Tom Parkinson

Starting the non-immigrant “O” process again would be a bit of a hassle, but it might be worthwhile to save 20k baht on Covid insurance! Thanks again. 

Yes, I thought so. If I returned on 30 October with a renewal date of 31 October, would I only need coverage for one day? 

I’m on a non-immigrant “O” retirement visa. My renewal date is 31 October, but I will not clear Phuket quarantine until just after that. So I will have to renew before I leave. My visa will then be good for a year, so I assume I would need a year of Covid insurance coverage. 

Ubon Joe, thanks for your reply! I suspected that was the case, but I hoped that some more rational policy would apply.  I guess I will just have to ante up my 23k subsidy to one of the approved insurers. ????

I’m considering flying to the US in late September and am now working through all of the necessary steps to enter the US and return to Thailand.  

I’m looking at returning via the Phuket Sandbox to avoid total quarantine. I know that there is a USD 100k Covid insurance requirement for reentry. Can I use evidence of a dedicated fixed deposit account with a balance of >USD 100k to fulfil the insurance requirement?

Given his dubious grasp on reality, I would think Anutin could have a bright future at TAT. 

I can’t comment on visa extensions, but I went to Muang Thong Thani to do my 90-day reporting on Monday morning, and it was business as usual. No changes of any sort in effect. 

From the Thai Criminal Procedure Code:

Section 92 A search may not be conducted in a private place without a warrant or an order thereof directed by a court, save where it is performed by an administrative or police official in any of the following events:

2.  Where a flagrant offence is being committed in such private place.  (the only event that could apply)

So not only is a quiet dinner gathering of six an illegal offense, but also a FLAGRANT offense!  Amazing Thailand...

I cannot comment on policies today, because they are subject to change at any time. But I lived in Thailand for seven years, while consulting throughout the region. During that time, I survived here on 30-day visa exempt stamps — which was never a problem, since my longest continual stay here was 18 days. 

Most of of my trips were overnight. But I do remember making one day trip to Vientiane for a meeting. I re-entered Thailand on a visa exempt stamp without incident.  FYI, I was wearing a suit at the time. That may seem like an irrelevant detail, but perhaps not.

I live on Sukhumvit, so I get refused by taxis or offered set price multiple times daily. I’ve long since stopped getting too worked up over it. Life’s too short for that. 

But it that doesn’t mean I condone the practice. It’s simply not worth much of my time and effort to complain to the authorities. 

What I would love to see, however, is a phone app with the following functionality.  A taxi driver fails to respect his DLT obligation. I pull out my phone, tap the app, which turns on my camera. I take a picture of his plate. The app then brings up a number of check boxes (“Refused fare”, “Would not use meter”, “Abusive or rude driver”, “Dangerous driving”). I touch the appropriate box and then the “Send” button. The app would then send an email to the DLT complaint hotline (is there really such a thing?) and also upload the information to a web site that would keep a running (and searchable) list of offenders. 

Anybody skilled led in app development?

In the six years I lived in Thailand and worked abroad, I returned home to Bangkok 180 times. Not a chance in hell I was going to report my address again after each trip. I’d rather pay 2,000 baht each time...

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thaivisa notes that actions of the daughter in reporting the case on Facebook seemed to have been against the wishes of the family.

 

Quite possibly she resorted to Facebook only after her family agreed for her to have sex with the “officer” in return for dropping charges. 

And what about the "D Cup" coffee stand in Nana BTS?

3 hours ago, madusa said:

I don't believe he is champion in French without knowing the French language. Not possible. May be he memorized the French dictionary, even then I still think problems.

There is a top-ranked Thai player who came in 4th in a world tournament a few years ago. But he speaks essentially no English. A reporter asked him how that was possible.

He replied by saying that his lack of English proficiency was actually an advantage in Scrabble. An English speaker looking at a rack of seven letters will naturally become aware of words based on their frequency of usage. A non-speaker, however, will remember them in proportion to their suitability with respect to the openings on the Scrabble board. 

She's just being coy. The real reason is that it's not in the 20-year Strategic Plan!

What rubbish!  Prior to this order, there was a 1992 law of similar name, providing for precisely the same incentive. I've often thought of taking a folding chair up to Sukhumvit and snapping pictures of motorcycles speeding down the sidewalk past the "5,000 baht fine" signs. But where should I upload my photos?  And to whom should I apply to get my rewards?

Seriously, has anyone ever gotten a 50 percent incentive payment? Or even heard of anyone getting such an incentive payment? Why not focus on enforcing existing laws rather than passing superfluous new ones?

Oh, sorry... I forgot... because it's easy... and makes it seem as if the authorities are actually doing something... 

47 minutes ago, Been there done that said:

4 hours ago, hdkane said:

there is an layer of danger, instability, and insecurity that lies just beneath the surface of Thai society that makes me very uneasy whenever I consider its true magnitude and implications.

 

I'll give you my perspective...

Forty years ago Thailand was predominantly rural; the economy was driven by agricultural production. 

Then industrialisation and globalisation took hold. A fair slice of the rural population moved to Bangkok to take relatively higher-paying factory snd service jobs. In many cases, the kids are left in Isaan with the grandparents (or just grandma, if grandpa has already run off). 

These are the Thai migrant workers... more secure than the Burmese migrant workers, but not by much.

This migration has had major implications for the social fabric. The benefits of industrialisation and globalisation helped the upper and middle classes far more than the workers. While the workers may be be better off in terms of pay, their living costs increased substantially.

Thailand is now ranked third in the world in terms of income inequality. How in an age in which Facebook and Instagram immediately illustrate how our peers are living, can this inequality not generate jealousy, insecurity and envy? 

I think Thailand is a powder keg just waiting for a spark... moreover, Prayut and friends know this all too well. Why do you think they are so single-mindedly focused on stifling comment and dissent?

3 minutes ago, London Boy said:

I moved here at the age of 43 whilst going through a bitter, angry, spiteful divorce from a New Zealand woman. It was like being handed a parachute from a plane in free fall. The lifestyle, weather and woman all contributed to my recovery. I'll always be grateful to Thailand for saving me from a lifetime of depression.

My story is similar. I was going through a nasty divorce a decade ago and spent a week in Phuket after a business trip to Japan. On the way back to the US, I made a fateful decision to move here. It took me almost two years to turn the plan into reality, but here I am. 

I have no ties in the US any more. When I moved here, I resolved never to compare Thailand with the US. It's different... really different... but I don't ever stop to think whether it's better or worse. I simply concentrate on making my life here as best I can... and I'm happy... ?

27 minutes ago, smotherb said:

I stay because I like the even temperament of the locals, the courteous driving habits, the professionalism of the authorities, and the wide selection of steaks, cheeses, and wines.

When I first read this, I took it at face value, but had to snigger at the "professionalism of the authorities" phrase. I was wondering, "What are you thinking?"

Then I re-read the paragraph and realized that every single phrase was tongue-in-cheek!  Yes, I love it despite all these things, too! ?

10 minutes ago, buick said:

do you know if you can access benjasiri park via the new marriott hotel now ?  back when the hotel was the queen park

I live close to the Marriott, so I had been keenly watching to see if they would reopen the rear park access. It was indeed open for at least several weeks in February.  But every time I've tried it since, it's been locked up. ?

The ladies who really amaze me are the ones doing this while holding a baby in each arm! ?

19 hours ago, buick said:

standard rate is for thais, service rate is for farang (and thais who want maid service).

No. I stopped yesterday afternoon and spoke with the manager. The standard rate is available to anyone.