scorecard

Agree, bank scams are now rampant in many countries, if facial scans /eye scans advanced photos can help so be it. Eighteen months ago I was in Australia, I waaked in a big WESTPAC branch. Security guy quickly appraoched me and said 'the autmatic scan when you entred the branch doesn't match the datbase. He took me to a service officer, she did a different check to confim my ID then quickly siad 'just one moment let me get a new facial scan / photo', all done in 2 seconds from her desk. Next time at that branch walked straight in.

I didn't. I went to my new local K Bank to get the K+ app working. They looked at my passport and saw that their passport number records were out of date. The lady started to change my passport number but at the same time a supervior had joined the conversation and she noticed my pink ID card. She quickly explained that banks (because of BOT regulations) now record the Thai pink card ID number where it's been issued becaue it will never change,whereas pasport numbers expire and therefor need to be updated in the bank records every few years. Supervisor said please let me change the bank reords to your pink ID card number and I can do it right now in a few seconds. All done.

Seems that banks in Australia are aiming to do 99%of all banking by internet and by phone and at the same time close branches and reduce the total number of ATM machines. A few months back I got into a pleasant conversation with a Thailand bank call center officer. She confirmed that her bank has the same policy. She also mentioned that her bank has done a lot of work to make call center officers a lot more knowledgeable about every question a customer might ask and to make it much easier for call center staff to see / find additional information. And they are upgrading their ability to response quickly to telephone calls.

Sure and the thugs who smashed windows etc., believed they were playing with a lego set.

And the masterminds also.

Yes many employers insist on bachelors degree, but ask them why and they don't know why. Blind copying of what others are doing. A twist of this, my Thai nephew has 2 bachelor and 2 masters degrees. Went for one job which avertised 'need bachelor degree' and he showed all 4 degrees and he got the job. Company turned out to be less than honest re salary and benefits (half salary first 6 months, plus made a big deal about the company supporting health insurance with triple payments (all bullshxx). Next company said 'over qualified' no job. Third company he showed only one bachelor degree, got the job and 18 months later has had 2 job promotions and now decent salary and benefits. Chonburi city area.

Nice points. The item whch still worries me is the very large number of military appointees to the senate. combined they have a lot of power. However if Khun Pita gets a big clear majority would the military use their power or would they be too embarrassed to use their power to block khun Pita. Seems to me, unfortunately the military glory will still dominate.

Do you have a Thai pink ID card? I was recently at a big K Bank branch, the supervisor was hovering around, she noriced my pink ID card. She politely said, advanced English, when you have finished this matter please change you rID number from your currnt passport to the pink ID card because it will then be good for lifetime. She also mentioned the bank (I guess all banks) had been instructed to promptly chnage to using pink ID card numbers instead of passport number (where the foreigner has a pink ID card of course). A week later I did a transaction at BBL, I asked the teller to change my ID number from passport to pink ID card number, she promptly called the supervisor, my ID number changed to pink ID card number quickly. Supervisor politely mentioned that all banks are experiencing much increased serious problems with fraud and misuse of ID processes and customers can expect more changes to ID matters coming soon. My Thai adult son asked her 'do you mean for foreigners or Thai citizens'? Her response was 'everybody', then she continued, 'we have to use a consistent system for all customers and the reality is that the level of fraud etc., is much higher re Thai customers compared to foreigner customers'.

Thanks. I can only share my experiences which were excellent re time to answer / talk to an officer and get a focuded clear answer for sharing. That's on 132300 and the toll free interntionl line. No doubt workload changes continuously.

Your comment "but he has....." is rather childish. Centrelink etc., don't run their processes to the personal convenience of OAP applicants. He should have thought this through step by step and panned accordiangly months ago.

This morning I had a call from Adeliade, an old friend who very recently went back to submit his OAP he had just received a call from Centrelink 'all approved' the basic details explained clealry and a friendly Q and A with the officer. His approval took 20 days. Plus he was informed the backpay will be in his Oz bank account tomorrow afternoon.

When in Australia I found 132 300 (Centrelink Older Australian Line) was answered very quickly, every time within 5 or 6 seconds, very friendly and polite staff and very focused. If you need to contact Centrelink when your outside of Oz call Centrelink toll free number: 001 800 611 4136.

Mygov doesn't process OAP applications. Mygov is just a 'one stop' 'Quick easy access' way to make it easy / convenient for all Oz citizens to log on to numerous government agencies. Log on to Mygov then select the gov't agency you have added to the list of agencies you need to have contact with. Eg. Centrelink, DVA, Tax and many more. Nowadays all OAP applications go electronically to the Centrelink HO in Canberra and all the applications are processed by computer. OAP applications are not processed at local Centrelink offices. You can submit your completed OAP application by e.mail, or in my case I went to the local Centrelink office to get a CRN (Centrelink Reference Number) and to complete my proof of identity, all very easy and quick. Then the friendly polite officer said 'is that your OAP and Assets & Income statement (I had put the paper copy on her desk while I was completing the proof of ID). I replied Yes. She said 'do you want to me to have a look?' I replied 'YES please'. She went through the application question by question then said 'it's complete, would you like me to submit it to Canberra now (and she pointed to a big multi purpose machine nearby) or do you want to send it as an attachemnt to an e.mail from home? I responsed 'would you please submit it here'. She wrote my new CRN number on the front page, went to the big machine, a minute later she was back with the originals and a receipt issued from the multi purpose machine. To contact Centrelink Canberra Inside of OZ you can call 132 300 which is answered quickly and the friendly knowledgeable staff can tell you the progress of your application. If you need to contact Centrelink when your outside of Oz call Centrelink toll free number: 001 800 611 4136.

Maybe he was born in Thailand and is a Thai citizen because 1 or both parents long-term Thai citizens.

Happened several times in my extended family. Man, about 50 yo, living on same level in the apartment block my friend rented in OZ insisted his 3 nephews (same mother/father) all visit him together. At the time when this was all revealed the 3 boys were 16, 17, and 18. It was revealed they were stripped and fondled, oral sex performed on all of them, the youngest anally invaded. Plus boys had to perform oral sex on each other while uncle watched. Uncle got 10 years in jail and fined several thousand $'s, and placed permenantly on the district pedophile sexual offenders list and a court order issued that a permanent sign must be displayed on the outside of his accommodation.

As always the reporter didn't bother to check if the details in the report were logiccal or clashed etc.

The hotel lady is asking the gov't to provide support.

Are you surprised? Same in many countries for some staff.

Agree there can be confusion pvt/govt at the same hospital. The private hospital near us also has a Social Security Fund clinic. Usually a longer wait but not that bad. Typically 40 to 50 minute wait. Different pricing pvt hospital facilities / Social Security Fund clinic. If the patient needs to use the private hospital failities for part of their visit then the bill is complex. Same for inpatients, different scales but if the patient is a Social Security Fund member the room rate is much cheaper. Overal quality of healthcare is same for pvt hospital visit or Social Security Fund clinic visit.

Of course Price Waterhouse Coopers are watching/monitoting this, and many other copanies professions also. It's their bread and butter, they continuously monitor discussions in parliament etc etc and change their business model instantly to ensure best 'bite' at business opportunities.

",,, you must be 2 years living in Australia before directly applying for the old age pension. Not quite correct: - If your at or over the current age elibibility and you've been living outside of Australia: You can apply for the OAP on the day you return to Autralia. You must be physically in Australia on the day you apply. If your OAP application is approved payments start immediately and are backdated to the day you applied. And you receive the full current pension rate. Processing all OAP applications in now fully computerised in Canberra (not assessed at local Centrelink offices), if there's no discussion needed approval is about 3 weeks. You are entitled to 'Portability '(the right to receive your OAP 4 weekly payments permenantly anywhere in the world) 2 years after you return to Australia. The 2 year period starts from the date you physically returned to Oz, NOT from the day your OAP was approved. During the 2 year period you can go abroad and return to Oz for short holidays and the accumulation of the 2 years is not interupted.

NO!

Nice points. Can I suggestyou ask the student and others about available computer courses which provide a CERTIFICATE: - With a grade, or at least - A certificate of attendance. - Better still; a cerificate which lists the subjects taught in the course. Even so what's common is for job applications: - Certificate (as above), plus job candidate asked to, on the spot, create a simple Word file, or Excel file, etc. Often by retyping a couple of Word paragraphs from a book or magazine etc., or given a hand written list of numbers / baht amounts and tasked to create an Excel table which automatically totals or automatically sorts lowest to highest numbers etc.

Which brings the point, has the OP had any decent discussions with the student to be sure what she wants?

To get good initial set up would it be better to buy the laptop from a local shop (e.g. Banana) to ensure the machine is ready for a teen student, in term of dual language etc., rather than purchase from Lazada?