55Jay

4 hours ago, AYJAYDEE said:

so where did his survey sample come from? bangkok and pattaya? lol

 

i just saw the top line and thought, "This sounds like Dan Cheeseman".  Scroll down the OP and sure enough..... 

Just now, sukhumvitneon said:

Most of the rank and file LEOs in California support Trump's policies on immigration but are hamstrung by the department brass and the legislature.  There are too many state laws to list that effectively prevent local LEOs from detaining illegal immigrants, so to say that the police in general support illegal immigration is dishonest. It's the same with gun control.  Can't get a permit to carry in LA county, or, god forbid, San Francisco, but Bakersfield?  Self defense is good cause. There are many Californians who are tired of the progressive agenda but limousine liberals and their ilk in LA and SF bay keep outvoting them.

Nobody wants to be the bad guy. 

But anyway..... Trump's animal gaff is the news of the day.  There's always tomorrow.

13 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The White House invited some particular CA local government and law enforcement folks from conservative areas who support Trump's policies. The majority of CA and the state's government, and probably the majority of the population, do not.

 

And if the WH had invited the sheriffs or police chiefs from places like San Francisco or Los Angeles, he would have gotten a very different message. But of course, they were aiming for an anti immigrant love fest Trump style.

That was rather obvious reviewing the transcript. 

But the krap they were talking about is real.  They are the swirling drain where the turds of CA's attitude problem collect.   

I agree, the message out of SF/Bay and LA would be different and as predictable.  Probably a cliche like "We Got This", or whatever the pack follower's required meme of the week is way up there. 

It is interesting, but not surprising, that this brief exchange and 1 word, is what the poised media seized upon out of this meeting.  10 pages of Google results this morning, all the same headline.

To me, the fact he was meeting with this group of CA local leaders and LE officials dealing with the fall out of California's misguided attitude, is far more interesting.  Don't think there's enough there there to turn CA from blue to red though.

Just now, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I don't think we have a disagreement. The president's answer made no specific mention of MS-13, but it was in response to a comment that mentioned MS-13, so that was the context.

 

The actual wording of his response does seem to reference people he considers to be criminals, for whatever reason. His exact words above don't specifically elaborate on exactly whom he was referring to. Thus you get the different interpretations of whom he may or may not have been referring to.

 

If he only meant MS-13 and members of criminal gangs with the "animals" reference, he could have been more clear in the wording of his answer. I personally wouldn't interpret his answer to be referring to all Mexico border crossers. But given Trump's past history of remarks and actions on minorities and immigrants, I can understand why his remarks drew the attention they did.

Fair enough.

After 2+ years of this, his gaff pattern is well established.  He's a gold mine for the media and his own worst enemy in front of a camera and hot mic.  This will be usurped in a day or two, max.

6 hours ago, YetAnother said:

that impossible-to-define national security again; to be used for anything and everything;

paranoid, perceived threats without substance; nauseating

Not a paranoia, perception or a secret.  Hand launched drones have been and still are used by military forces for DIY near range reconnaissance.  They do have the internet down South. 

And they just keep getting smaller and quieter (Nanodrones).

25,742 Baht and 48 Satang. 

Interesting quote from the linked article's comment section.

Don't forget to check your shower water heaters, and make sure they are grounded.

Quote

The media never reports the whole story on such events. Most vaping devices use circuit boards that protect a user from short circuits. Smoke-E Mountain makes unregulated mods. They are basically a pipe or metal box with a button to complete a circuit. There is no circuit board to protect the user from malfunction. The problem with such devices is there are no electronic safeguards. If there is a short circuit or if the batteries are installed backwards they will explode.
All vaping devices should contain electronic boards to protect the user. Regulated mods with lithium-ion batteries are perfectly safe. There is no reason for unregulated mods to exist. They are a hazard to the user and people around them.

34 minutes ago, Get Real said:

The dumb-kopf has spoken again. How can people chose a man as president, that can´t even follow the simple etics of speaking and formulating himself in a proper manor.

 

@underlordcthulhu. Are oyu putting yourself in that que, or are you seriously talking about cats and dogs running around? 

You just did. 

9 minutes ago, AYJAYDEE said:

for the same reason motorcycle riders wave at each other on the highway in western nations, they are sharing a common experience that is not shared by the majority.

 

Indeed.  Jeeps too.  Real ones, not the Wranglers. 

I get a laugh from the anxious farangs who look at you from a medium distance away then try to pretend like they didn't.   As you close the distance, can almost hear them shouting at themselves in their head, "Don't look.  DON'T Look  DON'T LOOK!" but right as we pass each other, they lose it and do that quick, sideways eye dart look.... and then pretend they didn't.  It's hilarious!    

I messed with one in a Chang singlet last week.   He gave me the clazee eyeball look as we passed in a wide aisle and just then, I looked right at him and said, "Hallo".  His forearms muscles twitched as he gripped his trolley more tightly for no apparent reason.  I thought maybe he'd had an involuntary bowel movement.

Not a bad stash of goodies for a mere 2nd Lt in the RTA.  

Cops appear to be enjoying fondling the firearms.

6 hours ago, William C F Pierce said:

"prohibitively expensive."? It depends how much you think a persons life is worth and whether you are a good Buddhist or not.

I think it's clear how much value the local municipality guys put on human life there.  Buddhism isn't a factor. 

3 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

As described there is a basic system of recycling here in upcountry.

But no question: too much (plastic) waste all over the country.

Bags, bags, styrofoam, styrofoam, straws, straws...

 

At 7/11 it's so absurd/mechanical they sometimes put a straw or two with the 2 liter bottle of fresh milk . When I notice at the register I will put it back.

 

Two days a week there is a small morning fresh market in the village.

I am the "crazy farang" who comes with a reusable bag carried over the shoulder.

Each time there will still be some puzzled views, "What the heck is that?", "What is he doing?"

I also give them a raised eyebrow look and laugh when I decline the straw for my liter of milk.  

You're right about the reusable market bags.  We tried for weeks at our weekend market during Prayuth's 2 plastic bag campaigns, thinking it might catch on.  Nope.  I never saw anyone else with a reusable.   A few of the vendors would freeze and stare for a moment when we declined a plastic bag.   It was like a pin ball machine going into TILT mode. 

Just now, mogandave said:

I would be careful about “avoiding” the interest taxes. I assume you’re talking closing and opening accounts. I know the banks will do this, but as I understand it, it’s not tax avoidance, it’s a tax dodge.
 

You're right, tempered by the fact I would qualify to get it all back by default anyway.  The dodge, at least from my perspective, was simply to avoid having to do a tax return, deal with bureaucracy, etc.  I doubt the Tax Man would see it that way.  LOL.

Moot point now, Krungsi rightly stopped facilitating the musical chairs routine last year.  Also bought my wife a house a few months ago, probably won't see 20k a year in interest on what's left on deposit, unless the rates go back up to where they used to be. 

6 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Good on ya, I would claim in back if it amounted to a reasonable amount.

I've been charged 36 baht recently on interest they can get it. 

Yeah, only done it once for a fixed account, 6 or 7,000 I think it was, so worth the effort and also to see how it all worked. 

Was able to manipulate the Krungsi MTD accounts to avoid taxes until last year.  I didn't file this year, about 1,000 something in interest tax.   Gotta help Prayuth pay for the submarines. 

Just now, Jingthing said:

Because they have not yet fully confirmed I'm living abroad although it's clear they strongly suspect it. I really don't want this thread to be about my personal headaches with Fidelity. It's more general that this really is a problem. People can try to take out such firms (most of them) using a U.S. address, U.S. phone number, and VPNs but that might not necessarily work in the long run. 

Oh, ok then. 

I had a run in 5 years ago (not Fidelity) and both banks/brokerage house were very abrupt.  They backed off and I'm still with them to this day.   Stevie Wonder can see my account activity is all Thailand all the time.

Good luck.

You've posted about this on and off over recent years and Fidelity does seem to be an oft mentioned firm on the internet on this topic. 

How long have they been threatening to close or freeze your account? 

Have they?  If not, do you have any idea why not?

Good effort.  Next up.... massive advertising billboards and the electrical wire mess.

A conundrum when viewed alongside the usual Thai cultural/Buddhist nonsense.  Won't euthanize a hopelessly injured animal.  Average Thai at the market will watch a fish suffocate to death on a table because they don't want to be cruel and kill it.   Who do they think they are fooling? 

Maybe the Thais will finally put their big boy pants on and deal with this.

The Thai Tax Office where I live raised the same question when I was summoned to their office after filing a bank interest tax refund request. 

I knew my country and Thailand had a tax treaty in place.  The Supervisor had to satisfy herself.  She returned after 15 minutes, said no problem, and told the clerk to proceed with my bank interest tax refund.