connda

Ha ha ha!

Ha ha ha!

My stepson get 500 baht a week for food and entertainment. Interestingly enough, he saves a lot of it and buy clothes, and other gadgets that he wants.

Some skimmers, placed over/around the slot, do transmit the magnetic strip information wirelessly. The camera video is usually stored on a memory card disguised as part of the machine itself so that has to be retrieved later. Almost any gift card with a magnetic strip can be made a clone of the ATM card.

I am not saying that the individual the OP observed was doing this. It would be great to hear more about the exact situation: bank brand, ATM location, time of day, etc.

If anything, shielding entering your PIN should be done to thwart any camera rather than an individual standing nearby. Everyone should be changing their PINs frequently and using the home bank ATM preferably in a branch, where in theory it should be harder for thieves to place the skimming equipment.

Some banks here have smart(er) cards, like Bangkok Bank's Be1st Smart Card which are purportedly impervious to skimming.

I think it's a problem here as some have reported skimming incidents here and in some blogs. In the U.S, this is a huge problem.

Interesting. I'll need to go back to the Bank. However, it was an Aeon bank in the Tesco Mall in CM. I'd think it would be difficult to place a skimmer on an ATM within a Mall, but who knows. But a skimmer that can transmit wirelessly. Ouch. Not too worried though. I cover the keypad when entering my pin.

So what? Children that age compete in Karate and Boxing matches in my country. If you haven't noticed, children that age don't have a lot of power. And it builds character.

Sure...Not!

I think is a little daft to think that locking the kids down for V'day is going to keep them from having sex.

Does anyone here actually give to beggers? I did occasionally in the fresh market to the old guy with no legs...

I don't give to beggars, but on occasion I do give to old people who look down and out. In Chiang Mai there is also a girl who has no arms that makes woven "coin banks" with her feet. I usually buy one when I see her.

Cobra Gold -- hummm, sort of sounds like a new energy drink!

Oh by the way...for any good-hearted, tourists who may read this -- do not give them money!!! They are manipulated by human-traffickers, and if you contribute, you are essentially contributing to the spread of human-trafficking.

Contribute to charities, or drive out to the villages, find a poor family, and hand them some cash. Much good will come out of the latter.

That should make room for more sophisticated scam artists.

I was at a bank's ATM today. After I finished my transaction, I noticed a guy about 2 meters behind the ATMs holding what looked like a iPhone with a small antenna on the end of it. He just was standing there, nonchalantly, with this device pointed at the ATMs. I looked at the screen, but did not see any photo of video. So I sat down behind him and watched as he stood behind the other ATM customers. After about 2 minutes, the guy shuts the iPhone case and just continues to stand there. So I walked a few steps away and started using my phone, and the guy takes off.

That was just very odd.

I made a similar observation on Thai Visa a while ago.

It's pretty much the norm to get no response, at least not a Western one. If anything, you may get a shy look, or they may try to get small (bend low and crouch) which I guess could be construed as respectful.

Personally, I tend to err on the side that I will continue to act with Western courtesy even to Thai folk. Just don't expect anything in return. But I have noticed that Westerners tend to respond with smiles and kind word. This is something that I miss from Western culture and when I see it, I enjoy the moment.

Honestly, I stopped that nonsense about trying to be accepted by anyone many years ago. I am who I am -- accept me a face value and I'll do the same.

With that said though -- I do live here. When I lived in North America, I complained about immigrants (legal and illegal) who chose to work in my country but not learn the language and culture. So here in Thailand, I walk my talk. I'm trying to learn the language and understand the culture. It's an ongoing process. I'm I going to become Thai. No. I'm I going to work to be accepted. Definitely not.

Those who chose to accept me on my own merit. Great. I'll do the same with them.

Note to self. Book hotel rooms no higher that second floor whilst staying in Pattaya.

The xenophobia does eventually equate to a loss of Export revenues, and business opportunities.

Interesting. The couple is married in Thailand and then (from what I understand) Mr. Booth divorced her in England without Mrs. Booth present? We obviously don't have the whole story here.

***First question I'd have: If your marriage is registered in Thailand, can you process a divorce in your home country. If so, is that divorce than recognized in Thailand? Does anybody know?

Now for some comment -- It sounds like Mr and Mrs Booth lived in Scotland and took individual vacations. He returns to England, claims she deserted him during that time, process a divorce without her present, gets her visa rejected so she can't return -- I'd say there is the potential in that scenario to use the system for one's own unethical gain. But, if she did split to Thailand and chose not to return for the original divorce proceeding, and Mr Booth got a judgment in absentia against Mrs. Booth, that would be her problem. I understand the dilemma in the sense that if he tried to process a divorce in Thailand, her would of have to proved to the Thai court that his wife was having sex with another man, which unless he had a PI with a camera who caught her in the act, he wouldn't legally have a leg to stand on. Also a Thai court, without a doubt, would be biased in favor Mrs. Booth. This really sounds messy.

However, tit for tat -- Mrs Booth isn't going to get any sympathy from me for her attempt to file Human Rights charges. The Thai system treats foreigners who are married to Thai women as though we are little more than walking ATMs -- no money, get out; wife dies -- get out. We have no real rights. Consider this. If a Thai marries a Westerner and obtains a visa to live in his home country, she is afforded rights that we simply do not have here in Thailand, including a road to citizenship if she wishes to pursue it. If a Thai women's husband dies, she can remain in the country and eventually apply for citizenship. Western countries do believe in human rights and act compassionately enough to understand the bond of married is not total severed with the death of the Western spouse. The spouse usually forms bonds with the Western family and has become part of that Western society. And being a spouse of a Westerner gives that spouse a path to citizenship. That's compassion.

But here in Thailand!!! I'm here on a marriage visa. If my wife dies, I don't even get time to grieve; I don't get the time to make funeral arrangements. My first act needs to be to get my bereaved butt down to immigration because my visa is immediately null and void at the time of my wife's death -- otherwise I risk being fined and/or thrown in jail -- really compassionate of the Thai government. "You wife dead. Either put 800K baht in bank for retirement visa, find a job, or get hell out of our country farang. Thai wife dead - you go." The Thai government could give a rip about human rights or compassion.

So when Mrs Booth pulls the "Human Rights" card out of the deck, and that mob in front of the British embassy are crying about Mrs Booth's "rights being violated", all I want to do is laugh. These people need to petition there own government to clean the s**t out of their own backyard before they start slamming the British judicial and immigration system or that of any other Western country. Any Western country's immigration system puts the Thai immigration system to shame, especially when it come to "compassion" for foreign national spouses.

It will be interesting to see how this story plays out, especially considering Mrs Booth has just shown the British authorities that she is suicidal, and hence, also mentally unstable. Now it's that much more difficult to get a visa.

Actually, looking at the skid marks and the front suspension in the road, it begs one to wonder if the driver loss control due to mechanical failure prior to the crash?

'Takua Thung District Police are now hunting the driver, who fled the scene.'

what a shock, that never happens

I'm sure that is in the Thai Driver Manual:

...

Section 1.2.5 In the event of an fatal accident involving large commercial truck vs small private vehicle

...

<sarc>

Condolances to the family.

Some recent posts got me interested in researching the hill tribes.

My first though was, “How many do-gooders does it take to screw in a light-bulb, or conversely, destroy a simple, indigenous culture?”

My second thought was, “What is the real driving force that motivated the various missionaries, volunteers, and other various NGOs to insert themselves into the lives of these people.”

The answer to both questions essentially revolves around – money. “There’s money to be made in the life’s that we save”, would be a great motto for these organizations in my humble opinion. However, from what I can see and understand, it looks more like most of these organizations, even the one’s that think they are doing the most “good” -God's Work- are instrumental in the systematic destruction of what use to be an independantly functioning indigenous population.

I did a web search and I could not find one organization that didn’t want a substantial financial contribution or donation in order to allow someone the “privilege” to volunteer to help.

And that got me to thinking, why is it these people need help in the first place? Because they have been forcefully relocated by various organizations, wreaking havoc on there culture? Because their children have been stripped away from their family and culture in the name of Jesus and a better life? Because they are simple people who can’t deal with the modern world? Because they are exploited? Hummm. Exploited? Yeah, by just about everyone.

How about just moving these people back to their highland habits, and leaving them the hell alone! It looks like they were doing fine before the SE Asian countries where these people live were invaded by Western, communist, and “modern” ideology.

These people are animists with a very rich culture that is deeply steeped in tradition that is handed down from generation to generation. I think their simplicity of lifestyle is admirable.

So all you do-gooders out there with your collective hands out looking for money – shame on you. The hill tribes will benefit the most by you getting out of their life’s. You are not part of the solution – the second you inserted our own cultural ideology into their culture -- you became the problem! Go home!

Excellent article from AD, very important in letting people know the pitfalls and potential consequences of crossing the wrong type of people in Thailand,

The problem is: everyone in Thailand seems to by this type of person.

I'm assuming you never leave Khao San Road. That's just a disturbing and inaccurate comment.

The more I read about Thailand the more it looks like a lawless cesspit.

When I went to Phuket over ten years ago for my honeymoon I thought it would be the perfect place to retire to, and we visited several times a year.

Three years ago when the tuk tuk mafia took control of the transport situation, and foreigners seemed to have no rights whatoever, we havnt been back, and and I doubt we ever will. There simply seems to be no place that could be considered safe anymore, Chaing Mai, Hua Hin, Phuket etc.

Why was Chiang Mai on your list? Not exactly buzzing with mafia tuk tuk drivers up here! Worse you get is a 200 baht uplift on the 20b songtaew fee after midnight when obviously drunk. Can't remember the last time I saw a news report of foreigners being beaten by Thais up here - certainly not, to my memory, in the same context as the Op. Phuket, yes - Pattaya, perhaps (some parts), Bangkok even (again some parts).

These are the stories I don't really inderstand. I can understand, not approve of or accept - but understand, why police avoid mafia and connected crooks, but a couple of thugs beating holiday makers to near death?

Wasn't Chiang Mai the place where 6, 7 or 8 farangs (I forget the exact number) mysteriously died in the same hotel? Put down to coincidence, I seem to remember. Hotel owned by relative of local police chief?

They didn't mysteriously die. They died from exposure to insecticide that was used to fumigate the hotel. No foul play -- just negligence.

OK folks, watch

( what mormons really believe)( if I've done it properly) and then tell me these people should be around indoctrinating poor hill tribe kids. The guy that started this cult was known as a story teller.

Thanks for the link.

If even partially accurate, we're fxxxkd

Next to the video should be a link to the video featuring Bill Maher, one of America's most acerbic commmentors. The point Maher correctly makes at the end is that all of the major monothesitic religions contain the same type of nonsense. I mean once you posit that there is an invisible man above, well the sky is the limit to the addenda.

There should also be a link to George Carlin as in:

"Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time! But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money!..." -- George Carlin