richard_smith237

What about this thought... ... The worst thing you can possibly imagine, someone else somewhere has probably done....

It does seem that 'some' Immigration officers are getting a little stropping and some people are catching them at a bad time and they are interpreting their own rules... I do recall a few years back that there was a rule about a certain amount of visa free entries per 180 days, but if I'm not mistaken that rule was abolished, however, training here is very poor and some immigration officers may be stuck on old rules, or as above, just very grumpy and looking for a little power trip. That said, it does seem in this case that the Immigration was polite and helpful in showing him whatever website he was getting his information from and getting him to purchase a return ticket - its a better option than another poster has been facing recently. Is the arrival landscape evolving again, are we seeing a change in attitudes ??... or is this just a couple of unfortunate one-off's who were unlucky enough to face a 'jobs-worth' ???? What are the alternatives ? - No more than 2 or 3 Visa free entries per year ? - Then ensure the entrant is on Tourist Visa's ?

Quite incredible isn't it... People come to a website originally called 'Thai Visa.com' which was designed around helping people with Visa questions..... I mean, the cheek of inexperienced newbies to search on the web for a Thailand based forum and ask a question about Visas... they must all be making up stories to make Thailand look bad, eh ???? ... (Its sad that I have to explain it, but yes, that was a sarcastic response)

The White vs Black car debate was done a few months back... Two definite camps... - Those who argued it hardly made any difference and the AC cooled the car within seconds anyway. - Those who argued it did make a difference and when that argument didn't stick argued dark cars were less visible and more unsafe !!! And... Pretty much all new cars these days have Sun-roof / moon-roof's... especially Merc and BMW.. its difficult to get one without. Its silly flaw in the thinking of manufactures IMO - as in these hot climate's such as Thailand there are very few who want one. The solution is exactly as the Op is asking... some kind of cover. Modern AC cools the car extremely quickly anyway, so its not a major issue.

Last 3 cars in Thailand had sun roofs... None of them leaked. Are you suggesting the Op gets a car without a Sunroof just because it might leak when its 10 or 20 years old ? Perhaps should get one without electric windows because the motors could fail.... I just got a call from the 1980's asking if I know where Lacessit is...

And buffalo's do occasionally get sick... ... A BG has genuinely been known to 'love someone long time'... Perhaps I am over cynical... but I think the above makes my point...

You haven't read the rest of the thread... Family doesn't always mean 'legal family'.... I suspect there are lots of guys in Thailand to refer to their significant other (long term girlfriend) and her children as family without any legal stance.... (i.e. unmarried and not a legal guardian of a Thai Child). Although, that seems to be a struggle for some to accept this possibility and prefer to interpret that the Op is making up this story. I think the Op is also under 50 so can't obtain a Non-Imm Op based on retirement.

I suspect I have a very crappy moral compass.... I just don't do things which society considers bad because I don't want to.

I used Tantakit (at All-seasons place) about 15 years ago and was very happy with the results (I can't remember the price) - I was told they'd last about 8 years before one of them cracked etc... nothing has happened so far !... Wife did hers at 'Bangkok Smile' (Asoke) about 2 years ago and it looks amazing ( I think about 11,000 per veneer)... She had great teeth before (when we meet) and I look at old photo's and can't really see anything negative, but she could... I look now and her smile is stunning...

Got to admire the spirt of someone enjoying such a hobby. At least it wasn't an 18 wheeler blowing through traffic lights which took them. As sad as it is, when someone passes due to an adventurous hobby, it seems somewhat less tragic because they were living life.

As I thought. Are you not also suspicious / sceptical about the veracity of the 'official announcements' we are reading? .... or do you believe everything is as being reported and there is 'nothing more to see here' ???

The angle is simply suspicion... There are videos of him 'looking and acting fit'. Then there are reports of him 'not returning to Thailand due to ill health' He returned to Thailand and suffered ill health. My argument in this thread is based on my suspicion that what is being officially reported may not be the truth and that using ill health offers a degree of plausibility to the reports. I am highly sceptical that someone as powerful as Thaksin is not receiving extremely 'special' treatment. My speculation is that he is not at a Police Hospital at all, but is at home with family (there is no proof of this of course). My speculation is that if he is in Police Hospital, he is afforded luxuries other 'unwell inmates' would not, i.e. freedoms of regular family visits etc and its a nice large very comfortable suite rather than a 'hospital room' etc (there is no proof of this of course). My speculation is that as long as he keeps politically quiet, authorities turn a blind eye to his 'freedoms' (there is no proof of this of course). I have no proof of anything of course, but two decades of living here have left me rather jaded and cynical when it comes to such matters, such that, unless we saw a photo of him in his Police Hospital room each day which could be independently corroborated, then I don't believe he's there at all and suspect he's simply keeping a low profile at home. Other reports (since 'officially' debunked) have shown him to be back in Dubai, but I don't quite buy that either - but again, its plausible, that he returned to serve his sentence with a highly visible arrival, then goes back to Dubai, see's out his sentence, and of course, early release whereby he 'secretly' returns to Thailand and exits his 'Police Hospital' with a great deal of publicity and majfically is a model of good health !!

I think you miss my point.... IF he was delaying his return due to fitness, then he was videod being 'fit' at a similar time. I agree its perfectly possible to be fit one day, and suffering heart issues the next.... In this case... Being shown being fit. Delaying because he's ill. Then being shown being fit again (kickboxing). Then i'll and needing 'special treatment' and can't be incarcerated in a prison cell.. . hmm... Its all just a little whiffy.... but the element of plausibility is enough to leave an element of doubt. Could it be argued that he [Thaksin] is not receiving privileged treatment ?

He seemed healthy enough on April 10th, 2022... With his daughter quoting... "Grandpa is very fit. Grandchild is only 10 kilograms. He lifts him up and down, squats and stands quickly"... https://www.instagram.com/p/CcLF67qAavX/ Of course, that was over a year before he returned.... But if the excuse is 'he was delaying his return due to health reasons'... Then it would appear his health reasons 'didn't stop him' appearing fit and healthy at that time. There is also another video which did the rounds on Thai media (Panthip forum) where Thaksin was interviewed shortly before his return to Thailand, he was videoed working out (and reportedly doing the same 'work out' as young Thai cadets)... [I unable to locate that video now - its buried somewhere on the net - this is it, but not the video]. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=698725882300178&set=a.372486674924102&locale=th_TH

I hear the same arguments when soi dogs attack kids on a beach... 'that humans have invaded their territory'... as if humans are not also indigenous to the area too...

I'm sure there are options... i.e. the most heat reflective tint you can get hold of on the inside of the sunroof / moon-roof... Perhaps combined with something could be fabricated to fit on the underside of the sunroof / moon-roof, such as a thin layer of fitted foam. Does your car have the 'material' slide that covers the sun-roof (underside) ? If not, perhaps get the 'fitted foam' upholstered to match the interior of the car. I have heard of Tesla's having this issue and there are after-market covers for the moon-roof... Perhaps there are for your car. https://www.amazon.com/TSELLER-Sunshade-Sunroof-Upgrade-Accessories/dp/B0BX225JGP?th=1

Are you his lawyer, defend him no matter what making up a story that fits? He was asked many times on other thread what family in Thailand and he refused to answer so how come you know? Thats not defending him no matter what... Its a plausible explanation of what some call a family. The Op has stated he has family here... and that can mean a lot of things. Meanwhile you are being very quick to call B$... The Op could answer - but I don't blame him for choosing not to filtering out those levying B$ accusations at him, he has enough to deal with without tools providing stupid distraction.

Immigration Officers were being difficult? I think you got that backwards. That junior officer was doing his job correctly. I'm surprised you expected anything different than getting stamped in until the expiry date of your extension of stay. He wasn't... as proven by the senior officer. I was also carrying an Open 5 Year S.E. Visa (Thai Elite) - so they could have stamped me in on that. Alternatively (if I didnt have the S.E. Visa, they could have stamped me in on a Visa Exempt entry for 30 days. I could have, but didn't even consider is an issue... And.. it wasn't an issue once the junior inexperienced Immigration officer was circumnavigated. More details such as ? I didn't expect different treatment, I expected the correct entry permissions and was afforded such once the senior immigration officer was involved. I did not feel sorry at all for the Junior officer, he wanted to be awkward and didn't get away with it. Doubt what you like, I was there, the senior officer was apologetic, she spoke excellent English and resolved the issue very efficiently. 90 days as per the permissions of my S.E. Visa (Thai Elite, which I was also holding).

My world of provable facts...what a terrible place to be. Perhaps you need to not tell other members what you think they should be doing. Perhaps I do... as it seems you could do with advice to aid your understanding of absolutes vs plausibility and probability. There are many things in this world that cannot be proven unequivocally... you cannot prove your existential reality.. i.e. you cannot prove you are not a brain in jar being manipulated, but that possibility is extremely implausible. Only mathematics deals with absolutes.... When it comes to the media and information we consume we deal with information on levels of plausibility, we are still receiving second hand information and that is open to manipulation and interpretation by others, hence the 'factual sources' you so readily desire, while (depending on the subject matter) are often more plausible than information provided by discussions on fora such as this, can also be heavily swayed, bias, distorted and manipulated by the author and authorities, especially in countries such as Thailand where media controls are more prevalent. Hence, the discussion and cynicism surrounding the incarceration of Thaksin, his reported illness, his location of incarceration or hospitalisation and whether he is incarcerated at all is all entirely based around perfectly plausible possibilities and cynicism. On the other hand you are looking for some form of unequivocal proof otherwise and that cannot be provided. What could be provided is regular unequivocal proof that he is indeed incarcerated in the Police Hospital where authorities state he is, however, even by your own admission there are only a 'couple of photos' of this and the rest are 'statements' which many of us would consider foolish to taken as fact. Given the subject matter we are most certainly not dealing with absolutes.

Thats not what people are arguing... you need to step out of your black and white world of absolutes and provable fact. We (myself and others of a similar stance) are arguing the veracity the information surrounding Thaksin's illness and stating that we find it incredibly convenient that he doesn't have to remain in a 'real cell'.... and as such, begin to question other information surrounding the incarceration of a highly powerful, corrupt and wealthy person. ... we're arguing that while its plausible he is genuinely unwell, the timing and events adds such a degree of cynicism a suspicion of collusion and conspiracy is not far fetched.

OP said he he had no wife or child in Thailand. Doubt his parents are Thai or he'd be Thai so that leaves what? Long term partner who has a child and he considers them family ???? ... isn't that a favourite of foreigners here... they end up with a longterm girlfriend who already has children and the fella considers them family....?

That post from five month's ago accompanied by a meaningless comment (according to Google Translate) is proof that he's not there now? Really? Brilliant. That information from five months ago indicates that he wasn't on the 14th Floor of the Police Hospital the time Authorities stated he was there.... If that information is to be believed, it highlights that Authorities were untruthful five months ago - it highlights a degree of dishonesty we are discussing in this forum, which lends itself the plausibility that they are less than truthful with their information now.

The only thing I can imagine in such a situation is that someone wants to do a quick border bounce and instead of taking a quick flight out and back, they just exit immigration to 'airside' on a throwaway ticket without taking the flight, then return and re-enter Thailand and if asked for a boarding pass, they can present a 'fake one'... ... Thats all I can think of and its quite implausible.

Which are ??? Mine usually get binned as soon as I get home...

Should be on a marriage visa then, is he? Should he ??... Do people only have a family in Thailand if they are married ????