horsewell

It's probable that the Tuk-Tuk driver was being petty and it is probable that the farang was being petty but it seems that the most petty people of all are some of the people on this forum. Endless amusement.

I live in Patong and have experienced aggressive Tuk Tuk drivers. They do charge extortionate prices for pathetically small trips. This is also not isolated... that is why the more expensive hotels now have their own tuk-tuks. I have had my own experiences, heard and read a lot. I have also seen some amazingly aggressive tourists, too. Against both Thai people, other tourists and expatriates.

You will never know what happened. It seems they both won a little to lose a lot. The end result is that Thailand and Phuket gets a slightly lower reputation.

I got a couple of cloth bags a year or so ago when Carrefour had them on special. Then they disappeared. Since then, every time I go, I use the cloth bags and am met with bewilderment with how to use the bags! They are easier to carry as you can load them up without the material cutting into the hands. I would say that the worst givers of plastic are the fruit and other street vendors. I use the plastic bags as rubbish bags, regardless of the size.

I may get some green cloth bags sent from Australia where I had 4 them. They are square with a slightly stiff plastic base. It was a lot better than Carrefour was selling.

Many times I don't think about or organise to take bags with me. It's a pain to carry a bag around with in the case I buy something!?! It looks like it isn't going to change much but people will end up complaining about the rising costs. It takes a lot of discipline to take the things, especially on a motorcycle, and then to take them inside the shop when you know that you will be making a problem at the checkout.

Squatting for 1 year without someone removing them... but they have to apply for the deeds before it's theirs. http://www.samuiforsale.com/

Atleast it almost seems that there is a salad in a Burger King burger. In Patong, Phuket we have 2 Burger Kings and 3 MacDonalds and 3 KFCs (all in walking distance from one another)... I remember about 4 years ago when the only KFC in Patong closed it's doors and they had a "Thai Thai" restaurant, which didn't last long.

When I can get a burger on the street made with real meat for 60B and Thai meal for about the same price, it's a rare day when I indulge in my childhood vice of the 200-300B fake meat burger! Most all you can eat BBQ and buffet places are about 200B / person.

Online lottery would mean credit cards... gabbling with money you don't have... some people will do that!

Also, Muaythai gambling and stock market last two or three digit twice daily lottery!?! Not to mention cock fighting... don't tell me those people only do that for sanook!?

I actually stay in Phuket and have noticed an increase in Police. The fact is that most people never know that they shuffle these laws up and down in importance and most of the time only the people that are here without correct documentation do. They are probably more worried about all the Burmese workers and their links than they would ever be worried about westerners.

If you are a westerner and you are caught. They will get you leaving via plane and you will pay the fine and not be able to come back for a long long time. Maybe someone will forget and you can come spend your money soon enough.

They probably have had the laws in place for ages but not enacted them. Now they have to bring them out because after the events of Pattaya they can't have another embarasment. Then, soon after this is all over, all the laws will be forgotten and the 1Billion Baht worth of secruity equipment etc... will all be forgotten until the next time, or part there of.

If I cared, it would make me wonder, what many of you say, about your status...

I can't believe how cynical some people are!?! It's good to move in this direction but the culture, as it is, will be very difficult to change. I believe if Police wanted more "tea money" then they will be able to do something else...

If you have ever had to cross the road in China you would know that most of the time you have to wait for enough people, pick your moment and go go go! I am sure in many parts of Asia and possibly around the world.

It's good that they will be enforcing this, even if it's going to be blitzed and forgotten until the next blitz. Hopefully, the culture will change over time.

Shame that their love had to finish this way.

I would say it's not confined to Thailand. If people escapism it's OK with me... I will just get on with my life. I have 72 channels and the TV is usually off. When it's on, most of the time in the background.

They went trekking without a map? with a GPS? without a guide? were they drunk? I don't get on my scooter and go to a new beach in Phuket, on roads, without my GPS!

At least they took a phone, it would have been a shame if they are out of range.

The scary thing is I used to have a girl friend that would do tests like that on me. Without doing anything wrong, I would fail every time. he he... now she is long gone!

The Mr. Mitchell intervened and then became the victim himself... it's difficult because it's both noble and stupid. I would think you would get the heck out of there as soon as possible after making "them" look weak!

You know it's only the people near the bottom of the "pile" that get sent to prison. The poor people probably need help more than punishment. It's probably not the drug dealing that makes them so nasty...

I understand that drug use is an issue but it's only because these people commit other crimes when they run out of money to get the drugs.

Why not send them some nice island to dry out and teach them how to meditate. At least that way they would probably be more compassionate about who they rob then they get back to the real world.

I live in Phuket and on only the other day see a man fall of his scooter because he was going too fast on a road that had a few bumps in it. Myself and a few others stopped to pick up his bike, that was loosing fuel, he left in the middle of the road while he walked off cursing. He was bleeding but just got back on the bike and sped away. I understand that there is a devil may care attitue for many of the people here. I too enjoy the freedom that Thailand allows compared to my home country. However, there maybe serious consequences.

I agree with Westerner, it's lucky they didn't take anyone else with them.

They lived and worked in Thailand but didn't know about Thai law... I wonder what would have happened if it was the Aussie government looking after them? Seems a lot more important than a stupid bar towel "mat". How much US help did they get? You can't help think that they were "scammed" because they could afford it. It's hard to think that the owner of the house would go to all that trouble, if it wasn't a sure bet.