Shoeless Joe

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Can a Brit verify if you personally sign the consulate income letters ? The same as Australia, Canada, US etc, where its more a personal declaration.

No, the "consulate income letter" from the British Embassy is not signed by the claimant.

You are required to sign and have witnessed the supporting document(s) provided by the British Embassy to verify the income. One sends this and the supporting information to the Embassy who in return send back an "official, stamped" letter signed by an Embassy official, confirming to immigration the amount of money.

Regards,

Joe

First - Thanks and kudos to CharlieH and UbonJoe for their clarification. I suspect that even more (clarity) will be needed in the coming months.

My concerns are more about the provision of proof of income for or exceeding, 65,000 baht per month than for those who have or deposit 800,000 baht.

I don't think it matters whether it's the British Embassy or Thai Immigration who have made this / these (decision(s). What seems important is that there's some explanation from the Thai immigration authorities with regards to providing proof of income to establish that a minimum of 65,000 baht is being transferred to ones Thai bank account.

I'm one of those ex-pats who for a number of reasons, is reluctant to deposit circa £20,000 into my Thai bank account. Every month, my Government pension is paid directly into my Thai bank account and then every month (as I have for the last 7 years), I transfer money from my bank in the UK directly into the same Thai bank account, resulting in a combined total comfortably exceeding 65,000 baht.

I'm wondering will I now have to approach my bank, hopeful that that they will be willing and able to provide some sort of supporting letter and official bank statements confirming the incoming monthly totals? On the odd occasion in the past when I've needed them to provide information (like for instance, official copies of bank statements) they've been incredibly reluctant to do so and have taken an extraordinary amount of time. I know I can access my account online and print my own bank statements but I'm not sure that without the bank's stamp, they will be deemed "official".

Regards,

Joe

On 9/30/2018 at 10:19 AM, clokwise said:

Strictly as a shopping mall, I can't see a future for it

And so the thread comes full circle. This is what the OP purported back in 2015.

Joe

On 10/3/2018 at 12:40 PM, Lacessit said:

 

The guy is looking for some empathy - something you've accused me of lacking on another thread.

I think you'll find that it was the OP's original thread where empathy was welcomed. The other story is just that, a story.

And yes, you have no empathy. None. Nada. Nish.

Joe

Well waddya know!

Regards,

Joe

7 hours ago, marko kok prong said:

Sounds like the NHS in Uk

Not really....The problems with the NHS are manifold and complex and it's not just about funding. Population expansion over the last 20 years has caused significant user problems; better treatment regimes and longer life spans means that looking after the ever-growing elderly numbers has created a funding shortfall; maintenance, refurbishment and development of capital estate needs to be funded; the ambulance service(s) also require money to stay on the road. For a long time there's been agreement amongst government(s) and doctors that a 2-tier health service needs to be introduced rapidly so that those who can afford it should pay (or contribute towards the cost) for some services while the NHS "as a whole" remains free for everyone at the point of entry.  As Robblok has alreay pointed out, where will the additional money come from? What do you want to sacrifice to pour additional funds into the NHS /Thai healthcare. You could start for instance with asking why the UK (and Thailand) needs an expensive Army, Navy and Air Force combined with the billions spent needlessly on armaments that will never be used. I regret that while the military are in charge they will always want to spend more on the "toys for the boys".

Regards,

Joe

Why are they now in boxes?

Regards,

Joe

2 hours ago, cmsally said:

Seems such a waste to throw it out.

CMSally....you've been in Thailand too long!

Regards,

Joe

8 minutes ago, vsigrist said:

I have "my" little story to share. It was on a Sunday morning in the Maejo area of Chiang Mai on road 1001 leading to Prao. After the village of Mae Faek, there is a road section of about 4 km, absolutely straight. We were 4 cars behind an elderly man driving maybe 28 km/h with his 35+ year old Toyota Corolla. After the only opposite car passed, I was expecting that number 2 would overtake, then number 3, then me, and then the last one. Knowing that some Thais are mentally not the fastest, I gave the two cars ahead of me about 30 seconds to overtake, but as nothing happened, I decided to overtake them all, and gave signals that I would come out. When I almost had passed number 2, he changed lane, obviously without looking at all to any side or mirror, and hit my left rear side. I told my Thai wife I want the police to come, but she said such things are handled by insurance only. By coincidence, we both had the same insurance, and their representative came over about 45 minutes later. He listened to what happened and said that his insurance would cover our damage, but not the damage of the other driver. His wife got furious and insisted we go and see the Mae Faek police station, which we did. After sitting there for about 3 hours, and a police officer writing down the story on 3 pages of a large book by hand, we both got fined THB 400. I complained and pointed out it was the other driver's fault, but the explanation was that our two cars touched each other, and that's why we both had to pay a fine. It turned out that the other driver's wife was the daughter of the meanwhile retired former head of that police station, and she knew he was there taking care of the garden. Well, we got our car repaired for free, the THB 400 did cost me a smile, and the other woman caused a THB 400 fine for her husband which could have been avoided had she not insisted to see the police. And their car was so old that it was not worth to start repairing.....

....and the point of this boring story is???

Really? Why don't you just use the "unfriend" facility?

There are 2 ways

1) Go to your "Friends" list on your timeline, open and click on the "Friend"

2) Click on the small box labelled "friends" on the right and a small drop down menu appears

3) From the 6 options click on the last one i.e. "unfriend" and the box will turn blue, with the legend "add friend"

4) Close down and reopen FB and your "friend" will no longer be on your "Friends" list

Or...

On 9/16/2018 at 11:27 AM, Thailand said:

Went to the new/old offices yesterday.

There seems to be quite a lot of parking allocated for visitors at the front of the building and if as they said parking is also available at the spa over the road then probably adequate.

Given that people seem now to be turning up many hours in advance, I guess it's possible that allocated parking at the front of the building will be quickly filled. Does anybody know if the alternative parking areas across the road will be open and available from maybe, 06.00am?

Thanks,

Joe

10 hours ago, thequietman said:

Nan is a ghost town. Nuff said. I feel sorry for you.

 

Have fun. ?

Oh!

Do you live in Nan now? You mean there are no restaurants or bars?

Joe

It looks likely I'll be moving to Nan province (Ban Muang Jung) next year for a while, after 7 years living in Chiang Mai. What is there in the way of entertainment etc in and around Nan town? Are there decent bars with farang / ex-pat clientele, restaurants, and maybe some live music, golf?

Thanks,

Joe

I agree that policing markets in this was is not going to provide a permananet solution.

But meanwhile, Burberry (and other "designer" labels) add fuel to these flames with their policy of burning their "out of date" high-end stock because they lack the necessary cerebral capacity to realise that there's still money (though of course, not so much) by selling their fancy goods to the public via the usual "designer" retail outlets like the one in Bicester, Oxford and Bradenton in Florida.

Joe

Do as he suggested and take it up with the office then....!

Joe

Hi, thinking of building a small house in Nan. Can anyone recommend a house builder?

Thanks

Joe

The question is...

Is it only in Chiang Mai where the immigration processes are seemingly more complicated than necessary and the users of the immigration services are treated so poorly?

I'm thinking of for example: the need to queue at ridiculously early morning hours for renewal of 90 day reports and visa renewals etc, causing an enormous degree of difficulty for everyone and especially older and disabled ex-pats? Does this happen at the other immigration offices and do they condone the use of "line sitters" or even require them? Where there's (seemingly) a wild variation regarding the interpretation of the various requirements for submission of documents (e.g.TM30's and TM28's etc)? Where the need to photocopy many documents several times is deemed necessary (only for the immigration officer to blithely throw many of the photocopies away when they are presented) and where (it now seems) a sudden need for photocopies of documents submitted by ex-pats to the (British?) embassy for proof of income is also mandatory now and where completed documents are rejected because they're not in blue ink?

I have a friend who lives in Nan province and it seems there are few queues and the system and the immigration officers there are much more user friendly, . Whilst agreeing that the numbers of ex-pats in Nan are much fewer, he is always amazed at the colossal waste of time imposed on those needing to use the Chiang Mai immigration office. I've also been assured that there's nothing like the impositions placed on ex-pats in Chiang Mai, at the Bangkok immigration office where they deal with large numbers too.

Is there not an immigration service standard in place across Thailand, or is it that Chiang Mai immigration has been singled out for "special" treatment?

Regards,

Joe

Check out the information yourself via these groups (Chiang Mai Eats and Eat in Chiang Mai) where you'll find more than enough opinions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/624398594280154/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1827880487437372/

Regards,

Joe

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Well, that's your interpretation of my first and second post. You are the one that sounds bitter.

Thank you for confirming you are sanctimonious, pompous and completely devoid of humour.

I really fail to understand why you think that the death of someone is cause to say something "humorous". I might be all the things you claim but I am at least (and happily) compassionate, whereas you sir, are merely an internet nobody masquerading as a human being...

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Young people die all over the world prematurely, and frequently unremarked. Sometimes by their own choices, sometimes by misfortune. Get used to it.

I don't have a problem with you lamenting the death of a young woman, or saying there's a need for better road education. I also don't have a problem with you lacking a sense of humor - not all of us have one.

However, when you describe me as an inane troll and pontificate about the milk of human kindness when I have simply pointed out the absurdity of a headline, you step over the line into sanctimony. I've sometimes found sanctimony is combined with hypocrisy. One only has to look at the Roman Catholic Church for that.

I don't suppose you would understand a headline which states that a body was found in Sherwood Forest by a tramp in an advanced state of decomposition either.

No, that's not all I've got.

Thank you for your somewhat befuddled reply.

However, by resorting to blatant obfuscation (i.e. highlighting problems within the Roman Catholic Church (and no, I'm not a Catholic or, particularly religious), and an equally vague comment regarding a body found in Sherwood Forest) as a way to try and justify your original post is nonsense, as neither of the comments have any bearing on the death of the girl in Chiang Mai. I'm thinking that your original post was a (failed) attempt by you to say something that would make you look smart. It remains a shame that you (and others) just can't find it in your bitter hearts to offer any condolences, empathy or sympathy (y'know the "stuff" that which elevates us above the beasts of the field).

Kasikorn Bank at Promenada was closed today (30th August)...all the windows have been blanked out and the ATM; PUM and cash deposit machines are switched off. There's a note on the front door advising that the nearest available branch is at Big C on the super highway, just along from Makro.

Regards,

Joe