denissr

Just what obligation has the Thai Navy to escort a Dutch couple through international waters ? Maybe they should try DEMANDING an escort from the Dutch navy ? Like the English couple they have been warned so it is up to them if they choose to risk it.

It is about who you believe. The couple said they have been begging for help? The Thai Navy said that they demanded help? If there is a real threat, what are their options? It seems to me that someone is responsible for making the sea's safe, but who? waiting for answers.

The men responsible for attacking Ms Maiwadee will be prosecuted, V/Gov Weerawat said.

Like hell they will.

It appears these thugs have a free hand otherwise they would all be in jail awaiting trial right now.

The police are not really interested because the victim is not a person of wealth and considered of little significance. The police stand to gain nothing by enforcing the law for this poor kid and as usual they would prefer that this matter is forgotten and if left alone it will go away.

Who says that there will be no follow-ups to this story in the media? Place your bets here please.

I have only ever seen two snakes in my village, a 12 inch baby which was beaten to death by my Thai partner and a 4 foot individual which was eaten with relish. Its skin got turned into a belt. I think snakes get short shrift around here

Maybe it was revenge by the snake!

Can I ask the "hang 'em high brigade" what does throwing somebody in jail actually achieve?

I'm all for people abiding by the rules and I have no time for those who have such a disregard the Immigration Laws, but simply throwing people in jail for overstaying seems very vindictive to me.

I believe the reason for punishment, is so people won't keep breaking the laws/rules. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

The march of the zealots continues.....

Zealots my cute little hiney, it is about time that this filthy habit is banned from public space. If you want to poison the place, do it in your own house...

Any farang that is so stupid to smoke, deserves to be fined the max amount

And I bet you drive a car. Haven't you noticed they stink and maybe you ain't heard they kill millions every year.

Rumor has it they also contribute to global warming, but the self-righteous drivers feel free to slag off smokers. Why?

Pots, kettles, and black springs to mind.

I understand you can't drive in this market ether. I guess their are after the Global Warming Thingy too. :-)

How sad... but how many have been closed due the sight of soldiers killing people in the street? How many businesses have been closed because of the airport occupation and how many have been closed due to the incompetence of Abhisit's boss Suthep? Lots more, the difference is that it is pretty convenient to complain when business is bad with this bunch of yellow shirt lovers, they will pay out and they can easily do so by cutting the absurd military budget.

Someone said Tourist were scared away by Soldiers killing people in the streets. I was coming again this year for 30 days, but was scared away because the Government sat and did nothing while people ran wild trampling on others rights. I am not afraid of the Soldiers, Police or Government, it is this segment of the population that will explode at anytime if someone with a microphone, some alcohol and a hand full of Bhat wants them to. I'll bet a lot of people that are complaining now were part of the protest. They killed the goose, now they want compinsation. I do feel sorry for the people that had nothing to do with it now see their jobs effected, these people are poor enough with out this. Just another case ot the rich and polititions using the poor no mater if it is a war or a protest. There was no right side in this for the people, just polititions using the people in their game of tug of war for power and wealth.

blind leading the blind

It would be interesting to do the same exercise in other countries. I wonder how many would do any better?

Not that many would pass, if today done hand written tests no computers etc, 2% would be lucky to pass.

Took longer to learn in my day but it stuck!

I'm not sure you are correct. My opinion, but having been around and dealt with my Grandchildren

in the States, they are a lot more educated at a younger age than I at the same age.

I'll bet there are people that would be quailified to teach here in Thailand. It could be that teaching has become

a not so desirable job, so the people that are taking teaching jobs are less qualified. Maybe raising the

benefits of teaching and stricter hiring. But you have remove the cultural

practice of hiring relatives and and buying jobs.

Very sad story and I hope it will be solved and the small boy can come home to his parents where he belongs.

I have considered if something like this happened to me and my plan is to contact a private security firm or anyone with a bit of power and pay what it cost to get my kid back its probably the only way to do it.

I think you are right, sounds like what he needs is Bounty Hunters or team. Probably be better if they were Thai. I think?

I checked last nite and again today on AirAsia ... BKK-Bali-BKK departure June 23 for eg: 6,000bht return ... next best fare is 7,500 and then 9,000bht depending on dates ... can't see ANY free flights (+ only tax's and fees) at all !

Oh, no they lied.

The Reds had a point: Thailand is a very unequal society, with a handful of key families controlling so much of its commercial life - & pocketing the proceeds.

Of course they were used by the odious Thaksin - who must never be allowed to influence Thai polity again.

And they contained their fair share of violent nutters.

But their key point remains valid: Thailand is precipitously unequal.

Unless that is rectified, the Reds will rise again.

That might be the end of the present elite, even the end of civil peace.

Better to make a deal now, to bring about fairness.

A lot like the U.S, England, Oz and so on.

If the Government is going to at least pretend to be in charge, they have regain control soon. This has gone too way far, everyone is in danger. I would love to come back, but have other places to go in this world, to spend my time and money.

Someone wrote that there is a double standard here with the Reds and Yellows. It seems as if both have equally interrupted the normal business and laws of the Country. I think there has been too much tolerance for both sides. In a real Democracy you can't have this much lawlessness from ether side. It is not my Country, so it is not up to me to tell them how to do things, just an observation. I have the luxury, I can stay or leave.

Is it a possibility that all sides are wrong, and there is no real Democracy or peace in sight? Seems that both sides want power, but do not have the best intentions for the people of Thailand in their agenda. As long as one is in power the other will fight, no peace. After I wrote this I see it looks a like America.

These iddiots are going to far it is time they were charged and arrested. This is getting rediculous. i have no problem with rallies, even sit ins to a certain extent but disruption of the country is going to far how is cowtowing to a few tens of thousands of radical terrorist protesters democracy ot of a country of 60 some million.

The government also ought to charge Mr. T with sedition, terrorism and conspiracy and put out an international warrent for his arrest with interpol and any and all other international police organizations.

It looks as if you like the way democracy works, as long as it doesn't affect your circles. But would you like Thailand to be like Burma. Or are you just another angry american..?

With all the anger, hostility and violence in American politics now we are no longer a great example for democracy. Who said “In a democracy, you get the Government you deserve”.

Reading the story and the posts here it is plain to see that a lot people have learned from politics how to spin these stories. Its is the Red Shirts, it is the Government, it is the Muslims. And if someone finally does prove who it is behind the bombings, there will still be a whole lot of people that will stick to their own stories. The U.S. has a funny example; a few people claim President Obama wasn’t born in America, although he has produced a Hawaiian Birth Certificate and it was published in the media and is on the Internet for anyone to see. I keep repeating the saying, “You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own truth”.

There's something a bit odd here. They demanded 120,000 baht as a ransom??

Perhaps he owed them 120,000 baht and they went totally over the top?

Sorry to be so cynical, but it doesn't make any sense.

I don't see that that would matter.

"Draconian" Internal Security Act (ISA) likely to be implemented between March

11-23

Did anyone but me notice how this word was added to a headline. This is how the media manupilates the news rather that just report it. Now right off, those that don't notice this are led to believe the Government is doing a bad thing. Truthfully, I don't know if it will turn out to be good or bad. But I do regonize that a Government must protect all the people and not allow any faction to disrupt the lives and commerece of it's citizens with violence. Past history shows there will be violence.

It was said here that CAT was owned by the government, seems like the government would be able to investigate the anti-government actions that would harm the general public on their own property? Calling normal police work “Big Brother” is spreading propaganda, it is just not true. In the U.S. some of us protested the so-called Patriotic Act, because it allowed individuals to tap phone lines and internet traffic with out any controls. Before the Patriotic Act they could still do this, but they had to go to a secret court and get permission. We were proved right when it was discovered that Intelligence workers were listening in on conversations between unsuspecting soldiers and their families for no good reason. Our Government was violating the Rights of the same people who thought they were fighting to protecting their Rights. It looks like to me the Thai Police were doing exactly what they were supposed to do, protect the safety and rights of their citizens.

I travel all over and come to Thailand once or twice a year. I believe this current trouble is a serious thing; it seems no one knows what will happen next. The possibility of a major incident is possible, maybe even likely. There are many wonderful places to visit in this world; I think I will stay clear of Thailand for now.

Did anyone notice how much British Ambassador to Thailand Quinton Quayle Looks like U.S.A. Ex-Predident Dan Quayle? He must be much smarter that Dan Quayle though.

Thaksin was a rich man even before he came into power, and the governments claim to his entire fortune is spurious indeed. I also find it a little disturbing how you all accept what should be a fair trial as a foregone conclusion and see no problem in doing so. I think you have all been in Thailand a little too long.

He was put out of office for doing illegal things in office, stealing among them. It is right that they should take what money they can find, as punishment for those crimes. Plus recover as much money as they can that he stole. Maybe this will stop rich bussines people from buying elections, when they get in office it is a different ball game. He could have stayed out of politics and enjoyed his money, but greed overtook him, now the piper has come.

Could be driver tried to shift to lower gear and got cought out of gear. Brakes might not hold, if going too fast or not a great shape.

R.I.P.

Well, it's clearly due to global warming, no doubt.

Seriously, we're undergoing global cooling at the moment and unless the sun revs back up again soon things could get worse.

This is a good watch, for those who haven't seen it yet:

The Great Global Warming Swindle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeY8oqAGhyA

I'm of the understanding that we're to receive a mini-ice age before global warming kinks in....

Didn't you read Scotts message. You can't talk about "global warming"?

How much does a good rank cost?

I was wondering the same thing. I was in Las Vegas a month ago. A value lunch or breakfast $25.00, dinner $35.00. Go a little upscale and dinner will cost $60.00-$75.00.

It all depends how much the service costs, the tourists will still have to get a cab at the other end, i'll just use a taxi from the top floor at the airport as always and avoid the 50 baht sting.

I read somewhere couple of month ago a ride may cost between 15-150 Baht depending on what kind of train service you choose. Fast train (no stops 150 Baht) or stop at every station (between 15-45 Baht).

I'm the amateur here and I read this at the start of the discussion.