Galong

There seems to be quite a few 'quality' tourists coming to Phuket and the South. My company is having a banner low season. We cater to high-end nature loving tourists.

My fear is that the problem in the deep south, combined with media misinformation, will make the upcoming high season less than stellar. I hope I'm wrong.

.... "and help get rid of the back shooting animals."

Why are you insulting animals? Humans are the most vicious animals on the planet aren't they??

We can't justify the "George Bush approach" because there isn't any oil (other than palm oil) in the deep South.

Besides, GW is just a puppet... Thaksin is a Puppet Master. Welcome to the Police State.

Seriously, I'd like to see a peaceful approach. I think that it just might be beyond the sit-around-a-table-and-chat stage. Innocent folks are dying every day and there seems to be no reason why we should think it's going to get any better. Something needs to be done right now.

And, why don't the police stop any motorbike without a license plate and take them to the police station for questioning?

National ban on cockfighting??

As Thais are always law-abiding, I'm sure they'll stop cockfighting. I'm sure they'll put what's best for the country ahead of what's fun/profitable for them...

I like your signature, siamesekitty.

Thailand has taught me that a belief in afterlife and karma works wonders at keeping one concerned to behave considerately.

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I wonder why people who believe that they'll be reincarnated would treat the earth in such a vile manner. I mean, they're crapping on they're own future. Who wants to come back to a world full of trash, deserts, fishless seas and (in keeping with the theme of this tread) racism.

The TAT has a training program. All guides must pass this class in order to legally be a guide. However, the training is very weak. Thais with almost no real English speaking skills still pass.

As a tour operator, there are plenty of very talented Thai guides that I'd love to have on my team. Trouble is, they are all working for themselves. There are only so many guides, Thai and foreign, who really know what they're doing, especially when it comes to nature tours.

"No, it's not a sea eagle... it's a Brahminy Kite" If I spent good money for a nature tour, I would expect my nature guide to know the proper names of what we're seeing, especially the common stuff.

1. There are no Vampire Bats in Thailand. They come from the other side of the world.

2. There are no Iguanas in Thailand unless someone brought them in. they come from the other side of the world.

3. The serrated leaves that you see the national park staff chew is not the cocaine leaf. That's from the other side of the world.

4. Elephants don't benefit from having to schlep lard-a## tourists around the jungle. They belong in the jungle. They are being exploited.

5. Thailand was colonized by the Chinese from the inside. :-)

Question: How many really good Thai guides know anything about the rest of the world? How much more fun and educational would a tour be if the guide knew about the nature or culture of other regions?

I think that there is room for both, but foreigners who want to be guides MUST prove that they are more than merely fluent in a language. Better guide will produce better tours. Lonely Planet zombies can go to Laos or Cambodia if they want a $10 day tour. Bring up the quality any way you can Thailand... please.

So what about all of the massive construction projects going on in Phuket 24/7? That's using up a tremendous amount of energy. The many new malls certainly aren't cutting back on the air-con or lights... How about all of the electronic shops with dozens of TVs on all the time?

If I'm not mistaken, Thai nationals could visit Langkawi and get in without a visa. I took my Mrs down there a few years ago and it was a piece of cake. Perhaps they're talking about longer stays.

This is fun... mud slingin', finger pointin', name callin'... makes me feel like I'm a politican.

BTW, I caught malaria four years ago in Trang of all places. The doctors here in Phuket mis-diagnosed it twice. First, they said I had Typhoid. When I didn't get better, they took those pills back and gave me medicine for Dengue Fever (is there such a thing... I don't know). They finally did a full blood test and vwalla! Plasmodium Vivax. They gave me some little black pills and with a few hours I was a new man.

A couple of buddies got the bad strain in Laos and almost died.

Keep the funny postings going.

GREAT  just what Phuket needs,

Bird flu

Sars

Tsunami

Terrorists

now  Malaria!!

When will it all end????

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THe next thing might be massive school riots as it seems like the Thai students like violence as much as American kids.

After that, it could be a bomb either going off in a tourist area or the media providing the terrorists (oh that's right I forgot, Thailand doesn't have terrorists.. sorry Toxin) with free publicity. Meaning, the media only has to SAY that the terrorists will bomb some place. That's just about as damaging (not meaning to belittle the deaths that actually occur from terrorist acts)

Darn, it seems like Thailand is starting to be just as screwed up as the US of A. If it starts getting cold, I might as well head back. <tongue planted firmly in cheek>

Money-generating idea: mirror floors and live webcams....

"it actually means Free land or land of the free due to it never having been colonised by a foreign power."

Thailand has been colonized by a foreign power - the Chinese. What percentage of the Bangkok government is full-blood Thai??

Thaksin and Bush are both failures when it comes to terrorism because you simply can't fight the enemy with conventional weapons. How can you fight an enemy whose soldiers are willing to run suicide missions? With aircraft carriers? WIth ground troops? You can't win.

Both Thaksin's and Bush's arrogance breeds the type of hate that the terrorists have for them. The result, unfortunately, is that innocent people will suffer... too bad Bush and Thaksin won't suffer. They will come out with more money. I doubt that either really cares what happens to the citizens of the US or Thailand.

I don't have the answers, but I do know that neither of these leaders will leave the world a better place when their political term is finally over. Who loses? All of us.

Of course if a foreigner commits a crime against a Thai our boys in brown will follow-up. What about the cop who committed premeditated murder of the two Brits in Kanchanaburi? Has that case been dropped or what?

Sorry for asking what is probably a dumb questions, but I can't figure out how to stop tracking a topic.  

I'd like to get out of the loop on the Ruling out foreigners debate.  It seems to have stopped providing much worthwhile info.

Thanks...

Sorry if this is a questions that has been brought up before, but I'm wondering if the government recognizes common law marriages.  I have been with the same Thai woman for over a decade, but we just never got around to putting it on paper.  

In light of the coming tighter rules for one-year visas, I'm wondering if I should make it 'legal' or not.  I'm NOT going to get married simply to get a one-year visa.  I'm sure I will be able to work here as I have a work permit and am the director of a sucessful small tour company in Phuket and I invested in the company.  I've had a work permit for over a decade. I glady pay plenty of taxes and everything is 100% on the up and up with the company.  I just want to know if getting married would "look" better (for lack of a better word).

Thanks

It seems that his platform is based on racism.  Why call it Thai Rak Thai unless you're trying to stir a fire?  He sure seems affraid of a level playing field.  

I hope George W sees through his smile.  I would like to see Thais living in the US scrutinized more.  Let's see their bank accounts and let's threaten to break up their families... oh no, that's no PC.  

Hi everyone,

In the "Others" section of the "Foreign Businessmen" category, does anyone have any idea what is meant by, "In case of a tour business the foreigner must show his ability to attract over 1,500 tourists each year from the government section or Thai Tourism Association or passenger lists and hotel reservations"?

Being part of a small eco-tourism busiess, we try NOT to promote mass tourism.  Our clients spend the equivalent of several mass tourism guests.  I wonder if this will fall into a grey area.

I certainly don't qualify to stay under the enormous amounts of money I'm supposed to have... yikes!  But then again, it seems like they are talknig mostly about getting a one-year visa.  I've been here over ten years and up until recently, I've only gone out for multiple entry visas.  I've had two one-year visas.  If I have to go back to getting multiple or single entry visas, it beats loosing my family and dream job.  All comment welcomed.

Thanks