deepskyfreak

Well, I believe there are a few "preconditions" for a well-educated Thai girl to go along and marry a farang... do not underestimate the influence of other family members particularly if they, too, have university degrees. Status is immensly important, still. The higher the educational gap between farang and Thai girl, the less likely a relationship. Job is another issue. A middle or upper class family will not expect you to support them, but they do expect you to provide a certain level of living standard to their daughter, no matter she has a well paid or not so well paid job herself.

Thai language skills beyond "hiu khao mai" and "sabai dii" are important, too, I would say, unless the girl's English language skills are far above average.

To reply to some other comments in this thread: I think apart from some Pattaya bar girl, no Thai lady will show you a fake degree, or say she has one whithout actually ever having seen a uni from inside... I have, though, come across farangs who cheated their way into educational institutions with fake degrees.

And for the stats: my wife (Thai) has a PhD and I hold a BA(Hons)...

Here in bullet points what I was required to do when I drove from Mae Sai to Moeng La (China border) and back (I spent a week inside Burma with my 4x4)

- car must be registered on your name, i.e. driver's name (foreigner no problem or difference to Thai)

- no hired car or leased car allowed to leave Thailand (Thai customs rule)

- no motorcycles allowed to do the trip

- Thai customs papers - they charge you a small daily fee for leaving the country

- original car registration is kept by Thai customs - returned when you enter Thailand again. You receive a paper for it.

- Myanmar Travel at the border will assist you with all paperwork there

- Foreigners driving Thai licensed cars no problem

- You will be issued a one-month-insurance by a Myanmar insurance company

- 2-week visa for Myanmar on entry (unless you have a visa)

- payments of road tax, passenger tax (for additional passengers in your car)

- Thai driving license accepted (i guess EU or international as well)

- you receive immigration card which needs to be stamped at each checkpoint (5 between Tachileik and Moeng La) as well as at the immigration in Kengtung and Moeng La if you stay overnight there.

- road toll to be payed a few times along the highway to Kengtung- that's for every vehicle.

- on return: pay Tachileik road tax again (weird, but dont argue...)

- exchange back your car registration at Thai immigration.

Note: your passport and Thai visa are totally separate issues to the car leaving the country, which is customs stuff! They Thais are very helpful anyway. Myanmar Travel is helpful too, but the authority guys are kind of getting you take deeeeep breaths... just be prepared that the procedure in Tachileik will take 3+ hours.

Total amount of permission and tax fees... approx 120 US$ (we were 4 passengers and my 4x4 pickup truck, 1 week)

Make sure you have 4 sets of copies of all your papers.

During the Myanmar "checkin procedure" I had to go back to Thailand to get copies done... Thai immigration just laughed and let me come back without restamping or keeping my passport

In Myanmar: Checkpoints: friendly, no fees, no cheats, no pocket money. I passed at least 20 checkpoints during that week and just one time they asked me kindly to let a police dog sniff a little for drugs. More often I had to turn down requests by the police, immigration or customs guys to drink tea at the checkpoint and have a chat... Actually, the only "unfriendly" officials were the ones in Tachileik. Says a lot.

Thai police warned me of security and pocket money requests. Truth: nothing happened. At one makeshift military checkpoint the collected 1000 Kyat from people - I was the only one who did not pay, and they let me pass, too (towards another special area close to China).

Entering special region 4 (Moeng La) - make sure you have YUAN (change them in Kengtung). The local warlords army charges you for a "visa" and some road tax again. But, they don't take Kyat or Baht, even though you are in Myanmar...

Fuel: cheaper in Tachileik and Kengtung. Fill up there. More expensive in Moeng La.

Other recommendation: Ask the hotel or guest house in Keng Tung to get you a local guide to come with you on excursions into the wild countryside. This helps tremendously. Fee approx 1000 Baht for a day for a well-educated guide.

I did the trip during rainy season (August) - 4x4 is a MUST. If you like adventure - take mud-chains with you, its worth it.

Driving into remote villages off the main Thailand-China highway: pay a few Kyat to the owner of the house where you park your car - this way it will be looked after and save while you do a hike.

A good hand-drawn map of the region around Kengtung is in the lobby of the biggest state-owned hotel in town (I forgot the name, but it's where the former Shan palace used to be). You can take pics of that map, even though you do not stay there.

Have a good trip and forgive me if I forgot to mention some detail

The curfew, which went into effect last week, also shut down Pattaya, a town a few hours southeast of Bangkok, where it seems the entire local economy revolves around the sex trade and which is known for tolerating prostitution by underage boys and girls.

Pattaya sees an ever increasing number of Thai-Tourists (incl. Expats and their families) on weekends and puplic holidays. I do not have the Pattaya stats but, Thai tourists mights already outnumber farangs as they do in many other destinations nationwide.

Patpong and Sukhumvit are VERY popular with Thais, too, who go there for shopping, fun and more.

Is this Jessica a first-timer in Thailand? Tell her Pattaya and Patpong sex bars are NOT representative of the entire tourism industry.

Before bashing Thailand as a sex trade destination, one should consider that Germany, for example, has an estimated 400,000 prostitutes on its streets (Red Cross estimate a couple of years ago). Other western country's stats are not much different in terms of percentage of population.

Thailand's sex trade does heavily rely on domestic customers. May somebody drag this Ms Jessica along the "across the railway line"-streets with karaoke bars, Thai style... She should visit the Thai truck driver sex tourism destinations of Phayao (north) or Ban Pong (west of BKK) to see what filthy, illegal and underage sex trade in Thailand really looks like - home made and 100% Thai. Or Haad Yai (south) - 100% Malay.

For sure not all police are like that but I never met one . With their little salary no wonder they need to have extra cash .

small salary is not an excuse.. if the moneys not good enough, find a better job. a policemans duty to to protect and serve and uphold the law.. period...

Exacty - otherwise as an underpaid teacher, for example, i would be fully justified in demanding money from students in order for me to allow them to pass their exams.... .

I do however think that the state should purchase basic police equipment - like the gun, so that as a state purchase, the gun is and (should) remains the property of the state, long after the person has finished being a copper. It would i imagine make ballistics tracing a bit easier if the state had a records of the guns in its arse(nel), rather than coppers with random purchased guns wandering the streets.

But back to the OP - what can you say except that if Thai folks tolerate being treated like this, then i have little sympathy for them. If they want it to change, they (as a population) need to get off their backsides and demand change and realize that they have the power to expediate that change, however many can't be arsed.

"He said complaints can be filed at the Metropolitan Police Bureau's Operation Centre by calling (02) 280 3196, and the cases would be duly investigated.

So far, the operation centre has said there have been no such cases filed."

Maybe you file a complaint with 1000 Baht in an envelope...

Nice to know this woman is happy that poor people in Bangkok (many of whom actually come from the same kind of background as her) have lost their jobs thanks to all the burning she is happy about. Seems nobody is picking up on all the poor that are suffering because of the red arson and violence. There is a big irony in that albeit a sad one. Bnagkok is not full; of only rich people and it is the poor who are suffering most from the attacks through lost work.

Spot on. And I wonder why nobody ever mentions the provincial elite, made up of rich landlords exploiting the farmers, corrupt local village leaders cashing in on every land deal and every construction approval in their Moo Baan or Tambon, local lottery kingpins, overly rich Nayok Tessamontris taking advantage of their positions, the odd police chief and his deputy riding fancy SUVs with money from some unknown sources, and, and, and....

I feel sorry for the red-shirt lady's trauma but, ordinary Bangkokians feel the same. Worse, they did not even choose to do something that would affect their lives - they were just runover by the events.

Pictures speak more than words

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...icle7133440.ece

Soldiers acting professionally. These guys don't look like regular army guys. Maybe SWAT or special forces.

I would do exactly the same under given circumstances, whereever in the world. And I was a soldier for 11 years (in the EU and MidEast).

Pictures speak more than words

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...icle7133440.ece

Comment to the photographer: It is easy to stand next to two soldiers and take biased pictures like that... Why didn't he and all of the other sensationalist journalists go off and try to get an interview with a sniper in black or perhaps a good shot showing one of those red shirt snipers pointing their weapons towards people.

It is so easy to discredit troops who are just following orders that are meant to bring back normalcy.

It is nothing but unhelpful sensationalism.

An anti-government "red shirt" supporter surrenders to army soldiers clearing an encampment of thousands of protesters in Bangkok

Good to see they are getting the hardline militants.

Guess you missed the gangsters holding their hands up in the background.

Harboring fugitives?

What exactly identifies them as gangsters?

Comment to the photographer: It is easy to stand next to two soldiers and take biased pictures like that... Why didn't he and all of the other sensationalist journalists go off and try to get an interview with a sniper in black or perhaps a good shot showing one of those red shirt snipers pointing their weapons towards people.

It is so easy to discredit troops who are just following orders that are meant to bring back normalcy.

It is nothing but unhelpful sensationalism.

An anti-government "red shirt" supporter surrenders to army soldiers clearing an encampment of thousands of protesters in Bangkok

Good to see they are getting the hardline militants.

Guess you missed the gangsters holding their hands up in the background.

Harboring fugitives?

What exactly identifies them as gangsters?

Comment to the photographer: It is easy to stand next to two soldiers and take biased pictures like that... Why didn't he and all of the other sensationalist journalists go off and try to get an interview with a sniper in black or perhaps a good shot showing one of those red shirt snipers pointing their weapons towards people.

It is so easy to discredit troops who are just following orders that are meant to bring back normalcy.

It is nothing but unhelpful sensationalism.

Talking to a manager friend at Hilton Phuket today he said they are at 40%, average for this time of year.

So can we expect some cut-rate discounts in the affected tourist spots? No-o-o-o-o-o!

As we know from recent history, prices will go up...to compensate for the lost revenues.

Actually, many foreign travel agents cash in on the crisis. They successfully pressure the Thai hotels to slash rates but fail to pass the better price on to their foreign customers...

I do know that as a tourism expert....

Like so many are writing - saying one thing and doing it are completely separate.

True, but (like so many are writing) if we are talking about terrorism, both SAYING and DOING are illegal, and both are punishable with jail time in the USA, UK, Australia AND Thailand.

I can only imagine what would happen in Germany if a foreigner from the Mideast was caught on video saying to burn down the Reichstag building during an anti-govt protest...

So, don't blame the Thais for trying to catch that moron who wanted (and probably was involved) to burn down BKK.

Well......

Pattaya has always ben the home for loonies that can't make it in their home Countries.

It is mostly these foreigners that carry guns and run all the SHIT in Pattay, Phuket you name it, under the guise of their "Thai wifes".

Get rid of them and Thailand will be beautiful once again.

I hope they catch this guy.

I have lived in Thailand for more than 25 years and the errosion of their culture started when wannabe gangsters such as this looney take advanatage of the lax Thai laws that allows them to be the best people in the world.

Suppose the laws must be tightened to stop the rot....!!!

What was this guy thinking. Not enough action in Pattaya, he had to loot the gold from Bangkok stores.

GUILTY AS hel_l, lucky this guy caight him on video... that is how stupid he really is...

Scum attracts scum. I do not think that farangs like the "arsonist lunatic" have much influence on general Thai culture. The average Thai does not even think much about such guys besides shaking their heads and laughing.

As the decent and quiet farang that I am, I have not had any problem in 18 years that a Thai blamed me for (or compared me to) the rogue behavior of some "scum-farang" in Pattaya or whereever. I think Thailand is a place where you do not automatically have a tag "guilty" on your forehead for having a different skin-color. That is not so in many places of Europe.

Those farangs who feel pursued or being treated badly should think of their own behavior first. Again, scum attracts scum.

According to the report, red shirt protesters went home without an idea what to do now, how things go on as their leaders are either hiding or jailed (my note: and the flow of easy money has stopped)...

How about work and support their families?

Sure it is hard to work for 250 Baht a day now after having received 500 for repeating hatred slogans and doing nothing but block roads and bring chaos to other ordinary citizens' lifes.

Pathetic, really.

After what has happen, hope Thailand give the ignore button for all the attention that Mr T is seeking. He's trying too hard, should enjoy the golden years.

Yes, all the attention the media is giving to Thaksin is getting annoying... Can't they simply NOT broadcast or print the crap he produces?

Latest water-cooler rumour is that the black-shirt 'ronin' included numerous soldiers from Cambodia, but the government is keeping quiet about it because that would mean war, and the Thai army isn't ready for that.

Wednesday night several Burmese and Cambodians were brought in by the army to Phaya Thai police station, I was there and they all tried to lie about their identity

Just go to MBK or cheap shops in Chatuchak and elsewhere. Half of the girls and boys employed there are either Cambodian or Burmese... Klong Toei sure has a big share of non-Thai residents.

Maybe devaluate the bath?

Absolutely right there! The Thai Baht is WAY too strong for a country like Thailand. It should be on par with that of the Phillipinnes! I predict a 50% devaluation of the Baht quite soon!

maybe they manipulate the currency, like China does.

of course they manipulate the currency + there must of been a repatriation of cash to fund recent activities. One more thing is that the baht is not a major currency and it has caps on the amount that can be traded per day. Also I think after the 1997 crisis, legislation was put in place to stop big hedge funds crippling the baht!

Thailand also shouldn't have much of a deficit now. Exports still seem to be fairly unaffected but now little investment into equipment bought abroad. Maybe lots of money floing in from China in their attempt to further take over Thailand step by step... just as the Chinese did in Laos or Cambodia.

The problem is even though everyone in Thailand knows how bad he is, there is just not enough detailed knowledge or understanding of Thailand's political situation for the international community to know who thaksin is or what he is up to.

True - Average international person doesn't give a rats ass about him. Hopefully, he will enjoy a long long life in obscurity - far away from Thailand.

But world brain wash media BBC, CNN and else don't want to drop him... Amazing how long the press is already supporting the coward, or maybe... is he supporting them through financial crisis???? Who knows...

He also added that in the same PR:

He denied his involvement with "any illegal or violent activities in the Kingdom of Thailand".

"I fully reject the allegations� which underscore the fact that this heroic and inspiring grassroots movement is autonomous and independent from myself," he said

Brave as always.

Any Thai or Mossad agent to chuck the coward a M79 in Paris' Louis Vuitton shop?

Or a Russian... more soffisticated. Plenty of them in Pattaya

Is this the guy? Seen frequently with the red shirts and often behind the barricades.

Actually he probably didn't stick around for the ooting. When he saw soldiers not playing around with rubber bullets, he probably messed himself and beat Arisman out the door. When he gets caught though he actually deserves a worse punishment than his Thai comrades....

I'm pretty sure I know this man... didn't expect him to be that stupid. 20 years Thailand, he's gone old. If he's the man I know - he's Australian. Know his name and what he works, but won't publish it here...

Thailand - small world, indeed.

I am glad that Veera and Kobkaew pleaded with the red shirts for restraint. Veera's message seemed the more sincere but then he was the most moderate of the leaders from the beginning and clearly wanted to accept the government's road map that was unfortunately rejected by Thaksin. Veera pleaded with the red shirts to revert to the principles of peaceful ahimsa demonstration that he mistakenly believed the movement was all about. Kobkaew was mainly trying save his own skin by blaming the arson on Newin's blue shirts. Who followed their instructions to burn doesn't much matter, if they clearly gave the instructions. I hope that terrorist charges against Veera are not pursued. On the other hand Nattawut and Arisman deserve to burn in hel_l for inciting their followers to commit arson. No good for them to blame it on the blue shirts.

Some of the reds pounded from their stage (couple of daysago) that they would personally take responsibility for all of Thailand burning. Well, one of them said yesterday when he surrendered that he would not be able to pay for the damage but still take responsibility before the law.

Hey folks - here is my idea to make them help compensate for the damage:

After reconstruction of Central World just take the red shirt leaders to the toilets and make them clean those for the next 20 years. And, charge 50 Baht instead of 2 Baht... I would certainly be one of the first to THOROUGHLY use the toilets after a couple of super-spicy plates of som-tam from Isan...

Baaaaad thoughts, indeed... Well, actually, it would just be some kind of nice community service.

Bangkokians would love the service and turnover might really pay for Central World.

It has been reported that Jautporn has been released from arrest due to his status as an MP giving him parliamentary immunity.

Yesterday at the Red stage ,other speakers also threatened AV and his family and now Kokaew has done it again today.

As others have said ,last night seemingly pre-planned attack have brought the reasons for last two months activities into focus. With Arisman wanting to burn down Muslim mosques ( ethnic cleansing ) Thaksins aims have become clearer, to create a Thai version of Burma with Arisman as Minister of Culture , Weng as Information Minister, Jatuporn as Foreign Minister and Nattawut as Chief Creep and Thaksin as El Presidente for life.

don't misunderstand my laugh... it's a tragic reality...

It's quite possible that these guys really didn't know what Thaksin had planned all along. He could have told them to make the fire speeches without informing them that this was his actual intention. They wanted to cut the deal remember? Probably saw their freedom and nice salary dangling in front of them when he pulled the rug out. At least that is what Sae Daeng claimed.

True! Some of the red shirt leaders realized it when Thaksins and Kattiya's refusal to accept Abhisit's plans materialized. They made a move. The hardliners kept going.

I also doubt (just like you) that the masses real noticed what the background intend was. Sad.

And again I shake my head over BBC World reporting.

The pictures from communist protests in Greece showed a crowd outside parliament in Athens. The BBC speaker mentioned a single rock that was thrown against the security forces in riot gear and described the tense situation in Greece. The message was clear: Communist protesters in Greece threaten stablity and the economic recovery.

2 minutes earlier a BBC correspondent described in colorful words the stage of the red shirts who, a few days ago "were dancing and listening to the speeches of their leaders"... Then pictures of crying protesters being led away by police and medical staff. Also this message was clear: Poor farmers being forced from their peaceful rally site.

Again not a single word that the hatred speeches of those crooks on red shirt stage have fuelled the crowd to the point of creating a nightmare in Thailand. Those speeches did not start yesterday or after April 10 - they blasted their hatred out since years! None of them was charged with insiting unrest, not even for their orders to come to Bangkok by the million with one empty bottle in their hands, buying the fuel in Bangkok and burning the city to the ground with Bangkok's own fuel, not stolen but paid for.

Of course, 95% of farangs in this forum have no clue of all of that, relying on (biased?) translations by their Isan girlfriends...

Radical preachers are arrested or expelled from Britain if they say just half of what the red shirt leaders pounded from their stage. And it does not take authorities to wait 2 years...

There is always going to be different views in Society and the conflicting argument here seems to be who has the majority.

People act in certain ways and after the reds protest and the way it was conducted (we cannot change what has happened) who would win.

There is over 100,000 members on this site from varying backgrounds and varying cultures, however if we were to Vote with the current 100,000 members on who should be in power. We are here because the majority either live, work, visit the great country called Thailand.

Reading all the views and notes on the site my bet would either be the democrats or the current government power in a landslide.

Anyone willing to take it up???

The red party will win in a lot of the N/NE provinces, but that area is a minority of the whole of Thailand. I don't believe the red party will win in electorates outside of those provinces.

You better check population numbers, my friend, the N/NE represents far over 50% of Thailand's total population... With a few additional vote in the center, the will (unfortunately) win it...

Abhist was presented with a political problem.Once he sent in the Army on April 10th with live ammo, it turned into a violent struggle. He should have used water cannon and offered a political compromise. It's going to be a long time before we get back to the Land of Smiles.He should resign.

Revisionist history at its finest. Lets look at reality.

sorry, double entry...