BanTamo

I've got ADD and I don't think it's responsible for having had to protect myself as a child (not "kid") nor, for that matter, as an adult. Nor do I share the opinion, expressed herein by some as a fact, that children are stupid.

But my Thai/Caucasian child is growing up in downtown Albuquerque, the the epicenter of Breaking Bad. Actually a far safer and cooler place than portrayed, it's still a macho, Hispanic culture. Being able to defend oneself is mandatory, even if you fit in ethnically.

In this culture, violence is used to 'solve' almost everything. Perhaps some of you are aware of the state sponsored terrorism and officially condoned murder of the 'other' by our police department? Google 'APD murder homeless man' if interested.

Crazy chef is aptly named indeed.

Just boycotting everything that's a known scam would leave most with precious little to 'do' of an evening. Or am I mistaken in my understanding that bar girls are scammers extraordinaire?

He could just hire enough high school educated CBP goons to actually enforce the ridiculous laws the GOP is always on about enforcing. That would also create jobs, at least five million or so of them to be effective. And we all know how much those sanctimonious public employees in the GOP revere jobs creators. Of course, those public employees hate not only government in and of itself, but aso any expansion of public expenditure for anything whatsoever. Quite the quandary for those exemplars of Xtian morality I'd say.

And if you are going to serve the nation as Commander in Chief of our nation's armed forces, you do not act in contempt of the American people by offering blatantly false rationale for an illegal, undeclared war, nor do you act in contempt of Congress by circumventing legal requirements to seek approval for your farsical overseas adventuring, nor in contempt of the Department of State and all foreign allies by circumventing and frustrating our centuries of diplomatic protocols. Nor do you, gleefully as you did or otherwise, trample our centuries of leadership in, and compliance with, both the spirit and the letter of international laws and basic human decency by engaging in torture, particularly torture known, prior to its u undertaking, to have no useful intelligence result.

Shall I go on?

Disgraceful indeed

As if drug laws are to be respected anywhere in the world. What a bunch of bawbags wishing all this statist control on anybody. Go drink yourselves into oblivion, since its 'legal'

Why not start the conversation out with an appreciative comment on their daughter's voracious appetite and stellar performance in bed/on the breakfast table/hanging from the chandelier? No doubt khun paw'll be beaming with pride for weeks

Yes, police being such compassionate people, surely deserve compassion from us, their victims. Have any of you heard of how and why the US Department of Justice has taken over control and daily operations of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD)? Most of the police in Thailand I've had the misfortune to meet have been only slightly better. He will surely RIP if his karma so dictates, but I'll not be investing in the manufacture of celestial barcaloungers any time soon.

How dare that wretched publication refer to this beautiful young boy as a 'kid'

Ratio seems about right for the enjoyment of a certain practice

Someone reads of this tragedy and promptly references himself and his state of being pleased or delighted by some trivial co-occurance?

@soalbundy - Google is faster...

One wonders how long a group of Chinese living/operating in that area of Thailand went in noticed.

"The story of the Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang or KMT) forces entrenched in Shan State of Burma and northern Thailand from the 1950s to 1980s is a complex and controversial history that involved Taiwan (the Republic of China), China (the People's Republic of China), Burma, the United States and Thailand and highlighted the confrontation between the Communist and Democratic blocks in the region during the cold war period."

All sides practiced the fine art of overlooking a group of KMT guerilla forces on both sides of the Burmese border at the Shan States for well over 30 years. Its a riveting story of Cold War cynicism and duplicitous behavior.

Below is a link to a review of the latest scholarship on this relatively unknown issue.

http://www.harvard-yenching.org/features/tragic-history-kmt-troops-golden-triangle-1950-1981

You haven't lived until you've ridden a girl high on that stuff. And if you're in Thailand and you think you haven't, have I got a property deal for you, sir!

Bloody hell- crack cocaine is the absolutely the last thing you would wish to find on the streets.

I understand ( correct me if I am wrong) that you can become dependent on crack faster than any other drug?

Nigeria seems to to export a large number of dealers, and boiler room scams.

The stones have been available very discretely in BKK since at least the early 90s and yes, for some poor sods its one lick and the bell in Franklin's Tower rings like fire and he's lost his way. Many of those whose genetic karma predispose them to addiction die or are killed within a year. Others, having started out with access to funds will last a bit longer, but will be penniless and unrecognizable when they land on the street, sleeping rough without the requisite survival skills. Unless they're pulled out of that predicament what becomes of them ain't pretty to watch.

All across Asia the street level traders are Nigerian. There used to be a great, massive, ruthless one who worked Wanchai and TST called himself Kennedy. He actually had product. The fools working Nana Nua were known to pull sanitary crystals outta urinals and pass it off as rock to the thrill seekers who didn't know any better. One acquaintance died of a heroin overdose thinking he'd just done a massive rail of Charles. His supplier, a Thai manager of a popular bar on Patpong, had received the wrong packed condom from the tier two Nigerian nitwit. Soon after that particular incident, not his first, that Nigerian commenced pushing up daisies

This is not only about the abuse of the visa system but also about deterring illegal working and identifying criminal elements, particularly those peddling drugs.

If you are a law abiding person then what is happening should hold no fears for you.

This is only what happens in Western countries in any case.

Slight deviation, but as do you mention "..what happens in Western countries .." In those Western counties, when one has a visa, such as a study or retirement visa, you have it, that's it, and you can get on with it. Only in Thailand does one have to report every 90 days, and hand over 1,900 Baht.

That system worked out real well for the US in '01 too

Out of curiosity, OP, and not that its any of my business, but who "paid the rent" when you and your ex lived together? And did the other sleep with that person?

After ~12 years in, non-B + fully legit work permit and all the trappings, another dozen years ago, suddenly, and entirely my fault, I was deported on a three month overstay in December. The judge (Pattaya) made a point of telling me I was welcome to return at any time, and I did the following March with new passport, all particulars unchanged. The immigration officer floored me with a big smile and "welcome back Mr xyz"

errr.... so the guy was murdered and kidnapped.... in that order ?

I have never really understood posts like yours.

The article is written by a Thai and then edited and then sent for print where it can be further edited to best fit a page...much of this process performed by people who do not speak English as a first language .

Why make fun of their work?

I don't know about you but their English skills are 10x better than my Thai skills...I appreciate the service they do providing local news to the expat community.

@ClutchClark I'm completely with you on this. And another one is the way those ignorant of the Thai language (often of any but their own) are so entertained by the way some Thai words sound in comparison to words they know. Just one silly example being their uncontrollable mirth upon hearing Thais say ฟัก, or ฟักทอง (squash or pumpkin) because it sounds to them like the F-word in a language they understand.

The Canadian inferiority complex is well known - they hate the fact they are ersatz Americans.

But when I lived there I found them well balanced about it - a chip on both shoulders.

I just hated they thought my accent was Irish.

If one doesn't have a sense of humour - don't live in LOS - both of you.

Yes we hate the fact that people can't understand that Canadians aren't Americans. We just share a border.

A bit tiresome listening to the constant refrain of seemingly all Canadians that "Canadia" is NOT 'murica. A nation that defines itself solely by what it is not, especially in contrast to an odious neighbor, has more problems than differentiating itself. Can we please have some minimal indication of what that stultifying place IS rather than just what it is not? Perhaps something about the blissful coexistence of east and west in Hongcouver? Or the pleasant relationship between Quebec and Ottawa? Or maybe the exponentially higher IQs of the inbred citizens of Halifax as compared with Hobart?

I suggest you take this opportunity to redeem the despicable reputation of all farangs by handling it in the appropriate upcountry Thai way.

Pay a pittance, not to the old POS, his wife, or the hospital he went larking off to because he doesn't have aircon, but to some local thug. Have him go into the POS's residence in the middle of the night and ransack the place, taking nothing. Then go to the bedroom and knock the Butt-Head on the floor, winkle out his hearing aid, and smash it to bits.

After that there will be no reason not to spray him with water. Do so at the earliest opportunity and then hand him one of those ear cones they used in the 19th century. If he's not apoplectic after all that, rinse and repeat.

Always seemed a ridiculous waste of time for both sides to me.

12Gb 'fast internet' tethering or mobile hotspot on 4G LTE from T-Mobile (aka Deutch Telecom) in the US costs me slightly under THB2000 additional to my unlimited plan. The fast internet used on the device only is unlimited. I have no hardwired or satellite connection into the home so everything I do is via T-Mobile, and its generally a satisfactory solution insofar as I will not allow any cable or broadcast television anywhere near my home, nor am I interested to have a fixed (land) line into it.

The problem arises once one has exhausted the mobile hotspot data limit for the billing cycle. T-Mobile doesn't slow my connection to "about 2x dialup speed, but rather to about 0.2x dialup speed. Which is basically the same as turning it off. No amount of pleading, threatening, or even hollering red-faced into the customer service hotline has ever prevailed. Nor will T-Mobile sell additional 4G LTE data beyond the 12Gb monthly limit, not for ANY price.

So in this situation a top end smart phone is a necessity. And top end means Samsung, full stop. I've found the new Note3 perfect for the tasks that require an internet connection, several of which I depend upon for my business, such as the spectacular 'SketchBook for Galaxy' from Autodesk.

Hope that helps put certain limitations of the Thai system into perspective.

I got mine a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Alloy Gullwing Coupe. Since I topped her deputy prime minister gik's rather bland offer of a 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series, she seems content even though her friends chastise her for being with a farang.

Yeah right, in your dreams or you got to be the biggest sucker around I have one and they go for 1.5 million USD.

My dear boy, we all know times are tough, and I do feel your shame. I myself could endure the ridicule to which I'd be rightfully subjected for slumming about in such an economy car as the SLS AMG Black Series. But a gentleman shields his intended from such indignities. There were a total of twenty nine (two nine sir - 29 - only +/-2% of the entire run) 300SL Alloy Gullwing Coupes ever built. And even though every single one is still around, you must admit that they're at least somewhat rare. The best hardly ever come to market, but when they do they go for several times what you paid for your economy model.

Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar. You're gonna go far. You're gonna make it - if you try - they're gonna love you.

Read up so that once times are better you don't embarrass yourself, and shame your lovely gik, with such a public display of thrift. You'll not regret the effort.

http://m.autoblog.com/2012/01/22/rare-1955-mercedes-benz-300sl-alloy-sells-for-record-4-62-milli/

I got mine a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Alloy Gullwing Coupe. Since I topped her deputy prime minister gik's rather bland offer of a 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series, she seems content even though her friends chastise her for being with a farang.

Guess the boyfriend would have been disappointed with the "outcum"