Sydebolle

Chief-of-Dinosaur Wissanu Krea-ngam is either walking a very, very thin rope or has a hell of a protection from further up. Nobody gets away with so much "statements" without consequences ....... unless either of afore-mentioned conditions apply!

You can get the gizmoreplaced free of charge at any of their offices, usually on the very LEFT just after a tollgate. So pass through the very left tollgate, park your car and Bob's your uncle. I actually used the opportunity to load up some credit at the same time ???? Easy, professional and competent! And yes, the remaining credit on the disfunctioning tag is transferred onto the new tag 8-)

Wondering, how long it takes for Thai netizens to be outraged about being outraged .......

Every day is school day; I never heard "about XXXXX expected to be spent on election-related activities" before but it is a rather nice way of publicly confirming what this country has always understood as "democratic" attitude towards voters ????

Interesting, that Thais are not outraged about this. Fact is, that they skin an alien almost alive for not having all these forms, reports and show-of-gratitudes like i.e. TM30. Of interest might be, that many Thais are not living at their registered address; while I was still working I had in an SME a total of 14 staff, of which precisely ONE was living at the address as shown in the house register. Psychological warfare proving a governmental minority complex to prove, who is who on the banana boat ......... oh well ........

Interesting, I thought my looking into the crystal ball would suffice .......

Biden and his cronies must be particularly proud of this chosen sample of "great American people". Why does not someone get her embassy or consulate moving instead of steamrollering this - factually irrelevant - story all over the internet; just asking?

I suggest to reinstate the death sentence for disobedience - ridiculous, to say the least! As if that would "swing" voters ......

Which, more than once, did not work online at the FB 1 in Nong Khai. Possibly batching data later on is done yet I seriously wonder, how these figures are compiled. The TM6 card is obsolete unless you cross overland while nobody knows, how many dual nationals enter with a non-Thai passport by plane shows as a tourist?

"tax rebate to first-time car buyers, which led the household debt percentage to skyrocket from 60.3% at the beginning of 2011 to 71.8% by the end of 2012. That program ultimately cost the government an estimated 91 billion baht." The correct wording would read, that the government had THB 91 billion less income; it did not cost them anything. And, like in real life, you have to ensure not to spend more than you earn. In clear language I see three brand-new B777 for Thai Airways, a bankrupt company which declared a profit of THB 10 billion while its 100% affiliate daughter Thai Smile clocked THB 20 billion loss and will be quietly disappearing from the skies of Thailand. All the while, the boys in uniform have sheer endless cash to splash on submarines, while forgetting the engines; I am sure that similar shopping lists are lying around with the air force and the army. The official Thailand has not an income but a spending problem - but that's what applies to the majority of its citizen as well. If only fully paid cars would circulate, if only fully paid up credit cards would be used and everything else would be downsized to level "paid", the problem would have never occurred but, yes, I know, it is not in the interest of industry, banking nor the state as only owned houses and cars (never mind if paid or not) generate excise, taxes and duties ????

Thank you profoundly for your expert advice on what I know and what I do not know yet - most gracious of you indeed!

The "Office of the Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports" needs to be awarded a medal - or even better = give 'em two. I'm always appalled by the EXACT number of alien crossing into the holy land; there must be hundreds if not thousands of "number counting officers"; I for one would use the scare government resources of tourism budgets to improve the image, get the product streamlined promoted professionally for quality tourism. Until then I shall get some more popcorn and wait for the next avalanche of numbers being drizzled all over those empty hotels and restaurants looking depressed into a bleak future of countless tourists from India, China and North Asia - most of them in the "zero dollar" category. The few Laotian shoppers and the Malay gents crossing for some bedsheet fun might not affect the tourism gauge that much ????

"The Bhumjaithai Party has filed a defamation lawsuit" because they are HURT? Anutin and Chuwit in the boxing ring this time and I know on who I would put my betting money on ???? This defamation lawsuit business here in Thailand is yet another lack of common sense imported from across the Pacific ......... Big drum-up in the media, the lawyers are happy and the courts are filled with more nonsense! Instead of whining like a small baby over a spilt bottle of milk I might suggest that the "hurt" party in the conflict comes up with corresponding proof to counter the initiator's statement ......... or just shut up and carry on with all the other business ....... pathetic farçe!

The boiling point gets closer and closer - beware of a stormy summer ahead!

That is yet another department which needs a proper and total reset. It is, pardon my French, absolutely ridiculous, how test plus the initial retest after two years and thereafter every five years are made. A self-profiling lady officer, in one of those funny uniforms, lectures in Thai, what "Mae" (word for mother) has up her sleeve. Two hours of video, all in Thai, compulsory for all the foreigners (not only one hour but you get the full Monty with two hours), of which a longer period of time is to explain the countless different number plates. In hierarchical order they start with royal plates, diplomatic and government agency plates, trucks, taxis, tuktuks, motorbikes, private vehicles in blue, green and black lettering. Just go and take existing ideas from i.e. Germany, Switzerland or Italy. They all can drive and are good drivers, without rechecking every X years; no funny little videos - presented by "Mae" whose job is to instruct an underling to change the CD - and a theoretical as well as a practical test. A proof of i.e. 20 physical driving lessons with authorized driving schools is basics. You fail = you fail; it is not possible that everybody passes. And, if you believe, this is not possible; above is what happens in Nong Khai. While the outsourced motor vehicle agencies doing roadworthiness tests are serious about their business, it quite obviously is not possible to let semi-divine Khon Thai fail after all, they saw the video and did that absolutely unworldly physical test with worn breaks in what should be a simulator. Needless to say, that the very department getting loud over all those "driving license agencies" is at fault for all this nonsense. Last not least, it is mostly the non-Thai clientele, which gets completely lost in the bureaucratic maze of Thai-language and Thaiway of ....... obtaining/renewing a driving license.

The 10'000 Baht = the proverbial carrot in front of the rabbit. In other countries you would call it vote buying; here it is more like "vote paying". All those successive governments over the last decades promised things which had to be executed by the private industry, be it higher minimum salaries, more holidays or, in this case the post-payment of 10'000 Baht. In short, this country is very, very, very far off a democracy as the education level of the average Somchai is simply too poor to understand the system. It's like written in the holy bible "forgive them for they do not know what they are doing". Obviously I would go and take while the taking is good and millions of Thais are not interested in whatever lies and cheats are presented as long as their own greed is satisfied ????

Red plates are actually to be used by garages and car dealers only to transport non-registered vehicles from A to B. Apart from affixing the red plates on the vehicle, one should enter the trip from A to B in a car registration book which has a red/brown cover; as the car(s) change with these plates regularly, one would have to enter VIN and engine number as well - in all practicality 99% of the cars with red plates do NOT have the said book nor entry in the latter. You may only drive during daylight hours and only within the province the plates refer to - according to the rules. Breaking those result in the usually roadside "tipping" if caught. Registering a new car is a walk in the park; take the entire paperwork from the dealer and see the Department of Land Transport in your province. You also need to compile the papers of the owner to be registered and that's it. Did it many times, never took me more than 30 minutes and you walk off with the brand-new blue car registration book and a set of brand new registration plates.

It would not surprise me, if Pheuthai and Move Forward walk off the stage with landslide winnings. Yet, the dinosaurs will not let go just like that. Prayut threatened more than once, that any query related to 112 is illegal and will be followed up with the full force of the (present) law; latter can only be changed with re-writing it, approval by HM and publishing in the Royal Gazette. In short, MF might be toast before the poll results are out - Catch 22 - as only the ruling boys can amend existing laws and they have the least of intentions. Same applies to the education system; too many benefit of the unbelievable poor status-quo and those who could change benefit from NOT doing so. So, in all fairness, what is to be expected here? Thaksin is in his possibly last race and it is not money; it is face and reputation which he wants to have reinstated. That makes him and his endeavours extremely dangerous and is most feared by those uniformed clowns who helped themselves at the free buffet over the last nine years ..... be warned, difficult moments might be ahead! Unlike all others since 1932, Thaksin did not take only but bred the grassroots level with basic healthcare, SME loans and power to the village administrations. That explains possibly, why he is still so popular, despite having left the country last time for good in 2008. He got "detronizzato" as the Italians say on 19 September 2006, a day before he was to address the general assembly of the United Nations in New York; the date was not co-incidential as the dinosaurs thought that he would lose face completely. Well, that did not happen, he left New York heading for London with a straight back - which he still has today. It is face and name and not money - in his case - and that has been grossly underestimated. Let's see, what our hosts are coming up with over the next weeks - interesting times await!

Yet another monumental fart which will resurface in some years to come.

If you have the stamina; report to the immigration the refusal of your landlord and hence your inability to follow this completely outdated antiquated law ....... give 'em the phone number and name and let them do the talking. Works wonders as Thais are SOOOOOO scared of the government (not having understood that the government is to serve the people and not the other way round) ???? You're welcome!

Wissanu Krea-ngam and his cronies are the main reason, why nothing is supposed to happen. If you throw out all teachers and school books, revamp the entire education system to the late 20th or 21st century levels, it would take at least 1 to 1 ½ generations to kick in. By then all those beneficiaries of uneducated labour and uneducated electorate (unable to understand basic processes) will do everything possible to keep the status quo. It is an absolute disgrace, that the filthy rich oligarchs and eliterian phooyays can literally do what they want while 90% (or even more) of the population remains conveniently unknowledgeable. Take languages; Thais love cartoons and weekends are cartoon sessions for the kids as the parents cannot be asred to spend some quality time with their kiddies. If those cartoons would be broadcasted in their original language (Japanese or English), literally all children would understand both languages perfectly well. The writing can follow later but would do away with Ajarn Somchai teaching English who has not the slightest clue about the language apart from what a braindead editor published in the first place. Notepads have the 1x1s printed on the back cover; explains the fact, that Thailand must have the highest number of calculators per capita. Go figure ........

Name the p1rikc by full name with photo and distribute that all over the local TV and social media. It cannot be, that those "men of the cloth" and their "helpers", be it family or external, just get "defrocked" and thrown out of the "Sangkha". I see many of those brainwashed believers of the faith parting with little money they have just to get scwerded by such cookrs. It gives the entire institution of faith a very bad reputation and this can be stopped to a screeching halt considering the importance of face, reputation and the (assumed) self-esteem. What a farçe!

Raja ferries operated old seventh-hand vessels built by the (since 1990) defunct German Democratic Republic and reached Samui via China. Not quite clear, how these coffins on sea ever got a seaworthiness certification ... given the local resilience in keeping everything in pristine working order ????

I keep on telling the same to all my staff for decades; take all the money you can get and vote for whatever you feel like. If you are too confused or uncertain, stay at home. Nobody will ever come back and complain for not having voted for them as the latter is - according to the local regulations - illegal.

I love the horny looks of the gentleman - unclear remains, if he is kneeling to be on the same level as the "Durian". He certainly had not clue, what the girl actually was selling ........ by the looks of him. Thai chauvinism explained, good luck to the girl and with such ugly "modern fashion" braces she must be more than happy to be endowed nicely with Durian ????