jonclark

Odd mentality that people are more worried / proud of the amount being consumed as opposed to the lack of correct disposal methods for the waste created. 

The defamation lawsuit is being prepared by the governments lawyers as we speak.....

17 hours ago, halloween said:

PAD court cases are proceeding, most finalised, Jatuporn et al precede PDRC, and AFAIK most UDD members waiting court have not left the country.

 

Justice delayed is justice denied, and a deliberate tactic of the PTP government.

Why would the military want him to go to jail

Keep him as a free man - a couple of years down the line he will no doubt start stirring up trouble and give the military and elites another reason to stage a coup - Big picture thinking!!

Whilst it is understandable - given that tourist generate about 20% of Thailand GDP and the actual numbers involved here are pretty low - I remember a Phuket hospital - Think it was the Vachira - stating that they treated 330 foreigners (uninsured) which cost them 1.2 million baht in 2008 (including funeral rites as well). I know its a bit old - but the numbers here seem pretty small when the overall contribution is factored in. 

It seems the insurance company will make a killing as 99% of insurance will remain unused. 

53 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Is it not on the visa application form somewhere. But of course, somebody MIGHT not be doing job properly. Did you have to have fingerprints done EVERY time at VFS, as we did.

Fingerprints - you surely are joking - no never - we fill in an online form, pay by credit card, drop off the passport at Trendy as per our appointment and pick it up 10 days later job done. 

You seem to be having a very different experience then me..

Anyway ...back to the topic at hand - Insurance? 

3 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

You cannot get a tourist visa to UK without a valid health insurance policy, been there and done it three times.

Well someone at the UK embassy hasn't been doing there job properly then as we have had probably in the region of 18+ visas and never shown documents for insurance once? So I am surprised to hear that. 

3 minutes ago, Muzarella said:

A goodl accident insurance by a Thai company is about 6000 TH/year. The typycal tourist visa runs for about 2 months. Will be no ptoblerms in charge an insurance  "fee" at entry of 500TH to tourist,  and another 500TH on every 3  months extension, or even 6000TH to every one year retirement or work extension to uninsured foreigners. In most countries tourist and foreigners have to have a credit card to get medical attention if not having insurance. Asking Thailand to do for free, do not make sense, and probably is a burden to Thai hospitals at the moment. In my opinion any car or motorbike rental needs to includes mandatory accident insurance. 

All cars and motorbikes legally must have insurance rentals or otherwise - the vehicle is often what is insured (which includes the people inside). 

The insurance for a scooter, basically covers the cost of wiping your remains off the pavements and comes when you tax the scooterand if memory serves me correctly its called por raw bor  (phonetic Thai sucks - sorry.) There is some accident insurance but it is minimal. This could be the same for a car too, in addition to the above mentioned car insurance. 

6 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

Your a bit too quick - the article announced there is a proposal and it doesn't yet give any details about what the proposal includes.

 

 

You are very right...but what is your gut telling you? - and I'm not on about last nights curry!

6 minutes ago, Toshiba66 said:

Not to Australia.

My wife has never been asked for insurance to the Uk when we go every year/ 

How will it be enforced at the airport. You have god knows how many different nationalities coming through. If i wafted a piece of paper which i claimed was my insurance document and was written in Hindi, Mandarin or Korean will the immigration office be expected to understand its contents. I could just as well be showing him my car insurance

This whole idea is probably on the assumption that all documents will be in either Thai or English after which it becomes a nightmare for the immigration officers with huge lines of tired, impatient and frustrated people and more documents to examine and then argue over. 

And what if 30% of people simply refuse to buy - There is neither the capacity to refuse them entry in terms of space to be held at the air port and then chartering enough flights to take them back to their various departure points

And then what happens if after being forced to buy it....the insurance doesn't pay out - The brains behind this need to show some accountability here???

14 hours ago, GuiseppeD said:

 

No condemnation and I note that on the balance of probabilities you haven't contributed as I have done in the past.

 

Let's look forward to a proactive regime where we help people weigh up the odds between having insurance or chancing it, which has been my point all along.  Education for the nation!  Too late for this particular family but let's make the world a better place in helping people consider their options in advance.  If you can afford a flight ticket to LOS then a little extra outlay for a comprehensive travel insurance policy isn't going to break the bank.  This also ensures that you receive the best possible treatment and repatriation with no stress. 

 

My wife and I have an annual rolling BUPA travel insurance policy, that includes motorcycles, for a measly 140 quid.  This covers all of our international and European trips over the course of a year.  Spread the word, Bluespunk, if you are willing to, otherwise you do a disservice to your friends by leaving them uninformed.  Up to you.

The actual OP is pretty vague about whether or not the family has insurance. 

It may well be that the medical care that has been received has exceeded the policy amount, especially if you add in the likely hood that the mortal remains will nee to be sadly repatriated. - Like yourself I have a very comprehensive BUPA package, but like all insurance it has its limits - I think mine is $10 million a year. It might well be the case that the family has exceeded the premium - ie  AXA smart travel plans has a maximum payout for accidents and medical expenses of 1 million to 4 million baht depending on the level of coverage you take for a Thai national travelling abroad.

So it might be worth considering that possibly the insurance has been milked and the costs are still rising. There is a lot that the OP misses out. 

Just don't give the machines a work permit - problem solved Thai style!

Hope they don't collect too much intelligence, there is hardly enough collective intelligence in the local population as it is. 

Or are they deliberately trying to dumb down the population. 

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

sorry jon, I only answered yes to all because of all the No's.

correct answers :

1. Do you think, in the next election, we will get a government which has good governance? Not unless it's the Junta in control.

2. If not, what will you do?  leave thailand

3. Election is an important integral party of democracy, but election alone without the regard for the future of the country and others is right or wrong? wrong

4. Do you think bad politicians should be given a chance of political comeback; and if there is conflict again, who will solve it and by what means? No chance of comeback

Steve - the big problem I have with your answer to Q1 is that without an open media how are we to know that the Junta are good at governing? Do we accept it a face value? There are no real checks or balances in place for the people to verify this with the current lot  - I personally think they are okay at best (but that is an opinion no more or less).

As for Q2 - well the option of leaving Thailand is not one most Thai people have, so what will they do? Do the accept the level of governance or try to change it? 

As for Q3 - an election is an integral part of democracy as it provides the people with the opportunity to decide the future path the country will take - once that path has been decided rightly or wrongly / for better or worse, it needs to be allowed to play out. Until the next election allows the course to be maintained or corrected. Hitting the reset button is not a solution. Democracies like anything worth doing take effort, persistence and require people to be resilient in the face of set backs (aka - corruption, nepotism, etc etc) . That level of maturity will never be achieved by resetting to day zero. 

I agree with Q4.- There needs to be a system to get to rotten apples out of the cart, however that needs to be overseen by an independent, open and impartial body to ensure people are not labelled bad for political expediency. 

The one thing I have learned from my many years on this planet and Thailand (and I've lived through three coups here, something my younger self would have never imagined! )  is that all governments (the good, the bad and the ones in between) have an expiry date. There will come a time when the Junta will have to go. How they go - quietly or with a bang will shape Thailand's future in almost immeasurable ways. 

I think the tide is turning - like all juntas, the economy will be their undoing. 

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

Question 1: yes

Question 2: yes

Question 3: yes

Question 4: yes

 Khun Prayuth Chan O Cha  

Odd answers:

Q2) If not what will you do? ....Steven100 replied "Yes".  Not sure I understand your reply Steven? Or is it a purposely incorrect? 

You agreed with Q4 - Do you think that bad politicians should be given a chance of a comeback?  - I never thought you would be a fan of the shins and their extended merry band of men aka - UDD/PTP/TRT given your love the Junta. You do surprise. But nice to see you think everyone deserve a second (or third) chance in politics and that you have such an open mind. 

11 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

"Ménière's disease (MD) is a disorder of the inner ear that is characterized by episodes of feeling like the world is spinning (vertigo), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), ..."  wiki

 

I believe that Prawit ought to have had a chat with our old friend Chalerm Yubamrung. He was always in possession of good quality "ear medicine".

Get well soon general, "ear today, gone tomorrow" as they say."

 

 

Oh very good - well remembered that man!

50000 defamation cases - no wonder the whole court system in Thailand is bogged down and so slow moving. 

15 minutes ago, MartinL said:

Yes. UK has a General Election in 2 weeks and a deadly bomb attack yesterday. Terror Threat level has been raised to 'Critical', meaning another incident is expected imminently. Election campaigning was postponed but it will resume soon. The election will go ahead as planned.

 

But, of course, 'Thailand is different'. 

 

Prayuth should read the news occasionally and he'll see that many, many other countries manage to continue the democratic process despite the same problems as - or worse than - Thailand.

 

But what he means is "I like being PM and don't want to subject myself to an election that might boot me out of office".

Well that does seem to be the underlying and poorly camouflaged excuse doesn't it.

For all its faults, and there are many, the UK is very good at returning to a normal state of affairs as swiftly as possible after tragic events such as manchester. Whereas in Thailand gets in a complete tailspin and politicians and leaders use it to advance their own agendas. 

If you look further back in the UKs history, elections were never once postponed due to the mainland bombing campaign of the IRA in the 70'S and 80's, which were far greater in damage, frequency and sophistication than those slightly inadequate fireworks that have been passed off as bombs in Bangkok in the last couple of weeks. 

Other places such as Iraq, Indian Kashmir, Afghanistan and Southern Sudan have all managed to hold elections under security conditions far, far worse than anything in Thailand has experienced in the past 100 years. Countries which Thailand would consider itself superior to I have no doubt. 

Clearly no excuse or reason to use this as an opportunity to not hold an election.

If the PM has failed (by his own admission - which is what this statement is) to bring peace, reconciliation and change to Thailand after 3 years in power, then he has failed. If he has failed, then he needs to step aside (to paraphrase the good general - 'to self- sacrifice for the good of the nation'), and let a better / another person try to succeed.

Is the PMs (and his cabinets) rhetoric and rhetorical styles also included in this statement I wonder? 

1 minute ago, canuckamuck said:

Speeding luxury car, no charges laid. 

You can't have one without the other.

Don't worry charges will be brought against the family of the deceased for the damage to the windshield of the BMW. 

Justice will be done. 

5 minutes ago, dcpo said:

Here's a thought experiment about 'peace'. What would happen if elections were held next week and PTP won? 'Peace' would end right? That's the whole argument for the military staying in power. But why would peace end? Because a bunch of people currently talking about how great peace is would start protesting...

But only if you feel that protesting is not an expression of a peaceful society. And that is the catch - the elite see social unrest as a sign of conflict (perhaps they feel threatened) as opposed to an opportunity for discourse to address social issues that need addressing. 

If both drivers had undertaken a half decent training course to learn how to drive and had then used those lessons whilst driving every day this wouldn't have happened. An avoidable accident

So the blame isn't so much the drivers, but the system that continues to allow poorly trained drivers by the thousand out on the road without the necessary skills to avoid such accidents. Clearly neither is particularly skillful, but they have both met the criteria for being responsible for a motorised vehicle in Thailand, which appears to be; I have a pulse. 

If you give an infant a gun and it shoots itself - who is to blame the infant or the person who gave it the gun - odd analogy but hopefully it serves its purpose. 

Hope the motorbike rider is okay as he really whacked his helmetless head on the floor when he hit the deck. 

2 hours ago, halloween said:

Quite. how dare they protest about the criminal behaviour and excesses of their government. PTP was absolutely right sending the private militia to discourage protests.

One thing though, wasn't THAT putting a gun in someone's mouth and telling them to be happy?

When governments and people talk about truth, freedom and achievements in Thailand; be they Reds / Yellows / Watermelons / PTP / UDD / Suthep or the military and the full range of hues, colours and ideologies in between. There is only one real indefatigable reality here. 

In Thailand truth and freedom lives in the warm  barrel of a loaded gun.  And you the people will accept that truth and embrace your freedoms, even if you disagree with how the truth is manipulated and your freedoms are curtailed. 

For the optimist in me is shows how far Thailand must rise to overcome the many complex challenges Thailand faces to become a great country. Whilst the pessimist in me feels it shows how far the country has sunk.