Goodbye To A One Nice Forum.

[JacknDanny]

please define a "sad loser" and also give us examples of your qualifications to make such a statement?are you a sad loser?

ha i can be a sad loser at times too, just like the rest of us... but there seem to be a lot of people in thailand who are perpetually miserable here, living on english teacher's pathetic salaries, getting burnt by bargirls, not bothering to learn about the culture and yet constantly denigrating thai people- these are the typical expats i meet on or off this board really, with some exceptions... or there are those big egos criticizing everyone else, who claim to have millions of dollars stashed away and be retired early, with their 5 cars, multiple condos, powerful connections, and the white skinned chinese hi-so wife of course. i for one am more impressed by down-to-earth, honest people with human flaws and thoughtful contributions. would be nice to see more of those on here again.

p.s. managed to block the ads much better

:D

I like you.

[Mobi]

And again, on the topic of pinned items and thread duplication. One of the issues seems to be people just sign up and start posting their "I'm sorry if this has been asked before but ..." gems. I'll wager few if any read the forum rules or the help area information. Pinned topics are one good approach, but ...

Maybe there needs to be some induction process. Example. I just visited the paypal.com site to research the issue of cross-border money transfers. Went to the FAQ area, clicked on a topic (adding a bank account) and rather than just get a few lines of blurb, it was like a powerpoint presentation with sound. Not too long and involved, and didnt take too long to download (and my net speed sucks!). So perhaps something like this when people sign up... how to search threads, where are the rules, etc.

FAQ's would be a GREAT idea. Each sub forum could have it's own collection of FAQ's, and you could click on a link to bring them up.

E.G.

What are the requirements for a marriage visa?

How long can I extend my tourist Visa?

Where can I find a good pharmacy in Pattaya?

Can I legally own a house through a Thai Company?

and so on.....

The list of FAQ's would grow exponentially, and the responses should be simple, short and authoritative with maybe links to relevant threads for additional reading.

This would make Thai Visa a much more informative and professional site, and just think - you could even get sponsors on the FAQ pages, without anyone having to post there.

[Mobi]

Don't completely understand this post. But if it means Thaivisa listen to suggestions then that is not my experience or I beleive that of many members

They certainly listen, if you do it in the right manner.

But whether they take any notice, is quite a different matter

[Kan Win]

I have given a lot of thought to this regarding the Visa forum, in which I am most active and where I actually plan to suggest a reduction of the number of pinned topics.

You are right, there are a lot of topics that would deserve being pinned. In the visa forum I can think of at least 200 such topics.

--

Maestro

Why not make a Visa Forum Subforums section with all of your 200 odd topics, like in the Chaing Mai and Pattaya forum "Maestro". To me it makes much more sense as you can direct members into each topic then, without repeating over and over again or trying to find what has been posted before and leave the main Visa Forum like we have in the "General Forum" for members to post and then be re-directed into the topic at hand. Each topic should be up-dated should the "Rules" change.

This is "Thai Visa Forum" and should be addressed to much better than it is right now.

A point on the pinning of information.

I would venture to suggest that the Visa forum is a bit of a one off. There are so many different issues: there are many different types of visa - from residence to VOA and everything in between, and each typ has its own issues and requirements. The huge amount of information needed to be pinned will inevitably cause problems, and even if you did pin it all, it would probably be self defeating as the sheer volume and detail may put people off reading it.

If someone just wants to know what kind of bank account he should put his money in for a retirement visa, he may not feel like trawling through all the pinned information to find what he needs - and it might not even be there. So he will just post the question.

and then like in this forum "Forum support desk" pinned at the top is "Posting Images To The Forum" how many members ask the same question time and time again in different sections of ThaiVisaDotCom and I always point them to here.

I rest me case me Lord........................ "Pin it" if you Kan.

Sawadee Kharp

Yours truly

Win

[RakJungTorlae]

This thread rules. im so glad im high too.

[RakJungTorlae]

site that is censored to the extent this one is.

I agree with that GirlX, but we can't discuss it cos it against the rules............. it's a Catch 22 situation.

A nightlife forum where discussion of nighlife is forbidden, an internet forum where any discussion of file sharing, proxy servers, and god forbid, pirated software in Thailand is forbidden, cos we all know that pirated software don't exist and none of us would ever dream of buying it.

I know that rules are made to protect the site, but the Nightlife section really pizzes me off, Farang entertainment end nighlife is now reduced to wordgames through rules, I am not allowd to say overmoderation cos it's against the rules.

Agree. It all seems counter-intuitive, doesn't it? Sometimes I get really frustrated over these issues above, and they seem to be getting worse. I wonder how many posts have been deleted from this thread alone, for example? I'd say more than the number of posts currently in the thread, at least. And without explanation.... Now I can picture a moderator saying the infamous saying, "If you don't like it, leave," but that's not the point here... We did like it, and that's why we stayed... but everybody has a threshold, and if TV keeps pushing it, then certainly things will not go the way they were expected to go - my own hypothesis.

There are SO MANY guests or non-active members that read this forum regularly, but don't post... and if TV loses the posting members by having nutty flash banners everywhere, then these guests will have nothing to read. And if they have nothing to read, they will not click on any ads. And if they don't click any ads, etc. etc... downward spriral, and no amount of "10,000 Baht tag competitions" is going to help in tha scenario (that was a good ploy, I admit, to get internet traffic by having members tag for their own greed - is anybody going to ever "win" that competition anyway, and will anybody ever see the 10k Baht. I'd like to know when they do - credibility at stake, and that may be the final straw for me).

My 2 cents (of probably 6 or 8 cents of mine so far in this thread, though some 4 cents have "disappeared" ).

1 for me

[peacerichard]

Don't completely understand this post. But if it means Thaivisa listen to suggestions then that is not my experience or I beleive that of many members

They certainly listen, if you do it in the right manner.

But whether they take any notice, is quite a different matter

My PMs dont usually get answered, so I believe I am right in saying they don't listen. But that is their prerogative. But they should stop this pretence of listening to members ideas.

[sbk]

Certain rules are in place for very specific reasons.

Discussion of ways to evade government blocks on websites, are, as far as I am aware, illegal and discussion of such could very well result in MICT blocking Thai Visa within Thailand. Same goes for any discussion of the Royal Family. Far too often people living overseas fail to grasp the possible results of their comments. Many thai language boards have been shut down, blocked or charged with lese majeste. Something the owners of this site would like to avoid. It astounds me that members of this forum cannot grasp this basic premise.

As for PM's being ignored, I find that hard to believe unless, of course, you have been abusive, insulting or rude. But, as such a new member, peacerichard, I am astounded that you have already had so many issues as to comment here.

Complaints about moderator action should be addressed to support by emailing support at thaivisa.com. These complaints are read, discussed and addressed among the mods.

[jdinasia]

Certain rules are in place for very specific reasons.

Discussion of ways to evade government blocks on websites, are, as far as I am aware, illegal and discussion of such could very well result in MICT blocking Thai Visa within Thailand. Same goes for any discussion of the Royal Family. Far too often people living overseas fail to grasp the possible results of their comments. Many thai language boards have been shut down, blocked or charged with lese majeste. Something the owners of this site would like to avoid. It astounds me that members of this forum cannot grasp this basic premise.

As for PM's being ignored, I find that hard to believe unless, of course, you have been abusive, insulting or rude. But, as such a new member, peacerichard, I am astounded that you have already had so many issues as to comment here.

Complaints about moderator action should be addressed to support by emailing support at thaivisa.com. These complaints are read, discussed and, assuming the poster has not egregiously broken the rules, addressed among the mods.

support-at-thaivisa.com goes to the MODS and not the admins?

[dantilley]

As said before, Thai Visa is currently experimenting with the ads and your input is welcome. You can see that the experiment with ads inside postings has been discontinued.

If it was discontinued, it seems to have been re-continued again. Would be be better, I think, if it was scrapped. You say our input is welcome, but I can't see how anyone could actually be in favour of the ads being placed after the first post - did you actually expect some positive feedback after adding these ads?

[sbk]

Certain rules are in place for very specific reasons.

Discussion of ways to evade government blocks on websites, are, as far as I am aware, illegal and discussion of such could very well result in MICT blocking Thai Visa within Thailand. Same goes for any discussion of the Royal Family. Far too often people living overseas fail to grasp the possible results of their comments. Many thai language boards have been shut down, blocked or charged with lese majeste. Something the owners of this site would like to avoid. It astounds me that members of this forum cannot grasp this basic premise.

As for PM's being ignored, I find that hard to believe unless, of course, you have been abusive, insulting or rude. But, as such a new member, peacerichard, I am astounded that you have already had so many issues as to comment here.

Complaints about moderator action should be addressed to support by emailing support at thaivisa.com. These complaints are read, discussed and, assuming the poster has not egregiously broken the rules, addressed among the mods.

support-at-thaivisa.com goes to the MODS and not the admins?

No, support deals with the mods in question. Support is an admin position. If it seems that the problem is not due to a moderator but rather an issue, then it is discussed among the mods.

[dantilley]

Certain rules are in place for very specific reasons.

Discussion of ways to evade government blocks on websites, are, as far as I am aware, illegal and discussion of such could very well result in MICT blocking Thai Visa within Thailand. Same goes for any discussion of the Royal Family. Far too often people living overseas fail to grasp the possible results of their comments. Many thai language boards have been shut down, blocked or charged with lese majeste. Something the owners of this site would like to avoid. It astounds me that members of this forum cannot grasp this basic premise.

I don't quite understand why you've written this paragraph here in this thread. There's been no talk about ways to avoid government blocks on web sites, or posts which could be considered lese majeste.

Your points about the reasons for these rules being in place are valid, but not here - now it appears as if people have been discussing these forbidden topics in this thread when they haven't at all.

[jdinasia]

oh! ok thanks!

[sbk]

I find that the main problem with these kinds of threads is that too often members use it as a means to complain and rather than offering constructive opinions, it degenerates into complaints, attacks and a general unwillingness to accept that some rules are necessary.

George has already stated he is experimenting with the ads. Instead of immediately complaining why not wait and see how it goes? Give it another day or so, and then try to discuss in a rational and non-attacking manner exactly why you find the ads intrusive.

So, instead of degenerating into a moan fest, offer something constructive.

[PeaceBlondie]

In several years of moderating, I doubt that I have failed to answer five PM's, and have answered literally hundreds. Moderators are given extra large PM boxes just for that reason. I cannot speak for the others, but I believe almost all of them answer almost all of their PM's.

This is a good thread; let's work to keep it open. Thanks.

[sbk]

Certain rules are in place for very specific reasons.

Discussion of ways to evade government blocks on websites, are, as far as I am aware, illegal and discussion of such could very well result in MICT blocking Thai Visa within Thailand. Same goes for any discussion of the Royal Family. Far too often people living overseas fail to grasp the possible results of their comments. Many thai language boards have been shut down, blocked or charged with lese majeste. Something the owners of this site would like to avoid. It astounds me that members of this forum cannot grasp this basic premise.

I don't quite understand why you've written this paragraph here in this thread. There's been no talk about ways to avoid government blocks on web sites, or posts which could be considered lese majeste.

Your points about the reasons for these rules being in place are valid, but not here - now it appears as if people have been discussing these forbidden topics in this thread when they haven't at all.

scroll back dan, people have been discussing these topics.

And the fact is, people continue to post topics and complain about censorship when topics discussing these posts are removed.

So, shall we get back to my last point? Constructive opinions?

[dantilley]

So, instead of degenerating into a moan fest, offer something constructive.

So you mean instead of just saying "The ads are annoying", give a bit more detail?

Well, OK, regarding the ads which have started to appear after the first post on a page, I find these intrusive because, by the time you've scrolled past the first batch of ads at the top of the page, it would be nice to be free from ads and just get on with reading the topic you've clicked.

You know that you'll hit some more ads at the bottom of the page, but usually you'll have already clicked the next page, the reply button or whatever before they home into view. So, once you're reading the topic at hand, the general thought process is that you've successfully skipped the ads and now you're reading the topic - to then have some more ads suddenly appear is off-putting and breaks the flow somewhat.

[dantilley]

scroll back dan, people have been discussing these topics.

Care to name a post number in which discussion of evading govt. blocks or lese majeste has happened?

[girlx]

Many thai language boards have been shut down, blocked or charged with lese majeste. Something the owners of this site would like to avoid. It astounds me that members of this forum cannot grasp this basic premise.

'

I think this is fair enough, and though it totally annoys me at times I understand that the annoyance is misplaced- I should be irritated with the Thai government and their lack of attention to basic human rights such as free speech (by the way this seems to be escalating and if it gets much worse this is gonna be a really scary place to live).

What I don't like is that sometimes topics are closed for no reason other than the mod is personally offended by it- not because the post breaks rules. That is not acceptable in my opinion.

As far as the ads go, they are easy to block, so that should be the end of the complaints really...

[dantilley]

As far as the ads go, they are easy to block, so that should be the end of the complaints really...

Yes, but doing that can have an adverse effect on other sites which aren't so ad-heavy and then the layout of those sites can be compromised. Also, sometimes non-ads (e.g. proper flash banners, animated GIFs, etc.) are removed by accident as the software can't always tell what is an ad and what isn't.

[mattias33]

Many thai language boards have been shut down, blocked or charged with lese majeste. Something the owners of this site would like to avoid. It astounds me that members of this forum cannot grasp this basic premise.

'

I think this is fair enough, and though it totally annoys me at times I understand that the annoyance is misplaced- I should be irritated with the Thai government and their lack of attention to basic human rights such as free speech (by the way this seems to be escalating and if it gets much worse this is gonna be a really scary place to live).

What I don't like is that sometimes topics are closed for no reason other than the mod is personally offended by it- not because the post breaks rules. That is not acceptable in my opinion.

As far as the ads go, they are easy to block, so that should be the end of the complaints really...

No, that is not acceptable in my opinion either, but in all fairness, thaivisa has alot of mods and percentagevise most of them do a very good job. And for free as i understand it. Offcourse with any job (if we should call moderator a job?) you find somebody that are not suppose to have that job and not qualified for it. Thaivisa mods are in general very good. With very few exceptions.

As for the discussion about ads, its easy really. People enjoy a freeservice but cant understand that its free because they can sell ads. It´s been said before in this thread but i´m sure they would be able to take away all ads if they start charging us to use the site. Nobody works for free. Simple.

[Freddie_fly]

...this forum is not meant to be informative but more a search till you drop forum ....

Have you tried the "Google Custom Search" box at the top left of each page?

It's just like Google and is infinitely better than Invision's Search button.

I was going to reply here about the search function until I saw your post Jet,

and now I am kicking myself as the intranet of the company I work for had a really Cr%p search engine for a long long time until they bit the bullet and added the google custom search to it.

Now it works pretty well and its several orders of magnitude larger than TV.

I have to admit, I just never really saw it, maybe an unconcious reaction to all the programs/games I install that have the "would you like to add Google/Yahoo et al toolbar"

cheers

Freddie

[Ijustwannateach]

Further complaints about mod behaviours will not be tolerated and will result in additional warnings. This thread is a limited (and likely to be way more limited soon, in the form of being cut off because of violations of rules) opportunity for some of you to discuss a new aspect of the forum, not a wide-ranging discussion of forum rules or policies, which should go (as ever) to support at thaivisa.com. The topic of this thread is the new ads, search functions, and information accessibility (as I understand it from KJ's concerns).

[bino]

I'm not up on terms used but if http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/ is regarded as the "Index" page,

it's a disaster, a dog's dinner is an understatement, & I avoid it like the plague.

I have never seen such a mess on ANY forum "index".

I concur. What really looks weird are the categories with two rows of banners:

some space / cellpadding is desperately needed between the rows!

The banners look like : Davies Khan: Integrity Legal.Com , Save on Lawyers Fees : thailandbuilders.com , Are you interested to learn Thai in Phuket?

The non-forum area looks like h*ll too. This site could use a web / graphic designer with a good eye for detail.

[Ijustwannateach]

I'm afraid too much misbehaviour has necessitated the closure of this thread.