bkkcanuck8

You talk about it like your are the authoritative expert to which Immigration consults... but your expectation or experience does not match my reality here in Khon Kaen. My bank book usually is updated once a year (and they consolidate most of the transactions into one), and the bank statement issued at the counter is 6 months only... and I have never had any issues (same at another immigration office earlier). They do require a letter from the bank, they do require a photocopy of the bank book (matching the letter from the bank - they highlighted the final balance transaction as of today), and I provided them with the last 6 month statement (the bank book would be missing most transactions).. They also required proof of address. (and passport photocopy and picture)... After that is all provided the renewal process was quick and easy (my ongoing balance is actually quite a bit higher than needed since I hate spending money and it comes in regularly). As with most things, the procedures to meet policy needs are implemented regionally (not that much different than I experienced in some western countries), so your experience does not necessarily mean it is the general experience or the experience in other regions.

That is well within the norm for polling, yet polling can be very accurate -- depending on making sure that the sample size is representative.

Perfect timing to consider it... /s China is really cracking down on the junket business - and gaming revenues in Macau will likely lose half their revenue (or more) as business from China dries up... The question is who are the Casinos for (in Singapore they have a levy to discourage locals gaming - $100 to $150 / 24 hr or I think $2000 to $3000 annually (foreigners that are not residents - i.e. visitors can enter free)? I visited Casinos with a group of co-workers in the US regularly while I was in San Diego, and I was disciplined and usually left the Casino with more money than when I entered (but not enough of a profit to make a profession of it)... I have seen one co-worker literally lose it (i.e. loss of logic when losing, bet more to win it back)... and we had to drag that person out (at that point the rest of us decided it would be best not to continue to make it an regular event anymore). That said, I don't think it should be legalized at this time -- as too many locals already have issues with gambling, and the big foreign junket market from China (for foreigners) is being hit... so I don't see the benefits outweighing the risks at this time.

You get home... and she says "let's role play, you be the painter..."

Maybe she might cut another rope?

Some will allow it through phone banking but not through the app - I guess they figure you can change it in one location using one method - where you cannot do transactions....

Doing it from a desktop/laptop computer through a web browser to your bank is going to be less secure than using a banking app on the phone (IMHO). [30+ years designing/building banking and brokerage systems].

Smart phones are computers...

You can have the convenience of online purchases while limiting your risk.... You just setup an account with a debit card specifically for purchases and you maintain a balance that you are comfortable losing if the debit card is used for malicious purposes.

Oh, yes they keep it... I went in a few months later and they had to retrieve paperwork and they were in bundles by date (they actually were able to identify the specific bundle fairly quickly). I don't know if they were interim (i.e. scanning), or were delivered in bulk to storage. It is not just government, it is the banks and any large institution. I know my home bank was ahead of times technologically - but they had done away with bank books and required paper slips years ahead of others (but the others have caught up). [if a slip is needed it does not need to be filled in, just printed - handed to you and signed (for cash)].

So Canada has a higher vaccination rate and a lower per capita infection rate (than the US or Thailand -- actually; about the same percentage vaccinated in Canada as Singapore)... and they are not on the list ... interesting...

The pandemic just made the financial mess -- impossible to ignore... It was not so much a big role, but really just the nail in the coffin... regardless of the pandemic there was always going to be a reckoning sooner or later.... The company in some ways was run like a ponzi scheme. (taking new purchase money - paid in full for future development to cover work in progress on other work - while also taking more loans for development on property paid in full.

Well, to be quite honest, there have not been any good/great presidents this century... Trump was just the worst by far. As far as international defense alliances... where others made mistakes... he was completely absent. (When I lived/worked in the US -- if I had the right to vote, I would have tended to chose Republicans at that time, though I would be more in line with John McCain Republican - now.. the party is completely a different beast.)

If we ever have a dispute, I will just invite you over to my house and then kill you... I will then give you a gun, pretend it was in self defense... and you will be fine with that ... no investigation needed. The job of the police is to investigate and provide the facts and make sure they have the facts, not just rely on the only living witness and accept his word for it. It will then be up to the Crown Prosecutor and courts to decide if it was unlawful murder or lawful self-defense.

It is very likely that the buying of condos in Thailand and elsewhere are in large part effectively parking money in real estate (rather in a Chinese bank).... not much different than some Thais who buy gold - which is effectively acting as a bank (will be liquidated later if need to withdraw).

Trump was unpredictable and that could have consequences, but US trade sanctions on China did as much damage to the US as it did to China (maybe even more). China was still preferring Trump get re-elected though because whatever damage was done between the US and China paled on what was being done to international relations by the US - and that was a big benefit to the Chinese foreign policy. Unpredictable yes, but still a net win for China.

For normal economies, this would be a very bad sign indeed. The development side is very cyclical, but the services side would be a counter balance to flatten out the highs and lows and provide some liquidity during the down years. I doubt the proceeds will do much to fix the problem with being overleveraged and built like a house of cards.

I don't know whether Biden can be trusted... I would not trust any American leaders assurances these days... but he could not be worse than Trump for the Asia-Pacific region - the US basically abandoned the region to China during Trump's presidency... Biden at least seems to be taking a greater interest in the region lately... though the damage done would take decades to repair with consistent foreign policy etc. and I don't see that happening.

It is not us vs them, it is China vs Taiwan - and Taiwan would be fighting for their lives... I am not talking about the US taking direct action, they are an unreliable ally - you tie them down long and they tire of generational conflicts.

The Chinese military is not battle tested. I know it is not the same military but I also remember the Chinese / Vietnamese war and how badly that went against China... It won't be likely a walk in the park, a lot of dead Chinese in the straight before they potentially get into a position to occupy Taiwan.

So sorry that it is so much AUD, can't blame Thailand for the Aussie Dollar being more like the Aussie Peso... hey, at least it is now much closer to the Aussie Movement tax of $45 for flying international. ????

Put the tax in now and it is almost like it was always there when people start traveling again... as for now, if you are on a tight budget you are not flying right now for tourism to Thailand period... so no loss there...

ok, You are a typical tourist who is thinking of visiting Thailand... You are spending on the low side somewhere around $1,000+ for round-trip tickets, if you are coming any distance you are likely staying likely 3ish weeks (a few days having to adjust for jetlag)... spending maybe at least $70 / night for accommodation... you have budgeted for food, booze, possibly planning for companionship.... and they are going to worry about a hidden tax that they likely won't even notice on their ticket? I would say 99% won't even realize they paid it. I only wish it actually made it to those that would use it properly or were really in need.

Headlines are often misleading... It is unlikely to affect who buys tickets as a tourist to enter Thailand, but there would likely be an effect on locals doing regional trips... The $42 visa charge for Laos (Laos charges Canadians the most), is one reason I am unlikely to make any short trips across the border... yes... it does have an effect, but most people buying airline tickets from afar won't see enough of an impact (less of an impact than the normal fluctuation in price)... to even bother to notice or care about it.

This fee will be embedded in the price of an airline ticket. This fee is for international flights into Thailand and I don't see them indicating it is for foreigners only, not to mention I don't see them being able to get ticket issuers to charge taxes based on nationality. It does not say every foreign man, woman and child entering Thailand.