AussieBob18

Thailand - Bickering Hub of the World !!

SUMMARY OF OUTCOME:  Health Insurance will be made mandatory for all long term Visa/Extensions:

Yes = 39

No = 16

Dont care/know - Leaving/Left : 20

A previous Poll by Jingthing offering a lot of options (summarised results):

Policy will bedropped: 31

Apply to O-A only: 97

Increased to more than just O-A : 176

A majority of TV Expats clearly believe that the policy is going to be extended.

Most view Health Insurance as warranted - but view the Thai policy and how it was implemented as wrong, and that the selected Thai policies are inadequate. No one supports 40K Outpatient coverage.

There is clearly no method for Expats in Thailand to raise their concerns with the Thai Govt.

IMO every single American, British and Australian Expat should write a letter complaining about the situation and their lack of support from the Embassy in Thailand - to the appropropriate Minister/Head in their home country (send a copy to the Embassies in Thailand).  All 3 Embassies have 'negotiated' with the Thai Government about us and as a result they have unilaterally cancelled the provision of the 'Income Letters or Stat Decs' to their Expats.  Not one Expat has been found guilty of lying or falseifying their letters/stat decs, and yet the Embassies have decided to stop providing them.  In Australia the signing of a Stat Dec by the appropriate authority cannot be denied, unless that authrority has clear evidence or concern that the statement being made is false.  I assume the same applies in USA and UK.

All 3 Embassies have supported the introduction of the mandatory Health Insurance and have made no attempt to discuss with the Thai Government the problems they are causing their Expat Citiens in Thailand.  All 3 Embassies are being derelict in their duty and have not made any attempt to seek feedback from or consultations with their Expats in Thailand (their citizens that they claim to represent) - but they have been doing that with the Thailand Government.  I worked with Federal Govt in Aust for over 25 years - a written complaint is something they cannot ignore (they must file and respond) - and hundreds of them will cause them to review things. 

Expats in Thailand are entitled to be supported and represented by their Embassy when the Government implements unfair Laws that negatively affect their lives.  The 3 Embassies are clearly talking with the Thai Govt and in cancelling all income letters/stat decs they have opened themselves o being uestioned.  The Embassies are not doing their job and the only way to make Government employees do what they do not want to do is to complain to their bosses/media.  Complaint is the only way to bring this to the attention of those in Govt that can do something about it.  I note that Shirely has written to the US Embassy and has received a response - I suggest that 100s of such letters will force them to do something and will stop them sweeping the matter under their very large and thick carpet.  

Thanks for responding everyone - I thought there was a lot of concern.  IMO we all need to get those that 'represent' us to hear that and to do something about it.  Expats have no 'channel' with the Thai Govt, but as clearly shown with the Embassies cancelling the letters for Expats, the Embassies are doing that and have a channel - we need to force them to use that channel for our benefit. 

22 hours ago, mngmn said:

Please stay in Thailand.

Please wake up one day.

4 hours ago, Old Croc said:

I'm often really bemused at the way so many members here rush to defend someone who has been caught breaking the law to such an extent. Without knowing him, they seem to assume he is just a poor unfortunate traveller down on his luck. Someone deserving of sympathy, a good guy caught up in the system, probably supporting a wife, kids, village (they couldn't make it to lunch on the day?). There's a lot of quasi social workers on this forum.

When I see a seemingly youngish man who has lived here illegally, under the radar for 8 years, my thoughts are,  why couldn't he go home, why didn't he get a visa to stay legal like most of the rest of us, how has he legally supported himself over the years? Is the breach of Immigration law his only criminality? and, A good thing he has been caught so he can go home to sort out his life or face his past.

Agree.  Plus is is people like him that have caused the crackdown on all good guys.  

4 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

In some cases it has been already been going on for MONTHS, not weeks or days.

Borree ridge house burned one month ago (sisters), and had over a kilometer of cleared land around it.

Look at Russell Crows property on line on line

Agree - but doing soemthing is better than nothing - stopping clearing and burn backs is not a good strategy. 

2 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Yes..you can cut down all the trees-and you will be fined if you do so without permission..hmm..where to start..

This is a fairly typical northern NSW coastal valley.

 

 

Yep - not an easy thing to stop.  But doing noting is worse.  Not allowing farmers and homeowners to clear around their homes, plus not clearing away the underbrush in those hills (reserves) where the fires come from is the main factor, but you are right - they will always jappen - the issue is how bad they are.

Trump Factor - and more to come ????

13 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Try reading my post above yours.

You can believe that if you like. But they always say the same thing - not our fault - we did evertything by the book.  Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics.  See the story about the guy who was fined $50K for clearing trees - his house is one of only a few still standing.  That is proof that they are lying - and there is a lot more - a lot more - but in 1-2 weeks it will all be forgotten.  https://www.smh.com.au/national/fined-for-illegal-clearing-family-now-feel-vindicated-20090212-85bd.html

15 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

It's not any different to those people who live on transient land on the Florida Keys in the path of hurricanes. People live in the bush because they like it.

I think you will find many people living in high fire risk areas take steps to defend their property. The first thing any authority such as the CFA does in a fire situation is cut electricity to the affected area, so a householder better have an independent backup generator or pump ready, with tank water available. There are those who choose to wing it, and they are usually the ones who lose their houses.

While I agree controlled burning is necessary, there are areas in the Victorian Alps that are simply inaccessible for that purpose.

I was once told by a CFA captain any stick the thickness of a little finger was a potential ember, and could travel up to 5 km before the flame front.

Having said that, I think the precursor conditions for these latest fires are unprecedented. The elephant in the room is climate change.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/fined-for-illegal-clearing-family-now-feel-vindicated-20090212-85bd.html

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Well said. Prevention is always the best way.

Wonder if things will change now, or if we'll be reading the same stories in a couple of years time.

Bank on it - while children are being taught inclusion and environmentalism in schools, and not history and maths, things will not change.  

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Gambling is not a problem. Irresponsible  gamblers are the problem. I collect toys myself and buy what I can afford. Some drink beer. Some eat at fancy restaurants. Some indulge in shall we say pleasures of the flesh, IF gambling is your thing, and you want to use your spare money on it then I cannot see the issue with gambling responsibly. 

 

4WDs/Trucks are not a problem. Irresponsible drivers are the problem.

Sorry to re-quote you Richard as most things you say are right, but not this time.

Laws exist because some people will do things that rest of us will not - especially on the roads.

Some prople cannot control their gambling habit, so we need to restrict their behaviours - because it is bad for all of us in the long run.  I dont think ban it - but far more controls are needed 

6 hours ago, bartender100 said:

Your right, online slots are very addictive, need much more controls, limits on spending, ban the use of credit card deposits, i am speaking from experience

Me too - Brother lost a lot of money and a house

21 minutes ago, jimn said:

Lol. Lets beg to differ. Happy New Year.

Deal.  May all your putts go straight in the hole.

25 minutes ago, jimn said:

You have nothing better to do then to scaremonger. There is no proof that what you say is anything else. Just get on with life and stop wasting everyones time. You must worry about everything.

LOL.  The OP asked what new laws in 2020.  Did you say - all Expats will get 100,000 Baht bonus?

There is no proof you will answer me - but I sure hope you dont. 

I worry about little - plan for the worst - hope for the best - and enjoy each day and every game of golf (there is no bad game of golf - only that some are better than others).

Just now, Jane Dough said:

What do you think happens to water when it is drunk? Do you think it is destroyed and there is a finite amount left?

 

Rooster

<deleted> ............. off

13 minutes ago, CGW said:

I agree with that statement, Australia appears to be the forerunner for just how much "control" people will accept!

Free press is now a thing of the past, Silicone valley controls the "news" to a huge extent, there are few reporters left in the world, only repeaters who write what they are told to or they will have no source of income. The MSM is controlled by the same few who own all the corporations and have governments working for them, we are conditioned to believe through "education" (indoctrination) very hard for most to see the truth, even when it is staring them in the face. People are not educated to question, they are considered good scholars if they absorb and believe everything they are told!

Sad thing is "when" there is a major catastrophe the few (Elites, 1% whatever you wont to call them) who rule the world now already have there hiding places ready, deep bunkers stocked with food & all the supplies they will need to see them through a "nuclear winter" Then they will continue where they left off once some sort of normality resumes.

Think I just had my daily rant! 

Fair enough rant.  And it all comes about because isdiots believe the Government has a solution to all their problems,  and are too stupid to realise that they are all giving their own personal values and ideals to the 'system'