Just had a look at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs Home page. It oulined the following changes to work permit rules for Australian citizens. I guess they will come into effect when the FTA has been ratified by both the Australian and Thai parliaments, probably in 2004. Still all a bit vauge, but people to this web site may be interested. The full outline of the FTA is available at http://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/...a_thailand.html

Temporary entry of business people

- Thailand will grant a visa and work permit for up to five years’ stay for all Australian citizens being transferred to work in Thailand within the same company (to be renewable annually) (currently one year).

- Thailand will grant a visa and work permit for up to three years’ stay for all Australian citizens entering Thailand to work on the basis of a contract with a company other than their employer in Australia (to be renewable annually) (currently one year).

- Thailand will not require a work permit for Australian citizens who are business visitors conducting business meetings in Thailand for up to 15 days, and up to 90 days for APEC Travel Card Holders.

- Thailand will consider applications for visas and work permits submitted by an employer on an applicant’s behalf and advise in advance of approval and (with visa to be granted on arrival subject to identity verification).

- Thailand will permit all Australian business visitors access to the one-stop visa and work permit service (currently restricted to visitors representing or employed by major investors).

- Thailand will permit all Australians who hold work permits to participate in business meetings anywhere in Thailand, including locations not specified in their work permits (current work permits must be changed if any work is to be conducted in a location not specified in the permit).

-Thailand will reduce the number of documents required from Australians for work permits and renewals and work permits.

Dr Pat-Pong,

I am keen to find out what is involved in recommending samran for a knighthood. It is possible while little johnnie and the small l liberals are playing, though when Paul Keating gets back into the line up that may change.

I thought I was on IGNORE IT ....took it to heart Oz to Oz seemed to offend you. I thought ole Paul was long gone. The only knighthoods are those things one wears for bedroom sporting events

As an Republican ######, I'll take an Order of Australia if you can get me one.

Actually, I think real benefit to Australian work permit holders is that they get to use the one stop shop, a major streamlining of the process. Hopefully it will set a precedence for how work permits applications should be handled for all nationalities.

The bigger benefits come from allowing Australian majority ownership in a number of sectors and the lower of tariffs. I am keen to see how all this actually pans out in practice.

As for having hope of PJK (God) getting back in, here's hoping, but I doubt it. I shall leave this with one of his classic lines about John Howard available at the scumbag archives at http://www.webcity.com.au/keating/

"But I will never get to the stage of wanting to lead the nation standing in front of the mirror each morning clipping the eyebrows here and clipping the eyebrows there with Janette and the kids: It's like 'Spot the eyebrows'."

" spot the eybrows "

I allways thought little jonnie was bob menzies love child

I thought I was on IGNORE IT ....took it to heart Oz to Oz seemed to offend you. I thought ole Paul was long gone. The only knighthoods are those things one wears for bedroom sporting events

You haven't dne a bad thing to me yet. I never was offended by anything you said and besides I couldn't work out how to put you on ignore.