scorecard

Nice points. Seems to me this discussion needs to be split into two discussions: - Help/partial write off/full write off of old student loan debts, and - New thinking / a new approach / new policies for the future supporting further education all aimed at rising the overall education level / capability levels of the whole country.

"...large swathes..." True, my Thai adult son often tells me he sees situations where parent(s) previously had good/OK jobs, they were able buy small house (on mortgage) to get a roof over their head (not necessarily for prestige) and could ensure their kids ate well 3 meals a day etc. But now struggling with everything; paying 100 or 200Baht a month off their mortgage, scouring markets for cheap food, car gone now using cheap old mo-cy can only afford 10baht each top up for gasoline. One old buddy got retrenched from good job as an engineer, now works 2 or 3 days a week stacking shelves in Makro for a pitance, well the national laws re daily minimum rate. And very little sign of any improvements.

Good point but what about cut 50% off the balnce if/when they graduate and with a GPA of 3.3/4 or higher? (or something similar?)

Same, respecting the local traditions, nothing wrong with that. and the reality is that traditions exist in all countries/cultures, and often followed in all countries with no thought about whether they are relevant, logical, needed and more. Simple example, when i was kid all men wore hats. When we went into a restaurant (and other places) my mom or my grandma would quickly tell the men in the group to remove their hats. Local tradition. Logical?

There's also, in some countries, an attitude that good education is the foundation for the growth of the nation, so education is highly supported financially. But of course there neds o be some logical rules and boundaries. I got my Thai MBA students to do a project on this a few years ago, but with a twist: - They had to create 10 ways in which a student, who had received a student loan could receive a % reduction in their loan balance (receive the reduction whilst still studying or after graduation) by creating something which was highly valuable, on-going, for society. The sudents had to define a number of scenarios which could overall encompass all work and society situations, therefore every student could engage in the scheme. They also had to define what would bring a 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% reduction in the loan balance. They worked in teams of 3 students. Some teams submitted some good ideas, others failed. (One team failed because their submission was based on how to conduct a nice party after the graduation ceremony and therefor get a reduction on their loan balance - not connected to the purpose of the case study, but the MBA students involved couldn't see the point and, specific to this team, they submitted their idea 30 minutes after the case study started and didn't come to class for the next 4 lessons - the class room time given to all the students to work on/submit their proposals.).

This coud stem from an attitude I've seen before in my Thai in law relatives. One old bird who has been stopped many time for breaking road laws. As well as some illogical excuses, several time she has said 'I don't observe that law because I don't believe there should even be such laws, I should have freedom to do as I want'. Attempts to get her to understand 'it's the law of Thailand' achieve nothing, she continues "i don't follow laws that I don't agree with'. Some years ago she was stopped for driving through a red light in Sukothai (where she lives), she strongly abused the cops on duty and told them they were corrupt, and she was taken to the police station. Snr. cop told her 'it's the law of Thailand, you have to stop at a red light'. Other relatives with her, she insisted, to the Snr. cop 'NO, I don't agree with the idea of traffic lights so I ignore them'. Cop gave up trying to get her to understand, fined her 5,000Baht for breaking the law re the red light and for being abusive to the cops. And demaned she py the 5,000Baht before she could leave the station.

So so boring. Bye.

Tradition, very important.

But can the cops count?

This is not the USA. She's not being charged in court in the USA. Not relevant.

OAP pension will keep pace, one due shortly of $40 or more. _________________________________ "... in the not too distant future Australia may lose its AAA rating..." You continue to look/search for anything you can turn into a negative. Boring. I have every faith the Australia has many very knowledgeable / highly professional / very deeply experienced people watching and controlling the whole ship and it will never be near the doom you love to throw in. Boring.

Or being pushed by greedy developers.

Key points I missed above; the farang concerned has no wife or gf and no kids. Seems to me this would be a positive point for any bent cops who are keen to get their fingers into the whole situation; no wife, no kids to complicate who gets what.

Seems rather inappropriate for TV presenters to be making statements about how many years jail she should do.

Well go to Mumbai or New Delhi in India and other countries/cities, where they continuously beep every 10 seconds for no reason at all. The noise is deafening and achieves nothing.

A bit more: An example of what won't work: There's a farang in Pattaya, about 80 yo, lives on severe heart medictions (many years), owns several expensive properties and vehicles, and very large bank deposits in 3 countries. He's highly qualified, has started/operated several very successful companies in all 3 countries accumulating very large funds, and he's knowledgebale and well experienced in terms of how to proceed with many aspects of life, including such matters, in a logical/legal way. His friends ask him regularly "Have you written your will?" His response, with laughter "don't worry": - "It's a work in progress" (which it isn't). - "It's not important, because everybody knows who I like" (a throw way line trying to very vaguely suggest who should be given his assets). "You guys can tell the police who to give things too". The paragraph just above cannot possibly be valid in any way and is a recipe for total chaos and corruption. In reality it's not up to the police to decide/give such assets to anybody - just not their role or responsibility, not at all. Also given the whole senario quite possibly a golden opportunity for 1 or 2 corrupt cops to get their sticky fingers into property and cash. (Further, he has 4 large expensive properties in and around Pattaya, he lives in one, the other three are unoccupied but are kept in very good repair. For around 25 years a Thai lady, her Thai husband and their adult son have been taking care of him, never even any suspicion of theft or anything similar). They live outside in poverty: - The Thai lady cleans the house he occupies, washes and irons his clothes and cooks for him, all well done. - The husband is the farangs driver and responsible to maintain his 2 cars and his big mo-cy. All done well. - The adult son is resposnible to maintain the gardens/lawns at all 4 houses and does any small maintenance needed on any of the houses. When discussion comes up about his will (it comes up often) friends have suggested to him, "Why not make a simple will to give the house to the Thai family along with a couple of million Baht as an extra thank you for all their kindness?' His response "Well they can tell the police they would like to have this house." Obviously a stupid, and stubborn comment. Perhaps even worse, both his parents (now very old) live in one of his expensive houses in xxxxxxx, they personally have no property or funds. It would be logical to name them in a will in xxxxxxx to bequeath ownership of the house where they live and bequeath the funds he holds in banks in xxxxxxxx. But he won't listen at all to to any advice friends try to carefully give him.

And (as you have mentioned yourself) there should be a stated executor who has agreed to supervise the execution of your wishes in your will. The executor DOESN'T have to be a lawyer or a person of any specific profession, probably better to be a long-term trusted intelligent friend. And yes your 'will' must be properly signed and witnessed to be a valid document. The will should be written in clear words/construction, in specific points and written so there's no chance that your desires could be ambiguous or misinterpreted. Should avoid slang words/phrases. The nominated/agreed executor should have a fully signed/witnessed copy. An example of what won't work: There's a farang in Pattaya, about 80 yo, lives on severe heart medictions (many years), owns several expensive properties and vehicles, and very large bank deposits in 3 countries. He's highly qualified, has started/operated several very successful companies in all 3 countries accumulating very large funds, and he's knowledgebale and well experienced in terms of how to proceed with many aspects of life, including such matters, in a logical/legal way. His friends ask him regularly "Have you written your will?" His response, with laughter "don't worry": - "It's a work in progress" (which it isn't). - "It's not important, because everybody knows who I like" (a throw way line trying to very vaguely suggest who should be given his assets). "You guys can tell the police who to give things too". The paragraph just above cannot possibly be valid in any way and is a recipe for total chaos and corruption. In reality it's not up to the police to decide/give such assets to anybody - just not their role or responsibility, not at all. Perhaps even worse, both his parents (now very old) live in one of his expensive houses in xxxxxxx, they personally have no property or funds. It would be logical to name them in a will in xxxxxxx to bequeath ownership of the house where they live and bequeath the funds he holds in banks in xxxxxxxx. But he won't listen at all to to any advice friends try to carefully give him.

If you're referring to a deceased Australian, then the Australian embassy (anywhere) is required by Oz law/strict embassy operating procedures to immediately inform Centrelink (regardless of whether there's any indication of whwether the deceased is or is not in receipt of any pension/benefit. Centrelink in Oz instantly cancel any/all benefits and block any upcoming payment. And if there's been any overpayment they (Centrelink) will eventually try to recover it. I'm aware of the above because of my recent personal project to ensure my own 'departure' arrangements are up to date / folllow any/all appropriate rules etc. I asked whether the Oz embassy will help to distribute any funds to the people named in a will. I got an instant (polite) response from the Consular senior lady (which I expected) 'OH NO', NEVER, we do look at wills (if we've come across a copy) to try to establish who should / should not be informed of the death back in Australia, but for that reason only. She continued 'we have been asked many times 'how should I handle the bank accounts of my departed husband/ wife / father, etc?' The embassy response is 'we cannot comment on subjects like this at all and we don't offer any form of advice whatever on these subjects and we don't contact anybody re these subjects, it's totally NOT the business of the embassy or of Australia'.

True, many businesses everywhere in VN readily accept US currrency. Also there's many (maybe 5 or 6) currency exchanges at both Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi international airports, quick and quite good exchange rate. Some also ask if you need a cab and if YES they call one to move their car to be waiting at the kerb near the exit doors, no charge.

Keep in mind that banks in Thailand and globally are reducing the total number of ATMs as cash is used less and less. One larger shopping centre just Nth of Sydney now has a total of 2 ATMs, a couple of years ago maybe 20 ATMs and my bank in Aust. told me (as I did a transaction by phone) that in some locations the remaining ATMs are maintained by a fund which all banks contribute to. The bank lady was able to look at some data and then she commented 'that shopping centre will probably go down to 1 ATM within a few months and zero within another 12 months'.

Thank you.

I looked, I can't find it. Maybe this might be helpful for a contact number: Sub Division1 , Immigration Division 1Chalermprakiat Government Complex , B Building, Floor 2120 Moo 3, Chaengwattana Rd., Soi 7Tungsonghong, Laksi, Bangkok 10210Tel 0-2141-7869Fax 0-2143-8226

Sorry I don't but it was widely quoted a couple of years back, as gov't policy.

Agree. There's a small section (2 officers) who take care of this at CW but (unless it's recently changed) you have to lodge your old PR book etc., and come back in 3 working days to get new book. Each visit 5 - 10 minutes. Last time I did it (maybe 5 years ago) all up 5,700Baht. I've also received a replacement PR book (old one full) at Chiang Mai Immigration, 2 ladies take care of this while you wait, same fees. I guess similar at Jomtien and several other Immigration offices.

6,000 for full-time job as a chldminder still barely survival money. Many other jobs where limited / zero advanced educational or serious training not needed getting 15,000 a month as a so called minimum. Also, by Thai law graduates are entitled to 15,000 a month. Strange...