tomacht8

Prayut has been in power since 2014 and has been the first man in the state ever since. The constitutional court has granted him a grace period until 2025. In fact, and constitutionally, Prayut cannot govern at all for the full four years as PM.

Since the election of a PM makes no sense at all, if he cannot exercise the office for the full legislative period. After two - hopefully not - more years in office, who is going to be PM? The voters will probably be left in the dark. Certainly not good for the stability of the country.

Winning a court case and then actually getting your money back after, are two different things.

Amazing how many super rich officials there are in Thailand. I wonder why they work as civil servants at all, given the low official salary. Apparently many civil servants have much more lucrative sources of income than their official salary. It's a pity that there is no institution in Thailand that checks this properly.

All supermarkets and 7-11 shops should be required to set up plastic take-back containers where customers can return all their plastic waste. 

On 2/16/2023 at 4:31 PM, nigelforbes said:

Everyone pays VAT which is the country's largest source of tax revenue, only about 5% of the population pays tax via a tax return.

 

I think the idea that the 300 baht is going to be skimmed or forms a part of corruption is simply incorrect, although I understand how some people want to jump to that conclusion. Thailand spends more than it makes every year, it  has constantly run a budget deficit for the past few years. The numbers are still small, government debt is still only 60% of GDP BUT it is rising year on year and the expense of subsidies under covid made a big dent in spending. The government wants to head off the rise in health care spending, plus it can use money in loads of other areas that form part of the budget. I seriously doubt that any tourist attractions will be improved as a result  of the new levy, in a couple of years, everyone will have forgotten what it was for.  The rest of the money will go into the general pot and it will be spent within the economy, but it's purpose is not to buy villa's and merc's for the elite, that's just plain crazy.

Thai opposition politicians see the danger of abuse, possible nepotism and the non-transparent use of this new arrival tax very well. Even Phiphat admits that there is a lack at all ends. 

It is not unreasonable that a privileged elite will enrich themselves privately.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1286877-critics-of-new-arrival-tax-call-for-greater-oversight-on-the-thailand-tourism-fund/

If the advertising covers the reading content (text) that you are currently reading and you cannot push away these small advertising films, it is so annoying that I leave the page and also get a negative-aggressive attitude towards the advertised product (brand). An advertisement becomes counterproductive and completely misses its advertising goal. On the contrary, it creates a negative brand attitude.

3 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

Now been replaced by some old biddy in a straw hat.

 

Seriously, the videos constantly running in the bottom quarter of the screen are making it increasingly difficult to use the site.

 

Many have complained, no notice seems to be taken.

 

Ultimately I suppose it is all about ????

Agree. Problem is also, if you press the cross, it pops up again and again. 

The new Arrival Tax 3 (2023) - 10 (2024) billion baht will be paid by the tourists and should benefit them. LoL

I estimate 10% will go to Alibi PR projects. The rest 90% is shared for administration, VIP dinners and among friends, families and party members.

Transparency, budget control and accountability for state budgets? As likely as Thailand will be the world's new ski resort.

2 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

It has  been awhile since I recall this being addressed. What does the annual road tax required insurance cover? would the bike, being insured not come into play?

The standard accident insurance for scooters is a joke. If I remember correctly, that's only 50,000 baht for personal injuryes.

I'm not bothered by the 300 baht that will be collected in the future, but by this flimsy, blurry reasoning as it will beused. That there is some additional benefit for the tourists, insurance coverage, regional development, blah blah. Anyone who believes that doesn't know Thailand. I suspect that the money will seep away into dark channels, as it so often happens, and end up in the private pockets of corrupt officials.

Perhaps he should say in his defense that he only borrowed the plane tickets from a friend who had passed away.

26 minutes ago, Purdey said:

If you buy heroin on the streets of Lisbon, Portugal, it is not illegal. If you buy on the streets of Boston in the US, it is.

Vaping is legal in most countries but illegal in Thailand. Why don't travel agents and embassies not make people aware of these laws? Foreigners often visit countries like Thailand because of their different cultures. Why should different laws be such a shock? 

I suspect it's not a question of whether it's legal or not, but rather the idiotic level of possible penalties. Possessing an ecigar, smoking an ecigar or importing an ecigar is criminally almost equivalent to intentional manslaughter. This is the brain crack.

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

I believe that if something does "happen" to Chuwit , the floodgates of information will open in multiple sources and they will be unable to be turned off.

 

I further believe that the message has been sent all the way to the very very top and all the places in between as well.

I think it's definitely not just the current information about the corruption structures that Chuwit has and is brought to him from various sources. Just think of the many high-ranking politicians, civil servants, generals, police officers, judges and arch-conservative moral apostles who visited his massage parlors in the past, in the dark of the night and shook his hand as VIPs.

And since Chuwit also mentioned the fat corruption sums of money, some will go and see who got the annual jackpot with the 3888 million baht.

So when a tourist bring (import) his ecig to Thailand, without knowing the law, then he can face a jail term of up to 10 years.

It is clear that such laws with completely absurd penalties open the door to corruption.

According to the motto: "You now have a big problem, but I can help you. For xxxxx Baht I let you go."

7 hours ago, Deez said:

The whole reason E-Cigs are "illegal" is so police can "fine"tourists

And to protect the tobacco monopoly. Insanely high penalties are possible for caught vaping (or even just with an e-cigarette device in their possession). This could (potentially) result in a  fine of up to 30,000 Baht (close to $1,000) and /or a maximum jail sentence of 10 years.

That has nothing to do with fair laws for the people. This vaping law is beyond all reason.

Was Anutin's cancellation announcement today agreed and backup-ed from the other ministries and the government?

I have my doubts about that. At the weekend, the CAAT sent letters with the new “entry regulations” to all airlines worldwide, starting on January 9th. On the same day, the health minister appeared in front of the press at the airport and said that the new entry regulations no longer apply immediately. That seems quite thoughtless, haphazard, unguided, unthought-out, improvised and chaotic on the part of the state leadership.

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

That's what i don't understand. Why would you bribe a Park chief, to get the best picnic spot?

It is known that there are private companies or wealthy families who illegally build their resorts or villas on national park land. When the regional park boss then holds his hand protectively over it, nothing else usually happens.

National parks are big business.

I wouldn't be surprised if a single, regional park administration had its own set of tickets printed on the side line beside the offical tickets, which, as it is well known, are then sold to long-nosed whites for 2-10 times of the Thai price, so that this extra income is not included in the official park accounting to appear.

Hardly a day now goes by without a new corruption report. So many officials - sadly rotten to the core.

He definitely needs a good lawyer and should not sign a single piece of paper that the police put in front of him to sign but he does not understand the contents of.

If he's unlucky, he could end up in prison for many years.