spidermike007

The dinosaurs running the show just don't understand how totally pissed off ordinary folks are with the antics of these hiso creeps. BTW, where is Mr Boss Red Bull? Didn't he have one final, absolutely last chance to turn himself in before they would nab him? He is probably out boozing every night with his creepy mates, laughing their <deleted> off.

You are probably very correct. The elites behave in a rather deplorable manner. And calling them dinosaurs is about as accurate a description as you could give these cretons. They just do not seem to understand that the rest of the world is maturing, developing, progressing, and moving forward. While their country languishes on so many levels, due to their influence and power.

Mr. Red Bull will never have to atone for his sins. His family is so far above the law, it is hard to describe it in words. Anyone with at least 300 million baht here is above the law. For actual billionaires, the law does not even exist. And since the "law" is nothing more than a broken judiciary, not much to be worried about, for these folks.

Someday, their hold on Thai society will diminish, and there is a possibility the country can move forward, and join the world community, in marching toward progress. For now, they continue to be the most destructive force in the land.

There is nothing wrong with having dietary preferences. I ask for mai sai pan chulott all the time. They almost always get it (seems to be pronounced many different ways), and it is no big deal. I feel better without it. Many studies have come to the conclusion it is harmful. Some of us are more picky about the foods we put into our bodies, than others. Personally, I do not taste any difference, so why eat it? It is just more salt in the food, which I do not need anyway.

Why get down on a guy because he has food preferences? Who's life is it anyway? Eat as you please. I am not going to offer you any advice, nor criticize your actions.

Besides, what the FDA says has little to no relevance to my life. They are a lying, cheating governmental organization that will say or do anything if enough money or influence is at stake. I do not trust them one iota.

This is impossible. The economists keep telling us there is little to no inflation. How could prices continue going up, when the pundits are protesting to the contrary?

And besides, the little guy is doing such a great job with the economy, why would prices be rising? How can this be allowed to happen?

Hun Sen is one of the great crime lords of SE Asia. He is a thug, a thief, a hooligan, and a despot.

Aren't these programs, low rates and opportunities exactly what led to the last housing bubble?

Ultra-low mortgage rates have enabled Jim Phillips, 51, to capitalize on the influx, buying condos and renting them at a profit.

"With more and more younger people moving into the city, it's creating an opportunity for me," Phillips said. "So far, I have two condos. My goal is to buy, basically, one a year."

It reminds me of the scene from 'The Big Short' where the guy asks the stripper - 'How many homes do you own? The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the very same types of risky loans that got the US into the 2008 mess (Adjustable-rate Mortgages Make a Comeback') are rising in popularity again. The market is just duplicating the same mistakes, the programs to get poor people to own homes are still in place, giving out mortgages not based on credit worthiness, very low interest rates - it's very easy to pay mortgages now, but when interest rates rise to just normal rates, people are going to find themselves underwater overnight, as evidenced in 2008.

Correct. If anything the banks are far larger now, than before the crash. The next crash may be stunning, in it's depth and scope. The real estate market in the US is so overheated, at the moment, and the prices of small homes is staggering. The banks are getting more liberal, and the products they are offering are as high risk as ever. And nobody is reigning them in. Certainly not Obama. And certainly not Clinton, should she be elected. As for Trump, I do not even think he knows. He is just making it up as he goes along.

And yes, while it may becoming a renter nation, thousands are being forced into homelessness every month, due to the high rents. In areas like the west side of Los Angeles, 2 bedroom apartments are renting for $3,000 a month. Small 2 bedroom homes or $3,500 or more. And that is not a prime area like Santa Monica. We are talking West Los Angeles, Culver City, Mar Vista, etc.

I was very surprised to find the water turned on when I arrived. It may have cost the gas station upwards of 100 baht for all of the water you used. I somehow felt an appropriate response was to pull a gun on you, and threaten your life, for wasting all of that water. Don't forget, this is an El Nino year, and much of the country is facing a drought. So, in the future you must be more careful with the water. Oh, sorry I forgot. You have no future. I killed you. Woops. Guess that means I am in trouble. When I fled, I was sure they could not find me. I am much smarter than anyone else. Oh, you mean shooting that man was not a smart thing to do? Guess I am not as smart as I think I am.

Only really big, brave men, carry weapons like the sword this samurai brandished on the highway. Wow. I am impressed. What a man! What courage under fire. What a demonstration of masculinity. His mother must be very proud of the elegant man she raised.

Can anyone explain the difference between ISIL and ISIS ?

I assume they are referring to the same organization.

If so, why the confusion with the names?

Yes, ISIS is the Independent scumbags into scare tactics, and ISIL is the irrational scum intentionally sucking life blood. And what about DAESH? Derelectic absolutely egomaniacal scum heathens.

Absolutely inaccurate rubbish. They are making this stuff up, as they go along. Here is a direct quote from the Tourism Authority of Thailand:

The average hotel occupancy in PKK province, mainly contributed by Hua Hin was 55-65% in the first four months of this year, compared to 67-70% in the same period the year before. The number of trips fell 21% to 1.55 million, and tourism revenue dropped 19% to 8.92 billion baht, in the first four months of 2016. Revenue from international tourists declined 13% to 3.39 billion baht, while revenue from domestic travel went down 22% to 5.57 billion baht. Granted that is only one province, but one that attracts both Thai and foreign tourists.

Tourism is down. No matter how you look at it, the industry is down. Try as hard as you will to put a pretty face on the situation, it does not help the hoteliers, the restauranteurs, the owners of shops, cafes, coffee shops, massage shops, spas, etc.

Not only is the country falling in the World Bank rankings, but Thailand is moving precipitously toward the #6 spot within ASEAN, behind the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Burma. They could all be labeled progressive in their policies, compared to the antiquated, and highly protectionist policies of Thailand. There are very, very few areas where Thailand is moving forward, with this clumsy administration, and it's extreme lack of talent and brains. The only area where Thailand is not falling behind on the rankings, is the per capita number of deaths on the road. They firmly hold their #2 ranking, behind only Libya. Congrats.

All of those above mentioned nations are making strides toward opening up their economies, attracting foreign investment, improving public and traffic safety, and building good infrastructure and making themselves more appealing to foreigners, and foreign investors. Granted, some more than others. But, the degree to which Thailand is lagging behind it's neighbors is starting to become a but shocking. Are there any progressive minds in government here?

If I am eating in a simple place, and the bill is around 100-300 baht, I will typically leave 20 baht or so. I get more gratitude from the staff here, for a 20 baht tip, than I do for a $20 tip back in the US! And yes, I hand it to them directly.

As far as the service charge goes, I will usually ask the staff is they receive all of the 10%. Often they will say no. I will then give them the 20 baht, or so. They are grateful, as they are working for callous, greedy, ungrateful, boorish owners, who are completely lacking in perspective, and are leading lives of desolation, worshiping at the alter of the cash God, and taking advantage of everyone that comes in their path. Much like corn hair donald. LOL.

Most of the wait staff in Thai restaurants do not make much money. And they are quite grateful for the tips we give them. Most Thai people will not tip. A lot of Europeans will not tip. So, some of us have to make up for them. Anyway, the 20 baht does not mean much to us, and if I have received good service, why not?

"So, some of us have to make up for them."

Why so?

I agree about business operators who charge for service and then still deliberately underpay their staff to put it off on the customer though. Neither honest nor "customer-friendly" IMO, and I both talk-down and don't go back to those places.

Because it is the right thing to do. Because they provide us good service, and we have enough money to pay a tip of under $1. What on earth is wrong with that? Is it really going to affect your budget? Why avoid paying a small tip, just because most Thais are too cheap, or inconsiderate, to do so? Granted, we are living in a foreign land. But, why move to another part of the world, and then allow ourselves to pick up all of the bad habits of the locals? Nobody likes a Cheap Charlie. It is not an attractive, nor an appealing trait. Open up your wallet. Be kind. Share something.

The "right thing to do" according to whom? You? And you didn't answer the question with your Pollyanna moralizing. My question was: why am I responsible for "making up for" the bad habits of somebody else?

You know, it's kind o' funny. If someone doesn't wai when some other foreigner thinks he ought, or doesn't particularly enjoy the false smiles, or being scammed, or aggressive ladyboys, or soi dogs, or perhaps a rude neighbor or in-law, then he's accused of not respecting the local "culture". But if he follows the local practice WRT something ELSE like "tipping", THEN he's a "cheap Charlie". Well screw that. Being obsessed with what some other visitor to the country - who likely knows no more than you do - is going to think is strictly for the soft-headed. Fact is, tipping is NOT part of the local culture; it's something the locals have picked up on and developed an annoying sense of entitlement to, mostly from Americans, now try to shame naive tourists with, and the inevitable do-gooder comes along to try & pile on with some silly moralizing. And then to suggest that there's some moral duty to actually compensate for everyone else's failures, as YOU in YOUR infinite wisdom see them, is just ludicrous. Really. It's laughable. And finally, playing that game only encourages business operators to underpay their staff. So congratulations; you're part of the problem. (Maybe you're actually one of these business operators yourself; just shilling here to get patrons to do what you yourself are too cheap to be doing...) Anyway, well done.

If you wanna' tip, then by all means tip. 'Up to you, as it ought to be. But it's got absolutely nothing to do with what anyone else is doing or not doing. And if you're going to do it, then don't come whining to me about Thai culture.

As it was famously once uttered "a powerful mind can come up with at least one hundred ways to justify any position". Continue your spendthrift ways. It is ok by me. It only hurts you, by keeping your heart closed, and maintaining your grinch like qualities.

She is very cute. No doubt she is not with him for his good looks. Or his dashing youthfulness. Hopefully, she only has control of a smaller portion of his assets. That would be the smart move.

Many a kingdom has been lost over a lesser woman than that. But, it does take a big man to settle down with a former porn star. Any links to any of her films?

Yes, he did it with a straight face. This is the man that is positively ensuring education DOES NOT improve. This is the man who has come up with not a single good idea, on how to bring about the much needed changes to an educational system that remains one of the worst in the world. The elite do not want the educational system to improve. Who does he work for? There, you have you answer.

This is a demonstration of a strange, bizarre, and very foreign concept known around the world as "environmental awareness, and pride in the land". Not known here. Yet. It will happen. In another 10, 20 or 50 years. It may be too late, at that point, to save the land and the sea. But, it will happen eventually.

It is known as the maturation of a society, and the development of progressive ideas and thought.

Why the locals do not engage in this, in unknown to many of us, especially where there is tourism at stake. When I lived on Samui, some of the local hotels would send out crews to clean up the beaches. But, the local government refused to spend one baht on it, despite collection billions of baht from these hotels and establishments. I calculated once, that for only 75,000 baht per month, they could have put together a three or four man crew, who would work their way around the island, cleaning up beach after beach. But, did they do it? No. Why? No pride, no concept of environmental awareness, and staggering indifference combined with a stunning degree of ignorance.

Let's get the top notch detective squad into gear. Call in the talent. Since most of them have been trained by experts from Scottish Yard, and the FBI, are well paid, have state of the art equipment, were the top in their class, and are very motivated by pride and the satisfaction that comes from a job well done, they should be able to solve this crime quickly, and to the satisfaction of all parties.

Oh wait a minute. I forgot I was on Planet Thailandia!

This act by a muslin group may very well have secured Donald Trump the Presidency.

Soon Eu Russia England China and USA are going to Kill more than the Germans and Japanese dies in the 2nd World War

These Muslims even have declared war on Liberal Gays who through the will be overlook

ISIS and all Muslims Groups better stop this War at once

As Many of them shall Died

It is very possible the beginning of the 4th crusade is upon us. Every person in the west, vs. every man, woman and child of the Muslim persuasion. Anger is building. I do not want to see this happen, but the Islamic community needs to start making their voices heard, in a loud, and powerful manner, or else terrible things are going to start happening to them. A lot of my moderate minded friends are calling for this to happen, right now. Kind people, without one iota of racism.

It actually sounds like a good idea. Most countries that have tried it, have had success. In Portugal they legalized all drugs. If you are caught with an ounce of heroin in your pocket, the police let you go. And you know what happened? The rates of drug abuse dropped. There were no more people being put into prison for drug offenses, so the prison budget dropped too.

I believe all drugs should be legalized. All drugs. You just take away all of the allure that comes with doing something illegal. In the US, a fortune is being spent on locking up people for smoking pot, and the "war on drugs" has failed miserably. How do you dismantle the Mexican and Colombian cartels overnight? Legalize drugs.

You gotta love the work permit part. What would that specific permit be called? Scammer license? Fleecing permit?

Why is it, that a percentage of the population refuses to work for a living? What is that? A sense of entitlement? What makes people think that stealing from others constitutes a livelihood, and is OK?

Remember the former minister of land and transport? He was found with over a billion baht in his living room. He said it was money from the pension fund, that he was safeguarding. Was he ever brought to trial? What ever happened? Did he spend a single day in prison?

This kind of stuff goes on every day here. The corruption is mind boggling. And is anything being done about it? The little man only seems to be interested in chasing very small fish. The protection of the rich, powerful, and elite continues.

The TAT is a bit like Corn Hair Don, in that they will say, or do anything, to make a point, or a claim. There is no ethics, no morality, no compunction to express anything even resembling the truth. Of course these numbers are made up. Or course they are a lie. Or course they cannot be believed. They are simply trying to invent a bright spot within a sagging economy. Sure, the Chinese numbers are up. But, we all know the Western numbers are way down. And you cannot count every visa run, every business trip, every Thai who hits the road, and every other factor, and still be expected to have a single shred of credibility, at the end of the day!

Not to sound offensive, or to make light of this situation, but I always thought the legal age of consent in Thailand, where it concerns Thai on Thai was 15 years old? I realize

it is 18, when it comes to selling one's body, but an argument could be made that this was about the same as taking a woman out to dinner in the US.

Sorry to be insensitive, but most girls of the age of 17 are very active sexually. So, if she wants to trade her body for a good grade, what is the harm here?

I realize the PC crew will jump all over me for even suggesting this. But, to me it appears to be some sort of witch hunt.

Witch hunt?

It's not that I an overly "PC" person but neither am I morally bankrupt. How on earth you cannot see the harm in a young girl sleeping with the teacher to get better grades is beyond me. It is so wrong I almost don't know where to start.

She should get her grades based upon how well she does in her exams, and this is a result of how hard she studies, nothing more, nothing less. School is about education and teaching children to prepare themselves for life. It is not a place for teachers to take advantage of the situation and pander to their own sexual urges. Having sex with the teacher to receive artificially inflated grades is disgusting on every level (I do hope you are not a teacher with this kind of attitude and thinking)

Well, from what I am told, the educational system here is quite broken. Most students cheat on test. Failure of a student is not allowed, as he or she would "lose face". So, are the students really learning much? It might be different in another country, where the kids were getting a good education. But, that is not the case here.

I repeat my claim, that there is little wrong with what this girl did, to improve her grades. I do see how the teachers behavior could offend. He is supposed to be held to a higher standard.

And no, I am not a teacher, nor have I ever been a teacher. If I was a teacher, I do believe I might offer these services, if I was single, and the woman was of legal age.

Corn hair will say or do anything to get elected, or get attention. It does not matter if it is true, or not. He just makes stuff up as he goes along. He has no compunction for truth, reality, morality, or ethics. There is no level that is too low, to which he will stoop. That is simply who he is. A worm is very comfortable crawling on the ground. He is a man that embodies the Woody Allen syndrome. He has everything he needs to be happy and content in life, and he wakes up every day and finds a way to be miserable. That is who this man child is. There is not even one molecule of dignity within this goon.

Mr. Barnum & Bailey.

Mr. Schuckster.

Mr. snake oil.

Corn hair Don.

I could go on and on all day long. He invites this kind of ridicule.

If I am eating in a simple place, and the bill is around 100-300 baht, I will typically leave 20 baht or so. I get more gratitude from the staff here, for a 20 baht tip, than I do for a $20 tip back in the US! And yes, I hand it to them directly.

As far as the service charge goes, I will usually ask the staff is they receive all of the 10%. Often they will say no. I will then give them the 20 baht, or so. They are grateful, as they are working for callous, greedy, ungrateful, boorish owners, who are completely lacking in perspective, and are leading lives of desolation, worshiping at the alter of the cash God, and taking advantage of everyone that comes in their path. Much like corn hair donald. LOL.

Most of the wait staff in Thai restaurants do not make much money. And they are quite grateful for the tips we give them. Most Thai people will not tip. A lot of Europeans will not tip. So, some of us have to make up for them. Anyway, the 20 baht does not mean much to us, and if I have received good service, why not?

"So, some of us have to make up for them."

Why so?

I agree about business operators who charge for service and then still deliberately underpay their staff to put it off on the customer though. Neither honest nor "customer-friendly" IMO, and I both talk-down and don't go back to those places.

Because it is the right thing to do. Because they provide us good service, and we have enough money to pay a tip of under $1. What on earth is wrong with that? Is it really going to affect your budget? Why avoid paying a small tip, just because most Thais are too cheap, or inconsiderate, to do so? Granted, we are living in a foreign land. But, why move to another part of the world, and then allow ourselves to pick up all of the bad habits of the locals? Nobody likes a Cheap Charlie. It is not an attractive, nor an appealing trait. Open up your wallet. Be kind. Share something.

I know of very few other countries where you could do this at all,they would look at you as if you had just stepped out of a lunatic asylum if you asked this in Aussie,or Uk.

On my numerous visits to Australia, I noticed loads of b.y.o. restaurants.

Restaurants sure. But a very large percentage of these will be wine only.

I worked in hospitality for 17 years metro and country and I'm still yet to see a pub, bar or club allow B.Y.O. I d go as far to say it would be against a majority of liquor licenses to allow this.

This is certainly not the case in the US. In the event of the restaurant not having a license, often you are allowed to bring your own beer or wine. And in the event of them having a full license, most allow you to bring your own wine, as long as it is a wine that is not on the wine list. Only a tiny percentage will not allow you to bring your own wine, at all.

The more conscious, and smarter amongst them, charge no corkage, or something reasonable like $5. The others change, $10, $15 or more. The ones that charge over $10 we will not patronize. I have alot of wine aficionado friends back in the US, and I myself am a minor wine collector, and we have strong preferences. We would rather bring an outstanding bottle of our own, and pay minor corkage, than drink inferior wine, at the same price or more.

The reality, that most good restaurants know, is that they would rather have a small percentage of their clientele, who bring their own wine, and spend alot of money on food, than turn away patrons like that. It is good business acumen.

Doesn't matter though, since the ill-concealed gun control agenda is actually the confiscation of ALL firearms from the law-abiding public, so they will then be helpless against the non-law abiding criminals.

Utter balderdash!! Nobody is demanding that all firearms be confiscated. But preventing firearms from ending up in the hands of the mentally ill, including perhaps the irrationally paranoid like yourself, is a noble goal of any society. Now how the US deals with its endemic mental illness problem is another conundrum entirely. But I was impressed with the data presented in the book "The Spirit Level" which correlated many of our social ills with income inequality. That is not an argument for some sort of socialist paradise where everyone gets the same income, only an argument for the reduction of inequality, the reduction of the Gini Index coefficient. But the gun control issue is used, as are many social issues, to distract from the primary issue of a national election which is the political economy.

Exactly, apologists, and gun freaks like hawker9000 will always defend the NRA (neanderthal retard anarchists) as an organization, when in reality they are public enemy number 1. They are single handedly responsible for thousands of deaths per year, through their inane support of any absolutely open gun market in the US. A reasonable policy that allows the average person to possess pistols, and a rifle for self protection or hunting is fine by me, and most people. But, the relatively easy availability of semi-automatic weapons, or weapons that can easily be converted or modified into far more powerful military grade weapons, is insanity, and in my opinion a recipe for anarchy, and the dissolution of society as we know it. It is beyond the pale. It is beyond unnecessary.

This whole argument is NOT about self defense, nor protection of the home and the family. It is about something far more sinister.