55Jay

36 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

They've ordered thousands of snorkels from Alibaba?

 

Here's a hint where to distribute them: http://en-gb.topographic-map.com/places/Pattaya-City-5752177/

 

Cool map feature.  I got a chuckle when I zoomed in and saw "Underwater World Pattaya".  ?

Kohsamida, relax, brother.  There's no conspiracy.  The Forum is up and down right now, everyone having the same issues. 

19 hours ago, sirineou said:

perhaps I could bring my treadmill also

Funny you mention that.  Caused me to remember "sports equipment" is, or was at the time, a category of higher interest by Thai Customs.

I had the pack out foreman (Filipino guy) list my treadmill as a "walker".  Multiple flat screen TVs listed as "screen" and "viewer".... something like that.  Obviously I gaffed the multiple computer monitors, and they were only issue Thai Customs raised out of 14 or so pages of inventory. 

If you're a farang, act scared and cooperate, and you can give the Thai cop a bung instead of going to plizon. 

If you're a Thai "net idol" and put up a fuss because it is ridiculous, even in Pattaya, you get hauled off to the cells.  Over an E-cig.  And it all, apparently, still, boils down to e-cigs aren't taxed.  This is about money.  And stubborn, pig headed morons in uniform.

5 hours ago, Jan Van Caeyzeele said:

Thailand is a developing country. Disparaging it is stupid and disrespectful.

Welcome to ThaiVisa Forum, Jan. 

It's all good, I suppose.  Thais first, no problem.  Hopefully progress will roll downhill to us long-sah-tay folks, eventually. 

Cynically though, my Immi office had a new electronic queuing system installed.  It was broken inside of 6 months, never worked again.  We went back to laminated number cards held in a bamboo cup by the front door.

Not large amounts but yes, can ask for price down but also work them on upgrades or extras, insurance, etc.  

That does make a lot of sense.  Ours was an easier choice because we weren't footing the bill.

Having said that, nice having all our things, tools, clothes, good quality furnishings, our comfortable bed, my battleship size office desk, etc., collected over the years in different countries.  Some of which may not be available here or if it is, at the same level of quality, greater cost to reacquire. 

If it was just me, I could land with a sea bag and a pack of gum, no problem.  The wife likes her "stuff" and sure did make the new house here feel like "home". 

Jeez.....  ?

Any pets coming with?

Been a few years but wife and I lived/worked outside Thailand, visited here a number of times over the years, and that didn't impact her "returning Thai" shipping benefit.   The agent at origin made copies of relevant passport pages/foreign residence permits, etc., to support it. 

My former Company paid for the move so I'm not sure how much it cost.

They used an Int'l Relo company called Santa Fe, offices in the US and Bangkok.  https://www.santaferelo.com/our-people/americas/office/americas.  They coordinated everything, interfaced with Thai Customs on our behalf.

I dithered for a while about the regs and limitations shown on the Thai Customs website, but after some discussion here on ThaiVisa, and elsewhere, decided to roll the dice and packed the container to the gills, including multiple electric/ electronic items well in excess of the "one each" clause.

Santa Fe agent called my wife on clearing day with Thai Customs.  They spotted two computer monitors on the packing list, wanted 1,500 Baht.  Wife did all the talking on the phone, never heard anything more, never paid any tax or tea money, container showed up at the house a few days later.  Same car ball seal/Ser# intact as at origin.  They never even opened the door.  It would have gotten ugly if they did though.  LOL. 

Has it occurred to the OP that the elusive "competent expat" here may hold the very same opinion?

The ungrateful idiots! ?

Just now, tryasimight said:

We don't have a rubbish collection in the village.  And no rats to speak of either.

We also don't have much ' western rubbish either' . The plastic is burnt daily everything else has value and is recycled. 

I know people will be up in arms about burning plastic packaging but let's get real.... It is the ONLY non valued waste... EVERYTHING  else is recycled either in the garden or by the people who come by and buy any plastic bottles, metal cans,  paper or cardboard.  All up a pretty environmentally friendly result.... And as said before no rats. 

Nice.  I lived out in a small village town first, for 4 years, same kind of recycling you describe, although we didn't burn as we had regular, Tessaban rubbish collection.

Had rat and mice problems a number of times.  It was due to the ever-present multiple, large sacks of rice purchased once a year from the local farmers, and stored in out buildings.  Snakes helped, local cats took their fair share, and I trapped a few times to keep it in check as well.

2 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

 I didn't realise humanoids were that big of a problem.  Learn something every day. 

That's a good thing.

BB was the first bank account I set up after moving here on a Non-O Visa (marriage).  Went through the "Can Not. Need Work Permit" routine, then again "Can Not" for internet banking.

Once we got past all that, day to day banking and their iBanking interface has been fine the past 5 or so years.   Edit: Although Union Pay has driven me more toward my Krungsi accounts in the last year.

Only reason I hang in there with them is for the ease of transferring money from US banks to here, via their New York Branch.  If it wasn't for that.....

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Perhaps you missed the part where the Justice Department acknowledged the president was using his Twitter account as a form of official government communication.

 

From earlier in this thread:

Indeed I did, thanks.

I don't think that changes the nature of what I'm interested in though, relative to 1st Amendment protections for users responding on social media venues, such as Twitter, Facebook, etc.  There isn't much case law on this (in the links and others) and I suspect that's why the judge in Manhattan took the cautious approach she did.  But on TVF, it's a slam dunk case. ?

Government's intent with social media seems to be a central point in the cases mentioned so far in some of the links within the link you provided. 

Along those lines, @RealDonaldTrump, established when he was a candidate (maybe before, I don't know), and to the best of my reading the account in question in this law suit, was not and is not a government portal established for  public policy discourse and debate.  It's social media and a limited one at that.  Not a supplement to or a replacement for the American system of representative government and means and venues of public discourse and debate - although there may have been plenty of it between Twitter users.   

It was his social media "blast board" for fans and followers, and as we know, he used it liberally to slag people off and people did the same to him.   It was a real shit show.  He would have the option to block those he found objectionable, probably on a consistent basis, leaning into the Troll category.   And yes, I realize the irony in using that term when it comes to Trump and his own Twitter habits. 

I would move in the other direction more easily when it comes to the verified Donald J. Trump @POTUS Twitter account.  I saw the oppressed Vet Twitter handle, blocked from @Real, on the POTUS page earlier tonight, slanging away at Pence for congratulating USCG Academy Grads.  They're Trolling.

It'll be interesting to see where the legal reviews of this go. 

53 minutes ago, stevenl said:

It really should be easy to understand: if the president announces policy or plans, people should be able to hear about them from the president. With people blocked from this communication by the president they can not hear about this from the president.

 

Anybody agreeing with this I really can not understand, I have not heard one good argument so far.

I have a feeling those who are blocked from his account are in the "Not My President" resistance group.  They can't stand him, and totally reject him as their legitimate President, so that puts an interesting and ironic perspective on this.

It ought to be a badge of honor within the resistance group to have been loud enough to be blocked by him.  I'm quite sure they have more reliable and appealing resources for serious policy "news", not the @Real twitter handle.  LOL.  The latter is merely cannon fodder to mess with him, because they can.

He's been banging away on that @Real since the campaign.   The judge kind of outed herself politically on this one though.

I prefer to remove all the clutter, and just say President Trump's past and continued conduct on Twitter, is an embarrassment to The Office and the Nation.  And that kind of nonsense from Him, attracts this kind of nonsense in return.  There's just no way to polish this turd, he's stuck with it now.

Just now, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Bangkok, the Rat Hub of the world!

Finally achieved a verifiable Hub of something! 

7 minutes ago, Ban Phe Dezza said:

Hi i have just moved houses and out in the Soi was a large pile of Rubbish plus two overflowing Blue rubbish Bins, Complained to Tessa Ban and they removed the bins to the street at the end of the soi, we put up a sign saying please do not dump rubbish here and this crazy Fallang  (me) without a work permit is slowly clearing the Rubbish away Much to the astonishment of the Locals  PS I am the only fallang in the soi and the others that feed of it Been on the Old age Pension 20 plus years so no spring chicken,

my Tii  Ruk has a 34 year old son who won't get of his Backside to Help and I waste my breath if i complain  T I T 

Indeed.  Weekly rubbish collection is hit and miss where I live.  In 2 days time, it'll be 2 weeks since they last came around.

Try to put the veg/fruit shavings and leftovers in the garden, not the bin.  Recycle everything that can be, the old boy comes around on his push bike to collect every few days.  But after nearly 2 weeks, the sois are looking grim as the house bins are overflowing.

I think we all are.  I get it often too. 

Something to do with the recent upgrade and "indexing" going on.  It happened last time they did the big upgrade, lasted for a few weeks then dissipated.

44 minutes ago, Amusements said:

I think I have found those responsible?

 

Hey, my cat resembles that remark!  ?

Well, that bag of rubbish in the OP photo might have something to do with it.

The solution is obvious.  Round up several (hundred) thousand humanoids and shift THEM into the countryside.  Less rubbish in the city.  Fewer rats and possibly fewer snakes over time.  It's all connected.  Nature has a way of equalizing itself once humans stop meddling.  ?