rubl

The uneducated, rural poor Red Shirts are copying the same mob rule tactics that the educated, urban affluent Yellow Shirts used. Only difference is, the army stood by and did nothing while the Yellows overthrew an elected government.

Some poor, uneducated posters seem to have selective memories. The yellows can't compare to the reds. Too educated, too fair, too polite. They didn't even shoot some-one, or burn things down. Heh, they didn't even interrupt an ASIAN, or kipnap a LPGtanker and threten to blow it up. Lastly when they withdraw they forgot to torch the airport. Then the reds, they know what terror is and how much it helps their just cause for democracy.

Question

Why is it the Thai ruling regime has turned off so so many media outlets?

It is like North Koreas here now.

In contrast, the Reds would immediately turn on all media if they were to get control.

FREEDOM For the Thai ruling groups, it is indeed a terrible thing to give to their slaves.

The government may be a bit too paranoid, but remember PTV broadcasted hatred against non-believers. Thaksin c.s. had a good start till people started to question his actions. Then he became annoyed at questions asked he didn't like. Journalists were harassed. Even the late K Samak once said to a female journalist 'go back to the kitchen'

In North Korea the all-wise leader knows best and decided his people didn't need any other news outlet. Thaksin was moving in that direction..

Now I can truly understand why the Thais keep saying

Farang go home!

Who will pay the bils then ?

Here in Dusit area my 7/11 was closed 8PM with staff busy covering windows from the inside. Luckily a local shop still open, but crowded. Have beer, will stay home :-)

When PM dissolved the house before, this never happened !

Blaim him for all the unnecessary killings.

Next time some-one mugs you, and you go report to the police, their valid answer will be "why were you there in the first place?"

As someone now who watches the situation from abroad,why are there so many people on this site that can't remember that the people voted for Thai rak Thai party and it was so called stable for many years, what would have happened if the Military had null and voided the election in America or Britain?As I have pointed out on this site before, some people win the election and some people lose,That is what is called democracy,I voted conservative in the elections when Labour were in,but I accepted that that was the people's choice.Most people would agree that that is the way of the world now?? Why doesn't Thailand?When the next one comes is it all going to be the same again?.

Stability had it costs. 2500+ drugwar deads, 100's down south (Ban Khru, TakBai), muzzling of the press, corruption on large scale by TRT elite and K. Thaksin himself. Rural population heard, but not involved. Hand-outs, no structural, lasting improvements, etc.

K. Thaksin was shopping in Paris while his miguided supporters were dying for him.

What is needed now, is reconciliation. Start talking, discussing, etc. NOW is the time.

"100 strong crowd"

Wow ... fantastic support.

As a person they have lost their face and as a Thai they have lost their citizenship

Man you have absolutely no Idea for what they were fighting. I for one feel sorry for them and I am sure this is not the last time we have heard from them.

Many things to do. The government has a need to be on their best behaviour. Now is the time to start talks, discussions on the road-map. When we've agreed on constitution, how to do elections, how to ensure safety for candidates, what type of observers and what mandate, then we can have elections. Shouldn't take more than a few.. eh, eh ...

For those of you who have wife/girlfriend who was part of the protesters, I would be interested to know what you would be saying when they get back.

Say nothing - don't want to provoke them?

Cheer them up?

Console them?

Stubborn as they can be, I probably would say "I told you so, but you said shut up, farang don't understand this"

"100 strong crowd"

Wow ... fantastic support.

Only thirteen posts to go. Looks like you'll make it .

Ignore the number. Comment on the content.

Mmmh. Is there a relation between member number and number of posts, maybe inversed?

wonder if we are going to satrt seeing people "dissappearing"

Don't start rumours! After songhkran 2009 we had many, and proven false.

As for those returned by bus, sorry that security regulations didn't let you carry souvenirs, but those with private transportation may be willing to share some of theirs

I like this sentence:

"I am sad that the government can order the shooting of civilians. But at the same time, the people and the world now know what kind of cruel government is in power in Thailand," said 35-year-old Noi Jupp.

With all the info you could read or watch it must be clear that the troops behaved with remarkable restrain. Of course there are deaths (on both sides), but far less than any really 'cruel' government would manage to rake up. The myth of 'bare-handed, innocent, lovable protesters' will not die in Isan for a long time. Propaganda of UDD leaders on PTV have done their damage.

From a taxpayer who generously payed bus-tickets to get these misguided people safely home.

My friend and I have bought bicycles to get a bit of exercise but have quickly grown bored of riding around the estate we live on. Neither of us are keen to cycle on the roads if it can be avoided. I know that Lumpinee and Phudda Monthon are good bets for cycling but we are looking for somewhere a bit closer, we live in the Rama 2 area. Any suggestions???

Also I noticed on an old copy of one of those illustrated maps of Bangkok an advert for organized cycling trips around Prapadaeng however the number no-longer works. Anyone know what happened to that?

http://www.bangkokbiking.com/

just have a look

[ I am on a 1 year non immigrant visa. Have been renewing it for the last few years. Just heard that they have been checking your passport when you get another yearly visa. Looking for someone who knows and is it better to pay the fine or go out of the country. Thanks

Two years ago renewing my (1 year) visa/workpermit I had to pay 2000 Baht fine first. After that my papers were processed and completed the same day (one-stop service centre Krisda Plaza). Do the 90-days reporting since. Actually haven't left the country since April 2002 and quiet legally so :-)

As the old desk sergeant on Hill Street Blues used to remind his patrol cops before every shift, 'Be careful out there.'

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actually, if I remember rightly he used to say "go do it to them before they do it to us" !!! Fancy yourself as a hitman?

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Thailand can be a wonderfull and safe place to work and live. I'm a IT consultant to one of the larger american Computer/IT companies here. I 'support' projects and customers. Non-binding advise, no hierarchical position, no threat to local personel, reasonably paid. In one word: safe

Mind you, I'm not really ambitious

My wife and I both work for MNs in BKK (mine is IT, my wife's is finance). We were both transferred in.I can tell you that my company doesn't  hire non-thais locally.All non-thais in our organisation were transferred in from other branches.

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My company too (a large multinational IT vendor). All local staff. If they need a foreigner, somebody flies in for a week or two and back.

SAP projects are managed out of Singapore, 3rd party from Malaysia involved. Ocassionaly, an Aussie comes in to bring a farang face to the project but does not do anything essential.

Talk to SAP or companies that have Professional Services (Accenture, HP...).

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I'm working for one of the larger American Computer/IT companies. Only reason is, I was already here (came for 3 weeks 10 years ago ). In those days things tended to be easier, pay also. Now into a construction via local office of international placement company. And yes, pay has also changed

HP and others mostly rely on regional resources (Singapore/Malaysia and the odd Indien). Foreigners are flown in for discussions, project set-up and planning, follow-up (like once a month). Hiring foreigners locally is NOT a common practise,

Either start your own company or convince people you have unique skills which are essential for some project.

Good luck

I had wondered the same thing myself.................................

Any why are you 13,544 and I'm less then you?

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Hmmm, interesting subject. Some people has nothing else to do it seems (includes me unfortunately)

Sometimes I wonder if there is a direct relation between the registration number and the amount of posts

Maybe there's a market for low numbers. Anybody out there who'd like to buy mine ? Almost brandnew, hardly ever used

I have a cambodian girlfriend and am constantly getting bitten and am always covered in small bruises - she tells me its a sign of affection but sometimes its hurts like ###### - have felt like punching her in the head a few times but can see its just one of her ways of affection.

anybody else have a woman that bites?

my girlfriend loves biting and being bitten. but only when being intimate. must be a thai thing.

Same here, just as long as it ends up nowhere visible...

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My wife (from Bangkok of all places) is the same. I bruise easely and feel a need to wear long sleeves sometimes when going out.

Biting her doesn't work, not visable on brown skin

The major problem with schooling is the re-integration once the parents are back home. If the kids attented school in Thailand that offers different programs from their home country they are in major problems to be placed upon return.

A 16 y.o. student might be tested in the home country and put back to the group of 14-15 y.o. as perhaps s/he lacks in math or physics although might be on the 17 y.o. bracket in languages.

We had our son in the Swiss school in Bangkok and finally decided to let him make the degree for university entrance here. This is ok, he got it, issued by Swiss authorities which is accepted in Switzerland as well as all of the EU. He was the exception staying ikn the same school in LoS for 10 years. Other students even from this education had to be put back by one year upon returning home in the middle of the education. This gives frustration to the kids and is a major consideration for the parents wether or not to go overseas for a few years.

Thai schools are just not comparable with US/UK/OZ or EU, not by quality, by system and therefore not acceptable to expat-parents.

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Oops, forgot to mention my son has dual nationality Dutch/Thai. Mind you, there are more aspects to schooling and choosing a school. Upto 6th grade having to do a grade again after moving may not be a real problem. Even without moving this can happen. Kids in later classes may indeed get into problems. Of course it also depends on the kid (intelligent, introvert, open, etc.)

=madsere,2004-11-14 09:13:48]

Your fee for school alone is Baht 1,541,900 p.a.

Where on earth do you find these figures?

The Regents is undoubtly the best international school in the Pattaya area and the annual costs do not exceed 1M baht all incl., less than half your estimate.

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Where on earth did find the figures? I just clicked on ISB BKK

http://www.isb.ac.th/content/Detail.asp?ID=101

The other schools are similar.

The Regents 1 M Baht. Is this for two students as per my example or one?

What I try to explain, is a typical expatriate-family, as I saw them over 10 years while our son was in school in Bangkok. Examples from PTA etc.

Now these families come here for 4-6 years, maybe longer. If school and housing is not paid, they would not come.

We are talking about the Least Salary/income That Make Ur Move Worthwhile

If you are in charge for your company to hire an expatriate from the States, Europe or Australia, that are the costs the company has to consider. I.e. salary and refund on schooling, which back home is free. After a certain period the employee want to go home and the children must be repatriated into their country's schools, so you need an international school with relevant.

Whether the company pays an all in package and say you pay your own schooling, housing, transportation or pays a salary plus plus makes no difference, except in taxation.

If you want to come to LoS for private reason, the matter gets different. The comnpanies will hire on local agreement and the employee has to see how to get along.

Another alternative for the company, of course, is to hire unmarried staff and send on relatively low salary for a few years to LoS. Actually, I see it all the time, that highly qualified staff don't get a job, because they are just too expensive with housing, schooling, family etc. It is cheaper to pay for mistakes of a younger staff than to pay what a more experienced one needs.

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Indeed multinationals tend to sent either unmarried chaps for a longer period or married ones for a 2 - 3 month spell. A matter of economics.

Regarding schools, there are Thai schools with a 'english' program. This means about 50% of lessons in Thai, 50% in English (both languages reading and writing).

Srivikorn near Ekkemai bus station charges THB 39,200 per term (2 terms/year). Unfortunately I'm not really impressed. It's aimed at kids of Thai parens, parents who like the idea (and maybe the show-off). Kids also like it, no pressure, no hitting/slapping, airco in classroom AND cannot fail tests one way or another.

Next cheapest is International school in Sukhumvit soi 39, vaguely remember its 3 * 60,000 in a year.

(Farang) People with kids MUST have a somewhat better salary otherwise they may feel guilty about their kids education.

Agree with you wholeheartedly.  I have been amazed at what seems to be an opinion of support for and the idea the guy is innocent.  Just because it is not illegal does not make him innocent. 

I see no problem with the idea that it is illegal to sell and distribute but legal to own.  British law says it is okay to have a small amount of drug for personal consumption but illegal to sell it.  I am not a drug taker before questions are asked or comments made.

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Not quiet relevant to this subject, but being Dutch I'm still not a drug taker and have never even tried. People are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty.

I must admit though, it's mostly easier to believe the bad news rather than the good.

Keep smiling

Agree, invite him. His mail address is [email protected]

DC varies per country. In the Netherlands they make you choose when you are 18 years old. With European Community growing this is under discussion and may change eventually.

My son born in 1997 in BKK out of Thai mother and dutch father got his Netherlands pasport easely even without being formally married. Main thing the embassy pointed out was: Make sure your name is on the Thai birthcertificate as BOTH father and registar (i.e. the one who comes to the amphur to register the child). This is seen as implicit recognision.

Anybody out there who can give advice regarding (Thai) divorce procedures and possible pitfalls. My wife is Thai, self Dutch, legally married, but it seems not much longer. Any advice welcom, name of trustworthy lawer also.