Oberkommando

This crackdown have nothing to do with the genuine tourist, they are not affected at all by this. 993.9 % of all tourist spend their 10 or 20 day's holliday here and go back home.

I can only suggest you are out of touch or misinformed as many genuine tourists have already been affected by the 3 x 30 day rule, then the shortening of the on arrival stamps at land borders to 15 days, then the 3 x 15 day rule.

I meet genuine tourists regularly in Cambodia and Vietnam that have been affected by these rules, and this one will be no different.

Thailand's loss of the backpacker and long-term tourists will be other countries' gain, there's already disatisfaction among the long-term tourists I speak to and it looks set to continue.

The End Is Nigh for the visa runners, illegals and the dross.

Don't make the mistake of thinking you are immune to Thai Immigration crackdowns in the future, because you certainly are not.

Didn't take long for the 'I'm a better expat than you' brigade to show up on this thread.

I hope Thailand continues to force out foreigners, as my girlfriend's bar and other tourism based businesses in Phnom Penh are now getting busier and busier with the over-spill, and are doing a roaring trade, so my heart-felt thanks to the Thai Immigration Department.

^^

So Thaksin's achievements in the North East are now "natural progress"?

I know it is difficult to give any credit where it is due because of your blind and irrational hatred of the man, but this beggars belief.

I will also state for the record once again I am not a Thaksin supporter.

The only one clearly manipulating the facts is your good self ballpoint.

Although, I really tire of the pandering they are much more polite than the other surrounding countries in the region.

Completely disagree. Been travelling to Phnom Penh for years and never had a problem there with touts or illegal taxis and the people there are helpful, polite and courteous.

Hefty fee for using a machine for less than a minute, and considering the banks usually get paid separately for the transaction anyway.

The 150thb is just for the privilege of using the machine!

Just out of curiosity, what's it like in another "no-gun" country, Britain? Lots of guns there as well?

Eastern Europeans have brought guns in but they are still fairly hard to get hold of. The penalties for possession of a firearm these days are harsh.

A better comparison with Thailand would be Brazil or Columbia IMO.

Is this about the pretend Police?

Another chance for them to big note themselves on TV as that's all I've ever seen them doing in real life.

Then maybe you would like to volunteer and show us all, how it should be done!!! (ex volunteer from Udon Thani)

Why should I volunteer to do a job that real Police officers should be doing? Thailand has one of the biggest per capita Police forces in the World after all.

I notice one of the volunteers was caught in Pattaya this week dealing drugs and using his status on the force as cover.

Of course this can be Thailand, this place is awash with guns.

I borrowed a Thai friend's pick-up the other day, opened the glove box and there was a loaded 9mm Beretta.

Interviewed by Nation Group's Editor-in-Chief Suthichai Yoon at 9:30 pm, Abhisit said Thaksin would have to respect the laws like all Thais.

I didn't realise Abhisit did comedy.

The current method is making him look cunning and them inept.

No method about it, he is cunning and they are inept.

Power Buy is over-priced anyway. Try SRC LCD on Ramithra for cheaper TVs.

SRC Ramithra

I noticed Foodland also have a different policy on Platinum cards also, not sure whether they accept them at all or just pass the extra cost onto the customer.

I wouldn't have posed the question quite the same as the OP...but I do have some suggestions...

--Your choice of pizza or pasta entree and all you can eat salad bar lunch special daily at Via Vai Italian Restaurant on Suk Soi 11... 200 baht per person plus tax... very nice restaurant with covered outdoor patio and fans... Or you can choose the unlimited salad bar only (which includes a lot of great antipasti other than salad) for 150 baht...

--Cafe 11 at the Grand President Hotel, Suk Soi 11 -- Mon to Friday buffet lunch... 225 baht... great food and wonderful variety. Price includes tax. Also very lovely, comfortable dining room with good service.

--Thai massage, 100 baht per hour... a bunch of shops on Suk Road as you walk from On Nut BTS toward CarreFour On Nut, and then also on the side soi that leads you from Suk Road to CarreFour. They all look the same and apparently have the same owner. Just massage... No HJ, BJ, FS, etc etc...

--All evening drink specials at the Adelphi Suites outdoor bar/cafe, Suk Soi 11. Lately, every day, they've been advertising 75 baht local beers and 120 baht mixed drinks... not just at happy hour, but all through the evening... They have chalkboards out every day showing their specials...

--Happy hour at the Robin Hood Pub, Suk Rd and Soi 33-1.... 4-7 pm daily... all local bottled beers 60 baht per, and Beer Lao 65 baht per, and house wine 120 per glass.

To the OP.... I also live in the area... and I know Suk Soi 1... Where is the food stall/food court you are talking about? Can you locate it a bit more clearly. I'm always around there... but never really stopped for eating there.

Robin Hood is a soul-less theme pub and the food is overpriced and horrid. God forbid I'd ever have to force myself to drink in there to save 15thb. But 60thb for a bottle is tempting nonetheless...

Thanks for the other recommends too.

Well, considering that most of his "enhanced assets" came about because he willfully changed telecommunication laws to benefit his own company, thereby quadrupling his own wealth, the argument could be made that the Thai people actually paid for that plane too.

If he had gone about his job with a good heart and without the sticky fingers, we might indeed be singing the praises of St. Thaksin. But as it is, he fell victim to the old mantra "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely".

He was never in "absolute power".

Should we assume those who clearly are in absolute power, are also absolutely corrupt too?

By looking at their assets and wealth, I would conclude so.

The Thais sheltered, armed and guarded Pol Pot and the KR in the 90's and gave them safe haven, now they are up against many ex-KR who now fight for the Cambodian Army.

How quickly things change.

Criminal charges for doing their job.

If only they were so thorough in ensuring punishment for the yellow shirt paramilitaries that took over an international airport, laid siege to Government House for months and that cost the country billions in lost revenue and reputation.

I thought it was now called True-Visions and no longer UBC?

Can't offend True now can we?

Lol, i bet True is having an absolute fit that they can't get rid of the UBC moniker. Its been almost 3 years now. Old habits die hard.

Hard to say if it is just the usual poor journalism or deliberate to keep True's name out of the paper.

I'd say we were being to hard on Mr. T, but then again, he is a convicted fugitive from justice...

What's the penalty for removing elected governments with military force these days?

It used to be called treason.

Only if you fail.

History clearly states so.

Otherwise, what would you call the French Revolution?

They did fail. A Thaksin proxy government was then elected legitimately and had to be overturned by a controlled judiciary.

Actually, that was kind of interesting. Under Samak, the AoT canceled the contract and demanded King Power vacate the premises. After Abhisit/Suthep took over, AoT signed a new contract that allowed all the things King Power did that violated the first contract. It seems King Power is a big financial backer of Newin.

Another black mark for this illegitimate failure of a government.

Oh yes! The champion of the poor!

Private jet

Premier league football club

Diamond mine

Private Mediterranean island

Billions in cash and assets (and I don't mean Mickey Mouse currency) hoarded away; some frozen

Thousands of rai of prime land

What have I overlooked?

The fact that he actually did improve the lives of millions of Thailand's poor, almost halved the amount of people living beneath the poverty line and did more for the poor of this country than any other government, person or institution before him.

Things have been on a downward spiral since his removal in 2006, except unemployment, drug use and crime, all of which are markedly on the increase.

I'd also like to point out his private jet was paid for out of his own pocket, unlike the Thai 'Air Force One' which certain influential people didn't want him to have. Guess where those two aircraft ended up and who is using them now?

Yes, Thaksin was too controlling with the media.

But two wrongs don't make a right and this government and the Junta that paved their way to power are far worse, especially with the internet. Far more sinister that just "using the press to their advantage" I'm afraid.

The Press Freedom Index and Transparency Indices are all you need as complete proof of this, but also note the billions spent by the current government on internet and media censorship, the greater freedom of the ISOC to conduct its activities, the use of emergency decrees and martial law against troublesome areas and the rigorous enforcement of antiquated laws against dissidents among many other changes for the worse.

I thought it was now called True-Visions and no longer UBC?

Can't offend True now can we?

Air Asia X is comparable to Thai. Difference is, it was a quarter of the price when I booked.

This is another case where you notice immediately the difference between the strong arm of Thaksin, who would have sacked immediately the authorities involved, replaced the police or would have declared some kind of war on thugs and the slowly slowly approach of the democrats. Chuan was already known for his lack of doing something and his strengths were not to upset anyone, especially not his kingmaker Sanan. Now you have another PM without power, who has to maneuver very slowly and carefully. After all the people in power in the airport belong to the elite, the elite are the people keeping this government in power. Therefore the most simple things link sacking AOT bosses and top police will not work. This government is a disaster for the country.

Good, perceptive and accurate post.

Crime is up, visibly. There are more beggars everywhere in Bangkok, the stories coming out of Thailand are increasingly negative and it only looks more bleak on the horizon as the economy continues to dwindle. This government, and the Democrat party will render themselves unelectable yet again as they did during their last term in office.

What is sad is that getting through Suvarnabhumi is people's first introduction to Thai culture.

What is sadder is that the airport is a microcosm of the entire country.

Don't recall hearing Chuan lecturing the PAD and yellows about adhering to the law over the illegal airport occupation.

But Abhisit did.

Pity they were only told off like naughty children instead of punished like the criminals they are. Criminals that cost the country billions in revenue and an unmeasurable sum in loss of reputation internationally.

They helped Chuan's party get back into office, after his 'Bitter Medicine' government in the late 90's left them unelectable, so no wonder he is silent.