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Many of my Thai uni students make both points in the same sentence. They know well that Covid- 19 spreads easily and is serious, can cause death. I've had students mention they don't want their elderly not strong grandparents (who many live with) to get Covid- 19, they could die. On the other hand there is also the 'follow the sheep' aspect. And there's also the fashion item aspect. And the my mask has a fashion logo and the my mask cost more than yours aspect. It's a mixed bag.

Yawn...

"... while it is bad to wear a mask. ..." Please support your definitive statement.

I disagree, the authorities are trying to do what they believe is correct and proper and will help to reduce the spread of the Covid- 19 virus. This is not the US or any other country, it's Thailand. Observe whatever the current practice is in Thailand* or leave and take your attitude with you. (*And there's been an increase in cases and deaths in Thailand, and in other countries, in the last week or so.)

Grow up.

CNN didn't make the statements about overturning the constitution, trump did.

I said poke the bag (to move the rice around inside the bag to see if any insects appear, inside the bag). I didn't say they break the bags, they don't and they wouldn't, that's not their intent anyway.

Buy rice only in plastic bags, poke the bag in many places and see is any incects appear. My son and his wife do that with every bag they buy, at Makro. Some bags pass the test some don't.

Not quite true. To get into the police in SIngapore applicants need serious qualifications and must pass well established behavioral assessments. One state in Australia made a policy maybe 20 years ago, all recruits must have a masters degree in one of several subject areas plus they get quite serious/long-term education about the law and ethics/behaviors. It's now all well in place and has changed the public attitudes of the police and is responsible for much better police reactions and handling of scenarios and big improvements in investigation capabilities. One country is S E Asia had so many rpoblems with it's Customs Department/officers they sacked all of them and employed a selected customs team from a European country who were supported by selected teams from the military of the country with the problems. Plus regulations prohibiting dismissed officers from every being re-employed.

True but the sad part is that there's still large numbers who believe anything he says.

No comprehend.

Another example - for many years uni students could buy 'Cram Booklets' at shops near unis. Each booklet aligned to specific courses which were repated every year. Booklet container dozens of 'exam questions' which had been copied from actual exam questions handouts. Operator of the whole thing had staff hanging around outside of exam rooms paying students for exam questions handouts, plus answers. Only one problem the answers weren't from cousre professors, they were 'invented' by the Cram Booklets staff. One big problem - many of the answers were wrong or not even aligned to the question and/or the course. Eventually most unis put a stop to it: Insisting that student exam answer papers wouldn't be accepted unless aaccompanied by the question paper. - Plus question papers all numbered and records kept which student received question paper # jjj with threats question paper not handed in - student got automatic F for the course. No more Cram Booklets.

".....when everybody already knows the outcome." and everybody knows how it works, in detail!

I guess you're aware that to work legally in Thailand you need: - A Thai Work Permit (WP) and the primary item needed for a WP is a contract of employment from a Thai registered company. This is granted, administered, renewed by the Thai Labour Ministry. (This is permission to work in Thailand only. It's not permission to physically be in Thailand, that's a different subject.) - A visa granted, renewed by a different / separate government agency, the Thai Immigration Bureau, gained through having a WP. (This is permission to physically be in Thailand with dates.)

That's not his question, he's explained several times that's not his question.

That's not his question.

"Residency is based upon how long a person has been a resident of Australia between the age of 16 and age pension age (currently 65 and moving to 67 in 2023) and the person does not have to be in paid employment within that period. " AWLR Australian Working Life Residency. This means if you have been in Australia (forget holidays) for 35 years from 16th birthday to the pension age (soon to be 67) then you qualify (on this point) for full OAP. An example: -Born in Australia -Achieves 16th birthday. -Then leaves australia to live or work in another country for say 40 years -Meaning returns to Aust. at 54 years old. - -The difference between 67 (the official retirement age) and the total above of 54 = 13. - 3 is way way under the requirement of 35 years resident IN australia to qualify for the OAP. -But I'm not sure whether in this case the person might be entitled to a 13/35 (about 37%) proportion of the full OAP on this point. Needs checking. Ten years relates to people who have officially migrated to Australia from certain countries. But this needs to be checked what original countries this applies to. Also if the person is entitled to some type of pension from their original country this must be declared and is taken into considration in determining the amount of $ benefit that person will get from the Aust. OAP. Keep in mind that Centrelink has always active links to the authorities in many countries and they can easily check if you might be entitled to a penion from another country.

Well said, the justices / justice processes must ensure there's full balance, laid doen processes are fully followed and fairness. In this case it doesn't mean the rump is innocent.

Yep, there's always those who have the 'nobody tells me what to do' attitude.

Seems to me he can't get overstay processed at any land border, can only be done at a major Thai international airport. He broke Thai law, he overstayed, which is serious in any country and subject to fines, blacklisting etc. every country. Now he needs to follow the appliable/specific Thai laws, must get the overstay processed at a Thai international airport.

Everybody knows things can change.

" 3 hours of bone shattering happiness". That's the big plus of traveling on the Japanese SHinkarnzen or Chinese fast trains etc. The ride is totally smooth, and comfortable too. All air conditioned, internet services and hours faster than previously on the ancient clickety / clack trains.

Seems to me they would be following their own regulations, somethink like 'Foreigners on overstay cannot leave the country without specific processing which must be done at a main airport'. Logical? Your in Thailand you have follow/respect Thai applicable laws. Same applies in any country including in your own home/birth country.

I went back and did the 2 years, I'll put the details in steps: - Day after arriving in Australia - Went to local Centrelink office and did the following: Proved my ID and got a CRN (Centrelink Reference Number) which became my OAP number. I took with me the fully complete Rental Agreement for the small apartment I had rented in a local War Veterans Village plus copies of Australian bank statements with address detail which is same as address shown on apartment rental agreement. Centrelink also requires that OAP applicants prove they have several utility bills in own name and showing same address as house or rented acccommodation). They ask for 2 plastic cards with an embedded photo. I was checking through my plastic cards and the C'link lady noticed my Thai driving license. I said 'but this is not issued in Australia!'. She giggled and said 'where it's issued is not importan as long as it has a clear photo and your full name in English. She typed the details into the 'Proof of ID panel' Accepted instantly. I had already (before leaving LOS) completed the OAP application form* and the Assets and Income statement. Before leaving LOS I had already got signed statements of what funds I had in several bank accounts in Thailand. Note if you have joint savingas accounts hese must be included in your OAP Assets and Income Statement. NOTE: The application form is very long/many questions, however if you're single you can skip 90+% of the questions which are about details of wife or divorce. All very mechanical. They accept approx. dates. All of the questions are easy to answer. The very pleasant and helpful Centrelink officer asked if she could take a look at my completed OAP application form* and the Assets and Income form. She looked seriously at my answers to every question then said 'your forms are ready to submit', She asked If I wanted her to submit the forms 'now'. I said yes, she added my new CRN then scanned the two documents into their big multi purpose machine in the office which meant that they had been submitted, and a confirmation number was instantly received from Centrelink Canberra. NOTES: The OAP application is NOT processed in any local C'link office, it's processed in Canberra and the processing is computerized. I went back to my local C'link office about 3 days later to apply for a Medicare replacement card (details later in this thread), The officer said she could check the progress of processing my OAP application, she checked and quickly said "it's proceeding quickly and there's no outstanding issues or problems". 2.5 weeks later I got a pleasant and polite call from a young man from C'link Canberra to inform me my OAP had been approved. He asked me to get some paper and pen and he carefully gave me the main details including how much my standard fortnightly OAP would be, how much rental assistance I would be receiving each fortnight and the amount of backpay I would be receiving back to the date I submitted the application. He also mentioned that I would receive a letter the next day with all these details, delivered by an express postal service (it was in my mailbox mid morning next day. And he mentioned that the payment of the backpay would be deposied into my bank account the next morning. It was, it appeared about 9.00 am. You are correct Portability is achieved when you have been back in Oz for 2 years (2 years from date of arrival in Oz, NOT 2 years from applying for the OAP). Your passport activity in/out, is automatically detailed into your C'link records. C'link has a live 24/7 link to Immigration (passport) records. About 10 days after I had completed the 2 years I called the Older Australian C'link line and politely asked 'Can you tell me If I am entitled to Portability' The polite lady said 'just one moment while I get that screen' She then confotmed I was entitled to portability from 10 days previosu. She asked If I had any questions re portability. I responded "I've done quite a bit of research on this and I think I know what to do". She said "OK, but don't hesitate to call back if you want to confim anything". She had already e.mailed me the link to the banking document I had to get signed/stamped in Thailand (local K Bank) and she slowly gave me the specific secure Services Australia e.mail address to forward the completed bank form to C'link. I did this the day after I arrived back in LOS. Two days later I got a polite phone call from the international banking section of Service Australia to carefully confirm my bank account name and number and the SWIFT code for K Bank. The young man checked some dates then said "it takes a litle bit of time to transfer you to the 4 weekly payment process, you will get your first 4 weekly transfer on xx/xx/xxxx". The deposit into my K bank did appear on that date about 9:30 am and since. (I use K Bank Internet banking, and I also get an e.mail from K Bank a few seconds after the deposit has been made. Also an SMS meaage with a loud 'ding'. Medicare - I had lost my plastic card years earlier. The local C'link asked me to search my documents, files, e.mails to see if I could find the old number. She explained Medicare try to prevent multiple member number for 1 person. I responded 'I've already done that'. C'link lady then hit the 'old number not found' button. One second later her printer activated, it was a letter to me from Medicare with my full details and a new Medicare number. The letter also mentioned 'you can use this Medicare number immediately, please show this letter if you have any medical services, until you get a new plastic card'. New Medicare plastic card arrived in my mailbox 4 days later. Don't believe the stores you'll read that Centrelink officers are rude, abrupt, unhelpful etc. Totally not true. Hope this helps...

'eletist'.... be fair, could have been a silly mistake.