Enzian

But the peoples of which other religions are currently holding Thai nationals hostage?

Just going out on the roads on a motorbike should qualify as "risky behaviour." Who decides?

Has the BoT Governor anywhere laid out a list of the "underlying structural problems" he's referring to? That's what would be really interesting, as well as why Srettha presumably doesn't want to talk about those problems or discuss ways to address them. Reform doesn't seem to be his strong point; the status quo is. And honestly I don't see the country in economic crisis. It's not doing well, but it's not falling apart. All too often populist politicians claim "crisis" as a motive for action, when what they want are actions that result in them having more control, not in improving the lives of everyone involved.

They had opportunities for a separate state and turned them down. And they have never offered to give up the official policy of calling for the eventual destruction of Israel and the death of all the Jews.

If Hamas would admit defeat and surrender, the hostages would be free tomorrow, all of them.

I've read all 200+ pages, and all things considered, I'd rather be in Philadelphia.

My son put in an order for a medium sized transfer from Chase US either late 26 or early 27 west coast time, and Chase emailed me that it had been sent at 6:11 PM Bangkok time on Wed. 27. My Thai bank informed me at 5:21 PM the next day, 23 hours later, that they had it. I will not need to make another wire transfer until 8 to 10 months from now, and I will have records to show the money came from the US Social Security Administration. Best I can do, maybe we will know more by then. Edit: Looking at the post directly above, I understand this has been the case, but obviously a lot of people like me are assuming '23 earnings will be grandfathered in effect, or the practice of non-enforcement will continue. Luckily in my case I'm not married, no kids here, on a month to month lease, and have a lot of other reasons that a relocation to California would make sense at this point. Happy New Year everyone.

If he has to say out loud that he is confident about his tenure, that means he isn't. And in this situation, for good reason.

The description you outline is close to what I've decided. I've bulked up my Thai account here to just over 1 mil. I use the 800K in the bank method. Conveniently my Non-O rolls over at the end of each December. Iirc after 3 months the figure can fall below 800K (but not below 400K) until 2 months before renewal. I already have plans to be gone Feb-March-April. I'll spend down the Thai account and use CCs as normally. I have one account in the US that virtually the only activity is Social Security deposits; when I do refresh the Thai account towards renewal it will be from that account, and that may be the first and only transfer during the year, baring something crazy in exchange rates.

I won't even be in Thailand in March 2024; I have a flight out 1st week February and do not intend to reenter for about three months, possibly more. I've never earned money in Thailand and never filed a tax return here, and have never anticipated or been told that I have to file in 2024 to account for the various remittances I made with current income during 2023. Is this stated somewhere? That it is something that applies to everyone? Can someone clarify?

Wait. I've been intending to remit an almost token US 4 or 5 K collected lately from my tenants in the US this week, just before the new year, to bulk up my (one mil plus) Thai account a tad and then just spend the account down all during 2024 until just two months before my Non-O renewal, which conveniently, in my case, comes up in the 3rd week of December 2024. And by that time we might all know more. Or would it be better to remit that 4 or 5 K in the first week after New Years?

Wasn't the problem that the policies were written to the effect that if one were diagnosed with Covid at all that a certain payout was guaranteed regardless of the actual costs of treatment? This could be on a list of the top ten most crazy things that have happened in Thailand in this century. I had one of those policies, tested positive but didn't go to a doctor and get paperwork so there was no point in filing, and besides by then I really didn't believe they would pay.

Of course this is just one part of a coordinated effort right out in the open to maintain the status quo of the establishment. The ironic thing is that while PT attempts to maintain its populist cred through handouts to the poor, it's totally in bed with the most conservative elements; how long can this cognitive dissonance go on?

In the US the husband would ask for a jury trial with the predictable outcome of jury nullification. Too bad the Thai legal system is very different from the Anglo.

A few weeks ago I ended up in ER in a private hospital where I have a membership number. My tgf was with me to answer questions, and had one of my CCs in her hand which they at first thought was hers. They asked if she was family and she answered yes. They got an IV in each arm and within an hour I was stable but weak. A little after that point someone came to ask me to sign two CC deposits, one for 15,000 THB and one for 250,000 THB. No problem. Both deposits were reversed in a matter of days. Insurance stepped in. The first report I read about this man was that he had no family with him nor even anyone who knew him personally; it went downhill from there.

This is getting insane. Three weeks ago I ended up in ER in the middle of the night because a bacterial infection, till then unknown, centered in the lower part of my right lung reached a tipping point and I didn't know if I would make it to morning. When I recovered I booked a flight out, but not until the beginning of Feb.; now the pollution season is kicking in early and my plan to stay through the "cool" season and leave for 3 or 4 months in the "spring" season doesn't seem comprehensive at all. What sense does it make to live in this? The AQI index for Bangkok this morning is 165.

I always had some respect for Abhisit, but seemed he and the party could never distinguish themselves from the Establishment in a way that would make them relevant. (But of course that's what MFP did, and look where it got them.) I wonder what he will do next, and will the party simply fade away?

Doesn't this say somewhere that the first time I exit (as an American with a chip in my passport which was issued in 2018) under this new system I will still have to see a live IO to enter certain things in a certain way in their system so that the NEXT time will really be the first time I can exit through the automated machine? I have a 5 PM flight on Feb. 3 to the US, and one reason I selected that flight was so I can go to BKK around 1 PM and have lots of time for everything, and then be looking at my laptop which I would be doing at home anyway.

I'll stick it out in Bangkok for this winter. About 3 weeks ago I had a kind of near-death experience with a bacterial infection in my lower right lung leading to hospitalization for pneumonia, so for that reason and others I've booked a flight for the beginning of February and will stay out for at least three months, maybe longer. I'll be having a serious discussion with my US doctors about my condition, any lingering damage, and the wisdom of continuing to live in the air of LOS (as opposed to the Bay Area, where today the aqi is around 20). Luckily I own no property and have no children here, and am on a month-to-month rental agreement. Good luck everyone.

Hamas is playing Thailand and everyone else (with the possible exception of the IDF) like a fiddle.

1. For over 5 years I've been receiving treatment from a government clinic in Bangkok for a rare condition, the treatment for which is the same as for a much more common condition. The crucial drug has been subsidized by the government. I'm almost always the only farang in there, tho I go in with my Thai SO. This past week we were informed that the cost of the treatment would on short notice now go up by several orders of magnitude, except for government employees of any sort. The increase is more than many Thais make in a month. Will many patients simply forgo treatment and let the debilitating condition run its course? Or did they lie to me that it applies to ordinary Thais as well as me? They did say it was specifically a decision of the "new government". Would a different government (MFP?) have done the same? Is there any chance of a reversal? My point is that this government is capable of many things which might surprise us. I do appreciate the years they helped me, but my Kaiser in California will give me the treatment every 9 weeks no questions asked for a $10 co-pay, and they are a generation ahead in procedure. I can fly to CA (one way at least) to see friends and family for the cost of the difference. 2. I just spent 2 nights in Bumrungrad with bacterial pneumonia that left me weak as a kitten. Because it was a bona fide emergency Kaiser paid ((97K!).; for ongoing treatment they will not. Well over 80, I self insure. Pollution season in Thailand is almost on us. I like to walk outdoors. Hot season is soon. For 10 months of the year the air and climate in the Norcal Bay Area is among the best in the world. 3. Now the Thai RD is leaving things deliberately vague imo, so there will always be a gotcha. You can see where I'm going with this. Thanks for reading.

Who are the "all parties concerned" being referred to? I hope it doesn't include Hamas and their negotiators. They should all be given a fair trial and then executed. I've stopped reading Reuters because they keep referring to "Hamas militants"; they aren't militants, they are terrorists.

Wasn't there a sad ending to an important member of that group? Now they want to exploit it to some degree? Mightn't it be better to place it in the history file and move on?

Wednesday I got out of hospital after two days with what was diagnosed as a bacterial lung infection, mild pneumonia, but all the lab results were still pending. Thursday I have a follow up and chest x-ray and intend to ask all the questions I can think of. China delenda est.

A kind of win-win. You can defect, and your parents and siblings and in fact everyone even remotely related to you back in Russia get entirely new lodgings.