Sydebolle

the Thai flag is highly respected by locals. Well, the Americans seem to have a different approach as more than once "Stars and Stripes" were used for mini-bikinis in Bangkok's gogo bars by the dancers ...

The illegally built staircase became obsolete, as it has been removed from public ground - without legal consequence for the land lord as latter is Thai?

Look at the bureaucratic super climax on paperwork when crossing from Nong Khai into Vientiane. The Thai paperwork is absolutely mind-boggling and nobody ever looks at the paper avalanche. TM2 (information of conveyance) in duplicate (copy to be returned upon arrival back in Thailand with engine/chassis number, colour etc. TM3 (passenger list); no joke, with call sign and the full buntings of an aircraft or a seagoing vessel TM4 (crew lists) - see TM3 TM6 arrival/departure card all in capital letters, signatures mandatory with blue ink and papers are piling up by the truck load in those offices The customs does a temporary export permit (we're talking of a taxed, registered and in my case fully paid Thai car) in duplicate, signatures left, right and centre and my 11 years old pick-up still stipulates a value of THB 1,285,000; paid less when I bought it brand new from the dealership. Valid for 30 days, THB 1,000/day or max. THB 10,000/total overstay fine ...... total idiocy. I have all this computerized but I see all those crossing by car filling in paper to no end in the heat, without carbon copy paper and, unlike other crossings at airport, the "overtime" fees have been reintroduced again 😉

Wonder if all those Filipinos hold alien cards and work permits in hospitality. As per today's Bangkok Post there is anyhow no prostitution on Sukhumvit, so we can all relax again 😉

"to ascertain whether they are members of extortion gangs or involved in organised crime." So the powers of Phuket are out in droves now to do, what they've been paid to do ever since. This is excellent news as they will wipe the streets clean of the local extortionists and all those mafia-copycats for which some places in Thailand got an interesting reputation and that includes certain islands in the South 😉

So, prior to a court hearing ........... the police requests the immigration (which is a part of the police)? How interesting all this is; as mentioned earlier on, this case was blown completely out of proportions and while the Swiss will sort things out for himself and get on with his life (I assume so, at least), the collateral damage, hatred, xenophobia if not outright racism against the "dirty farang" will hit Phuket much harder. Yet, the local boys had their 15 minutes of fame, everyone gets a slice of the remaining cake and the loser, once more again ......... is Thailand. Let him face the bench, punish him according to the stipulations the Thai law but, for heaven's sake, get the story out of the media as the reputational damage is immense already ......... The European media countered with the repetition of the following; just in case anyone is interested about the flip side (not knowing, how many sides THIS particular coin has and will have in the future): https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/society/boredom-in-switzerland-leads-to-an-elephant-refuge-in-thailand/47207918

Thanks, likewise, for your courtesy. One question remains - the insurance (which I did not touch in my yesterday's write-up). Laos requires car insurance, you can choose between various coverage packages and time frames; in my case I got a year-long coverage for +/- THB 1'200 or so. Is there something like that in Cambodia too; don't want to get skinned alive over a minor accident and no insurance 😉 Thank you

Well, that is, what the Swiss media had to write about this expelled culprit ...... another tourist attraction, it seems 😉 https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/society/boredom-in-switzerland-leads-to-an-elephant-refuge-in-thailand/47207918

That went considerably faster than expected - well done Thailand! I assume that the little "rice scheme incident" disappeared under the biggest rug of SEA and we all can look forward to some new excitement coming from all those experts running the country - how lucky is the Thai tax payer!

So, the locals don't like competition from Russia and China then ........ or am I wrong again?

All in, per meter and extra toll to be mentioned before accepting the fare. If unhappy, get the meter tariffs adjusted by the mighty Thai governmental goons and surcharges like highway tolls printed in English and Chinese for potential passengers to chose. What makes this soooooooo difficult?

Sell fridges for THB 200 at the North Pole = no takers. Thailand's tourism industry needs a major revamp. First and foremost, stop racism and that will take more time than it took to implant this attitude. Everything non-Thai is free wild bait, ready for getting cheated, short changed, skimmed if not skinned alive. Over four decades living here, understanding Thai fluently, I am absolutely appalled about what I hear literally everywhere, when non-Thais surface as potential customers. Thailand has had the unique all-round product, culture, food, history, architecture, nature and beaches. But Thailand is in the process of losing this "mono-destination advantage" and the caucasian quality tourism made way for the quantity avalanches of Russians, Indians, Middle Easterners and lately Chinese. Thailand is not geared for millions of tourists on a monthly basis, rather have fewer but better quality/better paying tourism. Latter requires above-average service level, linguistic skills and and an absolute absence of racism. As said, there is plenty to do for Thailand and it will take quite some time to recap at least some of the quality business which made Thailand such a magnificent destination 30 years ago ........

The car owner (holding the blue car registration book) needs to apply for an ITP (International Transport Permit); issued against a nominal fee and valid for a year at the Department of Land Transport (กรมขนส่ง). If the car is under finance, contact the finance company. Upon leaving the country for the first time, you need to get a bar code sticker into the ITP. Then you get a temporary export declaration - in duplicate - by the customs at the border post followed by a physical inspection to compare the paperwork with the car. This happens only on the very first time the car leaves Thailand. You have to return within 30 days or a fine of THB 1'000/day, max THB 10'000/incident applies. Why; don't know, it does not make sense but that's the way it is. Future exports require just the customs declaration form (in duplicate; as mentioned above). The ITP is valid for one year and can be extended for two more years, one year at a time. Apart from that, you need to complete: TM2 - information of conveyance in duplicate (the duplicate is being handed over to immigration upon return) TM3 - passenger list, listing all passengers EXCEPT the driver TM4 - crew list, listing the driver TM6 - arrival/departure immigration card, one each for every non-Thai; applies to land crossings only, i.e. if arriving/departing by air, this TM6 is obsolete. All these forms have to be issued in capital letters, signed with blue ink by either the car owner OR the person who has the power of attorney to drive the car (in case the car is under finance, this power of attorney needs to be issued by the finance company). If the car is in your wife's name and she is with you = fine; if you leave alone, she needs to issue a power of attorney with copy of house register and ID card. Sounds bureaucratic and, yes it is. I cross from Nong Khai to Vientiane every week hence I completed all the forms on the computer and just have to insert date and sign - and Bob's my uncle. Enclosed hereto please find the respective blank forms, don't forget TM2 in duplicate. If you fill it out once and you might hop off again in the future, then leave the date and signature open and run photocopies as you do not want to go and do this each and every time. And, do not be surprised, that nobody really looks at the forms and what is written on it but do not take chances. Hope that helps, otherwise contact me. In turn, what is the procedure into Cambodia and from all/which border posts when coming/returning to Thailand? Cheers and good luck 😉 Power of Attorney DLT.pdf

Just collect the manilla envelopes in Beijing; forget about the subs, the engine issue, the shallow Thai shores, the fact that there were no subs in the last 60 years and that eventual future conflicts will not be fought below the water level of the Gulf of Thailand ........ what a farçe. It is the Thai taxpayer to please the greed and sheer endless need for money by the powers-to-be - so be it 😉

Here we go again; 40 years ago it was not a real issue; now everybody is coughing and suffering of respiratory problems. Only once the Phooyais understand, that they cannot eat money ..........

Keep 'em poor and scared - how to run a country 2.1, explained 😉

The Thai PM, while he is at it, could remind the very same authorities of the hit-and-run of the Chinese tourist who got killed last week. They apparently "forgot" to look at the plate, despite having had the car parked nearby. Same procedure might be advised in connection with the death of police officer Wichiang Klanprasert in 2012; the sweet heart Verayuth Yoovidhya of the Red Bull clan, is on the run ever since despite being innocent until proven differently. Thais are outrageous racists, most hate the dirty farang and alien but kiss the a"*ç%*"s of the latter for monetary reasons. Maybe that is, what the Thai PM would need to be told and address - in the same context like dealing with this Swiss fellow who is, in the eyes of all Thais, already guilty before he ever faced the bench. If guilty, deal with it according to Thai law - everything else is - as proven in all these cases - just a big joke and a farçe of the premier order!

What a different approach to the very scary racist man hunt going on in Phuket with that Swiss fellow. Latter, being guilty - apply Thai law and corrective measures. If he is innocent, he better leaves Phuket all the while as the hatred vendetta against the dirty farang has reached a point of no return among the semi-divines - regretfully. Both incidents need to be addressed and, while the semi-divine authorities are at it, maybe the have a look at this very old stale soup of 2012 with the death of a police man on duty, whose name was Wichian Klanprasert. Vorayuth Yoovidhya, "Boss" and grandson of the Red Bull fellow, allegedly killed him with his fancy sports car. Never seen a legal bench, running around with valid passports all over the world and not even 40 years old today. If he would be innocent, why did he start a decade plus long runner with all his connections and family's money? Everyone is equal as per Thai law; I know that some are just a little more equal than .... the dirty farang, alien and other non-Thai underling minions 😞 How sad and regretfully shows the ugly nasty face of the Nation.

Glad to hear, that you enjoyed the clip then - lets agree to disagree 😉

Mae Nam Song See - the two coloured river point!

This isolated case of bad behaviour seems to me more of a smoke screen. The whole world is excited over the apparent misbehaviour of a dirty farang but the story must have a flip side. Let the Thai lady file a complaint with the police and get on with life; there is MUCH more newsworthy stuff going on than this. If he is guilty, then try to settle out of court and reprimand the culprit accordingly - everything else is ridiculous and certainly not beneficial to the "endeavours" of the local tourism boys in promoting quality tourism - me thinks .......

Go elsewhere, Thailand has clearly lost its plot ............ only once the Phooyais understand, that they cannot eat money and that alien, dirty farang, jeck and whatever else the semi-divine call non-Thais, are human beings too, have to work for their money too and should be treated according to the Thai constitution stipulating that all are same ............ For the time being, without any changes on the horizon, some are samer than others ........ 8-)

The ambassador's 15 minutes of fame; something to show back to his ministerial boss on how proactive and busy he is.

Let's wait for the flip side of the coin - wondering what the gentleman's version of the same incident is ........

30 minutes is 25 minutes too much; go and see, how other - much bigger and busier - airports are handling immigration; first and foremost Singapore. But I sometimes wonder who really runs this country; quite obviously it is not the "elected" governments ........