simple1

You know I just realized if I was Thai and could also understand English fluently I would really have a wounded soul from what i've read on most Topics and posts. This is the FIRST politician to even address the subject of corruption in the Tourist industry that you all have complained about so persistantly. Some of you can't speak Thai and don't even know who Chalerm is but its not enough to staple your mouth shut from hating on this admirable politician. France and England have colonized Laos,Burma, Cambodia, Malaysia, etc and multinational Corporations have already colonized Thailand. Here comes the NWCO, hopefully with loads of NGO's.....

Please explain the link with colonisation of the countries to which you refer and crime and corruption in the Thai tourism sector. As a historical footnote (for some balance) look what happened to those countries you referenced when France and England handed over power to the local nationals. Also for some clarity please name the MNC's that have colonised Thailand.

NGO's? don't make me laugh - an industry itself and much more likely to be aligned to colonisation.

The difference is I see it for what it is and accept it for what it is. I have lived here for 10 years, I like Thailand and choose to live here, but I have no doubts about where I REALLY fit in here and am happy to go along with it. You my friend are living an illusion created by those around you. One day the chips will be down and then you will find out where you fit into Thai society. You will never get a Thai to back you, whether you are right or not, against another Thai, no matter how long you have known them or how close to that person you think you are. I am not saying they are bad people, it's just how it is. You may not think this but my posts are not aimed at criticizing you but to (hopefully) opening your eyes a little BEFORE you find out the hard way.

By the way it doesn't matter how much money your friend has that co signed for your car (and if he had to do this you clearly never had enough money to pay cash for it so I have to question if you can REALLY afford to live in Thailand) adding some of yours to it would have been the only thing in his mind. It is the nature of the beast. You don't have to look far to see how they treat each other and especially if there is any material gain in it. They exploit there own people for profit and gain so do you really think they view you any differently?

My posts do not come from a narrow mind as you say but an aware one as yours should be. The simple fact you view Thailand as your homecountry as you put it shows that. Can you not see the injustice and double standards. If you don't believe me try telling all your "friends" and wife / girlfriend you have no money and see if they will help you out.

This post is about Thais once again moving the goal posts for their own gain and to take from unsuspecting and gullible people (like yourself) something they never earned or worked for. This is the point I am trying to make

To many quotes so answer to some of it

your both right but in 20 years here I have had thais back me against other thais but only when they really have a grudge against other thai and would back anyone who went against their enemy. My enemies enemy is my friend. However on few occasions its helped me win small battles here having thais support my corner for whatever reason

Which shows my point, the only time you were aided by a Thai was because they had something to gain by it ! Never because you were right or because they were your friend. I too have had Thai's aid me in disputes but only to back down and shrug their shoulders when it came to the pinch. Unless, as you have reiterated, they themselves had something to gain by it. I am not even saying this is wrong, it is just the way it is. What is wrong is that they perport to have some sort of legal, / justice system, some sort of law but anyone in authority can change it at a whim for whatever reason. Apart from the obvious such as traffic laws, what about import tax /duty (made up on the spot depending on how much you are likely to need / want it), Visa's you comply with all the rules and regulations and someone in the embassy decides you don't get it, and now this. It has been going on for years and many Thais (as well as Farangs) have profited greatly from it, lawyers have drawn up the documents and supplied the nominees and now they want to confiscate the property. It is these people that should be penalised they knew they were bending / breaking the law. The poor farang that was told "that's how it's done" did not and was duped. It is difficult here, how many people sign legal documents here that they can't read because they are in Thai? At some point you have to trust someone or get nowhere.

Note that "Ombudsman Siracha Charoenpanij said the new law would comprise punishment for companies offering advice to foreigners on how to hold Thai property by disguising their legal transaction. This would include law firms and consultants". In any case I would doubt that the proposed changes to existing law are targeted at individual household owners. If their is that fear is their a legal mechanism to remove Thai nominees from the company structure.?

As you well know do not sign any legal document written in Thai until it has been independently translated into your language. if you do sign without understanding the content, to put it bluntly, you're a fool. The same in any country, not just Thailand

online visa from here www.myvietnamvisa.com. TGF won't need a visa, but regards her passport expiry go online and search for requirement to enter Vietnam - by the way a good place, but keep an eye open for the weather this time of year

i truly believe, most come here because of the cheap alcohol and/or teaching...

if anyone was after hot women, they would possibly rather go to south america or the caribbean, where girls speak english, laugh all day, and are sumptuous and very sexy...

Actually Brazil is probably a better destination for if youre just looking for sex with amazing women

Brazilians have the big tits and big ass ,powerful hips etc

you dont get many thai women built to those specificiations ...........unless theyre not original women

Trinidad is good....plenty of Venezuelans over there.....so I hear....

Cuba even better

The OP point is_

Most of the Guys here deny where they met their GF|Spouse and then pretend to be all Thai and look down on people that have survived here for many years on a scene that brought them here in in the first place,hence my reference to English teachers!

I will not deny ! Idid! not come here for the view!! and to be honest I joined this forum to get a new bike I was after,but I met the English Teachers,so here I go!!

One word DENIAL

Who gives a f*#K - What a waste of space..

Are Land Offices still registering usufructs? - not if at the time of application you are married to a Thai, not enforceable under Thai law.

Contact the Embassy here in Thailand - but doubt if they would give out info if you cannot verify your identity as a relative. Or if you have friends in Thailand who speak Thai get them to contact the Royal Thai Police in the province where you believe the person died

In your mind, perhaps. If only politics were so neatly compartmentalized and rational.

Agreed, but for the US government to place Thailand on Tier 3 watch list will have significant implications on Thailand's international reputation and cost of international loan funding. It's way to much of a stretch to link the NASA debacle. But I don't work for the State Department so could be completely wrong.

"it still appeared in Tier 2 of the Watch List of the US State Department's report"

This is completely incorrect. There are 4 levels/tiers - Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 2 Watch List, Tier 3. Thailand is on Tier 2 Watch List for the 3rd consecutive year and would have been dropped to Tier 3 if they hadn't submitted a plan to do something to improve human trafficking in Thailand. But, like most plans in Thailand, it will not be acted upon, and Thailand should drop to Tier 3 next year - with major sanctions imposed.

In light of the Nasa decision, Thailand just might find itself dropping to Tier 3 even sooner than next year.

Tier 3 = sanctions?

No way, Thai govt delaying NASA decision has nothing to do with human trafficking

Penalties for Tier 3 Countries (source http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2011/164221.htm )

Pursuant to the TVPA, governments of countries on Tier 3 may be subject to certain sanctions, whereby the U.S. government may withhold or withdraw nonhumanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance. In addition, countries on Tier 3 may not receive funding for government employees’ participation in educational and cultural exchange programs. Consistent with the TVPA, governments subject to sanctions would also face U.S. opposition to assistance (except for humanitarian, trade-related, and certain development-related assistance) from international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

Imposed sanctions will take effect on October 1, 2011; however, all or part of the TVPA’s sanctions can be waived if the President determines that the provision of such assistance to the government would promote the purposes of the statute or is otherwise in the United States’ national interest. The TVPA also provides for a waiver of sanctions if necessary to avoid significant adverse effects on vulnerable populations, including women and children.

No tier ranking is permanent. Each and every country can do more, including the United States. All countries must maintain and increase efforts to combat trafficking.

You always get HIV tests for both of you, before you move in together.

It doesn't cost much (250-500bht per person depending on hospital).

Yes, it's a baseline and if clear no unprotected sex for another (3 months?) for the follow up test. Not sure of the current technology timeline for identifying HIV virus after exposure.

I think the truth behind the anti money laundering is just another case of the IRS looking under every stone

for revenues.

Same as they pulled with the Swiss accounts awhile back.

No, it's a requirement of the Patriot Act that any financial institution having business with US banks have to comply

I think Rayong town is a large boring dump, apart from the old area down by the fishing port which is rather interesting to drive around (and easy to get lost in). Nothing much to actually do there though.

The beaches generally are not very nice for sitting on and every time I've been the water has been much too rough for swimming (and none too clean either). Maybe I was just unlucky.

Lots of brand new seafood sala type places down Hat Maerampung Beach (the far side of Rayong). Deserted during the week and heaving with Thais at the weekend, but where isn't?

Cheers for the feedback. The majority of Thailand is a dump in my opinion so I'm not suprised at all. This will probably be my first first and last trip there so I'm gonna go and have a look anwyay. Will prob head for that beach you suggest then with the seafood joints.

Correct, the majority of Thailand is a dump, they have no respect for keeping their own country clean of litter, just throw is wherever they feel like, any open land is considered a garbage dump, sad really but that's what a lack of education will lead too.

Same with their driving, i went by a wreck today where a child left through the windscreen coz no seatbelt was used, also sad and also due to lack of education. They think it's "cute" to have their sprogs climbing about everywhere but that's just being silly

Sad to say there is no legal requirement in Thailand for child restraint seats, nor rear passenger seat belts.

Have you been to Koh Samet before as it's a lot more interesting than Hat Maerampung Beach. You don't have to pay the fee of 200 baht for a foreigner at koh Samet if you're carrying beachware, Just walk straight past the ticket office. Driving from Pattaya pass the Hat Maerampung Beach turnoff and about 5/10 kilometers later right to Ban Phe and then get the ferry (100 baht return). You can park your car at the ferry terminal. It's about a 60 minute drive and can easily do a day trip.

I wasn't going to comment because I doubt anyone posting in this thread would really want to hear the truth. If you want the truth ask a woman who was trafficked or better yet ask 50,000 women who have been trafficked.

"Instead of respect for our basic human rights under the United Nations Human Rights Council we are

given “protection” under the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. We are forced to live with

the modern lie that border controls and anti-trafficking policies are for our protection. None of us

believe that lie or want that kind of protection. We have been spied on, arrested, cut off from our

families, had our savings confiscated, interrogated, imprisoned and placed into the hands of the men

with guns, in order for them to send us home... all in the name of “protection against trafficking”.

It’s rubbing salt into the wound that this is called helping us. We are grateful for those who are

genuinely concerned with our welfare ... but we ask you to listen to us and think in new ways."

The above quote is from Ms Chantawipa Apisuk the leading authority on trafficking in Thailand.

www.chezstella.org/stella/Hit-and-Run-RATSW.pdf

Surely western governments must know the identity of the major sponsors/financiers of human trafficking in Thailand. Have they put in place travel bans, frozen their overseas assets and so? At a minimum it would be a step in the right direction

If you read the linked article you would know the answer to your question.

OK I have read the report and unless I have overlooked it no action has been taken against specific Thais by Western governments. However, the report is primarily focused on the sex worker industry in Thailand and is arguing the case for decriminalisation of prostitution as the best way forward to minimise exploitation; this seems fair enough to me.

Some interesting content as follows:

Given the anti-trafficking movement’s primary focus is on the sex industry and the size of our migrant workforce we found that the above data fully supports our anecdotal evidence from sex workers and employers, that trafficking into the sex industry in Thailand is the exception rather than the rule.

No witness protection provided even though legislated.

“I did so many jobs before sex work. I was exploited in every one of them. Sex work gives me the most independence, freedom and the best conditions. It’s the same for all my friends. We are grateful and thank you for your concern, but please don’t rescue”

This last quote underlines my Thai wife's comment that Westerners visiting Thailand are fools if they believe bar girls sob stories

I wasn't going to comment because I doubt anyone posting in this thread would really want to hear the truth. If you want the truth ask a woman who was trafficked or better yet ask 50,000 women who have been trafficked.

"Instead of respect for our basic human rights under the United Nations Human Rights Council we are

given “protection” under the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. We are forced to live with

the modern lie that border controls and anti-trafficking policies are for our protection. None of us

believe that lie or want that kind of protection. We have been spied on, arrested, cut off from our

families, had our savings confiscated, interrogated, imprisoned and placed into the hands of the men

with guns, in order for them to send us home... all in the name of “protection against trafficking”.

It’s rubbing salt into the wound that this is called helping us. We are grateful for those who are

genuinely concerned with our welfare ... but we ask you to listen to us and think in new ways."

The above quote is from Ms Chantawipa Apisuk the leading authority on trafficking in Thailand.

www.chezstella.org/stella/Hit-and-Run-RATSW.pdf

Surely western governments must know the identity of the major sponsors/financiers of human trafficking in Thailand. Have they put in place travel bans, frozen their overseas assets and so? At a minimum it would be a step in the right direction

How come, petrol approx 40 baht a litre, LPG approx 13 baht. sounds like an incorrect installation setup

Energy-wise, 1 litre of gas does not equal 1 litre of petrol! You can't make the assumption that your fuel bill's going to be a third because the price per litre is a third...

But the point is, the saving is significant (unless you're one of those people that only do 50km a week)

In my case, and roughly, 500 baht of gas takes me as far as 800 baht of petrol would.

my error misread your original post

LPG is certainly worth while on a large engined car .On a Vios the savings would not be great unless you do a high milage .

Sorry but I have to disagree... I haven't bothered working out my mpg for either gas or petrol, but I can tell you my "miles per baht" is roughly 40% more, on gas.

How come, petrol approx 40 baht a litre, LPG approx 13 baht. sounds like an incorrect installation setup

.

If you have a conversion to gas they won't let you park in the main building at Airport Plaza in case your car blows up

Something to consider.

But how are they gonna know

They will if the car does blow up .Then you could have a bill of many millions of Baht .

you are required by law to display a LPG sticker. vehicle is covered by insurance and malls/plaza's provide dedicated parking slots for gas powered vehicles

I heared that you have to inform the insurance company about such a conversion (maybe higher risk with gas ?).

Can somebody confirm this, or is this just nonsense.

yes this is correct. However, the installer of LPG brokers the insurance cover (2 million baht) and is bundled in the the cost. Transport office is also required to sign off the installation compliance for safety and provide a certificate to be displayed; needs to be re-issued every 5 years

I have a 1.3 litre car that was costing me approx 1,200 baht a week for petrol, installed LPG, now costing 400 baht a week for same mileage. With a "promotion" in Pattaya cost 19,000 baht to install,

thats a very surprising figure, so about 6 months and the installation has paid for itself, then the real savings kick in.

so with your 800bht a week saving, will you buy a trailer becasue you cant fit anything in the boot anymore.

Yes the LPG does use up space in the boot, but doesn't impact me as only use for shopping and when traveling only small amount of luggage

The financials really depend on if you are looking at importing high quality furniture into Thailand as they can be a lot more expensive in Thailand than Australia. I imported a 20 foot container shipped to Pattaya; cost door to door was A$6500. However i do have a Thai wife so did not pay any excise. PM me if you want more info

Take a look around all the Bars and massage parlours, Do they look like they are Unhappy or being forced to do it??? I think not! Don't believe everything (or anything) We are told!

Yes... I will start by not believing this logic.

Start believing because girls working in Bar Beers do so of their own volition; nobody forces them to do so. Completely opposite to human trafficking

EDIT: Some foreigners do not understand that in Thailand, some Thai girls are sold to brothels by their parents for economic reasons, debts etc they actually have signed a contract, through an agent, for the daughter for x number of years to work in the brothel to clear the family debt. This is one of the ugly facets of human trafficking in Thailand.

You realize you just contradicted your self right?

As far as I know girls working in bar beers with open fronts to the street are not sold into service, their may be exceptions, is that correct?

Take a look around all the Bars and massage parlours, Do they look like they are Unhappy or being forced to do it??? I think not! Don't believe everything (or anything) We are told!

Yes... I will start by not believing this logic.

Start believing because girls working in Bar Beers do so of their own volition; nobody forces them to do so. Completely opposite to human trafficking

EDIT: Some foreigners do not understand that in Thailand, some Thai girls are sold to brothels by their parents for economic reasons, debts etc they actually have signed a contract, through an agent, for the daughter for x number of years to work in the brothel to clear the family debt. This is one of the ugly facets of human trafficking in Thailand.