MangoKorat

7 hours ago, armin677 said:

Can Skype be used to receive SMS via internet?  Has anyone used it for this?

 

Not only for Thai banks and not even with a Thai number, but generally.

 

Well they won't accept whatsapp so I doubt it - even though (at the moment) whatsapp is far more secure than standard network SMS.

38 minutes ago, retarius said:

Marvellous. Don't do anything at all about the problem, but invent a medicine that won't work. Genius. 

That's not fair, they've banned the farmers from burning sugar cane straw in Chiang Mai...................haven't they? ????

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Abhisit

Right that's one and one that I have to admit that I know little about or his time in power - at the time of his rise to power I wasn't really interested in Thai politics and when he was deposed I was fighting a serious illness so Thai politics were far from the front of my mind. I really should know more about him - seeing as he's a British Northerner like myself.

I do remember liking the man - and rather foolishly thinking that he might bring about real democracy in Thailand.  He supported the poor and promoted equality if I remember rightly.

His government was not without accusations of corruption and that lead to several members of his government resigning if I remember correctly.  However, the man himself appears to be clean - given that he was born into a true democracy and educated in the same country, maybe his lack of criminal activity is not too difficult to understand?

So why was he deposed, why did his party lose so many votes when they appeared to be on the side of the people.  Getting rid of someone is fairly easy if they've been up to nefarious activity is not too difficult but its not the only way.

The question has to be asked, why did someone who appeared to be very much on the side of the people, lose so many votes?  Well, that in itself is not really in the interests of the generals and probably more importantly, he went after the army in launching an investigation into their crackdown on protestors - according to Wikipedia.

As I say, I know very little about the man or his government but again, he was one who promoted the rights of the people - not something the military are fans of - they can't be allowed to have real democracy can they?  There is more than one way to skin a cat - judging by his policies, I would have thought he would have stayed in power far longer. Perhaps some 'engineering' took place?

I don't know but you've given me a new hobby - find out what happened to Abhisit and how his party seems to have failed so spectacularly at the end.

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

But only a combination of things made it possible.

A combination of things that could probably be levelled against any Thai government before and since Thaksin was PM.

The military let the people believe the country is democratic (or that's the plan) and allow things to go along, let parties fight, hold elections, take up government bla bla bla - and provided their and the elite's trough is not under threat, they let them get on with it.

To greatly assist them in that matter they relied on the people's love of a certain person - someone who despite the many differences across all groups, helped maintain a 'gel' that held the country together.  However, they were fully aware of the frailty of that person and the fact that his probable successor was not held in the same esteem.

As Thaksin's popularity grew, he became a major threat to the trough.  At the time he was said to be gaining such popularity, a popularity that was spreading well outside his stronghold of Isaan, that he may end up being more popular than the 'successor' I mentioned earlier.

And that is precisley why he, his party and his family had to be dealt with.

In this latest chapter of the army's fight to maintain control, they have actually used that popularity to maintain the status quo. Quite a smart move as it turns out.

Crimes, prosecutions, wrong doings........since when have they meant anything amongst Thai 'high society? How many have been prosecuted and sentenced for this or that heinous crime and how many of them have actually gone to prison and stayed there?  That goes on right down the line - i.e. police chiefs that get 'moved into a non active position' rather than prosecuted for their crimes.

The defendents in many of these cases have every right to cry 'political motivation' because that's exactly what goes on.  That is not to say they are not guilty but in many cases, others carry out exactly the same 'crimes' and never see the inside of a coutroom.

If you doubt what I claim - take a look at what's happened to Move Forward and their previous incarnation over the last few years.  They were never going to be allowed to gain power - they represented the biggest threat to the trough that there has ever been.  If they had been allowed into power, Thailand might have actually started to become 'democratic' - and the elite just can't let that happen.

As I said before, I am not a Thaksin fan, he bought votes and he encouraged poor people to get into debt - to name but a few faults, I actuallu despised the man. However, his major crime, no matter what the military may disguise it as, was to become way too popular and threaten the trough.

58 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Who gave the order to kill all the people who were never convicted? 

Can I just ask you - and I'm not trying to be clever here, do you really not know why the military turned on Thaksin?

47 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Who gave the order to kill all the people who were never convicted? 

Sideshows. They care about nothing other than honey.  Learn about how many redshirts have 'disappeared' in the last few years.  A few were found a couple of years back, at the bottom of a river covered in some strange stuff that looked like concrete - and who's been on point since 2014?

They are all the same but one group has much bigger guns - you don't really think all the political nonsense that's gone on matters do you? 

45 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I know there are some people in the red villages who just don't care if their hero is a criminal.

Name one Thai PM/government for that matter that hasn't either been 'proven' to be criminals or been accused of the same in the last 20 years or so.

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

But is it wrong that the opposition does that? Is it wrong that they publish information about corrupt people?

Corrupt people? In Thailand?

Seriously, have you not followed what's been going on since Thaksin won the election? Before than even? Have you not watched the 'joker' series that's gone on with different actors for years?

You of all people have been around long enough to know how things work in Thailand.  Its a bit like a beehive - with lots of worker bees and one Queen in the middle of the hive.

The people have always been allowed to 'play' at democracy but as soon the hive was threatend, the potential attackers were overwhelmed.

Do what you want children but play nicely or you'll have to be punished.  The elite and the generals have absolutely no respect for the Thai people.

Its not difficult and its nowhere near as complicated as they make out - the reason the country has been in a state of constant political turmoil for decades is the elite's compulsion with controling the hive.

12 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And additionally to the existing court cases there are lots of other abnormalities.

You don't think that's standard practice with any Thai government then?

8 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

were they Trumped up charges

Of course they were. Thaksin had far too much support, the generals were shaking in their boots that someone might actually remove them from the trough.

22 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I wonder if that was the deal which Thaksin thought he had. 

I almost feel sad for the old sick man, almost. 

Don't, he's unlikely to spend anymore time in prison.  I suspect that he was promised he wouldn't spend any time at all but got a bit of a shock when he was sent down - kicked off, spat his dummy out and threatened to call off the PM deal. So the hospital plan was hatched.

I don't think Prayuth actually intended him to go to prison - they were just trying to work out which scenario would be least likely to lead to riots. At least this way, Prayuth can claim it was nothing do do with him and we all know that people cannot criticise the person credited with making this decision can they? Otherwise they will go to prison and not get any clemency whatsoever.

On 8/30/2023 at 12:17 AM, georgegeorgia said:

Even insurance companies don't have a illness called depression if you look close ,it has to have a meaning 

Maybe not but I'd do a lot of thinking before you put it on the record by seeing a doctor - you could have problems with insurance in the future.

Regarding depression in general - I used to be a bit like your brother/workmates.  I didn't believe in depression and regarded people who said they were depressed as malingerers (I still do to a certain extent with those that use it as an excuse to claim benefits in the UK). However, a few years ago, following multiple serious personal upheavals and then a potentially terminal cancer diagnosis - it hit me and I now accept that it is very real.

I stopped going out, quit my job, didn't want to do anything, didn't open my mail - in fact I struggled to do anything and only shopped when I was completely out of food.  With huge reluctance, I was persuaded to see my doctor by friends and family.  My doc wanted me to see a shrink and recommended anti-depressant drugs which I said I would consider.

OK, you state that yours is depression without a reason but maybe my way of tackling it will work for you, it did for me.

I woke up one morning, about a week after I saw the doctor and just thought - "I'm not going to let this beat me, I'm stronger than that.  I thought about my illness - my oncologist said she was going for a cure but warned me that the teatment only had a small chance of success and I was pretty far gone.  I asked her for an off record honest bet to which she replied - 2 - 4 years, meaning I probably had 2 to 4 years left to live.  F..... it, if I've only got 2-4 years left, am I going to waste that time sitting with my head in my hands thinking about all my woes?  I certainly was not!

Its not easy, you have to make yourself do everything - I decided that doing everything by the clock was best for me.  I got up at the same time every day, excercised, went back to work, ate, slept and even relaxed - all by the clock. every day.  I still didn't want to do anything, I just made myself do it.  I put all negative thoughts out of my head and refused to associate with negative people.  I can't be 100% sure but I think the excercise did the most good.

I started seeing the results almost immediately which gave me the impetous to carry on and just a few months later I was back to my old self. Depression will never enter my life again - because I won't let it.  As it happens my cancer treatment worked far better than expected and stunned my onclogist (now 8 years and counting). I'll probably never be completely out of the woods but at the moment I have no problems.  I've talked to several people about this - mostly healthcare professionals and they all say that although there is no clinical evidence, they believe that in many cases, a positive mindset contributes to curing cancer. I think it also works for depression

As for anti-depressants - not for me, they may work for some but I regard them as a crutch and I prefer walking without one.  They can also be highy addictive.

Give it some thought, kick yourself up the a r se and do as people have told you - snap out of it! To quote an old cliche: 'This is real life, you only get one chance at it, there are no rehearsals'.  It worked for me, it may work for you but you've really got to make yourself do it - even when you really don't want to.

Can you afford to waste one more day with your head in your hands?

I've noticed some easing in flight prices but nowhere near enough to persuade me to return to my previous travel patterns.

Comparative flight prices I've paid:

Manchester - Bangkok economy return September 2019 (pre covid) £459) on Etihad.

Manchester - Bangkok economy return September 2023 £657 on Qatar

(The above with sensible total durations)

That's almost exactly a 45% increase (Etihad and Qatar's prices are usually very similar).

I was planning my usual July/August flight but decided against that as prices were around £1500. Yes, that's school holiday time when the airlines always try to extract as much as possible from parents trapped by their kids holiday times but I've never seen it that expensive. As I've pointed out in other threads a family of 4 looking to travel to Thailand would have been faced with a £6000 bill for the flights alone - pretty sure most parents took their kids elsewhere.

Fuel prices are up what? Around 20%? No justification for these rip offs at all - most of us lost money during covid in one way or another and we've just had to swallow that. I can't put up my fees by 45% to cover my losses.

It was worse last year though when I had to pay £1677 in August - had my reasons to travel at that time otherwise no way I would have accepted that price.

Love most Thai food but sloppy rice soup just doesn't do it for me at breakfast time.

Whether I'm in the UK or Thailand, same thing every day for as long as I can remember - Bacon, Egg, Beans, Tomato and Toast.  Of course, rinsed down with tea - Yorkshire tea!

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I don't think he has a deal.

He might have convinced many people to do this and that and he thought that he covered 100% of his way out of prison. And maybe he will come out soon.

But sometimes you think you have to think about 100 things, but in reality you had to think about 101 things. And then at some time you find out that little thing, which you didn't think about, makes your life difficult. That could happen. I guess it is not likely, but it's not impossible that he will stay a little longer in jail. 

Really? You don't think that Pheu Thai reneging on their election promises (reforms) had anything to do with it? Interestingly, when they did that, they gained the support of Prayuth's party (United Thai Nation) in the forthcoming coalition.  Prayuth joining forces with the Shinawatra family - well I never....................

However, I don't think he will be freed in the immediate future - that would really be taking the P.  In my opinion the hospital thing has simply been so that he doesn't have to spend any time in an actual jail. I think they'll have to leave him there, or somewhere similar for a while.

However, I suppose its possible that he will ask for clemency on the grounds of ill health - the hospitalisation would fit with that too.

This topic brings up a question I've been meaning to ask. Sometime in the near future I will be setting up a Thai Ltd Company that will hopefully make a profit and therefore have to pay tax. I'm told that any directors or employees over 65 will either not have to pay SS on their salaries or will have any that is paid, returned.

I'm unsure what benefits an employee under 65 gets in terms of healthcare but I presume its the usual hospital cover etc. So if they don't have to pay SS when they reach 65 or pay it and get a refund, does that mean healthcare ends? Can they not elect to continue paying SS past 65 and therefore be eligible for healthcare cover?  What about someone joining the company who is already over 65, is there no way they can get health cover other than private?

In al cases I'm refering to expats - not Thai citizens.

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Not if you get things set up correctly. 

 

1) Enable WiFi calling.

2) Keep the SIM in your phone but use Airplane mode (connect to Wifi).

 

You can receive SMS OTP from your Thai Banks Credit cards etc (as you would in Thailand). 

 

IF you put in a local SIM (not your Thai number), then you will not receive Wifi Calling or SMS's.

I don't do that and my phone works fine.

Dual SIM phone - Roaming enabled on Thai SIM

WIFI calling enabled on Thai SIM and UK SIM

No Aircraft Mode - Why?

I can make and receive calls on both SIMS + send and receive SMS on both SIMS.

I really don't understand the Aircraft Mode bit - if I had to do that I would need 2 phones because I would not be able to use my UK SIM.

I would say this much though - and this applies to both SIMS. I sometimes get a voicemail when someone's been trying to call me yet my phone hasn't rung.  I have no mobile signal at my UK home so rely on WIFI but I've learned that to be sure its working, I need to turn my phone off and on again when I return to my home.  The odd thing is that if I don't do that, I can make calls but I'm unlikely to receive them.

I've spoken to other people who've had various problems with WIFI calling yet never have problems with applications like Whatsapp.  Seems to me that the mobile networks need to get their act together - if Whatsapp works fine anywhere, why doesn't WIFI calling?

On 8/26/2023 at 3:50 AM, Hakuna Matata said:

Well, it's time for Nigerian bashing?

 

I have been to Nigeria in 2006, mostly Nigerians are very nice people. There are good and bad people in any country including China, United States, Great Britain, Ukraine, Poland, etc.

True there are but I think you should maybe check out the origin of the majority of online scams over the last few years.

Many of these scams require bank accounts to receive the scammers proceeds. Those accounts must only last a few days to avoid detection.  Whilst I accept the monies will often be moved several times, Nigerian banks must notice patterns of opening and closing accounts.  I am also sure that Nigerian banks will have been questioned by police and fraud departments from other countries and banks. Yet the scams continue. Are the banks then complicit? Do the authorities of countries like Nigeria not lean on the banks to assist?  Yes, I'm short on details but it seems pretty clear that many of these scams could not operate if the authorities and banks acted responsibly. The rule of thumb with UK police investigations into financial crime is 'follow the money'. I fail to see why a transparent system cannot be set up that would prevent these scams.

I don't doubt that with some of the bigger scams that involve large amounts - such as the romance scams encountered by often elderly victims in the UK, it would be difficult to trace as an account is probably  opend for the sole purpose of the particular scam and closed within minutes of funds being received.  But many of the current scams involve smaller amounts such as with this scam or the hundreds of 'parcel' scams that are doing the rounds. Surely accounts aren't closed after they receive just a few hundred baht or less?

How are the documents used to open a bank account checked? I know its not easy to open an account in the UK.  I don't believe it would be impossible for Nigerian banks to stop the opening of these accounts by requiring official documents be provided.  If there are staff at these banks that are 'facilitating' the opening of accounts, it would be fairly easy for the bank's fraud department to identify patterns.

Nigeria receives aid from many Western countries and international aid agencies, in fact the country could not survive without it.  I wonder if the Nigerian authorities and banks would be more co-operative if this aid was stopped? Given that Nigeria is also known for corruption - millions of dollars of aid money has simply disappeared, I'm bloody sure they would put a stop to much of the scamming within days if their gravy train was threatened.

None of the above means that Nigeria is the only country that contains scammers but it is well known that many originate from there, with it seems, the knowledge of the authorities. In addition, as with this scam - many Nigerians are known to operate scams in other countries.

There is plenty of evidence out there that would nullify any claims of 'Nigerian bashing'.  I would simply say, scamming is not exclusive to Nigeria or Nigerians but it is very widespread, both within the country and amongst its citizens.

On 8/25/2023 at 12:50 AM, Henryford said:

Never mind crossing the street i was nearly run over crossing the pavement the other day,

Yes, probably by a police motorbike - the rider of which wasn't wearing a helmet?

We can't have people protesting about COUPS can we?