spidermike007

I have visited Phuket a number of times, but have spent alot of time in Samui over the years. Definitely prefer Samui. Less developed than Phuket, and less 10Mil plus villas, and the types associated with that. Also, it is quite beautiful, and easy to get away from it all, if you just leave Chaweng or Lamai. Nathon is cool, and funky, and cheaper. I like the fact that it is not linked by a bridge. People are OK. Many are quite friendly. Food is great, and reasonable. The climate is WAY better than Phuket. Rains MUCH less. Always breezy. The advantages with Phuket are the access to world class diving, and it is less expensive to fly in and out of. The disadvantages of Samui are chiefly the monopoly that Bangkok Airways has on the airport, the mafia presense, which is real, and the police. The Police there are ABSOLUTELY USELESS. I have had friends who have had major problems, and if you can buy your way out of it, fine. But, do not ever go to the police here, for help. They are useless and totally corrupt. Also, I believe the central government gives more funds to Phuket, so the infrastructure may be better. But, I still prefer Samui. It has alot of charm. So does Koh Phangan.

The real moral of the story is, that if the police get an intermediary involved, and take you to a hotel room

instead of the slammer, they are admitting guilt. That alone is proof of the scam. They are obviously too

afraid to take these supposed "Thieves" to the police station. So, they get "Tony" involved. Nice scam.

That is all it is. I am not saying there are not real thieves from time to time, but let us not be fooled by

one video of real thieves. King Power is involved, and the guys at the top are purchasing new homes and

yachts with the cash.

I will not re-think that for a nanosecond. On 21 November 1990, a Bangkok Airways de Havilland Canada DHC-8-103 crashed on Koh Samui while attempting to land in heavy rain and high winds. All 38 people on board perished. That has been their only serious accident to date. The two other accidents they had in the past 30 years resulted on one fatality. Not bad. They are an excellent airline, with good equipment, and an excellent safety record. However, they had no business landing in that weather. Apparently, Samui is subject to wind shear, and the wind was really gusting at that time. They should have either stayed in the air, and circled the airport until things calmed down, which it did 30 minutes later, or they should have landed in Surat Thani, and waited out the storm.

The Thai TV news just reported that the pilot was killed, there are 4 people in a coma, and about 20 more were

injured, some quite seriously. Too bad. Bangkok Air had such an excellent safety record, and really excellent

equipment. I will continue to support them, as they do a very good job.

The 9,000 baht package does not include Samui. They lumped that into the international package, at 12,900 baht. And the 4 segments are one way segment. So even with the Siam 20% off sale, that is still about 2,600 each way.

The aspect that is not getting mentioned much, is why Thailand has so little interest in addressing it's staggering level of corruption. Malaysia has set up a corruption commission, and is making DAILY arrests of top officials, ministers, local politicians, and businessmen. Indonesia has set up a corruption commission, and so far their antigraft commission has achieved a 100-percent conviction rate in 86 cases of bribery and graft related to government procurements and budgets. And where is Thailand in all of this. Why aren't men like Newin, and others, who are coming up with expensive schemes to line their pockets being arrested, and tried? Why is the CEO of King Power still employed? Why is the Police Captain in charge of the airport security, who appears to be involved in the King Power scam, still in his position? Does anyone really think there is even a chance that the King Power scheme is not real? That they are arresting only guilty shoplifters? Does all King Power have to do is post one video on the internet, of a guilty party, for all of us to let them off the hook? Is that all it takes? Even India is getting actively involved in tackling corruption, as this article indicates. When was the last time he heard of a government minister, or top official, or corporate CEO being arrested on corruption charges?

In India, New Crusade on Corruption

By HEATHER TIMMONS

Published: July 30, 2009

NEW DELHI —When Ashwani Kumar took over as India’s top anticorruption official last year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his new boss, advised him, “Follow the righteous path.”

Sanjit Das for The New York Times

Under Ashwani Kumar, the Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested dozens of bank officials, engineers and contractors suspected of crimes. Yet the job before him had frustrated many others. India ranks 85th in a corruption perception index created by the nonprofit antigraft group Transparency International, worse than China, Mexico or Brazil. Mr. Kumar, 58, a career policeman and director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, has taken his Sisyphean task head on. In just a few months, he has heightened the visibility of India’s fight against complex corporate crimes and enlisted public support for his programs to battle corruption in the government.

Most notably, his agency’s business investigative skills gained acclaim internationally, after the founder and chairman of one of India’s largest information technology companies, Satyam Computer Systems, confessed to falsifying $1 billion in cash on its balance sheet in January, India’s largest and broadest modern fraud. Just 45 days after taking the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation had charged six people and produced a thorough account of how investigators suspected the fraud had occurred, based on hundreds of interviews and backed by thousands of pages of documents. The bureau even described the minutiae of the accounting tricks and dual-invoicing tactics used to commit the fraud.

In contrast, the United States Department of Justice took years to put together a compelling case against top executives of Enron, the now-bankrupt energy company. The comparison may not be completely parallel, because a confession revealed the fraud at Satyam. But the scale of the accounting scheme has led analysts and academics to label Satyam “India’s Enron.” Sudhakar V. Balachandran, an assistant professor of accounting at Columbia Business School, said the United States could learn a lot from India’s rapid response to Satyam. Foreign investors “know that swift decisive actions were taken,” Mr. Balachandran said. “If I’m an investor looking at an emerging market, I’m going to look for signs that it functions well.” That includes undertaking a swift criminal investigation at the first sign of corruption or fraud, he said.

Some rights advocates say that the bureau has been overzealous and has ignored due process. Under the bureau’s guidance, two of Satyam’s outside auditors have been in jail for seven months without trial, held on charges of criminal conspiracy. They have been denied bail, even though they maintain their innocence and have yet to be convicted of any crime. Mr. Kumar’s office, however, contends that their incarceration is justified.

Beyond Satyam, Mr. Kumar has big ambitions for the bureau. With just 5,000 agents, it is less than half the size of its closest American equivalent, the F.B.I., although India’s population is more than four times that of the United States. But India’s bureau is trying new ways to fight graft and bribery that may help make up for what it lacks in numbers. For example, the bureau is embarking on a countrywide campaign to curb corruption that enlists support from the public by asking for people to use their cellphones to text in details of corruption. Economic growth, increasing industrialization and globalization mean that economic crime is rising, Mr. Kumar said. “Traditional crimes are fading into the background” in favor of digital crimes and credit card fraud, he said. Since Mr. Kumar took office, the bureau has arrested dozens of bank managers, bureaucrats, engineers and contractors on suspicion of crimes including accepting bribes, forging documents and stealing petroleum. A recent investigation into top officials at the All India Council for Technical Education, a group created by the government to improve the vocational skills of India’s youth, uncovered 36 bank accounts that were used to hide illicit cash. At a meeting this year with private sector bankers, Mr. Kumar pledged that the bureau would act as a “facilitator in the growth of the financial sector,” by curbing something that United States regulators had failed to stop — mortgage fraud and risky lending.

Mr. Kumar seems at first like an unlikely crusader against complex financial fraud. He spent much of his 35-year career in the forests of the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, fighting illegal logging and poaching. But he quickly rose through the ranks of India’s civil service, becoming director general of police in the state. His success there caught the eye of the Singh administration.

The law has played a big role in the Kumar family. His father was a policeman, and he is married to the daughter of a policeman.

Discussing respect for the environment gets him fired up, and he is thrilled to point out that the bureau’s new headquarters will be a “green” building. His office is spotless, he is scrupulously polite and he sticks to a rigorous schedule that involves waking at 4 a.m. for two hours of work, then an hour of exercise. Mr. Kumar says his prominent cases have earned him enemies. And he cautions that the bureau cannot halt corruption on its own. The bureau deals with the investigation, “but the punishment is given by the courts,” he said. And he willingly acknowledges that corruption sometimes occurs within the bureau.

“Human beings are always frail, and such incidents do happen,” he said. “The question is, ‘Do we tolerate this kind of behavior?’ The answer is, ‘Absolutely no.’ ” Corruption specialists say that his fight can be effective, even if he is surrounded by a corrupt system. “One person can make a difference, just as all leaders can make a difference,” said Christiaan Poortman, global programs director for Transparency International. In Mr. Kumar’s case, his anticorruption efforts may bear fruit, Mr. Poortman said. “If he has the ear of the prime minister, who knows? It might work,” Mr. Poortman added.

That is a great point. It is not a matter of how much corruption exists. This goes on in all third world countries. The real question is how much will is there to tackle the problem. That, I believe

is where Thailand is missing the mark.

The aspect that is not getting mentioned much, is why Thailand has so little interest in addressing it's staggering level of corruption. Malaysia has set up a corruption commission, and is making DAILY arrests of top officials, ministers, local politicians, and businessmen. Indonesia has set up a corruption commission, and so far their antigraft commission has achieved a 100-percent conviction rate in 86 cases of bribery and graft related to government procurements and budgets. And where is Thailand in all of this. Why aren't men like Newin, and others, who are coming up with expensive schemes to line their pockets being arrested, and tried? Why is the CEO of King Power still employed? Why is the Police Captain in charge of the airport security, who appears to be involved in the King Power scam, still in his position? Does anyone really think there is even a chance that the King Power scheme is not real? That they are arresting only guilty shoplifters? Does all King Power have to do is post one video on the internet, of a guilty party, for all of us to let them off the hook? Is that all it takes? Even India is getting actively involved in tackling corruption, as this article indicates. When was the last time he heard of a government minister, or top official, or corporate CEO being arrested on corruption charges?

In India, New Crusade on Corruption

By HEATHER TIMMONS

Published: July 30, 2009

NEW DELHI —When Ashwani Kumar took over as India’s top anticorruption official last year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his new boss, advised him, “Follow the righteous path.”

Sanjit Das for The New York Times

Under Ashwani Kumar, the Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested dozens of bank officials, engineers and contractors suspected of crimes. Yet the job before him had frustrated many others. India ranks 85th in a corruption perception index created by the nonprofit antigraft group Transparency International, worse than China, Mexico or Brazil. Mr. Kumar, 58, a career policeman and director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, has taken his Sisyphean task head on. In just a few months, he has heightened the visibility of India’s fight against complex corporate crimes and enlisted public support for his programs to battle corruption in the government.

Most notably, his agency’s business investigative skills gained acclaim internationally, after the founder and chairman of one of India’s largest information technology companies, Satyam Computer Systems, confessed to falsifying $1 billion in cash on its balance sheet in January, India’s largest and broadest modern fraud. Just 45 days after taking the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation had charged six people and produced a thorough account of how investigators suspected the fraud had occurred, based on hundreds of interviews and backed by thousands of pages of documents. The bureau even described the minutiae of the accounting tricks and dual-invoicing tactics used to commit the fraud.

In contrast, the United States Department of Justice took years to put together a compelling case against top executives of Enron, the now-bankrupt energy company. The comparison may not be completely parallel, because a confession revealed the fraud at Satyam. But the scale of the accounting scheme has led analysts and academics to label Satyam “India’s Enron.” Sudhakar V. Balachandran, an assistant professor of accounting at Columbia Business School, said the United States could learn a lot from India’s rapid response to Satyam. Foreign investors “know that swift decisive actions were taken,” Mr. Balachandran said. “If I’m an investor looking at an emerging market, I’m going to look for signs that it functions well.” That includes undertaking a swift criminal investigation at the first sign of corruption or fraud, he said.

Some rights advocates say that the bureau has been overzealous and has ignored due process. Under the bureau’s guidance, two of Satyam’s outside auditors have been in jail for seven months without trial, held on charges of criminal conspiracy. They have been denied bail, even though they maintain their innocence and have yet to be convicted of any crime. Mr. Kumar’s office, however, contends that their incarceration is justified.

Beyond Satyam, Mr. Kumar has big ambitions for the bureau. With just 5,000 agents, it is less than half the size of its closest American equivalent, the F.B.I., although India’s population is more than four times that of the United States. But India’s bureau is trying new ways to fight graft and bribery that may help make up for what it lacks in numbers. For example, the bureau is embarking on a countrywide campaign to curb corruption that enlists support from the public by asking for people to use their cellphones to text in details of corruption. Economic growth, increasing industrialization and globalization mean that economic crime is rising, Mr. Kumar said. “Traditional crimes are fading into the background” in favor of digital crimes and credit card fraud, he said. Since Mr. Kumar took office, the bureau has arrested dozens of bank managers, bureaucrats, engineers and contractors on suspicion of crimes including accepting bribes, forging documents and stealing petroleum. A recent investigation into top officials at the All India Council for Technical Education, a group created by the government to improve the vocational skills of India’s youth, uncovered 36 bank accounts that were used to hide illicit cash. At a meeting this year with private sector bankers, Mr. Kumar pledged that the bureau would act as a “facilitator in the growth of the financial sector,” by curbing something that United States regulators had failed to stop — mortgage fraud and risky lending.

Mr. Kumar seems at first like an unlikely crusader against complex financial fraud. He spent much of his 35-year career in the forests of the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, fighting illegal logging and poaching. But he quickly rose through the ranks of India’s civil service, becoming director general of police in the state. His success there caught the eye of the Singh administration.

The law has played a big role in the Kumar family. His father was a policeman, and he is married to the daughter of a policeman. Discussing respect for the environment gets him fired up, and he is thrilled to point out that the bureau’s new headquarters will be a “green” building. His office is spotless, he is scrupulously polite and he sticks to a rigorous schedule that involves waking at 4 a.m. for two hours of work, then an hour of exercise. Mr. Kumar says his prominent cases have earned him enemies. And he cautions that the bureau cannot halt corruption on its own. The bureau deals with the investigation, “but the punishment is given by the courts,” he said. And he willingly acknowledges that corruption sometimes occurs within the bureau.

“Human beings are always frail, and such incidents do happen,” he said. “The question is, ‘Do we tolerate this kind of behavior?’ The answer is, ‘Absolutely no.’ ” Corruption specialists say that his fight can be effective, even if he is surrounded by a corrupt system. “One person can make a difference, just as all leaders can make a difference,” said Christiaan Poortman, global programs director for Transparency International. In Mr. Kumar’s case, his anticorruption efforts may bear fruit, Mr. Poortman said. “If he has the ear of the prime minister, who knows? It might work,” Mr. Poortman added.

The aspect that is not getting mentioned much, is why Thailand has so little interest in addressing it's staggering level of corruption. Malaysia has set up a corruption commission, and is making DAILY arrests of top officials, ministers, local politicians, and businessmen. Indonesia has set up a corruption commission, and so far their antigraft commission has achieved a 100-percent conviction rate in 86 cases of bribery and graft related to government procurements and budgets. And where is Thailand in all of this. Why aren't men like Newin, and others, who are coming up with expensive schemes to line their pockets being arrested, and tried? Why is the CEO of King Power still employed? Why is the Police Captain in charge of the airport security, who appears to be involved in the King Power scam, still in his position? Does anyone really think there is even a chance that the King Power scheme is not real? That they are arresting only guilty shoplifters? Does all King Power have to do is post one video on the internet, of a guilty party, for all of us to let them off the hook? Is that all it takes? Even India is getting actively involved in tackling corruption, as this article indicates. When was the last time he heard of a government minister, or top official, or corporate CEO being arrested on corruption charges?

In India, New Crusade on Corruption

By HEATHER TIMMONS

Published: July 30, 2009

NEW DELHI —When Ashwani Kumar took over as India’s top anticorruption official last year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his new boss, advised him, “Follow the righteous path.”

Sanjit Das for The New York Times

Under Ashwani Kumar, the Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested dozens of bank officials, engineers and contractors suspected of crimes. Yet the job before him had frustrated many others. India ranks 85th in a corruption perception index created by the nonprofit antigraft group Transparency International, worse than China, Mexico or Brazil. Mr. Kumar, 58, a career policeman and director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, has taken his Sisyphean task head on. In just a few months, he has heightened the visibility of India’s fight against complex corporate crimes and enlisted public support for his programs to battle corruption in the government.

Most notably, his agency’s business investigative skills gained acclaim internationally, after the founder and chairman of one of India’s largest information technology companies, Satyam Computer Systems, confessed to falsifying $1 billion in cash on its balance sheet in January, India’s largest and broadest modern fraud. Just 45 days after taking the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation had charged six people and produced a thorough account of how investigators suspected the fraud had occurred, based on hundreds of interviews and backed by thousands of pages of documents. The bureau even described the minutiae of the accounting tricks and dual-invoicing tactics used to commit the fraud.

In contrast, the United States Department of Justice took years to put together a compelling case against top executives of Enron, the now-bankrupt energy company. The comparison may not be completely parallel, because a confession revealed the fraud at Satyam. But the scale of the accounting scheme has led analysts and academics to label Satyam “India’s Enron.” Sudhakar V. Balachandran, an assistant professor of accounting at Columbia Business School, said the United States could learn a lot from India’s rapid response to Satyam. Foreign investors “know that swift decisive actions were taken,” Mr. Balachandran said. “If I’m an investor looking at an emerging market, I’m going to look for signs that it functions well.” That includes undertaking a swift criminal investigation at the first sign of corruption or fraud, he said.

Some rights advocates say that the bureau has been overzealous and has ignored due process. Under the bureau’s guidance, two of Satyam’s outside auditors have been in jail for seven months without trial, held on charges of criminal conspiracy. They have been denied bail, even though they maintain their innocence and have yet to be convicted of any crime. Mr. Kumar’s office, however, contends that their incarceration is justified.

Beyond Satyam, Mr. Kumar has big ambitions for the bureau. With just 5,000 agents, it is less than half the size of its closest American equivalent, the F.B.I., although India’s population is more than four times that of the United States. But India’s bureau is trying new ways to fight graft and bribery that may help make up for what it lacks in numbers. For example, the bureau is embarking on a countrywide campaign to curb corruption that enlists support from the public by asking for people to use their cellphones to text in details of corruption. Economic growth, increasing industrialization and globalization mean that economic crime is rising, Mr. Kumar said. “Traditional crimes are fading into the background” in favor of digital crimes and credit card fraud, he said. Since Mr. Kumar took office, the bureau has arrested dozens of bank managers, bureaucrats, engineers and contractors on suspicion of crimes including accepting bribes, forging documents and stealing petroleum. A recent investigation into top officials at the All India Council for Technical Education, a group created by the government to improve the vocational skills of India’s youth, uncovered 36 bank accounts that were used to hide illicit cash. At a meeting this year with private sector bankers, Mr. Kumar pledged that the bureau would act as a “facilitator in the growth of the financial sector,” by curbing something that United States regulators had failed to stop — mortgage fraud and risky lending.

Mr. Kumar seems at first like an unlikely crusader against complex financial fraud. He spent much of his 35-year career in the forests of the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, fighting illegal logging and poaching. But he quickly rose through the ranks of India’s civil service, becoming director general of police in the state. His success there caught the eye of the Singh administration.

The law has played a big role in the Kumar family. His father was a policeman, and he is married to the daughter of a policeman.

Discussing respect for the environment gets him fired up, and he is thrilled to point out that the bureau’s new headquarters will be a “green” building. His office is spotless, he is scrupulously polite and he sticks to a rigorous schedule that involves waking at 4 a.m. for two hours of work, then an hour of exercise. Mr. Kumar says his prominent cases have earned him enemies. And he cautions that the bureau cannot halt corruption on its own. The bureau deals with the investigation, “but the punishment is given by the courts,” he said. And he willingly acknowledges that corruption sometimes occurs within the bureau.

“Human beings are always frail, and such incidents do happen,” he said. “The question is, ‘Do we tolerate this kind of behavior?’ The answer is, ‘Absolutely no.’ ” Corruption specialists say that his fight can be effective, even if he is surrounded by a corrupt system. “One person can make a difference, just as all leaders can make a difference,” said Christiaan Poortman, global programs director for Transparency International. In Mr. Kumar’s case, his anticorruption efforts may bear fruit, Mr. Poortman said. “If he has the ear of the prime minister, who knows? It might work,” Mr. Poortman added.

I think if I was approached by one of those scrawny little guards, and asked to follow them on a trumped up charge, I would just

walk out of the station. I do not think they could force me to go with them. But, the real issue is this:

Why is Thailand so disinterested in addressing it's staggering level of corruption? If this hooligan, who passes himself off as a

"security guard" was fired, heavily fined (100,00 baht and up), arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to the slammer for five years

on charges of extortion, do you think that news would not get around? The way Thais like to gossip. All of the country would hear

within 24 hours. People would start feeling like the days on immunity against corruption charges are over. Before you say that is not

possible here, take into account that Malaysia has set up a corruption commission, and is making DAILY arrests of top officials,

ministers, local politicians, and businessmen. Indonesia has set up a corruption commission, and so far their antigraft commission

has achieved a 100-percent conviction rate in 86 cases of bribery and graft related to government procurements and budgets. And

where is Thailand in all of this? Why aren't men like Newin, and others, who are coming up with expensive schemes to line their

pockets being arrested, and tried? Why is the CEO of King Power still employed? Why is the Police Captain in charge of the airport

still in his position? Does anyone really think there is even a chance that the King Power scheme is not real? That they are arresting

only guilty shoplifters? Does all King Power have to do is post one video on the internet, of a guilty party, for all of us to let them off

the hook? Is that all it takes? If Thailand wants to rid itself of what surely has to be it's single largest impediment to success, than it

has to start taking corruption seriously, and it has to start punishing the perpetrators heavily.

This is fascinating stuff. The aspect that is not getting mentioned much, is why Thailand has so little interest in addressing it's

staggering level of corruption. Malaysia has set up a corruption commission, and is making DAILY arrests of top officials,

ministers, local politicians, and businessmen. Indonesia has set up a corruption commission, and so far their antigraft commission

has achieved a 100-percent conviction rate in 86 cases of bribery and graft related to government procurements and budgets. And

where is Thailand in all of this. Why aren't men like Newin, and others, who are coming up with expensive schemes to line their

pockets being arrested, and tried? Why is the CEO of King Power still employed? Why is the Police Captain in charge of the airport

still in his position? Does anyone really think there is even a chance that the King Power scheme is not real? That they are arresting

only guilty shoplifters? Does all King Power have to do is post one video on the internet, of a guilty party, for all of us to let them off

the hook? Is that all it takes?

This is fascinating stuff. The aspect that is not getting mentioned much, is why Thailand has so little interest in addressing it's

staggering level of corruption. Malaysia has set up a corruption commission, and is making DAILY arrests of top officials,

ministers, local politicians, and businessmen. Indonesia has set up a corruption commission, and so far their antigraft commission

has achieved a 100-percent conviction rate in 86 cases of bribery and graft related to government procurements and budgets. And

where is Thailand in all of this. Why aren't men like Newin, and others, who are coming up with expensive schemes to line their

pockets being arrested, and tried? Why is the CEO of King Power still employed? Why is the Police Captain in charge of the airport

still in his position? Does anyone really think there is even a chance that the King Power scheme is not real? That they are arresting

only guilty shoplifters? Does all King Power have to do is post one video on the internet, of a guilty party, for all of us to let them off

the hook? Is that all it takes?

They were happy to take the 2.5 billion baht, and now they want to close the program. In most civilized countries, the money would be

set aside for just such cases. With all the changes in the policy, why would anyone want to join. The correct thing to do would be to give

back the 2.5 billion baht to the thousand or so believers, who were willing to put up that kind of money. No benefits equals the right to a

refund, right? More than likely, the Thailand Elite CEO pocketed most of the money, and it is nowhere to be found. Just another nail in

the Thailand tourism/ex -pet market. They seem to be incredibly creative in finding ways to convince foreigners not to come to Thailand.

The estimates of how much a percentage tourism contributes to the economy varies wildly. I have seen estimates from 6% to as high

as 13%. I suspect if you take into account all of the related industries, such as airlines, the airports, the hotels, restaurants, tour companies,

etc., etc., etc., than it is closer to 13%. The nationalists would rather believe the 6% figure. It is easier for them to promote a closed

society, and for them to foster their unique brand of hatred, bigotry, xenophobia, and ignorance. Many forget that Thaksin was one of

the recent guys, to really begin promoting the evil of foreigners. Now, some of the truly ignorant politicians are picking that up. I also

believe that the 13% figure does not add the contribution of ex-pats to the economy. In the long run, it will be good for all of us, if the

tourism industry does collapse, as this will bring an extraordinary day of reckoning to this land, and in the end many heads will roll. We

will see depreciation, and the currency will drop to the level that it deserves. Most ordinary Thais are not xenophobic. But, their lack of

history, world consciousness, and savvy, make them very susceptible to the vitriol of the idiots preaching how evil we are.

In regard to the recent allegation of scams on the part of the Thai police, and King Power, I recently wrote this letter to King Power:

King Power International Group Co., Ltd.

8/2, Rangnam Road

Thanon-Phayathai, Ratchathewi

10400, Bangkok, Thailand

July 22, 2009

I have been reading about what has been happening in the Suvarnabhumi Airport lately. While I do not necessarily believe all of the allegations, I do think they deserve to be looked at. We all know how corrupt the police in Thailand are, so when someone makes an allegation like this, one has to take notice. These stories are very alarming. I have shopped in your stores in the past, but am very reluctant to even set foot in one now, due to the police stories. I think it is the responsibility of King Power to investigate these charges, and if possible get to the bottom of them, and then take action. While the police in this nation are completely out of control, and nobody including the PM Abhisit seems to be able to rid the police of corruption, you seem to be in a position to at least reign them in, in this particular circumstance. If not, I am afraid your business is going to dwindle to nearly nothing. People will avoid your store at all costs. You must take this seriously. Your chairman has done little to help your PR. Claiming that this is all about foreign thieves will do nothing to help his operation. The Thai people are very good at deflecting blame, and very poor at accepting responsibility. We all know the scam extends well beyond the real thieves, and that innocent people are being preyed upon by heinous Thai policemen. One can only hope that King Power is not involved in any way, and is simply an innocent victim. But, you must take responsibility for what is happening, or your days as a successful retailer may be behind you.

Sincerely yours,

I think if they heard from enough disgruntled shoppers, they may find it within themselves to take some action. Is that possible? Is it likely?

King Power International plans to submit a request to the British Embassy asking what action it plans to take regarding a disgruntled UK couple.

Deputy chairman Chulchit Bunyaketu said the group last Wednesday asked the embassy to explain the facts to the British press following a theft in Suvarnabhumi Airport's duty-free area, which is under King Power's management.

A British couple was charged with stealing a wallet. They have since complained to the UK media they had to pay Bt200,000 extra on top of Bt200,000 bail to have the charges dropped and urged British tourists not to patronise King Power duty-free shops.

Chulchit told a press conference yesterday that the case had caused damage to both King Power and Thai investigators.

He insisted King Power's closed-circuit TV clearly showed the couple at the scene and said the footage could be viewed on King Power's website. Regarding their complaints about being cheated out of extra money, he said this happened the world over whenever people sought help from the wrong channels. False reports will tarnish Thailand's image.

This quote really shows what a goon, buffoon, and truly ignorant man the King Power Chairman, Chulchit Bunyaketu is. The issue is not about whether or not there is stealing taking place. This happens with all retailers. The issue is whether or not there is also a scam taking place, and if the Thai "so called Royal" police are taking advantage of tourists for their own profit. Does he address this? Of course not? Does he debate this? Of course not. Does he profit from this? Or course. Could this be happening without his knowledge and blessing? Probably not. The disingenuous manner in which he addresses the complaints shows how indifferent he is to the problem. In any other civilized country in the world, he would have already been fired without compensation, and the police chief in charge of the airport would be in jail. But, not in Thailand. The Thai authorities how little interest in stopping corruption. While neighboring Malaysia has a full scale corruption commission, and is making daily arrests, Thailand continues to ignore the problem, and hopes it will just do away. The only think that will go away from all of this, is the tourism industry.

What a silly response. Because King Power releases a video showing a real theft, they are now off the hook for all of the daily

extortion that takes place. Do you honestly believe the Thai police extort only real thieves? Are we going to let King Power off

the hook this easily? You played right into the King Power CEO's hands. He was looking for gullible farengs to defend him. And

to think he did not even have to hire you to help him! Get a grip. Be a man. Put blame, where blame belongs. This was never

an issue of whether or not theft was taking place. Of course people are stealing, as with any retailer. The real story is whether

or not people are being set up, and whether or not King Power is in on the scam.

King Power International plans to submit a request to the British Embassy asking what action it plans to take regarding a disgruntled UK couple.

Deputy chairman Chulchit Bunyaketu said the group last Wednesday asked the embassy to explain the facts to the British press following a theft in Suvarnabhumi Airport's duty-free area, which is under King Power's management.

A British couple was charged with stealing a wallet. They have since complained to the UK media they had to pay Bt200,000 extra on top of Bt200,000 bail to have the charges dropped and urged British tourists not to patronise King Power duty-free shops.

Chulchit told a press conference yesterday that the case had caused damage to both King Power and Thai investigators.

He insisted King Power's closed-circuit TV clearly showed the couple at the scene and said the footage could be viewed on King Power's website. Regarding their complaints about being cheated out of extra money, he said this happened the world over whenever people sought help from the wrong channels. False reports will tarnish Thailand's image.

This quote really shows what a goon, buffoon, and truly ignorant man the King Power Chairman, Chulchit Bunyaketu is. The issue is not about whether or not there is stealing taking place. This happens with all retailers. The issue is whether or not there is also a scam taking place, and if the Thai "so called Royal" police are taking advantage of tourists for their own profit. Does he address this? Of course not? Does he debate this? Of course not. Does he profit from this? Or course. Could this be happening without his knowledge and blessing? Probably not. The disingenuous manner in which he addresses the complaints shows how indifferent he is to the problem. In any other civilized country in the world, he would have already been fired without compensation, and the police chief in charge of the airport would be in jail. But, not in Thailand. The Thai authorities how little interest in stopping corruption. While neighboring Malaysia has a full scale corruption commission, and is making daily arrests, Thailand continues to ignore the problem, and hopes it will just do away. The only think that will go away from all of this, is the tourism industry.

I only wish Abhisit would grow a set of balls, so he could do something about these problems. In reality, he is probably the only one who could

actually effect the situation, and cause the people in charge to lose their jobs. In most other countries an organization as corrupt and heinous

as King Power would lose their monopoly for allowing a scam like this to take place. The airport authority chief should be fired, the King Power

CEO should lose his job, and heads should roll. Will that happen here? Of course not. The Thai authorities seem to have no interest in eliminating

corruption. In Malaysia, they set up an anti-corruption commission. Every day they are arresting corrupt officials, and sentencing them to harsh

jail sentences. That is making a statement. That is instilling fear in other officials. Here, they have nothing to fear. They are ignored. It takes an

incident like this, where the courageous Danish Consulate makes a statement and brings this to the attention of the press, to create the potential

for improvement. I hope I am wrong, but it feels like the glory days of Thailand may be behind us, unless someone of courage comes in, and

really makes an issue over the treatment of foreigners, the police corruption, etc.

I guess this represents as good a reason as any, not to shop in King Power, EVER! Who wants to run the risk of

a scam like this one. What a lowbrow operation. I give the Danes alot of credit for speaking out. Maybe the Thai

authorities will be awakened by this one. The police in this country are perhaps the most corrupt, and least

competent of any group or organization you will run into here. Stay clear of the police, under all circumstances.

The general rule of thumb here is that if a foreigner has ANY interaction here, with the police, it will not turn

out well for them. The police in Thailand do very little law enforcement. It is all about income padding, and

income supplement. It is rarely about crime solving. They are a bankrupt, corrupt, illicit crime syndicate. Not

a law enforcement organization.

Very, very good point. If he thinks he is going to be safer in the Phillipines, than in Thailand, he is going to be in for a big surprise. From

what I hear, the local guys there, will kick you ass just for sport. And they are far more talented than most Thais, when it comes to martial

arts, so unless you are a weekend warrior, you have little chance defending yourself. The crime situation there is out of control, unlike

Thailand. I, and so many like me, have had little problems here. When it comes to security, I think Thailand still ranks far ahead of places

like America (my homeland), and many others.

Before leaving Thailand, you may want to consider Koh Samui. I have been here 3 1/2 years, and have not had one problem, like the ones you describe. I am sure

there are scams here, and like all places, one has to be careful. But, I and my friends who live here have had little problems. I think Pattaya is a very different

environment. Tourism is down here too, but the place is not getting slammed quite as hard as Pattaya. It is quite peaceful here, and the people are more relaxed

than many other places in Thailand.

Spalpeen is right on the money. If Thailand really worked hard t improve it's educational system, the country

would really see some improvement over time. I also know well educated Thai's, who have no idea what or

where Poland is. No idea about World War II. No idea about the fact that the world has seven continents. The

extreme lack of geography skills, knowledge of world history, geopolitical awareness is a huge impediment

for this nation, and contributes greatly to xenophobia, and fear of foreigners.

I do not believe that the current government does not understand the importance of tourism, and foreign capital

for thailand. And I also believe that Abhisit represents the absolute pinnacle of Thai leadership. Part of the problem

is the nature of Thai politics. It is a COMPLETELY dysfunctional system. . There are so many competing

parties, and they all have their base of support, and completely different agendas. Some are more xenophobic

than others. Some are more nationalist (the fabulously ignorant yellows and reds) than others. Some have more

awareness of the world than others. Certainly, as the tourism industry erodes, as more and more hotels,

restaurants, and tourism related businesses (such as Thai Airlines) start to fail, or continue to lose huge amounts

of money, even the nationalists will come to their senses. But, that may take awhile. One of the hardest things

for Thais to do is admit that they were wrong, or did not understand. Eventually, they may soften these silly

and ridiculous policies related to visas, land ownership, foreign ownership of businesses, etc. But, it will take

a major crisis, to force that change in policy. At this time, arrogance and an extreme lack of humility,

is Thailand's chief enemy.

That is a wonderful point. Unfortunately, I believe that no matter how bad things get, Thailand will never be ready to treat "farangs"

equally, or even respectfully. If Thais want to rid their culture of the extreme xenophobia they are inflicted with, the place to start is

with the educational system. Few Thais are taught much in the way of world geography, world history, or the geopolitical makeup of the

world. How can you not be afraid of something you know nothing about? The average Thai knows little about world war II, or Europe,

nor can they find even five of the most important countries of the world on a map. My only point is that in order to feel comfortable

with foreigners, you must be taught something about their world. Foreigners may as well be visiting from another planet, as far as the

Thais are concerned. Our world is that foreign to all but the best educated, and most well traveled of them.

What are the real problems in the south? Why have they not been

able to find a solution yet? Few Thais want to hear the truth about the south. The

reality is that there are many reasons that can be sought out for the

southern Thailand conflict - economic inequality, high rate of

unemployment, economic discrimination and alienation, separatist

movement, drug problems, police and military corruption and abuse of

power, cultural discrimination etc.

But the most important fact that most seem to forget is that the

southern Thai provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, Patani, Songkhla and

Satun were established through Thailand’s colonisation. And that is

the fundamental reason for the southern Thai conflict. It was the

British-Siam treaty of 1902 that gave these Malay provinces to

Thailand. The people are ethnic Malay. They were forced to change

their language, their culture, their allegiances, and their way of

life. Hundreds of thousands of people from Issan were re-located to

these provinces, in much the same way China is re-locating people to

Tibet, to force integration. Is there anything "just" about the way

Thailand is dealing with the people of the south? Is there no wonder

these problems seem to be without a solution?

This colonisation is the real issue, the rest are just the effects

arising from the real issue. Even after more than hundred years of

total political, economic and cultural colonisation by the Thai

government, the people of southern Thailand are adamant on reclaiming

their history, politics, economy, culture and dignity.

Household income improved from 2002-2004 by 21.99%, 19.27%, and 21.28%

for Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, respectively. For comparison,

income growth for all of Thailand in the same period was just 9.4%.

The percentage of people living below the poverty line also fell, from

40%, 36%, and 33% in 2000 to 18%, 10%, and 23% in 2004 for Narathiwat,

Narathiwat, and Yala, respectively. By 2004, the 3 provinces had

310,000 people living below the poverty line, compared to 610,000 in

2000. However, 45% of all poor Southerners lived in the 3 border

provinces.

In general, Muslims in the border provinces have lower levels of

educational attainment compared to their Buddhist neighbors. 69.80% of

the Muslim population in the border provinces have only a primary

school education, compared with 49.6% of Buddhists in the same

provinces. Only 9.20% of Muslims have completed secondary education

(including those who graduated from private Islamic schools), compared

to 13.20% of Buddhists. Only 1.70% of the Muslim population have a

bachelor’s degree, while 9.70% of Buddhists hold undergraduate

degrees. However, one must keep in mind that schools are taught in

Thai, and there is much resentment and even outright pulling of

children out of Thai run schools.

Muslims also had reduced employment opportunities compared to their

Buddhist neighbors. Government officials comprised only 2.4% of all

working Muslims in the provinces, compared with 19.2% of all working

Buddhists. Jobs in the Thai public sector are difficult to obtain for

those Muslim students who do not ever fully accept the Thai language

or the Thai education system. Insurgent attacks on economic targets

are further reducing employment opportunities for both Muslims and

Buddhists in the provinces.

What is happening in southern Thailand now is a natural response from

any people who have been politically, economically and culturally

stripped - that is to resist and fight back.

Given the historical background of southern Thailand, there is no

other way to end this bloody conflict except by allowing the southern

Thai people to determine their own destiny. And this calls for nothing

less than a referendum. Or re-integrating this land back to Malaysian

governance. I realize with the level of Thai pride, this will never

happen. But, it is a solution that would allow Thailand to get back to

addressing it's far more urgent problems.