cbatson

could someone please post a good web address to keep up with the latest on this situation, in thai language

http://w3.manager.co.th/

Chuck

Instead of sightseeing, these tourists have taken advantage of the visa exemption by getting married to Thai women "for reasons other than love", and have conducted business here. Many of them have not paid tax.

Foreigners not paying tax is a big problem -- There is nowhere else to go for revenue, as all Thai business owners are law-abiding and proudly pay all taxes due already.

I hope they have and are using data to drive policy. Personally I can't imagine that lost business tax revenue comes anywhere close to the inflow of foreign money "tourists" bring with them.

Chuck

Care is needed when interpreting this information, especially without reading the actual study. It's described as an "in-depth study ... of mothers in several emergency homes for girls in the capital." Clearly a study involving the population subset of girls in emergency homes will not be representative of the general population. In particular, this does not mean that 78% of new mothers in Bangkok are school girls. (Is anyone surprised to find a high ratio of school students in an "emergency home for girls"?) The information can be useful, so long as it is taken in proper context.

Chuck

Good news. Perhaps there's hope that Koh Tao may one day get a clean-up job too.

Chuck

I noticed while I was posting my reply just shortly after this thread first appeared, that some replies would be there and then disappear on the next refresh. Seems like someone was actively monitoring the replies and temporarily hiding those that pointed out it was April Fool's Day, in order to keep the joke going. That's why, once they're unhidden, there's so many redundant posts about how it's April Fool's Day.

Chuck

Looking forward to seeing Pol. Gen. Lt. Kaprotmaidai Maomaak at the erection.

Chuck

For the U.S. portion of the visit, consider using USCIS Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, available here:

http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/i-134.htm

Good Luck,

Chuck

Likely a typical vehicle without safety belts. Truly tragic.

Chuck

Let me get this straight... a lone tourist snaps a 2.5 minute grainly low-resolution clip of a Thai movie and gets handcuffs, while elsewhere nearby perfectly reproduced DVDs of American films fly off shelves at 80 baht each with nary a police officer in sight?

Chuck

Give the beggar food or drink instead of money. Money just goes to the "pimp."

Chuck

So nex time Chuckie, remember...do not write before engaging brain. Better still...wait till you have some idea of what you are talking about!

Thanks for clearing that up, Rob. You're really be the expert on this. It would seem that my studies of the Thai civil, commercial, and penal codes count for nothing. Neither do my past and present prosecutions and defenses of civil and criminal lawsuits. I know some lawyers, public prosecuters, and judges that would get a good laugh from your little tirade.

Have you ever been in a Thai courtroom, Rob? Have you ever even seen a courthouse?

Believe it or not, the police here are subject to the constraints of the law. Ignorance of the law can make for easy prey, however (excessive fines and whatnot). And there aren't many people willing to file suit against police officers.

Anyway, thanks again for improving the signal to noise ratio here, Robbie.

Chuck

Well, where in Thailand have you ever seen 'farang' begging for money??

In my personal experience (1) Khao San Road, and (2) my own home. Since you specifically used the word "farang," do you believe the color of one's skin somehow precludes begging?

Westerners running out of money for whatever reason get either (financial) help,

or assistance to fly back to their home country by their respective embassy.

Perhaps, if the Westerner in question is inclined to pursue said assistance.

how can Western foreigners be a burden to Thailand's society??

I would imagine just about every foreigner in Thailand is a burden to society in one way or another. However, for a concrete example, consider any foreigner who commits a crime. The police, courts, and prisons used to process the foreigner are all burdens (financial and otherwise) the Thai society bears. Should the criminal foreigner have imported and/or sold narcotics, or committed murder, then the explicit burdens to society are even more obvious.

The above is true for a foreigner in any country. Why do you think Western, or any, foreigners in Thailand would be exempt?

Chuck

In actual fact no indication of support is requested when applying for a business non immigrant "O" visa. Please be accurate

I don't know about business visas, but the non-immigrant "O" (family) visa most definitely requires evidence of financial status for both application and extension. In the past it was 200,000 baht though I understand it to be 400,000 now.

Unless there's a secret you know that we don't; in which case, please do share.

And please be accurate.

Chuck

To those of you who have already hung the suspect, I would like to present an alternative perspective:

If you really think the police in this country are so diligent, you haven't been here very long. Perhaps the victim's belongings found on the suspect were "legitimately" won through a snooker bet. Maybe the suspect makes a convenient scapegoat in the haste to appease the British embassy. I'm willing to bet that no evidence that directly links the suspect to the murder will be found, though rest assured the suspect will swiftly offer a full confession. And don't think for a second that confessions obtained here have much to do with reality.

Why don't we try something a little different and pretend the suspect is innocent until a fair trial determines otherwise. Hopefully, it will be possible for him to receive said fair trial.

While this incident is indeed a tragedy, anger, frustration, and distrust make it all too easy to point fingers prematurely. I urge everyone to think before making sweeping judgements. One day, it could be a loved one of ours on the other side of the story.

Chuck

There is also a big sign in english stating the rate , in the waiting area at the American embassy . Next to all the irs forms.

Do you happen to recall exactly what rate is stated on that sign? ;-)

Chuck

41.008 per http://usembassy.state.gov/mumbai/wwwhacscs8.html

Nice table! How did you find that?

Rates I've gotten from the embassy in the past were 43.10 for TY2002 and 44.42 for TY2001. The value I have for TY2002 doesn't match the table, which is a little disconcerting...

Chuck

It takes time and some nerves to git the permit

Take quite a nice chunk o' cash these days, too.

Chuck

You may also need to ensure that Thai language support has been installed:

1. Open the Control Panel.

2. Open the Regional and Language Options control panel.

3. Go to the Languages tab.

4. Make sure the "Install files for complex script and right-to-left languages (including Thai)" checkbox is marked as checked.

5. If it is not marked as checked, check it and then click "OK." You may be prompted to insert the Windows XP installation CD.

Chuck

It was my understanding that the IRS allows one to use a certain "official" average exchange rate and apply it for the whole year. In past years I've gotten this rate from the U.S. embassy -- it's usually posted inside. I'd prefer to find out the rate without having to make a trip to the embassy. I suppose I will call the ACS unit next time they're open to get it.

Chuck

Are the planes really painted to look like birds? If so, I've GOT to get a picture of one of them. Too funny.

Chuck

Does anyone know what the "official" exchange rate is for U.S. personal income tax returns for the year 2003?

Thanks,

Chuck

any kind of sex toys,porn etc. is illegal. a thai had actually opened a small stand with sex toys (vibrators etc.) at Royal Garden about 6 weeks ago and got recently arrested and closed down. TIT!

Can you cite a specific law that backs this up? Do you know for what offense the Royal Garden shop owner was charged? You'll notice that the charges against the foreigners in the original post did not include anything related to the toys. I'm unaware of any criminal law that forbids such items, and if this is not the case, I would like to know.

Chuck

The Government is brilliant. Who would have figured that out without a government warning? Not I.

I agree it seems like common sense. However, consider the case of the Japanese government, which after the return of the Japanese hostages from Iraq, was criticized for not wording its travel advisories strongly enough and not making the advisories more well known.

Chuck

From the Chicago Tribune, April 4, 2004:

Trouble in paradise: Thailand's Muslim insurgents

By Frida Ghitis. Frida Ghitis, who lives in Atlanta, writes frequently about world affairs

Published April 4, 2004

On a quiet Saturday morning recently in southern Thailand, an elderly Buddhist monk slowly made his rounds, clad in traditional saffron robes. His feet bare and his shaved head bowed, he collected alms from the faithful. A motorcycle approached.

A man on the bike raised his machete and struck, leaving the holy man dead only moments after a 13-year-old novice standing near a Buddhist temple also was hacked to death.

Another Buddhist monk narrowly survived a machete attack that day in the same Thai province of Yala, one of three Muslim majority provinces in overwhelmingly Buddhist Thailand.

Who would have it in for Buddhist monks?

The three fell victim to a renewed wave of Islamic extremism now boiling in this traditionally peaceful Buddhist land.

[...]

Read more (original article) here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion...1,3192874.story

Chuck

And if you take the plug strip apart and look inside,you will find that only two holes are hooked up and the third is just a dummy as there is no wire connecting them inside...

Power strips with an actual ground can be found if you look. I got some at a computer center. Also be careful, some power strips I have bought have had the hot and neutral wires swapped!

Chuck