jonclark

Thailand should get a better teacher !

Sorry you think 90% of the population prefer Chinese (criminals?) visiting Thailand over backpackers. I would find that figure very hard to believe. What is the source for the number - or did you make it up?

Sorry aren't these the quality tourists Thailand and TAT has been wooing for the past decade? Quality in Thailand equates to rich....and these foreigners are rich..so Thailand should be celebrating their marketing success in attracting so many. Or maybe they are slowly realising those cheap Charlie backpackers from days of old weren't actually so bad?

Doing away with visa agents though does not solve the problem. The problem is corruption within the immigration service that allows (and probably promotes) the use of agents and 'gifts' from their customers. The tightening of rules will make no long term difference to the root issue here which is the endemic corruption within the Immigration bureau. Until corruption is eradicated from the Immigration bureau people will always have the 'grey' option to circumnavigate any rules, no matter how tight they are. This is not about foreigners flouting the rules. This is about the immigration bureau and its officers allowing (and possibly encouraging?) foreigners to flout the rules. There is a difference. To use an analogy. If a teacher knowingly and actively allows and encourages a capable, intelligent student to fail school. Do you give the student more work (aka tighten the rules) and allow the teacher to continue without correction? Or do you remove and punish the teacher for allowing this situation to be created? The vast majority of foreigners comply with rules. Punishing all foreigners with tighter rules is a dreadful idea as you are punishing everyone for the actions of a few. This tightening of rules (in my opinion) is clearly a knee jerk reaction to deflect from the core, unanswered issue of this situation (corruption within the immigration bureau) and is aimed cultivating a more positive public image for the immigration bureau when they are faced with a PR nightmare.

So raising wages will result in more inflation, more cost to the consumer and reduce competitiveness. But the pursuit of increasing profits for shareholders / stakeholders, and increased bonuses for top executives will not result in inflation, more cost for the consumer and reduced competitiveness.

On par at least.

Maybe. But it could be an improvement as it masks the underlying stench. Depends on you PoV.

Pattaya has always stunk.

It doesn't forbid it. A number of my Thai mates do not eat it and whenever I have asked why they reply they have given up beef for a religious vow / wish / merit kinda thing. Cows and beef seem to be frequent benefactors of this ritual.

Most Thais don't eat beef for religious reasons. I have had a number of really good beef dishes here especially the soups.

Is this openness, inclusiveness etc why China is using a map written millennia ago to justify its island building, militarization and massive territorial claims in the South China Sea. Old Winnie needs to learn that words and action must be as one.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this will stop nothing, Cannabis will be regulated just like alcohol and cigarettes' which is a logical and sensible middle ground. Too many Thai people enjoy a good smoke and like cultivating it. The anti-weed haters and over zealous pro choice cannabis junkies will need to find an accommodation so we can all live together.

Wow what a choice. Would sir prefer a kick in the nuts or having a rather large pineapple shoved up his <deleted>. The outcome in either case will joyless...but the effects long lasting.

If TAT is using TikTok to guess numbers.....

Woke !!!! I have never been so insulted in all my life. Goodbye.

All of the shops I have visited have been Thai owned. But I see what you did, trying to discredit me by suggesting I was new to the country or an illegal worker. I am neither 23 years + here and all legally paying tax from work. Still gonna call you out that you know the business dealing of all the shops you have purchased from. I am surprised you haven't called the immigration hotline if you feel so strongly about it.

I am respectfully gonna call you out on that. You go into various shops to buy some weed and by the end of the transactions, you leave the shop with your weed and detailed understanding of the way the business is set up, their legal paperwork and number of employees. Did you get their tax number as well? Just seems a bit far fetched.

Good. It needs better regulation so that those who are fearful of the impact on the youth can have their fears hopefully reduced, while adults who wish to smoke can buy some.

What a bunch of sad old men.

Emergency room admissions.,..we have the cans of Lilt and Maryland cookies on standby.

How about a proposal that limits the amount of land Thais can own. Right now most of the land in Thailand is owned by a relatively small and rich proportion of the Thai population. By limiting this is gives the landless and poor more chance to own land. Each Thai person can own a maximum of 50 Rai for example. That would make sure that land as a national resource would be available for all Thais to own and keep the cost low.

I am sure there will be many Chinese investors buying up land here. The Chinese dream is to own land & property and there are many Chinese flush enough to start buying up land here as a route out of China, combined with the disaster of their current property bubble. The Chinese are also very good at dealing with uncertainty - well you would have to be with the CCP in power. So this will work for them - Many posters need to realize that this is not a western focused country anymore. Asia is the future and that is probably where this is aimed at. An Asian demographic.

I'm more confused by the statement " the problems arising from liberal marijuana use" In the 5 months since marijuana was liberalized the sky hasn't fallen in on Thai society and its appears to be exactly the same as before.

So where in your view would a person, unelected as yet (so not an MP and not a public servant) but is a member of the opposition party (for example) and is planning and has declared their intention to run in the upcoming general election fit? They are still technically a private citizen. Should they be allowed to help? I think the bias here is that elected MPs give out tax payer funded donations but are perceived and take personal credit for the aid they give - when its tax payer funded aid. And that is the issue.

Jeez - What a bunch of whingy moaners posting on here today.