 20K and sometimes over 30K per month.

I've read books on human resource management, motivation, etc, but I think this might fall in the category of a cultural abnormality. Even though I treat everyone like gold, there could be an underlying issue about working for a foreigner... I don't know, this is just a guess. It certainly can't be salary issues.

I had a couple of Westerners work for me in the past and they screwed me MUCH more than any of my Thai staff. It was costly getting rid of them.