gummy

That's how much credibility Guesthouse should be attaching to "racial equality" in the UK, it's all about exploitation.

He never had to suffer this indignity and that's why he's blind to any discrimination beyond his own ethnic minority.

Quertz, how you came to this conclusion is beyond me. You assume a number of things. Firstly that I have never suffered racial abuse/descrimination and secondly that I have no view beyond my own ethnic minority. Which would that be Quertz, my mother's ethnicity, or my father's or perhaps my wife's?

Here's a couple of observations:

1. The race laws in the UK did not exist when my parents came to the UK. The idea that the 'police are considering an attack as a race attack' had no meaning - Racial attacks where not recognized as such.

So looking at reports of an incident recorded under terms of a law that did not exist until only a handful of years ago has no meaning.

We have to look at other indicators, example the rooting out of racism in the police, the implementation of laws and polcies to combat racism. All are indications that the UK is serious about tackling racism. The impact is clear, racism in the UK is on the retreat - You need to talk to young people to see that, you might also look at recruitment and the opertunities immigrants have in the UK.

2. I can't say how the Germans treat their Polish immigrants, or any other immigrants for that matter. I do know through direct experience, that foreigners are widely accepted at all levels of British society. The company I work in relies hugely on foreign staff, not just for cleaners and canteen staff, but at all levels of our organization. I believe the last survey in our company identified over 200 mother toungue languages among our staff. Our staff is almost entirely professional, with high minimum educaitonal requirements and extremely good pay and condition.

Foreigners from all around the globe are accepted on an equal footing.

The same is true across the whole of British industry and commerce.

Exploitation?

Of course it happens, but race hate crimes are legislated against and prosecuted, and rights are given to all in the UK regardless of race.

It is that openess of British society that enables the UK to attract some of the best brains in Europe and the world.

As I say, we've come a long way since the days when football 'fans(?)' would regularly hurle bananas at black players, and yes I remember that happening.

It is unfortunate that self denial is amplified by ignorance of the facts or even attempting to research the facts. I accept that as the son of an immigrant you are still going through the phase of "the grass is always greener etc" and will do for probably a further generation yet. Your statement that racial attacks are on the decrease illustrates quite clearly to the better educated amongst us that you are totally ignorant of the actual facts, albeit through choice, political expediency to attract an audience or selctive understanding -whatever.

Below is an extract that I suggest you you read, attempt to digest before you illustrate further sever lacking of factual knowledge on this subject - that is assuming you do not consider your personnal knowledge above the UK Home Office statistics from where this extract came from. ( latest statistics awaited )

With respect to your repeated statement of throwing bananas at black football players this has only been stopped, quite rightly by legislation, unfortunately it does not mean the indigenous population all agree with it. And by the way England had an all white team when they one the world cup back in '66 but I expect you were not there then.

May I suggest that you subscribe and become better read in many more regional publications from all regions of the UK so that you may become better read in the subject of racial discrimination before posting further.

"Racist incidents recorded by the police have risen steadily from just over 10,000 in 1996/7 to about 50,000 incidents in 2001/2. In 2003/4 the number of racist incidents recorded by the police rose to 52,694 (+9.7%) from 49,078 in 2002/3. The 2003/4 British Crime survey however shows that the number of victims of racist attacks remained the same as in 2002/3 (206,000).

While this may in part be due to better recording and reporting, it does not detract from the unacceptably high levels of racial attack. In addition the homicide figures illustrate an alarmingly high number of murders of Asian or African Caribbean people. The police recorded 2,605 homicides in the three-year period ending 2003/4. Ten per cent of these were of Black people, 6% Asian and 4% ‘Other’ minority ethnic groups. In addition people of mixed ethnic origins face the highest risks of being the victim of crime, although Asian people also face significantly higher risks of crime relative to other ethnic groups.

The Observer (Sunday 27th March 2005 ) reported that Black or minority ethnic communities were three to four times more likely to be the subject of racial attack and reported 12 racist murders in the last four years.

1. 'Race and the Criminal Justice System: an overview to the complete statistics 2003/2004' (Home Office February 2005) (statistics from section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991)

2. Race and Crime Statistics, Home Office 2005

[/i]

Sorry if this has been answered but could not find it in the archive

I am going back home for 70 or so days and want to keep my 1 2 call mobile phone #. I think I can only top it up with about 5 weeks at a time with the prepaid (500 baht). How long can my number be deactivated before they take it back?

Does anybody know?

TIA

Not sure where you are getting that info from but generally when you renew with a prepaid card it will be 1 year validity or thereabouts apparently. By the way I am told the the 500 baht card is not available as easily now due to fraud problems so make sure you buy a top-up card from a reputable source.

Wife wouldn't have schengan visa ... don't know if they can transit without visa.

Buckhurst Hill is my eventual destination

Economy class... hence preference for Asian oriented airlines.

Doesn't have to be direct I guess depending on the cost saving.

Where is your final destination in the UK and what class do you want to fly? As you have stated LHR then I assume a direct flight is of more interest?

In that case sorry I can't help as I don't have experience of economy travel for years but for business, and assuming the transit is not a problem I have always got good prices with KLM. Direct for first or even business then it must be Quantas in my book, definately not BA these days.

just google UK anti discrimination laws and see for yourself how the UK has progressed.

Indeed it has, but you don't need to look at google. Walk into almost any company in the UK these days and you'll find it staffed with mixed races, genders, ages. We don't see football crowds throwing bananas at black players these days, and likewise racial abuse in the street is a thing of the past.

Multiracial Britain is booming, ecconomically and cutluraly. New people coming in, new ideas, new energy and all this enhanced by traditional British values of tolerance and acceptance.

I'm extremely proud to be part of that, and proud too to defend it.

I absolutely love the UK - Its the finest country on the planet.

GH,

I may be older than you and for that I am thankful as I still like to keep up to date with UK events. Also it appears my rose tinted glasses must be of a far less tint than your own. May I suggest before you post such ridiculous rubbish on UK tolerance, such as, and your quote was " racial abuse in the street is a thing of the past" you spend far more time keeping in tune with the country you profess to love but clearly do not bother to educate yourself in current day to day racial affairs.

I enclose just one link as an example, there are many many more happening almost on a daily basis especially in London, Luton, Leicester, Bradford and Manchester which I have no need to post here. So perhaps your time could be more usefully spent fully understanding more about the current UK racial situation. With age comes awarness and a sense of finding out facts rather than "it would be nice if" ideololgical scenarios that belong in dreamland.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_64...bw=nb&mp=wm

This link is directly linked to the nationality referred to by the original OP. Great Britiain was great but I suspect it's fall from grace is accelerated by those who may have a British Passport but have as much understanding of what being born British really means as they do understanding why they have their heads in the bucket of sand in the first place.

Apologies to the original OP as this has detracted from the original topic, but illustrates only to well why Thailand should still be considered seriously as an alternative country to live in, at least most Thais are not in self denial about the immigration issue which many so-called British appear to be.

Not sure what the law says but I have sat in many Embassys over the years waiting for a visa. Whilst there couriers or whatever have come in and presented/collected numerous passports for visas, especially tour groups etc etc.. Also some companies I have worked for would take my own passport to send to whatever countries embassy I was visiting and I would get a visa without my own physical presence. All perfectly legal obviously.

So have I missed something here or are the Thai authorities actually suggesting that this practise is not the correct procedure and that in future everybody must appear in person to present their visa application?

Whe I was a lad I was brought up to understand that standing around gossiping during working hours was not only non-productive for your employer it was also in effect stealing time for which you are being paid to undertake a specific task. Indeed in more recent times it was not unheard of for some employers to consider that smoking breaks were not part of the working day.

Lately the internet has become so widespread with many employees having access to it. Many employers provide this facililty on the proviso that it is used in the course of company business.

As we know this priviledge is often abused. Take a look at TV even and see what time of day it is where some of the contributors are purported to be and you can see the abuse that is occuring, unless that is everybody has retired or not employed. So often many of these folks take the moral high ground in so many areas yet appear to forget that they themselves could be seen as thieves by virtue of the fact that they themselves are stealing their employers time by communicating with TV during working hours.

Hypocrites or thieves or neither ?

What do others think ?

My GF's Stepfather is German and being as I'm English I thought this may be a problem before I met him, especially when She'd tell me how fastidious he is about the house always being spotlessly clean. But after meeting him and living in the same house for 6 weeks I must say I like the guy very much. I think he liked having me around as well because his Wife/my GF's Mother likes to keep him indoors as much as possible and I made a point of inviting them out with us on nights out and a trip to Hua Hin.

Maybe if he was a Bavarian things would be different but he's from the former East Germany and is a Saxon by blood I believe and I'm an Anglo Saxon so it could be in our genes to get along. As for the obsessive cleaning it's not a problem as I let him clean the house from about 7am and by the time I get out of bed about 10am it's all nice and clean for me.

whatever you do don't mention the war.

i am intriuged by your take on germans, still working through some issues?

you realize your current royal family is of german descent?

Doesn't matter and for those old enough to just remember, they still bombed our chip shops - that was, and always will be unforgivable.

GH, That may be so, but at least here in Thailand it is still not an offence to voice your dislike of foreigners as it is in the UK, otherwise than in the privacy of ones own home. This is meant as no disrespect to yourself or anybody else whose parents may have come to England as immigrees and I suspect have become a normal member of UK society. But when you have had many generations before you, born and bred in the UK, then and only then do you have sufficient ancestral input and insight into the problems that are currently only just below the surface, which the OP has discussed. Why even the previous mass influxes of the Hugenots during the 17th century and later,the Jewish mass influx pales into insignifcants against the 7-8% of recent times. The real British are a reserved lot and traditionally do not stir until their backs are against the wall, and then they tend to bite back rather firmly.

However for those people whose family are British through and through, it is evident that in many areas this has had an adverse impact on the British way of life and things are changing for the worse in many areas, thus giving rise to the OP consideration of moving elsewhere as 243,000 British people have done on a permanent basis recently. Indeed this problem is reflected in the current UK's policy of introducing "Britishness tests" for would be legal permanant immigrants. The tests are rubbish apparently but that aside it is acknowledgement that something must be done.

The only reason that mass, uncontrolled immigration has been welcomed is owing to their attractiveness to unscruplous employers who pay less than the legal minimum. The UK government for years, decades in fact, has turned a blind eye as they are bank-rolled ultimately by those businesses and financial institutuions that have ultimately benefited, albeit indirectly from this stance, but only stirs when 21 of them get drowned thro' illegal activities.

However let us not go down the road of discussing the rights and wrongs of UK immigration and its cause and effects. The issue is "is it still worth moving to Thailand". Well I must agree with many of your comments on that point although your financial ascertations I would consider open to considerable debate dependant upon ones expectations and required lifestyle.

As for getting work in Thailand then it appears that the op has skills in the telecoms sectors whilst in the RAF. My advice would be to make doubly sure that any country, whether it be Thailand or anywhere, appears to meet your perceived needs, expectations and future lifestyle requirements before making a permanent move. Then, as employment is still required, as is the case here, attempt to gain employment on an Expat basis prior to settling here. If he succeeds and lives within the bounds of normality, than he surely can have a good and better lifestyle here.

No money, no fun, no where.

Where is your final destination in the UK and what class do you want to fly? As you have stated LHR then I assume a direct flight is of more interest?

Hi i have been with my thai gf now for 3 years and we want to get married next year ans she has told me about the dowary thing,which i know about,she says that 200,000b would be ok as we dont have that much money,she said that her sister got married to a thai and that is what he paid,i have heard that farang pay anything into the millions,is 200,000b a fair price to be paid to her family,her dad is dead now and she has no children yet.any help would be good.thanks.

A dowry is the amount that the bride's family pays the groom.

You are talking about sinsod or bride's price.

this has been discussed many times. Some, as in my case, pay nothing. I paid for the party, the rings, the wedding but no sinsod. My mother in law said she did not want it and that we should use our money to start our new life together.

I never heard of the brides family paying the groom!sinsod and dowry are the same(thats what my gf just told me).thanks.

Very prevelant still in many countries and was standard practice in many European countries in the middle ages but eventually has died out there. However I returned for a quick trip recently and based upon the incredibly large number of ugly and obese young woman I observed in London, I would not be too surprised if eventually the tradition returns there as I suspect it would be the only chance these people would have of ever being asked to marry. However whereas previously it was based upon the families wealth, now it could be guaged as £s per kilogram !

RID to keep an eye of earthquake aftershocks

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) is examining reservoirs across the country as it is afraid that aftershocks may occur after the earthquake eruption on May 16th.

RID Spokesman Boonsanong Suchartphong (บุญสนอง สุชาติพงศ์) says the earthquake which took place at the Thai-Lao-Myanmar border has prompted many sides to be concerned over the condition of the reservoirs. Latest inspection conducted by RID shows that no damage has been found, including water leakages and cracks. However, RID has instructed directors of irrigation projects nationwide to thoroughly examine the reservoirs again in terms of subsidence and sliding of the reservoirs as well as their internal condition.

RID affirms it will keep observing the reservoirs around the clock due to possible aftershocks. People are encouraged to contact the department for more information about the safety of reservoirs in their area.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 18 May 2007

Appears to be a very prudent measure under the curcumstances and will help to enlarge the historical database of effects, or otherwise, from varying quake strengths in Thailand for future consideration within design and construction codes and standards.

Kangaroo,

HSBC any good for you. Although only 1 in Thailand which is in BKK it will give you all the facilities you wish via the internet at a reasonable cost. HSBC inter bank tranfers are very reasonable.

Wait, is this the new "You must support us and our stupid ideas, otherwise you don't love..."-routine?

If it is then that equates directly to GW Bush's view that "if you are not with us then you must be against us" approach. Therefore as this attitude is OK for the US it should be OK with any other country adopting a similar philosophical and idealistical approach shouldn't it?

However irrespective of all that if witholding an IP address or using other means to avoid detection, then it seems to suggest that those users have something to hide I would suspect.

Improves memory, what's , eh what was I saying?

Trust your instincts before your friends

Of course a well known person was believed to have avoided inter bank transfer charges by taking his money out in bags, 30 or so it appeared to be.

The quote, or part of it was:- " A leading seismologist Thursday called on the government to map out measures against damage from future earthquakes in light of Wednesday's 6.1 magnitude quake in Laos and northern Thailand"

Now of all those experts out there, of which I'm sure there are many, I was not aware that techology has progressed sufficiently anywhere in the world to actually acheive that statement. Every earthquake, well at least of reasonable strength, causes some damage somewhere to something.

It may well of course be poor translation but it would have been better to call on the governement to map out measures to mitigate the degree of damage from future quakes. I understand that even the Japanese have an upper bound limit of earthquake strength to which their buildings and other constructions can withstand a quake without major structural damage but I am not aware that they have the means to prevent ANY damage as this leading seismologist is suggesting as implied by the unspecified level of damage limitation.

I don't suppose The Inland Revenue will investigate the source of his money, once it is invested into Man City it will become legitimate.

For an investment of this size, and assuming it is not already in England, or indeed assuming that the legal purchase will be transacted in the UK, then the BOE/Commercial Banks will require to be satisfied where these significant funds are from in order to comply with anti-money laundering requirements.

So assuming, from a UK perspective, that they are satisfied, and hence allow the transaction, it must then indicate that those fund are indeed from a legitimate source. I should think that this would prove to the Thai authorities that indeed these funds were in fact previously undeclared to them?

There is speculation in todays Straits Times that the BOT would not allow him to take the money out if its in Thailand - they could declare it "Not in Thailands interest"

If the money is outside Thailand then I can not see any probs - Temasek money is clean ;-)

Of course their money is OK, it is the issue of Thaksin,s family not paying tax on it, and hence, if proven, defrauding Thailand of funds that may eventually lead to the potential international request for sequestration of his/family's assets if not paid. Only then could this have an impact on Man City

I don't suppose The Inland Revenue will investigate the source of his money, once it is invested into Man City it will become legitimate.

For an investment of this size, and assuming it is not already in England, or indeed assuming that the legal purchase will be transacted in the UK, then the BOE/Commercial Banks will require to be satisfied where these significant funds are from in order to comply with anti-money laundering requirements.

So assuming, from a UK perspective, that they are satisfied, and hence allow the transaction, it must then indicate that those fund are indeed from a legitimate source. I should think that this would prove to the Thai authorities that indeed these funds were in fact previously undeclared to them?

Don't get worked up guys, its a troll.

Why am I not surprised. Why am I not surprised that the PM started his fortune in the Police Department. Why am I not surpirrised that the PM's wife "won" the "open" bidding by offering 80 million baht for a piece of BKK property the government bought two years earlier for 2 Billion. Why am I not surprised that the FTA with Australia has as its main advantage to Thailand telecommunications access to Australia. Why am I not surprised that the PM's son was given 25% of the contract for subway advertising AFTER a binding contract with another entity was "renegotiated".

In fairness, I am reminded of LBJ, who became rich while on the government dole for most of his life, "licenses" granted to his family for radio stations. Yasser Arafat's swiss bank accounts. I am deliberately leaving out tyrants.

Thaksin is not much differant from the rest, he just follows their lead that's all. You forgot to mention Margaret Thatchers son getting 6 mill. pounds in consultancy fees for the BAE Saudi contract in the late '80s. His consultancy company at the time was new and he had no relevent business experience. It is the same company and contract that Tony Blair recently shutdown the corruption investigation in as it "was not in the public interest" and the same company and contract that the Swiss announced on Tuesday that they are investigating some of their banks for alleged money laundering. With examples like this it is not surprising that up and coming, so called democratic, leaders from the third world consider it an acceptable practice which appears to be the case with Mr Thaksin and his family.

Assumming of course that the drunk person is coherent sufficiently to advise his location !

Not sure why you say 5 days in the UK is insufficient to get a new passport. The passport agency at Globe House, Victoria offers a premium service where you can collect your new passport in 4 hours, thus the next day you can apply for new visa at RTE London which only takes 2 days.

You will need to phone to make an appointment though but suspect it will be 07:45 most are !

Go to this site for details http://www.passport.gov.uk/passport_renewing_when.asp

Interesting to see how he intends to be an owner of the freehold rights to the land though. Secondly he is rumoured to have requested some extras for his new home to maintain his reputation.

The first is an electronic automated pulse read out for all female visitors passing through his front door and the second is a defibrillator for those that show no reading from the first.