lounger

If they were to seize the money, who would benefit? The Thai people? I don't think so!! You would see all the entire 'elite' fight for their share.

If they gave 5,000 baht to every person claiming old age allowance (500pm) that would use it all up. The mob would go home to raid granny and the world would thank the government for being generous with Thaksin's money. Thaksin would vanish as I guess his friends are only in it for the money....

Am I the only one waiting for the baht to take a whacking great hit against the pound so I can transfer some money at more than 50 bhat to the pound.

Pound and Euro have been tanking since late last year. Lets hope a little "hiccup" is in the wind!

I thought Public reaction would anticipate the judgement and I could exchange money at a better rate. Nothing, if not worse. Now they say reaction will be Saturday onwards. I am holding my breath for the exchange rate to plummet but commentaries are that there will be minimal disorder ( does that mean they give the money back?).....still waiting am down to my last 10,000 baht.......

The issue is should the Supreme Court take all of his money?

My view is no. When Thaksin was first elected in 2001, by a landslide margin, it was widely believed that because he was already rich he wouldn't need to rip off the country. Therefore, it is hard to understand how all of his assets are now subject to seizure when only a part where obtained after he was PM. Did he abuse his position as PM? Yeh, of course he did, so seize this portion, but not all that he had before he entered politics.

Is this the issue? All the time I have been following this debacle the issue has not really been defined. There seems to be a tendancy to generalise as to whether assets should be siezed on the timing of the wealth or whether Thaksin should be called to account for other non specified activities.

My fear is that the courts brief is too narrow. The case should have been broadened to 'Thaksin should be fined for illegal political and social disruption'.

The court would have no problem building a case and the mounting cost of keeping the peace and refunding the treasury for lost commercial opportunity would easily come to 76b baht

It is two months for first time application - it is three months after that.

Are you saying people on long term retirement extensions have been told that? By what office? Thanks.

My colleague is 69 years old recently married to a Thai, has in excess of 800,000 in the bank. It used to be in joint names but has recently changed to single name. He has Non Imm O and has been extending it for years. He heard that 2months cash in the bank was ok and went to Ayuddaya Imm to check it out. He was told by the guy with a tash that he needs the cash in for only 2 months.

Could this be a concession? eg for expats switching from joint a/c to single ownership?

(1) The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM);

(2) The applicant is 50 years of age or over;

(3) Proof of income of not less than Baht 65,000 per month; or

(4) Account deposit with a bank in Thailand of not less than

800,000 Baht as shown in the bank account for the past 3 months at the filing date of the application. For the first year, the applicant should have that amount in his bank account for not less than 60 days or

(5) Annual income plus bank account deposit totaling not less

than Baht 800,000 as of the filing date of application

I know Two seperate occassions expats on retirement extension visas have been told the 3month rule is reduced to 2 months...

Or it was just a honest mistake

A grenade/bomb at 11pm on a saturday night in a university sounds more like a deliberate attempt to create alarm while making sure no one is hurt........... So who fired it?

Then disarming a bomb? Good PR without damaging any property.........

Well I think we know what it is (sexual attraction towards prepubescents). Of course the man should be prosecuted if found guilty. One trouble with such a hot button topic like this is that people have a really hard time discussing it rationally. It tends to bring out the lynch mob. It is possible to be in favor of prosecuting criminals and ALSO opposed to a lynch mob mentality.

The lynch mob seems to happily adopt the age 18 as a cut off point of childhood. This is absurd. There appear to be many very young adults who are not pressured into living off the sex industry but do so by choice. Linking these very young adults with prepubescent children seems to somehow provide excuses for the adults in these markets.

Its time a sensible view was taken on this.

I guess the "love hotels" are amongst the cleanest because they change the bedsheets every four hours

mmm maybe the sheets are changed but the bathrooms can be a joke. Its as if they know you are not staying for the facilities......but I have had a really dirty time in a few!

Hoorah, another crackdown...

Valentines day is coming up The police need funds for their giks... A decent sub from the owner who was behind on his payments and a whip round from the sex tourists who dont want to be deported.

On the other hand Its an exercise to see if Taxin could have amassed 76billion as a policeman before he went into politics

Be on the lookout for nervy sweaty people on planes kissing their a-ses goodbye. They have their reasons for such odd behavior!

Don't worry, big brother's got it covered...

New airport screening 'could read minds'

US security officials could soon be screening potential terror suspects with a new type of technology capable of detecting "hostile intent"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...read-minds.html

How about lie detectors

as you go through the scanner an official asks if you are carrying a bomb....or anything illegal. If it goes wild then look at the scanner more closely ..

Good name for a university. I suppose the assumption was that the poll would favour the government and this was achieved by assumption screening....

Having an operational cable does not equal a faster operation in Thailand. There are probably numerous commissions of people who want to look like they are important who have to deal with the subject first, than maybe, they may start giving the consumers a bit more bandwidth. So do not get to exited. It will take a long long time before we actually see an improved internet speed.

Am getting net consistent bwidth of 4.3 Mbps on a monthly pyt of 350Bt ! ChiangMai Rocks! )

Rgdz from Brewsta

Huh! in Singburi its under 400 download and upload according to ThaiVisa Test, but 1.4mb per ADSLTHailand, for 500baht per month ( sometimes its so slow redings cannot be taken). Prioritising!

I would recommend meeting the Thai girls. Their eyes are hide nothing but sadly photos are not so honest..

and its easy. You tell someone local that you are available and job sorted.

Every time I have a friend visiting the girls/women are lining up and making plans. Do you want a resort proprietor, a pharmacist, a fried chicken sellor..... ( I am talking rural Thailand; in the resorts its rather more predictable; short time and about money). Come and visit rural thailand...........as I said job sorted!

Wow. I wonder where those weapons were headed for?

MAYBE CIA BLACK OPS UDON THANI ...

I like this idea the yank army equiped with Russian, built in Ukraine, kit

or

more likely CIA blaming insurrections on the Ruskies

What was that great movie where the yanks blow something up using UK SAS using Rusky ammo and giving credit to the Israelies....

this time its re written:

Ruski ammo, N.Korean blame, G Triangle rebels, rich Thai airport baggage handlers..........

If you fail to "check-in" to family and friends back home via a weekely email / phone call etc, ..............................

You what? weekly emails .........

Are you sure you are allowed out alone? have you got your insurance and repatriation of remains registered?

Gimme a break...

I assume that most British citizens move to Thailand because they do not want to get tracked by their government.

Aye, then after you register the taxman comes knocking!

I'll do them a deal...I won't bother them if they won't bother me.....

Help the UK government balance its books. Haha. Now they are scratching around trying to save index linked pension arrangements..... and save NHS medical fees etc..... Sign up and you'll find a government department is sending you letters.

on another incidence did you see a woman claiming benefits was traced through twitter. THEY are using every trick in the book.......

]Since he has already basically got a pardon on the cambodian side, Interpol cannot touch him in cambodia.

.

Ummm I suspect that Cambodia has NO ability to forgive or pardon breaches of other countries laws. In fact, I will bet my lunch money on it.

Wonderful Ummm. You must be English. I was tempted to reply but my language would have been more choice.

I do Visa transfers at the counter of a Thai bank ( Specifically Bangkok Bank)

Forgot to mention that there is no charge in Thai Banks ( specifically Bangkok Bank) for Visa card transfers at the counter (drawing cash on/off a visa card).

The US charges are something you DYOR.

I dont know why you specify an HSBC account. You dont get any special treatment or ease of use because of holding an account in US . Having said that HSBC is a good bank and I would use them if I needed this type of account which I dont. ( Inernational bank based in Bangkok)

I do Visa transfers at the counter of a Thai bank ( Specifically Bangkok Bank) and switch part to a second Bank. This gives me two Banks in Thailand, two current accounts, 2 ATM cards and 2+ term deposit accounts. Why? Because International accounts charge 150 baht at the ATM and Thai accounts charge 20Baht if using an ATM away from the branch where it is opened. Of course all ATMs, passbooks, counter service are available to you but using a remote branch costs......

I am a little worried about swine flu. Yes I know so far it has been very mild in most of the world but this virus is very like the last pandemic virus which killed millions. .

Chris

If your talking about the 1918 pandemic then worry not. The people who died had the flu yes but the cause of death was the combination of flu and the then fatal strep. The latter is now cured with antibiotics

RETURN OF SAXENA

No political interference in Saxena case : PM

By The Nation

Abhisit said the prosecution of the Indian-born financier Rakesh Saxena would be based on the rule of law, freed from political meddling.

Does he mean

freed by political meddling or

free of political meddling

Announcement Immigration1 Division move to new office

Immigration 1 Division (Bangkok Immigration Division)

and a new office is opening in Lopburi...at the provincial police station on the big roundabout west of BigC..........better leave it a month as the building isnt kitted out yet

so how does one stay if he cant qualify for some visa's, like 200,000 baht or whatever it may take? i am moving to the philippines but rather live in Thailand. i dont want to travel every 30 days.

Good ol' immig. They dont want people crossing borders so the obvious solution to many people will be to arrive and then vanish under the radar.........

It just happened I was leaving the country on my 91st day.NO Problem

There is a seven day window. Therefore reporting the 90 day at 97 days is ok. However this is only relevant if you intend revisiting the local immigration for a further address notification after a further 90 days or getting a visa extension.

Anyone leaving Thailand can escape detection of failing to comply with the 90 day address notification rule as airports etc do not cross reference the address notification.

Fact, tried and tested.

The 90 days starts again on re entering the kingdom. It does NOT start again on obtaining a visa extension.

"Am I for real...."........I most certainly am IvanDobsky......

But don't get me wrong. I was not challenging you in any way. My point was simply that Farangs dont need to get their "shirt in a knot" over Thai politics.

Disengagement is easy I think Ivan.........all my Farang friends are disengaged. They are not the least bit bothered.

I not think you hate Thaksin...I agree, you never said you did. I was actually referring to all farangs. I see my last paragraph, and yeah..it looks like it is directed at you, which was not my intention at all. I was trying to make a point to other Farang readers here, to get away from all the Thaksin hater stuff you see on this board, and focus the way I stated it.

I have a huge circle of friends and students, and have not experienced your afflictions even though they are involved to some degree. Although I admit, the airport thing was the exception. That affected many Farangs.

I still contend that Farangs can remain aloof in the main, to Thai Politics if they choose.

I am glad we agree on this simplistic color affinity stuff when discussing Thai politics. I am strongly in favor of the pro-democracy agenda and have a belief that the anti-democracy movement is served by this simplistic reference to the two sides. They dont want it to become apparent that there is a struggle going on for democracy in Thailand...This color-affinity focus helps them to do that.........IMHO.

I really cant understand you guys with your nice and clean arguments about democracy. I wonder which party you consider is the democracy supporting one: the anti progressive unyielding ruling party or the yobs with no jobs..........