bradiston

She had an ed visa, then COVID extensions I think, then went back to Philippines.

From a mate whose Filipina gf (I've changed the names) recently came through immigration at Suvarnabhumi from Manila: "Jenny got back but immigration gave her a lot of hassle. They took her to the Detention center and questioned her. Said she had stayed in Thailand too long and tried to get her to buy a ticket back to Phil. They kept saying you’ve stayed in Thailand long time; you buy ticket and go home now, to stay in Thailand a long time you need a Non IMM “0” Visa. She says I can’t get I’m too young and not married. They then said why you not married you’ve been in Thailand a long time with boyfriend. Fortunately, she stood up for herself and refused to buy a return ticket, said I’ve already got a return ticket and I’ve done nothing wrong and always left before my Visa expired. I Spoke with her on the phone while she’s being questioned and told her to ask for a reason for refused entry in writing if they don't let her in. I tried to speak with them but they refused to take the phone from her to speak with me. Would have said you issued her the visas so how can she have stayed too long. Three of them then took her phone off her and went through it. Asked questions about every photo, who are you with, where was it taken etc. Found nothing wrong there so they then said they didn’t believe she had paid for a return ticket although she had shown them the booking details with Cebu Pacific. She called me again and I emailed the receipt for payment. They still said they still didn’t believe she was going back and called Cebu Pacific Airlines to check the validity of the return ticket. They eventually said they would let her in but she must leave by the XXth Sept which is her return flight to Manila or she would be banned from entering Thailand for life. Kept her in the airport for over 3 hours. I went to the XXXXXX school on Monday with her and told the story, seems there is an issue between Airport Immigration and XXXXXX immigration, I guess because they’re not getting any money out of it. The school spoke with XXXXXX Immigration and said no problem they are just trying to scare other Asians from coming in under such Visas. Pity I wasn’t with her, could have made them look stupid. Seems they have racial issues with other Asians, I’ve seen it with Cambodians, Thais treat them like dogs. A new education visa is now in progress, been to XXXXXX immigration today, they took her photo and should get the visa in about 2 weeks, nothing was said about earlier visas. . I’m assured there’s no problem by XXXXXX. Seems they were looking for a reason to refuse entry but couldn’t find one so had to let her in. The previous Visas were all in order and never any overstay." For a citizen of an ASEAN country, it's incredible. What's the point? I recall back in the 80s when I flew to the UK with my newly wedded Thai wife, they tried it on at Heathrow, but I simply wouldn't permit us being separated. They didn't push it (until we came back from a trip to France, that is). I'd been warned by the nice lady at the British Embassy in Bangkok.

What leader of a nuclear power is going to deny they'd ever use them? The only idiot stupid enough to do so would be Kim Wrong'un, leader of the prison colony formerly known as North Korea. Maybe the US does have a plan. Weaken Russia to the point of capitulation? How long will that take, and cause how much damage to the global economy, and Europe?

Not being part of the industry, except as a customer, I am not privy to these details. Who are "The people at WR/AIS"? Nobody seems to know. And by whom are they well known in the industry? And what other ventures have they been involved in? All sounds very murky.

I don't believe the nuclear war mongers. All bets would be off. Russia would disappear off the map, as would most of Europe, so what the heck would be the point? If China got involved....? Well I really don't think that's ever going to happen. Despite their apparent support for Putin, they are nowhere near stupid enough to get dragged into that. In fact quite the opposite. And the same goes for India and Pakistan. North Korea wouldn't last long under a hail of US warheads either. I can't believe Truss ever came out with such a stupid statement, but maybe you have a source for that. Sure, things could escalate. Putin will whine like sxxx if European bases are used to repel his wretched wreckers. An air led defense has a much greater potential I would imagine than land based. It would be in Ukraine airspace, a friendly territory. Any incursions by Moscow would immediately be flagged as a violation of international law, and an act of war. But it seems the world is just watching and waiting, but for what is anybody's guess. How bad does it have to get? I think if the US and Europe got themselves together, not sure really what Putin's answer would be. He would only use nuclear in retaliation or in response to an existential threat to Russia, something that, despite his rubbish rhetoric, has never been on the cards.

This just seems a feature of these schools. The heads of the various schools appear to do nothing, nor the education ministry or department of education. What is it? An accepted part of college education? Idiot rivalries? Public brawling? What an image to convey.

I wonder where the government gets its data. They provide really quite detailed figures about the movement of labour, out of agriculture for instance, figures relating to a whole variety of sectors, retail, hotel, exports, manufacturing etc etc. There's so much casual and temporary work though. People picking up odd jobs here and there. Are any of their data reliable?

There wouldn't have been a WWII with that attitude. Hitler and Stalin invaded Poland, Hitler Czechoslovakia, Austria, and the Sudetenland. France and the UK declared war on Germany. Appeasement didn't work. The Nazis were not a nice bunch. Nor Mussolini, nor the Imperial Japanese army. Europeans have been lulled into a false sense of security. Now, they've been found out.

You meet quite a number of Russians here in Pattaya. Believe me, they are far from all bad. Many have family in Ukraine. It's a crazy situation for them too. But opposing Putin is an almost impossible task for Russians, so there's no banking on an internal coup I don't think. They face heavy penalties for showing any sign of opposition. I asked a 15 yo lad how it was in Moscow right now. He said it's really pretty normal but people miss their luxuries, "like Nike" he said. So quite what effect sanctions are having is hard to say.

I referred only to what was widely reported, ie the sentencing of the SA girl, and the couple busted for attempting to send over 4 kg of heroin to Australia. Not on their guilt. Not on the details of any court hearings, apart from raising questions on the due process. Empathy is simply the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes. For all your high moral tone and supposed intellectual superiority, you forget, people make mistakes, they make bad choices and they suffer the consequences, sometimes til the day they die. I don't think that's a laughing matter. But you seem to rate stupidity as completely unforgivable. But it only hurt her. What about her boyfriend? Obviously not stupid, but the damage done is immeasurable. I don't understand the use of "recognize" in your last paragraph. My guess it means "understood". No, you're right. I'll never understand people who think they're so smart they'll never trip up, and laugh at people who do.

I suggest reading the news mate. I'm not going to waste my time pointing you in the right direction. It's all been reported in the national press, and here on various forums. And don't make inaccurate and potentially libelous casual enquiries about my links to these cases. I don't have any. But I do have a lot of empathy. Same for a wounded animal, or one caught in a trap. I'm not delusional. And you should know, the word "substance" can have several meanings. If you're suggesting I am taking some form of "substance", the same applies as above. I recognise, I think, your attempts at humour. Schadenfreude? Is other people's misfortune all just a huge joke to you?

I posted this over a month ago, July 21st. What's changed? Not a lot, except the destruction is grotesque. I don't think Ukraine can get Russia off its territory on its own. If Russia can march in, why can Europe not roll in, as "peace keepers"? You really think Putin would consider a nuclear option? Nah, no chance. It would be the end of everything. But, he has to be stopped. A peace keeping force invited in by Zelensky. It's so late in the day. So much damage. And Russian advances. Europe has dragged its feet. Unprepared, and unwilling to fight. Now, it's getting late to do anything. Is there a plan?

YMMV = your mileage may vary. Meaning there's no one size fits all. The law is applied unequally in this case, and in this country, and how! I don't give ANY credit to what the police say. The case was presumably sub judice at the time. They were in contempt by saying ANYTHING before, during, or after the court case. But they do it every time. The police are complete idiots. They have no concept of due process. They go for a confession every time. I know. I've had the 3rd degree treatment. They try and pressure you. It's a complete disgrace. They have absolutely no clue.

Just how much do you actually know about the extradition process? You make a lot of statements as if you were an experienced criminal lawyer. You seem to be intent on shooting down any possibility of bringing him to account . What's your suggestion for so doing?

My research says he was charged and released on a $16,000 bail bond. He then skipped. "While Vorayuth later admitted to police that he had hit the policeman, he told investigators the man had abruptly cut in front of him. He was charged with reckless driving and failing to stop or inform authorities – a potential 10-year jail sentence – and released on 500,000-baht [£10,100] bail. It was unclear what the results of his blood alcohol test were." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/04/red-bull-heir-hit-run-thailand There seems to be all sorts of <deleted> a out the red notice. Can't get to the bottom of that. But from the above, he's a bail skipper and a wanted man, though I'm not sure what he was charged with back in 2012.

So doesn't Thailand have extradition treaties with any country Boss has been spotted in?

He is wanted in Thailand. He skipped bail. There is a warrant out for his arrest. If Thailand has made a request regarding his presence in a foreign country then that foreign country is obliged to comply. Harbouring by any other name would smell as bad.

But it happens that Boss is wanted in Thailand, and if there is a red notice naming him, countries that don't notify the Thai authorities of his entry into their countries would be deemed to be harbouring him surely? And even without a red notice, he is a wanted man in his home country. We read of wanted person's being deported from here on a regular basis. How does this guy differ in the country he is residing?

I think maybe a better solution to all your problems might be to secure your bank accounts, your phone, your property, indeed your existence here in Thailand. I'm not sure what world you're living in if you think someone who has taken money from your account should send it back? ????

"The police just said..." Was this sworn testimony in court, under oath? Or just a completely illegal casual press release allegation? Is there any record of her actually saying this, or admitting to it? As reported, the Thai justice system seems devoid of any due process - a caution, legal representation, right to remain silent etc etc. I had a Swiss acquaintance, nabbed for receiving a small packet of drugs, not sure what, via a ferry. It was a sting. He got 16 months. In 8 he was back in a Swiss jail, and out in 12. To say YMMV is slightly understating it.

She was given the death penalty for what? A kilo of ecstasy? Commuted to life, and then halved. What kind of nonsense justice system sentences someone to death for signing for a parcel of drugs that weren't even hers? This couple were sending over 4kg of heroin. In her case, it seems she had no legal representation. Appeal and declare a mistrial. Gross miscarriage of justice.

If they got your phone unlocked, all data on the phone would have been scrubbed. And I mean everything, apps, contacts, emails, messaging, passwords, browsing data, the lot. So, how did they get into your bank account? You say you changed the password and bought a new phone and a new SIM and notified the bank, so your old phone and SIM should have been blocked. Something's not right here. Good luck getting your money back.

Now that I find almost impossible to believe. I mean the idea she would admit she knew the parcel contained drugs, and went ahead and signed for it. What did she think the drugs were? ???? Where was her lawyer at this point? I made a statement once in a cop shop. All written in Thai. I refused to sign. Messed up my case completely. You have 3 months in which to sign. I forgot all about it. Many months later my case collapsed as a result. Get everything translated!

Easily commuted to life

So they've unlocked your stolen phone? Make and model doesn't mean much if it was, say, a Samsung Jx or other popular make/model. But didn't you change your banking app password after your phone was stolen and they got into your account the first time? Krungthai send me an SMS every time I log into my account. Maybe they've put a keylogger on your new one. If you've got a new mobile number as well, you've got your work cut out updating all your apps and institutions that use it. You did block the SIM, right?