Execute the worst
How admirable for the government to hold anti-corruption workshops to educate students and others about the evils of corruption.
The government, like all former governments, somehow does not realise, (or maybe it does), that corruption starts at the top and has a trickle-down effect. Everyone profits, top to bottom, first to last. Thailand, which unfortunately is enamoured by China in many aspects, somehow fails to adopt the Chinese methods of dealing with corruption.
Those convicted of big-time corruption are simply jailed for life or executed with fanfare. Is it successful? There are always those willing to take a chance if the stakes are high enough, but at least the Chinese method makes those who want to take the risk think twice.
Jack Gilead
Taxing issues
Re: "Keep complaining", (PostBag, Feb 17).
Of course I did not accuse Eric Bahrt of tax evasion, either in the USA or Thailand, but merely expressed the hope that he was not advocating it. Why? Well, Mr Bahrt seems to think that remitting a substantial monthly sum from overseas to a bank account in Thailand might attract the attention of the Revenue Department, so I was just wondering how else he expects funds to be brought into the country in a legal, secure and cost-effective way. Actually, I don't believe such monthly transfers are subject to Thai tax. As I have already suggested, the Immigration Bureau may now want to see funds actually being brought into Thailand by expatriate retirees, rather than just accumulating in an overseas bank account, which I guess is why they are no longer willing to accept letters from embassies.
As a final thought, why does Mr Bahrt use PostBag to question these new procedures? How can he possibly expect a definitive answer, and from whom? The thing to do is to ask the Immigration Bureau for an explanation.
Robin Grant
Residency palaver
If Messrs Bahrt et al think that their cases are tough, try this.
My mother was born here in 1916 and my grandmother before that. My ma had a birth certificate (number under 150!) from Amphur Bang Rak. In fact, immigration told me they had never come across one that old. My Pukalanan family -- maternal side -- worked at court. My ma married and, because of WWII, stayed in Europe.
To support my application to become a resident here, I presented her birth and marriage certificates to support mine, together with proof of three million baht in a Thai bank (to purchase a bungalow in Takua Pa). I was refused on the grounds that ma's ancient birth certificate (registered three days after birth) showed a generic name 'Dang' (not uncommon here) and a now-faded handwritten name in English that was not quite the same as on the Polish translated marriage certificate! (also my godmother was Thai).
If I wanted to purchase a property, I had to set up a company and put it in the company name. This done (with costly annual returns) for the past 15 years I have continued to try for residential status -- to no avail.
I enjoy being with the people of this country and enjoy the country in general, but enough is enough, it's time to try and sell up. I am familiar with Laos (and Myanmar to a lesser extent) having spent several years there -- they may be more accommodating, or more so than a Brexit UK! Yours, foreign blood!
Dr AK
Haze be gone
As weather conditions lifted high levels of killer smog from Bangkok, governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang said "Nature has done me a favour". Presumably the list of emergency measures to tackle the problem now has a note saying "no action required, bring forward January 2020".
Phil Cox
Contact: Bangkok Post Building 136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110 fax: +02 6164000 Email: postbag@bangkokpost.co.th
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