DonniePeverley

You've just made those numbers up. In 2023 - there were 62,000 asylum applications granted. Some of these were from Ukraine and Hong Kong too. Yes those 62,000 were given housing till they could become settled. But by the same token british single mothers with children were also given free housing. And we all know how that system is played - have a kid, get a free council house. Then of course you have the billions wasted during covid, and the billionaires who don't pay their share. Playing the 'system' is not only played by a few thousand asylum seekers (most will work straight away), but plenty of our own population play it too. We all know that person on benefits but working away. Furthermore when immigrants go down the route to become British citizens, they must have been working here for 5 years, have savings, no criminal record, do a life in the UK test, and an English language exam. Go ask yourself how many Brits living in Thailand can speak Thai, or the brits in Spain not speaking Spanish. The issue which even rankles me - is why it is taking ONE year to decide an asylum application. It should take no more than a few days. But to sum it up, when life sucks and life is hard, racism comes to the front. The governments own research has shown immigration brings in more to the economy than takes out. A balanced approach is needed, where we can control migrants, no criminals etc. But look at Thailand and the dross living in Pattaya.

And why has illegal migration become an issue? It's always been around, happening for years. But Rishi decided to bring it to the forefront and make an issue out of it. He probably assumed this kind of dog whistling would give him credit amongst the chore conservative voters who clearly didn't like, and probably thought he would out flank farage. But when he couldn't control it he's left himself open to blame. The problem we have at the moment is because of Brexit and primarily because of some bizarre workings from this lot. Back in the 90's, 00's the old Conservative party, and Labour would process asylum application in a week or two, and then because we were in the European Union we could deport these migrants back to France (as this is where they came from). Now we have left the EU, we do not have the option to deport them back to France. And for some bizarre reason we are now taking up to a year to process asylum applications. Why? Was it intentional? It's just terrible politics from Rishi and co. In my opinion because he knew the conservate members themselves didn't want him (maybe because he was off Indian descent), he is over doing the 'i am against migration' routine. Cameron did this with Brexit too, trying to appease the far right, and it backfired. Reform getting seats, Farage being an MP will be unbearable.

In trying to appease the far right, once again the Tory's have just got themselves into trouble again. Nothing learnt from the Brexit <deleted> show. Firstly the immigration topic had gone of the news in the years prior to Rishi becoming PM. There was no mention of it around Boris Johnsons tenure, as we became pre occupied with covid and general malaise in the economy. Then Rishi comes along give it the large one about immigration. Perhaps trying to be a little too clever and as a election gimmick. However, if you are going to be hostile towards immigration, and showcase the negatives, then you better deliver on it. Instead they let in record numbers, whilst at the same time spewing horrific intent towards them. with the likes of Suella Braverman going off on one. This then brings immigration back to the front of the news, and allows Farage and co to come back on their one topic bandwagon - namely blame immigrants for everything, which is very easy to do when the government themselves are being hostile. And when you have a failing economy, as night is to day, people throughout history will always blame immigrants. Instead Rishi could have sold some of the positive of immigration, and kept a balanced approach. A few scholars have summed it up brilliant - if you ask a room full of people who disliked immigration if they were okay with foreign doctors coming into the country. Most of the biggots would be okay. Then ask them if they're okay with foreign nurses coming into the country to makeup for the shortfall we have in the nhs. Most racists would say 'oh go on then we will have them lot too'. Then you can ask them if they are okay with doing the field picking that British workers do not want to do, and most would say okay. Then carers to look after old people, would you be okay for foreign carers to help the staff shortages there? Most would say yes. What about students who pay massive fees to come, so we can then susbsidise British students to pay less. Oh go on then. Then what about humanitarian immigrants from Ukraine and Hong Kong, would they be okay? Again most would be okay. If you sell it like that, clearly balanced in saying immigration can be negative also, then you have a more rational debate. Brexit was sold as controlling immigration, not just about reducing numbers. So when we needed more workers we could allow more people in, and when there was a need to control the numbers we could do that too. But we are back to Farage and co on their bandwagon. Terrible politics from Rishi. And i actually think he's done a decent job. What the racists in Thailand who are supporting reform don't realise is that when these lot go up in the polls the pound shrinks slightly. If they get anywhere near power the Pound would shrink. Didn't Brexit teach you anything? If the pound had remained at pre brexit levels, we'd be on around 60 baht to the pound today.

Unfortunately Farage will get elected this time. He's leading in most polls there. He then hopes the Tories get decimated. The old racist members of the Tory party clamour to make him leader. He winds up the Reform party and joins the Tory party. They make him leader. Depressing.

Does he pinky promise ?

Today crossing the road in Silom, that dreaded black smoke emitting red bus pulled up right next to me. As i begin to cross the road i was hit by the black smoke. Straight down my nostrils it went. I mean really in 2024 these busses are still allowed on the roads? But the horror wasn't to end, as i get over half the road to intersection, another red bus comes roaring past in the other direction. Once again another blast of black smoke hits my face. Here's a stock photo of those busses - i'm sure you've seen them around. Our condo as in a very busy area. I leave my condo and it's constant fumes. Not helped by the heat which seems to make the situation worst. With traffic sometimes at a standstill (with the dreaded 4 minute red light traffic lights) you are really getting hit by the exhaust fumes. I know we all go on about PM 2.5, and the burning of the crops. These measurements are usually taken on towers. I am talking about ground level fumes that hit you in the face. The belch from the exhaust is made worst, because some of these vehicles don't adhere to western levels of emissions. You have some 80's vehicles that are still emitting dangerous exhaust fumes. I write this today, because i arrived back in Scotland to see family yesterday. For the first time in nearly a year i could take a deep breath. Whilst around my condo in Bangkok i am usually holding my breath or taking low level breaths. But here i could take a deep inhale and exhale. Clearly here with congestion charges, strong rules on vehicle emissions it's just a whole different feel. This brings me to another point. Condo's here are build on main roads ! That is clearly the most attractive to buy here. Where as in the west if you built a luxury condo on the M1 Motorway people wouldn't touch it. But here you build a condo on the main road it's seen as an attractive feature. My previous condo had a view of not just one highway, but two ! The agent was telling me how great this was, as in 20 seconds i could be on expressway. I looked at her with sheer confusion, thinking of the horrific pollution. I have began to wear masks now and again. It's got to the point now i feel my sinus really struggling at night. With some sort of pain i get in my face. I am curious though, is there any research how dangerous this level of pollution is in Bangkok ? Just some ramblings so forgive.

Will Nana Plaza still be open ?

Utter nonsense saying this visa is for business type nomads. Any sort of top tier immigrant would easily get the Thai Elite visa. This is only going to attract backpackers with a laptop. It's going to contribute to a mass influx of low spending visitors who are going to create havoc on local infrustructure.

US economy is booming - why would they vote him out ?

We planned to buy our current condo, but backed out at last minute for no other reason than being irrational. Lucky we did, as it's become infested with AirBnb (something we were told the condo was ultra strict against), and a nationality from a certain country at war just engulfing the place and ignoring all condo rules.

So the agreement we signed was pointless? If so, lets say i backed out - would the landlord have no recourse to take action against me either?

Hello all, how about this for the wild wild west. So, we are moving condos. We have a signed pre tennancy agreement (i forget the actual term for the actual name of the contract we signed), but it was a pre contract agreement, with everyones signature (landlord, agent, and ourselves). We pay two months deposit, and one month advance rent. We were going to sign the actual lease a day before moving in. On that day on moving and when we are going to set of to sign the lease (including having had everything packed !!!!) the landlord backs out saying he doesn't really want to rent the property out. He immediately returns our deposit and rent back. Luckily our exisiting condo landlord was sympathetic and let us stay another few days, but we have since spent a few weeks in a hotel. We have luckily found another condo. Can someone tell me if this was a legal document we signed pre lease ? Could we have had any recourse to take action against the landlord? It makes me wary of moving again, as any landlord could just back out. Thoughts ?

Grab can be more expensive than the quoted fare by the 'non meter taxi guy'. 😀

So to clarify you paid 50% above the normal fare - and your point is ?

But when there is a vested campaign to promote tourism, and tourism's huge financial draw - why then let one of the main faces of tourism just run rampant ? When a tourist arrives in Thailand, it's the first impression he gets. Get out the airport and you meet a taxi driver trying it on. What initiatives have the authorities tried ?

Along with cameras (like they do for Uber in America) .... random stops on taxis would be a good idea too.

Taxi drivers in Thailand is a problem that is never tackled. Why not? I was in Shanghai last week, and all taxi drivers have to have a camera installed in them. That way if a tourist has issues, reports a meter not being turned on, or driver refusing a fare - they have all the evidence there. If they turn the camera off or it is not on, they get in bigger trouble. That would be an easy solution. I am sick of getting into taxis in Bangkok, and they tell me 'no meter'. Or refuse a fare, which they're not meant to. The latest issue i have with them is driving into traffic, to push up that fare. Last two weeks i have asked the driver why he turned into this wall of traffic. Fare inflated by 100 baht, but more importantly wastes my time. Sick of Grab too, as it's expensive in Bangkok.

It's bizarre how they're very sensitive of even adding a 300 baht fee. Waived all visa fees for Indians, chinese - that is some massive loss in income.

If it would have stopped digital nomads - i mean cheap backpackers with a laptop - coming in then i was all for it. It was literally the price of a burger in the west.

Finger prints is archaic when they also take a photo, and with photo recoginition technology. Why can Singapore, Dubai etc do automatic gate on arrival ?

You go to some Malaysian resorts and you know what it's pretty classy. No cheap backpackers, or cheap flag following mass tourism. It's a bit more expensive, but the clientele is much better.

Is this a joke? Pushing for 80 million jokes is going to be an enviromental disaster.

I remember 2019, and it was crazy packed. There was pushback at the time from locals, and politicians who were promising a reset and the search for quality tourists. That's been thrown out the window well and truly.

Funny how many of them just 'started' to work in a bar a few weeks ago. Roflmao