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I got that the track was quite unique.  It was described as bouncy, and I believe it had a very measurable effect on the lower times in so many running events.  That 400 M mens hurdles.  The guy broke the record just a month or so before then shattered it again. 

  I am old enough to remember running on a cinder track in High School!  I think it is not a fair comparison for so many records.  Of course people train better now, eat better, and with millions more athletes to choose from, performances should improve.  But like any track and field meet, what counts is how you perform on that day.  Time records... nice to record and use as training metrics, but not relevant the day of the meet

2 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

With all this consciousness of doom and gloom, there is something more menacing creeping. 

Of the last two weeks to a month, there have been a couple of nastier SARS-CoV mutated strains that have been identified and developing as we speak - spreading uncomfortably fast. 

 

These latest variants are said to have the possibilities of being current vaccine resistant as well as being a much more deadly strain. 

 

Something to look forward to. 

I would not doubt it.  Even flu vaccines are only 40% effective.  The scientists have to predict in advance what strains to shoot at before they start the mass production.  By the time the vaccines are made, distributed, people get around to getting the shots, etc.., well, a lot of changes have happened. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP2tUW0HDHA

Idiocracy.  Top ten

1 minute ago, Nickelbeer said:

The online 90 day reports have never worked for me. They work fine for my agent. As far as being "flush with cash", that is something I have NEVER been and never SHALL be. I have a monthly income of about 85 thousand baht a month. When I first came here, an Immigration officer told me they didn't care WHERE my money was, just so I had at least 65 thousand baht a month. It didn't take them long to destroy a nice smooth system and demand 800 thousand baht in the bank to remain untouched. Can't do it and WON'T do it. The only thing keeping me here is COVID restrictions and I am still waiting to receive word about when I can be vaccinated. Once the Philippines opens back up, I am GONE.  I am not going to subject myself to the monthly whims of Immigration.

You do not need to maintain 800k a month in the bank.  You seem to have enough for the 65K monthly income amount.  Depending on which country you are from, you can use the embassy letter, but I assume you are either UK or USA citizen so you have to do the monthly transfer <deleted>.

  And yes, my plan was always to use the income method and get the simple USA embassy letter.  For the last 15 years I invested primarily for income, divvies and interest and did not care too much for growth and did not try to pick lows, time the markets etc.  Now I can do either income or amount method. I prefer the income transfer since I prefer to keep my monies invested back in the USA.  But there is a chance for simplicity and for the year or two when I really see if I can stand retiring in Thailand, I will do the 800k baht.  I will not lose much income parking that in Thailand.  One would have to do the foreign account form for the IRS every year, but that is trivial. 

Remember when STDs were a fear? Remember in the 80s when HIV and AIDs was a fear?  Whole industries initially reacted.  Barber shops carried more germicide. Barbers wore gloves and masks and shields being afraid of blood splatters.  Pools and Jacuzzis closed in places as fears the HIV could be transmitted.  Sports teams isolating people.  Much of that is forgotten these days.  How do some of you compare that with the current COVID ups and downs?  Quarantines, shutdowns, masks, then no masks, distancing, then no distancing, cleaning surfaces then not cleaning surfaces.  

On 8/7/2021 at 11:25 AM, jesimps said:

Probably for the same reason that if I was flush with cash, there is no way I'd waste even one second of my precious life visiting the immigration office. It would be a big stretch of the imagination to call it a pleasant experience. I suppose there are one or two on here who actually look forward to it judging by some of the posts.

One does not have to be flush with cash.   Do 90 day reports online (sometimes) or by mail.  Extensions once a year.  That is not an onerous  amount of time.  I understand the desire to avoid lines and bureaucracy.   But using agent for just routine processing and not fronting the 800k baht does not cost too much.  I have used an agent once for an extension just so I could avoid going down to Jomtien from Pattaya, and the cost was nominal. four 90 day reports, one yearly extension are pretty routine and an agent can help with any nuances the local office or officer may have and sort things out on the sport,  I went to Key Visa, filled our or helped them fill out a few forms, gave them my passport, and I got everything back the next day all stamped and good to go.

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

If you apply for the non-o visa at a embassy or official consulate the 40/400k baht medical insurance coverage is required for the 90 day entry. You would also need the covid 19 insurance coverage.

Ah, but if you applied for or converted over to the non-O visa while in Thailand you would not need the medical insurance coverage?

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

A retirement visa does not exist.

Only Non-OA visa comes close to that. The OA visa allows unlimited one year permit to stays when entering the country for one year from the day it issued. It requires the medical insurance coverage for a one year, a criminal background check and medical insurance.

You can apply for single entry non-o visa that will allow one 90 day permit to stay when entering the country for being 50 or over. It only requires medical insurance valid for the 90 day entry it allows. The then during the last 30 days of the 90 day permit to stay you can apply for a one year extension based upon retirement.

You can also enter visa exempt or with a tourist visa and then apply for 90 day non-o visa entry at immigration with no medical insurance required.

You need the covid 19 insurance for any entry valid for the length of stay you get when enter the country.

 

Clarification please.  The single entry Non O requires insurance for the initial 90 day period?  Is that complete health insurance or just the special COVID insurance?  I thought the Non Imm O did not require any health insurance except for that special COVID policy

3 minutes ago, apophyss said:

Every weeks thai news look like a first april...

Yep, more than a month of Sundays

To quote Colin Farrel the Coach in the movie The Gentlemen,  "I can do better than that"

The opening photo shows here without a mask and dealing with Children.  Children often carry more germs and diseases than other people because they interact all over the place, are notorious for putting their hands in their nose, mouth, etc. 

Oh heck, any of the smart phones Iphones or Android that use the Cloud for storage are very open to being monitored.  Even Apple is talking about scanning files on the cloud, while not specifically excluding having the ability to scan files stored on the phones themselves.  Most countries have ways to monitor any and all traffic that goes through the network servers.   How much is done with or without proper court orders, legal wire taps, etc.  is a whole large topic in itself.  Heck even chats on Youtube that people engage in are extremely open to peeking into. 

22 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Last time I flew, first class was a bit expensive for people that teach in Thailand for a living. Even business is probably out of reach as well, unless she is independently wealthy, and if she was this thread would likely never have happened, IMO.

Business class is not too bad.  But few if any people pay in cash, if that is even allowed any more, not at most of the check in kiosks I don't think.  Does she not have a basic credit card that has enough available credit to charge on plane ticket?  Then sort out the billing and paying later.

21 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

I know two people who went home last week they had enough especially with the alcohol ban, the one guy said if he had known about the ban he would have cancelled

I was ready to go to Thailand.  But ban after ban.  Now hotel and condo pools closed.  My needs are modest, but at some point I am just going back to my place in Florida and enjoy those clean beaches.  Melbourne Florida has a very nice Thai Temple that serves up great food for sale on Sundays.  And it is so nice to sit there and listen to the Thai being spoken and at times have met some nice people there and had some good chats

On my 15 trips to Thailand since 2004 and many trips to some outlying places, using public transit, buses, AC VIP long distance over night trips, etc, I never felt un safe.  Even walking around Pattaya at 3 AM during low season when not much was going on, except for a ladyboy doing a U turn on her motorbike to hop off and grope me trying to find my wallet. 

But there is safety in numbers.  When there are travelers milling around it does lessen the chances of really bad things happening I think,

  I did feel that Phuket was a bit more wild wild west than other parts of Thailand.  

We Ain't got nothing yet, Hitching a ride vanity fare,  Let it Rain Eric Clapton, It Don't come Easy Ringo Star, Tomorrow Night Atomic Rooster, Story in your eyes the Naz...  Most of the sexy thai karaoke videos that look like from the 80s on youtube.  Mellow

54 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Despite it being required to pay the tax each year? 

(Which I can't get done so far as the place is closed). 

ah you speakie about Farang Insurance vs. the process for Thais!

Was it really a 110 km distance chase, or a 110 km/hour chase?  If it was 110 km distance, don't they believe in using radios or cell phones to call ahead and have some police intercept or head the guy off?