StayinThailand2much

Just Songkran? How about the other Water Festivals around SE Asia?

So, you're saying there will be huge unemployment in a few years?

How did they manage to catch him exactly on day 1,200?

Several near one of the Russian a-go-gos (which is in the alley on the left, don't know the Soi name), but also in front of one of the restaurant towards Bali Hai Pier. Doubt that they all have Thai passports or work permits...

Then I wonder why there are so many currency exchange booths in Pattaya now. Certainly many more than a few years ago.

Is this about people opening bank accounts for illegal purposes? (There was an article recently about 'half the villagers duped opening bank accounts for strangers'. But they were Thai, so why target foreigners?

Haven't been in Pattaya for a while. Is this Central Pattaya, CentralFestival Pattaya, or is this actually the same mall?

... than Thai banks??

The ladyboys would get the wrong impression. LOL

What happens if my phone runs out of battery? And carrying wads of paper in my pockets, that, perhaps, get wet, isn't so great either. (Not to mention, where, in 2023, can I find a copy shop in Pattaya?)

Sadly, Pattaya seems to become the 'Florida' of Thai working girls...

So, if, say, I exchange a lot of money after arriving in Thailand, I'm either supposed to leave it in a dodgy hotel safe, or just carry it around 24/7?

Probably not sober... Still, may he R.I.P.

After six months away, and only three weeks in Thailand, I am already tired of this place. Pondering alternatives to move to next year. Possibly, Vietnam or Philippines.

Both wrong, death threats, and having such an event in church. Why didn't they just do it outside of the church?

So, are there really thousands of illegal employees and overstayers? - If not, and it is not a big problem, why harass large numbers of tourists who just want to have a good time rather than an Orwellian 1984 scenario?

Who carries their passport around when visiting Walking Street and other places? (My pockets are already full with wallet, phone, and glasses.) But no problem, perhaps I will limit my visits there. All the bars are full after all... (Sarcasm!),

Fair analysis. However, the top 100 families will always do well, and 'the rest' will just return to farming upcountry if there is a recession (unless, of course, they don't own any farmland anymore). Nationalism and stricter foreign labour regulations can, as always, help to hide rampant corruption, and permanent structural problems in Thailand. - Yes, less families live under the poverty line than 20 or 30 years ago, but has people's life really improved that much (esp. compared to other countries)? Things will never really 'change' in Thailand, certainly not for another generation or two...

Never heard of Kuiburi district...

I was surprised to hear that on EU government mobiles, tik tok is now being banned. Either the bureaucrats are getting younger, perhaps sent to Bruxelles right after college, or just more childish...

Oops, read over that... But if it was the fault of the IO, it is still incompetence.

That’s right. My bet is on higher VAT and import taxes (e.g. for imported food items), so who would not benefit but asked to pay? That’s right...

And no way they would just add it to the government debt. They would probably recover it via higher taxes (e.g. VAT)...

How about fingerprints?

Strong baht, rising wages/production costs, lower growth in China and other export markets... Thailand can't escape the downturn.