SABloke

7 hours ago, TEFLKrabi said:

Just asking, but how many people would like to see a visa based on ability to assimilate which included a reading and writing section that was only in Thai?

Not sure there would be many takers. Which countries do require reading and writing tests when applying for visas? Many countries require them for permanent residency/leave to remain and citizenship, but few require them for short stay visas.

I know Thailand requires them for skilled ASEAN workers wanting to come over on the "free" movement/trade agreements currently in place. 

40 minutes ago, jgarbo said:

He's a reasonably honest soldier trying to become a (reasonably honest ) leader. Give him a break. I've met the opposition. Slimy.

Reasonably honest? He hasn't told the truth since before he said there would be no coup. He's a pathological liar. ????

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Boy, that's going to frost a bunch of TVF posters who seem to think the going local wage is 9,000 a month and can't understand why their employee turnover is so high.

 

70,000 per household. I doubt there's only 1 person per house, if there are 30,000 houses but 700,000 people in the area. ????

8 hours ago, Esso49 said:

Wonder if the "agents" arranging retirement visas and the like for people without the requsite funds are getting nervous now ?

About as nervous as taxi drivers when there is a "crackdown" on refusing fares, or motorcyclist when there's one for riding on the pavement. ????

I don't care if people want to collect shit, but I don't get how this website is award-worthy. Just visited the site, and the home page has a 3d amulet you can look at. Ok. And then when I looked at some other amulets, it was just a front and back picture. So what did they innovate? The internet, or a website that sells shit? Both already exist, and amulet websites also already exist.

Another factor that they seem to gloss over is that many Thais are hypochondriacs: Every time a headache emerges, or slight fever or such, they head off to the hospital. They also get queue numbers, their 5 minutes with the doctor, and usually get sent back home with paracetamol, and told "If it persists for x days, then come back again". If people could be made aware that little Johnny running a mild fever is not a concern unless it's over 39 degrees Celsius (for children under 6 months), or he's showing other symptoms like vomiting, lethargy, breathing difficulties etc., they might not be so quick to head to the hospital. From anecdotal reports of my friends that work in healthcare, I'd say cutting out the 'kids with fever', and 'adults with headaches' would reduce visitor numbers substantially.

5 hours ago, Jimbo in Thailand said:

 

 

So many great comments in this thread.  Wonder when the locals are finally going to see this thing for what it really is... the early stages of a dictatorship—elections or not. 

 

And folks, we ain't seen nothin' yet.  If you've been paying attention you already know that Fearless Leader P has been slowly but surely tightening the anti-freedom screws on everyone living here since the coup.  If you've had to deal with government agencies here, like I have, you'll notice an elevated paranoia and state of fear among employees.  Many are terrified of making a mistake so aren't about to stick their necks out by making a decision on their own.  The 'best' is yet to come folks.

 

Will the locals ever wake up?

They have been acting a bit strange: I recently applied for a re-entry permit and they (2 IO's) had a long chat over my passport - the one was asking the other one why I was flying around the world for only 3 nights - none of their business, I say. Then, upon leaving, the IO at passport control questioned me about a 3 week extension I got from Chaengwattana. I told her that that CW had suddenly made up new rules and added documents (Police Clearance) to my required list for my work extension and so they "graciously" gave me 3 weeks to get it (I say graciously because the requirement does not exist on any piece of Immigration Police literature so unless you know, you don't - so they gave me 3 weeks). So then she left with my passport and came back 5 minutes later, apologized and let me leave. Finally, upon returning to Thailand, the IO asked me all sorts of questions regarding my current employer, previous employer, length of current contract and length of future contracts. 10 years crossing all my T's and dotting my I's and yet she's questioning me when I'm re-entering (already jumped through all the hoops getting my extension done, so don't see why the border patrol are suddenly so interested in my comings and goings)

53 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

I couldn't find any constitutional provision that "specifically" bars any of the six members of the NCPO from running in the first election. Do you have a constitutional article/section in mind?

 

Irrespective -

The Constitution actually allows itself to be legally overruled under Article 265 wherein it recognizes NCPO's absolute power to take whatever actions it decides as legal. NCPO's power remains in place until AFTER royal endorsement of the newly elected government.

 

The "whole outsider PM route" I thought was intended as a backup in the event that Prayut nor anyone else isn't directly elected by a constitutional majority of the newly elected NLA ministers. Then the NCPO-appointed Senators can add their 250 votes to the election of the PM. Prayut can then likely be elected no matter whether he ran as a party nominated leader or not (the "outsider").

 

 

I can't point you to an article/section, but I clearly remember reading many articles stating that Prayuth would have to resign by so-n-so a date, because the members of the NCPO couldn't run in the election. Here are two, for example. 

"Technically Prayuth cannot stand for election under the constitution, because he would have needed to have resigned from his post since 2017 to do so."

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-politics/thai-pm-sets-sept-deadline-to-decide-on-role-in-politics-ahead-of-election-idUSKBN1KZ10P

"While Prayuth cannot technically run for election, as to do so he would have had to resign by July,..."

https://asiancorrespondent.com/2017/09/thailand-election-2/

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Gen Prayut doesn’t have to resign as NCPO chief whether he wishes to join a political party or decides to run in the forthcoming election. 

Well, the constitution specifically states that no member of the NCPO can run in the election, which is why they were trying to go the whole "outsider PM" route.

8 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

I do wish that officialdom, as well as commonplace, would stop referring to him as PRIME MINISTER.   

He's not that. Legally or officially.  

 

Exalted Field Marshal or Junta Big Boss or Premier Military Despot or Supreme Autocrat Overseer might be more appropriate. 

 

????

For someone so "in touch" with the "truth" in Thailand, you come across as very ignorant: His position was signed off and endorsed by the highest power in the land: He might not have become PM in a previously legal or honourable way, but he is the PM nonetheless.

17 hours ago, Galactus said:

why doing a drug test for a might be rape victim???

just to say like, 'hey, this girl was doing drugs etc etc'

what a nonsense! 

Or....maybe...they test for drugs to see if she was a victim of a spiked drink. ????

It would have been more believable if he had blamed it on brake failure.

Are all bankruptcies printed in the Royal Gazette? It must be quite a thick paper then. Also, where does one buy/get one - I constantly see news about things being published in the Royal Gazette, but in 10 years have never seen a peraon reading it.

On 9/14/2018 at 1:09 PM, Raymonddiaz said:

Why is he doing that? He can't speak English. Why not send someone else who could speak the language? Free advertising I suppose! 

Better yet, just get the someone who can speak English to pick up the phone - waaaaay cheaper.

15 hours ago, apophyss said:

Not realy look thai

 

 

Of course she looks Thai. Despite its desire to be homogeneous in all aspects, Thai appearance can be varied thanks to 5 major ethnic groups. People tell my wife she doesn't look Thai, and her maternal blood line goes further back than many of the modern Sino-Thai groups.

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission accused him and his colleague of being biased

I guess they've never watched the daily evening show about an important Thai family. 

3 hours ago, Sir Dude said:

Are you suitably brainwashed?

 

 

...he is!

 

He's probably the only person in Thailand that is wearing amulets than can LITERALLY stop bullets.?

7 minutes ago, HLover said:

Sounds like a fantastic household.

It is. My mother in law is wonderful, but her indoctrinated beliefs often cloud her judgment. Much like  some of my Christian family members back home.

7 minutes ago, HLover said:

Sounds like a fantastic household.

It is. My mother in law is wonderful, but her indoctrinated beliefs often cloud her judgment. Much like  some of my Christian family members back home.

My mother in law (very patriotic, royalist, devoted Thai Buddhist) once told my wife that bad things (like car accidents) only happen to people with bad karma. My wife replied that Thailand must thus be the worst country with the worst people on average in the world due to the traffic deaths. (Silence)

16 hours ago, webfact said:

Nearly 57 per cent of Thais wear an amulet out of faith, spiritual dependence, or its protective power, 25 per cent due to personal religious belief, and 14 per cent out of tradition and Buddhist practice. Four per cent wear them for other reasons, including as a fashion item.

You learn something new every day: 'Faith', 'Personal religious belief', and 'Buddhist practice' are apparently not the same thing. You see, things really are different in Thailand. ?