JAG

On 2/6/2020 at 10:47 AM, SteveK said:

Yes but he has to file a TM30 when he gets back home. For me that is a 200km round trip to the office, hence I never take trips anymore either.

I thought that there was provision to do it at a local police station?

On 2/7/2020 at 8:04 AM, webfact said:

Whether this was based on any scientific analysis or was just a throwaway comment, the media did not elaborate, notes Thaivisa.

It was a Tourism Ministry announcement - it's not been thrown away, just taken from the bin and recycled!

1 hour ago, Beggar said:

I know that WHO stands for this. But they are all governed by governments WHO want to use them for their benefit - this is my opinion. 

Yet you agree with the "minister"?

As bonkers as he is!

5 hours ago, URMySunshine said:

Watched Midway last night an epc re-telling of US heroism and bravery in WW2. Then I remembered the acquittal of the great liar in chief Trump and contrasted his twisted personality with the true American war hero John McCain and felt ashamed to be human. The only Republican with balls is Mitt Romney. 

4 hours ago, ExpatOK said:

Complete B.S.

Indeed, how could a mere movie come close to encapsulating the harrowing physical and mental anguish, extremes of courage and fortitude, no, let us not mince  words, the sheer guts, displayed by the leading warrior of the free world throughout his epic battles against bone spurs, all those years ago - throughout the time he was eligible for the draft...

18 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I see you missed his speech to the National Prayer Breakfast.

 

It was one long steaming pile of insults, and of course lies.

 

 

But delivered with such piety, as befits a moral paragon and spiritual icon...

Incidentally, is it true that they serve Big Macs at the "National Prayer Breakfast"?

13 hours ago, howbri said:

It's not the U.S.A.'s job to take people escaping every S@#$ hole in the world.

Not even from the ones which their foreign policies ( Central America over the last half century and more recently The Middle East) have created!

14 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

putting thai english teachers aside for a moment, the number of unqualified and inexperienced native speaker teachers is hardly beneficial to the language skills of students. if all you think all that is needed to teach your native language was being a native speaker with a degree then try getting an EFL job, for example, in the UK. you'd be laughed out of the interview room - assuming you got that far.

 

the education ministry needs to introduce and enforce minimum standards for native speaking language teachers.

 

my friend's children have told me numerous stories of native speaker teachers simply playing you tube videos in class, i have seen worksheets used in class with absolutely no consideration to appropriately grade the language and some students can simply not understand what their teacher is saying...

The Education Ministry already lays down standards for Native English Speaking Teachers. These include a degree, a Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate ( from an institution which they recognise and approve ), a Police background check and to achieve, in the case of non native speakers, a high score in an independently administered test of competence in the language (IELTS).

The problem is that these rules are rarely applied, and are often circumvented. Much of the recruitment and supply of teachers is now in the hands of "agents", who "fix" qualifications and work permits, the definition of Native Speaker has been so widened as to be meaningless, and the requirements for an IELTS assessment are simply ignored.

The tentacles of corruption. The school directors make money, the agents make money, the teachers (who don't meet the required standards, have dodgy "internet" qualifications, and are not really native speakers ) work on the cheap, and the resulting standards are as described.

20 hours ago, beavenlen said:

The major problem with Thai education. is  that there are too many europeans and colonials trying to teach a language they themselves cannot speak or understand. Americans who teach their brand of colonial English. as an example.

Whilst I subscribe to the view that there is no such thing as "American English", (there is English and then there are mistakes); taking my tongue out of my cheek, if you think that the major problem with the Thai education system is too many Europeans and "colonials" you obviously know very little about it.

Whilst there are some who are hired for a "white skin", or are from other non native epeaking countries, many are supplied (on the cheap) by agencies and circumvent the rules in that way; they are far outweighed by the numbers of Thai teachers teaching English who simply cannot speak the language but only parrot a textbook. That is true in many other subjects as well.

On 2/4/2020 at 6:41 AM, bluesofa said:

That must be a classic Catch 22: The need to get past immigration and to Khao San Road to buy a copy certificate, in order to show immigration.

I am sure that there will be "an agent" or two, complete with a messenger bag of paperwork and an ID pass hung around his neck, lurking near the queue!

13 hours ago, DLock said:

"But if we can contain the virus by the end of February...."

 

Right now, Thailand is at a fork in the road and they know it.

 

Close the border to China, focus on local containment and possibly save your country.

 

Or keep letting the walking dead in, brew your own virus source, be banned by every other country and suffer the consequences...

 

Your call Prayut...think carefully...you get one chance.

Hmm, short term cash benefits for those who really call the shots; when /if the wheels come off we can play the victim card. 

I'm sure he has thought about it, not that he has any power to really decide. He will do what he is told.

4 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

I'm waiting for a group photo with 10 000 generals washing their hands. Their biggest mission so far.

They will each have a couple of conscripts detailed off to do it for them...

5 hours ago, Banana7 said:

Many stores in Pattaya have no masks and the Minister is thinking about exporting masks Thai produced masks to China. That's absolutely ridiculous!!

 

Release 50 million masks to Pattaya merchants now, out the 200 million storage!

Umh, 95+% of the population don't live in Pattaya - it may be that they would quite like to have masks too?

Just now, TheDark said:

I'm asking, was it your military superiors, who told you to say the following. 

 

"You are of course right. It ended some 75 years ago - I believe that the President of The Republic of Ireland marked the event by calling on the German Embassy in Dublin and signing the book of condolence for the death of Adolph Hitler."

 

If it's well documented event, please provide proof with context. 

 

!) Don't be silly. I am retired, I don't have any "military superiors".

2) Here is a link which refers to the matter: 

https://www.historyireland.com/20th-century-contemporary-history/de-valera-hitler-the-visit-of-condolence-may-1945/

3 minutes ago, TheDark said:

Is this what you recall happening with your extensive military background?

Nothing to do with my background whatsoever - it is a well documented event.

It was "sawadee" who "mentioned the war".

4 hours ago, Sujo said:

Was thinking exactly the same. Its either the original or a copy. Cant be both.

 

Good luck to him. Would be quite a funny story to tell the kids. The day i stole the magna carta.

7 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Well said and good for you. I've got wine (Chilean) tonight, Guinness tomorrow (to show love for our Irish friends) and bubbles on Sunday (to show no hard feelings to France and the EU). Not as fine as J C Junker's cellar but eminently quaffable. 

 

Starting shortly..

 

Cheers 

 

 

And I assume that unlike M Juncker, you paid for yours...

Gin and Tonic (run ashore tonight) and Canadian Cider with French Brie for lunch tomorrow!

I've even put a flag up outside the house - and I'm not really a flag sort of person!

9 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Yes.

 

Brekky - kippers

Lunch - salmon

Dinner - cod

Kids - fish fingers anytime

 

 

Careful now, the Sweatties will no doubt lay claim to kippers and salmon, and will be round grumbling like disgruntled chihuahuas about the English stealing their fish.... 

17 minutes ago, whatsupdoc said:

The EU will put tariffs on British caught fish in place if there is no agreement. Or do you like to eat fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Well perhaps the British Fishermen will be able to supply our own market, and the French (and Spanish) can worry about theirs?

It will do no harm whatsoever to the nations health tp eat a lot more fish, and without the French and Spanish hoovering up our fishing grounds the stocks should be able to recover.