carib102

When I was in the U.S. I followed traffic laws to a "T". No parking in restricted/handicap areas, no speeding, no violations what so ever. The reason behind this was that I knew that the laws would not only be enforced, but the penalties are far more painful than the benefits of ignoring the laws.

Here in Thailand...

and never think about using a handicap parking!!!

I sometimes drive my father's car when in the U.S. and he is handicapped and does have the proper stickers to use handicapped parking. Even so, I never park in a handicapped space because I'm not handicapped! While I would certainly be legal since the car has the proper tags, it still wouldn't be right as I could be taking a space that an actual handicapped person needs. I believe this is called empathy - the ability to think about and act according to the feelings and needs of others. Thai people seem to have a complete lack of capacity for empathy.

When I was in the U.S. I followed traffic laws to a "T". No parking in restricted/handicap areas, no speeding, no violations what so ever. The reason behind this was that I knew that the laws would not only be enforced, but the penalties are far more painful than the benefits of ignoring the laws.

Here in Thailand...

Good job being commissioner. On a monday morning you wake up and get an Eureka idea. The day after you tell your subordinates to solve the problem and than you go on having high tea with your ugly wife whose nose and boob job hasn't been finished yet.

Thaksin said the same in the mid 90's. He even ordered the banks to open an hour later and close an hour earlier. In a matter of fact he had part of the key in his hands as Thailand has just like the US a medieval banking system that relies on cheques and thus you have tens of thousands of people on the road who could easily have been able to make payment and clear cheques by modern means.

Unfortunately, farmers are sponsored for producing too much and not helped with state of the art high speed internet links, so no money for the commissioner.

What are you on about? I've never seen a physical check in Thailand, though it would be nice if internet banking was more comprehensive rather than having to use ATM's for everything. As to the U.S., I have been able to pay all of my bills in the U.S. over the past three years without writing a single check. So much for a medieval banking system that relies on checks. Maybe you should visit the U.S. sometime and you will see that even there progress rolls on.

Its official Thailand will rename itself TingTongsville...... in respect to the judicial system, government system, police system and just about any other system or scheme that they come up with.

Prime example of how the police like to conduct themselves was to be seen near intersection of Rama IV and Sukhumvit where 6-10 of our committed traffic problem solving BIB's were gathered in a side soi handing out tickets to errant scooters who happened to transgress the footpath....meanwhile the traffic was backed up about 600metres....

But full marks to this guy.. dont stop speeding or dangerous drivers. for official rewards.... when did this become not unofficial by the way....

Instead work earnestly on parked vans.... yes the root cause of all traffic evil.

And in the meantime he will continue work solving crime/ drugs and all other manner of ills. Give this guy a cape and some red undies....

Are you sure you haven't been trying some of that folk medicine on the side.. perhaps smoking it ????

At least they were out of their box and handing out tickets for something. Last Friday we were held up at the intersection of Rama IV and Chua Ploeng for nearly 30 minutes. As we finally approached the intersection I rhetorically asked "Where are the cops for directing traffic and taking bribes now?" My wife replied instantly "Friday night, time for drinking". I glanced to the backseat at her friend who shook her head in agreement. Sure enough as we finally made it to the intersection (after it cleared of all the cars running the red light and blocking oncoming traffic) I looked into the box and there sat four very happy looking gentlemen dressed in brown.

They must not give a shit where I come from since all I get is a blank white page with a blue box in the upper left corner.

There are 2 outcomes of this policy that will seriously damage the auto industry this year. 1) Supply of second hand but good condition cars will increase forcing prices down 2) Demand brought forward to those who would have bought anyway will reduce current demand. And all this along with a global reduction in consumption.

It's already happening. The wife had me stop to talk to a Mazda sales guy at a display last month. Mazda is offering $0 down and they will pay your loan for the first 12 months right now. Anything to get people into new cars and increase their turnover. I wasn't surprised as I have seen quite a few new Mazda 2 and Mazda 3's driving around lately. I'm sure you've seen the same. I'm also seeing quite a few new Coopers driving around...wonder what kind of incentives they are offering

We bought a new Honda April 2012, STILL waiting for 63,000thb rebate to be paid. EXCUSE after EXCUSE, visits to Sri Racha Office ..next month, next month... Has anyone here received their REBATE, & if YEs, how long did it take to process??

Thanks

We also purchased our vehicle in April 2012 and received the rebate in July 2013. A few months late and yes we also received several rounds of excuses, mostly along the lines of "we have way more rebates to process than expected". Ultimately though we did receive the rebate. Good luck to you and I'm sure the money is forthcoming.

This would be the day I need to go to immigration wouldn't it?

Balls.

But immigration was high and dry and pretty empty to boot. Collected yearly stamp and then went on to do a 90 day report...in and out in 40 minutes. Of course it then took an hour and 45 minutes to drive back home, and that was on the "expressway".

Palm oil - which is extremely bad for your cholesterol. Cook at home with rice bran oil (cheap and healthy) or olive oil (expensive and healthy).

Rice bran oil breaks down easily with high heat. Olive oil does as well, but not as badly. For cooking, coconut oil or clarified butter are best.

I don't really get how you can forecast 4% growth when the first semester was in recession, is there anything that would suggest the economy bounces back in the second half of the year?

Not that I can see. Reap as ye sow.

CP has been behind keeping the value of the Baht low for a longtime. Their control as the world's leader in rice production has had a long run. They don't keep the Baht low for the sake of tourism, it's cheap labor. And the huge micro technology industry here has supported this as well. Thai people are taught in Buddhism to be softspoken, sharing and grateful for the basics in life, because living in Thailand offers good weather and can be enjoyable to even the poorest people. So Thai people havent' complained too much in the past. But you start hooking them on payment programs, selling them on bigger houses, more cars, etc. then you are in for changes and these things must balance themselves out, and this artificial Baht price control cannot hold out forever. The US financial controllers have pushed hard to maintain a devalued Baht because they have a partnership with Thailand has been predicated in helping extend and maintain, their reach in global food prices

The Baht is way overvalued, and falling fast.

So what you write is nonsense.

Simply calling anothers argument 'nonsense' is no way to debate a point. Anything said can only be speculation no matter if right or wrong. So I am trying to speculate and make sense of this, looking to learn other factors. You haven't done anything except repeating a conclusion you probably learned in papers or on tv shows which I haven't. So convince me... That is why I participate in these discussions on thaivisa, not so I can evoke emotionally charged reactions.

What you've written is nonsense because the baht has not been kept low. In fact, it has been strengthening since mid-2004. As the below USD/THB monthly chart clearly shows the baht has appreciated (the falling line is representative of USD strength - falling line = stronger THB) significantly since mid-2004.

The good news for those of us who receive funds in USD is that the trend appears to have reversed. 32.00 was a major resistance point and the USD/THB has broken through and remained above this level. The next minor resistance is at 34.50 and I don't think it will prove troublesome in the least. Beyond that we are looking at 36.00 as the next stop off, and if we breach that level we could go all the way back to the highs of 42.00 seen in 2002 and 2004.

While I am sure that there is some manipulation that occurs to keep the THB at levels which the government believes are suitable, you shouldn't for a second believe that Thailand has any say in the matter if the U.S., Europe or Japan wishes to devalue or inflate their own currency. Sure the $172 billion is foreign reserves is a lot, but it is nothing compared to the weight that major world economies can bring to bear. Ask Turkey, India, Indonesia and Brazil how effective their foreign reserves have been in keeping their currencies stable against the current USD strength.

4th year in BKK. and NOT an expert in currency

Assuming you are sending money back to the U.S.A- isn't better for the baht to decline.

Every month I send $1,000 USD home or app. 32,000 baht . minus bank fees.

If the Baht falls to 20 to 1 then my $1,000 USD would only cost me 20,000 Baht. A savings of 12,000 baht

Does a falling baht hurt those "in-country"?

Comments?

Sorry, you've got it back-to-front.

If the baht strengthens, you get your dollars for fewer baht, if it declines against the dollar then you need more baht to buy your thousand dollars.

Assuming you're being paid in baht, then the current weaker baht will increase the cost (in baht) of your monthly transfer, or reduce the number of dollars you get for a fixed number of baht.

Again, not business minded.

But could give me an example?

Right now 32 to 1 Baht to USD 32000 baht = 1,000USD

Therefor, would 20 to 1 not translate to 20,000 baht= 1,000USD

Thanks for the help!

The Baht cannot 'fall' to a higher value! The Baht has never been 20 to one Dollar in living memory. Traditionally is was 25-30 to one Dollar for decades and was linked to the value of the U.S. Dollar until 1997 when the real estate bubble burst and the Baht could no longer be tied to the Dollar and was floated. The value got as low 60 Baht to one Dollar. Earlier this year, the value of the Baht got to as strong as 28.6 Baht to the Dollar. Currently the trend is for a weaker Baht and you will need more Baht to buy a dollar now compared to two weeks ago.

Your math above is correct and it the Baht was one Baht to one Dollar, 1000 Baht would buy 1000 Dollars. The falling (declining value of) Baht hurts those who depend on the Baht for their paycheck because fuel is imported and higher costs for fuel translates to higher costs for, transportation and energy which translates to higher costs for production and for everything that is transported. Electricity prices will rise because some of it is generated with imported oil. The price of imported goods will also rise. I don't understand why you are having problems with understanding. Ricardo gave a perfectly understandable answer to your question. Are you a blonde by any chance?

It isn't a straight 1:1 ratio or if this then that equation though. Yes a weaker baht means higher fuel costs, but since oil is denominated in USD a stronger dollar usually translates to lower oil prices. So you might have a weaker baht, but still have imported fuel costs contained due to lower oil prices from a strong USD.

The Thai economy is in ruins, thanks to the fiscal mismanagement of the PTP led government. Foreign investor are fleeing like rats from a sinking ship, while the cabinet meander away with bulging pocket, leaving the Thai taxpayer to foot the bill. But its all mai pen rai till the time it takes a days wages to buy a serve of som tam, only by then there will be a wall of security keeping them in check.

Bernanke turned off the tap. Yingluck isn't helping, but this is hardly a fair fight, the FED versus the BOT.

Bernanke hasn't turned off the tap and hasn't even declared when he will turn off the tap. Market participants are assuming that it will be in September, but that is simply speculation. Bernanke continues to declare that he is waiting for the unemployment rate to go below 7% in the U.S. before tapering unless inflation heats up. It is unlikely that either will happen before the next Fed meeting in September. Thailand will get a reprieve when tapering continues, but at some point the tapering will end and when the tap really is turned off there is little the BoT will be able to do. Actually I'm surprised the baht has remained as resilient as it has this year even though tapering talk is just rumors and speculation at this point. Look at currencies of other countries with high current account deficits (Turkey, India, Indonesia, Brazil to name a few).

Interest rates causing carry trade.

Interest rates were causing carry trade in some emerging markets, but with U.S. interest rates rising and likely to rise more, those carry trades are unwinding. Maybe soon time for the Japanese carry trade to begin once again?

15 months is pretty optimistic considering the U.S. has been conducting their war on drugs since 1914 (though the term "War on Drugs" wasn't coined until 1971). 82% of the U.S. population still feels that the war on drugs is a failure, despite the government spending billions (of dollars) every year on enforcement, not only in the U.S., but around the world. In 2008 there were 500,000 people jailed on drug related offenses and it is estimated that 1% of all Americans are currently in jail on drug related charges. Yet, the number of drug users continues to increase and you can get just about any drug you like in any city in America at nearly any time.

15 months for a drug free Bangkok

Maybe if they said one district in Bangkok or more likely one Soi this would be even remotely believable.

The Thai economy is in ruins, thanks to the fiscal mismanagement of the PTP led government. Foreign investor are fleeing like rats from a sinking ship, while the cabinet meander away with bulging pocket, leaving the Thai taxpayer to foot the bill. But its all mai pen rai till the time it takes a days wages to buy a serve of som tam, only by then there will be a wall of security keeping them in check.

Bernanke turned off the tap. Yingluck isn't helping, but this is hardly a fair fight, the FED versus the BOT.

Bernanke hasn't turned off the tap and hasn't even declared when he will turn off the tap. Market participants are assuming that it will be in September, but that is simply speculation. Bernanke continues to declare that he is waiting for the unemployment rate to go below 7% in the U.S. before tapering unless inflation heats up. It is unlikely that either will happen before the next Fed meeting in September. Thailand will get a reprieve when tapering continues, but at some point the tapering will end and when the tap really is turned off there is little the BoT will be able to do. Actually I'm surprised the baht has remained as resilient as it has this year even though tapering talk is just rumors and speculation at this point. Look at currencies of other countries with high current account deficits (Turkey, India, Indonesia, Brazil to name a few).

Eco-tourism and Thailand in the same article is laughable, unless the article is discussing places where eco-tourism in literally non-existent and figuratively spit upon. Honestly, the country has some of the best resources for eco-tourism and has mismanaged them worse than anywhere I can think of except possibly Haiti. Maybe they could cash in on eco-tourism oil clean up excursions to Samet? Or trash clean ups on the beaches of Phuket, Krabi, or Pattaya? Oh no, that wouldn't work because the tourists would need work permits. Carry on Thailand and soon enough your eco-tourism (and much of your other tourism) will move on to Myanmar.

The morons at TAT have been saying the same thing for the last 15 years. They wouldn't know how to target something if they were standing on top of it anyway so it really doesn't matter what market they say they're going after. What they fail to realize is that high-end travelers don't WANT to come to Thailand in general. Thailand's international reputation as a sex tourism haven is one reason and the other is that there is nothing here that these people want to see. Do they want to go to see a few temples, go to a jewelry store, buy overpriced high-end brand name merchandise somewhere, eat in the, mostly, mediocre restaurants here, pay absurd prices for a decent glass of wine, etc, etc, etc? What is it that the TAT thinks these people want to do here? If the TAT yoyos were really smart they'd get the government to legalize prostitution, regulate and help the sex workers and promote Thailand as the sex capital of the world. Tourism would double. Think of all that money. Obviously it would never happen but what they're going to do instead is absurd and will be a total waste of time. TIT

And they would add some form of regulated casinos and provide air conditioning in all the "cultural" attractions. Maybe adding a decent museum or two could help as well...there has to be some art that could be added to such a place...isn't there?

Honestly I don't think TAT even knows what a high end traveler desires or requires (even those from their own backyard of Singapore and China), so how could they possibly target those high end travelers? Maybe they should take a trip to Singapore, Macau, or Hong Kong instead of wasting their budgets in Samui and Phuket. They might learn something if they are able to take off the Thainess blinders.

I'm reminded of a trip my wife and I took to Playa del Carmen (certainly not high end...more upper middle class I think). Her question was "why won't Thailand do something like this?" THIS is restaurants that serve decent and in some cases awesome food at reasonable prices, clean beaches and sparkling water without trash floating in it, beaches that require a small fee, but have excellent service and no touts, clean streets, a walking street that is actually closed to cars and motocys, and no visible crime or scams. I could also mention the excellent service we received from people who could actually communicate with us in our native language. Yes, as an expat in Thailand I appreciate the need to learn Thai as a sign of respect if nothing else, but a tourist should never be subjected to this kind of expectation.

I guess most of the replies are from people who live in the north.

It is the Chiang Mai forum

HA! So it is. I neglected to notice that. Must be the heat

I guess most of the replies are from people who live in the north. Here in Bangkok we run the a/c in the living space 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours at night most days June-Feb. We run it almost constantly from March through June. The bedroom a/c is run from 1 hour before bed through the morning all year round. Living area a/c is set at 22, bedroom a/c is set at 18. I am originally from PA and my wife is Thai. Electric runs about 4000 per month June-Feb and 5500 March through June. It's not always the heat either, its the humidity. For example, tonight I turned off the a/c and opened the balcony doors and within 2 minutes it was soupy in the condo...and this is August. April would be unbearable within 2 minutes. That being said, when we visit the in-laws in Tak it is much cooler (I have occasionally wished for a sweatshirt), so in Chiang Mai I imagine your a/c use would be much less.

Government debt to GDP has already gone from 41.6% to 44.3% in 2012 versus 2013 (so far). This is without the 2.2 trillion infrastructure borrowing. In what universe will it be possible to keep the debt to GDP ratio below 50%? I suppose K. Kittirat expects Chinese like GDP growth over the coming years? But, the Thai Finance Ministry recently cut growth estimates for 2013 from 4.8% to 4.5% (a far cry from the 7.5% GDP growth in China).

Oh well, looking back it appears to me that the baht always weakens when the debt to GDP ratio increases (http://thailandmusings.thaivisa.com/will-the-2-2-trillion-baht-loan-package-finally-cause-the-thai-baht-to-fall/). That has already been borne out by the increase in debt to GDP from 2012 to 2013 and the corresponding drop in the baht. I will happily accept more baht weakness.

and still the pound is going down again

More the result of the Bank of England announcing deep spending cuts than anything Thailand is doing. On the other hand, the USD is holding up quite well and even rising a bit off the 31.00 level. Can't wait to see what happens when the U.S. finally starts to taper instead of just talking about the possibility of tapering.

That would explain the government workers pointing a handheld temperature taking device about a foot from my forehead at HK airport yesterday afternoon. I guess that it was because I had just just come of the EK flight originating in the Middle East (they were carrying out this check as soon as I had come off the landing bridge) Notable however was that as I coming off that same EK flight a few hours later at Bangkok, there was no similar temperature checking taking place!

No, they were doing it for suspected cases of Avian Flu (according to announcements there) and were scanning everyone. We came through yesterday morning as well on a flight from New York.

The US gov is financing it's debt at a massive 1% a year. Holy mackerel!

And they're robbing their creditors by devaluing their currency. The benefits of being a safe haven!

against which currency, except the Thai Baht, do you see a devaluation of the Dollar?

Not even against the baht anymore as that has magically stabilized over the past 2 weeks and is now testing the 30.00 level once more.

Hangovers are also greatly influenced by hydration levels. In a tropical climate like Thailand this can be exacerbated greatly. Drink plenty of water...think 12 oz of water for every 12 oz of beer. Or switch to whiskey and water or put lots of ice in your beer. All of these can help in the hangover department. Of course with your past history it is possible that your body is just damaged beyond repair. A liver enzyme test might be in order to determine the extent of the damage. There are alternatives to drinking too