BREAKING: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has signed a new order revoking his ban on fake news and fearmongering

[AussieBob]

14 hours ago, Poolie said:

Maybe he sounds better in Australia. I don't need to be an expert to decide who is in tune.

Wikipedia.

Quotes experts when they agree. Doesn't need them when they dont.

Interesting.

[Chaimai]

16 hours ago, AussieBob said:

I dont understand Chaimai - are you saying that you think it is OK to have to report whenever you spend 24+ hours away from your nominated address? You are OK with reporting every 90 days (it is 90 days because that is when a toruist Visa expries). You do realise that all those other countries I mentioned offer Expat Visa without that and all the other impositions Thailand has - and they offer so much more in incentives.  I know you are happy to accept those things, but surely you dont agree with them. 

 

They dropped the 24 hour nonsense Bob.

 

I believe in following the rules - whether I believe in those rules or not. IMO 90 day reporting is the most pointless exercise for all parties involved and achieves absolutely nothing. Being able to do it online makes it more bearable.

[Chaimai]

16 hours ago, Soidog said:

I certainly agree with the idea that we should be in a position to look after ourselves while we are in Thailand. People who haven’t paid taxes shouldn’t  be able to get benefits for free (although funny how if you’re a Thai living in most Western countries you would)! I also pay at least 7% VAT on all I buy and have ploughed millions of baht in to the local economy. However, putting that aside, there few things I’d like to chip in with:

The first is that changes to rules are applied retrospective. So tomorrow, they could decide, at a whim and no explanation or rationale given, that you need 2 million or 5 million baht in a Thai bank, or proof of 100,000 or 200,000 baht a month income to extend your visa on the basis of retirement. Straight away you send hundreds, possibly thousands of people, many who are elderly and been living in Thailand for 20 years or more, in to total chaos and panic. It’s one thing to change the law and apply for new applicants (if you don’t like it don’t come), but it’s totally unreasonable and cruel to apply it retrospectively and to people who have fixed incomes.

Currently the need to have health insurance for people extending their visa on the basis of retirement only applies to people with Non-OA. Again, overnight, that law could change and apply it to people holding Non-O. Thousands of people who have been living in Thailand for years would then have to either pay annual health insurance costing $2,000-$5,000; assuming they can even get it if they are 75+? What do these people do if they can’t afford it? Many have been living in Thailand for 20-30 years. Kicking these people out without thought of what it will do to these unfortunate people is totally heartless. If they really cared they would apply the changes to new applicants and offer affordable health insurance using government hospitals for those who can’t afford anything else. Perhaps 20,000 baht a year. 

Finally I would pick out the point AussieBob made about the reporting of movement fiasco. You need look no further than that to see what kind of feelings and sentiment towards expats exists at the highest levels. You can’t pass laws like that without it going through significant steps and opportunities to get it stopped. This surely shows how negative the feelings are and hence only likely to go in one direction. That was clearly testing the envelope of resistance and it was good resistance was shown. Next time they may not listen?…

 

 

I have always said that if Thailand doesn't want me, I will go elsewhere. 

 

Rules can change anywhere, anytime but if you look at any major changes in Thailand they have usually been quite fair in their application. Yes, there can be whimsical changes (and different application by different offices) that are frustrating but, for example, when the amount required to be held in the bank for extensions was increased those meeting existing criteria were (and still are) grandfathered in. 

 

There remains the option to buy a retirement extension - in corrupt societies there is always a way round a problem.

[Poolie]

3 hours ago, AussieBob said:

Quotes experts when they agree. Doesn't need them when they dont.

Interesting.

I think you've got this round your neck. Where did I quote an expert if the question isnt to complicated?

[AussieBob]

2 hours ago, Chaimai said:

They dropped the 24 hour nonsense Bob.

I believe in following the rules - whether I believe in those rules or not. IMO 90 day reporting is the most pointless exercise for all parties involved and achieves absolutely nothing. Being able to do it online makes it more bearable.

True Chaimai - but what the Junta did was enforce the law that already existed. And they have not withdrawn that law - they just realised their mistake and stopped enforcing it.  But at one meeting the following question was asked of the Head of Immigration in Bangkok when they were 'listening' to all the Expats complain. Why should an Expat have to pay the fine if the Hotel they stay at does not report their visit.  His answer sums it all up:  "That is the Law".  He and his staff did not listen, they were there to 'explain' the Law.

 

[AussieBob]

40 minutes ago, Poolie said:

I think you've got this round your neck. Where did I quote an expert if the question isnt to complicated?

 

Quotes experts when they agree. Doesn't need them when they dont.

Still.        

 

[dmacarelli]

Prayuth and this administration are the do nothing people. Their sole purpose is to protect the elite, the super rich, corporations, the police, immigration, customs, and those currently in power. Nothing else matters to these dinosaurs. 

And Thailand will pay the price for this failed regime for years to come. Woe are the people of Thailand. The PM justly deserves all the criticism, humiliation and shame that can be heaped upon him. He is a human blight. A boil on the face of the nation. 

Out with the dinosaurs. In with the youth! 

 

 

 

[Poolie]

5 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

Quotes experts when they agree. Doesn't need them when they dont.

Still.        

Do you speak English?

[AussieBob]

8 minutes ago, dmacarelli said:

Prayuth and this administration are the do nothing people. Their sole purpose is to protect the elite, the super rich, corporations, the police, immigration, customs, and those currently in power. Nothing else matters to these dinosaurs. 

And Thailand will pay the price for this failed regime for years to come. Woe are the people of Thailand. The PM justly deserves all the criticism, humiliation and shame that can be heaped upon him. He is a human blight. A boil on the face of the nation. 

Out with the dinosaurs. In with the youth! 

Well said mate - the sooner the better.

 

[Rain]

On 8/12/2021 at 5:22 PM, AussieBob said:

Quotes experts when they agree. Doesn't need them when they dont.

Interesting.

Usually, a sign of little real intelligence.