FatherF

In fact I believe that most of the posters here have been very sympathetic to those directly affected by the tragedy, and it is important that this is discussed in length so that we can keep this on the front pages. Hopefully, those lives lost will not be in vain, if there is a tightning up of the regulations and better enforcement.

One should hope so but on the other hand people are people and despite a clear absence of sprinklers, emergency lighting etc. people still frequent similar places and take their chances so I don't think much will change really.

I fear you are quite correct in your assumptions. My condolences to the victims families and friends.

FF

If one could snag one of these from UK to KL it may be worth it:

It appears Air Asia X UK/KL is booked solid through to mid-March, unfortunately their present capacity is limited.

Following its motto "never give in", AirAsia recently expanded the services of its long-haul budget affiliate, AirAsia X. While other airlines are cutting flights because of the falling number of travellers, AirAsia X has launched a new service between Kuala Lumpur and London, starting at ?99 or Bt5,000 per sector, to boost tourism between Asia and Europe.

Link: Airlines urged to offer more

I admire the motto and approach of Mr Fernandez of AirAsia. He's been like a one-man crusade promoting cheaper air-fares and eliminating fuel surcharges.

May other airlines 'clue in' as well...

thanks for the info, however, most "tourists" will simply go to their local travel agent and book a package deal, for those who are prepared to do it themselves, by the time you have got to Stanstead airport (Not the most accessable place), added on the price & time to fly from kl to bkk/cnx or wherever it is still not a cheap prospect.

Valuable info though, many thanks

FF

edited for typo

Thailand offers best value for British travellers

Telegraph UK Jan 5, 2009

Long-haul destinations such as South Africa and Thailand provide the best value for British holidaymakers, according to new research.

Thailand, which topped the poll of affordable destinations, was found to be 41 per cent cheaper than Spain

(Edited for space)

Continues here

This article is in agreement with what i said in my post, however they do not mention the price of the flights to get here!

A Valid point also Citizen33!

FF

I think there are a couple of reasons that are and will affect tourism in Thailand;

1) The exchange rate at the moment is quite hard for a lot of potential visitors, 49 - 51 thb/£ or euro.

2) The cost of getting to LOS in the first place, it was reported on the BBC news only this morning (GMT) that "Thailand is one of the most expensive places to fly to at the moment, but once there was relatively in-expensive." (unless you drink wine!)

I did hear a whisper that the Bhat was going to be de-valued (I Stress that it was only a whisper and not fact), if this did happen it would be good for tourism short tern, but would have very bad effects long term!

Flight prices could possible start to fall, as airlines buy fuel 6 - 12 months in advance, and with the drop in oil prices, that should start to filter through!

FF

At one stage they had the plastic 50 baht note, presumably based on the Australian currency technology, somewhere along the line they went back to paper though. I believe they can't counterfeit those type of notes, maybe should have stuck with it.

They used to have plastic 50p & £1.00 notes in the Isle of Man, then they discovered that they cost more than face value to produce!

FF

As i recall, The Poseidon Adventure was a film about a ship that capsized after being hit by a tidal wave,

a few survived, notibly A New York detective and his ex-prostitute wife.... am i reading too much into this ?????

FF

Edited for typo

for all you wanna be counterfeiters out there listen carefully, very carefully... the american secret service has agreements with ALL printer manufcturers of inkjet and laser printers...to print a sequence of blue micro dots designated by algorithyms, on EVERYTHING YOU PRINT...you cannot see them, but they are there...ever printer has its own specific sequence.

this is how they track down counterfeiters who use inkjets and laser printers....registering your warranty card will lead them right to you.

so if your thinking of doing it...DONT

the american secret service was originally formed to combat counterfeting.

And BIG BROTHER is watching....................................................

FF

I have no idea what she actually smells like, but as a minister she stinks.

I will be going to the doctor soon to get checked, no not because I visited Poseidon, but because I am in agreement with Plus+

I really don't understand the thought that making a pimp commerce minister is ok? Even being a successful pimp with international customers like animatic points out, in my mind does not qualify her to be a minister of anything

Maybe in these uncertain economic times, the new government is trying to promote the sex trade.....

One in the hand is worth two in the bush? (pun intended!)

FF

It is hard to take people seriously when they talk like this.

You know who she is and what she did, so then why would you try to defend her?

You folk have to stop taking everything as a pro Thaksin or anti Thaksin battle - it is not.

We are after the best future for the Thai people and the country. You have to be pretty sick to support this woman, regardless of what you think of Thaksin.

Wise-up Animatic your making yourself come across as a fool.

Frankly, you PADites are making me absolutely sick with your willingness to excuse anything and anyone who is against Thaksin.

Good point, well put!

FF

I whole heartily agree with you and your comments. After our arrest, I was found guilty and hanged by TV members, before my wife and I were even in court. Fortunately, the court here in Thailand, was a little more fair minded then some of our members. We were found not guilty because we were innocent. While I don't agree with drug smuggling, I also don't agree with the attitude of some of our members here! They are too ready to shoot people down, before they know all the facts, as you quite rightly point out! Too many people here on Thai Visa, use the unfortunate circumstances of people like this guy, to vent their own anger and frustrations. To make it like a personal vendetta. This guy was obviously not the sharpest knife in the drawer, or he would have realized how small his chances were, of going through the Aussie customs, let alone going out this side. I feel sorry for his family and daughter, and after my own experience of what its like in a Thai prison, I even feel sorry for the guy himself. Even with amnesties, he will do a minimum of 20 years here. Believe me, after 20 years of the delights of a Thai prison, his life is over. I for one, know exactly how he must be feeling right now, and what he is going through. I think he deserves a little pity, not the vilification of TV!!

The guy got caught with a load of heroine strapped to his body, he knew he was breaking the law, he got caught!

Game over

FF

what a foolish drug smuggler. customs must have it in page 2 of their playbook to scrutinize people with excessive tattoos. bet ya 10 baht if he wore pants, we would not be reading this thread

So, are you saying that if a person has "excessive of tattoo's they must be a drug smuggler?

I have many tattoo's but cant stand heroine etc or the effects that it has on users/families etc.

FF

I think it was the Tattoo on his forehead that said,"SHITBAG" that gave him away. If he didnt get stopped at Suvarnabhumi, he would have been looked at by the Australian blokes.....amazing how many people strut around with the big neon sign flashing...PICK ME PICK ME!

I would suggest it would be a combination of the tough stickers, the oversized earing, the crappy little goatee beard, the track marks, the uncontrollable shaking, bad body odour, poor dental hygiene and that 'I havent had a hit this morning' OR 'I've just had a hit this morning' look and finally his crappy attitude that gave him away.

If I was a half switched on bobby, I would certainly take a look at him, wouldnt you?

If i saw him displaying ALL of the above, then maybe i would look twice, but then i'm not a customs officer!

FF

what a foolish drug smuggler. customs must have it in page 2 of their playbook to scrutinize people with excessive tattoos. bet ya 10 baht if he wore pants, we would not be reading this thread

So, are you saying that if a person has "excessive of tattoo's they must be a drug smuggler?

I have many tattoo's but cant stand heroine etc or the effects that it has on users/families etc.

FF

of course not, but its about the percentages and you know they dont lie.

I believe that in recent years, alot of "mules" are old aged pensioners, at one time no one would look twice, but now they are allegedly high up the suspect list.

FF

what a foolish drug smuggler. customs must have it in page 2 of their playbook to scrutinize people with excessive tattoos. bet ya 10 baht if he wore pants, we would not be reading this thread

So, are you saying that if a person has "excessive of tattoo's they must be a drug smuggler?

I have many tattoo's but cant stand heroine etc or the effects that it has on users/families etc.

FF

Airport seizure: Never again

"We regret the incident and will not allow it to happen again," the newly elected prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told Thai tourism industry representatives.

- Bangkok Post

This is how it should have gone:

"I'm glad to send my Party member(s) to block airports with PAD so I can appear good and corruption free all the time. I will not allow the reds to do the same".

Interesting that he said "We" and not "I"

FF

how short is short time love?

Probably longer than 3 minutes............

FF

YOUR NOT GOING TO JUDGE THE GUY!!

He is drug smuggling scum, what are you ?

I actually think that he is just a mule, being paid a fraction of the real value of the drugs worth, however, i believe that he should be dealt with as harshly as the law allows, and in a very public way, this might in some way deter others from the drug traffiking in Thailand.

FF

Add your own photo to your avatar. Prat!!

And you really look like yours?

Oh, sorry is that a voice from beyond the grave?

Just to try and simplify things,

Basically, the government (in democratic countries) makes the laws. it is the responsibility of the police to enforce those laws, and ensure that they are up-held.

The chief of police reports to the Government, then the crown.

The role of the armed forces is to protect the Crown and all of its dependents, albeit countries or citizens, from both internal and external threats!

The chiefs of the armed forces report directly to the crown, in fact in the UK the Queen IS the head of the armed forces i believe.

FF

that was during his time as as travelling buffoon & escapologist. he did his stunts in a couple of provinces. always the same show. first he got tied up with that colourful scarves and later the Etonian had to eat exotic countryside food such us somtom pla ra (a popular e.coli food-cocktail) and pad krapou nuu (rat meat with basil leaves), that a without losing his smile. the provision of free food and the promise of a funny show ASOTV (as seen on TV) including pre-recorded sting and rimshots, kept some curious villager coming (grandma nium and granddpa montri).

few more photos here in this thread.

FF

Lets just agree to disagree, you think no laws were broken and its ok for a group of 2,000-5,000 people to block the airpot.

First, I don't know which laws were broken. There might be some.

It's not ok to block the airport, however what is "ok" here?

It's government's responsibility to maintain law and order in the country. If it pissed off enough people to lose control over the airport the size of Swb, it's not a mere question of ok or not ok. It was a people's revolution, the airport was effectively under sovereignty of PAD, as was the govt house for months before that. AOT recongnised PAD's power and authority there, not government's.

It's a lot more copmlex situation than simple "ok" or not "ok", and it's extremley difficult to apply regular laws to revolutions, they are not designed for that.

So, you would have me believe that the PAD are "revolutionaries"? Ha Ha Ha and they wielded so much "Power" and "Sovereignty" that the AOT humbled itself before them? The AOT had no option other than to close the Airports because of passenger safety! It is the role of the Police to maintain law and order, NOT the government! and if required the Army. Niether the Police nor the Army would intervine, that is where the power was, NOT with the PAD Thugs! I am sure that you prostrate yourself before them for their pleasure (and possibly yours).

FF

PM's SMS might violate privacy: consumer advocate

Consumer advocate Saree Ongsomwang on Thursday reminded about the possible offence on the privacy after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva chose to stay in touch with his constituents via text messaging.

Saree said under the telcommunication law, mobile phone operators are banned from releasing the list of subscribers without their consent.

She said Abhisit should opt to keep contacts with the people via television and other public communication outlets in order to avoid infringing on the consumer's right.

The Democrat Party should not place financial burden on mobile phone users, she said.

Democrat MP Korn Chatikavanij, tipped to become the finance minister, asked every mobile phone operator to transmit a text message to subscribers on Thursday.

The message read, " I am your new PM committed to lead Thailand out of the crisis. If you are interested to receive my messages, please send your five-digit postal code to telephone No 9191 (Bt3 standard rate applies)". It was signed "Your PM".

Source: The Nation - 18 December 2008

I dont see that Abhisit has done anything wrong here, the telecom companies were asked to sent the sms's if they did it, surley it is them that are breaking the law, I could understand it if Abhisit had "Ordered" them to do it, but from what i have read they were "Asked" to do it by Korn Chatikavanij.

FF

so, Mr Abhisit has laid down the gauntlet, could be interesting.

FF

Hopefully, the Thais are sexist enough to reject her for PM of the new Thaksin puppetry party. I have no doubt she is going for PM, within months or years at the latest. Very appropriate her major association is called ASSET.

I consider it no advance for women's rights here for a stuffed dress with no political experience to become PM based on being the sister of a dictator. More like the same old, same old, women as appendage of the powerful man.

i agree with your post,,,,,, She is NOT good for Thailand and should just go away and hide like her brother,,,,, Not only was her brother a dictator/ but now he is a crook on the run,,,,,,

And so that makes her guilty because? Where is your proof (if any) that she is anything like her brother? are you your brothers keeper? do you take the blame for his actions and he for yours? ho many people are you going to dismiss because you claim that they are a "Thaksin puppet"? Ooh! he had a cat that slept in the same ally as my maid who knew the gardener.... etc etc?

FF

I wish Mr Abhisit well, I hope he can do a good job for the whole of Thailand, and, be seen to be doing so.

Good Luck.

FF

If the PPP had tried to govern the country as a whole and left the constitution alone the PAD protests would have gone nowhere.

Precisely. The PPP's move to amend the constitution to allow Thaksin back in power gave the Pad the foothold they needed to re-start their protest movement.

By the way, do these two Bangkok Post headlines look familiar?

Thousands of protestors lay siege to Government House

Thousands stranded at Don Muang while backlog cleared

Anyone guess what year they appeared?

Bangkok post?