[Member of public calls immigration: Japanese pensioner whose Thai wife died found hiding on overstay]

Their silly little smart car had nothing to do with catching this old guy who never left his house. He was turned in by an informant. Plain and simple

[Bridge to Samui: PM shows support - project could start building in three years]

First, its an island with too many cars already. It does not need the added cars. Second, not sure what the distance is, but who is going to take care of all the cars that break down, run out of gas or who have an accident on this bridge?

[Why petrol stops for vans?]

I think it has something to do with the size of the tank. Father in law took us to Hua Hin and he had to stop twice to fill up

[Moving with 4 large luggage]

When my wife and I moved from Koh Samui to her home town. We just boxed everything up and mailed it. Even sent the motorbike that way. Was the easiest and cheapest move I ever did. Got everything in a week

[Wife cousin is army recruiter]

18 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

 

All l would suggest is if he does not want to be in the Thai army get him to go to army classes and keep him carrying on with education.

He is in some kind of ROTC at school. Did not know that these classes could be used to avoid the draft. Once again thanks for the info

[Wife cousin is army recruiter]

18 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

 

 

Well getting away from trumpets l would say the OP has nothing to fear from a recruiter his step son l guess will have to be involved with the army from 21 on at some point, if he does nothing before hand in my experience.

 

My step son right up to and during uni had to attend army classes he did this from high school age and was able not to be drafted.

I couldn't find many real facts about about paying off the army l guess it's possible and the Thai rich can get away with pretty almost anything.

There are other ways out maybe that's why there's so many in Thailand. 

 

The following is from some info :-

Thailand’s armed forces search for healthy men aged between 21 and 30 years old.

The military always needs new recruits. Many of the places are filled by volunteers. The rest are drafted through a lottery that many hope to lose. By law all Thai men who do not volunteer for military service must attend the conscription lottery at least once after they turn 21.

Not everyone is eligible — recruits must be physically fit, at least 1.60 meters tall and with a chest size of 76 centimetres or more.

Also spared from serving their country are transgender ‘katoeys’, or ladyboys. Previously transsexuals were exempted on the grounds of a “psychological abnormality”, but that has now been replaced by a “misshapen chest”. 

The worst case scenario is a posting in Thailand’s deep south, where an insurgency waged by suspected Islamic militants has left many people dead over the past years.

Anybody caught trying to escape conscription faces three years in prison, followed by a stint in the army, probably down south.

 

From what l see from many young Thai men's behaviour in our village they should all have a stint in the army IMO.

Thanks for the information. I did not know about the age range. I had thought that it was 18. We really do have couple of years before we have to be concerned with this

[Wife cousin is army recruiter]

It seems that my wife's father and his 2 brothers have solved our little drama last  night and have sent the cousin back to where ever he came from. So should have a couple more years before we have deal with army recruiters. Now to just get him to finish school.

[Wife cousin is army recruiter]

He does have a trumpet. And I have been telling him most musician starve before they make it big

[Wife cousin is army recruiter]

Just got a visit from a cousin of my wife I had never seen before who happens to be an army recruiter. He was trying to do the hard sell on my stepson. He  just got one more year of school. And we are trying our best to get him to finish. All of his friends are dropping out. Plus most of his family has never finished. Both my wife and I agree about him finishing HS before he does anything. Besides being lazy and a typical teenager he is a good kid. I really do not want this cousin involve in anything about my stepson and think this is a decision between him and his mother. The one thing he is good at is playing the trumpet. And my wife wants to send him to Bangkok to get better/learn how to earn a living playing the trumpet. Have been told there is a school. Which is not a problem. I told the cousin f/off that he was not doing anything until he finished school. Even his grandfather got involve tonight. Is there really anything I can do to get him to leave him alone?

[Bacon]

17 hours ago, billd766 said:

I quite often make my own bacon.

 

I either use a good bit of belly of pork or part of whole hind leg of pork and dry cure it with honey and Coleman's mustard powder.

 

The sad news is that I cannot cut razor thin strips so it is thick sliced.

I bought a small meat slicer from Lazada. Works great. I have a batch in curing with cinnamon right now. Will try the Coleman's mustard next. 

[Air Purifier IQAir HealthPro 250 or other purifiers]

I bought a Sharp KC-50TA-W from Lazada. It does the job and I have been happy with it. It was a little pricey. But it was delivered right to the house.

[Sport fund levy 'will force up price of liquor, smokes']

And this is going to bring a lot of happiness to the Thai people???

[Nida Poll says most teenagers reject sexual relation on Valentine's Day]

Since when was someone in the 20-25 age bracket considered a teenager? They should be consider adult. Making this supposed poll completly worthless.

[Magic Thai Monk simmers in stew pot]

What is this monk & his temple going to do when someone kills their self trying to imitate what he did w/o knowing the tick. I am sure someone is stupid enough to try.

[Chinese tourists in trouble again as White Temple soiled]

What does the second half of the article have to do with the first half ?

[Hunt for Siam Paragon bombers]

Yes they are already in control. But they now can use this bombing to take a more heavy handed approach to everything they do.

[Bangkok taxis demand second round of fare increase]

They should just use the cheapest fuel available. Go back to gasoline if it is cheaper.

[Hunt for Siam Paragon bombers]

This is just the excuse for the military to do what they always wanted to do. Take more control

[Thai DOAE launching agriculture tourism]

Just what I want to do when I go on vacation. Go to a farm. Not

[MOAC to hold ‘happiness’ campaign for living conditions]

They are going to have a hard time getting the younger generation back on the farms. Farming is hard, hot, dirty work for little money. They see how hard it is for their parents and with a little education they want a better life. A steady pay check sure beats debt, drought and fluctuating crop prices

[Thai govt wants to raise fares of 'low-cost' airlines]

Though that was the purpose of low cost airlines was to fill planes and get everybody flying. But that is not a business model Thai's are not used to. Instead of cutting prices to get customers, they want to raise prices to make up the difference. Someone finally shows them how they should be doing business and they go crying to the goverment. No Fair. Go take a economics course

[Thai govt wants to raise fares of 'low-cost' airlines]

The airlines are not loosing any money flying at the price they have set. Plus they offer a quality service for the price they charge. And all you have to offer is a run-down slow bus that takes 11 hours to get to Bangkok. I am going to fly everytime

[Transport Minister inaugurates new Chao Phraya River bridge]

So now everything this goverment does is "a gift for theThai people". Do not know when they started building this bridge but it sure was not within the last 6 months

[Free Wi-Fi in Thailand from next April]

Will believe it when I see it

[Has Thailand finally killed the golden goose?]

I disagree with those who assess this as all due to global economic conditions. Thailand HAS killed the golden goose. For decades the tourist industry grew & grew with foreigners basking in the famously warm welcome and low prices. Then the endless growth began to level off a bit, and when even that could no longer be sustained, good fortune gradually evolved into an expectation, then an entitlement. Dips became downturns became disappointments became resentment. Other rising stars in the tourist galaxy didn't help - Thailand encountered competition. And having to compete with other countries for foreign visitors must be just about the most diifficult concept there is for a proud thai to get his mind around. Relatively easy to understand squeezing every last satang out of currently owned assets though - screw tomorrow.

All this adds up to some fairly sour attitudes, and these are easy to see in the cities. Scams, the current thing with police, stubborn double-pricing practices, smiling overtures to lure foreign investors while hiding highly discriminatory and disadvantageous protectionist laws in the other hand and behind the back, etc etc etc - these are all parts of the same "screw those darn foreigners, who needs 'em" attitude. Now the word's out - no amount of empty smiley faces from different agencies or already invested ( and getting desperate) expats can conceal the truth of the matter from the rest of the world. The bloom is OFF the rose and the secret's out.

Well said