Bangkok Reports

[QUOTE=RobertLong;1921268]The primary reason is terrorism. The USA does that already and I'm sure Europe also because they tracked down all of the participants in the most recent attaches. They want the ability to be able to know everyone that communicates with a certain phone if something happens.

Why would you have a problem with that? Who cares because they only tract the info in the event of a crime.

RL.[/QUOTE]I agree. This is all what it is about.

On the other hand should you be a potential terrorist, would you disclose all the (real) information on an immigration form?

Wouldn't you use a purpose acquired "clean" sim card and then dump it somewhere?

How many Sim cards (or phones with one in it) are stolen everyday? Do we know for sure where they end up?

All in all these measures are a bit of fireworks to please the masses they are doing something.

The real action and intelligence is done in different ways.

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1921276]
Then again, perhaps the disclosure requested only pertains to such things as Facebook, which while an invasion of privacy would be a bit less problematic I suppose. Or perhaps the Time article was not so accurate on the information that must be disclosed on entry to Thailand (or maybe it only applies to those who obtain entry visas before arriving in Thailand given the low likelihood people would have banking information, for example, available when arriving at the airport in Thailand).[/QUOTE]The social media account disclosure is another bullshit.

Do I have to have one account on FB? And I declare I don't have, am I suPpsed to look strange?

And of I have multi-accounts how do they know this? Would they be happy with one and I hide the others?

I never touched and don't even know how tweeter works: am I an alien?

With thousands of visitors entering the country everyday. Accounting 5 minutes to records the data on a database (if ever) how many thousands of employees would they need to manage the DB?

Look at the packs of filled forms stacked at any immigration booth during a shift. Each booth requires two people to manage the info into somewhere.

Something happens. What do they do? Deploy an army of white collars to go through those stacks of forms to find one that triggers suspects?

Lots of visitors are multi time visitor during one year. Each time they hit the keyboard and often (but not always) take a picture of you. Looks like you have never been there.

Same happens at USA Airport immigration.

Everytime, picture, fingerprints, even if you entered one week before with same passport. Billions of data stored?

Lots of countries do accurate immigration checks but don't care if you go out. Down to the airline to collect the entry slip (and eventually return it to the federal agency). TSA performs an exit check on your passport. True.

I still believe there are holes.

Not to mention that the majority of recent terrorist attacks where from. Inhouse and residents. If not even citizens of the country being the target.

[QUOTE=BrockStar;1920868]First I will say that I am a farang living in BKK, but no where near Sukhumvit so when I do a monger night I typically get a cheap room on Soi 4. My question is, where are the short time rooms? I know Nana has them, but are there others in the area? If so where? How much for short time?[/QUOTE]Walk down Soi 4 away from Sukhumvit, past Hillary 2 Bar on the left, to the little sub soi with Jools (for now) on one side and The Tavern on the other. There is a small "street sign" that says Scott Avenue or something like that. It's not really the name of that sub soi, the sign was placed there by Scott, the owner of The Tavern. lol. Anyway, turn left. You'll find several short time room hotels there, including DiPlace, that rent decent rooms for an hour or two for about 350 baht. DiPlace is probably the best of them. In fact, there is a DiPlace sign on Soi 4 at the corner of that little sub soi where you turn left.

Most nights, you can rent a decent room in any of those little hotels all night for 750-850 baht.

What type of ID, if any, do I need to show at these ST hotels?

[QUOTE=Nixonbd;1921232]Interesting:

Thailand Plans to Track Foreign Tourists Through Their Cell Phones.

[URL]http://time.com/4446059/thailand-tourists-cell-phone-tracking/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Defense%20EBB%2008-10-16&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief[/URL][/QUOTE]I said it in another section already. [B]All[/B] cellphones can be tracked at all times.

That's how the mobile phone system works: if your provider doesn't know where you are, how can they connect a call for you to your phone?

Silly article, not based upon real knowledge. The Government is just making a big fuzz out of nothing to keep people's eyes away from the real problems.

In any case, tracking is not the issue, it is making good use of all that data. Suppose the Government requires all providers to upload all the location cata of all foreign or foreigner-registered sim cards to some government site. That will require huge computing capacity to check and what will they find? There are no "forbidden" areas in Thailand, so your location data by itself does not indicate your are comitting a crime. Go through such huge expense and effort to find a few overstayers? I'll just bring another foreign pre-paid sim card not registered on my name and use that.

The whole scheme is failing even before it is implemented.

[QUOTE=RobertLong;1921268]
Why would you have a problem with that? Who cares because they only tract the info in the event of a crime.[/QUOTE]That is of course the worst reason to support such a system at all.

Since the government defines what a "crime" is, you are not protected. Maybe your political ideas do not match with those who are in power? Let's call that a crime and track those criminals down!

Privacy, freedom of speech and communication and other such basic rights are continuously under threat from governments and authorities.

[QUOTE=MumbaiGuy;1921129]These are side effects of the improving economy and it is seen in all developing countries. Thailand is no exception. Anyway things will never be the same as they were 15 years ago and time machine is not likely to be invented in our lifetime. So there is no point in bickering. Ok, earlier girls use to chase punters, now punters have to chase girls. Times have changed and we should accept that and move on.[/QUOTE]In many developed nations p4 p is now about the same cost as in LOS. And again, the issue is the service more than the price. And no, I kind of refuse to chase working girls. I would also say that the change in the gals is just as much due to the change in the punters. Guys are far easier to please and seem to settle for less than they did 15 years ago.

[QUOTE=Wolvenvacht;1921338]That is of course the worst reason to support such a system at all.
Since the government defines what a "crime" is, you are not protected. Maybe your political ideas do not match with those who are in power? Let's call that a crime and track those criminals down!
Privacy, freedom of speech and communication and other such basic rights are continuously under threat from governments and authorities.[/QUOTE]Openly or secretely they can and are doing that.

Regardless if it is right or not.

In case of doubt they set a new law.

Worst case scenario they cover anything under the umberella of "national security".

You dint like that? Prosecute them at Human Rights Court in Den Hague and good luck.

Have you ever seen anyone being brought to the court for "illegal" tracking or intelligence?

I am not defending them, I am just feet on the ground.

[QUOTE=Wolvenvacht;1921336]I said it in another section already. [B]All[/B] cellphones can be tracked at all times.
That's how the mobile phone system works: if your provider doesn't know where you are, how can they connect a call for you to your phone?
Silly article, not based upon real knowledge. The Government is just making a big fuzz out of nothing to keep people's eyes away from the real problems.
The whole scheme is failing even before it is implemented.[/QUOTE]+1.

Article to fill the papers in the boring summer weeks.

[QUOTE=BionicMan;1921370]Openly or secretely they can and are doing that.

Regardless if it is right or not.

In case of doubt they set a new law.

Worst case scenario they cover anything under the umberella of "national security".

You dint like that? Prosecute them at Human Rights Court in Den Hague and good luck.

Have you ever seen anyone being brought to the court for "illegal" tracking or intelligence?

I am not defending them, I am just feet on the ground.[/QUOTE]That is exactly whe we have defend our basic rights vigorously by voting into power decent politicians who support the idea of personal freedom. Sadly it seems that those ideas are going out of fashion and saying "I don't mind that criminals are tracked and their rights abused since I'm not a criminal" is symptomatic in that respect.

I know, I'm an old dinosaur and not attuned to these modern times.

[QUOTE=Goatscrot;1921351]In many developed nations p4 p is now about the same cost as in LOS. And again, the issue is the service more than the price. And no, I kind of refuse to chase working girls. I would also say that the change in the gals is just as much due to the change in the punters. Guys are far easier to please and seem to settle for less than they did 15 years ago.[/QUOTE]Agree with you sir. I agree that the service is not the same, the cost has gone up. Even I don't like to chase the girls. But that is the ground reality today. The competition today is with punters who are happy to spend more for less. But things are what they are and you and me can't change them. So let us accept that and move on. There are still plenty of positive reports here by happy punters and majority of them are seniors with years of experience in LOS.

[QUOTE=Wolvenvacht;1921550]That is exactly whe we have defend our basic rights vigorously by voting into power decent politicians who support the idea of personal freedom. Sadly it seems that those ideas are going out of fashion and saying "I don't mind that criminals are tracked and their rights abused since I'm not a criminal" is symptomatic in that respect.

I know, I'm an old dinosaur and not attuned to these modern times.[/QUOTE]Please go to Thai visa if you want to debate this crap. Anyways, instead of going to Sephan Kwai tonight, I'm on a date with my little Ninja.

With the bombs that exploded last night in Hua Hin, the cell phone network industry in Thailand again will have to track the users in the area of the bombing if the news about the bombs being detonated with a cell phone are true.

I've been RTFF for the past 20 pages or so, preparing for my trip next month. I stayed near Terminal 21 last time, so I'm thinking of trying something new. I'm not too interested in taking girls out of gogo bars; mostly massages and BJ bars. Can anyone tell me how Patpong is like these days?

Considering booking a hotel near Silom this time. Sleazy is fine with me (wanted to check out Star of Light), but if there are a lot more scams, I'll stay on Sukhumvit again and go to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord900][CodeWord900][/url] or thr other infamous places there.

Thanks!

[QUOTE=MumbaiGuy;1921555]Agree with you sir. I agree that the service is not the same, the cost has gone up. Even I don't like to chase the girls. But that is the ground reality today. The competition today is with punters who are happy to spend more for less. But things are what they are and you and me can't change them. So let us accept that and move on. There are still plenty of positive reports here by happy punters and majority of them are seniors with years of experience in LOS.[/QUOTE]Truth in what you say. Yes, there are some gems to be found, but it is a lot of work. I have been "auditioning" for regulars since my last two retired or moved on last August. Have not found a single one that fits the bill. Accept? No choice really. Move on? No choice either. A large number of guys I have known over the years already have; they left Thailand. Honestly of all the long terms residents I know, only one is still quite happy with the scene. He lives in Pattaya and takes 2 gals a day. Never pays more than 1 k, usually 700 Baht. But I could never live in Pattaya. Just too much human detritus about.

Believe me, it's no longer the P4 P scene that keeps me in LOS. It's the food, my friends, affordable health insurance and good medical care, cheap regional travel, etc. The gals have become a bonus as opposed to a focus. Twice a month is about all I partake these days. Would not mind more, if I could find some really great gals. I mean really, with anything you do when current experiences start to pale in comparison to what you have known in the past; what's the point?