jdinasia

Let's hope that some steps are made to deal with checks and balances of power.abuse.cronyism.gov't contracts etcetc etc

The people of Thailand upcountry generally do not know the complaints against Thaksin as the media is controlled. The people lack information. Once the people get information they will turn against Thaksin.

They all know about the Demonstrations and the accusations, the majority of them don't care. They have more pressing problems, like providing food and shelter. If they lack information who is going to correct that? Not the Democrats they haven't bothered in many many years to win the rural people over, the PAD not likely.[/b] The info that they do receive tells them that a bunch of people in Bangkok can afford to take a month off work to march around, and they know they can't. How about the line of Mercedes and Volvos the Businessmen protesting arrived in, individually worth as much as 20 farms in Isaan, that gets the information out just fine. OMG ... you can't be serious! The press was WAY less controlled and the broadcast media way more balanced before Thaksin. You obviously don't quite get it if you think that all the people at the rallies took 1 month off .... and you seem to fail to remember the weeks of Pro-Thaksin farmer rallies from the North/Isaan. The Line of Mercedes and Volvos? (What do the TRT MP's drive? ... what are they Businessmen?)

No wonder there is no connection between the middle class and the poor.

oi

The northern people are getting info though. One of our good friends and staunch Democrat supporter in Chiang Mai, who voted No Vote because there was no Democrat candidate, is going to vote TRT because she thinks that the Democrats and the PAD are in bed together and don't deserve her vote by the way they acted. oi again

Even my wife who does not like Thaksin or the TRT and would like to see them all go, is now talking about the division of Thailand into 3 separate factions the South, the City and the North caused by the PAD and the Democrats. We were out to dinner last night and everyone in our small Thai-Canadian group thought the same.

How are the Demos (traditionally strong in the South and with a decent Base in BKK) responsible? Wasn't it Thaksin under TRT that decided he could forget about BKK and the South thus creating the schism? oi oi oi

All the Thai/Canadian group thinks the same? wow!

You are certainly wrong about "the majority". Describe this majority please. And how do you get your information? Are you in Thailand talking to the majority or looking at your computer? Does the number of farmers I have connections to represent the "one class"? Since you are so upset about 'racism' what's your background?

As for corruption, there's way too much here in Thailand. What's happening now is called people power. These events are inspirational giving hope to the majority that I know. The TRT is looking for bullshit explanations for all its abuses; Now that's progress.

My background is homo sapiens sapiens of caucasoid race.

I am in Bangkok this fine morning, just having my coffee. I usually do that after waking up.

I am talking to lots of people of all classes here about the political sitiuation, and if they are Thai, then i do that mostly in Thai language as well.

You may call what is happening whatever you want, call it by all means 'people power' - democracy though it is not. And to many the demnstrations may be inspirational, Nazi ideology and fascism was to many inspirational as well.

Oi ....

secret service ... Thaksin's son .... the PAD leaders (no wait .. not leaders) and now Nazi idealogy and facism?

it is just you! If you are student age and not pulling it REALLY is just you!

ahhhh the benefits of owning a car ........

OK ... the Sally folks have hi-jacked the thread so .......

According to the Salvation Army, Commissioners W. Todd Bassett and his wife Carol A. Bassett jointly received basic living allowances and grants totaling $64,210 for 2004 plus housing valued at $34,116. That is still considerably less than the salaries of some of the other top charities.

That's 100,000 USD for TWO people... not a TON of money ... but hey .... The guy in the UK gets a bit less ...

This is the wage offered to the chief executive of the Salvation Army, one of the UK's largest charities. The package includes a range of allowances, including £68.39 a month for long service, £20.23 a month for travel and £636.59 basic salary.

Commissioner Hughes also said cheerfully that his salary is worth more as he is provided with a house and a car. His insurance, telephone line rental and council tax are also paid and he receives a furniture allowance.

The German suspect fled to Thailand to shield himself from prosecution and married a Thai woman here but he was discovered by Thai police and will be deported to Germany.

Mr. Hyongdo will be deported for prosecution in Korea.

Once again, no mention on mention of court appearance or extradition proceedings.........

The concept of Innocent until proved guilty does not seem to apply in Thailand.

They'll be prosecuted in the home country. After all Their country owns the passports .. not the individual ... If they are here using their own they have to be deported home ... if they are here using a fake or one issued under another name illegaly etc .... then why would Thailand want to keep them?

I assume if they are found not-guilty at home they'd be welcome back

Link worked fine for me ..... pointless .... but it worked

we will head out tmw morning early ... then back on Sun ... again Early ... will aim to be back in BKK by 10:30 am and beat some of the traffic

Right ... that's the way to be ... ignore good manners and local behaviour and say "we did it this way in the EU so there!"

OK ... I am wrong ... Patters is one of the top 10 Dive spots n the world ... NOT the Andaman coast .....

Oh yeah ... and Patters has TONS more live coral and great fish than Koh Tao!

:D

Dress to get wet ! .... Carry your drybag when you head out for ciggies

I still have to drive for a few hours tmw morning ....

but we are leaving early

im close to 500

Who's your daddy?

i will beat you to 2000

If you make it to 500 without a time-out Donz ;-p

lol

the Beach Group has a sauna in KK .... have no idea how farang friendly it is ....

the one here in BKK is OK ... mostly "sticky" but not totally

Oh the one they run in BKK is open til 6am

now I understand!

and see nothing ... but there WAS a reason I mentioned the Andaman side AND in the Gulf

But it all beats the UK :-)

Man ..... if I were looking at Diving seriously .... I'd be looking at the Andaman side ... or Koh Tao depending on the season ....

Go where the diving is good!

Hi,

You guys were very helpful (and funny) with my last post, so I thought I'd ask for your advice again. I'm trying to make a six month budget for my holiday (Sept. 1, 2006 - Feb. 28, 2007). I'd like the numbers to be as accurate as possible. Any suggestions? Thanks!

MONTHLY EXPENSES.............. US$..........................BAHT

Apt (including utilities)................425...........................16200

Food......................................... .200...........................7600

Nightlife......................................700..........................2670

Miscellaneous.............................150.......................... 5700

Cable TV.....................................25............................1000

Internet Service..........................20............................800

visa run.......................................25............................1000

Total...........................................1545.........................590

0

6 MONTHS

Total...........................................9270.........................354

00

ONE TIME EXPENSES

Hotel in Pattaya for 6 nights

while I search for apartment

Total...........................................175...........................67

0

One trip to phuket (7 nights)

Hotel (50/night)............................350...........................13400

Airfare..........................................150...........................5

00

Food/Nightlife..............................350...........................13400

Total.............................................850..........................3

500

One trip to Chiang Mai (11 nights)

Hotel (30/night)............................330..........................12600

Bus Fare.......................................60............................2300

Food/Nightlife...............................550..........................21000

Total.............................................940...........................

5900

One roundtrip ticket US/Bkk.........1000.........................38200

Total Expenses for 6 months......12235......................467300

Notes: Apartment/Condo would be a one bedroom, air conditioning, balcony, within 3 kilometers of beach in Pattaya. Cable and internet prices are American prices, I hope they might be a little cheaper in Pattaya. My nightlife is a lot because I figure I would go out 10 times per month. It might get cheaper if I find a steady girlfriend because then I wouldn't have to pay a 400 Baht barfine and 1000 Baht for the girl. Are these still the going rates, I don't want to overpay? Last time I was in Pattaya, I had to send my clothes out to get cleaned and that got pretty expensive. Aren't there any coin operated laundry facilities in Pattaya. Do you think my apartment will have a washer and dryer? The airfare to Phuket and bus fare to Chiang Mai are wild guesses. Did I miss any additional expenses? Thanks again for your help!

For a 6 moonth trip? Looks decent .... even generous to me. Arriving before High season you shhould be able to get a place that is pretty decent for the prices you want ....

I think your issues will be boredom .... and needing a real thought about how much nightlife you are planning.

IF ... big IF ... you ride a motorcycle at home you may want to budget for that .....

you may also want a 10% Emergency fund .... (medical emergencies ... etc)

Personally I'd get a non-imm visa (multi-entry) that would mean one trip out of the country during your stay ... and make it a real trip ... (Angkor Wat? Singapore? $5 Massages in Phenom Penh )

belongs in Bedlam ... where we could have MORE fun will a silly topic

Thanks ... know the area fairly well ... will be staying at one of the raft hotels .. if you see a farng (possibly with a Thai guy) and a chihuahua ... that be me

hmmmmm what a long reply to "wow! a revival thread!

scroll through the posts here Jackr ....don't just read the last 3

Thailand's top opposition party fails to win hearts despite Thaksin ouster

BANGKOK : Thailand's top opposition party scored a win by helping to oust Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, but this has done little for the fortunes of a party that lacks a vision for the kingdom's future, analysts say.

The Democrat Party boycotted the April 2 elections, a snap poll called by Thaksin in a bid to end weeks of street rallies demanding his resignation over alleged abuse of power and corruption and to gain a new mandate.

But during the two-month deadlock, the People's Alliance for Democracy, a broad coalition of protest groups who took centre stage in the move against Thaksin, never called on Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to replace him. [/b] oi ... who is reporting this? the PAD was not a pro-Democratic Party group

Instead, they asked revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej to appoint a new prime minister.

Analysts say the country's oldest political party, which marked its 60th anniversary last week, has failed to win the confidence of voters during the five years Thaksin has been in office.

"After five years, we still don't have a policy platform from the party. I haven't heard what they are going to do with Thailand," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political science professor at Chulalongkorn University.

"It's very frustrating because they have no policy. The Democrat Party has failed to present themselves as a credible alternative. So far in this crisis, we have Thaksin or nothing," Thitinan said.

Thaksin said last Tuesday he would not accept the post of prime minister when parliament convenes, even though his Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party won 56 percent of the vote in the troubled elections.

Bhokin Balakula, the speaker of the house in the outgoing parliament who is tipped as a possible successor to Thaksin, attacked the Democrat Party for giving voters no clear alternatives.

"The Democrat Party should come up with concrete policies. It would benefit the public," Bhokin said on Friday.

Ruengrawee Tichaikul, an expert on Thai politics at the Asia Foundation in Bangkok, agreed.

"I have not seen any creative, concrete proposals in terms of moving against Thaksin's party," she said.

"In the past five years, the Democrat Party did not win the hearts and minds of Thai people. The party is so slow in taking steps because they are conservative. They are fighting inside until they come to a consensus."

Ruengrawee said the party's boycott was effective in forcing Thaksin out of office but even that decision took two days to reach.

"It's so frustrating," she said. "This is very different from Thaksin's party. When Thaksin makes a decision, he can make it in five minutes."

Even with calls mounting for constitutional reform to weaken the power of the prime minister, the Democrat Party has yet to present any concrete ideas. The Demos are not putting forward the ideas for Constitutional reform ... that is an independant group

"The negative outcome of the boycott is that the Democrat Party was not represented in parliament, and the party will have no input in the constitutional reforms because you have to do it in parliament," Thitinan said. HUH? what Parlaiment ... did I miss something?

The professor said the party should focus more on presenting a clear platform on the future of Thailand instead of attacking Thaksin.

"They have to stop negative talk about Thaksin because we all know what Thaksin stands for. They should stop telling us what's wrong with Thaksin. Start telling us what's right with the Democrats," Thitinan said.

"What's their policy? Where is the future of Thailand?"

During the 2005 elections which helped Thaksin's party capture 377 of 500 seats in the lower house of parliament, the Democrat Party lost one quarter of its seats, leaving it only 96. Are the numbers here accurate?

"The Democrats were badly beaten in the election last year and they have not recovered," one Western diplomat told AFP, asking not to be named.

"They also have a money problem," the diplomat added, stressing that the party founded by the telecoms tycoon Thaksin had easily outspent the Democrats in election campaigns.

After last Sunday's polls, the Thai Rak Thai party is expected to win some 460 seats. The Election Commission has yet to release official results.

The Asia Foundation's Ruengrawee was skeptical whether the opposition party that ruled Thailand during much of the 1990s was ready for government again.

"Even after this crisis, the party did not emerge as a strong, credible party," she said. "I'm not sure if they are ready to run the country."

- AFPWhats is the AFP?

Ranong .... and Rayong .... are rather far apart