jonclark

Why is there a chinese tourist taking pictures?????

112 tons...why is this news. Whats next?? Frenchman buys fish from a Thai market

Lots being made of action against the 'cheats' i.e. those university students. But perhaps unsurprisingly nothing about the other benificaries and paymasters behind the cheatera action. Those police who paid for the services of the students and are more to blame than the students. I wonder if those police remember the oath they swore to king, crown and country as they handed over their money. These are the people who need public shaming punishment. 

If this is true, $50 billion per year, why is this capital not being invested in structured re-training programs for the vast majority of the heavily indebted farmers and industry works to help life them from poverty and grow what is possibly the fastest growing area in Thailand economy even more???? 

Two things:

1st good on the police for going public and making this announcement. Even better if these cheats are named and shamed...hopefully in one giant finger pointing photo op. 418 coppers all pointing at themselves. 

2nd sadly this shouldnt suprise anyone. The RTP are not really the moral compass by which any self respecting individual should guide themselves with...although their actions are comedy gold so credit where it is due.

Lets just be clear. That is not a ferry. Its a cattermaran being used to ferry (aka tramsport) people to and from hua hin and pattaya.

Reading between the lines it seems that the service on offer is very unreliable.  The choice of boat should be determined by the conditions it will be reasonably expected to safely endure. A rush job poorly thought out...and that is a great shame as that had the potential to be a hugely benifical service.

1 hour ago, The man from udon said:

I know,Thai politics ain't my forte and I get bored.anyway there's nothing wrong with sticking it in the rusty bullet hole,or chocolate star fish,it's a perfectly normal and healthy hobby with great rewards.if george Micheal was here he would totally agree.anyway it's not our country or politics and I don't care if shes done right or wrong so let's see what the Thai justice system (revenge) does to this woman.

Another quality EAL teacher washes up on Thailands shores. 

22 minutes ago, lostinisaan said:

But O'Brien is reputed to have hacked into NASA systems when he was just 13. He is now 41. 

 

  Authorities say that he's  now able to hack into third gender systems very easily.- 

Looks like he could have been the man behind the recent hacking of government websites as well????

5 hours ago, robblok said:

Single gateway is a stupid plan that should be scrapped, hope they are not that stupid. Anyway the junta does not have that long anymore and we all know how long it takes to implement something like this. 

 

Then again the next government even if PTP might just implement it too because whoever is in power always loves to use these kind of things to punish opponents.

Rob I totally agree - PTP will love this when they get back into power. And they get away scott free as they are simply following the laws laid down by the military. 

36 minutes ago, ricku said:

An excellent opportunity to make an example. Execute them both.
 

What kind of retarded comment is this? Are you one of those asshats who blames rape on clothing?

Did you read this??

5 hours ago, impulse said:

 

What makes you think Uber drivers are doing any better?  Just because a bunch of unregulated part timers have put out a shingle and taken away a bunch of business, doesn't mean they're rolling in dough. 

 

Before Uber, Bangkok already had too many taxi drivers.  Then comes Uber, adding even more -illegal on several levels- many of them part timers just looking to offset a portion of the car payment.  Take it to an extreme, imagine everyone who owns a car in BKK were to sign on to Uber and take 2-3 fares a day just for spending money. How would you expect legal taxis to stay in business?  If we want them to serve our needs, we have to let them make some money.  That only seems fair. 

 

Look at the OP photo from the point of reference of a taxi driver.  Now, imagine when your taxi gets to the front of that line, you're only guaranteed to get a fare worth $1.00.  You may get more, but $1.00 is all you're guaranteed.  

 

I don't blame them for being upset about unlimited illegal competition with no taxes, no license fees, and no meters limiting their take.

 

 

I appreciate what you are saying - But please understand i did not say Uber where doing any better - The taxi driver making the video infers that they are they are taking his business. 

But if Uber is thriving (as we can assume after the rant) then it must be doing something right? Its down to the Taxis to up their game - as the old saying goes "You pay ya money ya make your choice" And the customers clearly are making their own choice. 

The number of times I have been left in the rain / stranded / or rejected by taxis (and bear in mind it  is actually illegal for taxis to refuse a fare just cause they don't want to drive there). I have very little sympathy for them. Taxis have had many opportunities to get their house in order and failed. 

How many taxi drivers have you had whose face doesn't match that on the driver ID card on the passenger side? Taxi drivers driving taxis under the influence?  Taxi drivers with no license etc. The illegality works both ways i'm sad to say You ever tried to call a taxi to your house to collect?? 

If Uber are doing so well and stealing all his customer, then why does this guy become self employed and become an Uber driver? 

1 hour ago, chiang mai said:

 

Shame you wont let the Thai police investigate the matter before finding them guilty!

 

So she jumped out of a window with her hands tied, hmm, OK. And then she caught a taxi and then flew out of the country, say what! No questions by the taxi driver, no trip to the embassy or Provincial Police, just straight out of the country on a plane.

 

Unless a plausible account emerges to fill in the gaps in a credible fashion, I say that's a suspicious report at best, BS at worst..

Before we all jump to conclusions as to whether this happened or not. Just consider the sources of this story. Neither the Chaing Rai Times nor Fox News Corp are well known or respected for their detailed, comprehensive and accurate portrayal of actual news or events. 

Good on customs. 

If this is tax evasion to the tune  1.2 million x 489 then that is a lot of money missing from the state coffers. 

If it isn't then at least they are making sure that all irregularities are investigated and clarified before allowing entry. Actually doing their job. 

54 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

 

Not if you regard Thailand as your home you wouldn't, people who have lived here for fifteen years or more do, I certainly do - my family is here.

 

And if waiting lists back home are what they are, getting treatment in Thailand is certainly a viable option. Many health insurers in the US send their patients here anywhere because the costs are cheaper, Blue Cross being one.

Thailand is my home as well and i totally agree with what you are saying. 

But what I don't get is if you live abroad and need surgery etc and are over 50, then Thailand is a great place to come for the surgery, treatment etc and then go home. Blue Cross sends their patients here...and then they go home after the treatment. They don't stay for 5 years and put 3 million in a foreign bank!

I just don't understand, if the intention is to encourage overseas visitors to use Thailand for medical purposes why the 5 year visa?  Only the chronically sick would need prolonged treatment and its arguable if those people would i) want to be away from family support networks in their home countries and ii)  would qualify for insurance.  

Your family is here - would you want to stay in a foreign country away from your family for 5 years whilst getting medical treatment? or would you rather take your chances on the NHS and be with your wife, children, grandchildren and wider family network? 

Think about it - a five year visa for a boob job!! This is not about medical tourism. Its about money. 

35 minutes ago, colinneil said:

That is 1 brain dead farang, posting that on the internet.

He has just made himself a Big target.

So he should just take it? 

He should be congratulated and supported for taking the time end effort to highlight inequalities that exist. Obviously the police won't like it but they are the ones making themselves look bad here. Perhaps they should take the time to reflect on their own actions. 

24 minutes ago, Pimay1 said:

Certainly not.

This visa just seems nuts - I just don't understand why if you were sick you would want to stay in a foreign country for so long. Surely most people who come for medical treatment would go home after being treated?

Long stay expats have family and friends here. People who choose to come for medical treatments - such as plastic surgery, go home after the treatment is finished??? Especially if they are older and have established family and friend networks in their own countries. 

How many sick older people want to be away from their families?? Most want to be with their families. 

This just makes no sense? 

4 hours ago, Pimay1 said:

I have to agree with you Colin. I was in the Queen Sirikit Heart Center in Khon Kaen for eight days having two stents placed in my coronary arteries. I could not have asked for better physicians or post op care. The total cost was 240,000 Baht which I consider quite reasonable. 

But would the cost have seemed reasonable if you were required to deposit 3M in a bank for 1 year prior to the op, and then only allowed to with draw 1.5 million over the next 4 years? 

I agree with you about both the cost and quality of health care at most hospitals. There will be horror stories of course, they exist in all countries. 

Sorry to sound negative. But, what exactly are these efforts - I have seen no evidence of what they are and how people are meant to participate in them?  

More cars on the road, greater demand for tech goods and shopping malls that use more electricity than entire provinces. The public are participating in these efforts, that''s for sure.

Given the photo and these sterling efforts by the public is the aim to raise temp  by 2 degrees? 

Wow that is great. It should really be a good day out - a few cold beers watching the bike whizz around and a healthy injection of cash into the local area!! 

Good to see these sort of events in Thailand. 

9 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I'm with you on legalizing the weed.

 

But higher taxes on a product that causes untold misery and costs society $$ billions in lost lives, broken families and health problems is hardly a punishment.  Like with cigarette taxes, the higher cost of the product is just a reflection of the actual cost to society.  I just wish they'd put the tax money into rehabilitation and health care.

You are right with the broken families / cost to society.

The theory on taxation is very sound, as a  theory.  But do higher taxes on alcohol actually reduce the numbers of young drinkers? Or will 18 / 19 years old still find the money somehow to go out on the town with their friends (beg / borrow / steal).  When has telling an 18 year to not do something, result in that 18 year not doing it? 

Surely education on responsible drinking, knowing limits, effects etc would be a better policy than enforced abstinence? 

There is as well that pessimistic argument that governments don't want to raise taxes too much  (and possibly discourage too much)  as they need that high volumes of tax revenue from the huge volumes of alcohol sales to balance the books.

" periodic increases of alcohol tax to discourage young drinkers."

So punish all drinkers to discourage young drinkers???

Here's a better idea - reduce young drinkers by legalizing weed. It would probably be more effective than the above idea!

18 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Mook 23

We are talking here about a major accident or illness that precludes travelling.

Would everyone stop dancing around the reality here.

If you are over 50 & want to retire here then 3 mil in your bank account  in Thailand is not excessive.

If that is too much maybe time to head home & let your ex nanny state take care of you

Singaporeans in Oz have to bring twice that into the country to live there.

Just out of interest in OZ and Singapore do they require that any money that is brought in by people who wish to live there to remain in a bank account and not be spent for the first year?  Or are you free to spend it as you please? 

This is not a trolling type post, just a genuine question. Seems very odd if they do? 

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

. Saying however, as some like to, that "the majority voted for Hilary..............are not statements based on fact.

So who did the majority of voters vote for?? Please illuminate me?? 

Or do you think the 62 million votes for her are because those voters  secretly want Trump to be president, ergo he got the majority? 

10 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Fact - the POTUS is not and never has been elected on the popular vote. The electoral college has always been the system. 

Fact - this is the 5th time that a POTUS has been elected by this process whilst not receiving the most voters in the popular vote.

Fact - Hilary lost, Trump won based on the voting system used by the USA to elect it's POTUS.

 

Fact - it doesn't matter, change the result, or mean Hilary won. 

 

 

I completely agree - especially the bit about her losing - see the first two words of my previous post!

But 2 million more Americans would prefer her to be president than Trump - Fact!