Tokay

Thanks all. Will check them out.

I'm wanting to pick back up Yoga and have not seen anyplace any town that offers it, let alone a good teacher.

Any of you into it and can advise?

Thank you.

What is it showing???

live feed from some of the upstairs bars certainly would stop the traffic...

BB

Every time I drive by, about 10 times now, it's showing FLOWERS!!!!

This sign won't be around long. A few drunken Thais throwing bottles at it should put an end to it.

I miss the old sign. Agreed with poster above, it had much more charm.

Pattaya is mercenary.

I've been coming here for 11 years, lived here full time for 5. It is my option to expose myself to the shitty Thais and Falang who come here to party non-stop. I can avoid it, and do as much as I can.

There are plent of good people here, but you're not going to find them mixed in with the bad people.

Prices are going up, Russians, Indians and Arabs are POURING in more than ever. However I'm reading that there is less money being spent here. Go figure.

I'm not always happy here, but for now it serves it purpose and it really does have anything you need short of a clean beach. Though I don't plan to live here forever, I have a few more years here.

One thing is for sure... Pattaya is ALWAYS changing and always will continue to change.

I don't even know how this happened, but I had ONE small leak. They came to fix it, and they did, in that area.

The next rain, I had 7 leaks in different areas.

The came to fix those.

Now the first leak is leaking again.

Another well thought out and well placed idea. This new LCD screen had traffic backed up tonight the entire length of beach road, just about to soi 6.

I wized buy on my scooter only to get to the front to find some baht busses just stopped and watching it, blocking all traffic with no care in the world.

A few nights before I was coming down the same street when they were testing it. Only BRIGHT white light was bursting out if it. Blinding light. Made it very difficult to see anything in front of you. The car behind me lightly bumped into the back of my bike. I assume he was watching the screen. No real harm done, but it could have been a Japanese filled tour bus and a flat falang.

I will call it right now. Prepare on a LOT of accidents near the corner there as dumb or drunk drivers pay more attention to the screen than the road. It's almost unavoidable how big and bright it is.

Look out behind you when you're driving there. Chances are, there will be plenty of fender benders and flattened scooter riders in the near future. Don't say I didn't warn ya.

Not soon enough.

I'm so tired of jumping through hoops for these people. They simply don't want us here, and truth be told, I can't wait until people stop coming here and they fall on their face. Other SE Asian countries are coming up quick and WANT us and our money.

I may end up in Vietnam myself next year.

I really am fed up with these people are their nonsense. Their incompetence is beyond words. The funny thing is, they won't even be able to figure out why everyone left.

Perhaps they paid to make it all go away.

Go to the Bangkok Post website.

Didn't see any articles there, do you have a specific link on this story?

To the OP, I haven't come across any news from other sources. Are there any other details that you recall?

btw, John Bowen's prior escapades are documented here...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=115144&hl=

Canadian And American Arrested For Selling Online Pornography

I saw the story on 3 different tv channels yesterday, yet nothing in the news papers or websites. Very strange.

I have been searching for anything in English in regards to the large porno arrests that just happened in Bangkok two nights ago. I saw the story on the telly (in Thai) and am unable to find anything about it in English. I could not put it together in Thai as quickly as they were speaking on the telly.

It appears to be several younger men arrested and the police say they are searching for thier boss, John Bowen. If memory serves, this is John Bown aka John T Bone, who was just arrested last year in Pattaya. I would like to read this one if anyone has seen it.

Has anyone seen this or have info?

I hope asking about this is not in violation of the rules here. It is a real news story. I'm just looking for the link to it. If it is, please delete and accept my apology.

Take a trip to Manila or Hong Kong and visit the Lowel dealer. They will have anything you need.

i came to pattaya about ten years ago as all the other beach resorts looked like pattaya, why not be 2 hrs from bkk with a glut of flats to choose? it had an awful reputation and for many yrs kept the tourists at bay. life was cheap and good! i was living on about 13k baht a month and often way less. it wasnt very cultural but i had spent years traveling all over asia and as asia developed it so too looked like ugly sprawl and kitschy backpacker-tourist crappola. i amde lots of friends with the girls at the time my thai and indeed all my language skills were sharp from traveling. and in fact the locals treated me excellently due to me speaking thai and not acting like an ass.

fast forward to about year 2000 - idiots flooding in, tourists flooding in. then the building boom hit - 3-4 years of non stop ugly building. streets flood with traffic, worse arrogant thai hookers in their new cars some dumb-ass farang bought for them. worse still the farang in some huge stupid truck that can barely fit on both sides of soi bukhao. about this time really serious, violent crime wave starts and has been going on for years. pattaya and its petty thugs make pattaya easily the most violent town in seasia. finally - the girls now have a different mindset. we are all here on holiday. none of your past time counts for any measure of you/thailand. the girls dont care if you speak thai. they all speak english and would prefer it. they spend countless hours in the internet scamming lonely pathetic souls out of chat money. all thais nearly w/o exception have become surly and rude.

pattaya - has long been finished. the question is where to go next... i see phils just raised their visa fees yet again.

i have some very good memories of the place - but that was years ago.

at night time, i watch my back and very careful where i drink anymore (only farang establishments)

library is on soi6 (ironically perhaps)

Well put. I've been here full time for about 5 years, but have been spending most of my time here for the past 10.

I'm now looking where to go next as the "new" Pattaya is not a place I want to spend much more of my days. I'm over it.

I've got the one Gig package for 790 a month plus tax which comes to 840 Baht per month. I usually get around 1300 KPS. What i've found out about internet in Thailand is it depends where you live. But on the other hand I agree TOT is terrible.

Barry

maxnet premier package 1536/512-1990 per month

speed now whilst listening to internet radio

http://www.speedtest.net/result/273218175.png

1746/217 wow! am i really getting more than i paid for ?

That is impressive.

I've always had TT&T and so far I can't really say it's horrible, as it allows me to be online, check mail and do a few downloads. Though I keep hearing that Cat Telcom is a MUCH better provider.

Truth to this?

Experiences?

ive heard the same but the last time i inquired about a year ago they didnt have a line as far out as me " soi siam country club" about half way up , but 6 months ago, i realy got fed up with with TOT internet speeds and getting cut off and getting an invoice if you was lucky, well igot TT@T and the whole package is a lot better, i just done a speed check and im running at 1400 kbps im no expert but that seems good to me

What package do you have? I'm lucky to hit 800 and I'm supposed to be getting 1000 kbps.

I've always had TT&T and so far I can't really say it's horrible, as it allows me to be online, check mail and do a few downloads. Though I keep hearing that Cat Telcom is a MUCH better provider.

Truth to this?

Experiences?

Great info from all. Thank you. Will do exactly all of that, minus the dogs.

The bars we have on the window are bolted in, very easy to remove should the intruder have the time to do so. Does anyone know where to get those "security screws" that are so popular back in the states. I don't know a name for them other than that.

Was also thinking about razor barbed wire. The kind they put around jails. It would look ghetto I suppose, but no more ghetto than the bars already in place.

Around 4am someone tried to jimmy his way into our back door of the new house. When I say new, we have been here just a few days and the bars on the walls were not all in place and the back door bar was not yet hung in the frame. "Tomorrow" we have been told for about 2 weeks now on this.

I was still awake and heard the noise, woke up and turned on the light. The noise stopped and 20 seconds later we heard a motobike start up and drive off. The police were called and of course as suspected were of no help at all.

My lady believes the crook was probably one of the boys who have delivered something to the house, the beds, desks, TV or what have you. She is probably right.

So my question is, besides the bars everywhere, which if you ask me are just monkey bars that help them to climb over, what are you doing to protect your home?

A second question is, what happens legally if a Thai gets injured breaking into your home, be it on his own or per something I put there to help protect my property?

Thanks all.

Yes, it will be very interesting how she explains to the US government that her attempted fraud ( silly little mistake, cause she's Thai ) has backfired, and now would like to move on to greener pastures. She needs absolutely no proof, her mouth will be quite sufficient, along with the signing of a small statement confirming her facts. This will probably lead to prosecution here in the LOS, because the US government doesn't think fraud is a silly little mistake. The government attaches don't get paid on a per case basis, so its of no extra cost for them to file these charges here. Smart girl, go for it, shoot off your mouth. You know the saying "give them enough rope to hang themselves"? I certainly hope she never gets a US visa.

Seems to me things are a bit ar_se about here.

Based on the story presented in the OP, the woman has not attempted a fraud - she is getting nothing from the US government. The "husband" is the one who has attempted the fraud, and she may have assisted him.

And it will be up to the Thai authorities as to whether on not she is prosecuted, not US government attaches.

The husband would seem to be the prime instigator, and if anyone should be in the dock, it is him.

As for a US visa, based on her current experience, that may be the last thing she would want.

Correct. Her husband is the one who has received money through all of this. Her bank account has no incoming payments from him, so she has not committed any crime. He married her and left town, abandoning her while not minding his minor pay increase. Since I first posted this, she has been in contact again with the JUSMAG and has the help of an attorney to help push the matter along. It seems her husband has some explaining to do. I'll let you know how it all pans out.

By the way, it humors me to read Americans assume everyone wants a visa to their country. She has no intentions of leaving Thailand for your glorious nation. Sorry to disapoint and I know it's impossible for some to fathom, but not everyone wants to come to the United States.

Thanks for your replies.

It sounds like she knowingly has committed a fraud by marrying this guy so he could get a pay increase. I think no matter how their marriage ends, she has given up any chance of getting a visa to the US. She should be very careful about how she explains her situation to any US government official.

Dave.

I'm not passing judgement on her for commiting fraud. She earns a small salery and to be honest, if I was her I may have done the same. I mean, I she had to do is sign a paper or two and get paid for it. Hardly fraud for Thai people. Fruad would be to marry him, talk him into getting a house, starting a business, getting bank accounts... all in her name, with the intention of stealing it all. heh

Thanks again for your help guys.

After 25yrs. in the Navy, I know of No large pay raise for just being married. Did they get married in Thailand and if so was it a proper certified wedding, (ie) American Embassy notifcation, spouse military ID card issued from JusMag?? Was he on leave, or just a ships visit. Personnel normally have to request permission to marry. Seems to be a lot of unanswered questions, you may want to find out more from the young lady.

Yes sir, she has a US military ID card given from JUSMAG. She contact JUSMAG first and was told he would have to return to Thailand for a divorce and left it at that. I just couldn't believe that there was not a way out, thus my own research into the matter.

I thought I'd ask here first being so many of you are extremely knowledgeable on a large range of topics. Of course an attorney will be the final stop for this. Though I would like give her a little ammo before sending her off.

Being that your friend has already approached JUSMAG without any assistance, than she needs to get of hold of her husbands command. She already has his social security number [sSN] (it's on her military ID card). Getting a hold of his command will be the difficult part, but she needs to press the issue with JUSMAG. As a military spouse she has some rights. Up to her, but she needs to be persistent with JUSMAG otherwise they will just blow her off. JUSMAG should be able to look up the guys unit/command with his name, SSN and branch of service.

Also, if she gets through to the guy's command. She might be able to get a portion of the guys pay until he either divorces her or gets back together or until the matter is resolved. The portion of pay she would get would be the pay increase he got when he married her which is BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing). This is the only pay increase he will have received by marring and it's determined by rank & location of his residence. Here's a link for more info on BAH.

http://www.defenselink.mil/militarypay/pay/bah/02_types.html

At the end of the day, her persistence is the key to resolving this matter. I would go back to JUSMAG and ask for the personnel officer, legal officer and or the senior enlisted non-commissioned officer in charge (1st Sergeant/Sergeant Major).

Last resort, have her report her marriage as fraudulent. Every branch of service has a hot line to report Fraud, Waste & Abuse. I doubt that there be any repercussions on her part.

A lot of great information there. That is the kind of answer I was looking for before having her spend her own money to get an attorney if she didn't have to.

Thank you very much.

This girl sounds like a scamming money grabber who has been scammed, is it a bar you own where this girl works?

We were all young and stupid once. She is quite a nice lady and a very hard worker. I can't fault her for trying to make a few extra dollars this way. Lord know when I was a kid I did some dumb things.

No sir, I don't own a bar. You couldn't pay me enough to even attempt to run a bar.

He would get a nice "pay raise" if he were assigned to an unaccompanied overseas tours (such as Korea). When I was stationed in Korea and my wife was in Thailand, my "take home pay" almost doubled due to all the extra "allowances."

Not everybody gets a nice pay raise for being married. Most gets between $200-$600 extra per month but it's nothing to just get married for. If they are truly married (meaning registered at Amphur) she can go to JusMag as was suggested and get him sent to jail quite easily. In Korea several military members were sent to jail for this type of fraud.

Ski....

After 25yrs. in the Navy, I know of No large pay raise for just being married. Did they get married in Thailand and if so was it a proper certified wedding, (ie) American Embassey notifcation, spouse military ID card issued from JusMag?? Was he on leave, or just a ships visit. Personnel normally have to request permission to marry. Seems to be a lot of unanswered questions, you may want to find out more from the young lady.

Yes, they did get married IN Thailand with a proper wedding, registered at the Amphur and she has a military ID card.

After 25yrs. in the Navy, I know of No large pay raise for just being married. Did they get married in Thailand and if so was it a proper certified wedding, (ie) American Embassey notifcation, spouse military ID card issued from JusMag?? Was he on leave, or just a ships visit. Personnel normally have to request permission to marry. Seems to be a lot of unanswered questions, you may want to find out more from the young lady.

Yes sir, she has a US military ID card given from JUSMAG. She contact JUSMAG first and was told he would have to return to Thailand for a divorce and left it at that. I just couldn't believe that there was not a way out, thus my own research into the matter.

I thought I'd ask here first being so many of you are extremely knowledgeable on a large range of topics. Of course an attorney will be the final stop for this. Though I would like give her a little ammo before sending her off.

First post... Hello all!

One of my employees is asking for my help regarding her American husband who refuses to return to Thailand to divorce her.

The story I got, and the truth may be far from it, is that he is in the military and talked her into getting married so that he could get a large pay raise. In return he would pay her something monthly. Of course you can guess the rest, after they were married he has hardly sent her anything and has strung her along for a total of 11 months now, 9 of which he has not seen her and according to her, has not returned to Thailand since. It seems it was to be a monetary matter for both of them and she got the short end of the stick.

Now he refuses to return for a divorce and she wants to move on with her life.

I'm not sure what help I can be to her but I promised her I would ask and perhaps point her in the right direction. If any of you have any advice or solid information regarding such a matter, please pass it along. I have been reading the forum for a few days but can not find anything specific to this, usually it seems it's the lady who doesn't want the divorce.

Kind regards to all. ~ Tokay