Bluetongue

Further to all of that, I’ve nearly completed them all, mostly figuring it out myself hopefully. The supposed on line resources aren’t really any good, the virtual assistant can’t answer even a basic question. Also they refuse to provide any email address to answer questions. The last resort given is to phone them. I’ll give another report on success or failure. 

Well as one respondent suggested I got in touch by email with VFS with a few queries. They responded within an hour or two, nothing to do with them they provide the biometric collection that’s it. 
 

so far I’ve been at it 3 half days, I’ve found a catch 22 and a few instances where the phone is an unsuitable device but eventually got one nearly finished. Looks like I’ll be uploading documents for a day at the end of it. Ie the same documents as the other applicants in some cases, typical red tape, I’m quite convinced it’s been made as difficult as possible to push you towards agents or lawyers. Probably corruption at this end.

Just now, Bluetongue said:

Yeh tourist stream, Will I’m partially through it online but I made it a group and I used my email, not condemned yet as I haven’t submitted anything, are you suggesting using one of their emails and devices?

It’s to attend a wedding to which they’ve been invited and then have a few days holiday

3 hours ago, Will27 said:

TBH, I wouldn't worry about the form.

 

You could pretty much do the most of it for them online.

Are they applying for tourist stream or family sponsored stream?

Yeh tourist stream, Will I’m partially through it online but I made it a group and I used my email, not condemned yet as I haven’t submitted anything, are you suggesting using one of their emails and devices?

8 hours ago, Will27 said:

If that's your only question, it's OK for you to provide information.

 

I would pretty much do it all for them.

The S/C 600 isn't that hard if you're OK with paper-work.

Well apparently I have to submit a form to advise Immi of my “exempt” person status. I would rather be doing this on a desktop with a mouse to be honest, lots of little pitfalls, very frustrating. Ald”so they’re all typical Thais they have various different schemes and businesses going on and no intention whatever of remaining in Australia but none of it is really provable. It was easier when I had the boy at school and just got an official letter from them.

Ok I’m trying to get tourist visas for 4 Thais. My stepson, his legally married wife, their child of 20months, and the wife’s older sister. The older sister was quoted 15k for an agent. The stepson has been once before. 

Going through the Australian immi gov online process it seems to be pretty clunky and generally difficult to do on a phone but I digress. 

Does anyone who has gone through this know, am I an exempt person as far as providing assistance to them? It says close relative which I guess covers the stepson and family but not sure. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve done it
 

18 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

No. I'm not sure of the figure of 'bona-fide' Hi-So Thais (whatever bona-fide would be). It's a guess by me, but good idea, maybe AI would have a better guess.

 

By wealth - some of the aristocracy "Na-this, N-that" surnames) are not wealthy, because the name comes from history and historic wealth, and in some cases, that wealth has already been tapped out or frittered away by former uncles, aunts, whatever. So you can't necessarily tell by a 'sakinda' name. Still, many are well-educated even if not wealthy, and have a decent home, and the family name still opens doors - and they know 'extinctively' who they will and won't vote for. The pee-noi system though extends through society and in the upper wealth category the extended families can be quite big, and the patron dishes out the cash via the old Chinese guangxi-type of distribution - or other ways if not Thai-Chinese but still very wealthy. So ultimately it's probably a lot larger than 500 - a guess at the number of ultimate family heads - bigger number is probably in the low thousands - but in a country of 70 million, with the majority earning minimum wage USD 10 daily, or even twice minimun wage, it's still working poverty in comparison to the well-connected, many of the latter scared of the majority with a vote.

I’ve always that some or a lot of these people operate in the old style grey or even black economy which helps to explain some of the other economic conundrums here like the strength of the baht. Anyway thanks for answering politely.😀

On 6/23/2025 at 1:37 PM, ronnie50 said:

I think that's about right. If the ethnic Chinese oligarchs in Thailand wanted rid of Thaksin he'd be long gone. So he's still useful to them. The layer beneath them, the rest of the Establishment, still despise Thaksin and we can see that, like you infer, in the rulings of various courts, commissions, authorities, etc., that are all rubber stamps of the Establishment. Where I would slighly differ, however, is my view that Thaksin and daughter (and PTP in general) remain in power because most of that Establishment are petrified of the progressive movement that they can't get rid of (People's Party, Move Forward, etc.). The next election could see that movement (whatever party they call thesmselves) sweep to a majority. That would seriously disrupt the tiny minority (500 or so extended families) from maintaining their wealth and priviledges. 

Not arguing with your quite valid point. Just interested where you got this 500 or so figure from. For instance there is a handful of super wealthy families known by name and there must be quite a few more. Is it an AI figure, solid research or plucked out of the air?

In Soi Dao much further south, people near the border have been told the military is coming to evacuate the elderly and the children on Tuesday. Males under 46 have to stay. I reckon this government is weak and yes, lot of posturing and egos, are we being set up for martial law in these areas or ?

2 of my wider family members have been conscripts, and while they weren’t Grab riders they were used in more senior personnel’s private businesses 

3 minutes ago, Kwausie said:

Im thinking he must have money to be able to buy his way out of previous trouble.

Yes reckon he’s paid off more than once probably 

Well Chidchob the owner of the track was seemingly quite convinced that the Government had rejected the proposed 5 year extension of the contract (normal length) based on the political affiliation with Bhumijai party. Now it appears they are laying the groundwork for rejection on the basis of the fee being non negotiable which it will be. Why would Dorna and Liberty Media lower the fee for such a phenomenally successful event, crowd something like 200k plus 10 or 20. Personally I think they should hang on to it for dear life because they’re a long way from an F1 deal.

That’s wild country in back of Khao Kitchakut and Khao Soi Dao. And durian they must be able to smell it for miles. Condolences to the old lady.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Reentry Permit in old passport is no issue.

Just travel with both passports.

Any reentry permit in old pp remains valid.

 

I renewed my Oz pp not long ago from here in Thailand.

A dream.

Firstly the entire application can be done online + via mail.

 

You maintain your existing pp. That is not forwarded with application.

 

From day application posted to Oz embassy Bangkok to delivery of new pp via mail to my Bangkok condo = 20 days.  

 

Here is link to Oz embassy Bangkok pp renewal 

Australian Passports https://search.app/rWGioKRWVzn9QhWR9

Thanks Dr Jack the last time I renewed in Bangkok I had to traipse down there twice it’s a10 hour return journey for me, so now it’s only the extra 200 dollars or so. I remember they were quite finicky about the photo, I had to go to a shop that knew the requirements 

I’ve got a retirement extension expiring mid January 26, and a passport expiring early June 26. I don’t want to change my extension date to June and have to go through the process twice. So I will have to front up in January with a new passport.
 

I’m travelling to Australia for 6 weeks end March and two months in October. I’d prefer to get the new passport there, cheaper and far less hassle, but I guess that’s not an option as my reentry permit would be in the old passport?
Sorry to the OP for divebombing the thread

3 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

A scammer can't get lucky "brute forcing" a 16 digit card number, plus its expiry, plus its CVV, for the same person, in such a short space of time. 

 

Are you using this card in restaurants, hotels etc?  Are you handing it to people?  Who else has access to it?

 

This is why a suggested that when you "hit" on that link, you maybe have downloaded some spyware.     

I didn’t hit on a link. As mentioned in the OP I barely used this card, 3 transactions in the last year all via Pay Pal. So I also have some doubt about them. I don’t carry the card around so I don’t think it’s been skimmed. The bank staff expressed the view that the scammer might have used a random card number generator. But I was suspect about that because of the baht connection; I basically live here most of the time

3 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

A scammer can't get lucky "brute forcing" a 16 digit card number, plus its expiry, plus its CVV, for the same person, in such a short space of time. 

 

Are you using this card in restaurants, hotels etc?  Are you handing it to people?  Who else has access to it?

 

This is why a suggested that when you "hit" on that link, you maybe have downloaded some spyware.     

I didn’t hit on a link. As mentioned in the OP I barely used this card, 3 transactions in the last year all via Pay Pal. So I also have some doubt about them. I don’t carry the card around so I don’t think it’s been skimmed. The bank staff expressed the view that the scammer might have used a random card number generator. But I was suspect about that because of the baht connection; I basically live here most of the time

21 hours ago, Highball said:

Cards convenient until they are a headache.

 

Use my method for never having bank, card problems..use cash.

 

Wife buys what meager goods I need online.

 

Life is simple here. Enjoy it.

 

CASH

I do use cash primarily, however the wife is less teckernogical than me. I have to do her online shopping but we get COD. However I have some other interests that require the use of a credit card, business expenses and the like

22 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Firstly, don't ever "hit" on anything unsolicited.  In this case, you should have closed out and opened the app. 

 

Try uninstalling and reinstalling the app.  Perhaps it's not your account that has been compromised, but your phone and / or phone number.

It’s not the phone number as I have 2 of those. It’s definitely that one card. My only theory is the scammer had some second scheme in train but the changing of the credit card number meant they couldn’t carry through with it. I also have web access via a completely different process so it’s not the app although I will follow your advice when I change back to the Aussie number soon. I mean it’s not really a hassle having a credit on the account more of a nuisance not knowing why.

There seems to be a lot of people living here with low tolerance. I’ve experienced all that stuff and I couldn’t gaf

I’ll try to be concise. About 6 weeks ago I was notified by bank via an in app message that a transaction had been attempted for about 33k Aud. Was it me Y/N. Ok I hit N and opened the app and that transaction had been declined, over the limit, however there were 2 others for about 1500 each sitting there as pending. All 3 were denominated in THB. The details were scant FB/Meta Adv then a series of numbers and letters.

Naturally I disputed and 3 days later the transactions had been processed and then reversed and a new card had been issued. I should say I barely use this card only for things that my main card can’t do. 
 

4 days later a new transaction in THB appeared with the same coding but for a $600 plus credit. It’s been sitting there as a completed transaction now for 5 weeks. The bank wasn’t really interested. So what is the scam?

Yes I extended yesterday at a different office. She had a problem with the statement not being up to the current day, then I showed her the passbook with the 100bht deposit. She conferred with colleagues and it was deemed OK

The Doctor I see here usually for flu like symptoms, for many years dispensed me a different brand of Brown Mixture amongst the other meds. I found it very effective and I thought quite strong opium wise. Last time he did not give it to me. Btw I had only been a few times over the years

I wrote other, swimming pool and accessories, tea bags, cables, rice sacks, phone charger mat, no clothes or shoes, manicure kit, specialty rice