TheGhostWithin

if you listen to what he has said, he is being very honest. A true man of Songkhla. For those of you that havent been around long, the phuket police have a reshuffle once or twice per year

Illegal alcohol sales and venues operating outside of licensed hours are what police make their money from. So, venues open after hours could not be checked because there was not enough officers on duty (they paid the new tea money rate) and those that were closed made the night a big success (they were not willing to contribute to the growth of certain individuals financial worth).

Alcohol sales become illegal when high ranking officers are not shareholders in the shop, or hold some other vested interest.... e.g. the shop owner is the cousin of the local BIB.

Typical Yingluck responses...

I didn't know,

I was not involved,

and my favorite

It's not responsibility

Thai politicians should at least put some effort into their lies and dismissals.

I wonder who is going to judge the impeachment proceedings? Parliament? The Corruption commission guys?

You forgot "na ka" at the end of every possible sentence.. it drives me absolutely insane to listen to her speak. Yes, I can understand her clearly.. but the way she talks is so plastic and artificial.

I think that the tourist administration forgot...

Premium tourists look for the following:

- Premium attractions (many of them are still damaged and/or flooded)

- Premium services that cater to their needs (part of providing a service is ensuring that people are not scammed, this is a government service)

- Premium infrastructure to make their trip as easy as possible (I just returned from BKK, and can tell you getting anywhere outside of the city was a nightmare with the flooding, absolutely no information provided in any tourist spots on what was flooded, and how to get places).

Businesspeople look for the following in Thailand:

- A low cost labor workforce (the government will shoot this out of the air with their wage strategies, word is already out that Thailand isn't as cheap as other places anymore for labor).

- New business opportunities

- Probably less advertised, access to a good lifestyle for their foreign workers (this means a comparatively low cost lifestyle providing an incentive to get good quality foreign staff stationed in the kingdom). Thailand is comparatively not that much cheaper than my lifestyle in New Zealand anymore, believe it or not.

In general , global business looks at doing business abroad where a cooperative local government is willing to allow work to be undertaken with as little interference and barriers as possible, to maximize profit and balance risk and profit.

For those not with their heads to the ground in the business world, the word is out on the streets (particularly in Japan) that Thailand is not the place to continue business, let alone make new business. Did you notice Vietnam GDP was just announced at 9.6%? What was Thailands estimated GDP? 3.?%? Thailand does not present a balanced risk and profit situation for people looking to make new business in the country at this time.

Don`t think he was a Rabbi? None of this sounds Kosher to me.

It appears Phuket is overtaking Pattaya for it`s seediness. I wonder why the Government doesn’t annex Phuket as an extension of Pattaya?

Buy one, get one free?

This is something I am often told as I go to meet friends in Sukhumvit, walking past the many fine establishments which cater to an ever-thinning number of tourists. Remember, we need better quality high spending tourists people!

Perhaps it is a branding exercise?

According to media here in NZ, it has nowbeen confirmed the Male is not a New Zealand national. You would think that media would verify these things before publishing... they are supposed to be as factually accurate as possible, after all.

Now I know why I never went drinking in Phuket. After the Jet ski stories, the tuk tuk stories, the hotel safe stories, I know why I never went to Phuket. As stated, this is not the first time this has happened.

Questionable reporting that they mention both the Males health conditions, as well as the Males interactions with the girls. Either they are covering all bases, or the girls triggered his death with his health conditions somehow.

Could you post the URL? I have checked and cannot see any duplicate.. but if it is I will delete this post

A New Zealander has reportedly been found dead in Thailand while mourning the death of a friend who died in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

The Phuketwan Tourism News reports the 30-year-old man was with another Kiwi at the ''Light Up Phuket'' ceremony on Monday night, lighting candles in the sand as a tribute to their friend who died in the disaster.

The website says the man and his 29-year-old friend went out on the town in Patong afterwards, according to Thai police.

Lieutenant Jakapong Lurng-On of Kathu Police Station told the Tourism News the man took two bar hostesses back to his room and was found dead by his friend about 9am (Thai time) in the Keeta guesthouse the following day.

Lieutenant Jakapong said police found "two used condoms and a sex stimulant in the man's room".

The two women had left before the body was found, he said.

Lieutenant Jakapong told the Tourism News the deceased man was overweight and had undisclosed health problems prior to his death.

The Tourism News story notes two other male tourists have died in similar circumstances in Patong this year.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it's only just been made aware of the report.

A spokeswoman says the Ministry will provide consular assistance if requested, but has so far had no approach.

She says inquiries will be made today.

My partners father is a Cop, in Yala. Day in and day out he risks being bombed or shot by people none of us want to share a street with. Not all Police are bad in Thailand. He does not take bribes (that I know of), and is probably the most honest and hard working Thai I have ever met. I doubt there are many in his city that could even afford decent bribes, anyhow.

I do find, that if Police cannot solve a death immediately, rather than flagging it as a suspicious death and considering all possibilities, some departments have a tendency to mark the death as suicide, when infact it should be "suspicious death". This stage of the investigation process is not always considered in the Thai system. It does need to be considered in this case.

I wonder what the shooter (assume it was a murder suicide) will become in the next lifetime, and how he will redeem his wrongs in this lifetime? One can only imagine.

The information given above in the official news releases is simply inaccurate. if you read between the lines of some of the latest comments coming from those companies both originating from Japan AND elsewhere, there definatwly are a few large corps. looking at other shores. Torota recently annouced in a press release, that as a result of the Japanese Tsunami and the flooding in Thailand, Toyota would be looking to create a more diverse supply chain to prevent the failure of 1 market affecting the whole supply chain. Those in government should be smart enough to read through the lunes: you didn't protect our estates, now we are rebuilding capacity, but not in Thailand.

The floods the main cause, though speculating that the increased minimum wage is also to blame. These companies are here to make money, not friends... just the same as the Thai government wants them here to profit from them. Big international companies decreasing their presence locally is a sign of market retrenchmenor at theleast a market peak.

It seems that what happened in Vegas, didn't stay in Vegas ...

The Hangover Part 3? Im sure even Junie boy could laugh at that..

unfortunately, Ive seen more and more of these guys, who sadly fall into my age group... they come out, get hammered, and because of their lack of control and sense of reality decide the world is against them and attack anyone that even looks at them sideways...

it has been particularly notocable the past few years, and ruined more than a few nights out with my friends. sadly that is the way it seems to be in the under 30 age bracket... thought it is only a minority they are noticed far more often than the majority...

A similar thing happened to me once. Imagine the disappointment and disgust I felt when I discovered that she was actually just a very tall woman.

A 21 year old man from Finland called a normal lady a Katoey when I was there, outside lucifers about 4 weeks ago. She promptly started grabbing his hair and trying to punch him, he in turn trying to punch her back, calling her some pretty crude words which shall not be repeated....

When I grabbed him in a headlock and told him "its better me than them", he could not understand why another farang was "hurting" him, until I pointed out that all the lovely men in the street walking towards him, as well as the other Katoeys in the street which he had just offended, were going to beat his ass if it didn't look like he got set straight from another farang.. some people really have no understanding of things Thai..

Pattaya is just like Moscow, just like Chicago, just like Sydney.. right? Chart na.

What does this say about Russian women?

I saw many Russian women prancing around Pattaya, when I went to show a friend through walking street at his request last month. They seemed to think they owned the place, and do seem to have a bit of a thing against good looking Thai girls (I'm not talking about most of the girls you will find in the bars, there is a reason they work there). Though clearly distinguishable from the other Farang females, who are largely sex tourists themselves.

A growing number of both Russian females (I do wonder why they go there, are they working?), and Female sex tourists from the western world, I may add. You may find more and more gay bars popping up on "walking steet".

Was never my cup of tea, even the Swensens (I love Swensens!) has terrible service.. the consumed and dirty cups mixed with the new cups of water as they are delivered etc. I guess, everything is recycled and used at least twice in Pattaya?

The bus station for busses to Bangkok which is easiest is at the top of Th. Sampan, near the Silver Reef Hotel (which is across the road from the station). You can catch a Tricycle there for 40 baht or so. You can also catch buses from the "New" bus station, though I have never been there and I doubt many other Farang have either, simply because you don't need to.

I can second Chan Tours for being the best service to Bangkok - fewer stops, better quality buses and service. Be sure that if you are not used to Thai bus standards that you request a VIP bus - it will have Air Con, a more comfortable seat, and some refreshments. Advance bookings during non-holiday periods are not essential, nearing in mind that Monday is that marvelous man, the Kings birthday. I believe they leave at least hourly, and the journey should be 10-11 hours if I recall correctly. Buses start about 7am or so.

The bus ticketing office is at the bus station. It is on the far side of the buses, the closest ticketing office (with lots of seats outside) to the buses themselves, but across the bus road from the platforms. They speak English and are nice - they will give you what you ask for, unlike some other companies who may not understand you and you may end up on a standard bus, which is not comfortable for a Farang.

If you want, I have a friend that lives across from the station and can probably help you to book a ticket, she runs the back packers across the road from the station and has been my friend for about 4 years now.

The trip should take

A very lucky young lady indeed. A 7th floor jump by a farang is suicidal. I hope she makes it.

I also hope the truth comes out and this British guy is not stitched up by the police or her family.

Maybe not so lucky. A fall from that height usually is accompanied by massive bone fractures including the spine.

Im not surprised by the jump, Bg"s are very much into self harm you only need to see the scars all over the arms and body.

They aren't self-harm scars, they are from a childhood motorbike accident, ting tong!

I was living in Bang Phlat ( Thonburi) ,in 1995 , we were flooded for 4 months. Stop whinging ,learn to live with it, as we had to do. We were knee deep , in our Soi, had to walk 3 kilometres to a main road to catch a bus, water much to deep for our motor- bike taxis. To take my children to school and for me to go to work. We survived . Albeit ,it got a bit boring trudging through all the used condoms, dead rats,dead cockroaches, dead snakes.lots of shit ,from all the septic tanks that overflowed. Don't be a wuss.

3 months, and you did not invest in some kind of inflatable to get to the end of your Soi (come canal!)? Your actions explain why you would place this kind of post on here. Your post is of historic nature, you should have taken photos and it would have made a great story.. but real people are facing real situations right now..

I am coming to Thailand in 3 weeks, and cannot plan ANYTHING, because the government is giving very little information, and what they are providing is proving to be flawed (e.g. nava nakorn WILL NOT FLOOD)..

NO information on which roads.highways are out of use.

NO information on which cities are flooded, other than the occasional article on a few of the cities/provinces.

NO information on predictions including maps (Google Maps is an AWESOME tool when used properly to move masses and make them aware!)

NO information on train schedules, and what is and is not working.

NO information on industry for investors.. I personally am not, but I can imagine this kind of incompetency is discouraging a lot of people

The government is only filling the minds of the many with a few words of hearsay, without demonstrating proof of what they are stating.. and now they are asking for help from the Farang countries that they just finished slagging off in a big way, just a few months ago.. you have to be friendly with someone BEFORE you need there help in the normal world Yingluck Shinawatra. Perhaps your brother can bottle the water and sell it in Cambodia on the streets of Phnom Penh?

Hi all,

from what I gather trains headed north to Chiang Mai are out of commission until further notice.

Is the line through to Ubon Ratchathani running? Also, are busses running to and from Ubon, Surin, and sisaket?

How about busses from Bangkok to Chiang Mai?

I intend on travelling from Bangkok to Ubon by plane, taking the train back to Surin, catching the bus from Surin to Udon Thani, then flying back, Taking the Train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai if at all possible.

Little information from the powers that be is making my trip on November 1st a hell of a challenge.. anyone with information would be appreciated

Hamish

People do not respond, because they think that is just a Muslim insurgency - it is infact more than that. Police and soldiers get attacked because they are disripting drug trafficking through thailanf and malaysia. This activity is alleged to be supported by elements of the malaysian government, though I have never seen evidence of this I travelled to Malaysia fir many years and know how they treat their non mulslim population in comparison to their native muslim population. To Malaysia, yala, pattani and narathiwat were siezed and given to Thailand but should never have been, so it is their desire to see disruption there.

Buddist villages get attacked by muslim terrorists, because they are kaffir.. that is, to be not muslim. Monks are killed for the same reason.motorbike bombs in the main streets, my girlfriends own family shot as theyngathered fruit to take to the market on their days off from teaching... you cannot travek with your cell phone on, because the signals along the road will trigger IED bombs which activate when they detect a cell phone signal.. can you imagine?

I nearly had my throat cut in kuala kubu bahru in makaysia, fir being white.. it was assumed I was a Christian American... I am a Kiwi athiest!

So it is, that you have elements of a neighboring state supporting both terrorism and the drug trafficking and protection trade which fund it wxisting under the same roof. I know, i spent a lot of time as a Farang in Yala and northern Malaysia.

Two things make me wonder from the discussion here.

My best frend, whom I met on my first trip to Thailand when I was 18 years old, works at Nana Plaza. She is the kindest lady I have ever known, and meets me most nights t make sure I go home alone after my drimking nights. People often stare at her friends and I, as we converse in Thaiwhilst eating early morning meals along Sukhumvit - I normally make a point to go and see her before she goes home. Not all bar girls are bad, but rather not as privlidged as others, but crave a better life someday just as much. Everyne is entitled to a dream.

I have other friends, luk krueng and white expats, who have Thai passports and have made their lives very differently to my dearest friend, in Thailand. At heart, their treatment of me is the same and they are no less valuable than each other.

Class is only an issue if you let it enter the equation as is occupation. Perhaps look inside, would you rather carry the burden of a heavy wallet, or the advantage of good judgement? If someone is racist, walk away.

A year ago I was attacked on Suk soi 4 as i walked to see me friend, stopping for medicine at 711 for a sore throat I had. Why was I attacked? I was farang, and refusing her made her lose her face, so she said. When i spoke to her in thai, she told me she was hmong, and that if I spoke thai, I knew nit to cross her because she would have the Hmong Mafia make me dissapear. All whilst the stall owners watched her physically attack me and I blocked her punches and kicks . A taxi driver saved me, as she punched me... I don't hit women. Racism in thailand exists, as it does where we all come from. Learn to read it, and it won't be an issue?

Police in Asoke are an interesting bunch, they pulled my gf of 3 years over as we came home fromd the restaurant dinner along sukhumvit in the taxi, accusing my very well dressed girlfriend (in a long dress) of working... when I explained in thai that she was my girlfriend if 2 years, and they could ask her father who is an officer, they backed off a little surprised and realising I was not a sex tourist. Maybe the Asoke Police could do better things with their time...

_{Tributes flow for Kiwi murdered in Thailand}

_{Tributes are flowing for a West Coast man murdered while on holiday in Thailand.}

_{Charles Jones, 56, of Westport, the New Zealand president of the World Croquet Federation, was on his way home from a world croquet tournament in London.}

_{Friends found his body in his hotel apartment in Jomtien, Pattaya, a popular holiday resort 165km south of Bangkok, after he failed to turn up for breakfast.}

_{Long-time friend Paul Archer said the death was "an absolute tragedy''.}

_{"I'm reeling from the shock of it. It's been a brutal brutal death}

_{"He's world president of croquet, he's a JP, he's a QSM. He's hugely involved in the Westport community as he was in the Wellington communityHe was selfless with his time.''}

_{Mr Jones, a late convert to Catholicism, played the organ in Westport's St Canice's Church and was a volunteer helper at the O'Conor Memorial Rest Home. He returned to Westport about five years ago to look after his ailing mother, Jean, who died last year.}

_{"When his mother was dying, for 22 days he laid by her side. He wouldn't leave her,'' Mr Archer said.}

_{Mr Jones was an "incredible organiser'' in his career with the defence forces, he said.}

_{Buller Mayor Pat McManus, who heads the O'Conor Home Trust, said Mr Jones' death was "a real shock reverberating all around the Home''.}

_{"He was the type of guy everybody loved.''}

_{Mr Jones' contribution to the community, and his achievements in world croquet, were huge, Mr McManus said.}

_{O'Conor Home spokeswoman Reece Durrant said Mr Jones was a ``wonderful'' man.}

_{"He had a huge influence in all of our lives up here.''}

_{West Coast-based Green MP Kevin Hague said he had known Mr Jones for a long time and liked him a lot.}

_{"I particularly remember that he was really organised and smart and he had a terrific sense of humour.''}

_{Mr Jones had also had a strong sense of values and duty, Mr Hague said.}

_{West Coast/Tasman MP Damien O'Connor said Mr Jones was an invaluable contributor to the community in so many ways.}

_{Mr Jones was born and bred in Westport. He did a chef's apprenticeship, then changed career track in 1975 when he began working for the Army in a civilian capacity at Linton Camp.}

_{He was director of co-ordination, land command, when he left the defence force 26 years later having worked all over New Zealand, and in London.}

_{He worked for Veterans Affairs for 18 months as overseas commemorations coordinator, then retired.}

_{He was elected unopposed as New Zealand president of the World Croquet Federation last year - only the second New Zealander to hold the role in 25 years - for a four year term.}

_{He had followed his mother into the sport as a schoolboy and been involved in croquet administration for over 40 years. He had been president of the New Zealand Croquet Council for four years, represented New Zealand and managed national teams. He was also a qualified referee.}

_{Mr Jones received a Queen's Service Medal for his contribution to the sport.}

_{His sister Alison McMillan told the Herald thieves had taken Mr Jones' computer and cellphone around the time of his death. He had refused to give them the combination to a safe in the apartment, she said.}

_{"It's tragic. It's unbelievable, but it's happened and it's true. We just have to wait and see now what the police say.''}

_{- NZPA}

The New Zealand president of the World Croquet Federation has been killed in Thailand.

Croquet New Zealand said Charles Jones, who has received a Queen's Service medal for his contribution to the sport, was murdered.

Executive director Murray Taylor said members were shocked at the news.

He said Croquet New Zealand was trying to support Mr Jones' family.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was aware of the death of a New Zealander in Pattaya in Thailand.

A spokesman said staff were providing consular assistance to the family.

- Source: Newstalk ZB via the New Zealand Herald newspape: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10747339

They got the supposed terrorist, hope the interrogation bares fruit. Animals like this that harm innocents and those seeking to protect freedom of movement and life for all, deserve to burn.

Hi all,

Please feel free to suggest / move my post, if I have posted on the incorrect forum - I have posted here as the nature of my work is predominantly within Bangkok only.

I work as a Train Controller (train dispatcher, in the USA) in New Zealand overseeing heavy-traffic flow metro and freight services (services every 90 seconds spanning 3 lines). My partner is Thai, and will join me for the next year here in NZ to gain some experience in western workplaces and maybe an additional extra year to expand her education. In the long term (1-2 years from now), we both hope to return to Thailand and have a good life and maybe start a family (no negative lectures please, we are both happy with our relationship ). That is the plan!

What sort of qualifications do I need to perform my current role in Thailand? My partner spoke with BTS staff who were under the impression I would need an engineers degree to do my job in Thailand - I realize it is a well-paid, high-skills type job, but I do not have an engineers degree (my background is accounting/business management/surveillance) and I am already qualified, certified and performing the role here in New Zealand.

So, there is a good chance that either it is the Thai way of expecting every successful applicant to be over-qualified (understandable due to the employment situation there), OR that my partner was simply misinformed and there really are opportunities without me having to go back to university and complete the degree I stopped because of the role I am performing.. I am quite happy to go and study a degree, but it does seem pointless to study a degree which I will never use.. my job has little to do with engineering.

Also, though not so important as to getting into a role I'm actually happy doing, what sort of Salary could I expect? If I was really after money, I would already be in Australia on a 6 figure salary..

Interested to hear back from anyone with any insight or experience

Does anyone else find this odd? All for protecting languages.. but last I checked Thai language was flourishing - even foreigners are learning. We don't have awards for proficiency in English for people here, let alone natives.. there are a lot of Thai names on that list.

If a western born person in an English country was not proficient in English.. and an educated western person was not highly proficient in English.. I would have serious concerns about our ability to control our own red future in the yellow sun.