JAG

5 minutes ago, bangrak said:

'Lacessit': wow, you did it: associate 'democracy' and the Shins in one sentence... When you've not been brainwashed, you must know that when and if the Shins would have been working towards 'democracy' (instead of abusing the word for their power...and profit only), there might not have been any 'coup' in 2006 or 2014, or for sure it wouldn't have had the massive popular support both had! Disliking military dictatorship is not per se implying one feels any sympathy for the Shin vampires!

Is it Groundhog Day?

53 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

Dogs attacking cyclists must be removed one way or another. They are a public health issue, period. I my new friend the general reads this, I let him know that I' love to share my rides with him.

The point rather is that whilst many (foreigners and Thais) probably agree that stray dogs are a problem, the General's actions caused excessive suffering to the  dogs and reveals a self centred cruel streak which reflects badly on the man, his profession and his suitability to command men. I leave further analysis to the astonishing number of Clinical and amateur psychologists who have emerged on TV!

It is interesting that he is initially carefully described as only "a soldier". Perhaps the original authors of this piece thought the same? After all, this is a society in which people's "rank" and status are absolutely central to any mention of them.

The bottom line remains: controlling the stray dog population need not mean such gratuitous cruelty.

7 hours ago, nong38 said:

There is about 10 weeks between the two events surely that should not be a problem, if, however some think it is I have two thoughts. Why was the date in May chosen, it could have been earlier or later? Secondly if 10 weeks is deemed to close then I assume that 10 weeks after would also be a bit tight so that takes us well into July or later, a far cry from the 24th of February. Foreign countries, especially ones with a working democratic system will this with dismay and wonder if they can believe anything that current administration says?

I doubt this will be a vote winner.

As far as " vote winners" are concerned, they really don't care and/or understand what any foreign countries may think. After all, they presume to speak for those countries to the Thai people. How many times have we heard a minister state that the President's of Ruritania and Atlantis completely understand Thailand's situation, and agree with the junta's solutions?

The only "vote loser" would be sanctions which hurt the junta and their backers in their (foreign) pockets. That would almost certainly backfire on those of us who live here.

As for winning and losing domestic votes, well they have manufactured an electoral system which allows them to control when those votes may be cast, how and by who they can be campaigned for, and retain the power to disqualify at will, before and after the votes are cast. And if despite all that should there be an embarrassing result, well we always have a tame senate to overule the elected majority.

Seen from that (the present regime's) perspective, why care what anyone thinks. This delay will be followed by others, ad infinitum. The Quartermasters Stores is full of delays...

6 hours ago, Psimbo said:

No Siree Bob, didn't see that coming- anyone who didn't should be in the Institute for the Blind!

 

Holding an election on the 5th of May with the other goings on is so farcical I can't believe they even mooted the date.

 

I am pretty sure of the reason for the NEXT excuse after this to delay things but due to a variety of restrictions I can't state it publicly other than 'funeral'. I think this comment falls within Modding guidelines. If not please feel free to delete this last paragraph.

 

Edit: I find it quite ironic that right next to this post at present is the picture of Prawit with his blingy hand over his eyes and the guy next to him laughing!

That one will be a "biggy", good for a years delay I should imagine ...

1 hour ago, Enoon said:

That is why the country is full of emaciated, disease ridden, strays.

 

That is why so many Westerners in Thailand end up like this: 

I had to read this a couple of times - I thought at first that it was a trifle unkind to refer to Westerners in Thailand as disease ridden emaciated strays, mind you, as I sit posting this in Mai Sai bus station, (waiting for the bus home after a border run), looking around me...

????????

2 hours ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

How did a man-child with no intellectual curiosity, a record of misogyny, racism and stupidity, crap at business and an inability to speak, or respect the truth hijack the Republican party and bend it to his will?

Though, Trump is a disgusting human-being, he is but one man and I'm sure that he is blissfully unaware of any of his faults. The Republican party is full of, I'm sure, intelligent people that used to have principles.

How did Trump get them to dump these principles (free trade, fiscal conservatism) and turn them into slavish Trump worshipers?

As much as Trump disgusts me, the Republican party disgusts me more.

He offered them a chance of power. He brought with him a voting base who wouldn't recognise free trade, fiscal conservatism or any ethical considerations if they fell off the bookshelf and hit them on the head, but were still wound up by the horror of having had a  black liberal man as a two term President.

The Republican party establishment thought they could ride this tiger to power.

Oops...

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

New larger buses, allowing an improved DPC figure (Death Per Collision)

Ah yes, what did happen about those small but she's that were supposed to be replacing the vans?

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Good observation JAG but I have another view. That major event in early May may hasten the elected government with an elected PM presiding the event. That will be politically correct for someone to be seen by the world.   

Well maybe - although I suspect the opportunity for grandstanding and running the show will by far outweigh any concerns about how the outside world may view the matter. For one particular reason.

Don't forget that a particular aim is to succeed to very well connected and influential post, (which rather seems to be by convention held by a retired senior military officer with experience of government), said post is likely to come vacant fairly soon. The ducks are pretty much all in a row, early May will see them cemented to the top of the wall.

21 minutes ago, Hank Gunn said:

It is quite common for public servants in the US (especially those in law enforcement) to not only openly criticize politicians but to offer their personal and political opinions. The USA is not the UK. To quote you, "That's the difference."

I am not an American. I take it you are. Very well, if that is the case, I find it quite extraordinary!

3 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

So, for instance, a military or police service would be wrong to criticize a government, elected chambers, committees etc for anything? Say like procuring poor equipment, under funding, under manning?

 

And what were the Mexican border authorities doing when illegal immigrants were trying to breach their border and enter a neighboring country illegally?

 

I can understand the ire of many Americans at how some of their politicians seem to want to allow illegal economic migrants to enter and stay freely; and some even want to give these criminals the vote!

 

 

I expect that in the USA, as in the UK, the heads of a military or police service have the right of access to the appropriate Secretary of State, maybe even to The President in certain circumstances, to raise the matter of underfunding procurement and so on. That is rather a different kettle of fish to allowing, or maybe even instructing, a spokesperson for the service to publicly criticise one party in a political debate over that service. For example, when there was grave concern about the availability of helicopters (a very expensive resource) for operations in Afghanistan during Mr Brown's time in government the Chief of The General Staff certainly exercised his right to raise the matter, I believe that he went to see the Prime Minister. However, he did not, quite correctly, instruct a spokesperson to say that the Labour Government should (spend more money on) sending more helicopters to Afghanistan. That's the difference. 

4 minutes ago, sumrit said:

My Thai Driving Licence shows my Thai ID number, not my passport number. When I renew my DL  I choose to use my Pink ID card for ID, not my passport so they use my ID number on my DL.

 

When did you last use your DL for an internal flight? A friend tried to use his DL for an internal flight earlier this year he was told the DL was no longer acceptable.

February 2018

6 minutes ago, Rugon said:

Same here, the pink ID card is stupid, and useless, and gives many a false feeling of being accepted into society. 

"Being accepted", yes, that takes a bit more than a pink card!

A couple of visits to the hospital ago, the local school was closed for the day. There were a few of the staffs children corralled restlessly in the waiting area. The diabetic clinic nurse asked me if I would talk to them - well a couple of choruses of "heads, shoulders knees and toes" and a marathon session of "I spy with my little eye" kept them busy, and passed the waiting time. That probably did more to make me "accepted" thank any number of cards!

On 12/24/2018 at 1:39 PM, phetpeter said:

Don't have to carry your passport, I use the ID card instead. It is proof that you are a long-term residence, shows you are legal, The number show BIB what your status is, and is becoming more and more relevant. 

On 12/24/2018 at 1:43 PM, jackdd said:

I assume your number starts with a 6, this says you stay in Thailand temporarily, so same as any tourist

 

 

 

 

My driving licences use my passport number. To get a driving license you have to produce proof of residence (yellow book or letter from Immigration), so the DL showes the same information.

Certainly my DL has been accepted as ID for internal flights.

As for hospital, when I first moved here I stepped on a broken glass. Off to the local hospital for stitches. They took a blood test, and found out I had diabetes (type 2). Head nurse signed me up, I was issued a hospital number, and now I have regular check ups and get my medication at the hospital. I pay the going rate, but it is about a third of what the big private hospital in town would charge. Queues are long, so I take a book 

.

8 hours ago, impulse said:

 

And who is to protect us from the military and their puppet masters?  Ya figure the holocaust may have gone a little differently had there been 2nd amendment protections in Germany in the 30's?

 

Well the regime which carried out the Holocaust had it's roots, and got most of it's leaders from heavily armed political militias, which were major players in German politics in the 1920s. So no, I don't think "2nd amendment protections" would have made any difference. If they existed it would have probably been to the NAZI's advantage, an armed SA for example...

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A whole raft made of straw that he can clutch on to!

"Tops" supermarket in Chiang Rai (Central Plaza) sell bacon, UK sausages and a variety of UK curry sauces in jars. Given that the expat population here is a fraction of Chiang Mai's, I should imagine that "Tops" in your Central Plaza has a wider range.