scorecard

I've worked with Piany / Pinot folks many time inluding in their beautiful country. The one thing that I don't like is that many carry handguns, and it's within the law. Worst incident I saw with this was visiting a company oil refinery upcountry where 2 violent gangs has formed amongst the operational staff. The day we went (4 Japanese chemical/oil process engineers, a French engineer and myself arrived we were ushered quickly into a secure room and it was explaine there was a fire fight going on (rifles and handguns), within the refinery compound with rounds bouncing off pipes and process vessels. The company had made many efforts to get all weapons off the site but many weapons remained. The local police totally refused to attend. It happened at least once or twice a week. On the day we visited 3 semi-skilled operators received severe injuries and were raken to a nearby hospital for surgery. They all totally recovered. The Japanese and the French engineers were shocked and horrified and all refused to leave the secure room until time to get on the mini bus to go back to the airport. But yes apart from the above my interactions with Pinay / Pinoy folks has been friendly, pleasant, sincere, helpful, and productive.

That's true but the developer and the builder still have a responsibility to ensure that the building will not fall down and water will not enter.

It is possible. Seen it done with little difficulty, young man was 21, father early 60's, divorced for many years. Quickly approved by the Thai Interior Minstry after quick interviews, all in English. Approved as an adoption and arrroved for the young man to change his family name to typical western name. Several Thai folks claimed that by law Thais are not allowed to change either of their names (first name (chua) or family name (namsakhun) to typical western names. NOT TRUE!

Jerks? Yes, Years back, I was aware of a farang living in Pattaya with his Thai wife of several years and their several young kids. Farang went out to bars several nights a week, Came home some nights, other nights slept at the hotel(s) he had taken his 'purchase' to. Some nights, drunk, brought his 'purchase' back to his own home, told the wife to vacate the bedroom and sleep on the sofa, locked the kids in their rooms. 10.00 / 11.00 am opens bedroom door to tell his wife to make beakfast for him and his 'companion'. The word Jerk hardly sounds negative enough for clowns like this.

Yes there are many other 'configurations'. My Thai wife (sadly now deceased) was a Dr. of medicine. She came from Essan poverty, taught herself some English from old books, decades before the internet, she got herself to BKK with her mum on train or bus 2 or 3 times a year to go to several embassies searching for scholarship opportunities. She found a great scholarship with a medical foundation in Australia. They gave her total sponshorship to come to OZ and learn English and then study medicine. She lived with the same host family for about 8 years and ultimately fell in love with the socialist/egalitarian Oz life style. She finished her med degree with flying colours and was then offered further support to continue and gain board certification as an orthopedic specialist. She returned to LOS, we met, we married, we had one son. Half of her/our week-ends were devoted to local free clinics in Essan, under a big tree, totally free (well before the 30Baht scheme). My son and myself were her 'support staff'. She had a very endearing personal style, she loved to provide health advice, free medications to all ages but especially to old people. And she encouraged the older folks to talk and share their thoughts etc. Our son (from about 10 years old) was in charge of getting the 'patients' seated with a glass of fresh water, giving them a queue number and bringing them forward to sit with his mum / the Dr. Then getting them back to whatever vehicle was taking them home. The locals also quicky realised that our son spoke perfect Thai and English and they would giggle when son spoke to me in long sentences in English. My son's character also gained strong compassion etc., points from all of the clinic under the tree activity. It can be different case by case.

So quickly/professionally identify the names of the subjects teachers don't understand and fix it: a. Compulsory 'Reeducation' for the older teachers. b. So that it immediately becomes a standard part of ongoing teacher education. And it applies to all. My Thai son and his wife are well educated and well recognized for their knowledge and capabilities. Son did HS in Singapore. They have spoken several times to the high school headmistress and the teachers of their 2 kids in the same high school. Instant pushback 'but the old teachers only have 10 years to go before retirement'. My son gets angry about all this, on one occasion he said to the head 'so that means all the students for next 10 years continue to get poor quality education becaue you don't want to push for improvements!' Response from school head (expected) 'but we have to be polite to the old teachers'. Son: 'What about my childrens education, that should have higher priority?'. School head 'no I don't see that as a priority'.

I see 2 items: 1. Develop a much more realistic aim / objective for education. 2. Totally change the methods of education (pedagogy) used in Thailand at all levels to ensure kids learn to analyse and query, and want to know why, and are not frightened to ask questions, they are continuously encouraged to ask questions....and their teachers listen and show that they are listening. Student centered learning / project based learning. It works well in all countries which are recognised for their high quality of education, obvious nearby example - Singapore. There will be much opposition but that opposition must be tackled and overcome and the new methods must be employed and must win. The attitudes of 'kids should not ask questions, it's not polite to their teachers' has to go, it must go, and it must go now.

Maybe true but there's also many couples everywhere who are well capable of and have a strong very sincere desire to adopt and love / care for a child and make that child their own. Every child deserves the love and care of a family.

Low cost wages is only one part of the situation. High quality, high productiity, low absenteeism, also in the mix. In the past several examples of manufacturers moving to Thailand for low wage cost, but soon departed because of low quality, low productiity, high absenteeism. Got to get the whole picture / all elements right. It can be done and it brings benefits to all.

Nine crew members (plus 3 mahouts and a vet).

Seems to me the major problem is the location of the airport. It's not that close to Pattaya, perhaps many folks notice this and say 'never mind, Swampy is good enough - Swampy is not that far from Pattaya'. And lenty of bus/ taxi srvice vialble for quick departure to Pattaya. Several years back I took a flight to Utapao. Airport website mentioned plenty of transport options to Pattaya. On arrival one mini bus, about 3,000Baht to Pattaya, several folks in serious argument with mini van owner who wouldn't budge his price, and wait 2 hrs for next incoming flight before departure from the airport. I called a friend in Pattaya, he got a Thai friend with a car to quickly come out to the airport and bring me to Pattaya, 1,000Baht. I used his service. This airport now not on my agenda.

And the large number of low income folks want and are entitled to a much improved quality of life and a big reduction in int income gap. Like in many countries before now the greedy industrialsists will have to learn to adjust.

NO, NO, NO.

Or, check this way: https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airports/utp/arrivals

And some will remember back to the starting days of bankcards (revolutionary in their day) and the start of ATM machines.

And some Thai banks are working / making progress to a situation where 99% of banking can be done online, phone app, or basic telephone calls. Including international funds tansfers.

But holding all of her money in her hands 24/7, is that safer than instantly in the bank and available to her whenever she wants?

Nice points. Reality is that authoritarian govt's / any govt's could set up numerous ways to control funds flow if they wished.

Really? Not heard about that. Been with my Thai son (as a teenager and adult) when he's opened several different bank accounts. None took more than a 10 minute or less wait to talk to the service staff then walked out with a bank book and ATM/DEBIT CARD 10 minutes later. In our neck of the woods quite a few of the small mall located traders and some road side taders now display a QR code. One we know has mentioned she's more than happy to have her sales income immediately in her bank account. Let's be aware that ATMs are disappering fast in many countries along with closure of many branches.

But has military power behind him, and if needed more military power than cha cha.

Nice points and I agree it pays to be very careful on these matters. I have 2 more points to share: 1. Several other members on this web board have shared that they did several trips abroad ( from memory 2 to 4 weeks out of OZ and pehaps 4 or 5 times over the 2 year peiod. But as you rightly say it's not mentioned on the C.link website. 2. I did the 2 years then returned to my home/family in Thailand with no trips out of oz in the 2 yars. But that was because it was the extreme period of Covid; and some complications to get permsion to leave OZ and to re-enter OZ, and difficulty to enter Thailand (all possible but lots of red tape). Perhaps also mentioning nowadays it's very easy to do free video calls on several apps. I did it on LINE almost every day, to talk with my Thai adult son, his wife (one instance; son wanted to discuss what new car he and his wife should buy - he bought a Honda Mobilio). And my 3 grandkids, birthday parties, help with English reading practice and more. But of course not the same as being there. And ultimately you must do what you feel comfortable with, thats your right.

In Australia call the 132 300 Older Australian Line (part of C'link) and ask them. I did, twice, and I received the info. I shared just above, and I had also read it many times before on this and another web board. The officers on this line are good listeners, very polite, give very clear answers, very willing to explain as necessary. The officer I spoke to agreed 'it's not on the website because C'link (OZ gov't) don't want to openly publicize it and perhaps cause confusion about the need to 're-establish a home in Oz) specifically mentioned as a requirement to gain the OAP.' Also in the picture, the gov't shows seriousness at the start of the 2 years but it seems to fall away as the 2 years builds. Example: Near the end of the 2 years i called 132 300 and mentioned that I didn't really unerstand the meaning of 'portability'. The officer took no 'attitude whatever, she explained it clearly and even said 'if you need more advice on how to proceed to live abroad (after gaining portability), please don't hesitate to call back'. She even automatically e.mailed to me the C'link banking form to provide full details of my bank abroad. (Note: as most members probably know, all calls are recorded and saved. Same with all calls to the DVA.)

... 2 years without family... ...2 years exile... Keep in mind that you can return to family etc., multiple times during the 2 years. Plenty of Aussies have returned, lodge their OAP application and a few weeks later have left Oz for hols abroad, perhaps 3 weeks out of Oz. And done this multiple times in the 2 yr period. Also the time out doesn't interupt the building of the 2 years, it continues whilst the applicant is out of Oz unless the total time out is very excessive (but C'link won't give a a definition of excessive). Also the building of the 2 years starts on the day the person lands back in Oz, it doesn't start from the date the appplication for the OAP is lodged.

But the greatest farce of demoracy is on the opposite side of the world.

Unless you plan/decide a new approach/ new personal behaviors which will get his attention and make him more interested to align to you. We father kids, we are responsible to do whatever to ensure they get the best quality of life, best possible deal, the best possible upbringing, the best possible education and the best possible start in life. Compromise is needed as part of making it happen.