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Then they should remove as many Thais from the roads as possible. They are the ones who can't drive

Kind of unbelievable. Why don't they put their resources into education of Thai drivers. The total abuse of common sense driving here is sickening.

Very strange, as foreign folk from first world countries have to pass a stringent driving test, where as here, that is non-existent............

Thailand was in trouble years ago. Their blind arrogance got in the way of them seeing it.

Thai’s are the worst drivers I have ever seen, and believe me, I have been around! Mark.

Although many expats have already noticed this and talked about it here on the forum, Thailand is refusing to listen.. This is the result of outdated and conservative laws, and requirements and lack of changing .. Welcome retirees and expats instead of chasing them away, because once they are gone they will never come or come back again..

Because she's a scammer, trying to extort money. Which gives the guy a good warning.

Hoi An, Vietnam For decades, Thailand was the go-to haven for expats seeking a tropical paradise with a friendly vibe and low cost of living. However, times are changing, as many are now leaving due to increased expenses and complicated bureaucratic processes. The welcoming smile for which Thailand is known seems to be fading, and neighbouring Vietnam is quickly becoming the new favourite. Dual pricing in Thailand has escalated into a significant sticking point for foreigners. Guests to the country, whether at national parks, medical facilities, or popular street markets, often see inflated prices simply because they're not locals. What was once a tolerable annoyance is now perceived by many as institutional exploitation. As one expat cheekily puts it, the "Land of Smiles" now feels more akin to the "Land of Profits". Visa complexities add to the exasperations, as Thailand’s formerly amicable immigration policies have transformed into a bewildering maze of paperwork and procedures. For long-term visitors, the congested immigration offices and fluctuating requirements have turned what used to be a simple procedure into a daunting ordeal. Many retirees and long-stay tourists find themselves frustrated, pushing them to seek more straightforward paths elsewhere. It feels, as one retiree lamented, as if the calculations have been altered to push expats out slowly. Moreover, Thailand's once-renowned nightlife, a historical cornerstone of its charming allure, faces similar criticism. Rising prices and aggressive behaviours in major tourist hubs, such as Pattaya and Phuket, have soured the once vibrant scene. Once praised for its relaxed atmosphere, the nightlife seems to have grown more hostile and commercialised, dampening Thailand's once bright appeal among expats, writes Michael Schwerzer for Wochen Blitz. On another front, Vietnam emerges as an exciting alternative, offering simpler visa arrangements, lower living costs, and a generally welcome attitude towards foreign guests. Cities like Da Nang, Hoi An, and Nha Trang are becoming increasingly popular among expats drawn by affordable living, authentic cuisine, and a community spirit that is still very much alive. Although Vietnam comes with its own set of hurdles, including some corruption and freedom of expression concerns, expats find these less intrusive compared to the hurdles in Thailand. In terms of value, Vietnam appears to offer more for less. Rent is cheaper, food is often praised as more authentic, and general living expenses remain manageable, even on modest retirement incomes. The difference isn’t only financial; many expats report an emotional relief found in the warmth and genuine welcome they encounter. "In Vietnam, people celebrate you as a guest," said one British expat. "That special feeling is vanishing in Thailand." The Thai tourism industry is at a critical juncture. Failing to address these significant grievances could mean losing its long-standing expat community. Vietnam, with its welcoming environment and competitive cost of living, increasingly captivates and offers a vibrant alternative. If Thailand does not take decisive action to reduce bureaucracy, abolish dual pricing, and re-establish its welcoming spirit, it risks being outshone by Vietnam as the leading expat destination in Southeast Asia. The coming years will be pivotal in determining whether Thailand can reclaim its esteemed position as the expat capital of Southeast Asia or whether Vietnam will seize that role for good. One thing remains evident: Expats are voting with their feet, and increasingly, they’re making their way east. Phuket, Thailand Adapted by ASEAN Now from Wochen Blitz 2025-06-19

This sounds like Tony has his snout deeply in the 2026 budget bill and wants to make sure his payday comes through...

She aint looking after no kids, her Mother is, she dont have to pay no bar release either, the whole things is just extorortion wrapped in pretty knickers! All thats missing from that is the sick buffalo or sick Mother WAKE UP

It's a lucky guy who gets to take the winner of a knife fight back to his room.

It was in Bangkok.

Having done the written test last year, twice in fact as failed the first attempt, I hope that they will get someone who can actually speak/read English to translate the often bizarre questions/answers. And in a 4 answer multi-choice exam there is usually 1 correct answer...not here, some questions had 3 correct and one incorrect....I was told I failed the first attempt because I didn't select the "most correct" answer.

Test the people who have a driving licence from a country with much stricter road safety and more stringent learning and testing... Makes perfect sense. More efforts to make foreigners look bad in order to divert attention. That will help tourism for sure.

Thailand is ten times better than Communist Vietnam. Thailand has visas to suit everyone. Next week they will be Cambodia is going to beat Thailand. Next month the Philippines. But the reality is Thailand is the best. Always has been, always will be.

With the elites in control it will only get worse Vietnam is the go to place at the moment Thailand's days of welcoming tourists is fading fast and with a strong baht it's going to be a uphill battle

Photo courtesy of Thai Visa Expert Thailand is set to introduce stricter regulations for foreign nationals seeking to obtain a Thai driver's licence. The Department of Land Transport (DLT) has proposed a draft regulation requiring all foreigners to pass a written test, irrespective of holding a valid international driving permit (IDP). The change aims to revoke the current acceptance of IDPs as sufficient proof for acquiring a temporary Thai licence. According to a Ministry of Transport source, the DLT is actively seeking public feedback on the draft, which highlights updated protocols for training, testing, and licence renewals for both Thai and foreign drivers. The main objective of these reforms is to align with international standards and enhance road safety. "The changes are designed to ensure fairness and competency for all drivers, while also improving regulatory oversight," the source explained. Key changes include: Temporary Driver’s Licences: IDPs will no longer be valid for obtaining a temporary licence. Foreign Licence Holders: Foreign nationals must now pass a written exam to convert their existing foreign licence to a Thai one. This requirement was previously waived. Licence Validity Extension: The validity of personal driving licences will increase from two years to five for applicants with a previously expired Thai temporary licence. End of IDP Fast Track: Neither foreign-issued driving licences nor IDPs will exempt applicants from the written test. These proposed rules could significantly affect tourists, expats, and foreign workers who have relied on IDPs for quick access to Thai roads. The DLT has not announced when these regulations will be implemented, but an official announcement is anticipated following the public consultation phase. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-06-20

Hard heads the Swedes, Gottfrid will have a bit of a hangover today!😏

Thaksin demands this, Thaksin demands that, Thaksin plays Power Card.......Exactly who is running the government?

File Photo – Police stand guard as cannabis activists and entrepreneurs, holding cannabis plants, gather in front of Government House in Bangkok. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File) Thailand plans to reclassify cannabis as a controlled substance, limiting its use strictly to medical purposes, according to Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin. On 24th June 2024, Somsak Thepsuthin, Thailand's Health Minister, announced that cannabis will be classified again as a controlled substance, restricting its use to medical applications only. The minister signed a declaration requiring a doctor's prescription and certificate for cannabis purchases. He emphasised that this move is not a crackdown on cannabis shops following the Bhumjaithai Party's withdrawal from the government. The decision follows public consultations held between 22nd May and 10th June 2024, where the majority supported the medical-only use of cannabis. Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin New business licences will require additional regulations and mandates that a doctor is present in shops or conduct monthly checks. Non-compliance could lead to licence revocation. The Bhumjaithai Party's efforts to push a Cannabis Control Bill are deemed unrealistic, as past laws allowed certain substances to be managed by the Health Ministry. The minister expressed frustration over the political promises and disconnected implementation, noting a burst of cannabis-related businesses without clear legal backing. Somsak clarified that the current measures are not politically motivated but address ongoing public concerns. The focus remains on cannabis being a strictly controlled medicinal herb, with future plans to reapply its classification as a controlled substance. Adapted by ASEAN Now from CH 7 Thai News 2025-06-24

Idiotic topic.

I think the death penalty is a step too far, in a nutshell the problem is Ms Paetongtarn is sorely under qualified for the position she is in & everyone knows if it wasn't for her fathers influence she would not have been considered for the PM position.

this definitely doesn't make a country, and it would be the last place I want to start a career. Be like The Terminator and go to America. He became Governor. Vietnam is good. Thailand is good. Japan is good. Parts of Europe are nice. Places in America are nice. We don't all think alike. I would not consider my life a success if I could only retire in the cheapest place.

Meghan continues to assert one simple wish: for people to tell the truth. OK, I'll start: Your husband is the bastard son of a retired cavalry officer.

why just foreigners reported in this publication, how many Thais were caught for the same period ???

The past sucks....

You must realize that the helmet wasn't put on to protect said man's thick head but rather said man's thin wallet.

From Buriram, 26, has money problems, has an 8 year-old daughter and speaks decent English - I think I know her. Does she have a one syllable, three letter name?

Unfortunately he fell asleep during the meeting and nothing got done..

Ive been living in Thailand for 12 years. A long time ago I contacted the legendary moderator named 'Ubon Joe' who was a visa specialist on the url: thaivisa.com As you probably know, he sadly died 2 years ago. Thanks to his advice I will be getting Thai citizenship. The reason I originally contacted him was that I wanted to get Thai Citizenship. I was married and had a small business with my wife but we didn't have a company structure. When we first started our business my wife and I didn't want to start a limited company and register for VAT. We first wanted to see if our business would be successful. Anyways, with Joe's help we came up with a plan which I will be doing a video about in the next 4 weeks on my youtube channel 'Durian Man Thailand'. I successfully obtained the WP and have used this WP to be accepted in the Thai Citizenship program. I will also be doing a video about tips for applying for Thai citizenship, on the basis of marriage to a Thai national, in the future. To start with here is a basic video about applying for an Ext of stay based on Marriage- which Joe also helped me with. Thanks for watching Durian Man Thailand.

Just because you haven't experienced it, doesn't mean that dual pricing at hospitals doesn't exist. I was diagnosed with Leukemia in Sept 2023, and my first batch of meds cost me $25 per month for 90 days at the local government hospital. The next batch cost me $200 for the same meds, so I found my own supplier in Bangkok and got it for $20. I contested the charges and was told that farangs pay double if not more. An exotic blood test cost me 11,990 Baht and the sample was sent to a lab in Bangkok. When the same test was due after 6 months, I went to The Army Hospital and paid only 4,900 Baht for the same exact test using the same lab in Bangkok. Not only are the government hospitals ripping off farangs, but the private hospitals are much worse.

My wife did not want to retire in Australia. She asked me to retire with her in Thailand. Let's be blunt, I am only here because I love my wife, and because of the still cheaper cost of living. I already lived in paradise in northern Queensland in Australia. Thailand had nothing to offer except for my wife, her nice family and friends and very cheap real-estate. As I'm not into partying, night-life and the usual BS that foreigners get up to, I'm not really interested in the various issues raised. Yes, the visas are a pain but still easier to obtain than if my wife were to try and enter Australia. Yes, I'm losing 20% of the value of my money during conversion because of the weak dollar vs strong baht, however, I still bought a mansion for a pittance and a new car. Also, the land ownership kafuffle is slightly misrepresented. Although I am not allowed to be registered as an owner of land under the land titles act, I have equal rights to land, money etc under the Thai Marriage Act. Since I have a prenuptial agreement, if my wife dies before me, I inherit the whole house and everything else, including land. Although I'd be the legal owner under the marriage/inheritance act, I am unable to transfer the house into my name. The same situation existed in Germany after my father died. I inherited the house under German inheritance law. No contest there. However, for me to be able to sell my house, I had to transfer it into my name first by rocking up personally to the inheritance court in Germany and identifying myself. There is a distinct mismatch in the land titles act and what I am entitled to under the marriage and inheritance acts in Germany and Thailand. Although I finally had my father's house transferred into my name without setting foot in Germany, the land titles act in Thailand forbids me to transfer the land into my name, and if did inherit it, I'd have to sell it. However, I'd be entitled to all profits. Couples who are free from suspicion of fraud should be granted full and equal land title rights in Thailand instead of this blanket paranoia against all and any foreigner. My previous Thai wife in Australia owned properties together with me and had bank loans in Australia before she even became an Australian citizen. Why must Thailand be so backward? That's my main issue.

Why do many people NOT drink alcohol even though it's legal?

Questions 2. You're at a red light do you.... 1. Wait until it's green to proceed. 2. What red light ? 3. Wait to see what Somchai does first..then blast through the light when its kinda clear. 4. Is that a cop. Turn around go the wrong way back down the soi because you weren't wearing a helmet.

A concern for some is a cause for celebration for others

Vietnam is OK for tourists but without a retirement visa it is a non starter for expats.

Not complaining, just noticed ever since Thai Visa changed to AN, there is just more complaining and bickering in most posts, mostly from MAGA supporters, not all of course. Years ago, there was information about visas, some of them passed away(RIP), but now it is only about Trump or the USA Why? The world has billions of people a lot of posters are sceptical about Indians, Chinese, and Russians or making stupid remarks about other nationalities. Why is that ? I guess this post isn't going to last a long time, but this is only my opinion.

Stupid tourist. Drunk, lying on the floor. What does he expect. I feel sorry for the bolt driver.

Laziest thread starter in the world. No description of what's included in the breakfast, no photo, nothing. Why don't you put more effort into it?

For me there are a few reasons why I would never consider Vietnam. 1. From what I understand the retirement Visa is still an issue in Vietnam it's a fairly simple process here. 2. I find a lot of the people to be a bit like cold wet fish, very similar to the Chinese people on the mainland, not much humor, kind of heavy-hearted, they still have a bit of a chip on their shoulders, and it's never been my favorite country in the region. 3. I don't feel like the culture there is as welcoming for mixed couples as it is here in Thailand. 4. I don't like the government here and I never have, they keep on reaching towards the bottom of the barrel and the policy here is incredibly regressive, but I would not want to live in a country where I'm constantly having to deal with communist officials. 5. I've had some very positive experiences with the healthcare system here in Thailand, and I consider it to be on par or better than it is in the US for a fraction of the cost. Can Vietnam rival that? The upside there is the food is excellent, access to fine wine at reasonable markup, much higher quality beer, a highly varied topography, with stunning beaches and very clear water, high quality seafood, and stunning women. I might be an exception as I see so many guys on here complaining about the Thai people, but I really like them. I find them to be quite delightful, light-hearted, humorous and fun to be around. What am I missing?

I'd rather die. 🙂

The legal aid system was designed to provide a reasonable defence for British citizens when accused of a serious crime and is paid for by UK taxpayers. To provide this for dinghy illegals at the cost of £69 per hour per illegal is insulting. If there was anyone of any reasonable intelligence in government then the illegal dinghy arrivals would be made to fund their own appeals and accommodation or give them a choice of accepting a free flight home. Then there would be no backlog and the hotels would magically empty.

Nonsense.. Most flights are booked weeks before departure, and the Israeli-Iran conflict is just escalating in the last week.. Thailand should be happy that less Israeli tourists are coming as they caused a lot of trouble as we could read here

Another one for the ignore list

What a load of BS. Had loads of times that Thai people ask me if I want to sit in the BTS.

Yes you will pay a fine 2000b. As for "is it the agents fault".... No it's your fault for not being the least interested in keeping an eye on the ball game.

Three Years to the Brink: Climate Scientists Warn of Imminent 1.5C Breach The planet is just three years away from surpassing the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming threshold if carbon dioxide emissions remain at current levels, according to a dire new warning issued by more than 60 of the world’s top climate scientists. Their latest study, the most comprehensive update yet on the trajectory of global warming, signals that without swift and severe cuts to emissions, the world will overshoot its most important climate target. In 2015, nearly 200 nations signed the landmark Paris Agreement, pledging to limit global temperature increases to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels in hopes of staving off the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. However, a continued reliance on fossil fuels and widespread deforestation have pushed that target dangerously close to being breached. "Things are all moving in the wrong direction," said Professor Piers Forster, lead author of the study and director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures at the University of Leeds. "We're seeing some unprecedented changes and we're also seeing the heating of the Earth and sea-level rise accelerating as well." He added that these shifts are no surprise. "These changes have been predicted for some time and we can directly place them back to the very high level of emissions." At the start of 2020, climate scientists estimated humanity had around 500 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide left to emit to retain a 50% chance of staying within the 1.5C limit. But by early 2025, this “carbon budget” will have shrunk dramatically to just 130 billion tonnes, according to the new findings. With current emissions averaging 40 billion tonnes per year, that budget would be depleted in roughly three years, potentially locking the planet into breaching the Paris threshold. Although this would not immediately result in a global temperature rise of 1.5C, the trajectory suggests that threshold will likely be passed around the year 2030. While 2024 saw the first-ever 12-month period where average global air temperatures exceeded 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, this alone does not constitute a formal breach of the Paris Agreement. However, researchers found that last year’s temperature—1.36C above historical norms—was overwhelmingly driven by human-caused emissions. The planet is currently warming at a pace of about 0.27C per decade—an unprecedented rate in Earth’s geological history. While some propose removing carbon from the atmosphere as a potential solution after breaching 1.5C, experts caution that such technologies remain largely theoretical and may not fully reverse the warming. "For larger exceedance [of 1.5C], it becomes less likely that removals [of CO2] will perfectly reverse the warming caused by today's emissions," warned Professor Joeri Rogelj of Imperial College London. One of the most striking findings of the study is the acceleration in the Earth’s “energy imbalance”—the rate at which the planet is absorbing more energy than it emits. Dr. Matthew Palmer of the UK Met Office and University of Bristol explained, "That's a really large number, a very worrying number" over such a short time frame. This energy is manifesting in multiple ways—warming land and air, melting glaciers, and, most significantly, heating oceans. Approximately 90% of the excess heat is absorbed by the seas, contributing not only to marine disruption but also rising sea levels. The pace of sea-level rise has doubled since the 1990s, further endangering coastal populations around the world. Despite the grim projections, there is a faint glimmer of hope. The rate of emissions growth appears to be slowing, partly due to the expansion of cleaner technologies. Scientists stress that now is the time for urgent action. "Reductions in emissions over the next decade can critically change the rate of warming," said Professor Rogelj. "Every fraction of warming that we can avoid will result in less harm and less suffering of particularly poor and vulnerable populations and less challenges for our societies to live the lives that we desire." Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-06-21

I would love to know exactly what Thaksin has over the whole on the government, everyone appears to $hit scared of upsetting him, it really is disturbing the amount control he has over legitimate government officials. None appear to have a pair !!!!

Awesome. Anyone who thinks the Iran government is for good are total ignorant fools.

I don't need it, a beer is quite adequate for me................🤗