goatfarmer

Yes. It sounds like a shortcut instead of stamping them out and stamping them back in again, however with the digital passport scanners, that should not be a big deal.

It's pretty close to its previous low of 32.1, September 2024. It might briefly touch 32, but my guess is that it's currently bottoming and by the end of the year it will be back to the 34 level. But who knows? Que sera sera. 😁

One building under construction collapses out of how many thousands of high rise buildings in Bangkok. I would have thought that proves that the standard is pretty good.

Their names are: Watchara Sriaoun Bannawat Seatho Sathian Suwannakham Wichian Temthong Surin Kesungnoen Phonsawan Pinakalo

Let's see. There has already been hell to pay. It doesn't seem to make much impression on Hamas who seem oblivious to the suffering of the people; quite the contrary. They relish it.

What a ludicrous, tail chasing dog, excuse for an argument. As if Oct 7 wasn't a casus belli sufficient to declare war on Gaza. 🤪

Indeed. Even the definition is off the wall hyperbole. Totalitarianism is a political system whereby the state controls everything: markets, press, speech, movement, work choice. The term is inapplicable to the US or any other democracy, and the US just proved the power of democracy.

Yes. Ethnic cleansing, Occupation, apartheid, and all the other leftist distortions of the ordinary meaning of words.

What he really means is that he is a loser who doesn't know who to trust and so creates categories of trustworthy and untrustworthy based on arbitrary criteria such as ethnicity. You know, a common garden variety bigot.

The claim is that of representative sample, not a referendum.

I am taking my daughter overseas without her mother. I was pleasantly surprised to note that the District Office has a new permission form with a simplified procedure: Old: needed to update marriage certificate, bespoke letter created, needed two witnesses, host of documents New: no need to update marriage certificate, standard form issued, no need for witnesses, only requires mother's and child's ID cards. One form required for each child. The whole process was completed in an hour. Uncertainty: There is no specified trip in the letter nor is there an expiry date. It merely states that the mother has given consent for the child to go abroad. So it is unclear how long the form can be used before it needs to be updated.

I called airport immigration to enquire about the proper method. Seems like there is no clear policy. I spoke to four different officers, both at Don Meuang and Suvarnabhumi. The responses I got were: At Don Meuang: No need to have the Amphur document, you can write a letter yourself, signed by both parents and attach your child's birth certificate. At S airport: Three different officers: Get the the Amphur document. They have a form you can fill in. As to the length of validity of the Amphur document, all of them said that a date 10 months ago would be too old. So, to avoid doubt, wife and I trundled off to the Amphur. It took an hour. They only required the ID card of wife and child. (None of the marriage certificate, house registration, birth certificate previously required.) The whole process has been simplified and standardized. As to whether or not you need the Amphur document, my guess is that it's not necessary and that you could probably wing it with a home made letter of consent. However, then you are subject to the discretion of the immigration official. With the official document there is no discretion.

"The Finance Ministry is set to present a proposal" I thought it was a done deal and was going to be implemented as of May 1st; ie, two weeks ago.

If it's only on Ali Express and Lazada stuff, it wouldn't be such an issue, but going to the post office to pay and collect or enabling the ThaiPost delivery guy to collect 20 baht would be a huge inconvenience and burden.

It won't work. Another bright idea that will quietly get shelved.