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Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has instructed the police to take serious action against the ‘taxi mafia’ at the Ratchaprasong area. These taxi drivers reportedly do not use meters and extort tourists. The premier ordered the police and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to look into the issue of ‘taxi sticker’ bribes, particularly taxis idling in front of the CentralWorld shopping mall. Following images shared on the “Taxi Driver Thailand” Facebook page showing taxis parked in a special lane in front of CentralWorld, it was noted that these taxis, identified by a sticker on the back window, are allegedly allowed by officials to pick up passengers without using meters, creating a negative image for tourism. etc etc etc https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/pm-orders-crackdown-on-taxi-mafia-at-ratchaprasong-bangkok-459632

more - Trump's Truth Social Russian finance According to The Guardian, in December 2021, two loans totaling $8 million (~$8.87 million in 2023) were paid to Trump Media from obscure Putin-connected entities as the company was "on the brink of collapse". $2 million was paid by Paxum Bank, part-owned by Anton Postolnikov, a relation of Aleksandr Smirnov, a former Russian government official who now runs the Russian maritime company Rosmorport. $6 million was paid by an ostensibly separate entity, ES Family Trust, whose director was the director of Paxum Bank at the same time. As of March 2023, prosecutors in the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York were investigating the Russian ties.[50][51] The Washington Post reported that Trump Media paid a $240,000 finder's fee as part of the arrangement, allegedly to a party associated with Digital World.[52] The federal probe into investors of DWAC, according to The Washington Post, discovered that a wealthy investor in the company was allegedly connected to attempts to allegedly move assets from Russia, Ukraine, and China into the Caribbean, and other intermediaries such as Hong Kong, United Kingdom and Belize. According to a government transcript, an informant referenced the process as "the full Singapore with a double dip, as we call it, with having the U.K. thrown in there, just to give it that added cleanliness and polishing off."[53] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_Social

Not sure I agree with that. If the act itself is only for the givers recognition without any real concern for the beneficiary the end result loses the definition of charity. Charity is the act of giving with any expectations of something in return.

Gentlemen, all kind o charity-like activities only exist due to immediately being brought to public attention. In the end only the result matters though.

No, my comment “I Hope he has….etc” was genuine concern meaning that since he is now in Pattaya News and his visa would have been issued by Pattaya Immigration office, that he has Digital Nomads Visa. These are the types of things immigration look out for, it doesn’t matter if he only makes 500 Baht a year they will be in him. This Article is specific YouTube, but it does mention other bloggers and influencers. Trust me, a neighbour of mine got busted for running a monetized travel / food blog a few months back, so it does happen

Fair enough - I read the above as such - to me it was implied. It came across that way to me. Regarding the TikTok numbers - I simply looked at his video numbers the same as anybody can. I did not see a video above 1 million views. Around 750k was the top - not my figures at all - the figures are there to see plain and simple. Agree there are plenty of attention whores out there, but this guy is hardly making a living off it. My $1 per hour estimate I think is accurate. The way I see it his "content" is simply trying to raise money for more helmets - not to make a living off. Personally I would rather see someone do something like this if they are genuine, than someone not do it at all... if that makes sense.

Yet from the article with some of his TikTok videos receiving more than one million views So, what do we believe, your figures or the article? What I stated was, that if he was doing this out of the goodness of his heart, he would just do it and that would be the end. But no, he has to film it and post online saying “Look at me, look how kind hearted I am” attention whore And where did I say “I wanted him deported?” all I stated was I hope he has the correct visa, stop trying to put words into my mouth

Anyone else flabbergasted? They are usually so squeaky clean!

Yeah fuck that guy for making a few dollars whilst doing a good deed or two. You tell him mate. For ref - he has less followers on YT and Facebook than I do, and I make 0 dollars on those platforms. Regarding those TikTok numbers - $40 per million clicks you say? One video has 750k views, a few have 20-50k, most have 2k or around there, or under. Whilst I have no idea how TikTok pays out, that $50 or whatever it works out to be would work out to less than a dollar per hour going by how much content he has put out there - never mind the cost of whatever he uses to create it (granted - could be a mobile phone that he would own anyway). He also has a website that sells "digital art" - it looks pretty good, well, different anyway. Most of his art pieces on that site don't have a lot of "views" (under 20) but sell for $150 from memory. No way of telling how many of them he has sold. But yeah - greedy bugger.. fuck him for having a go hey - hope he gets deported and nobody gets free helmets anymore... sigh

Agree discord is hardly regulated at all other than by the person/people who own the specific server. I use it a bit for gaming and some of the shit that is out there on discord is just sick.

In other words “American Expat has a monetized Tik Tok Channel and is making money” Spend a few baht on some cheap skid lids, give them away whilst videoing it and posts online receiving $40 / 1 Million clicks. If he really cared about this he wouldn’t post it online now would he? The things people do for likes. I hope his work permit / digital nomad visa is valid since monetized media content is classed as working in Thailand and he has just advertised the fact to the authorities

... In an interview with local media, Brown explained that he decided to start giving away free motorbike helmets after witnessing many children in Pattaya riding motorcycles without helmets. Growing increasingly concerned, he decided to go out, buy helmets, and start offering them for free on the side of the road... https://thepattayanews.com/2024/04/30/american-expat-in-pattaya-wins-hearts-by-giving-away-free-motorbike-helmets/

Didn't they trash Phi-Phi Leh during filming of The Beach As fans eagerly wait for a new lot of guests to check into the White Lotus, a behind-the-scenes drama has been unfolding to secure the filming location of the Emmy-award winning show. The series has been so incredibly lucrative for the first two destinations it featured that some have dubbed it "The White Lotus effect". A show ostensibly about tourists has in turn been a boon for tourism in Hawaii, where online interest in the Four Seasons Maui jumped by 425 per cent after the first season aired. And in Sicily, where Jennifer Coolidge was famously stalked by murderous gays in season two, the production is estimated to have resulted in over 32 million euros ($52.8 million) worth of spending and a 300 per cent jump in online searches, according to travel site Expedia. So when rumours surfaced of a "high profile" showrunner — believed to be White Lotus creator Mike White — scouting locations in Japan, Thai authorities swept in to try to woo the team to South East Asia instead. How Thailand lured The White Lotus away from Japan Tourism Authority of Thailand Executive Siripakorn Cheawsamoot said they were proactive in their attempts to lure the popular show to the kingdom. "We approached the White Lotus production team and then we talked with them about trying to bring their budget costs down with potential partners," he told the ABC. "There are two kinds of incentives. Firstly, cash incentives with rebates and then in-kind incentives as well." In-kind incentives are non-cash incentives, and can include things like offering services for free. "A lot of partners in the private sector offered their services, sometimes complimentary, some on an agreement," Mr Cheawsamoot said. He explained that hotels were provided to the actors and film crew to stay in. Transport and airfares were some of the other perks. But the real clincher was the Thai government's recently beefed-up film incentive program, which offers a cash rebate of up to 20 per cent for foreign film productions. In an effort to attract more film and TV productions, the government decided in 2022 to waive the personal income tax for foreign talent for five years, meaning the stars of season three — which include Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Aimee Lou Wood — won't pay Thai tax while working on location. Thailand's gain was Japan's loss and at last year's Toyko Film Festival, local producer Georgina Pope lamented the lost opportunity. She pointed to the Thai government's generous film incentive system, which she claimed added up to $US4.4 million ($6.6 million) in savings for the White Lotus project. Some locals are worried about the possible impact of more people arriving on Koh Samui.(ABC News: Lauren Day) The financial details have not been disclosed and the Tourism Authority of Thailand did not confirm that number but Mr Cheawsamoot agreed the sweeteners offered to the White Lotus team would have amounted to millions. Tourism authorities and local businesses say it is worth the money that was spent. They expect to see many times that figure in return in the form of visitor numbers and increased spending. "In terms of economic returns, we've got high hopes," Mr Cheawsamoot said. Seeing big stars at your local restaurant While many guests on Koh Samui have no idea what's going on beyond the sign of the Four Seasons hotel, the crew have been spotted around the island. Already, searches on Expedia for Thailand have jumped by 50 per cent since the announcement that filming would take place in Koh Samui, Phuket and Bangkok. Local restaurant owners Olive Lamlert and Patrick Moukarzel have had several visits from White Lotus cast and crew. Olive Lamlert and Patrick Moukarzel own a restaurant in Koh Samui that has been visited by cast members of the White Lotus. "It's very cool and very surprising. And the nice thing is that they came back because they like it. So that means a lot," Patrick said. The couple say some stars of the show have also popped by. "I was excited because it was Aimee [Lou Wood] who plays the role of Amy in Sex Education and she's super famous. I'm a big fan!" said Olive. "And then it was Walton Goggins who is in a lot of HBO series and [2015 superhero film] Ant-Man." Olive and Patrick are also big fans of the White Lotus series itself. As former hotel workers, they said they could relate to the battles depicted within the series, which features a dysfunctional hotel chain and the challenges of dealing with inhospitable guests. "It reflects what we used to do and what we had to deal with the guests," Olive laughed. "The headache ones, the difficult ones, the nice ones, the drama … although maybe not as much drama as in the show." Patrick said everyone on the island was excited about the potential economic impact of the series. "It will be very very good, not only for Samui," he said. "When you come to Thailand, you come to Samui, you go to Bangkok, you will visit another city or small island. So the whole country will benefit." The downsides of a big show coming to town While it's hoped the show will bring in more tourism dollars, some locals are worried about the possible impact of more people arriving on Koh Samui. Parts of the island have been gripped by a water shortage crisis, which has been blamed on drought conditions and a surge of tourist arrivals post-pandemic. There's also been an ongoing issue with waste disposal on the island as it struggles to keep up with the 200 tonnes of trash produced per day. Late last year, Koh Samui had reportedly accumulated about 200,000 tonnes at its main landfill site and authorities were left with no option but to export the problem to the mainland. Local environmentalist Anon Vatayanon said the Thai government needed to have a plan in place to manage the impacts of tourism on the environment. Anon Vatayanon says if there isn't proper management of Samui's natural resources, they will be ruined. "Samui became popular because of its nature — the sea, sand and sun," he said. "The most important thing is that we protect our main selling points … how we manage wastewater, the quality of the water, the environmental impact from road use and air pollution. "The movie industry wouldn't be filming here if the environment wasn't nice. If we lose it nobody will come here." Siripakorn Cheawsamoot from the Tourism Authority of Thailand said any boost in tourism would be managed sustainably. "Sustainable tourism is our key focus for this coming year," he said. "That's been the key focus for the Department of Tourism to control and communicate with the filming crew." 'Set-jetting' shaping travel itineraries around the world Thailand is no stranger to big film and TV productions and the big waves of tourism that often follow. People still flock to James Bond Island where The Man With The Golden Gun was filmed in the 1970s and Maya Bay is still recovering from the impacts of 2000 adventure drama The Beach. Tourists flocked to see James Bond Island in Thailand after The Man With The Golden Gun was filmed there.(ABC News: Lucia Stein) The Leonardo DiCaprio film sparked controversy due to the impact of the shoot and the influx of tourism on the once pristine sands of the bay at Koh Phi Phi Leh. The area was eventually closed to visitors in 2018 to allow it to recover from the damage caused by millions of tourists. But authorities say much has changed in the 24 years since the cult movie was released and many lessons were learnt. They're now hoping to cash in on a trend known as 'set-jetting' where tourists choose locations based on films and TV shows. The phenomenon has been attributed to a US$200 million dollar boost to Croatia's economy thanks to Game of Thrones and a 50 per cent increase in inbound tourism to New Zealand following the release of The Lord of the Rings. According to analysis by travel website Expedia, 44 per cent of travellers last year drew inspiration from movies and TV shows, far outpacing the influence of social media at just 15 per cent. Last month, a post on the White Lotus official Instagram page promised "unforgettable experiences are in the making at #TheWhiteLotus." "We are eager to welcome new guests to our resort in Thailand." Thailand is eager to welcome them too. Tourism Authority of Thailand has revealed how they lured the White Lotus producers to film in Thailand. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-28/how-thailand-wooed-the-white-lotus/103579388

Corrupted

Trump is doing a meet-and-greet at a crowded venue and his security detail is being extra watchful. One of them is a new guy and he’s extra jumpy. Suddenly, a gunman bursts from the crowd, aiming his weapon at the President. Pandemonium ensues. The rookie bodyguard screams “Mickey Mouse!!!” at the top of his voice and this startles the would be assassin to the point that his aim is off and the shot goes over Trump’s head. Some bodyguards wrestle the assailant to the ground, while others hustle the President to safety. Disaster averted. Later, during debriefing, the head of the security detail congratulates the rookie. Without his quick thinking, he tells him, the President might very well be dead. “But I’m puzzled” he said. “Why on earth would you yell Mickey Mouse?” “I’m new”, explained the rookie, sheepishly. “I panicked. I meant to yell Donald! Duck!!”

Another reason I am starting to think this entire social media platform thingy is not a great idea. Now you have platforms like Discord which are virtually unregulated. I have been a member LinkedIn for years which was once the world's largest professional network. Now it's just another social media network.

The content is not Australian, the content is owned by, and a copyrighted to, the poster. If the poster requested the content to come down or deleted his tweet then it would all go away, but he hasn’t. Could you imagine the outrage if governments could apply government censorship on anything posted on social media, it’s not 1984

All knighthoods are honorary and IMHO not worth the paper they are written on. There is no rule of law that can force anyone to call another “Sir”, I think that went out in 1215 with the signing of the Magna Carta, the only rule of law is that a holder of KBE are allowed to use the title Sir

Yes knighted in 1953

Yes, but then the content could be argued to be Australian and thus able to be restricted.

Was he a Sir in 1979?

So there are knighthoods and honorary knighthoods? Hardly seems to be any point in it then.

Sir is an honorary title and as such no one is obliged to use it

Morally one could say Musk is in the wrong for refusing to take down the Posts outside of Australia, but legally he is correct. Australian law applies to Australia only, or Australian citizens overseas. What Australia is asking for is above the coverage of its legal system, and I believe Musk / X stance is if we don’t draw the line here then when does the over reaching of legal boundaries stop. Rather than go after Musk, Australia should have tried the diplomatic approach and ask friendly governments to ban the posts in their respective areas of jurisdiction. He is still a Cunt mind you.