Just a few words of warning.

I have just returned from talking to a few media friends who were briefed in BKK yesterday.

The government are now planning to clean up the global Thailand image.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=125749

This will also extend to the 'Stickman' type farang sites which the Thai tourist people think attract the wrong sort of tourist.(They are on a fishing expedition)

There are a few popular Thai language newspapers that are out to target the farang black market.

The visa run merchants are high on the hit list!

If you are planning a visa run make sure you have your affairs in order.

This will also extend to the 'Stickman' type farang sites which the Thai tourist people think attract the wrong sort of tourist.(They are on a fishing expedition)

There are a few popular Thai language newspapers that are out to target the farang black market.

The visa run merchants are high on the hit list!

Did you media friends say more than the linked story? The story did not say anything about trying to close down sites like Stickman, or visa merchants, or black market farangs. It was just more that they were going to create websites to promote Thailand, put pictures and videos on the internet (flickr and youtube) promoting Thailand and making sure information on wikipedia was correct about Thailand.

This will also extend to the 'Stickman' type farang sites which the Thai tourist people think attract the wrong sort of tourist.(They are on a fishing expedition)

There are a few popular Thai language newspapers that are out to target the farang black market.

The visa run merchants are high on the hit list!

Did you media friends say more than the linked story? The story did not say anything about trying to close down sites like Stickman, or visa merchants, or black market farangs. It was just more that they were going to create websites to promote Thailand, put pictures and videos on the internet (flickr and youtube) promoting Thailand and making sure information on wikipedia was correct about Thailand.

Story is they want to close the sites that give Thailand a bad name. The really bad Bangkok Neon/Streetmeat site is now Japanese hosted.

Stickman has emerged on the media horizon because of his high profile web run in with John Galt. It seems Not Stickman is involved with a legal case now. It is common knowledge that one of the Stickman team is a BKK teacher. English teachers in Thailand are high on the local media radar with a lot of western stringers happy to pick up the tip off fees.(recent stories of arrests etc)Teachers and advice forums on the naughty nightlife do not go down too well especially when the parents are paying for junior to get english lessons.

There have been a few problems with corruption at the Thai Tourist Authority with a couple of arrests in California.The story is the Thai side will be brushed under the carpet but they are looking for a few high profile farang cases to cover the dust.

All eyes are on the Nong Kai crossing where rumour has it quite a few immigration people are on the take.

This is also where the odd western freelance is looking to grab a picture of a wanted person back in the US or Europe.

Passports and stuff in order and no problems as they say.

The news article referenced in the OP is not related to visas, residency or work permits. I am moving this topic to “General topics”

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Maestro

Good for Thailand to try to clean up its image, but it's an impossible task. As long as places like Nana exist there will be parachute reporters broadcasting stories that 12 year old girls are locked up in rape dungeons inside. Especially in America, the number of people that have actually been to Thailand or ever met a Thai person is so small that it is impossible to change perceptions. It is a catch 22 for Thailand, development and rising standards of living have been so rapid that there has been no mass emigration of people as in other Asian countries, and as such very few foreigners have any personal knowledge of Thailand. There really is little they can do except to wait.

see guys . even thais know the world views them as the numero uno sex destination of the planet.................lol.

now do you belieeve!