MrJohnson

Isn't it funny? We had an elected government for almost 3 years and there was no governing.

And now we have a non-elected government and there is proper governance.

Proper window dressing more like it.

Recently returned from a visit to Sydney, Australia. Immigration queue into Australia about 20 minute wait. Officious immigration staff. 20 minute wait at customs while ALL bags were scanned and many were opened. AUD $17 by rail to Central Station. Meter taxi to my friends house in inner west - Annandale - around 20 minute trip. AUD $52. Returned to Thailand via Suvvanabumi Airport. 10 mins at immigration. No customs check - got my regular taxi guy to come and pick me up - B500 to Sukhumvit. The thing is that there are choices at both airports. Take an AOT car - it wont break the bank. No luggage, then take the train. It is not perfect but there are far worse airports around.

^{When they first declared all Taxi's would have to run meters, there were huge rumblings down here in Samui,}

^{First of all the taxis had to put in meters as before it was a minimum of 250 to go a few hundred metres and 3 kilometres would be about 500 baht..}

^{I spoke to a few of the drivers and they weren't happy, they had a meeting and all got large stickers on the side that there was a 100 fee to start the ride and then would be metered from there..Guess what, it never happened, they still refuse to turn on the meters and it costs 250 baht mininum to go anywhere on an island that has little traffic compared to the mainland.Fter 11pm or so you can Double that price, If you want to travel 30 kilometrtes after going to a club till 3am you are looking at about 1200 baht, if you can speak Thai and know the routine, otherwise add another 3-400 baht...But they get away with it}

Because this little island is controlled by Mafia who are also the Taxi drivers boss'..It's a well known fact, has been that way for over 20 years and they all carry weapons in their car and are not scared to show them off....

If coming From the airport to 3 kilometres away any time of day is 400 baht...If you speak Thai..500 otherwise!!!!

Please can someone sort this out, no other hard working Thai's make 4-5000 baht a day....

The local mafia taxi and Police make me want to puke....Sort it out Junta..

I was last in Samui in 1992. I decided never to go back. It sounds like things haven't changed much. Don't mess with this 'Samui Folk'

Go up to departures and grab a cab that is dropping someone off. Pick the newest looking cab. The drivers are usually very happy to get a fare going back into down. Meter on. You pay the toll fees and a B20-B50 tip sweetens the deal round.

BTW - it took me attempts to get a taxi from Sukhumvit Soi 11 to Samitivej Hospital at 10am on Wednesday. Hardly any traffic going in directions so I am not sure why the guys would not take me - and they were not the taxi mafia parked along Soi 11 just the normal guys driving around. A mystery but eventually I got one - less than five minutes

At 4.13 M - "gee Mum, is what what it was like then?'....and John Hewson and John Howard respond..." no kids, this is the future"

I actually miss Thaksin, I have lived here for 16 years, I am from Oregon, USA and back when I arrived and moved to pattaya where my dad lived (he moved here 25 years ago to open up a few export companies) tue Thai Baht was 45.8thb / $1USD.

Beer was 30-50 baht and <<<< Inappropriate specifics of prostitution removed >>>> and all was safer back then compared to now, it was more of a wild west back then and Thailand was safer and we did not have trashy Europeans and Russian thugs running the street and all the clubs, something's are good now bit not much, I am raising my daughter in these times, she is 6 and can speak 3 languages, English, Thai and Mandarin, and she acts like she is 18, she is smart and acts way above her age, I have friends in the US with kids the same age and they are overweight, lazy and glued to ipads pr Smartphone's, I love Thailand for the Family values unlike the US or EU countries.

I miss the old days of Thailand, Thaksin was cool, who cares about his corruption, look at the president of the US and EU PM, those guys are corrupt as shit compared to Thailand, I would be doing the exact same thing if I was Thaksin's son, hope he keeps up the good work.

Ah, yes the good ole days. Extra-judicial killings in the war against drugs, intimidation of journalists and anyone vaguely critical of his government, oversight of killings in the deep south, manipulation of sale of telecommunications contracts, transfer of share holding to avoid tax on sale of ShinCorp, general conysim, stifling of free speech by closing community radio stations critical od his government, interference in senate appointments etc. It was the best of times unless you got in the way of the bus he was driving. I'm not a 'yellow shirt' but to hark back to the good ole days of that odious rat and his cronies is just ridiculous. I guess the good ole days is a very subjective matter.

The chap standing behind him looks like a real barrel of laughs, mind..

I think he had a tough night........I'm not sure if he looks seriously miserable or miserably serious?

Thailand didn't remain uncolonised because they were stupid. Savvy leadership and smart bargaining to their own advantage has always been their strong suit.

Gee and I thought it was because they sold themselves out to whoever was expedient at the time....

Must have a different perception of Thai history.

Yes, there are several theories as to the supposed 'non-colonization' of Thailand.

Weak law enforcement. Weak law enforcement. Weak law enforcement. Weak law enforcement.

Time and again this is raised in relation to all sorts of ailments here. It is high time the government did something about it! If it does, then better put on a hard hat. Things could get bumpy!

Can anyone tell me whether the PR is open ended or has a window - 5 years, 10 years? Many thanks

It is good for infinity.

Thanks Joe. Much appreciated

Can anyone tell me whether the PR is open ended or has a window - 5 years, 10 years? Many thanks

So let's talk about Nadimos....I ate at the one in Silom the other night.

The lamb shish had a meaty smell so strong my gf didn't want to eat it.....the hummus was just bland....the pizza things they do are good.

I see Beirut on Thonglor closed down....I wonder why lol?

B

Cedar I have never heard of before.

There we go.

Cedar is ok smokes. Beirut still in silom?

I think the one in Ploen Chit is still there...dunno about Silom.

Still there sits at the back if Pizza Hut opposite Subway. The food is Ok but I think around Sukhumvit Soi 3-5 the food is better with higher turnover. The ambience I'm not so sure about.

In Little India....outside the little mall to the right there is a stall selling samosas for 12 Baht.......get them in my belly!

That little stall is brilliant. Run by a husband and wife team I think. Shh. Don't tell anyone. I'd hate to spoil it.

Too many

Bugger. You beat me to it. Attended a dinner going back 15-16 years ago. Just after the establishment if the Thai Senate. Khun Meechai was the after dinner speaker and he delivered an hilariously funny and irreverent speech about the military in Thailand, and in particular the number if generals, air vice-Marshall's etc. for a country that hasn't been at war for a long time the military is certainly a big employer. Maybe begs the question? Is the enemy within or without?

Wow, 19 posts and no one has said Adhere 13 blues bar. It's on Samsen RD, only 10 min walk from KSR. It's very small but has real character. They have a very good house band that plays there Thur to Sun from 9pm on.

Brown Sugar is another nice place for jazz but I'm unsure if they've moved as they were on Sarasin (sp) next to Lumpini.

I'm going to book mark this thread as I want to check out some of the mentioned places except the RLD venues as the only one that had decent music blaring from it was the bar outside nana next to Stumble Inn.

Forgive my ignorance but what is KSR? Adhere sounds interesting. Many thanks.

It's the brain dead mentality of western people, whose conditioning makes it incapable for them to look outside the box.

These shrines work similarly to accident black spot signs that we have in the west.

If a Thai is driving at a fast speed on a stretch of road and sees one of these shrines, then they are more likely to slow down and thus reduce accidents in this area.

Get it now?

Absolute nonsense! They are there for all sorts of reasons but to act as a catalyst for safer driving is not one of them.

Education and law enforcement. It is way too easy to get a driving license here. Very few drivers understand breaking distances hence the high number of rear end accidents. And have a look in the spike in accidents during the wet season. There is very little understanding of different driving conditions. And then there is the other side of the coin, law enforcement. Speeding, drunk driving, running red lights etc. The average Thai is not afraid of the law or police. Many have told me so. This is evidenced during the recent holiday when there was clearly a greater number of police out on the road. Still, most people continued to drive in a reckless and illegal manner. Laws are only effective if they are enforced.

It's time to teach people how to think, not what to think.

To all the foreigners visiting or living here in Thailand just please be careful not to bump-heads w the locals.I grew up here and I've visited almost all places in TH(part of my job too).I can speak Thai and honestly I never had a prob w them but then again I'm Southeast Asian too.They just don't like foreigners who disrespect them in their own country no matter who they are or what they are.

Just please avoid getting in a fight w them.That's the first rule to keep in mind when coming here.

Should really be described as common sense. Not liking being disrespected by a foreigner in your own country is a character trait not exclusive to the Thais. However, it is how it is handled. It is more often than not about business, women, traffic etc. I was recently at a holiday resort in the far south of Thailand frequented by a lot of young backpackers. If they could understand Thai and the way the young local Thai men spoke about them they would be horrified. Especially the women. I was shocked and disgusted and found it hard to keep my mouth shut. But I did. For the very reason you state here. Self-preservation

Unfortunately understanding Thai is a double edged sword, as I find out every time I go outside.

'Why hasn't he gone home yet?' is the phrase I am hearing most now. This from strangers who have never set eyes on me before. Then the curt 'funny' remarks to friends, and the insults which just seem to come out in the same uncontrollable way a cough or a sneeze might.

So true. Sometimes I think I was better off not understanding what was being said around me.

Education is the only way.

Not without good enforcing of laws, you have to have both.. education and enforcement.

Bang on. There are plenty of laws here in Thailand. The problem is there is very little enforcement.

The RTA has far too much to lose to consider any kind of meaningful reform.

Is this the way to take Thailand forward to become a first world country and meet the competition from neighboring countries?

I am assuming that is a rhetorical question BBP.