sambum

Is it possible to drive while wearing leg shackles or an electronic ankle monitor?

Ah, but now we have a "New Boss"! (Same as the "Old Boss"? Remains to be seen, but also "New Broom" is applicable!)

Yes, I agree entirely! I and all my friends who have ever required hospital in patient treatment have had to pay up front - or at least prove that we had the necessary funds to cover it. I think it's just yet another not so subtle way of saying we "Old Timers" (No offence meant!) are not welcome any more.

"forgetting who made the original suggestions so that ultimately a Thai can take credit for having come up with the idea." A point I have made several times over the years - the latest being last week - did you see it, perchance? P.S. "pompous ambassadors who over the years changed from just being tools to being tools of the trade departments of the UK government." A point I have never made because I couldn't think of the right words - well said!

"The mandatory health insurance requirement was proposed to help Thailand tackle the large number of unpaid medical bills from foreigners who receive treatment in "Thai state hospitals." (And to swell the coffers of the poor hard done by insurance companies who are occasionally made to "cough up"?)?) I would suggest that as so often is the case here, the wrong people are being targetted. The large number of unpaid bills are probably to "Thai private hospitals", and that the majority of these bills are run up by tourists, and not long term stayers. The prices that some of these private hospitals charge are exorbitant (as mentioned numerous times) and I would also hazard a guess that a lot of these unpaid bills are due to the insurance money running out - it may well cover the cost of initial treatment in, for instance, a motor bike accident, but the post op care can very quickly mount up - especially in the "rip off" private sector. So the solution is to make medical insurance compulsory for people who live here? Why not make medical insurance mandatory for EVERY tourist?

Not at all!

I wonder how Thai visitors to the UK would feel about being subjected to the same requirements? As far as I know, once a Thai enters the country on their (Max 6 months?) visa they do not have to report their whereabouts at ANY time, regardless of where they are spending that time - either in one place, or spending a few days/weeks in different locations. They have been "vetted" and accepted and as far as I can see the security risk excuse by the Thai Government/Immigration is exactly that - an excuse for not admitting that their security systems have let criminals/undesirables into the country in the first place! As another poster puts it - it would be interesting to find out how many "criminals" have been caught as a result of this compulsory "TM 30" reporting? I would suspect that no real criminals would even know what a "TM 30" form is - and I am not referring to overstayers, or people without enough funds in a Thai bank to qualify for a yearly extension!

Unless, as has been mentioned before, you can manage to convince them that it was their idea in the first place to make the changes!

And the fact that the rider is not wearing a helmet?

"Thai central bank surprisingly cuts key rate, worried by baht strength;" " Thailand distributes first batch of cannabis oil" This has got to be the first time I have ever been pleasantly surprised by the 2 "Top Stories" of the day on ThaiVisa!!!

"By now regular readers might think that Rooster has had a visit from the TAT this week for a bit of attitude adjustment. Not a bit of it. I'm just happy. Happy with my Thai wife. Happy with Thai men. Happy in the street. Happy at home. Happy with my kids and their school. Happy on my bike. And ecstatic with the ever improving exchange rate......" Similar thoughts had indeed gone through my mind, and also the recent story about the "legalisation of medical marijuana"! What kind of "Happy Pills" are you on, Rooster? Are they available from any pharmacy?

Let's see some photos taken at the same time at the same locations next weekend!

Whenever anything like this happens, I think of this lady and her song "Big Yellow Taxi":- "They paved paradiseAnd put up a parking lotWith a pink hotel, a boutiqueAnd a swinging hot spot" But in light of the attitude of the Thai Government and in particular, Thai Immigration's stance re extensions of stay, "Proof of Income" letters, and now the TM30 fiasco, the destruction of the British Embassy to me has a much more symbolic significance, and to be honest, gives me a real sense of foreboding - I wonder what is coming next?