jonclark

Yep! They're desperate!

Thai traditional tourism ?

Is the cabinet endorsing sex tourism, scams, double / triple pricing and all the other little things that are commonplace but hidden or denied and never sorted out ?

Hang on I though the latest promotion was 'martial law tourism' which was rolled out a few weeks ago.

What is traditional tourism?

Jesus they must be skint to do this.

Certainly doesn't assist those at the bottom of the societal pile who find their finances squeezed once again. Cost of living keeps on rising

Thailand to become a financial hub - Yeah right and Vanessa Mae qualified for the Winter Olympics on her own merits!

Wasn't that dude in the TV series Friends?

Can anyone explain why the Chao Praya is "mighty"?

Why is everyone so negative this morning?

Lets share the optimism its Friday!!

What has this got to do with Thailand??? other than he might visit Bangkok??A tenuous link if it is indeed a link

Obviously passenger safety is a high priority but this announcement only serves to create dis-information and the frankly stupid notion that a paper lantern which ways a few hundred grams could bring down a passenger airliner weighing several hundred tons.

Just remember that passenger engines are tested in the following ways before being certified safe for use;

1) have over 4.5 tons of water are sprayed into the engine in 1 minute

2) 3/4 of a ton a hail is sprayed into an engine in 1 minute

3) the infamous frozen chicken gun - A frozen chicken is fired into a engine

4) designed to withstand the worst of a lightening strike (if that is at all possible)

All these test need to be passed repeatedly over a test period which averages at least 2 years (probably more) before the engines are used.

As a previous poster mentioned birds are more dangerous than paper lanterns to aircraft.

The problem here is not that he's a 'good man' or however else you want to frame the PM.

The problem for the PM is that he is a general and as such generals are use to giving orders without question.

If his intentions / advice / orders - (choose your appropriate descriptor) are questioned or criticized the PM gets a bit rattled as he ins't use to having his authority questioned.

The PM needs to understand that the public ain't soldiers and will continue to question / quiz / makes critical remarks no matter the 'good' that he thinks he is doing. It comes with the territory. The public are under no obligation to listen to, follow his words or respect him.

I sadly fear that the PM will find this type of confrontation more frequently as people get frustrated at the lack of access to clear, objective and uncensored information and question the PM more aggressively - whether he likes it or not is irrelevant.

As the old saying goes if you can't stand the heat get out the kitchen.

Jon, do you speak Thai? did you see a video of this incident? Can you explain to me how you interpret the few sentences of a reporter as an indication that the PM can't handle the heat of the kitchen?

I am just not seeing it. I am not seeing anything wrong with the General's response.

Reporters are being killed throughout the World. The Press is under real threat in so many parts of the Globe. And people are upset on here because the General allegedly raised his voice?

Can you or anyone tell me what a real thai thinks about what happened today? How do actual Thai interpret todays events?

My wife says the reporter was rude. She is from a rural community where respect is highly valued.

I have no idea how the majority of Thais view what happened today. Do you?

For you information I am near fluent in Thai and can read Thai as well - (but my handwriting is like a P2 student). A number of Thai newspaper have picked up on the story and the general consensus is that the previous PM was more polite / accommodating to the press and concerns are being raised at the level of restrictions and intimidation of the press to tow the party line - This story was merely a lead into that discussion, if you like to 'highlight the case in point' so to speak.

Although I admit I have neither the time nor inclination to read all newspaper from cover to cover on a daily basis, so a number of alternative views may well have been presented.

I am not sure how you would easily define 'a real Thai' given the complex genealogy.

As to how the majority of Thais viewed this incident, as we do not live in a democracy that is rather a moot point as the views of neither the majority nor minority have any bearing on this or anything remotely political. So whether people agree or disagree with the bickering parties here does not make something more right or more wrong. It is what it is.

I think its safe to say that just like the opinion being expressed on TVF, and in the media that the 'the real Thai' view is both expansive, complex and wide ranging with neither side being entirely correct or wrong.

The problem here is not that he's a 'good man' or however else you want to frame the PM.

The problem for the PM is that he is a general and as such generals are use to giving orders without question.

If his intentions / advice / orders - (choose your appropriate descriptor) are questioned or criticized the PM gets a bit rattled as he ins't use to having his authority questioned.

The PM needs to understand that the public ain't soldiers and will continue to question / quiz / makes critical remarks no matter the 'good' that he thinks he is doing. It comes with the territory. The public are under no obligation to listen to, follow his words or respect him.

I sadly fear that the PM will find this type of confrontation more frequently as people get frustrated at the lack of access to clear, objective and uncensored information and question the PM more aggressively - whether he likes it or not is irrelevant.

As the old saying goes if you can't stand the heat get out the kitchen.

I have read many posts on this and normally don't reply but here's my few cents worth on the topic.

If you are married then decide if you feel you married wisely and you and your wife are a trustworthy team in it for the long haul. If you answer yes. Then buy the land in your wifes name, make her an equal in the marriage. If you think you married badly then don't.

I have bought a number of plots of land with my wife we decide what we do with those plots as we are a team and we work together for the family as most husbands and wife's do. If we get divorced then she gets the land - But honestly that's the same the world over - any divorce settlement usually ends up with the husband moving out of the marital home and the settlement usually is significantly in favor of the wife.

If you are worried what will happen in the event of your wife dying work with a lawyer to have the land or funds from the sale of the land transferred to your son. He is your heir so ultimately any money will end up with him eventually.

SO my advice is this - If your marriage is strong and you are confident in it. Buy the land for your family - you, your wife and son. If you marriage is weak - don't.

The irony of the situation is just amazing with the PM in Myanmar; as Myanmar takes its first tentative steps towards democracy, Thailand makes more 'noises' that suggest it is taking its tentative steps in the opposite direction towards a more authoritarian and less democratically inclusive political system.

"If Ms. Yingluck traveled there to open the festival, many people would attend, and it would risk making the general populace to view [her appearance] in an inappropriate way," Col. Winthai said

Yeah right can't have many people attending a festival.

I think by his own admission he has just acknowledged that her and her family remain extremely popular and no matter how many free haircuts and health checks the junta give out as part of their reconciliation process the Shinawatra political monster will be back in the seat of power within the next few years. The political views that people held 2 years ago are still the views they hold today.

And i think that is what is meant by inappropriate - is that she would be welcomed, supported and encouraged by the people who attend - and that is a slap in the face to the junta. As it shows how far short their idea of reconciliation (and i have no idea what they mean by that if i am honest - seems to be a generic one term fits all situations word) has fallen from the mark.

Wow - there is 10 billion baht being spent to provide people with the luxury of digital TV.

While hospital up to necks in debt, schools in a awful state especially in rural locations, the roads and transport system in a fix, the agricultural sector in urgent need of investment and modernization and tax payers money is being spent on giving the population digital TV

If the NBTC have the budget to splurge like this then cut the budget and move the funds to a sector - public health - which has an urgent operational need for it.