JimHuaHin

And it will snow in Bangkok today.

What a sorry state the USA's 2 main political parties are in!!! Cannot they find in young intelligent candidates? Climate change is not the main immediate threat to the planet, the US presidential election is!!!

China basically considers Thailand as a colony - a place where China can dump its cheap excess produce, send is excess workers (an estimated 400,000 in Thailand, according to Chinese sources), and exploit Thailand's natural resources. All with the help of the local Chinese-Thai businesses which have close links to the Chinese Communist Party. (Search for information on the first overseas business to invest in China after the 1949 Chinese Communist Revolution (hint - it was a Thai company), and which Thai company has factories in virtually every Chinese province?)

Army denies?

Let me see ... Thai Prime Minister's previous job - CEO of major condo developer. Condos not selling - Myanmar government cracking down on its expats' investments, Chinese running out of money, Russians in trouble because of Vlad "The Invader" Putin, etc. Let's allow more farangs to buy condos!!! But with the enforcement of overseas funds remittance tax - opps, will the farangs want to remit millions of Baht to buy condos? Or will there be exemptions from overseas funds remittance taxation if farangs buy condos?

I had a slightly similar experience several years ago. The woman's dating site profile had a few pictures of her in a nurse's uniform, and she said that she worked in a local government hospital. We chatted away for a few weeks, but never met (due to her "busy" work schedule, doing double shifts to get more money). At this time, a couple who were friends of mine from work in Australia were visiting Thailand, seeking out retirement options, and one night they wanted to go out to a bar for a drink. In the bar opposite, there was a woman who looked like the "nurse". To cut a long sorry short, the "nurse" was never a nurse, she "borrowed" the nurse uniform from her "sister", and she worked full-time in the bar.

Tourism industry slumps, education system failing, manufacturing industry shrinking, worker productivity stagnant, etc., etc., etc. When will those Thais with power wake-up and implement real structural changes before Thailand sinks? Answer - no time soon. Why? Because if the system changes those with power may experience a loss of power.

What do you expect when the local "friends" of the Chinese Communist Party have so much economic and political power in Thailand?

I had a similar problem twice over the past 4 years - once shortly after I ordered some books from a Thai on-line bookstore (which I used for the first time) and the second time shortly after I ordered about half a dozen computer components for different supplies via Lazard. In both cases the fraud was only a few thousand Baht. I contacted my overseas bank and promptly cancelled the cards and received replacement cards.

Not surprised - many big multinationals are exiting Thailand. A number of articles in recent years have highlighted several issues - too much corruption, too much red tape, poor infrastructure, low worker productivity, poor worker attitude, and falling demand. Thailand needs a little more personal attitude adjustment and major structural reforms to become a more attractive investment location.

Who is surprised? Almost 10 years of incompetent military dictatorship, which severely damaged the Thai economy. Followed by a government NOT elected by popular vote, supported by criminal billionaire who should be in a retirement village. Thai economy collapsing with more Thais falling into poverty; while the rich get richer. The Prime Minister's best plan - to make Thailand the hub of everything, including the hub of hubs of hubs - vision, what vision? And the youth of Thailand today are probably more disenchanted with the future than they have ever been.

So, 3,900 Thai community radio stations which serve the interests of Thai local communities will be closed - is it because they reflect the views of the Thai communities they serve, which may not align with the views and ideologies of the conservative Bangkok establishment? So unless one lives in a large city, with multiple radio stations, the Thai people will only have radio access to one of the 537 radio (or TV) stations owned (according to Wikipedia), run and controlled by the Thai military.

Although some suggest renewing the driver's licence after their birthday, what are the legal ramifications of being involved in a motor vehicle accident with an expired licence?

I have known of a couple people who have done this on "marriage"/"retirement" visas, without being "caught", but technically (I believe) it is illegal if ones does not have "work/volunteer visa" - thus potential arrest an deportation.

Exactly. This was the advice I received from a close Thai friend (who teaches law at Thammasat University) of my ex gf. The only difference being, my will stipulates a back-up, or secondary, administrator if my primary administrator predeceases me.

Taksin physically sick? Will be win a Thai acting award his year?

Thailand really does not care what the international community thinks, especially now that Thailand is in bed with pure clean ethical moral China. But, if the day ever comes when most foreign tourists stop coming to Thailand and there are effective international boycotts of Thai produce, then things may change.

This is happening globally to coral reefs.

I have only seen Ibuprofen 400mg in Thai pharmacies. However, Paracetamol 500 mg appears standard in Thailand. One can purchase a pill cutter at most pharmacies to cut a 400 mg pill in half.

Shortly after I retired here nearly 11 years ago, I was approached by 3 regional educational institutions (including 2 universities) offering me employment opportunities either teaching or doing research. I explained to the representatives that I was in Thailand on a "retirement" visa, and thus could not legally work in Thailand. However, if the institutions submitted the required documentation to "immigration" so that I could obtain a "work" visa, which I could later change back to a "retirement" visa, then I could be happy to work for them. In each case, after 4-6 weeks, I was advised that the "massive red tape" requirement was not worth the effort. If I was not in my very late 50s, it may have been a slightly different story, from the educational institutions' perspective.

Answer - yes. Chronically sick.

As a long time (about 50 years) visitor to, and watcher of, both Thailand and Viet Nam, who would of thought 20-30 years ago that Viet Nam would be powering ahead of Thailand? Yes, Viet Nam has bad corruption, and yes the Vietnamese Communist Party has made some disastrous economic decisions in the past, but .... Viet Nam is advancing, while Thailand, ignoring the advice of "experts" is, at best, under the influence of powerful self-interested individuals, walking around in circles, or more accurately regressing back in time.

Spot on TroubleandGrumpy. For at least the past 50-odd years, whenever there have been changes to Australia's tax laws, policies, procedures, etc., the changes have been published in the media or in specialised tax publications (eg the annual Master Tax Guide, etc.), and for the last few decades on the ATO website. So the average tax payer in Australia can access information on what changes are happening and how the changes will impact them. And for some decades, tax information has been available in a number of "community" (read immigrant) languages. Meanwhile, in Thailand .... the hub of hubs of hubs ....

I used my OS-based MC at Pran Buri Honda last month, no problems.

I just read a similar article online about Recall. Very worrying. It is getting closer to the time when one will be forced to abandon Windows forever.