mfd101

9 minutes ago, pookondee said:

Australia and other nations have a lot more to worry about without meddling in others affairs. 

Australia is complicit (and following the US) in the task of totally eliminating the middle class and making everyone working debt slaves.

Poppycock. Oz is the country where EVERYONE thinks of themselves as 'middle class'. It is the ultimate in bourgeois egalitarianism - a one-class society.

Can't win.

And the little island countries have realized that they're looking just dandy, in a competition between rich ol' Oz and rich polite Middle Kingdom. Can't lose.

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Company security office foreign travel reporting trip policies and sw applications and email approvals and notifications I have to follow.  Other DOD Government foreign travel systems I have to use and report in  etc.  These are not state department hoops people have to jump through.  These are DOD Government travel things

And you cheerfully talk about that on this website? Obviously your security clearances are pretty high quality.

50 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You are by no means the first person to come to that conclusion.

Well that's reassuring, at least as to my judgment. ????

I must say, as a conservative elderly homosexual Antipodean, that if I didn't know he's English, I would think him as gay as a cartload of monkeys.

2 hours ago, Brigand said:

Erm no ... it's called meritocracy. Look it up. 

Ever heard of irony?

Merit principle? Oh, you mean 'make merit'?

Even a windsock can find a spine if it senses a shift in the breeze.

The one thing that follows from Prayut's 'clarification' is that the omission was indeed intended and, from his point of view, with good reason. So, in this country, oaths are important, even to oath breakers.

We await further developments.

39 minutes ago, Awinkl said:

On a recent Cruise I found several BIG Chinese Projects as far away as Mozambique & Cape Verde Islands - places that truly can't afford to pay back the Loans that China gave them to finance such projects - and yet, their younger Generations will be burdened with such debts throughout their Lifetime .... and beyond.

They're a long way away from China. Once the building's complete, just stop paying!

So with TW there are now 3 ways which together or in combination are about as good as it can get: (1) check the box for 'Funds for longterm stay in Thailand' (2) give them a ring (even if they say Don't bother) (3) if your funds allow, have another 65K฿ ready in case you need to do a 2nd transfer by Swift that month.

Given that my next renewal is in mid-October, I intend to do all 3 at least till then.

I also notice that Monito is pushing Skrill as a cheaper alternative to TW (midrate & no fees). Anyone who has used Skrill might let TV readers know of their experience ...

13 hours ago, Mavideol said:

China will keep denying anything and everything

That's why it's so difficult for the Big Fella in Beijing to make up his mind to move on HK. Would have disastrous effects on China's image. Not that he won't do it if pushed and pushed, but the cost would be enormous. As is the cost for him domestically if he doesn't.

5 minutes ago, giddyup said:

You're correct. I gave two members of my partners family nice watches as presents. Both dropped and smashed the watch glass within weeks, and of course it damaged the movements as well and neither had the money to fix.

Yes, I've wasted around AUD2000 on 4 sets of spectacles over the last 3 years. FIL & MIL - broken, uncomfortable, don't wear. B/F - doesn't wear. 10-year-old child with major sight difficulties - glasses bought after careful testing by opthalmologist at private hospital - broken/doesn't wear.

Rule of the House: No more glasses for anyone, no matter the need, other than me.

The wonders of first-past-the-post voting.

I visited Vietnam from Thailand (Oz citizen) for the first time in April.

I don't know what are the rules for the Irish visiting VN, but for me and my friends in Oz it was quite clear on the relevant VN government websites that (1) you have to apply in advance on the websites, with photo & p/p details etc, (2) await clearance email with letter to say you can go (3) submit letter to VN Immigration on arrival to receive visitor visa.

4 minutes ago, TCA said:

Document proof time is over and obviously they were allowed entry without them, so shouldn't be asked for them.

Shouldn't but were.

21 hours ago, Our Man in the Tropics said:

Above preference by Thailand Immigration Department does not necessarily mean that monthly social security, & / or private, payments from foreign countries, issued as cheques / checks to Falang payees will not be recognised for calculation of monthly income ?

They want to see (1) 65K minimum coming into a Thai bank every month, as evidenced by Thai bank docos (2) possibly, but not necessarily, in addition your English (or other)-language docos that show the source or sources of your income MIGHT be helpful. Or not. Given that they most likely can barely if at all read English or any other falang language, they will not want a mountain of different & complicated docos. KISS

But people should always be prepared, carry a bit of backup docos. Better than getting rejected for entry after a long flight!

My partner has 'permanent' residency in Oz and it's in the Oz Immigration computer so no problems coming & going, but I always carry supportive docos with me just in case (grant of residency, ACT partnership certificate ...).

If you look at the world ratings by the credit agencies, the AAA is confined to the usual rich Western countries (though excluding UK &, partially, US) + Singapore.

Thailand well down at BBB+. So why the strong currency? Mmmmm, higher reward for high risk?

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

Had a nice downpour at 2 in the morning in Prasat/Surin

Yes, so my b/f informed me this morning. I was sound asleep. Place looking green now after the last few days of gentle & medium falls.