marquess

Guys! Guys! Guys! I suspect that he got busted for what he was doing rather than for not having a permit. You see the TOT has been dragging it's feet for year over the VOIP thing. In the fear that it will dent their monopolistic revenue. It is probably the fact the German was doing what he was doing that got him busted.

I recall, 3 years ago when on one of the Islands, a Thai being busted for using one of those internet VOIP things.

When they start going to language schools and busting teacher then I would really start to worry.

You only have to read the newspapers, and see how many crimes of passion there are. The jealousy thing is innate. As stated earlier, one has to put one's foot down, otherwise you will be miserable with that ball and chain.

no matter what just happen i will never carry my original PP with me, always carry a photo copy of the PP.

Quite right! The hassle one would have to go through because of a stolen or lost passport, far outweigh the possibility of being stopped and having to produce it later.

A mate of mine has one of the new British driving licences, with the photo on them, which looks abit like an I.D card. When he was asked for ID the other day he produced it, and had no problems. After all it is a legal document. I wonder if one could renew one's licence here via the UK embassy?

Why not make sure that in the futue you get a Thail girlfriend with a job, and then she should not have to rely on you so much. As to Japanese girls, well they might be worth a try.

Won't be going back there again in a hurry. I thought that the duty of the police was to prevent crime, rather than hassle innocent citizens?

what if I build a house on land that my Thai wife owns. Can I own the house?

NO! The only way a foreigner can own a house is if he forms a Thai registered company, and purchases sthe house in the company name, or by becoming a resident. Finally I believe that you can inherit property here as well.

I have never know anyone to be able to take land out of a country, but I suppose the Thai government think otherwise. Personally speaking if I were fortunate enough to have a substantial amount of money, I would not invest a single Baht of it here (ie. Land, property or business)

All this debate, when at the end of the day people have been takikng drugs since time immorial and will be doing so until the end of time. Govts are about control and controlling drugs is just another aspect of that. Don't believe the hype every individual has to make his/her own mind as to what they want to do with their bodies. That is why they are here!

Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone He is welcome to his veiws, but I find it rather arrogant to suggest that single men are here for dubious reasons. Is it it not natural that a man should be attracted to beautiful women? Therefore if one can find place where such women abound, what is wrong with being there?

come come IT, not everyone who can't spell is an uneducated, narrow-minded person.

I just don't see why someone's sexuality has anything at all to do with their spirituality. Reminds me of a time in Taiwan, a friend of mine with blond hair and blue eyes overheard a small child ask her mom, "look, that lady has blue eyes, does that mean she doesn't have a soul?" different does not make inferior or less human.

I think the point is that if you want to lead, then should it not be done by example?

I have the Orange pre paid, and it costs about 30-36 bath per minutes to call Blighty, providing that you put 009 before the international dialing code, as opposed to 001, then the call goes through Telecom Asia instead of TOT, which is rather expensive.

I bought a Sim card in Feb and it cost about 400 baht.

I agree that 'all men (and women) are equal' is a very politically correct statement. I also believe that is nearly impossible to make such a statement without being a hypocrit because of the fact that we all have to exist in the natural social hierarchies (like most creatures in nature) that humans have formed (usually according to various superior or inferior abilities) since the dawn of mankind.

I think that you are missing the point, I am not denying that everyone has different abilities, some being better at one thing or other some being cleverer etc.. but this is not down to race, racism is to condem a whole race as being inferior, for whatever reason. That is the point I am trying to make. So the point is that ability is down to the individual and not by race.

just ask your bar girl wife to help you.

Thanks for the help! By the way, I never married a bar girl, did you?

Skip Nanaplaza, Soi Cowboy, and go to Patpong

Personally I think that Patpong, is too tourist orientated, right in your face, "I go with you now". If that is what you prefer good luck to you. After three years I much prefer the Cow Boy any day.

I was referring to people who have seen much of the world AND maintain their racist/discriminatory views.

It IS possible to be completely open minded and still come to formulate a personal philosophy that includes racist/discriminatory views. I think what's important is to remember to take each person on a case by case basis despite those views when you can. Obviously that's going to be a little more difficult if you are a world leader or the head of a medium to large sized company. You might have to set discriminatory policies because you know that political correctness might drive your nation or company into the dust (despite being an open minded individual who practices a more egalitarian policy in one's personal day to day affairs).

I also meant ignorant, in that they should know better. In that all men are equal. Or would any of you disagree with that?

The clerk is right, you will need a work permit, if you want to go on an plan. i.e were you bill ed for what you use. Most of the foreigners I know living here including myself, use the pre paid service. By a refill card from any 7/11. In fact I don't know anyone who is using a plan.

M

Try Soi Cowboy, the drinks tend to be priced at between 70-85 Baht. I do agree with you about Nana it is getting expensive and has little offer in return.

Forgive my ignorance! But how does one go about getting and Avatar

Re the Indian marraige situation. My friend in England who was a Sikh, who had been brought up in the UK. He had many non Indian girll friends, some serious and some not. Yet he was always under pressure to marry an Indian girl. In the end the end he went to India and married some girl he had spoken to on the phone.

I am a black man who was born and breed in England. There has never been any pressure from my parents to marry another black girl, or to conform to this of that because I am black. You would be hard pressed to find a British Indian who could say the same.

Here in Thailand I have encountered the odd bit of racism, but I put it down to ignorance and if it is more than that, then that's the problem of the other party and not mine. I think that on the whole Thai people are the friendliest in the world and as long as you try to get on with them; they will do their best to get on with you.

Yes Begs! The deputy Interior Minister's views of decent might differ from my own; but I do wish he would allow me to make up my own mind as to what is decent and what is not. You of course might need some one else to do it for you.

There really is no comparison between Bush and Mahthir, the latter has done a great deal for his country, but what has the former done?

As to the comments about the jews, I believe that they were slightly misinterpreted. Truth is no politician in the US  would ever get the campaign funds, let alone elected. If  he/she told the truth about Israel. Now there is there power of the Jewish lobby for you! Bush was only keeping to that thread.

Finally as to Howard and Mahthir, there is no comparison between the two, one has sold his country out and the other is trying to maintain the independence of his.

Going back to the orginal theme of this posting. All foreigners living here in Thailand are merely tolertated officially and are essentially living on borrowed time.

Have been living here for three and a half years; married too, but in no view my position here as permanent. The government certainly won't let me think so. Remember, Thai loves Thai.

On the subject of the work permits, there was a letter in the Post this week, in which it was stated that a third of of foreigner workers had not renewed their work permits. Does anyone have any further information on this?