Foreigners With Influence...

[coconutmonkey]

Hi-

Just curious to know [who are/are there] foreigners in Thailand with influence?? Any expats with reasonable influence with govt, police, military, etc?? A red phone on the desk for top secret numbers or calls to HQ??

Does it happen? Or do such groups tend not to be influenced by foreigners??

((Ego's in check, eh?!))

[coconutmonkey]

Guess so....

If they've got STD's then they're influential all right.

[fred2007]

Yes I know one, our Prime Minister

[bravingbangkok]

Embassy peeps I guess but I know of a few western businessmen who own a considerable amount of infrastructure in Bangkok, obviously with Thai partners though.

[bonobo]

There are lots of influential foreigners in Thailand, just as there are influential foreigners is most countries.

Some are influtential based on their positions:  government, military, business, entertainment, even religious.  Others are influential because of who they know.  Many Thais in very high positions went to school in Europe, the US, or Australia, and these people made friends with other students.  Now that the Thais are in positions of authority and power, they have dragged along some of their foreign friends with them.

We ahve all heard about the farang getting pulled over my the police and getting "fined" 2,000 baht for some imagined offense.  Well, there are also farangs who with one phone call, can get that same BiB groveling his apologies after which is scurries to his motorcylce and flees the scene.

[Priceless]

I don't know if he qualifies as a 'foreigner', but I'm sure that Bill Heinecke (Minor Group) could pull a string or two, if he wanted to

[Maigo6]

Apparently, there are many Farangs who marry into rich and powerful influential families.

You only have to look back into some of the threads on this forum to see that only rich girls are good enough for TV members.

Of course, the reality is somewhat different, but hey, it's internet.

Edited May 25, 2009 by Maigo6

[ilovefashionTV]

I thought i was one of the few farangs in Thailand who doesn't have major influence or wonderful connections.

Most people i meet at least seem to have connections with the top copper or local Mafia in the region who'll do anything for them.

Personally i hate the police here and after working with so called Mafia in a certain European nation, wish them and similar villains in LOS who aren't brave enough to fight their own battles nothing nicer then a slow painful early death.

[bravingbangkok]

There is that guy who owns pizza company amongst other things.

[mrtoad]

Apparently, there are many Farangs who marry into rich and powerful influential families.

You only have to look back into some of the threads on this forum to see that only rich girls are good enough for TV members.

Of course, the reality is somewhat different, but hey, it's internet.

Certainly there are very influential farangs judging from what I read on TV.

Surely, Mr Magoo you must be one of them?

[bkkjames]

Apparently, there are many Farangs who marry into rich and powerful influential families.

You only have to look back into some of the threads on this forum to see that only rich girls are good enough for TV members.

Of course, the reality is somewhat different, but hey, it's internet.

Very true Mr00Go6. There are those who think they are big shots and carry a small stick and then there are those who know they are bigshots and carry a big gun.

My fear, is that there are those that have big guns and small brains, that live up country in some shack eating somtam while chasing chickens around the Moo Baan, those who from time to time, have a desperate need to visit TV and litter the place with constant comments about 'rich girls and TV members' while he sits in his underwear wondering to himself, where did it all go wrong?

[Maigo6]

My fear, is that there are those that have big guns and small brains, that live up country in some shack eating somtam while chasing chickens around the Moo Baan, those who from time to time, have a desperate need to visit TV and litter the place with constant comments about 'rich girls and TV members' while he sits in his underwear wondering to himself, where did it all go wrong?

Hahaha......

James, you are so wicked.....................

[bkkjames]

My fear, is that there are those that have big guns and small brains, that live up country in some shack eating somtam while chasing chickens around the Moo Baan, those who from time to time, have a desperate need to visit TV and litter the place with constant comments about 'rich girls and TV members' while he sits in his underwear wondering to himself, where did it all go wrong?

Hahaha......

James, you are so wicked.....................

Thanks mate, coming from you I will take that as compliment. But must say, you are partly correct, my Mrs is Chinese Thai - but not rich - dam_n it.

[bonobo]

I should clarify something in my previous post.  While there are very influential foreigners here in Thailand, the percentage of foreigners who are influential has to be very, very small.

I have no way of knowing how many foreigners are influential, and part of that would be how you define the term.  If you are talking about local influence, I imagine that many of the foreigners living in small villages throughout Thailand are in fact pretty influential on a local level.  I visited a Danish guy in a small town in Issan once, and judging from the steady stream of people coming by, I would say he is influential there.

But if we are talking about influence on a national level, that is much different.  Without having any reason to pick this number, let's say that there are 300 foreigners in Thailand with any degree of real, national influence.  That is a good-sized number.  But when compared to all the foreigners living in Thailand, that number is a very tiny percentage of the total foreign population.

[GuestHouse]

There's more than a few who are "under the influence".

[bonobo]

There's more than a few who are "under the influence".

  

I wish I had thought of that one myself!  

[bkkjames]

Hi-

Just curious to know [who are/are there] foreigners in Thailand with influence?? Any expats with reasonable influence with govt, police, military, etc?? A red phone on the desk for top secret numbers or calls to HQ??

Does it happen? Or do such groups tend not to be influenced by foreigners??

((Ego's in check, eh?!))

(Hope you found your macadamia nuts mate)

Anyways, pertaining to your last point - you mean to ask whether or not the rich and powerful can be moved by a few influencial farang types - like lobbyists?

Surely you are just trying to wind people up with this thread no?

[oldsparrow]

There are lots of influential foreigners in Thailand, just as there are influential foreigners is most countries. Some are influtential based on their positions: government, military, business, entertainment, even religious. Others are influential because of who they know. Many Thais in very high positions went to school in Europe, the US, or Australia, and these people made friends with other students. Now that the Thais are in positions of authority and power, they have dragged along some of their foreign friends with them. We ahve all heard about the farang getting pulled over my the police and getting "fined" 2,000 baht for some imagined offense. Well, there are also farangs who with one phone call, can get that same BiB groveling his apologies after which is scurries to his motorcylce and flees the scene.

Yes,

1. There are half farnag hi-so so there are farang wifes/husbands.

2. There are farang big businessman and big businessman tend or need to have connection.

3. There are personal relations. In one party I met a farang who had been here for almost 20 years. He was a neighbor and close family friend with one ex-PM. I in the old days there were some farang advisors/ex[ert. Many stay here since then and adopt Thai names. ie. one of my friend told me his great grand dad came from York, England as King Rama VI expert. The original surname was Smith changed to Sumitra สุมิตร many in this family still achieve high positions nowaday. Back then, of course, one influential farang.

FYI, no opinion on this point. There was a Thai Admiral (Mr. Kohlak Jaroenruk) who had been room mate with King Juan Carlos in the Naval Academy.

PS

"that same BiB groveling his apologies..." Reminds me that one ex-Deuty Commissioner-General of the Cop had farang wife. Think of the bad luck ping-pong head who may stop her car for extra allowance...

Edited May 25, 2009 by oldsparrow

[eek]

Absolutely no influence whatsoever.

Did find out something interesting though; that i went to the same school as the King (although not at the same time!)..

..but that doesnt change that i have absolutely no influence whatsoever.

[MeetJohnDoe]

I don't know if he qualifies as a 'foreigner', but I'm sure that Bill Heinecke (Minor Group) could pull a string or two, if he wanted to

He's a Thai citizen so I think that disqualifies him.

Gave up his American citizenship years ago due to the limitations on foreigners doing business in Thailand.

[BigSnake]

Maybe an Ambassador here and there but after that unless you are a big time drug dealer, I would say not many more farangs have Influence in the land of smiles.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

There's more than a few who are "under the influence".

That may win post of the week

[stiggy]

Im sure that there are many that believe they have....

[basjke]

I don't know if he qualifies as a 'foreigner', but I'm sure that Bill Heinecke (Minor Group) could pull a string or two, if he wanted to

He's a Thai citizen so I think that disqualifies him.

Gave up his American citizenship years ago due to the limitations on foreigners doing business in Thailand.

I would doubt he gave up his us citizenship as both thailand and us allow dual citizenship.

[Priceless]

I don't know if he qualifies as a 'foreigner', but I'm sure that Bill Heinecke (Minor Group) could pull a string or two, if he wanted to

He's a Thai citizen so I think that disqualifies him.

Gave up his American citizenship years ago due to the limitations on foreigners doing business in Thailand.

I would doubt he gave up his us citizenship as both thailand and us allow dual citizenship.

I'm not sure they did in 1991, though The Thai Nationality Act is dated B.E. 2535 (i.e. AD 1992), so things might have changed then.

/ Priceless

[Deke]

I don't know if he qualifies as a 'foreigner', but I'm sure that Bill Heinecke (Minor Group) could pull a string or two, if he wanted to

He's a Thai citizen so I think that disqualifies him.

Gave up his American citizenship years ago due to the limitations on foreigners doing business in Thailand.

I would doubt he gave up his us citizenship as both thailand and us allow dual citizenship.

Purely for tax reasons, I would expect that he did renounce his US citizenship.

[Gaccha]

Well... when I was living in Japan, I was sent a letter by a human rights charity telling me they had selected me as "one of the ten thousand most influential people on earth". I felt they had overestimated my power...

I have kept that letter vacuum-packed for the Grandkids.

[Maigo6]

Well... when I was living in Japan, I was sent a letter by a human rights charity telling me they had selected me as "one of the ten thousand most influential people on earth". I felt they had overestimated my power...

I have kept that letter vacuum-packed for the Grandkids.

They sent that letter to 3,000,000 other people too, it only takes a small percentage to actually believe in it and start sending money to make it all worth while.

Do you really think you are amongst the top 10,000 most influential people on earth ?

If you were, you wouldn't need a letter telling you that you were, you'd already know it.

[patklang]

I dont think anybody would come on here and admit to being influencial in Thailand.

[Gaccha]

They sent that letter to 3,000,000 other people too, it only takes a small percentage to actually believe in it and start sending money to make it all worth while.

Do you really think you are amongst the top 10,000 most influential people on earth ?

If you were, you wouldn't need a letter telling you that you were, you'd already know it.

Do you really think you are amongst the top 10,000 most influential people on earth ?

I felt they had overestimated my power...

You need to update your reading skills.

If you were, you wouldn't need a letter telling you that you were, you'd already know it.

Well, I was going to talk about it. But since you've asked. I certainly knew I was to some extent influential. I was working as a reporter at one of the World's most famous newspapers. My articles were presumably read by Presidents and Prime Ministers and possibly your good self. But top 10,000 is a stretch...

The letter was a targeted letter by the NGO.

It made me realise how little power 'influence' buys you. Jack Straw commented that as Home Secretary of the UK he was surprised at the lack of power and was stunned at the enormous responsibility of his position. He could get nothing done yet he could control prisoners' lives with the flick of his pen.