OZinPattaya

Being "lenient" isn't the same thing as being pointlessly irrational. 

18 hours ago, simple1 said:

WHO did not refuse to investigate hydroxycholoroquine, the WHO has temporarily suspended further research whilst the safety data is reviewed.

 

China has granted a doubling of US withdrawn funding over the next two years for WHO totalling two billion dollars. Accordingly your other comments makes no sense whatsoever. Out of curiosity how much of the WHO budget is spent on luxuries. 

Hmmm, I wonder why that is, that China would re-double its WHO contribution. Could it have something to do with deflecting its global responsibility? Of course not.

The Thai dude who isn't sick has to make a living and feed his family, whereas the denizens of TVF have the luxury of haunting internet forums and expatiating on what Thai people should do or not do. It must be nice!

16 hours ago, Coremouse said:

Just you know, many countries have confllicting claims & bases over South China Sea because historical and cutural reason, includes US ally the Taiwanese. Actually, super ridiculous is that Taiwanese( recognized Mongolia as a country in 2002, but ) TO THIS DAY still includes Mongolia & entirety of mainland China & even part of Russia as their rightful, official border, written in constitution. 

 

The only one have absolutely no speaking in the territorial matter, is US, have no territory in the area, relative low SEA economical connection( compare to other APAC powers ), but killed/injured many native people around in various war and conflicts. Personally the title 'U.S. rearms to nullify China's missile supremacy' would be more apropriate "China as scapegoat, US will spend more in making killing machines to feed their fat Arms Industry, which already larger than all other countries on the earth combined"

 

Talking about missile treaty, president Bush actively withdrew from ABM treaty in 2002 to fight 'rogue states', which also triggered Russia to drop START II( maybe to nullify Taiwanese territory claim lol? ). Now 18 years later, not sure about rogue states but we have million of Syrian, Ukrainian refugee, yet the missiles are still not strong enough??? And have to spend money on missiles rather than vaccines?

 

 

Honestly, we shouldn't care one damn what claim China may have over Hong Kong and Taiwan. You think China would care if the roles were reversed? Of course not. It's an abomination to let these countries fall into the hands of a totalitarian state. All we're doing is playing by the rules, which China could care less about.

15 minutes ago, Crazy Alex said:

1) Your comment could be easily used on either of the two major US parties.

2) The media will continue with being propaganda outlets.

I'd agree with you on both points if the playing field were level, but since it's not even remotely so, and it's silly to pretend that it is, I'm not going to make believe that there's some equivalence between the Right and the Left in this respect, because the deck has clearly been stacked.

7 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Imagine if the rich and powerful USA would have spent only 1% of what they spent on their military on prevention of a pandemic? Imagine they would have lots of medical products in stock just in case they need it.

But then, it's America, and America with Trump in charge, so nobody should be surprised.

What a sad country. 

Oh yes, it's so sad America is the way it is, not so much that China is the way it is. America is the problem. You know what, why don't we let the UK and Europe handle the China threat and we Americans will sit on the sidelines for once. China would definitely love that. You're probably one of those self-loathing Yanks or Brits who profit off the status quo while bemoaning the politics from a beach chair in the third world.

Get plenty of sleep. I read somewhere-can't recall where or guarantee its credibility-that studies showed that people who get less than 7 hours of sleep are 3 time more likely to get the cold or flu. Social distancing, frequent use of hand sanitizers, and I mean frequent, get a portable bottle of sanitizer and use it religiously. Don't touch your face. This, I'm discovering, needs to be a conscious effort at first.  It is so unconscious an act.

Excessive alcohol consumption is known to depress the immune system. Hear that, fellow Pattayans?

Everyday I juice a combination of mango, raspberry, kale, garlic, passion fruit. I'm not a big believer in the power of supplements, other than their ability to lighten the wallet. B12 is a smart supplement, although maybe not for immunity. Many people have a B12 deficiency.

One thing that drives me crazy is people blathering in elevators. People need to keep their freaking traps shut in very confined spaces. 

On 1/18/2020 at 7:35 AM, Ventenio said:

You plan a short-term trip, round-trip plane tickets for only a few months.  Then she will be happy since she knows she's coming back.  However, while you are in Pattaya, sell the house ASAP, transfer the cash to your offshore bank account and give her 200 baht for some good somtam.  But, really, she might realize Thailand is where her heart is......but remember to buy 10 burn phones.  I have 18.  

I honestly don't understand why western men believe that Thai women are so very different from western women. They're not. And when western men realize this, they're shocked. 

Well, when it comes to American politics, the very first thing I'm concerned about, as an American, is whether British and UK people will approve on the TVF forum. I mean if Brits don't approve of American politics, I'm just not sure where we Yanks go from here. I mean, it's not as if we Yanks have a thousand other alternatives ????

6 hours ago, bristolboy said:

Yes. Given his various racist and sexist comments, it's clear he would be a lot more successful running as a Republican.

People are starting to realize that Trump is not the only guy with skeletons in his closet. Well, maybe better to go back to the Clinton Era, of interns and cigars and actual grand-jury lies and impeachment. The democratic party is sure to abandon this guy on--let's face it--purely political and politically-correct grounds. So congratulations, all you democrats, for reelecting the next president of these United States, Mr. Donald Trump!

My moderate, centrist and staunchly democratic father, who hates Trump with absolute fervor--complete and incurable Trump derangement syndrome--STILL never will vote for Sanders. Ever! That should tell you something about 2020. I mean, come 2020, he just won't show up to the polls. If a radical from the dem party is the candidate. 

Keep Tweeting, Trump Baby.

7 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Your case was quite special IMO. And at last - as far as I can remember - it was your landlord's fault, not the IO's.

Is renting a condo owned by a non-Thai in Pattaya or elsewhere in Thailand really that special? This is a practice in Jomtien Immigration that could affect a lot of potential retirees. Who knows if they will start applying it to 1-year renewals. Before renting my particular condo, I checked out three others. All were owned by foreigners, all were being brokered directly by owner or someone from the Juristic office. I totally agree this is bad practice, but it is what it is, and Jomtien Immigration is unfairly punishing the unsuspecting tenant for this, with zero warning of the requirements and absolutely no formal justification for it. It is patently done in order to force the applicant into using a visa agency.

3 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

 

 

Maybe you should read what documents, copies etc. are required before you make your next try? Information can be found on TVF.

 

The 800k-method is as easy as can be. Don't blame others if you're not able to follow the available advices.

Mine was also the 800k method--hardly "easy as can be." i love it when people who had no issues at Immigration automatically assume no one else will and that if they do it must be because they did something wrong.

On 2/6/2020 at 7:48 AM, baansgr said:

Documents required for a retirement extension at Jomtien are straight forward. Could the OP enlighten us on what issues he was rebuked three times. Possibly a misunderstanding on OPs part as he states "illegal" extension which there is no such thing. 

If you consider demanding a copy of foreign condo owner's work permit, or a copy of his housebook--in the name of a Thai national--"straight-forward" though nowhere are such requirements disclosed. They habitually use false pretexts of residence to deny legitimate non-O conversions at Jomtien. So if you rent a condo from a foreign owner, as many people do, be prepared to use a visa agent. I had to for this very reason, using exact same documentation as was originally presented and denied, with the same nasty I/O who now miraculously had no problems with the documentation now that it was submitted by an agent. The person submitting the documentation in my case was literally the only difference between success and failure. So stop defending these people.

And I should add that I dressed in a nice long-sleeve button-down shirt, well-groomed and clean-shaven, no cap or sunglasses--and it made F'all difference.

I understand I already said I was going to pay the bribe. On second thought, I don't think I can do that. If I do, I'll never want to live here. I mean, it will taint every experience. 

4 minutes ago, BritTim said:

In many (I think most) condo projects, the people in the office are quite happy to hold onto a key, and show the place to potential renters, without expecting a management fee (or, of course, any liability). Where this is not possible, owners of condos who have lived for a period in Thailand will often have friends who will do small favours (such as meeting potential tenants).

 

I doubt it is possible to open an interest bearing bank account in Thailand without, at some point, being present in the country. Hopefully, Immigration is not suddenly going to start asking to see work permits from people showing deposits in interest bearing accounts on the basis that they are engaged in an income earning activity.

By God, I never thought of that. Any of us owning fixed deposit accounts bearing interest, should we not also be required to get work permits? Because apparently, to many posters, if you own an investment condo in Thailand and actually make money off of it, you should get that work permit regardless of whether the Thai government would ever deign to grant you one.  

1 hour ago, jackdd said:

In 99%+ of cases when renting out a place, the owner and the tenent will meet at the property (if a property management company was not involved), inspect the property and sign the contract. So this is what the immigration officer is assuming if OP can't prove the involvement of another party (i don't think it's fair from an IO to deny somebody a service because the landlord might be breaking a law, but that's a different topic)

I don't want to say that it's completely impossible to rent out a condo/house without being in Thailand and without a company/agent, but it's highly unlikely that somebody rents a place long term without ever having seen it in real, the contract is done through mail, the key comes by mail, you make a video call to inspect the property and so on

Completely impossible? What prevents it? Owner does not need to be in Thailand. Owner very often is not in Thailand. Owner often lists condo on some website and leases personally. Then who actually shows the condo? Your everyday juristic person in lobby will be more than happy to do this for a little money from owner. Or whatever Thai person. Why would this be a challenge to an absentee owner? This is done dozens of times a day at my condo. 

I should add that not only will the ladies in the juristic office be more than happy to show a prospective renter a property, provide the key, facilitate the transaction on behalf of the absentee landlord, she will also broker the deal even though--I strongly suspect, but could be wrong--it is actually a violation of Thai law or regulations for juristic personnel to broker properties. Which is done nevertheless on a routine basis at least in Pattaya. Why would an absentee landlord prefer this? To avoid having to pay the substantial commissions demanded by legitimate Thai leasing agencies. I didn't understand this dynamic when I first leased my condo. Now I do, alas, too late for me. 

4 hours ago, Lovethailandelite said:

You may want to reflect on the fact, that once you use an agent in Pattaya to get an extension, you will find it very difficult to break away. Particularly using an agent to get the O visa to start the extension. You will find that out should you ever decide to move province and attempt to use another immigration office to renew the extension at the end of the year

Okay, now you've worried me. Can you please elaborate? I don't understand why trying to renew a retirement extension in a different province should be dependent on how you procured the non-o to begin with. Because, obviously, if using a agent now means I will always have to use an agent in the future if I decide to move to a different province, which is very likely, makes me leaving Thailand for good a much easier choice. 

1 minute ago, kingofthemountain said:

Reading this i am more than happy my condo owner is Thai.

I feel very sorry for the OP, he has a deposit for his condo

and now a Thai health insurance, all of this is lose if he decides to

ride out of Thailand now,

On the other hand 20 000 bahts is not a little amount, and it's encouraging the 

already rampant corruption here.

In his position i should probably try to get an O visa out of Thailand, in a neighbour country

but first get out of my actual rent (Try to put the pressure on the owner, after all he should

be the one worried about the authorities knowing now he runs a bisness here on an illegal form)

and try to have anew one with a Thai owner.

Good luck anyway to the OP

Fortunately I have an international Healthcare provider, not a Thai one. I never considered getting a non-O outside of Thailand. You can get this from any consulate, like HCMC? Any special pitfalls or difficulties here? I already have one SETV plus extension, a visa stamp and extension. If I got a non-o from outside Thailand i'd be worried about being turned away at the port of entry. Three back to backs.