dougieboy

And how do you think it should end?

Thoughts and suggestions will be much appreciated.

Andrew

He falls in love with a Ladyboy nurse, who takes him out of the hospital and they live happily ever after.

lol

recently when i visit Sukhuvit, i saw an old farang sit on the roadsite with a big a travel luggage , that is a notice on the luggage, he wrote down he need a job, any kind of job, he had a degree holder, and been working at Washington before, his thai's wife sold out all his property and run away. he look very pity,, can anybody help him ?

Its not you is it?

did he tell his wife "your cooking smells funny"?

My sister has asked me if it is safefor a farang woman to go places alone in Bangkok or should she have a male companion. I dont know how to answer that.

I would guess it would not be a good idea at nighttime.

Any helpful advice?

I think women walking alone in any large city in the world is at risk to some degree, take usual precautions such as stick to well lit, and frequented ares, carry personal alarm and mobile and be on your guard, not so different for a male traveling alone really lol. Good luck and stay safe.

Immigration chief targets 'national stability'

Lt Gen Chatchawan Suksomchit explains how Immigration

will be using centralized databases with real-time access

to check on unwanted foreigners. Photo: Phuket Gazette

PHUKET CITY: -- In Phuket to officiate at the opening of the new Phuket Provincial Immigration Office at Saphan Hin today, Immigration Commissioner Lt Gen Chatchawan Suksomchit yesterday announced that he is shaking up his ranks to use technology to be more effective.

Gen Chatchawan, Thailand's top Immigration officer, said his goal is to improve "national stability" in order to restore investor confidence in the country.

He is on a national roadshow to spread his ideology, which he believes the Immigration Bureau can help achieve by maintaining internal security, better administration and serving justice.

In order for the year ahead to be the "year of investment" for Thailand, radical changes are needed to keep up with rapid development worldwide in the era of globalism, Gen Chatchawan opined.

He explained that Immigration will introduce a real-time national database called "Pisces" (Personal Identification Secure Comparison Evaluation System) as well as Advanced Passenger Process (APP) and Advanced Passenger Information (API) computer systems so that officers can quickly and more effectively process arrivals.

"The important synergies here are with organizations like Interpol and government departments of many nations that are willing to join forces. Many nations are now supplying Thai immigration with comprehensive data on both known and suspected pedophiles," Gen Chatchawan said.

Regarding Immigration's role in apprehending illegal laborers, he said, "It is more important to make illegal workers legal as the country needs them. In the case of Burmese, they can work at rates that Thais will not accept and employers cannot afford to pay more – making them a necessity. Immigration therefore has a policy to legalize them and ensure that they all have correct documentation."

Speaking about the 54 Burmese who suffocated in a refrigeration truck en route to Phuket on April 9, Gen Chatchawan said, "By law, this incident cannot be classified as human trafficking as there was no employer identified as being involved, meaning that it was simply a violation of entering without passing a checkpoint.

"As far as the other related crimes, such as the shooting of an ex-police lieutenant suspected of playing a role in the deaths, it is the duty of local police to investigate."

However, Gen Chatchawan admitted, "I do not deny that fact that the integrity of government officials across the board must now be more closely monitored and action taken against those involved."

Other developments to boost national security include the formation of a "Transnational Syndicate Crime Suppression Center" and a task force to counter forgery of passports, visas and immigration stamps.

In addition, details of where foreigners reside, including satellite pictures with details of where foreigners live, are now stored on a centralized database and monitored for irregularities, he said.

"The system is not only to arrest illegal immigrants but also to offer higher levels of safety and protection to VIP visitors. In order for the database to be practical, only those with visas that allow longer stays and VIPS are monitored," Gen Chatchawan explained.

He added that networks are being established to share resources between immigration and other national agencies, such as the Internal Security Operation Command (ISOC), Special Branch (Santibaan), Border Patrol and Provincial Police.

Also, informers who prove themselves as having excellent powers of observation, good memories and a concise, accurate reporting style are now issued an ID card that enables them to quickly report a suspicious foreigner and have the case taken seriously by Immigration.

With the aim of smoothing out the immigration process for many foreigners, Gen Chatchawan said that foreigners known to be honest, responsible and posing no threat to Thailand can be issued cards that will facilitate swift passage past immigration checkpoints.

Also, volunteer translators are helping out at immigration offices, and a 1178 hotline has been set up to provide clear, accurate information about immigration processes, he added.

-- Phuket Gazette 2008-07-29

Swift passage indeed lets have some of that please

I wouldn't say so. I think apparent free and fair elections, the rule of law, and a free press would be prerequisites IMO.

ere ere, and freedom of speech would go a long way, and to sustain a healthy tourism trade they need to recognise the importance of western investment and welcome western tourists, not persecute them

Speaking about invitation to Chineese -I guess it would be better to call TRIADS to make some"business" here.May be on the North?

Same way,if they are REALLY considering image they are spreading all around,how about to rethink about recently mess they made about teaching license(as so many people are leaving Thailand)?

I think that would be better to think and care for people who are already living here(westerners),about the people who are supporting many Thai families here,in so many ways.It would be better to do then to make all as they want to get rid of us(westerners).

Or,there is a message between the lines?

ere ere, at least the Triads of China make themselves known and not hiding under ever more corrupt anti western government legislation.

Chimp

There are unfortunately a few too many Thais both government and individuals who think that treating too many westeners badly will have no adverse consequence. Wrong!

I agree, My wife and I recently went to a crocodile park and she paid Baht 60 and they charged me Baht 300, what the hel_l is that all about? I love LOS and hope to live there one day but most of our time is spent in Sahkon Nakon where life is simple there is no violence, foods great (bit smelly though)lol

I'm back in the states now for about 10 days and it's horrible. Money fell below the 10k mark and decided it was time to come back and work for a bit. Wish I had invested in business with my wonderful GF while I was there, but instead just let it trickle away. Couldn't teach English in Chiang Mai because I lack a college degree.

Figured that coming back with some cash was better than coming back broke, but now wishing I had stayed to the bitter end and try to figure SOME way to make a living in Chiang Mai.

be faithful brother... you did the right thing to go back to get some money. better off doing that than turning into what a few of my friends turned into when the severe clutching at straws begins, and some of the strangest money making ideas come to light, especially after a few! no dignity some people!

however you are right and should have invested wisely rather than peeing it up the wall, but its all done easily enough, you will be wiser next time. and you will be back soon enough. until then, hello from humid and rainy chiang mai. so not gloating too much as i too have to leave next week to go to work, albeit a shorter trip i imagine than your good self. in the meantime enjoy work hard and start planning now!

I couldn't be insensitive lol

Wear would I find the most British people in Pattaya or Phuket.

And would they be retired or tourtist ?

I do not want to be in Bangkok , which would you recomend ?

Why you wanna find Brits? theres alot in UK and youd save some money lol

Does anyone know if the "beer bar" on soi 7/1 still allows smoking!

I hope to return for a couple of days, before heading to Pattaya, and would enjoy a drink without having to move around everytime someone smokes next to me!

In general do bars and restaurants in Bangkok enforce thr law?

Ban em all from reformed smoker ha ha

We have helmet laws, seat-belt laws, non-smoking in A/C restaurants laws, but they don't appear to be enforced so will the new smoking ban be enforced I wonder? Do you think it is good? Will it be accepted? Are all the tourists going to leave Thailand because of it (as some seem to think)?

It appears to me that since I left the UK, smoking has become compulsory for young females! They all appear to smoke , and I am reliably(?) informed that it is to stop them putting on weight (it acts as an appetite suppresant, they say). Which of course begs the question - how fat would they be if they didn't smoke?

By the way - what exactly is the new law? Does it apply to open-air restaurants? Since there is already a law forbidding smoking in A/C places then presumably this law applies to all restaurants - A/C and open-air?

its only the bgs that smoke mostly ,,i hope they do enforce it but like everything else in thailand a drink in a uniformed hand will see any enforcement disapear,

ere ere, everthing has its price, especially in LOS

Are you suggesting the man likes to masturbate?

Chelsea and Man U over the last 4-5 years have took all of the Premier league clubs to a higher level as clubs try to compete, making it the strongest league in the world.

Now its transfer time and it seems if papers are to believed that these 2 clubs have far too much money to spend that even the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal cant keep up with them anymore.

There has long been talk of a Fulltime European League if these 2 teams were to leave the premier league (wont happen anytime soon) would you miss them, IMO it would be a good thing as all the other clubs would be on a similar level.

Thoughts and opinions of what of what can be done to stop this competion becoming more of a precession then it already is.

I think Arsenal and Liverpool would be very happy

Sunday afternoon. Sri Nakharin Road. 30 or so police have set up a roadblock to haul in all the motorbikes that happen to be on the road.

I am confident as I pull up. Wearing a helmet, in the left lane, lights on, bike taxed, carrying licence and copy of registration, bike in good condition, number plate is standard, no customisation of the vehicle, within the speed limit. What can they possibly do me for?

Answer = illegal helmet. What? The tinting on the visor is too dark he tells me. (I bought the helmet 3 years ago. It is a standard Index, cost 1000 Baht with a tinted visor).

I smile and accept the officer's comments while handing him my licence and wait for the inevitable ticket. He tells me that the ticket has to be paid at Rama 4 as they are highway police. But I don't need to go there as he tells me I can pay him 200 Baht on the spot. I decline. He physically leans against me and asks me for cash now. I decline. He continues to lean heavily against me. I can't move away as I am sitting on the bike. His face is right in mine. He continues to demand cash now. He asked me for cash about 15 times leaning against me. It was intimidating. I had to keep an eye on my wallet as I was sure he was going to make a grab for it. This situation lasted for several minutes. Finally he issued a ticket but with the fine amount left blank. I thank him and drive away quickly. What the helll was that about?

Good for you to stand up against obvious corruption, nt sure if I would have

The full name of Bangkok is the longest place name in the world and recorded in the Guinness book of records, 163 letters

Krungthepmahanakhon Amornrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharat Ratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphiman Awatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit

which translates into english as

The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated God, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.

My wife say this is correct I take back my comment and apologise for my ignorance, she can say it in just 5 seconds

I've always taken a lot of showers. In San Francisco, I probably took about 4 every day despite the cool weather. In Thailand, I have a quick shower at least 6 times a day besides a 30 minute swim. If I don't shower this often, I just don't feel comfortable. How about other people?

2 for me, I like to take cold shower not hot

You say you want to buy some cattle for a "village". Who would actually own these cattle? Thai villages are not communes, and from my experience they tend to be hot beds of envy and petty jealousies. You attempting to give an entire village some cattle would probably cause serious political and social problems within the community. If you were to pick one family for your largesse, they would either proceed to lord their new wealth over the rest of the village or become the victims of a campaign of gossip and backstabbing(or most likely both).

TH

I was thinking along the same lines too. It can backfire in a bad way. My cousin went to a small village in Europe for holidays every year, and what he did was buy a new pump for the community well. Everybody benifited and everyone was happy. When everyone benifits, it really does keep the peace. Very noble of you to want to help out. The world needs more of you.

Ere ere, very noble but I agree and think maybe it would create a problem of ownership, My wife once gave a gift ob books and toys etc to a small school, this way the benificiaries are the villages children. Good luck to you I believe you truly deserve it.

I said I thought infants were supposed to be 10% - the response 10% of FULL fare . . however its obvious that no full fare economy (let alone business class ticket) to LHR costs $9010 let alone $11200!!!

just re-read something.....you sure that isn't baht they've quoted you? the number for some reason ring a bell for be, but in baht.....

Maybe a glitich in the system...miscommunication???

I only ever flew once with Thai, it was nice and no stops but cant afford now me and the missus? Dont think so, Etihad or Jordanian for us!

This is the situation,

I have been in Thailand for the best part of 2 years, apart from the odd spell back home in England. At the beginning of January i met an 18 year old girl, im 25..she had not longed arrived in Pattaya and spoke very little english. After couple weeks of speaking to her she agreed to go out to the cinema and from there on we met up and got to know each other better. Anyway i then stayed with her for the next 4 months until end of April when i had a call from back home that my grandmother had suddenly died and the family wanted me back home asap as the funeral was the following week, next day i booked up flight back to England and after a lot of last minute rushing around i was flying off just 2 days after receiving the news, but not long before i was leaving the girlfriend told me she might be pregnant! omg i had no time to do anything but told her soon as im gone she has to go pharmacy and get herself tested.

I arrive back in England and im tied up in alot of family grieving for a while with the funeral and everything. When i next get to speak to the girlfriend i ask her about the baby situation and she tells me she is not pregnant which is a relief, afterwards i end up staying 2 months in England before i head back to Thailand at the end of June.

When i return and meet up with the girlfriend im not 100% convinced she isnt pregnant and buy and test from the pharmacy and make her take it..she lied and she is pregnant! i take her to the hospital the next day and im told she is 3 months and its too late to do anything (not the case if she acted 2 months before).

Im so annoyed and i know she just thought by having baby she can now sit on her ass at my house and i will take care of her forever, when ive said i might have to return and work in England she replies ''why cant you just live in Thailand'' like everything is just that simple.

Anyway my friends have said she has just screwed me over to try and trap me (which i agree with), i have told her i want her to return and stay with her sister for while because i want time to think (she has now told me she is 17 and not 18!) now when i say about her leaving the house she says ''im young, i will tell police!!'' what the hel_l, now what do i do? i feel so trapped and i truely believed she was 18, can i go to jail? she never worked as prostitute and i never paid her any money to stay with me (only food and some clothes).

What i really need to know is what can happen if she reports me to the police? also if we seperate and i take care of the baby how much would it cost me per month (only take care of baby and not her) i know amount can vary depends on how much i want hand the baby but i dont want her family pocketing extra and also i do not have much money hence not planning on this situation in the first place.

Please i need some advice...

One day in the future, that kid (your unborn child) will take on the responsibility of taking care of his mother (your gf) but now, you should face your responsibility of supporting your gf and your child to be. These are the consequences of your actions, I think you must do the right thing but I doubt that you will.

Just returned from a Penang visa run, and once again I noted the same observation as so many times before.

When in the departure lounge and the flight is announced as boarding, the vast majority stand up and join a queue as long as Sukhumvit road to get on the plane. Whereas a cool select few such as myself take the "Now boarding" notification as a que to grab a coffee, have a cigarette, go to the bathroom and then come back, sit down and join the end of the queue when it is gone.

Why do the "Non-cool" people do this??? It doesn't get them on the plane any quicker!

I am thankful though for the non-cool majority because if every body was cool then I would no longer stand out as cool myself.

So well, are you a cool flyer, or do you queue like a sheep?

I stand out like a non cool sheep, I try to remain cool (because i am cool by nature) but when I hear the "Boarding" announcment I incomprehensivley lose my cool and rapidly try to get well up in the queue only then when I'm being hustled and bustled do I realize my folly, but ahoy it is all way too late even though the voice on the tannoy is now allowing the classes and the families with kids on, I cannot sit back down and lose further places. I will try harder next time. TT

Gunman relieves armoured van of Bt12 million in Khon Kaen holdup

KHON KAEN: -- A bold and armed bandit grabbed Bt12 million (some US$ 355,000) from the crew of a cash transfer armoured van Saturday amid busy weekend shopping in the northeastern hub of Khon Kaen.

Police said that the armoured vehicle, a Siam Administrative Management company (Samco) cash delivery van, was stopped in the parking garage for a cash transfer from a Big-C and Tesco Lotus department stores to Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen.

The incident occurred when the Samco van was parked in the underground parking lot of SCB's Maliwan Intersection branch in Khon Kaen, police said, adding that the male bandit wore a black jacket and jeans with a dark motorcycle safety helmet. More critically he had 9 mm pistol in his hand and forced the SCB security and Samco personnel to let him access the cash in the van.

With shots in the air to threaten the Samco personnel, they quickly unlocked the van and the interloper escaped with Bt11.98 million.

The gunman left by motorbike without a registration plate.

The Samco staff said that they were transferring cash from SCB, Big-C and Tesco Lotus branches to keep at their Maliwan Intersection branch before the robber approach them.

It was at least the fourth time a Samco cash delivery van had been robbed in as many years. The first time was in 2003, the second occasion was in June 2007, and the third was in November 2007.

-- TNA 2008-07-13

How the hel_l did he carry B12m on his bike? must have been bloody awkward!

Salvation for the poor

BANGKOK: -- State kicks in nearly Bt50 billion for economic fillip and to help needy make ends meet.

The government will pay water bills for low-income households that consume fewer than 50 cubic litres each month.

--Xpress/The Nation 2008-07-16

<deleted> is a cubic litre?

Can't they get journos who understand what they are writing about? Or at least an editor who does?

I think a cubic litre is 1 litre in a cuboid shaped vessel, lol

I know that this is a bit of a silly question. I was just wondering if others take a dislike to somebody because of their avatar and make judgements about them based on this. I must admit that I sometimes do. Crazy isn't it. I suppose that it replaces other cues for first impressions. Am I alone in my madness?

I haven't put an 'I don't care' option in the poll because why would somebody vote if they didn't care.

I do, ha ha, I also judge people on the way they look, (acas would hang me if they heard me) but I think I am a reasonable judge of character and a firm believer in 1st impressions. Pity me based on my avatar ( can just a face be defined as an avatar?)

Who cares, I don't have any gold...I'd probably not be living here if i did.

Me too, wish I could afford a little gold, (couple of tonnes or so) no need to be greedy,