Trump statue in Philadelphia commemorates ‘a lifetime of sexual assault’

[MikeOwen]

I suppose the unruly teenagers riding around on bikes looking for a handbag or gold chain to snatch have all sat up and taken notice!

Yes for sure , they don't have this in any other country do they , makes me laugh :-)))

Listen to all the false promises coming from the hope to be PM's in the UK at the moment , what's so different from the the PM in Thialand

[No Apologist]

I read that Press Release 3 times, and I still don't really understand what Prayut wants people to do.

He wants all Thais to make Thailand worth visiting. How?

He wants all sectors to strengthen society? What does that mean and how?

He said "To build a peaceful society, Gen. Prayut stressed that it was important that all citizens were aware of their role and mobilized their efforts to do their duty to the best of their ability" - what is their role and what efforts do they mobilize to the best of their ability?

I hear words, but they make no sense.

You do understand; he wants the people that he made himself ruler of, to blame themselves and consider him unquestionable. Of course it doesn't make sense once he starts rationalizing it.

Myself, I don't actually believe that Thais are 'dumb' or 'crazy', they way people write here. I think they just know too well, that what he means is 'You'll feel the pain for contradicting me'. So, they pretend it makes sense. If you're Thai, all this guy has to do is point the finger at you, you know.

Edited April 18, 2015 by No Apologist

[stoplookingatmyscreen]

was in ohuket for a month and there are some of the hottest thai girls ive ever seen but too bad they are just as bad as western women playing with there i phone 6 and snobbing off there best friend

[slipperylobster]

Arise, Lazerus..

[bbbbooboo]

Erm...,,maybe the horse has already bolted?

[No Apologist]

was in ohuket for a month and there are some of the hottest thai girls ive ever seen but too bad they are just as bad as western women playing with there i phone 6 and snobbing off there best friend

Let's break down what you mean, more specifically; the problem, is that they had no interest in you, specifically. And you blame them for that, somehow. By your own description, that seems to be a world wide problem for you. And everyone feels that way, sometimes, so it's not just you. But, i don't see men having trouble getting women, when I look around me. Maybe...sorry...they just aren't into you. And maybe there's a reason which you could work on yourself, instead of blaming women.

Maybe they're already with someone else. Or want to be with people of their own culture. Maybe they want to be with people their own age. Maybe they're tired of seeing people in their culture expected to drop everything and pretend to like whatever foreigner happens to be walking around. When you were 20 something years old, how excited were you to get with some old lady from China? Probably not very, right? Just be honest with yourself; it's not their fault.

Edited April 18, 2015 by No Apologist

[stoplookingatmyscreen]

they are pissed off they clearly dont like farang

[fareastguy]

Well I guess if the powers to be get their way, a new fast track rail link from BKK area to Hua Hin, possibly a sea link from Pattaya to Cha-am & Hua Hin then they will get what they want...

A nation-wide brothel which is what Thailand does best & what has brought in the money for the last 50 years...
Pattaya, Phuket & Samui are all done to death, so why not open up new destination names to entice the punters!!
We know that as they go into ASEAN they can't compete with other nations on a level playing field in commerce & industry (unless other countries build it) so the sex industry will be the next best option to fall back on!
Somehow I feel sorry for the locals of Hua Hin & Cha-am in the future, when all the money men move in to take over, the mafia move in to stake their claims & the dregs of society both domestic & international move in to the new found "Paradise"
Good luck with his "vision" of cultural Thailand... but he ain't kidding me, and I for one won't be visiting Hua Hin again if the links become a reality !!

[joshstiles]

what a jerk off....yeah keep charging tourists 10 times the amount to enter parks and keep on supporting the dual / triple tiered pricing system for foreigners

what a load of sh1t

thailand will always live as tge "lost world" until it understands what "being educated" us all about.

problem is that all the mikitary / politicans have all been educated through the worthless system still in place

nothing will change

[robertthebruce]

Try cleaning the Country up, and also enforce Traffic Rules, that would be a good start..

[bangkokpoppys]

One of the best leaders, he speaks well and sensibly. Thailand and TV posters will come to appreciate this in 5 years.

Question: If you were PM, what would you do to fix the country's deep rooted issues?

[Alwyn]

PM urges all Thais to make Thailand worth visiting... say's the man who instigated a coup, elected himself as PM and gave his military cronies plum jobs in his New World Order, kept the country in military lockdown for 10 months with martial law and repressed freedom of speech, replaced martial law with an even more draconian law, promised elections that didn't happen, deterred tourists with his ridiculous martial law and press statements, paid police to cover up a double murder and promised to get to the root of the country's 'problems' which in reality, is people like him staging coups when they can't win an election. Shall we list his successes? Cleaned up beaches and forbade people to take their own skin cancer protection in the form of parasols, something about motorbike taxis having to wear a certain colour vest, made taxis in Phuket use a central phone booking system where people have to call a number and order one and at the same time made taxi stands - no wait, that one never happened... But there must be more, right?

[trainman34014]

It's been interesting reading what International observers from around Asia and beyond have been saying about yesterdays speech. Not one that i have read or listened to has said that they heard anything new and encouraging. In other words '' same old, same old '' doesn't cut it with those outside Thaisneworld !

[No Apologist]

One of the best leaders, he speaks well and sensibly. Thailand and TV posters will come to appreciate this in 5 years.

Question: If you were PM, what would you do to fix the country's deep rooted issues?

1) I would try to (finally) address the class system which has ground the poor into uneducated poverty (and fear) for hundreds of years, by focusing on education. proper health care and benefits for the millions of people this country's wealthy live on the backs of. I would have the wisdom to recognize that even starting that process would go a long way in combating Thaksins underhanded techniques, far more than just further vilifying the poor.

2) I would address corruption in all departments, instead of just that of my political enemies. (Hint: I would begin by raising the salaries for RTP to a living wage, so that they weren't forced to take bribes in order to feed their own families: Do you know what the salary for low level RTP officer is? You couldn't live on it, I promise you).

3) I would encourage freedom of speech and freedom of the press, instead of trying to see it outlawed at the threat of imprisonment.

4) I would encourage free elections along with honest national discussion and education (real education, not slogans) so that people could make more informed decisions.

5) I would encourage an honest discussion about political violence on both sides over a long history, instead of pretending it's never existed on the side I represent.

6) I would not keep Thailand under martial law for a year, as a way of silencing others, particularly after first claiming it wasn't a coup, and that I didn't intend to be PM.

7) I would avoid aligning myself with Russia and China, the 2 countries who - despite how bad all govs can be - have the absolute worst human rights records anywhere.

8) I would address the issues of human trafficking and slavery, and not spout angry rhetoric and excuses at human rights watch groups around the world.

9) I would not make 'jokes' to international journalists that I could have them executed.

10) I would be organizing free elections; or at the very least, presenting the current time as a real chance, for the first time, that all the parties issues could be addressed honesty, and not use LM laws to terrorize those who disagree (even if I disagree, myself), recognizing that until people they have a voice, the resentment is only going to grow.

11) I would not vote myself unquestionable power, to begin with.

12) I would start to address why so many young women in my own country are forced into prostitution and abuse at the hands of foreign tourists (hint: it's poverty and lack of education). And I do so because I actually cared about the millions of young women in my country enough to not make dumb excuses about underboob selfies by foriegners, and nonsense like that, instead.

13) I would address the economy and tourism trade collapsing (as it truly is) instead of issuing false reports and fake polls. Or blaming all Thais for it, the way he is here.

Should I go on?

Edited April 18, 2015 by No Apologist

[gemguy]

Any one know the generals address??....then anyone visiting can make a worthwhile visit to the generals residence as one of the main tourist attractions in Thailand....... and worth visiting...lol

Cheers

[Alwyn]

One of the best leaders, he speaks well and sensibly. Thailand and TV posters will come to appreciate this in 5 years.

Question: If you were PM, what would you do to fix the country's deep rooted issues?

Therein lies the problem. The issues are deep rooted, in fact you're talking about changing a whole belief system, which will never happen. For this to happen certain rich people who got rich from exploiting the Thais will not be happy when their income folds or fades... Too many people from all sides are motivated by pure greed and don't care about common or garden Thais, or as Arthur Daley says, "the great unwashed" (working people)

[Time Traveller]

The PM is now passing the buck of the country's failings on to the thai people. The audacity.!

Edited April 18, 2015 by Time Traveller

[Baerboxer]

PM urges all Thais to make Thailand worth visiting

Gen. Prayut stressed that it was important that all citizens were aware of their role and mobilized their efforts to do their duty to the best of their ability.

Let's face facts good general. About 80% of tourism is generated by the country's sex industry. So, are you saying those workers shouldn't be so lazy and put on better performances to please the tourists?

I wholeheartedly agree with you on that point.

Many contractors, Internet Developers and entrepreneurs made Thailand their second home. Now they have moved to Cambodia thanks to the silly visa regulations invoked under his watch.. Being an authoritarian, he does not realize that you do not control your businesses, your customers do. The customers dictate. You merely manage. He has belittled the country further into an adult theme park by sending respectable people away..

Sorry, not sure I understand your post.

Are you referring to people who were doing border runs as tourists whilst working illegally leaving Thailand?

[NoshowJones]

Everyone can start with Songkran - which used to be fun and still is, but becoming more and more dangerous. Thanks to some <deleted> farangs who have changed the dynamics of the festival for the worse, I'm afraid. When did this turn into an aggressive battle? If Thailand wants make the country worth visiting, start with outlawing throwing buckets of water at the faces of motor bike drivers while their driving, or any moving vehicle for that mater This is dangerous beyond belief and is getting worse each year. This aggression was never the intention of the Songkran Festival. I urge law makers to review this ongoing problem and consider banning this part of the festivities.

There's no point in making rules, banning this and banning that, if it is not going to be enforced.

[No Apologist]

PM urges all Thais to make Thailand worth visiting

Gen. Prayut stressed that it was important that all citizens were aware of their role and mobilized their efforts to do their duty to the best of their ability.

Let's face facts good general. About 80% of tourism is generated by the country's sex industry. So, are you saying those workers shouldn't be so lazy and put on better performances to please the tourists?

I wholeheartedly agree with you on that point.

Many contractors, Internet Developers and entrepreneurs made Thailand their second home. Now they have moved to Cambodia thanks to the silly visa regulations invoked under his watch.. Being an authoritarian, he does not realize that you do not control your businesses, your customers do. The customers dictate. You merely manage. He has belittled the country further into an adult theme park by sending respectable people away..

Sorry, not sure I understand your post.

Are you referring to people who were doing border runs as tourists whilst working illegally leaving Thailand?

No. The poster is referring to the paranoia that assumes all people are working illegally, in draconian, nonsensical ways, instead of immigration reform which isn't so hypocritical and emotionally driven from day to day.

Example: Russians were described as the chief problem in 'illegal working' in the months after the coup and immigration crackdowns: almost every article (and comment) one saw here and issue by immigration, was that Russians were working illegally, and that's why all the crackdowns were so necessary. Then, a few months later - it went by pretty unnoticed, somehow - Russians were offered unlimited in/out exemptions. Only Russians, at that.

So...is your point then, that all Russians suddenly stopped working illegally? Or, could it be that Putin expressed support for martial law, when other countries didn't? Which seems more plausible to you? Oh, and China...suddenly they're quite wanted. We all know that no Chinese immigrants would ever work illegally in Thailand. Is that your considered point of view, then?

The problem with immigration in Thailand, is that it's used to punish selected and constantly changing (emotionally determined) 'enemies' - not actually people working illegally - and can't determine a set of rules which are followed and consistent. That's the whole reason this site was started, as for years, the visa rules would change so constantly that there was no way to keep up with that months rules. I understand it's their country; but that's a broken system, when a person can't even keep up with what the rules are without a whole forum of others 'recent experiences'. I've gotten quite a hassle for supposedly working illegally in recent years, and I've never worked in Thailand even once. So I never buy this meme, about 'illegal working'. Also, Thailand has zero social benefits, so there's actually nothing to 'take advantage' of in traditional ways. Someone works online? So what! That means they don't pay rent? No. That means food or doctors or anything is free for them? No.

Example: my building in Bkk, has...I don't know how many, 150 apts or something, almost all farangs for years. Good people, quiet respectable place, and many employees based on the place in the neighborhood, plus the nearby stores and foodstands, it's all connected. In the last 6 months, and for the first time in years, the place has been almost deserted. There's about 4 of us left. And, the reason everyone had to leave, was immigration crackdowns. They hadn't done anything 'wrong' - maybe some guy works online or something, big deal. All immigration reform has done is hurt another mini-economy and a neighborhood. It's really hurting now. So...good work. I know it's happening all over, too.

Edited April 18, 2015 by No Apologist

[LPCustom69]

The Internet guys and entrepreneurs that were mentioned were for the most part undesirable here. Cambodia will soon tire of them also.

What the Thais want is for visitors to come here for a few weeks, or months, spend a lot of money, and then go back to their home countries.

[NoshowJones]

Try cleaning the Country up, and also enforce Traffic Rules, that would be a good start..

Yes, and stop allowing Immigration Offices to make their own rules, why can't Immigration offices all have the same rules, is that so hard?

[NoshowJones]

One of the best leaders, he speaks well and sensibly. Thailand and TV posters will come to appreciate this in 5 years.

Question: If you were PM, what would you do to fix the country's deep rooted issues?

Simple, make sure the laws are enforced.

[No Apologist]

The Internet guys and entrepreneurs that were mentioned were for the most part undesirable here. Cambodia will soon tire of them also.

What the Thais want is for visitors to come here for a few weeks, or months, spend a lot of money, and then go back to their home countries.

And, what the Thais 'get', is a crashing economy instead.

[wabothai]

I urge you mr.general to treat foreigners as your supporters and not some unwanted but allowed sheep creating your Madam TAT's tourist figures.

I may want to remind you that the foreigners living in Thailand have quite an influence on your tourist figures.

yet you and your government treat them as substandard with absolutely no rights while most of the guys support tens of thousands of your Thai families. Not to forget all the Thai wifes living abroad and traeted as equals and whose Thai families are supported by their husbands.

Most Thais do an effort to be nice to foreigners you don't have to urge them nothing.

It is you government who needs an attitude change.

[DM07]

Everyone can start with Songkran - which used to be fun and still is, but becoming more and more dangerous. Thanks to some <deleted> farangs who have changed the dynamics of the festival for the worse, I'm afraid. When did this turn into an aggressive battle? If Thailand wants make the country worth visiting, start with outlawing throwing buckets of water at the faces of motor bike drivers while their driving, or any moving vehicle for that mater This is dangerous beyond belief and is getting worse each year. This aggression was never the intention of the Songkran Festival. I urge law makers to review this ongoing problem and consider banning this part of the festivities.

Songkhran getting out of hand and dangerous is the farangs fault?

Yeah...because i see many white dudes, completely sloshed, speeding around on motorbikes, 3 at a time, no one with a helmet!

...for starters!

[tonysilly]

Stop the scams!! Stop the scams!! Taxi scams!! Stop the scams!! Oh! The the scams!! Why do I have to pay 30 Bht more for something? Just because I am white? Stop the scams!! Pay police more money. Stop the scams!!

[spermwhale]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

and I would suggest he implement some sort of environmental plan before the whole place becomes a plastic garbage dump. I live here and am absolutely appalled at what I see across the whole country. Visitors come to see "amazing Thailand" not polluted oceans and waterways fillled piles and piles of plastic and trash. Clean it up while your tourists are still coming and maybe they'll come back again.

You are so RIGHT.

What they don't get here is they need to clean up the country and especially roadways. For those who enter Thailand at Phuket, it's unimpressive as hell. You leave the airport and drive on litter-riddled roadways through some small towns that all look the same with the same crappy architecture and mold growing on the side of the buildings. After each little town, more garbage on poorly maintained roads.

Thailand could really be so much more if they had some "cute" towns, the kind people flock to in Europe. But once you been to one town or small city in Thailand, frankly, you've been to them all. What stands out about Chiang Mai except night market. You're not going to remember how nice the town looked, all the cool buildings that add to the hipness of a town.

And that no buildings are ever repainted and kept up also shocks me.

I think that in general, these facts, (same crappy architecture), filthy walls and roadways, is a reflection of the Thai people. They spend their time trying to look good in front of their peers and strangers. That doesn't mean living in a flash house. It means excellent personal grooming, nice looking clothes with some brand names thrown in for good measure, and the most expensive car you can barely afford.

THAT is what matters to Thais and that is why this place never gets cleaned up. People here don't take pride in their surroundings, only their personal appearance and public face.

[bangkokfrog]

I've travelled Thailand for more than 10 years now. I have never had any issues or problems with hotels, restaurants, car rentals, supermarkets, night-pubs, barbers, public busses, boats, karaoke-bars, temples or national parks (except the 400 Baht entrance fee for foreigners - but thats a clear "rule".) Everybody always fair, mostly friendly, sometimes interested. Concerning Men in Brown, I got two 500Baht-tickets altogehter, one time I didn't wear a helmet, the other time I hadn't my driving licence with me, so no reason to grumble here. The ONLY thing that goes on my nerves again and again and again are these annoying Taxi-/ TucTuc-/ Songtheauw- and Motorsaay-Drivers. Wherever I go: chances are high they try to cheat me. Wherever I walk: they bother with their repeated "Mister Mister need taxi?" and their constant honking. Whenever I'am feeling good and have a relaxed afternoon: for sure there will be one asking an unreasonable price or refusing the trip. Doesn't matter at the seaboard, the airport, in Bangkok or in deep Isahn - you always have to tackle with them. If Thai politics or city-administration could clean up this mess (for example crackdown on waiting TucTuc or impose clear (englisch) price-boards in Songtheauws and at Motorsaay-Taxistands) that would be a hugh improvement. Millions of tourists would have a nicer holiday and travel-expirience.

I agree with much of what you say but at least you get "Mister, Mister..." I only get "You, You!..."

[Linky]

In order of importance

Price of beer getting to high

Price of women getting too high

Thais getting too little jail time for violence

Edited April 18, 2015 by Linky