rkidlad

I've lost count how many times Thai people have jokingly asked me 'Are you going to Santika for new year? he he he'

People were burnt to death you degenerate prick! Thais love Thais. No, they most certainly don't.

Many people saw the incident, which occurred at about 5pm, but no-one went to the family's aid, the victims claimed.

The typical Thai reaction/non-response. I see nothing...NOTHING.

Seeing nothing and not helping others in trouble is not a Thai but a worldwide problem. In nearly all countries it is a lot safer to mind your own business.

Where I come from most people would assist. It was in broad daylight with many people around.

I agree! Back home I would have helped in anyway that I could. People Where I come from get very sensitive when they see women or children being attacked. I'm not saying the children were attacked, but they were there and that's what makes this all the worse.

You can either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

It's very easy for us who live here to say 'they shouldn't have parked there'

We live here and we know what is what. When I first came here All I saw was big smiles and polite people. As I stayed longer I could see what was really going on. Thailand is the same as anywhere; some good people, some bad.

This is all down to education and culture. When I see Thai people attacking someone like this (I've seen it so many times now) It's absolutlely sickening. We're told to never intervene because there is a serious risk we could be killed. We just stand there and watch 'cause even as foerigners here, we've been conditioned to do so.

It's all so very sad. Why anyone on God's green earth should have to leave their own country for something so important as health care is beyond me.

I had serious medical problems as a child and it was all bought and paid for by the British NHS. You can slag it off all day long, but it saved my life and I will never complain about this service. The doctors and nurses were awesome and we all know how the nurses are seriously underpaid.

Never take things like this for granted.

I have to say that the education system here, more specifically the curriculum, is farcical. No geography, no history, no dedicated maths or language skills.....

All they are doing (in my opinion) is training Thai kids to become Thai adults!!

It's all singing and dancing shows and paying homage to everything that is Thai. Yes, I realise we are in Thailand but ask any teenage student the capital of UK or USA and I would believe that less than 50% would know the answers to both.

A lot of kids don't even know the geography of their own country!!

Why should they care what the capital of the UK or US is? Most will never visit and it has no bearing on their future. Also, if you want to see ignorance you should ask some U.S. kids questions about geography. There's even a tonight show segment where they go out on the street and ask adults walking around in Time Square geography questions and some of the answers are profoundly stupid.

Why should anyone know anything? Knowledge is power and ignorance is bliss. You ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies. Does this kind of culture seem familiar?

I've heard of a lot of people having problems with banks. Some people have walked in with nothing and got an account, some people have had everything and still had difficulties.

When I first tried I just had a wad of cash. The middle aged lady seemed to take great pleasure in playing games and having that feeling of power over me. As soon as i got wind of this I just asked to speak to someone in a more senior role and completely undermined her. I either get the account or I don't, no need to try belittling me.

Well in the end I got my account with just my passport and money.

You're a customer who wants to put money in the bank. I know in Thailand customers don't have many rights, but you are still the boss (foreign or otherwise) Use this to your advantage. Also, use the western style aggression of getting things done when in the bank. They don't know how to deal with it so of course they just want you gone.

Not everything is fun just because you think it's fun! This kind of stupid behaviour would get you into a lot of trouble in Thailand too, I'm happy to say. So even if you are allowed entry I strongly suggest that you do some reading about the dos and donts in Thailand, so you can understand what may be considered offensive and why sometimes you see people getting beaten senseless in the street by a bunch of Thai bouncers when all they did was "having fun".

I say "you" but I mean "your friend", of course...

Jeez! Welcome to Thailand. Don't worry, we're not all so aloof.

thais are some of the worst drivers in the world....overtaking on a bend on a hill seems to be the normal...running red light seconds after the green has changed...going the opposite way to the traffic flow.

years ago i nearly stepped into the path of a motorbike coming the opposite way down a one way st doing 60...i think only my 6th sense stopped me.

might be more to this than meeets the eye though...slammed into by a speeding pick up on an open street...in pattaya as well.

People that live here should know, road rules are very lax, it is the Thai way, you always look both directions and even then it can be very risky, unless there are speed-bumps and police, there will always be problems. Crossing the road can and does get people injured or killed, never trust the driver, always be on your toes, most people are in a hurry going no-where, texting, not looking, racing, Thai and Farang.

When you're in a shopping centre; no one's in a rush to get anywhere. When you're on the road, everyone is in a rush. Logic?

Very sad indeed. It does happen all over the world, but it's much worse and less common at zebra crossings.

I remember when I arrived in Heathrow last. I stopped at the zebra crossing to let the driver go past. He stopped and looked at me funny. I remembered that in England drivers stop at zebra crossings.

When driving in Thailand it's very easy to become native. My advice is to ignore everything that drivers do here and drive like you would back home, It might take a bit longer, but may well save your life.

Please explain to me the issues at hand here? What would you rather do, pay an on the spot fine or go through the Western court system?

It's pretty simple really. Corruption is wrong. You can drive like a wanke_r and get away with paying 200 Baht odd on the spot. Or, you could be forced to go to the police station and pay the full 500. If everyone who drove like a wanke_r was forced to pay 500 Baht, the police stations would be better off and higher salaries could be paid.

I know what you're thinking now 'if people were detered from driving like wanke_rs, where would the corrupt police get their money from?' Who cares? People not driving dangerously means less injuries and deaths on the roads. I can't imagine how much it costs for innocent people and the state to pay for people injured or dead from road accidents.

Win, win me thinks. Corruption is just a way of life here. Mai pen rai.

have you ever thought about how good are road accidents to the economics of Thailand? Ok, maybe some people die in an accident, BUT it gives work to nurses, doctors, people who building hospitals....garages and repairshops, factorys for parts etc etc, even the monks and the coffinmakers are not jobless.

So thanks to the BoB, they mostly shut their eyes and just open it when they are short on money for lunch or a new car or house.

Friend of mine had a good idea and tried the official way without paying bribes....after two years he is still waiting for some papers and for sure he will have to wait ten years more.

Please, stop talking.

Please explain to me the issues at hand here? What would you rather do, pay an on the spot fine or go through the Western court system?

It's pretty simple really. Corruption is wrong. You can drive like a wanke_r and get away with paying 200 Baht odd on the spot. Or, you could be forced to go to the police station and pay the full 500. If everyone who drove like a wanke_r was forced to pay 500 Baht, the police stations would be better off and higher salaries could be paid.

I know what you're thinking now 'if people were detered from driving like wanke_rs, where would the corrupt police get their money from?' Who cares? People not driving dangerously means less injuries and deaths on the roads. I can't imagine how much it costs for innocent people and the state to pay for people injured or dead from road accidents.

Win, win me thinks. Corruption is just a way of life here. Mai pen rai.

An air-conditioned bus? They never crash.

Good. Hope Thai Airways wins.

Whether or not you agree with the PAD cause, effectively closing an international airport wasn't the right way to go about it and the leaders should face the consequences.

I agree. Everyone involved, from the top dog, to the old ladies and their clappers should be punished.

If people in this country were held accountable more often, there wouldn't be such a blatant disregard for people and their lives.

The laws that need to be followed are the laws of the country they are in. I don't know if Thailand views a 16 year old girl with a 21 year old man in the same manner.

Do you really think the Thai government care about a pair of 'farangs' just because she's 16. She's legal in Oz so why would they care? She's not one of their precious own citizens who they bend over backwards to protect.

Send them out on a boat to their deaths! Just deny it if anyone asks. Amazing Thailand (If you're a rich tourist)

I've eaten a few dogs from Nana

What's the obsession with cutting off a man's tool? Just give him a Chelsea smile and be on your way.

How dare America accuse Thailand (greatest country in whole world) of anything!

If I were the Thai prime minister I would crush America.

Thailand has never been colonised and is greatest country in whole world!

I think it's all pretty simple. If you're easily offended and shocked in Thailand, don't read foreign news! Thai people can relax and enjoy the comfortable reading that the Thai press offer. No one has to get hurt, no one has to lose face. Just stay in your own little world and let the rest of the world continue as normal. And if you do happen to want to read it, just take it at face value. Not everything in the press is true. Form your own opinion.

'Thai' people were offended by this article? It's great when one man can speak on the behalf of 60 odd million people. I'd be a little aggrieved if I was Thai and he was speaking for me. But hey; who am I to have my own opinions?

If Thai people are one, share the same feelings, opinions, culture - shouldn't the rich Thais share some of the fortune as well? Maybe the government should open a telephone line so rich Thais can donate huge amounts of money to the poor. Then Thailand really can be one.

'What's yours is mine, and what's mine is mine' a quote from Somchai Cuntybollox.

Thailand is greatest country in whole world.

I hope Thai government crush the Times Online.

This is truly an awesome story. Where would we be without Thaivisa's hard hitting stories?

Keep up the good work.

Korean man stealing water - well I never.

Thank you for your post. There will be a few members on here who will be disappointed with this outcome. They seem to take great pleasure out of other people's misfortune and love to get on their high horses about how 'legitimate' they are.

Everyone who gets a tourist visa and who is not a tourist is a criminal or degenerate. What a cynical bunch of tossers there is out there.

This is a clear warning to anyone who wants to wipe out corruption. Probably someone paid by a police officer or politician. You know - the people who run the country.

Comical.

I thinks there's a place on Sukhumvit 72 where they paint live nudes. Can't remember the name of it though.

I'm not saying this couldn't happen in any country, but this about sums up the mentality of some of the actors and politicians here.

This is assault not matter how you look at it. This man should be made an example of.

Of course he won't though. He's special because he looks good in make-up.