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Discussion 1 : 22/09/2012 at 08:53 AM

>> ...all the issues brought up are pertinent to this story. They are pertinent to everyday life in Thailand. Well...Most (if not all) of the news stories on this site are about everyday life in Thailand. So, if you insist on being indiscriminate about what issues to bring up, then please go ahead and make sure you recite every one of them every time. Too bad...I actually agree with you that those issues are important.

Discussion 2 : 21/09/2012 at 11:57 PM

And I agree with 1man1vote to an extent. I met some of the most wonderful, giving and selfless people any where in the world in Thailand. To an extent, many of them were "upcountry" people. That is to a degree why I love Thailand and hate to see ordinary Thais be bilked by this type of scam. Just like the 7 million baht junket by Somsak. A theft of taxpayer money.

Discussion 3 : 21/09/2012 at 11:38 PM

Guys, I enjoy reading your discussion here. It looked like it had branched to why foreigners live here. I grew up in Bangkok but currently live in the USA. I can relate to some comments posted by foreigners here, which seem like some Thais don't. The points I want to make related to the story and your discussion are 1) Cheating is a social-wide issue. Normal people sometimes don't see themselves cheating even though they are doing it in a smaller scale like tax evasion, etc. They often point fingers to the politicians as if that's the only reason we are like this. I think everyone needs to change their mindset, their action, and try to educate our kids properly. 2) Hey there are good honest Thai people too. Just because you haven't seen one doesn't mean there aren't any. Rural people are more honest than city people. However, the number is diminishing. The social values are deteriorating. We need to take action a little bit at a time, not just posting/complaining here, but acting and showing a good example to people around us. Don't go with the bad flow around you.

Discussion 4 : 21/09/2012 at 09:37 PM

shallowguy - all the issues brought up are pertinent to this story. They are pertinent to everyday life in Thailand. Some of us just hate to see the ordinary Thais getting ripped off everyday and not caring. I had the chance to move to Thailand to open a business interest for the company I worked for. I had lived in Europe so Asia was the opportunity for a new experience. Nothing to do with money, I just wanted to enjoy a new experience and have the chance to travel throughout the Asian continent to learn about cultures I had not seen(good and bad, it seems)and would not trade the experience for anything. I am also proud of the fact that our company grew from just a few people in Bangkok to almost a hundred Thais in just a few years. Those of us who have vested years, tens of millions of baht in taxes and sweat and tears into Thailand have the right to criticize.

Discussion 5 : 21/09/2012 at 08:39 PM

dickemery...No one has questioned anyone's freedom to express their opinions. So please do not confuse the issue. The issue is that if you read this piece of news and your first response was that kind of irrelevant venom, there's something wrong with you.

Discussion 6 : 21/09/2012 at 06:09 PM

Fraud by correction fluid. Hilarious. And no-one noticed all the 'corrections'.

Discussion 7 : 21/09/2012 at 03:53 PM

Re) Money is the reason farangs are in Thailand; I would say it is correct and for a high % of expats it is related to the relatively lower cost of living, cheaper food, cheaper housing, cheaper entertainment (ie cheap prostitutes as Voranai mentioned in a prior piece) A high % of male westerners come here largely related to their social lives and aspirations of finding companionship (to accept the and put up with them) Criminal expats also seem to be attracted to Thailand and it is certainly money related. Japan is absolutely fun and interesting also but you don't see legions of expats there do you?

Discussion 8 : 21/09/2012 at 02:55 PM

Discussion 6 : supermax "Hillfarang : the case is about concealing assets and tax evasion, it's not about corruption..." Concealing assets (and it usually being tolerated) IS corruption! Brilliant: I do not disagree! I am not a red (yellow, green, blue) shirt. I am pro-democracy and reform in Thailand. If TS was 'the' problem, the military's disastrous post-coup was a period of regression for Thailand. Mark almost started a war with Cambodia & Thailand was mocked Internationally. Look at the news reports about TS from International business before all the in-fighting & removal. The West did not like that coup... P.S. In part because of these factors, I have secured employment abroad (University in Yunnan, China) although my heart & home are in Northern Thailand.

Discussion 9 : 21/09/2012 at 02:53 PM

I took my money out of thailand, why should i give give give when you get nothing back? i see it all the time, alot of the time its thai staff, partner (personal and business) just want to rip you off, think of you as an atm etc. etc.. I still have long holidays in thailand but spend most of my money in places i know,owned by friends etc. both thai and farang. Was coming back for 6 months with an investment thats maturing but why should i? so cambodia will be getting some of it and the money i save, as its cheaper will be reinvested in the uk, so well away from thailland !

Discussion 10 : 21/09/2012 at 02:50 PM

Sorayuth was offering a 'brokerage fee' to an MCOT employee without informing the employer. Means, it wasn't a corruption case as he was just paying the 'brokerage commission'. Bravo K. Sorayuth!

Discussion 11 : 21/09/2012 at 02:49 PM

These people will only change their behaviour when they start seeing the inside of a prison cell, which they won't.

Discussion 12 : 21/09/2012 at 02:26 PM

As someone who spent his first year here testing the water for starting a business, I can honestly say that every single person I talked with and got to know was in some way cheating (or trying to cheat) someone else - usually the government. Trying to get money without earning it seems to be a way of life here for some, so I have since decided to keep business outside and send money as I need it.

Discussion 13 : 21/09/2012 at 01:43 PM

Disc #15 This is a fine example of what the Thais think of as being astute business and see no problem with it. For a change its not tax payers money, rich robbing the rich. Um, sorry MCOT is state owned. That would be robbing the government once again.

Discussion 14 : 21/09/2012 at 01:30 PM

I like how the content has been changed from " guilty " to "charged"..

Discussion 15 : 21/09/2012 at 01:24 PM

shallowguy you certainly live up to your name not everyone here on holiday,some have family here ,some have business interest and some purely enjoy and if people critise the system they have a freedom to express,to help to change things,think before you say shallow comments ?

Discussion 16 : 21/09/2012 at 01:03 PM

Thailand's best known investigative talk show host gets investigated, just goes to show, graft and dishonesty pervades every corner of society, and this was a man who skillfully sat right on the fence throughout this political crisis.

Discussion 17 : 21/09/2012 at 12:58 PM

This is a fine example of what the Thais think of as being astute business and see no problem with it. For a change its not tax payers money, rich robbing the rich.

Discussion 18 : 21/09/2012 at 11:18 AM

No one has mentioned it yet so I guess I will be first. I farang retired and here because Thailand is a fun place to be and live. Period!

Discussion 19 : 21/09/2012 at 11:13 AM

abbub...My only point is that the two comments that I quoted are virtually irrelevant to the news story. There's a time and a place for everything.

Discussion 20 : 21/09/2012 at 10:55 AM

To Shallowguy - Why do some people like me point out things that makes us wonder . . . because nothing changes.Last year I lost everything in the flood and guess what . . . . the goverment learned nothing from that.Now that the water is getting closer to my home by the day they decide to improve things . . . my Thai wife has told me that money was paid out a long time ago to improve things but nothing happened.The money found it's way into deep pockets somewhere along the way.The work they are doing now will not be finished in time so I have started to pack already. Famous or important people in this country think they can do as they like just as this shows.It has taken 7 years to get this far and with 138 million bath in the pot it just goes to show that in Thailand crime does pay most of the time if you are famous or a politician . . .

Discussion 21 : 21/09/2012 at 10:36 AM

Very sorry Shallowguy !!! There are so many reasons why Farangs like to live in Thailand, and mostly of the reasons are NOT concerning about money....

Discussion 22 : 21/09/2012 at 10:15 AM

Shallowguy ...you will get used to it, most don't bother to read the articles, they just wanna preach to the choir , so to speak.

Discussion 23 : 21/09/2012 at 10:03 AM

SHALLOW D4: D6 suggests the main reason for foreigners to stay here is money. I in part agree but more so I disagree. We are speaking about foreigners who tend to speak openly and express opinions deemed critical of certain aspects of society. I strongly believe, and have experience that confirms, the more money a foreigner is making here, the less likely he or she is to be critical. Of course there are exceptions but then we need to look at the divide between what is criticized by those with, and those without money. In general foreigners with good income will more readily tend to side with the right wing.

Discussion 24 : 21/09/2012 at 09:51 AM

abbub...I don't disagree with what you said. But I'm just tired of some people who would come to this site and use every opportunity to bash the country. Do you think their comments add to the story?

Discussion 25 : 21/09/2012 at 09:36 AM

They do it because we let them .

Discussion 26 : 21/09/2012 at 09:30 AM

Hillfarang : the case is about concealing assets and tax evasion, it's not about corruption... Robins : you are right, I don't think Sorayuth is "afficionados" for Red/UDD... Shallowguy : there so many reasons why Farangs like to live in Thailand, and mostly of the reasons are concerning about money....

Discussion 27 : 21/09/2012 at 09:29 AM

SHALLOW D4: I think you are putting the cart before the horse, so to speak: "kinda makes you wonder why some foreigners who feel so strongly about these issues still want to live in Thailand, doesn't it?" - I understand it can make some people wonder. But: 1) Foreigners do not just come to Thailand expecting heaven. When my wife lived with me in Europe and the US she was very critical of many things and...had the right to express herself freely without fear of ostracization. Or worse. 2) As you should understand, many foreigners have Thai wives and like me, kids. 3) We tend to look more critically at society where we happen to live. Personally I am far more critical of many things in the US than Thailand. 4) No country on earth is perfect. Analyzing things, pointing out ways to better society are what we do to try to create better lives for all.

Discussion 28 : 21/09/2012 at 09:02 AM

>> Rampant corruption (under every & all governments) is, along with military coups and a poor educational system, the 'bane' of Thailand. >> and add in blatant hiding of assets overseas, attempted bribing of the judiciary, attempted threatening and coercion of the judiciary by intimidation, tax evasion, and rampant extra judicial killing just to round it out. Oh yes...These issues do indeed exist and are disgusting...But it kinda makes you wonder why some foreigners who feel so strongly about these issues still want to live in Thailand, doesn't it?

Discussion 29 : 21/09/2012 at 08:45 AM

I've seen him most mornings on his morning show but don't recall ever seeing him wear red. Might be a coincidence, might not.

Discussion 30 : 21/09/2012 at 08:40 AM

hillfarang - and add in blatant hiding of assets overseas, attempted bribing of the judiciary, attempted threatening and coercion of the judiciary by intimidation, tax evasion, and rampant extra judicial killing just to round it out.

Discussion 31 : 21/09/2012 at 08:16 AM

Rampant corruption (under every & all governments) is, along with military coups and a poor educational system, the 'bane' of Thailand.