walkoff

The  "Big Joke" really should get his entire department on the same page instead of offering new "police orders". The latest being signed off on prior to the "leniency" statement. You knew there would be some negative news and masked by the "leniency" word. 

Also, to the multitude of posters who are somewhat smug in their ability to stash 800K away, good for you! TRust me there are folks who don't come close to meet the OTHER requirements and they somehow have worked around things for a long time. There is a great deal of us who meet the criteria of 65K p/m now being deposited to a thai account via transfer from our home banks i.e. "doing the right thing" and almost being looked down upon. 

@Laidback:: What Imm office was this? Clearly stated on US website that the affidavit is to be "respected" by Thai Imm for 6 months from issue. Doesn't surprise me that the officer you happened to get may have used personal rules. Did you question, diplomatically, at all ? I am still going to secure the letter as I have done for many years. BTW, my Imm is Korat and always been OK with service even when the place is packed. I do myself, retirement, docs required according to Thai website, no agent. 

Caine: As others have noted you may or may not be an "ex-citizen" but as my self being a citizen of the USA for all of my 72 years but having chose to reside here for 14 yrs., raising a family, paying all sorts of VAT tax, could not work even when younger here but all the while still paying tax to the USA every year, I think it's OK to question why couldn't it be specified what to use for income verification at the window? 1099's, w2, SSA letter every year, fund statements, exp. It's not hard and at B1600 a pop for the letter seems doable. Thai IMM, if it is them, raising a legitimate question. 

For the folks who can stash 400/800k good for you but quite a few of us have decent amounts coming in every month which allow a good living and staying above board. Policies etc. can change but it is nice when ramifications are considered and addressed. 

Now that the end of the year is approaching we all wait with bated breath on Thai IMM to solidify that infamous police order and tell us "guests" what you require to verify required monthly income so we can make plans if needed. Further, it would be a major feat if ALL IMM office/officers follow the orders and NOT interpret to their liking. 

Same as others stated above. Direct deposit of pension and Social to my bank back home who I have dealt with for 30 years, go to ATM 4 times monthly and pull out what I need for here. Income is substantially more than the 65k p/month for retirement. I am refunded up to 4 bank fees from home bank but still pay that 220B over here. Call home bank and increase my ATM withdrawal limit and off I go happily paying rent, school fees for daughter, utilities, 3B, VAT.......14yrs now. As many have said, TI needs to give us some answers. 800k in the bank is not an option for us. So, if it goes pear shaped then we head home, daughter would most likely have to regress a grade(she is in M5 now and would graduate in 2020) and get used to the changes back home. Very difficult to look on the bright side these days.

Buried in the previous comments I am sure but excuse me for being redundant, I am assuming that the Police are equally as interested in curtailing the "illegal activities" or is that left to Immigration since it probably involves foreigners and not the citizens of this country?

Do this absolve him of an assault charge? Will the Wat be able to make some long overdue renovations now?  Strange justice and it has gotten worse over my many years here.

When will they learn to let a competent assessment of whatever the case may be before engaging the vocal chords. Pie in the sky and all of the other cliches.

Police are doing their job. Good. Thai pseudo hi-so doing his best don't mess with me routine, happens. Must have been a good day for all because there appears to be a severe case of knee-walking here. Note the lady on the phone with what I would swear is an attitude as well. Urgent message to "headquarters"? 

Good points on another post(s) to perhaps talk a bit to the Region 2 public servant, car back tomorrow without further questions. I've been here a long time but the "new dawn is coming" approach wears thin.

We can make all of the comments we want, cite all of personal experiences but none of them really  matter other than to clear our own heads for awhile. I have no solutions because the road habits start from the very young when 9 year olds, with friends ride the roads on bikes. Perhaps they "snuck" the bikes out but perhaps the parents/guardians say "mai pen .......". Police see it, authorities know about it, do nothing. IMO, even when someone in the immediate family is involved things don't change for long. Drivers have a very selfish perspective(for the majority) of road etiquette, read that as safety. My transportation is motorbike 99 percent of the time. Survival has mainly been due to being taught properly whether through parents, school or occupation as to what it means to operate a motor vehicle properly. Not new here so I'm not thinking that anything will change before my use bye date rolls around.

Condolences to the deceased no matter who says what in the "inquiry".

3 hours ago, Loeilad said:

THis is largely misinformed media hype - there is no single cancer there many types and a "cure" is unlikely - the scientists merely claim that the chemical reactions they have recorded may lead to further treatments for some kinds of diseases or cancers - they don't claim any breakthrough - the press however want to sell papers and in all countries the "cure for cancer" headline is sure to be a winner.

A valid point.  However, the medical entities in Thailand should perhaps do the something beneficial for folks and post opinion, caution, etc. but I suppose that would rain on other's parade. Other countries have the pharms in the middle of stuff for outrageous amount of money involved in treatment. In this case, as noted, media get a grip.

Common sense is not a given in this part of SE Asia, bordering on Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar

What can be expected from open forums is many different opinions, summations, etc.. What I sincerely wish and perhaps it is pissing in the wind, is that those in charge of these investigations take a deep breath. Don't throw more out there that contradicts previous statements and "we know", "don't know the motive", to appease the population. 

I am sure that the investigation will go on and eventually there will be folks nailed for it. Past history does not bode well for these agencies trying to keep the peace. On hold for a long time, Koh Tao, Erawan, Activists disappearing(not political stuff but folks calling attention to valid environmental issues), Red Bull, Merc driver now claiming stress to avoid trial(he obviously was responsible for 2 deaths), Celebrity who hit the police car on the side of the road and killed the sleeping(?)officer(get thee to a nunnery), and on another note: who builds a mass transit line(Purple) with no simple link to at least another line(don't give me it's only a km move to a convenient commuter connection).

After all of this I still say let the powers to be work it out but stop the posturing, photo ops, and make sure that the info to be given out has been reviewed by the folks responsible

4 hours ago, geovalin said:

What does mean 6th form? P6 or M6?

Dictionary tells

in the UK, after secondary school which finishes when one turns 16, one has the option of going to work or 6th form which is like a casual version of school with no uniform and one can choose ones classes. Also refered to as college which gets confusing for Americans who assume college means university which actually comes 2 years later.

It does not help.

How old was this girl? 11 or 17?

17, I guess.

The individual was the victim of an attempted abduction(not addiction as in another post) and you all are debating the grade level? This comment was posted by a member who has over 7K posts. The girl, for whatever reason, was on the verge of maybe being a tragic victim or some family drama but it was adverted through her efforts. Wait and see what comes from an "investigation". If my daughter was walking to school(she doesn't) and something like this happened it would not matter whether Primary, M.or just going to the store. 

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

 

  

 

Alright there's a charge to visit and the cruise company should be aware (and should thus absorb it), but doesn't stop this comment from making me heave a little.

Agree that the charges should be known(I note SHOULD be known) and incorporated into the cruise price. If you don't want to get off, so what, it's already in the deal. However, a list of "National Parks" or other venues that might require an entrance fee doesn't show Koh Chang(sorry if I missed the listing). Money for nothin' as the song goes but please enjoy our beautiful country to your heart's content. Please don't play the well off foreigners tune so what is 200 baht?(very true, it's not much). You saw your ship coming in Koh Chang....had to say it. 

18 minutes ago, MaiChai said:

There are 60 million Thais in Thailand and a much smaller percent of foreigners; lets say 100,000. So statistically who will commit most of the crimes?

 

Since we all have to register sim cards with our passports anyway, this is rather pointless? They can track us already? What is it with those who are in power who are idiots?

The amount of revenue which has graced Thailand from foreigners(not businesses,) to support families and all that goes along with that has to be substantial. I'm being polite because I do not see too many info-graphs giving us a feeling of worth to the GDP of this "best of the least miserable countries" in the world. TAT puts numbers up, every ministry puts up feel good numbers(oops, until Sunday, Foreign Direct Investment was really not good and consumer sentiment was better but the mention of the rising household debt did not rate a lot of keyboard input. Being too negative here. Let's see how things pickup not just for businesses but the everyday living/expenses/income for the middle dwellers.  

To be fair, months back prepaid SIMS had to be registered. A grace period was even granted. For us no big deal as this did not apply since the bill comes to the house. To me it is not necessarily the idea of being able to see what us nasty foreigners are up to but how in the world do you manage this with total integrity(sorry, justification) when  you already have a data base with personal information(including picture)  of all of the legitimate visa holders. Tourists coming in by the millions(according to TAT) needing aphone a phone should have to fill out something that verifies who they are. Now the scheme is may be to track: when do you track, why do you track, who is responsible for the tracking,  what is the organization for holding this info, who follows up on suspect tracking.  

Again, not a problem for us but this after the desired success over a couple of days ago  makes me wonder.

Yes, this has become considerably more concerning. I have been here quite awhile and like many others, have supported families  and raised children to use their heads. The government is concerned about all of us visitors who legitimately reside here along with the folks who still dodge the system. Please follow behind us, use the SIM to see what time we go to school, bring home, take to the doc, go to Lotus or Makro and unbelievably see when we go out to see friends. A bit cynical, yes but for this to come out immediately after a success for the existing government tells me and my Thai wife that the priorities are skewed. Certainly there are "guests" who make things difficult for all but you really ought to consider watching your own folks, enforcing laws that exist already, better support for your public servants(RTP), stop throwing the "image" at us when the morning Thai news can clearly see the real image. The crap that goes on on the roads, damaged egos, awe a personality because they are on  soap, and most of all letting folks skate on proper punishment. I don't have to name or cite individuals because they have been in the BP with no followup and seemingly fade into the woodwork.

Before any of you  all say "leave if you don't like it", "next flight is .....", you are not immune to the changes in Thailand simply because you are not Thai. The cliche of "if you haven't done anything wrong , what's the worry(in so many words)" is not a free pass anymore. Not going anywhere, too much invested here both financially and physically and I will be forthright that my income stretches a good bit more here.

This game must be very entertaining to the folks under fire. Let's keep acting like it's sitcom(which it is and a sad one) waiting for the next episode. Very sad. This and the Red Bull saga as noted today.

This is news? Happens a great deal and it's not a secret. Be aware of the tricks of the trade and watch yourself.

It may not be in the DNA of all Thais but there is a good possibility that some folks in the higher echelon of society(in their minds) can do whatever they want to the perceived underlings. No need to elaborate on that...

Revenge that is what this is about.

I am hi-so you are peasants, how dare you leave my employment.

I wouldn't be inclined to believe someone would make false charges, but I saw it from my own neighbor...instead of paying a man who did work for her, she filed charges stating that he stole jewelry from her...I know for a fact that the fellow was innocent...so dishonesty is in the DNA of Thais...

So you know one case leading you to the conclusion that ' dishonesty is in the DNA of Thais'.

That's so stupid I don't even want to elaborate on that.

I do not really care how this privileged individual chooses to make amends in his own mind for killing two people while speeding, breaking through toll barriers,etc.

What bothers me is the blatant turn the blind eye by the justice system. How about, one of these days, the Thai justice system wake-up and say that these kind of charades

are no longer available. Repent while serving the appropriate prison sentence. This individual was delayed in making this pitifully token gesture of remorse because he was recovering from

his injuries. What a slap on the face for the deceased. They had no chance to recover due to the selfishness of this individual.

They have landed and are truly among us!

How simple things are here??? What a crock!

This individual had been doing whatever to stick around for an additional year, roughly, and now its time to leave with this nasty ban on returning. Don't think it really matters to this guy. If there is a real reason to be in/come back to Thailand then there will be a work around for sure. IMM gave him food etc, but I see a story without a bunch of research. Doesn't look destitute nor does he look look distressed at IMM. This individual is not high profile but just another stiff who said "fine". Let's get to the real runners, Red Bull baby. I'll save the rest of the venom for the proper thread.