monkeycountry

"He said the revised version would benefit not only ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra but also Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban."

As always a really poor argument. Abhisit neither wants nor needs an amnesty, so this must be the worst bargaining chip in history. In fact, if Abhisit is smart, he rejects the amnesty (if possible) and insists on fighting his case in court. The court, even under PTP rule, will eventually prove him not guilty, which both Abhisit and the PTP knows, and then noone can say that he was simply saved by an amnesty!

Dunno where you (OP) are staying for the air to be bad in March, but why avoid Thailand just because it is polluted where you are staying? There are plenty of places in Thailand with excellent air quality in March - and the rest of the year for that matter.

I am sure a gang who makes a living beating and extorting people care a lot about licenses :-)

"My customers, both Thais and foreigners, have given me a lot ofmoral support," he said. "One client gave me 1,000 baht (33 dollars)to help fight my case and yesterday another paid 500 baht for a cupof coffee and told me to keep the change."

Obviously those who support Starbucks are not going to start a discussion with the stall owner. Thais for fear of upsetting the stall owner and either of them losing face, and foreigners for fear of losing their head. So the stall owner will only hear the opinion of his supporters. Not that their opinion matters much in court.

I despise red shirts, so when I take a taxi, almost all of whom are red shirts (or supporters), I do not start a conversation, discussion or similar with the driver, I simply sit quietly in the back reading the paper. I think we both prefer it that way!

For a 5 meter front shophouse on Beach Road Chaweng near Green Mango I believe you are looking at minimum 100,000 baht/month, probably more and probably paid a year upfront or similar. You are really only paying for the ground floor, so it does not matter much that you do not need the upper floors.

Btw, these are the most expensive shops on Samui, but also the ones with the most traffic.

stating, however, that Prime Minister Yingluck and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra were not aware of the matter.

total and absolute crap!

PM: Amnesty bill not to include returning 46 billion baht to Thaksin

the bill does not have to include the return of funds, once he is cleared, or whitewashed if you prefer, he will seek his money in court. This is a disaster in the making.

Why would he waste his time in court to maybe get the relatively small amount of 46 billion? He could simply tell the farmers/red shirts that he plans a new law. For every baht he gives to them, he will keep one for himself, and they would love him for it. His sister is already doing it on his behalf, and see how much they love her for it!

the man is either a complete idiot - or he believes the whole population in thailand to be idiots. otherwise one really can't explain his behaviour. his 'modus operandi' every time there is a problem:

- first he denies repeatedly that there will be any problem

- then, if he sees that there will be a problem, despite of him having anonunced that there won't be any (I wonder why the problems 'dare' to persist despite his announcements), he does either one of two options:

- either he shuts up immediately and goes completely mum for a few weeks/days

- or he comes up with a totally unsuitable solution first and then shuts up

- if, after a few days or weeks of his silence the problem has - expectedly - gotten out of hand, he does not even try to seek for solution any more, but just forecasts that the problem will go away by itself in a certain time frame - this time frame being adjustable (usually to a later date in the future) any day...

i have never read or seen that he actually had come forward with a solution which has helped to solve any problem...

I really wonder, how the people in floodeed areas feel now about the government's assurance that there is nothing to worry about flooding this year...

He doesn't care.

He sums up so well what is wrong with this country. The bazillionaire bureaucrat with little natural intelligence and even less hands on knowledge.

A disaster waiting to happen.

He is no idiot, and he knows very well the whole population of Thailand are not idiots, just little over half are idiots, and that is enough for him

Again, Yingluck must think everyone is as stupid as the red shirts, thinking that if she promises Thaksin will not get his money back, then noone will notice that he will indeed get amnesty, which is the main issue.

At this stage noone on either side cares about 46 billion, it is peanuts compared to what the PTP have already stolen and will continue to steal from the public.

It is kinda like a bank robber going into a bank yelling "you can all keep your vallets, I am only after the vault", thinking this somehow makes him Robin Hood!

In short: The bill is not intended to grant Thaksin amnesty, the bill will let his little sister decide if he should get amnesty or not

So... do I understand him to say that these are the worse floods in the east in 50 years, but it is better than 2011 because we were able to protect the rich folk's stuff?

and the poor peoples jobs (workplaces)

I assume the house owners are the Governor of Phuket and the mayor of Patong plus his son (who runs the taxi mafia)

I actually heard it was 100 million, not just 100,000. My source is the same as the PTP's - none!

I assume you guys know the dividends are simply the shareholders' own money being paid out right? The total value and thereby shareprice of the company falls just as much as the total dividend payout.

Double post, sorry

I've had good and bad. The good far out weighed the bad!

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

still talking about taxis? :-)

And so another couple of thais learned that the penalty for hitting someone else is 500 baht. For their next prank they will be using a knife thinking the penalty will be the same - and in many cases they are right!

You will have a great time and experience ...

Come and enjoy..

and you can get by on around 30,000 inc rent etc , most Thais earn a lot less.

Most Thais may earn alot less but most Thais live with families not have to set up on their own with all that entails.

There is a reason why the Thai govt set minimum 40k per month income for long term visas, it generally because they consider that the minimum to "get by".and in my opinion they are right.

My advice would be to post in the teaching forum and get feedback from people actually doing it.

Hehe, good one. Then how come there are different minimums for different nationalities? Is there any chance that the minimum rates are based solely on how much they can push taxes? :-)

I agree that Starbungs have violated the IP laws. Whether I agree with those laws that is another thing entirely. So am still going to side with them.

To all those defending Starbucks so hard and pointing out the IP obligations we have to meet to make the world a better place blah blah .......... I hope you do not have any illegally downloaded movies, series or music. I hope you don't buy movies at the market etc. etc. Those are covered by the same set of laws.

If you do, then you are basically a hypocrite!

Please google "copyright" and "trademark" and let me know in which country they are covered by the same set of laws?

As for taxes, as long as they do not break the law, why should starbucks or anyone pay more than they have to? If the uk or anywhere wants them to pay more, then simply change the related laws.

as for the two idiots with the coffee cart. Starbucks did warn them several times and asked them to change their logo etc. They decided not to listen, and now face a completely reasonable lawsuit.

Hahaha, sounds like the same reasoning used by phuket taxis when overcharging. "Yes, but we have to charge more to cover costs as gas etc. is more expensive in Phuket" gas on phuket must cost like 200 baht per liter then :-)

Health ministry version: We need 300 million to cover healthcare for foreigners, so we charge them 10 billion and split the remaining 9.7 billion with our good friends in PTP.

Hahaha. Just read the news elsewhere. The responsible minister admits there is not even a MOU. They jave just discussed buying alot of rice. Seems it went something like this.

Yingluck: will you buy 1 million tonnes of rice a year?

Chinese PM: perhaps, lets see what the future brings.

Yingluck (to Thailand): China has signed a contract to buy 1 million tonnes of rice per year and buy me new shoes!

To make it clear for those of you who support PTP. Your government admits there is no contract, not even a MOU. And yes, I think you are a monkey :-)