impulse

Sad story, all around.

On the educational side, how will her estate be settled, with her being a foreigner?  I imagine the French Embassy (consulate?) will be involved.  Can any in her family contest the will, and would it be in French courts or in Thai courts?

I'm not asking to be morose or putting out any conspiracy vibes.  It's practical knowledge that may be helpful for a lot of posters here, getting on in years.  How to best make sure my estate goes where I want it to go...

15 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Actually no.

There will be a legally correct answer.

And then there will be a real life answer.

Likely they are very different from each other. 

Point taken, but I'd settle for the legally correct answer.  Can a Brit, by treaty, legally drive in Thailand using a valid British DL, for how long, and is an IDP required?  

Millions may get away with breaking the law, but they occasionally get caught out when they end up in the hospital and their insurance company denies cover because they were driving illegally.  Or if they get pulled over by the wrong cop.  Also, the "legally correct" answer will probably make the difference when they rock up to a rental car kiosk at the airport.

In years past, we'd have gotten a definitive answer on TVF.  Then the flame wars would start.

Friendly note to the owners of Asean Now.

There's a right answer to the OP's question, and probably useful to any Brit that may tune in.  (Or any other nationality that may want to drive or rent a car in Thailand)  In years past, there were expert mods that could be counted on to post that useful information.  That's what made Thai Visa useful enough to filter through all the junk and the flame wars.  I miss that.

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Interesting article, always wondered what it was like back there in cattle class.

It's about $100 an hour cheaper.  Sometimes less.  Often, more.

10 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Yes... very peaceful... 

The best part of that incident were all the flash bulbs going off on the other side of that door he's breaking down.    They were already inside, in big numbers.

That's what's referred to as gratuitous vandalism.

10 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Not only have I embraced Thailand as my new home but also achieved remarkable milestones, including the launch of two thriving businesses and investments in property within just four months."

 

From watching the above linked video,  one might suspect that he's been dabbling in a bit too much of his "plant medicines"...

I'm wondering when (if?) the other shoe's gonna drop and catch him up in WP and/or visa issues.

2 hours ago, smedly said:

tourism sector struggling lets put prices up - Thai logic 101

 

 Looks to me like they're doing fine on the numbers.  Now, they need to upgrade the quality of the tourists they're attracting. 

If $9 is going to be a deal killer, perhaps that's the kind of tourist they'd rather not have.

Last week, I did my 13th monthly visa exempt entry in a row.  I stay between 3 days and a week each time. YMMV.

One recurring theme from the threads and discussions I have with fellow travelers is that they usually get a warning before they get refused entry.  Same with the American kid young adult I flew next to last week.  His father lives in Thailand and he comes to visit regularly (occasionally extending for over a month).  They warned him he'd need to get a visa next time.

I'd suggest the OP not worry until they warn him he'll need a visa next time.  He's actually the kind of visitor they want to encourage.  Cashed up, employed elsewhere, and doesn't extend as if he's living in Thailand.

Here's a tell...  Did the police block traffic for his motorcade?

I don't know enough about Thaksin or Thai politics to have an opinion one way or the other about him or Yingluck.  I just know that every successful Asian economy was started down that road by a corrupt strongman that became fabulously (multi- generationally) wealthy but left enough in the coffers for the country to develop.

Is Thaksin that guy for Thailand?  We'll see.

I hope it wasn't a fluke, but my April trip to BKK, there was no queue at immigration on arrival, or departure.  Just walked up to waiting agents. 

Since it was my 13th straight monthly exempt entry (at least I think that was the reason for asking), the agent stamping me in asked how long I'd be staying this time.  I told her 4 days and got a smile and a stamp.

Even departure security was quick, with no queue to speak of.

Fingers crossed I didn't just jinx my May visit.

On 4/29/2024 at 11:21 AM, webfact said:

Phuket's anticipated tram project, planned to connect Phuket International Airport and the Ha Yeak Chalong intersection, is making steady progress with the feasibility study due to be concluded within the next six months.

That's encouraging. 

My plan to marry a supermodel and take over the world is in the same phase of development. 

They're saying I can claim steady progress?

The real tell is going to be how (and even if) these rioters, trespassers, and (alleged) kidnappers will be charged.  Or will they be back on campus before their next meal.

29 minutes ago, This Guy said:

First of all Australia is also a continent. Second, what difference does it make if a country is an Island or not?! In Oz we had a high ownership of firearms up until the Port Arthur Massacre (google is your friend) we actually led the world in Mass shootings at that time, however when the government said "enough is enough" Aussies basically said "Okay" instead of quoting some back-dated "const-ar-tooshon-all" right

What's missing is the fact that this guy was a felon, and already barred from possessing a firearm.  The cops that were killed included members of a "fugitive task force", and they were tasked with arresting him for a firearm violation.  Which a typical American sees as proof that gun laws only keep guns from law abiding citizens.

And from a pragmatic standpoint, with more guns than people, anybody who believes that they can confiscate all (300 million +) guns (especially from the bad guys) is sadly deluded.  This incident is proof...

Get rid of thug culture in the USA, then come back and we'll have a discussion about the average American agreeing to give up our ability to defend ourselves.  But it ain't gonna happen.

10 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Yes, Misty's response is spot on.

That would be quite a shocker for those of us that use wadded up Walmart receipts and the torn off stubs from greasy spoon diners to document "business expenses" back home.

Good info, from both of you.  Thx!

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

My local Hospital refused to fill/exchange the bottle and 'lent' me a concentrator. I'm now left with 3k worth of bottle, trolley and gauges. 

the only shop I know of is a 'Disability' shop near the main province hospital where I brought it, but it is just logistically to far.  

I wouldn't suggest going to the hospital to get a tank refilled or exchanged (though that may be possible at some hospitals).  I'd ask them who they buy their oxygen from.  In a lot of places, it's the same companies that sell welding oxygen, that also produce medical grade gas.  I've seen AirGas and AirLiquide unloading a truckful of oxygen bottles at local hospitals.  I'm not sure which gas companies are where in Thailand.

My experience with medical oxygen is mostly in China where the GF needed it for years, but only sporadically, before she got a kidney transplant.  In Thailand, I bought her a smaller bottle and accessories in case she needed it when she came to visit.  She never did, so I never had to refill it.

If she had needed it full time, I'd have gone with a concentrator.  It may be easier and cheaper to build a sound enclosure around the OP's concentrator, especially if he needs O2 full time.

Without knowing the OP's location, I'd suggest going to the local hospitals and asking who fills theirs.

11 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

should put him in touch with this guy, chinese I think but seems well capable of getting a tune out of those violin type things

 

amazing I'm sure you'll all agree

At about 1:00 in, it sounded like he was going to bust out into the Orange Blossom Special.

As impressive as he already is, that would have been astounding.

If I were of a suspicious nature, I'd guess that the paint wouldn't last as long in the tropical sun, and that's one of the more spendy warranty items.

But that's just a suspicious guess.  More likely, it's just what the market competition demands...

28 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

A 66% one-week increase in new COVID hospitalizations, and COVID hospitalizations rising consecutively for 7 straight weeks now and tripling over that period isn't "skyrocketing"???

In the scheme of things, no.  I don't think it's "skyrocketing".

In fairness, they probably haven't updated the graph for a month or more because most countries quit reporting...  But even tripling the February numbers would make it like a pimple on a fly's butt.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/thailand/

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Concerns are growing as the country reportedly generates 36 million tonnes of hazardous waste every year according to the Department of Pollution Control.

Interesting that the USA produces 36 million tons of hazardous waste a year, with most of that being wastewater.

I can't imagine Thailand producing half a ton of hazardous waste per person in a year.  (Unless they're also including wastewater)  That's about 50x as much on a per GDP basis.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1267117/hazardous-waste-generated-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=Approximately 35.8 million tons of hazardous waste were,country has decreased by approximately 4.7 million tons.