StevieAus

I think you will find that the people who are crucifying foreigners for exceeding their duty free allowance are not Immigration but Customs and I don’t believe that they are part of the RTP. Probably just as bad but try exceeding you’re entitlement entering Australia and you will experience problems.

Not only here either there are many cases in Australia and the UK where murderers, rapists child molesters etc are released and re offend. Unfortunately life no longer means life and there are all sorts of reductions for pleading guilty, good behavior etc etc. It seems to be only the US where life means life.

No they never flew into Australia as far as I know.

Sorry to disappoint you but as my father was born in the UK I also hold British citizenship and passport but always use my Australian passport. On the subject of the correct definition if you look at HM Passport office website they refer to UK passports. Perhaps you should raise the issue and post their response.

Or you could suggest that if they streamlined the process, made it more efficient and dispensed with the requirement for so much documentation they could also dispense with a lot of staff. In support of my argument if you deal with other governments where Thais and Non Thais alike face the same requirements the same inefficiencies exist. The only exception is the Thai Passport Office where documentation required is scanned, they take the photos and they are extremely helpful and proficient and the new passport arrives in a few days. Interestingly they seem to have minimal numbers of staff.

I am aware you did and I referred to that in my opening paragraph. I am also aware that the correct terminology is British but for the purpose of this thread I am sure readers understand. Must be feeling pedantic ?

I am out of touch with the residency requirements but wasn’t English Language proficiency something that gave you “higher points” ? Its good to know they are offering extensive language training,I know kids got it at school but when my Thai wife got her residency about 15 years ago it was very limited and low quality. I paid for her to attend college full time.

From memory the post I responded to originally had a comment about no cheap medical or hospital costs for foreigners. So to decide if it’s cheap you have to compare with elsewhere. Anyway my view is that if you travel or move to a country knowing that you are not going to receive free treatment and you are unable to pay or you are uninsured it’s very foolish. I am finished now thanks for your input.

Having obtained Australian, UK and Thai passports for our daughter when she was born and then renewing them five years later, I can confirm that the Thai passport was by far the easiest and cheapest too obtain.

It might be too far away for you but I got a call today from Chiang Mai Ram offering the Pfizer vaccine for foreigners. I have already had two shots of AZ. So not needed.

And that is after receiving six of the best on each hand !!!!

Before I studied Law I was an aircraft engineer with Qantas from 1974-1980 and regularly did the turn around checks on Thai. There were never any issues I can recall with Thai and their MELs were always good. The airlines we were concerned about included Pan Am and “ We will fix in Bombay” Air India just to mention a couple.

Your not local or Thai that’s why you cannot get the 35 baht treatment. If you live in the UK or Australia and use the Government system it’s free apart from maybe medication. You cannot expect what happens in one country to apply in another if you do, with respect your living in a fools paradise !

On this site there appears to be a group who think that posting a balanced or alternative view is not allowed. If it’s related to Thailand, it’s People, Culture, Legislation etc etc you are automatically branded a “ Thai Apologist” and sent to stand in the naughty boy’s corner.

I don’t know what your definition of cheap is or whether you have obtained treatment from a government hospital where compared with what you would pay as a private patient in Western countries it is very cheap. I can also see a specialist doctor seven days a week at a top Chiang Mai Hospital for 500 baht about $AUS 22.00 The cost in Sydney these days depending on the speciality is $AUS 300- 400 That is after visiting a GP for a referral and waiting for an appointment no visits on a weekend.

My expat friends are happy here as are others I have spoken to over the years, it only appears to be a group on this site who constantly complain, mainly I suspect who came from a Welfare State. Despite their complaints about so many things that are wrong in Thailand they never leave to return to their Utopian homeland. As my late mother used to say “ Some people are never happy unless they are complaining” which I believe sums up the situation. As a lawyer I had a good lifestyle in Sydney but would never swap it for what I enjoy now in Northern Chiang Mai Province. The people are friendly and helpful the food great and fantastic scenery. If a have to spend a few hours each year renewing my retirement extension and a total of 16 minutes a year with the ninety day reporting that is not a problem.

I am genuinely interested as to what red tape and hurdles have been introduced say over the last ten years that make it harder for expats In my case I would say the opposite. I use the income method for my retirement extension and in the past obtained a statutory declaration as proof of income from the Australian Consulate in Chiang Mai This involved a five hour round trip and often an overnight stay After this was withdrawn I have since obtained a letter from the local bank, Easier quicker and cheaper Also in the past the re entry permit had to be applied for separately after the extension was issued now it is the one application and process In relation to the 90 day reporting I pass the local Immigration office most days. The process takes four minutes from leaving the car to returning They have recently removed the requirement for any photocopies only the passport The Chiang mai Office has had a drive through facility requiring only the passport for a least the past year Talking to friends only yesterday who use the Chiang Mai office they remarked how the service had improved and more streamlined As far as anything in return I have just received for the first time in over ten years my second shot of AZ for free with excellent service and while on the subject of medical on the odd time over the years when I needed hospital treatment it was excellent quick and cheap plus the ambulance is free and if not busy they take you home In Sydney you pay.

Well the first response is how would you expose people to Covid? Its got nothing to do with Thailand or their logic it’s from the UK it’s research into antibodies and the effects of being exposed to Covid after being vaccinated twice there is no suggestion that you shouldn’t receive a booster and I didn’t state that. Its presented by Dr John Campbell on YouTube and it’s still there. As a non medical layperson I found it quite informative but then I am always ready to listen and learn. .

I wasn’t suggesting that it had been adopted as a policy and in any event I don’t know how you could put it into effect. It was really about antibodies and the effect of being exposed to Covid after being vaccinated. Its still on YouTube and presented by Dr John Campbell For me as a lay person I found it easy to understand and very enlightening.

Some time ago I asked a local senior police officer who spoke pretty good English, why after issuing a fine for not having a licence, no insurance, not wearing a hemet etc etc. they allow the offender to drive off and continue committing the same offense or why as in many countries the vehicle isn’t seized. His explanation was that they can only book the offender once in each twenty four hour period for the same offense. He couldn’t seem to get his head around the difference between fining and preventing an ongoing offense. I gave up in the end.

I am renewing my retirement extension in a couple of weeks, I might take a certified copy of the passport rather than the original. I will let you know how I get on. Not very far I think.

I recently saw a report from the UK that suggests that once you have had the two shots of vaccine, if you receive exposure to Covid and would likely receive mild or no symptoms, you receive better protection than a third shots do also to the variants. The report is presented by a doctor and is on utube it goes for about 20 minutes and to a non medical person makes sense. Cannot remember the presenters name but easy to find.

I am 150 kms north of Chiang Mai and have to say that 3BB have always provided excellent service. However over the last couple of months there have been continual breakdowns usually lasting about 12 hours including one yesterday.

Since when have Australians been refused access to the country? Flights are hard to obtain and the government has recently reduced the flights by fifty percent, plus there is two weeks quarantine but there is no bar on citizens entering the country that I am aware of.

Congratulations and I wish you many more.