UnknownPoster

"airport director Serirat Prasutanont said the crackdown had brought illegal taxi and guide activities down by 70-to-80 per cent"

"Thailand (AoT)'s legal division is exploring how to bar any people arrested more than three times for such an offence from entering the airport premises."

"Mr Serirat added that any taxi drivers found to have overcharged a passenger would be prohibited from picking up passengers at the airport for at least 10 days."

Reduced but still there.

Bar people that have been arrested 3 times?

A 10 day suspension for ripping off tourists?

Like I said in another thread.

This Airport needs a new manager from outside of Thailand.

A foreigner that won't play the games.

Very similar to the Surat Thani crash some years ago.

Missed approach in bad weather and tried again....

You ever wonder why there are so many Tailors in Thailand? It's a scam.

My Indian friend tells me the suits only cost them 1,300 to manufacture.

The "seamstress" makes 200bt to put it together.

They will try to upsell the "better fabric".

The suits are usually cheap crap.

Maybe you can get a decent suit but I'm doubtfull.

Good country to holiday, play on the beach, eat Thai food.

If you do business with the locals, you will see the bad side.

Let's not forget the Thai Military is way more corrupt than some self made billionair.

Let's also not forget, Thaksin was a telecommunications tycoon, long before politics.

The waelthiest guy in Thailand BEFORE he took office.

He ran dozens of companies and his wealth was spread around the world long ago.

The Thai Military has a right to freeze his personal accounts?

Just another rule to be ignored/exploited by the building inspector...after he gets paid off, of course

"But then, if it were completed, or had even been started, there would be no excuse for keeping Don Muang open, and for the continued long-term inconvenience to international-passengers which it causes."

DonMeung reopend not because of runway cracks at Suwannapoom, but pressure from influential people wanting to get a piece of the action.

Does anyone else feel that they were sold the idea of Thailand being cheap to live in and then arrived in Bangkok to find that (for an expat lifestyle at least) it's not nearly as cheap as they might have been led to believe?

Yes, living in Thailand is VERY cheap. Living in Bangkok is not.

I never pay more than 20 baht for breakfast, lunch or dinner. My haircuts are 30 baht. My new apartment is 2,500 baht a month. Buying a nice dress shirt for teaching is about 199 baht. I hired an electrician to come into my apartment and do some significant rewiring to accommodate an air-con unit and water heater. He spent about two hours doing the job. Cost of labor and materials: 100 baht. Every week I have my vehicle cleaned thoroughly--about an hour job. 30 baht.

I was offered a job at a Bangkok university at three times my current salary. After surveying the territory and expenses, I decided I couldn't afford it. Currently, in "the rest of Thailand" I can save 65% of my monthly salary which I use for international travel during vacation times.

Get out of Bangkok and discover the rest of Thailand. Perhaps the "bill of goods" sold to you will wind up being true, after all.

60thb a day for food. Sounds dreadfull.

The cheap dollar, big increases in housing, the Thais double charging foreigners for everything.

Not cheap any longer.

It's a shame that travelers have to question every singel transaction, suspecting they are being scammed.

Why does Thailand have that reputation I wonder?

Thais are more difficult to ripoff.

The Taxi Mafia out there only wants gullible tourists.

If a tourist complains...who give a shiit.

Thaksin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin

Brought Thailand into the communications age as a businessman.

As Prime Minister, won 3 elections by landslide. Brought Thailand back from the financial crisis.

A winner who was ousted by a corrupt military.

"Make the arrivals hall free from people pushing you to their scams.

Some signs to make arriving passengers understand they have OTHER options than the AOT limo scam"

What? No pushy touts or easy access to the ground transport at Bangkoks new "state of the art" airport?

That's asking too much, no?

The Thais in your area have surley have coached her and knows how to manipulate the system.

If possible, be nice, make up tell her you will buy a house for her in Thailand, raise a family...whatever.

Once she is in Thailand, make her passport vanish and report to your Emabssy that she has threatened to kill you.

Believe it or not, some here think it never happens...an urban ledgend.

What are the chances it will work out to be scam free?

0?

You can buy a condo but you cant stay there full time.

AMAZING THAILAND.

She probably has a few more tricks up her sleeve. Watch out.

In the USA, all she has to do is say you beat her and she gets a free pass to stay is my understanding.

The 900thb for 'two' King Prawns turned me off from the place. That's 450thb for one shrimp! Crazy.

This can't be good for Thailands reputation as a tourist getaway.

People planning their winter holiday might choose another destination where the planes won't crash.

Another nail in the tourism coffin.

Take the MRT to the Rama 9 Station and walk directly into the Fortune mall. There is a conveyer sushi joint right inside the door.

Not sure how good it is? Never tried it.

People that buy the best condo in the best location will do very well over the long term.

so how do you find a real metered taxi that isnt part of some kick back scam when you arrive at this airport?

Lug your belongings to the DEPARTURE area and get a meter-taxi dropping people off.

The ground transport mafia does not let them pick up at arrivals so they should be happy to use the meter.

Strange but true.

All of the above and many more.

Thailand is the "Land of Smiles"

Thais smile when they are happy (making money, partying, having a good time).

Thais smile when they like you.

Thais smile when they are don't like you.

Thais smile when they are embarassed.

Thais smile to avoid conflict.

Thais smile to mask anger.

The smile in Thailand is the "one expression fits all" response to just about everything. Are the smiles "genuine" you ask. In the Thai sense, yes!

Thai smiles are multi purpose. The real ones look just like the fake ones.