General Reports

I just got back from a month long journey to China, Thailand and Cambodia, for the first time in my home state (Minnesota) I was searched at customs. I have seen enough movies to know better then to smuggle anything (I would make a terrible smuggler) but that didn't stop the friendly folks from helping themselves to 28 new DVD's, one of the coppers said so long as I was not bringing in a bunch of one copy or had too many it was OK, saddly this one was not mine and I had to fork over the ill gotten movies. The real problem was there looking at my laptop, 90% of my photo's are G-rated stuff, the great wall, Angkor Watt etc, then there is the other 10%. Even then the problem was not photo's I had taken abroad, but video clips and stills I had, some time ago, downloaded. Even though there is nothing illegal on my laptop, the customs man expressed "concern" about the 1200 porn video clips he calims I had (this is a lie I have no where near that many!) also he tried to make it sound like I had illegal content, I had none and I knew it but it is best to not keep anything on a laptop that you don't want anyone else to see, just a thought. I have heard of mailing DVD's back but would that make things worse? Just a heads up

The Nations breaking news:

I will not accept post of premier in the next government : Thaksin

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced on Tuesday that he will not take the premiership in the next government.


He said his decision is aimed at restoring unity in the country and that the country is celebrating HM the King's 60th anniversary on the throne.

He apologised to the 16 million people who voted for him and his Thai Rak Thai Party in last Sunday's election.

"My main reason for not accepting the post of prime minister is because this year is an auspicious year for the king, whose 60th anniversary on the throne is just 60 days away," Thaksin said in a nationally televised press conference.

"I want all Thais to reunite," he said.

His announcement came after he was granted an audience with HM the King at Hua Hin palace in the afternoon. Earlier he repeatedly said that he will never step down.

However he said he would remain in the position of caretaker prime minister until Parliament selects the new prime minister.

The Nation


Giotto

I think this is Good News for Thais...

[QUOTE=Seydlitz]And there are those who still do not see what the King of Thailand is the overpowering figure of wisdom with so much political clout.

He is the world's longest serving monarch and has very rarely committed himself in the countless political crises that happened during his long reign. But each time he did, he got the crisis resolved with swift decisiveness.[/QUOTE]

And what happens when the current King is no longer with us and his son takes over?

So long Mr. PM...

[url]http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/world/asia/04cnd-thai.html?hp&ex=1144209600&en=3c49674e01c9a341&ei=5094&partner=homepage[/url]

Maybe the new PM will be a better thing for Thais and Thai businesses.

[QUOTE=JuiceSpike]So long Mr. PM...

[url]http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/world/asia/04cnd-thai.html?hp&ex=1144209600&en=3c49674e01c9a341&ei=5094&partner=homepage[/url]

Maybe the new PM will be a better thing for Thais and Thai businesses.[/QUOTE]

Hard to say as corruption is usually a major factor to the local govt and this spreads on upward to the national govt. Corruption is the main compliant among all business that try to survive. I can say the Thai govt overall is not too bad (compare to other 3rd world dirtbag countries), but it could use an upgrade.

[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]The son, unfortunately is not the father. Overall, I think it will be a sad day for Thailand when the current king dies and the son becomes king. [/QUOTE]

My fears exactly!

Giotto

yes. probably a wise thing to do, given who I work for. So, I deleted my comments.

[QUOTE=Giotto]...but all of you should think about deleting your posts asap. Giotto[/QUOTE]
Good point. Done.

[url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4878362.stm[/url]

What will happen? Who knows...

[QUOTE=Old Thai Hand]Giotto
yes. probably a wise thing to do, given who I work for. So, I deleted my comments.[/QUOTE]

I did too.

It says something about where we live that a few relatively innocuous comments by some could then lead us all to rethink the wisdom of it and subsequently delete the comments en masse.

It made me think of the obvious contrast with the tabloid press in England that tears into the Windsors on a fairly regular basis.

On a side note: you wouldn't actually go to prison for it. You would just be expelled and banned from LOS forever.

Honolulu "Spastic" Jimmy's photo of a bar-girl with bank notes on her pussy and breasts would also probably not go down too well with the authorities.

Expect he stole that photo also, but still, not a wise one to post. But, then again, he isn't a wise one.

[QUOTE=JuiceSpike][url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4878362.stm[/url]
What will happen? Who knows...[/QUOTE]
I guess, it depends on which part of Thailand.

But, overall, it'd be good for monger scene:
No more cleansing of bar scene or "entertainment districts."
No more running the government in a corporate style with efficiency. It's back to big bureaucratic government with administrative waste and corruption, so later open times and full-nudity in go-go's everywhere.
No more rural improvements, so more poor girls flocking to BKK, i.e. higher supply in bars and go-go's. And, subsequently, lower ST/LT rates...

I'd better start booking my next LOS vacation...
Seeko

[quote=old thai hand]it says something about where we live that a few relatively innocuous comments by some could then lead us all to rethink the wisdom of it and subsequently delete the comments en masse.

it made me think of the obvious contrast with the tabloid press in england that tears into the windsors on a fairly regular basis.

on a side note: you wouldn't actually go to prison for it. you would just be expelled and banned from los forever.[/quote]
i know what you mean. i had a heated discussion with a local thai businessman last time i was in bkk. about my own country's leaders.
he hated them. i told him that he could say it, and i wouldn't take offense or hit him. unlike some other nations with religious zealots. i also told him that both he and i could say bad things or call names about my country's leaders whether we were in my country, thailand, or anywhere else in the world. but, i stated that i could not do the same with regard to thailand.
i didn't think that he understood the whole concept of freedom of speech, press, or expression. or, tolerance for others' opinions and ideas.

well, luckily, i didn't let that affect my mongering experience...
seeko