ChicagoExpat

Rape is rape, a crime is a crime, he should be prosecuted. But she is the dumbest person in the world and, yes, bears responsibility for what happened to her, no less than if I drive to a poor neighborhood and leave valuables in plain sight in the car, or tease a dog and get bitten. Inviting a stranger to your house after meeting them in a bar, via a hook-up website -- and then saying who could have expected something bad to happen? -- is absurd. That said, may she get the help she needs, and may the Thai police do an EFFECTIVE investigation and not just let him leave the country.

These are Airsoft guns? They're sold all over Bangkok.

Good advice. I lived in Russia for some time; while there is much I like about the country and the culture there is definitely a dark side to the "Russian soul." Many Westerners make the mistake of seeing white skin and thinking "They're just like us. Why can't we get along? I'm sure they want the same things we do." They're NOT just like us -- they are Asians, NOT Europeans, and they have deeply ingrained paranoia, xenophobia, and subservience to authority. For the better educated... perhaps the best single thing to note is that the Enlightenment never occurred in Russia. In terms of mentality, they are probably much closer to a 12th-century European than a modern Western person.

Our fellow citizens' bad behavior is embarrassing and a legitimate cause for concern (though it's clear that Thailand's open prostitution and now legalization of pot attracts the bottomfeeders). That said, I'd also say that with the Thai population in the U.S. having ballooned to hundreds of thousands in just a few years, the Thais can't complain too much about working illegally etc. Which is also a relevant fact to our overall discussion.

It's adjusted, I think, to give final total refusal rates. Lots of people are put in a status of "we need more info from you" or "we have to check on something" and while this is taking place the applicant is "refused" though the great majority of these are issued later. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/administrative-processing-information.html#:~:text=What does a visa refusal,section 291 of the INA.

One of the surprises that you're about to experience is that a visa doesn't cost $250, that figure was invented. It's $185. You should also doubt the 2.8 million baht figure, that's not how it works. Agree, much of it is security theater; while it does keep everyone safe (no incidents I've ever heard of, despite a ton of nutters out there), there is DEFINITELY an aspect that is meant to convey the appearance of rigorous safeguarding that seems overblown. TSA in the U.S., and most places, is worse though.

So -- your case is that 1) tourist visas are $250 2) Less than 1% of Thai student visa applications are approved and 3) Likely far less than 1% of Thai tourist visas are approved. Okay. I'll first say the burden is on you to prove your points. Go for it, rather than disputing mine. That said: 1) here is the cost of a visa. It is not, and has never been, $250. This type of obvious mistake/falsehood undermines any credibility you'd have on this subject. 2&3) You REALLY claim that well over 99% of tourists and students are denied? That (statistically speaking) ZERO Thais receive visas every year? That when one flies to America there are ZERO Thais on the plane? This info is bogus? This info is bogus? This info is bogus? Here are visa stats -- while they don't give percentages they do give the number of issuances. Over 41K Thais got tourist visas, and over 12K got various types of student visas. So while you'll likely claim the State Department is flat out lying for some reason -- with the real numbers being zero or single digits -- then if 41K Thais got tourist visas... the real number of Thai applicants at the Embassy this year was something like 4 million? Anyway, I'm going to put all this down as a combo of laziness and bitterness on your part over past visa denials. Have a good day!

Who did you pay $250 to? That's not the cost of a visa application. It's $185 and it JUST went up after like 20 years at $160. Most visas are issued, especially student visas. Man, you've got some bad info.

You really think that's how it works? Wow. "They throw a piece of rejection paper in their face, don't let them ask any questions and tell them to leave."

Assuming this is a joke... saying you're going to study illegally on a tourist visa is a sure way to get refused for a tourist visa.

A farmer is a "zionist Jewish oppressor"? Here we have retarius fully in support of Hamas -- ANY civilian qualifies to be killed as they are, after all, ALL "zionist Jewish oppressors." Putting aside all the Jewish deaths, I'm amazed you'd side with the murderers and kidnappers of 30 or so Thais -- over the people who employed them and apparently gave them good wages. Disgusting.

You accuse them at the same time of both blind nationalism and cowardice. Going into Gaza urban combat takes far more courage than you'll ever have. Especially as we know what happens to a Jew who is captured by jihadis. Your anti-Israel sentiments aside, I do appreciate, however, that you put the onus of danger on Russians, when it comes to the risk of participating in their war on Ukraine.

The really newsworthy part of this affair is a Russian trying to stop a fight, not start one.

Sorry, Cheech, it's true that almost no one in those kibbutzim had a gun at home. The few that did made a huge difference.

Well, they'll do the usual as required by consular officials -- what are you expecting?

Chaiya and JoeBuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz should hear this but they won't. Neither has any idea what he is talking about but that's no deterrent.

If you're not even American how do you know if I'm right or wrong about the U.S. system? One of the many ways you're wrong -- Thailand DID Change for America. Four years ago. So take your America hating attitude and shove it. Better to keep silent and be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Guess you don't understand how the Government works. They CAN'T do it. It requires a Social Security office to be open. Social Security is not the State Department. Do you think a consular officer has access to citizens' personal info held by other branches of government? Do you think the Army can access Department of Labor files? Do you think the Department of Labor can look at the Bureau of Prisons info? Do you REALLY want ANY of the millions of government workers to be able to see your stuff? For whatever reason they don't have it. And your criticisms make no sense -- in the same sentence you condemn them for charging $50 for the fake letters, implying they're soaking the public, you condemn them for not looking to make more money. I get it, you hate the Embassy. And, clearly, America too. It's good you're staying here -- America has enough toxic anger as it is.

In accusing him of working with the Dems, they seem not to have noticed that the entire Democrat caucus happily voted for their proposal. Recognizing irony is not the Clown Caucus' strong suit. Good job Gaetz et al, you just handed the Dems a bigger win than they could have hoped for.

Who mentioned crybabies? It's incredible that 4 years later, people are still whining that they want fake income verifications from the Embassy. Time to move on, Joe.

Again, screwed up priorities. The point is -- not to spend YOUR time and money on this, and not to waste the Embassy's time on this. I've seen that this embassy and the others I've been in contact with do so much for U.S. citizens that I know you, like all of us, are just a crabby old man determined to spread your bile. Not perfect, and not always as much as we'd like, but for sure not what you say. What this comes down to is you and the other guy constantly arguing that you want to spend more time and money on this process, and you deeply resent the Embassy making it better. Thank God you guys aren't calling the shots.

Uh, not me. I'm not the U.S. Government. Again, still pretty lame because you're arguing for more work and expense... from you.

It DOES need a secure database. You really think something that can confirm the financials of millions of people shouldn't be secure? And again, you miss the point completely. WHY DO YOU WANT TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS EXTRA WORK? You're literally arguing that you want to pay more and work harder to achieve the same goal. You are correct! A guess IS like an assumption, only less confident. Actually, let's upgrade "guess" in my previous comment -- I was trying to be polite -- to "assume." You ARE saying the Chiang Mai officer is lying. You never asked me to get it? That's why you argue with me and the others in this thread? So, your score for the day is 1 out of 2. You kind of correctly defined "guess", while totally bombing out on "get it". You can do better! Keep trying!

Assuming we're talking about a US Government source of income and not private sources, the answer is that for better or for worse, it seems Uncle Sam hasn't seen fit to give the Bangkok consular officers alone (and ONLY this Embassy, as only Thailand has this stupid system, per my knowledge and experience) access to the hundreds of databases you'd need to be able to provide official income verification for any Joe Blow that walks in. I don't see how this is hard to see -- the guy told you he didn't have access to all this. Based on the stuff you said about them earlier, I guess you think they're lying. Again -- the American Embassy has forced the Thais to move away from this worthless system and take financial documents at face value, saving you a trip to Bangkok from wherever you are and subject to getting an appointment, as well as $50 plus travel costs, and you're still complaining. I. Just. Don't. Get. It. You seem to want the other way just to get your way, in spite of yourself.

But you were told they weren't readily verifiable, so the premise of your argument falls apart. Uncle Sam isn't going to create a system where the Embassy in Bangkok is going to be able to check into the 1000 different kinds of USG pensions just because the Thai government demands it. I've lived in 6 different countries for the past 20 years and no one, not even Russia or Nigeria, had the garbage bureaucracy Thailand has. And spurious insults toward the people who told you that aside (and everyone else in American Citizens Services), your argument is still that you want the Thai way (go to your Embassy for everything we demand, and pay $50 or more per you) over the Embassy way, which is "take the documents on their merits." So, yes, the Thai way is crap and I appreciate the Embassy for saying no to it.