Sydebolle

Billions - every month and EVERYBODY knows about it and NOBODY does anything about it. Thailand's biggest enemy is its own people 8-)

Now you can throw the taxation dreams of the finance ministry into the equation and the exodus will increase drastically ....... Well, they know better so let them have it their way; the Lord knows everything and some Thais know even more 😉

Departure tax was and still is an airport tax, applicable to every traveller and meanwhile collected through air ticket sales directly from the airline. The arrival tax; let's see. Thais with dual nationality, foreign residents with work permits or one-year visas, PR holders? Asking as this tax cannot be collected via air ticket sales from the airline as not every person is a tourist. Where to collect and how; can you imagine the total clogging of the arrival area when Kumar from India with hardly recognizable rupees, Kim Lee Wee from Seoul with Won and the rest showing up with cruzeiros, a selection of different dollars or Bhutanese Ngultrum? Happy days ahead, publish the day of introduction and avoid flying into the land for at least two weeks afterwards 😉

Pattaya and "world-class image" in the same sentence - just made my day, thank you 😉

Well done in that case!

Yet another example of how the department of land transport executes road worthiness certificates ........ Passing the test to get the tax extended is an extra service known to Thais as "tested/checked outside" or ตรวจนอก ....... apparently a matter of little cash 😉

Just wondering how many better-to-do retirees from the dirty farang countries are leaving over all this mess, confusion and tax collection idea without any counter value? What the semi-divines in the finance ministry did completely forget is, that ALL those have moved once already to Thailand and there is little which would prevent getting the household movers back in action again. 10+ closer friends have packed/are packing for Sri Lanka, Bali and the Philippines. Your call 😉

Confiscate all assets, invalidate their passports immediately so the country of where they stay will throw them out as illegally being in the country. Then extend the statutory limit while putting them on the Interpol list - all of them. Once this group of military darlings - some with political dreams - are back in the land, run a public court hearing and apply the necessary laws which are all in place already. Would be a HUGE step forward in the Thai interpretation of law adherence and execution but we all know, that the brown manillas are well stuffed in circulation. This country is not lawless but purposely turning the head always in the other direction - so much to the human rights council!

Wishing the sweet heart the best of luck - she will certainly need it in her search of a sugar daddy-cum-ATM machine. Hope dies last - as we know 😉

I sold my two condos in Chiang Mai for precisely the hazy smog season; it's committing suicide on installments. And, for those who want to follow, put the place up just after the rainy season as the price is significantly below 50% during the smoking delights period!

Cough up the tariff or see 'em at their place of work. How cheap can you go - seriously?

Well, the illegal gambling in Thailand keeps many, many pockets nicely lined. The legal gambling crowd goes "overseas" to Cambodia and Laos. If you legalize the business, another hole of corruption is being blocked and the local industry would flourish as well as the state's coffers in Bangkok for the tax revenue they would accrue. Your call .........

Smokescreen again, wondering what happens behind the curtains 😉

Due to the subject itself I am not taking any bets on it - but rest assured that this story will disappear like all the other "inconveniences". The education minister should be reprimanded to instruct no school excursions anymore. Reason behind is, that his own brother was Transport Minister 2019-2023 and hence is the top banana to face the music. Next is the responsible desks in the Ministry of Transport for not blowing any whistles, the various branches of the Department of Land Transport issuing roadworthiness certificates to those coffins on wheels. Then take the bus owners and operators to the cleaners and don't forget those countless garages which did the conversions. Fill the jails to the rim, fine them until they scream of pain and use this money for educational purposes of what proper rules are and the compensation of medical bills etc. Revoke transportation licenses for those bus owners and operators for life, publish their names and photos and then only I might start believing all that manure which fills the dailies here with all those "governmental endeavours to the betterment of the conditions of its people" - including bus transportation.

If you cannot beat them then join them. Tourism is about planning and creating products befitting the needs of the visitors. Over the last 40 years I could see the sheer downslide of tourism. The actual numbers of visitors might have gone up but the average spending and average stay per visitor when down the halligally. Study how quality tourism is created; starting with the completely ridiculous visa laws, rules and fees - ongoing changes on that front. Carry on by abolishing ideas like "landing fees" and the likes. Get experts in with a proven track of record, irrespective of race, religion or nationality. Thailand's tourism industry is fç*%"*%d and will not be recovering with this avalanche of Chinese zero-$ bus (and soon train loads) while the Southasian cake of the business shares a small bottle of Chang beer with straws on the staircase of 7/11. Allow foreign guides to help with group tours; they know their people MUCH better than Somchai with his "same same but different" language skills. Ensure better press on transport; exploding busses or other vehicles without breaks, the "scene-fleeing drivers", the drunk Yodsaks steamrollering pedestrians on a zebra intersection ....... But yeah, the dirty farang should shut up and buy what the semi-divine find appropriate. Result is, that the dirty farang go elsewhere, where the product befits his needs, the price-value ration is balanced, where some English is spoken without dual pricing ....... the list is endless. As long as the tourism authority climaxes each and every week over yet another printed lie on figures, facts and revenues which must have been dreamed up in a big smoke of seriously good week; there is no other way to assume this craziness.

Have a look at Jakarta or Singapore; in place for decades ...........

Well, aren't we fussy? Your question is quite interesting and indicates, that you are no stranger to the bottle 😉

Depending on which Big C Extra there is a chance to blame the French; it was Carrefour which brought Big C into the 21st century - the building though was not constructed by French but by Somchai. Architecture and execution is a Thai-only trade (see Alien Business Law) 😉

Book him for attempted murder. Driving intoxicated is done voluntarily, fleeing the scene is very Thai. Name the culprit with pictures, impound the vehicle and auction it off for spare parts = revenue for some charitable causes. Work out the salary the hurt fellow would have earned as physiotherapist until he would be 60 years old, add 25% for inflation and blacklist him for a driving license for life. The laws are here but the implementation .......... a Porsche might call some always welcome brown manilla envelopes nicely stuffed with the papers of silver-gray colour ...........

He is getting ready for canvassing for the top job among the electorate, which is usually most neglected 😞

Cancel his visa and throw him out - simple as that. Good riddance!

It is again education. Why do the dirty farang usually go to a driving school, learn the theoretical part of rules, regulations and street signs while the practical part is done with 20 - 40 driving lessons by a professional driving instructor on a one-on-one basis Glad to hear that nobody got hurt; Somchai might get a proper renovation of the residence to the former splendour of his palace.

So the "men of the cloth" can get angry at the political arm of the village ........ Gives the risk of being "defrocked" a completely new aspect 8-)

"19-Year Manhunt"; I see all those officers hunting the culprit 24/7 for the last 19 years .......... Give the Somchais and the Yodsaks of the force a solid gold medal for their dedication, passion and resilience in executing their jobs - well done and congratulations are in order. Makes you wonder, what these goons are doing 24/7; quite obviously those who can see are along the highways to collect "tolls" while the rest of the flock is endlessly manhunting. If I would have been the press speaker for the police I would be very, very silent on this particular achievement 😉

"Serious defects", i.e. there are another few hundreds with "minor defects" as far as the CNG is concerned? Anyone interested in accruing failing brakes, steering wheel issues - apart from drunk/sleepy Somchais behind the wheels?