DaveCW

Surprised he did not use the "It was a misunderstanding" excuse...

Are these outbreaks caused by incoming (Double vacx'ed and tested) foreign tourists I wonder?  Stand ready for this excuse next month  ????

"I and many others here are still tax payers in the UK, even as non residents.

In conclusion, I would ask that given this pretty simple solution, could not our Embassy return to assisting us in this matter?"

And that's the point that the UK Government conveniently wish to forget. You are, and have been paying for "consular services". Your suggestions seems very reasonable and logical, but will no doubt fall on deaf ears, there's a pool party and Christmas bash to get organised don't you know. So far to busy to be offering practical solutions to aid the expat community.

Why bother being proactive and and help resolve matters when they can just ignore real issues.

I wonder what the embassy would say and do for the OP. Its about time all the foreign embassies stood together to fight the IO corruption by defending their citizens using the IO's own rules (assuming they fulfil the published requirements) - Doing all this, both at the individual and higher levels needs to be done - They might be able to fit this between visits to hotels and having tea with tourist officials....

A FOI request to the UK embassy may show what their recommendation(s) (if any) where in regard to removing Thailand from the red list .

22 hours ago, bobandyson said:

Social distancing at it's finest. Or is it just a bad camera angle?

????

 

No - Its just a misunderstanding...

So, instead of returning back to the police station and getting on with some "Police work", they decided to have a fun time at the beach (whist being paid) - Sure, that's all reasonable - what's different to any other day? ????

6 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

In A land where you have to (by law) carry your ID card with you at all times, its surprising that you can just get off the grid for so long.

Maybe "For the security of Thailand" its time for everyone to do 90 day reporting.... ????

It's like a pantomime, Oh yes they Will, Oh no they WILL NOT.... 

I assume you and your staff have had vaccines flown in and probably been administered by MOD staff?

And I bet that all those foreign officials just sat there like schoolboys in the headmasters study, their heads bowed saying nothing, not a word about the two tier systems, and how Government policies and statements may lead to discrimination on any fronts. Its about time these officials started to shine a light on the many areas where this Government may be lacking and offer support - Governance, Education, Rule of Law and enforcement to name but a few.

I wonder how much the Police got for "Brokering" the deal? ????

On 12/28/2020 at 1:20 AM, JonnyF said:

Yes, it would make sense to just roll over the EU agreement and use that for a few years. That way there is minimal disruption for UK trade with Turkey. Once things have settled down post Brexit and post Covid we can work on a more tailor made option between the 2 countries.

 

Unless Turkey is finally accepted into the EU of course.

And lets not forget all the purveyors of DOOM, UK could never do trade deals by itself, it will take years to negotiate deals etc, etc - Time is telling this story, not those with their (already) broken and failed predictions.

12 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

France just letting us know they can cut us off anytime they feel like it.

Only a small proportion of goods go between Calais and Dover. Hauliers will simply use other ports, (the UK has over 100 ports). The French have blocked ports before, this is not new, hauliers know the script and will adapt if this is persistent. As others have said, its mostly EU drivers and goods that are and will be effected.

@billzant Many thanks for the link - A good read and report. It is obvious to all with a modicum of sense that there is no justification for this discriminatory, and dishonourable policy. It would have been good if the authors and researchers had asked the FCDO to spread the survey, I'm sure they may have got more evidence and from a wider spectrum of those effected by this policy, that said the examples illustrated, are probably universal.

It is also odd that a Government in the UK cannot fund the uprating, but can spend billions on furlough schemes, and tax breaks for big business etc etc.

As a veteran myself, I have sent your link to various contacts I have within the veterans charitable community, as I'm sure they are unaware as to the degree of hardship and suffering that going on in regard to former ex service folk.

3 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Genuine question as I have no idea (and too lazy to research as you may know the answer)....how many of these 57 deals are, in effect, EU deals rolled over as opposed to 'new, from scratch, trade deals?

Why would that matter? They are all new deals with the UK - I guess your angle is the so what? - Well I guess its the fact that we can negotiate deals without having excessive tariffs applied which are then sent to the EU - So it will ease trade with new partners, this, with existing trade to EU means more trade overall.

On 12/11/2020 at 9:09 AM, DaveCW said:

I read that there are already 53 deals signed or near signed deals. New Zealand probably cant wait, so they can export their beef when the protectionist EU tariff of 70%+ can be dropped lower than EU beef - just an example. This is why there will be so many trade deals as the UK will be able to negotiate realistic tariffs with other nations. We can all sit here and spout whatever believes we have, but the reality is, that time will tell the story. This is a massive undertaking and will not be achieved overnight, it will take time. I believe in the UK, and I'm willing to allow time to tell the story.

 

As for "negotiations" with the EU, are folk here really of the opinion that the EU's demands on maintaining a political and legal alignment are reasonable for TRADE negotiations - what other nation(s) has to abide by these type of demands for a TRADE deal?

Correction - Its currently 57 trade deals worth almost 200 billion pounds (and if no deal - there will still be billions of trade with the EU) - All this despite the many predictions of the UK not being able to negotiate trade deals or least any in a timely manner.

Glad I'm not one of those who make their predictions from a (Now obvious) broken crystal ball, in doing so kinda makes one look foolish. Better to have waited and let time do the story telling.

I'd usually tip a driver up to 100 baht (possibly more), if he troubled himself to help with bags and depending upon the length of the journey. That's my choice, but, I confess, I don't like the idea of such things being imposed.

I can imagine it may lead to passengers not tipping the driver. The effect may be that they could loose out in the long run.

If they are serious about this. Then might I suggest that they start talking to the various consulates and get a sense what would work in reality, instead of coming up with ideas that will make no difference.

So will Thailand now see a situation were all military residencies will be inhabited by ex-soldiers who will never move out once retired?

That being the case, the army will have to build a lot more new homes or they have nowhere to house currently serving soldiers - I guess the precedence has been set.????

On 11/27/2020 at 8:43 AM, robblok said:

Strange Brexiteers wanting freedom but not respecting the Scots to want the same. Double standards anyone ?

Strange - I thought there was a vote to remain and that has been honoured? Oh, I see, you want more and more referendums, until you get the result you want - priceless.

And will the Shetlands be given a referendum as they want - and taking the oil with them? If not, double standards indeed.

It takes about 20 to 30 years for human development, and if those people die it will be very difficult to restore the lost human resources,” he said.

He should know better than most, that the C19 flu is NOT killing folk on mass - there has been relatively low numbers (%age wise) dying, what a stupid comment - designed for nothing more than scaremongering.