firestar

And of the 17.5 million tourists I want to know how many were "Sex Tourists"?

what do you care the reason for their visit?

What difference does it make, you're the moral police?

How many of that 10% were border runners?

You have a way too Thaivisa centric view of things if you think the number of border runs is anything but insignificant in the overall scheme of things.

These figures are from the beginning of the year, visa rules changed in August, secondly there's a huge drop from China and I don't think Chinese tourists are visa runners.

Despite all the red thug terrorist usual comments, there is only a couple pictures of two taxi drivers with sticks, respect my votes turned upside down. while dozens of pics of pdrc thugs not only armed but trained. As for the Red shirts started it that day, it wasn't what the BBC reported, nor would it have happened if the PDRC hadn't been BREAKING THE LAW by flaunting the state of emergency.

Soi 11 is worst than any place in BKK. I volunteer to be one of the UNDERCOVER FOREIGN OPERATIVES as I am sure every member of TVF would also. Let us help fix all the broken parts. We live here and could be of so much help.

You have the proper visa to do that work? The proper authorizations? If not you are not an "undercover foreign operative" simply breaking the law and a SNITCH.

14 years taking taxis in BKK only once did he not put the meter. sure around soi4, soi11 or late at night you'll have a cluster but I remember going out in London and mini cabs doing exactly the same.

The people crying out for "regulations" will be the same moaning they have to wait hours for a cab or pay x times more if all rules where followed.

Leave out the personal bits eh! Quote " he only answered Bla ++++, no he didn't he had to add Suthep in to the mixer---tell the real facts---did you nicely overlook that when answering for him.

And who He believes, fine I added who I believed who was responsible also --so why the jump in to help post ??

Highlight---was the actual situation that led to the downfall and the loss in trade-tourism etc.

English is also my second language, but sorry I have no idea what you're going on about

Calm yourself down a bit maybe, take deep breaths before posting it's only a discussion.

Any tourism data, finance figures, etc will hardly be available for the last 10 weeks. To me it suggests the last lot has to take responsibility for most of the data given

data is available through end of July

I agree with you, Suthep f-d up the tourism numbers up to May

Did I mention Suthep NO---you have him on the brain because the sad in some ways but a hero in others had the power to overthrow and highlight such a strong government with a mandate.--so to your mind everything was on the up until Suthep arrived-to highlight the amnesty to get Thaksin pardoned.-----this data is also available.

Your off-topics rants are barely comprehensible.

He only answered your post about data not being available, and who he believes is responsible for the bad numbers.

What are you going on about hero, mandate, highlight....??!??

The General PM is a stand-up guy who rolls his sleeves up. He obviously has known for many years what he doesn't like about Thailand and what his country has become. The past governments dilly-dally and it takes forever to make changes for the better. This General PM is the best thing that can happen for Thailand. If he doesn't attempt to make big changes, Thailand will just keep going down-hill.

Personally I am happy to know that there are people in Thailand that have a vision for the country and it's much different then what it has become over the years. Each day is exciting now! I look forward to reading the news to see the new changes. I say Congratulations to the newly elected PM. There are many that stand with you in making change for the better. There is much work ahead. Wish the best for you and hope that the improved changes are long lasting.

I applaud your optimism.

But Thailand has been ruled by generals and appointed PM's almost exclusively until 92, they were back in power in 06, wrote the current constitution in 07. etc. no real change here.

The good general in the draft budget has just sharply increased defense spending by 5%, significantly higher than any other type of spending. just like all the other generals that preceded him. Didn't make the news too much want to keep that on the down low. Increased military spending, nationalism, latent anti-westener... I don't see how it is anything different today than it has been for the past decades.

elected the wrong word

"Prayut, who ousted an elected government in a bloodless coup on May 22, was backed by 191 members of the 197-strong assembly, with three abstentions and three voters absent. No assembly member opposed the selection of the army chief, who was the sole candidate for the post."

THREE people are in trouble now. Better pack for the camp stay.

How many people in the PTP opposed Yingluck?

I think you'll find "in the PTP" are the keywords here.

An individual party will most often speak, at least publicly, with one voice. NOT a National Assembly composed of the representatives of the nation.

The BBC has a decent summary of the situation, I'm sure other news sites have, or will have, as well. Better read them quick before they are blocked.

This won't be popular.

Don't see a Hard Talk interview coming up anytime soon.

You think Thai Happiness you farang you no understand won't cut it on Hard Talk?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-28876154

I see that Jonathan 'Dick' Head gets it wrong again in his BBC article. He says 197 representatives - there are only 191, which is what every other article says. .

One day that man will write something half-accurate and not his biased opinion.

He got it right.

197 representatives, 191 votes in favour. president and the two vice-presidents abstained, three members did not vote.

One day instead of insulting Jonathan Head you will stop projecting your own bias onto him.

I´m beginning to understand what " Democracy Thai style" means. I hope nobody asks him difficult questions as PM as he does not like that .

Well here's pretty much the gist of every reply you'll ever hear : "You farang, You no understand"

The BBC has a decent summary of the situation, I'm sure other news sites have, or will have, as well. Better read them quick before they are blocked.

The general is not going to like that article one bit

"The vote... was the kind of rushed acclamation favoured by dictatorships and communist parties of old. In just 15 minutes, 191 out of 194..."

However he was elected have no doubt that when we look back will say he was the most effective Prime Minister for positive change in Thailand ever. From the many Thais I have spoken to, if there was an election tomorrow and he stood as a candidate would win hands down, unless of course Thaksin managed to buy enough votes to defeat him. No doubt if this happened that the "democracies" in the West would applaud it as democracy in action. Wake up America and Europe, Thailand has not had a real democracy for years and the NCPO is trying to create a situation where it will be possible in the future.

The only economic decisions, taken on his behalf by his economic czar Prajin Juntong, have been to basically extend Yingluck's tax cuts and promise to re-launch some of her government's infrastructure plans and little else. The economy barely avoided technical recession. tourist numbers, despite misleading headlines, are down. The most effective PM it will take more than a couple beach clean ups.

As for creating a situation where real democracy will be possible in the future, everybody hopes so, but when you look at the interim constitution voted in July and the plans for the permanent one, it doesn't look like it's going that way at all.

Will the good general now that he is a politician declare his assets? And criticizing the coup or junta was severely frowned upon, now that he is a PM surely the press is allowed to report economic data and other issues as they wish, no?

Another porky pie quote " I didn't praise the PTP" get out of it mate -pull the other one this post is just full of propaganda.

Do you not realize we all have to compare with the last government for our guidance. Your a bitter man, full of doom and gloom so you fit with the minority clan on TVF.

Hardly. Not even crazy monk Buddha Issara believes it's a good idea for the general to become PM.

Yes it does seem as if you missed the point dear fellow

I don't think he did.

And are you seriously comparing the process of choosing a party list frontrunner with the election a countries PM?!?

Am I the only one who is bored to death of this subject, and the so called getting tough on Jet Ski scammers.

I never hired one, and don't understand the 'go for it whilst on holiday' attitude of hiring a powerful machine, and with areas of innocent swimmers who could be injured, because of lack of control. It's a direct similarity to a moped driver being put into a Jag XK8, and putting one's foot down in sports' mode.

The subject bores me - as nothing real ever gets done about it on a legal sense. However, it is the visitors'/travellers' responsibility to decide what is of their interest. There's always morons who want to <deleted?k about beaches to impress. How many Grandpas/Grandads does one see hire a Jet-Ski?

For a subject that bores you, you do seem to spend an awful lot of time on it. In fact you spend more time on it than you allow them to do it. You give them one hour and a half and start whining on it. As UI have said previously you probably never got up to take a leek in that time much less go and see if the announcement had made any changes.

I know for some like you in can be complicated but some things' take time There is no magic it takes planning and time to put it into action.

Now go back to your whining. Thaksin is not coming back on a big white horse to save Thailand from honesty. Live with it or move to Dubai and get closer to him there.

Have you bothered reading the article?

Issuing operators with a "Merry Elephant logo" might take time, it's also absolutely useless. If the talk was of an outright jet ski ban on Phuket beaches it would be a different debate.

Also, congrats on managing (once again) to bring Thaksin / Dubai into it. your obsession is unparalleled. So before accusing anyone of political slant how about you keep your own absolute political partisanship and unbridled junta cheer leading that taints you every post under control and let others discuss what they think should or shouldn't be done regarding jet skis without making it another Thaksin/Coup thread?

It could be that the NCPO feels that the Chinese and Taiwanese tourists contribute more money to the economy which would find it's way easier to the govt's coffers by means of corporate tax as opposed to barfines and ST / LT expenses which are undeclared for the most part.

Or that the Chinese keep their mouths shut and don't put all these crazy ideas in peoples head.. 

Is that not what going to happen on the 16th. this is silly talk now. just wait we all will find out I have nothing more to add or say. if you not a tourist seek a different visa if you an <deleted> that abuses Thailand good riddance.

Something is going to happen on the 16th? see what I mean about communication

There doesn't appear to be solid set of rules for what's going on.

There isn't, yet. Everyone is waiting for more info to come out.

Its about time people realized In this forums that everything is grossly wrong. And a lot of crap and very fabricated.

I was fortunate to speak to an Immigration officer in ChangMai. And he was able to shed some light on the new rules.

And what he told me was so so different to what everyone is saying.

Not going Into any details but In nut shell. its really targeting back To back 30 days.

Correct use of multiple or tipple tourist visa will be honored, if this is not abused.

He also said the rules can and could change before 12th august and that they get pretty pissed of with people writing fabrication of what is not so bad if you follow the correct procedures.

Interesting post.

But if they are getting pissed at what people are writing maybe a good idea would be to shed some light on the correct procedures?