Enzian

Several times I've stated on forums that the fact that this government (even more than others) is perfectly capable of changing any rule in any way at any time is why I will never buy a condo here, or contemplate any other long term commitments for that matter. Even if this particular issue quickly blows over (or just doesn't apply to me personally), the point is only reinforced. Myself, if needed, can have everything wrapped up and be out of here for good within two months at most. Caveat emptor.

The article says the scheme will not lead to moral hazard because along with it will be an incentive program to educate farmers. I presume this is doubletalk. How will such "education" cause farmers to change the culture that led to the unsustainable debt in the first place? Are they going to tighten underwriting guidelines in the future? Maybe, I don't know yet. Is the program to forgive debt, or like what moratorium usually means, to put a no consequences delay to payments and collections? And if the latter, how will debtors be better positioned when the moratorium ends? My tgf has a debt to a government bank for money she borrowed and used to buy a parcel of farmland. How does she find out if she qualifies for this program? Thanks for any answers.

Pot seems to have arrived at the same place as prostitution, concerning which if you ask any of the top guys what they think they would no doubt say it's illegal and they are personally against it. Another elephant of no enforcement sitting in the center of the room. The Thai system. I walked on some less familiar streets last night and saw no less than 3 new pot shops that I swear were not there 2 weeks ago. All small but shiny and well lit (no pun intended). Interesting times indeed, and I can't even guess where it will go from here.

What do you mean? The baht is at the lowest range it has been since last November. My CC charges look cheap. Yesterday I moved US$5K and whichever bank did the conversion gave me a relatively decent 35.3; I wish I'd done more, but who knows where it will go in the next 2-3 months. Speaking of confidence, and that photo, I'm confident those bags didn't have to look so fake, and that the model should have been assigned short shorts.

The policy proposal Campbell is not reported as citing is that of ending monopolies and presumably oligarchies in the business world, as much a red cape to the establishment as softening lese-majeste punishments imo. Yes, I could read the actual Time article, but my brain can't process much more garbage today.

You can lead a hor to culture, but you can't make her think. Especially in Thailand.

Daily life certainly is an adventure here: avoiding STDs, avoiding impact with 2500 lbs of steel and glass marked TAXI, not losing your mind over the operations of the RTP Immigration division, fighting off alcoholism wet syndrome, counting the daily loss of brain cells due to heat and humidity, avoiding snakes and scorpions and tropical diseases, and arguing with your mates that your girl is "different"!

I understand that the majority are men-with-men, but there could be more clarity about the ways in which it can spread, esp. since they mention household members. Because the picture gives me a scary feeling about the massage industry; has there been any reported connection with massage?

This is always the problem with democracies, when ordinary people can vote themselves a place at the public trough (just like their betters!). But I know this is just about a wish-list poll of what people would like to see. I'm interested in the second item, a debt moratorium period for "farmers". Because my TGF has a debt with some kind of government land bank for her rather speculative purchase of about 3 acres of farmland several years ago. Is this something anyone in power is seriously talking about? And who qualifies, and how? She might qualify if this were real, since the bank in question seems to view debts (but not ownership) to attach to extended family units, and her family does some small scale farming.

What form would be taken by a national financial crisis brought on by excessive household debt?

Recalls the old joke: We try to be sufficiently cynical but some people make it hard to keep up. (I'm American and I approve of this statement, and if you think the government is working for you, I have a few bridges for sale...) In the present Thai environment, how can these developments be viewed with anything but the utmost cynicism? But I guess whatever it takes to keep the baht in the tank...

My TGF (from KK) is offended that he seems now in lockstep with Prayuth, after all that baggage all around, and this would be my line of thought; there's no way he would be returning without some sort of understanding with the real powers, and it would have to include some settlement of the next government. I hate to say it, but Prawit looks increasingly possible--but I know nothing.

Are you sure that everyone was being asked? (I had exactly the same experience: I filed my TM 47 14 days before the 90 since I flew in, on day 91 thinking grace period I went to CW and while waiting for my queue number Approval came on my phone.) I rent a condo, & it's my understanding that the TM30 is not my job; maybe your situation is different. I got my rental agent (absentee owner in this case) to give me a fresh extended copy of my lease in case I was asked, but in the event I didn't have to see an officer. My agent says she never has filed a TM30 and never will; is it just that enforcement is random? Anyone? I'd like to know what to say if it comes up at renewal time around November. A rant: we don't get 90 days before our next report day, it can be more like 75 days based on submission of the TM 47, which is stupid. And also stupid is requiring us to toe the line and do certain things when they don't do their job in a timely manner.

So the baht would fall and stay down; look at the bright side. But it's interesting that they are looking at "fun" (sanook anyone?) ways to cope with this; everyone is getting a little goofy, and for good reason.

I stopped reading with "pleasant weather".

A hookah-smoking caterpillar gave me the call that this was in the works. There's been a significant rise in cases of depression in the country is cited as why we need this step. But I would be depressed too if I were invited to vote for a candidate of my choice and then told my vote means nothing and never will.

I have a large (over 20) collection acquired from a well known, established art dealer in Bangkok who is also a friend. I went through a phase and then stopped. The main thing imo is simply age. It's possible to make fakes that look hundreds of years old but are not, but experienced dealers can tell. Also some are far more appealing aesthetically than others. The enamel and silver inlaid cases that usually hold them are often impressive and a pleasure to own in themselves, but perhaps not as expensive as one might think. But 20,000 baht and up is absurd. Also selling and dealing images is considered bad karma by purists, so dealers use the fiction that they are simply renting them to the next party in the line of possession. But I would agree that selling fake ones in a temple setting should result in the worst sort of karma.

This could be a good thing. When I came back from Nice France on May 11 Turkish Air was easily the cheapest option (is their currency fall involved I wonder) and I've always thought their flights were a good experience regardless of what I think of the nation's leadership and government. And that flight was fine, though the Instanbul airport was a little confusing this time. And Thai is a good experience in the air in spite of scheduling issues and how badly run they've been behind the scenes.

For y'all information: My Approval came on the 15th day from the day I got the email saying my TM47 submission had been "successfully received". I got that acknowledgement on July 26. Every day after that that I checked the Status, it was Pending. So on day 91 from when I landed in Swampy May 11, I went out to Chang Wattana in person and got a queue number to report in person. About an hour and half from when my number was coming, I received an email saying Approval with the attachment. This would have been the first day of my putative grace period. (I'm now screwed because my TGF had suggested waiting one more day; now I must "listen to her".) I had decided the system was locked up and neither yes or no would ever come, wrong. But I don't know what this says for anyone else, or for me in the future. Any ideas? Leaving the building no taxi in the queue at first would take us to a BTS station. We got a cop to help and he told all those waiting for customers who had turned us down to leave. Another cop found us a willing driver. On the way that driver said the taxi mafia there tries to bully him to follow their system. I tipped him.

Someone reminded me there is an Immigration Hotline at #1178. My Status has been stuck on Pending; would it be worth calling the hotline before going out in person? And is that the right or best number? (The young woman at the Bumrungrad Business Office said there's no point in calling, but I doubt she's the final authority on the system.) Thanks.

Don't know for sure since I've had a card and membership hospital number for almost 10 years; I suggest you call them, I just did a couple of days ago about the Office hours and their English is good and they are helpful. Are there any repercussions from the "big red stamp" that you or anyone knows about? Sometimes I almost wish they would kick me out of this country, except there are some friends I would really miss. But one big red stamp maybe I could live with. Thanks.

Same here, exactly. Submitted (or maybe that day I got the acknowledgement) and ever since it has been pending, so we're not alone. I last checked this morning (Sunday 8/6) and it was still pending, and I'm about giving up. My 90 days hits Tuesday the 8th. I figure if it is still pending Monday morning I'll walk over to Bumrungrad Business Office and see what they suggest, if they can do it for me in the 7 days following the 90-day point. One complication I have is my room # in the building changed so the one I had to do earlier this year I just let the system use the old room number so it would be approved. It won't let me correct the room number without taking a trip out there AFAIK. Does that sound right? Be great if Bumrungrad could do it. If I do it myself Immigration may not like the fact that I'm now essentially on a month-to-month lease, tho my rental agent would write one to satisfy them but it's just more work. My TGF might call them. Would that help and what's the number? Thanks! If I do nothing and the time passes, what's the worst that can happen? Just a 2K fine in Nov. or Dec. when I go out to renew I assume. Correct? Thanks!

For once I tend to agree with the "experts", in the first article cited (except for their suggested optimism). The second article is just about stupid politics. Ending monopolies and price collusion, enacting higher lending requirements, teaching financial literacy in schools, looking for real ways to increase productivity the elite be damned, are all good ideas. And putting loan sharks in jail.

Another question. A friend is trying to tell me that we no longer get a separate email saying that our 90 day online report has been approved, that we get an email saying that it has been successfully received, and then we have to check the Status to see if and when it has been approved. Is there any truth to this? Thanks!

I submitted my online TM47 on Wednesday July 26 and later got the email that they had received my information successfully. A week later, nothing more so I went to the Immigration site to check the status. For that submission it said on the right clearly that it was Pending. But in the far right column headed Cancel there's a big red X for that line. I figure that I haven't heard anything for a week because the 6 day holiday is not over until tonight. But does anyone know what that big red X means? And can I still take my passport to a service like the Bumrungrad Business Office for a seven day grace period after the actual 90 day point has passed? Thanks!