Sydebolle

In a country where more than half the population does not live at the registered address ...... nice going! 

It is an idiotic procedure to start with; thankfully the Norwegians have brought this madness to a screeching halt for their own people and there is absolutely nothing the semi-divine half-gods at the immigration can do about it. 
Maybe abolish the whole bureaucracy, well knowing that this will axe thousands of pencil-pusher assignments 

Sure, it is like all visitors to Pattaya go there for the temples ...........

Don't give me the agricultural products promotion tour to the United Kingdom; the Brits knew everything on Asian fruits and vegetables long before the existence of Thailand. 

Lotus's started off as Tesco-Lotus, Makro, Auchan and Carrefour (while they were still doing business in Thailand) did a lot of sourcing and export. The last person to "push" Thai exports is the PM who has not the slightest clue of the product. But yes, it sells well to the uneducated electorate in Northern and Northeastern Thailand. 

Seeing her fugitive Auntie is understandable yet it remains unclear, what apart from the populistic trip, the PM was doing in the UK. 
The Monaco excursion though was another ballgame - the study trip to casino-heaven is to underline the importance and survival necessity of casinos in Thailand. Question remains only, who needs casinos for survival. We all know but are not allowed to mention it - fair enough! 
Wondering what HSH the Prince thought of this visitor from faraway Lala Land 😉 

Democracy, coup d'état, article 44 again?

Knives out - the series and once the boys in uniforms appear again = reason to celebrate the 20th military coup since democracy got introduced to the land of the semi-divine 😉 

Let her run the bubbly affairs for the time being; you're not an ATM and hence there is no generous contributions to the "sick buffalo fund". If that does not go down well, then run better yesterday than today ....... in the opposite direction.

I am aware that this is not what you're looking for but you might either thank me and all the other postings for having done so ...... or regret not having listened to unbiased opinions by people who have absolutely no benefit from either of your decisions 😉 

What do you complain; Bangkok Bank has been charging 400 Baht for years ........ for doing absolutely nothing! How nice is that? 

Has ever anyone counted, how many times the army did a coup d'état to depose of a "democratically elected" government - based on the voters wishes? 
Those who have been in the land long enough might recall 17 May 1992, when the then sitting monarch, HM Bhumiphol ordered Suchinda (army) and Chamlong Simuang (elected PM) to the palace to scold the two, on their knees and elbows on the floor. His message was clear, do what the people want and not what you want (addressing the issue mainly to Suchinda but for face-saving reasons he showered both of them). They creeped backwards and next day it was business as usual - once more again HM had spoken as before in 1973 and 1976. 

Maybe it is time to reinstate absolute monarchy again as the democratic model with a constitutional monarchy seems to be flawed ever since its introduction in 1932 - still not understood democracy after 93 years. 

Phumtham Wechayachai might address the issue to his own people in uniform as the coups always and in every case originated in the barracks of the greedy - as proven countless times meanwhile. Anyhow, his statement certainly did not underline more trust into this country which, like it or not, depends on foreign business interests in investment and as a market place. 

After yesterday's nail into the Shinawatra coffin the next nail and hammer are waiting to be presented in 15 days - it seems. 
The Shinawatras have outstayed their welcome, Thaksin glued the latest coalition government together with his influence on Pheu Thai to keep the younger generation and their parties out of the race and hence became useless. His additional meddling in present state affairs, directly or indirectly through his daughter (another innocent child on the political stage of Thailand, like her auntie before) did not help to mend the rift. 

So Yingluck is cornered nicely, Thaksin might run out of support and aid which will isolate the present prima-inter-pares even more. Dissolving the house, new election and the Buriramers will have it their way while some owners of ranches in Khao Yai are waiting in the wings like vultures to feast on their long-awaited trophy.

Let's see; interesting summer again 😉

Use the money the boys spend on all their projections - which are total bo11ocks anyway and invest in updating training materials for guides and some "mystery tourists".

Mystery tourists are experts camouflaged as innocent tourists to inspect the product tourism. They pay for the services and file a report about their experiences in an objective, neutral way with suggestions for improvements. This is financed by the source from which the projections are being paid from.

In retail in Europe this is done with mystery shoppers; works wonders and is appreciated by all. 

23 hours ago, Jingthing said:

You can't publicly be honest about bad experiences with businesses in Thailand without justified fears of legal consequences.

All expats shoud be aware of that if you aren't already in order to protect yourself.

But the downside of that lets keep everything harmonious is that people are deprived of good information and true competition which raises the standard for all surviving businesses suffers greatly. 

 

I totally realize this is a big part of Thai culture.

But I also know that Thailand in theory wants to move up the ladder economically.

I don't expect this to change much. It's deeply ingrained in Thais from an early age.

I don't think it's expats place either to suggest that they change.

If they ever do change, it will need to come from within.

 

Anyway, 

a recent experience highlighted this problem for me.

 

I saw a new to me restaurant on the Grab app but it had zero ratings and zero reviews.

I had a bad feeling about it but the menu looked interesting and the menu pictures were inviting,

So I risked an order.

 

Surprise, no surprise, the food was below par,  very different than the descriptions and pictures, and the portions very tiny.

 

Of course, for me, never again.

 

But did I rate or review it, possibly helping other make an informed decision?

 

OF COURSE NOT.

 

If I had I would have been the very first reviewer and if I had given an honest review, I would have been a legal target of that business for harming their livelihood.

 

So I did nothing.

 

This issue may be less for places that have 20 reviews, mostly good or OK though.

 

But even then, a while back a restaurant that I had ordered from occasionally called me and starting talking very angrily to me about my low rating.

 

This was very crazy because I didn't rate or review the place.

 

So the owners are definitely watching you and they have your phone number!

 

Upload a picture of the kitchen accident, then another one with the food thrown into the garbage bin. 

Don't worry, be happy. Fine paid, keep the receipt and that's it. Owning a vehicle does not implicate mandatory driving licensing; see all those commercial courier companies. 

In the past, yes, when you bought a car you were also automatically supplied with a lifelong driving license; some non-receiped outlays secured that document. Back in the day you would see much more often cars with red (temporary) car plates smashed up a pole, tree or anything else by - most likely - one of those lucky recipients of a gifted driving license 😉 

Just saw a documentation the other day on Chernobyl - 39 years after the nuclear disaster. The entire region is completely cordoned off yet some scientists must have gone in with protective gear to see, what has happened since. 

Interesting enough quite some wildlife settled there unhindered, from four-legged wolves to flies, mosquitoes etc. without apparent influence of very evident radiation. I did not pay more attention to the subject apart from the fact, that there is life despite heavy radiation - so the Chinese findings might complement what Chernobyl has to offer (when it was still the Soviet Union and not Ukraine, that is). 

Thank you for making my day again - it is to protect what exactly? 

Adaptly bolstered; nothing happened. 

On 5/19/2025 at 3:38 PM, NoDisplayName said:

 

Urban legend.

 

If 'twere true, well, boatloads of Americans would be showing off their legally owned properties.

 

 

Not quite so, this American Amenity Treaty was inked in +/- 1965 and, to the best of my knowledge, never annulled. As a non-American I, of course, have no clue, if it works in reality ...... 

Yet another populistic school excursion by the primi-inter-pares. Might result in another study trip of 300 - 400 government experts back to Monaco to study casino operations and yeah, it remains questionable, if the Brits will settle for Somtam, Turian and Fishsauce of the smellier kind 😉

Well, a Secondo by the name with Vietnamese roots. Glad to hear, that all that stuff will not reach any end users now. Maybe Tran Huybao Khang will have icy days, weeks, months, years ahead of him with the compliments of the Thai juristic system; good luck to you Sir. 

Another unanswered question though remains; how on Earth do you haul 22kgs of super-illegal stuff to the airport? Did it fall from the sky like manna from heaven or is there a more earthly explanation to this? I am not aware, that you can buy the staff by the suitcase in the 7/11 around the corner ........... 

The Swiss pr1kc springs to mind who, apparently, in Phuket had a similar incident with a Thai doctor; ever since it keeps the courts, police, immigration and of course the media on their toes ........

Let's see, if this case is equally splurged all over the internet with photos and hate! 

I would like to have your problem - enjoy life and be happy, that this is your only problem - apparently! 

Give it to them; for safety of passengers, crew and plane they offloaded 30 pax against generous remuneration and FOC rebooking. That could happen with any airline out of any airport. 
The inbound flight same morning from Don Meuang was flawless and the plane was taken out of service grid for the rest of yesterday. Today on grid again - obviously the disturbance had been attended and repaired. 

Salutations; that's what I call responsible aviation! 

Anutin and the Chidchob clan in Buriram - irregularities? 

No way, Thailand had rarely seen better and cleaner politicians so do not smear those semi-divine names, will you! 

Well, I hear that the Thaksin Suite is vacant. Let's wait what happens here, Dr Chaijudh Karnasuta - his father - might not have been amused but he's long gone. 

As long as a big bottle of beer is sold at less than THB 40/bottle in Laos by Beer Lao - and the latter is the country's biggest tax payer and everybody makes (little) money irrespective of Phongsali, Xam Neua or Attapeu - all in the sticks along Indochinese borders - at the same price as Vientiane ........ go figure.

Alcohol in Thailand is massively taxed and burdened with excise fees - result is, that boo leggers and smugglers are busy like hell. Just waiting for someone to start copying those banderoles over bottle necks or can openers. The loser is the state to the benefit of government officers (turning the other side) and the customer.