trainman34014

I see it like this.  I have been on this Earth just short of 78 years and have experienced just about all the ups and downs of life and death (apart from my own).   In that time i've heard, read and viewed accounts of Ghosts from many different sources incuding my own Mother and Father, who both had their own 'Ghost Stories'.   However; i've yet to have an encounter with one and until i do i will continue to be a non-believer !

On 9/5/2023 at 11:11 AM, Shop mak said:

Thais get this with their breast milk, and the next 15 years, older family members will warn young children about what horrible things will happen to them, if they don't listen to their older family members ...

 

All about control.

 

Such a shame when they don't even teach them anything useful !

I live in a predominently 'Red Shirt' area and every Thai person i speak to has said they will never vote for Pheu Thai ever again and there is now seems to be a desire to wipe them out at any future Election.   How that would affect the overall Red Shirt situation i'm not sure but Pehu Thai have certainly shot themselves in both feet !

He's doing a 'Ronnie Biggs'; the British Great Train Robber who escaped from prison and ran off to Brazil, spent all his money and then returned to Britain for free Medical Treatment before finally expiring not all that long after !

The whole thing is rigged; the Stage has been set and the Farce has begun, now we just see how it plays out !

Ah yes; he wants to return to breath the same polluted air as his Brothers and Sisters !    Lol.

12 hours ago, GregTN said:

I would always get a new KR 22 each year but this year at Chiang Mai I was told that it was no longer required to have a new one each year.  When I asked at what time a new one was required  I never really received a tangibly answer.  I will probably still get a new one each year just in case they change their minds.

We've been using the same one for 16 years and never been asked for anything else.  Can't understand what this thread is all about ?

PT are shooting themselves in both feet and whenever the next Election comes around they will be ignored by most ordinary Thais !

Keep an eye out for the ones arriving by Dinghy; they start with a trickle and later it becomes an Invasion !

20 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Means testing of Thais is going to be difficult. Many don't trust banks, and have their savings in gold.

Under the bed, under the floorboards, inside walls, cash , gold, i've seen it all here but the most wealthy keep thier dosh offshore and 'invisible', often invested in property abroad.

49 minutes ago, khunPer said:

It's fair enough that those, who have fund to take care of themselves, do so. However, the difficulty in Thailand lies in that only around six percent of the population is registered for income tax – and only about four percent pays income tax, according to news articles – so, registering who is actually in need, is difficult for the remaining 94-96% of the population. This does of course not mean that 96% of the Thai population is poor, it rather indicates that there is a huge level of Informal economy, neither taxed, nor monitored by the government.

 

In other countries like the Scandinavian – don't forget that Pita would like to change the system towards these and New Zealand – there is an extremely detailed registration of the citizens economy and government retirement pension is reduced depending of each individual's status. Those with high income pays extra high taxes and gets less in return. Thailand's step increasing income tax-scale is actually even more hard on the rich than the Scandinavia countries, when looking at the difference from lower tax rates to the wealthy people's tax rate – but not to forget that Scandinavians in total pays much more tax, also those with (very) small income.

 

600-700 baht up to 1,000 baht is very little support to those elders in real need when looking at buying power – it's 20-30 baht per day – if comparing to a Scandinavian retirement support from a government it should be in a level up to perhaps between 6,000 and 10,000 baht per month, when considering buying power and difference in general living costs. But paying a rate that equals the Scandinavians would be very costly. It there was no government retirement pension, then a Danish citizen with average income should save up between 20- 25% of the income up to retirement age, to cover for the missing government pension. For a low income – around the level where you would be considered poor in Denmark – 28% to 41% of the income during the year up to retirement age, should be set aside to cover for none government pension. Less percentage – much less – if you are in the higher og very high income level.

 

Would Thais in general be prepared to pay 20-25% income tax for an acceptable, but still modest governmental retirement pension?

 

The average Danish income tax percentage is from 38% – plus additional 8 percent when it's income from work – and up to 52%.

 

Danish government's various income support, which however is mainly retirement pension, equals 14.7% of GNP.

 

It's important to have in mind that the more subsidies the people wish from a government, the higher taxes shall be paid. In Denmark – and yes, we are still number one in the World on the income tax chart – we pay in average around 40-50% income tax, 25% v.a.t. and high gift-taxes on lots of other stuff, like paying for up to three cars when buying one. We ought to get a lot in return, but the higher taxes we pay, we get relative less and less in return – while government administration grows to register and control all financial movements of the population; the Taxman even have access to one's bank account – and today many Danes complains about bad health system, too little pension (compared to buying power) and the number of people that feels they are poor, is growing.

 

It's a quite difficult balance to find – I'm not sure that Pita's and MFP's idea of copying the Scandinavian system is the right way – so, first of all you need to invent a system in Thailand to find out, who really are in need, and an economical registration and control level that the population can accept.

Comparing Scandinavia to Thailand is not exactly Apples for Apples is it .     Pita is an Educated Man but also a very naive one or he wouldn't have entered the Political fray knowing full well that he had to be absolutely 'clean' and free of anything his Enemies might be able to use against him to stop him leading a Government   Being Educated doesn't always mean being Smart and Street Wise !

7 hours ago, soalbundy said:

He would have to be insane to do that, no normal person could kill a small child.

Sadly a lot of Thai Males cannot be described as 'Normal' in the way we tend to think !

Following the National Practice of shooting itself in the foot !

Do you Love Me.... or is that a Canoe in your pocket ?

The only thing of economic interest to these twerps is getting their fingers in the money pie.  Other than that the Countries fortunes can go to hell !

Seems to me that most Big C outlets are poorly managed; stock control just one area of concern but it's no surpise to me as having lived here for 16 years i have yet to find any Business well managed .   When Thai's get to managerial status they appear to act like some kind of God, hardly ever 'at work' and more likely to be on the Golf Course or out with the Mia Noi.    When they do pop into 'work' nobody dare say anything or make any suggestions on how to improve all the glaring shortcomings.    Nothing is likely to change in my next 16 years !

2 hours ago, phetphet said:

The wheels on the bus go round and round!

In the long term they will eventually fall off !

Tip of the Iceberg; one that's been jutting up under the carpet for Decades.   If it's not Teachers it's 'Uncles', Monks, Fathers and Grandfathers all trying to get inside young Girls underwear using one excuse or temptation or another.   In our Local Villages such stories pop up at regular intervals and the majority of this 'News' is suppressed by embarrassed Families or indeed, the Girls themselves.

10 hours ago, fdimike said:

I would be willing to bet that most of those in debt are government employees who have big eyes and small wallets.  They borrow against their future government pensions, life insurance etc etc just to "show off" their supposed wealth.  This is not second hand information as most of my in laws are supposed "teachers" who are deeply in debt.  No common sense at all !

Yep; 'Teachers' in Wife's Family and circle of Friends all up to their eyes in debt.    In the Staff Room they are scorned if they don't have a 'suitable sized ' new Car every year or so and many knowing how useless the Thai State Education System send their own Kids to International Schools or Universities at huge cost....money which they borrow.

My Wife herself was a Midwife for 25 years, never borrowed a Baht but was, and is still in retirement, harrassed by the Banks to borrow huge amounts of money just because she was a Government Employee.   As usual it's the Government and the Banks (mainly owned by Government) who are at the root of the problem..... along with the dreaded 'Face' problem !!

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

For about 5 minutes while they do nothing.

Or less than that if they get to eat shortly !

He will be there filling his greedy pockets until he croaks !

21 hours ago, TimeMachine said:

The guy is a genius.  I am a person of low IQ,  poor at math,  poor strength and flexibility, not much skill at anything really, a very average person by statistics. I can't secure a powerful position in society,  yet some people of same description as myself have that genius something in side of them that allows them to do well.  Lucky genius guy. 

In Thailand it's not what you know but who you know that makes you successful !

21 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Yes, I've also seen families living in tin-shacks, while outside a brand-new Merc or BMW was parked... People clearly have different priorities in this country.

Got one of them near me but the Benz belongs to a Geezer who visits his 'Gik' in the Shack from time to time and gives her a few Baht.   Things ain't always what they seem !