StayinThailand2much

Individuals sunbathing in bikinis?? 🫨 I'm truly shocked, and so is Queen Victoria! 😆

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Not evil per se, but rather self-centered, or even narcissist, not to mention revengeful, uncough, and not shy to seek conflict, even at other people's expense. I liked that he spontaneously paid for a woman's shopping during his election campaign. (Even though, a genuine emotional connection to others has been questioned, incl. by his own niece.) I also like that he genuinely seems to care for 'America to be great'. However, I consider his political actions, rhetoric, treatment of political opponents and critical media, etc., etc , largely irresponsible, unbecoming, and, at times, self-serving. A moral example, no doubt, he is not...

Brit was asking me for money years ago in Pattaya... Said he was hungry. Gave him a large bag of snacks, I had just bought. His face expression told me, it wasn't about 'starving' after all... 😆

I agree, unless you leave out the chili.

Is this offer by a visa agency for real? "We now offer a full door to door 30 day extension service. This guarantees you receive a 30 day stamp and avoids the risk of getting seven days."

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XkEy_IttHKE

Agreed. The two countries in Asia where one cannot get far with English are Thailand and China... (Wonder, why.) 😆

Good to know, thanks.

Good to know, thanks.

Hero cop hailed, youngest Bondi shooting victim laid to rest By Jessie Yeung , Helen Regan Mourners on Thursday laid to rest the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney: 10-year-old Matilda, who had been enjoying the Hanukkah festivities with her family when the gunmen opened fire. People at the funeral service in Sydney held bouquets of flowers, framed photos of Matilda, dolls and stuffed animals, as shown in videos of the ceremony, which was attended by several political figures, according to national broadcaster the ABC. The young girl’s death has touched many in the grieving community. One woman who visited a makeshift memorial on Wednesday said she had crocheted 15 butterflies to represent each of the deceased. “The one in the middle is a brightly colored blue one and that’s for Matilda,” she told Chinese state-owned broadcaster CGTN. Matilda had been attending the Hanukkah celebration with her parents, younger sister and friends on Sunday when she was wounded in the shooting. She was then rushed to hospital, where doctors fought unsuccessfully to save her. At a memorial event on Wednesday, Matilda’s parents reflected on their daughter’s final moments. “Like she’s running around happy and then…what I see before my eyes is she’s lying on the ground,” her mother, Valentyna, said through tears. The family had moved from Ukraine to Australia in the 1990s, and enjoyed walks on the beach, picnics in the park and walks to the zoo, said Matilda’s aunt Lina, who did not wish to share the family’s surname. Tearful and out of breath, Valentyna said that after leaving Ukraine, she “could not imagine I would lose my daughter here.” Hero officer named A police officer hailed as a hero for shooting dead one of the attackers responsible for the Bondi Beach massacre has been identified by Australian media as Detective Senior Constable Cesar Barraza. Barraza is believed to have shot dead Sajid Akram, 50, according to the Sydney Morning Herald and CNN affiliates 9News and 7News. In video of Sunday’s attack, a man believed to be Barraza, wearing a shirt and tie, can be seen firing at the gunmen from about 48 meters (157 feet) away as the pair used long-arm guns to indiscriminately fire on dozens of families celebrating Hanukkah. Barraza can be seen using a tree for cover as he fired on the two shooters as they carried out their attack from the footbridge. Police said Wednesday they were unable to confirm the identity of the officer who shot the attackers as they were awaiting ballistic examination before confirming who actually fired the shot. “I am incredibly proud of the officer who has been identified, as I am of every police officer who was there on that day,” Police commissioner for New South Wales Mal Lanyon said. “The bravery they went through, to approach and resolve that situation, is incredible.” Barraza, a Bondi-based officer who has reportedly been on the force for at least 15 years, appeared on an Australian reality TV show called Recruits in 2009, a documentary series that followed the daily life of police recruits training to becoming officers. “My name is Cess Barraza, I’m 26, and I want to be a police officer because I hate crime,” Barraza said on the show. Meanwhile, Ahmed al Ahmed, the bystander who wrestled a gun from one of the alleged attackers before being shot, was presented with a check for more than $2.5 million Australian dollars ($1.65 million) in donations as he continued to recover from his injuries in hospital, according to a social media video posted by one of the crowdfunding organizers. A GoFundMe page was set up for people to donate to Ahmed, to “show our gratitude and support for someone who has demonstrated incredible courage,” the page reads. The Instagram video posted on Thursday by Zachery Dereniowski showed Ahmed receiving the money as he lay in his hospital bed. It was not immediately clear when the check was presented to him. Asked to give a message to those who had supported him, Ahmed urged people to “stand with each other, all human beings… And keep going to save lives.” Ahmed, a 43-year-old father to two girls, questioned if he deserved the money and said his quick actions to save lives came “from the heart.” He added, “It was a nice day, everyone enjoying, celebrating, with their kids… And they deserve to enjoy and it’s their right.” Ahmed, who was shot several times in the shoulder, is preparing to undergo a third, eight-hour surgery on Friday, according to ABC. Crackdown on hate speech As the nation mourns the victims of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost three decades, authorities have vowed to take tougher action on both gun control and antisemitism. Speaking on Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced there would be legislative reforms cracking down on people who spread “hate, division and radicalization.” That includes greater penalties for hate speech, and for preachers and leaders who promote violence. Hate speech will be an “aggravating factor” in sentencing for crimes involving online threats and harassment, and Australia will develop a system to list organizations whose leaders engage in hate speech or promote violence or racial hatred, he said. Australia’s home affairs minister will also have new powers to cancel or reject the visas of people who spread hate and division, or who would do so if allowed to enter the country. Albanese also announced a task force that will work for 12 months to ensure the Australian education system “prevents, tackles and responds to antisemitism.” “There is no place in Australia for antisemitism,” Albanese said. “Australians are shocked and angry – I am angry.” The Australian Federal Police are also looking into alleged hate preachers as part of their investigation and will execute further search warrants in the coming days, police commissioner Krissy Barrett said on Thursday. Reflecting on her recent trip to Sydney, the commissioner paid tribute to the victims – and the youngest of them all. “Every day we see the beautiful and joyful faces now lost, and in them we see our own loved ones,” Barrett said. “Today is the funeral of little Matilda. She was so young, she was so innocent, and my heart is so heavy for her family.” https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/17/australia/bondi-shooting-matilda-funeral-intl-hnk

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I thought so, as, on the very same day, the baht got stronger... 😆

Thank you.

Well, maybe same as the restricted sales hours; big shops - yes, mom&pop shops - no... 😆

Yes, I just watched a YouTube clip uploaded by Siam Legal. Someone commented, they had read reports that visa holders were asked for proof of studying every time they entered, meaning for 'soft skills', one would have to sign up for Muay Thai, or Thai cooking classes for 5 years (perhaps to become a Thai cuisine master chef?), if one wanted to use the visa for extended and frequent stays... 😆

So, one gets up to 360 days total within a 5-year term?

Can I use my existing Thailand bank account for the 500,000 baht bank balance, or is that frowned upon?

Yes, I've heard all Indonesians are fluent in Dutch, and all Vietnamese in French... 😆

I'm still trying to understand this visa... 1. Are there reports, how many initial applications were denied, and why (and the fee not refunded)? 2. Can one really stay 'continuously' for 5 years, i.e. 180 days, then extension, or just doing a border run, repeat, etc.? 3. Do I sign up, say, for a 6-month 'soft power' course, then use the visa for another 4.5 years, or do I have to attend classes for the whole 5 years while in the country? 4. What documents are needed for the '180-day extension' at Immigration? 5. Do IOs at the airport request proof every time one arrives, or is the visa a "visa guarantee" for the whole 5 years?

From hospital beds, Cambodian soldiers describe 'toxic gas' 17 Dec 2025 07:58PM (Updated: 17 Dec 2025 08:09PM) OU CHROV, Cambodia: Cambodian soldier Kun Yong said he had been forced to pull back from his frontline position recently after he had trouble breathing following a sortie by a Thai aircraft. "It's like I was suffocating," he told Reuters as he lay in a hospital bed, with his wife by his side. Since early December, Thailand and Cambodia have been locked in a border conflict that has killed more than 40 people and displaced over half a million in both countries, marking the fiercest fighting between the two Southeast Asian nations in decades. From their hospital beds in Banteay Meanchey province in northwest Cambodia, several soldiers and police described experiencing respiratory problems after Thai aircraft dropped what they said was "poisonous water". Cambodia's Ministry of Defence has claimed on almost a daily basis that the Thai military is using "toxic gas", including as recently as Wednesday (Dec 17) in the village where Kun Yong had been stationed. In a statement, the ministry called the use of gas, among other tactics, a clear violation of international law. It has not named the suspected gas, provided evidence, or said whether it has formally protested its use to international authorities. Spokespeople for the ministry and the national government did not answer phone calls seeking fresh comment. Reuters could not independently verify the claims. Thai Air Force spokesman Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai told Reuters that the air force had never used chemical weapons, and called reports of their use "fake news" aimed at discrediting its operations. If it were chemical weapons, they wouldn't be experiencing difficulties breathing, they would have died," he said. "POISONOUS SMOKE" During fighting in July, Cambodia accused Thailand of using white phosphorus munitions, which burn brightly and produce clouds of billowing smoke, describing it as chemical warfare. Thailand acknowledged holding such munitions, but said at the time it was not designated as a chemical weapon under international conventions and was used for illumination, as a smoke screen, and for other approved uses. According to the World Health Organization, exposure to white phosphorus fumes is harmful to the eyes and respiratory tract. Cambodia has not specified whether it blames white phosphorus for the latest injuries. Bong Bunnarith, a doctor at a hospital in Banteay Meanchey province, said he received around 20 soldiers last week with symptoms of dizziness, vomiting and difficulty breathing, but he could not determine exactly what had caused those symptoms without further testing. "We provided whatever is available for them here before transferring to other hospitals," he said. At another hospital, in Sisophon district in Banteay Meanchey, doctor Nak Vanny said he had treated twenty soldiers on Saturday with similar symptoms. When Reuters visited on Sunday, several soldiers lay on beds, some using oxygen masks. "They fired the poisonous smoke at our bases from the air to poison us," said soldier Khat Phally, 66. Khieu Sophan, a 55-year-old policeman, said: "A moment after the firing, I felt like I was suffocating, and my body suddenly weakening." Source: Reuters/rl(nh) https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thailand-cambodia-toxic-gas-border-conflict-5623461

It's similar in China; the mainlanders are ultra-nationalists, too...

The separatist insurgency started shortly after I moved there... 😆

They interviewed staff at Central Chidlom years ago, why they couldn't communicate in English, after some tourists from Singapore complained about that. They answered: "No need." When I visited a bank in Bangkok, only one staff member (incl. the manager) understood and spoke English; the security guard from Myanmar! 😆

Unless you want a good job in engineering, science, accounting, international trade, etc., etc. 😆