Well we hoped against hope his stand against Clayton of the real-estate empire would strike a blow for us internet bloggers and webbers not to be gagged.
Alas the Galts been pole-axed and dealt a number of blows in court and on the web.
His vocal detractors and enemies are numerous and have quite a big mouth on them.
In Bangkok there's Stickman, Mango-sauce.
While in Pattaya there's some support for Galt.
The short an bottom of it is that Galt has had to shut down his now infamous notstickman site.
It remains to be seen what will come of Claytons court case from an internet slanging match.
Whatever happens Keith good luck and hope to see you on the other side...
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thailand Bike Crackdown
13st March 2009
Well, the sugary days of free-wheeling around on unregistered bike are looking very gloomy indeed. In yet more controlling moves from the authorities a ton of big bikes in Thailand have been impounded.
On the 24th February in Pattaya and 4th March 2009 in Chiang Mai the enforcers landed and soon got to work.
Large rental operations from the sun-washed beaches of Pattaya up to the dusty mountains of Chiang Mai have felt the weight of the law bear down on them. Bikes were promptly checked for legality, those that were suspect were loaded up onto pick-ups and driven away!
Even Isaan has a degree of this, although the checkpoints merely wanted to see insurance and licenses.
Any bike without plates or the correct papers / book have been seized and impounded. It's not just the big biking shops either, small shops have been affected along with the farang and thais out riding them.
Tales abound of luckless farang who've put their machines in for repairs / servicing and returned to find the place crawling with thai police confiscating their rides! It goes even crazier, if some are to be believed the cops are even noseying about the condo buildings and scoping out big bikes there, then waiting for farang to ride them outside before pouncing on them.
Korn Rentals, a well known bike shop in Pattaya had to pay out to the tune of 2.5 million baht to retro-actively register 28 or so big bikes! For solo riders the 'fee' is reputed to be 50k baht.
Up in Chiang Mai WR tells me he was followed for ten minutes before loosing the cops on a block to block chase! He's road legal but felt like distracting the BIB to keep them busy for a while!
But seriously, it looks as though the 'rules of the road' in Thailand are changing, at least for the immediate future. The crackdown has been ordered from the highest level, some say from the prime minister himself. The police themselves are affected and under the spotlight, with some of there own bikes being confiscated!
So either keep a very low-profile or get you bike legal. The sting looks to be a lasting one...PAD Airport Occupation
Interesting times once more in Thailand.
The Toxin man won't keep his poisonous hands off the government in Thailand so the PAD (Peoples Alliance for Democracy) have taken radical action. Following a clash on the highway in Bangkok the PAD have stormed and occupied Thailands capital airport, Suvarnabhumi. They did it pretty much without barely a hand raised against them and now have pretty much full control over what comes in and out of Thailand. Don Muang airport soon followed.
This now means that tourists wanting to go home are completely stranded and can't easily fly home without an overland border trip. Now the PAD are taking a lot of flak but in our opinion at OTRT this action speaks of the measures they have to take if they want the PPP to stand down.
Time and time again we've all thought Taksin was gone for good, but like a phantom character, he keeps trying his best to come back for round 2.
If Taksin does get back, things will get pretty ugly. The Brits have booted him out of the UK by revoking his visa and the loss of face in having this happen will mean he'll have a bone to pick with Brit tourists. This may seem far fetched but we need to remember back to 2002-2003 time when all the draconian immigration measures were brought in and the bars were clamped down on. Guess who brought them in? The answer is Taksin. And if he's done it once, he'll do it again...
The Thai Army is staying out of the power struggle thankfully. But the Thai police have tried to re-take Suvarnabhumi twice now. They've been repulsed though. The advantage of the PAD occupants (thought to number in the high thousands) is that they outnumber the police. The PAD could also wreck the airport control systems if the police look to be on the verge of taking the airport.
Whatever the outcome this will mean that the typical mainstream tourists will now steer clear of Thailand. We've been hearing a lot of bluster and angry talk of farang who want to quit Thailand for good. In some ways this is good riddance. Thailand is not some neo-spain resort colony. It's a third-world country that is in Asia. The Thais don't really give a hoot about tourism in the grand scheme of things and this is a good thing in some ways. The tourist industry has grown too big, too fast. So this could well serve as a cooling down period for the industry, a contraction and possibly a getting back to the good old days again.
Time will tell...
Winds of Change in Thailand
10th November 2008
Well this time last year it certainly was a very different world economically and politically. The £ was still flying high against the baht and things looked fairly stable.
New Political Order and Recession
Now the political changes in the US with Obama the Democrat (read left-wing socialist) in power now means that we've got a potential new epoch dawning. In my experience left-wing rulers do not like expats and those who leave home-countries to rove further afield. It goes against the left-wing doctrine of 'stay together like good little sheep in a flock' mentality.
The Tory's have pledged to back expats and revoke the stupidly low 90 day residence rule back to the good old 180 days. Good news to hear. They have over a year to ride out the Labour waves until a general election is called in 2010.
Expats Suffering
With the recession now hitting home all over western Europe we've got interest rates down all over the place so the ageing expats relying on meek earnings out here in Thailand are really going to be suffering. I too believed the days of 5% - 6 % interest on cash deposits were going to go on for many more years. Such optimism now needs to be tempered with caution.
It's basically a case of rolling with the punches and moving to a new rhythm. This is that you've gotta cut back on the luxuries and yes, that means the bars and girls folks. You do that and you can outlast the deep trough the worlds in right now.
OTRT is still fully operational and on the move keeping the lore flowing. We've anticipated something like this for a while. I personally don't mean to sound smug here but I've been brought up the Tory way of saving my money for tougher times to live off. Conservancy may be a dirty word to the younger generation blighting the UK but believe me, I'm glad I conserved. Cause the tougher times have come again and I'm glad the castle has been built and stocked up to live out the ride.
How many folks said to me 'Hey Johnny you should cane some credit cards, flee to Thailand and live it easy here out in Thailand.' That groove ain't for me baby, borrowing another's cash isn't my thing, I just worked hard, knuckled down and fixed the roof while the sun was shining. All the credit thieves are now in a very gray and grim world now as they can't live in the never-never of endless credit. I reckon less than 5% of the credit thieves invested their money wisely out here and that means a lot are now either on the streets, struggling to make a wage teaching or on the next plane home.
But the ones who've put money aside, are now in a stable position to ride out the storm and have a bit of fun while we do it.
The £ against the baht has fallen to the borderline-territory of the £1 = 54 - 58 to the baht. This isn't critically dangerous but certainly is not in the comfort zone of what it was. The failed policies of our reckless Labour government can take the credit for that one. For a fair few of us this is a double whammy too far with the interest rates now cut to 3%. All is not lost though, you have to remember that this is a Trade Cycle. It can take between 10 and 15 years, but typically you have a boom and bust cycle. We've just hit the bust part of the cycle (or the bottom). It will turn but it takes time. I roughly predict a recovery as the recession hits Asia, then a leveling out at about 63 - 68 to the baht.
The Bar scene is fairly quiet, with still some speculation as to whether there will even be a 'high season' for the nightlife and even the daylife activities. There are still those that aren't put off by the wilder aspects of Thailands political situation with the more family-minded farang steering clear for the most part. No great loss there.
Latest news from The Man of Galt (NotStickman) is good, he's remaining optimistic in the face of adversity and is issuing a counter lawsuit against his opponent, the real estate entity from Pattaya. He's still in business and hopefully will remain one of the shining examples of how the farang can achieve success out here if you've got the right mentality and attitude. Good Luck Keith!
UPDATE! Pound has falled to the dangerous sub-50 baht range! Tighten those belts some more folks!
Still Movin' & Weavin' - Thai Style
Blog Update
22st August 2008Time flies folks, can't believe it's been over six months since the last entry! Seems a world away.
First of all, a big thank-you to the loyal vistors and surfers who keep the site going by generating the traffic, contribute to the site and support the OTRT cause. It ain't small or big, but it all makes an impression.
A lot's happened since then, the boys have been busy, some have returned to Thailand and have really got things going. The Patrician has singlehandedly expanded operations and kept a satellite entity of OTRT operating while most of us have been away. Unsettling reports filtering through from the Brit Expats out here in Thailand though. The pound ( £) is taking a bit of a dive and making funds a bit tighter than usual. The dollar ($) not so bad. This isn't good but I often say that to make do you have to cut back. So just cut back on the usual amenities and niceties and you should do ok. The fun and games in our home countries should soon be completed and we'll be back in the Thailand groove before we know it.
Toxin has been and gone. But the Government (PPP) still sucks in OTRTs opinion; too repressive and over-conservative, sticking its nose in where it's not wanted. But you just have to roll with that shit sometimes and see what's next. Hopefully, if and when they are booted from power, we'll see Thailand going back to its more happy-go-lucky self. At the Cambodian/Thai border there was a bit of a border-clash with troops on boths sides doing the sabre-rattling thing. A poor Thai dude lost his foot on a land-mine but there were no other casualies thankfully.
The Teako-Lasio wars are now a fading memory. TD vs OTRT & The Last Forum (alas now scuttled and dead in the water) are all at peace. We're all man enough to admit that though it was fun while it lasted, long-term it was taking away from the fun and adventurous spirit we all love about Thailand.
So we're back in the groove we've got a bunch of trips and activities planned. The usual nightlife madness as well as reviews for some of the more dodgy businesses out there.
Thais Making Their Mark
Taking Their Rightful Place
5th July 2008
Living in Thailand and the other Asian countries gives you a good insight into things. You get to glimpse into the ins and outs of certain things. One thing that's always struck me and continues to strike me is the way a person can go out from his or her village or town and make their mark on the world. It's the whole free-wheeling, anything-goes-vibe tempered with the drive of someone trying to make their mark on the world. You see the characterisation of this in quite a few Thai movies, kareoke videos, TV shows (well, some of them anyway) and in the flesh if you pay attention to what's going on.
The typical stereotype is the young kid who ends up in the big bad city where there is money to be made while trying to steer clear of the shady-underworld types.
This may or may not be accurate but there is plenty of work out in Thailand for young healthy lad or girl willing to travel and put in the work. Using the western world as a comparison I can certainly say that this sort of thing is becoming less common by the year as the curse of the service industry and our manufacturing decline continues. But in Thailand at least the old ways still hold true and the olde worlde mindset of hard-work equals wealth. The beaucratic tonnage of red tape and regulations which strangles and chokes free-enterprise and dynamic attitudes in the west is, at best, minimalist, 'hands off' and quite right it should as well. If anything the Thai way of travel for work really is evident. Forget trying to re-invent some notion of 'working from home' or social engineering, for the grafters and free-minded types who want to make their mark and know how to do it then this attitude is key to success. Anywhere in the world I might add, not just Thailand.
I've noticed dozens of examples over the years of Thai people who have 'made it', 'not made it' or just cruise along 'making it' in the cities and towns. We often observe the tourist-connected Thais working in the travel agents and sales-industry doing the best financially. English is usually the key here. The more stable yet hard-graft / work-minded Thais will choose the constructions industry.
Oh, how the lazy, good-for-nothings back home in the west if they had to adjust to this. With no soft and sycophantic benefit system to cheat or live off the Thais are more than hard working grafters compared to, say, a welfare state which encourages a minimum wage along with mediocre work.
The gulf of difference when they are 'making it' is awesome to behold but visually the most obvious sign is what footwear they are wearing. Strange as it may seem, a Thai lad on the make will often trade in his sandles for trainers and I can't say I blame them either! Forget what else they have upgraded on their clothing wardrobe but look to the footwear for the sign of how well a Thai is doing. With Thai girls and women it is not so obvious as they tend to send the money back home or share with the boyfriend / husband, gold is one sign, attitude another.
I often return to an area after some time and ask after someone I know from there
'Where is Som or Tai' I might casually enquire.
'Oh, not here, they leave to go work xxx' Is the typical response.
Thais making their mark gentlement, so 'mark' it well 'cause they often know things and have a good mindset many folk in the lazy western world we've left behind.
At The Thai Market!
Old ways meet new
Being at a Thai Market is like stepping back in time, you've got the free-wheeling, anything-goes vibe and a sense of the traditional way still present in todays world. You can roll up to the market and part your bike or car for free and not have to worry about parking charges or some cowboy clamping fool trying to abuse your vehicle. The price is fair and square as you typically have to haggle and enter into a conversation with the trader thereby have a verbal honour contract. The connection is, therefore, above and beyond the western world of fixed-price for everything and thats it.
You do still have fixed-price in the upper end places in Thailand and for certain goods in the market but even they are often 'open to negotiation' if the quantity is sufficient.
The Thai people who come and go doing their daily shopping are a snapshot of the Thai style free-willed types who are all about being stress-free and sanuk. Yes the touristy guidebooks may rave about sanuk this and sanuk that but until you actually spend the time to get out and about you will be in the dark as to what this fully is. So if you're in town or a village and haven't been yet, get yourself down the market might learn a thing or two!
The Riddle of Gasohol
About the fuels in Thailand
8th January 2008Recently the Thai Government has been promoting the use of locally derived ethanol (from agricultural sources) at varying concentrations in petrol. Known as Gasohol the benefits are : Cheaper fuel, less reliance on foreign imports, conserves existing fuel reserves and pollutes less.
Unfortunately the advantages are equally mirrored by the draw-backs. Namely that food prices increase as fields previously used for the local market are taken up for the production of gasohol sourced products. The second problem is that hydrocarbon-based fuels have a very dense chemical structure and alcohol-based fuels are not as dense. In layman's terms this can mean that the you would need to use more organic/alcohol based fuels to go the same distance as 91 or 95 octane fuels.
A third (some say crucial flaw) draw-back is that the organic nature of Gasohol petroleum can cause complications and problems for engines that aren't designed to run on the stuff. The gasohol mix that contains more than 10% can aggravate an engines problems even further. Specifically, if an engine uses a carburettor the density difference will mean the float-chamber is out-of-sync and severe performance problems can result. Metal fatigue has bee reported in small Honda Engines and there is a high risk of rotting the rubber parts and seals in the fuel lines. With an increased ethanol additive this could lead to accelerated engine wear and break-down as well.
In fact only the very latest (ie 2007) engines tend to come with a specific manufacturers endorsement that they are 100% gasohol compatible. As one expat put it:
"The average Thai consumer's purchasing decision is cost based, and he/she has little to no knowledge on the technical issues. Put simply gasohol is not compatible with a vast majority of vehicles on Thai roads, and in fact is unsafe in many."
As many expats already are aware there were three main fuels available in Thailand: Diesel
91 Octane aka Benzine 91- slightly cheaper than 95
95 Octane aka Benzine 95 - slightly dearer than 91 but more suitable for high performance engines (typically turbo and supercharged ones). Ideally they should be 99 octane + but that's another story. ;)
Now that gasohol has entered the scene there are two 'new' fuels to choose from: 91 Gasohol and 95 Gasohol, both mixes at 10% concentration.
As of 8th January 2008 95 Octane petrol is very scarce and only a few gas stations in Thailand still have it due to the refineries bowing to government pressure to encourage gasohol. This is a shame as many of the high performance bikes and cars in Thailand use this fuel for best results.
The Thai government seems to be overpromoting gasohol while not realising that few of Thailands vehicles can use gasohol without risking engine damage!
According to a source in BMW, they are working on a solution to fix the wear and tear problems imposed by gasohol but the solution will be at least 2 to 3 years away.
91 Octane is still available for those of us who value the performance and state of our bikes/cars and this gives near-similar performance compared to 95 Octane. Unfortunately even this budget fuel is under threat by the powers-that-be who have declared that it is to be phased out by 2012 in favour of 20% Ethanol Gasohol (E80).
Whether the government will see sense, manufacturers will be able to guarantee engine compatibility or the unfortunate bikers and petrol heads will have to replace our machines with ones that are fuel-injected/compatible remains to be seen. It could well be that in the near-future there will be a glut of cheap bikes up for sale!
Thai politics are a changing entity so watch this space for updates!
You Can't Do This! I'm A Farang!
Yes They Can, This is Thailand!
14th December 2007
There seems to this air of superiority that surfaces from time to time in Thailand when a foreigner living here seems to think he's somehow above the law or able to bend the rules.
I'm out one glorious day in Chiang Mai and see this American farang ranting and raving at the security guys outside the gates to the US Consulate. You know the one I mean? It has the big cornet shaped white chedi outside.
Anyway, I stop walking and listen to him go on about this and that.
It soon transpires that he's trying to post some documents via the guards to someone within the place. Only one problem, it's outside opening hours for the consulate. Yet this high and mighty farang seems to think the rules don't apply to him and is yowling and howling at them.
"Look damn it! I'm an American Citizen and this is my Consulate. You don't tell me what to do here." He blew and blasted like a big walrus about to explode.
Anyone would think he owned the place the way he carried on.
It's always a spectacle when a farang loses his temper and this guy was no exception. The guards (who I'm suprised didn't throw him out the gateway) eventually got their boss to come along and I think he sorted it out in the end.
It's a bit similar to the movie quote in Indiana Jones where the lead actress playing Marion is kidnapped in the basket by two arabs. As they are carrying her away down the alley she's howling "You can't do this, I'm an American!"
But seriously, I always follow the old thai way of not loosing your temper in public and when it comes to embassies and consulates there are no shortcuts.
Yet here's a US guy who seems to think it's ok to be an ass in public.
Not only that but he seemed to look down on the thai guards as inferior to his overwhelming uncle-sam persona that was so ruffled by them following the rules.
After I left, shrugging my shoulders at the sorry example shown by some of the fellow expats out here I thought the matter closed. Then, while scanning through the on-line expats forums I come across the very same guy posting his sorry-assed tale on one of them!
Get this, not only does he feel he was in the right, but he's going to try and complain further up the chain-of-command about the guards! Jeez, I can only imagine what his letter will be like, quite how you can punish the guards for doing their job is a bit unusual, even for Thailand.
Still these odd types of farang who buzz around in their little world make for an interesting place as we sane types go about our business!
Requiem For Bikers
In Memory Of Our Fallen Biker Brothers
In Thailand riding a bike can be as much as twice as dangerous as in the western world.Too few drivers think about bikers in daily traffic. Erratic pull-outs and aggressive driving all play their part in making life on the roads that bit more 'on-edge' than usual.
Riders must also take heed of their vulnerability.
A rider is vulnerable.
Compared to a car a MC has more difficulty in evading sudden obstacles such as a bad road, branches or animals
Car accidents have a mortality rate 1 in 20%.
Biker accidents have 1 in 60%.
Because of our size motorcycles seem further away.
Riders often brake on the engine which does not make the brakelights flare up.
Crashbarriers can become lethal instruments in a high speed crash, aka Guillotines and leg-slicers.
Slippery roadmarkings on wet roads can amount to a complete loss of control.
Look, twice, save lives, motorcycles are everywhere.
In memory of our fellow riders...
Every Farang Is Rich!
Misconceptions about Foreigners
21st October 2007Lets face it, if you are a foreigner in Thailand, whether a tourist, an expat or just a traveler passing through, one thing that is certain is that the local populace will typically believe you to be rich man.
Every tourist destination in the world has the bars and venues to cater to the tourist revenue, but when in a poor third-world country even relatively affluent Thailand has the disappointing aspect of stereotyping all foreigners as being rich.
Now this may be relatively true. The typical foreigner from a European or American country will usually have more funds and assets than a local Thai person would have. This is shown in many facets of the Thai psyche.
When a typical samsonite brigade tourist visits Thailand his last thoughts are about the price of things here.
When most expats (including myself) who live in Thailand go about our business we do tend to be more careful how and where we spend out money.
This first and most obvious one is the dual pricing aspect of a large degree of the tourist venue in Thailand. The parks, the waterfalls, the zoos and shows often have this; A foreigner will have to pay one price (a higher one) and the locals another ( a lesser one). There are ways and means around this. One is to produce the expats 'weapon of choice'; a Thai drivers license which shows that they at the very least a semi resident of the country and not 'just another tourist'. Another is to argue, cajole and reason to the demander of the said fee for it to be lowered, the mastery of the Thai language helps on this one. Most times the begrudging farang often just puts his hand in his pocket and shows the money.
The second is a lot subtler and involves the everyday pricing of goods in tourist areas, again this can be a nit picking issue and is usually haggled around.
The third and most malignant form of the rich farang misconception is when the Thais themselves expect the farang to pay for everything. This can be from supposed friends right through to complete strangers you see in the street!
Many moons ago I was on my travels down to Ranong while sojourning in Koh Tao. The reason was the usual one, a visa run. I'm sure many of the old hands in Thailand will know the deal; no matter what visa you have, every so often a trip over the border is due.
Now the journey from Koh Tao to the provincial shipping city of Chumpon is bad enough, especially in bad weather. After this a taxi to the bus depot followed by a bus trip to Ranong must be taken. Once there its another taxi to the quay side, and then a boat trip across the estuary into Victoria Point, Burma. After you've done the necessary visa stamping and passport showing it's exactly the same in reverse order all the way back to Koh Tao.
Anyway, while walking to the quay side from the taxi drop-off I became aware of a Thai man following me. It didn't seem unsettling until I saw the nasty look in his eye and him shouting in course english "You! Give me some money!"
He didn't look like a beggar or particularly needy type either just a bum who wanted money off anyone who was foreign and looked like they had cash!
Well he didn't get a single satang off me as I told him to bugger off and just kept on walking. After a while and as I got closer to the quay side (where a lot more people hang around) he gave up and disappeared. At the time I just put it to the back of my mind as a desperate man but as my time in Asia grows i am more aware of the 'Rich Foreigner Assumption.'
Just last night I was hanging out at a friendly and humble restaurant in good ole' Chiang Mai. Met some really nice people who were interesting and informative, had a few drinks and watched some TV with them. "Ahh, this is the real friendly side of Thailand.' I mused.
I was just about to order another drink when up shows three thai low-lifes. It sounds presumptuous and arrogant but I have an occasional knack for seeing the good and the bad folks, even if they aren't westerners. One of them (the leader) extended his hand but that didn't fool me, neither did his fake smile. They all sat down and they ordered a bottle of Lao Khao (cheap alcohol which is pure paint stripper). After muttering to each other about me in Thai this fat excuse for a Thai started tapping me on the arm (I was just playing Mr innocent tourist just watching Thai TV) and saying 'Money! Money!' gesturing for towards the Thai Whiskey bottles on the shelf. Still playing it passive I'd finally had enough and just told them I had no money for them, but this fat swine of a thai wouldn't quit asking me to buy him whiskey!
Now while I'll be the first to admit I'm a bit frugal or kee-neow,, I'm no push-over for handing out money to the first alcoholic I meet. Like many expats in Thailand, I've worked for my money fair and square and I'll be damned if some moron wants me to just roll over and play the farang ATM machine!
One of the reasons I often hang out the thai restaurants and bars is too get away from the beer bar chicks who can get damned annoying after a while with lady-drinks requests.
So, alas even in the quietest areas of Thailand there will still be those who perceive us to be millionaires. It's something that goes with the territory I've come to live in, but every so often it takes something like this to make you think "We really aren't that much to some Thais other than a walking ATM"
But as long as we can keep in mind that things are what they are and steer clear of the losers out here Thailand has a lot to offer the 'rich' farang...
Married Expats - Show Us The Money
Changing Times For Thailand's Expats
2nd September 2007
A few days ago on the 31st of August 2007 the new face of Thailand's immigration policy has shown itself. Almost all the expat forums about Thailand are buzzing about it. Here's why...
Previously Expats over 50 years old and married to a non-thai spouse could declare their spouse and any kids as 'dependants.' This effectively meant that they only had to prove they had 'one' source of income coming into Thailand and a lump sum in a thai bank to meet the non-immigrant 'O' 'Retirement visa'. This was 65,000 baht per month and a lump sum of 800,000 baht respectively.
Now the requirement has suddenly changed. The dependants are now no longer considered dependants. They now must also meet the Retirement visas requirements. Effectively this means that the wife of an expat now has to prove that she has separate money coming in and can no longer rely off her husbands money. In other words the thai retirement visas financial requirements have DOUBLED! What's more is that the foreign kids they have are also no longer permitted to extensions of stay an more. They too are subject to meeting separate criteria for visas!
To say it's going to be hard times for them is an understatement!
Now I've been about a bit and straight away realised that either the Immigration authorities have developed a warped sense of humour towards scaring expats, or they don't want foreign expats bringing up foreign kids in Thailand.
Some have speculated that it's all about trying to bring more money into Thailand. Well that's a fair comment except for two reasons. Firstly, it's now having the effect of pushing out the very expats that Thailand's been desiring in the first place!
Secondly, I've never been an expert on the demographics of Thailand but even a layman can determine that the tiny expat colonies in Thailand won't make one iota of difference to the Thai nation as a whole. Typically us expats prefer the darker shades of skin to Europe's and the US white variety, so while 'white-farang-on-white-farang' relationships in Thailand are not unheard of, they are not exactly the norm either. So either the lunatics have taken over the asylum in Thai Immigration or, to put it bluntly, the Military Junta is playing the protect-the-thai heritage card.
I'm 'down' with keeping a country's bloodline strong and stopping armies of Immigrants taking local folks jobs away. It may sound right-wing but unless you're in your ivory castle and are unaffected by immigration then this is how you'll think, period. It's happened to a great extent in Europe and maybe that's part of the Juntas reasoning. Fair enough, but at least they should show some respect and understanding to the poor expats who have no home left to go to if they sell up and leave go elsewhere. Singletons who are in the money may do it with ease, but married expats who are low on money with young kids in tow will struggle on this one! Even the madcap BNP party (righter than right wing!) have pledged that they'll give relocation funds to non-ethnic British groups they'd deport if they got in power! Are the expats in Thailand going to get similar assistance? Are they thump!
I was one of many expats who hurrahed the overthrow of the TRT partys' Thaksin 'The Toxin' Shinawata that were in power. Unfortunately, it looks as though the generals have shown their true xenophobic colours and want to slam the doors in the married expats faces unless they 'Show Us The Money!'
Now I'm a single kind of guy who has been in Thailand since 2000 but even I'm shocked at the draconian move. The new law is specifically not allowing any existing retirement visas to be 'grand-fathered' in to get around the law and it is going to be announced in the next ten days officially what the exact ins and outs are. Some are hoping for it to be U-turned but the prognosis looks to grim folks.
All I can say is what I always say when crazy thai laws have us farang dancing to new tune - "These are interesting times, have your horse saddled and ready to ride!"
Expats Trapped in The Golden Cage
A long blog this one but bear with me...
Now some of you must be thinking 'What the heck is Johnny raving on about now?'
For a long time now us farang folk have been coming and going to Thailand, getting up to this and that and sowing wild oats. For some of us, the lure for an easy life with a Thai wife in some suburb or village can spell the end of the singleton.
For me and quite a few expats this is not the way forward; not everyone's cut out for married life. I know 72 year old sugar daddies in Pattaya still doing their thing as a singleton just as a 20 something dude who get's too lonely at night is getting married in the village ceremony to a shark smiling Thai chick who see's the big dollar signs.
It's horses for courses, desires for delilah's and all that.
I hate to say it but I think a lot of these young guns getting hitched, whether it's to a ex-vice girl from the streets / bars or a straight chick from the university circuit is in for a shock once the wedding is over and the door slams shut.
Traditionally the woman, in the thai household, is in charge of the household, and in theory should look after the house and see it kept in good / clean condition. The cash / income is, contrary to what the thai apologists say, a grey area and the woman is in complete control on what get's paid in and what get's paid out. The man of the family is still seen as the breadwinner and to that end (is supposed to) allocate enough money to the wife for household bills, food, money for the kids etc. All this crap I keep hearing about how its Thai-style for all the money to go into the wife's bank account is total hogwash. Ask yourself if you'd do the same in your home country with a stranger you'd only known for x amount of weeks. I can almost guarantee that you wouldn't. So why do it here in Thailand?
Unfortunately there are more and more cases of farang coming into Thailand, marrying in haste and repenting at leisure, they could be cleaned out for everything they have .
The first type of marriage disaster is where the scheming wife attempts to get her hands on every asset that the farang husband has back home and get it transferred into her name. This is quite easy to do if the foreigner wants to buy land and build a house in Thailand. Thai law forbids foreigners from the outright owning of land.*
When the Vow Breaks...
Once the unsuspecting farang has transferred all his worldly goods / money etc and sunk it into the house and land the trap is either sprung immediately or closed slowly but surely.
In the former case it could be that the unsuspecting farang husband have returned from a days shopping or similar, come back to 'their' house to find all their belongings packed in trashbags in the street outside and being told by their smirking wife that they want a divorce! In some cases they might be prevented from going back into the house by the in-laws (who will always take a thai's side). The beleaguered farang can do little but contact an expensive thai lawyer to begin divorce proceedings. The lawyers in Thailand basically will explain that as they are husband and wife a divorce will in most cases mean that the thai wife will get half the value of the house (unless blood-related offspring are involved) and all the land value.
The trouble is that divorce proceedings are a very long-winded process and make lawyers a lot of money.
In the event of the thai wife leasing the house to a third party and disappearing into the night the consequences can be even more disastrous. Unless the luckless farang can somehow track-down his scheming wife then he cannot even begin divorce proceedings. This means that he will be unable to remarry until three years of no-contact have passed and the previous marriage dissolved!
I know one way that some consider to be the 'nuclear option' when all seems lost. Basically you make sure that the area is clear and nobody is in the house. Obtain the services of a bulldozer and demolish half the place so that all the greedy little creatures get is a pile of smoldering rubble! Have your one-way tickets booked and ready though as the backlash from her family may be nasty!
A Golden Cage Is Built...
Is it just me or has the single to married expat ratio increased in the married guys favour? I could be wrong but I'm sure there were more single dudes only a short while ago. Could it be that Thailand is losing the younger and single expats to the surrounding countries?
Back in the day, the fast-livin', expats on the move in Thailand were legion, these days it seems like they only live on the resort towns as tourists. Nowadays when I'm out with a typical expat buddy the phone rings and he's like a naughty school-boy caught playing truant! "Urrr, got to go guys, my wife wants me home."
Now maybe if this was 2 or 4 o'clock in the morning then ok, but time and time again as soon as the sun goes down I see many expats racing back to their sleepy villages and townhouses to be tucked up in bed by 8 o'clock in the evening! I figured that there was some amazing reason for this but the sad fact is these guys are often totally 'under the thumb' of their thai partners. Far from being 50/50 equal, it's like 90/10 in favour of the thai partner!
God bless us single expats in Thailand!
This leads me onto another type of marriage - The Golden Cage Marriage where the farangs house, far from being a place to spend in glorious retirement / twilight years becomes something completely different. Once aware that every satang he's earned is sunk into bricks and mortar that isn't even his, the Thai wife may begin to 'lay down the law' and ensure that his new life in Thailand is radically different to the one he once knew. No longer is he in charge of his own destiny or even in-control of his own money his dream home turns into a Golden Cage. A Thai wife often has complete control over him and only has to whisper the threat of throwing him out of the home to have him cowering in fear. It may sound like a horror story but it is more common than you think. I knew it from seeing the way some farang who tried to act like they ran their wife's business'. Well they may of financed the place but there was no guessing who made the decisions and ruled the roost.
I never guessed how bad it was until I was invited around to a friend-of-a-friend's house and saw it first hand.
The house was beautiful and well kept. The garden was like something out of the Garden of Eden and had every facet of opulence available. Inside it was no different in splendor.
I could see that the place was too perfect, something was missing, it didn't have a homely atmosphere just a very sterile one. His wife's smile seemed a little fake and there were other little oddities. Being so subliminal I ignored or looked the other way at such things so bowled over with the grandeur of the place. She was attentive and seemed to live for cleaning the place and my first impression was that she was the ideal wife for a bloke who wished to settle down in Thailand. Over a few beers I congratulated the farang on his obvious success and the home he had. We had a whale of a time and as the Irish would say 'A good crack.'
The Hellion
The following day I returned to complete some business that we'd agreed upon the previous day. There was no sign of the 'model' thai wife from the previous day. Just as the business was concluded with a handshake... SMASH!
His wife started to smash up the place upstairs. I first of all tried to ignore it, but it becomes a bit difficult when glass starts to scatter and bounce off the teak stairs onto the living area floor. Honestly the place looked like something out of Die Hard. Once outside it seemed the crazed hellion of a woman wasn't finished but tried to hurl a glass onto my bike! She missed but glass went everywhere. Out came the beleaguered husband like a meek and humble servant brushing away the glass while feebly calling out words of appeasement. Apparently her rage that day was because of some tet-a-tat that she had with a rival thai woman who had visited the house previously.
As I rode away from the house I cast a glance back at it and mused how hell can exist in paradise...
The incident didn't stop there either. A fellow expat and I called around the following day (I foolishly decided that it was a one-off, flash-in-the-pan affair). As we arrived I was told (via my buddy expat mediating) that I was not welcome. When I asked why all she would say was 'I hate him! I don't know why!' while almost fighting the urge to rush outside and attack me. Her feeble and pathetic husband (maybe a battered husband?) would say nothing, would not intervene. He simply muttered (to me) "It's between you and her mate."and shrugged his shoulders.
I was pissed off and made it known that I was, not because I wasn't welcome and the insane thai woman, but because I could see that this man represented the farang who had built himself a golden cage and was stuck in it, under her control.
The other expats were sympathetic but were so used to her crazy outbursts and antics that they just took it as 'Typical Joy.' The mediator expat did say though that he'd only ever seen such behaviour in a mental asylum he used to work at and even said that she looked about ready to 'go ballistic'. In addition I learnt that not only does she have an iron grip on everything the guy does, she also beats the poor sap up on a whim!
This is more than likely an extreme case of 'The Golden Cage' but essentially would you prefer to have complete freedom and the life of a single guy or the risk of loosing a ton of money, your integrity and peace of mind for marrying a thai girl?
Heck! I've had relationships out here where it's been as good as a marriage, just rent a place, move your girlfriend in and explain in no uncertain terms that there is/are going to be no marriage/house purchases or business ventures. If they accept that without complaining or arguing you're in with a half-decent Thai girl. If they raise hell get a new girlfriend. Sounds harsh but if you don't act like you're in control they'll brow-beat and treat you like a dog. I've seen it too many times where the farang becomes a punching-bag to the dominating Thai wife. I know that this concept amazes Thai men when they see these big farang guys become such frightened rabbits. They ain't alone because it still amazes me as well!
The Conclusion
Still, as long as there are no official warnings about the dangers of investing into thai property with a thai national there will always be farang who live in the golden cage. Now there are good thai/farang marriages that work and are very happy I'm sure. The only hitch is that these seem to be on a 1:10 ration with the ones that are not.
Again ask yourself this 'Would you do the same thing in your home country?' If the answer is 'no' then why heck are you doing it here then?
Let's have some reason and common sense out here. Cause right now there are some very shrewd and clever thai women who consider unsuspecting farang who have money to burn open season! By golly I think they may keep on getting them if people don't listen to their own reason and the advice of fellow expats.
Don't buy or invest in a house in Thailand!
Rent, rent and rent some more!
So think hard and don't let it be you that ends up stuck in 'The Golden Cage.' or flying back home on a one-way ticket...
* Some die-hards harp on about getting the land purchased via a registered thai company but this opens another can of worms that can be a ticking time-bomb if the company is not active.Trust me, I'm a Farang!
Along came a spider...
Every now and again there's a tale that shocks even myself. Even as a jaded, world-wearied kind of guy that I am it still is startling that there are some nasty, snake-in-the-grass-types out there that will try and take you for every red cent you've got if you give them half a chance.
A classic example are the scummy tricksters who will claim to of run out of money and need cash for a ticket home. A variant on this are the guys (and gals) who lie and claim they need 1000 baht or so for air-tax at the airport. Ask em' for a boarding pass and watch how they squirm and scurry away like the rats that they are...
Now its pretty much common knowledge that most expat and tourist alike are aware that a majority of the thai population expect the white foreigner to have riches. What may not be apparent is that there are a sizeable number of white foreigners whom are out to con and cheat fellow white foreigners. Now these Snakes In the Grass (SIGs) or Farang Con Artists (FCAs) as they are often known lurk in all corners of the world and can be a thorn in side of both tourist and expat alike. However, Thailand which has a unique effect of attracting many to its shored unfortunately has the negative aspect of the low-life element coming along also. Among them are the Farang Con Artists which seem to flourish and multiply. Now where you have the relatively minor dual pricing scam, the SIG really can be at the extreme end of the scale. There really is no typical SIG and for this reason, they are hard to spot. It may be that for a number of reasons they become Farang Con Artists. One is that they have married in haste, been ripped off themselves and take revenge on anybody they feel like. Or they have married and actually form an con artist 'alliance' with their wife!
A common SIG is one whom has wasted all their money and are so desperately to stay in Thailand they'll attempt to con and cheat fellow expat / tourists.
Now a question you have to ask yourself when confronted by someone purporting to have an amazing money spinning idea is a number of things. 'The Truth', as the late Byron said, 'Is stranger than fiction' and this is no stranger than out in Thailand.
"Trust me, I'm a farang!" Types are typically the ones that should be given a wide berth. You see a Farang Con Artists greatest weapon is his ability to come across as the friendly and alluring type. It is a recognised technique of gaining trust and rapport with somebody. Instinctively if something is as un-hostile and un-sinister as possible you are unlikely to suspect it of being up to no good. Conversely this is a tactic some Farang Con Artists will use to exploit and beguile the unwary.
Now the climate of Thailand and the fact your a stranger in what is a strange land adds to most peoples sociability, now throw in alcohol and the time-honoured male-pursuit of women and you have a veritable hunting ground for Farang Con Artists. It is no wise thing to be trusting someone after 5 minutes of conversation. Yes, every ones usually happy and the drink is flowing but just stop yourself and think of the environment as a potential spiders web, with the every spider asleep and the web harmless, until the spiders wake up start to see whats near the web...
That is not to say that this is a complete danger zone though, there are many good natured farang expats out there and some are positively princes-amongst-men along with other gregarious types. However be cautious with people until you get to know them and listen to other folks recommendations. What you have to ask yourself is 'Would I trust this guy?" Or a better still is "If I was back home would I even be doing this?" If the answer (and be honest with yourself) is 'No' then quite simply make your excuses (or if you feel 'handy' tell them where to go!) and walk away.
Methods of the Farang Con Artist trying to cheat and con typically include:
House / Land for land via a fictitious company.
Investment in a fictitious company or business.
Time-shares.
Payment of business leases on gratis then failing to pay
Counterfeit goods sales
Farang beggars feigning poverty
These are just a few examples. It may be that you know of a SIG or have heard of one operating in your area. There are a few things you can do, one way is to inform the tourist police or ordinary police of them. It may not work however unless money will result from the arrest, either from the SIG or the reporter of the 'criminal.' Remember that if it is nighttime the police may not be keen to 'work!'
Another way is to 'Name and Shame'. Tell all who you trust and know, fellow expats about the character. If its one thing that hits these pond slime the most its a smear campaign. Be careful though as Farang Con Artists can be a dubious lot and may try and cause trouble for you. The key is to be as subtle and 'nameless' as possible, unless you have plenty of connections and money to alleviate any problems that may arise.
Be careful out there people, yes the farang 'monsters' do exist but as long as you're careful and look before you leap there's little they can do to harm (most of the time!)
Property In Thailand
Wise investment or Money Drain?
21st February 2007
Now I'm the kind of guy who will listen to all sorts of investment opportunities. Stocks and shares, high risk enterprises and even madcap business ventures but something about putting money in what is effectively a third-world economy like Thailand always seems off the mark. Its not just because of the horrendous 1997 crash or the fact that of late some of Thailand's financial decisions are haphazard. The whole idea of bringing vast sums of cash into what essentially is a one way black-hole doesn't fill me with confidence. Firstly take the thirty-percent of capital being withheld on foreign investments (admittedly for bonds only). When this was first brought in the Thai stock market almost crashed!
Property investment at face value would seem a fair enough prospect to many westerners. Money is used to obtain a property and short of anything apocalyptic or disastrous it usually appreciates in value faster than high interest accounts do. Its with this in mind that many retirees flock to Thailand with the idea of buying land to develop and / or houses. Now for me personally this on the surface is wisdom. A lifetime of hard work and plenty of money to show for it should be used to good effect and what better way than bricks and mortar. The relative cheapness of Thailand's housing compared with my home country is vast. Typically Thai housing land is over half the price of Western Europe in many cases. Someone with around £25,000 or $50,000 could easily buy land and have property built on it with some money left over at the end. A place in the sun for peanuts is what many would regard it as. Unfortunately there is one massive catch in Thailand (and many countries in S.E Asia) with regards to home ownership. The catch is that it is against Thai law for a foreigner to own land, yes you heard me right you cannot register land or even own housing (apart from a condo) in Thailand.
That should end the argument for home ownership there and then you might think. Unfortunately one of the best kept secrets that gets money flowing into Thailand non-stop is the 'Wife's' name-loophole. I've only lived in Thailand for less than ten years, but In my short time of living in Thailand I have seen more of this 'Put the (Insert car / bike / house as appropriate) in the wife's name madness than I care to remember. Countless men, some good, some bad, marry bar girls, either 'serving' or retired and get taken to the cleaners financially and more. The new-comer will likely of heard off the money sent/given to the wife / girlfriend due to a 'sick' buffalo. The 'Wife's Name Housing Loophole' is an altogether bigger lure. Typically its a fifty or sixty-something male divorcee / widower who falls head over heels in love for a farm girl he meets in a bar. They marry and he is coerced or wishes to buy a plot of land / housing or paying off the mortgage on property owned at his new wife's village. Now I'm not suggesting that the 'Wife's Name Housing Loophole' is a scam for every man who marries a thai girl, in fact giving her money for building a house isn't a bad thing. Unfortunately there are a lot of money harvesting women out in Thailand (and the world no less) and I've seen more folk than I can remember lose their family fortunes in these dealings.
Despite this I can see the reasoning behind a countries land ownership laws barring a foreigner from owning land. After all, it only takes a rich millionaire to come along from farang land and towns and cities could be bought outright. The prices would be so high that no local can afford the property. Its actually happened in areas of the UK and the USA. Therefore only a foreigner wishing to commit to marriage is therefore wanting to invest. Now that's fine for the marrying type of person who wants to settle down. Over-generous and spendaholic types come into this category also of housing investment. For me personally and most savvy investors, doing this not conducive to investment. Its more of a 'borrowed ball and chain' investment, yes you have attained land / property but you don't own it, in fact given that most thai women who marry foreigners come from a poor region of the country and support children and family it amounts to financial suicide as you've likely inherited every debt of hers and her kin. This method of owning a house only 'works' if you are happy for your 'family' to own the house while you live in it. Just because you've paid the money for it means very little for it in the 'Wife's Name' ownership.
Having 'family visits' takes on a whole new meaning, expect to have family members turn up with their hands out for coin. Its not unknown for thai wives to divorce their farang husbands and keep the house lock, stock and barrel. Meanwhile the poor husband is on the first flight to farangsville penniless! Yes this has happened (and continues to happen!) although it is an extreme situation. A hidden agenda you may be thinking, quite possibly. One of the most famous scam stories I've known is the one where the Thai girl met a guy on the Monday, was married by the Wednesday and was back on the game by Friday having only hours previously waved goodbye to her husband at the airport! Unrelated to housing but always good for a yarn!
From the very late 1990s some 'shrewder' farang began to register property in a company name in greater numbers. This dubious loophole 'unlocks' the housing / land market to single folk not wishing to marry a thai girl and also to married couples who are not Thai. 49% of the company ownership can be in a foreign shareholder with the remaining 51% is usually in the name of several thai people (who are unaware who the others are to prevent a majority takeover or sign witness statements relinquishing ownership). Known as the 'Company Ownership Loophole' (COL)the whole process is, predictably a legal minefield, lawyers and the masters of Illusion also known as Sunbelt Visa are among some of the many 'experts' at this and will sing a song and dance on selling their technique. A favourite method is using white foreigners to try and sell the 'service', the modus operandi being 'I'm a farang! You can trust me!' Typically for a big fat fee they will line up property and set these 'companies' up for eager house hunters.
Up until 2005 many (including yours truly) doubted the wisdom of using non-trading, paper companies as a means of owning land and property. However many of us were on the verge of admitting that this method could bear fruition. That was until late 2005 when the Thai Government announced it would be investigating many of these so-called 49% / 51% companies and go as far as auditing the accounts. To many this was the death knell of the 'COL'. Only the most foolhardy and those with genuine company business register houses as business premises.
The only remaining investment open to investors is the Condo market. It is the only 'housing' as such that a foreigner can own outright without the complications and risk of the above mentioned. The snags come in the following:
The Inflated price. Even when selling to their own, thai condos are a law unto themselves in pricing, especially in population centers.
Condos are not subject to the stricter building regulations of a first world country. This can mean that after a short space of time sub-standard building standards can manifest themselves. Also foreign ownership of the condo, while 100% per condo unit is restricted to a certain number of condo units for the entire building. The reasoning behind this is likely to prevent a condo complex being owned outright by a foreigner or a group of foreigners.
Another hitch can be that the land the condo sits will (usually) be the land of the thai condo developer. No great problem unless after a few years he decides to demolish the entire to site for a development project. Not likely but stranger things have been known to occur in Thailand.
A final word on housing in general is the pricing and thai mentality. If the property is being sold to foreigners the price is almost always inflated. This can mean that if, when you go on to sell it you may not get your asking price. Also the Thai mentality of buying brand new and shunning previously owned properties means that if demand from foreign buyers slumps finding local Thai buyers (especially in non-tourist area) can mean taking a massive price drop.
The Farang Effect
Tourists wanted, Expats go home?
14th February 2007
Contrary to what many hear and believe, Thailand wasn't discovered by hoards of lonely american soldiers on the first plane from Saigon. Since the first Dutch explorers and traders landed on Siam's (old name for Thailand) shores over four hundred years ago the Thai people have been seeing the white skinned farang come and go. Its a land that has enthralled and enchanted, puzzled and perplexed, shocked and outraged many who visited and here. The collective term for a foreigner of European descent is 'farang.' Which, is thought to come from the word 'farangset' (meaning foreign frenchman). Sometimes pronounced 'falang' it is often remarked (by some thais and westerners) that it can be indirectly racist. It could also be just a handy way of categorising foreign visitors. From my colleagues and my own experiences in the country so far we can see justification to some of the above.
The discovery of Thailand by the backpacking crowd in the late 70s to the late 90s saw a miniscule growth in the tourist scene. This was belied by the fantastic experiences and freshness encountered. Almost all villages were astonished to see a white faced foreigner and even the most jaded traveler expressed respect for the thai way and hospitality. However in the aftermath of the 1997 stock market crash there were some thais who lay the blame at the foreign investors active in Thailand. Indeed many repeat visitors and expats alike have noticed a marked difference in thai attitudes and mentality since those fateful weeks and months.
The year 1999 perhaps marked the high water mark of many things good, and the start of other things undesirable. The sudden surge in power by the TRT (Thai Rak Thai) party saw the governments nationalistic mentality begin to make an impression. Fostering the belief that the Thai people are more important than all others and rejected other views. Certainly the TV and media has played a part. An independent review of the worlds media freedom has consistently stated that Thailand's is ranked poorly and remains at oppressive levels.
The changing face of Thailand as a whole that has seen an undeniable 'materialistic' outlook. The daily diet of TV soap operas that feature rich hi-so families and friends while showing few 'ordinary' thai people is a telling sign and could be setting a trend that ordinary thai folk yearn for. Everywhere mobile phones are in action providing an unwelcome reminded of the westernised factor. How does all this tie in with farang you may ask? Well an unfortunate trait that is wholly evident in many thai folk is the rationale that all white foreigners are wealthy. Added that the conning of the rich but foolish is condoned by many and you can have a narrow minded mentality of greed and con-artistry that is ever present.
If you are a tourist 'two weeker' with a sack of cash to spend the local reception and attitude can change with it, compared to say, a residing farang expat. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Koh Samui, Koh Phuket and even some of the smaller ones are now practically dominated by the relentless hordes of samsonite toting tourists. Certainly it was clearly noticed that by 2001 onwards the changing face of Thailand's tourism and thai attitudes in general was 'on the turn.' This was / is clearly seen at the big tourist islands, here budget accommodation is nearly impossible to find, bad news for the backpacker who is more used to roughing it. The flip side of the coin is that the price of living goes up, but living becomes more westernised, amenities and luxury goods are easily available.
As more and more cash in on chasing the tourist dollar it seems the expat is only wanted if he has the big coin to go with it.
The recent immigration changes have seen many repeat visitors and residents shocked. What was once a jovial formality of sending passports through the mail to be stamped changed to a visa run in the late 1990s. Now the visa run is almost a thing of the past now the 90 day rule has come into effect as many farang move on to pastures anew.
The wise expat now has to consider his options carefully as Thailand enters a new age. An age that has the weighted balance in favour of the two weeker tourist, it may drop to favour this more or it may change to the 'good old days' of the perpetual wanderer. Let's hope it's the latter!
Troublesome Teachers in Thailand
7th February 2007
There I was enjoying a drink at a bar when I couldn't help but notice a rough looking British guy passionately explaining to his friend how they both should become English Teachers in order to stay in Thailand, "Its easy!" The Brit exclaimed! "We just hand over some cash and get a certificate and then we can start work!"
As he went on I lost interest, I'd heard it all before and gauged that yet another poor sap may be joining the ranks of the desperate TEFL English Teachers in Thailand
An outsider seeing this would think:
"Boozy bar talk! This guy is dreaming, you can't just buy a cert. and get a job in teaching english like that!" Well unfortunately when a country like Thailand is in desperate need to recruit english teachers for impoverished schools this can and does take place. Alas if its one thing that is a blight on the fair and pleasant land of Siam it is the state of the english teaching standards in Thailand. Not all fault lies at the TEFL boys and girls but also at the government which seems to let the English standard remain low for the state sponsored schools. Those who teach english are typically a sub-culture that tends to be centered in Bangkok (where most of the work is) although there are other areas such as the provinces of Isaan and Chang Mai and Rai. For those of you reading this who aren't aware the hallmarks of teaching english in Thailand are: Poor pay of about 25,000 baht a month (deduct tax and fees out of that figure too!), poor career prospects, precarious legal position due to work permit / business visa complications and so on (an exception to most of the above are teachers of private international approved universities). Many TEFLers are without work-permits which effectively means that they are working illegally. Those that are legit often have to pay for their own permits and work visas, something that should be done by their employer.
Now the TEFLers may be doing the right thing, they may not be but a stark fact remains that the english language is still spoken very poorly in Thailand. Roam the land for even a short time and without basic thai understanding you will struggle to make yourself understood. Even in the Bangkok the level of english spoken is considered poor and much of it is learnt by casual conversation than in the classrooms. Thailand, compared with other asian countries such as Japan, Singapore, Philippines and Malaysia does not make an impact but remains at a sub-standard level. Even the former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawata spoke only moderate english.
The recent deportation to the USA of Mark Karr has hardly enhanced the good standing of TEFLers. Mark Karr is an example of a Troublesome Teacher and his arrest and deportation has led to some changes. One of which is the government looking more closely at the TEFLers situation. One question they have asked themselves is this: Is it a good thing having a core of english teachers from foreign countries?
The argument is quite complex, those in favour will stress the advantage of a native english speaker in the classroom, cross cultural exchange and benefits of allowing kids to learn in a more free-form manner. However the english language, despite being the most complex language in the world can be learned easily by many races. Indeed perhaps a locally born Thai National would, with the correct training be a more suitable choice? Also, the often staggering level of lack-lustre supervision and lesson plans can mean the standard level of english attained is abysmal. Far from having anything against English Teachers I, Johnny Bravo salute those who, in the spirit of progress teach the English language, one day a great inventor or the like may make his / her mark on the world with their english speaking skills key to their success. However it is only right and above board that these English Teachers are properly qualified and brought in from approved agencies and companies overseas. By properly qualified it is fair to say that the two week TEFL (Teaching English in a Foreign Language) attendance course is in no way sufficient to properly teach english at an international level. It's pushing the barrier for the TEFL to be suitable in secondary school!
A real english teacher in any civilised country is, at a minimum a university graduate. Unfortunately an estimated 70% of foreign teachers are of the TEFL crowd who also are, for the most part, 'farang-desperately-wanting-to stay-in-Thailand'. Many of us have run into the type, they've spent nearly all their money already, love the country to death (often it may be the death of them!) and don't want to leave or go home. Still, even the most under-qualified of the TEFLers can make a good teacher given time. Although looking at the bigger picture Thailand strongly ought to be consider introducing regulating the TEFLers by means of vetting and keeping a closer eye on the troublesome teachers! The troublesome teachers are difficult to spot amongst the majority of decent ones. While those TEFLers who indulge in nightlife activities such as flagrant bar and whore mongering shouldn't be considered 'bad' teachers per sa, would a parent want such a TEFLers teaching his or her child english? Its a question that perhaps Thailand will need to answer lest more troublesome teachers from Mark Karr's ilk rise from the woodwork in the near future!
A Tale of Two Airports
31st January 2007
Once upon a time many decades ago Don Muang Airport was constructed just north of Bangkok. For many faithful years it served the country of Thailand well as arguably the central hub of south east Asia's airports. However running parallel to this was the concept of using another site east of Bangkok for a second airport, the plan was half heartedly discussed to begin with and having been put on the back burner Don Muang International continued as the primary international airport for Thailand. Then in the late 1990s the newly elected Thai Rak Thai government party stormed to power, one of their pet projects was the new airport. Naming it Suvarnabhuri International (a name many westerners struggle to remember let alone say!) the green light was officially given to begin building the new airport.
One rumour is that the Thai Airforce controls Don Muang Airport (adjacent to the Airforce base) and held plenty of clout with those in power. Since their power and influence has waned and the Army's grown the plan for building Suvarnabhuri took fruit, circumventing any upgrades on the Airforces 'Turf'.
Now some justification could be granted at this point. Don Muang (DM) Airport, while it still oozes charm in a 1970s kind of way was fast reaching capacity as increased passenger numbers and airline traffic rose. Also compared to other countries in south east Asia, DM was far from cutting edge, it could only boast of two runways and passenger processing was straining under increased numbers. The new airport would far surpass all of this and more with 'state of the art' design features, bomb-detectors, a world record breaking control tower and an eventual rail / high speed link into central Bangkok. and in short the decision was made that no upgrade or expansion would take place to the existing airport. This too is, in comparison of DM, is bittersweet for the Skytrains foundation pillars still line the route north out of Bangkok towards DM.
By the 2003 construction was in full swing but again and again the projected deadline was extended until mid-2006 was set as the completion date. Despite months of speculation in the press that DM was to remain open it was then announced that Don Muang Airport was to close when the new one opened and later it was announced that DM airport should be converted to a novelty shopping mall. This was a move that shocked some, including many westerners. Normally it is a valuable asset having a secondary airport as this can be used for local domestic flights while the primary airport operates for international flights. There it could be argued that there is some wisdom in keeping all their eggs in one basket however, as domestic / international transfers and vice versa all under one location means no traveling between airports. (DM and SV are over 15 miles apart).
In mid-2006 the new airport opened amid much fanfare in the Thai press and celebration from the TRT government. The response from actual users of the airport was a different story. The interior style of the airport is some kind of a cross between techno-industrial and a vast warehouse. The size effect is impressive as the ceiling and support frames stretch off into the distance. It has the first impression of an unfinished building, the bare concrete support frames are undressed nor rendered. The check-in areas are small when compared with the projected processing capacity on paper; the actual number isn't available but as a comparison they measure the same as Don Muang (which is considered outdated!). Another major criticism is the distinct lack of toilets. Passengers arriving off an international flight will find there are less than ten toilets for four hundred or so people. At the gate boarding zones for departing passengers there are non-whatsoever. Most of the seats are considered to be the most uncomfortable in living memory as the solid steel metal design is without any padding, sitting on the floor is considered more comfortable!
Like a nuclear chain reaction more and more faults began to 'appear', cracks were discovered (and continue to be found), many docking modules which connect to the airliners have been found with structural faults, some seriously. That most of these were discovered after the bloodless coup which toppled Thaksin and the TRT party has raised serious questions about the airport. The key driving force behind nearly the entire project was the TRT party, namely Thaksin Shinawata. At the time of writing the most recent revelation is that Don Muang is now going to be re-opened to take over the domestic flights schedule out of Suvarnabhuri and that more structural blunders have been discovered.
Chiefly that the airport is on swampland and piles weren't used to build up the foundations prior to concreting. Independent investigators are continuing there investigations, only time will tell the future of this potential 'White Elephant' of airports..A Farang Expat in Thailand
Farang Low-lifes
24th January 2007
It’s just after eleven o’ clock and my buddy and I are outside an ATM getting cash when along comes what could be only described as a classic example of a low-life Farang hurling abuse at all and sundry. In this case a few choice words from the wise were all that was needed to ‘cool his heels’ somewhat.
Like the perpetual cycle of day and night there's no escaping the fact that even in the seeming remoteness of Thailand's most northerly city they are a common sight and can blight the typical ‘thai’ experience that many more sensible visitors are searching for.
We’ve all seen them, beer in hand and staggering the streets, often in broad daylight oblivious to their surroundings and offending many in their typically loutish and arrogant behaviour. Perhaps in their tiny brains they see themselves as superior and ‘better’ often weighing-in at more than 100 kilos and towering over the indigenous people.
The low-life mentioned in the first paragraph actually exclaimed ‘Well I’m English!’ almost to try and justify his mindless behaviour. Sorry mate but the English no longer hold sway over all that the sun shines upon, I and many others read our history books and know the days of the British Empire are long gone! I’m part English and I can see that (violins are playing – Ed)!
Many Thai people see this kind of behaviour is the reason their can ‘confirm’ in their minds that the foreign westerner is an uncultured animal.
Do these people not realize that typically as foreigners here in Thailand they ought to be acting more responsible and setting a good example for others to follow.
‘Back in the day’ during the 1970s, 80s and 90s the traveling folk who came to Thailand were a different breed by any stretch of the imagination, hippies, neo-hippies and backpackers tended to be a majority of the ‘tourist’ visitors to Thailand.
All this began to change with the rise of low-cost flights and easy-to-obtain visas. The 4,000+ miles distance to the Land of Smiles (LOS) is a barrier of sorts from Europe along with diversions such as Ibiza, Costa del sol, Majorca, falraki etc to appease the package tourists.
By 2001 onwards the trend had shifted heavily from the ‘original’ backpacking crowd. Introducing the new wave of Farang tourists:
Among them has arrived the ‘Low-life Farang!’
Join us on a journey into what is the typical ‘Low-life Farang’:
Usually male and here in Thailand on a two week holiday.
Typical primary destinations include : Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket ( Patong Beach) and Koh Samui.
Typical Secondary destinations include: All the other tourist islands, Chang Mai and Hua Hin.
Group size can vary but typically from 2 to 4.
Nationality varies but they are usually English speaking and hail from the following areas: The UK (Majority from England I’m afraid), Europe and the USA.
Activities include the following: Drinking, causing trouble, sex, drinking, more sex, sleeping through most of the daylight hours before hitting the streets and repeating activities ad nauseam.
An distant relative of the low-life Farang is the low-life expat. (covered in another column.)
Not usually dangerous although the potential for violence rises when mixed with alcohol!
So what can be done? Short of rounding them all up and pushing into the nearest canal little can be done I'm afraid.
However whenever I hear of tales like the one about the low-life Farang I always whistle to myself knowing that the thai words "Tum dee jai dee, tham chua dai shua" can often ring true! (Rough Translation: "What goes around comes around!")
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
