pizzachang

Here's a copy of a letter I received today.

New York Branch Help Desk <[email protected]>	3:17 AM (2 hours ago)
to me

On 1/11/2019 at 10:26 AM, Moonlover said:

It really is very obvious, and has been from the start, that what Thai Imm wants to see is money in a Thai bank account, Either 800/400k annually or the requisite monthly incomes as specified.

 

If you can satisfy that requirement, then there is no point in chasing after embassy based solutions. And if you can't meet the requirements then, well you know the answer to that one!

 

Ok mock me if you will, but IMO it's time you all put the old ways behind you and got on with preparing for the future. I started doing that back in October when this first kicked off and I'm now fully geared up to face the next income based extension in August. The one that all the 'gloom and doom brigade' said would never happen.

 

ML

A serious question. Is there a difference in using the ATM machine to withdraw funds from a foreign (US) bank account and having the funds IN a Thai bank account? Since my bank provides a detailed statement showing that the funds were withdrawn at a specific Thai ATM location and my monthly statements show the source of my funds, I have to assume that your post is likely the most accurate speculation...about having funds/adequate amount IN a Thai bank account. So the bank account somehow figures into this new police order?

I seriously doubt that he was begging money to "get ticket home". Of course, this is just my opinion.  Maybe others have similar experiences of people saying one thing and doing another.

20 hours ago, moontang said:

, rife with dishonesty.

I think this is just speculation.  I seriously doubt that mass American retirees are dishonest about their Social Security and or other retirement benefits.  The comment I heard in person about my two pensions was telling....."I wonder why farangs get so much retirement.?  Compared to Thailand, I understand but a minimal retirement pension in the USA is more than enough to live on in Thailand and easily provable. No need to be dishonest, unless someone is trying to hide the source of their income.

On 9/4/2018 at 12:45 PM, Time Traveller said:

I don't quite understand this issue about proof of income. It's seems strange thai immigration are asking this, since the definition of income in USA is different from the definition of income in Thailand - they have different tax codes .

 

Example, according to the IRS, selling shares with capital gains in the US is income. But in Thai tax law it is not income. Accordingly for Americans with investments, they can almost manipulate their income to appear however they want it - by realizing losses or gains to minimize taxable income for any particular year  - hence the reason this request of "proof of income" is pointless. (In fact, taxation of capital gains is pointless as well due to offsetting loses against gains, hopefully the IRS will someday agree!) 

 

I don't even understand the "need" to have funds in a Thai bank. Electronically speaking, it's all the same and I can access money at any time. Just showing that you have the required monthly amount should (logically) be sufficient.

It should be a simple matter to show 3 months (or more) of bank statements as income verification. My bank's electronic banking services include the option to show only deposits. That way you keep your business private. What I'm wondering is, will the affidavit from the US Consulate be required if we just show the bank statements? My bank's deposit line clearly shows where the money originated, e.g. SSA or DRB. By the way, I was asked to produce further documentation in June for non-O extension, but they weren't too particular. An odd comment by one of the officers was: " Why do Americans get so much pension? "

Several aspects to this discussion come to mind. First, there is no real comparison to girly bars, since those are very isolated from the bulk of Thailand and "locals" have to go out of their way, usually at night to observe these. The beach is a public place, no matter what foreign visitors imagine.  So "naked yoga" seems exibitionist at the very least. Personally, "goat yoga" is much more disgusting but naked sunbathers that look like beached beluga whales are the most shocking. You can't "unsee" that kind of thing. Conclusion: If Thai locals ignored nude foreigners who weren't "doing yoga", then the nudists weren't attracting attention, even though technically breaking Thai laws. The exhibition aspect is what turned off Thais, who go about their business in the daytime on a public beach. 

17 hours ago, Mattd said:

If it is being delivered via a means that uses the global shipping program, then all the customs payment is made at the time of ordering, the duties are normally an overestimate and Amazon will refund if it is less.

That's correct. I've used Amazon a bit in the last week or so and so far haven't paid extra customs/tax fees. Some items came within a week and one I'm still waiting on at 3 weeks. I also ordered an item from China (private company, not Alibaba) and received the small package in 2 days.

19 hours ago, Srikcir said:

I'd like to see Mexico respond:

"The US demand for illicit drugs causes and sustains the violence and corruption of drug cartels in Mexico. Therefor, we make it a condition of the new NAFTA that all illicit drug use in America stop."

Will Trump agree to Mexico's meddling in American sovereignty?

Trump wants to control Mexican sovereignty - not going to happen.

The Mexican cartels are responsible for their own actions. Trying to suggest that the US is the cause of a Mexican cartel is quite a stretch.  Similar to (IMO) saying car manufacturers are responsible for drunk drivers. A nation is defined by it's borders, both physically and metaphorically. Walls work; anyone who says otherwise is not using all their faculties to observe walls in use in every country in the world. I do agree that lax control of our borders has contributed to the need for walls in many areas of the USA.....where they were not common, exceptions being the wealthy citizens who always knew the value of a wall.

Chiang Mai Lightning , agree with that ! Not just dogs. Last year I visited PhiPhi Don for a week and it has a major cat problem. Ripe for a rabies outbreak.

15 hours ago, oilinki said:

I wonder if the greater air humidity contributes to the spark length and therefore how visible /noisy the sparks are here?

 

 

I think the reason is the round terminals on the plugs. I don't notice sparking on flat terminals /w ground. I've noticed that the round terminals fit, is loose and the outlets don't grip them well.

Time.  There is only so much of it in a relationship. How it is divided between the two people, should give you an indication or a starting place.  Also, remember - the person with the least amount of desire controls the "sex".

Last, relationships are built on trust, which can be looked at 2 ways. You can always give the "benefit" of the doubt about any doubt you have or you can trust but verify (sort of like building trust over a long time period. The first method is like having the 'wall of trust' already built and only removing 'bricks' when the trust is violated.

22 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

defined as 4 or more people shot at the same time/place .....there are an average of one mass shooting per day for the past 2 years in the US.  To me that's not 'a rare event.'   I'd like to see none.  Perhaps gun lovers could tolerate 2 or 3 or 4 mass shootings per day.

 

As for individual (and up to 3 shootings per incident), ....the US is slightly ahead of Thailand's average of 35 road deaths per day.  I have opinions about drunk and stupid drivers, but that's another topic.

Don't know where you get your information but I suspect it's one the well-known sites that do not favor privately-owned guns. https://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/mass-shootings-rare-united-states   Just one of many corroborations. Also FBI statistics support these statements.  Now, since you decided to substitute insults for intelligent debate....you can advance to 2nd grade debating skill level and get your Gold Star

On 10/24/2017 at 10:24 AM, Becker said:

The car is vital to society and is heavily regulated and controlled. Guns are neither.

Please try to upgrade the level of your arguments to at least above 3rd grade.....

That is funny because the 2nd doesn't protect horses.  "vital to society' is of course a subjective view (yours) and the Constitution's importance is an objective one.  

6 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

You wanna talk about 'civil rights'?   The most basic civil right is the right to live, to stay alive.  Gun huggers are violating that right - for about 38 Americans per day, on an average day. 

 

If there was a shred of logic in this statement, the abortion would be illegal and long before gun deaths statistics, people killed other people and took away their "most basic" right.  Actually, mass shootings is a rare event. And, the automobile is much more dangerous (statistically) than a gun.

On 10/22/2017 at 1:43 PM, Stefanix said:

Everyone supporting the current US gun laws is actually accessory to murder! If it would be banned to carry firearms in public, it would be also easier to disarm criminals. Maybe in some cases a gun in private hands could stop a robbery. But in how many cases those confrontations lead to deadly shootings? Wouldn't it be better to let the robbers go with their swag and let the police do their job?

A few exceptions might make sense. Firearms could be allowed on private land or inside your own apartment for self defence or in shooting clubs. But not in public.

This is the funniest comment I've seen to date.   Using this logic, everyone driving a car is an accessory to whatever mayhem is done by every drunk, reckless or deliberate (illegal) use of a car!

18 minutes ago, tigermoth said:

Stupid comment. The death rate by shootings in the USA is 4 times that of any other country in the world and they have lost more people by shootings than all the losses they have suffered in wars since world war 2. What the hell have automobile deaths got to do with murder.

According to the latest information, Honduras has the highest murder rate of any country in the world. The USA doesn't even make the top 25 - AND by removing Chicago, New York, Detroit and possibly Washington D.C. (gang -related shooting deaths/ Democrat controlled cities) the USA doesn't even get on any list. So the lawful use of more than 250 Million guns, apparently isn't a actual problem.

Everything should be restricted all over the world. We need strict control over everything. People have too many clothes, too many cars, children have too many toys. People should only have 1 small mirror...more than one leads to narcissism and the wasteful purchase of make-up, useless grooming products and other plastic and or petroleum derivative products, that harm our environment. Once we get all this under control, we can deal with dangerous recreational products, such as surfboards, archery equipment, baseball bats, cricket bats and all knives & swords, except registered kitchen knives - restaurants can register more than the one knife limit of each household. All dangerous fishing equipment should be restricted as well. Rope of any size, excluding hawsers, needs regulations to prevent deliberate or accidental use that might harm someone.  All currently illegal drug use, sales and manufacture should have instant death penalty results, and all drugs, coffee, tea, sugar-based drinks and foods need immediate regulating , with severe penalties for misuse.  I realize this doesn't cover everything to keep us safe but it's a reasonable start. 

On 9/23/2017 at 8:15 AM, overherebc said:

What's the law/rule in Thailand regarding rain run off from a neighbours roof landing on a next door neighbours land?

I took photos of the situation and contacted the local municipality. They sent an inspector and he made measurements , concluding that the neighbor was building too close to the wall dividing the property. Owners were instructed to correct the situation and install gutters to prevent the roof run-off from dumping on my yard. 

People die every day. Koh Tao is no more dangerous and certainly less dangerous than L.A. Chicago, Detroit, London, other European cities and a very large section of Central/South America.

It may be that the "insurance premium" that may be "collected" on entering Thailand might be a bit like the "entry tax" to Phi Phi Don - ostensibly for "cleaning & trash removal" but I observed little evidence of such action.

On 6/30/2017 at 6:39 PM, Rockhopper said:

In Chiang Mai last week when I did my retirement extension I was told by the staff that it was no longer needed.

In fact, at no time in Chiang Mai Immigration, did I ever see the form 'included' with the paper stacks of numbered forms required to complete interviews with the officers.  I did see the form thrown into cardboard boxes.  Seems the requirement to fill it out was adhered to but no further action was observed(by me).

16 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

How many ranking sites exist?

How many list Emirates and Qantas in the top 10? Many.

Does this site? No.

 

About the airport list: they must have used a quite small selection.

Manila not being in the worst list?

No central Asian/Russian/African/South American airports worse than Suy.?

 

Incheon, Seoul not on the top 10?

etc.etc.

 

Laughable.

If you compare the "worst airport" lists you will find that they all use quite arbitrary selections.

 

I dump this ranking list/site.

 

Generally a very well laid out, easily negotiated airport.  Services are somewhat limited but those may be services that not many actually need.  Comparing BKK with LAX - in LAX (2008) subject to harassing by Krishnas, selling scams and kinda dirty conditions.