Sydebolle

The retirees among the readers might remember the Kibbuz scam by Israel. In the 70s it was THE thing. They charged youngsters airfare (on ElAl of course) as well as food and lodging, free guitar listening to a fellow Kibbuzian and after a few weeks or months the youngsters returned to their homeland. During their stay they had to pick grapefruit and other agricultural produce and all this was in the context of "hallelujah" and, in some cases, some steamy nights with a fellow youngster. The Israelis were smart enough to get free of charge workers from all over Europe and the workers even paid for their own airfare. Will not work in Chiang Rai and some Thais, having returned from the promised holy land, said that the work was very hard compared to very little pay - yet still better than the 300 Baht promised by Yingluck and - of course - not paid by fellow countrymen 😉

This country is drowning in its bureaucracy to keep all those ignorant pencil pushers in jobs and, wonder over wonder, it also applies to the DTV programme. Maybe it is high time to boot out 80% of all those goons, simplify procedures to the essential necessities; more money in the state's coffers at far less (human resource and customer frustration) costs! The only consistent thing in this country, for decades, are the inconsistencies in documentation requirements across Thai government agencies leaving hopefuls in limbo. A "full-of-tax-extensions" Bangkok-registered car book can only be renewed in Bangkok (which is 700kms away). Going back to the same office a few hours later trying with another officials - no issue and five minutes later I had the new book. A re-entry for a PR could not be issued in (very unfriendly) Korat but no issue in Sisaket. A driving license extension in Banglamung takes a gooseneck trailer of documents, a rude shake-down by the grouch behind the counter and "see you tomorrow tomorrow" (in two days); in Chayaphum I could wait for it with a copy of my passport only. The bottle neck is usually on top of the bottle 😉

At least it was worthwhile - much better than the highway robbery of a few hundred Baht for an offense never committed 😉

Rapists and pedophiles cannot be cured, drug dealers are murderer and hence put them on the wall and get rid of them. It will not make the terrible memories go away by those raped or misused by pedophiles nor does it sooth the pain over having lost a person to drugs but it ensures, that the culprit will never ever again attack again. In the above case, provided all this is true, the abbott can be booted out as well; possibly with photos and name to make it crystal clear, what kind of members are among "the men of the cloth". And that, by the way, applies to all religions so the Christian clerics should go through a proper spring cleaning as well!

Being in the country for 40 years I looked up the procedure to change my permanent resident status into Thai nationality. I gave up as that uphill battle is by far too tedious and, in all fairness, except buying land or voting, there is no real advantage compared to a PR status. All those Europeans I know with Thai citizenship went down that alley for remaining legal in their business environment. Travel, transport and architecture are Thai-only professions as stipulated in the Alien Business Law. Other Thai-only professions like hair dressing, ice carving or massage seems to be less attractive to the alien crowd though 😉

A little nap en route?

Unbelievable bull manure; tourists on holidays loved to sit in beach chairs, snooze, read or chat and enjoy an ice cold beer. You get beer on EVERY beach in Asia except the semi-divine land of Thailand ....

Good luck with that one; the figgie will react accordingly over time - hoping for the best 😉

State sanctioned murder - nothing else. They've been dragging many, many feet for 20 years, countless envelopes must have moved over and below the tables and not a single responsible would do something about it. Statutory limits on murder? Just hope that those responsible will have endless sleepless nights and one or the other might be having some survival difficulties if some of the relatives might take matters into their own hands now. Begin of an anarchistic response is possible and could have been avoided if those responsible would have been brought to justice. 20 years is, quite obviously, not enough - depending on crime!

Fight of the Titans - in full swing and - for the moment - still behind the curtains. Knives out and there might be hope for seeing Thailand inching towards the 21st century ..... hope dies last!

And the winner is the gentleman with the ranch in Khao Yai featuring a private airport and is in construction business ..... It is all in the script, as we know. The people's wishes and votes have been - more than once - clearly disregarded, to put it politely. The big merry-go-round of Thai politics; more of a musical chair for the last few decades. The chairs are the same, most politicians are the same so it is just hopping around and the last one is out. Keep up the entertaining work while others watch this country going down the halligally 😞

Wondering, if Oman Air now is being banned to fly into Thailand as they must be responsible for the Muscat grapes ........... To make it crystal clear, above is a cheeky comment and the whole story has absolutely nothing to do with Oman Air 8-)

So the men of the cloth were no longer on speaking terms 😞

What has nationality to do with this illegality? It just stirs more hatred as the local news went over the moon on the subject. A cabbie asked me, why there are so many law-breaking farang? When I asked him, why he came to that conclusion, he referred to this case which he heard this morning on the radio. No wonder the non-Thai crowd is mostly appreciated for its ATM-function these days ......... as all caucasians are "very rich" and hence it is even more confusing, that so many of them are breaking the law. Book the culprit and get on with life but keep it balanced otherwise the non-Thai crowd will call Thais, quite rightly so, racist nationalists!

Well, going through their ratings it makes me wonder, why you don't opt for a normal guest house for a fraction of the price. Some of the reviews refer also to staff, rooms and fittings ....... just to say! One way to get rid of customers, I assume 😞

Fantastic news, so we shall be eagerly awaiting who will be the winner in the Mekong race between Thailand and PR China then?

Let's wait and see, what the goons in Bangkok at the tourism authority come up with - visit Thailand, the mother of all pollutions?

Departure tax was and still is an AIRPORT tax; there is no departure tax so far 8-)

Get off the booze .......

The land crossing from Ban Pha Kéo/Lao PDR to Phudoo/Uttaradit/Thailand still insists on TM6 - so different borders, different protocol!

Billions - every month and EVERYBODY knows about it and NOBODY does anything about it. Thailand's biggest enemy is its own people 8-)

Now you can throw the taxation dreams of the finance ministry into the equation and the exodus will increase drastically ....... Well, they know better so let them have it their way; the Lord knows everything and some Thais know even more 😉

Departure tax was and still is an airport tax, applicable to every traveller and meanwhile collected through air ticket sales directly from the airline. The arrival tax; let's see. Thais with dual nationality, foreign residents with work permits or one-year visas, PR holders? Asking as this tax cannot be collected via air ticket sales from the airline as not every person is a tourist. Where to collect and how; can you imagine the total clogging of the arrival area when Kumar from India with hardly recognizable rupees, Kim Lee Wee from Seoul with Won and the rest showing up with cruzeiros, a selection of different dollars or Bhutanese Ngultrum? Happy days ahead, publish the day of introduction and avoid flying into the land for at least two weeks afterwards 😉

Pattaya and "world-class image" in the same sentence - just made my day, thank you 😉

Well done in that case!