StayinThailand2much

So, is Thailand planning to increase significantly the number of migrant workers?

True. But I reckon, the overland travellers are included in the tourist arrival tally. Or have you ever heard of the TAT underreporting tourist arrivals?

That would explain the relatively high numbers of travellers from the UK and the U.S. (#5 in recent news articles, while Laotians were not even mentioned)... ???? Guess, Laotian, British, and American tourists spend long holidays here.

That would be my guess for most of the Laotian travellers too, while a good number of the Malaysians might be doing business in Thailand, staying just for a day. - So, yeah, almost 700,000 Indians, Singaporeans, and Brits. Perhaps, a few hundred thousand other Europeans (I just read somewhere that 76,000 Russians travelled to Thailand this year, well off the 1 million target set by the government), Americans, Aussies, and Arabs... Hardly reminiscent of 2019 numbers.

That's 1,264,000 arrivals (or in TAT Speak '12.64 hundred thousand people')... - Where did the other tourists come from? Vatican City, San Marino, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Nauru, Tuvalu, Malta...?? (Perhaps, 100,000 tourists from each of these countries?) Also, what do tourists from Laos like to see and do in Thailand, I wonder? Savour spicy food, see a temple, or get a sun tan? (Asking for a friend.)

Does that have anything to do with the government?

Latest news: 4 infected people now, two foreigners and two Thais... So, should foreigners avoid sexual contact with Thais?

Was he looking for his gold necklace?

And naval bases, and planned bases in Sri Lanka, Africa, Sihanoukville, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Australia(!): Darwin... Copying Japan's strategy from a hundred years ago, but better planned and much better financed, thanks to wealth-, know-how-, and labour transfers from the West to China over the past 40 years. As Mark Twain said: "History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” - I think, about 90 to 100 years after the beginning of WW2 (1939) there will be 'much trouble'.

So, why risking open war with India, and encroaching on Bhutanese territory (almost 2% of the country), and, this year, onto Nepali* territory? - China under Xi Jinping is on an expansionist course, and, IMHO, they are just waiting for 'the right time' (not unlike Putin's strategy). As for the economy, the recent lockdowns in China have shown that the economy for the CCP is only of secondary importance. *https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-60288007

I must have gained 10 kilos over the past two years, just staying at home and eating all the time, surprisingly not so much carbs, but a lot of meat and vegetables... Funny thing is, you don't see it, but it's just some fat in my belly.

When I go out to meet girls, I just use the widely understood name 'ATM'...

I had a different experience. Immigration at arrival very friendly, but the little Nazi wannabees were at security check in the departure hall. Absolutely rude and grumpy. Never had my luggage totally unpacked and taken apart like there, and I've been to Belarus in the early 90s, the UAE, and China... What a total contrast to the efficient and friendly security check across the ditch in NZ.

I think, basically, you cannot bring in fresh food, e.g. fruits, vegetables, and meat.

Maybe. But on YouTube you can find numerous clips about biosecurity in Oz, and people getting charged like 200$ for an undeclared apple or banana. If I travel to another country, I find out about the rules, and if I see on the declaration form (available in a dozen languages) that I have to declare something, then I should do it.

So, how does it work... 1. for a TM30 notification (isn't the TM30 number needed?), 2. for extending/changing a visa at Immigration (don't they require the TM6?)

How do you ask a Native American whether he booked at the restaurant, without getting beaten up? - Obviously, you can't ask 'do you have a reservation'...

Newt Gingrich, U.S. House Speaker then, visited Taiwan in 1997. Asked what he thought of China's recent threats, he called them a 'bluff'.

No. By blaming 'foreigners' he gets popular approval. By saying 'gay', he would antagonise gay Thais, which would split the populace's support.

Always works to get all Thais behind you, and distract from the real problems.

So you're saying it's not just foreigners who have Monkeypox?? - Perhaps Thais should stop all sexual contact... ????

When I was in highschool, my physics teacher once asked a sleepy-looking girl in class: "Do you have Aids?" - Well, that was in the mid 80s, and was meant as a joke...

Maybe they will rename it, to emphasize that Thais should have no contact with 'dirty foreigners' whatsoever.

They will probably have a new populist political party soon, Thai F*** Thai...

'GDP forecast to drop, cause foreigners have Monkeypox and Covid, and cannot travel to Thailand. Foreigners were asked to just send their money, but they refused... Thailand's GDP down. Curse them!'