aromsia

Tourist definition needed here.

I think that most of these tourists are Thai nationals in the upp country national parks, and the national parks on the southern island are visiting foreign tourists.

Could it be so?

MC

Kao Yai is only about two hour drive from BKK. Several farang friends have been there and say it's great. I've never been - but I want to go before the weather gets too hot. Any advice from anyone who's been there about nice places to stay? Don't want to camp/tent.

Yes - for American and Canadian sports fans True is a waste of time. No NFL (or very limited), no NHL, no NBA of Baseball (or again very sporadic). I note the Bangkok Post regularly reports on these sports and alternates full league standings tables daily (NHL-NBA). Given that we are paying the same monthly fee as we would in the US, and in a country where the people working at TRUE Vision probably earn only 1/10th of the daily wages as their American counterparts, we have more than a right to complain.

I certainly don't subscribe to watch motorcycle ice racing or snake wrestling. And enough of the animal channels ok?

If it wasn't for access to BBC I'd drop it. My biggest mistake was living here all these years and not installing one of those moveable black dishes. I would have saved myself thousands of dollars by now.

Anyone chasing this up? Any "Thai journalists"? (didn't think so..)

I do find it a notable phenomena that on Forums generally, people feel such a sense of entitlement to free news delivered immediately.

With the recent fire- in the wee hours - posters were complaining that the wires were not quick enough on the story and were off the desk (on new years eve).

You don't think that during the last three or four weeks anyone should have clarified with Abhisit that the Parliament formed through the next election - when it comes - would be formed exclusively through one-person-one-vote, and not include ANY appointed representatives? Rather a major question isn't it??

They have had plenty of time to rabbit on about other minor issues...but not that? THE major issue?

Cheapest holiday you can have. The hotel owners on Phuket that sponsor this site would like to thank you for that George. I'm going to go to Khao Yai next week A few Chang beers, some five baht Moo Yang, sticky rice, and we're set..Thanks mate.

The latest of which is of course the non disclosure of any of his assets held abroad. A five year ban from politics for sure or perhaps yet another'honest mistake'.

BTY, going home to Khon Kaen province at the New Year I was struck by how many people were saying they wanted to give Aphisit a chance.

Only those rushing around your Benz and styling your hair, Pee. Never bite the hand of the patron, chai mai, krup? Never know how her father-grandfather made his money! Better not to know! It's a bit like the Thai movies....the pooyai matron stumps off in a bad mood (aromsia) and the maids giggle and laugh at the BS - though respectfully of course - as they need to know their place - even on TV shows, chai mai?

^I (uncommonly) agree with Plus on this.

The F word is just too loaded and politicised nowadays with inferrences of Jew-killing, Holocaust etc.

Even though this wasn't the original technical definition, say back in the twenties, thats the way it is now.

So better to find a more accurate, alternative synonym.

Well Hitler wasn't a fascist - he was a 'national socialist' you'll recall - an ultra-nationalist - but not a fascist (though he was paranoid about communists). Fascists are Franco, Pinochet, Batista, Mussolini..They are ultra-right-wingers. Hitler was a radical-populist-nationalist with a racist bent. He singled out the 'perceived' rich element of German and Euro society to try to suggest they (the Jews) were the bain of all the economical and social problems of Germany's hard-working common people off teh abcks of the WW1 Versailles treaty. (I'm not defending him - so give me a break ok? This is a historical reality)

Now back on track - has anyone pinned down Abhisit on the "policy" regarding the next election? I don't mean 'when', but a confirmation that the 'make-up' of parliament will remain 100% chosen by the people, and not some quasi system where appointees make up 49 or 51% of the seats. Anyone chasing this up? Any "Thai journalists"? (didn't think so..)

You know, the fact this thread is still going indicates the indifference of Thailand to the rest of the world (well ok, maybe THailand, Korea and Japan are a bit similar - and China - but not the 'chinese' per se - considering singapore and HK)

In ANY other country, a big Bank like this would be sweating bullets over this sh+tty online coverage about their disgraceful response to this couple's misfortune. But NOPE - not in LOS.

Becuase This is Thailand..

It's an old thai-chinese business tactic from what I understand. And you're right - no one is desparate to come to Thailand. It's a nice place..but there are many nice places. I like it here..but I wouldn't knock myself out or take undue risks to get here.

As I posted elsewhere, the hotels I've spoke to - the new Pullman near Victory Monument has 20% occupancy when it should be 80% (just this weekend) and the Dusit Thani had only 40% when it should have been nearly full (near christmas).

In other words, b-sh-t - just like the all the condo news reports your ead about in the Post and The Nation. Just rubbish by self-interests.

No licence, no insurance, no emergency lighting, no (or insufficient) fire extinguishers, exit doors welded shut, insufficient emergency exits, non fire retardent materials being used.......

Exit doors welded shut? I haven't seen this one yet. Where did you read that? Locked doors was the primary reason for all the deaths at the Kader factory fire in 1993 and I know that one is now in the codes.

Santika did have a license and was operating legally via the Adm. Court injunction. What may be an issue is whether its license allowed it to operate past midnight. While the Bangkok Post originally wrote that Santika had to close by midnight, nothing more has been written about this anywhere, including the Bangkok Post.

i second that where was it reported that the doors were welded shut???

If you read the original thread (read it thoroughly that should read) you would have seen where "one of the British survivors interviewed on the BBC said he reached a door and found it welded shut".

That door will probably soon "disappear..."

I have to believe one can stop sponsoring. I have not read all the fine print on how the USA works. But if things ever went sour, then the deal is off. If I was nice, I might buy a plane ticket to send her back to Thailand just to get her out of the way.

Yep - I hear you. But I think that's wishful thinking. Remember - and my God - Americans should understand this by now. Your country (anyone's country) doesn't give a sh+t about 'them' or protecting you from 'them'. The idea of these 'sponsorships' is to make sure the Government doesn't get stuck with the bill - or the problem - they want the costs associated with 'your' problem to be yours - and yours alone if things go sour. Again - I guess it differs country by country - but probably not much. It's not designed to protect the national of that coutnry - it's to protect the collective interests of the country's treasury/security.

It is unfair for them to change the rules without a good grandfather clause.

[...]

Maybe if enough complaints are made they will change it back or make it grandfathered.

The fact is that I, and many others here, (including many of the professional visa companies that sponsor this forum) are all too aware that the unfairness is deliberately built in to the Thai system. In other countries, it would be paramount that the spouse of a national of that country would be given the opportunity to welcome her spouse to live and work in the host country - male or female foreign national. If children are involved, then even more so.

But in LOS there is no such consideration - it's not even a consideration. It's a game - a game to milk the foreign currency from the foreigner. The only thing that ever changes is the amount required to ante up. The fact that a Thai 'woman' (note only thai women this applies to) and often Thai children/offspring of the thai-foreigner are involved is barely a consideration - if anything it is little more than an afterthought - to avoid too much 'international' criticism. Yet, as regards criticism, where are own Governments in protecting our interests in this - and the interests of the children of the foreigners here - who are also nationals of their countries? Quiet, quiet, quiet...

After a while you begin to understand - the penny finally drops - nationality means nothing. Your country doesn't give a toss about you, your kids, etc. It's not til you need to rely on 'your country' that you find out the truth. They are all the same.

It's all about money. Life in the real world - as sh+ty as that may be..it's the truth.

As mentioned..many thais have dual nationality. Attitudes aren't likely to change to the negative, since many hi-so thais carry a Western passport as well as the Thai passport. Then again, as we know, the laws are biased in favour of thai men married to foreign women, at the expense of thai women married to foreign men. So there's nothing stopping them from one day saying Thai women can't have dual nationality.

For years Britain refused to recognise children born abroad to a british mother and foreign father as 'british citizens'. However children born abroad to british men married to foreign women were recognised. Apparently the sentiment at the time (end of WW2) was that women would leave the UK by the tens of thousands to US, Canada, Aus, NZ, SA...and their kids might come back one day more affluent - and so 'foreign'! Anyway, they ended the discrimination in the 1970's (interestingly - and tellingly - they didn't make it retroactive! I guess by then the foreign-born 'baby boom danger' had passed!)

Well, I'm with Mrbiggus on this one..(and no, I'm not a registered immigration advisor either)

But it seems that the whole idea of sponsorship is that YOU have undertaken to be responsible for her, her actions, her health, her shelter - even if the marriage breaks down. The's the whole idea of the sponsrship/undertaking - so that the State doesn't get stuck with another immigrant on benefits. Isn't that the case and the motivation?

In other words the onus isn't on her - it's on YOU - for the remainder of the two years.

Perhaps I'm wrong...but look, it could be worse, in Canada they stick you for seven years (though i heard they've relaxed the number of years a bit). If she walks out, goes on the game, robs a bank, whatever - the sponsoring spouse is on the hook for all the costs - and the government will sue him and garnishee his wages til it's all paid back. Pretty sobering, no?

A post containing partisan political statements and all its follow-ups have been deleted. This is the only warning there'll be. Any more partisan political posts in this or the other Santika thread will be deleted and the poster will be suspended.

Thanks - I am not questioning the Moderation, but I'd like to ask the reason for this, as I am not clear. I am not even sure if any of my posts were deleted.

You would help us all to understand the reasoning behind this. When you say 'political statements' - does that mean no statements about police or corruption? Clarification of your indicators of 'poltical statements' would be appreciated. thanks again in advance. I do recall someting about Thakisn going into villages vs Abhisit going to the fire site.....is that what you mean?

Three (wise) monkeys:

Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil

..the word "WISE" is dubious...

LaoPo

Yes, well one of the things I don't understand is that - even though I am NOT Buddhist, I seem to understand and try to live by some of the Lord Buddha's reasonings and offers of instructions very more so than so many Thai Hi-So's.

Strange, isn't it?

^ See? Here it comes - blame the farang. One of 31 shareholders.

Okay, well come on now, Plus. Are you saying that the 'hallowed halls' don't jump to the master of the day? The master of TODAY? Or yesterday or whenever?

If this were true, surely he would not have been found guilty of anything, when his nominee-government was in power ?

The decision to leave, via China & the Olympics, was made after Thaksin had discovered that he wasn't as imune or untouchable, as he had thought he was.

Question is, why did the court allow him to leave after they (the court) hand him a 2 yr jail sentence.

Maybe it is just me; but this does not sound right.

Why oh why?

Why didn't the "coup" leaders freeze Thaksin's assets as a matter of priority? Are you aware that took several weeks? If you are a general pooyai with absolute authority - no consitution, civil rights thrown out - wouldn't you seize his assets IMMEDIATELY? Meantime he bought an English football club. Remember, one of the reasons for the coup was that Thaksin was 'corrupt' and allegedly looting the country. Pretty good reason to take action, no? And hey - I'm no Michael Moore..

Why oh why..

Why didn't the court seize both of Thaksin's passports (Official and National)?

Why didn't they ban the Democrats on similar vote-rigging charges?

Why was Chalerm's son found not guilty of killing a policeman, even with eye witness testimony?

Why hasn't the son of a hi-so thai-chinese businessman gone to prison for deliberately running down and killing/injuring passengers at a bus stop becuase he had a dispute with a bus driver?

Why has it taken three days for the police to 'locate' the main suspect (Thai bar owner) in the New Year tragedy?

Why is Democratic Governor Apirak out on bail despite charges of corruption over the purchase of emergency vehicles when others get immediate long-sentences for minor crimes?

Why did they (courts) 'negotiate' with the PAD leaders to reduce the charges of insurrection, allow them to walk free, and then defy their own court order that they not take to the stage again?

Why are none of the PAD leaders in jail awaiting trial?

Why are none of the PAD leaders even facing a trial date?

I could go on - but is there any point?

And how many previous pretenders have made the effort to visit a disaster scene as he did

How many Thai PM's spent a night, almost every week, living in a regular person's home upcountry (on a bed or mat)? Thongs (flip-flops), a towel around the waist, and a tooth brush/paste inhand for the walk to the WC (bathroom) before early to bed?

And I DON'T LIKE THE GUY! So there.

So, you are a Thai?

She has avoided that question a number of times.

beginning with...

I've been called troll since I had a few posts.

Because you like to call people trolls if they are new on this board - as you called me - was this your question to her/him? Did you leave that out? Perhaps these are more editing mistakes?? I assume you are not a news editor..just a 'newsie' as an editor would follow the two-source rule - and would refrain from silly comments one normally associates with The Nation (on a daily basis) under the disguise of 'news'.

So we have established that the majority of the peopleis not aligned with neither Thaksin/UDD/PPP/et al or Democrats/PAD/whatever.

So do tell us, LaoPo, who are they aligned with?

Maybe they would like to choose 'free will' TAWP - I would have thought you would agree with that - just out of curiosity TAWP do you agree with brainwasing masses in order for them to accept 'their lot in life' and the poo-yai and poo-lek/noi system of patronage?

Are those libertarian values? Just doesn't seem to add up to me. ??

So the 'hallowed halls' jump to the master of the day, ... ?

You think they don't? You're smarter than that - you must be.

By the way, I agree with you that Thaksin manipulated all institutions for his own gain. I'm just saying to you and all the other Thaksin-haters out there - that this isn't about Thaksin - this is about the right-wing putting a bullet in the head of populism because it threatens them. If you can't see that, then this is just a waste of my time I guess.

I'm always so suprised when a new users, in high speed one might add, pushes out lines as previously stated be a recent banned user...

Who would that be Ayn?

As Pasuk Pongpaichit & Chris Baker succinctly put it, in their article in 'Economic & Political Weekly', "Thaksin is an unlikely and unfortunate figure to become the heroic defender of democracy since he does not believe in it, he has manipulated it to make billions, and he overrode liberal democratic principles during his time in power".

The substantive point is true, but the fate of the 'unlikely' figure and his allies may still illustrate the undermining of democracy. If you can find a serious commentator in a Western university who believes that Thailand is currently operating under democratic principles, I would be most surprised.

I agree with citizen33 comments. And Ricardo, suspend your disbelief, and don't pull little snippets of Pasuk & Bakers' comments out of context. In their seminal book about the politics of business in thailand, they came as close as they could - without breaching thai law - about how Thakin was out to break down the old corrupt bureaucracy families - but in the end he didn't because he found them useful and becuase they rebelled.

Now ask yourself this - what kind of trade union movement aligns itself with an ultra-right-wing movement like the PAD? Very, very weird...yet so 'thai'.

thai logic,forget it.

perhaps them 100 a day are from the same people and he doesnt realise how popular he is lol.

Why don't we translate your funny comment into Thai, send it out from your mobile to the other 64 million non-Thai-Chin people of Thailand with your number and then see the responses you get to that!! Ha..."lol"

So the 'hallowed halls' jump to the master of the day, ... ?

You think they don't? You're smarter than that - you must be.

By the way, I agree with you that Thaksin manipulated all institutions for his own gain. I'm just saying to you and all the other Thaksin-haters out there - that this isn't about Thaksin - this is about the right-wing putting a bullet in the head of populism because it threatens them. If you can't see that, then this is just a waste of my time I guess.

Anyone have the number?