DMasut

Double pricing. Get real you make more and the double pricing is so easy to get around in most cases it is a non issue. Once agian bitching about a hundred baht here or there is ridiculous.

Since you don't seem to mind, Give us your name and we will put you on a list to be double charged in every country you visit...just because you are not from there... and you MUST share your money with every stranger you meet that you make money money than. When you run out of money, lets see how many people will share their money and allow you to gouge them for double.

Sure it is less than we pay for at home. But it is because of people like you that make it this way.

When Japanese tourist go to the UK or America or Australia we don't charge them double because their incomes and cost of living are might be higher. Do we?

Why should Thais have this right?

If you don't mind turning a Buddhist culture from a non-materialistic culture to one of not only thinking of money, but one that justifies charging double because of your race, maybe you are the one missing the point of what Thailand really is and leave, so as not to further pollute it with such thinking.

Overpaying not only sends the wrong message but creates a cultural snowball effect of more greed, corruption and crime.

Usual blah-blah nonsense comparisons !!

49 years ago > 1960

There where the very first GIs from Vietnam discovering Pattaya for R&R spending 80 Bucks in two days...

I think you are 10 years off. Very few G.I.'s in 'Nam in 1960.

There were plenty of american military types in viet nam then.

U.S. military advisers arrived in 1950. U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s and combat units were deployed starting in 1965. Involvement peaked in 1968 at the time of the Tet Offensive.

YOU PEOPLE ON THIS SITE HINGE ON EVERY WORD AS IF EVERYONE'S AN EXPERT. BE KIND< LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Then there are some people that choose to remain alseep and turn a blind eye, while the next TET OFFENSIVE builds within Thailand, only to complain how they got scr&wed out of their life savings, imprisoned, shaken down by the BIB and everybody from the time they landed to the time they are sent back.

Thats right my friend, close your eyes and go back to sleep.... it will all be better when you wake up.

I think they mean this year is expected to be the largest % (percentage) drop in 49 years, which is about right.

However, I am more concerned what they will do to fix the problems, both short and long term to bring the economy back.

I do not think allowing businesses, taxi drivers, etc. to gouge and overcharge farang will help, with a justification that 'Farang have more and Thailand's economy is bad'. This practice has ALWAYS BEEN very counter-productive and problematic. PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES OVER MONEY BECAUSE OF THIS.

News archives and this forum are littered with stories about wives killing farang husbands over houses and moneys…or the Thai partner that has had their Farang partner "RUBBED OUT" by the local mafia or others.

Nor do I think making foreign investment rules harder and stricter sends a good message.

I think it is high time they allow foreign investors to own land outright without a Thai partner. This practice of a Thai parnter to own a house or business is both outdated and does not good to develop real trust between foreign investors, Thai people and government.

Requiring Thai partners to own land or a business has only given unscrupulous Thai (whether it is Thai wives or husbands, lawyers,;"friends" etc) and Government Officials an opportunity to scr&w honest investors out of their hard earned money whenever their greed is so encouraged to do so under the existing laws.

Then they need to deal with their political unrest in a diplomatic and democratic way.

LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE ON A LONG TERM SCALE MIGHT BE A HINT OF HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEMS!!!

THE SOLUTIONS ARE THERE, THEY ARE SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND, BUT OLD HABITS "DIE HARD" IT SEEMS.

BEAUTIFUL BEACHES, MOUNTAINS, WORLD-CLASS SCUBA DIVING, FRIENDLY PEOPLE AND GREAT FOOD ARE NOT ENOUGH TO ENCOURAGE RETURN TOURIST BUSINESS WHICH IN TURN ATTRACTS MORE TOURISTS AND BUSINESS WHEN THEY ARE IN FEAR OF FALSE ARREST, BEING RIPPED OFF, CORRUPT POLICE, etc.

There is more to Thailand than bar girls...also just looking to relieve you of your money.

edited below

Everybody should boycott or avoid king power shops, anyway it's always more expensive than on the streets.

In case you haven't noticed, Everybody IS ALREADY BOYCOTTING Thailand!

There new slogan should be The Land Of Lies!

On my return from a recent reconnaissance to the Philippines.Truly- The Land of Smiles! I booked a taxi from the Taxi stand ,for 1,500 baht.They gave me a ticket with 1,500 written on it.

As we left the Airport the taxi driver started to renegotiate the fare.I refused.On Koh Chang I left my car to have a puncture repaired.They replaced all my Yokohama tyres with shit tyres.They said the car didn't arrive with Yokohama tyres!We called the police but what could they do?My word against the garage, and they were his neighbours!Generally The Thais dealing with Falang are indolent,greedy and ruthless.And thats the officials!

May I reccomend the diving , women and service in Fillys!

1,500 THB TAXI TO WHERE!?! WAS HE DRIVING YOU TO MALAYSIA?! 500 BAHT plus Tolls for most areas of Bangkok.

ALSO ( A TIP) Go to arrivals area to get a cab. Wait until someone arrives and off loads and jump in. Make sure meter is used. If no meter, get out and wait for next taxi.

CORRECTION: It is not "Land of Lies" it is "LIELAND" <---GET IT RIGHT!

TYRES: DO LIKE I DO EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD I GO WHEN I AM GETTING CAR REPAIRS..I TAKE DIGITAL PHOTOS OF MY CARE AND AREAS TO BE REPAIRED TO PROVE IF PARTS I PAID FOR WERE REPLACED, OR IN YOUR CASE...REMOVED...AND REPLACED

Phuket has everything much more than Samui, except that island feeling, which you still can get at some places on Samui and Samui is not that hectic and not that commercialized.

BTW that topic would better fit in the General Forum than here.

Phuket anytime, it has the lot, ok it's the most expensive place to live in Thailand but for good reason and still miles cheaper than anywhere in the west.

world class hospitals, shopping, dining,entertainment, beaches, diving, sailing, golf, hot spots, quiet spots, international airport and a bridge to Phang Nga which is real Tailand.

Samui is a mafia run dump.

Samui definitely has a large Mafia contigent. But Phuket does as well. I think you feel it more on Samui because it is tighter knit with the local and Police. Chaweng, Lamai and Tourist Police are immediate relatives of the "MADE" guys that it has become a cooperative.

I think the cost of living between Phuket and Samui are identical! Anywhere else in Thailand is less expensive.

Samui has everything Phuket does...just fewer of them.

btw: Does anyone know if this has been reported on any of the main stream Thai language news outlets?

I often wonder if Thais ever get to hear about stuff like this. I rarely notice this kind of thing in the Thai media,(then again I rarely take much notice of the Thai media as I dont think in Thai language) lots of cute Pandas though.

Yes it gets reported more often than in English papers.

Yes every Thai person knows of the widespread corruption being so rampant.

Yes Thai people hear these stories from their relatives and friends who are the police committing the acts.

If you live in Thailand long enough and mix with the locals you will see it first hand and even experience it happening to you as well.

Most expats have their own stories, but considerate the cost of living in paradise.

The Thai Government under Thaksin made some real inroads towards corruption, organized crime, money laundering, etc. but funny enough PM Thaksin and family got caught up in the same scandal his administration sought to fight.

This type of corruption has existed in Thailand for over a 1,000 years. To eradicate it would put those fighting it live's at risk since nobody living off of the tit of corruption wants to give up the money that is 5 or 10 times more than their job pays.

Every Embassy representing every country in Thailand can tell you they have scores of files and stories of their citizens having problems of extortion, false arrest on trumped up charges. But since Embassies only being 'diplomatic missions' are limited to what they can do. Most have filed protests to the Thai government only for it to be apologized for when caught 'red handed' then filed and forgot by their Thai counterparts.

Thailand doesn't either seem to care or understand that their future is eroding because of this corruption.

The way they poorly treat foreign investment and residents... not letting farang own land only leads to more corruption, exploitation and extortion.

Double Standards and Two Tier Pricing systems supported by the Thai Government

For all there is to love of Thailand, and there is alot, there is equally something that takes away.

8k pound is a massive amount! They should have fought it if they were innocent, why did they pay? did they steal it? giving in to these scams/extotions will make it continue! if you get in trouble you call your embassy and take it from there, REMEMBER INNOCENT UNTILL PROVEN GUILTY. Things need to change in Thailand

But is there any law in Thailand that recognizes "your innocence until proven guilty"?

I do not think there is.

It might be prudent for the Thai Government to have some "health screening" measures to check for symptoms like China, UK and USA did for the Avian flu.

Hong Kong, China and Taiwan had temperature reading machines at Immigration check points.

Closing the borders would only isolate Thailand from the world... not a good thing with this Global Economy. So PM Abhisit is right not to over react and consider a border closing.

The resistant strains of the virus are more concerning.

Closing the borders would have little or no effect on this since it is based on not using the proper antibiotics to treat it, not using strong enough amounts to completely erradicate it so it survives in the host and mutates into a strongerbug.... evolution dictates if it doesn't kill you it will make you stronger...works for bug and viruses too.

With all of the negative political and financial events effecting Thailand over the last ywo years, I am amazed the Thai baht hasn't taken a spiral back to at least 43THB to the US Dollar. Is that on the horizon?

I wonder what's holding it at 33-34THB?

Leanr the Thai alphabet and associated tonal sounds for each letter.... then when you read ro pronounce words your have a much better understanding of how they are put together and the associated tonals... it will make things remarkably better...and much more fun reading those bloody local newspapers like ThaiRath and the Daily News.

failing that... let your tonal mistake with your Scottish accent be the thing they find endearing and all the little girlies fawning over you with...unless you're from Glasgow, in which case, there's nothing we can do to help you mate.

Seems to me that if she owns the house but you own the land and there is no existing land lease arrangement with her to have the house on your company's land you could:

1. Have the company charge her a very high monthly land lease rate and when she can't make timely payments have the company put a lien on the house until the accruing lease payments are brought up to date or move to foreclose on her.

but you must do this reasonably soon because she may get squatter's rights on your land if you do nothing and she establishes this as her household for a long period of time.

2. Find a business developer interested in building a building on your company's land and get paid on that, have the house removed... but you may actually break even or a little profit.

Since it is not you, but the company's decision to do these things...you can't be the bad guy...right?

Hi there,

I understand getting a car loan from local finance company is very difficult, at best. I don't work in Thailand but I go through it often enough to consider buying a car and keeping it with my girlfriend . Is there any bank in Thailand that offers loans to foreigner to buy a car? I want to be named owner of the car.

Anyone know what is the annual road tax for the very small Honda Jazz?

Any clues?

Any help deeply appreciated

Hondo

Dear Hondo,

Please send me your address so I can come to you and hit your over the head!!!

If you buy a car in Thailand, do it under your own steam... do not leave it with your girlfriend, do not put it in her's or someone else's name, etc. etc. not matter how much you "LOVE" each other... now.

It just sends the wrong message and will make it more difficult and more expensive for the next guy she has sex with if she thinks it is that easy to get a car from a man.

If you are looking to make payments it means you cannot afford to 'waste' money in this way... SO DON'T!!!

Smartest thing you have done is join ThaiVisa...NOW READ A COUPLE OF THOUSAND BAD RELATIONSHIP STORIES BEFORE YOU SPEND A SINGLE SATANG!!!

If you really really really need to buy a car and want to establish credit and get a loan...put the amount you want to borrow in a Bangkok bank like Citibank or HSBC or Bank of America savings account... then arrange a 'passbook loan' using your savings as a collateral guarantee. You may need to speak with a few bank officers a that branch before they will do it...but once it is done...getting credit cards and other loans down the road are much easier with them.

Good Luck

Where was your son born? UK or Thailand?

Birth Certificate: Easy enough to get a copy from either country.

Passport: It was nice when the parent put the child on their passport in the UK, since it is now a EU Passport it is similar to the USA where every child has their own passport...even an infant...silly considering how quickly the change and grow.

Regarding Child Support and monies to her... pay directly for school and expenses... never give her money directly until it has been negotiated and agreed upon by lawyers and / or the courts.

Paying too much now sets a precedent you do not want to continue to go up from.

Average income in in Bangkok is about 8-10K per month and less in rural areas. Why should she have 3 x that amount?

Women, not just Thai women will use your child for money against you just like a terrorist asking for ransom.

Whenever they want more...they just demand it.

REFUSE!!! Most Thai men would.

Teach her that is she wants something from you she needs to learn to communicate reasonably with you.... otherwise...NOTHING...0

But most western men are too weak and give into the terrorist demands because of their upbringing.

If it turns out she deprives the child of things needed because you won't give her what she needs... go to a lawyer and file to gain custody of your son on the claim and proof that your ex-wife is abusing him.

Everything I have suggested will come with some grief...but better to get it over with upfront and not set unrealistic precedents for future demands. You have nothing to gain by giving in too soon.

If she is reasonable...(and you are too) then things can be resolved...if not...better to keep as much cash in your war chest to fight the battles...

You wouldn't give your enemy bullets would you?

Why would you give your ex-wife more money to weaken your position and strengthen hers?

Boy needs shoes...buy them yourself for him.

Boy needs clothes...buy them yourself for him.

Boy needs anything...buy them yourself for him.

Besides, when you take him along and pick them out together you have more time to bond, relate and learn what he likes, he sees you provide for him and are less likely to have him become alienated with you by you ex-wife.

Good luck mate.

THE SMELL OF BANGKOK...aka Eau De Parfum Krung Thep caused by the pollution, trash and general decay of the city.

Amazing how meeting the people, sights and sounds of Thailand allow you to not only tolerate but relish and crave it.

Railway system is still the safest and least expensive way to travel in Thailand.

Safer than airlines...and exponentially safer than cars, buses, taxi, tuk tuk, motorcycles.

I think if the government can get a better grasp of Macro Economics they would realize greatly improving the railway system throughout the whole country would save money and energy, increase transit, industry and commerce and be an incredible way to encourage more tourist travel and spending within the country.

Not doing so it ... well... PRETTY MUCH THE OPPOSITE.

Which seems to be the sad reality.

If for nothing else, Thaksin understood this when he pushed through the BTS & MRT Programs...

Any of you remember trying to navigate Bangkok prior to BTS or MRT can only agree it was a great improvement.

BUT AGAIN PROOF THAT PEOPLE, GOVERNMENTS AND COMMON SENSE RARELY EXIST IN THE SAME SPACE AND TIME CONTINUUM.

So where does that leave us? :D

It was said "One Picture is Worth Ten Thousand Words," believed to originally be a Chinese proverb and attributed to Confucius. Was also attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, who said "Un bon croquis vaut mieux qu'un long discours," or "A good sketch is better than a long speech". ...

Well this picture only had 14 words...15 if you count the phone number...

But it is still priceless... as the truth always is.

It was NOT LIKELY A SUICIDE.

According to the movie Producer he was working with, David Carradine born John Arthur Carradine was found hanging in his Hotel closet with his hands tied behind his back and rope around his neck and genitals.

Someone please tell me how you classify that as a suicide?

Family, friends and co-workers close to him also say he was not depressed and would not be inclined to suicide.

Garmin nuvi 200 cost me 14,700B at the mac shop in the bottom of tuk com Pattaya Tai.

English & Thai.

WAY WAY WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!!! Reasonable price is between 4,000-8,000THB

This is another example of another half baked Thai scheme falling apart and in the process making the Country and crooks involved look foolish and untrustworthy again and again and again

It's not "Half-Baked"! IT'S FULLY COOKED!!!

From an elegant BMW 7-series to a mere Camry. Next, a Diahatsu Mira Mimt, then a tuk-tuk.

.......................BICYCYLE......................FLIP FLOPS??

NO SILLY...we get to peddle the bicycle rickshaw...while they sit back and enjoy the ride!

RE: "The more members we have, the higher our costs."

Cut the crap...this is solely political and a move by Thailand to move towards isolationism to the west and move closer to Chinese relationship and economy.

TAT and Elite Card Board are afraid to go to digital calculators... It took them 50 years to move off of the Abacus.

There must be someone available to teach Thailand Macro Economics...because THEY ARE TOTALLY MISSING THE BIG PICTURE... as soon as President Obama is done using them to teach GM, AIG and the Banking community they can be lent to Thailand.

More members=more fees=more money =more cash flow traffic=more competitive buying power to negotiate better prices for benefits=more benefits-more interest and goodwill=WHICH IS JUST dam_n GOOD MARKETING and MAKES dam_n GOOD SENSE.

Or we can just do it Thai style... Invite, entice, promise the moon, take the money, change their mind, change the rules, keep our money...send us back to where we came from...NO REFUND

WITH A SMILE OF COURSE!

A poor country needs all the jobs it can get, expats, tourists, foreign investment all create jobs. Why discourage ANY of those?

I just spent 5-6 million Baht building a house in Chiang Rai and paying the employees way above

most do, gave them Mayday, laborday off with pay. You know what my thanks is?

Clipping me 150Baht when I use my ATM card from the USA. Well will live of my money in local banks

included the 400,000 I kept. Will go every year from now on to my embassy

spend the $30 and give it to them. Amazing Thailand. Let be honest the Government is a joke here.

Basically a MAJOR LACK of understanding in how MACRO ECONOMICS, CASH FLOW and ROI (Return of Investment) works.

Because they live in a country with many natural food resources and beauty, they have never had real struggle like India, Somalia, etc. When have Thai people ever starved?

They live for today, and when things don't go their way, they change the rules... and so far they have had little or no negative repercussions for them.

They do not understand the bigger picture of sowing and reaping.

Funny though...take a clever bargirl and she will act prim and proper, act like a victim of circumstance, some will even not take your money...because "they like you"...why? A basic understanding of MACRO Economics (in there case a bit of a con as well) knowing that in order to have the best chance of benefiting greater from the larger picture, they must give up some short term gains and control.

Unfortunately, many farang don't understand this and wind up losing everything they own in the process...house in their 'wife's name', cars, money, dignity.... Even after being married for 2, 5, or more years only to find out later the girl's plan was from the very beginning to get as much money as she could...i.e. "The highest return on her investment"..of in most cases little more than her time and tolerance of someone she didn't really love.

The main religion of Thailand (I can't directly mention it without having this post deleted) teaches acceptance and tolerance.

Their understanding of it creates a mindset that if they wait long enough a farang will give them all they wish for.

Sadly, there is not shortage of "love starved" Western men beat up by their western counterparts that enter Thailand seeking "true love" and confuse the warm contact and affection of Thai people as a true love. Spending little or not time to learn Thai culture...and in some cases "demanding" the Thais to learn their culture... only to wake up when it is too late in realizing that their actions were naive and arrogant.

It is their country to do as they please. Our efforts to change it have failed thus far.

It would seem that only when they come to realize the best course is to create a bi-lateral relationship with non-Thais living, working and investing in their country is in their best interest will they chose to change.

This won't happen when there are scores of people queuing up to replace you thinking they are getting a great deal, only to be in your situation later. NEWBIES

Only when tourists stop flocking, business investment not only stops but existing investment withdraws and those working in Thailand offering special skills required to help Thailand compete in the Global Economy will they be forced to deal with it.

Until then the biggest challenge they face is what color shirt they should wear and protest with... not truly understanding TRUE politics behind them.

HEADS UP!!! THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE WIND!

Consider how the Thai BAHT is mysteriously staying strong against the Dollar, EURO and GBP against all of the political unrest in LOS.

Consider that Chinese are now given 120 day visas

Consider that present government is removing land ownership loopholes for foreignors.

Consider foreign business investment is increasingly being required to provide much more for much less in return while countries like China with their increasing economic power are required the minimum to invest with more benefits.

Consider you are a temporary guest and tourist in the eyes of the Thai government regardless of your visa, marital or other status.

Thailand has gone over 2,000 years without the need for outsiders and Thai's can live well enough off of hte land that if they isolated themselves from the rest of the world and their economies they could still survive.

I just deleted a post that was way off topic and could be considered derogatory to some people.

BUT I LIKE THOSE POSTS.... They break up the monotony as well as make the rest of us 'normal' 'posters' look....well...more normal!

Actually, if they deputised every bar girl in Thailand and made them immigration field agents, they could easily collect DNA samples as well...

WHAT?! But they do!!! You didn't know?!