smedly

I registered in Sept 16 and brought all my bank books etc to reclaim the tax paid on bank interest, everything was completed in Jomtien without issue and I now have the tax number..........but

As I was leaving the girl said that the payment would be made by cheque and posted to me (at least I think that is what she said) I am still waiting, I am beginning to think that I should have gone back to the office to pick up the cheque - surely it cannot take this long

anyone have any idea about this

Just while we are on the subject of tax

I registered in Sept 16 and brought all my bank nooks etc to reclaim the tax paid on interest, everything was completed in Jomtien without issue and I now have the tax number..........but

As I was leaving the girl said that the payment would be made by cheque and posted to me (at least I think that is what she said) I am still waiting, I am beginning to think that I should have gone back to the office to pick up the cheque - surely it cannot take this long

anyone have any idea about this

45 minutes ago, off road pat said:

Makin' a runner without anyone being hurt or killed!
This guy is my hero...somehow...
 

45 minutes ago, off road pat said:

I was thinking a similar thing , better this way than to have a dreadful accident !!! every body is angry but alive !!!

the problem now is that the outcome of this incident (driver fined) will make other tired drivers think twice about doing something similar (stopping if exhausted) and could now contribute to more serious accidents involving road transport, someone in the government roads department needs to review this case and carefully consider the president they are setting

Drugged and skinned - been going on for years

Police should be investigated for ignoring the original complaint 

2 hours ago, Asiantravel said:

Don't i miss something here,A SECOND driver..Shouldn't it be 2 driver on a long route like this?

2 hours ago, Asiantravel said:

 

 

there only seems to be one company in Thailand (Nakhonchai Air bus company) that complies with the rule of having 2 bus drivers on long routes

 

http://www.nca.co.th/main_en.html

might be of interest to compare the safety records for all the companies

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

The passengers on the bus are the responsibility of the driver.

To leave them on the side of the road is gross irresponsibility, and quite rightly, he was fined.

He should have refused to leave the depot, if he thought he could not take care of the passengers.

Had the passengers been mowed down by an erratic driver of another vehichle, while left stranded there, how many on here would still be calling him a hero ?

not going to disagree with what you said as normally it would be reasonable and quite correct.............. but

perhaps you would like to list the correct path or options "in your opinion" this driver should have taken if we assume for a moment he did not feel that he could drive safely, you do also realise the distance involved and other circumstances that we are not being told in the news story - like how long it had been since he completed driving the same route in the opposite direction or the omitted details of why he felt compelled to take this course of action or why he was the only driver on the bus  - either way he felt he was in no fit state to complete the journey and in my opinion did the right thing...................maybe he should have stayed with the bus and let the passengers know why he had stopped (maybe he did) - mute point.   It also seems he stopped at a refreshment area as can be seen in the background of the photo.  

My only criticism is that (after perhaps having a rest) he continued to drive the bus - maybe the police put pressure on him to drive - why he decided to return to Bangkok is an interesting one.  

16 minutes ago, webfact said:

Authorities in Pattaya swiftly forbid small boats and speedboats from ferrying passengers to Koh Larn as high winds and heavy seas hit the area.

always after the fact before they act

This guy is a hero, he, in one single act of bravery has just highlighted "on no uncertain terms" one of the biggest problems with the transport/bus industry, drivers being pushed to the point they cannot function safely and end up going of a cliff ....literally

Over worked requiring energy drinks/drugs to keep going - unfortunately absolutely nothing will happen because every solution to every problem on Thailands roads requires investment and some sort of level of standards and enforcement, exactly why this country is still 3rd world even though it thinks it's the hub of SE Asia in everything.....it isn't

41 minutes ago, digbeth said:

The elevated expressway is called the Buraphawithi, not the 7

 

The 7 is the bit from Airport to Chonburi and now to Pattaya

have you looked on a map, it says HW7 all the way to HW9

like I said above - the most confusing name system on the planet

I think some people are confused about the literal meaning of ignorance, many assume it means to be rude - ill mannered etc

here is a sample of the literal meaning- lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated

2 hours ago, JerryinTH said:

@smedly Sorry off topic but whats the best route via big bike from bangkok to pattaya? Just highway 7 from Bang Na to Pattaya? 

until the tolls are operating then the 3 which runs under the elevated highway 7 until Chonburi then the none  elevated continuation of the 7 via the chonburi bypass - once the tolls are functioning then you will not be allowed to use the 7 from Chonburi - which is the purpose of this thread

PS - they have the worst road naming system on the planet

1 hour ago, digbeth said:

There is an exit gate on the Chonburi bypass, the gates are inoperational as yet so you'll be able take a motorcycle all the way from Pattaya to Chonburi like before

 

Once the tolls are in operation I think motorcycle might be able to use the side roads from the 36 all the way to Chonburi

A separate large capacity/power motorcycle training/licencing is sorely needed, but the way some riders of these machines already weave in and out of between lanes and filter through cars at high speed, It'll be chaos if motorcycles are on highways and expressways en mass

 

 

Thanks for the info

As for your last statement - I agree about training etc but for people that already have the credentials/experience which would not be en mass as you suggest I don't see an issue at all, I would feel much safer riding on a highway all the way to Bangkok than being forced to take the route 3, been riding MB's for years on motorways all over (including Thailand) including in an enforcement capacity, if the bike is easily capable of highway speeds with plenty in reserve then I see little problem with it. Thailand needs to catch up with the rest of the developed countries in Asia and continue to modernise - I think it possibly reduce accident rates as highways are much safer - yes even in Thailand, I have clocked up almost 100,000km here and having access to highways would have made my experience much safer and more expedient

it is worth being mindful of what exactly you are protecting against, on a public road and a track it is road rash and not much else, perhaps a falling impact on the knee or elbow if you have some armour 

The helmet will protect you from an impact on the ground from bike seat height, a high side being the exception (forward velocity doesn't matter much) and to an extent a helmet will offer some low speed impact protection against something solid at up to about 30kph, if you hit something solid at speeds above that then you are in trouble no matter what you are wearing

Thought I would link this here also

anyone got an update on this

Heading to Bangkok in a couple of weeks (on motorbike) and usually take the 7 as far as Chonburi, is it still possible to exit and join the 7 at Chonburi or are these tolls now fully operational, I noticed a couple of weeks ago that the pattaya end is almost finished

any info very much appreciated thx

I wish the government would amend the traffic act to allow large displacement motorbikes (possibly 600cc and up) on toll highways, I can understand the reason for the rules being place but things have moved on considerably and there are now many large motorbikes using Thailands roads, time to revise the traffic laws and get on an even footing with Japan Malaysia Singapore and China

1 hour ago, bluebluewater said:

The jury is in.

 

The taxi was switching lanes again and saw some traffic slowing so he did as well.  The motorcycle guy ran up his ass and could not get himself stopped.  

 

Bad on the motorcycle guy.

100% correct, the taxi was slowly and slightly drifting out no sudden lane change slowing down or erratic driving, the MB driver simply was not paying attention and looked to me like he was going much faster than the traffic in front of him/her

6 hours ago, currynamnam said:

Sooo far from ok!

But as long as certain goverments seem to think they are executing the will of their population (they are sadly mistaken) this armageddon will continue. 

But...hope is around the corner, in the shape and form of the next election! 

will Merkle allow me to bring my AK47 and RPG launcher - they have been with me since I was 12, if not then I will sue for my human rights - you won't allow me to bring my toys with me, please please I need my toys

sounds like the tiny brain big speaker has had a route of wakening

I get the impression someone of influence has been disturbed and put a muffler on things

pity they wouldn't do the same with all the tiny scooters running around pattaya that have removed their exhausts and think it makes a cool very loud noise - someone needs to tell them it really isn't cool at all, the mentality of children

yes and they are now all on their way to Europe as asylum seekers

55 minutes ago, futsukayoi said:

In other words, they are overpriced and do not want any competition. Understood

56 minutes ago, futsukayoi said:

 

While I agree that they should not be protected from any fair competition I do feel some sympathy if they are losing business solely due to others being able to reduce price by flaunting regulations.  Either enforce the regulations so Air BnB and the like compete on a flat playing field or drop the regulations for all.

Hotel association = price fixing cartel.......but not everyone is going to the meetings it seems

welcome to the world of competition and free trade

as for standards in Thailand......................no such a thing

2 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Or maybe 'cases of family rape and violence' reported more ?

yes, and also having confidence that it is worth reporting may also be a factor

13 hours ago, Diena said:

a mad man

13 hours ago, Diena said:

Why? because he can kick US ass?

no, because he thinks it's a possibility and that is dangerous stupidity

a mad man

3 hours ago, heybruce said:

4 hours ago, smedly said:

eyes wide shut

 

you seem to go on and on being critical of everyone that posts an opinion or suggestion about how Thailand can move forward and yet you offer absolutely nothing

 

This country has major problems and has had for years - some blame the military and yet only for their intervention there would likely have been civil war over and over, the root cause is elected governments that simply cannot behave themselves, have you actually noticed that when the military step in they do not try to cling to power, they attempt to write another charter that might fix the issues and doesn't - why does that happen ? well it is simple, they just don't have the skills to get it right - in comes the next elected government and they spend the first 2 years in office trying to get rid of all the stuff that stops them from thieving, a constitution should be solid and written is such a way that it is almost impossible to change, a fine example is the USA - it takes years and years to even attempt to amend the US constitution

 

Lets get some perspective on things, Obama is caught thieving from the US people, he goes to court and is convicted - on appeal while on bail he does a runner to Columbia with multi billions of dollars - 2 years later his sister is elected PM because they offer all the kids a free Tablet computer - give everyone that buys a new car 5000 dollars - double the minimum wage and say they will  buy all farm produce at double the market price - number one goal - get elected at any cost, then spends the next 2 years trying to ram through an amnesty bill for himself............................. seriously, that is some fairytale stuff right there

 

every functioning democracy on the planet needs a structure for it to work, Thailand is a fine example of how everything breaks down when the rule book can simply be ignored or changed  - as a democracy it is a 20 times failure - it has never worked because there are too many people thieving - the people are now getting wise to it probably because of social media

 

Thailand has been retarded for a very long time simply because they lack the skills or even the will to pull their heads out of their (deleted), too many have been enriching themselves for a very long time, some on here go on about the people and why they keep electing them - well it is simple, up until now 500baht bought a vote - village heads leading their flock to the polling stations and you had the same cronies in office year after year filling their boots......................there is no doubt about the huge amounts of money involved ..................................... one thing is for sure - it has to stop - no elected government wants to stop it for very obvious reasons.........................a well written constitution will stop it, powerful agencies that enforce checks and balances will stop it - who is in a position to introduce such things ?

In summary, you still maintain that corrupt military rule is better than corrupt democracy.  And you still maintain the ridiculous fiction that the country was near a civil war.

2 hours ago, DavidVincent said:

I am not being critical, except when it comes to people saying completely false things regarding Thai History :

"... have you actually noticed that when the military step in they do not try to cling to power ..."

Are you REALLY in Thailand ? The military not try to cling to power?? Man I don't know how you can say such thing when EVERY TIME the army was facing a government which didn't follow their goal they stepped in to remove them, EVERY TIME!.

I know :Thaksin clique is bad. We can all agree on his corruption, and yet, you still praise an Army which is equally if not more corrupted. You still do not answer : do you think a corrupted army, suffering from nepotism, Who has more generals than US in proportion to their population, while not being a threat or under a threat from any current country, can write the new charter?

Why, if the army is here to clean the corruption, don't they start with their own guys? Why the notoriously corrupted Police can still enjoy corruption nearly freely, why is there no enforcement of the law for the wealthy killers? (Red Bull, Central,...)

" the people are now getting wise to it probably because of social media "

Then why the army want to censor Internet and social media, muzzle the citizen?

" too many have been enriching themselves for a very long time "

One more time, why the army generals, PM and his brother firsts, are still so wealthy? Do not come with the inheritance, as any action from the newspaper to find more has been shut down or worse?

" well it is simple, up until now 500baht bought a vote "

We are still waiting for real clues and facts about that happening only on one side, if really happened....the real reason people in the North and poor in general voted to Thaksin, is because he was the first politician to speak to them...It is not also their love for Thaksin but their hate for people like Abhisit who, I remember you was NEVER elected and put as PM by the Army...we know how it went....

" who is in a position to introduce such things ? "

Certainly not a general, or the army who has deep links with a traditional establishment and do not give a sh!t about the poor..he works for/with this old establishment who wants to keep Thailand in the state it was decades ago.

Anyway If you answer my message, keep answering ALL the points we are discussing, not only the same : 500thb/Thaksin stuff...tell me about the army and its corruption, this is something, or am I just dreaming?

 

 

what a complete pile of nonsense lol you just wrote

4 hours ago, rjwill01 said:

How are they sure he was diving alone? 

That is highly unlikely, he looks like he was set up in full wetsuit and his location would indicate he was operating from a boat which means he was likely accompanied, I find it unlikely he did this to himself - why bother