dinthailand

the press are not allowed in thai courts

Maybe you mean tv cameras are not allowed inside the court room? I've been in Thai courtrooms with multiple reporters gathered around the accused conducting interviews. No objection at all from the court officials present. Can't say if it's always allowed but it has been when I've attended a Thai court.

i bow to your comment. at a thai friends trial, they were not allowed in. i was asked who i was and was allowed to stay

In Thailand libel is a crimial offence, so if you file a complaint the person is summoned to hear the charges, if he doesn't come an arrest warrant is issued.

I guess that's what happenned here: TV guy makes a report about a dodgy character, said character files for libel, TV reporter is already out of the country and doesn't know about it, arrest warrant is issued, when he comes back to Thailand few years later the outstanding arrest warrant appears on the immigration computer, he is arrested.

You don't really need connections for this to happen, just a good lawyer (although knowing high ranking people certainly helps...)

absolutely correct. just hope some diplomatic comment from the relevant embassies at the appropriate time might get the authorities to re-visit this. but clearly they have other more pressing things on the agenda. the current bad press for thailand may influence them though.

They are not going to admit it otherwise the American Dictatorship will bomb the shit out of Thailand.

Where are you from Iran?

True blue Aussie christian but can't stand the sight of overbearing, loud mouthed self centred Americans who think they are in charge of the world and every other country must do as they say or else. Love the british and all other western societies but Americans ahh.. If they keep thier noses out of every other country then this world be a peaceful planet and the world economy would not be stuffed up because of their greed.

Mmm much truth in what you say. i have never accepted their right to be the world's policeman. or their interference in iraq, thailand, and else where

Why don`t these do gooders stop sticking their noses in when it`s not wanted?

I`m sure the Thai government can manage it`s own affairs without the advice of these Holier than thou self appointed martyrs

as you don't agree with them it's right that they can not express an opinion is it? and actually they are not martyrs they are very much alive!!

what is the source for the comment " not wanted" again, i assume your own view.

thais like the concept of real freedom and democracy and it is developing gradually. remember democracy is very young in this country.

If he's been brought to court and bailed then the charges have to have been read out.

Sounds like someone is enforcing a news blackout like "keep quiet or we'll keep you quiet, terminally".

the press are not allowed in thai courts

Can't see Swiss TV giving Thailand anything other than more negtive publicity.

I bet behind the scenes there are some serious discussions being held. After all you don't ge to be head of national TV without having made some high ranking contacts of one sort or another.

As for the bit in an earlier post about the russian mafia killing the chickens with Molatov cocktails, i'd like to have seen that - thousands of chickens running around on fire, must of smelt like the worlds biggest BBQ

read between the lines

Westerners or foreigners or non Thais who accept this racial slur are a disgrace to their own race. I accept that it can be used as purely descriptive but that is in itself potentially racially abusive and in its most common usage it is akin to "nigger" or "<deleted>", "paki", "coon" or other non acceptable word.

Sorry, I do not use the word and will not accept it. Now roll up all you "I know more than the Thais" westerners to tell me how it should be, how I know nothing and how I should be kissing their arse etc.

i don't believe in kissing their arse either and yes there are always the thai apologists who have gone more native than the native. those with no backbone develop what was called the stockholm syndrome. colloboration in vichy france is probably the best example.

best to accept it and walk on. sticks and stones may break my bones, names will never hurt me.

in some situations where walking away is not appropriate, calling them a thai makes them think of their rudeness. thais easily get embarassed and this sometimes works.

giving way to them all the time is not always the right way but you need to be selective.

No day goes by without me waking up and praying, "Oh dear God, please do not let anybody call me a farang!" It nearly drives me insane, and then I drive past a market named "Kad Farang," where you can buy farang fruit and Swiss chocolate.

This is the mostest biggest problem in Tyeland, greater than coloured shirts or English teachers, beer bars or gay pride parades being violently broken up. Never mind that auto production is down by 50%. People are calling farangs, farangs! Oh, the horror, the shame, the shambala, the jambalaya and the crawfish pie......

you have a way with words, and in an amusing way put things in perspective

the op has made a serious point - worthy of forum discussion - but it is good to lighten up the thread

i suppose some would link the stockholm syndrome to the thai apologists that also post, and there is some relevance there.

but yes pb an amusing post.

Does anyone know how the 2000 baht payment to thais works.

Some Thais have told me they will get it from the government by way of a "cheque" but they must spend and not bank it??

Will it be by way of vouchers?

IF you fall for the Oishi Scam, it will be vouchers. As for your first question, do you honestly believe any will bank it?

what is the oishi scam? never heard of it. The Nation, a respected source, announced the government was giving some thais a one off 2000 baht cheque. But it seems it will not be a cheque so obviously they won't be able to bank it. That's why I thought it might be vouchers which would have to be spent. if so, a Keynesian solution of spending and not saving to ease the recession.

Does anyone know how the 2000 baht payment to thais works.

Some Thais have told me they will get it from the government by way of a "cheque" but they must spend and not bank it??

Will it be by way of vouchers?

you could reserve your judgement until hearing the recording

Now that is a complete joke.

The public will NEVER hear that tape, even if it really exists.

You're really going all out against the immigration officer...Why are you so sure the black man is right?Are you so sure that he would never do such a thing?Because of his colour,do you feel he must just be getting victimised?You are really pushing this one,have YOU been a victim of an unfriendly (Small brained,uneducated) Thai official?

Some critical thinking is in order, dude. This has NOTHING to do with the officer. It has to do with the Thai justice system. They don't publicly release evidence of this nature. This is not an open society like most in the west. That is a fact. In Pattaya for example NONE of the LOCAL press is even ALLOWED at court trials. So people convicted in the press and on thaivisa, even if they are found not guilty, it is not reported. Just the facts, man.

Surely they would release it,if it's in their interest?I didn't know that the press were not allowed in court,seems a bit unfair on the defendant.

You've been here over 2 years and you did not know that?? This is not the west. the problem is many expats take a western view of things on tv. they (some of them not all) are out of step with the reality of thais and thailand.

i love most thais and the country, do not get me wrong. but, from their posts, many farang seem to be living on a different planet

I know the Thai education system better then most,my wife went through it and my daughter is going through it...Both have better education then the average Australian student.. dry.gif

Case closed then as we can't hope to get a more objective analysis than yours, from a person with no emotional investment in making his learned evaluation.

BTW: I have heard that in Thai unis, once accepted, as long as you pay the fees, you are 100 percent guaranteed to graduate.

Well, I'm not in a position to compare Thai uni's with Australian but you are incorrect about paying fees and being 100% guaranteed to graduate. Friend of my completed MBA about 18 months ago and I know that members of her class did not graduate.

If you pay all the fees required you pass after a resit..

I know the Thai education system better then most,my wife went through it and my daughter is going through it...Both have better education then the average Australian student.. dry.gif

Case closed then as we can't hope to get a more objective analysis than yours, from a person with no emotional investment in making his learned evaluation.

BTW: I have heard that in Thai unis, once accepted, as long as you pay the fees, you are 100 percent guaranteed to graduate.

Yes, that is categorically true of Thai degrees.

And western teachers, many of whom have little English language skill, are the worst thai arse lickers i have ever come across. and why? they want to keep their jobs and get more than a little concerned on thaivisa if their limitations are pointed out. those who really lose of course are the thai students, but they don't care about them.

on topic, i don't understand either why no one is questioning the real truth here instead of accepting the authorities and media reports; this doesn't happen on other forums.

The article about game theory started with the old accountants' joke and proceeded to confuse further.The injection of red and yellow shirt colours into a basically pink parade shows how polarized this country is. When violent thugs of any colour do gay-bashing in the name of Thai politics, you can't tell me we're not on the eve of destruction. Mexico almost looks safer in the near future!!

I agree about the political polarisation but you've lost me on the game theory and accountants.

The riddle in game theory is an old accountants' joke, about credits and debits. But what the red-shirted thugs threatened to do to stop the gay parade, by any means including violence, were no joke, and no credit to Thai cultural values. They did not represent traditional northern Thai culture half as much as the gay Thais who wanted to march in the peaceful parade.

Would it be karma if the homophobic red-shirted Thais are reincarnated as katoeys?

Don't fully understand your metaphors if that is what they are. particularly the operations research concept of game theory in mathematically evaluating procedures. and what is the accountants joke exactly.

But I would rather swim to Ireland than to fly Ryan Air again.

Bonus: you can piss in the ocean while you're swimming for free!

yes but then she would not be able to use the internet while swimming to keep in touch with thaivisa

Why do they want the backpackers back? Is there a teacher shortage?

But let's get serial. Backpackers lack panache. They do not buy pancakes, as I did for breakfast today, for about 110 baht, with syrup and bacon bits (yumm). Backpackers and Kao Sahn Road smell bad, and do not get 300-baht massages (without the extra body contact). The TAT never goes to backpacker banquets.

yes let's get real.

Thailand needs quantity. If total revenue is greater with backpackers then that is what the economic crisis here and the tourist industy needs.

Can't hurt, but if you do it that way go prepared- dress nicely and have a resume- just like for any potential impromptu interview. Don't expect them to have an English speaker available, or to know what they're doing in general! If you don't meet with someone high enough up in the food chain, they may be unwilling (read: unable) to make any decisions or promises, so the most likely good result is they take your number and call you another day- but if the Big Noodle is at home, you need to be ready to do business.

i understand the odd food chain metaphor but what does if the big noodle ia at home mean

please pardon my ignorance

I think that is the worst thing they can do. Get this piece of shit back here to spend a few months in a luxury cell (ha!) and then free to stir up all kinds of shit and whining about injustice. Thailand will fall into anarchy if this scumbag ever gets near the place.

These words look like they are coming from a very disgruntled little man - think you might have been happy joining the yellow shirt mob on their path of destruction last year - you should stand up with Sonthi and scream foul - wonder why you not protest the fact that they are wanted by the law for treason, destuction of property etc, etc, etc, etc, - the reality is that Taksin had this country in better standing interntionally and a much better financial position and what it is now - and seems that the PM and his deputy cant even agree on the matter of trying to get him back here --

Not sure about Aussimike's size but he has every right to be disgruntled and so should everyone else. We're talking about bringing to book a monster - an instigator of how many thounsands of extra judicially killed Thais? Was it two thousand plus or five thousand plus? We'll never really know! What we do know is that Thaksin is a crime against humanity and it should never ever be forgotten! As for the comment that Thaksin put the country into better standing internationally I would have point out that his sterling reputation is why he is an honourary president of Man City football club! Oh, sorry, they stripped him of that for the shame that he bought to football!

what is your source for that?

as a shareholder of mc i can tell you the presidency automatically went on his resignation and when he sold his investments

Now we have two cases of Europeans committing suicide within a week.

I am just wondering why there are foreigners who rather commit suicide in Thailand than return to their native countries in Europe.

What is going through their minds?

what is your source for saying two suicides

The Italian Man who jumped from the bridge last week and yesterday night an young Irish man jumped from the 4th floor at the Suwanphumi Airport.

in other words the police and the media

Now we have two cases of Europeans committing suicide within a week.

I am just wondering why there are foreigners who rather commit suicide in Thailand than return to their native countries in Europe.

What is going through their minds?

what is your source for saying two suicides

TBC, but my Thai staff who saw it on the TV says the Police guy said< "That others travelling with him said he did not have money to go home"

Now bear in mind this is 3rd party info so accurate or not I don't know.

Very sad, regardless.

yes very sad, and we don't know the full story as you very rightly and properly suggest.

unfortunately, this then starts other posters commenting as if the facts are as stated,

this man's friends and family may be searching forums in thailand for information on their son brother boyfriend or whatever, and it is unpleaseant for them to see disrespectful comments. the test should be to only post what you would be happy for family and friends to read.

again, i have no problems with your post given your caveats - that is after all what a forum is for, to post news, opinions, and comments from other sources.

you were right to post the way you did. others should have been more careful.

has anyone any more details on this, and can you please be sensitive to the matter of this human life. im from dublin, and i think this may be a friend of ours but we are all waiting for confirmation on the circumstances surrounding his untimely death. the story has not yet been picked up by the irish media..any info you can pass on, like websites that have followed the story would be much appreciated,

thanks,

i agree . i have reported this to the mods

there are speculative comments now creeping in too. no facts just unsubstantiated comments

CCTV footage was aired on local Thai News last night showing the complete chain of events. Very graphic. If anybody comes accross an English language news article, please post.

could mods delete disrespectful and crude posts

Although the thread was not closed by me, it was something I wanted to do.

My reason of wanting to close it had absolutely nothing to do with Thai Visa joint venture with the Nation. (note also that a topic discussing Bkk Post article was also trashed).

My logic goes like this:

when I see posts within threads that pick out spelling mistakes in posts by other members, I tend to delete it. On that similar logic, it doesnt seem right to have an entire thread running for the purpose of nit picking spelling mistakes.

You may argue that because they are an English language publication they are obliged to deliver better quality. ON that note, if you go through a lot of academic publications or even published books that have had years of professional editing and re-editing, by the very highly professionals in the field, you will still find spelling mistakes in many.

With respect, it is a question of degree. Yes all media are guilty of howlers sometimes. The point your members were making was how often it happens in The Nation.