zthyadat

Do they plan on including any toilet facilities this time, or will they sell off all the toilet space to King Power for a large backhander, thereby ensuring that this govt gets at least a part share in the spoils of the airport?

A bit more from yesterday's Thairath.

A 24 year-old Thai man from Ayuthaya, Aekphon (or Aekgaewpheng), has been arrested and confessed to the murder. He worked in the building next door to the deceased's apartment in Hua Hin and had some sort of job there looking after the building and watering the plants.

The motive seems to have been robbery, he stole 2517 Baht and a mobile phone from the deceased, citing money problems. He said his wife had recently left him and he had a young child to look after.

http://www.thairath....t/region/105293

2 Photos in the article and in one of them he's showing how he beat the victim to death with a baseball bat...

All that for Baht 2.517 and a mobile phone

LaoPo

So where does the bar girl fit into that story?

LOL you are absolutely right, this is what happens when i drink and post. My bad....

Yeah I feel lame.

You are a gentleman. And I did have a hunch you misread. It happens.

What baffles me is the motive. Why beat a guy to death unless the intent was to rob him?

It wasn't a random killing. It was an assassination.

Allen Quicke is the editor in chief of the political internet news site Asia Times Online.

Someone murdered Allen because of something or somethings printed at ATOL.

After the wholesale murder of journalists in Iraq during the Iraq war by the Coalition forces, murdering journalists is now acceptable to all world governments

An assassination you say? Can you support your argument? Or are these delusions brought on by too much Mekong whiskey and fanta? Seriously, if you want to troll, then please stick to sin sod themes as they are much more amusing.

At this point, nobody can support any arguments on the case, since there is so little to go on. But if you take a look at the situation as revealed so far, it doesn't add up well. Brutal beating but no robbery... why would that be? All murders are an extreme form of human expression and there can be any number of motives. Accusing another member of having delusions is a bit arrogant and uninformed on your part. Do you think the murder of journalists is unusual? In the mid-nineties, Thailand actually led the world in murdered journalists - usually drive-bys from motorbikes into cars - so it isn't exactly unheard of in these parts. It is certainly no less a possibility than a guy getting stabbed and beaten by a bar girl (or a bar girl and her boyfriend) and nothing going missing in the house.

Well done ,I think its time for many foreigners to understand NOT to interfere in Thailand politics. After all we are only guests here . Hope this story will be set as example for the future.

We all have right to express our conscience. There are consequences however. With your type of thinking, the world will never become a better place.

...and the world keeps getting worse indeed.....

I don't think anyone here is saying we can't complain or point out faults in the country... A forum like this one is an ideal and perfectly legal place to do so, as is a conversation with a Thai or a foreigner. If you like, you are perfectly within your rights to sit with a red (or yellow) shirt and spend hours trying to turn them around (and good luck to you!)... BUT... It is the law in Thailand and indeed most other countries (including "the land of the free", the US of A) that non-citizens, whether they pay taxes or not, cannot take active part in organised political demonstrations. This is what this idiot did - he clearly and blatantly broke the law and he got punished for it. But if someone on this forum agrees that this was the right course of action (ie: enforcing Thai law for a change), that opinion doesn't necessarily mean they believe all foreigners should be completely gagged.

He should've served the full 2 years. Thai court WAY TOO LAXED. How can you expect people to take the laws here seriously when all they do is give lenient sentences.

I'm sure he bloody well knew the consequences but joined in anyways because he let his emotions overrule his judgement or lack thereof.

Actually, three months in a Thai prison is plenty - those places are hellholes. Time feels different in the hoosegow (I once spent 16 hours in a British holding cell and it seemed like weeks).

At the end of the day, the court got what they wanted out from him - public contrition, and a display of respect for Thai law, whether he meant it or not. And that was probably harder for him than doing the time. This is a guy who earlier stood up in a Thai courtroom and told the court that they weren't legitimate and had no right to try him - about as much contempt of court as it is possible to demonstrate. Either his lawyer talked some sense into him ("Nobody will give a dam_n if you are a martyr, son") or perhaps the few months cooling his heels undid some of the red brainwashing.

And if you feel he hasn't been adequately punished, content yourself with the fact that he is now in the worst prison facility in the country - immigration jail - for probably at least a week before deportation. It is a crowded open cage, full of nasty and insane people, some of whom have fallen though the cracks and have been in there for years. It smells like sewage, there is no room to lie down on the floor, which is sticky with god knows what and you don't dare fall asleep anyway. A mate of mine was in there for ten days and said it was an exercise in 24/7 high-level anxiety.

-Thanon Farang-

I would not pay, if I same you, felt that there is no reason to pay anything about that incident-just calling her a name. By the way, WHAT did you say?

Would not be enough for me to pay a sum like this!

But possibly you still owed her some money from your relationship? Did not pay the last week(s), month? That would be a reason for me, not only one spoken word.

Now, you still have contact with this GF or again contact with her?

Thanks for an update.

It doesn't matter that it was "just calling her a name" any more than it would be "just defacing a portrait of You-Know-Who" - a law is a law is a law. I broke the law.

I called her a word that starts with a g in front of a group of people. No I didn't owe her anything, it was pure extortion.

I do actually have contact with her again. We've come to understand each other quite well and have an odd close friendship. Not dating or anything and we did not talk for a long time.

You are back in contact with someone who did that to you? Wow. I guess you are confident that she won;t ever do anything like that again. Did you ever ask her what happened to all the money? And following that question did you suggest that it would enhance your renewed friendship greatly if she gave it back?

I once got fined 500 baht for giving the finger to a woman (who heartily deserved it). I was tempted to give her another one at the the end and make it an even thousand.

I checked later with a high ranking copper who actually knows the law and he assured me that 500 baht for an obscene gesture was normal - and they did give me an official receipt. The fine is probably the same for calling somebody a "working girl" in disparaging Thai in public - it sure ain't 60k baht. You could have at least got the price down.

Most motorcycle taxi drivers are RED. The result will be bias and unusable. Better to survey doctors and lawyers.

And most of the people suffering from social inequality (like farmers) are also RED, so it may not be a bad place to start, doncha think? Or maybe they should ask shoppers at Siam Paragon what they think...

E cigarettes were made illegal in Thailand by the Health Minister.

No doubt to ensure the continuance of revenues from the more traditional deadly variety...

Several governments around the world have done the same thing, claiming that as they are trying to stamp out smoking altogether that introducing the relatively harmless e-cigarettes into the market will somehow slow their efforts. This in spite of evidence that these e-smokes can act as a good "bridge" to quitting altogether. The logic seems a bit vague.

By the way, to clear up a myth, or at least a misnomer, there are no mopeds in Thailand. People frequently call the small step-thrus "mopeds", but they are not, they are just a small motorcycle with a tank under the seat, making it easy to mount and dismount (and so women and Scotsmen could ride them while wearing a skirt). Ultimately, they are all based on the original Honda Super Cub design that came out in 1958 - a brilliant design that has sold +60 million units for Honda alone - it financed their move into cars, in fact.

Anyway, mopeds have "functioning" pedals and in almost all countries are restricted to 50cc, and a top speed of 50km/h. They are slow and dangerous and were created as a legal loophole for easier licensing so teenagers could kill themselves without first getting a proper license. Most modern step-thrus can easily hit 100km/h (faster than is really safe given the short wheelbase and the narrow tyres), and a lot of them can go much faster than that.

Legally moped has evolved to mean any low power restricted bike.. Not only pedal equipped ones.

Certainly is this way under uk law.

I have to agree with LivinLOS, Thailand surely has Mopeds – the law has a provision for bicycles with an additional engine. The article is a bit old, but, basically everything below 110cc is a moped.

Because of the moped law in Thailand, kids, 17-years or younger, can commute on a scooter or motorcycle with less then 110cc engine size to school.

That would certainly explain all the 50cc scooters you see in Chiang Mai - you rarely see them in Bangkok though... but again, are they called "mopeds" in Thai? (If so, most likely pronounced mo-PET")

In any case, my remark was about semantics, ultimately... I suppose it won't be long before "brb" and "l8tr" make it into the OED.

By the way, to clear up a myth, or at least a misnomer, there are no mopeds in Thailand. People frequently call the small step-thrus "mopeds", but they are not, they are just a small motorcycle with a tank under the seat, making it easy to mount and dismount (and so women and Scotsmen could ride them while wearing a skirt). Ultimately, they are all based on the original Honda Super Cub design that came out in 1958 - a brilliant design that has sold +60 million units for Honda alone - it financed their move into cars, in fact.

Anyway, mopeds have "functioning" pedals and in almost all countries are restricted to 50cc, and a top speed of 50km/h. They are slow and dangerous and were created as a legal loophole for easier licensing so teenagers could kill themselves without first getting a proper license. Most modern step-thrus can easily hit 100km/h (faster than is really safe given the short wheelbase and the narrow tyres), and a lot of them can go much faster than that.

Legally moped has evolved to mean any low power restricted bike.. Not only pedal equipped ones.

Certainly is this way under uk law.

Are they legally named "moped" by the relevant ministry? As in "Mo" = Motor and "Ped" = Pedals I had assumed that the misnomer slang term had not yet become official.

All the small bikes are light enough for even kids to handle them, so that really shouldn't be a worry... In fact, a little bit of weight is good for stability. At the level of 100-150cc step-thru bikes, the weight differences are pretty negligible.

It is really more about how well balanced a bike is. I recently rode the new Ducati Multistrada, which is 200 kilos and it was much easier to handle while moving or at a standstill than my 170kg bike.

And brand does matter. The Syms and even the Tigers (which are well priced) are reputedly reliable, but most of the mainland Chinese makes are crap and start rusting and falling to bits in short order. You want something reliable that is popular so that spare parts are plentiful and cheap.

I would recommend that you splash out on disc brakes, which are much stronger and more subtle than drum brakes - much safer for a newcomer to motorbike riding.

As for baskets and such, you can add rear racks and plastic top cases easily in many shops. I'm sure they could do you a front basket as well, but these are kind of impractical at night as they tend to partially block the headlight beam.

By the way, to clear up a myth, or at least a misnomer, there are no mopeds in Thailand. People frequently call the small step-thrus "mopeds", but they are not, they are just a small motorcycle with a tank under the seat, making it easy to mount and dismount (and so women and Scotsmen could ride them while wearing a skirt). Ultimately, they are all based on the original Honda Super Cub design that came out in 1958 - a brilliant design that has sold +60 million units for Honda alone - it financed their move into cars, in fact.

Anyway, mopeds have "functioning" pedals and in almost all countries are restricted to 50cc, and a top speed of 50km/h. They are slow and dangerous and were created as a legal loophole for easier licensing so teenagers could kill themselves without first getting a proper license. Most modern step-thrus can easily hit 100km/h (faster than is really safe given the short wheelbase and the narrow tyres), and a lot of them can go much faster than that.

Welcome to the world of motorbikes. They are great fun and safe enough if you learn how to ride properly (which the vast majority don't do) Just because they are easy to hop onto and drive off doesn't mean you are riding properly. Get someone who knows what they are doing (like an experienced big bike rider) to show you the finer points of proper braking and cornering and you'll substantially reduce your chances of getting hurt. Good luck.

Thanks god that Thailand did not mistreat the Thai-Chinese in the dark days.

You mean aside from burning down Chinatown shops in the 1930s?

Hun Sen - Next on trial for the Khmer Rouge? One can only hope.

Yes, but not because of this issue - on this one he's right.

It is a very fond hope though and about as likely as the moon falling out of the sky.

To promote sex? Don't you thing Thailand have enough sex already?

Yes, and more than enough ignorance on the subject as well...

Acknowledging it doesn't necessarily create more of it. In fact, the biggest problem with sex in Thailand is the lack of official open acknowledgement.

When you signed a year lease you agreed to pay 12 months rent. If your word is any good, you would live up to that agreement. When I bought my condo, I paid another four months rent for my apartment even though it sat empty. I kept my word.

In this town, where word means nothing to anyone who was born here, that makes you a sucker - it is like saying you will only fight Marquess of Queensbury Rules when ten Thai males are pummeling your head in. And besides all that, the contract says that you intend to stay for twelve months and pay rent the whole time, and that in the event plans change, you sacrifice your deposit. There are laws to cover this, and are a tacit part of the contract.

Well, that should keep all this national division nonsense under the carpet where it belongs, eh? Let's have a war with our neighbours and turn our hatred on them - a rifle in one hand and a Thai flag in the other.

Mind you, the one thing they aren't taking into account is that Cambodia is likely to give Thailand a good solid drubbing given that the Thai military is trained only to turn guns on their own people and dream up new useless equipment to order.

["So will people ever learn the truth?"]

Well if they do it won't be from the press unless it sells newspapers.

Actually most every one knows the truth. The reporters were in a combat zone and for some reason thought they were different than every one else there only to find out they weren't.

SIMPLE

That is more than a bit simplistic. "The truth" would involve important such facts as who actually shot the journalist in question, and whether he was hit by a stray bullet or deliberately targeted. Journos in a combat zone are pretty aware that they are in danger, and there is nothing "different from everyone else" in expecting that accredited members of the media won't actually be targeted deliberately. Otherwise, either side could just pick them off at will and say afterwards "Well, they was in a combat zone and they wasn't special or nothin' - so goddamn what?! You mean you expect an investigation? They shouldn't-a been there in the first place!"

I find it sad that you demonstrate such contempt for the journalists, as if the ones who were hurt or killed somehow deserved what they got, and as if it was some sort of just punishment for thinking they were special. These are the people who are trying to bring you information on what is actually going on out there - so you don;t have to risk your nuts yourself. But perhaps more importantly than bringing you the news, is the fact that if the media were not present (and risking their lives) at conflicts bearing witness to events, the combatants would be free to do whatever they wanted and commit any war crimes that they felt like, because there would be no credible witnesses to tell the tales of their savagery. In all conflicts it is crucial that the combatants realise that the whole world is watching.

The way some of us still view any one of color still baffles me.

I once saw a non colored tourist walk from banglapul to Pantip without a shirt, its was a pretty hot day and the I was in traffic in an air conditioned car, may be I should have hollered at him to dress up.

The guys eating rice with minimal clothing might have a very good reason for doing that, its not like the poster that saw them was meeting them in that condition everyday he walks by. May be coming from Brixton or Compton might have had its influnce on his 'nonsensical' thinking.

Oh yeah, and I'm a white guy, and when I see white guys walking down a public street with just a pair of shorts and flip flops (and it is almost always white guys who do this), I want to shout out to "put some clothes on you disrespectful ignorant moron!"

The way some of us still view any one of color still baffles me.

I once saw a non colored tourist walk from banglapul to Pantip without a shirt, its was a pretty hot day and the I was in traffic in an air conditioned car, may be I should have hollered at him to dress up.

The guys eating rice with minimal clothing might have a very good reason for doing that, its not like the poster that saw them was meeting them in that condition everyday he walks by. May be coming from Brixton or Compton might have had its influnce on his 'nonsensical' thinking.

I think he was referring to the lack of clothing not as a disparaging characteristic, but to indicate that these guys felt right at home where they were - the lack of clothig indicated residency rather than a passing visit. As for taking note of there being "people of colour" in that setting, it is "racist" in the strict definition of the word, meaning discerning by race, but it is not bigoted, as in making negative judgments based on the men's colour. He simply saw a very unusual situation (particularly unusual because a large percentage of Thais appear to be racist) and mentioned it. I suppose he was supposed to be colour blind and not notice whether the people by the tracks were black or white or yellow or blue....

Give these drug smugglers and dealers the DEATH PENALTY - If these idiots think their life is worth the crime, so be it!

I think you'll find that this doesn't actually eradicate the problem - especially in a country where half the people in prison aren't guilty and the police protect the interests of those "too important to be captured" regardless of what business they are in.

But if it somehow makes you happy, or assuages some of your rage to imagine drug dealers getting lethal injections, then carry on...

Took a short cut from Payathai to Pratunam via the Payathai train tracks the other day. There is a desperately poor community living next to the tracks, quite literally like the poorest I have seen in Thailand. Yet amidst the daily comings and goings of the people were a number of African men. Two were sitting down at a table eating rice with little clothes on, another two were perched on a rubbish tip and shouted at me "hey, yo, wassup" aggressively as I walked through...I felt like I was in Brixton (London)- I hollered back in my best gruff Cockney voice " yea, you kool bruv"...Then another guy walked around the corner with a big gold watch draping from his arm speaking loudly on a mobile phone. Now before the PC brigade go mental I am not at all racist, but clearly this was odd that these guys were living amongst one of the poorest communities in Bangkok on a railway line. I left baffled as to what they were doing there. If they can only afford to stay there then surely they don't have legit visas, right? And it is rather odd that the Thais of that small community were accommodating them....I hate to jump to conclusions for fear of stereotyping but can only think that this was a good place to stay out of the way of the police, perhaps they are paying the community to let them stay there incognito. Or perhaps the police said stay there and out of sight and give us a cut of your dealings...thoughts?

Your thinking appears to be nonsensical. Perhaps they don't find it easy to secure rented accommodation in other areas. Wasn't it much like that in Britain forty years ago? That people would be denied accommodaion because of the colour of their skin? Also in the USA?

Who is being nonsensical? There is plenty of accommodation for Africans in Bangkok - entire buildings devoted to it in fact. Check out Sukhumvit 93. Yes, there are some buildings that refuse them. But... No, these guys described here didn't end up living by the tracks because of a housing shortage for people of colour. There is another layer or two to the story.

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<br />Emerald Buddah was stolen from Laos? Better start a new forum.<br />

<br /><br />Yes, dear one, it was stolen from Ankor Wat. Go here and read about it. <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Buddha' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://en.wikipedia..../Emerald_Buddha</a><br />

<br /><br /><br />

According to the legend, the Emerald Buddha was created in India in 43 BC

And according to Science, it is not emerald, but green jasper...

3 provinces in Cambodia is actually Thailand.

The half of Thailand is formerly a part of the Khmer Empire.And the second belongs to Malayans. The real Thailand is hidden somewhere at Lanna (which is, of course, formerly a part of Chinese Empire and built by Chinese escaped from Genghiz Khan's ords invading from the north).Read your own histtory, kiddo. And don't post stupidity.

Including Angkor Wat.

Built by who?

Hasn't everyone worked out by now that Piengrudee is a troll? And it isn't a pretty young girl, but obviously a bloke, and probably considerably older.

But while I'm here... Yes Piengrudee, and three provinces of southern Thailand belong to Malaysia.

Well I for one agree with this article do believe chains and keel hauling should be put in the past.

Then, how can you stop alleged criminal from escaping?

There you go again, trolling away... Okay, I'll bite. You stop the prisoners escaping with cells doors, guards, successive prison walls, more guards, barbed wire, and more guards. Been to a Thai prison? Good luck getting out of there in one piece with anything but a jet-pack.

They slap these chains on prisoners without hesitation - anyone with a sentence longer than (I believe) 20 years gets them. All lifers and guys on death row have them. It is positively medieval, but nothing new there. The Thai prison system is nasty and violates many rules of international agreements to which they are signatories.

By your rationale Piengrudee, which presupposes that there is only one way to stop alleged criminals escaping, if the standard practice to prevent escape was to nail prisoners' pelvises to coffee tables, and someone proposed that they stop doing this, you'd wonder how on earth they were going to contain these people.

One suspects that they would move the capital a little closer to home... and certainly not place it in the Thaksin stronghold.

One also suspects that it wouldn't be some huge state secret, especially since they'd have to start building pretty furiously in already congested, heavily polluted Chiang Mai.

But is Bangkok sinking? Absolutely. And though there are protective measures that can be taken, by the time the govt and civil service divided up the spoils of such a megaproject, the place would already be under six feet of water.