spidermike007

There was never any intent to stop corruption. The biggest joke is simply a PR goon. His insincerity is staggering. So is the police corruption on his watch.

Nobody high on ganga would act like this. Sounds like something far more serious, at play here.

While 10 year old kids are allowed to ride motorbikes, they are arresting foreigners without Thai driver's licenses. Meanwhile it is perfectly legal for a Thai to drive in the US, with a Thai drivers license. Fair or extremely xenophobic? The United States driving laws state that you’re required to have a valid driving license in possession to be able to drive in the US. This can be either issued by a US State or a foreign country. So, yes, you can drive with a foreign license in the US. https://www.stilt.com/blog/2020/06/how-long-can-you-drive-with-a-foreign-license-in-the-u-s/

The bare minimum survival instincts should discourage anyone from carrying more than a few thousand baht in cash, and no valuable jewelry, when out and about in a place as notoriously crime ridden as Pattaya. These are very simple laws for well being and self protection. Hard to feel too much sympathy. The exception might be if one is on their way to purchase a car, rent an apartment, do a major ganga deal, etc.

Correct. Every wealthy friend I know who has visited Thailand, have not returned. The desire to attract them is utterly hopeless. Maybe a few thousand a year. Maybe.

The truly fascinating part of this, is that they go on and on about wanting more tourists, and wealthy expats, yet they do absolutely nothing to improve the place, on any level. Whether it is expanding services to accommodate increased needs, addressing air quality, traffic safety, scammers, etc. Nothing is being done and Thailand continues to move backwards. This is why their silly fantasies will never be achieved.

Multiple alternatives are needed here. Regular taxis are a constant issue. This has nothing to do with protecting the public. This is simply the cops protecting the taxi mafia. The body cams mean nothing. The work they are performing is morally bent to begin with.

One could easily make an argument that extreme corruption, and the willingness to sell your soul for a buck, makes you both weak and little.

Those are total arrivals. May also include transit, and most certainly includes my 4 trips to the US last year. Not indicative of true tourist arrivals.

Oh please. They simply need start a nationwide culling program. Most soi dogs are a nuisance. Most are mangy, some are disease ridden, many are hungry, tired, and lead terrible lives of desperation. Some attack people, some terrorize neighborhoods. Many harass the domestic dogs, and cause them to bark all night long, like in my neighborhood. Nobody wants to do anything about it. Culling is the answer. If they found a budget for it, they could do it Western style. Round up the dogs, clean them up, vaccinate them, and put them up for adoption. The ones who are not adopted after 60 days are simply put down. Nothing cruel about it. Not doing something like this, is both cruel to the dogs and to the neighborhoods they infest. The average dog bite cost alot money. A series of rabies shots, etc. And that is assuming someone was not hurt badly, like a small child. So, we should prioritize the health of mangy, miserable soi dogs over the well being of the human population? After getting bitten, you must get treated at a hospital. And the cost of treatment is up to 20,000 baht for a series of rabies shots. And that assumes it was a light bite and no other injuries occurred. Many of these soi dogs are insane and true desperados. The real solution is massive, nationwide culling. These are mangy creatures, leading desperate lives. Show some nerve and compassion and take them out of the misery. Clean up the streets! People get so sensitive about soi dogs, yet they do not hesitate to encourage the killing of pigs, cows and other animals for their own enjoyment and consumption. Isn't there a bit of hypocrisy there? If you eat animals, you are responsible for their slaughter. At least one can make an argument that the animals they eat serve a function. That argument cannot be made about the mangy, diseased, pestilent, sad, forlorn, abandoned soi dogs. They lead lives of desperation. If you love them show some commitment and adopt a few. Otherwise, let's get rid of them. Rabies is an epidemic here. They shut down the economy for covid. They don't shut down the highways due to traffic deaths, and they don't do anything about the soi dog tragedy and dangers.

Oh please. They simply need start a nationwide culling program. Most soi dogs are a nuisance. Most are mangy, some are disease ridden, many are hungry, tired, and lead terrible lives of desperation. Some attack people, some terrorize neighborhoods. Many harass the domestic dogs, and cause them to bark all night long, like in my neighborhood. Nobody wants to do anything about it. Culling is the answer. If they found a budget for it, they could do it Western style. Round up the dogs, clean them up, vaccinate them, and put them up for adoption. The ones who are not adopted after 60 days are simply put down. Nothing cruel about it. Not doing something like this, is both cruel to the dogs and to the neighborhoods they infest. The average dog bite cost alot money. A series of rabies shots, etc. And that is assuming someone was not hurt badly, like a small child. So, we should prioritize the health of mangy, miserable soi dogs over the well being of the human population? After getting bitten, you must get treated at a hospital. And the cost of treatment is up to 20,000 baht for a series of rabies shots. And that assumes it was a light bite and no other injuries occurred. Many of these soi dogs are insane and true desperados. The real solution is massive, nationwide culling. These are mangy creatures, leading desperate lives. Show some nerve and compassion and take them out of the misery. Clean up the streets! People get so sensitive about soi dogs, yet they do not hesitate to encourage the killing of pigs, cows and other animals for their own enjoyment and consumption. Isn't there a bit of hypocrisy there? If you eat animals, you are responsible for their slaughter. At least one can make an argument that the animals they eat serve a function. That argument cannot be made about the mangy, diseased, pestilent, sad, forlorn, abandoned soi dogs. They lead lives of desperation. If you love them show some commitment and adopt a few. Otherwise, let's get rid of them. Rabies is an epidemic here. They shut down the economy for covid. They don't shut down the highways due to traffic deaths, and they don't do anything about the soi dog tragedy and dangers.

The haze of politics is a very diplomatic way to put it. It is more like callous indifference and an extreme lack of creativity and ability to govern. This administration is the bottom of the barrel, and the extreme lack of talent requires Thailand to pay a very heavy price daily.

As Bill Maher said recently, the things that seem important in Los Angeles, likely mean nothing in Des Moines. And how many dinner conversations do you think you will encounter in rural Ohio, about my trans child? Or my transitioning child. Or any such nonsense? It is the tendency of the progressive wing of the Dems, to ask the world to acknowledge their preferences. Not me. I do not do PC. I hate PC. Do not even consider forcing your PC junk on me. I even refuse to use the description African American. Charlize Theron is African American. And so is Elon Musk. You are not. Most of them get it. A few do not. Means nothing to NOT PC Mike. LOL. My family emigrated from Russia over a century ago, to the US. Do I call myself Russian American? No. Why? There is nothing Russian about me, other than some relatively hidden DNA. I love what Clint Eastwood has to say on this topic. When asked about Dirty Harry he said: “It was far-out at that time, so I brought it to [director] Don [Siegel], and he liked it,” Eastwood recalled Sunday during a visit to the Cannes Film Festival. “A lot of people thought it was politically incorrect. That was at the beginning of the era that we’re in now with political correctness. We are killing ourselves, we’ve lost our sense of humor. But I thought it was interesting and it was daring.” https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/clint-eastwood-decries-pc-culture-cannes-weve-lost-sense-humor-1005933

Darwin was right. The theory of natural selection, means we all have to exhibit certain survival skills, to thrive in this world. Self protection is just one of those skills. Some have it, some do not. Those who do not are prey for pitbulls and other similarly horrendous creatures, who some mistake as house pets. When a dog attacks one person, one time, it should be put down immediately, without hesitation. When you keep a dog that continues to attack people, and you end up getting mauled to death by your savage beast, you will likely receive little sympathy from this peanut gallery.

God bless you if you are willing to work that hard for $450 a month.

More insanity. I doubt if it will ever even get back to the record of 39 million. Just wishful thinking on the part of dreamers, with nothing to back up their aims, and absolutely no effort to improve Thailand or the tourist experience. Thailand somehow thinks it can surpass France in tourism numbers. Is Bangkok the new Paris? Comparable museums, culture, food, wine, monuments? https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/ST.INT.ARVL/rankings

The extent of the corruption would likely be the boggle the mind. The army, cops, immigration, customs, they are all filthy. They army are utterly desperate to hang onto power, and access to the trillions of baht that likely generates for them. Using the LM and sedition laws shows how utterly intolerant of criticism these very small, very weak men are, that they need to hide behind and utilize these laws, to attempt crush the will of the people. The time is coming, when this will no longer be tolerated. Just wait. The army is on it's way out. It could take awhile, and it could get ugly, though it will never get to the hellish level of Burma, as the Thai parents would never, ever permit that kind of genocidal behavior from their sons. You take out one more Thai, and you are forever disowned by this family. That is all it would take to bring about mass defections from the army ranks. That would sure be fun to witness. Are the pompous generals going to put themselves into harms way? Never. They do not have it in them, they are cowards.

That is all good. The taxi mafia needs competition. They don't like it. They prefer their government sponsored monopoly. But, who cares what they want and like? Means nothing.

And the most bizarre of all is wearing a mask on a motorbike. Or on the beach. Utter and complete denial of science and facts.

Some of this is about basic depravity, and some of this is about Thai boys being badly spoiled. They are an overly entitled gender here in the LOS. Boys from an early age are told they are special. What parents need to start doing is to tell their sons: 1. You are nothing special. You become special when you prove yourself to be a worth person. An exemplary character. A cut above the rest. Someone who gives and does not just take. 2. Your sister is special. She works hard, she is ambitious, and she is not lazy. Prove yourself to be at least equal to her. Women run this country. 3. Respect is not freely given. It must be earned. Go out into the world and earn respect.

And many claim we are an advanced civilization. Ha! There are likely millions of advanced civilizations out there in this vast universe, and I would guess we are one of the most primitive.

Oh please. Such nonsense. Just rabid, fear mongering, uninformed xenophobia. How could someone pay daily rental rates and still generate a profit, and as a taxi driver? This is one of the dumbest accusations of the year.

I always preferred the Hindu concept of God being Divine Mother. Simply a benevolent, guiding force behind creation. Nothing to do with PC nonsense.

This is excellent news. Feels like this covid ordeal is fading into the oblivion it richly deserved. Let's dismiss the rat.

The fast improving democracy at work! Such an open and free nation, confident and able to withstand criticism from it's own citizens. A model nation, for the world to behold and admire. Prayuth, one of the great men of his time.