ableguy

Here is a snippet from the article...

Under interrogation, Mr Hoen's Thai wife Mrs. Phimjai Soiphim [28], explained that her and her husband had been drinking alcohol together with a third man at their room for most of the evening. Mrs. Soiphim explained that she and her husband had met their new friend earlier in the day, stating that she did not even know his name or nationality.

So they met some guy during the day and then invited him home? I will never understand some people.

TheWalkingMan

Sure, we all take people home we met the same day to get drunk and stab each other............

In Pattaya yes, lovely place?

even in the french prison, his life will be extremely difficult

From what I have read on the subject French prisons make the Thai prison system look like a holday resort I am suprised the harshness of The French penal system has never been subjected to assauly by the civil rights movement, anyway hope he gets a long time to reflect on his sins.

You will find that buying a ticket in Thailand to the UK is far more expensive than buying one in the UK to come here, reason being no real demand here so they are free to hike up the price. I have spent hours on the web looking for good deals to the UK and they dont exist.Rather than trying to get into an airlines web site just google cheap flights to UK and trawl through the travel agents, wish you luck

According to Phuketwan Marine Police believe that the 40,000 of fuel are still sealed inside the vessel and only the fuel from the engines has leaked so far.

Somebody will have to try and pump as much as possible out of the containers, before they start leaking. Not the easiest task from a depth of about 30m, but for sure possible. Let's hope the containers are at least of a half decent standard...

Oil spill numbers (liters / gallons) are notoriously under-reported - particularly when news first hits. It happened with the recent BP spill, and it's happened with nearly every spill prior. Ask yourself, how honest will initial reports issued from authorities - who will do and say anything to try and limit the concern from the general public - and the possibilities of being sued by those affected (fishermen, beachside tourist venues, etc).

Something we rarely hear about, but which happens wherever ships (powered by fossil fuels) dock: They clean out

storage tanks, and all that fouled water goes right back in to the sea. Of course, they do it at night, when it's less evident. I've been on tourist boats where large bags of garbage are thrown overboard. People who use the waters ought to have at least a smidgen of concern for water quality. If it takes large fines and sequestering of boats - in order to get the message across, then so be it.

I don't foul the waters (or air or land) around me, and I take offense of those who do. No excuses.

they cant even put bloody crash helmets on to look after their own body, do you think they care about the sea ?

great! another year, another tourism problem..

This isn't a tourism proble. It's a very minor oil spill in one area of Thailand. Not sure how that translates into a tourism problem. Maybe you are like the many others on here who just love to see the negative in everything. Tourists love Thailand.

Most tourist s never see the real Thailand, the underbelly which is not a country of happy smiling natives.

I bet it rains

Good they can have a free wash.

]Quite sad - I do hope everyone on this forum realizes these people may well be forced into doing this - as a drug mule - could be any sort of cohersion - and they are either jailed for life or die - while the real thugs behind the drugs are free to do it again to others - this is someones daughter or mother - or worst threatened with the security of their family - that has been forced or is desparate. Very sad indeed - the way government does not try to get the thugs at the source that packed her up with drugs and sent her to this serious encarceration or death. They can track the movement of terrorists to their source - but cannot track drug thugs.

They also may very well not be forced into it, sorry to contradict your liberal views but there are people out there who will do anything for money, look at Thailand for instance ?

Seems that many foreigners think LOS is easy pickings for drug trafficking and crime in general. Stupid, stupid, stupid...I hope the BIB's are doing under-cover stakeouts in the Sukhumvit Soi Nana area...lot's of street dealing going on in that area courtesy of the African brotherhood.

Going by the number of African drug pushers who openly sell in Nana wishful thinking my friend, on any given day I could point out a dozzen of them to the BIBs but honestly do you think they would be interestd ?

Thaksin also said :

"If I still have luck, I would like to return to die in my motherland, just like any other Thai." --Statement from London after skipping bail.

i hope he succeeds and soon.........

Let him in if he promises to keep his word.

I wonder if he really believes what he's saying?

Why do people report all the garbage that this convicted crook spouts, perhaps it feeds stand up comics.

They didn't get in due to changed names. If the altered something that made it impossible for immigrations to know it was *them* then the police would not immediately find out when they arrested the individuals that they had previous deportations...their data is based on the same records.

The point is they stole 4.4 million and police recovered 2.4 million, sounds about right

What I'm wondering is how these two guys managed to get BACK into Thailand after serving time for a similar crime before, and then being deported after they were released from prison.

Perhaps previously the money was never returned as it was needed for you no what.

good one

Just a couple of criminals going to work where there are plenty of opportunities (i.e., Thailand). I expect their length of stay in Thai prison may be a little longer this time around.

You mean Thailand has cashpoint machines, so there are plenty of opportunities to steal them? A very strange comment. There are plenty of opportunities for criminals in all countries.

and next you will be saying the BIBs are here to help people.

The "tax" the OP is talking about is not a tax but was a refundable surcharge that the Thai Government instituted for a short time after the military coup that ousted Taksin. It was designed to prevent baht speculation like that which occurred during the 97 financial crisis

It only applied to inbound transfers of $20,000 USD or more and was repealed soon after the Samak government was elected

The 700 THB that the OP refers to is the charge for processing the "wire" via the international clearing house here in Thailand

I recently transferred a large amount of money and I was charged $25 by my US bank and $15 by someone along the food chain. The exchange rate given by SCB was the rate on their web site and the amount exchanged was exactly the amount of the wire request, minus $40

YOU REALLY KNOW YOUR STUFF, VERY REFRESHING, GOOD JOB,

The best in my opinion, and I have tried them all, is the Saigon Indian Street on 73 Mac Thi Buoi Street (between Dong Khoi and Nguyen Hue in District 1). It is on the first floor and a little difficult to find. If you come from Dong Khoi, it is ca. 20 meters down the road on your left.

many thanks will be there.

I like some of the Sondhi "quotes", as they always give me a good laugh. Such as, in a speech at a U.S. University after the coup, he stated: "The coup was necessary because the old powers of BKK were losing their power and wanted it back." A philosophy to which he adheres. And then there's the classic: "The rural poor are too stupid to vote, therefore they shouldn't be allowed to vote." Oh, yeah, racism and discrimination at it's finest. Really makes me wonder about the symbolism of their party symbol and the resemblance to one which most hatefully recognize from WW II.

Those are the most succinct quotes I have yet heard as to why the coup and all the subesequent turmoil happened. The old powers were losing their pwer and wanted it back: exactly why we couldn't have an election in November, wont have before next November...and not even then if the "old powers' can think of any way to delay it further.

Because......Webfact is slightly out in his explanatory text in the original post when he states that Thailand is roughly divided between the pro establishment yellows backed by the bangkok elites and the mainly poor working class reds. That seems to suggest the numbers are about even when it is clear to most people that there are many more poor reds than there are yellows. Which is why the 'Old Powers' are so terrified of holding an election which had it been held in Maywould have stopped the deaths caused by the army & prevented the burning of Central World. It's understandable that the reds didn't believe My Abhisits 'promise' of an election in november this year. Poor old Abhisit, a decent man, but lamentably, a puppet of the 'Old Powers' who would have never allowed that election.

more northern ranting

The remarkable thing about kids is that they are human beings too, who happen to be more dramatic in expressing their emotions. They haven't grown up enough to know to conceal their true feelings and resort to cunning and trickery. So, reading about these kids behavior is a good indicator of the social undercurrent going on, but that the kids have not learned to conceal yet.

Thailand's problem solving process goes like this; fight or flight.

When they fight, it is no holds barred and no quarter asked for or given.

When they make flight, there is no possibility to get them to return to the issue or location to talk rationally. They have no rationale. This is how they get programmed through their childhood. No human is born with Intel Pentium inside, and a host of software to know how to cope with life. It has to get programmed in as the human grows up. Clearly, the evidence surrounding us is a strong indicator of what type of programming is going on. Animal from the start, and human being by programming that brings out our better nature; otherwise, our animal nature will rule.

These days in Western countries, if a father administers tough love and corrects his children with a swat to the bum, he goes to jail, gets a restraining order, goes through mandatory anger management class, etc. The old days are gone, and the new Western world will see the affects of children who do not respect each other due to the inability to understand and respect each individual's boundaries.

The West is a good example of how wrong it is for governments to involve themselves in matters far better left to responsible, caring, and loving parents. Mommy is the nurturer, and Daddy is "The Line". Don't step over the line. But the West has systematically removed Daddy from the home, which is now run by the remainder of the family unit. I hope Thailand's government does not intervene as the West has. I hope they begin putting the yoke of responsibility back onto the Father and Mother.

But one problem here with the Thai fathers is one that bring s a saying to mind: "I am my father's son". The governments of the West had to make laws to get the father out of the home. The irony here is that Thailand needs to make laws to get the fathers back into the the home. There never was any need to get the fathers out of the home because the culture here does not seem to cultivate a patriarchal responsibility in a society that is known to be matriarchal. Hence the mom making a statement, and leaving me asking, "where the heck is dad?".

On a side note, I find it interesting that of all the children in orphanages in Thailand, over 60% have parents who have not yet signed a waiver of release for their kids to be in an orphanage. Hence they cannot get adopted. Is this another facet of an issue where Thai parents simply do not want to be involved with their children after they get past that cute and cuddly age? If the beast is not programmed to be a human of better nature, then it will grow into an adult beast, with all the facade of simulating a normal adult. But when you look at the track record, the diagnosis is clear.

What makes a person stop-check their self before stepping across the line? Clearly, Thailand has not found an answer to that, nor a deterrent to those who do. I think the reason for this is that tugging at any one strand of this social structure will cause the entire web to tremble.

To the people who abhor any form of physical correction towards children, then I wonder if they are also against having a strong military presence to protect their right to abhor violence. After all, isn't a military supposed to be prepared to punch the enemy in the snout and make them think twice about stepping across the line?

Idealists seem to hide behind the ankles of the realists when the doo-doo hits the fan. But when everything is peaceful and serene, they come out from under their rocks and condemn violence in all forms, regardless of the necessity in life to administer it at certain times, and to certain individuals, as a deterrent to far worse behavior - to get that beast back on the track to becoming a human of better nature.

Let's corral the idealists together and put them in the same neighborhood where these unruly animals live. I wonder if they will start a neighborhood charity and spend time with these not fully matured, feral humans, and mentor them onto the path of becoming human beings of a better nature. I am quite certain it will not be long before they cry for someone other than themselves to "get tough" on these kids.

You will never find an idealist in a fox-hole, and negotiating with children is the height of folly!

WOW..... myself I dont consider a 19 year old a child, do the crime do the time.

Somchai your help is much appreciated, reckon we will have enough time to check them all out.

Hi folks , going to Ho Chi Minh for a ten day break shortly, I live in Hua Hin where Indian food is dreadful, only three restraunts not one worth visiting, in fact I make regular trips to BKK to pick up a dozzen take aways for my freezer so am a serious Indian food fan. Anybody can point me to decent Indian food HCM

I agree its extraordinary of the hospital to have provided such involved care for such a long time without remuneration and kudos to them for doing so.

I understand the German Embassy's (among others) policy of not providing financial assistance to its citizens in a foreign country, but given that the Thais have done so much for him already, perhaps an exception is warranted in this specific case and they could finance his return home.

Short of that, an offer of assistance from one of German ex-pat organizations in Thailand would be a terrific gesture.

I agree that the Thai hospital has been super generous and supportive of this man's needs. Now the germans need to take care of one of their own. Pity that the German Embassy is not willing to help out; however, the US Embassy is much the same. Real shame...

I agree with everything stated but would it not be in the hospitals own financial interest to repatriate this man at their expense.

I prefer a quiet American to an ugly one any day. Unfortunately, the former are overwhelmed by the latter.

To form this opinion it is obvious to me that you have met very few Americans, USA population is made up from people of every country in the world so it would suggest that you are a narrow minded bigot with a general dislike of everything not associated with your place of origin, but then again perhaps you dislike that place too.

You visit an Immigration office during the last 30 days of any entry with proof of 800k in Thai bank account 2 months or 65k per month income or a combination to meet 800k and fill out a TM.7 form/attach 4x6cm photo and pay 1,900 baht. Normal photo copies of passport/arrival card and perhaps proof of abode. Very easy process.

Could I ask further questions here to clarify things for my first visit soon.Do you need a Medical Report and Police check also to take with you.( I m from UK on Non Imm 0 multi entry). Thanks Guys.

On applying for a retirement visa you will need a pokice report from country of origin and it must be presented within 30 days of issue, your medical cert can be obtained here

If you leave the country before the 90 days, the 90 days resets on the day you return to Thailand, no matter what the date says in the paper slip they will attach to your passport when you report.

But if you leave the country you should first go to immigration and get a re entry visa that is if you do not already posses a multiple re entry visa, The cost for single re entry around a 1000 baht,

Any of them driven by anybody. Nobody on the road drives as well or carefuly as myself

nellyp you forgot about me,

Last year my wife and I drove on a motorbike from the north of Koh Samui to Chaweng beach at 11pm. A couple of miles before Chaweng Beach there's a 7-Eleven, a restaurant and a bar on the right hand side. 200 yards after the 7-Eleven my wife spots money in the middle of the street and asks me to stop. When we got off the bike we realised there was money everywhere. Thousand baht notes was lying in the street, in the ditch and in the bushes on the other side. Money everywhere!! Took us ten minutes to run around like two chickens and pick them all up.

Now here's the thing: we discussed what to do with the money and how to return it to the owner, and after spending a week trying to find out if someone was missing a large sum (we failed) we agreed we couldn't keep it. I failed to find a suitable charity organisation on Samui so we gave the money to one of the local temples. There was absolutely no way that my wife was going to keep the money, she was more or less terrified by only keeping it in the safe for a couple of days.

I still wonder where that money came from...

Shoud this happen gainplease contact me will forward you my address.