chonburi

Thaksin says he will remain a member of parliament and the TRT party leader, so if another TRT member becomes the next PM then technically Thaksin will be the next PM's leader. The vote count makes it quite clear that TRT will easily win any 4 party race so Thaksin haters shouldn't cheer too early.

It seems more of a face saving move for all parties to reconcile without appearing to have been defeated before the all important aniversary coming up in 2 months.

Not quite sure that the PAD will roll over this easy though.....

The description 'Puppetmaster' springs to mind.

But why did the Aussie that overstayed only 1 day wanted to do a visa run if he anyways has planned to leave the country 2 days later ????

He should have had better information

I agree this is hard to understand, I've overstayed a number of times, by up to 6 days on one occasion. Each time the Immigration at Don Muang have simply charged me 100bht a day, though on the 6 day instance they did ask for 6,000 bht. I laughed and said, you mean 600 don't you? Their response was to laugh and comment, "Ah Mr David you have done this before yes?" "You are wearing a La Coste shirt so 6,000Bht is nothing". My response was that it was a Bangkok La Coste so 600 was much better. Everyone had a chuckle and off I went. I guess new guys need to learn the ropes sometimes it costs to do so.

My job is taking care of the dead and injured in Thailand. Here are some things may want to know. Around 70% of the dead and injured at night have alcohol in their blood.

Thais are generally nice people, but behind the wheel of a vehicle they become very aggressive and violent because of the stresses of driving in a crazy environment coupled with their inadequate driving skills. Not just aggressive driving, but actual road rage, and the use of weapons and hand-guns at the scenes of accidents is prevelant! Beware.

I love Thailand and thats why I stay and volunteer here but am so sad when the government doesn't accept its responsiblities for all the above!

Good on you for doing this Mark, I hope not to have an accident because of the things you mention here (which I agree are all true) but if I do, I hope you're around to assist me.

I assume you mean 'does anyone' think yada, yada, yada. I'll give you an "A" in math, but a "C-" in English.

...oh lordy

While it may or may not conform to the hard and fast rules of the English language "Does nobody..." is an oft used question and and therefore a post slamming its use is most uncalled for!

Well said. Galong might just warrant an 'F' in diplomacy.

Give him the passport and get him the hel_l out of Thailand. Maybe he's innocent but you don't usually get arrested for child rape charges for nothing. As my grandma used to say, "Where there is smoke there is fire." Hope the Thai authorities won't let him back in.

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You would have fitted in nicely with the people who said the South American guy shot on the underground in London must have been guilty 'cause he was 'running', had wires showing under his heavy clothing, etc. He was innocent, unfortunately he's dead.

If you were in charge of this guys case in Thailand, he'd be locked away forever or dead, but there's a chance he could be innocent too don't you think?

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Bhumibol

Hapy birthday to you.........

Congratulations You Majesty on being the most respected Monarch (with good reason) in the World

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Absolutely, not only the most respected but the most loved anywhere.

David and Yupadee

Western Australia.

...  Thais also can have a bit of a short fuse if a dispute arises.

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Having been married to one for the last 32 years, there's no need to tell me that, Cobber!

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Oh how true that is, still there are compensating short fuses in the more agreeable activities.

The incidence of on street robbery are increasing in Thailand though, one only has to read the Thai language newspapers on the net to see that is a fact, the wife reads 'em and tells me. It is not necessary to be a falang, just to look as if you have a $ or a mobile phone on your belt. As has been said already it happens everywhere, the greater the gap between rich and poor the greater the incidence.

It's really sad when foreigners start using Thai violent tatics against fellow foreigners  (or anybody for that fact).

Probably paid the gunman 1,000 baht to shoot them both. Makes me sick.

I mean we have enough to worry about over here, and now we have to worry about desputes being settled the Thai mafia way?

*heavy sigh*

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Gee I think you must be living in the past 1,000 baht wouldn't buy a strong word in todays Thailand. If there is a dispute between falangs I'd be looking at the Russian element.

Any young female tourist that hooks up with (or trusts) a Thai male should be prepared for the consequences.

Many Thai females are raped by someone they are close to by the time they are 15 - 17

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Quite true, this is often virtually a marriage proposal. One that cannot be refused due to the loss of face if the girl doesn't marry the offending boy friend.

Never the less Rape is a crime that happens everywhere in the world and isn't unusual enough to warrant much of a discussion in a forum such as this in my opinion.

Why am i not surprised? These guys just never get anything right.   

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Perhaps they should have asked New Orleans how to cope?

Would buying them suitcases help?

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Who, the students or the teachers?

The picture is here.

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a lovely looking pair....

one wonders how farangs get a bad name.....

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lecter-I don't see too much wrong with their appearance from what this photo shows. Do you have a problem with tatooed guys or something?

My wife(Thai) in reading the report said that the police were suspicious of the circumstances. The Thai newspaper she read, spoke about the bar he owned having been sold for 2M Baht. No mention at that time of heroin only drink and medicines. TIT!

Actaully, just spoke to my mother about this. She had to have her Thai PP renewed as was told to do it before the 1 August, otherwise she would have to go to Canberra for fingerprinting.

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I have now heard from the Thai embassy in Canberra that they (the Thai Embassy) have only two machines to do the process one in Canberra and one in Sydney. They intend to have another 'mobile' machine to send to each of the States in turn. No doubt the logistics of getting a renewal done in your State of residence, anywhere near the date of expiry, will be flamin difficult.

My wife and I are now domiciled in Western Australia. Previously, to renew her Thai passport via the Thai Embassy in Canberra has not presented a problem. Recently however, she has been reading on the web about proposed changes to include some form of electronic component to Thai Passports renewed after 1st August this year. She has gained the impression that she will have to travel to Sydney or Canberra personally to renew the document in person. Has anyone heard or do they have any information concerning this? It would be almost as expensive for her to go to the Eastern States as it would be to go to Thailand if this is true.

My comments about Mr Taksin's business skill was intended to be facetious, though he is now reputed to be the richest man in Thailand, I guess TIT would apply.

Now there's a surprise eh ?  

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What worries me, is that these are the people who are running an entire country . . . . . . . I would like them to (in small teams of say 4 people) try and "run" a 7/11 store, for a month AND make a profit, of course ! ! I firmly believe they couldn't do it - therefor it really worries me, that people like these are running an entire country ! ! !

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I think that Mr Taksin has proved himself capable of running a business and making a profit, so what are you saying?

It must just be the rest of them that can't do anything right, yes?

I'm all for tolerance as long as it is on all sides. It does seem to me though that the UK, certainly it's Government and it's PC brigade plus the general populace have been way too tolerant of the enmies within. I'm not suggestting that there should be a complete about turn from what is but I do think that it is time to stop being Mr/Mrs nice guys to those that live in the country yet preach and practice hatred and contempt of the society that they entered voluntarily. Those elements whatever their complexion or religion should be escorted politely to the airport and consigned to wherever they will feel more content. The UK or any other civilised western society does not need them, get rid of the pariahs.

Hi all ......... my situation is similar, but different. My child will be born in Thailand next month, and will be eligibile for both British and Australian nationality, according to the respective embassies, due to my dual nationality. My wife is Thai, and we have applying for an Australian migration visa for her.

My problem is that I don't really want to go through all the red tape to get my daughter a Thai passport (which means she'll have 3 passports!) as we're migrating permanently to Oz ASAP. But if we try to take her out on her Oz passport, won't Thai Immigration say "where is her entry to stamp to Thailand"?

Any thoughts?

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bisou,

Will the birth cetificate show the child as a Thai citizen, if so then you can and should get both a Thai and an Aussie pasport whilst you're in the Kingdom. If the sutibat (Birth Certificate) is endorsed to the effect that the child is not a Thai citizen which is what happened to my daughter (due to me being outcountry when she was born) take it to the Oz embassy and obtain the Oz PP for the child. You will need to show both the Oz PP and the Sutibat to immigration when you exit Thailand. Getting a Thai PP for your daughter at a later date if required will be a little more complicted and probably more expensive. So if you can get one before you leave for Oz.

The difference between a life sentence and a death sentence in Thailand is that 'Death' is absolute but a 'Life' sentence will probably be reduced by concessions made for the King's birthday. A 'Life' sentence is not really a guaranteed term. The guy coukld be back on the street in ten years, the victims will not!

Not another case of having left something or lost something and having it returned though both have happened to me in Thailand. This is one of those 'aren't Thai people friendly sometimes'.

A few years ago I was sitting on my own on the platform in Chiang Mai waiting for the train back to Hualompong. About fifty yard further along the platform were a group of about 12 to 15 Thai's ages ranging from say 18 to 40 years all chatting and laughing away.

After about ten or fifteen minutes, three of them approached me and asked if I would like to come and join them and have some chicken and khao neow. I did I was fed and beered and questioned and talked to all the way from Chiag Mai to Bangkok by this wonderful group of Bank employees who had been on a trip together.

A lonely boring ride had been made into a holiday for me, with no reason other than their feeling for this lone falang who obviously looked as though he needed cheering up. Great!

My wife bites, she actually always tries to bite my butt and boy she can hurt but the bites are simply a demonstration of her affection. In addition to actual bites on the butt she uses a lip ove teeth bite to nibble on my nom(sorry, my nipple). Pinching is another action that goes on when we are playing around. As a Puchai I'm supposed to be hard and able to tolerate the pain that she applies to demonstrates her affection, sometimes that's not easy. But I tell you what, the massages, the loving and the great level of care that she otherwise provides makes the pain dissappear very easily.

Generally speaking many Chinese are very industrious and pressure their children to perform well in school, this is true where ever they are domiciled,Thailand, Australia, America etc.

My wife has Chinese on both sides of her family. One side, the maternal grandparents, are exclusively Chinese and run very successful food businesses in Pitsanuloke and Bangkok. The paternal grandfather was a full Chinese who was addicted to fin(opium) and ran a whorehouse in Bangpakong.

My wife's father is the son of the addict and a fairly useless husband and parent, my wife's Mother, a Thai, is the illegitimate child of the better off Chinese connection and his Mia noi, she then made the mistake of choosing her partner on looks rather than other qualities.

What I'm saying is there are good and bad Chinese, just the same as any other ethnic group. The embarrassment felt about being a Thai woman is often due to the media coverage of the seamy side of Thailand and the fact that so many of the ladies who live in other countries are sourced from that environment. My wife gets angry about what the media portrays and sometimes about the behaviour of Thai women here in Aus. However we have learnt to tolerate both and not be ashamed of things which are nothing to do with us as individuals.

strawberry-As you were born in the UK did you work there at all? If you did you would probably be able to claim a part pension from there.

Dondi- Have to say that your posts are less than supportive, rules are rules we know but applying them without consideration is sometimes a long way from justice!

Was the land in your name? Or did you build a nice 500,000 baht house on someone else's 10,000 baht rai of land?

Cynic! Probably but as long as the two people stay together does it matter. If they don't well, 500,000bht is a lot less than it would cost to finish in his home country.

Flackjacket-Your experience almost mirrors my own, the wife's family have never asked ME for money though there has been a couple of instances where the house boss has been asked to assist. Roof replacement being a 5 to 7 year requirement, leaf roofs are like that they do deteriorate. I actuall have to insist that we I mean both of us send something each year at my wife's birthday date to her Mum and her Dad. We buy some clothes throughout the year, shirts, skirts, etc. and send these plus a little pocket money because there is a show which is held at the Wat around that time. We also send a little to my wifes youngest sister who has two children and an absent unfinancial supportive husband. All in all it probably costs us between 6000 and 8000 bht a year. I put money each month into an account for my wife so that if she wants to do something of a greater scale at some time, she has the money to do so without asking me.

18 years all up, a great cook, a great massuer, a funny lady, a super housekeeper and absolutely undemanding. Hey she's worth a million, $ not Bht. She's not from the NE but from near Chonburi, there are good ladies all over and if you're lucky enough to find one they're diamonds.