wwest5829

This may only be of interest to Americans or others wanting to schedule being allowed to do a public tour of the White House. It appears that the only way to request being allowed on a tour is to make the request through the American's elected representative's office. OK, did that and was given the White House Visitors Office website link in order to enter the required background information for confirmation on the day of the tour (name, county of birth, Passport #, etc.). But the website will not allow me to enter my Thai Wife and Thai Stepdaughter's information. Anyone else run into this issue? It appears foreign nationals have to make the request through their Embassy and that is self defeating as some Embassies refuse to do this and it would not allow for us to participate as a family. Advice of cutting through this issue?

Learned the lesson in 7th grade. repeated something I was told by a mutual acquaintance, ... I ended up without a gf. ah, well ... we live and learn.

Well, not until 90 Day Report ad then request for extension. After 12 years retired, I am aware the potential twists and turns ...Also qualify for "O" based on marriage and have 400,000 baht in the bank.

No problem, open to discussion. I think what you say would be true if one entered Thailand on, say a Visa Exempt and then applied for the "O Visa" for retirement in CM. However, I'll let you ASEAN know if it works out for me getting an "O Visa" for retirement while outside Thailand, giving me a year before an Extension request while being able to show a year's worth of the required monthly deposits coming from outside Thailand.

"Knock on wood", check points here in Chiang Mai I am usually waved through. Figure they do not want to deal with English ... or maybe it is my aura ... or maybe they note my Thai wife. Ha! I usually get a smile and wave through, after 12 years and on the motorbike every other day perhaps the face is familiar.

Agreed. as an expat retiree I try for the 1500-2000 baht range.

I have been retired in Chiang Mai for 12 years now on an O-A Visa (USA) for reason of retirement. I have always used the monthly transfer of 65,000+ baht reasoning that, my retirement funds are invested and earning me dividends (about 5K in 2022) helping support my retirement. I will be allowing my O-A Visa to expire (yep insurance issue) and change to an O Visa this year. I plan on continuing my monthly transfers. $1526.00 USD of my monthly $2400.00 USD budget comes from US Social Security with the remainder from my retirement/invested funds. Works for me.

Once upon a time I thought I could view this in other countries and critique but now ... yes, in large measure because of available technology, I am quieted as an American. Oh, certainly, I can recognize different nuances but ... US corruption? Sadly widespread.

Before retiring to Thailand I did what I have been educated to do ... and so read Thai history, Thai sociology, Thai psychiatry, Thai culture books in addition to coming for two monthlong trips in 2009 and again in 2010. Oh, there have been cross cultural experiences for sure, but I cannot say there have been any real surprises. In this current issue? I think it is quite within the expectation of a country which is socially based on a structure giving status to both wealth and social standing. This reinforces the recognition of kreng jai with those with wealth/power giving and those lower, giving due diffidence. Thus, I am not at all confident to think that there could be substantial change without a deep social change expectation.

Seems to me that there should be a threat of charging official wrongdoing with, "lese majeste" charges as the wrongdoing caused embarrassment to the Kingdom of Thailand and so the King. If not used currently, OK but let the word go out that, in the future this is a probable charge for wrongdoing while serving in an official capacity.

Traveled 23 Mexican states in the VW Camper during the 1979-1980 academic year while on an unpaid sabbatical leave. Loved it ... Thailand certainly has the potential to further develpop their national parks with camping facilities.

Unless I am sadly mistaken, the recruiting of ex military into police forces is part of the attitude of fighting an enemy leading to far too much use of force. I have not seen the statistics so I am speculating here. Dept. of Justice says 25% ...

I applied your idea to encouraging watching movies based on historical events, often pointing out that students were to keep in mind that most movies are focused on entertainment and earning money not a dedication to historic accuracy. That said, I wanted them at least exposed to the history even if they did not read a book the movie was based upon.

Broaden the reading, “After nearly three weeks of being pressed to explain their decisions, Florida’s education officials shared 5,895 pages of documents showing what the state’s textbook reviewers saw in the volumes that led to their rejection.” - Washington Post. There is a lot to be digested, reflection on “unintended” or intended consequences being discussed. My reflection on what I taught certainly is questioned by some reviews of the books, if they allude to systemic rascism in the US, inequality in gender or racial treatment, stating that there is such a thing as climate change … My main concern is limiting what can be taught, by whom, and denying documented facts in favor of a political agenda. My political agenda as an educator is “academic freedom” to investigate, discuss, explore, discuss any topic. It appears to me in history that those who seek to restrict/control education are doing so to keep control politically over their citizenry.

According to some, my teaching about the growth of the institutional Christian Church and the actions taken against those who were not Christian (or not the right “brand”) … the exposure to the slavery and its results, the result of Europeans (including my DNA in MA, RI, Southern NJ) colonizing on the native cultures including the documented purposeful actions of genocide, would be cited as some as being wrong. I sought to teach the historically documented good, the bad and the ugly in order for students to reflect on how we got to where we appear to be. Fortunately, I chose to study European and American History (including Latin America) in addition to study in 7 countries so my background is rather broad in comprehending much of the various influences affecting our current human condition. And the more I have learned, the more I recognize that which I do not know. Not something that, apparently is faced by many.

Absolutely agree, political theatre initiated by DeSantis and his ilk. Actually, I am quite open to seeing discussion of the books forbidden out of fear of legal prosecution.

And then when these students get to me (well, before I retired) in college, I will be condemned for providing a damned "liberal" higher education because I would be teaching ideas that Florida students never previously encountered in their censored education.

We should not feed the troll.

Yes, Fidelity did not/would not conform to the required format allowing us to make an EFT directly to the Bangkok Bank, NYC Branch. Since that time, I set up a Wise (previously TransferWise) Account. After setting this up through Wise, once a month, Wise draws $2200.00 from my Fidelity Account (this is just my determined amount, yours can differ). When ordering the transfer into my Bangkok Bank Account, Wise asks for the reason of the transfer. By “checking” the long term stay living expenses box, the transfer is noted by Bangkok Bank as an FFT satisfying Thai Immigration (I use the monthly transfer to meet the income requirement.

A asset to be developed in Thailand is its national parks. So much potential ... oh, and change the park charges for those of us on long term Visas/Extensions.

My thought was for the Chinese, coming in increasing numbers and having only the less efficient Chinese vaccine shots. As short term, they would pay for their shots, if I understand the wording.

Hmmm, were they on active duty at the time? I am reflecting on police serving as security guards on their own time ... certainly allowed in the USA. The rub only comes if they were on duty and/or using official police cars, etc.

Careful P might decide he needs to protect Russian speakers and claim to annex … additional vacation spot and place to retire …

I would never claim this. Both the spending and the lack of a workable immigration policy are the result of both parties “kicking the can down the road” so they do not upset their chance to be re-elected (and here I observe that the ultimate responsibility is on the citizen voters not demanding change). Reality under the last administration? Raise the spending and reduce the tax on the corporations/wealthy … which party held the majority and passed both these things?