Homburg

I expect that there could be cheaper ways to get one's 15 minutes of fame.

If only Thailand allowed gambling I could run a book on how long before he is released! Some of the odds could be: 8 days - 5:1 8 weeks - 2:1 8 months - 1,000:1 8 years - 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000:1 ????????????????

So now we all know that NEW SEASON 88 is located on the Pattaya Third Road in North Pattaya, but this is a genuine news item folks, not advertising pretending to be news. Was it P.T. Barnum who said "There's no such thing as bad publicity...."?

If they extend the validity of visas then there will be less need for visa runs and they'll lose out on millions of B300 entry fees (albeit assuming the B300 plan ever gets off the ground).

Yes. You will be quizzed on the origin of the funds (I have been quizzed when depositing less than $1k, which the bank considered to be "big money"!), plus Cambodian banks can be very picky regarding the condition of $ bills. I recently had JTR's Riverside Branch bounce a $100 bill os "too old". I was surprised as it looked almost new to me tbh, and it was subsequently accepted without comment at JTR's Olympic Branch, but bringing cash, unless totally new bills from the US, can be a minefield.

Don't poke the bear. I have this problem with TTB due to one forename missing from my account. Their staff are so friendly and helpful every time I ask them to correct this and every time I go to the branch I spend about half a day there whilst they work on it and take multiple copies of my passport etc. I am then told that the change will be sent to head office and be corrected overnight, but it never happens. I suspect that it is the usual Thai problem of not knowing how to do something but being unable to admit that or to ask for help.

My thoughts exactly!

Of course the Justice Ministry is granting privileges to Thaksin, but these are not "undue". These have been bought and paid for!

Yes. That is what I do. Two of my Cambodian bank accounts hold US$ and ATM's in Phnom Penh will dispense US$. i expect that it is the same in Siem Reap. Things may be different in other areas, such as Poipet.

Yes you may, and the lack of ABA internet banking is a concern. If you still have the ABA account then my suggestion would be to manage this through the app (but SECURELY - using a separate phone, used for this purpose only and rendered useless to anyone else who tries to use the app - pm me if you want details of how to achieve this). I similarly also have a JTR account, opened many, many years ago when it was ANZR and there was no requirement for any long-term visa in order to open the account, but I have on recent occasions found cash via the JTR ATM's to be inaccessible (more than once - and why does this always happen at the weekend!?), plus there is no two factor authentication to log on to JTR's online banking which is another concern.

Technically there is no "retirement" visa. What is available is a visa extension based on retirement. For those aged 55 or over the process is (VERY) simple. My passport is UK, there may be slightly different requirements for different nationalities, but I expect it's broadly similar. 1. Enter the country on an Ordinary Visa (NOT a Tourist Visa as that cannot be extended) $35 on arrival, $42 online (Visa on Arrival takes up a full page in your passport, online visa avoids this - so I always apply online). 2. Apply for a retirement extension of 6 months or longer (shorter extensions are available, but you need minimum 6 months to open a bank account). One passport pic required and a screen grab from the FPCS (Foreigners Present in Cambodia System). The extension takes up a full passport page. In July 2023 the cost for a 12 month extension was $290 via an agent (I used Cina Travel - Street 130 in Phnom Penh) - the agent liaised with the hotel to deal with the FPCS. I found it to be a professionally managed and stress-free experience. 3. Receive the extension after about 7 working days and open a bank account. The 12 month extension is multiple entry, no proof of income required, no 90 day reporting, no B800,000 deposit required, no queueing at immigration..... I opened an ABA account (also in July 2023) because, in Phnom Penh, ABA has many branches/ATM's. ABA listed a number of requirements on its site, including proof of residence (rental contract etc.) which looked difficult as I stay in an hotel, but in fact all they were interested in was to see the visa extension. You also need a Cambodian phone number to receive verification texts, but that's no biggie. The bank account was opened in about half an hour and my ATM card arrived at the branch the next day. After a year, when applying to renew a 12 month visa extension, this can be done within the last 30 days of validity of the existing extension. Hope that helps?

Is it possible that he is truly unwell? @villageidiot posted on an earlier thread that in recent candid photographs he "looked ghastly". The pic of him seated in his private jet and looking well, supposedly en route to the LOS may in fact not have been taken that day - or indeed any time recently - this would perhaps explain the change of wristwatch reported between when he was pictured on the jet and when he arrived.

A probable explanation for the change is that the pix from on board the aircraft were staged and taken on a different day, hence the different watch, but a politician staging a photoshoot! Who'd have thought?

You have to admire anyone who could release that statement AND keep a straight face.

Thai politics is just SO entertaining. Finally a new PM, plus "Public General Enemy #1" banged up on the same day! Stay tuned, next week: Who REALLY shot JR.

Just another day in the Land Of Smiles. Nothing to see here, move along....

They seek him here, they seek him there Those generals seek him everywhere Is he in heaven or is he in hell? That damned elusive........

2027? Bit of a long wait. I'll go by bus instead.

RIP poor lady.

This is certainly more entertaining than Thai soaps! If he returns, then unless he's having a breakdown (could be?), I would expect that he has a "deal" and this is not a brown envelope deal - brown envelopes don't come big enough! Maybe he can pressure someone who can ensure his freedom. I shall not speculate on whom that might be, but the list of potential "benefactors" is extremely short. Perhaps it's not what you know, nor even who you know, but it's what you know (and can prove) about who you know! I'm on the edge of my seat awaiting the next thrilling instalment!

They still have the tanks and guns which have proved decisive in the past, so I am not gonna hold my breath on that one.

The dirtiest.

Agree with most of that, not least the really friendly Khmer people, but an alternative to tuktuks is Phnom Penh's "CityBus" service. All buses have aircon and a flat fare of Riel 1,500 (around US$0.35) irrespective of distance with a CityBus app so you can see all the routes, all the stops, and where the buses are. Mostly daylight hours only though. The service officially runs until 20:30, but don't expect to find a bus after 19:00, nevertheless a good way to avoid the airport taxi sharks as there is a #3 bus which stops just oustide the passenger terminal (exit the car park, turn left and walk 150m) and which will take you downtown for US$0.35!

If I don't trust the merchant then I use a WISE virtual card which I delete as soon as I have made the payment so that it cannot be used again.

Hey Pita, I hope you have a "Plan B", because you will never be allowed to become PM if you play by the Junta's rules.