spidermike007

Abhisit is absolutely correct to call this a whitewash. Those supporting the fugitive are engaging in the rehabilitation of his reputation. The fact is, that Thailand has been guilty of not bringing him to justice, out of fear. They should have had him extradited within months of the time the coward fled the country, and brought him to swift justice. He used a law that he passed for his own benefit, to avoid paying $400,000,000 (US dollars!), in taxes. He is a scoundrel. Why the people thing for a nanosecond that he gives a rat's ass about them, if beyond me. If he was so concerned about his country, think of what they could have done with that tax bill. Had he paid it, he might have still been in power. He is a criminal, and he wants to come back to rule Thailand again. Yingluck is as much of an empty shirt as Palin is. She is the Sarah Palin of Thailand. Though Abhisit has not done nearly as much as he could have, he is a competent leader. Yingluck would be laughed out of the room, if she were meeting with a group of foreign diplomats. Besides her brother, and a tiny bit of good looks, what else does she have to offer? Very, very little, I am afraid.

All this can be called, is weak, fearful, superstitious, soft, lacking in courage, and non-visionary to the extreme degree. Just another example of a country that continues to take steps backwards. I understand enforcing work permits. But, do these tiny minded "men" who are enforcing these rules stop to think of how little money is involved. I could understand it is a famous star comes here and plays an arena, without the requisite permits. But, we are talking about guys who play for fun, and for passion. It is doing nothing but enhancing the super anemic local cultural scene. Is this yet another example of xenophobia manifesting itself? There are incredibly small men, who are out there enforcing these arcane, silly, protectionist laws (more appropriately called women, though I would not want to put women down in this fashion). These tiny people are lacking heart, lacking guts, lacking wisdom, and generally lacking in most areas of life. If they had a real life, they would not be denying peoples these simple pleasures. So, I say to these tiny men, get a life! Leave the creative souls alone, and start contributing something real and tangible to Thai society.

You're accussing others of prejudice ?

So what do these non-working farangs contribute to Thai society ?

Pot,kettle, black.

Sorry to criticize. I now realize that in your rose colored world, one must always praise, and there is no room for positive criticism. So sorry to have offended your delicate constitution.

the government of thailand had better get a grip and wise up, foreighners have poured money into this country for years and still do, if this kind of behaviour against us continues we will find cambodia a more suitable place as do a lot of people and ex pats allready, these laws are just a slap on the face for us foreigners and it makes me think that thai people dont really want us here, or do not really even like us , they have stopped foreigners getting religious tattoo,s allready which is maybe fair enough but why not stop thai people getting religious tattoo,s ? double pricing against foreigners ? i could go on and on

Well definitely not Cambodia. With Hun Sen being one of the most heinous and corrupt men on earth, it is best to avoid his cesspool. But, you are right in that there are alot of other options in the region. Many of the other governments in the region are wising up. Thailand continues to go BACKWARDS. There is such a phenomenal lack of wisdom on the part of the Thai government. There is such a lack of talent, intelligence, vision, foresight, and prudence on the part of these guys. There is a saying amongst foreign women, who are married to Thai men, and that is that many Thai men never mature past the age of 13. That is certainly true with many members of the Thai government. They never seem to make the right decisions, for the right reasons. If they make one right decision, it is for the wrong reason!

All this can be called, is weak, fearful, superstitious, soft, lacking in courage, and non-visionary to the extreme degree. Just another example of a country that continues to take steps backwards. I understand enforcing work permits. But, do these tiny minded "men" who are enforcing these rules stop to think of how little money is involved. I could understand it is a famous star comes here and plays an arena, without the requisite permits. But, we are talking about guys who play for fun, and for passion. It is doing nothing but enhancing the super anemic local cultural scene. Is this yet another example of xenophobia manifesting itself? There are incredibly small men, who are out there enforcing these arcane, silly, protectionist laws (more appropriately called women, though I would not want to put women down in this fashion). These tiny people are lacking heart, lacking guts, lacking wisdom, and generally lacking in most areas of life. If they had a real life, they would not be denying peoples these simple pleasures. So, I say to these tiny men, get a life! Leave the creative souls alone, and start contributing something real and tangible to Thai society.

OK, let's see here. Somebody with ZERO political experience bills herself as the person to inspire confidence in the government, the economy, and the country as a whole. How exactly does that work? The sister of the most devisive figure in Thai political history is going to bring unity to the country. Does any rational person think that Thaksin wants anything other than power, and the increased fortune that comes with that power. Does any rational person think that he has a noble bone in his body, and that he gives a dam_n about the average Thai person? OK, I admit, Abhisit has taken a once in a lifetime opportunity, and basically squandered it away. But, to elect Yingluck, is akin to electing Sarah Palin. She is the Palin of Thailand. Perhaps a few more IQ points, but not a whole lot more sense, or integrity.

Why would anyone want to visit, let alone live, in a corrupt cesspool like Thailand ? Admit it guys, you are all there primarily for the culture.....bwaaahaaaahaaa.

Yes, I spent 12 months over a 3 year period living it up. But trust me guys, if you get back to civilization and get a REAL girlfriend your self-respect CAN be revived.

Agreed 100%.. it took me a while to realise i was fooling myself thinking Thailand was or could become my home (after 12 years... )

Face it people, you need a real civilized world but you are afraid to face the cost !

Another couple of people who have left Thailand miles behind them in the past. Oh except for checking ThaiVisa daily that is. Other than that, they've moved completely on.

Yes, you're right. Everybody in Phuket would love to leave but they just can't face the cost. There's no wealthy people on Phuket at all. The hundreds of multi million pound houses and million pound yachts in the marinas are all figments of my imagination.

Do you not realise how tragic you sound, coming on a Phuket forum to tell everybody that you left Thailand years ago and would never go back, and it's all Phuket and Thailands fault. Nothing to do with the fact that it just wasn't right for you, and you just changed your mind? Grow up people for goodness sake.

Yes, my heart goes out to those two. I am guessing it will be hard for them to find happiness anywhere. For some of us, Thailand is delightful. I adore many Thai people. Yes, I have issues, but that is the case anywhere. In America, where I spend alot of time, the culture, and society are nearly completely broken down. People are extremely unfulfilled, and have no idea how to remedy that. For those of us who have found a level of contentment, please do not begrudge us. Be happy for us.

As usualy all news about Russians are getting filled with anti-russian xenophobic posts. All the kinds of stories are invented about brutal Russian mafia operating now in Thailand, Russians with German pasports and so on. Well, I am Russian and I will give you an insight on this which is closer to reality than some of those over exaggerated stories. Just a note: I am not a bar owner and do not own any businesses in Thailand at all. And I do not reside in Thailand currently. But I had lived in Thailand for over 6 months in Pattaya and several times visited Phuket. So I got to know some of the Russian business owners and know the story on the inside.

So here is the situation itself. As you all know the number of tourists from Russia to Thailand is growing every year and now is considerable part of the market. The majority of these tourists come from Siberia and the Russian Far East. These are people employed in the oil extracting, gold mining, wood cutting, heavy metal industries. They are not very educated bunch (and the level of English teaching is very low in Russia in general). They do not behave very well. But they earn very good money there. They spend a lot. They spend more than you. And for Thais it is "money number one". And you know it. You can compare them to some average worker from an industrial zone in the USA. Now think about this average guy and ask yourself how many languages this guy knows, and his manners. The only difference is that this guy probably doesn't go to Thailand because there are tons of places with warm climate in th USA. And travelling is likely beyond him in general.

The fact is that these Russian guys do not come to Thailand because it is Thailand. They come to the sea and the sun and to have great time in the warm climate. Thailand is the best option for them: no visa requirements, developed infrastructure, cheap, closer than Europe. So again: the majority doesn't come for sex, they do not come to see Thailand. They come to enjoy the warm climate, swim in the sea and eat tropical fruit.

Thailand and the Thai culture are really alien to them. They do not want to know anything about them, they do not like thai food, they do not understand menus in English, do not like Thai songs and so on. So they start seeking something familiar, the kind of entertainment and food they are used to at home. And here is where all the Russian bars and restaruants strive. If you pay attention to the Russian bars in Pattaya they do not have girls sitting there. They will have Russian food, a band singing Russian music, the waiters will speak Russian.

yes, I agree. Wonderful post. Thank you for that. Great insight. Had no idea.

These bars charge more because this is what you pay for a beer or for food in Russia. It is sort of a tax for the Russian environment in the bar. Do customers know about the prices? Certainly. Why they do not go to another bar? Because they do not freaking speak English, they do not want to listen to the English songs and they do not want to know people there. They want the waiters to speak Russian to them they want their Russian native stuff and they are willing to pay for it.

As a result very often you can see that a Russian styled bar is filled while a Thai owned bar next door is almost empty with bored girls hopelesly trying to lure customers. This fact makes Thai owners angry especially during the low season. They believe that the Russian owned bars compete unfairly and lure all the customers to themselves. They start filing complaints with the police, threatening, inventing stuff. I talked to a Russian bar owner in Pattaya and he told me that there was a constant pressure from Thais who wanted him to share customers. And I can assure you that this owner guy is not related to any mafia. He is just an ordinary guy from Moscow who decided to move to Thailand and start his business there.

This crackdown is similar to what Tuk Tuk drivers were doing in Phuket when they complained that the Russian and western mafia were providing taxi services and the Tuk Tuks were not getting any customers. They even blocked one of the cruise liners in ports so that the passengers could go ashore. Mafia my ass. These are just normal businesses who know what their customers want and give it to them. Can thais play Russian music, have menu in Russian and can their waiters speak Russian? Russians just want to get for their buck the fun they like and not be forced into a Thai bar.

You get the prize for one of the most lucid and intelligent posts I have read in TVF in years. Hopefully, some readers will understand what you have written.

Thank you for this well written and thought out contribution.

Yes, I agree. Wonderful post. Thank you for that. Great insight. Had no idea. I admire alot about Russia, and it's people.

I am told that the Russian mob is becoming more and more influential in Thailand. Some have told me they are edging out the local mobs in Pattaya and Phuket. This may be a form of government protectionism. Let's protect the local rackets. The Russian mobs are far more organized, and far more efficient. Of course the leaders are more intelligent too. More cunning. More calculating. Educated. Is one any worse than the other, for the average foreigner to deal with?

Lost his hand... ********uck!!!!

So they've gone up from guns to bombs. Brilliant.

...and that is happening in a peace loving, "smiling" Buddhist country.

A statement like that, is beyond simplistic. It is childish in it's naivety. Surely Thailand has less violent crime than most countries. We are all watching with concern, as there are more and more incidents like this one. It appears that the youth culture is alot less peaceful than their parents. Of course one could argue that this is a worldwide phenomenon. Drugs may be part of the problem. What does Buddhism have to do with it? Because a country is Buddhist, the people are supposed to be the embodiment of perfection? What kind of foolishness is this? Where does a statement like that come from? Do you hate Buddhists? I have found the vast majority of them to be delightful people. Do you hold Christians to the same standard? They are peace loving people. So they have some criminals, and some hooligans. Does that implicate the entire population? Please consider your words before defiling an entire people with silly chatter.

From what I hear the Russian mob has taken over most of the Pattaya operations. They have decimated alot of the smaller operations run by tow bit Thai thugs. Hooray for them. Is this true? If so, can they be appealed to, to get rid of the Thai operators? Do they care? Any thoughts on this?

Indian and Phillapinos ? You ever noticed the heavy , over-riding accents these people have ? They are being considered to teach English , let the people pray it is understandable spoken English .

Your statements betrays great ignorance. Both Indians and Phillipinos speak excellent english. Why do you think most of the world's call centers are located there? Of course they have an accent. Just because you are unable to understand people with accents, does not mean they do not speak great english. I have been to both countries, and I can tell you from experience the amount of people with great english skills is a pure delight. Thailand could greatly benefit from this kind of language skill. Get your facts straight, please.

Piyaman Techapaiboon, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) is living on another planet, if she is sincere in saying next week things will be back to normal. There are thousands of tourists stranded on Samui right now, during the wettest season on record. If this potentially well meaning, but severely ill equipped for the job woman really thinks things will be back to normal next week, she should be fired immediately. It is an insult to the people who have lost their homes, their farms, and are on the verge of losing their livelihoods, that she would make such a callous, ignorant, and uninformed statement. This is a historic event, and making light of it benefits no one involved. What a foolish, and simpleminded thing to say. How long is it going to take to clean this up? How long until people forget about the vacation they spent thousands of dollars on, only to sit around for days in their hotel rooms, without electricity, and with the streets so flooded, the only way to get around is with a jet ski, or a boat?

Does anyone know about the legal status of sea gypsies? Do they hold the land titles?

I mean the main problem of course is that Phuket, Samui, and other islands are run by the Mafia. That's the root cause of all these issues, and that's what would need to be solved. As long as gangsters are in charge, you can't expect it to get better. If the government can't even defeat the tuk tuk and taxi mafia there - what hope is there?

This is a good point. It does not even appear that the government is making a tiny effort to defeat the taxi mafia, or the other mafias such as the jet ski mafia, the property mafia, the bar mafia (every bar in samui now charges 150 baht for a lady drink!). If they would make the least bit of effort, it would be encouraging to all of us. Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and China are making huge efforts to fight corruption, and are trying and convicting high ranking officials, and corporate CEO's on a nearly daily basis, and Thailand is sleeping on the job. They will get left behind, if nothing is done. 20 years from now Thailand could really work it's way down the rung of Asian nations.

Entertaining article and I feel for the people being forced off the land they have come to call their own but is it any surprise to any one that life is tougher outside Western First World nations. Poor working conditions, long hours and low pay ... is that the reason why so many people want to go to places like the US and UK as well as providing people from the US and UK a cheap tourist destination while being able to stay at first rate hotels at rock bottom prices.

There is nothing "rock bottom" about Thailand prices these days. Maybe sometime in the past, but things have changed. Mind you, it is still reasonable, but a statement like rock bottom is simply ridiculous. Please do your research. Yes, labor costs here are low. But prices have gone up on everything, and while it is still reasonable here, by western standards, the days of rock bottom are gone.

When I see statements like this, especially from someone who should know better, I merely shake my head and laugh. To me it really doesn't matter if his statement is just something personal, or whether it resonates throughout the Thai mentality.

I live here because I choose to. I have a better life here than I could back in the U.S., and for the most part I truly like the Thai people and get along well with them, with only 1 exception coming to mind. I have a wonderful wife whose entire family has whole-heartedly accepted me, love me, and most importantly, respect me. No one thinks of me as any type of "walking ATM", and only once has a family member asked to borrow money, and that was when she was in Ubon and needed to get back to Chiang Mai as fast as possible because her father was deathly ill. Two months later she repaid the money, even though I made it clear to her at the time that she didn't need to.

Yes, there are attitudes and beliefs in Thailand that could, and sometimes do, boggle the mind if you let them, but for the most part I simply shrug them off and go about my life, enjoying myself and what I have.

I am far from blind to the many problems of Thailand, from the attitude of superiority over others, to the corruption that has filled every nook and cranny of Thai society, to the lack of acceptance of blame for anything that goes wrong, and the soul quaking fear that they might have to actually apologize for anything, thereby losing face. I am also well aware of the fact that their educational system is a total joke and would be one of the first things I would change – IF I had the power and authority to do so.

But I also know that nothing I (or any other non-Thai) say or do is going to make one iota of difference in this country. What would it take to make the Thai wake up to the "real world" and change their attitudes? Major, foreign owned companies pulling out, for starters, followed by ALL foreigners packing up and taking their money with them. Follow that with a boycott on Thai exports, and all travel agencies putting Thailand on a "Do not visit" list. Only then, when their economy totally and completely crashes, and there are Egyptian, Tunisian and Libyan type "revolutions" will this country wake up and smell the coffee.

Unfortunately, none of the above will ever happen, which means that Thailand will continue to be Thailand. Well, the revolutions against the corrupt government could happen, but with the 'mai pen rai' attitude so deeply embedded in the general population, I don't see it as a reality.

So, I live my life each day as best as I can, doing the things I want and like to do, well aware of what my "limitations" are as a "guest" of this country, and simply laugh at the xenophobic racism, and outright stupidity that I see exhibited so much of the time by the so-called leaders of this country.

Very, very well spoken. The words of a truly wise man. Thank you for your perspective.

Suthep's comments might seem a bit harsh and inappropriate (they are!), but if you ask any Thai - who isn't an ardent red shirt - how they feel about foreign election monitors, you'll probably get a similar response!

I read it as, he said that he didn't respect westerners. Period. Suppose it could be the interpretation?

jb1

Just a ridiculous statement, spoken by a fabulously ignorant man. Do you think Abhisit would ever utter such nonsense? Who is he appealing to anyway? What a goon. I suspect the central government has alot of goons. I am certain he is not the only clown.

bless them, bangkok is becoming like manchester. everything that came up they were there 'can we have it' trying to make the dreary shithole bearable, even trying to get the olympics

What next for bangkok I wonder?? a new hub? a new centre? a new capital of something or other?

Anybody who considers Bangkok a shithole has either been in thailand too long, is very badly constipated, or has horrific perspective in general. It is one of the great cities of the world. What is not to like about Bangkok? It has some of the most pleasant people of any major capital, anywhere in the world.

Vorawat is an absolute fool. The red shirts are ultimately to blame. The reality is that the demonstration completely got away from them. They lost control. They should be made to pay. But, the government should have had police posted in front of all of the major malls during that time, with a shoot to maim order, regarding any arsonists, or looters. And ultimately the responsibility lies with the owners of Central World. Why on earth would you not have armed guards, standing in front of the mall, during these days? Why would you not want to protect your billion dollar asset? That just does not make any sense to me.

The police were usless aganist the Red Shirts why did they think they would be any better aganist the Yellows.

Wrong! The police destroyed the Red Shirts and shot them dead. However, the police did NOTHING and the government did NOTHING to the yellows when they took over the airport.

destroyed the red shirts?

i wish.

if they had done so there would not have been 30,000 of them protesting this weekend.........

Wow, no shortage of right-wing haters of the peasantry here, ey? If you were in Wisconsin you would be on the wrong side too, no doubt, calling for the imprisonment, beating, whatever of the people as they stand up to government oppression.

It really sickens me when farangs throw their lot in the with opressive, racist Thai elite and give their blessings to oppression of the poor in Thailand. Goody for you, you're an agent against change in the world.

Wow, the degree of your ignorance is extraordinary. Do you honestly think this is a people's movement? Do you really believe this is a grass roots uprising against the elite? If you do, I could offer you the Brooklyn Bridge, with 1,000 acres of surrounding land, for only a 100,000 baht deposit. The red shirts were never about seizing the power from the Elite. It was always about finding a way for Thaksin to regain power. He bought the allegiance of these poor peasants you refer to. Be has been desperately trying to regain the power he never in a million years thought he would lose. Had he been willing to pay the taxes on the Shin sale, he may still be in power today. He is depending on gullible people like you, to regain power. He is about as noble as Gaddafi, Chavez, Kim Jung IL, and the Castro brothers.

Well, here is my (ill-informed) take on all this.

It's probably true that tourist numbers have increased, but it's the wrong type of tourist. It's common knowledge that TAT has been targeting Asians to come and visit Thailand, but that does not necessarily lead to increased revenues in the tourism sector. Some Asian nationalities are well-known for haggling a hard bargain, and others, such as Chinese and Korean tourists, purchase fully-inclusive package holidays to Thailand, where even the tour guides are flown in from the home country. So it's hard for local Thai tourist businesses to increase their re venues from these visitor sectors.

Why is my hotel fully booked? Probably because I strive to avoid reliance on local Thai businesses to secure my hotel revenues. I think 98% of my guest bookings are made online by overseas booking agents, because I've learned from bitter experience not to use local Thai inbound operators, (with the exception of Sawadee, who provide an excellent service, and is owned by a French man). I found that local agents often failed to pay for bookings, canceled bookings at the last minute, or tried to obtain contract room-rates which would leave me with little profit. At least with the international booking agents, I know what % commission I need to pay.

Many Thai businesses fail miserably in the IT/online department! They fail to answer emails, their web site is either non-existent or has dead links, or is full of viruses and trojans. I do not have the time nor interest to deal with any company who displays such incompetence.

I've tried to meet the needs of the tourists who visit Phuket. So my hotel web site is available in Chinese, Korean, Russian (and 5 more languages coming online), plus instant online booking and payment via Paypal or Thaiepay. I'm currently installing facilities for Muslim customers (ie which direction is Mecca etc?)

Sometimes I think many Thai tourist businesses are still in the wrong century. Customers want to see the offer, book and pay for it - all online and within a few minutes. These businesses have a lot to learn about being proactive, marketing and customer service.

Simon

That is fascinating information. Yes, I too feel that Thailand is way behind the curve when it comes to the internet. My Thai friends have never even heard of online shopping, and do not even consider that an option. And I rarely get a response to an online inquiry or letter in Thailand. One exception was homepro. I wrote them a complaint on their website, and they not only responded, they resolved the problem quickly. Very impressive.

Is that really correct...6000 baht one way ecomy BKK-Samui!!!!!

When they invested in the new airport terminals it should have been clear to all that they had obviously been guaranteed a free hand to charge what they want for as long as they want or they would'nt have invested the money in the first place.

That said, even i am astonished that they would charge that much. Totally outrageous. Its like they are constantly testing the water to see just how high they can up the prices. Turning into a nightmare for the island.

Yes, they are attempting to become an airline only for millionaires. Nobody seems to care, and nobody seems to have the courage to do anything. Makes you wonder who really controls this airline. There are alot of rumors floating around, but it seems someone too high to touch.

I am pretty sure that when Bangkok Airways originally invested a massive amount of money to build a commercial airport on Samui a lot of people were very happy, you could even attribute a large part of Samui's growth (wanted or wanted) to Bangkok Airways. They took the chance and it eventually paid for them, now they may seem overpriced, thats called business or reaping the rewards of the initial investment.

this line of thinking has been quoted so often i wish i had a baht for everytime i heard it, the problem is that bkk airs deserving or not profits are negativly affecting the residents of the island. when a public or private company begins being a burden on the well being of the general population then it is time to change a few rules and give that company a reality check. I have long been saying that a price of 1,000 to 1,500 baht to bkk is a reasonable price. thoink about the residence with children, samu has no real parks or culture centres for the kids, if the bkk prices were jjst a tad lower quick flight to bkk would become more frequent and affordable, why does phuket have the leg up on samui? not the beaches, nor hotels but affordable air tickets make all the difference.

Yes, and law enforcement. They have only "toy police" on Samui. No law enforcement whatsoever. They are revenue collection agents, posing as law enforcement agents. The mayor is very weak, and ineffectual, the road improvement project has been stalled for two years, even though the central government has already allocated the funds, there is no real mall like Phuket has, Shall I go on? I love Samui, but it has alot of issues that NOBODY is addressing.

Well, we shall see if this "letter" means anything. It is easy for the mayor to write a letter, thinking it may appease this blogger. But, is the mayor interested in resolving this problem that has been plaguing Pattaya for so long. And since the problem also extends to Samui, and Phuket why is the government so indifferent to it? A fareng complaints site may be effective. Sometimes I think the only thing that many Thais would respond to is the potential loss of face caused by severe embarrassment.

Who cares? Bulldozers and APV's work.... So does water canon. There is simply no need for protests now. Reflect your displeasure in a 'vote'.

This is absolutely correct. The authorities need to do everything in their power to reduce, or eliminate the protests. They are totally unproductive, and are products of the delusional mind of Saikuar and his cohorts, and the deposed despot wannabe leader, and his ill gotten billions. Keep them off the street. Lock up the leaders, and keep them in prison, after a trial. Do what you have to do, but keep them off the street, for the sake of this nation, and it's future.

30,000x1500 Bht or maybe its more or less this time? They even set up stalls to make more money here and go shopping around the city. Demonstration for a principle or belief? NO, the real Thai Belief I think.is .... $$$

This demonstration must be stopped at ALL COSTS. Whether it is imprisoning the leaders, or calling out the army, whatever it takes. If these continue, kiss the tourism industry goodbye. It is just recovering now, but not back

to it's former levels. One cannot believe the TAT, at they are not a reliable source for information on tourist arrivals. Abhisit needs to show his mettle, and take care of this immediately.