jayboy

17 hours ago, Foxx said:

7/11 is owned by CP ALL.  CP ALL is owned by the Chearavanont family.  No connection with the current senate or the military, AFAIK.

So much to unpack here.Won't comment on this particularl family but the small group of business oligarchs are entirely part of the structure opposed to any change to Thailand's sham democracy.

29 minutes ago, Pib said:

especially when you have a Thai spouse.

Irrelevant.Makes no difference to the (not very high) standard of Thai language required.

29 minutes ago, Pib said:

I did some serious googling on the PR requirements I came across several very creditable websites that gave good details

No you didn't because there are no "very creditable websites" giving details of PR.Most are appalling and are littered with errors including the one you quote which wrongly suggests a work permit comes with PR.The only source that can really be recommended is Asean Now/formerly Thai Visa (this forum) which gives all the information the applicant needs to know.It's a a lot to wade through but all the information is here.

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

But PR status is achieved on a points system and being married to a Thai spouse 'gives you points' and the language requirement is no longer 'mandatory' - an applicant can accrue points through other means.

There is a points system but I have been assured by an unimpeachable source that exceptions are made from time to time if a candidate flops in one or more categories including the Thai language test.In truth they couldn't care less for example whether a candidate is married or not or whether he has a patchy educational background.What does matter in these iffy cases is the amount of tax tax paid.If a well connected/ non crook farang has paid buckets of tax over the prescribed period, he will get PR - even if not generating enough points in other areas.

On 7/11/2023 at 11:05 AM, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

In my 33 years of experience, those are the nicest Thai people that there are.

They really aren't.

2 hours ago, NZAMBOY said:

a Thai bank that has a decent rate for term deposits

Dream on

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

Obviously, it would have been better if she knew the rules. However, kudos to her for changing her decision (which involved some loss of face). That is quite unusual in a Thai official.

Yes, I had the same thought - a different and less hidebound generation one hopes and less obsessed with face.

Recently on arrival (I have Thai PR) a youngish female Immigration official - steering the hordes to their queues - insisted I join the foreign queue despite having seen my white book and stating it's the nationality of passport that counts.I shrugged and complied but mentioned to her that the rules have apparently changed.She was adamant but to my surprise appeared a few minutes later and told me to come with her to the priority queue.I'm guessing my remark that the rules had changed had unsettled her and she had then consulted her boss.I should say the complete encounter was business like in tone and without a hint of hostility on her side or my side.

3 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

the source might have to do with it as well

Exactly

On 6/11/2023 at 8:59 AM, quake said:

Put them in the filing system,  same as the locals do.

why should anyone do any different from the locals.

until they enforce payment.

TIT.

 

Also my experience.I pay mine but Thais usually ignore them and there seems to be no follow up.

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Being a world renown personality, a multimillionaire and heavyweight champion of the world is sad at so many levels ???

 

"OR... were you referring to your own achievements ??? " - Come off it - we're not 12 year olds

The only non sad aspect is Tyson Fury himself who is obviously brilliant at his profession. Everything else is desperately second rate.

Sad at so many levels.

3 hours ago, jayboy said:

Wrong. My bank (Krungsri) took my picture using the camera on the counter desk.My passport was used as ID and a manager was called over to verify the passport photo against my mug.They weren't interested in my pink card.

As another post correctly reminds, I forgot to mention you also need to take your bank pass book.

6 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

Foreigners are not included.  The reason being when the banks are taking the pic of the customer their Thai ID card is scanned before the pic is taken and then linked to the ID card.. As foreigners do not have Thai ID cards with a data chip in it, it is not possible for us to have our pic taken for this new process.

Wrong. My bank (Krungsri) took my picture using the camera on the counter desk.My passport was used as ID and a manager was called over to verify the passport photo against my mug.They weren't interested in my pink card.

On 5/30/2023 at 9:11 PM, Jingthing said:

Haters gonna hate.

 

Not really.I have long been a supporter of gay rights, very much influenced by gay friends from university days and before.I certainly have no objection to Gay Pride celebrations.

But I remain puzzled by the phenomenon, particularly in relatively liberated Thailand, where discrimination is very limited.Same applies to UK and other Western countries.What exactly is the point? Why do British Embassies feel the need to give Gay Pride so much attention (not so much one imagines in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries) - at the expense I think of other pressing issues? The British Embassy in Bangkok virtue signals on LGBT matters to the point of absurdity - talk about preaching to the converted (to be fair not so much in the last couple of years) but how about showing some real courage in for example condemning the True censorship of BBC News broadcasts? Why do people have to be defined by sexuality anyway? I'm sure I will be misunderstood - but on my part there's no hate, in fact I'm generally supportive.But the puzzlement remains at the complete absence of a sense of proportion.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Does it matter ???...  not at all...  when a person is a decent human, that is the only thing that matters.

Being a decent human being is obviously a good thing. Social class has however nothing to do with virtue.In any case these days old fashioned ideas of social class are collapsing in favor of measuring class by wealth and income.But I think in behavioral terms we can usually recognize low class when we come across it. Just look at Pattaya, the people who visit, the people who live there and (most of all) the people who promote it - Buzzin Pattaya and the like.

5 minutes ago, GarryP said:

since when have accents dictated class?

In the UK at least, the upper and upper middle class normally speak with a received English accent though diluted in the younger generation by an estuary accent sometimes.

Occasionally a Scottish gentleman will speak with the accent of his country, or at least a burr.

I admit that this association between accent and social class is breaking down rapidly but however defined nobody with class would spend time in Pattaya.

Incidentally accents have never dictated class, just one of several indicators.

3 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

And, Noam is still sharp as a tack.

No he isn't.He has a distinguished record in the past as linguistics philosopher but even then his record on international relations was mixed.He is sadly now little more than a dribbling old fool, slave to kooky conspiracy theories and Putin worship.

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

The overwhelming win by a novice youthful party really lay rest the notion that voting buying can influence election. The money bag traditional parties will continue to pay cash and kind to voters but will not gurantee loyalty at the ballot boxes. The record turn-out of voters also put to bed any prattle that Thais are lazy to vote. Thais are not uneducated nor ill informed of political issues to come out to vote for the party that they want to lead the country. They care about their economic and social well being and vote to get a better life. This election is a game changer for so many reasons and should dispell much of the parochial thoughts of Thais. The demographic has changed. 

Absolutely right.In fact it has been impossible to rig elections in Thailand for several decades.Vote buying exists but it does not play a decisive role.

On 5/23/2023 at 8:35 PM, kamma said:

You have an annual pension of 80K+ USD?!

 

Man you can live comfortably anywhere in the world? You must really like Thailand?

Most reasonably successful professionals in retirement have pension income well over $ 80,000. I was surprised the Thai Government set the "wealthy pensioner" bar so low.