Jonathan Swift

And that's what we don't know. Maybe he just couldn't afford life there any more and this was his only option, but was unable to navigate the legit options. I couldn't afford life in the US any more. Maybe he got bad advice from others, other overstayers. Lord knows, in 10 years I've gotten a lot of bad advice which I knew not to follow. We don't know what his story is, so we shouldn't make assumptions. I feel bad for anyone his age in this predicament, he could end up homeless on the streets on NZ.

Happy to hear you found a nice life. I've been here 10 years and wouldn't dream of getting so much as a parking ticket. Squeaky clean.

And there they go again - those dang pesky Thai racists picking on a poor farang.

And so, once again, we see that not all of us are gifted with common sense. So applying our sense to someone who lacks it makes it a flawed equation. For example, why not get a retirement visa? But he may have mental health impairments or disability. I think it's likely he may have come here on a tourist visa, liked what he saw, and then decided to stay, which changed the whole thing at that point. I don't think very many overstayers plan it out in advance.

"A knife-wielding man showcasing aggressive mannerisms" so he was auditioning for a part in a play?

Does that go for cigarette smokers? Cigarette smoke literally stinks and is also a health hazard, secondhand cigarette smoke causes real health problems. Yeah, entitled cigarette addicts smoking anywhere they please are a scourge. So absolutely ALL smokers of all substances should be respectful and not pollute the air of others. But the cigarette pίgs will go to war with you if you ask them politely to refrain from doing it.

I've never in my 67 years heard anyone complain about the smell of marijuana. It's earthy and incense like, and has no poisons in it. I don't smoke it but find the smell pleasant. Tobacco is a different story. Cigarette smoke literally stinks. Secondhand smoke is proven to cause health problems. People who smoke cigarettes around other people regardless of how it effects them are simply inconsiderate pίgs. Cigarette pigs. The fact that they can get away with it here but not in their home countries does not excuse their lack of courtesy and respect. There are reasons why you can't do it in most western countries.

So leave if it's so bad. Is your country any better?

everything is always about the money. I am speculating, this isn't even an opinion, but this might be a way of extorting more "taxes" (payoffs/brown envelopes) from the businesses in order to make the law go away.

everything is always about the money. I am speculating, but this might be a way of extorting more "taxes" (payoffs/brown envelopes) from the businesses in order to make the law go away.

Yes, very easy, they have a separate room just for that. That way, if there is something wrong they will explain. I had the same happen to me. It might have been the phone number I used as a contact person, I think I used my own.

A line stolen from Frank Zappa.

OMG a Thai person being prosecuted! So, all you complaining Brits claiming that farang/foreigners are singled out and persecuted, what do you have to say about that? Oh you'll find some excuse to rationalize your bigotry.

They're very happy that you volunteered to assist.

But wait, Thailand is prosecuting Thai people? I thought it was only the poor picked on farang who got picked on, persecuted, and prosecuted, according to the usual boneheaded whiny UK commenters. But those commenters will ignore and soon forget this story the next time they feel like whining and complaining, because that's what they do, wherever they are. Ignore the facts in favor of their own bigotry, which ironically is exactly what they accuse Thais of.

Nope. But wait, Thailand is prosecuting Thai people? I thought it was only the poor picked on farang who got picked on, persecuted, and prosecuted, according to the usual boneheaded whiny UK commenters. But those commenters will ignore and soon forget this story the next time they feel like whining and complaining, because that's what they do, wherever they are. Ignore the facts in favor of their own bigotry, which ironically is exactly what they accuse Thais of.

Good chance of that.

IQ of about 70 maybe. He's not a young guy either, when he gets out he'll be in rough shape. Maybe he'll get lucky and get deported. Chances are he's already seen the inside of a jail in his home country, and chances are he's an addict, in which case IQ doesn't matter.. If he's an addict he deserves a modicum of sympathy. Addicts have no control over their addiction, just ask any smoker/nicotine addict who has tried to quit. My brother died of his addictions, at least jail would have kept him alive. This guy should be glad it isn't Russia and facing the gulags.

IQ of about 70 maybe. He's not a young guy either, when he gets out he'll be in rough shape. Chances are he's already seen the inside of a jail in his home country, and chances are he's an addict, in which case IQ doesn't matter.. If he's an addict he deserves a modicum of sympathy. Addicts have no control over their addiction, just ask any smoker/nicotine addict who has tried to quit. My brother died of his addictions, at least jail would have kept him alive. This guy should be glad it isn't Russia and facing the gulags.

The question is, how are they going to know what's in your bank account? Will banks be required to report all transfers to the tax dept? I think I will ask my bank about that.

Why don't you go online and actually find out from the tax department rather than cluelessly insinuate? Or is that too much work and not as much fun as whining about how unequal and unfair it is here?

Oh come on. Do you know anything about Thailand? Anyone can get a gun here, doesn't matter if you're a 5 year old or 100. Same in most any country. And you don't know anything about this lady, who her friends were - both French and Thai, or French people in general, obviously. And then, why should anyone mention or care where the gun came from? It's irrelevant and really nobody's business. There's no crime committed with the gun, if you don't consider suicide a crime. She had the right to take her own life rather than suffer and die of cancer.

I think that fortunately there are more good than bad, except maybe in the US, where it's about 50/50. I grew up there and watched the decline over a 40 year period. But the bad people stand out more and get more media coverage. So this is a good story, a change from the usual tabloid crɑp.

You can't have educated conversations with clueless uneducated people who don't want to learn anything.

yeah, well, a lot of us are just as sick of you people's whining and complaining, only we're not the police, so we just shake our heads wondering why you came here, and why you don't just leave.