BumGun

same same Thailand ? different year same shenanaigans. I can see Cambodia eventually devolving into Civil War eventually.

Some of us don't lack the imagination you seem to lack ? The vast majority in the developed world when educated. reasonably well off and are free to choose, have no, or maybe only a child and thank goodness, or the 8 billion we do have would be many, many more.

This is a thing apparently that's common after doing some reading on behavioral "science". If you've been frugal (as in spent less then you earned) and constrained your spending ,worked towards building up a nest egg that's taken decades, it can be quite confronting to seemingly "destroy" all that progress. I am 58 and am similar, have no kids to leave anything too (deliberate choice as a world of 8 Billion and growing surely doesn't need more) so just gifted in an a will to reputable charities. I retired at 35. Only thing that would worry me would be having to go back to work again, so I am still "frugal" but content, just in case.

If he wasn't wearing a helmet as seemingly stated in the article (his partner was) (i.e breaking the law ) his insurance would be invalid anyway, similarly riding drunk and crashing, invalid insurance, unlicensed, invalid insirance . More insurance wont; solve the problem. One possible suggestion, you could set up a no fault system similar to NZ and treat people for their injuries regardless of poor decision making. Commiserations to him and his family though, a terrible time ahead

We met some once (my parter and I) at the waterpark near Jomtien once, they spoke English well enough for us to converse, so perhaps they were wider traveled ? We stayed in Jomtein for a couple months and at the end of the hallway in VT 5 and the guy at the end was an older Russian guy (mid 40s ?)with a young kid, we used to leave the door open when it was hot and she'd come in and interact with my partner, bored for friends I assume ? Dad wandered down the first few times to shew'd her back but we assured him she was was no problems and came down a few times a week after that. He was polite and friendly. a couple young Russians on their honeymoon having foot massages another time, sitting beside me. Got to chatting, in very broken English, so I shouted them their massage as a wedding present. Wonder if he's now fighting in Ukraine <sigh> I remember a thread years ago saying its mostly the boorish Russian types that travel to Thailand from an older Russian guy, I pointed out same same with us Australian's 🙂

Well, there the military didn't endorse the coup (as General Milley stated) and the military stepped back from it, which is the difference to Thailand... Same thing happened in Myanmar except the people there are pushing back. Her being thrown out by a military coup should see Generals being tried for treason.

A visa isn't entitled right, so what happens if they don't renew ? How long do you have to leave he country if you can only renew the day before ?

Short of offering a bribe (ie use an agent"" to get around the rules) I have never been able to do that. I am just not ok with offering bribes so I never pursued it. The three trips I have been on where I tired to open an account across multiple banks in multiple locations I was always refused and was informed I needed a Non O retirement visa BEFORE they would open an account. How ? I needed to get the correct Visa in my home country (Australia) then arrive and open an account. perhaps things have changed ?

Which is always the Catch 22 for me, the banks wont open an account until I have the "Retirement VIsa", I can't get said visa because I don't have a bank account to put the Baht in... ( i tried this several times when I visited pre covid running around to banks people said would open an account with a 30 Day visa waiver who when in there would not open an account) I am fine with some paperwork and back and forth but after 5 banks I gave up. Of course I can apply in my home country (Australia) and get the visa that way and arrive and open a bank account presumably...but when I get back to Aus that never seems of interest ????

He had insurance they're just not paying up because he didn't wear a helmet apparently. Insurance rarely pays when you are breaking the law eg fleeing the scene of a crime on your scooter and crash, insurance won't be paying up. You'd have to change it to a no fault system and that would need to be funded by a tax on entry for all tourist visas or VOAs presumably, if you want that to change but even then, people taking the p!ss on overstays would likely not be covered... so...

This is a different visa but still, I love these visas, Must have X million deposited in a bank account in Thailand to apply. So I wonder into the bank on a Visa Free entry... , Teller: Sir you must have a retirement visa to open a bank account, ME: but I need a bank account to get a retirement visa.. blank look.. try next door at another bank, same same, give up and go to the bar.

The Pensioner one doesn't seem to be particularly onerous ? 80K USD p/a and > 50 yrs old ? I meet that BUT I am not officially drawing any pensions though, just don't like work and earn investment income. Am I reading it right that those are those the only two requirements ? I am very reluctant to own property in Thailand as there is no residency option so am not particularly interested in going down that path.

Riding a Stutz Bear Cat, Jim ya know, those were different times all the poets studied rules of verse and those ladies they rolled their eyes Sweet Jane

Bit hard to exempt citizens of the country from entry wouldn't you say ? Up to the countries who receive them when they leave Thailand if they want proof of vaccination.. I guess they could insist Thai citizens are vaccinated before leaving but the usual suspects in here would bang on about discrimination if it wasn't applied to foreigners I guess. As a precedent, Australia and New Zealand did ban their own citizens from arriving during the height of Covid, , with unfortunately very broad support from locals who were already home.

Indeed a collapsing polar vortex jet stream (as in perturbations in the linear flow) from the smaller temp differential change due to the Arctic heating much more quickly then the tropics (aka polar amplification). ie a wobbly jet stream (slower polar vortex) lets freezing air flow south and warm air north in other places.