gabruce

8 hours ago, Tug said:

It’s a powerful message in my opinion to see 3 successful presidents in the same room supporting America and democracy 

What 3 presidents? I see Biden and Obama, Hilary never was president, and I don't recognize the 4th person (last photo?).

I have been trying to do online ever since it started - with Chrome though the chrome today is newer than years ago - and this is the first time it accepted everything instead of giving me a message at the end to contact immigration. Doing the new software fixed whatever problem they had with my info and possibly introduced a new problem for others. Given it a few more years and it should work for everyone.

I'm being told (possibly misunderstand) that the military conscription/draft rules are changing.

1. No more draft/lottery. Everyone (male) that meets the minimal requirements at 21 must serve with the military.

2. Exemptions are men entering the police force or leaving the country to study abroad.

3. The mandatory term of service is now 5 years instead of 2 years. (5 years is a substantial delay in starting a career or business).

Is this just rumour or is it fact? Thai's around me are convinced it's fact. I think it's rumour because I can't see Thailand being able to afford having essentially every male between 21 and 25 in the army for 5 years.

It's disappointing to hear about the requirement to transfer the tourist visa. That is my situation exactly and I went to ChiangMai immigration Wed (Nov18,2015) and was told that it wasn't necessary to transfer my tourist visa, to just take both passports on my way out of the country on Sunday. Immigration closes for the week in 5 minutes, so I may be stuck at the border longer than I expected. Sigh!

If you will be crossing on Sunday they will do it at the bridge since the immigration office will be closed.

CM immigration did what many offices do. The are not aware of what they do at Nong Khai.

They did do it at the bridge on Sunday, though they were VERY unhappy about it. I would highly recommend having it done at the nearest immigration if anyone else is ever in the same situation.

It's disappointing to hear about the requirement to transfer the tourist visa. That is my situation exactly and I went to ChiangMai immigration Wed (Nov18,2015) and was told that it wasn't necessary to transfer my tourist visa, to just take both passports on my way out of the country on Sunday. Immigration closes for the week in 5 minutes, so I may be stuck at the border longer than I expected. Sigh!

Thailand is getting creepier and creepier

That may be so, and other countries such as the USA are still much scarier (and dangerous).

100% my opinion. No statistics published here to verify the fact.

Can you image if this happen to a Aussie in Israel The Australian Government the UN and most of the world will go crazy

But Saudi Arabia nothing

Wake up soon

But I doubt that they will

What has this to do with Israel?

harryfrompattaya? says it all.

Would you please provide a link to where harry from pattaya tells all? Interested in the Israel vs Saudia Arabia question.

Not in any way advocating violence.

But a lot of the civil liberties many of us enjoy today, would probably not have been achieved without some brave people fighting repressive regimes. Back then those brave people were labeled terrorists by those in power. Not to different from today really.

So maybe those people fighting the feudal masters are the future heroes of Thailand?

And before you get started, I don't condone violence in any form or by anyone, but I can understand that people can reach their breaking point!!

Interesting post.On Thai Visa political discussions it is taken for granted that the use of violence is to be deplored and whichever side uses excessive force effectively loses the argument.I confess this is also my position.

And yet is it historically justified? If there is a regime that is totally lacking in legitimacy, speaks only for a privileged minority and is incompetent and arrogant - perhaps some judicious violence can be understood if not endorsed.

Pray explain "judicious violence'. It that the same as 'judicial bias' ?

No it has nothing to do with that.It means that if there is a illegitimate and authoritarian power in place which has criminally seized power and cannot be ejected through normal electoral means, a violent solution would be distressing but not necessarily the greatest disaster that mankind has experienced.

I guess that we are lucky that Thailand has a legitimate government in place now with elections on the horizon. So violence and terrorism is totally unjustified. I don't see anyway to justify exploding a car bomb in a shopping center under any circumstances - unless it was to blow up a Starbucks of course (not really).

They had it cushy for many years without paying any tax.

About time things change.

They will weep at the beginning, they will get used later.

We all paid home and land tax back in the old country.

Why should Thailand be different?

Why shouldn't Thailand be different?

If your neighbour smokes does that mean you should too? Even if all your neighbours smoke you should refrain from smoking.

By impeaching senators for having supported moves to replace appointed senators with elected senators you make Thailands governance into an international laughing stock! Particularly when the impeachment is carried out under a junta which kicked out the elected government of which those being impeached formed a part.

I think you have it wrong. They are being impeached for cheating basically. Isn't the issue that the speaker told the senate they were finished for the day, but had the PTP senators stay behind, and then when everyone else had left, then they did their vote. If this had happened in most any other country people would have been on the streets demanding impeachment. Of course I could be wrong, and this is all based on news reports, which may or may not have an resemblance to reality.

What do those Canadians know. They have a fully appointed senate!

Back to reality minus the inevitable excuses. It is good to see Thailand acknowledged for its successes in bringing democracy to the country. I would say "return democracy", but that implies that there was a democracy before the coup. (majority against amnesty, but it passed because one person overseas wanted it).

Like Fiji's resilience in the face of global criticism they methodically and patiently returned democracy to their country with the UN who where their biggest critics offering a hearty congratulations to them. Of course all the doomers and gloomers felt bitterly betrayed that it went so successfully because all their complaining was for nothing. One could even surmise they wanted it to fail, ergo the people to suffer so they could be proven right.

I, for the sake of my family and all the Thai people (not the 7%), wish this reform the greatest success and hope the Junta follow the road map diligently because the majority deserve it. They yearn it and through their actions or in this case lack there of they are giving the Junta the time to enable these dreams of a democracy. One where the voters will not be held in contempt. (We will build a convention centre in Phuket when you vote for us) Just imagine if Prayut said that in Phuket what the reaction would be! Outrage. Screams of anti democracy. When the PTP deputy says it that is accepted by the very people screaming for democracy (well elections anyway)

The Canadians see the hypocrisy and this is why reform is needed.

Thanks for the thoughtful note about this topic. Of course I have to ignore the first two sentences in order to appreciate the balance of the post.

There is everything right with extremism. What everyone should be focusing on is intolerance and violence. Extremism is just a belief that isn't the same as the majority belief, and that's fine and probably even necessary for change and advancement.

Has anyone heard anything about a supposed shutdown of the electrical system for the entire country from the 16th through the 22nd of december 2014?

My gf was just reading the latest announcement from prayuth and says they are planning this now and will make a final determination on the 15th. I find it unbelievable that they would shutdown the entire country for 6 days.

Was it not reported yesterday that YL was not returning to politics and wanted to be a social worker ?

No investigative journalism here but a lot of the fantasy version.

actually that's what the headline implied. Reading the article what she was quoted as say was something like - she doesn't know if she will return to politics, and if she does not return to politics, she might want to be a social worker and help people.

The usual statement from a politician - don't commit to anything.

Just checked the quotes from Oryza:

Currently Thai Hommali 92% is quoted at USD$1,015-1,025/ton

Vietnamese Jasmine USD$580-590/ton

It's seems to me quite likely that Hommali producers would make their 15,000thb/ton target. I'm not so confident for other farmers.

Good luck!

stopping same sex couples from taking babies out of the country is good.i have no problem with people having a same sex partner but do not believe they should come here looking to get children they cannot have naturally.basicly same sex partners cannot have babies with each other and therefore cannot have children.i am not religious at all but do believe in the natural order of life.

I guess your argument would extend to different sex partners where the husband is NOT the biological father (sterile, wife cheated etc, artificial insemination)? Not that there is anything wrong with having an opinion however it does seem like a logical extension. Adoption would also be ruled out.

I always get a headache reading Tulsathit.

 

Thailand is in no way, shape or form anyway closely related to anything in the US.

 

Thailand does not have the global 'reserve currency' status that has allowed it to print off unlimited worthless cash to throw out all over the globe.

 

Without that nice little perk, the USA would have gone completely bankrupt by 2009.

 

That is soon going to change, and the USD will no longer hold that advantage, the world is changing fast. Obama and his administration are panicking, but they can't tell you that.

 

Believe it or not, Thailand is in much better shape than the US. We really don't need to learn lessons from them, they are not a good teacher or role model for any country.

 

How many country's citizens owe the rest of the world half a million USD each? Every man, woman and child in the US owes that... Such is the US national debt.

 

That ship sunk a while back.

I would disagree somewhat with you. There are lessons to be learned from the USA. Both things to do and things not to do. You are correct that Thailand is different from the USA and I also agree that the USD will no longer be the global reserve currency - in the probably near (years) future. I do agree with the OP that checks and balances are important for a stable system.
 

Is it trolls day? They seems to be out and in good shape.

 

What is Thailand Elite Program?

 

and btw the reason I am upset that I have to leave, is because I have a girlfriend I love, and she has a boy, we stay together 3 years but I will have to leave her behind. She makes 8500 baht / month working in a hotel in an Island, and it is a quite sad situation.

 

I read the visa doc's from yesterday and it seems that there are also investment visa if you have 3 million baht to invest (in a bank, in bonds, or in a condo). Perhaps that might work for you?
 

Got annihilated to boost his morale before firing grenades? Total trash.

It does explain their abysmal accuracy. Shooting grenades while drunk.

 

 

 

 
as far as Thai people are concerned, the published polls show that they are overwhelmingly in favour of the army at the moment. Personally, I have yet to meet a thai person who isn't verbally in favour of the coup, peace, and reform. I cannot say anything about what they are thinking.
Overall, I'd be going along with the view that a large majority of thai people are content with the current situation.
 

Again with presumptuous conclusions.

I've met many that are against the military take over, yet do not wish to speak this out loud among colleagues and friends.
I've met many that think it doesn't matter which side you choose, the end result is the same AND I've met people who don't give a rat's ass about anything related to politics in this country.

So where is this overwhelming majority you speak so much about?
Exactly which areas do you hang around in or where do you reside for thats matter?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

 

I live in ChiangMai. I agree that my sample is ridiculously small and cannot be used to draw solid conclusions about the area and/or country as a whole. Just offering a different perspective and experience than the previous quote. At the same time I can hold an opinion, even if it has no solid statistical basis.

 

 

 

How would you know what the majority think about the junta? Spewing nonsense as usual.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand
 

 
Fairly easy really of us posters( that's what we are talking about)---our views--  take your % from them.  I do.
 
You see riots in the street objecting???---you would if they were not doing a decent job believe me, and you would get the NORMAL average poster also objecting along with me.   This is all I know,   your thoughts are embedded already after 2 months-anti Army
Take a look at your own posts -not the independent  journalistic ones are they.

So what are they then?

And your statistics are based on a very large assumption. Safe to say, you won't be getting the Pulitzer any time soon.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

 

as far as Thai people are concerned, the published polls show that they are overwhelmingly in favour of the army at the moment. Personally, I have yet to meet a thai person who isn't verbally in favour of the coup, peace, and reform. I cannot say anything about what they are thinking.

Overall, I'd be going along with the view that a large majority of thai people are content with the current situation.

 

 

If that is the size of some of the classrooms then no wonder their education is poor.  They are packed in like sardines, then again they are not allowed to question the instructors just sit and listen so I guess it doesn't matter in government schools. 

 

Growing up in an era when classroom sizes were large, I'm not overly sympathetic to the notion that instructor/student ratio is the major factor in effective education. I also don't believe that innate intelligence is any different now than before. I will acknowledge that current children seem much more comfortable playing games on computers than I am.

 

My sons class consists of 16 students. a teacher (English guy) and a teachers aid to assist.  Fully interactive with students and tteachers

 

Now that is a small class! Sounds like you have picked a quality (and possibly expensive) school for your son. Congrats on taking good care of him and investing in his future.