MrJohnson

These private ambulances are a pure menace.  They frequently use their sirens simply to cut through traffic even when there is no emergency, as in this case. The personnel are poorly trained and they create dangerous road situations when they 'race' to be the first to an accident. 

Yikes. Another crackdown!

3 minutes ago, newnative said:

  Worked fine for my partner and me as tourists and we never had to stand.

3 minutes ago, newnative said:

  Worked fine for my partner and me as tourists and we never had to stand.

Try being a commuter there.Old, dirty trains. Often late and often extremely crowded during peak hour.  The primary objective of the trains here is for locals. It may not be perfect for tourists but it is a huge improvement on the past.

22 hours ago, newnative said:

    Instead of removing seats they need to be adding rail cars.  Some trains often only have 5 or 6 rail cars and no matter when I travel, it's always crowded.  They need to check out Sydney's double decker rail cars.  Bangkok really needs to step it up with its metro--it's getting ever more usage but is really not that good as it is. Especially poor for tourists as there are few fare card machines at most stations so often long waits to buy a card.   and needs lots of improvements.

Oh right, Sydney has such a great rail system.

There are literally dozens of people  on the sidewalks with sewing machine. In Soi 11 alone there are about 3-4. Normally cost B40-80. If you can't find one you are not looking hard enough.

I hope the government is looking closely at how the case involving the construction of the Don Muang expressway ended. It was an embarrassing and costly exercise for Thailand. This case by Kingsgate will likely go the same way. It sends a very negative message to foreign investors. Thailand will simply continue to get revenue from low-end tourism - not a very sustainable strategy but what else do we expect from Thailand? The country will never move forward until good governance is implemented. Don't hold your breath.

19 hours ago, jayboy said:

 

Neither St Andrews nor Bangkok Prep are in the first division.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

Yes, I think you are probably right there.

On 10/5/2017 at 11:58 AM, Jane Dough said:

Most of the comments here are uninformed nonsense.

 

A big player like Wellington College will, in time, bring an excellent school to Bangkok like others in similar vein - Harrow, Shrewsbury to name two.

 

Yes, fees will be big, but standards will be high and as the saying goes...you get what you pay for.

 

 

 

 

Yes, completely agree. Whilst there are quite a number of international schools in Thailand, there is quite a range in quality. There are a cluster of very high quality schools, including the two you mention, and also NIST, Bangkok Pattana, ISB, St. Andrews, Bangkok Prep. etc. These are certainly the 'A' teams and have school fees that reflect that. The students tend to be a mix of expat kids and local Thais from wealthy families. If you look at where many of these kids go when they graduate you see that  many are going to very good universities in the U.K., USA, Canada and Australia. I'm sure that  Wellington College  will maintain their high standards and be a good addition to the schools here already.

On 9/25/2017 at 9:19 AM, Andyfez said:

Steves cafe & cuisine.

Google it.

Hard to find, so keeps the tourists away.

I'd second this recommendation. Great food, nice location, reasonably priced. But it is a secret so don't tell anyone!

Anyone actually seen her in Dubai?

Perhaps there is a reason Thaksin is not making too much noise. Maybe he is keeping his head down for her sake and not his own. Just a thought.

13 hours ago, djayz said:

Why bother? She's long gone... 

 

What if she is not. Has anyone seen her? Has she been photographed anywhere? Maybe I'm missing something but I don't recall a sighting yet. an someone correct me on that if I'm wrong please.

About Eatery. Tapas-style bistro in a very minimalist atmosphere. Very good selection of 'craft' beers and a great wine list with some unusual labels.Mid-range prices. Nice food and great service. Sukhumvit Soi 19 right down near the junction of Asoke and Sukhumvit Soi 19 opposite Rossano's.

I'm also heading to Ubon and wondering the same thing.  There must be somebody on this forum who plays golf in Ubon.

I've used AirBnB in the UK, France, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and The Netherlands. Never had any problems although it  is obvious in some cases that large letting agencies are using the platform to rent out properties - especially condos. I think it is much more difficult with apartments/flats and houses for this to happen. I think you need to 'read between the lines' in terms of property descriptions and reviews. We've mostly rented the whole property as well. I'm too old to do the sharing thing but can imagine for single traveler it might work and indeed might have some advantages.

You need a license to drive a car. Anyone can have kids. Bad parenting is on show in many countries. A problem not exclusive to Thailand.

5 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

You are assuming that anybody , bar die hard junta supporters , actually believes the farcical statements being trotted out.

Those that supported Phua Thai and before that TRT wont go away , the reasons that they sided with Thaksin wont go away , the problems wont go away.

The big boys in green are swimming against the tide , they will drown eventually.

I'm not suggesting that anyone would accept or believe the 'farcical statements being trotted out' because they are really unbelievable. My point is that it is a good outcome for the Junta. You are also quite right that the problem(s) will not go away. However, I do think that it will be harder for the PT or TRT to mobilize without a leader and at the moment nobody is stepping up.

Perfect outcome for the Junta.Yingluck can now be characterized as a coward who would not face justice and has abandoned her supporters. This, in contrast, to her being made a martyr by the courts and probably assisting to galvanize Phua Thai supporters if she had been incarcerated, which she most certainly would had she been found guilty.  Now they have both Thaksin and Yingluck permanently gone. That's pretty much the end of the Shinawatra dynasty. I would imagine the boys in green would be quite happy with that outcome.

There will be no chaos until after October. After that, all bets are off.

10 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

Yeah, but. . .

 

Anybody who seriously believes any government  - least of all a military-led regime representing the elite - is interested in using education for its true purpose rather than the control and manipulation of its citizens is living in la-la land.

 

This is why state schooling is always compulsory and why parents who would prefer to use the excellent programmes available through existing digital technology to home-school their children are treated as eccentric heretics to be hindered and handicapped rather than helped.

 

Of course smartphones could be used to revolutionise Thai education. But they won't - because the last thing any ruling administration wants is an enlightened and questioning electorate able and willing to call them to account.

 

Why does the author of this "think" piece imagine the generals changed their minds over the proposed ban on Facebook? They realise social media is their greatest ally in keeping the twittering, tweeting masses diverted, dumbed-down and docile. Hail the smartphone -  the new opiate of the people.

Bang on. Schooling is very much an instrument for social control. Group-think and compliance is what it is all about. The author of the Nation article has failed to see what an abject failure the internet has been. It has offered so much and delivered so little. Likewise smartphones. They are only as smart as the person holding them. Purveyors of pornography, marketeers  and people sharing cute kitten videos will continue to dominate the usage of 'smartphones'. There is no doubt about the potential of these devices but it is simply not being realized. There is so much that is wrong with the Thai education system it is hard to know where to start. The idea that embracing smartphone technology is a panacea to the problem is laughable. Unfortunately it comes after a long list of laughable solutions, quick fixes, smoke and mirrors.

Just now, halloween said:

So would that be a good thing or not? Should politicians be held accountable for the funds they are entrusted to manage, or should they have the right to foolishly and corruptly squander taxpayers money?

It would indeed be a good thing, if it were applied in a fair and just manner. This case, and the one against Taksin's brother-in-law, are clearly politically motivated and designed to finally destroy the Shinawatra clan's political aspirations. Many would applaud that perhaps. My point is that the law should be applied to ALL.

The making of a martyr. For all the rights and wrongs of the rice-pledging scheme, this is vengeance, pure and simple. If every former government minister or prime minister were held accountable for these kinds of debacles, the prisons would overflow.

Yes, can report the park is open again.

Good luck with that. Will require 24/7 attendance of BMA staff to keep the vendor mafia out.

Get some legal advice. You may options through the courts.

Sorry, no actual experience with this. The TV lawyers might shed some light but an actual lawyer might be more useful.