mfd101

I wonder what their definition of 'high-quality professional' is, or 'highly skilled professional'. How do they know one when they fall over one? What are the criteria?

In sum, everything depends on what you have inside your head. Those of little weight can't bear the thought of the absence of external entertainment. Those with brains stuffed with thoughts doubts information and information-processing can barely cope with the lightweight over-stimulus of the big cities.

Correction, I just checked: It was 80K.

Last year, with a deductible of 40K, it was (round figure) 75K฿ for 3M฿ cover. I plan to increase the deductible this year, which will reduce the cost ...

Well this is off the subject of this thread (which is what the BKKBk will or won't do for you when you need their little assurance letter for annual renewal of stay), but - anyway - yes I do stay with O/A. No reason not to. The insurance requirement (400K฿ or 3M฿ depending on who you last talked to) isn't a problem for me: at age 76 & healthy I need good health insurance but keep it cheapish by maximizing the deductible.

As mentioned by me above, the O/A-derived annual renewal of stay has an alternative option which many members adopt, namely bring in a minimum of 65K฿ every month of the previous 12 months. But even when you use that method - which I have done for some years - you still need the covering letter from the bank to say that this really is your account and it currently (on the day) has X฿ in it.

Is the 400,000Baht deal the only thing that BKKBk is being difficult on? I shall be fronting up here in Surin in 4 or 5 weeks using the monthly 65KBaht minimum method for O/A-derived extension. I'm not expecting any difficulty and will be asking for the usual covering letter that says I am the proud owner of this fine account and have been since the beginning of time etc etc. Or should I be getting anxious and contemplating fleeing to another refuge?

This is what happens when poor & un- or under-educated workers, unable to think for themselves or beyond the next meal, panic and race for 'home' when political/military circumstances change. The penalty for short-termism.

Yeah right. There's many a hoop to actually implement any change in government policy on any subject however minor ...

The difficulty for progressives in Thailand is that the People's Party is currently led (at least out front) by mediocre unknowns, the 2 past well-known & hugely liked & respected leaders remaining sidelined by the usual corrupt use of the law courts to attack able and honest opponents. Doesn't augur well for PP's performance in the coming general election (assuming it happens as promised).

Well, that depends on what's to follow ...

Putin testing the waters. And checking reactions from the blowhard in the White House. Sign of desperation in Moscow.

Will be fascinating to watch how the inquiry in to the last Senate elections proceeds. I suspect it'll get buried after the upcoming elections in 4+ months' time (assuming they actually occur). The military coup that follows a massive PP win will make it irrelevant in any case ...

Vietnam moving ahead at speed in many areas - economy, industry, education, health ... Demonstrating - as China mostly does - that well-run dictatorships can achieve social goals at a speed that badly-run dictatorships and badly-run democracies can only dream of.

So much certainty & confidence from so many hugely knowledgable and expert AN readers! And much of it contradictory! My head is spinning.

Wow! So now there'll be an appeal process? And further Get Out of Jail cards to play, including air navigation matters ...

Must be just about the only industry in Myanmar using modern technology ...

That would require mastery of the concept of giving way to others.

The history of France for the last 140-odd years (some very odd) suggests they're not really made for parliamentary democracy. Too ideological ie rigid in their thought patterns, and thus unable to negotiate sensible compromise. Presidential democracy is more their style. Whence De Gaulle's (later) success under the Fifth Republic. But to achieve that you need a dominant personality that produces submission to presidential edicts ... Something that Usofa is currently learning about also.

Sob sob. How disappointing! No more suspense. Oh well, I suppose there's always tomorrow.

And your source is ... ?

So, it's now almost 1300. Any, y'know, actual sightings?

Golly, this is so exciting. Beats Facebook any day.

We'll know the answers by c.o.b. tonight.

I suspect he knows it already, that's why he fled. But we'll find out on Tuesday.