ronnie50

Not convinced the majority thought that. But agree with the view that Thaksin must have known in advance of the verdict, or he woud have fled the country again.

So it's been more than 2 days since Thaksin was aquitted of the most serious charges. Where are the anti-Thaksin, pro-establishment mobs? Where are the protests? They were told to stay home, that's why. Instead, the Thai news is cranking up the Cambodia border distraction - can't let that one rest, keep winding it up. Of the top 4 stories in Bangkok Post Sunday, 3 are about Cambodia, 1 is about the approaching storm to Issan. Nothing about Thaksin. Nothing about the anti-Thaksin reaction. Silence.

Thanks. That's good to know.

I think what we're seeing - between the recent banking fiascos and account closures involving foreigners and the general immigration tightening - is both a response to the mule accounts by scammers, but also a move on the so-called foreign riff-raff. Throwing down the welcome mat to a foreigner who wants to stay long time but isn't bringing any fiscal impact isn't worth the country's time and effort (immigration, services, health care in government hospitals). I know many (like on this particular thread) say they can live like a Thai and live on a similar budget. Bear in mind a university educated Thai is lucky to be making 40k a month. And in any case, why would Thailand want to go out of its way to welcome in someone who is only going to spend the same amount as a Thai on 20-40k a month? It's just an unneeded hassle that doesn't generate any extra income - a few thousand foreigners eating 5 baht khao nieow and 10 baht moo daeng daily - and the odd Leo dishwater - like many of the 70 million Thais is a zero-sum gain. They (Thailand) don't want more poor people. They have lots already.

Seriously? They don't make you split up (and send you to the 'foreigner' line)?

I guess 'y'all' will be heading to the nearest FedEx or UPS then... DHL might send docs - you'd neeed to check. DHL is the main international courier here in Thailand. But the others are around. Maybe FedEx and UPS would be a better bet though as they are US companies. DHL is European I recall.

And DHL is now balking at sending anything small there too..

Another thread says DHL is now stopping some shipments to the US (presumably under $800 value but no value declared), until further clarity. Every day is another surprise in the Excited States of America, in'it? Between this, and his demand for close scrutiny of 55 million visa holders, while firing a huge amount of civil servants - wh o is going to do all of this?

I opened a new K-bank account in Bangkok in April - just with my passort and I guess the teller might have also copied my visa and extension. I might have shown a TM30 to confirm address - don't recall now. Only 4 months ago, but that seems like a lifetime ago, given all the horror stories I've seen since then - mostly at BBL. I have a joint account too with K-bank for many years and 2 SCB accounts - the latter of which did indeed bar me last month from transfering more than 50k a day. (lucky I have 2 accounts in that regard - just used the other one to make up the difference)

Many posters have been saying this (need to come in and update your info). Neither SCB nor Kasikorn have asked me to do anything - I live in Bangkok. If the copy of your passport that they have is still within validity, were they still asking you to come in and show them something else - like what. specifically, only your visa stamps? And is this happening just in Pattaya, or Bangkok too?

Unlikely to happen, and the guy obviously watched the film 'Civil War'. I saw that too. Must admit, after watching that film, I did wonder if a 2nd U.S. Civil War COULD happen in the days leading up to/after the next U.S. Presidential election if this idiot is still alive. Here, for 'fun', is a possible redrawing of the U.S./Canada political map (west-to-east) 100 years from now, beginning in 2028: Cascadia (long running movement already) or 'Pacifica' if you prefer the name - south to north: California Oregon Washington St British Columbia Alaska Yukon Atlantica (south-to-north): Delaware Pennsyvania New Jersey New York St Conneticut Rhode Island Massatchusettes Vermont New Hampshire Maine Rump USA: Most states and not mentioned above or below, plus D.C., Alberta and Saskathewan. See *below. Rump Canada: Manitoba Ontario Quebec Northwest Territories and Nunavit Newfoundland New Brunswick Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island Minnesota* (even money) Illinois* (probably not) Michigan* (probably not) Up for grabs/contested, given position and existing U.S. bases/troops/institutions (potential for internal fighting/combat in a contested boundary change): North Carolina Virginia Maryland Illinois Michigan Throughout history, boundaries have changed as Empires have weakened, then fallen, creating new opportunities for societies.

You mean the boxes and boxes of confidential and secret documents they found next to a toilet at Mar a Lago? Those documents?

While I fully support a universla/publicly funded health care system, many of these doctors don't want to requisition CT scans or even ultrasounds and this is what happens. I remember getting my first endoscopy at a small NHS hospital near the Essex/Herts border. An immigrant doctor attended and he wasn't planning to give me a general anesthetic, just wanted to lube my throat with some gell I had to drink, then he started to shove the scope down my throat. I gagged and said WTF are you doing? He then seemed irritated and said alright we can anesthetize you then. Third frigging world stuff. Really.

Aside from leaving bags of trash in the hall (unless that's what everyone there is told to do), then I don't know why you care what he does. I rarely see or hear my (Thai) neighbours either. It's quiet and that's the way I like it.. I assume they think the same.

He's right though. Some years back - maybe 10-12 - there was one of the ever-changing offers. I think it was the Thai Elite Visa or one of its previous iterations that said if you buy the elite visa for 1 million USD (I think that was the sum), you'd get all these priviledges like fast track airport and the right to buy/own one rai or half rai or whatever and have a house. People bought the promotion, but it (land ownership) never happened. I think that iteration folded - and off went the money to who knows where..

Can you blame him 😉

I guess they know their way around now - since they invaded Grenada some decades ago. When that order first came down, the marines geniuses' leaders probably thought they were invading a Spanish city.. until they found a map closer to home.

It's Trump payback against Bolton via Trump crony at FBI. I mean when a hard-right neocon like Bolton calls out Trump as an imbecile, who was and is continually getting played by Putin, then that says something pretty deeply about how f'd up and divided politics are within the Republican/Conservatives.

Yes, it's not very helpful without a time line.

I don't think (and didn't mean) that anyone was getting brown envelopes. I meant that the Establishment is a tight circle (in a sense) and those within it know which way to go in the case of Thaksin. That suggests to me that he was let off the hook because he has done another deal with the broader closed-circle of Establishment. So just a slight clarification there. On his party's performance, I don't think that aforementioned group cares either way - they are about enriching themselves and their families. So he's done a deal with them, and in return he gets off the hook.

FBI searches home of former Trump national security adviser John Bolton, AP source says https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-bolton-patel-records-home-search-d02cca9e51360115262727ce45be3d65 Not my favorite character, Bolton, but I respect the guy despite his politics. He's a straight shooter and a smart guy, even though he's a conservative pain in the a**. But this is clearly just more of Trump's vengeance against people he thinks stopped being loyal to him.

Makes sense to quit though. It's not worth Thailand Post's time to deal with all the paperwork. Other countries see it that way too. Maybe this di minimus duty is a backdoor way for a Republican Administration to further hobble US Postal Service (fewer deliveries and lower revenues). It seems many countries are trying to find ways to weasel their way out of providing a national postal service.

Environmental issues aside, this project never made sense to me. Where is the business case for shippers to agree to two ships (instead of one), an additional train, 2x loading and unloading vessels, docking at one for offloading. loading at the other side then getting underway (again)? Yes, they save some time by not navigating the (at times) dangerous waters between Singapore and Indonesia, but it just doesn't make much economic sense (to me). Meantime, China is betting on its superport via Burma into the Andaman. Is it just another one of these projects where they propose something to overbuild (suspiciously unnecessarily) - like they did with a brand new 40+ story Audit Office and a new 40+ story Budget Bureau? Do these two offices really need a combined 80 stories of office space to do their jobs??

Sure does. I figured the court would just kick the decision down the road some more. IMO, this means his rumored 'deal' with his erstwhile Establishment foes is definitely going forward. So no military coup either then. Wonder how the markets and foreign exchange will respond to this news (likely nothing on the latter). Also let's see the anti-Thaksin/nationalist's reaction. They might be told by their Establishment bosses to stay home. That would be another strong indicator if they do so.

Can you share the price?