greeneking

2 hours ago, Pferdlkrantz said:

Don't know how one defines "Government Run" bus companies but the following is an account of my experience today, Friday:

North Pattaya Bus Station (Roong Reuang Coach Co. so assume it is not "Government run).  Buy ticket, no problems.  Instructions on entering waiting area are standard: masks everywhere. Seating is alternate window and aisle per row.
Morchit bus station.  Booked a further ticket (Nakhonchai, again probably not G-R), asked for passport, supplied, no issues with being a Farang.  Screens are in place as normal, about 50% of the booth operators were not wearing masks but masks were prevalent otherwise. 
In short, no issues. 

I find it strange that the edict has not been delivered to non G-R companies. 

Calm, rational and informative.

Very welcome.  There are problems, but no need to flee from an impossibly 'racist' situation just yet.

The Thais I see remain kind, helpful and friendly.  Is it just me?

1 hour ago, Gandtee said:

Perhaps farangs should begin pulling statues down.????????Racism in its purist form!

Interesting thought...they are all royal or Buddhas aren't they?

14 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

Popular phrase these days

Will there be same amount of outrage here?

Reports of 500,000 tweets as Thai netizens call awareness to the kidnapping of Wanchalearm and other activists in exile.

3 hours ago, Bob A Kneale said:

Street vendors were not banned from KSR.  All police in Thailand are "fully armed", that the police were patrolling KSR is nothing remarkable.

Recent examples of patrols.  As a Tourist I would not feel protected.  I would feel intimidated.

I would feel maybe Khaosan was not a safe place.  When I saw most clubs have a lot of security staff I would feel the same.

Actually I find it very safe, but the authorities are heavy handed and out of touch.

Too many recent 'initiatives' from Bangkok authorities have not improved the experience at all.  This dynamic economy does not need any help from committees of the elite. Widespread ownership of property by Crown Authorities is a concern.  Much of Rachadamnern has been shuttered for the last year.  And Democracy Monument is not easily accessible.

This area, for better or worse, has become a world famous magnet for tourism of a certain kind and independent Chinese travelers may have started joining in, but the big groups are nearby, though not here.

It might suit some if the Khao San of young, backpacking, independent world democrats never bounces back.

On ‎5‎/‎25‎/‎2020 at 8:00 PM, ThailandRyan said:

Never saw bus loads of Chinese on Khao San, a smattering of them on the weekend, Koreans, as well as a few Indians and Pakistanis.  Primaily backpackers, Thais, Farangs, and the usual LB's, Bars were always packed, dinner venues were popular, and of course the Bib had to come down the road at 2 am to ensure people were moving on.  Miss eating my kabobs, and fried grass hoppers.... 

24 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

 

You guys need to read other sites besides Reuters then you might know who id behind the protests.

If you believe we should know something, please don't be coy.

Tell us.

2 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

Yes, the interest rate started to go down and down from Mid March onwards after the pandemic hit the world.

 

 

 

Understandable.

Has it also affected the interest rates they charge their borrowers?

I should like to be paying them 2 or 3% on the money my wife borrowed.  Nowhere near.

14 minutes ago, Phuket Pete said:

I wonder what they will make of Tech Savvy Thailand ?

Interconnectivity 4.0. Remember it well. Lots of signs bragging about it on the walls of Immigration by the computers that are never used to save information and the piles of paper soon to disappear into a cupboard. 

'Thais and foreigners can register using QR codes entering their ID and telephone numbers. '

Register for what?

Will you now have to be tracked if you want to go shopping?  It may be a good idea....but I can not see why.

1 hour ago, generealty said:

Suspension ? Are they joking ?

"Good news soon": Murder of German who taught English has damaged the image of Thailand, says media." from yesterday

So what must have this have done to the image of Thailand?

Suspension maybe OK but should involve a rope and a tree!

2 hours ago, JAG said:

They will, I think, be a jolly useful tool. Let's face it, if you feel the need to control the population, which this regime clearly does, then having a network of regional offices, unaccountable, with seemingly unlimited powers to dictate how life is lived and to impose sanctions at will, even as a form of collective punishment; all set up without any judicial or parliamentary oversight has clear advantages - George Orwell and Aldous Huxley would wish that they had thought of it when writing their novels.

 

Doing it at a local level is jolly clever too - it will allow for much better targeting of particular areas, very useful given the territorial aspect of the Thai political scene. Sanctions which may be need to be applied in, for example Issaan and the North may be less desirable, counterproductive even in provinces south of Bangkok!

They could wear yellow shirts with light blue scarves.  People who don't do as requested could be accused of being unpatriotic and ostracized.

Happily these centres will be very dull places to work in.  8 cases today and 3 yesterday for the entire country.

Maybe some of the unemployed can get jobs. 

8 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Actually, I am more bolstered by this than critical. The fact that we are actually reporting high numbers means we are being far more honest about our numbers than many other countries. Besides we are older and fatter than many other countries so have more high risk.

 

Best thing that came out of the meeting yesterday was reporters starting to ask of we will ask China for reparations, which as expected got little response

 

It would be good if the British can be seen as honest brokers.  Honesty may be a very valuable resource for a country as the world seeks a way forward.

However, the desire for it would be confused by putting things in the hands of law firms working for financial rewards and companies looking for compensation and punishments.

35 minutes ago, Dublin14 said:

I strongly believe and having seen it with my own eyes tourism in Thailand has being declining for the past 3yrs!! Yes it still gets a decent volume of tourists in say Pattaya but nothing like 6yrs ago!! Alot of factors now regarding tourists returning, many simply don't have the money to travel now due to job losses etc and traveling will be the last thing on people's list!! People also afraid to fly now, probably need criteria to enter Thailand and not forgetting the high baht!! It will be awake up call for regular tourists as they will find closer more welcoming and cheaper destinations!!! 

This is not a racist slur, but ask any shop, restaurant,bar, taxi etc worker and they tell u they dislike the Indian and Chinese tourists,they don't go to eatieries ,bars, taxi's etc, it's all prepaid group tours, they never tip witch goes along way for most of thease workers! Millios of Chinese come but that money they spend stays in a certain click for better a word, nothing trickles down the economic ladder to the normal worker!! Lack of western tourists the past few years and it's quite noticable how many once vibrant places have gone by the wayside!! Sad days ahead of Thailand unless your in the golden circle!! Just my 5cent opinion!!!

Recently many tourists seem to have concentrated on a limited view of Thailand.  Bangkok or Chiang Mai and maybe a beach.  And mostly these places don't feel like they are doing well from tourism anyway.

'Western' tourists took in Chiang Rai and the western loop,  touring around Nan, villages along the Mekong, They hopped over the borders into Laos and Cambodia and didn't worry about visa issues when they wanted to return.  They trekked and visited hilltribes, canoed back into Chiang Mai.

They searched for unspoilt places and guesthouses sprang up to help them enjoy them.  Many felt Bangkok was only a  place to use and then to leave from as quickly as possible.  Often to islands and beaches where they could enjoy themselves for weeks on end.  Easier with gap years and confidence in their future when finally they returned home.

Any return of Chinese and Indian tourism will not bring back this 'normal.'

Nor will it fill the oversupply of condos and resorts in Hua Hin, Cha-am, Krabi and Pattaya that developed when long haul two week holidays became popular and cheap for well paid secure workers and the retired with pockets full of cheap baht.

34 minutes ago, Susco said:

My point was actually, if the brewers really controlled the government, there would never have been a ban to start with.

 

Even the income stream of rents and business profits going to people in Germany must be suffering.

10 minutes ago, dukeandduke said:

I'm no expert on this.  Any reason they would be unloading a truck of beverages, 90% of them beers, into a 7-11 this evening?

Sanity has arrived in this government.

Singha and Chang have offered money

Orders from Germany

expected information turned out to be wrong

...more ideas welcome

7 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

Please remember, there are, I believe, members of the Thai "establishment" that would welcome an indefinite alcohol ban - along the lines of the Temperance Society in the UK and other countries!

'Coronavirus: 700 dead in Iran after drinking toxic methanol alcohol to ‘cure Covid-19’'

Adam Forrest : UK Independent 28th Ap.

Doesn't life get confusing?