Old Croc

You probably should amend this figure to match the link you posted. (300 million).

@Liquorice This from a link another member posted. The government admitting the unpaid medical bills were from tourists: FOREIGN TOURISTS failed to pay a combined Bt300 million in medical bills after receiving treatment in state hospitals last year, prompting the government to set up “claim centres” to collect what’s due. “These problems mostly hit tourist cities,” Health Service Support Department (HSSD) director-general Dr Nattawuth Prasertsiripong said last week.

I don't agree with your premise that someone living here long term is more likely to have an accident than a tourist. That can be easily disproven by observing the daily parade of gravel-rashed, limping and bandaged tourists at major hospitals in Phuket. Also, residents are less likely, nor able, to duck an obligation to pay hospital bills than a short stay tourist. Perhaps you could also explain why that criterion was introduced for O-A retirees and not the numerically higher group of O retirees? Perhaps you could also explain why existing insurance held by many was no longer suitable and instead could only be bought from a small, select group of Thai companies? I believe the changes in keeping funds for a longer period after extension issue was to quell the incidences of short-term borrowing of these funds by applicants unable to meet the financial requirement themselves.

Yes, an arrival tax which I think was never started in case it upset the Chinese.

A few years ago, Vacchira Hospital in Phuket had a well-publicized whinge about a few million (15m. I think) of unpaid bills they attributed to foreigners. A mere drop in the budget bucket for such a huge, busy hospital. Any thinking person would come to the conclusion the culprits would overwhelmingly be tourists falling off bikes, etc. However, the government (Anutan) decided it was all the fault of long-term residents on O-A visas specifically, so they instituted a criterion for their future extensions that required health insurance bought from a few (favored?) Thai insurance companies. I never saw any feedback on whether this fixed the problem.

Phuket drive-through only want the passport so they can quickly process the 90-day report through the computer, print the new slip and get to the next car. They have no interest in any other processing, if there is an address or TM30 problem, they will tell you to go inside the office to sort it. My next report date slips have never said anything about bank passbooks. Are you sure yours does? I wouldn't know if you could have just used the on-line method. You should have tried it first, do so next time.

My reasons for my very reluctant interest in this person. When in power, his selfish whims, policies and criminal schemes affect my personal wealth and wellbeing. He convinces his ignorant followers that his tampering with global trade (except when to his personal benefit) by introducing tariffs and protectionist policies will benefit them. This causes world markets to fluctuate beyond normal and has caused my retirement money to deteriorate under his former presidency. I also believe his stated personal admiration for despots, and his political goals seemingly more attuned to countries with dictatorships than the democratic west is a danger to the already fragile peace in the world. I consider there to be two countries in my region waiting for him to regain power to start war with neighbors and Russia will take their war to a different level. They know he will renege from the traditional role of the US as international security. Americans who believe isolationism would be a good thing really need to understand the implications. Apart from all that, my morbid interest in Trump comes from the incredible daily stories about a country, once admired, who allow and even laud a man's unhindered flaunting of humanity, law and justice.

On a forum like this there are many haters and the hated. Years ago, when emojis were first introduced there was one meant to indicate a dislike of a post. Many used it freely to express feelings about the poster rather than their content, so it was removed. The confused emoji has become a substitute for those haters unable to express themselves in words. The change to anonymity has exacerbated their use by these sad individuals. The Hated.

I wonder about the confused state of mind of posters who six pages into the topic think they may be the first to notice the grammatical errors in the title.

Their reasons for the existence of this system makes little sense, but a change would probably require a rewrite and processing of a new Immigration Act. Under the old on-line system, I lodged reports for a computer illiterate, Brit friend for several years but could never get mine to work!

Yes. For me, the last entry was in 2011 so that's what goes in my report.

For many here it's very easy to do a five-minute pop in or drive through on the way to the shops. For some, like me, the nearest Immigration office is a 2 hour+ drive away. That's five hours of travelling to say here I am again, still living at the same address. For the last two years, since this version of the on-line system started, I've been able to report, without a problem, in a couple of minutes, without getting out of bed. If this idiocy of a report has to continue, so too does the on-line system.

His time in the big spotlight highlighted DeSantis for what he is. A small man (literally and figurately) with delusions of authoritarianism power and an ego that leads him to believe his version of culture must be taught in schools. He was never a chance even if Trump wasn't there, proven by the fact that even the strange UN representative candidate is out polling him. He's an anti-science, anti-vax, anti-Disney, conspiracy theorist and racist with a peculiar speech defect which makes him use the word Woke nearly every time he opens his mouth and has a laugh a donkey would be proud of. Too stupid to realize that he lost the chance to win America at the very start with his idiotic "Make America Florida" slogan. Unfortunately, his departure will enforce the rhetoric of the sect members who can only see their country in terms of two basic colors and are willing to resume the civil war if they can't win elections legitimately. As a world citizen, all of us greatly affected by the madness in the US, I can only hope America once again finds some political leaders, free of religious bias, and young and caring enough to ask what they can do for their country.

Apparently, it was a hospital plane transporting an ill Russian woman and her husband to from Thailand to Moscow.

I'm not even sure whether you currently reside in Taiwan or Thailand let alone if Pago Pago would be a good fit for you. All I really know of Pago Pago is that there was a racehorse of that name many years ago.

I could also relate a few stories from Patong like a European lady being threatened and having sand kicked on her by a vendor when she refused to move from his patch, and the scams that were operated by some local councils selling off the whole beach in sections to vendors. This was the reason the army, shortly after the coup, ordered all chairs from the beaches and eventually brought in the zones that couldn't exceed a certain percentage of the beaches. The same sand that you like to bury your head in was sold off for a premium by crooks.

Some of us have been on the forum long enough to remember incidents like this: PM Prayut upset over chasing of tourist by beach chair operator in Pattaya - Pattaya News - Thailand News, Travel & Forum - ASEAN NOW Again: Beach vendor chases tourist family away for not renting chairs (VIDEO) (coconuts.co)

Way to empathize!

TG recently announced daily flights on that route: Thai Airways resumes daily Perth-Bangkok flights - Executive Traveller

Very presumptuous of you to think you understand my reasoning. My opinion was based on Trump's personality, stated intentions, past actions and likely decisions if again given the power of POTUS. Biden isn't a danger to the world in the same way. I don't think he should be standing for re-election, but that's a different subject. You should try to express an opinion of your own occasionally and not just continually deride others.

Had a few beers in the Ironclad in my time. It was always over 100 when I was there.

Yes, as I stated above, Immigration's role, if any, is a big unknown.

Nothing, apparently.

Obviously. I wasn't suggesting no one pays tax here, just highlighting the huge numbers who don't and expressing a wish to be treated like all other tax residents without copping special falang only treatment.

In 13 years here I don't know of any Thai who files a tax return. Obviously, I haven't been taking a poll, but in discussions the answer is always - don't do. Their salaries are generally between 10 and 30k and they all consider they don't earn enough to have to file. My wife has always worked but doesn't even know how to lodge a form. We now live in a remote farming community and, since this came up, I've asked the wife to check with others in the village if they lodge. No one does. All work is casual, piecemeal, or bartered and rarely recorded. They are more likely to be collecting funds from the government for various reasons than giving any. As far as I'm concerned, I moved sufficient funds last year (last month) to cover this year, so no return needed in 2025. I can't see myself lodging a nil return unless somehow Immi gets involved and forces the issue. This is not the West where there is little chance of ducking out of the obligation. I am retired, not a working expat with a big company in Bangkok and will follow the lead of a large proportion of the locals and not bother with tax, unless/until they insist. I expect the RD will have sorted out the rules for us lot by 2025, and I will play the "minimization" game with them at that stage.