gabruce

Ridiculous, he didn't call her a whore, he called her evil, can't they read?

"... a prostitute is not an evil person, the hooker only sells body. But an evil woman sells the nation".

If they want to go against men demeaning women they should sue Chalerm for using "pretties" to serve him food a booze (and who knows what other services) at his office during working hours.

Spot on.

The english version is very clear. The thai version ... I don't know.

I don't know how anyone could interpret this to mean that all women are prostitutes, unless they have a very poor grasp of logic ... which is definitely possible.

It's like saying "all children are good" and then drawing the conclusion that all grownups must be bad! Totally without logic.

So I suppose Yingluck resents the implication that she IS NOT a prostitute?

I'm assuming that she resents the implication that she might be the evil woman wandering the world to sell the nation.

the direct election of new judges

Can anyone name a country where the judges are elected?

USA

Remember that there are many different kinds of judges/courts.

It's relevant that in the USA Federal Supreme Court judges are appointed for life (or they retire, resign, or are impeached). The Federal Court of Appeals judges are also appointed. The Federal District Court judges are also appointed.

Getting down to the state level, 87% of state court judges are elected and 39 states have at least some judges elected.

I believe that appointment is the most common method world-wide.

Gold has always been an investment based on fear. It's a terrible investment. Anyone buying gold after all this should have their heads examined. Son nom na.

and a Potato is a horrible fruit !

I'd maintain that gold is not an investment. It's a hedge, somewhat similar to keeping money in a bank (or a mattress) - only safer than a bank these days (in Cyprus for sure).

Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, was referring to a decision by the Lower House on Thursday to designate the bill a top priority for debate when Parliament reconvenes in August.

Abhisit threatens and attacks Parliamentarian democracy, again.

Zhou Zhou: I don't know what planet you are on. Certainly not the same as the majority of Thai Visa users. Now answer this question honestly: Where do you stand on the political spectrum? Would you have supported Hitler or Churchill? What is interesting to me is that you are so predictable and you have not answered previus points I have made. There is nothing in what Abhisit has said that could lead to the point you make. The job of an opposition leader is to point out the pitfalls and errors in any administration's actions. This is surely what Parliamentary democracy is about. Unike Thaksin who would brook no opposition which is not what Parliamentary democracy is about. What you say in yur other post is absolutely off the wall and incorrect. Come on ZhouZhou, get real and start to understand, not only the nature of democracy but also the nature of fascism.!

Get Real????? Abhisit is Churchill and Taksin is Hitler I suppose in your "real" world?

Abhisit and the Democrats have not won one national election in over 20 years? Taksin did. Massively. And would still do it if allowed to come back to Thailand. That's the reality.

And i don t that like that reality more than you do. But until the Democrats or another party offer something better...

I must assume you are talking about the 2005 election when Thai Rak Thai had a 60% popular vote? Not "Massive" , however a respectable majority. The current government didn't get a majority of the vote, however they did do well with a bit more than 48%. Again, a very respectable showing, however not massive either. More details would probably help your argument.

I don't see Thaksin with a moustache, so I don't see the resemblance.

If "the people" want to get rich, why don't they start their own company?

A nice sentiment, but you neglect to take into account that there is not a level playing field. Start ups have a difficult time raising capital. Unlike most western countries, there are no fair lending laws in effect, nor is it easy for someone not "connected" to secure contracts, permits etc. In the USA, small entrepreneurs are helped out. In Canada small businesses started by the poor are eligible for tax relief and subsidies.

BTW, if everyone started a business, there would be no workers to sit in the sweatshops or to come clean your local sewer or collect your garbage etc. Thailand has a labour shortage. Under a free market quasi capitalist system, wages would reflect that shortage. Instead, successive Thai governments have kept wages low to the benefit of many businesses.

If Thailand has a labor shortage, I'd like to know why so many sit around in villages drinking beer all day.

Thailand claims almost 0 unemployment, and I throw the BS flag if compared to the West. If I have a little stall on the sidewalk and maybe earn 200 baht per day with it, I must be employed by Thai calculations. If those people aren't "employed," then Thailand would have to adjust its numbers. I don't believe that Thailand pays any attention to rural Isaan or other rural areas, or poor vendors along the streets and roads when it says people are "employed."

I think that most of the worst lies I've ever heard came out of the **** government.

I'll just point out that usually unemployment statistics are lies in all countries!!! The prevailing (all?) method is to only count the people who are actively looking for work. So the consideration here in Thailand, are how many Thai's are actively looking for work. I'd probably believe the nearly zero figure based on this definition.

Note the difference in numbers in the USA. approx 101 million working age american are not participating in the labour force (the official figure is 63.3% is participating, over 16). Yet they enjoy an unemployement rate of about 7.6% right now.

My experience is that it's very difficult to find anyone to work in Thailand. People are more likely to want to have their own little enterprise.

The most recent labour force participation rate for Thailand that I've found is from 2010 which is 71.7% down from 81.4% in 1990

Labour force participation is anyone that is economically active.

Heavens above - the Prime Minister issuing a directive? Must be taking a break from shopping.

Another childish insult.

Do try and exercise some basic respect for the PM of Thailand. It may be hard for some foreigners with a superiority complex, but remember she is a PM and you are not. I take it that you became a guest in Thailand because you were so successful in your homeland, that you wanted to share it with the Thais?

Do you really respect a Prime Minister more than you respect other people?

Time for us "Farlangs" so say goodbye to Thailand and head for greener pastures.

Huh? Exactly why do I need leave TH?

Pease provide us with a list of your top five spots you are suggesting. Please bear in mind:

1. How delightful are the local people?

2. How reasonable is the place to live?

3. How food is the local cuisine?

4. What about the local women? Are they attractive? Open to relationships with foreigners?

It is fine to say you want to leave, but where to?

As for your last reason (women). All than well if you are a sex tourist or prefer the seedier side of Thailand but any decent Thai women wouldn't want want a bar of a farang guy.

Well I and my wife disagree completely with you. She is definitely a decent Thai woman. Another farang friend is getting married to a decent Thai woman as well. Hard working, eloquent. Just made the mistake of meeting a good farang!

Wonder if the courts will make charges against Jatupon and the others as their red shirts killed Army personnel. Doubt it very much.

Think the outside world is laughing at Thailand again

How is that? Abhisit was the leader when some of the most oppressive censorship, brutal crackdowns and harshest sentences anywhere in the world were carried out under his leadership. Only fitting he is held responsible.

He may be considering using his British passport soon

I think that you don't get out much! I lived in BKK at the time and thought that Abhisit's flaw was not breaking the demonstration up earlier. That was NOT a brutal crackdown. Check the news and history for brutal. I would say that it is inevitable that there are casualties when both sides are armed (or even if only one side is armed). It was UNFORTUNATE and SAD that anyone died, both on the side of the demonstrators and the government. I must say though that I miss the sight and sound of people gathered around burning mounds of tires in the middle of intersections.

My wife has a small beauty shop (only one person working). Last week she hired a girl to work with her (less than a week so far). She's not working out. When she was told she was being let go, she's insisting that she get two months severance pay or she will cause problems for us with the government labour office. I think it's spite and has no basis in law or regulations, however my wife is convinced that we have no choice.

Anyone know for sure? Pointers to english information.

PS. My thai isn't very good, so talking to the thai labour department is probably not worthwhile.

Thanks for any information.

So, increase the minimum wage, then give companies handouts , so they can pay it.

And the handouts will have to come from the taxpayers, no matter how you look at it.

Give with one hand & take away with the other!

and don't forget to pay attention to actually get's the money at the end of the day - and which private organizations get to say who get's credit and who is eligible for credit - I guess it wouldn't be independent businesses - or businesses that don't belong to an influential organization or perhaps just those who offer the best incentive for approval. Too cynical I guess. It's interesting that they are proffering to forgo the tax cuts - and then move that money to where (who) they want it to go to.

I was doing a little research last year and found that Thailand has a per capita murder rate that is 2X that of the "wild west, gun crazy" USA. Considering Thailand is supposed to be the most Buddhist nation on earth, how is this fact reconciled?

A quick check at wikipedia shows that the current per-capita intentional homicide rate for Thailand is 4.8 and the USA is 4.2 per 100,000. Here's the link, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

How accurate the figures are could always be questioned - are deaths reported, accurately classified etc. Monaco sneaks in with a rate of 0.0 and Honduras has a rate of 91.6

I'll be there.

Wow you nicely summarized the Wikipedia page! Good one!

So you deny the facts that the reds were violent, threw grenades, attacked and killed army personnel, had men in black among them, drove lpg tankers in the streets of Bangkok, attacked hospitals, tv stations, army barracks and so? You call that BS?

Doubt my sources? Where are yours?

It is unknown who the MIB were. Maybe you can use your impeccable sources to enlighten us. The reds actually moved the tanker back to safety (2010). They entered the hospital after many witnesses had seen a sniper unit on the top floor. I am unaware of an "attack" on TV stations or the army barracks, as there were no reports of weapons used in either of those.

According to your silly remarks along with your thaivisa membership start date, it is beyond a doubt that you were either notin thailand nor in bangkok, or both, when these events unfolded. They were intolerable and caused us fear, tons of income loss, and just the ludicrous situation that this would be tolerated. Abhisit and the army tolerated this much too long. I can see you weren't here to endure the hardships or you would be singing a different tune. I strongly recommend getting a hobby or life than come on here and deny the facts that occured that those of us in BKK witnessed and suffered through.

If the black shirts are a mystery to you, than the events that occured and the system itslef is a mystery to you. You ought to rest your case and do something constructive instead of paint yourself into a corner.

I would definitely agree that living in Bangkok during the red occupation left me concluding that the government waited too long, the reds were violent, and that certainly all of the deaths were regrettable. Personally I was greatly relieved when it was all over. Tire fires at the intersections, at the end burning buildings, no more travelling convoys. I am thankful that I didn't see any killings. My opinion is that the conspiracy theorists are wrong and that it wasn't the government pretending to be red shirts that caused the problems. It certainly all seemed real at the time. Businesses having to close because of the occupation were real too.

Another "hidden" tax imposed mainly on the poor who can least afford it.

What are you talking about? How is it more hidden than any other tax? And it's announced in all the papers and on TV; what more could they possibly do?

Also, the poor just got a big raise in minimum wage, and money is also thrown at rice farmers. In return, they (along with everybody else) can pay a bit extra for non essential luxuries like liquor and cigarettes, which by the way also cause health issues that the government largely pays for when it comes to the poor. So it makes PERFECT sense, especially if you subscribe to the more social-democratic part of the political spectrum.

By definition it is hidden because the tax amount isn't labelled on the product or added separately on a receipt. I suspect that few people memorize the amount of tax in things that they consume, or are able to calculate it on the fly even if they know it. I also don't quite get the %value and tax per litre of pure alcohol - are they combined? which is applied first if combined? Either way it just looks like a lot, and as a hidden tax the exact amount will be forgotten in a month or so (faster by me since I have a poor long-term memory).

Thanks for sharing - it's a favourite.

Here's the full poem, "If" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

It is good to see this clarification after all the ridiculous rumours that did the rounds earlier today although no doubt the damage has been done.

Edited to add: it could have been better headlined by the more positive "the vast majority of Tesco stores to remain open" after the stupid and possibly malicious rumours of earlier today

I went to my local Tesco Lotus express store yesterday, and most of there shelves were empty ! and i live in Chiang Mai, so i can't see the statement above being directed at the 'express' stores ! if they are having problems restocking then i can't see them staying open for much longer whilst the floods are here ( or rather there, in Bkk)

For whatever it's worth, I just got home from one of the large Tesco/Lotus store here in Chiang Mai. Lot's of stuff on the shelves. As usual, some sale items are finished and some items are empty (no Heinz mustard - no loss).

I would appreciate a phone number for Somboon. I have a friend coming to Chiang Mai who would like to see him for a treatment - back problem.

<bump> any more thoughts or suggestions, folks?

I've tried using "Sigil" ( http://code.google.com/p/sigil/ ) to edit an epub I converted with Calibre (from pdf). It works. I've only used it enough to see that it works and to get a feel for using it on an ebook project.

Jimmy