somluck

Thank you for the comments about confronting the problem, maybe some thai culture has rubbed off on me to sidetrack the issue and avoid confrontation. I guess I will deal with it further down the road when I have no choice.

For the time being, I will try to explore other avenues like these.

I am not sure what to name this thread topic but just had an eureka moment, just sharing with the experts here to see if its do-able.

Some background, I fly into BKK to visit the gf regularly and also I have an ex-wife with kids here as well. My gf recently forbade me to visit the ex and the kids (wont go into details). To prevent this, she is always picking me up at the airport and checking the stamps on my passport as well. I have just thought of an idea to bypass this so as I can have some time to visit my ex and the kids.

Here goes - I will tell the gf that I am flying in arrival in BKK at night, same day I actually fly in in the morning and after visiting the ex and kids then I return to the airport at night (here comes the hard part). I will purchase beforehand aonther domestic/international ticket out of BKK scheduled around the same time i am 'supposed' to arrive so I can enter the restricted area of the airport and then tell customs that I had to go back out due to some urgent matters and not make the flight. I will then exit from the restricted area to my waiting gf outside who will be none the wiser thinking I have just arrived and the passport will show the stamp bearing same day. (minor details) Now with internet ticketing I would have amend the details on my flight schedule beforehand.

Anyone (for whatever reasons) tried this before? Did I leave anything out? Any loopholes to this? Can I enter from departure and exit from arrival?

I am looking for a BKK-SIN-BKK ticket flying one the 1st of december. Most of the airlines are full (for the next few days as well) and those which are not like Tiger air are charging THB16K! And Singapore Airlines is going for THB 50K! That's triple what I normally pay.

Would it be better if I leave it to the very last minute instead (i figure it canot get any more expensive than it is)

Any comments about James Taylor? Have heard very good and very bad comments about them. Bill Clinton apparently was one of their famous customers

The ant chalk you can buy in 7/11 is good for roaches also , have not had one in the apartment the 3 years we have been here .

Have tried the ant chalk (made in china) and they work wonderfully too but not sure about whether they contain harmful chemicals though.

Mothballs are harmful, recently the gf put one too many around the house and had symtoms of mild poisoning after aleeping in the roon for a night

Eco solution - use Pandan leaves. In thai they are called 'bai dteuy' and usually used in cooking, you can get it cheaply in the markets

And do what with them?

Just tie the leaves in a bunch and and leave them in dark corners. Natural roach repellant that doubles up as air fresherner

Many thanks for the prompt and informed replies.

Would like to know which telco carries the best value for money Blackberry data plan? Preferably on prepaid. Thinking of the possible savings on sms if the gf got such a plan

Eco solution - use Pandan leaves. In thai they are called 'bai dteuy' and usually used in cooking, you can get it cheaply in the markets

Ok let's get some info clear here -

All HOS (Head Of State) accommodations were decided or shall i say assigned by the host country, in which this case is Thailand. If the host country assigned a place, the embassy of the respective country will inspect and plan the whole logistic together with their own country security advisors (special task force). If the accommodation assigned is not suitable for some reasons (as the whole govt team will need to be close to the HOS as this is an official visit) then the host country will require to find a suitable replacement to the country's request. So in this case, the host country will have to be blamed if the accommodation assigned to the respective HOS has been criticized by the media in anyway.

The question on why some of the ASEAN leaders missing during the opening? The last thing an ASEAN country wants to do is to have diplomatic problem within it's association. This would definitely lose the point of their bilateral meetings that has always been the important point during this type of summit.

To my knowledge, Malaysia PM were excused from the opening as the Malaysian 2010 budget were just released. He was required to attend the parliament debate, this would be his first time presenting the national budget as a PM of Malaysia.

The Philippines President were excused, well i believed all of us read the news on the tropical storm that hit the Philippines Islands. She is well engaged in attending the huge task of the country's recovery.

The Indonesia President, he was re-elected again as the Indonesia President just before the summit and to my understanding there was a ceremony that will require him to attend if he wants to go to the summit as the Indonesia President (inauguration).

As for Cambodian HOS, he was attending to another official visit of a minister from another country.

So, hopes that clears the air a bit here.

Explorer

"Head" of State in this instance is used as a reference to the visiting foreign dignitary or the host dignitary. We know Abhisit is not the Head of State of the Kingdom of Thailand, nor is virtually any other prime minister excepting Singapore and a handful of other states.

"Visiting Dignitary" is the term I'm accustomed to as the reference to such persons in the US whether it be the Queen of England (UK) or the prime minister of Australia which is not a sovereign nation state but rather a Commonwealth state of the UK (as are Canada and NZ among others). The PM's of Australia, Canada and NZ are not heads of state (their Queen of the UK is head of state of each).

In the case of the Phillipines, the president is the head of state, the same is true of Indonesia. The sultan is head of his state. In Asean prime ministers of Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia are not heads of state. Rather each is leader/head of the government as constitutionally provided.

Regardless, I'm sure the foreign dignitaries attending the recently concluded Asean meeting arrived and slept in LOS nervously, or at the least with uncertainty. They know firsthand from Pattaya that the Reds mean only to bust up people, places and things because the Reds are the agents of one person directly.

Good points highlighted. Would like to add on that Singapore's prime minister is not a HOS either, Singapore's head of state is its Executive President

The alternate headline could read; 53.4 % of respondents to recent poll were more informed the the others who responded.

More informed? More brainwashed likely. No one can ignore the fact the Thaksin is still very popular. Frankly I'm surprised that that rag the 'Nation' actually published these figures!

In scientific research surveys of public opinion people who have strong views tend to express them. If Thais surveyed have done this, Thaksin is sunk. Abhisit got what might have been expected.

That more than half the sample yawned at the question is very bad news for Thaksin. A quarter of the sample spoke up for Thaksin, which is a far cry from his supposed previous mandates forumists here like to claim.

Thaksin is a divisive vehicle for those who think he is the vox populi. He's lost whatever usefulness he might ever have had to Thailand. Thaksin's now an isolated figure who has distinctly small minority support, even in a parliamentary system.

The Thaksin haters here sure knows how to spin everything around to support their beliefs

Why do the Thais like to call a bottle of JW red as 'half a bottle'? Anyone came across this before? Do they mean it as in half the price?

No one mentioned JW Green label? I personally prefer a bottle of JW Swing.

"He didn't win one clean election without vote buying."

All significant Thai political parties have bought votes in all elections, h90. Back in America we have pretty clean elections compared to Thailand but overt vote buying still takes place in some areas. Example: In the inner-city Black areas Democratic politicians pass out "street money" the last few days before election. Does this mean that Obama is not a legitimate President because his party "bought" votes?

As far as I know in both Thailand and America the politicians pass out the money to "buy" votes but do not get to watch the voters cast their vote. My assumption is that many voters take the money (why not?) and then vote for the vote buyer's opponent.

I don't know the situation in USA.

In Thailand for example the record of the Democrats is almost complete clean (a few real minor cases).

The times of simply money handouts is long gone.

It started a 20-30 years ago where voter got a left "shoe" and after the party won in that area they got the right shoe. Than we had the time they wanted to see a picture with the mobile phone camera. Now latest were shops you can buy on credit, if PPP wins, you never have to pay back the credit.

But there are 100 different versions.

All governments buy the electorate one way or another, whether by outspending in BS election ads, offering more welfare, manipulating the state education ignorance of the average voter or by handing out money directly. It's all the same in the end and all politicians profit from being in government, either directly or with board positions etc later.

The West has no moral high ground over Thailand, just less obvious techniques with the same end result. To think otherwise demonstrates being oblivious to the obvious. Just take Wall Street and the corrupt US governmnet as in your face examples.

Hi,

Am wondering are there any upcoming events like business trade shows, exhibitions, seminars, workshops, conferences anywhere in Thailand from now till Jan 10?

Any websites to search or any agencies to contact? Thanks in advance

Whenever I hear about Thaksin as a fugitive I always imagine him being chased down by Tommy Lee Jones.

And as is Dr. Richard Kimble, Khun Thaksin is unjustly accused.

Those considering a move to Singapore might like to read this article,

Are you considering migrating to other parts of the world to start a new chapter of your life?

Are you moving so as to look for a job? Or do you yearn to experience a different culture?

If you were looking for a decent job as well as a place where you can live comfortably, then I would recommend you “Singapore”.

In a survey conducted recently, Singapore was picked as the best city in the world for Asian expatriates to live in. Beating Japan, Shanghai and even Hong Kong.

There are many reasons for choosing to work and live in Singapore, but basically there are 7. They are:

Strong Law Enforcements -

You never get to see protests, strikes and riots in the streets of Singapore. This is the result of the strict law enforcement by the police. Anybody caught involved in any of the above events, will be jailed and fined.

Currently, death penalty still exists in Singapore. Anybody caught drug trafficking, or committed murder or kidnap would be sentenced to death.

Another benefit of living in Singapore is it is quite safe to walk alone in the streets. Though crimes do occur, the rates are relative lower than that in other countries.

The locals joke that anybody who committed a crime has nowhere to run but jump into the sea (this is because Singapore is surrounded by sea). Another joke is that before the robber can escape, the police have arrived (Singapore is so small).

Climate -

What makes Singapore so attractive to live in is its peaceful environment. There are no natural disasters, such as earthquakes, typhoons, tornadoes and winter coldness. All you have is either rain or shine. But the air-conditioning is extremely powerful. You could say it’s winter indoor.

Networking –

Making use of the geographical location of Singapore, many big and small organisations set up bases here to have access to other parts of Asia and Middle East.

It is being used as a “Gateway”.

Even companies from China are setting up offices here to access markets in U.S.A and Europe. They are doing so partly to gain from the Free Trade Agreements signed between these countries and Singapore.

Even foreign workers are using this small country as a stepping stone to gain work experiences and improve their English so that they can move on to other developed countries such as U.S.A., Europe and Australia.

Since almost everybody is coming here, it has become the place for networking for both businesses and jobseekers.

Lenient Immigration Rules -

Do you know that Singapore is one of the countries that have the least strict immigration rules?

Anybody can come to Singapore as long as he/she obtains the necessary passes or documents.

Transport -

You can travel from one end of Singapore to the other end within an hour!

The transport system here covers the whole country and you don’t have to own a car to travel.

Public transport includes the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) trains, buses and cabs/taxis.

Even if you own a car, the roads are well connected.

Education –

The education system caters to all students.

There are many schools, colleges, and universities for those who do well academically.

For those good in sports, there is even a sports school to nurture and train them.

Besides these schools, there are also several polytechnics and institutions to equip students with specialised skills.

Even the private schools and institutions in Singapore are of high quality. This is why so many foreign students enrol and study here. When these foreign students have graduated, many chose to continue to stay and work here.

Political Environment -

Singapore is quite unique in terms of its political environment. There are very few opposition parties. The dominant political group is the People's Action Party (PAP) that governs Singapore since independence day.

As such, there are no coups, resistance, or even clashes.

This is important for companies who invest here and for foreigners who live here. They can be assured of safety and security. You don’t have to worry about loss of investments and jobs due to unstable political environment.

Another reason why the political environment here attracts foreigners is its policy. The Singapore government welcome talents.

You would be surprised to know that in year 2005, about 44% of the jobs available were given to foreigners! (These 44% do not include permanent residents).

In fact, Singapore is so hungry for talented and skilled people. As long as you have the skills, knowledge, experiences or talents, you are definitely welcome here.

Of course there are many other reasons why thousands of foreigners are flocking to Singapore to seek jobs or to live here. But the above are the main reasons behind such move.

If you are tempted to migrate to Singapore by these 7 reasons, be assured you are not alone.

Who knows, you might even settle down and get a citizenship.

Copyright@2006 Yen-Ying Hor http://www.glob

This was a beer topic shared with some friends recently. Who are the top few now and who were the best ever?

I would think Buakaw from Surin figure among them. Maybe Yodsanklai too. Some friends threw up a few farangs like John Wayne Parr....any Muay Thai fans here?

Cannot find any details on him, not even a disputed claim

I supported clubs with Thai connections. At first I supported Huddersfield because of Zico. The I supported Liverpool when Thaksin wanted to buy the club. Then I switched to Man City. Now I support Everton because of Beer Chang as sponsor.

All he needs is a 'breakthrough' movie as his vehicle but they dun come easy. Jackie Chan tried many times before hitting the big time and Jet Li only enjoyed lukewarm success. All said I think Tony Jaa can kick every one of their butts, including Van Damme (the 1st one who made a name in Hollywood kickboxing)

In Singapore, Golden Mile shopping centre on Beach Road is entirely Thai: restaurants, bars, shops, supermarket. Most of the customers are also Thai.

To add on, Tawandeang just opened a branch in Singapore! Not in Golden Mile though

Anyone knows where is Suchinda and what is he and the other members of his 'peacekeeping' junta doing? I only know Sunthorn has passed away and willed his mia noi to his ex-aide

One question -

Do people from different regions of Thailand has different practices regarding sin sod?

Thanks for all the replies, including the sarcastic ones.

My gf is running a business and now to establish her credit rating she has gotten her family to transfer ownership of a restaurant upcountry and a spa salon in bkk to her name. Every month for the last half year she has diligently and regularly deposit fixed sums of money (50 - 100k) monthly in her account to show 'profibility' in her businesses, she claims this way works.

I have checked with other Thai friends (friends not related to her) and apparently banks and more eager to grant loans to new developments rather than 2nd hand condos. The bribe thingy is very common too apparently and its someone more senior than a loans officer, more like a bank branch manager. So does managers have the power to grant loans? Soneone mentioned loans go thru the head office.

I dun work in Thailand so I cannot apply for a loan in Thailand but my country has regular property launches and I can take a loan for an overseas property but problem is I cannot include my gf as co-owner.

So other than going for new condos (my gf says they are all too far and those new launches that are not far are too expensive for me)

....

My girlfriend work as a nurse at Siriraj. We been together 4 year, living together 3 years. Her mom want us to get engaged 17th this month (in combination with her mom's retirement party). Her mother have stated the terms "no sin sod. The mom pay engagement party- I pay the rings. I pay the wedding- the mom will provide the fake sin sod. Her mother is a high school teacher and her dad is chief commander in the air force.

Truly one of the best stories I have read in TV in a long time. It's so normal. Just regular people. Makes for a refreshing change from the usual depressing tales. I wish more stuff like this was posted.

I think that you might find that it is much more common than you think - it's just not popular here.

I did not pay sin sod when I married. My mother-in-law stated that it was not required because I (& my family) was not Thai & there was no need to follow Thai tradition. But what I had to do was give her a commitment to look after,respect & protect her daughter. After she was satisfied that I was genuine, she gave her blessing.

One aspect of a Thai/Thai marriage that is missing in a Thai/farang marriage is that a traditional Thai marriage is the coming together of two families & the benefits that result from this union. The sin sod is for the benefit (face in it's many forms) of the groom's family as much as it is for the brides.This is completely lost when the groom is farang.For the most part a Thai groom's family pay the sin sod, & for the most part the farang groom's family is totally missing.

My gf is 30, never been married a Uni grad and used to work as a teacher now she runs her own business. Her family is in upcountry Issan running a fairly successful restaurant, not rich but well to do by their province standards. My gf tells me the sin sod asked is relative to the assets that the lady or her family has, as once I become her husband, I will be entitled to a share of her assets. I reckon she has assets worth about 5 million. She has made it clear that the 2 million sin sod is for her mum and not to be returned. In return her mum will used part of the money to build an annex to the present house the family now lives.

By comparison her brother in law (a policeman) married her elder sister (uni grad civil servant) with sin sod of 200K (not returned). Her younger brother married an older widow with no sin sod (lady was pregnant with his child i might add)

She has told me that Thai culture for those widows/divorcees sin sod is not required. As with bar girls or former prostitues. She also pointed out differences for different areas (nuer vs issan etc) would have different interpretation of sin sod. I have a friend who married a chiangmai hill tribe girl with a pair of cows. And another french friend who paid 5 million for a bkk massage lady.

Anyone can point me in the right direction?