connda

Just another way of forcing us to buy what they make here at inflated prices

Exactly. Killing the used auto import business will drive up the sales of used cars in Thailand, reducing the number of used cars available on the market. This, in their minds, will drive up the sales of new cars manufactured in Thailand. How else are they going to become the Detroit of Asia.

Do the math: The average Thai factory worker makes about 8K a month. New college grad 9K? Middle class makes 15 - 20 maybe. Prices of new trucks start around 450K. Sedans around 600K. For "cheap" new cars!

So how in hell do these people afford a new car in the first place? The streets are full of them, but how people afford them is beyond me.

Then used cars. I sold my 5 year old Honda Accord in the US for the equivalent of 250K baht prior to moving here. The same care would cost me about 800K????? Again, how in hell do these people afford a used car either.

They will never make an affordable car in Thailand. Then the poor segment of society could afford a car and the traffic would be that much worse.

Stupid!

So make it fair and allow every person who has been convicted of a crime the ability to buy their way out of jail using a sliding scale based on net worth. And I guess that every one who has a negative net worth gets out for free.

What makes a billionaire criminal different than a poor criminal. Ooohhhh. Silly me -- money and power.

An unfair judicial system? Well than it's unfair for everybody. Come back and do you're two years like a man. The population will rally around you once you're out! What are you thinking? It would be over and done with by now.

"Over 112,000 people had been fined or arrested. The most common offences were not wearing safety helmets and not carrying a driver's licence."

If they'd focus on identifying and removing drunk drivers off the road instead of collecting money for minor traffic offenses, they might actually help decrease the number of accidents. Obviously that's not the focus. The focus as usual is to see how many motorcycles they can pull over and extract 100 or 400 baht fines from the drivers.

More than

749,000 vehicles

and motorbikes had been

stopped

Just because the leading violation were not wearing a helmet and not licensed doesn't mean they weren't after drunk drivers. The majority of deaths in Thailand on the road are those on motorbikes. Things like wearing helmets and safety belts are HUGE factors in reducing road deaths around the globe.

I wear a seat belt in my car and a helmet on my bike. My choice.

Others choose not to. Their choice.

Fining motorcycle drivers takes time and doesn't lead to significant amounts of adherence to the law. If it wasn't about the money, the cops would insist that the driver leave the motorcycle parked where it is until they have a helmet prior to driving away. But that ain't the case. The drivers are stopped, fined, and released -- without wearing helmets. In fact, they can use the ticket receipt as a fee pass for the rest of the day. It IS about the money. Nothing more.

On Songkran, they should just check for alcohol. Don't tie up cops processing fines. Use all the cops to process traffic specifically looking for drunks on motorcycles and cars -- and get them the hell off the road. The more traffic processed, the more likely they will identify more intoxicated drivers.

Anyone thinks helmet and seat-belt laws are about protecting the public from itself is either self-deluded or has been smoking too much of that stuff that will get you tossed in jail too. It's about revenue generation. BIB: "Show me the money."

The day I see a cop refuse to let drivers and passengers back on a bike unless they are all wearing helmets, is the day I'll change my opinion. That day isn't coming any time soon.

"Over 112,000 people had been fined or arrested. The most common offences were not wearing safety helmets and not carrying a driver's licence."

If they'd focus on identifying and removing drunk drivers off the road instead of collecting money for minor traffic offenses, they might actually help decrease the number of accidents. Obviously that's not the focus. The focus as usual is to see how many motorcycles they can pull over and extract 100 or 400 baht fines from the drivers.

Think so, it says from Iron bridge to the Wat in Tapae area

Yesterday was from the Train Station to Wat Pra Singh. The "Iron Bridge" is over by Rimping Market. Drove out there about an hour ago and saw nothing.

Wow, the City of CM has done a really poor job of promoting these events this year. Total lack of information and what is available is of questionable accuracy.

Wait for someone to come to Thailand that you know and have them bring you a bottle. That's what I do. I bottle lasts me about 3 years.

According to the Songkran schedule, there is a "Buddhist procession from Iron Bridge to Tha Pae Gate carrying holy sand and relics" from 3pm to 5pm.

Any idea what the route is. Will this be going up Thapae Road?

Thanks!

I was also issued a Thai '30 bht' medical card after getting my yellow book. Not that my first choice for medical care would be a government hospital but should a dire emergency arise I guess it's a useful fallback.

Depending on your local hospital, some government hospitals are very good. Especially the provincial government hospitals are good.

Choose a good doctor, not a good hospital. Some good doctors work partime in government hospitals and also have a private practise or work in a private hospital.

I've found the government hospitals to be excellent and affordable. Here in CM, the doctors at the government hospital moonlight at the private hospital.

And KerryK, really. I'm surprised (or maybe not?) you needed it pointed out I was joking, especially with my line about flip-flops!!! What's been going on in this thread?!?

Hey mod. I have an idea. How about putting this thread to bed.

Thailand is becoming "developed". Government officials, community leaders, and those who aspire to control the lives of others are starting to "decree" how the masses should act. Let see: ban powder, ban alcohol, ban powerful squirt guns.

Keep it up elite ones. We are sure in years to come that the 30 million generated on one road will be diverted to the likes of Cambodia, Myanmar, and less "developed" (and less restrictive) countries who can accommodate fun seeking tourists and natives alike.

Seems as "development" and "acculturation" comes at the price of personal liberties.

Sorry bout that. When all else fails, read the directions in the help menu.

It should work this time.

Thanks. I also found a list on CityNow but without times. Just wrote a letter to the editor of City Life...for what good that will do. The city is trying to promote and alcohol limited, toned down Songkran festival, but they don't promote events that are happening throughout the cite and province. So what are they going to get - a bunch of drunk farangs tossing water from the time they get up until they fall back into the drunken stupor. Heck, they were already at it on Loi Kroh and Thapae last night and it's not even Songkran! Might help to have the city and TAT publish, and seriously promote some other options!

Maybe I expect too much -- after all, TIT.

I think the city or Chiang Mai could do a lot better job of promoting cultural events. All I've been able to find regarding schedules is a limited list of events (that I'm sure is far from encompassing what is really happen here in Chiang Mai). That list for 2012 doesn't even include times for the events.

I'm sure the Thai locals get there info though the grapevine and word of month, but it leaves tourists and local expats in the dark. I'd love to take part in the cultural traditions, and enjoy the more laid-back festivities -- but they really aren't well promoted and advertised at all.

Soooo, that leaves farangs with the options of going to the bar, getting drunk, throwing water, and spending money on the street.

If the city wishes to sponsor an alcohol free (or limited) environment, they really need to take the time to publish a comprehensive list of local events in the area and include the times of those events. I have friends coming into town and I'd love to take them to the cultural events happening during Songkran.

It's like the local mayor, city council, chamber of commerce, TAT, and Expat organizations decided to just forget about the foreigners living and visiting here. "Come, visit the street vendors, spend your money, get drunk because we aren't going to publish any other choices for you in English, and throw water. I'm really pretty disappointed. TIT huh? Sad.

Male American Tourist on Soi Cowboy: "Dam_n I'm glad I brought my American girlfriend with me!!!"

Does anyone know if you can send US tax returns to the US via the US Embassy's diplomatic pouch?

Here's the ugly face of racism:

http://baltimore.cbs...ught-on-camera/

http://deadlinelive.info/2012/04/06/78-year-old-man-attacked-for-trayvon-revenge/

Does anyone know if there is and event schedule published online for this year's Songkran Festival. If not, mai bpen rai -- TIT.

What else needs to be said.

.

I've seen this happen before. In the US, SWAT would have shot him for sure. But here, they try to negotiate. This one they Tasered. I think these guy are looking for attention. And I think the negotiator know they are looking for attention, and try not to make this a lethal encounter. Anyway, kudos to the Thai negotiators for using restraint. Cops in the US seem to be way too eager to shoot first.

Translation: If you are not paying the local authorities Tea Money, expect to be fined this year.

Those who must never be named nor spoken about: Humm. Interesting thread. I think I'll take a laissez faire approach and just let these posts play out without interruption.

3000 out of 76 million. Panic hasn't crossed my mind.

Best Place To Go In Thailand To Avoid Songkran?

I find my living room work pretty well.

F1fanatic: I can't quote your comment. I get: The number of opening quote tags does not match the number of closing quote tags. even when I don't add any quotes. It happens a lot.

Here's my reply:

Humm. A couple of examples of preconceived notions: I thought that the word Farang was derogatory. Now I feel it is a fairly general word to refer to foreigners of European decent (although there are TV members that will disagree). I thought that Buddhist monks were dedicated, meditation practicing, ascetics. I was really wrong on that one. I thought modern Thais were less ethnocentric than they are. I thought Thailand had a pretty good educational system. Now that I've worked within the educational system, I was way off on that one too. I thought petty crimes against foreigner was pretty rampant, but it seems to be localized, i.e., Phuket and Pattaya come to mind.

A typical preconceived notion a new expat may have is all Thais are friendly, smiling people. 555 to the TAT PR folk! Excellent PR campaign! The Southern provinces are a dangerous place to go (I still think that). It's socially acceptable to walk around the city drinking beer out of a bottle (you can but it really isn't). For younger tourists, its OK to drink, smoke dope, and drop X at the full moon parties (no it's not and it will get you thrown in jail, possibly for a long time). Thai food taste great (my God, there is some Lanna village dishes that just turn my stomach). We should ask thebleather. I'm sure he could come up with more, and probably funny ones at that. Oh, and I thought Thai women could actually be romantically enamored with their partners (a few years of marriage and her having one affair that I know of with a "rich" farang has changed my mind on that. And I've heard her talking with her friends, most of whom try to keep multiple farangs sending them money. And my wife's been doing the same over the years. Yeah, silly me for being naive. "It first of month honey. You have money?"

There's millions that are you just need to meet the right ones.

Another of your examples though: A young farang on the sky train with a bargirl looking girl on Friday, I don't think either could speak much English, kept touching her and kissing her.He started to get pissed off when she kept pushing his hands away. It looks like no ones told him about no kissing and touching in public and that the only girls that do except a few loved up couples are bargirls pleasing farangs for the money.

Yeah, the average farang tourist, especially hormone ladened young guys, don't immediately grasp the idea that playing kissy-face and grab-ass in public is a real no-no. I guess they figure the bargirls are cheap and easy, so the whole society must be that way. Then suddenly the sexy, gyrating, uninhibited young lass he met in the Go-Go bar turns into the epitome of Victorian modesty the moment they're in public. Suddenly you have a confused farang, a pissed off bargirl, and their first of many conflicts to come.