TPI

Changed the Constitution - well, the elected, non-junta parliament has been trying for a year and a half, and it is a total disaster as far as people are concerned, only self-serving crooks trying to protect their own interests. The junta's version is far more people centered, and they took it for public referendum. The elected bunch, on the other, isn't going to consult with people at all.

Junta appointed parliament was also far more productive than elected one as far as legistating is concerned. Last year was a complete write off, for example - they couldn't pass any laws at all, being busy squabbling with the people whether they should work for Thaksin or the country.

Poorly ran the country - there was 5-6% growth, including exports and foreign investment, and and they repaid hundreds of billions of public debts. What have the elected governments accomplished in a year and a half?

Increased the military budget - that was also the first order of business of Somchai govt, for example. As percentage of GDP it's still below Singapore or Malaysia.

Gripen fighter deal was Thaksin's pet project - chickens for planes.

>>>

What Thailand needs is a few years under competent, working government. Doesn't matter where it comes from, democratic vs coup government is a false dichotomy. Coup government was in many ways far more democratic than some elected goverments we had since.

Wasn't the political scene boring after the coup? I missed the daily pronouncements of Tak--s wonderful leadership. The shame is that the folk who received the million baht per village thought that it came out of the "great liar's" pocket instead of out of their own!

Instead of trying to shuffle the seats around the trough the opposition should be coming up with "real" alternatives to the present government...that's if they're not all wan--rs?

lor / chris

perhaps a change of location might help you see many many better parts of thailand. there are much much better location for one to visit and settle than where you are now.... i guarantee it

where you are now was one of my favorites in 1980 but now pattaya is a tourist destination, not much different than phuket.... lol

chris, if you are a tourist, you are in the right place.

but if you are NOT a tourist, why remain there buddie?

pack up and go to the very eastern part of thailand where local people will welcome you and yourself instead of your euro/dollar, or

go south to songkhla or trang where southern hospitality will overwhelm you....

You would have to be joking, unless of course you consider bomb blasts and beheadings a great example of 'southern hospitality'.

I have a thai friend in Australia who was born & bred in Songkhla and spends as little as time there as she can because some of the things that go down there. We've always heard of the wild west, this is the savage south

----------

ok, songkhla is out of the question because of several bombs last couple of year, but beheading in songkhla? i must have missed that.... are you certain you are not talking about yala or pattani?

well, that would leave only TRANG, wanna try out trang's southern hospitality for a while? you might like it.... lol

about songkhla.... the savage south....! wow.... that is new to me and shocking too, to hear such reference.... well, any way there are at least six farangs who choose to live there for over 10 yrs now.... most are europeans though, the last time i saw them was two years ago, they all looked healthy and very tanned to the n-th degree with their thai ladies by their sides.... well, it did not look like a savage south to me at the time.... but conditions could have changed since then too....

any way, surely wish you a happy time in thailand wherever you choose to stay ok? many of us are having a grand time in thailand even though

it is a small country and is classified as a third world developing country at best.... in spite of all its shortcomings and imperfection, many like myself do not mind much at all, at all the inconveniences of getting in and out of the country just so we can stay on and enjoy our life to the fullest in thailand....

thank you very much thailand, i love you in spite of everything and most of all thank you for allowing me and my family and many others to have the life that we choose to live according to what we deem fit.... without too much interferences from your uniformed servants.

anyone else that discovers a better place, pls kindly post such, so we may thank you forever for the new discovery.

C'mon folks! C'mon up to Phrae province...The provincial CEO K. Anuwat, is a good guy who welcomes foreigners and often asks advice. He has encouraged us to start a foreign residents association and has asked us for ideas to improve tourism etc. He explained to us, in a seminar that he arranged, that Thailand needs our collective experience and energy and he would support any "good" ideas we came up with!

We've met with him a few times and he appears to be genuine?

Phrae has "weather"...seasons even!

Hi,

I have moved to Thailand with my wife in Jan this year. We both have real estate which we have invested in Australia which is good income and currently building a small block of units in Thailand too which is nothing too flash.

We plan to open a internet cafe for something to do. We have a good supply of money coming in at the moment. But I was just thinking if all goes belly up, if the aussie dollar drops like hel_l for some reason and my apartments are empty. What job I could get in Thailand? I know I can be an English teacher, but thats not what I want to do.

My wife was an manager in one of the biggest IT firms in the world and has her masters, so she would have no problem getting a job, but I just has a quick look around on the net and it doesn't look good for me.

I guess I could go back to Australia until everything got back on track if I did run into some bad luck. But thats not what I would like to do.

So what do you think? This just popped into my head last night and I am the type of person who can't stop thinking about what if's in the future.

they speak english in Australia?

Yes agreed! Congratulations to OP if he's not a native English speaker, but otherwise, before all else, there's one obvious task to address.

In all honesty OP couldn't be an English teacher at present.

Other than that, yes as one poster stated, I think being an English teacher is the only normal occupation actually requiring a degree (as well as a CELTA), so take your pick. Actually, I don't think the law even states that you can't be a teacher without a degree, it's just that this is what the Thai recruiters think!

Times are tough. As a general rule money invested in Thailand is never seen again .

However, since OP has experience of property, and also because it's possible to legally own a condo, this might be the best way to go.

From experience I wouldn't go the company route- accident waiting to happen.

Agreed that almost any company deal will lead to you investing everything you have until everything is used up and then...nothing, too bad TIT! If you have a reasonably steady income and your wife would have no trouble getting a job, what's your problem? It doesn't take a lot of money to live comfortable in Thailand, get involved in a charity, you'd be surprised what opportunities present themselves and think of the merit you'll reap!

a little further away is soi ngarm duphli a lot of cheaper places there. Pinnacle is not too expensive I think and o.k

Almost anywhere close to an MRT should do. It's (the embassy)only a 15 minute walk from Lumpini MRT.

http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/aug/10/...scuing-cat-not/

I know there are many here who, like me and me, worship the divine essence of stealthy awareness, total economy of action and intent, and the awesome intelligence that allows cats to manipulate humans as their toys and food-sources by feigning being a toy, being cute.

While you may not believe me and me when we say that a cat's purring is a recitation of a mantra that directly connects them to a state of timeless energy and absolute being very similar to the states reached by orangutans after years of learning the teachings of Ur-Orang, and then un-learning them ...

Nevertheless, I think you will savour this story of a Saviour who gave his all for a better, higher purpose (at least twenty-five feet higher).

Meow, ~o:37;

Tsk, tsk! had he never heard that you own a dog and feed a cat? At 74 what was he doing climbing trees anyway? Sad for the family, sad for the local birds and lizards, happy happy for the mooses?

Once the gecko`s get big they actually become a pet in the house, keeping the house insect free.... love em!

That's all very well but when you can count 20 of them on your lounge ceiling all of them being chased by a large pink and white tok taw and Sh--ting on every vertical and horizontal surface while dropping off the ceiling onto the middle of you back at the most in-auspicious moment....WELL! Can you blame the guy??

So do we still bring a photo? This is the first I've heard of this new procedure. What is it?

The explanation contained in the link was too cryptic for me. Thanks.

"Photo"?? fingerprints????? me no savvy master? What country belong him?

Update:

US 'disappointed and mystified' by Bout ruling: diploma

BANGKOK: -- The United States is "disappointed and mystified" by a Thai court's decision to reject a request for the extradition of Russian alleged arms dealer Viktor Bout, a senior US diplomat said Tuesday.

"We are disappointed and mystified by the court's ruling. We think the facts of the case are relevant to Thai laws," James Entwistle, the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Bangkok, told reporters.

The court said that it did not have the authority to punish "actions done by foreigners against other foreigners in another country."

-- AFP 2009-08-11

Hasn't anyone heard of the US policy called "Manifest Destiny", Teddy R. used it as an excuse to make war with Spain and Mexico and American Presidents and Congresses have used it as an excuse to make war on anyone they choose...It's America's "Manifest Destiny" to be the shining light of "Florida style" "Democracy" through out the world...and if you don't like it then you must be a communist by definition and anti-american to boot!!

I'm thinning out my library (sounds grand) and have 9 books available if anyone wants to collect them.

The Korean War - Brian Catchpole

Bader - Michael G Burns

A Soldiers Story - Omar N Bradley

Countdown to Victory - Barry Turner

Maquis - George Millar

Jeremy Clarkson - Motorworld

Douglas Reeman - A Dawn like Thunder

Hugh Sebag-Montefiore - Dunkirk

Stephen E Ambrose - Citizen Soldiers

I'm in Ban Huaykian (16km or so beyond Wiang Chai on Route 1173). If youre interested pm me for my phone number and we can arrange a time to collect.

I go back to UK for a couple of months on Wednesday, but you can always collect from my wife if not able to make it before.

Mate, I'm definately interested, my number(as I don't know what PM means! ) is 0816711953, I'll be happy to drive up and get the books and any others you'd like to get rid of!

regards

Tsunami warning buoy for Phuket now dead in the water

Despite responsibility for maintenance of the

buoy, Thailand has been unable to provide it.

With a dead battery, the buoy is no longer operative.

Then US Ambassador to Thailand Ralph Boyce

(left) and former Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Nitya

Pibulsonggram in front of the DART buoy before its

deployment off Phuket in late 2006. File photo.

PHUKET CITY: -- The tsunami direct detection buoy launched from Phuket in 2006 is inoperable because the Thai agency responsible for maintenance has not been able to replace its battery, the Gazette has learned.

The Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) buoy was put into place 600 nautical miles northwest of Phuket early in December 2006.

After its deployment, maintenance of the buoy fell to the Thai government.

Funded by the US government’s USAID program, the buoy was the first of its kind deployed in the Indian Ocean.

It is linked to a highly-sensitive pressure sensor on the seabed that measures the mean height of the water column above.

This information is relayed to a satellite that links to the US government tsunami warning center in Hawaii.

Supplied as part of US$16.6 million in funding for the US Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) Program, the buoy gave Thailand for the first time the ability to detect directly any tsunami waves before they hit land. That ability is now history, the victim of a dead battery.

According to the US Government’s National Data Buoy Center, the buoy sent out the last of its 15-minute-interval signal messages on June 16 this year.

Chotenarin Kerdsom, who heads the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket Office (DDPM-Phuket), confirmed that the buoy’s battery is dead.

“The original battery was designed to power the unit for one year, but fortunately it ran for two years. If we install a new battery it will resume sending its signals,” he said.

The National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) that is now responsible for maintaining the buoy has yet to get budget approval to install a new battery, he said.

“They will have a chance to get a budget in fiscal 2010, but it will require approval from the Budget Bureau,” he said.

The buoy is not under Thailand’s complete ownership. The signals it transmits are first received at the US Government’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii before re-transmission to Thailand, Mr Chotenarin explained.

The battery required is not expensive, but the mission to replace it would require a budget of at least 10 million baht, he said.

The buoy is in international waters and the round-trip mission would take at least five days using a large ship, preferably under escort of a Navy vessel to protect it from pirates, he said.

Until the existing buoy gets a new battery, the NDWC will have to rely primarily on seismic information when deciding to issue a tsunami alert, he admitted.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-08-10

YOU IDIOT"S, what were you thinking!!!!!Run away to mother now!!

And @ Wrecker: you don't have a clue.

If you bring foreign companies into thai farming, the same will happen as in India.

What's needed are cooperatives, not greedy capital.

What did happen in India? And who did it?

Co-Ops are the go...the only problem is, in this country you have to look at the palaces that the "poo Yai's build for the co-op office! I'm surprised that they don't have Co-Op markets or department stores here?

What did happen in India?

They seem to be comparing apples with oranges here.

Alcohol and Heroin are totally different. Heroine is VERY VERY addictive and absolutely ruins peoples lives, guaranteed. There is no such thing as a "casual heroine user" or "social user", like a social drinker or whatever.

So I cant see any real alternative. Making Heroine legal (cheap and easily accessible) isnt going to make it easier for people to kick their habit. I for one am a cigarette smoker and I would WELCOME any law that made cigarettes illegal. I have tried so many times to give up, but I find I myself going to the local shop to buy a pack. If they weren't easily available, I would have given up by now.

People usually get addicted to heroin because they have deep rooted emotional issues and the drug takes their pain away. However the drug itself does not help them in any way in the long run. Heroin addiction is a reflection of our modern society and the problems people have, usually from childhood, breakdowns of the family, rape, abuse, poverty and all the other issues that give people emotional and psychological problems. Also many people are "born" with psychological problems - for example you can find physical differences in the brains of bi-polar people to healthy people.

I think in many cases its unkind to label people as "bad" "scum" etc because of their heroin addiction. But yes the drug does ruin people and turn otherwise good people into killers, muggers. People who could kill their own grandmother and then have a shot and feel OK again.

Alcohol is also VERY VERY addictive and absolutely ruins peoples lives, guaranteed.

There is such thing as a "casual heroine user" or "social user", like a social drinker or whatever.

"People usually get addicted to heroin because they have deep rooted emotional issues and the drug takes their pain away." How about alcoholics?

"Heroin addiction is a reflection of our modern society..." Modern society? Heroin (opium) was a problem for people in this part of the world ever after there was a demand in europe and people around here were choosen to grow opium. (ever heard of the opium wars?)

"...and the problems people have, usually from childhood, breakdowns of the family, rape, abuse, poverty and all the other issues that give people emotional and psychological problems." If it would be a junkie telling me this, I would tell him that if this would be an excuse most of us would be junkies. But we are not.

"Also many people are "born" with psychological problems - for example you can find physical differences in the brains of bi-polar people to healthy people." Sounds little spartan to me...

"I think in many cases its unkind to label people as "bad" "scum" etc because of their heroin addiction. But yes the drug does ruin people and turn otherwise good people into killers, muggers." Yes it does! But it's not only heroin that can do that, I saw otherwise very good people going to the army and becoming killers, rapists, and yes heroin addicts. Everything that makes you "emotionless" could turn you into something "bad".

Don't take it personal Crossbones, I just liked this article and I felt like it is important for some people not to see heroin addicts as something like another species or race, specially after what you wrote about your inability to stop smoking, mostly they are people like you (and me), that just lack a little bit of will-power to stop before getting sucked into something they don't find a way out.

My opinion is also that many of the new "designer" drugs are far more dangerous than the "old" ones, for the simple reason that the "kids" ( most of the people taking drugs come the first time in contact with them when they are still young) learn about the evil of heroin but there are so many so called "soft" drugs, which will alter the brains and personality of people faster than even heroin would be able to. (and rarely someone educates them about them, besides they are called "soft")

Coming back to the actual thread, yes this guy would have ended up in jail anywhere in the world (except for the countries that would have him executed), and yes he fits the picture people have of the "species" of junkies. (almost too much to be carrying it)

Hear, hear! Legalise the lot...it's obvious that the punishment does not fit the "crime", education is and always was the key to opening people's minds to what is harmful and what is not! Some people just can't get off the "tit"...

And as I recall, all these vehicles and boats are still sitting on the dock and have been there for about 4 years,,

Stoneman

It's odd that the BMA are trying to punish the supplier? Shouldn't they be after the corrupties rather than the corrupter. After all, they did supply what was ordered? Love this country!

I come from Bristol...south west of england where 'chitlin' was (is)? very popular,but very few pure pork butchers remain nowadays.When I left in 2000, Bristol only had 2 genuine pork butchers selling every part of the pig.

In Rimping and Topps I see the stomach(maul) big intestine(Fatty end) and small intestine(Twisted) for sale in its uncooked state.

Ive never cooked it before,but would like to and serve cold with vinegar and mustard.

Ive read various recipes which stress the careful cleaning required before boiling.

Has anyone here cooked them? and did they taste as at home???

Of course a pint of 'scrumpy' would wash the meal down well,but I guess I will have to make do with a can of 'Old English'.

Most noodle shops use the "offal" in their soups...have a look at a couple of noodle sellers, it looks as if they just boil them and slice it up!

Laziness, complacency, unconcern, lack of interest, having personal translator, did not expect to stay here that long, try to learn, but cannot remember a word, never speak with Thais anyway, generally never speak with someone else, thinks that he can speak Thai, but in reality cannot, can speak Thai, but not Lao, and so forth.

Surely, for the older residents, wouldn't one consider a language comprehension a beneficial plus? Know the language, know the culture.......or not.

10 plus years for me after 6 mos whats to know other tha TIT and I will never be a Thai. ( bee in my bonnet? probably) for me i do not get paid to speak Thai and it does not make any difference in my lifestyle so why bother....... if you have not guessed I am not one of the expats who love the thai way nor will i ever go native.

Awwww! You poor bugger! Don't let TIT get you down, you could be living next to the railway line in Bang Khen...Some speak the language like a native, look at Andrew (don't you hate the way he plays with the language??) some never do! Who cares? Just enjoy your life and laugh at the snobs in their narrow little world...Try to remember "that for every pot there is a lid". Good times always follow the bad...

I foolishly thought the road (which looks like a public road) provided normal access to one of my new units. Today I was informed, due to the way I was parking on this road, that it is privately owned, by some nutty old lady, and she wants to dictate how we park on it or if we even can park on it at all. <deleted>!?

I still have to check with the land office and my attorney, and will do so tomorrow, but thought I would share none the less as it is something I overlooked in this case.

Moral of the story, even if the road looks like a public one, double check on it because, and I hope I'm not about to find out, it could bring a lot of headache.

One beautiful thing about living here is, I learn something new every day. I student for life.

Maaaate! The little lady an I bought a large plot of land from her "good neighbour" at a premium price "because they're old"...only later, when we started to build on the land did we find out that the 100m dirt access road was owned by another neighbour... the legendary "little old chinese lady" who insisted that we couldn't use any part of her land to run water, telephone or power, especially alongside the road?

Sly moves were done with the daughter of said little lady...money changed hands and now, for 2 years, we haven't had any problems...but! Now we're negotiating to buy the access road, the Land Department is coming to value the land etc etc. I don't think we'll get out of it for less than 100K

Moral? Don't trust anyone, even "good, friendly neighbours"

Yes, maybe this is interesting to some people, but for me I could care less for any of such nonsense. I try to steer clear of people who believe in all the various supersticious crap here.

Then, pray tell, why did you bother to comment???

Thai red tape delays moves to bring Luke Mitchell's killers to justice

Article from: </IMG>Mark Buttler and Brendan Roberts

July 22, 2009 12:00am

IT could be a year before the fugitive suspects in the shocking good Samaritan murder are brought back to Melbourne to face justice.

The wanted men have been at large in Thailand for two months since flying out within hours of the death of Luke Mitchell, who was bashed to death in Brunswick after going to the aid of a man.

Homicide squad detectives and Luke's family face a long wait before the investigation goes any further.

Australia has an extradition treaty with Thailand and paperwork has been prepared if the two men are arrested.

The decision will then be made by the Thai Cabinet.

Melbourne investigators identified two suspects within hours of the brutal attack on Luke Mitchell in the early hours of May 24.

The men fled to Thailand later that day.

Luke's brother Shane told the Herald Sun the family had to be patient for justice.

"We are still hoping for a result but we are mindful that these things can take a long time," he said.

"Its frustrating that the case is still open, but we're focusing on using this time to mourn for Luke."

"Of course we're hopeful, but it's a delicate situation and the police are conducting it the best way they see fit."

Mr Mitchell was killed after helping to stop an attack on a man near a nightclub in Sydney Rd.

After leaving the scene of the confrontation, he was assaulted and stabbed outside a nearby 7-Eleven store at the corner of Brunswick and Sydney roads. He died in hospital a few hours later.

Police believe his attackers drove to the 7-Eleven in a Mercedes after arming themselves with knives from a nearby brothel.

One of the suspects was already on a flight out of Melbourne when he was identified.

Police and Jetstar say the flight was well out of Australian air space by the time he was identified.

In any case, police say they did not at that early stage have an arrest warrant with which to detain him if the Bangkok-bound flight, JQ29, was turned back.

The suspect paid cash for a return ticket to Bangkok and left just under 12 hours after Mr Mitchell died.

Police believe the return ticket was a simpler and less suspicious way of leaving Australia.

How I see it is this : The original scam was put into place from the outset , possibly by involvement of the staff at KP and orchestrated by Mr.Sri Lanka or wherever he came from. They report the tourist for stealing , the police are called. The tourists are taken to the police station and interviewed , Mr Sri Lanka being the interpreter tells the worried tourists how much trouble they are in . The police have no idea what Mr Sri Lanka is saying and the Tourists are non the wiser either as they dont speak Thai .

Then Mr Sri Lanka tells the tourists he can keep them out of jail , which could be months before it goes to court , even though the police, possibly if they are not involved in the scam , have told them they are free to leave. Panic sets in and the tourists take what Mr Sri Lanka says as the truth. They know already he is the police interpreter and possibly trust him. He then tells them he can sort all this out so they wont have to spend any more time in jail and they agree to go with him. He puts them in the hotel , tells them to stay put , dont do anything to make matters worse for yourselves and let me do what I can .Then he tells them after they spend a few worried days in the hotel , its going to cost 8k GBP for everything to be dropped and for their freedom . MERRY CHRISTMAS Mr.Sri Lanka . I bet he is enjoying himself in his tea plantation at home by now.

If the police are involved Then they will get whats coming to them if proven . Somehow I have a feeling the police did their jobs for a change and on finding no evidence , released them . Hopefully we will get to the bottom of this but I dont think there is going to be anything happening other than to make others aware, but if it happens to you , maybe you or me would feel the same as them , scared stiff, especially if your only a tourist and know about the places like the BKK Hilton etc .

Very astute!

While shopping at JJ market this morning, two of Bangkok's finest were sitting on deck chairs, feeding ATM cards into the machine next to the Police Station...they appeared to be quite comfortable while they collected the proceeds, not giving a fig about anyone watching!

I'm sure I'll apologise if I'm proven wrong...it just looked "Sus"?

Photo's would have been taken...but not by this little black duck!

Man arrested with 'Bt13-million' fake US dollars

BANGKOK: -- A man allegedly carrying wads of fake US currency worth Bt13 million was arrested at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Bangkok's Bang Na district Wednesday.

Kowit Pulthavee, 36, said he was a shrimp farmer who had worked in the past as a police informant. He claimed the fake banknotes were seized from criminals and an investigation team had agreed they could be useful in a police sting operation,so he carried them from Chanthaburi to Bangkok by transport van but was arrested.

-- The Nation 2009-07-15

Hello? This is what happens when you allow a shrimp farmer access to the schools photocopier

Cooperation and Unification are the key words

Here lies a golden opportunity for Farang, married with clever and intelligent Thai women not shy of working hard and living in the North East...

The women should go out and unite the farmers. Talk to them, unite and set up their own rice mill, together with:

a few Farang (married with the latter) who should unite and cooperate as well and set up a company with a website in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and some other languages. Invest some money together and have the website content translated by an official translation bureau.

The two companies - the Rice Mill and the Sales Organization should cooperate and work together with salespeople (maybe even trusted relatives) in the agriculture business in their various home-countries and promote and sell the various rice varieties.

It would benefit the farmers a great deal whilst there will be an attractive profit for the Thai wives and their Farang husbands, surpassing the rice mills, owned by large companies, at the same time.

One has to start somewhere...

LaoPo

Wouldn't it need the imput from a third party, to organise and perhaps assist in financing the operation?? Most farang husbands don't have the sort of money required to set up a medium sized mill...it looks as if it would be a perfect chance for an aspiring politician or go gettum university?

Great idea tho! World Bankish, perhaps??

Major earthquake off the coast of New Zealand, tsunami warning in effect

CNN -- A tsunami warning was issued Wednesday after a 7.8-preliminary magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning center.

The epicenter was located 161 km (100 miles) west of the city of Invercargill, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tsunami warning applies to New Zealand only, and was issued as a precaution.

The warning center said it is not known if a tsunami was actually generated by the quake.

It looks like there will be great surfing for a while??

Normally I don't like to speculate but can we expect a circulation/distribution of 1.000.000 copies per issue?

I know we will not agree on Thaksin. At the very least, can we agree that one-person-one-vote electoral Democracy is under threat here in Thailand and is hanging in the balance?

Are you serious?? There has never been a one person one vote democracy here...Democracy was imposed in 1932 by the elite for the elite!

Nothings has changed, nor will it until the people want it to change!

And now, a magazine for Thaksin

Sutham said the red shirts and general public could acquire shares in the company that published the magazine at 1,000 Baht per share.

-- The Nation 2009-07-15

Too expensive for toilet paper

Wow, You Farangs get all worked up about a pro-Thaksin initiative. But I understand that it takes time to turn around the brainwashing that has been the product of three years plus, of anti-Thaksin demonization program in the only media you can read. Fortunately the Thai electorate have shown they are more astute, and that is all that matters. Brain-washed Farangs can blow-viate all they want, and I enjoy interacting with them via these posts. I am surprised however by their susceptibility to anti-democracy politics, considering the democratic traditions they have grown up with. By the way, this magazine was conceived and is being published by "friends of Thaksin", and is not an initiative of his. Publishers know the huge readership involved and it is good business.

It'll be hard for the Tuk-tuk drivers, taxi drivers and motorcycle riders to read on the run?? Maybe they'll have revealing shots of ex-wife in bikini?? All in red of course!