sambum

Well said!

Thailand IS a country, not "a country in Thailand"! Millions visit every year, but how many of them opt to not come back after their experiences in "Amazing Thailand"? I know quite a few personally! Hence, the PM so desperate to get the tourist figures back up he is resorting to begging well known musicians to give concerts here in order to "boost tourism"! 🙂

Again? They never left!

Not exactly what you said in your post though is it? :- "Everyone lies, everyone takes money that isn't theres." ("theirs"!)

Glad you're wrong!

Many of these sad old farang realise what their treatment would be if they did as you suggest. After all - we are all "aliens" subject to the whims of officers of the Immigration/Government! And slightly off topic, how many people took to the streets to protest about the last "democratic" election where the leader of the party who won was barred for his ownership of shares in a defunct TV company? - a decision which has now apparently been reversed in the land of U - turns, but obviously too late!

Depends on how you interpret "the best"!

Yes, all part of the actor's accoutrements! How many times have you seen (especially in the States) the sight of someone hobbling into court on crutches/Zimmer frame, in a neck brace and covered in bandages, being assisted in their walking by a nurse or family member in order to emphasise their state of ill health as a result of a minor accident, only to be seen a few hours later minus crutches, bandages, and neck brace celebrating with friends after a hefty payout?

I am living here on an extension by way of marriage to a Thai national, but likewise am too old to get insurance. I would willingly pay a reasonable amount for insurance, but the last time I checked (when I was 70) the price was astronomical - about half of my pension, and now it is no longer actually an availble option. How about a fund to help us "oldies" who can't get cover at all?

"Whingeing Pom" I may be, but only stating facts - for instance, why did the Chief of Immigration promise to make things easier for expats, and the next week make them harder? And getting back to the point of my post - "Prorities?" - From last year:- Friday, 7 July 2023, 14:16" Within the next three months, the number of overstayers should be reduced to zero, as they are more likely to engage in criminal activities, which can adversely affect Thailand’s tourism industry, Pol. Lt. Gen. Pakphumpipat said." So why are they still hounding overstayers when there are supposed to be none? And since when are overstayers more likely to engage in criminal activities? And your definition of not being wealthy does not concide with mine, I'm afraid - in the same way as people expect everybody to make savings for their old age. A lot of people (Poms) in my country have to struggle to make ends meet every day and in my particular case, had to pay my ex wife off, take out a new mortgage, pay Child Maintenance way past the legally required limit by helping to put my daughter through University, all on a lowly Clerk's wage - which by the way was way below your $80,000 US, (£63,484 GB Sterling) even accounting for inflation over the years. And thanks to the British Government, my pension is frozen at the amount that it was when I moved here, so yes, that's something else I whinge about, especially as if I lived in the Phillippines I would get annual increments inline with inflation (And don't say "Well, why don't you move to the Phillippines? I don't want to!) At the end of the day, I love being here, and would not relish the thought of having to return to the UK. However, I reserve the right to complain about some things which I believe are wrong, and possibly why this is still, as you put it "a third world country", but that doesn't mean that I expect it to change anything - after all as far as the Thai Government and Immigration is concerned is :- "I AM AN ALIEN"!

"Why do people that detest Pattaya so much choose to read about it?" Probably because it's headline news almost every day on AseaNow, which is supposed to cover all of Thailand? P.S. Sorry for the late reply - just seen your post now - I don't seem to be getting notified of replies to my posts!

".....people on higher incomes with proper health cover." So the Government only look after the wealthy? Ooops - sorry I asked! And the thousands of ex pats that live here year upon year are a "risk"? I would think less of a risk than the Chinese "businessmen" that are here making money rather than spending it!!! I have been living here for many years (as have many others) and I and my acquaintances always pay our way - I have only recently had to pay out almost 100,000 baht for an operation, and I spend a small fortune on monthly medication. Why? Because I (and once again, many others) am too old to get "proper health cover" as you call it! And what do you mean by "poor cost"? Do you mean Immigration don't make a lot of money out of the annual 1900 baht extensions? I didn't realise it was supposed to be a money making exercise? And what do do you mean by "poor benefit"? The same as above? Sounds like because we are not prepared to fork out for Elite visas etc you would class us as "undesirables"?

Sorry Charlie - late night! P.S. Moved to which Forum - can't see it!

I've been saying that for years! The man is only interested in promoting his own agenda (Cannabis Farms?) and getting his "picture in the papers"

"PRIME MINISTER Srettha Thavisin is moving to draw A-list performers to Thailand to boost tourism" I remember prior to Covid when tourist figures were at an all time high, the Government were saying that tourism didn't account for much in the way of GDP. (From memory they were quoting round about 5%) Then Covid hit, and the bottom dropped out of the tourist market and they suddenly realised just how important tourism was - not just for hotel bookings, but all the other businesses that depend on tourism - from 5 Star hotels to mama and papa shops on the corner, and just as suddenly the GDP jumped into double figures! (Well done TAT!) Some people even said that we ex pats were helping to keep the country going by our continual presence in the country, and even the new Chief of Immigration said that he was going to make it easier for ex pats to obtain visas to stay in the country. He probably realised that on average an ex pat will spend at least 500,000 baht a year, and is here all year round rather than a few weeks tourist who will spend a fraction of that amount. (I know that ex pats number only in their thousands while pre Covid visitors numbered in the millions, but I am talking about the money spent per capita) So why instead of making things easier, they seem to be making it more difficult for ex pats to get their visa extensions? Why do we need to provide the same information year after year although our circumstances have not changed in any way? My last application for an extension by way of marriage entailed me having to provide almost 150 photocopies of everything from pages of a bank book to copies of my wifes housebook from a house where she has not lived for 15 years???!!! And this year, for the first time, in order to acquire his extension based on retirement, my next door neighbour has to provide photos of himself standing outside his house with the house number clearly visible? (With a little pot of black paint he could paint his house number on any wall of any house and it would look like he lived there!) The reason for this post is to try to show that in this country, in many cases the prorities are all wrong - Immigration and the RTP having a widely publicised ongoing battle trying to nab a few people who are on overstay (but presumably still spending money!) while the carnage continues on the roads due to poor driving skills, and the apparent reluctance of the RTP to apprehend offenders (except farangs riding motor bikes without a helmet!) And in the meantime, the Prime Minister tries to persuade a few pop stars to perform in the country "to boost tourism", where they may end up in "hot water" for incorporating the Thai flag into their act, when in actual fact this may well be to try to demonstrate "unity" with their audience!

I lived just the other side of the English/Scottish Border, where the closing time every night was 10.30 pm. Every weekend there was a crowd of hardened drinkers used to make the trip over the border for an extra half hour's drinking - desperate!!!

Oh, give over! You know nowt about it, sunshine!

I remember when they extended the opening times in Scotland, and the doom and gloom merchants all expected the level of drunkenness to go through the roof, but the opposite happened. People, for the most part, had only have a certain amount of money to spend on drink, and by extending the drinkng hours that money had to go further, so they drank slower, hence less drunkenness! However, I don't fully agree with "People got drunk in the afternoon". I think, contrary to opinion, a lot of people have to work in Scotland in the afternoon, but they hit the pubs as soon as they "clock off". at shall we say 5pm? (Shift workers excluded from the following scenario!) They then had 5 hrs drinking when the pubs closed at 10 pm, so they consumed their "allowance" in that time period, which led to binge drinking and a high level of drunkenness. However, extend the drinking hours, and they stretch out that allowance so they can drink for longer. Once that allowance has gone, they go home relatively sober, but as you say with no additional benefit to business!

" a meeting must be held to explore the possibility of lifting the restrictions." Oh, no! Not another MEETING!!! "The meeting to discuss the topic was held today, February 15, but there was no clear conclusion or direction launched from the authorities." No surprise there then! "......the ministry had only health data but did not have business and economic data, so they were unable to consider the matter thoroughly." So why have the meeting in the first place?!!!! Ridiculous waste of time and money! Still, I suppose, some people will be getting paid paid lots of money for attending, and probably lots of travelling expenses. Oh, and what happened to the proposed dropping of import duties and taxes on imported wine and spirits? Things seem to have gone very quiet on that front! No surprise there then (either)!

".........and a revolving door of underqualified staff." Love the terminology!

"..........but cannot leave the country........." Why would he want to now that there is no possibility of him going to jail, or made to pay for his "crimes" in any way?

Has the one in the middle seen the light?

"....initial investigations revealed that crucial CCTV footage from the scene mysteriously vanished,......" Oh, WHAT a surprise - NOT! The bar owners should be charged with destroying evidence - this happens too often, like taxis where meter "Not work". But possibly the police are involved in the ownership of the bar, or brown envelopes aheve changed hands, or.......... Dammit, I'm becoming a conspiracy theorist, I'm going back to bed!

Yawn! Foregone conclusion!

I wonder what his "plan of action" was in Thailand with all that paraphernalia?