oslooskar

Well, then, you shouldn't have any problem articulating what that "EVIDENCE" is that your allegations are based on that my idea, stating that I have more freedom in my everyday activities here in Thailand than I did in California, is naive in the extreme. And do remember, I specifically mentioned, "in my everyday activities".

If you're going to make allegations, at least be intellectually honest enough to back them up with facts. You can start by explaining why my idea, stating that I have more freedom in my everyday activities here in Thailand than I did in California, is naive in the extreme. Mind you, I specifically mentioned, "in my everyday activities".

There is still more freedom here for me in my everyday activities than there was in California. However, I will acknowledge that if I was accused of a crime that I would be better off in an American court than a Thai one. Also, if I was a political activist I would certainly have more freedom in the USA to speak out against my government than I would in Thailand. BUT, I am making reference to activities in my everyday life as an elderly retired expatriate. Hence, I can drive along the Beach Road in my electric cart, park my car at the curb on the Beach Road, ride in the back of my son's pickup truck, get my medications at the pharmacy without having to go through a doctor here, go fishing without a license. Also, I can walk around the city of Rayong without any fear of being victimized by criminals or confronted by aggressive panhandlers.

On the other hand, there is more freedom here for the common man in his everyday life activities than there is for his peers in the United States, which is supposedly the freest country in the world but isn't. My point is that the carefree Thai way of life has made my life a lot easier and hassle-free. So, for me, I find more positives here in Thailand than negatives.

Swedish authorities never caught up with me in the 1960s as I hitchhiked across Sweden stealing apples from trees in front yards everywhere.

If he did not surrender the bag at the first airport where he found it, then I would not believe his story.

I found a wallet in Golden Gate Park when I was a kid, turned it in, and the police thanked me for it. I once picked up a wallet in Hamburg, Germany, and caught up with a Finn whose pocket it had fallen out of while he was sitting on a park bench. I also turned in a rich Arab's wallet that had $8,000 in U.S. currency. In conclusion, I would check the Dane's background and find out if he has a criminal history. If not, then I would be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

In other words, you don't have any evidence of bribery. Hence, your allegation will remain an allegation and nothing more. NEXT CASE!

If my memory serves me correctly, visa agents in Thailand fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Employment (DOE) and the Ministry of Labor.

Well, if we go by your frame of reference then I would be smarter because I have at least 30 times that amount parked in a U.S. bank.

Where is your evidence of bribery? The truth is, you're just making allegations that you can't prove. Perhaps you're angry because you can't afford an agent, and you resent those of us who can. I hire an agent because navigating through immigration's bureaucracy can be time-consuming and complex, and a licensed agent who is well-versed in immigration laws, procedures, and requirements can streamline the process by efficiently handling my paperwork, which saves me time and aggravation.

Well, I have the necessary funds in my Thai bank account but I still prefer to use an agent because I hate dealing with government bureaucracies of any kind. I do my 90-day reports online and that's it. I do not do anything dodgy or illegal. Also, I had to deal with American immigration many years ago when trying to get a visa for my Thai wife so she could enter the USA and I was very fortunate that my Congresswoman had my back and assisted me. Bottom-line, if it becomes illegal to use an agent to assist me getting my visa renewed, then I will discontinue using them. I will never knowingly break the law.

I always find it enjoyable reading the posts of the have-nots who are embittered and jealous of the haves who were smart enough to have money to park in Thailand.

If you are implying that using an agent to assist an individual in getting his/her visa extended is dodgy, then do tell us why you feel it is so?

No, need to look it up when I can clearly see an example of you attempting to circumvent your responsibility of providing concrete evidence to substantiate your allegation.

What is idiotic is the fact, as per your own admission, that you continued to hire incompetent individuals to handle your taxes, and they consistently made errors, leading to penalties. In my own case, my accountant has never made mistakes, and I have never had to pay any penalties. After all, I am very careful about whom I choose to hire.

You wrote, "Yes, all these foreign criminals attempting to circumvent the Visa process should be deported and never let return. You are spot on."

If you are alleging that foreigners who use visa agents are criminals, then please present some evidence that corroborates such an allegation.

On the contrary, the only one here who is aggravated is you. After all, you're obviously very concerned with what I do, whereas, I am not the least bit concerned with what you do.

I agree! So, it's really a matter of personal choice. I could be a cheapskate and do them myself, or I could spare myself the aggravation and hire a professional to do my taxes for me.

Applying for a visa extension is easy, getting it is an entirely different matter. So, do try to bear in mind that getting an extension for some individuals, with different situations than your own, might be far more complicated without an agent.

I could do my own taxes every year, but instead of pulling my hair out and going stark raving mad, I hire a professional to do my taxes for me. Hence, some of us just don't like dealing with government bureaucracies and we're willing to pay agents to do it for us.

Yes, they do and that is very unfortunate, but we are not discussing them, as you very well know. So, stop trying to misrepresent my positing and coming up with straw man arguments that are irrelevant.

You're right, I wouldn't because my family members do not go around antagonizing their neighbors or deliberately putting themselves in harm's way. The problem with you is you simply refuse to hold anyone responsible for putting themselves in harm's way. In fact, I highly doubt that you would accept any responsibility for your car being stolen if you parked it in a high crime area with its doors unlocked and its key in the ignition.

Let me try to make this as simple as possible so even you can understand it. If I walked around Harlem wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood and robes and made racist anti black speeches and then got shot by some angry black I would be responsible for having created the situation that caused myself to get shot. Now, that having been said, the individual who murdered me would still be guilty of murder.