Bruce Mangosteen

This is the thing that would give most farangs heartburn I would imagine. It's a backdoor way for the Thai government to track the movements of tourists.

The only thing about tuktuks that work like Bolt is that they have more than 2 wheels. Otherwise, in most places they're like tiny songtaews (baht buses) that only one or maybe two farangs can fit into at a time.

The tuktuks? No reason for Bolt to change anything until the rules come into effect I suppose. TIT, rules can change before the ink on the paper dries, as we've all seen before.

The Pattaya Mail chimes in on this question: https://www.pattayamail.com/travel/expat-dreams-shattered-in-thailand-cockup-conspiracy-or-just-plain-nonsense-509021 Benjamin Hart, the irrepressible founder of Bangkok-based Integrity Legal and a Thai national, has recently done a good hatchet job on much of the hostile click-bait material in his video: Debunking Thai Secret Plan Against Expats. He acknowledges that expat life for farang has gotten more difficult in recent years – you no longer see the term “paradise” applied to western life here – but denies there’s a conspiracy to doom we westerners. Pattaya Mail comments below on some of the doubtful claims made by Hart’s opponents. More at link, if you're interested in Barry Kenyon's take on the matter. Perhaps confusingly, Benjamin Hart's opinion is not included, and there isn't even a link to his video. Your humble servant has looked that up:

Maybe they'll replace it with tuktuks?

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/new-regulations-for-ride-hailing-services-in-thailand-announced Firstly, businesses must ensure drivers have vehicles registered as public transport, under the Department of Land Transport’s requirements. Secondly, drivers must hold a valid public transport driving licence. Thirdly, service charges must align with legal transport fee regulations. Additionally, digital platforms must adhere to conditions outlined in articles 9 to 13 of the announcement. The ETDA further specifies that drivers using these platforms must register their vehicles via electronic systems and hold a public driving licence. Identity verification using facial recognition is required daily before starting work. GPS location sharing is mandatory in real-time, and communication with customers must be conducted through the app only, without disclosing phone numbers. Users of ride-hailing apps must verify their identity before use, choose vehicle types, view estimated costs, and can cancel or change destinations under specific conditions. They can also rate and file complaints against drivers. Platforms must report vehicle numbers of each type to the Department of Land Transport annually, charge fares according to the law, and provide key information such as driver details, registration, price, and route before the journey, reported KhaoSod. Emphasis added. More at link. YGBFKM. Clearly, the traditional taxi drivers have finally won this turf war. On the bright side, there will be a million food delivery drivers added to the already overcrowded market, driving down the price of that service.

One of the root causes of the problem is the US taxing worldwide income. We're one of only a few countries that does that. The law mandating that, FATCA, requires foreign banks and other entities to report on financial activities of Americans who hold accounts in foreign countries. This required activity makes these accounts far less profitable, to the point where they can be more trouble than they're worth. Sadly, other countries are warming to this idea. Here's an article on this, although from a few years ago: https://taxjustice.net/2019/06/21/statistics-on-automatic-exchange-of-banking-information-and-the-right-to-hold-authorities-and-banks-to-account/ Thailand has also been cracking down on actual criminal activity, especially money laundering, call center scams, and human trafficking. Part of how they do this is surveillance of financial activity, which again can cause accounts held by foreigners to be more costly to maintain.

I'm generally skeptical of these claims based on my experience. The comments on the page seem to support my view. IMO a lot of this is due to rules in expats' home countries, especially countries asking Thai banks to report activity in expats' bank accounts. Accounts for farangs can become more trouble than they're worth. Seems to me that the Thais have a right to decide who can enter and remain in their country. Why should they be forced or shamed into allowing criminals and indigents in? Insurance destroys health care. Thailand is only the latest test case for this never-miss principle. However, if westerners had been content to use the prevailing Thai health care system, it wouldn't have become an issue. Of course, rural Thai hospitals tend to look like something out of a slasher movie... See "Digital Bureaucracy Trap". Farangs' frozen pensions are hardly Thailand's fault, and the exchange rates have been fairly stable over the past 10 years, moving in a range of about 8 baht in that time. Expecting them to stay where they were immediately after the crash is stupid. Most western countries have reciprocal taxation agreements with Thailand, and we don't know what the new rules will end up being, so this fearmongering is at best premature. My friend google knows nothing of this. However, he did mention something about Vietnam considering such a system, and they're actually communist, so I see that as more likely. Also see "Digital Bureaucracy Trap".

Nice find, thanks!

Very cool pic.

My recommendation in general would be to have the airline's app installed on your phone during your trip, even if you decide to uninstall it later. Other more general apps are available too, but I think the airline's app would have the most accurate gate and departure data for their itineraries.

HE got blown off course!

The story I heard was that they ran it while a member of the rf attended university in the US, and stopped it after. The security certificate angle is also plausible. Those flights were interesting in that no matter which of the three possible routes they took (west, east, or due north/south) the flight duration was nearly the same.

In case you're wondering, this is due to your device being set up to respond to a click on an email link by opening Outlook, and has nothing to do with the website or its owner. That can be changed to open whatever app/program/website you use for email. If you're using a phone and are not technically inclined, any phone shop that speaks reasonable English should be able to help you. Have them uninstall Outlook while you're at it, the phone app is a shitshow IMO.

Interestingly, the paper green card extension was sent immediately, as though it was computer automated. We also had to do a biometric scan. Meanwhile, the extension is for 4 years, whereas the original green card was only good for 3 years! I think processing times for the actual cards are ~3 years. We'll be in Thailand permanently before that, although the green card would be nice to have.

Mine will be on her temporary green card extension, which is basically a piece of paper they send you when you apply for the new green card, because they're so far behind processing this stuff. Fingers crossed!

It would be a pleasure to meet you or anyone else on this board some time. Safe travels mate.

Fortunately we'll already be there, and won't have to bother with this, at least this time.

Less of a consideration for a pickup than an SUV or a car I should think. While I share your uncertainty about the overall quality, the Chinese seem to have cracked the code for making decent-looking cars anyway.

Good pics. I got a ride in an ICE MG taxi last year during my visit, and was pretty impressed with the ride, and the fit and finish.

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It was not a demand or even a request.

https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/44350851/two-heavyweight-champion-george-foreman-dies-age-76 "'Big' George Foreman, one of the most influential and recognizable boxers of all time, died Friday, his family announced on his social media account. He was 76. Foreman, who captured an Olympic gold medal in 1968, was a two-time heavyweight champion and Hall of Fame boxer. He's perhaps best known for the historic Rumble in the Jungle bout with Muhammad Ali in 1974 in Zaire, a fight Foreman lost in an upset via eighth-round KO. It's arguably the most famous fight of all time, and the 'When We Were Kings' film that chronicled the fight won an Oscar for best documentary feature." More at link. RIP, champ.

I didn't say you did that, mate. What other explanation would there be except that I actually saw this and took screenshots, so therefore it actually happened? Well, I'm not sure how a problem at a user's location would cause the server to allow him into areas of the database that he's not supposed to be able to access, but if you're satisfied with that explanation, I have nothing more to say on the matter. Just trying to help here. [/thread] Mods, you can go ahead and close this thread, after force and whomever else has had their say.

OK, well, not sure why I would make up or fabricate such a thing, but if you're happy I'm happy. BTW, just tried it from this computer on Edge, and it redirected to the proper page. Dunno, just trying to help. Go ahead and close this thread if appropriate. Cheers.