zzaa09

No......the government and market mafias will determine most everything. Much as it is most everywhere.

Wishing we could convince the terribly obsessed and dumbed down of these things.....

Not a strong Dollar whatsoever, but a highly manipulated on false pretense - could easily be said of the Baht as well.

Always these pretend types in the crowd.

As might natural genetics.

It's all about the comparative/superlative competition, as are all manipulated and trivial rankings, surveys, polls and listings - most of which have little to do with anything........except for offering us distractions that most take in with relevance and gusto.

Same scallywags under a disguised party label.

I Con U might be more appropriate.

Or....don't wish to live every aspect of one's existence by way of everything electronic/digital/automated/IT. I'll pass. Whatever happen to real and personal interaction?

Dirty and uncouth Farang.

Too many layers of policing.

When did this post-pandemic era and classification officially come about? Did I [et al] miss something along the way.....?

Actually, a deep systematic oligarchical/authoritarian rule defines what the U.S. is truly about - socially, politically, economically or whatever.........romantically waxed as all those lovely and deluded things [frredom/independence/self-sufficiency/exceptionalism] that really don't exist within that particular culture.

Some of us very old hands remember the good old days when none of this nonsense mattered, as there were no such O visa [long term/resident] varieties that had evolved as of yet, along with the headaches/overblown financial scams/general bureaucracy that are associated. The cycling 3 months + extension - step outta the country and back for two hours with refreshed visa in hand. Resident foreigners were doing this for decades with little or no complications or BS. Shhhh.....don't tell anyone, but there are ways to get around all this imaginary and forced upon O/B/Ed visa and still retain a so called resident status. A bit of a challenge these days, but still can be managed without problems.

Yep. To this day, most are easily fooled and sidetracked.

Great opportunity for push bike rental entrepreneurs. Park your nasty petrol guzzling carbon polluting vehicles way way way over there. Peddle [or hike] through the park. Enjoy.

Any locale is in question. This type will be miserable anywhere.....by their very nature.

A concentrated lemongrass solution, applied topically, has been known to work quite effectively.

Yes, the most logical. And has been bantered around for some time now. Refiguring U-Tapao might be in the works as a viable commercial outlet.

Proposal? Suggested? Choice? How does this translated in Thai parochial authoritarian speak?

Indeed. As all such emergency decrees have been directed. It's all about protection of particular entities, suppressing any countering factors and keeping the continuous flow of rebel rousers in check.........as it's been for a few generations. COVID is not even used as a conduit for the usual measures, returning to the good old fashioned authoritarian state -

Might be chancy or it might be beneficial. The theoretical ideals behind floating a currency exchange rate is determined by the manipulated health and fluctuation of the global economy.......which is largely based on fantasy and false value - especially as such applies to particular economies/cultures. Why not make up one's own rate......as most have been doing anyway for generations. The whole process is quite silly and delusion filled. There isn't any real wealth anywhere and largely based on nothing. A noted factor that is looming for real and is considered - an increasing trend among much of the influential trading/economic block to remove itself from relying on the U.S. dollar as an inclusive measuring stick. This reality is upon us currently and will forever change the manner in which we view wealth and value.......most certainly the silly illusion of comparative currency exchange rating.

They. As in: others like them.

By 2030, will be in our 300th extension of the emergency decree. ....and they will still be in control.