mfd101

10 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

It is, of course, a misleading headline.  If you read the story, it's a proposal to ban these weapons; this announcement has no force of law and if the legislation passes the parliament it won't take effect for another 3+ weeks.  In the meantime NZ gun shops report a rush of customers

Not true. The GovGen has signed an Order in Council giving immediate effect to the proposal by regulation as an interim measure pending the legislation.

14 minutes ago, Jim7777 said:

Awesome I think I just might buy a house here after all.  Sounds like it might be a buyers market if that’s the case ????????????.  

Buyers' market in Oz too! House prices everywhere down 10-20% over 18 months & still heading south ... Chinese pulling out of the market & Aussies being cautious.

Looks like Oz heading into generalized-deflation territory (low interest rates, wages stable) which - as the Japs have shown for the last 25 years - is VERY hard to get out of. Why buy now when the price will be lower later? ... Same could apply here.

Hard to be optimistic.

One can always hope that modern technology and the information it puts at individuals' disposal may change the culture over time ... but then totalitarian China & Russia come to mind.

The effect seems to be that there are now really only 2 cards left on the table: (1) No-deal exit which, amongst other fascinating anxieties, would presumably mean a hard Irish border (so much for the Irish, not to mention the Ulsterpersons!) or (2) extension of stay (so to speak) for an indefinite period while the Brits try to sort out what if anything they are collectively in favour of, and that could have any number of outcomes - referendum & leave, referendum & stay in, stay in the customs union, a new deal ...

It would be nice to think that the current PM is learning in the meantime that obstinacy & leadership are not the same thing ...

4 hours ago, EL159 said:

My only concern now going forward is can I bring "210,000" for three months, or do I need to bring "70,000" every single month. Nobody seems to KNOW the answer on this. Everyone has a view, but based on guesstimates not practical fact!

No doubt someone will try out the 'averaging' technique so it won't be long before we know what this IO or that IO said on the occasion. And then there'll be tears before breakfast.

The written instructions from TI are however pretty clear (if one isn't into wishful thinking): A minimum of 65K EVERY month. I doubt they can be much clearer than that. 

3 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

I don't think bureaucrats anywhere in the world, government entities, banks, etc are interested in hearing peoples stories. They're not trained to use common sense, intelligence and be overly helpful anymore. It's tick the box or not. 

And the reason they're not interested in people's stories - good or bad though they may be - is that there are simply TOO MANY PEOPLE!

We don't live in villages any more, where people are nice or pretend to be nice to everyone, and there can be a slightly different policy adapted for each individual. We live in huge cities of huge nation-states with millions of citizens. The notion that public servants and governments are going to listen to each individual's story and adapt government policies accordingly is a nonsense. It doesn't happen in The West. Why should anyone expect it to happen here?

1 hour ago, Prairieboy said:

they would just drive around the end unless a barrier was placed.

Doesn't that have the desired effect anyway?

3 minutes ago, ParadiseLost said:

Why must the rest of the world be expected to put up with their criminals? 

For the same reason Australia has to put up with NZ criminals: Open border for citizens of either country, but you still have to have a p/p to show that you are a citizen of either.

The first couple of downpours when the monsoon arrives will wash it away.

In a well-designed system, you also have warning signs at either end of a series of speedbumps. That way the bumps are doubly effective without themselves causing accidents ...

1 hour ago, Mavideol said:

Ombudsman Office secretary-general Raksakecha Chaechai explained that, for someone to be classified as an “official of the state”, he or she must be appointed or elected by law

Conclusion: Someone clearly wasn't either appointed or elected by law.

34 minutes ago, Henryford said:

ALL western economies are only going one way - down.

That's about as sensible as the people who say: When I fall off my barstool here in Pattaya, I can't see much happening so obviously the Thai economy is rats...

Interesting to observe how major change can be achieved (but it's early days) when the people rise up and demonstrate peacefully but determinedly their wish for fundamental change.

Some lessons here for other countries ...

Having watched the Battle of Omdurman as shown above, I now at least understand what war the Brits are referring to when they say "And of course we won the war".

Golly. Such decisiveness. Such heroism. No problems with immigration in those days.

1 hour ago, vinniekintana said:

A stuffup can be a fig-leaf for the real conspiracy

Time will tell...soon. 

Ah yes, A DEEP conspiracy. That's VERY conspiratorial.

6 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Well it sounds suitable and very convenient that TW should adapt their procedures to suit without any expense to the customer. 

Not really. Their reward is that they don't lose customers they already have, and continue to get more.

Down near the border. You could have a bit of a flutter while you're there.