sidneybear

How so? Mike said that if Europe opened up, Thailand would move there. I rebutted this by saying that Europe is a dump, and what Mike said won't happen.

Well, there's no such place as Utopia, is there?

Is that so? Read its manifesto and compare with that of the Democrat party. "Conspiracy theory" is a work out term coined by the CIA in the 50's - it's used to denounce an opponent, rather than conduct a sensible debate, so go away if you have nothing sensible to say.

Do you seriously think that Europe is a better place to be than Thailand?

Good news. Thailand doesn't need rhese western backed so called "progressives". Look at the state the west is in thanks to all this progressive rubbish.

I think it depends on the question and how it is asked - like any public service they get lots of daft emails asking for stuff that's already on their website, or is impossible, as well as rude and boorish emails. My wife and her lovely colleagues generally respond to emails from people who are genuinely in need of help. Worth noting is that visas are going all online very soon, with no more visa stickers, so the whole process will be a lot more convenient.

If it's Boeing, I won't be going. Cost cutting and DEI are more important than engineering excellence.

It's always good to see justice served to a nasty bully. The Swiss man who kicked the doctor thought he was such a big shot, but picked on someone who fought back.

Exactly. RTC Sydney is helpful with interstate folks. They'll generally issue visas, but bear in mind that a visa doesn't guarantee entry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Bureau don't have much to do with each other.

Official proclamations often differ from reality. It's the Thai way. RTC Sydney can and does serve interstate folks.

They frequently make this or that announcement, but are actually very helpful.

Royal Thai Consulate in Sydney also serves folks from other states. Wifey works there.

Why is the US always sticking its nose into other people's business? Every foreign intervention that the US has made since WW2 has been an absolute disaster.

All of what you say applies to wherever it is you come from. I'll grab just one of your words as an example - nepotism - and ask you how many politicians in the US sport the surname Kennedy or Bush? Should we go further through your list? Anyway, you hang around Thailand and refuse to go home, even though you insult the place and disparage it as somehow backward. That says a lot, about you, sadly.

You're one of those people who comes to Thailand and then starts preaching about how much better things are in the west. The west is a dump, which is why you're in Thailand. But only your own view of progress will satisfy you. Progress to you is turning Thailand into a mirror of America, place where democracy has in any case ceased to exist, and nobody has any respect for anyone else. Thankfully, Thailand ignores people like you and preserves its charming traditions, customs and ways. This sometimes means kicking out western sponsored shills like Move 'Forward', which is fine because the end justifies the means. Go home if you hate it in Thailand.

You're being ironic rather than sarcastic. Why on earth would you hang around Thailand if you despise it so much? If it's so backward, why wouldn't you go and live in the 'progressive' West? After all, things are so much better there, aren't they?

Good to see these so called 'progressives' getting slapped down. Thailand is proud of its traditions and the monarchy is an integral part of what holds Thailand together.

Ditto

Gerontophobic statement that. People who have been around longer have more life experience than young folk, who know nothing about anything.

Won't make any difference. Never has.

Thailand can survive perfectly well without the meddling west.

Some people drive better when they're drunk: they're less aggressive and drive more slowly. Enhanced driving skills when drunk should be included in the driving test and noted on a diver's licence so that such 'safe when drunk' drivers can be excused.

As others have said here - visas are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and (according to my missus who works for them) no checks are made by embassies and consulates before visas are issued. One suggestions here is to buy an air ticket, then see if APIS rejects your passport, telling you to do it at the airport check in, when you try to register it and check in online, . You'd need to know which databases APIS checks to be sure of that though. Hard to get a definitive answer on that one, unless you know someone who works in the right part of immigration.

You keep believing what you read in the papers

So called conspiracy theories are being proven as fact, one after the other. A badge of honour, if ever there was one. Authoritarian lefties still cling on to the Covid narrative, but that ship has sailed and people aren't listening to them anymore.