Camillof

Never as robust as their self-congratulatory efforts anyway.

So rigorous, that until now I haven't heard of it at all. All I would ask is to see No tips signs displayed in their offices again, as it happened during 2019 under Big Joke's reign.

If they want to prove they are serious, NACC should investigate about those members of the Office of the Trade Competition Commission (OTCC) who approved purchase of Tesco by CP.

This is really cause no. 1 in this country in my opinion. Followed by cause no. 2: police inaction, and no. 3: DUI. Highways here are conceived more like speed tracks than else, spiced up by the lethal U-turn system. As to the route where this particular accident happened last night, the new "M6" toll road supposed to connect more safely Bang Pa-in to Korat lies there, finished long ago and still closed.

The government prefers to charge public health costs on foreigners. Much easier.

Digbeth, I'm interested in this particular topic. Do you know if they were allowed to continue indefinitely or if they were just given a postponed deadline? Do you happen to know when this decision was taken? Can you indicate any official source by any chance? Thank you.

Yes it is.

I didn't write that it's easy to do, but personally I learned my lesson. Forewarned is forearmed.

That's acceptable in principle because the discrimination is not based on nationality: a non resident pays more, regardless of his nationality. Then the question of "how much more" is another story. But the general practice of favoring local residents is common and widespread everywhere, just like granting discounts to groups or schools, etc.

I think there's a general misconception here about this dual-pricing matter. Let's not mix up different issues: "tourists" vs "locals", or if you prefer "non-local residents" vs "local residents", is one thing (acceptable), "citizens vs non-citizens" is another (unacceptable). Charging tourists more than locals is acceptable if by "locals" you mean people actually living on the spot or immediate surroundings. Understandable common practice in many countries. But here in Thailand, as well as in some other underdeveloped countries, it's not like that. Here they don't charge tourists more, they charge non-Thais more, which makes all the difference and is contrary, in principle, to human rights conventions ratified by the Thai government. That is why foreigners should refuse to pay those higher fees. Here, Thai tourists are being charged like local residents, while foreign local residents are being charged like tourists. Thus, the foreign local resident is forcibly contributing by paying, not only part of the Thai local resident's fee, but even part of the Thai tourist's fee. Sick and disgusting practice. I wish all countries around the world applied the same principle to Thai citizens living there.

Yes, such a laughable, clumsy, even disrespectful offer, showing the low esteem they feel towards foreigners in general: "You dogs, do as we say and we might extend your leash a little. Don't ever dream of getting rid of it." Also: do some computing and you'll find that 9 times in 10 years is relatively "more frequent", no "less frequent", than 3 times in 1 year; even if the absolute time span is longer... "Once every 3 years" would start making better sense as an offer. Finally, this offer also reveals how pointless the 90 days reporting really is, even for them ????

That's the point also for me. I think that even if the rules were as clear as spring water, we would still face difficulties because that's how they want it to be. Many (not all) immigration officers have only this in mind: to squeeze out, or extort if you prefer, an undue tip from our wallet, often if not always with the consent and good pleasure of their superiors. To me, it remains our first problem as expats living here and the first point we should always keep in mind and be prepared to face before going to our respective Immigration Office for any procedure; especially when going there for our yearly renewals. If, in addition, rules are not all crystal clear; if certain details are left up to the arbitrariness of regional and local offices, that's a manna from heaven to those officers. And that's how the current government wants it to remain. An evidence of what I'm saying? During Big Joke's short-lived term as Head of the Immigration Police, 3 to 4 years ago, here in Nakhon Ratchasima a NO TIPS sign finally appeared in the IO main hall and in other premises too. It was rather small and not really in good view, but it was there (I have photos). Shortly after Big Joke's sidelining by the PM, the NO TIPS sign vanished. Totally it held less than 1 year, from autumn 2018 to summer 2019, at most. By the way: I don't recall reading any news about that here on ThaiVisa. Was such an issue not sufficiently relevant to us expats living here? Another evidence? In Autumn 2015, here in Nakhon Ratchasima's Immigration Office, I once tried to insist on getting a receipt over the payment of 500 THB for a residence certificate issued by them. I knew well that they wouldn't issue it, but for some particular reasons that day I decided to insist just to see where it would lead. I insisted so that the head officer in charge at that moment had to intervene in person, only to admit quite candidly that she couldn't issue a receipt because that's tea money used to fill up the office's pantry to the benefit of the staff. Amen.

Effects of a monopolized consumer market Last month I took this video in the fresh food section of my local Lotus. It was a Friday afternoon at around 5:30 pm. You can count more sales staff than customers, including at least four idle department heads (three of them sitting around a table, a fourth one walking nearby, last person seen in the video). In the past, when still Tesco-Lotus, that was the start of happy hour on unsold items and the store used to get crowded with customers in quest of good deals, both Thais and non-Thais. At times, it was difficult to pass through with your shopping cart. In short, the new management chased people away by: - Reducing drastically the choice of fresh items on display (bakery, ready-made dishes, etc.). A process that, to be honest, had already started with Tesco-Lotus years ago, now quickly worsened to the point of wondering why don't they just close those sections for good - Reducing drastically the discount on the few unsold items ("few" not because they managed to sell them at the regular price, but because they have almost nothing on sale to start with) On the other hand, they considered it relevant to install a mini cafeteria with tables to consume "luxury" ready-made meals on the spot, maybe just for the sake of aping the more prestigious supermarket chains. From what I can see each time I go there, those tables are deserted most of the time, or being used by their own staff. Situation at my local Big C not much different although it hasn't deteriorated to that point yet. Luckily no internal mini cafeteria there until now. My personal conclusion: just let Lidl or Aldi or the alike come in, and we'll see how long those idle department heads will keep their job at our expenses, how long those useless mini cafeterias will hold. 20220204_173748.mp4

I've seen and keep seeing even worse than that. As an example I'm annexing the last photo I added to my personal gallery of supermarket absurdities. Shot at Big C a couple of weeks ago: same product, 1 box 39 baht, two-box pack 85 baht. This widespread absurdity (you see it everywhere) shows clearly enough that the consumer market here is not a free market. To me, that explains everything.

Thank you but look better on that page... - Scroll down to "Type of visa to Thailand" - Select "For Thailand long stay/retirement visa (O, O-A, and O-X) or who is currently holding re-entry permit for such visas" - Click on "(click here for more information)" In the page that opens up, you will see that they require it for Non-Immigrant "O" and "O-X". Strangely, they do not require it for "O-A". The page is this: https://thaiembdc.org/2020/09/30/nonimmigrantoaox/ So, one more official Thai embassy Website requiring it in clear letters.

Thank you. Inaccurate or not, I take note that the same rule is indicated clearly enough also on Websites of the embassies in Germany (in German), in Italy (in Italian) and in Switzerland (in English as posted above by Sato). That's good news. Now we know the Frankfurt consulate in Germany requires it. I have another friend in a similar situation (valid Non-Imm "O" re-entry permit) who is due to come back here from Italy. I will check as soon as possible what are the requirements for him.

I don't know, I will ask him on first occasion.

Thank you Ubonjoe. If so, so much better! Unfortunately member Buick reported above about the consulate in Los Angeles requiring it. As for the UK, it is required black on white on the Webpage of the Thai Embassy in London (reported above by myself). Is that enough to conclude that "it might be required"? If yes, back to my original question: is this new or has it been like this for a long time (how long)?

According to this discussion we can list 5 already: USA, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy

Yes, I'm afraid that Ubonjoe is not entirely up-to-date this time. My friend who was in Germany with a valid re-entry permit based on Non-Imm "O" in his passport, as explained in the OP, had to do it, there was no way out for him... Due to his age (well over 70) he had some difficulties but at the end he managed to get the required policy just in time to receive the CoE less than 24 hours before travelling. I don't know how much he paid for the insurance policy but I know for sure that he doesn't need it, especially not the stupid OPD coverage. He is doing his quarantine in Bangkok right now.

Thank you Buick, I'll report this to my friend ????

Thank you. That's what I thought, too. Yet, that's not what I'm reading right now on the Wesbsite of Thai Embassy in London. In the dedicated page: "Requirements for foreigners travelling to Thailand during COVID-19 travel restriction...", under -> "Additional requirements for certain types of visitors" -> "For other purposes" -> "Required documents for the Certificate of Entry (apart from visa or re-entry permit)" -> "7. For long-stay retirement visa holders (Non-Immigrant O/O-A/O-X) for people over 50 years old", I copy and paste (link below): * * * * * * * * * * - Copy of health insurance policy which covers medical treatment in Thailand (non-COVID-19 diseases) for outpatient not less than 40,000 Baht and inpatient not less than 400,000 Baht for the whole period of your stay in Thailand - Copy of health insurance that covers COVID-19 related medical expenses, both inpatient and outpatient, no less than 100,000 USD for the whole period of your stay in Thailand * * * * * * * * * * https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/requirements-for-foreigners-travelling-to-thailand-during-covid-19-tra

My question is: is this new or has it been like this for a long time (how long)? Explanation: trying to help a friend who is willing to return to Thailand with a valid re-entry permit, I found that Thai embassies abroad now request also Non-Imm "O" holders to present a general health insurance policy (400'000 + 40'000 THB coverage), just as requested from "O/A" applicants. My friend is in Germany now, he has in his passport a valid permission of stay based on Non-Imm "O" visa, and the relevant re-entry permit. He applied for CoE with a Thai consulate there. To his surprise the consulate is requesting a general insurance policy too, besides the special Covid 19 policy. We checked the embassy's Website and found confirmation of this requirement...

I copy and paste from that page: Starting from 2019 the driving license written examination in Thailand became much more complicated than it used to be before. (...) Thai driving license exam is divided into 2 sets of questions, each set consists of 25 questions (totally 50 questions). I passed mine in June 2019 and it was not as described here, so I guess the new rules were applied starting later on that year. I am positive that my written exam consisted of many more than 50 questions, and it was all in a single set, not in two sets.

Yes if you reside here in Thailand more or less permanently, if you are not here just on a tourist visa. I did mine from scratch 2 years ago, for both car and motorbike. The whole thing took 3 days, without counting the time needed to get the documents required. Here in Korat City they asked me for: - Passport - Proof of residence (here in Korat they want a certificate issued by Immigration Office; the yellow book used to suffice in the past but no more now) - Medical certificate First day I had to undergo: 1. Basic abilities test, only once for both licenses, consisting of: ----- Color recognition test ----- Side viewing test ----- Reaction time test ----- Remote alignment test I think this basic test is always mandatory for everybody, also for simple renewal of license. 2. Lengthy theory briefing, only once for both licenses. It consisted in viewing videos the rest of the morning and listening to a lecturer the whole afternoon, all in Thai. I remember that I was the only foreigner and probably the only "adult" (over-25) in the classroom, and that everybody seemed to be at least as bored as me. Second and third day I had to undergo: 3. A theory exam, two times; once for the car license, and then once more the following day for the motorbike license. It was in English for me. It consisted in a set of multiple choice questions to be answered on the screen at an individual working station assigned to every applicant. If I remember well there were 90 questions with a tolerance of up to 5 mistakes. I think the machine picks up questions at random, therefore there is little chance that you get exactly the same questions both days, although many questions will be repeated for sure. There are facsimile manuals around, with all of the questions they might ask you, in English. I warmly advise you to get one of those and memorize all answers perfectly before taking the exam. That's what I tried to do myself; yet, I still gave 3 wrong answers the first time. 4. A practical driving test, two times; once for the car license, and then once more the following day for the motorbike license. Here in Korat we need to go with our own vehicle. As I don't have a car I borrowed my friend's for that day. Both practical tests took place in a dedicated area inside the court of the traffic department office and focused mainly on vehicle control and maneuvring skills. You have to perform a certain number of exercises under the eyes of an inspector who might not speak English at all. Nothing much anyway, also because normally if you fail one exercise they give you the opportunity to try again and again until you get it right - I saw others going through that. 5. When all that was over, the third day, I had to go to another office on a different floor and wait in line until they called my name. Then I sat in front of an employee who cashed the official fee, took my photo, and printed out both driving licenses that he handed over to me with the receipt of payment.