NanLaew

The tabloid cited never mentions anyone being under the influence of anything. The only reference is that according to friends of the driver, he met his passengers at a 'shisha restaurant'. Nothing to confirm that either. Maybe the OP fancies getting a job at the DM?

But probably only 25,000 of those have any immediate plans to go anywhere. Wasn't there a similar "OMG!" panic moment maybe seven years ago that was coincident with a badly managed restructuring of the HMPO in the UK and the relocation of the VFS services in Bangkok? Loads of bandwidth was wasted over a bad situation that was exacerbated by a similar sudden rush to get a new passport for the holidays. My understanding is that this current 'crisis' has been precipitated by the work from home edicts and more recently when the UK government changed their advice for those testing +ve for omicron just to stay home until they home-tested negative again. This latter drain on manpower and staffing levels has affected a lot more than just the HMPO.

Only if you read (and believe) everything in the Daily Mail.

The accumulated costs of processing all these momentary increases and decreases in pension payments is paid by who? I'm not knocking anyone for claiming their full entitlements especially when the mechanism is in place to do this. However the absurdity of having a room full of helpful and polite ladies answering the phone, asking questions and typing the answers into some humongous government database is quite bizarre.

I bet they were a gang of immigrants, fresh off the dinghy as well.

High on Shisha? Shisha Killer? Which is it?

People who are offended. Which is agreeable when the people specifically being offended speak of being offended. The OP has already verified that the person accused of being well endowed in the nasal department by the oafish new employee wasn't offended... but the OP considers that he should be? The dictionary of new-fangled malapropisms calls that 'woke', no?

I think the confusion is about declaring broadly what the contents are rather than what the specifics of any letter are. In a similar way to a declaration on a FedEx or DHL from overseas to Thailand. It asks for contents and for mail being forwarded, I call it 'correspondence'. I am sure if you say จดหมาย or จดหมายส่วนตัว or maybe จดหมายโต้ตอบทางธุรกิจ that will be enough. PS: Note the more savvy members get their Thai partners to do the needful.

KK has 83% more shops in a 1% larger leaseable area. From my recollection of a couple of visits, the KK shops are smaller, walkways and thoroughfares are narrower which lends to that bigger and busier illusion. UD seems more open and less crowded even at its busiest. Both create nightmare local traffic scenarios on weekends and holidays though.

This being Thailand, that will be one month for the authorities to secure all the extra payments needed for these illegal businesses to carry on operating as normal.

Yes, it's all a bit of chore having the misfortune of being born in a nation that doesn't have a sophisticated social security safety net. I mean just look at the UK, especially in the cities where their 15 year-olds run about at all hours, stabbing people and nicking Corsa's? So, so much better than fobbing their spawn off on granny up in Kendal or an auntie over in Exeter.

Then why imply that it was "compulsory" with your comment that it has "been standard form pretty much everywhere, forever." Obviously you may wish to do so as your "standard practice", why I have no idea, but it has never been mine! I say old bean, looks like our @JayClay has quite made your day, no?

No return address on my letter... YMMV (but you knew this already)

That's an assessment that I can broadly agree with. The term racist is bandied about far too cavalierly these days.

No racism was implied her nor inferred. The guy in question is what we call an oaf or maybe dolt is more appropriate? Hitting on and flirting with female staff is doltish behavior, especially if it's not being reciprocated. In his own mind, he's probably a big star in NEP already. He's probably too arrogant and ignorant to appreciate that the Thai woman's smile, eyes averted while shyly demuring in the face of his embarrassing public behavior is their way of politely telling him he's a dolt. The OP has apparently upbraided the dolt on his rude and inappropriate behavior and he's 'on watch' now. However, if he persists, and since he's German, maybe the OP should talk loudly about the war? He may even quit and then everyone can get back to work.

Regarding parking, there's large covered parking right at the check point, left-hand side before where the minivans turn around. I was there on a week-day just before the Covid lock-down and there was only maybe a dozen cars parked there. They seem used to people on the 2-day 'overnight' visa park up and I can't recall what the fee is but maybe 200 to 400 baht? You get a receipt. It's reasonably secure but like all parking, you assume the risk. Just don't leave the wallet on the dashboard of your Maybach while you're away. Marked 'Parking Lot' in the appended.

Decathlon for me as well. The shoe's description as sold is 'walking shoe' and I bought my first pair maybe four years ago at Decathlon Pattaya. My work offshore involves walking miles with loads of stair climbing and they are simply awesome. Last summer, I headed off for work in Malaysia and forgot to pack them. Luckily, while serving quarantine (remember that malarkey?!) I discovered lazada traded in Malaysia and Decathlon had a store on lazada and I bought my second, identical pair for a whopping 49 ringgits. I wear them for everyday use and as my 'dress' pair for flying, traveling while the original, only slightly shabby pair also get packed for work. The low, low price is a huge bonus. Top link for a full description and bottom link for Thailand online. https://www.decathlon.com/collections/urban-walking/products/mens-fitness-walking-shoes-pw-100?#product-imageGallery https://www.decathlon.co.th/en/p/8486177/walking-shoes/men-s-urban-walking-shoes-pw-100-grey

Please clarify what short time marriage means. For example, if it ended before the monks left, then that's a yes. NB: The Olympic athletics rules apply when it comes to counting false starts.

The "OMG! I just noticed I only have one page left in my passport which runs out this Saturday and my visa ends on Sunday" thread has to start somewhere, no?

You do? Every day I ask myself will it be beer or whisky.

He spotted some elderly farangs on the sidewalk and feared he may be lynched if he stopped to help.

Good job mine's a sort of beige then.

It was relatively frequent thread subject matter pre-Covid. We had spurious new members allegedly posting from some holding facility while their AirAsia rep formalized the 'deportation' paperwork. Mostly seemed to be at DMK when immigration started randomly enforcing the somewhat nebulous mandates on how many times one could claim to be a legit tourist in a year. Most of these 'tourists' or visa-exempt airport hoppers were outraged that the 'no proof of income' was being cited by immigration despite being shown condo rental agreements, car keys, bank books, local bank ATM cards, etc.. The lack of funds was an easy, catch-all excuse that covered the more difficult to prove (but more likely) 'suspected of working illegally' exclusion. Also note that nowadays there's a broader (yet unspoken) acceptance of digital nomads who were also swept up in these somewhat irrational and over zealous border protections. But as noted by a few who do visit regularly, they still keep the 20 k cash (or equivalent) handy, just in case.

If you reckon your local immi office aren't a total bunch of shysters and oxygen wasters, while you are still here, why not go and ask? Just because nobody on this forum has come up with a definitive answer (yet), there's no harm in getting affirmation or otherwise from them on what's do-able. Otherwise, you may end up lying awake at night pondering, "What if?"

Ooooh, pithy. I like that Mikey. Thanks.