thongplay

Gold. Easy way round this stupid idea.

I don't believe this so-called "Report" that puts Thailand in 3rd global position for longest hours. What about Japan, India, etc? Where did they rate?

I've always worked longer  hours in the 'West' starting out at 7 days/week and on duty 24 HR/day.

I just don't buy this long Thai hours story. And as one poster said they spend a lot of time chatting and playing on their phones.

When I have Thais working here (e.g.) gardening, cleaning, building the spend a lot of time chatting to Mrs. And the builders well they  put a whole new meaning to drinking at work. (Lao Kao)

5 hours ago, TheAppletons said:

 

  No it's a w-turn.  

No it's a "Y" turn.

All the focus in many comments is on being able to swim or not.

Possibly the biggest danger is not being able to get out of the water because for example of steep slippery slopes at the edges of the pond.

There are hundreds of big man-made ponds all over Thailand built to breed fish and hold irrigation water. They all have steep slippery slopes. Are there any life rings with a rope so that people can be hauled out?

1 hour ago, NoshowJones said:

Three days ago I was sent an email from DWP in Wolverhampton telling me my state pension will be reinstated within five days. Then this email arrived yesterday.

 

"In order to locate your records could you please provide me with your date of birth along with your full name. 

 

I will then be able to action your request."

 

What do you make of this? They already have my date of birth and full name. Do you think I will actually get my pension reinstated as they said? Is there no end to their incompetence?

 

 

A friend of mine living in Pattaya had his UK state pension stopped.

Allegedly DWP sent his a letter to his Pattaya address asking for info but he didn't respond because he never got the letter.

After hours of calling DWP on the phone they said he had to provide a 'Proof of life certificate'. Had to jump through hoops to get that and send it to them. Then after yet more phone calls and waiting for hours in a queue he got his pension reinstated.

In your case why did DWP halt you pension?

And where are you living? Thailand or UK.

There are a few YouTube movies about this and how DWP is cracking down on pensioners to provide proof of eligibility. All Starmer's doing.

You're all wrong. This is a proxy war between China for the Cambodian side USA for the Thai side. It's all about USA trying to reduce China's influence in the region. Plus it's about the casinos (existing and planned) and the gang call centers. Together. A multi million dollar income for the Sen family.

Of course it's a Thaksin deflection. It's obvious. Also Thaksin is Chinese. He wants Xi to take over Thailand and install Thaksin as dictator. Couldn't be clearer.

23 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Totally uncalled for! Thai´s must understand to not let tension flare and lash out on single individuals because of their county´s bad decisions. Surely, it´s very bad timing from the Cambodians to do such a thing, but not really a big problem. They love their country, as well as Thais love theirs. Using common sense, that would be an easy thing to understand.

Like road rage.

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I won't call it a "war" yet and hopefully calmer heads will prevail very soon. However, they might not and right now it's rapidly headed in a very bad direction.

 

So I've been thinking about the situation of western expats both in Thailand and Cambodia especially if this drags on and on and gets much worse.

 

My opinion is that expats should be as invisible as possible about all this. 

 

We're not Thai and we're not Cambodian.

 

It's really none of our business. It's not like Russia vs. Ukraine which has very specific meanings to very many westerners.

 

Whatever the political narratives are on both sides, it seems to me that they have nothing to do with us.

 

It occurs to me that NATURALLY long term expats in Thailand are going to side with Thailand just out of affinity and that expats in Cambodia will naturally do the same. Not because of believing or not believing the opposing political narratives, but just because we are here and they are there.

 

That's kind of an odd situation, don't you think?

Whatever you say China will (has) taken control over Cambodia and Thailand is next on the list. This is all Thaksin's doing in collaboration with  Hum Sen. (Opinion)

Needed to power the casino.

On 7/6/2025 at 5:15 AM, Georgealbert said:

 

Picture courtesy of Amarin.

 

In a significant step forward for Thailand’s defence capabilities, the Royal Thai Air Force has officially unveiled a homegrown “Kamikaze UAV”, a suicide drone designed for precision strike missions. The announcement was made on 5 July 2025, with military officials hailing the development as a major achievement in indigenous defence technology.

 

The Kamikaze UAV, also referred to as a “suicide drone”, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) engineered to deliver high-impact explosive payloads with pinpoint accuracy. The drone is capable of mid-range assaults and has demonstrated an impressive targeting deviation of less than five metres during field trials.

 

This cutting-edge project is the result of close collaboration between the Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Air Force Academy, the Directorate of Aeronautical Engineering, and the Royal Thai Air Force’s Aviation and Space Research and Development Centre (AVSREC). The UAV is equipped with a high-powered warhead and has already passed rigorous testing, successfully neutralising designated targets in controlled conditions.

 

Military officials stated that the Kamikaze UAV marks a pivotal step toward the mass production and deployment of Thai-made smart weaponry, enhancing the nation’s ability to defend its sovereignty with advanced military technology.

 

“This achievement not only demonstrates our technological potential but reinforces the importance of self-reliance in national defence,” a senior air force official said.

 

The unveiling of the drone aligns with the Royal Thai Air Force’s broader modernisation strategy, aimed at reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and fostering homegrown innovation in defence systems.

 

As one senior figure put it, “National security cannot be bought with money, it must be built by our own hands.”

 

The new UAV is expected to enter active service in the near future, significantly bolstering Thailand’s aerial strike capabilities while setting a benchmark for future domestic defence developments.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Amarin 2025-07-06

 

 

 

"pinpoint accuracy." within 5 metres?!

On 6/27/2025 at 3:45 PM, angryguy said:

More time with family doesnt always equal less stress

Dead right there mate. In my experience family is the MAIN cause of stress.

On 6/27/2025 at 7:36 AM, actonion said:

Pattaya's less glamorous side ? .....who writes this crap, ...what & where is  pattaya's glamorous  side?

AI writes it. This forum is crap now since AI Ausi toolkit over.  It's a complete joke.

18 hours ago, hotsun said:

Ive looked at old threads dating back to 2000 and can safely say you dont know what youre talking about. Nothings changed

Nothings changed? Yes it has. All the news articles are now either AI written or AI rewritten. 

On 5/28/2025 at 9:27 AM, DrJack54 said:

What you are after is 12 month bank statement from BBL. (not bank letter) 

Bangkok Bank (unfortunately take few days to provide that. 

Apply early and submit it on day of application for extension. 

It has a validity of 7 days. 

The bank Letter can also be obtained early. 

It's simply a statement that you are account owner and balance on day of issue. 

200 and 100b respectively

I get my retirement visa extensions in Korat. IO insist on a bank letter dated the same date as the application. Won't accept a letter dated one day before. I know and I've tried it. Also the bank letter IS required.

"To manage the influx, Thailand has rolled out a Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) starting May 1,..."

BS. The TDAC was not introduced because of the Samui situation

 "However, the collapse of the State Audit Office building in Chatuchak after a recent tremor suggests lapses."

"Lapses" of what?