jitagon

Thailand's tourism bureau could help matters by re-aligning their priorities. They're still focusing primarily on high-end tourists (Elite card, grand golf courses, expensive resorts) and not giving sufficient credence to middle and lower spending tourists - many of whom may come back as bigger spenders in later years - if they become enamored with Thailand. Plus, there are many more budget tourists than big- spending tourists.

Some of those setting policy for the Thai tourism industry could adjust their game plan. For example, Phuket has thousands of places that sell fermented sugar drinks (alcohol) but how many places offer fresh fruit drinks or natural smoothies? That's just one small component, but if you add up a thousand such small issues like that - it gives the impression that Thailand doesn't offer a decent amount of healthy options for food and drink.

On the other side of the coin, there are still discriminatory prices for public parks and museums: Sometimes it's 10x as much for western-looking people. Compulsory gratuities embedded in hotel and restaurant bills don't endear travelers either. Again, they may seem like little things, but added together, they give a less-than-enticing picture for a place to vacation.

In my adopted town of Chiang Rai, for example, most backpackers use this town as a stepping off point to go travel for weeks in Laos.

You haven't been to Phuket lately then where my area of Rawai is 'banged out' with shirtless, 'chopper' riding chavs.

Just once I'd like to see someone from PAD, PPP, TRT and all those other political groups stand up and have a rally directed at this sort of thing instead of the usual festivals of hyperbole and wild allegations.

I'm allowed to dream, aint I?

Well, so long as it's not as narcotically fueled as your post seems to be

I posted this Gazette article up as not so long ago I found myself looking into the gun barrel of a mad man, just off Nanai Road. This can so easily happen. Jai Jin Jin is the lesson of this unnecessary death.

So how will a Chinese heart help you then?

I am looking to buy a second hand boat in Thailand, somewhere in the range of $80-120,000.

Can anybody advise where is a good place to start looking, Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya?

Any good internet sites for used boats in Thailand?

Any traps or hidden cost to look out for? Registration in Thailand?

Regards,

Robert

Jimmys Lighthouse on Chalong Bay have good notice board. The regulars will also be able to advise you as to the costs of registration etc.

Many thanks to everyone for all their help and advice regarding this topic.

And now the million dollar question;

Due to recent world events in the financial industry and the subsequent affect on exchange rates my potential house/land purchase has just increased by nearly one million baht. Unfortunately, this now makes a really good deal not quite so attractive.

My original plan was (funds permitting) to demolish the existing single story house (still in good order but a little old and definitely not my style/taste) and rebuild a nice two story house. This plan was based primarily on the excellent plot and location.

Probably impossible for you to comment without knowing more about the property and area, but in view of all the negative feedback regarding buying land I am now seriously reviewing the following options;

1. Pull out of the purchase and lose £6,500.00 deposit and continue renting?
   
2. Continue with the purchase and pay £15,000.00 extra due to exchange rate fluctuations. Since the purchase price was agreed and budgeted for, the sterling exchange rate has dropped by 22%!
   
3. Unfortunately no flexibility as the contract clearly states "Balance to be paid in December".
   

Should anyone have access to a crystal ball and can offer some advice regarding exchange rates (Sterling) for December please reply urgently!!!!!!!

Any other views/ideas would also be appreciated.

Oh Dear God, here you are back again, and with new news that the little plot of land already had a little house on it, quote: in good order but a bit old and definately not to your style or 'taste'.

And here you are again still pulling your bloody feathers out over something so simple. If you were/are concerned about 'ownership' laws in this country, why don't you get a set and just use what very little imagination you appear have, find an architect/builder and renovate the pre existing fundamentally sound house (again, dear god, how much would that cost?) 'to your liking'. And you would therefore not be 'risking', by whichever means of 'ownership', more than you seem willing to er, risk 'losing'.

You've been on this forum, not giving the full facts of your proposed purchase/lease, and you're still coming back and whining for more information.

Tell you what. Go back to your council house in bloody Basingstoke, tell me where the property is, and I'll happily renovate it myself. Through my company. Enough already.

I think everyone needs to keep in mind that those of us from colder climates do have trouble understanding this--especially if you were raised in a cold climate. The comfort level of people here is on the warm side, rather than the cool side.

Having said that, I'm still addicted to AC, but I now find 22 degrees cold--and used to think it was warm. Here in BKK, where it's now nice, I managed to catch a cold and get a sore throat!

My thoughts are with those who are in distress.

I'm from a much colder climate, but trip up to Pai (Prai) New Year, did not prepare me for freeeeezing temperature (kicking in as soon as the sun went down (around 6pm) and sun up (around 8am, same same everywhere, more or less here in Thailand).

I was standing outside my rented bungalow, wrapped in a heavy blanket wondering when the staff would turn up to plug in the pump for the water and got chatting with a couple of girls, also wrapped in blankets, waiting outside the adjoining bungalow. They told me it was their first time in Thailand and hadn't expected it to be so cold, and they were bringing their flight to Samui forward to escape! I asked them where they were from. 'Russian'!

Don't anyone forget the very extremes of temperature here. Take another look at the map and see how close to colder winter climate of China, Thailand actually is.

QUOTE (mc2 @ 2008-11-14 14:20:45) *

I suppose you think that millions of Thai people that respect and love Thaksin need the best professional help they can get ?. You will always be part of the problem unless you understand this group. instead you fob them off as having mental problems. END QUOTE

Now, this is another thing I have a big problem with. I keep reading this MILLIONS OF THAI PEOPLE THAT RESPECT AND LOVE THAKSIN. Well. Where the hel_l are they? If there are thousands, let alone millions of them, who's stopping them from rallying in the capital same same as the PAD? YOOHOO? WHERE ARE YOU?!

They are mostly massive numbers of rural supporters . Some people have got to work for a living. They cant afford a prolonged demonstration in the capital.

Thaksin also has popular support of wide age groups in the rural areas. I've asked many of them , they profess their firm support and respect for Thaksin. Anyhow, in this case rallys are not a measure of support, voting is , and his support was clearly seen in the last election.

Do you not think those who've been attending the PAD rallies for the past six months, not just the one night, in Bangkok have not families to support? Or are you under the illusion they have all been living on handouts from the 'elitist PAD' organisers? I'm here to disavow you of this view. My family and many of my friends have take time out, when they can, out of their own pockets, to attend.

The PAD are serious in their quest to take Thailand from the quasi banana republic perceived by the Rest of The World to a truly working democracy. They fully understand, and are continuing to educate the people of Thailand, as to the fact that this is truly a 'do or die' situation. The old ways of patronage and resulting corruption are short term thinking, and cannot continue if Thailand is to fulfill its potential.

I want to wish all those involved in the tourism business the best of luck. I think there will be some tough times ahead.

If tourists are treated well and fairly, they will return. The rip-offs that occur are a real downer and a definite turn off for most people.

Beside environmental problems. I spoke with elderly who booked an hotel (somewhere on Phuket) and saw the waste water direct going into the sea....

They never came again to Phuket.

I would have asked them why on earth they decided to holiday in SE Asia if things like that bother them so much.

Perhaps they were taken aback by the fact that hotels, wheresoever, were still willing to dump their customers' shit into the very same sea their customers swam in, withought a care, despite there being alternatives to this disgusting practice?

And why some of you still subscribed to the view, 'well this is Wogland, what do you expect?' gets no one, nowhere.

There's an opinion piece by Thanong Khantong in today's Nation where he talks about possibility of money for quiet exile deal.

Might work, but the problem is that the case is in process, no one can stop it, whoever wants to make that deal would have to stop the law from working its way - impossible.

Also releasing the money via back channels, without proper court procedures and backed only by Thaksin word would be seen as treason.

Also sending 50 bil out of the country for Thaskin to invest overseas is insane, and legally impossible, too.

>>>

I'm of an opinion that nobody can manipulate the situation - the cat is out of the bag when it comes to Thaksin. There's too much public pressure and scrutiny, and legal entaglements. It's not 60s anymore, you have to run every major decision by the public.

The Nation and it's Columnists can ruminate all they want. The fact is that 'possibility' is not. For the reasons I've already given. Thaksin and 'quiet exile' are not going to happen.

And yes, even though insane, we all know that nothing is 'legally impossible' here, if it's agreed by all parties as the best - read - least troublesome by Thai terms, way of settling things, but again, in Thaksin's case, not going to happen.

The cat is indeed out of the bag regards Thaksin and no other country save for the desperately poor, will touch him. And he, for the reasons again, I have already given, will not touch him either. The UK was his bolthole of choice, he was just following the precedent set by his elders and betters

There really is nothing else for it. This is all simply prolonging the agony. Unless he's been given the actual bullet with his name on it as soon as his latest touch down at swampy. Just come home and get it all over with. After all, what does he have to lose

QUOTE (mc2 @ 2008-11-14 14:20:45) *

I suppose you think that millions of Thai people that respect and love Thaksin need the best professional help they can get ?. You will always be part of the problem unless you understand this group. instead you fob them off as having mental problems. END QUOTE

Now, this is another thing I have a big problem with. I keep reading this MILLIONS OF THAI PEOPLE THAT RESPECT AND LOVE THAKSIN. Well. Where the hel_l are they? If there are thousands, let alone millions of them, who's stopping them from rallying in the capital same same as the PAD? YOOHOO? WHERE ARE YOU?!

Yet, another enigma which seems to have passed our incumbent and esteemed BBC Correspondent, Jonathan Head by

Apart from the Ridley Scott inspired, stadium filled, paid for, ONE NIGHT ONLY, constituting around, oh, let's be generous - two to three hours? WHERE ARE THEY?! Put up or Shut up. Baa!

If he backed off likely they would pay him off with a large chuck of his impounded money.

But his ego is too broken, too much loss of FACE to give up. He's been a winner in a big way,

but not by being fair. He will not be fair in trying to gain back his lost winnings,

and take retribution, if he can, for that loss..

Sorry Animatic but you're wrong. He's completely mad and the money doesn't matter any more. And everyone's fuelling the Thaksin circus. All this talk of him seeking refuge in a 'lesser', in his eyes, country - the Bahamas! Phlue!. He won't even stand for China, his ancestor's land of birth. He's become like some pop star, who, having become used to the adulation of his paid for peasantry, cannot do without it, even though it's driven him past megalomania to the brink of insanity. He won't/can't stop.

His former success lay in the fact that he exemplified and therefore connected with the upcountry Thai peasant. That's exactly what he is. But with more money.

Jitagon I said "IF" first,

I never implied he WOULD back off.

I said I thought it not likely.

We agree and for the same reasons, just different wording.

Hey, Animatic, I agree we agree But your sentence does read, 'If he backed off likely they would pay him off with a large chuck of his impounded money' which implies that scenario being a possibility. All I went on to say is that it was impossible. Your sentence was therefore, what Thailand is full of, oxymorons

If he backed off likely they would pay him off with a large chuck of his impounded money.

But his ego is too broken too much loss of FACE to give up. He's been a winner in a big way,

but not by being fair. He will not be fair in trying to gain back his lost winnings,

and take retribution, if he can, for that loss..

Sorry Animatic but you're wrong. He's completely mad and the money doesn't matter any more. And everyone's fuelling the Thaksin circus. All this talk of him seeking refuge in a 'lesser', in his eyes, country - the Bahamas! Phlue!. He won't even stand for China, his ancestor's land of birth. He's become like some pop star, who, having become used to the adulation of his paid for peasantry, cannot do without it, even though it's driven him past megalomania to the brink of insanity. He won't/can't stop.

His former success lay in the fact that he exemplified and therefore connected with the upcountry Thai peasant. That's exactly what he is. But with more money.

But the PAD have gone completely overboard.

How can you say that when Thaskin is still the biggest threat to this country's integrity?

How can you say that when the govt sets up huge rallies with Thaksin taking center stage and openly calling for either Royal pardons or people revolution?

Well, thats your opinion and you are entitled to that. But i dont agree with you.

The PAD started off as a peaceful protest, and that is fine.

But later they got frustrated when they knew they can't win over the electoral power of the people, and started asking for an unelected government, got violent, stormed the news station, and general troublemaking , at the expense of the country and its unity. In my view it is that PAD that is the biggest threat to the countries integrity.

BTW, nothing wrong with peaceful rallies by Thaksin supporters , they need solidarity in these troubled times. And he later clarified it was not a royal pardon he was seeking. I think what they are , getting together peacefully etc , is nothing compared to the frustrated and divisive actions of the PAD.

What country /planet are you living on? ProThaksin 'rallies' - plural - one of just three, the violence coming from the PPP, UDD whatever bloody acronym they choose to use, aka Mob For Rent, and all Thaksin funded.

I fail to see that the shameless Thaksin and his moneygrubbing handpicked bunch of thugs, making up the present non government constitute anything less than the biggest threat to Thailand's 'integrity', in recent times.

Your handle is Mc2 - Is that that eighties band?

This is all very simple to understand. The Thai judiciary, in how so many and whatsoever form they must take to legally get rid of a divisive, corrupt and autocratic, non government by proxy, are attempting to give the present pigswilling incumbents the bum's rush.

They've done it so many times the Thai Way, the last being the Last Straw in ineptitude, they are fully aware they must sort themselves out once and for all, and do it the long way round, this time. Yet another coup, even the most shortsighted, can see, will merely end in yet another few years of, 'we'll see what we can get away with until they chuck us all out' scenario.

But they will prevail, and Thaksin's proxies and their ilk will hopefully, be a thing of the past.

Then they can get on with truly cracking down on the all pervasive corruption still rampant in all it's varied and nefarious forms. The police and the local OrBorJors would be a very good start, and will indeed make this lovely country, even lovlier.

I have stoppped selling phone cards because this is a source of major theft by staff. When they inventory they show the cards are there but not. Recently we did a complete inventory and now I am building up the stock. I am doing my best to specialize in goods for expats and let Thai items be sold as they may. Previous technique of stealing came from having the pass word to cancel sales in the minimart. Now only a sale can be cancelled by the manager in the office. They did this mostly on big ticket items such as wine and liquor. You may ask why I don't change the staff, well I have changed the manager 4 times this year and personnel in the market 6 times. All left for obvious reasons. BEWARE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO YOU. It also happens in Bangkok, Samui and Chiang Rai. People have changed a lot. The magnitude of these problems has increased 2 fold in the past 2 years. If you can't be there to guard the business all the time don't do it.

We use no salt in our bread so I am not sure where this comes from. We are the sole supplier of bread to Molly Malone, Scruffie, and Andaman White Beach Resort they seem to be satisfied and I have never heard a customer complain about the bread. However, I will check again as I am never sure what people are doing when you are not watching.

The black Russian bread is a big seller. Note that we only use whole wheat dark bread in the restaurant. Give us another chance, we can do better.

There's been a misunderstanding. Everyone I've spoken to has said your bread has no flavour. I pointed out that I thought it because there was no salt in it, you've just confirmed that fact. The only bread I've found edible is your dark Russian bread. I'm asuming that's because all the rye and fruit makes up for the lack of salt. Please add salt. Or everyone will still keep bypassing your bakery to go to Brunos or Flinstones. And that'd be a shame as you're just down the road from me

Those are 2 heavy duty posts from DonB and Huggy. The truth hurts and it should be a reminder to those that get seduced by the big smiles etc. Business 101 comes to TV. Don's post should be read by anyone just getting into business here. I like my luxuries here and know that it's darn difficult to bring in products for a minority like me, economies of scale and all. On top of that you have to deal with the fine labour pool.

A very good point. Even the most superficial research will reveal the considerable risks in conducting business in LOS. Aside from the considerable impact of coasting through a low season only to be confronted by a lean high season, there are all the other risks ('official', natural and cultural) that are often not fully considered in any business case/risk assessment. Although I don't have any idea of the actual figures, there is ample anecdotal evidence to suggest that a high proportion of farang-managed businesses fail in LOS.

So I can sympathise with Don's dilemma. However, by way of example, you will pay a lot more for Eveready batteries than you will for Acme batteries, because there is a significant investment of reputation in the quality of the product (a "distinctive competency") which actually has a dollar value. If Eveready batteries began to attract a reputation for early leakage, that reputation would be lost and the profit margin would need to be reduced - at least until the reputation of the product started to improve. So, while it may be seen that Don has had a battery leakage, one way he could try to tackle it (apart from the measures he is already taking) would be to rduce his margin, painful though it may be. I must admit to having been surprised at the mark up of some of his products where they are available at other suppliers, such as Carrefour. In some cases, the markup was astonishing. But price is not everything - marketing/'packaging' of his service and goods provision - is equally significant.

I wish Don well. Those who cheated/stole from him were obviously not cognisant of the impacts over time; and those very acts have ruined businesses in the past. For mine, I would never, ever contemplate in engaging in any form of business in LOS. Good luck to those who do.

What are you blithering on about Eveready batteries and Acme batteries? The facts are that Don's supermarket sold some stuff you couldn't buy unless you were willing to schlep up to Central, and with an at least 30% markup on each and every item. I mean, who the hel_l's going to pay 125 baht (around two quid) for a tin of baked beans? The cans of coke, bottles of local beer, items easily found in many other local shops, are ridiculously overpriced also. So then along came Homepro. Which has affected a lot of businesses in the Rawai area.

I like Don. I've been here a long time and I find him friendly, a real Meine Host. However. His supermarket price gouges. And, a word to the wise Don, your bakery truly sucks and everyone I know says the same. The bread looks good, it smells good, BUT, it tastes like pap, to wit, it is truly inedible. My theory is your doctor has proscribed salt in your diet? Not everyone has a health problem, usually heart, which proscribes salt. Get your staff to make a loaf or two especially for you. And price your items more realistically. For all the well meaning comments - it's business.

Oh and by the way - nothing to do with Don's staff. I believe he has some of the best on the island.

Well said Jitagon. Jonathan Head is beginning to lose all credibility as a reporter of substance, as he sticks with his archaic view of an evil despot. I've noticed TV's own YH is a big fan of Head, often singing his praises, but always getting it wrong over judgment calls about "what happens next". The latest call over Toxin's visa revocation is the last in a long line of classics........seems like some people just refuse to learn that the tide is turning in Thailand, inch by inch, when an elected past-PM can be found guilty in a Thai court of corruption charges. At one time, never thought I'd live to see the day.

At least somebody's not trying to claim it was a "procedural error" on behalf of the British immigration authorities. Good on ya Millipede!

It is true I am an admirer of Jonathan Head who it seems to me steers a careful and judicious course in his commentaries on Thai politics.I am not sure why you appear to believe Head is an uncritical admirer of Thaksin.Far from it.What he has said, among many other things, is that Thaksin remains highly popular and that he is feared by the elite that supports the PAD movement.As it happens, I know from the horse's mouth as it were that Anand Panyarachun (Dulwich College and Trinity College,Cambridge) had a very high regard for Jonathan Head's (Dulwich College and Pembroke College Cambridge) integrity, intellectual honesty and good judgement.

Most of your post however is directed at my wrong calls, presumably most recently on Thaksin's visa problems and perhaps a little while ago on the court's banning of TRT.It's no crime to make errors if freely admitted and half the time on a forum like this it's quite fun to make predictions.I haven't commented on other posts of yours on this subject because quite frankly they seemed over personal and driven by class envy, a rather unattractive element among some quarters of the English lower class.Will I see you at the OXford and Cambridge dinner at the Sukhothai later this month?Somehow I doubt it.

Well, where to start? First of all, all the 'anti-Taksin Pro Pad' faction have been determined elitist supporting fascists. You then proceed with your sycophantic diatribe, to report that you know 'from the horse's mouth as it were'(sic) that you have inside information From the Ruling Elite then?

Which college each party attended amounts to nought, and most certainly does NOT attest to 'intellectual honesty and good judgement' (sic).

As to your charge my posts are 'over personal and driven by class envy' !? Where on earth do you think you are? Are attempting to infer in some way my post, specifically regarding Jonathan Head, (for I am truly unable to deduce from any other of my posts), that I envy his attending an, er, college?

And as to your ultimate sentence. Well what an totally pretentious prat you are. Seriously. GO HOME. Idiot.

There has been so much ignorant crap expounded on this forum re The Thais[/b and [b]The Fact That they are willing to sell their votes. There are many poor Thais who care deeply about their country and would never sell their vote. Not least thanks to the PAD's ongoing education programme to this effect.

A large majority of the poor in the Issan were indeed taken in by Toxin. What did they have to lose? As far as they were concerned, the Opposition didn't give a toss, so a couple of hundred baht for a few days groceries/whiskey circle looked to be a better bet than nothing at all.

The Democrats have severely let this country down by not addressing the problems and concerns of the majority of the poor in their own country, and now the chickens have come home to roost. And what are they doing about it? Never mind the bleating about not being given the same 'airtime' they should be formulating and actively promoting genuine policies to change the perception of Thailand being a third world country, who exports nice rice and is, in effect, the biggest brothel on the planet.

In defence of the BBC's Jonathan Head's reporting, I have to say that accusing him of being pro-Thaksin is very hard to justify. I regard his reporting as highly articulate and balanced in what is a very hard situation to report as so much goes on behind closed doors and local laws prevent one of the central issues being discussed or even mentioned locally.

On a different issue and back to topic, if Thaksin and Potjaman have had their visas rescinded for their conviction of a serious offence. Surely the same would apply to Potjaman's brother (adopted) and personal secretary as they were convicted of the same offence and they also fled to the UK. It appears this has not happened. Can anybody provide any information?

I agree, and he should therefore refrain reporting in such a biased and one sided manner. If he cannot report the full facts, he should stop reporting that 'The vast majority of Thais are supportive of Taksin', and simply state that Taksin is supported in the North and NorthEast, the population of which 'Were the main beneficiaries of his populist policies'.

Jonathan Head, quite rightly, has made no secret of his distaste for the huge divide between the have and have nots here in Thailand and the fact that ruling class are consistently able to ride roughshod over their poorer (the majority) countrymen, as evidenced in his report on that rich kid ploughing his Mercedes Benz into a bus shelter. However, that does not in any way give him carte blanch to throw his whole weight behind a convicted, demagogue such as Taksin, without at least checking the facts of Taksin's record whilst in office. Ergo, he must, as a reporter for arguably one of the world's most respected news organisations, give a more balanced view. And to state in yesterday's report that Taksin could perhaps come back in some other role, perhaps as some kind of FUNDRAISER! (Yes, he's already been there, done that and got the t shirt), he's showing his complete and total ignorance as to Taksin and his motives. Taksin The NGO. Seriously?!

People here forget that a large proportion of the rest of the world, takes as gospel anything and everything reported in the news, both on television and in the printed media. Just look at how Phuket was sunk under water during the tsunami!

Well this is in accord with Kunying Porntip.

That should be scientific enough for most people.

It is a question of who gave what orders and the outcome.

So they now want to blame PAD for disrupting the funeral

or at least reducing the numbers of mourners. and messing with Loy Kraytong too.

That explains the sudden arrests in short succession of ALEDGED PAD bombers.

Transparent manipulation of the public as the governments legitamacy clock ticks down inexorably..

I have speak with some people in Pattaya whos have explain that they became 300 bhat per person to assist in PAD demonstracions.

Hose make many noise became 500-600 bhat.Hose have a Van became 2000 bhat per day.Who can stay in Gouvermetn house for more then 3 monts without salary?

We foreigner dont now to much about Thai history.But we now what is Democratics rule. It mean 50%+1 vote you have reight to compose government.Rabbele from the stret and barricade can not in Democrat Country desolate legal vote Gouverment.This is the way how Nacis came on power. PAD are NAZIS group.They are using like Nazis propaganda with many lie.But 100 time spoken lie became to be truth.In Democrat Country ho make barrikade on the street, and occupy Goverment house will be whip of with Police and if necessary with army.And became baton on the back,and put in jail.In eeach democratic country

PAD are NAZIS

Why is it so many Pro-Thaksin newbie posters all signed up on about the same date,

Joined: 2008-06-14 but only now start to post, a lot. Seems there are SEVERAL

with almost the same exact sign up date,but do nothing for a long time and suddenly

BOOM lots of Pro-Thaksin crap.

So where you from foreigner? English sure isn't your language,

even your cut and paste from another source isn't in good English...

And not attributed to a source with a link to it.

Do you really expect us to roll over like puppies and believe that?

You obviously have an agenda, but it is short on verifiable facts.

Comparing PAD and Nazi's is spurious at best, and quite erroneous,

and in rather extremely poor taste at the anniversary of Crystal Nachte too.

Being nationalist and being national socialist are NOT the same thing by a long shot.

Being nationalist and being fascist are also NOT the same thing.

At least do some research before posting,

like read the dictionary for definitions and spelling.

Exactly! The same as when the PAD first occupied Government House, all these Newbies posting. And the bomb scare. Really.

Well, what did you think Toxin and his brother-in-law were talking about with their little tete a tetes in Manila and HongKong then? And all this just a few days after, what a coincidence

This may be a bit off topic but concerns Thaksin.

I have often wondered why Thaksin,with all his billions, has never publicly made a major charitable donation to the very people who apparently love him.

Has he ever actually paid for construction of a school, hospital, housing for the poor etc out of his "own" money?

Has he ever done anything that would be considered something along the lines of what Bill Gates Foundation has done?

I have never read anything positive in the newspapers about Thaksin doing something charitable using his own funds.

All the praise he gets from some posters here and his die-hard fans is for schemes he initiated using government (tax-payer) funds. Not his own money

I would be interested to learn if the man has actually given one satang out of his own pocket that he didn't expect to get back sooner or later.

Had he done these things, rather than being a pariah, he would be regarded as something of a hero.

Yes, I know about the red-shirt rallies, but that's just mindless hero worship IMHO.

When Thaksin was at the helm, he actively distributed lots of money to tambons - each time was a great photo-op and the locals loved him for it. They still do. Once in awhile he would give a 1,000 baht bill to some little old lady dressed in rags, and make sure the cameras were rolling at that time.

What the rural poor still haven't figured out is, it wasn't Thaksin's personal money he was handing out (ok, maybe the 1,000 baht notes were), but it was government and/or lottery money*. Thaksin was such a big shot that he never cared to go through gov't channels to distribute money to projects, he'd much rather just take highly publicized trips (to regions which gave him the highest voting majorities) - and hand the money out like it was his own.

*There was a 3-man troika in charge of handling lottery proceeds, and (surprise!) Thaksin was at its helm. It's not stretch to perceive of him taking bucketloads of those proceeds and doing what the heck he wanted with it.

Exactly. There was a very large item on BBC World in the Asian segment today, reporting on Taksin's being denied entry to virtually every country there is, bit same same Gary Glitter . And there was Jonathan Head again (what is it with him?) reporting from Bangkok that Taksin is in effect, some Robin Hood figure, much loved by great swathes of the population, most notably the north and northeast (yes, well there are poor all over the country Jonathan, why don't they like him?). concluding with the remark that perhaps he could come back to Thailand in some other role, maybe as a fundraiser Mr Head's seriously suggesting he could become an NGO?!

His coverage of the Taksin saga is taking on Fox News proportions, no mention of the killings, shady land deals, the murderous proxy Samak, handpicked by Taksin, not to mention the bunch of thugs who make up the current 'Government', again handpicked by him.

I've written to the BBC twice (and was once contacted by them for my opinion just after his conviction), to ask for a bit more balance on this, but it seems, to no avail. So if any of you happen to be passing the FCC in Bangkok, please do pop in and have a word in his shell like.

PS: For those of you still under the impression that the PAD are a bunch of right wing fascists who, if they had their way, would ban all farang from Thailand, if you weren't here at the time, or your memory's failing you, Taksin whipped up more anti foreigner fervour in his first year in office (constant changing of visa rules, proposals to increase hugely visa fees, the implementation of the 90 day reporting, albeit it had been on the law books before, but never implemented until Taksin decreed it should be strictly adhered to), than any of the ballyhoo regards the Khmer temple. Many expats were leaving in Phuket and the local Thais were very concerned at the time that all their businesses, being hugely dependent on the foreign community here, would be badly effected. So if we're talking about xenophobia, better Mr Head's dream of Taksin's glorious return does not materialise.

You have to give the courts credit. They are really kicking butt at all levels. Lets hope this isn't a flash in the pan.

This news is indeed striking... Because bribes are everywhere in Thailand, from the top to the bottom of society. Widespread. On a daily basis.

But :

-april 2001... charges in 2007 !

-and what about the sentence : 5 years of jail for a few thousands THB of tea money ? When murderers get less ?

It's important that the justice system doesn't go to the other extreme (from doing nothing, to giving 5 years of jail for a bribe)

Is it a "judiciary accident" (the judge was under amphetamines and very angry) ?

It is an official sign sent to civil servants and police officers ? The party is over, watch out ?

We'll have to wait to know the answer. But it would be... a revolution. A real one.

This is why I don't believe it.

I believe it is. The Vehicle Registration Department here on Phuket WILL NOT under any circumstances accept bribes of any kind, including the usual 500 baht for 'passing' the driving test, on pain of dismissal. If it works for them, it will work for the police force, and we have the PAD to thank for bringing corruption and it's elimination to the fore each and every day on it's stage, above which are the words 'make Thailand better'. Good. Now let's go after bloody Rawai OrBorJor ...

PM pours money into a Thaksin project

By The Nation

On Monday, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat injected Bt6.5 billion into the communitybased SML (small, medium, large) project - one of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's populist policies that were hugely popular at the grassroots level.

Somchai, along with Deputy Prime Minister Dr Olarn Chaipravat launched the project at Lanna Technology University in Chiang Mai's Doi Saket district.

The PM said he was keeping this project alive because he believed it had proven useful as it fostered growth and development in rural areas.

"Every satang is used transparently with no politician benefiting personally from the project," he said.

LIKE <deleted> IT IS added by marshbags !!!!!!!!

He said the government would allocate more money to about 10,000 villages by the end of this year.

Commenting on the political crisis, Somchai insisted that it would not obstruct national development because people's well being remained the government's main priority.

After Somchai transferred the funds to the Government Savings Bank and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, 76 lamps were released into the sky to mark this goodwill gesture, which will benefit 27,699 villages and communities in all 76 provinces across the country.

UNQUOTE

Unbelievable, extraction of the urine at it,s most forceful

NFC

I posted this here rather than do a search for a more suitable thread, also this one is ongoing at the present time and this is just one small example of / as to why he is in this position of exile

marshbags

Ah yes. ELECTION COMING!!

Release the government portion of the Issan bribe money.

Betchya squat goes to the south now....

No it need not go in politicians pockets directly,

it goes in their control networks pockets,

so THEY can control the little people.

The Kamnan Benevolent Fund just sprang into use.

This of course WILL be directed to make best use of PPP districts players.

Knob heads one and all.

Mind you, if the Democrats, being the Opposition party and all, could, after all this time, come up with some tangible policies that at least show they care about the rural poor, which make up a huge percentage of the populace here, again - After All This time - I think Taksin's Proxy Party may have a fight on it's hands if any election does take place. The Oppositon does, after all, bear an awful lot of responsibility for the present lamentable situation here.

The Democrats are perceived, rightly or wrongly not to give a rat's arse. Really they should stop posturing and get out more.

That ones in Kathu.. 3 bed pool villa for 25k and 3k gardener and pool maint.. In Nov..

I think a mates going to leave his house to go for it.. Even tho he will lose some pre paid rent.. simply as its a much better deal than he (or I) found a few months ago..

Again. This is just one example given in your stating that there are 'better and better' (sic) deals to be found this season. Where are the others? Not to mention, although you cite your 'mate's' 'ouse as being a '3 bed pool villa' (of which there are many, by the by ...), in what condition and particular location.

Also, (and maybe I'm confusing you with another poster), but did you not state some time ago that 500 baht was by far and away a very reasonable wage for a gardener/pool maintenance man? Your 'mate' looking to make up around another fifty quid on the rent then?

I very much doubt that any door closed without his knowledge. As I stated earlier, I am certain both he and his lawyers knew the possible consequences of leaving England. If you are, in fact, applying for asylum you are asking for the protection of the country. Once you leave, you are basically saying you don't need the protection of the country any longer. Most countries in a similar position would be either revoke the visas or deny the application for asylum or both.

He is very far from being without options. Britain may just have been a little too profile and problematic.

I am only speculating, but this is a man who is quite bright and he has managed to stay a step ahead of things for a long time. I might also add that the money frozen in Thailand is certainly not the bulk of his fortune, which is no doubt stashed in some very safe places and far from the reach of the Thai officials.

You're wrong on each and every count, and like so many others on this forum do not understand the mindset of the Thai With Big Money who has (and depressingly, despite all of this, always will) never understand that other cultures have a totally different Value System, insofaras, money might be God here, but in the more mature democracies (as Taksin himself put it) realise that what is short term for a workable way of conducting affairs within one's country is unacceptable in many others. Oh, and his lawyers were ignorant of this fact also.

Britain a 'little too low profile and problematic'? What on earth are you talking about? If Britain rejects him, so does the rest of the EU, US and any commonwealth countries. Not to mention that those aspirant countries to a workable democracy, would show themselves severely lacking, and for what? How many baht, irrespective of currency exchange rates would compensate for that.

And although loath to disavow you of your perception of Taksin being 'quite bright', again I would say your perception is in Western terms. He's a pooyai thug who simply did not/could not grasp that Western culture would not/most certainly could not, put up with this kind of ridiculous hubris, along with the fact that you have not a clue as to the Thai Way of not parting with a solitary satang if, given the aforegoing, they think they would have a very good chance of getting it all back.