StayinThailand2much

While I agree that such generalisations don't usually help, it is still a fact that recent 'asylum seekers' to Europe are often (just) young single men in their 20s and 30s, paying large sums to people-smuggling rings, travelling on obscure routes to their 'favourite' country, where (as some admit in interviews) they can get 'rich' from welfare payments, while, possibly, improving their income in shady careers... - What 'real' refugee from war, or political prosecution does all that?

I used that app. I think, I had to give my phone number. Now, what happens if I move? (I tried to change the address in the app, but it isn't possible. Of course, I could un- and reinstall the app, but I worry that I cannot register a new property with the same phone number.)

What do you mean 'recently'? At the time you did your 90-day report, or earlier?

Even now the size of Chinese tour groups in Pattaya is much smaller than pre-Covid. The TAT is dreaming big, but another lockdown in China or not, numbers like in 2019 won't return anytime soon. Ironically, while Pattaya is full of Indians, they are not mentioned much in tourism strategies anymore.

That seems quite high. Here in Bangkok, next to an MRT station and close to a major shopping mall, shops go for a monthly rent of 8,000 baht. But yes, many areas in Pattaya seem to be in a property bubble, with tenants willing to pay any price for a shop... Just imagine opening a barber shop there, profit for a cut, etc. (not incl. rent, but incl. wages, etc.), say, 50 baht. You'd have to get every day 20 customers just to cover that rental payment.

LOL. So this is in comparison to early 2022 when there were still pandemic-related restrictions?

Well, Thailand is after tourists because they mean income. If you think of some locations (Pattaya, Patong, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, etc.), why would they not care/write about returning expats, esp. as a good number left during the pandemic. And expats, obviously, stay longer than tourists, and can be of importance for local economies (e.g. Pattaya, Phuket). But, using your argument, why write about tourist arrivals at all?

So, if (returning) expats are not counted as 'tourists', why shouldn't their number turn up in other news or announcements?

Have you ever heard or read about in Thai media/publications/announcements/ statistics, etc., about the 'number of non-residents in Thailand', or something along the lines of 'XXX tourists arrived in March, and XX expats/non residents...'? - I certainly haven't since I follow Thai media, and that is for 26 years now...

Only because people want to vote for someone does not prove he/she isn't nuts...

Maybe because, officially, we are 'tourists' or "aliens", not residents or expats. (That's why an expat couple with kids, going on 5 overseas trips/year will make up a good junk of the 'yearly tourist arrivals' statistics when coming back to Thailand...)

Neither the Thai educational system, nor Thai students are interested in 'World History'. I base that on my year-long teaching experience in Thailand: Interested in world affairs/European history: - Thai students (particularly in the Thai educational system): perhaps 1%, - Expat kids (from all corners of the world, incl. Asia), living in Thailand: more than 95%.

Put them in uniforms and ship them off to Taiwan or Guam as cannon fodder for the war to come...

The problem in Thailand is that business owners don't care whether their staff is rude to customers, as (in their mind) it is easier to get new customers than new staff... In other countries rude staff might get fired, but not in Thailand, as it would be difficult to quickly hire new staff.

Very likely. I had to go through 3 interviews on 3 trips to Thailand in a row back in late 2019/early 2020. I presume that such a "mark", as you call it, from the first airport immigration triggered a second interview (almost denied entry) at the second airport, and after that even at a land border. My solution was to spend more than half a year elsewhere. No problems when arriving after that.

We've been that, at least, for the past 20 years, so what's the news?

Maybe her Thai boyfriend needed money...

Not only this, but putting most of one's eggs into the Chinese basket might not help either, as the Chinese economy reportedly is stagnating.

No (good) money in Thai country music to be made it seems... Brown envelopes fuller than (fill in a colour) envelopes for singers?

If things I touch turn to gold, I'll be rich this year...

As long as politicians don't drink pee...

Spot on. 15 or 20 years ago the beach promenade was just lovely. Then they started to dig it up frequently... Wonder how many visitors (= income) that cost them.

There is, most probably, a paper slip stapled onto your last passport page which has this information.

Thank you.

Do you have a link for that? All links I found did not work.