mangostays

Don't even make eye contact, don't even mutter a word, don't listen to a thing they say, trust me on that...

I find the best thing to do is flob a big fat greeny at the most oily one, preferably right in the middle of his greasy middle parting. If he retaliates in any way, don't hesitate to tear your shirt off, and run up and down in front of his shop squawking like a comedy chicken and doing the 'arse out, arms bent' chicken dance.

Believe me when I say that this really freaks them little fellas right out.

Hello,

Simple questions:

1. Is it legal to upgrade PBT5 or TB5 land to Sor Kor1 and above (NSS3, NSS Jor (Chanote)

2. Is it legal to sell PBT5 or TB5 land to a foreigner

Thanks

A

wooohoooo - :-))))))

Is it true that some banks still don't charge now? ??

The 'yellow bank' in ThongSala, Koh Phangan, gives a message at the end of a withdrawl with a UK visa card say thay there has been no charge for this transaction.

Not sure I understand the context of your quote, however it would be interesting to know where he scored his drugs from in the first place....(yes, I've read Bangkok 8 too)

If you are inclined to dabble in drugs, they are extremely easy to find here in Thailand; it is a question of demand. If you now would be inclined to make a business out of it as the last step on the ladder, as a street hustler, all you do is buy a bigger amount, get a discount, and mark it up again.

The amounts he was caught with, in a business sense, were absolutely trivial and easy to source.

That he was obviously inexperienced shows that he had his car loaded with equipment (which makes intent to sell absolutely impossible to deny), did seemingly even the packaging right in front of the customer instead of separating himself from any evidence and only get the drugs brought when the money is there (or have an absolutely tiny amount on location; which means he should not have worked alone). The shops selling fake DVDs here in Patong have sussed this system out, one would have assumed a guy doing serious crime would have thought it through that far. Which means we got an amateur here, and by no means a 'major drugdealer'.

Still, the legal ramifications must have been clear to him; but obviously, they seem to be unclear to our overly excited journalists and whoever out the title up on this thread.

That this guy would receive the maximum penalty is highly unlikely, not only because of the amounts, but because police should have an interest to get the next-higher guy in the supply chain (he might only have a real problem if he was actually in competition to persons with special interests in the police force, but nothing in the facts as presented points in this direction).

My point was that I doubt the police will try to hunt out and expose the higher rung on the drug ladder for the rather obvious reason that .... I'll let you work that one out for yourself....

Silly man... I tell anyone who comes here to visit us... well didn't tell my Mum this... but anyone under 30... DON'T do drugs here... if you get caught it's NOT NICE... but to sell them... duh!!! I hope he doesn't get killed, but being in prison for 22 years could be a bit boring... ah well... he must have counted the cost at some stage and decided that the profit was worth it???????? Nah, still DUH!!!

I've seen loads of 'tourists' over 30 doing drugs in Thailand.

He's obvously a complete idiot, dealing yaba out of his bloody vigo. I kinda doubt the story released tells the whole picture.

When will they ever learn. 'When in Rome do as the Romans do', once again, springs to mind.

Not sure I understasnd the context of your quote, however it would be interesting to know where he scored his drugs from in the first place....(yes, I've read Bangkok 8 too)

On BBC worldnews, defiantly full sized tanks, with red shirts doing vioctory dances on them with wood and steal bars in their hands. The Army guys had big smiles, welcome to LOS !!!!

Looks like it will be a new difinition of 'low season' this year. A real shame for the silent majority.

Always knew they should have been colonised by the Brits and had some common sense and honesty knocked into them. You don;t get this sort of carry on in Singapore now do you?

It's never too late...in fact, a truely impartial administration with no links to the old kronies and no concept or interest of, in saving anyones face, is just what this country needs in order to get back on it's feet. They themselves have shown the world they are incapable of running the show themselves.

I have to ask a question that's been bugging me for some time now. The Thai's see us Falangs (they will never capitalize this word) as money only! They tolerate our presence at best for reasons I'm sure we are all (as guests) well aware of. Throughout this "circus act" over the last couple of years I have to wonder when the Thai's attention will turn to us. How and more importantly WILL the government be able to control the spit roasting and consuming of tasty falang flesh?

Joking aside... for me this is a serious matter. My children are half Thai and I now consider this my "home" (I still have an emotional bag packed just in case ... and who hasn't with this farce of control?)

Any thoughts people?

This is a serious concern of mine too.

All Thailand needs is another Mugabe in the driving seat and they'll be tearing up our gardens and lynching us in the street. Anti foreign sentiment runs deep in Thailand, it's no secret that many Thais on all social levels secretly/openly despise the Farang and would like nothing more than take back all the land they sold us a few years ago and stick the boot in.

It's bloody obvious that the police and army support the reds, and it doesn't take a brain surgeon to work out that Thaksin paid for this with his own money and the promise of favor to the few upon his return.

Shocking <deleted> really.

Does Thailand really beleive that the tourists will keep comming and the business men keep investing if this horrible mess continues? Scarily, I beleive that this is exactly what Thailand believes, only when the money stops flowing into the country will the reality sink in, except that the Thais won't see them selves as the ones to blame. And that's when they turn on us.

Well, it appears it's the reds turn now (despite an economic crisis, mai pen rai) and apparently DEMOCRACY IS AT STAKE!!! OR, simply 76 BILLION frozen baht (and a chance for Mr Thaksin to thaw it & 'double-up') This all conveniently coincides with Dr Thaksin's upcoming court date on said frozen approx 2 Billion USD.

It's all becoming slightly reminiscent of the old movie 'It's a Mad, Mad World'...

With greatest respect to deceased Spencer Tracy (whom prob wouldn't want to be caught dead with this lot)

Wonder if it will end similarly for Big 'T'?

http://www.ruinedendings.com/film662ending

Mr Thaksin's earlier pleaded for the red-rally to: "Tell YOUR children to come" This occurred at the same time HIS 'children' were being jetted out to safety, in first class comfort of course... (no more needs to be added really)

Shame on Thailand. Shame.

Money, money, money, money. Shame on you.

Police ready cranes to clear roads

BANGKOK: -- The police threatened to use cranes and trucks to move taxis parked on roads all over Bangkok if cabbies who support the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) do not stop blocking the streets.

The red-shirt protesters began blocking key roads across the capital on Thursday afernoon to pressure Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign.

They gathered outside the the Constitution Court, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government House and Democrat party headquarters in Bangkok, and in Pattaya where the 14th Asean Summit is to begin on Friday.

Bangkok's traffic police commander Weerapat Tansrisakul said his men were trying to negotiate with the taxi drivers who blocked all traffic lanes around the Victory Monument.

If the talks failed police may have to use cranes and trucks to remove the taxis and clear the roads, he said.

The UDD leaders said about 20,000 taxis would block roads around Bangkok for another three days if the government does not meet their demands for a general election and the resignation of the foreign minister and three privy councillors.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-04-09

They've paid them to put on red shirts and protest. On Samui, the mayor of **** paid 4K per vote. my mum in law was given 500 THB to wave a flag and make a fuss in BKK.

Stop pretending that any sort of democracy exists here. Here, money talks period.

You could always try ranting about the problem to complete strangers on the internet? oh wait a second...

I never eat at restaurants attached to bungalow resorts on the beach. The food is always rubbish and the service crap.

Golden moment when I blacklist a restaurant is when I suspect I've been overcharged (farang price) or I get an ounce of attitude off any of the staff.

Note, I am an easy client. I eat almost anything and accept that sometimes a place just get's it wrong. Dishonesty, anti-foreign sentiment; whatever - they can stick it up there arse.

Bad service happens all over the place, however it is aggravated in Thailand because:

1. Many business owners see the farang as simply somebody who passes through and thus no serious comback on rip offs is likely.

2. Many business owners think that they will automatically win any legal dispute with a foreigner on account of being Thai.

3. Many business owners have no concept of the 'ongoing business model'.

4. Many business owners think foreigners are stupid and know nothing about Thai food.

They don't really give a toss what we think at the end of the day.

Well, I finally got DH to go in with me to get a yellow tabien ban.

I don't know if Koh Phangan is fairly easy (he had a book full of yellow tabien ban applications) or if it was just because my husband knew the man doing the processing.

We needed to provide: marriage license (we were married in Thailand so the Thai language license was not a problem), copy of my passport, copy of his tabien ban and id card, and my husband wrote my name, my parents names and address in the US down in Thai. No witnesses, no translations of anything. Took about 15 minutes and cost 10 baht

I too had a very similar experience on Koh Phangan a couple of years ago. No problems. One strange thing did happen, and that was the clerk wrote up a contract on note paper between me and my wife in Thai, basically I had to promise that i would be a good bloke, not get very drunk, would always respect the house (even though it's mine) and not play around with other women. I'm serious. I think I have a copy of this still, if i can find it I'll post it.

I don't know of anyone who's had any problems on KPG getting the yellow book. I know of several foreign 'controlled' companies that leese land and houses back to foreign directors who also have yellow books and no Thai spouses are involved.

Hi,

Do any of you good fellows have any experience of dealing with or partnering with Palm Construction? I understand from a bit of digging that they also provide project finance, however I am more interested in their ethics, history and most importantly, how well they build houses.

Cheers

Adam.

I knew it but just today some friend gave me some shot.

Early in the FMP morning, suddenly a team of what I guess a kind of thai Navy Seals landed opposite Palita Lodge, in the middle of the disconcerted ravers (<deleted> I've smoked last night??).

Big waves and the officer hit with an oar the sailors, throwing sand in their faces and shouting something.

Somebody almost drowned.

Here some pics:

An anti terrorist drill no doubt.

I mean, If I had a problem with Israelies, where better to strike than the full moon?

Hi,

My wife and myself are looking to hire a live in main/nanny/general home help.

We have 2 kids, a 2 yr old boy and a new born baby girl.

My wife is Thai, I am English and we live in spacious two story house with private self contained flat for staff.

This is a full time, long term position (we live here full time with no intention of leaving for many years) and would suit a single woman between 20 and 40 yrs. All food, bills and accommodation is included in the monthly salary.

Upon completion of a three month trial period a permanent position will be offered along with all the usual income taxes, public holidays, social security payments etc.

Salary is negociable depending upon experience and ability but will start at 5,000 THB per calendar month, reviewable upon completion of the trial period.

Location, Hinkong (Sri Thanu), Koh Phangan, Suratthani

call me (Adam) on 0898 665 880, reply to this post for further info.

Thailand elite program is dying! Special Entry Visa suspended!

I am a Thailand elite member and I was informed today by Thailand elite company that the renewal of Thailand elite 5 year Special Entry Visa has been suspended.

The Thailand elite program was marketed as a government backed program that gives its members indefinite visa privileges in a form of a special visa entry that is renewable every 5 years. As a result of this extraordinary privilege many members has bought in to this program for 1 million baht. Apparently today the renewal of visa privilege has been suspended!

There has been a lot of negative comments in the past towards this program coming mainly from expats that live in Thailand and are not members of this program. Apparently those fears about the government not continuing to respect this program are coming to be true!

My personal opinion is that this situation will kill the programs reputation completely regardless the outcome of the expected cabinet vote about Thailand elite visa privilege approval.

As for today there are about 2500 members in the program. I am just wondering what will be the consequences of this move by thai government after not respecting a program it has self established, generating significant profits of this scam and insulting influential wealthy people from many nation around the world? What does this say about the country? What does this say about the people of this country? What does this say about doing business in this country?

For more information about this program you can visit thailandelite web site

Sympathies to all Elites for wasting almost 15,000 GBP on such a load of old twaddle.

Here comes the however....

If one can purchase an elite pass that circumvents (for one) the conventional visa system WITHOUT dimplomatic status, and gives the bearer immunity from double charging, tea money and basically any other privileges a high soc Thai citizen demands, then this system is almost certainly a scam and nothing more than a cash cow for a select few brain childs in the ex-administration.

My scepticism in the entire package came simply from the fact that for this system to work, every single atom of public society and government/political official make-up throughout the Kingdom would have to have bought into it without question or debate and have be promised a fee equal or more that that they were already receiving from their current 'business set up'.. A mere 1 million THB per foreigner (for 2500 bods) would not even scratch the surface.

VIP status was a poorly planned short cut to residency and a feeble attempt to extend the elite class system out and beyond the borders of the kingdom for non Thai subjects and at the same time (phew) no doubt cut tasty a profit for the inventors.

An age old system for Thailand's elite only works for Thailand's elite. Foreigners live by a different set of rules.

SCAM.

The longer this goes on, the more ludicrous this country must be looking to the eys of the world. Clear these prats in yellow have no idea, or just simply don't care the amount of damage that they are doing to the long term economy of this country. When the tourist industry has been completly ruined, there's going to be even more discomfort for a sixeabale portion of the population that work in tourist related industries.

As for the other bunch of idiots in red, they are no better, and it's about time the imcompetent Somchai either did something decisive about the whole mess, or he resigns, but I guess that his puppet master has already told him not to do any deals.

A total disgrace the lot of them.

I agree.

I am discusted with the Yellow Shirts and the way they are exploiting a view held by all Thais - a love of the King, as a moral highground that they believe

1. reliquinshes them of any responsibility for their disrupive actions, and:

2. attempts to riddle any non Yellow Shirt supporter with guilt for not loving the King enough, which of course every Thai national does.

The Red Shirts are simply a consequence and not the cause, of the shambolic capabilities of the Thai political system.

Incidentally, as I'm sure you all know, the Yellow Shirts want to remove the vote from the individual and instead bestow the responsibility onto 'appointed experts'.

Come on, give me a break.

The airports being closed is utter <deleted> and plainly demonstrates to the rest of the sane planet either how little the PAD cares for it's country or monarchy's international image or more likely, how stupid and short sighted they really are. PAD as a flash in the pan and it is simply a matter of time before they get a severe kicking.

The longer this goes on, the more ludicrous this country must be looking to the eys of the world. Clear these prats in yellow have no idea, or just simply don't care the amount of damage that they are doing to the long term economy of this country. When the tourist industry has been completly ruined, there's going to be even more discomfort for a sixeabale portion of the population that work in tourist related industries.

As for the other bunch of idiots in red, they are no better, and it's about time the imcompetent Somchai either did something decisive about the whole mess, or he resigns, but I guess that his puppet master has already told him not to do any deals.

A total disgrace the lot of them.

My wifes mother lives in Bangkok. She was given 2000 thb (500 thb per member of the household) to don a red shirt and join the fight. This happened yesterday.

She says that every time somthing like this happens, a little man comes round all the houses in her area (Yusid) and hands out cash for support.

Attention!

New and groundbreaking proposal to end the turmoil in Thailand and make everybody happy:

Let Somchai/Taksin govern the North from Chiang Mai while Sondhi and his Yellow People can govern the rest from Bangkok. The North can than separate and be known as Lana-land or Lalaland. Issan can join them if they wish after a referendum. The Bangkok run part may be called Krungthep-land or Moomooland.

Actually the South may split from Bangkok as well. Apart from Patani state which will surely go to Muslims the Phuket and Samui islands can perhaps became independent Farang Kingdoms. The names for them can perhaps be decided later after few drinking competitions.

This is the best solution so far.

In all seriousness, this is probably the most sensible thing I have ever read on ThaiVisa.

Names for the Phuket and Samui Islands, well the possibilities are endless - how about 'Little Britain'?

I spoke with a friend last night who is a physician at Bumrungrad. They were urgently awaiting some sort of perishable chemotherapy medicines that were couriered from the USA day before yesterday. Needless to say, it won't be arriving and his patient lies dying in hospital.

This is going far beyond loss of tourists and failing businesses when seriously sick people begin dying because of PAD's actions.

To be honest that sounds kinda dumb. If I had something that important I wouldn't send it through the mail. Someone sent me a package from England two weeks ago and it still hasn't arrived.

I was sent a package from England on the 30th Oct 08, and neither has that arrived. It usually takes 7 days max for a parcel to get here, and I live on Koh Phangan!

Do you need a lawyer for legal matters or just an accountant, book keeper?

If the second one, I suggest Samui Business (Mr Suthep). In Samui/Phangan/Koh Tao many falang-owned business use his services.

About Asia Travel, look like they are again on the immigration police target about fake or made-easy visa. Recently two friends of mine got all their passports photocopied and immigration ask them about Asia Travel and about strange Non/B made in Germany or Switzerland, Now they are very worry about it.

Spend more, get more...

Hi,

I've a company and same like you and i've the obligation in worms the Thai authorities. I'd like to change my lawyer and take a new on Koh Phangan, if it's possible. That's all!

I've no house, no land and nothing that Thai laws can be take to me. I've just a small business and i don't need a best lawyer, just an office approved by the authorities, including for accountancy, where the people will be able to take care of my business (for example each year: make a Thai Audit and Reporting Requirements; who pays the SSO, etc.).

Nobody on this island works with a lawyer on Koh Phangan? There are only the drug's dealer here? I don't think so.

Thank you, and please Pilchard, stop your bullshits

We all use morning star, from Koh Samui. They are a one stop shop for all business needs (accounts, legal advice etc). really good price and they come to your office/house in Koh Phangan twice a month to collect paper work etc.

Tuffi and Jee.

They do visas, work permits, company set up, monthly VAT, accounts - pretty much everything a small business needs.

yep, no2 and he's supposed to be concreting the road to leam seethanu, hope he keep his promise.

steve

When are the freaking morons going to do the TNP road. I see they started it then stopped?

Oh, J owes me a grand. could do with it.

as I understand it, the people were mugged while they where sleeping, then they woke up and found out;

They then made the bus stop, and demanded the staff to be searched (by them) and only then the driver and the staff fled, which could indicate they felt intimidated

and yes, it is still possible that they were the robbers, but so far, we do not know this, it is even possible that one of the passengers tried his luck;

Actually with the given info, nobody can be sure about what happened

But it is something completely different from the original posting, which stated that they woke up 'in the middle of nowhere robbed and abandoned'

I work in the tourism business, and Thailand is among the safest to travel in;

maybe some of the people posting here should stop this ridiculous constant criticizing of the country where they choose to live and keep on travelling and stay somewhere else

Tors, how on earth can you, even for one moment, believe that the bus staff were not 100% responsible for this? If bus staff would have been able to even put forward the most of ridiculous of excuses to the police, do you think the owner of the bus would have paid even 1 satang to the tourists?

Yes, Thailand is 'relatively' safe considering it's geographical location, but what is frustrating most of the readers of this thread is the method by which the police dealt with the complaint, i.e. blatantly got paid off by the bus owner to NOT pursue the cuplrits AND the arrogance of the bus owner in not giving the names of her staff to the police and obviously bullshitting the tourists with the promise of a future money transfer.

As I said earlier, if tour operators did a little more to protect the tourists interests instead of pampering to and blowing smoke up the asses of the local mafia and Police then perhaps tourist numbers wouldn't be looking so bleak.

And yes Tors, this includes cowards like you.

Tourists get the tour operators they deserve

Tors, as someone who works in the tourist business, I am absolutely fascinated as to what makes you think that tourists get the tour operators they deserve?

Do you see tourism as a Darwinian test of survival?

Do you think that if a 'Newb' picks the wrong bus company on the Koh San Road and then gets done over then this is a form of natural selection?

Do you want to see innocent people punished for picking the short straw?

Please PLEASE tell!

Thanks for leaving the name calling aside...

Of course I am appalled by what has happened

I can however not agree with all the assumptions and generalisations about Thai people

You just cannot expect coming to Thailand and have the same protections you have in our overprotected countries

you actually have to look around you and ask yourself the questions why some tour operators offer a 12 hour bus ride for 60bt

this has been going on for a decade, and has been widely reported, even in the backpackers bible

So stop buying tickets with these crooks and choose for a reasonably priced, thrustworthe agent

Tors, you haven't answered my questions and you blatantly assume that naive tourists deserve criminal retribution.

What worries me is that in your case, and as somebody who works in the tourist business, you ideology is simply irresponsible and quite frankly, plays with the lives of innocents.

For somebody who lives in Thailand, either your time so far has been very sheltered, you're simply being ostentatious or you're clambering for the moral high ground simply for the sake of scoring point in an argument.

Tors,

Please square your posting with mine just above it.

It seems to me you are anxious to shore up your tourist business - at the cost of the truth.

Thailand is still for many (young and old) people from Europe the first country they visit outside of Europe

This is because it is considered safe and easy, so the profile of the tourists to Thailand is different from many other countries,

on the other hand, since Thailand is welcoming tourists for several decades, you have a lot of hardened visitors

that are using the Thai visum system to stay here on an semi-permanent basis, with a lot of specific problems (like the marital disputes)

that all show up in your statistics, but are not representative in comparison to other countries;

for people with a little bit of respect for the Thai culture (of not being agressive or intimidating toward Thai people) I can assure you that Thailand is wonderfully safe!

But people that think they are doing a good deal buying a bus ticket of 60 bath from BKK to CNX should be aware something is not right

You are simply attempting (and failing) to quantify the possibility that the theives on the bus are the victims and not the tourists. You should go work for TAT, you'd do really well, you turncoat.