2 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

Well, you've done the search, now do the research. I wold bear in mind that we are talking about not just stats in general but unspecific to how gountires collect, collate and analyse.

2 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

Well, you've done the search, now do the research. I wold bear in mind that we are talking about not just stats in general but unspecific to how gountires collect, collate and analyse.

Well I can tell you one thing- Who only recognizes 34 countries that collect data according to their data collection protocol. Want to guess if Thailand is included in that list?

8 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

If you do a quick search, you'll find a paper by WHO explaining how they compile the stats.

If you look at the annual reports, you'll see that Thailand doesn't actually ever supply a great number of stats.

You can also find out the half dozen sources in Thailand that supply stats.

I am on The Who website and am wondering which data collection publications and reporting protocols you are referring to:

resources

Guidance for surveillance of injuries due to landmines and unexploded ordnance (2000)

• English [pdf 130kb]
• French [pdf 231kb]
• Spanish [pdf 230kb] 
• More information

  8 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

  If you do a quick search, you'll find a paper by WHO explaining how they compile the stats.

  If you look at the annual reports, you'll see that Thailand doesn't actually ever supply a great number of stats.

  You can also find out the half dozen sources in Thailand that supply stats.

  Which one are you referring to
   

 

Data collection

Data collection is defined as the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data necessary for designing, implementing, and evaluating public health prevention programs. To develop effective prevention strategies, countries need to improve their information. In particular, countries need to know about the numbers and types of injuries that occur and about the circumstances in which those injuries occur. Such information will indicate how serious the injury problem is, and where prevention measures are most urgently needed.

Related publications

• Fatal injury surveillance in mortuaries and hospitals: a manual for practitioners

 

• Injury surveillance guidelines

 

• Guidelines for conducting community surveys on injuries and violence

 

• Full list of data collection publications and resources

More about data collection

• Classification systems
  Injury surveillance systems and surveys require a standard system for classifying injuries and violence. 

• Databases

• Research

 

i

58 minutes ago, Shouldhaveknownbetter said:

Wrong. The roads in the San Francisco Bay Area are much better and the drivers more polite

Well everyone has their own opinion. I’ve only lived in San Francisco and the Bay Area 65 years so obviously I couldn’t possibly have an informed opinion.

Anyone running for re-election, anyone who has ever gone to a town council meeting, knows that road maintenance is a top priority that generally fails to get any traction. 280, 101, 680 are well maintained but not any better than the major highways here. 

Probably worse maintained now that CA. Is struggling with major infrastructure problems due to all the forest fires and allocating assets elsewhere. 

That people are more polite clearly shows we are talking about a different San Francisco CA. Road rage is almost at epidemic levels. Hard to drive anywhere without someone flipping you off for a perceived slight. Don’t believe me- I’d be happy to send you scores of articles on people ramming each other, chasing each other for 10’s of miles because someone got someone <deleted> off. It is a phenomenon that I have never seen in any other country. I ‘d love to have a discussion on what causes road rage in America. What amazes me about Thailand is that most confrontational situations never reach a boiling point. People take it in stride and rarely get angry. People in and around San Francisco have a sense of entitlement that escalates at the smallest provocation. Road rage is just as much a uniquely American phenomenon as mass shootings of innocent civilians.  Neither exist t anywhere near the level they do in America. My suggestion is read the news, go to city council meetings about road conditions. Try cutting someone off, or trail gate, or forget to make a lane change without your turn signal and see what happens. 

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

said:

Can i ask you your age and where do you actualy live?

 

Because usualy the ones whiches feel the most secure here in Thailand

are aged and living in a rural area where there is only few vehicles on the roads

plus they rarely drive (Go from the house to Tesco 1 time\week)

and for most of them is the wife\gf, usualy much much younger

who is at the wheel.

I am 65 and drive motorcycles daily. Don’t have a car. I stay mainly in the north and Isaan. That said -I have ridden extensively in Phuket, Surin, Buriram, Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Trat, Koh Khud,  Hua Hin, Lopburi, Pai, Udon Thani, Kohn Kaen to name a few. I have a ridden a Royal Enfield 2000km thru Rajasthan. I have explored an equally large portion of Vietnam on a motorbike. 

The only major city I haven’t ridden in is Bangkok. 

What about you? How many miles have you logged? Have you ridden  in India or Sri Lanka or Vietnam. How often do you ride in Thailand? 

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Fact: Thailand has one of the highest annual number of road deaths (per 100,000) in the world.

 

Fact: The Thai driving test is cursary at best.

 

Fact: RTP pay minimal attention to enforcing the traffic laws.

 

Fact: Thai roads are among the most dangerous in the world mainly due to the extreme lack of driving skills of it's drivers.

 

These facts aren't just "my opinion". When I look in the mirror, I see someone who has driven for most of his life in a country where it takes months of training, an hour long driving test, on public roads to obtain a driving licence, the police rigourously enforce traffic laws and the average driver doesn't suffer from "face".

How about Maldives to Morroco, Morocco to Ecuador and the Galapagos. Then if you still have time Columbia and or Costa Rica?

2 hours ago, emptypockets said:

hours ago, RobbyXNorway said:

I have much the same experience here. Thais are the worst drivers in general I have ever seen anywhere in the world.

You obviously haven’t spent any time driving in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam or Africa. Even my Thailand girlfriend who quoted statistics ad naeseam about Thailand having the worst drivers changed her opinion after driving in Sri Lanka for 2 weeks. 

While not applying to driving inThailand it demonstrates that Thais don’t have a “lock” on dangerous nor bad driving habits.

Must have been 30+ years ago and I am going with the flow of highway traffic during rush hour near San Francisco, CA. I see this guy trail gating within inches of the car in front of him until they move out of the way. Dangerous, illegal, confrontational driving. He gets right up on my rear bumper and starts riding me. I pull over but give him the finger and shout a few choice words while moving out of his way. What does he do? In the middle of rush hour with 3 lanes filled with traffic he slams on his brakes in the fast lane. Everyone has to serve to avoid him and it is a miracle it didn’t cause a pile up. That wasn’t good enough for him. He jams his car in reverse and starts backing up thru traffic to get to me. Cars are serving, total pandemonium on the highway. This guy seriously didn’t care if he killed himself or anyone else in trying to get back to me. Fortunately I was able to exit on a off ramp before you could reached me. Lesson learned- drive defensively, get out of the way and don’t get upset. 

12 hours ago, Ventenio said:

completely only your opinion.  i would say most totally disagree with you, and hopefully you can work through your hatred and bitterness and anger in LOS. 

I am 65 and grew up and lived in the USA most of my life. I am in Thailand not because I am trying work out my anger but because it is no longer the country I grew up in. Every single day there is another senseless mass shooting in the USA. If you think it is any different, the land of milk and honey where there there is no addiction, no progress in wages keeping up with inflation and everything is bliss then let me know where you lived and why it was so great. Please add why you are in Thailand if you feel America is such a great country.

My biggest surprise about Thailand is how safe it is. I lived most of my life near San Francisco, CA. It is impossible to walk down the street without being confronted by the homeless. You have the drug addicts and the drunks and the mentally unstable and the unemployed and the PTSD veterans. Most of them panhandle for money and some steal, break into houses, break into cars. You can never leave a bike unlocked, a bag unattended, a car unlocked. Anything of value that is not bolted down is stolen. 

People are by far more aggressive on the roads and road rage is a scary and completely out of control phenomenon. The American psyche is a mix of anger, fear-and ennui. Thailand is a blessing.

This quote taken from the Bangkok post October 27, 2019.

Do you believe it or Not

Why is the baht so strong?

Several factors are attracting investors to Thailand, making it a haven for foreign money. But its healthy current account tops them all, according to analysts at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. The International Monetary Fund forecasts the country will post a surplus of 6% of gross domestic product this year, almost double that of Japan.

I agree 100%. I went to Vientiane to get my Non immigration type O_A visa. Ended up a the Thai consulate without an appt. and they said I needed an appt to apply. I went back to the thai blog I had been reading and sure enough it was a couple years old and out of date. I can’t describe the absurdity of the process at the USA consulate. Essentially for $US50 they will notarize any affidavit you present them. I hand wrote a letter that I had no criminal record in the USA and they notarized it. I could have been a convicted felon and they would have notarized it. Same with sufficient funds in a US bank. That was more believable because I did have a recent bank statement to verify funds. 

I really wonder about the chaos US immigration officers are facing with the recent continuous changes to our immigration policy. I empathize with immigrations trying to keep up with all the new policies and regulations but it doesn’t feel good to be on the receiving end of all these shifting policies.

8 hours ago, Max69xl said:

The only place this has every been enforced for me is in Chiang Mai. Never been checked in any other city."

Then you haven't been to Pattaya/ Jomtien. They check for driver licenses frequently. 

Then the part about a needed pre-paid return/outbound ticket. If you apply for a 60 days tourist Visa in your home country, you must show a copy of the receipt for the ticket. No receipt,no Visa. That requirement has existed for 30+ years. 

I think you have confirmed my point: where there are a lot of farang at immigration offices the higher the probability of strictly enforced immigration rules.

While we could debate this endlessly- and Phuket is Pattaya I was never stopped in for a license or motorcycle license check. So, I think we can agree that there are at least two cities that check for motorcycle licenses while the vast majority do not. 

The 20k requirement was in reference to a post a month or so ago about a family arriving from Kuala Lumpur and being stopped and asked to prove he had the 20k. He didn’t have it and his thai wife had to go to the ATM to get the money to satisfy the immigration officer. Long string of comments from other people being stopped at the airport and asked for 20k financial proof. 

I do not see anything when searching “thai visa requirements” that there is a distinction in requirements between visa on arrival 60 day visa applied for in your home country. Thaiembassy.com does not make that distinction. 

4 hours ago, Martyp said:

You now understand the requirements correctly. I keep 800,000 in a bank account all year round so I don't worry about the changes month to month or year to year. I believe the new financial requirements came into effect earlier this year. You will have to do your own research on websites. You can search this group. This was much discussed and is old news. Or you could look at the Thai immigration website.

Clear as mud. I liken the situation to the law requiring farang to have a thai or international motorcycle license. The only place this has every been enforced for me is in Chiang Mai. Never been checked in any other city. Conclusion, enforcement of many regulations is arbitrary and can vary from district to district. I suspect immigration offices that process lots of extensions- Pattaya and Phuket are more stringent than up north in Isaan. 

I too keep 800k in a bank account, but now realize that is a lot of money to tie just to satisfy a visa requirement. It now seems, at least for me, to use the 65k a month income requirement. 

Regarding the much discussed bit- I have found so many topics being discussed on this forum that have no bearing on my experience with customs, visa extensions and random regulation enforcements. Never been asked for proof of income 20k bhat income at either airport or land crossings from Cambodia or Lao. Never been asked for a prepaid return ticket, both of which are clearly outlined in the thai embassies requirements for entering the country,  and endlessly discussed in these forums. I won’t categorize difference experiences as misinformation, but it certain that the regulations are ignored, misinterpreted or strictly enforced depending on where you go for your visa extension.

2 hours ago, Martyp said:

Your source is out of date. Starting this year you need to have the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank in your name only for 2 months prior to your application for a 1 year extension and for 3 months after you get your extension. For the remainder of the year you must have a minimum of 400,000 baht. Two months before your next extension you have to have 800,000 baht again. A very few number of immigration offices, Jomtien for example, ask that people return 90 days later to show they have maintained the minimum 800,0000 baht. A small number of offices ask that your have 800,000 baht in your account for 3 months before your application. Of course, you need to check with your office to learn their particular requirements. Starting this year you also need to have health insurance from a Thai insurance company but some people are exploring whether they can use their foreign insurance.

So If I understand the process correctly-

1. 2 months before applying for a renewal on your retirement visa you have to have 800,000 bhat in the bank.

2. You are required to leave the 800,000 in the bank for 3 month after you get the visa. So, that is 5 months. Then you can use Up to 400,000 portion of the 800,000 for 5 months until you must once again prove you have 800,000 in the bank 2 months prior to your extension. 

Can you please I understand the new requirements correctly. In addition, what website are you using to reference the seemingly ever changing guide lines?

22 hours ago, Delight said:

The 800K Baht option is 800K Baht for 2 months prior to application and 90 days after a successful application. 800K has to be in your bank for that amount of time total. You have to show evidence (letter from your bank) on both occasions.

I see no mention of having to hold the money in your account after you have received the visa?? 1st time you apply for a retirement visa money must be in your account 90 days before visa will be issued. 2nd time you apply it has to be in you account 60 prior to visa being issued. 

Source Is immigrationbangkok.com

Proof needed

Your annual income or pension must be proven in the form of an affidavit from your foreign embassy or consulate.

To prove that you have sufficient funds in a Thai bank account you must provide the following documentation:

• An updated passbook/bank book which is in your name and from a recognized Thai bank.
• A letter from the bank clearly stating that at least 800,000 baht was deposited in your account from an overseas source, and has been cleared at least 2 months prior to the date of your retirement visa application.
• While it is not common procedure, in some cases you may be required to provide the following:
• Police clearance
• Medical certificate

On 11/26/2019 at 3:53 PM, secondfusilier said:

If Thailand is not a third world country, no one who has lived here for any length of time can

say it is not a backward country. Lawlessness, traffic road fatalities, shutting down peoples employment

because of religion, should I go on?

Sadly the USA is on its way to being a 3rd world country. Thousands of homeless sleeping and defecating in the street. Draconian traffic laws-fines for using headphones while driving, car seats that have to meet ridiculous safety standards. Cops on every street corner for minor traffic offenses. God help you if you jay walk. People being thrown out of restaurants because they are gay or lesbian. Religious zealots using “ We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” to discriminate indiscriminately. Ethic minority being marginalized and isolated into cantons. Racial and religious equality being trampled on daily. Corruption at the highest level of government where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. America, the land of the free, with 5 % of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prison population. Cops shooting fleeing suspects in the back and calling it self defense.  Gunmen daily going berserk and gunning down innocent people in the streets, movie theaters, music events, our schools. 

Teachers wearing guns in the class room and metal detectors in the corridors for protection. The director of the NRA whose solution to mass shootings is to arm citizen. Need I go on? 

If Thailand is backwards thank god it hasn’t attained the level of corruption, chaos and crime the permeates the USA.

22 hours ago, Trolleen said:

Cost of living here as same as Europe this days except for house costs.

That is the crux of the issue-housing costs. Google engineers in Silicon Valley, CA. starting salary of 90,000-100,000/year sounds great until you can barely afford rent much less buy something on that salary. Lot’s of recent articles in the news about starting engineers living in mobile homes in the google park lot to save up enough to rent a place. An equally valid question is who wants to make 90,000-100,000/ a year and has to live in a trailer to survive? 

22 hours ago, Liverpudlian said:

22 hours ago, secondfusilier said:

Where are you referring to because Thailand is not a third world country ?

How would you rank it ?

Thailand is ranked as  a MSCI emerging market country, as is China.

Once upon a time USA was considered a first world country and Russia was a 2nd world country. Times have sadly changed since the term 1st world was first coined. 

9 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

LOL - do you know how long it actually takes to find then buy a piece of land, then clear it, find an architect, get planning permission, prep it (flatten/drainage), then actually build it, put the gardens in, design the interior, deal with all the BS at EVERY STEP, etc, etc..

 

thats where the two times price comes in! - 2 years of

 

 

You comments makes it sound as if you are doing everything yourself. You a a real broker to find the land, you have an architect to draw up the plans, you have a surveyor, you have an engineer and then maybe you work as the general contractor or not. IN the USA if you make a 12-17% profit you have done well. Name one  investment that returns 300-400% in two years. 

If the number of you tube videos and posts on thaivisa  about how little you can live on in Thailand is any indication-scraping together the minimum bank account balance I think is going to be more challenging for most people. I saw a YOu tube video yesterday about a couple documenting living on a $600/mo budget in Chiang mai for a months. Lots of comments that people were living on way less than that. Even with the caveat that this was a one month experiment and the couple normally live on US$1000/month puts them at half the required monthly income they need to show. 

I think the new insurance requirement works out to be 2,500-3,000 a month to meet the minimum. So, if we take this couple as an example, is it easier to come up with US$100 or US$1000/mo?

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-most-polluted-cities-in-the-world-ranked/

Not according to CBS News and WHO.

 Sacramento had the worst air pollution of any major city on earth in November. The report identified Anderson, California, an area 150 miles outside Sacramento, as the city with the worst air pollution in 2018.Mar 5, 2019

So pick your source on who you want to believe.

20 hours ago, treetops said:

Transferwise can not send Thai baht out the country.

I don’t know where you are getting your information but I used TRANSFERWISE to transferred $US to Thai Bhat at Bank of Bangkok and just transferred 10,000 thai bhat back to my account in US. No problem.

Is the question sending thai bhat out of the country or sending $US or Pound sterling out of the Thailand. If you can’t send $US or other currencies out of the country how do importers pay for the goods they are importing?