kuffki

I don't think anyone can blame Iran for making this decision.

I think it is perfectly within its rights to be very cautious indeed about allowing ANYONE

from the international community to be gathering information within its borders particularly right now

" Robert Baer appeared on KPFK Los Angeles, warning that Israeli PM Netanyahu is "likely to ignite a war with Iran in the very near future."

Masters asked Baer why the US military is not mobilising to stop this war from happening. Baer responded that the military is opposed, as is former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who used his influence to thwart an Israeli attack during the Bush and Obama administrations. But he's gone now and "there is a warning order inside the Pentagon" to prepare for war." The punchline: "There is almost "near certainty" that Netanyahu is "planning an attack [on Iran] ... and it will probably be in September before the vote on a Palestinian state."

http://www.zerohedge...r-israel-iran-w

so i suppose you will support it when others also refuse UN or ANYONE(as you stated) to enter the country?

I am happy to pay my staff a min of 300 baht per day if I get value for money. If they continue to sleep on the job, arrive late, take 30 day sick leave per year then I might have to hire Burmese. Does this also now mean that there will be just 1 sales clerk loafing around Tescos, rather than 3?

Are you one of those employers that treats his employees with respect, offers a benefits plan and allows the workers to engage in continuing education? I sympathize if you are one of the employers that helps employees move up and provides a safe work environment that conforms with all the health and safety codes.. On the other hand if you provide the bare minimum but expect great work, then perhaps you need a course in business psychology.

BTW, these Burmese employees you are threatening to hire, they will all be legal right? You'll help with the work permits and provide a wage with no holdbacks right? If not, you will be engaged in an illegal act and deserving of the harshest treatment possible for such an offender. According to the TVF PTP bashers there must be zero tolerance for anyone that breaks the law.

Is it any wonder why there is resentment and frustration expressed by Thailand's underclass?

I think you're point is a little bit off. Your talking about operating a business to the status of a first world nation. While admirable, you have to remember this is being done in a third world nation. Sure, we all have to do what is legally required, but to provide full benefits, especially continuing education to people who are slacking off as much as they are allowed, and will never fully respect a farang boss, well that's nonsensical. Soon, it sounds like, his office will be filled with slackers only looking to maximize their benefits while minimizing their work. It sounds as if it were your business, it would be a good place to work for slackers, but it would have a short life span. When an employee has no respect for the job, as the OP stated, then how much respect should you give back? The first thing a business does in the developed world is try to weed out the slackers and under-performers, but here, Thai's are protected by law. I think someone needs a basic HR course, or at least a basic management course.

I know the 300B is way below the rate of any developed country, but as a business rule, you don't pay for what you don't get. So, paying extra for the same unskilled labour, or poorly qualified labor, just doesn't make sense. Where's the added value?

Sounds to me like you are the issue, not them. 'never fully respect a farang boss' - where do you get this nonsense from?

I have an office with 35, very motivated, well paid people who work their tails off. This has been the case for the almost 11 years I've been running this company. I have had 3 non-performing staff in all this time and I managed to get rid of both of them with very little hassle.

It just takes a few smarts to run a company here. It also takes an understanding of the working culture here. If you have both, you should have very little trouble running a company here. For sure - all of the typical horror stories relating to Thai employees are totally avoidable.

The minimum wage is 300 Baht/day - that's $10. I'm not sure how 'get what you pay for' comes into it at this level. What on earth would you expect from someone on that sort of compensation?

$10 per day feeds you 8 meals per day-local prices. Since you understand business all that well,how do you compare what $10 is worth in the country where meal is $1?

Are you proposing to pay Western wages? like $10 per hour?

I know the 300B is way below the rate of any developed country, but as a business rule, you don't pay for what you don't get. So, paying extra for the same unskilled labour, or poorly qualified labor, just doesn't make sense. Where's the added value?

Well supposedly the added value is reduction in tax for the business. However i am seriously failing to see how they think it will all work without crashing the economy.

For starters where would the supplement income come from to cover tax reduction from 30%-23%? After all, businesses are the only ones paying taxes, so ................

If the law is in on wage increase, a number of locally owned business, will either close down or do not pay the wage or simply cut the workforce into half and double the prices.

Foreign giants, will simply move to neighboring countries should it be cheaper to relocate

All in all, while an admirable platform, simply not workable and if implemented bound to destroy the country. Minimum wage will have no affect at all on staff performance. I have tested it out already a number of times. I had staff who i paid minimum wage and they did as little as possible, i had staff who i paid double the minimum wage but they also did as little as possible. I had staff on minimum wage, for whom i gave pay rise (30% more) but got even less work, because for some reason they decided that now because of the payrise they are in some "special" position.

University graduates are not much better, but they can read and write thai-thats about all the difference you get.

IMO Hyundai is a good zippy car, i use to own one. I definitely think its value for money. Not sure of the status now, but 10 years ago in Oz it was best selling car.

One problem though(but again this was 15 years ago) the metal simply crumple on impact.

I was hit from the back by a truck, truck was doing about 40, car crumpled all the way from the back to the driver seat. I was squashed and "kissing" the windscreen.Reliability though was fine, 4 years and never a problem.

Hope they improved on safety since.

as already stated a few times-please find some other place to troll.,:jap:

Please don't get me wrong, after all i am just trying to help you out, no offence of any kind is meant in my words.

I just spotted an "issue" with you and i am doing my best to point that out, sometime these "lacks" might be hideing something much more serious, better you invest some time in having a health check, for your own goods (...and ours).

Just denying it wouldn't help you, believe me.

Guys who own a BMW in Thailand, can you please give an indication of the average service prices at BMW center.

Also, parts are as over priced as the cars in LOS? and what about parts availability?

I am just seriously considering just to get a BMW and save myself the hassles.

I did own 2 back in Oz, 316i and 320CI Coupe and could not be happier. 316 was little "weak" but 320CI, was simply a dream

Service was about double if not triple to other makes, but nothing ever broke or went wrong.

Selling one though is a real hassle

a new bm from authorised dealer comes with 5 years BIS, services and scheduled repairs like brakes, baked into the price

ok, great, what about parts availability? i mean if say brake pads need changing, is there a wait to get from factory? or are they well stocked?

I do understand that perhaps the amount was hard for you to grasp

While i agree there is a problem with the customer service with many businesses here in Thailand, as i already pointed out before, this time the "problem" might lay down with the OP and his failure to understand very simple sentences in plain english.

On top of that, you also have to add his attitude in giving "smart harse" replies, then the whole scenario is complitely clear....

Can you imagine him stepping in a local shop and start blubbering some complete nonsense? obviously any sane minded staff will try to send him away, then he comes out with " you send me away because that amount of money is hard to grasp for you..." ohh dear.

Then look at the way, once the damage is done, he send a third person to try to negotiate on his behalf, obviously, as soon as the merchant realize the connection between the two of them, no wonder he declines to have anything to do with them....

you are speaking from experience.amazing after all those beatings you received , you can still type

Here is another nice thought from the OP....honestly, i wonder how did YOU manage to escape unhurt from the experiences you are talking about, some thais really have a great patience....and the suggestion you read again the story, it's still valid, you might eventually understand it, good luck with it :jap:

as already stated a few times-please find some other place to troll.,:jap:

Slaughter continues while the righteous UN and its honorable members(will not mention their names, especially the founding members) sit around and watch.

You don't think that there would be a general somewhere that would be a Thaksin supporter and 'suitable' to be minister? All they are asking for is a military person. They didn't say anything about who he should support.

Whoever Mr Thaksin says to appoint, this is who will be the defense minister

and who ever Mr Thaksin says to dismiss or demote, is who will probably try to stage a coup

These clashes have been going on for years, if anything its better now as before they use to simply block road with cars, did not allow ambulances and fire brigades through etc.

i guess it goes to show that ultra religious can go totally nuts and do not seem to be able to use common sense or adjust to progress.

of course 5000 odd years ago, there were no cars, electricity or much else for that matter.

Guys who own a BMW in Thailand, can you please give an indication of the average service prices at BMW center.

Also, parts are as over priced as the cars in LOS? and what about parts availability?

I am just seriously considering just to get a BMW and save myself the hassles.

I did own 2 back in Oz, 316i and 320CI Coupe and could not be happier. 316 was little "weak" but 320CI, was simply a dream

Service was about double if not triple to other makes, but nothing ever broke or went wrong.

Selling one though is a real hassle

The average foreigner living in pattaya should be enough for you to understand why thais in those areas have no respect for you even before talking to you.. it's like blaming a store clerk in a black ghetto for following or kicking out a gangster dressed black kid out of his store. It's not "ok" but he has a good reason.. sort of.

I do not agree with you on that ,

with increasing prices and development, Pattaya is becoming a much nicer place with nicer people.

Just an idea of a trend for you, in one of my hotels every weekend, its full of Thai's from BKK, Every long weekend, traffic is same as BKK, all are from BKK.

As Pattaya is expanding, so there is more to see and more to do , not just the Walking Street, the red light district. The moment you step 500 meters away from Walking street or the main drag(Soi buakhao) you no longer see all the crap.

If anything, i think the attitude is 'farang" have money and he is stupid enough just to give it away. That mentality does come from seeing the idiots-i agree, but they do spend money, they buy cars, bikes, houses for their darlings.

One thing i have noticed and it is driving me crazy, it is very hard to find good staff(Thai) because a huge number come to Pattaya to make millions and many find their way into the bar or meet some "idiot" who starts to support them with ridiculous money, not to mention putting businesses into their names, houses and cars.

But on the bright note, Pattaya is to become BKK beachfront suburb as they have approved and going ahead with highspeed train. BKK to Pattaya in 30 mins(just approved the other day)

Pattaya weekends are for the low budget, Thai and farang

Hua Hin has been for a century and will continue to be BKK peoples weekend getaway

It was like this when I first went from BKK to pattaya 41 years ago, I believe it will continue

Talking about market for car dealers, Pattaya aint easy. Many purchase cars out of province and out of province plates is more normal than strange

In Phuket 30% of all new sales/registration is on Thai out of province resident, ad 10% on foreigners, indicating few purchases are done out of Province. Out of province plates are not common

Pattaya. Honey, I have been tyrekicking and testdriving all pickups and decided to get a Vigoxxx, yes darling I will call my cousin in nakorn nowhere and we buy it there. He will give us an additional dashboard carpet for free. Ok darling

I think you might be surprised at the people who come to Pattaya now. Just the amount of brand new benz, porsche and bentley's is already an indication. I am by ni means saying Pattaya is a heaven but i can tell you for sure, it is changing and much faster than you think. More and More "highso" bars are opening up, hair saloons, shops, coffee shops etc.

Just an example for you, my customer/guest last night was a high court judge from BKK.

Also i think you will find that if Pattaya dealers gave better deals or/and service, people would not be buying from the provinces. I personally could not even be bothered to travel to BKK, but i wil now.

As i said in earlier post(i think) my phone has not stopped ringing from the dealers i visited, Isuzu specifically. Before i go on, let me just say that before going to BKK, i called one dealership and was offered 15K OFF each car, almost half price for the leather seats and better "trade in" price for the wheels as i want to get bigger wheels.. Do keep in mind, all that just from a phone call. While the local dealer would not even drop 1000 baht.

Anyhow, i advised local dealer of the deal offered in BKK, her response was to go to BKK get it in writing so she can confirm it and than she will match it. But why would i go to BKK to then come back? Of course i will go to BKK and buy it from that dealer and sales person who had enough brain cells to offer me a deal to get the sale.

So in other words, if local dealers did offer great deals, an actually provided a decent service, then people would not bother to travel 1000 kms away to buy a car. But from i can see, this problem seems to be only in Pattaya as according to many posters on this thread, other regions treat customers with some respect and do give deals

The average foreigner living in pattaya should be enough for you to understand why thais in those areas have no respect for you even before talking to you.. it's like blaming a store clerk in a black ghetto for following or kicking out a gangster dressed black kid out of his store. It's not "ok" but he has a good reason.. sort of.

I do not agree with you on that ,

with increasing prices and development, Pattaya is becoming a much nicer place with nicer people.

Just an idea of a trend for you, in one of my hotels every weekend, its full of Thai's from BKK, Every long weekend, traffic is same as BKK, all are from BKK.

As Pattaya is expanding, so there is more to see and more to do , not just the Walking Street, the red light district. The moment you step 500 meters away from Walking street or the main drag(Soi buakhao) you no longer see all the crap.

If anything, i think the attitude is 'farang" have money and he is stupid enough just to give it away. That mentality does come from seeing the idiots-i agree, but they do spend money, they buy cars, bikes, houses for their darlings.

One thing i have noticed and it is driving me crazy, it is very hard to find good staff(Thai) because a huge number come to Pattaya to make millions and many find their way into the bar or meet some "idiot" who starts to support them with ridiculous money, not to mention putting businesses into their names, houses and cars.

But on the bright note, Pattaya is to become BKK beachfront suburb as they have approved and going ahead with highspeed train. BKK to Pattaya in 30 mins(just approved the other day)

lets hope this bodyguards are better trained than the the ones PM Abihist had, because his crew allowed for him to be hit by rocks, car damaged, "shit" thrown into his house and the list goes on.

Saw a Chevy today in Ubon with '' Test drive '' in big letters on the sides.

Sure it wasnt "Tetdry"

Weeeeeeeell, it was BUT for the spelling correct guys here, thought I'd better spell check to avoid a ruckus.

When i was in Mitsu, as i mentioned they also had Pajero with TEST DRIVE written on it, but when i asked, was told i can not. I did point at the sticker saying "Test Drive" but got the "stupid" giggle and sales girl was gone with the wind.

When my Thai manager called an older sales girl over to question about the same thing, her exact words in Thai were " what do you want"

PS. In what do you want sentence in Thai, there was not even a "KA" on the end so it was basically "Owe arai"

But for a laugh, you should visit Isuzu and ask for Xseries. Some how it is now "Eksily" took me good 5 mins to translate what Eksily was

Obviously in thailand only the owner of the showrooms makes HUGE money.. That's the point of this country.. Few select people rape others and get away with it because mai pen rai.

But again i doubt most thais do not allow test drive as every dealer in phuket is doing testdrive during the WHOLE day.. the cars are rarely not being testdriven.

May be Pattaya has enough "buffalos" who just buy without even knowing what they are buying, so dealers can get away with it. But funny enough, my phone has not stopped ringing from all the dealers i visited(who refused test drive or a good deal) asking me to buy. So i guess times may not be as good as they want people to think

In LOS it's not usually, to test drive a car from a dealership. To much could g wrong. Accident's happen to fast overhere. Who would pay? There is no dealership insurance or deaership plates in LOS.

Another thing: A testdrived car is not new anymore. So how the dealer should sale the testdrived car as new, if you not buy?

Another thing: Profit on new cars are very low owerhere. So dealers really not interested in complicate deals or long discustions, spacialy not on bargain on the price. Doesn't matter if the car is over a milion Baht. Somebody will buy it anyway.

Regarding Ford: Wen we bought our Fiesta, they actually let me have a testdrive first, but maybe, because i have a car rental company and bought cars from them already before.

Have to understand, the salesman sometimes don't know who really gonna buy a car. Could you imagine, how many tirekickers like to testdrive a new car just to show off their Bargirlfriends, and never buy anyway?

I do not know if you really in the car business or if you have ever been outside Thailand

1. Test drive cars are also called demo's and demo's are also sold at a slightly cheaper price WORLDWIDE

Thailand is the only country in the world that not only does not allow, but discourages buyers from test drive, in other words out of 6.7 billion people in the world , over 195 countries Thailand is the only one.

2. Profit on a new cars is low????? Is that the reason why cars cost more than in Europe, UK, USA and Aus? Even adding all the tax, take Aus as example, car is shipped(freight charges), taxed(Aus tax) delivered to dealers(another freight) and when it hits showroom it is cheaper than in Thailand and then on top of it all, people can still knock off 5%-10% of the price and still same commissions apply for sales people.

To make even greater point, company tax is Aus is higher then in Thailand, wages are at least 5 times higher, so are the rents, insurances, public liability etc and STILL cars are cheaper,

So rest assured there is plenty of profit in the car especially in Thailand.

Salesman do not know?! DOH, I did not know that people wanting to buy cars walked around with big signs on their head

Why bother to have salesman at all? better just have ATM machines for people to deposit the money, leave phone number and wait for a call when the car is ready

Although it is only my opinion, I will add one such source for your amusement only:

http://www.redress.c...ngordon20110715

That is very interesting,. because in your previous post you stated and i quote

I don't know much about the internal struggle and when I refer to insiders, I am speaking in general to the various news agencies who pay close attention to such matters. These agencies represent both sides of the matter and are not Jihad dot com but they include agencies that would not be on the reading list of the typical Israeli supporter.

Now you claim its only your opinion, so which one is it? you do not know much about the internal struggle as you stated or it is ONLY your opinion?

This is what you said about your sources and insiders

when I refer to insiders, I am speaking in general to the various news agencies who pay close attention to such matters. These agencies represent both sides of the matter and are not Jihad dot com but they include agencies that would not be on the reading list of the typical Israeli supporter.

And this is what the actual site says to which you referred

Our contributors are volunteer-writers who come from all walks of life – journalists, editors, academics, businesspeople, musicians and other political activists.http://www.redress.cc/about

Just to summarize, it would appear you again have expressed your OPINION only but have twisted it to make it sound more factual, when in fact the source you chose to reveal is just PEOPLE including political activists who submit their written thoughts

Do you now suggest that this law is NOT in the best interest of the Israeli people?

Also please enlighten us WHO the insiders are to whom you are referring, as you have not been short on conspiracy theory's

The reference is to laws due to be presented within the next month or two. This particular law may in fact be in the best interest of the Israeli people but it seems to me at least, as if it gets its main support from the settlement lobbies and not necessarly from the total of the Israeli people. I fully expect the courts to squash it. I don't know much about the internal struggle and when I refer to insiders, I am speaking in general to the various news agencies who pay close attention to such matters. These agencies represent both sides of the matter and are not Jihad dot com but they include agencies that would not be on the reading list of the typical Israeli supporter.

Ok, so again, please share your sources. There is no point bringing it up if you not going to disclose your sources of information

What i find most amazing is the fact that Israel ALWAYS gets bashed by the same people no matter what the news line is, while the same people go deaf on any news line about the neighbors.

Israel passes this silly law and here they are slamming it

Neighbors pass the law allowing to simply kill people and silence out of the same group

I think this law is rather a deterrent more than anything else. If people are aware that they could be sued, they are more likely to be little more careful. Because defense alone will cost a fortune.

Just like Thai laws for deformation are very serious, you do not find too many people making loud noise, unless they are prepared to go all the way and have the money to do so.

I am not bashing this law. I love it for what it reveals about the folks behind it. Us fringe dwellers do not get one handed to us like this all that often so we must enjoy it while we can.

Enjoy what scraps of succur you can get, it must be tough being an Israel hater when you don't even have any body bags to complain about when there are thousands in Syria and if you try to construct some argument that Israel is not democratic just look next door at Egypt where they now have a Nazi party competing with the Salafists.

Israel is clearly a democratic nation and most certainly has a right to exist as a Jewish state or any other kind of state for that matter. I am interested in the democratic positions that the people themselves drift toward. It appears to my untrained eye they are drifting to the right at an accelerated pace. I am okay with it as I also lean to the right. What often irks me is the hypocrisy of this position. It is not really in conflict with democracy, it is democracy at its best.

There are several new laws that will be voted on which serve to restrict the activities of human rights groups and there are insiders who believe that all or most will pass. There are also insiders that believe the struggle is between the right wingers and the high court and these relatively meaningless laws, are a challenge to the courts.

This inconsequential bill could be a tipping point in Israeli politics.

Please explain how this law restricts human rights activities?. The only thing it does is holds them monetary responsible for their action.

Do you now suggest that this law is NOT in the best interest of the Israeli people?

Also please enlighten us WHO the insiders are to whom you are referring, as you have not been short on conspiracy theory's

A number of posts have been deleted.

Off-topic posts have been removed. Some posters seem to think that it's Israel's right to do anything as long as it's not 'worse' than it's neighbors. The topic isn't about the neighbors. Nice diversion and nice try, but it won't work.

Scott its not about thinking that Israel can do anything.

Just like any other country there are useful laws and there are silly laws.

This law does not prevent anyone from protesting, what it does prevent is people boycotting-2 very different things. And even then, it does not prevent people from boycotting, but those will be held responsible in terms of monetary loss.

While this topic is not about the neighbors, yet the very same crew AS ALWAYS feels the need to bash Israel for something as silly as that, while on all other threads where neighbors( the same crew always supports and defends) kill civilians daily , they(the crew) do not say a word and do not even dare to criticize it.

Anyone CAN STILL protest and not be shot in Israel and anyone CAN STILL boycot it, but now they may face "fines" for boycotts. Because boycotts has a direct effect on peoples lives.

Millions do not support USA policy in Iraq and Afgan, but they do not punish people in US, do they?!

If and i doubt, it makes Israel bashers feel any better but a number of Israeli's protest against this law and funny enough, and i know it is impossible for you to accept, but they do not get shot or prisoned but allowed to protest.

What i find most amazing is the fact that Israel ALWAYS gets bashed by the same people no matter what the news line is, while the same people go deaf on any news line about the neighbors.

Israel passes this silly law and here they are slamming it

Neighbors pass the law allowing to simply kill people and silence out of the same group

I think this law is rather a deterrent more than anything else. If people are aware that they could be sued, they are more likely to be little more careful. Because defense alone will cost a fortune.

Just like Thai laws for deformation are very serious, you do not find too many people making loud noise, unless they are prepared to go all the way and have the money to do so.

Neighbours don't misrepresent themselves to be the beacon of democracy as Israel does

and evidently there is a pattern developing here another Mordechai Vanu style international abduction

Frequent gag order use flouts Israel's democracy claims

http://thejewishchro...ry_right_column

Good one,. neighbors do not pass laws, they simply shoot their own people, take away all basic human rights and would not find word "democracy" in their dictionary, and yet you find it acceptable to support them

so please save your preaching for another topic.

Always amazes me, how many fall into being pimps out here and yet claim they are just running a bar.

You mean like "i am not gay but my boyfriend is" lol

Easy enough, there is a link on this announcement

yeah i saw that already but no info on participants.