spidermike007

Hun Sen himself is the mafia in Cambodia. He is a money grubbing, power hungry, land grabbing multi billionaire, who stops at nothing to maintain his power, and amass more fortune. In addition, his resume includes many years as a commander in the Kymer Rouge, where he engaged in serial killing. Quite a leader. 

His concerns about the Chinese are well founded. They are buying up Cambodia at a shocking pace. They are the primary investor in the country, at this stage. And as is always the case with the Chinese government, their intentions are less than honorable. In the near future they will have as much control over Cambodia, as they will with Australia. Same is taking place there. Both countries will lose control eventually, and will become Chinese colonies. It is inevitable. 

It is hard to even imagine what it would have been like growing up with a serial killing, money grubbing, power hungry despot like Fidel "la cucaracha" Castro as a father. Chances are, he was as terrible a father, as he was a leader. He starved the nation, and created the world's most failed agricultural system and devastated the economy. The Cubans are fine people, and what they had to endure with this worm, was horrific. My guess is that his son had to endure a sad, desperate childhood, while his father was amassing billions of dollars, at the cost of the Cuban people. 

46 minutes ago, captspectre said:

best watch you ass in california! the highway patrol has unmarked cars on most freeways and they will get you! and one more thing, they LOVE their job! the have radar guns and they use them. i have been bagged a couple of times and the fine is at least a hundred dollars and up depending on the speed and if you go fifteen miles over the speed limit you have a court date, can't pay your fine by mail, have to see the "judge"

 

Now, the fines are $200 and up. The last moving violation I got in California was nearly 10 years ago, and it was $517. And some cities allow you to ask to set a date for trial. And some of those cities give the officer a 3 hour grace period to show up. Which means you might have to dedicate most of the day to your "trial". And many of those same cities have only mock trials, and always (100% of the time) rule against you. I have had policemen tell me that. And the fines must be paid in advance, in order to request your trial. So, even requesting a trial, which used to be effective due to the officer not showing up occasionally, does not seem to work anymore. The system is fixed. 

44 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

It could change next week if they changed the incentive scheme for the cops and awarded them a percentage of the fines, but only for moving violations that put lives at risk.  Not for the crap they enforce at a typical checkpoint.

 

Thank you. A highly observant post. All the checkpoints do is clog traffic on the highways, and put alot of cash into the pockets of the toy police. It is all about catching people performing moving violations. That is what causes most accidents. And herein lies the deterrent. As long as everyone is allowed to get away with extremely reckless driving, entering the highway in front of an oncoming vehicle that is only 100 meters away, going 100kph, cutting in front of vehicles within one meter at high speeds, swerving like crazy idiots all over the highway, trucks and 40 year old cars occupying the fast lane doing 40kph, when other vehicles are approaching doing 120kph, drunk driving, etc, accidents, major injuries and deaths will continue to happen, and no amount of rhetoric and platitudes by the fabulously incompetent and insincere authorities are going to make any difference. 

Real men do what is necessary to save lives. Kids and highly underdeveloped people make promises, tell lies and engage in deflection.

Little P.  - Moving Thailand backwards at a breath taking, alarming, and astonishing pace. 

Being an environmentalist in Thailand must be a tough job. Rarely, have I seen an entire nation, that is so out of touch, when it comes to the environment, the consumption of plastic, the disposal of trash, taking care of the land and the water, etc. It is sometimes mind boggling. I have walked up to Thais, after they have thrown trash on the beach, and asked them why did you just do that? They were apologetic, and ashamed. But, it was like muscle memory for them. Just a reflex. When I questioned them, they were like deer in the headlights. Oh, I did not even think about it. Yeah, that is the point. Be conscious. Consider your actions. You guys go on and on and on about how great your nation is. Well, then why are you not taking care of it? Do you think it takes care of itself? Do you not consider your actions, and the impact they have on the world? 

Plastic is not the greatest thing in the world. It is the worst thing in the world for the environment. Dispose of it properly. Recycle it. Refuse plastic bags at stores. Bring you own recycled bottle of water to a restaurant. There are alot of things we can do to help preserve the nation.

A cap on tourism would be a great idea. But, it is never going to happen. The leadership here simply lacks any vision, imagination, intelligence, creativity, or foresight. It is all about the money. The future and the legacy of the nation is never taken into account. 

3 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

You poor, dried out, sod...

A bit soft, are we? No boundaries, whatsoever? Anyone can do anything, anytime? And you never, ever have an issue with that?

2 hours ago, Just Weird said:

Where did that information about losing so many western tourists come from?

Take a look around. I have many friends in the hotel and restaurant business. Other than the regular crowd in Pattaya, and alot of businessmen, quality western tourists have fallen off the map, in the past 5 years or so. The couples or small families who used to come here and spend anywhere from $250 to $2,000 a day, are few and far between. There are simply too many alternatives now, and all of them offer better food service, better wine service, better entertainment, far more sophistication, better public safety, less craziness on the roads, and better english. Except maybe the Philippines, except for the English part. 

3 hours ago, Thaidream said:

As much as I like Thai people; Thailand and it's culture and having spent a better part of almost 5 decades in Thailand- I must admit much of what the poster blogged is accurate.

 

1.  For me, places like Pattaya; Phuket; Samui or any place similar that has massive amounts of foreign tourists are no go zones.  The locals are surly; the scams are evident and the areas ruined by over development.  There are just too many tourists coming to Thailand and the infrastructure is not able to handle the numbers.

In addition,  places like Pattaya, Samui and the others have been hotbeds of prostitution and drugs for decades drawing  mongers from around the World whose sole purpose is to stay drunk or drugged and take advantage of the 'entertainment'.  They are often foul mouthed; in a fighting mood; and treat the locals as indentured servants.  It is no wonder that all this has rubbed off on the locals who show no respect for tourists. Both sides are to blame and these areas need to be 'cleaned up'.

 

2.   While I do not go to 5 star hotels and am quite happy with the 1 star- the level of English can be an issue,  Most Thais can actually converse somewhat in English and can read it but most Thais are afraid to do it lest they make an error and people laugh at them and lose face. In addition, look at the English instructors that have been hired- young backpackers who know nothing about teaching or non native speakers who have a poor accent and can't actually converse well in the language.

However, a Five star Hotel should have a Native in house speaker who provides constant training for hotel staff and works in conjunction with the hotel training department.  Many of these places refuse to spend the money and thus end up losing business,

 

3.  I agree that the bad behavior exhibited on Island beaches are 100% foreign acting act.  I have never seen a Thai- in public- even kiss -let alone engage in sexual conduct.  It's foreigners attempting to act the same way in Thailand that they act at home.  The problem is the lack of police involvement giving warnings; showing that this behavior will not be tolerated and generally doing their job.

 

4.  Unfortunately, the issue of double pricing has been an issue for eons- Thais continue to believe that all foreigners have more money than them and therefore foreigners should pay more than Thais.  My solution is simple- don't pay it. Walk away.  When enough people do it- this may have an effect- but I doubt it- most likely they will just raise the price to make up for any loss.

The only real way to combat it is for the Government to educate its citizens of why they should not do it and enforce it.

 

5.  As far as never having an accurate bill in a restaurant- much of this is true- if you go to a typically Thai restaurant you will notice 2 things-  whoever pays the bill checks the bill carefully and many times will question the bill as Thais are very aware of the practice- so it's not just foreigners who are the targets. The second things is that most restaurants leave all the dishes on the table until the end- as some patrons become drunk and refuse to pay claiming they never ordered the dish.

As a longtime patron of Thai restaurants- I always check the bill and match it with what I ordered- and if a difference get it corrected.  It doesn't actually bother me as I am used to it but I can see where a tourist who is not familiar with Thai customs could become irritated.

 

6.  Asking Directions- it is almost comical to me how difficult it is to get good directions in Thailand and I think part of it has to do with the fact that the Thai language is not direct  and accurate itself.  For example- I asked for directions to the Water Department speaking Thai.  The answer in Thai- Was go straight on the road and turn left you will see it.  When I started out- I didn't realize the road had several stop lights and eventually the road ended with either a left or right turn- Once left- the water department was another 5 km but could not  be seen from the road.  I had to ask others how to finally find it.  All directions are inaccurate-always- it's just the Thai way.

In other situations- a Thai will say they don't know even if they do- because they are afraid to speak English and even afraid to speak Thai... It's the same reason why when my wife is accompanying me- they always speak to her and not me...they are certain I won't understand.

 

While most of us who live here  have adapted to the oddities that are in Thailand- tourists have not and cannot -  if I was in the Thai Tourism industry- I would use this bloggers narrative as an example of what to improve so tourists leave Thailand with a positive image and want to come back.

Great observations. Thanks for such an articulate and well thought out post. Wholeheartedly agree.

39 minutes ago, Thian said:

My parents stayed in a 5* hotel and they are old...the bellboy refused to help them load the luggage in the car..When i asked him in english she (yes a she) didn't even understand my question or what i wanted her to do.

 

When me and my thai wife stay in a 5* hotel the staff ALWAYS ignores me and speak to my wife, even if she is 5 meters away because she knows what's gonna happen.

 

One day my keycard in a 5* didn't work, my wife was in a friends room at a party. I went to the reception and they made fun of me not knowing how to use that crappy card...finally i got one assisting me and nope, it didn't work so we went down again and i got a new card. An hour later again , card didn't work...i went down again, 5 of them were laughing about it and gave me a new keycard which worked once...so later again i had to go for a new card and they told me i should not use it anymore and stay in my room....Like i'm too stupid to open my 5* hotelroomdoor.

 

Also the staff around the pool couldn't speak a word english and were hiding behind the bushes with their cellphone to play games...so if i wanted a drink there was nobody at the bar.

There is no doubt, that the english skills of alot of Thai people in the hospitality industry is lacking. That is one of the reasons they are losing so many Western (English speaking) tourists. The five star hotels have a very hard time finding good english speakers. No excuse for that. The nation needs to do better. 

A large group of tourists that will not be returning. Good. No issues with that, on any level. 

The reality is, in my experience, that most Thai people are very responsive to what you put out there. If these guys were a bunch of aggressive, drunk, obnoxious people, that is what they get back from the Thai people. Nobody appreciates that kind of behavior. If you are kind, respectful, generous, and patient with most Thai people, they respond in kind. I find most Thai people to be very pleasant.

Also, if you are spending your holiday in Phuket or on Samui, you are likely to encounter alot of surly locals. Both of those spots have the highest concentration of jaded locals, in my experience. 

6 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Good, well-written article that should be given to all who come here for a long stay!

 

However,

 

"The 20-something bar girl with the short skirt and fetching smile probably doesn’t love you."

 

is just plain wrong. They have told me on numerous occasions that they love me and I believe them.

 

 

The best one I ever heard, was "me love you tonight, me forget you tomorrow".

Beautiful. Wonderful. Glorious. Have you ever been on a bus, train, or airplane, when a child will not stop crying? Why aren't the parents carrying a muzzle for their kid? It is one of the most annoying things in the world. I totally agree, this was the right thing to do. Hopefully they were left at a gas station, where they had access to food and drink. It is the responsibility of the parents to make sure their kids behave. Do what you have to do, to quiet down your kid. Be responsible for your offspring. Be a parent. Give him a sleeping pill. Do something. Nobody should have to endure that kind of torture, for 8 hours. Especially 30-40 other people. That is just not right. 

Wow. This administration doing something that actually benefits the average person? Amazing. Extraordinary. Revolutionary. Beyond belief. 

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

More good work done by this government to improve economic sustainability within the agricultural sector.

Projects are being implemented continuously which help create jobs and provide much needed income.

Khun Prayut Chan O Cha has always stressed the priority & need to help farmers throughout Thailand and this is just one program. Another program he implemented was the handing out of plots of land to farmers who don't have enough or others who need land.

 

Highly amusing post. Talk about giving credit where credit is not due. The extent to which Little P. has not done anything for the common people of Thailand is astounding. 

Whatever you do, do not expose the truth. Burma is doing everything in it's power, to deny, obfuscate, and deflect, the horrendous crimes it is committing against it's own people. This genocide is deplorable. And the lady, or should I say the woman who used to be a lady, but is now a serial killing pig, is largely responsible. She has said or done nothing. She is highly complicit and has lost all of her credibility, and the nobility, that we once thought she had. Talk about power corrupting the soul. She is the ultimate example of this. What a loser.

It is a glorious moment in time, when a tiny man like Jeff Sessions, gets a repudiation on this level. This creton is doing everything in his power, to support the private prison industry, obey their lobbyists, and make sure as many Americans as possible, get locked up for pot offenses. San Francisco, and all other cities and states are doing the right thing, by refusing to bow down to his nonsense, and extreme ignorance, and letting these incredibly minor offenses go. 

The last thing in the world the US needs, is to add to the 2.2 million people already in prison, nationwide, by convicting people of minor offenses like these.

Trump is hellbent on destroying any and all environmental regulations put into place over the past century, to safeguard the nation, and it's future. He has no vision. He cannot see tomorrow, much less look into the distant future. For him, everything is about instant gratification. Everything. So, there is no vision. No ability to see what the consequences of his actions are. If we are all very, very fortunate, he will have moved on to another world within the next decade. All that will be left will be his horrific legacy. And the stench, the crimes, the lies, the extraordinary lack of morality, ethics, and consideration for others, that he has left behind. 

These tiny men leading the country are very worried. They are seeing increasing dissatisfaction with their lack of leadership, and their desperate ploys to cling to power. One deadline after another has passed, with no legitimate basis for the delays in holding elections. We all know what the big excuse was before. Now, that time has come and passed. Long passed. At this point in time, it is about money, and the desire to amass greater fortunes for the men at the top of this pyramid scheme. And the fact that they are well aware of the reality, that another peaceful coup simply will be impossible, now that there is no "moral authority" to sanction it, as there was in the past. 

Charnvit is accused by the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) of violating the Computer Crimes Act for allegedly sharing on Facebook a widely circulated post showing Naraporn, the wife of junta chief Prayut, carrying what appeared to be a Bt2-million Hermes handbag. 

The historian Charnvit, who was charged for entering false information into a computer system that could “cause public consternation”, said he believed the case was politically motivated. 

So, what exactly is false about showing an image of this purse? The only aspect of this that is false, is that the leaders are reputed to be honest and doing this for the right reasons. That is completely false. They are doing this for all of the wrong reasons. And the $60,000 handbag, along with the $1,000,000 watch collection belonging to Prawit, is the tiny, teeny tip of the iceberg. We are talking billions of dollars annually. The theft rivals that of neighboring despots. If only the Thai people knew the extent of it. 

Public consternation is not being caused by the photos of the purse. It is being caused by the massive robbery of the Thai nation. And the incredible lack of leadership amongst the goombahs. 

Charnvit is a hero to the Thai people. The last thing in the world the junta wants right now, is a hero.

Trump has never addressed immigration. Not once. He has addressed illegal immigration, hundreds of times. Not the same thing. You will never be able to fix illegal immigration, until you fix legal immigration. The immigration system in the US is completely broken. It has been for a half century. The US is no longer able to attract the best and the brightest from around the world, due to a silly, outdated, churlish, bizarre quota system, for work visas. It is not up to date. Not even close. Foreign Nuclear physicists, who get a degree at MIT, on a student visa, cannot get a work visa, to work for a major American corporation, due the quota system. Look into it. You will be shocked. And nobody wants to touch it. Obama tried and failed. 

22 hours ago, Sakeopete said:

And yet he is still a better choice than Hillary poor Americans hopefully next time they will have better choice of candidates. 

I do not think so. America has become an Idiocracy. Reality TV is largely responsible. I think the candidates will get dumber and dumber, and less and less noble, moral, ethical, or reasonable, as time goes on. It is the 5th century AD, for the American Empire. The decline has begun. It is progressing in earnest. And men like Trump are assuring that America will never, ever be great again. 

I do agree that Hillary was a horrendous choice. She was the worst candidate since Mike Dukakis. Mondale made her look weak.

22 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Isn't it more about the Americans that pay large to stick poison up their noses?

 

However, I believe anyone should be allowed to put poison up their nose, as long as they don't expect the taxpayer to help them.

Time to legalise all drugs and let people kill themselves without having Mexicans destroy themselves over it.

Thank you. A voice of reason, in the wilderness of nonsense. Yes, legalize ALL drugs. Let Mexico return to the very civilized nation it once was. And cut off the billions despots like Raul Castro are earning on the drug trade, and cripple the prison industry in the US, in one blow. Hallelujah. Evil shot down. In one fell swoop. 

22 hours ago, DoctorG said:

Why would you believe that an increase in supply would result in a drop in usage?

It has been proven in Portugal. They were a test case. Usage dropped dramatically, once all drugs were legalized. There is no shortage. Anyone can acquire anything, as long as they have the cash. I believe the illicit nature of drugs makes them more desirable. And I believe you are demeaning society, and bankrupting a nation, when you lock people up for smoking a joint.