mania

The U.S. economy slowed last quarter as consumers curbed their spending

while state and local governments cut back

It always appears to me that the folks writing these articles are some how surprised at less spending.

It is as if the consumers or the local governments had a choice to spend less or not.

Do the real UE numbers mean nothing to these writers?

Does the continued lack of income/employment not suggest less consumer spending will continue to rise & is the new normal?

Does the lack of employment which begets foreclosures not suggest both less income & property taxes for the local governments?

What about that initial reference to "kidney"? Resolved?

? What is there to resolve?

AUA is just a small language school.

If it were a University of course dress codes would be stricter.

I have never seen bare shoulders at the Uni I attend. Then again they

require uniforms be worn

Whether or not you go bare shoulders to a small language school is probably up you.

I doubt anyone is going to turn you away. Ultimately it is up to you to decide if it

is proper for the situation.

I rarely post much in here for reasons that are obvious but with all the doom and gloom stories of late and the "Thai bashing" I thought a good news story might make a change, there is not a day that goes by in this wonderful country where I see, hear or feel love and respect for the Thai people sure they have some issues but we could say that about most places, Thai people are warm, wonderful, inquisitive and above all else POLITE, I feel honoured that I can now call Thailand my home away from home...

Very nicely stated

Here's text copied from the Thai Wikipedia disambiguation page, providing several meanings, with my translation (rusty though it is):

(Tai or Dtai, meaning peoples in the Tai or Dtai language groups, not indicating their ethnic identity.)

I agree

It does not indicate Thai People

Thai People use that spelling ไท only for the translated equivalent of Freedom

Could be why it was quoted as used in the political Party

Also interesting are these folks in Myanmar/ Burma

That Thai's call ไทใหญ่

http://www.bloggang....roup=15&gblog=4

ไท

ไท = Freedom

Did I get it right?

I have no idea

Mekong I was curious why your avatar says kidney

Were you looking for Thai the country or Thai the people?

In both cases it would be ไทย

Thank You for the replies

Hi,

I am about to go in for my 1st 1 year extension based on marriage.

Having read many posts here I believe I am clear on what to take.

I wanted to ask what specifically does a bank latter contain?

I use Ayudhya Bank & although they probably know what is needed

I thought I might find out myself just in case they did not know.

Is it just something on their letterhead stating my balance & amount of time seasoned?

Also I have read the letter must be recent. Is there a guidline for this requirement?

Is a week too early? Is it best to just get it the day before?

If it is the day before I thought it would be prudent to know what to ask for in the letter

just in case they are not familiar with the process.

Thank You

We have only spent a day in Chiang Rai but it was very nice.

Will have to try & get there & stay for a few days & have a better look around.

We live in Chiang Mai & like it but less hustle & bustle would be ok with us

in the long run now that we live here full time.

I would say PigeonJake & VF summed up my reasons exactly & in no particular order

1- To be able to communicate with my family here.

2- To be able to function in the country we have chosen to live in.

I do believe it is very different when you make the effort.

Both in how I am treated by Thai's & how I feel about or perceive my new home.

I think you need to just start

How fast is up to you really. Everyone is different.

If you think you can believe in that rapid method & learn *&* retain

13 consonants in 10 minutes well that would be great

Not realistic but great

Instead why not just start & apply yourself?

Try learn 11 consonants. When you get those down cold do 11 more & so on

Next learn the long vowels, short vowels, tone rules & marks & so on.

My suggestion is if you have the time & a few baht

go take a uni course. For myself a structured enviorment is always better.

But even if you go take a course if possible learn at least the consonats before you start as it will help you greatly.

Best earwax removal on youtube ever.

Anywhere to get this procedure, in Chiang Mai?

Amazing video & amazing how much wax was in that ear!

The technique looks like what Femi Fan was describing

where's the "ka" in ขอโทษ ?

ขอ = kor or kaw part of kor tort

Female would add another Kaa at the end

ขอโทษ ดะ

สลิด is a Lanna word hence the use in Chiang Mai

Full of them self or over the top would be accurate.

Just think of a lady talking like a flamboyant lady boy

over acting, overly animated in speech & gestures

Don't know which US city this is?

No more scared to be in Thailand than any where else. Some of the western countries are very scary today.

Is a WORK PERMIT required for iBanking? or not?

No work permit is required to open ibanking

I think we are very lucky to have ianguygil here answering questions.

I do not see any other reps from any other Thai bank doing teh same.

Thanks ianguygil !

If the original ID is numeric and you are expected to change to what you want I can see a security reason to not allow another change (by a third party gaining access and locking you out of your account while he drains it).

Exactly

http://jsmineset.com/2011/01/14/jims-mailbox-622/

Analyst Richard B reviews the bank closing by the FDIC, the overvaluation, and the huge loss guarantees given to those that take over the busted institution.

Dear CIGAs,

The FDIC ended 2010 by closing 11 more banks between November 12, 2010, and December 17, 2010. That brought to 157 the total number of banks closed during 2010.

To put this in perspective, a total of 323 banks have been closed since late 2007. Three were closed in 2007, 11 in 2008, 140 in 2009 and 157 in 2010.

Collectively, these last 11 banks closed in 2010 had declared assets of $2.56 billion and deposits of $2.26 billion. The FDIC’s estimated cost of closing all 11 banks was $580 million, about 26% of deposits. The FDIC’s estimated losses for all of 2010 totalled $22.2 billion.

Loss Share and More Loss Share

In 9 out of 11 cases, resolution of the failures was accomplished by way of the FDIC entering into loss share agreements covering a high percentage of the assets taken over by the successor banks. In connection with these 11 closings, the FDIC entered into new loss-share agreements covering an additional $1.72 billion in assets.

That brings the total face value of assets covered by FDIC loss share agreements up to about $190.74 billion as of the end of 2010. During 2010, the FDIC increased the total value of assets under loss share by at least $69 billion.

Failures Continue to Show Dramatic Overvaluations

These last 11 failures of 2010 continue to evidence the extent to which management of the failed banks exaggerated the value of the banks’ assets. Viewed as a whole, the 11 banks had declared asset values of $2.56 billion and deposits of $2.26 billion. The FDIC estimated the closings cost 580 million, meaning the banks’ assets were really only worth $1.68 billion. Overall, bank management overvalued assets by $880 million, around 52%.

In two cases, the degree of asset overvaluation was particularly heinous, even judging by recent standards. In both these examples, management overstated the value of the banks’ assets by more than 100%.

Paramount Bank of Farmington Hills, Michigan, had stated assets of $252.7 million and deposits of $213.6 million. The FDIC estimated its closing cost $90.2 million. Based on that estimate, the bank’s assets were really only worth $123.4 million, and had been overvalued by 105%.

United Americas Bank, National Association, of Atlanta, Georgia, had stated assets of $242.3 million and deposits of $193.8 million. The FDIC estimated its closing cost $75.8 million. Based on that estimate, the bank’s assets were really only worth $118 million, and had been overvalued by 105%.

None of the executives responsible for overstating the value of these assets are being criminally prosecuted. There was barely any mention of these outrageous failures in the popular media.

There could be no greater testament to the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”)’s having turned banks’ financial statements into running jokes. The FASB has freed bank executives to place outrageously high values on banks’ worst, least liquid assets, with impunity.

Banks Being Closed Still A Drop In The Bucket

Finally, in spite of the fact that the FDIC closed more banks in 2010 than in any other year of this crisis, it is clear its backlog of troubled banks is growing. In its third quarter report released late November 2010, the FDIC indicated the number of institutions on its “Problem List” grew to 860 from 829 in the prior quarter.

Each month, dozens of new banks come under the most serious Federal Reserve and FDIC enforcement orders, placing their solvency seriously in doubt. Meanwhile, less than a dozen of the terminally ill are put out of their misery.

This leads to examples like Gulf State Community Bank of Carrabelle, Florida, whose failure was announced on November 19, 2010. The declared value of its assets ($112.1 million) actually ended up being less than the amount of its deposits ($112.2 billion), even though those assets were overvalued by at least 62%. Gulf State’s failure cost the FDIC an estimated $42.7 million, 38% of deposits.

This failure to deal with the problem in a timely and effective manner is Management of Perspective Economics, plain and simple. The problem is not going away; it is getting worse. Believing otherwise could be extremely hazardous to your financial health.

Respectfully yours,

CIGA Richard B

Would it be better to wait till Central banks are obviously buyers or get in before the crowds?

In regards to paper versus physical, the choice is there for all to make.

if their policy hasn't changed in the last few weeks u might soon receive a note to show them your work permit<br />to continue with iBanking.

Opened one years ago with a type O visa

Never had a problem since nor a request for a work permit

As to the difficulty to change user ID online...I see it as a benefit.

I would not want a compromised account easily changed...just in case.

A good site to watch is http://harveyorgan.blogspot.com/ Just out of interest

It shows what leaves the COMEX daily. Lately it has been quite impressive