Evil Penevil

Well said. The U.S. military guys I've met in Pattaya weren't particularly interested in mongering or drinking. They asked about cultural sites, ordinary tourist attractions or things like shopping, movie theaters and even miniature golf!!! They weren't exactly the beer-drinking, blood-pissing and quiff-banging type of Marine, at least off-duty. Evil

Joe's statement is correct. The IRS had a category for tipped employees before the minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 were extended by Congress in 1967 to cover restaurant and bar employees. Back then, there was a debate about whether all gratuities should be counted as wages (business owners' position) or no gratuities should be counted as wages (employees' and union position). The outcome was a compromise that allows some restaurants and bars to use a tip credit to pay some service personnel less that the minimum wage IF the employee's TOTAL earned income is more than the minimum wage. Don't lose sight of the forest by arguing about the leaves on the trees. The Federal minimum wage in the U.S. amounts to $300 a week for a 40-week. That's $15,600 a year, assuming the employee doesn't take a day off. The only people who can live on that wage are those in small towns where rents are extremely low or perhaps young people living at home with their parents. Most professional food and beverage service employees earn far more than minimum wage, although the industry as a whole is indeed a low-paid sector. I know a bartender in New York City who earns an average of $500 a night Monday through Thursday, including tips, and double that per night if she works Fridays or Saturdays. It's a busy and popular bar, but not a particularly upscale place. Evil

Harry Andrews

Rex Harrison

My, you are in a hostile mood- all because you lack the ability to answer a few questions. I guess casting the activities of criminal gangs in a sympathetic light was tougher than you thought. But it's a bit disappointing you didn't even try. Evil

Ah, you were writing dialect. Sort of like if I would write, "I be sitting at home." Evil

In your case, yes. How can you be "sat at home?" Not even Chucky can explain that one. Don't you mean "hitting the bottle" at home? Evil

Just another excuse for running away, Tom. There's nothing irrational about these questions: Are members of West African criminal gangs over-represented among African residents in Bangkok? Have several hundred of them concentrated their criminal activities to your "L shaped soi that runs between Soi 3 and Sukhumvit," as well as "Skank Alley" (Sukhumvit Road between Sois 3 and 5)? Do these African gang members represent a danger to farang tourists in Bangkok? Nothing irrational about asking the name of a company or a restaurant. If you tried to answer, your blufff would be called, and so you have to try to divert attention. Evil

You're unable to answer to answer my questions, that's why you resort to name calling. I'm one of the people who can call your bluffs, that's makes you so angry. Evil

It's just as credible as your "recollection" of most of the other shite you and the Santa cap write. You don't even remember the name of the company your acquaintances operate or the names of restaurants "in the L shaped soi that runs between Soi 3 and Sukhumvit." Are your Santa caps Zegna-certified? You know, the ones you used as a photo prop in the picture of the Muslim girls. Are you still wearing one as you wander "the L shaped soi that runs between Soi 3 and Sukhumvit," trying to remember the name the name of the restaurant you "regularly use?" We can go round like this forever, but it is pointless. Neither Santa caps nor dolls as photo props are relevant. Here are the real issues we should be discussing, the ones you've done your best to duck: Are members of West African criminal gangs over-represented among African residents in Bangkok? Have several hundred of them concentrated their criminal activities to your "L shaped soi that runs between Soi 3 and Sukhumvit," as well as "Skank Alley" (Sukhumvit Road between Sois 3 and 5)? Do these African gang members represent a danger to farang tourists in Bangkok? Evil

A lot of confusion in this thread. I'll to clear up some of it. First the easy part: TIPS does NOT come from To Insure Prompt Service or similar. That is a myth, based on what is often called a "backronym." You can read about it here. Secondly, everyone who works in the U.S. gets paid the equivalent of minimum wage, whether you work in a restaurant or elsewhere. If an employee in any branch is not getting the equivalent of at least minimum wage, the employer is in violation of the law. The confusion occurs because in most states in the U.S., restaurant owners are allowed to pay less than the minimum wage in direct compensation to the waiter, waitress or bartender if the TOTAL compensation per hour, including gratuities, is equal to or above minimum wage. Should the employee not get enough tips to bring hourly compensation up to the minimum, the employer has to make up the difference. So waiters, waitresses and bartenders don't work for less than minimum wage, but the portion of their compensation paid directly by the employer can in some states under some circumstances amount to less than the minimum wage. Total compensation, with or without tips, has to meet the minimum wage. The reasoning behind this system is that tips are seen in the U.S. as part of the waiter or waitress' compensation. In fact, gratuities are by far the most important part of their compensation. A few restaurants in the U.S. have tried to do away with tipping and substitute a mandatory service fee like in Europe, but that hasn't been successful. The wait staff has moved to other restaurants simply because they make more money with tips than without. Most Americans don't regard the standard 15% gratuity as a reward for excellent service, but as a contribution to the server's basic pay. It is simply the functional equivalent of the service charge that is automatically added to restaurant bills in many other countries. BUT the U.S. system of tipping allows the customer to protest bad service by withholding part of the compensation the waiter or waitress would otherwise have received. A tip above 15% would be a recognition of extraordinary service, anything below 15% would be a reprimand. However, tipping is rooted in the culture and society of a country. What's right for the U.S. isn't necessarily applicable to Asia or Europe. In business entertainment situations, i.e., taking customers or colleagues to dinner, I always try to stick to the local custom regarding tips. But in off-duty situations, like a Pattaya bar, I pay what I deem appropriate at the moment. If it is more or less than others would give, I don't care. Evil

I can flip the "loony" word back at you. I've given as much proof (or as little) about that Zimbabwean company as you have. What proof did you offer in your post that it even exists, much less that it has legitimate export activities? You don't even want to give its name. Prove that you're not a loony and the information didn't come from a golliwog. Same with the "good restaurants in the L shaped soi that runs between Soi 3 and Sukhumvit" that you "regularly use." Strange that you can't give the name of one of them. Evil

Sometimes it is necessary to play games with Tom because he flatly refuses to answer pertinent questions and resorts to name-calling. I wanted to illustrate that point. I've asked him numerous times the most basic, easiest question possible - What is the name of the company two of his Zimbabwean acquaintances operate? He won't answer and won't even explain the reasons behind his refusal. But let's try it a different way. Tom stated earlier: What are the names of those restaurants (at least one of them)? Are they operated by Africans or Thais? And to the most relevant questions Tom has refused to address, so I'll post them one more time: Evil

Whenever CheshireTom is hard-pressed to answer a question, he replies with nonsense. It's clear I've touched a very sensitive point for him and he's going to great lengths to divert attention from the fact that he doesn't want to answer one simple question: What is the name of the company that your Zimbabwean friends operate? Why in the world would you be reluctant to name it? It's not positive. The Thai government does indeed need to tighten its policies. In the meantime, one of the best ways of dealing with the West African scammers and gangs is to expose them. Here's a site that does an excellent job: 419eater. But there are other sites as well. This article, about how Father Will U Tuchme and Sister Anita Hanchob fooled Bangkok-based scammers from Sierra Leone, is classic. Evil Here's a pic of one of the Bangkok-based scammers. The scam-baiters asked him to send it to them so they would recognize him when he met them at Swampy.

Why do you have trouble answering very simple questions? Is the name of your friends' export company a secret? If it is a legitimate business, it seems like you would be happy to mention its name. Why wouldn't you want to mention an export company's name? Evil

I do the same. Plus, before the driver pulls away from the pickup point, I call the hotel on my cellphone and ask the front desk to explain to the driver in the local language how to find the hotel. Then if there's any problem finding the hotel when we reach the destination area, it will just take another call to clarify things. Evil

It's not surprising that you wouldn't write about import activities. But what is the name of your Zimbabwean friends' export company? Or is their exporting done on purely an informal basis without a company structure? Evil

What is it that doesn't exist? The import-export activities of the Zimbabweans about which you wrote? Evil

And you seem to be in a state of denial. What is the name of the company you were posting about? If it is a legitimate business, there can't be any harm in posting its name. Evil

It had to do with cash for side deals importing a very specific sort of shit. Just curious - what is the name of their company?

Were they the Zimbabweans you know? Are they still in Thailand? Evil

A few more examples of how African gangs have targeted victims in Thailand and why a crackdown is needed. Evil From this article: "Using a warrant issued by the Pattaya District Court officers arrested Mr. James Nier [34] and Mr. Davis Jeans [42], both Liberian nationals, in Soi Yensabai South Pattaya. The pair was arrested as they arrived to deliver items involved in the scam to another foreign man, Mr. Hans Josef Rinehart Winter [59], a German national. The two men were arrested in possession of two metal suitcases containing various chemicals, powders, green paper (banknote sized), a counterfeit US dollar note, bank account book, ATM card, a gold ring and two watches." From this article: "In another, unrelated incident, a Nigerian national was apprehended in Ratchaburi on a bus bound for Bangkok. Customs officers conducting a random check on the bus, which had originated from the deep southern province of Narathiwat, found over 9kg of marijuana concealed in his luggage. The marijuana, contained in nine separate packages was estimated to have a street value of approximately Bt180,000. Resultant checks on the mans passport revealed that he frequently travelled in and around Southeast Asia and as such is now thought to be a part of a transnational drugs syndicate. The 28-year-old man revealed that he had purchased the illegal drugs in Malaysia for Bt27,000 in total and was intending to sell the packages to several friends in Bangkok for Bt20,000 each. It is believed that he successfully entered the Kingdom of Thailand from the Sadao district checkpoint in Songkhla." EP note: The above case was very interesting. If I remember correctly, it also involved two Zimbabweans who used a textile export company in southern Thailand as a front for smuggling activities. From this article: "The meeting point was to be in front of the P.N. Inn on Moo 10 Walking Street, South Pattaya. Police had previously received information from an unknown source that Mr Ikani was a major drug dealer in the Pattaya area purchasing his drugs from Bangkok before heading south to on-sell the product at a higher price to foreigners. Police officers went to the meet and apprehended Mr. Ikani in possession of 2.82 grams of methamphetamine, a small quantity of marijuana and 6,000 baht in cash." From this article "Tourist Police commander Pol Maj-Gen Adisorn Ngamjitsuksri said the 30-year-old Nigerian national was identified as Ohanyiri Onyekwere Alentine. He was arrested at an apartment in Sukhumvit Road Soi 93 while he was preparing to deliver cocaine to a client. Police inspected his rented room and found a backpack containing 20 bags of cocaine, weighing two kilogrammes, hidden in the ceiling of the room. Gen Adisorn said the suspect entered the kingdom in 2008 and is married to a Thai woman. The suspect is a middleman receiving drugs from dealers and then distributing them to clients. Police initially charged him for illegal possession of drugs for trading, said the tourist police chief. (MCOT online news)" (Link to article about above scam.) And when the DEA is offering a cash reward, you know it's serious:

The branch in New York City is a wholesale bank, so you can't do ordinary retail transactions there. However, if you have an account with Bangkok Bank, you arrange at the New York branch for direct deposits to be made to a special Direct Deposit Account. The money in that account can then be transferred to an ordinary Bangkok Bank account, from which you can withdraw money in Thailand using an ATM card. Bangkok Bank's Web site says: "If you are a Bangkok Bank customer residing in the US you can submit your application form and supporting documents to Bangkok Bank's New York branch: 29 Broadway, 20th Fl, New York, New York 10006 United States, Tel: (1-212) 422-8200." Link The best way to get information would be to call that number in New York. Evil

I love the waitresses' uniforms. That would be reason enough for me to pay a return visit to Bob's BBQ. Good luck and I'll see you in March. Evil

Sounds more like the restaurants on Suk Soi 3/1 in Bangkok. Evil