8 hours ago, cowellandrew said:

I love double standards Thailand, Chinese spewing covid flu get 15 days, Europeans get 30 days, Russians decide to flatten Ukraine get 90 days, I can see Palestinians one 1 year visa!😁

Maybe the Israelis are going for 2 years?

Bad taste possibly but if you don't laugh it'll ruin you. 

13 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

Putin has been invited to visit Thailand , a wanted man in every country that is signed up to an international arrest warrant agreement . Do we need to even bother looking into the whys really ? The baht knows no morality, 

I would have thought the downside for Putin is that there will be a lot of military age Russians avoiding fighting in Ukraine. by hiding in Thailand.

14 hours ago, Billybaroo said:

  But, the entire point is global politics. Russia is waging war on Ukraine. They are basically a pariah to most of the world except China, North Korea etc. and the Thai government decides to give them preferential treatment over democracies in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. I would say Thailand's decision to do this is almost entirely an attempt to court Russia, especially after Srettha invited Putin to visit Thailand. 

From what I know about Thai history and involvement in world politics when it comes to wars they have a very crafty way to side step involvement. Check this out. Thailand is, if I have my history right, the ONLY SE Asian country to avoid  colonization. Vietnam, Laos France. I think Burma was colonized by Britain for a time. Philippines, those poor folks have been over run several times.

Edited October 19, 20232 yr by likerdup1

5 hours ago, likerdup1 said:

From what I know about Thai history and involvement in world politics when it comes to wars they have a very crafty way to side step involvement. Check this out. Thailand is, if I have my history right, the ONLY SE Asian country to avoid  colonization. Vietnam, Laos France. I think Burma was colonized by Britain for a time. Philippines, those poor folks have been over run several times.

Japan might have taken over if Thailand hadn't supported them from what I know. 

The reason I've heard put forward as the reason for them to not be invaded is that the British were on one side in Burma and the French were in Lao and Vietnam. There was a border between Lao and Burma but if one side had invaded Thailand it may have caused both more trouble that they needed so it was a sort of buffer zone. I'm sure the Dutch were involved somewhere but I can't remember.

Off topic really but it might explain the desire not to take sides but I'm not sure it's a very good excuse.

15 minutes ago, kimamey said:

Japan might have taken over if Thailand hadn't supported them from what I know. 

The reason I've heard put forward as the reason for them to not be invaded is that the British were on one side in Burma and the French were in Lao and Vietnam. There was a border between Lao and Burma but if one side had invaded Thailand it may have caused both more trouble that they needed so it was a sort of buffer zone. I'm sure the Dutch were involved somewhere but I can't remember.

Off topic really but it might explain the desire not to take sides but I'm not sure it's a very good excuse.

Thailand officially adopted a neutral position during World War II until the five hour-long Japanese invasion of Thailand on 8 December 1941, which led to an armistice and military alliance treaty between Thailand and the Japanese Empire in mid-December 1941. At the start of the Pacific War, the Japanese Empire pressured the Thai government to allow the passage of Japanese troops to invade British-held Malaya and Burma. After the invasion, Thailand capitulated. Thailand declared war on the United Kingdom and the United States After becoming an ally of the Empire of Japan, Thailand retained control of its armed forces and internal affairs. after the war Thailand received little punishment for its wartime role,

Introducing our new Native Equivalent Temp Assistant Cultural Exchange Program English Teachers!

Edited October 19, 20232 yr by Chris Daley

44 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

Thailand officially adopted a neutral position during World War II until the five hour-long Japanese invasion of Thailand on 8 December 1941, which led to an armistice and military alliance treaty between Thailand and the Japanese Empire in mid-December 1941. At the start of the Pacific War, the Japanese Empire pressured the Thai government to allow the passage of Japanese troops to invade British-held Malaya and Burma. After the invasion, Thailand capitulated. Thailand declared war on the United Kingdom and the United States After becoming an ally of the Empire of Japan, Thailand retained control of its armed forces and internal affairs. after the war Thailand received little punishment for its wartime role,

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Thai_Movement

Worth a read 

Russians have invested hundreds of millions - if not billions of dollars into the Phuket property market in recent years.

 

You can drive past new villa proejcts especially in Cherntalay every 100 m.

 

This also supports thousands of thai and Burmese labourers on the island

 

This is probably the main reason for the free 90 day visa as a thank you. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

44 minutes ago, hydraides said:

Russians have invested hundreds of millions - if not billions of dollars into the Phuket property market in recent years.

 

You can drive past new villa proejcts especially in Cherntalay every 100 m.

 

This also supports thousands of thai and Burmese labourers on the island

 

This is probably the main reason for the free 90 day visa as a thank you. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Russian mafia has invested this money, and others with illegal money 

The just import sexworkes. Just look at all the Russian whores that is already there in ”Russian nigtclubs”

They just import sexworkes. See already all the russians whores in the russian nightclubs. Its russian maffia. 

Probably read more and more Russian arrests right here going forward with the 90 day 'freebee' as time goes on and on......

Yes, Thailand, Canada also has Winters just as cold as Russia, how about us.

We would even appreciate a 90 day tourist visa, and would pay for it if you

cannot afford to let us have it for free. Now only 60 days allowed unless I was to try get

a 90 day work visa, but I have not job being offered right now.  Where is my break?

Harvey.

On 10/18/2023 at 5:51 AM, ezzra said:

They must have got the wires crossed, Who's talking about stealing work here? only an extension from 30 days to 90 days, i can't see anything wrong with it...

all visa exempt entries need extending to 90 days,( scrap the evisa tourist visa nonsense)  90 day address reports need extending to 1 year ( at yearly extension renewals)

11 hours ago, bannork said:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Thai_Movement

Worth a read 

yes Thailand had a underground  movement this is one of the reasons Thailand recived little punishment after the war

On 10/18/2023 at 7:06 PM, Docno said:

I have nothing against the Russian people (their government is another issue entirely), and have met some very nice Russians in the past, but it does send an 'interesting' message to the international community... special treatment for Russians at this time in history and all that. 

Since when has the "international community" done anything for Thailand?

The Thais are right to ignore anything from that quarter, IMO.

 

One should not put western woke principles onto Thailand.

On 10/19/2023 at 3:24 PM, kimamey said:

I would have thought the downside for Putin is that there will be a lot of military age Russians avoiding fighting in Ukraine. by hiding in Thailand.

90 days is hardly hiding. Eventually they have to go home.

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

One should not put western woke principles onto Thailand.

I am not convinced that  countries invading another, bombing and killing their civilians indiscriminately and stealing land, kidnapping their children etc are all actions of the 'woke' category. 

Just now, jacko45k said:

I am not convinced that  countries invading another, bombing and killing their civilians indiscriminately and stealing land, kidnapping their children etc are all actions of the 'woke' category. 

I'd love to get into a discussion about the west's involvement in supporting a certain country invading countries, bombing and killing their civilians indiscriminately and stealing land, but that would be off topic.

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'd love to get into a discussion about the west's involvement in supporting a certain country invading countries, bombing and killing their civilians indiscriminately and stealing land, but that would be off topic.

Pointing elsewhere is called distraction....I just am perplexed by Thailand's actions here..... 

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

Pointing elsewhere is called distraction....I just am perplexed by Thailand's actions here..... 

If you mean Thailand not taking sides, that's just sensible as it's not their fight, nothing to do with them, zero, nada etc.

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If you mean Thailand not taking sides, that's just sensible as it's not their fight, nothing to do with them, zero, nada etc.

They appear to be taking a side in favour of Russia at the moment. Inviting a war criminal to pay a visit to your home is perhaps an error. 

Edited October 20, 20232 yr by jacko45k

Just now, jacko45k said:

They appear to be taking a side in favour of Russia at the moment. 

I disagree. They are taking the side of money, as usual. As long as Russians can put money in the pockets of Thais they are welcome, just like everyone else in LOS on a visa or visa exempt entry.

Giving them a longer stay just makes Thais richer.

On 10/19/2023 at 10:19 PM, MikeandDow said:

Thailand officially adopted a neutral position during World War II until the five hour-long Japanese invasion of Thailand on 8 December 1941, which led to an armistice and military alliance treaty between Thailand and the Japanese Empire in mid-December 1941. At the start of the Pacific War, the Japanese Empire pressured the Thai government to allow the passage of Japanese troops to invade British-held Malaya and Burma. After the invasion, Thailand capitulated. Thailand declared war on the United Kingdom and the United States After becoming an ally of the Empire of Japan, Thailand retained control of its armed forces and internal affairs. after the war Thailand received little punishment for its wartime role,

Thanks for that. I only have a limited knowledge of what happened so your post was very helpful. 

2 hours ago, kimamey said:

Thanks for that. I only have a limited knowledge of what happened so your post was very helpful. 

why do only have limited knowledge

13 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I disagree. They are taking the side of money, as usual. As long as Russians can put money in the pockets of Thais they are welcome, just like everyone else in LOS on a visa or visa exempt entry.

Giving them a longer stay just makes Thais richer.

At the same time Ruskies are cleverly taking away money from locals, and the locals are catching wind of it finally.........

On 10/19/2023 at 9:24 AM, kimamey said:

I would have thought the downside for Putin is that there will be a lot of military age Russians avoiding fighting in Ukraine. by hiding in Thailand.

If they don't go to hide in Thailand, they'll go to Vietnam, Cyprus, Turkey, Georgia...

16 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

As long as Russians can put money in the pockets of Thais they are welcome, just like everyone else in LOS on a visa or visa exempt entry.

It is literally NOT "just like everyone else", though.  That's why it's being discussed.

Funny thing, now I live here, I hate tourists clogging the place up complaining that its too hot, or that the beach isn't clean enough or that the on beach masseuse charged her extra because she was so fat.

I liked tourism better during the lockdown when hotels were so damned cheap, when beautiful young ladies were escorting me upstairs like I was a porn king, and they had forgotten to double the prices of beer.

11 hours ago, retarius said:

Funny thing, now I live here, I hate tourists clogging the place up complaining that its too hot, or that the beach isn't clean enough or that the on beach masseuse charged her extra because she was so fat.

I liked tourism better during the lockdown when hotels were so damned cheap, when beautiful young ladies were escorting me upstairs like I was a porn king, and they had forgotten to double the prices of beer.

I still  recall how great it was after the 1st lockdown when things reopened for a while and there were still loads of girls about, but no tourists... cracking time to be an Expat!