prakhonchai nick

33 minutes ago, pontious said:

You can 'walk in with no appointment' - they charge 1560 Baht for this service.

Daylight robbery!  No doubt the cause of the 3 week delay!

That is true, but a 3 week appointment delay is unacceptable!!!!!!!!!!!

Note that scanning the document and returning by email is unacceptable. Some areas are/have been experiencing problems sending air mail post to the UK

 

This today from the DWP

 

For the security and protection of your details we are unable to accept your completed Life Certificate via email.

 

Due to lockdown restrictions because of COVID-19, we understand the forms are very difficult to have witnessed and returned.

 

We can clear this Life Certificate over the telephone for you, subject to you answering some security questions

If you call our office on 0044 1912187777 (option 1) between the hours of 09:30-15:30 UK time, Monday – Friday, we will endeavour to assist you with this.

Not only are VFS operational Mon/Wed/Fri, but there is now a 3 week backlog for fixing renewal appointments. Given the time it will take HMPO to issue a new passport ( and I believe they are only working 2 days a week) and then return it to VFS, from where it has to be collected, whether you live in Chiang Mai or Phuket or wherever and the need to fit the renewal in between 90 day reporting, this is a very sorry state of affairs

 

Clearly neither VFS nor HMPO give a toss!

I am just renewing a child 5 year passport. Never been used, but HMPO require colour copies of EVERY page in the passport. Seems totally stupid - Is there a logical explanation?  And furthermore what legal right do HMPO have to know which countries one has visited?

A copy of the bio page would seem to more than adequate

55 minutes ago, Victornoir said:

Death inflicted on willful murderers can be supported.
But not for traffickers and other legal offenses.
The sentence will not be applied and the guilty will be pardoned in 10 or 15 years.
So much the better.

Death for pre-meditated murder, child rape and armed robbery (death/ injury or not)  Drug related crimes such as this and other very serious crimes should have a life sentence where LIFE MEANS LIFE. No pardons for good behaviour, royal birthday pardons, old age etc.

The article seems to be a bit out of date........."But she expressed some optimism that June and July would see a rise in domestic tourism." It would appear to be August now, or is she referring to next year???

All family.....might never get to court. A few wais and a few baht changing hands (if they have  2 to rub together) might solve the problems. It does and has in my village!!!!!!

Never heard of Item 5 being required. Is this something new?

4 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Haven't 7/11 already wiped out enough small businesses and vendors ?

Selling fried bananas, coffee or lottery tickets give people an income. who cares that they add a couple of baht on top. I would rather give a couple of baht to a private vendor instead of a corporation like 7/11, even if it does cost more.

A couple of baht?  100 - 80 ==20Baht. And many crazy lottery ticket buyers buy them by the fistful. The sellers already get paid for selling them!

Never mind who is allowed to sell the lottery tickets. What happened to the short lived push by the PM to enforce the 80baht price? Down my way EVERYONE  (except police officers) pays 100bt minimum for a pair of tickets!!!!!!!!

5 minutes ago, billybog said:

This was the correct decision.. if you looked back at all the facts, you would see that he would be found NOT GUILTY. people think they know everything and just make comments without knowing all the facts.

It is for a judge to decide, not the police or government!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The whole thing stinks.  PEOPLE   Vote with your feet. Don't buy Red Bull!

Up to 3 "hangers on" allowed too. What are they supposed to do whilst the "boss is receiving medical treatment.. Quarantine somewhere? A dodgy hotel perhaps with a back door allowing them freedom to go wherever they like?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/penalties-for-social-security-fraud-and-error/penalties-policy-in-respect-of-social-security-fraud-and-error

 

State pensions are included in the above, and from a quick read, I see nothing to suggest that fraud in claiming state pension is overlooked.

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

 

I wasn't aware that DWP had ever paid a "Christmas Bonus" ?  ????

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

 

I wasn't aware that DWP had ever paid a "Christmas Bonus" ?  ????

I received it once some 7/8 years ago, and from memory I think  it was part of my 4 weekly pension. Regardless, it would appear that it can be frudulently claimed

If we we cannot be prosecuted for fraud of our own pensions, and benefits etc cannot be stopped if we do commit benefit fraud perhaps we should all be claiming child benefit and child tax credits (assuming we have children of course)................and the Christmas bonus too.even though we are not eligible because we live here in Thailand.????????

In previous years a Thai widow was entitled to bereavement benefits, and it would then come to light that the pensioner was receiving full pension based on living in the UK, whilst his wife had never been anywhere near the uk. That caused the widows some problems.

 

Nowadays there are no bereavement benefits for widows, so it boils down to honesty when you claim and where you say you live

 

Surely however, Thai Visa should not be publishing replies from those that advocate commiting fraud!!!

10 hours ago, steven100 said:

oh dear   ! ...... everybody is jumping up & down about insurance ....  SCB bank COVID19 cover 499 baht LOL   !!!  

I think one has to heve resided in Thailand for the previous 6 months befor applying, and applications need to be made from Thaland. No good if you are not actually here!

5 hours ago, KhunKenAP said:

You can bet the police will be checking all open bars and arrest any patron's and bar owners for a single violation of any of the 22 rules. I would estimate the odds of anyone in a bar frequented by farangs being busted at around 90%. Of course there will be mass confusion on what is OK or Not OK. They will arrest first and ask questions later, so they can get picture in the news media.

 

Best they stay closed until these stupid 22 rules go away. 

Arrest them? of course not. Why should the police now start to do their job properly? The usual backhanders will be requested. Don't forget the police have not had most of their usual perks for the past 3/4 months. A few hundred baht will come in very handy