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Immigration and Embassy's now have shared Database


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54 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Why, do you have a tax problem?

I was not saying I had a tax problem. What I want to avoid is the hassle of having to justify my tax status. I have less than fond memories of the tax clearance days (when those staying more than 90 days cumulative per year had to get a tax clearance before any overseas trip). I doubt a return to this exact system, but could well imagine some unnecessary bureaucracy, more onerous than the 90 day reporting, to make my life less pleasant.

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On 1/18/2019 at 8:44 AM, onera1961 said:

The long waited elimination of 90-day reporting is coming to an end. I hate the 90-day reporting.

Has it been officially confirmed and applicable from an announced date, or it is announced it's under consideration? 

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36 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

Moments before the page went to press, a member of the Readers' Department spotted the "errors" - and was only prevented at the last moment from wrecking a masterpiece by correcting the lot!

 

RIP, Keith. You are still much missed.

Thanks for that.  As English is not my first language, dwelling that far back would be a complete waste of my time, not worth the apostrophe. My guess is Keith was addressing a more deserved audience. ????

 

Edited by farangx
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53 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Who say they cannot? There was an article a few weeks ago that they are now working to do precisely that.

If it was not already done, it was not because they were enable to do it, but just that nobody yet had required to do it. Now it's coming... soon...

 

Edit: Oops. Forgot to refresh and didn't see post #53 above from FritsSikkink who says nearly the same thing

In Post 53, Mr Sikkink asked if the poster had a tax problem, nothing to do with connecting data bases.

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18 hours ago, johnwf1963 said:

Do you have any specific links to why they may stop the non-O visa for UK state pensioners? That would certainly have a negative effect on my Father, maybe a return to Tourist Visas if that were the case, Sure that he would not be interested in the hassle of getting an OA visa, he used to use double entry Tourist Visas, when they changed the system, that's when we discovered the non-O with the UK pension...

None that I am aware of. But it should be borne in mind that the London Embassy is, as far as I know, alone among all the Royal Thai embassies and consulates in the Western world in still issuing non-O visas on the grounds of being aged 50 or over (albeit only to those in receipt of the State Pension). So any rationalisation would, I think, more likely result in the non-O route being closed off for State Pensioners than in Western embassies and consulates resuming the issue of non-O visas to all and sundry aged 50 and above.

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4 minutes ago, OJAS said:

None that I am aware of. But it should be borne in mind that the London Embassy is, as far as I know, alone among all the Royal Thai embassies and consulates in the Western world in still issuing non-O visas on the grounds of being aged 50 or over (albeit only to those in receipt of the State Pension). So any rationalisation would, I think, more likely result in the non-O route being closed off for State Pensioners than in Western embassies and consulates resuming the issue of non-O visas to all and sundry aged 50 and above.

The reference to a State Pension has already been removed in respect of a non O issued in London.

 

"For pensioner (aged 50 or over) : A copy of pension statement if the applicant is a pensioner, or a copy of 1-month bank statement showing your income from pension, or 3-month bank statement of at least £10,000 "

http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html

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On 1/18/2019 at 9:54 AM, ubonjoe said:

I would not hold my breath wait for that to happen because the immigration act will have to be amended which has not been done since it was issued about 40 years ago.

Exactly. 

 

It’s just more lip service from people who don’t understand how their own system works.

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19 hours ago, johnwf1963 said:

Do you have any specific links to why they may stop the non-O visa for UK state pensioners? That would certainly have a negative effect on my Father, maybe a return to Tourist Visas if that were the case, Sure that he would not be interested in the hassle of getting an OA visa, he used to use double entry Tourist Visas, when they changed the system, that's when we discovered the non-O with the UK pension...

There is no indication of that category being stopped, in fact it has been expanded.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html

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1 hour ago, scorecard said:

Has it been officially confirmed and applicable from an announced date, or it is announced it's under consideration? 

None of the above?

Edited by dcnx
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On ‎1‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 10:41 AM, humbug said:

bluster comes to mind, the aussies have a deep searching database which can even look into financial transactions, i doubt the system here is anywhere close, but once again they keep dangling the end of reporting as some positive but lurking in the background will be plenty of negatives. Nothing to be trusted from this second hand car salesman in uniform

All Fed Gov departments in OZ share all transactions, so if you apply for a business number or the pension and you are not on the electoral roll expect a letter or email.

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From 1 April 2019, visa applicants in the UK and Ireland have to apply online. Let's see how it works.

 
You can try the new system during the trial period to get familiarised at https://thaievisa.go.th/Home/
 
The appointment at the "Mission"" to get the Visa is a worry.. does that mean I, an possibly my Father will have to fly from Edinburgh to London to get the Visa (but it does suggest some will be electronic). That trip would be  more than the Visa Costs I suspect. 
If it does, I suppose it matches the inconvenience of having to fly to Bangkok to do the British Passports and Visa's.
 
The by post (London) "Non-O text is still the Same "For pensioner (aged 50 or over) : A copy of pension statement if the applicant is a pensioner, .. it never said State Pension previously, that I saw. 
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16 minutes ago, johnwf1963 said:

From 1 April 2019, visa applicants in the UK and Ireland have to apply online. Let's see how it works.

 
You can try the new system during the trial period to get familiarised at https://thaievisa.go.th/Home/
 
The appointment at the "Mission"" to get the Visa is a worry.. does that mean I, an possibly my Father will have to fly from Edinburgh to London to get the Visa (but it does suggest some will be electronic). That trip would be  more than the Visa Costs I suspect. 
If it does, I suppose it matches the inconvenience of having to fly to Bangkok to do the British Passports and Visa's.
 
The by post (London) "Non-O text is still the Same "For pensioner (aged 50 or over) : A copy of pension statement if the applicant is a pensioner, .. it never said State Pension previously, that I saw. 

You beat me to that. Although the London Embassy's wording is as you quoted, some years ago there were threads on TV AND I asked the Embassy: Their definition of "pension" was limited to a UK State Pension - private pensions have never been acceptable. Whether they are now, I don't know.

 

With regard to SETV applications at London, I've done mine by post for the last several years - this year I applied on the Monday and had my PP back on the Thursday!

Even if I have to pre-qualify online, I certainly hope THAT remains the same.

Edited by VBF
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9 hours ago, Essecola said:

Even reading threads like this when I look for info to help plan travels. People at home say I must love living in the tropics and am so lucky. But it isn't that way. I am going to sleep upset each night. Constant stress from it. It seems time to LEAVE

I consider It is is still fortunate that I can come to Thailand (starting  after recovery from a health issue in Q2 2018, taking early retirement from my employer), from the UK frequently for extended periods and be with the wife and son here. But Thailand has changed quite a bit since I we were Married in 2006, e.g the day of the Buddist  ceremony, there was a spike in the exchange rate, I actually got 75baht to the pound, compared with the 40.55 I got at the ATM the other day. Worry is not a good thing, I like to book my flight tickets 6 months in advance as well. 

I think uncertainty, and reading many posts on here has changed my perspective, I want to avoid creating things or buying anything or owning anything here to worry about, outside that required in relation to the  Wife and Son.

Good while it lasts but I just would not feel secure to assume I could retire here continuously in future, at this point in time!

Perhaps it is now how prepared in the capability of leaving, that should be on everyone's mind.

 

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37 minutes ago, johnwf1963 said:

I think uncertainty, and reading many posts on here has changed my perspective, I want to avoid creating things or buying anything or owning anything here to worry about, outside that required in relation to the  Wife and Son.

Good while it lasts but I just would not feel secure to assume I could retire here continuously in future, at this point in time!

Agree 100%.  I felt much more secure I could stay long-term on tourist-extensions in the Philippines, than I do married to a Thai and supporting a Thai family, here.  There is no clique of powerful factions in the Philippines who literally hates us / wants us gone.  Immigration in the PI is literally happy to see a foreigner show up on-time, doing things according to the published rules.  There are never any "extra documents" needed.

 

Even in Latin America, where a resentment of "gringos" does exist (due to actual US foreign-policy interference in their affairs), any "problem" would never amount to more than a tiny "fix" to some official (~$1.25 per entry to the country unofficially charged, sometimes).  It is similar in Cambodia, where "agent fees" were only around $20 for 1-year visas when I was staying there a few years ago.

 

Here in Thailand, some factions within immigration, who control many offices and entry-points, have become crazy-greedy.  They use foreigner-hatred as a stick to drive up the agent-rate for "Please, just leave me alone to spend money here," into the hundreds of dollars per extension. And, for some reason, they make it even more difficult if you are supporting a Thai family which, in combination with my in-person experiences with some officials (amphoes and immigration), suggests a race-based mentality is a factor.

 

The thought of those corrupt factions, who want us either gone or paying them off (which some expats seem to admire - like some sort of bizarre Al Capone worship), getting their fingers into the MFA's process is not at all comforting. 

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39 minutes ago, Essecola said:

If it is about steering people to agents, where the hell are those agents. Noticed someone has been thru here and cleared out a good couple pages of comments. Nice.

 

I responded to your question on this in the other thread:

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079213-rejected-entry-and-sent-back-home/?do=findComment&comment=13756263

 

I had no problem finding an agent offering to fake the money with a web search - "Providing the finances to support your visa application," under "retirement extension" service for the first agent I found.  Many of the well-advertised agents offer this "service," including ads on Thai cable-TV (English language stations) every 15 minutes.

Edited by JackThompson
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4 hours ago, JackThompson said:

I responded to your question on this in the other thread:

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079213-rejected-entry-and-sent-back-home/?do=findComment&comment=13756263

 

I had no problem finding an agent offering to fake the money with a web search - "Providing the finances to support your visa application," under "retirement extension" service for the first agent I found.  Many of the well-advertised agents offer this "service," including ads on Thai cable-TV (English language stations) every 15 minutes.

appreciate the advice. I guess I dont watch much tv and I cant get a retirement visa. Am not handing over money for a 5 year elite visa. Nice of them not to offer anything that can just be paid for for a one-two year term. Just constant stress from this every day, it is not happy anymore to be here. Maybe just going home is it. Am sure as hell not going to Cambodia, VN, or the Philppines. Especially not ever the Philippines. Tired of the constant worry here. Wasn't like this when I decided to stay here and they said, welcome everything is fine. It's like being stabbed in the back.

Edited by Essecola
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34 minutes ago, Essecola said:

appreciate the advice. I guess I dont watch much tv and I cant get a retirement visa. Am not handing over money for a 5 year elite visa. Nice of them not to offer anything that can just be paid for for a one-two year term. Just constant stress from this every day, it is not happy anymore to be here. Maybe just going home is it. Am sure as hell not going to Cambodia, VN, or the Philppines. Especially not ever the Philippines. Tired of the constant worry here. Wasn't like this when I decided to stay here and they said, welcome everything is fine. It's like being stabbed in the back.

Cannot blame you on the elite - what a joke that pricing is.


I never expected Thai immigration to be a cakewalk - was warned by others to avoid the place years before I met my now-wife, while passing through.  But, based on reports at the time, I did think that after getting married to her, the path would get easier - not harder.  Unfortunately, they decided to "crack down" on foreigners marrying Thais about the time we got married.

 

But for someone like yourself - who arrived years ago, and was welcomed by immigration at that time - I can understand the "stabbed in the back" feeling.

 

In my ranking of countries, all you listed plus most of Latin America rank above my passport-country in terms of quality-of-life vs overhead - but to each their own, of course. 

 

Agents run about 15K to 25K, depending on area.  Passport plus money is all they need.  No stress with immigration if you give them what they really wanted all along, it seems.  The "stress" comes from thinking they really want you to "follow rules" or something - as they constantly change the rules.  I think they must be amused that we don't just "figure out the game" and "pay them off" like they clearly prefer.

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47 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

No stress with immigration if you give them what they really wanted all along, it seems.  The "stress" comes from thinking they really want you to "follow rules" or something - as they constantly change the rules.  I think they must be amused that we don't just "figure out the game" and "pay them off" like they clearly prefer.

Well I guess that's one way to look at it. I have never found for my 15 years here that to "follow the rules" to be any big stress ... but it certainly would be stressful for me to know the only way I could stay in Thailand was to bribe a  government official which is what it is no matter what "When in Rome" type euphemism you attach to it.

Edited by JLCrab
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I really wouldn't mind if they could show me where to pay. Not retirement visa. Not elite. Not work permit. Not ED visa. If I don't find it, I will go home. To the states. It will cost about $1000 per month more, but actually not since I don't have to fly around anymore. And the visa stresses and headaches gone. 335 million other people can be there each day, so can I. I liked it here better but am not going to be treated like an animal. 

 

Haha who would have thought. A real relaxing vacation type of thing at this stage would be flying home. lol. What a story, travel to a place in the world that is supposed to be relaxing and comfortable and year by year they keep tightening screws so it makes you so unhappy you want to leave. And you actually paid for it. 

Edited by Essecola
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6 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Agree 100%.  I felt much more secure I could stay long-term on tourist-extensions in the Philippines, than I do married to a Thai and supporting a Thai family, here.  There is no clique of powerful factions in the Philippines who literally hates us / wants us gone.  Immigration in the PI is literally happy to see a foreigner show up on-time, doing things according to the published rules.  There are never any "extra documents" needed.

 

Even in Latin America, where a resentment of "gringos" does exist (due to actual US foreign-policy interference in their affairs), any "problem" would never amount to more than a tiny "fix" to some official (~$1.25 per entry to the country unofficially charged, sometimes).  It is similar in Cambodia, where "agent fees" were only around $20 for 1-year visas when I was staying there a few years ago.

 

Here in Thailand, some factions within immigration, who control many offices and entry-points, have become crazy-greedy.  They use foreigner-hatred as a stick to drive up the agent-rate for "Please, just leave me alone to spend money here," into the hundreds of dollars per extension. And, for some reason, they make it even more difficult if you are supporting a Thai family which, in combination with my in-person experiences with some officials (amphoes and immigration), suggests a race-based mentality is a factor.

 

The thought of those corrupt factions, who want us either gone or paying them off (which some expats seem to admire - like some sort of bizarre Al Capone worship), getting their fingers into the MFA's process is not at all comforting. 

Come on...you're exaggerating hugely and you can't possibly know every single Thai or Filipino immigration officer either.

 

I have never gotten the impression that Thai immigration hates foreigners (more likely they either don't like certain people, hey you can't like everyone) or they have lots of idiots to deal with everyday. Certainly, Thai immigration can't be any worse than Cambodian immigration. The latter can be downright unfriendly - in fact, I've never been greeted with a smile by a Cambodian immigration official ever BUT I've nearly always had quite good experiences with Thai immigration, whether at land borders, airports (where most officials are overworked but efficient) and at immigration offices around the country. I've had many pleasant conversations with Thai officials but NOT ONE pleasant encounter with a Cambodian one. I've had Cambodian officials get angry at me for bargaining the price of their inflated visa charges down and then have them try to refuse a visa for me unless I agreed to pay their bribe. Clearly there are Cambodian officials who hate foreigners (and their jobs) - I can't say there are no Thai officials who aren't the same but they must be a very small minority.

 

If you have a marriage visa or some other type of long-term Thai visa, unless you fail to meet the requirements the next time you renew you'll get the extension. The only reasons countries like the Philippines and Cambodia appear to be "friendlier" towards perpetual tourists on easy to extend tourist visas is because they're poorer than Thailand and haven't gone down the road of tightening up their immigration processes yet. Eventually, they will however. The good times there won't last forever. Cambodia is already starting to tighten it's screws a bit though - 1 year extensions now require some sort of proof of what you're doing there - either a work permit, retirement or student visa. Those with no documents can now only get a 6 month extension then have to leave the country. The days of 1 year extensions at infinitum are gone. 

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32 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Well I guess that's one way to look at it. I have never found for my 15 years here that to "follow the rules" to be any big stress ... but it certainly would be stressful for me to know the only way I could stay in Thailand was to bribe a  government official which is what it is no matter what "When in Rome" type euphemism you attach to it.

Its a lottery, who gets the screws put to them.  Retired seem to get the least frequent screwing - though I am betting many are going to mess-up their monthly-income transfers by trying to save a buck using transferwise, or miss a payment, etc. 

 

I'm doing the same as you - SWIFT direct to Bangkok Bank, and eat the dang fee.  Paying an agent to maybe do something illegal, even if I could not possibly know about it, is about 3rd on my list of options to stay.

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5 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

Come on...you're exaggerating hugely and you can't possibly know every single Thai or Filipino immigration officer either.

 

I have never gotten the impression that Thai immigration hates foreigners (more likely they either don't like certain people, hey you can't like everyone) or they have lots of idiots to deal with everyday. Certainly, Thai immigration can't be any worse than Cambodian immigration. The latter can be downright unfriendly - in fact, I've never been greeted with a smile by a Cambodian immigration official ever BUT I've nearly always had quite good experiences with Thai immigration, whether at land borders, airports (where most officials are overworked but efficient) and at immigration offices around the country. I've had many pleasant conversations with Thai officials but NOT ONE pleasant encounter with a Cambodian one. I've had Cambodian officials get angry at me for bargaining the price of their inflated visa charges down and then have them try to refuse a visa for me unless I agreed to pay their bribe. Clearly there are Cambodian officials who hate foreigners (and their jobs) - I can't say there are no Thai officials who aren't the same but they must be a very small minority.

I also had good / friendly experiences with Thai IOs at friendly land-borders.  As a tourist getting extensions - no smiles, but professional service. 

 

I have read many accounts of those who tried to enter at airports (which I always avoided) where the IOs said horrible things, and acted incredibly unprofessionally and in a dishonest manner, throughout.

 

5 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

If you have a marriage visa or some other type of long-term Thai visa, unless you fail to meet the requirements the next time you renew you'll get the extension.

Not correct, unfortunately.  I began having terrible experiences as soon as I married a Thai and went for a Non-O stamp and annual-extension - when I met the corrupt / bad-apple types that work for agent-payoffs.  These are literally, horrible human beings who use their power to extort people.  They do not care if you have all the requirements met - they just keep adding on more.

 

5 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

The only reasons countries like the Philippines and Cambodia appear to be "friendlier" towards perpetual tourists on easy to extend tourist visas is because they're poorer than Thailand and haven't gone down the road of tightening up their immigration processes yet. Eventually, they will however. The good times there won't last forever. Cambodia is already starting to tighten it's screws a bit though - 1 year extensions now require some sort of proof of what you're doing there - either a work permit, retirement or student visa. Those with no documents can now only get a 6 month extension then have to leave the country. The days of 1 year extensions at infinitum are gone. 

"Only" 6 months to get one's act together?  Thailand gives 7-days. 

 

A work-permit in Cambodia is very easy to get - so, all they did was bring another player into the system.  I'd bet student-visas and "retirement" proofs are also very, very easy to obtain.


As to the Philippines, I lived there for a couple years - several areas - and always the same "glad to see you" plus professional-service for my tourist-extensions.  Married are even easier, as immigration view it as "doing the right thing" (unlike here).

 

Vietnam - no reports yet of problems on repeat-returns.  Just don't overstay.

 

I don't recall reading any "I followed the law, but they screwed me" reports from any of those 3 countries.  It must have happened somewhere/time, but not frequently enough to show up on the radar - very unlike here, where we see multiple "shafted" stories every week on this forum, alone.

 

There is no reason any country would/should ever "tighten up immigration processes," unless it is to keep people out who are a burden/harm to the country and its citizens.  Those of us from higher-wage nations are not a burden on Thailand - we are a net-benefit.  Therefore, what they are doing to self-funded visitors/expats makes no sense.  

 

Thailand has not come close to running out of poor citizens who need good jobs - which our spending literally creates out of foreign-sourced money-streams.   Stopping poor people coming in and driving down wages makes sense - but they are not doing that - the reverse, in fact.  This "tightening up" on precisely the wrong people is literally, madness - other than it provides cover for the real immigration-problem - entry of people willing to work for dirt-wages - which actually does hurt working-class Thai's opportunities, and which continues, unabated.

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38 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Paying an agent to maybe do something illegal, even if I could not possibly know about it, is about 3rd on my list of options to stay.

Right -- because you were not in the room when the agent gave the money to the corrupt IMM officer so you couldn't possibly know about it.

But why not use an agent? -- they would probably give you a discount for all the good press you give them:

 

For a stress-free life in Thailand, use an agent -- tell them Jack sent you.

Edited by JLCrab
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48 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Right -- because you were not in the room when the agent gave the money to the corrupt IMM officer so you couldn't possibly know about it.

But why not use an agent? -- they would probably give you a discount for all the good press you give them:

 

For a stress-free life in Thailand, use an agent -- tell them Jack sent you.

You are reading what I am saying exactly backwards, as to intent. 

 

But, it is true, the more I tried to "do the right thing" and get a "proper extension," the more stress and problems I encountered.  When I went back to a Visa from the relatively honest MFA, life got easier.  If that visa-option goes away (other thread on that), then I am back to stress-land - dealing with the immigration-gang, again.  If that becomes too much (will see how it goes with this office), I may have to give in, and pay their protection-money, so they will simply "let me live" here with my wife, and spend my foreign-sourced income into their economy.

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BS Jack you say in post #81 right above this topic following the rules is stressful and using an agent isn't.

 

"No stress with immigration if you give them what they really wanted all along, it seems.  The "stress" comes from thinking they really want you to "follow rules" or something."

 

And as you have repeatedly said the IMM folks deliberately make the rules difficult so you will be forced to use an agent. 

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2 hours ago, JLCrab said:

BS Jack you say in post #81 right above this topic following the rules is stressful and using an agent isn't.

 

"No stress with immigration if you give them what they really wanted all along, it seems.  The "stress" comes from thinking they really want you to "follow rules" or something."

 

And as you have repeatedly said the IMM folks deliberately make the rules difficult so you will be forced to use an agent. 

Corruption is only good if it works in your favour ????

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