Kerryd

What did they say she was worth when she became PM ? Something like 22 billion (baht) or more ? And was the "CEO" of over 20 different companies as well. Things that make you go hmmmmm.

One has to remember that many of these monks may not be "life-long" monks but are only in the temples for 6-12 weeks "to earn merit". I've gone to a number of "ordination" ceremonies where people did the whole "becoming a monk" routine with the head shaving and parade to the temple and lots of donations and gifts. It's quite the party (and can be fairly expensive as well). And then three months (the normal length of time one is expected to stay in the temple) later, they take off their robes and go back to doing (whatever) they did in their normal lives. (It used to be tradition that all male members of a family did a 3 month stint as a monk at some point in their lives, either when they are young or after they have retired normally.) And some "monks" seem to treat the position as a job, not a "higher calling" and see it as an easy way to get free food, lodging and spending money. Way easier than digging ditches or collecting garbage all day. (Better food and accommodations and "gifts" as well for some of them.) It's probably more surprising that there aren't more problems being reported on a regular basis.

An "online account" with a foreign bank will NOT be accepted by Immigration. THINK about it. Immigration wants a Letter from the Bank verifying the account and balance AND they want photocopies of your updated bank book, including the page with your name and account number and the page(s) showing the current balance. I seriously doubt they'll accept a print out of a "screen capture" from your phone as proof of your supposed balance. They expect the money to be in a THAI bank so that if you need it (to live on or to pay hospital bills and such) you can access it literally immediately. Which is also why they do NOT accept "But, but, I've got more than 800k in my 401k or Social Security or (insert overseas investment plan here)" as proof of funds. People have been trying for years to scam Immigration by pretending they have the money to meet the requirements - but don't want to put it in a Thai bank because "waaaa - the bank clerk will steal it all" or "waaaa - I can make .25% more interest per year from my home bank". Sheesh, some years ago, some Immigration offices wouldn't even accept it if your money was in a Fixed Term savings account because they wanted to see transactions on your account to prove you were using the money to live on. (That was a dumb requirement and now places like Jomtien have no problem with the money being in a Fixed Term account as you can still access it almost immediately if the need arises.) But they will NOT accept things like "Gain 123" investments (from Bangkok Bank) as proof of funds even if you have more than the required amount because you can't access those funds immediately if the need arose. So if you aren't going to put the money in a Thai bank then you'll have to go the "agent" route and hope for the best.

They should be looking for CCTV images of when he got on the plane in Cambodia (after he spent some time with his good buddy Hun Sen) and when he got off the plane and when he arrived at the prison. Because if I recall, there was no problem with him then. And after he arrived in Thailand he was initially taken to the prison and barely an hour later complained he was having a problem trying to take a nap and that's why they took him to the hospital. He wasn't even at the prison long enough to be processed in, let alone had time to try and "take a nap". The whole thing was staged from the minute he arrived. And remember the kerfluffle when someone got photos of him in a swimming pool with his nephews ? While he was supposedly near death in the hospital ? So the prison/hospital officials quickly put Thaksin in a neck brace and on a guerny and had a photo of him being moved (somewhere) in the hospital to show how sick he was. And now the daughter is in hot water after calling "her uncle" (Hun Sen) about the border dispute. And now you can bet they are going to have a lot of trouble trying to get Yingluck back to the country without her having to do a lot of prison time. Good thing they were able to appoint a friend of Thaksin's to be the acting PM or they'd really be in trouble !

I have a Big C card - apparently it gives me a 5% discount on my purchases. The One Card collects points. It used to be at Tops the cashier would note how many points I had and ask if I wanted to exchange some and get a discount on my bill (it was a couple hundred baht discount) but I haven't done that in ages. It can also be used in other stores as well (HomePro and such). I have a Fascino card as well and it gives a 5% discount on any purchases. You can register for Villa Market online and then I guess you show them the number (or Q code or whatever) on your phone and get a discount there as well. I tried to get a 7-11 membership but - as mentioned elsewhere - they want a Thai ID card number. I collect the stamps when 7-11 hands them out. I have a bunch of stuff from the special promotions they've run in the past, like a complete, large set of "Doremon" tupperware containers, a "Doremon" wastebasket with hinged lid. A "Winnie the Pooh" waste basket with hinged lid and a couple other items somewhere I've forgotten about. The big stores used to have some awesome promotions where you'd get stickers for everything you bought (except alcohol) and then could trade them for special items like Vivo double-walled glass tumblers, special kitchen knife sets, cookware sets and so on. Usually high quality items that they don't sell in the store. That's how I got my fancy pots with glass lids, a large, deep frying pan (with glass lid), the double-walled glasses and a fancy "vegetable" knife. When the Tops store opened in The Chilled mall on Soi Khao Noi they had a lot of promotions. Buy your groceries then take your receipt to the customer service counter and get stuff like plastic laundry baskets or novelty insulated mugs and stuff. One promotion was crazy - for every pack of Fisherman's friends you bought - you got a free small (6oz ?) glass tumbler. I used to buy 6 packs of Fisherman's friends at a time because the glasses came packed 6 to a box. I think I've got 4 1/2 boxes of those glasses before that promotion ended. Got them stashed on a storage shelf. Give them out to people who move into a new house or apartment. The discounts and promotions aren't a huge savings at the time - but over time they can add up. I probably spend 10-12,000 a month on groceries alone so a 5% discount would equal 5-600 baht per month in savings. Over the course of a year that's about 6-7,200 baht in savings. Multiplied by the number of years I've been doing it. The promotions and 7-11 stickers are just a bit of fun. I'm buying stuff anyways so I toss the stickers into the little promotion card thingy and then one day paste them onto the card and see if I have enough to get something useful like a beach mat - or another waste basket. I didn't pay attention to the last one and had half a card worth of stickers. Bummer, a couple more trips for snacks and I could have gotten set of cheap plastic "Doremon" bowls with lids. Oh well, maybe next time.

Lol - there was a Facebook post just a few hours ago that said it was CHINA that put an end to the Casino bill by TELLING Thailand they did not approve it and it was "suggested" (in the article) that the recent very large drop in tourist arrivals from China was their way of saying "do things our way - or else". I suggested (on that article) that it seems that China is now dictating Thai law. The article mentions how much Cambodia makes from it's casinos and that they know if Thailand starts running their own, the Cambodians will lose huge amounts of revenue. Funny how China has NO problems with casinos in Cambodia though, isn't it ?

My dad told me a joke when I was but a wee lad of (15 or 16 I guess at the time). Man is at a fancy party and sees a drop dead gorgeous woman in a slinky black dress standing by herself. Man slides up to her and quietly asks if she'd sleep with him that night for $100,000. The woman instantly agrees as she grabs his hand and starts toward the door. The man holds up and says "Wait". She lets go of his hand and looks at him. He leans towards her and quietly asks if she'd sleep with him that night for $100. The woman is outraged ! She steps back and slaps the man and shouts "What kind of woman do you think I am ?" The man replies - "We've already established that. Now we are just negotiating the price." Wonder how that would go over on Beach Road if you asked a woman (?) to spend the night with you for 1,000 baht - and then tried to get her to go with you for just 100 baht. Might get a bit more than a slap !

I've bought tickets occasionally for over 20 years now. Won 2,000 once way back when and 2 years ago won 4,000 (2 x 2,000 baht tickets). Used to be a hoot when I was living in South Pattaya. Within minutes of the draw the neighbourhood would be full of people running around selling copies of the "winning numbers sheet" for 5 baht. It had all the winning numbers (there are more than just the 2, 3 and 6 digit numbers that can win prizes). These days you can just check online or download the number sheet yourself (https://www.glo.or.th/mission/reward-payment/check-reward) NEVER had a problem collecting the money. But whoever wrote that article mustn't really know much about the lottery. The LISTED price for the tickets is 80 baht - which gives the seller what, 10 baht (per ticket sold) as a commission ? But just try and find a vendor that will sell you a ticket for 80 baht. Most charge 100. In some "popular" areas, it's 120. Or more. Technically it's illegal for them to charge more than the printed price (80 baht) per ticket, regardless if you are buying single tickets or packages of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 tickets. About what, 5 years ago now, there was a "crack down" that lasted about 3 days where vendors were forced to sell tickets at the printed (80 baht) price. But like everything, within a couple days they were right back to charging whatever they think they can get away with. And the "two ticket" options are usually even more expensive. If a vendor is charging 100 baht for one ticket, they may charge 220 for 2 tickets - because YOU might win more money so THEY want more for selling you those tickets. And it's the same for the 3, 5 and 10 ticket "packages" where you can end up paying the equivalent of 150 baht per ticket (or more) - NOT because those numbers are "luckier" - but because you MIGHT win more money so the thinking is - you should also pay more for the tickets. And they charge more for all their tickets, not just the "lucky" ones - which are never "lucky" anyways. There are THREE banks were you can collect smaller prizes (Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, Krung Thai Bank and Government Savings Bank). There are also "lottery shops" like the one on soi Nern Plerb Wan (left side if you cross the railway tracks heading towards Sukhumvit, just a few meters from that intersection). You can cash in smaller prizes there (they charge a fee of course). That's where I collected my last winnings. It is recommended that IF you win a large prize, immediately take photos of the tickets (maybe holding them against a computer screen showing the winning numbers) and sign the back of the tickets. Some people have gone to their local police station to "register" the tickets (in case someone tries to steal them I guess). If I won the "big" prize, I'd probably talk to my lawyer first to makes sure all my ducks are in a row before I try collecting the prize. And remember - This is THAILAND ! Where you do NOT want to be worth more dead than you are alive ! So get your money, get it safely into your bank. Transfer whatever amounts you want (don't leave it all in one account that your girlfriend and her boyfriend and her husband all have access to). Put some "mad money" into your regular account. And THEN decide who you want to tell and how many bars you want to ring the bell in. But keep in mind rule #2 - almost ever foreigner in the country - including your "trusted friends from your home country" - would MUCH rather see YOUR money in THEIR pockets. Spending YOUR money is oh so much more fun than spending what little they have left over from their meager pensions and alimony payments. Make sure they all know that you sent most of the money back home to (pay off debts, put it into the grandkids college fund, pay down a mortgage, pay for mom's retirement home costs, etc, etc). Do NOT brag that you've got 6 or 12 or (oh lordy lordy) 30 mil in (your savings account that you've given your ATM card and PIN number to half the service staff of every bar you've ever been in because you were too lazy to go to the ATM yourself). Sure, you'll be REAL popular - until they figure out how to get all that money into THEIR hands. One way or another. You'll find you suddenly have a lot of new friends and just by coincidence, they all have sick relatives that need new kidneys or they need a temporary loan because the bank didn't process their huge transfer before the weekend or (insert a thousand sob stories here). I often wonder how many people actually do win the big prizes. Once or twice a year I see a story of some farmer in Isaan or somewhere else winning 6 or 12 mil but that's it. And if a foreigner ever won ! Wow - headline news ! Probably followed immediately by demands to change the laws to exclude foreigners from winning of course. (They won't mind you buying tickets but won't want to pay out on any that win.) It would be very interesting to see the reaction if a foreigner won a 30 mil prize one day.

Uh huh. This story had a "smell" to it from the first moment it was reported - in WALES. NOT in Thailand for some odd, strange, inexplicable reason. He took a "spur of the moment" trip to Thailand. Was out clubbing in Bankok with friends. Supposedly was found "severely beaten" and taken to a hospital - in Chon Buri (not Pattaya) - almost 90 kms from where he'd supposedly been partying (around Khao San road according to one of the articles). But now wakes up in a hospital in Pattaya somehow. Which is funny because I wanted to find out which hospital so I could go say hi and drop off some flowers but of course - they won't say the name of the hospital, will they ? And all of it only made the news in Wales (and ASEAN Now of course) - with GoFundMe links already set up beforehand. Oh and the "arrest" ? Apparently only reported in "Wales Online" as well. "Now Ashton's grandmother Beverley Walker has told WalesOnline that Thai police have informed the family of an arrest. She said police gave no detail other than that the man is suspected of assaulting Ashton." Now think about this. Awhile ago the Brit who supposedly was hit in Phuket by a Russian. Within HOURS of the accident, the family (in England) was claiming the police had told them the (full) names of the Russian driver and his wife, and even the type of vehicle they were driving. But all the police will (supposedly) only tell the family of this guy is that they "arrested someone" ? Uh huh. ALL of these stories share the SAME generic details while avoiding specific details that could be fact checked for authenticity. And this case - guy goes out "partying" in Bangkok. Ends up in a Chonburi hospital with head injuries - and no insurance. What does that really sound like to you ? If you said - riding a motorcycle while drunk and not wearing a helmet - congratulations. But you aren't going to get much sympathy - or donations - from that, are you ? And seriously - a foreigner is "found" looking like he was severely beaten and is taken to a hospital - and it doesn't make the media ? The same media that reports on every foreigner that gets pick-pocketed on Beach Road, or gets drunk and goes nuts in a convenience store or gets beaten by people on the street, or is busted for being on 2 days of overstay - but doesn't report on a foreigner being found unconcious and "severely beaten". And it ONLY makes the media - in his HOME country - from a media site that PAYS people for their "vacation horror stories" ? Yeah, the smell is strong with this one. Lets see, there's what, 6 hospitals in Pattaya now, including gov't hospitals (Pattaya City and Banglamung) and 4 private hospitals. If I just knew which one he was in, I could go say hi right now !

I still lol. When the current PM took office I opined that she'd be lucky to last a year. But the media was suggesting she'd serve her full (4 year) term. A headline from a leading Thai media site - 27 Oct 2024: Most Thais think govt will survive until term ends: poll "Most Thai people are of the opinion that the government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra will be able to last until the end of its mandate in four years' time, but some believe it will collapse before the year’s end, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll. The survey sought to sample public opinion on the prospect of the government’s survival until the end of its four-year term in 2027. The answers were as follows: • 41.68% believed the government would survive political challenges ahead and be able to complete its term in 2027 • 19.08% thought it would last about two years (2026) • 16.87% thought it would last about a year (2025) • 11.99 believed it would last nearly until the end of its term • 9.77% thought it would collapse before the New Year • 0.61% had no answer or were not interested And the main reasons people thought the gov't might collapse sooner than later ? 34.43% failing to improve the country’s economy as promised and below the public's expectations 32.52% activists filing petitions against Thaksin Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai Party 29.47% crises due to Ms Paetongtarn’s mismanagement of national affairs 28.85% activists filing petitions against the premier and the Pheu Thai Party 19.77% corruption as a result of imprudent administration 17.25 conflicts among coalition parties 16.64% nothing would prevent the government from completing its four-year term 10.92% political turmoil caused by protest rallies 9.62% proposed amendments to constitutional provisions governing the ethics of holders of political positions 9.08% scrutiny by the opposition parties 8.24% proposing an amnesty bill on sensitive issues 8.09% the Tak Bai massacre case 6.95% a coup d'etat And now you've got the Thaksin medical/prison scandal. The Thaksin "lese majeste" accusations and upcoming trial(s). The border clash with Cambodia. Prawit suggesting she should resign. Hints that Anutin may table a Vote of Non-Confidence against the PM. Another party suggesting the Constitutional Court should disband the Pheu Thai Party. Or - as they say in Thailand - just another day like any other !

For those of you who weren't around when the "red shirt/yellow shirt" riots were happening, it was alleged in the Thai media that one of the reasons the yellow shirts were protesting Thaksin was that they thought he was trying to basically replace the (former) king and become the "most revered and beloved figure" in Thailand basically. The "yellow" shirts backed the monarchy (yellow being the "royal" colour) and the red shirts represented the lower classes (farmers, taxi drivers, food vendors) - the same people Thaksin had been paying to vote for him basically. (So when Hun Sen mentions "insults to the king" you can imagine he actually does know something.) And back then there were the same shenanigans. Thaksin did an "end around" the law by using his kids, maids and chauffeurs to offload his shares in ShinCorp so he could avoid paying billions in taxes - and ignore a court ruling prohibiting the sale (for national security reasons as ShinCorp owned the satellites the Thai military communications networks use). Then there was his "war on drugs" where over 2,500 (at least) "drug dealers" were killed in shoot-outs with the police that some hinted was actually an operation to "clean out the competition". Then there was the suspect land deal where the organization that manages the public land in Bangkok sold some prime real estate to Thaksin's wife - for a quarter of the market value. She then flipped it for full price. (She was charged for that herself and given a prison sentence.) But ! Smoke and mirrors ! He introduced the "30 baht healthcare scheme" where anyone could go to a hospital and see a doctor for just 30 baht. People were so enamoured by that they forgot about everything else he was doing. And that was exactly the purpose - to distract attention away from everything else he was doing. No surprise that this recent border incident started right after the Medical Board took action against the doctors who signed off on Thaksin's condition and the announcements of an inquiry into his "hospital stay". I mentioned that the timing was suspect when it first happened and sure enough - news about the hospital inquiries quickly fell to the wayside. But not entirely. And remember - Thaksin is still facing a "lèse-majesté" charge from a couple years ago already. "In May 2024, Thaksin was charged with lèse-majesté by the Attorney-General over remarks he made during an interview with South Korean media while in exile in 2015." You can look up Thaksin's wiki page and search for "lese" and you can see the mentions of the different previous accusations while he was PM. So you can imagine the turmoil if Hun Sen reveals other instances that could result in more lèse-majesté charges. I don't think there are enough brown envelopes in Thailand to get out of that !

I've had a 2 year "temp" license, two five year renewals and am on my third 5 year license and I've ALWAYS had to do the tests. Even "way back when" when I had a valid foreign license and IDP, when I went to get a Thai license I had to do the tests. I was told that the the "old" practise of giving people with (valid) foreign licenses a Thai one stopped after the coup in 2006 as the military had clamped down on things. In any event, did the paperwork, passed the tests, got my license. Went back two years later, did the paperwork, passed the tests, got my 5 year license. Went back 5 years later - repeat. And again. I wonder if this will effect the "online renewal" program they just started recently ?

There is a LOT of gambling that goes on in Thailand and most foreigners are clueless about it. So many times I've gone somewhere with a Thai girl or with other friends and suddenly someone pulls out a PVC mat with numbered squares and some dice or cards and suddenly everyone is throwing money on different squares and hooting and hollering. It can go on for hours, depending on how lucky some are or how lucky the "house" is. And games people start playing for 5 and 10 baht often jump to 20 and 100 baht very quickly and suddenly instead of losing 200 baht people have lost their wages for the whole month. I usually walk away and find a quiet place to chill until they're finished. Some people can get a little "agitated" if their luck isn't with them, or they think someone else is a little "too lucky". And we know the famous Thai smiles and friendliness is a very thin facade over a lot of bottled up rage. Which probably has a lot to do with why gambling is illegal in the first place. And a hint of what could happen if that changes in the future.

About 2 months ago I had to go to the bank (Bangkok Bank) because I'd forgotten my card in an ATM and needed to cancel it in a hurry. Get to the bank, get my number, only 1 number ahead of me ! Then I sat for 40 minutes as an "agent" opened accounts for 9 or 10 foreigners in a row. Luckily she had most of the paperwork ready to go so it only took a few minutes for each one. Had me scratching my head though because I thought they were cracking down on foreigners opening accounts. And a Multi Re-entry permit costs 3,800 at Immigration. My understanding was you could only get a single re-entry permit at the airport or a border crossing and that costs 1,000 each time. And it's quite common for people to brag on this and other forums about how they scam Immigration. And then one day Immigration changes the rules to get rid of that very loophole and everyone whines. Because they assume Immigration is too stupid to ever have any English speaking staff check those very same forums for that very reason. And that is how we went from needing 800k in the bank on the day you applied to having to have it in the bank for 3 months, then needing it in there for 2 months before and 3 months after. And now having to keep 400k in the bank all year and 800k for 5 months. Because people kept bragging about how they were scamming Immigration to get around the rules. So Immigration keeps changing those rules to try and stop those scammers.

With a neck brace on. I'm almost surprised the Medical Council of Thailand upheld its decision to suspend or discipline several doctors after the Health Minister opposed it. A previous article said that they'd need a (large) majority of the members of that Council to vote against the Minister in order to over-rule him and maintain their decision. Got to think they know enough about what really went on to know the truth will come out eventually no matter what they do. But the courts have to say "enough is enough" and start the trial NOW instead of continuously putting it off. Show the people that you are serious instead of making it look like you are giving the criminals more time to "influence" their way out of it. It will be very interesting to see what happens if it looks like things are going against Thaksin. He's tried to leave the country a couple times since he was "freed" and been denied each time. Got to think if it looks like he might end up going back to prison (lol) he will somehow wake up back in Dubai all of a sudden. Wouldn't bode well for his sister's return either.