The_Munchmaster Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 I haven't been in Penang since the early 90's but if it's anything like it was then it would be too quiet for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 I was last in Penang in 1999. Dull as fuck :thumbdown: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 As a Singaporean cab driver said to me when I told him about the single counter at the Thai Embassy and the crackdown on visa exemptions, 'Hmmph - its not as if Thailand is such a rich country that they can afford to turn people away !'. Thailand really can't afford to turn people away. In fact, if you read today's edition of the Bangkok Post you will see yet another article where officials are fretting about low tourism numbers. The main article is about the state of the economy generally. I think most of us here have commented on the 'conflicted' (schizophrenic) attitude the Thai authorities have about foreigners. Plenty of things going on behind that, but there is one feature that gets my attention. The Singaporean cab driver doesn't know how right he was. Most of Thailand's recent GDP growth is a direct result of foreign investment. Tourism is one the major providers of relatively lucrative employment (licit and otherwise) for Thais. Any yet investing in Thailand often requires violating Thai laws (land ownership) or venturing into gray areas (Foreign Business Act). Restrictive and unrealistic visa and work permit rules create the same problem. Indeed, the existence of these nonsensical rules has created a whole cottage industry devoted to circumventing the rules. Ever notice all the posters for visa services in Pattaya and the entertainment zones of Thailand? If Thailand had a rational regulatory system, these guys would be out of business. But I don't think the rules exist to keep these guys in business. At least, I don't think that is the only reason. On paper, the rules here are so restrictive and over-reaching that virtually everyone violates the rules. That means that the authorities ultimately have the discretion to take action against any party (foreign or Thai) they don't like. "You have no cause for complaint. You violated our laws!" This also undermines the rule of law. If everyone (and this includes Thais) is lawbreaker, no one will have respect for the law. Why should they? Think about laws are actually enforced here? Much of it is pretty much out in the open (think about traffic "tickets" here.) Think about the Thai attitude towards law. It all goes together. Unfortuantely, whenever anyone points how lawless Thailand is, the response is to pass more laws. Often there is a competition to see who can propose the broadest and harshest law. The problem is that legislators and most policy makers (but this is starting to change) don't pause and consider that, if you make the law ridiculously broad and harsh, it won't get enforced in practice. It will simply create opportunities for corruption. My two satang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack_schist Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 have you thought about Cabulture or Beachmere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardy641 Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 I donâ??t think the vast majority of Thai people even know let alone support impracticable and discriminating laws which at the end are causing more damage to Thailand. Foreigners just can vote with their feet â?? more and more are doing so. It is the ordinary people who are the real victims. These laws have been established by a small xenophobic Thai elite who is ruling and exploiting the country for decades. This corrupt clique will do everything necessary to maintain status quo and power. Thaksin actually tried to break this establishment. Unfortunately not as he always claimed for the benefits of the people but for himself and his cronies. You are spot on with your assessment of the actual investment conditions. The current immigration and investment laws are ridiculous at least and there is a whole industry providing more or less legal ways to overcome them due to the lack of working legal system. If Thailand is really going to take the next step â?? I doubt this will ever happen though â?? it has to take serious action better sooner than later: 1. Come up with a comprehensive education reform. According to several studies the Thai education system is the worst in the Far East even trailing Cambodia and Laos!!2. Scrap all the discriminating regulations in their immigration and investment laws to provide a fair legal platform for investors and foreign residents â?? and even more important also refrain from the frequent changes of these laws.3. Free the juristic system of the rampant corruption and ensure the fair enforcement of the laws. Unfortunately, there I donâ??t see this happening as long as the old elite and/or corrupt individuals (Thaksin) are controlling most of the institutions in this country. Their power has to be broken first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simie Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Gadfly, agree with you on this. I have always thought that many if not most Thai's in senior civil service positions, the upper levels of Thai society or in politics want farang money but would far rather not have to put up with farangs in their country at all if they could still have our money without the inconvenience of having to put up with us in this Thai utopia fantasy they seem to think exists. Since generally speaking they can't they make up another fantasy of large numbers of farangs, all well off coming for preferably two weeks or less for shopping, lying on the beach and visiting temples whilst staying in 4 and 5 star hotels. Anything else grates severely with their in grained xenophobia. Gobble, back to your original post on this topic. I seem to remember you said you planned to stay for 6 months or so? And at the time whilst you where still in Oz several members advised you to sort out a proper visa then before you travelled to Thailand? Sorry to be a grumpy old sod, but it seems to me that if you had got a double or triple entry tourist visa from a Thai consulate before you left Oz you would'nt have been having problems now?! Anyway I hope you sort something out to your satisfaction as soon as possible. Simie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 << These laws have been established by a small xenophobic Thai elite who is ruling and exploiting the country for decades. >> Are you talking about the Chinese-Thai business community - which is so terrified of losing control of the economy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 I see the Chinese-Thai business community wishy-washy. I do a bit of business in China Town and their response varies, sometimes welcome, sometimes don't bother me. Had some Chinese-Thai doing some plastic work for me. The young son (30+) was keen for the business while the Papa would snarl at best. Finally had a glitch where the quality was not up to what I wanted...that was it, Papa said, "...no more...", they (Papa) didn't want to do the work, so I had to source another vendor. The son apologized up and down and until Suday but he could not over rule Papa. I see them wanting the $$$ but not wanting to go out of their way to get it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo_bill Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Many German people emigrate to Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 That will put him back at the beginning of this journey ... He won't like that.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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