Udon Thani Province Initiative

[Galee]

So i assume then coxo that should Toms initiative result in any improvements you are not interested in taking advantage of them?
Say for example the financial requirements were reduced from 800K to 600K. Are you going to say to them, "no thanks, I didn't ask for this, I'm keeping 800K in the bank?".

[kjellsnell]

If I have a problem with anything Thai I try and sort it myself at the relevant Thai departments, I've been here seventeen years so it works for me, I don't need to be represented by one who I know nothing about and who is self appointed representing a community of which I am a part of end of story.

i agree to this and i dont like om bar rentalist try to talk in my name, there are far more qualified people - i dont even like the idea to represented of any thing close to bars as i dont like them and i dont like the thougt that the thais think about us as.....barpeoples. I dont socialize people like that

[jai yen yen]

Just a personal observation. I have never known anyone that can write so much , yet say so little.

Politicians, car salesman, lawyers.

[trubrit]

So i assume then coxo that should Toms initiative result in any improvements you are not interested in taking advantage of them?
Say for example the financial requirements were reduced from 800K to 600K. Are you going to say to them, "no thanks, I didn't ask for this, I'm keeping 800K in the bank?".

Silly question. Coxo has already said he abides by the law. If the law reduces or increases , the latter more likely I think,
the amount needed for a visa, I am sure he will abide by it , as will we all, we have no choice in the matter. :-"

[trubrit]

Just a personal observation. I have never known anyone that can write so much , yet say so little.

Politicians, car salesman, lawyers.

But they are , of course profesionals.

[parrot]

I think I'm going to fire off a quick message to my embassy (US) and implore them to stop doing anything on my behalf. Stop coming to Udon twice a year.....I don't need their help. I'd rather travel to Bangkok to renew my passport or to get my annual income letter. Stop trying to help expats in jail....they don't need anyone's help (or money). And when an expat is in jail, stop trying to collect money on his behalf. I didn't see him standing on a street corner with a sign around his neck asking for assistance. Stop working to improve immigration procedures at the airport........we'd rather stand in line. Stop sending me those silly messages warning me of embassy closures or of impending protests. I'd rather go to Bangkok and find the embassy closed on my own, or go to Bangkok and find myself in the middle of a protest. I have no idea who those embassy people are.......much less who exactly they might be meeting with in the Thai government.
And, please, Thai citizens, when I go into a government office, stop treating me so kindly. I'm just an expat....married already, so I can't marry your daughter. There's no need to speak English to me.......that's trying to help me, and I don't need or want your help. And please, take down those silly English signs around town and on your highways. I don't need your help navigating the country.
And, you folks at Immigration, yesterday I renewed my visa and 90 day check. You approved my 90 day check without taking my TM47. Who said I needed your help? I don't. Oh, and please stop showing movies in English in your movie theaters. It's really silly, when you think of it......this is Thailand, and everyone knows that everyone here speaks Thai. We don't need your help.
And traffic police. When you stop me, please stop engaging in silly conversation, like: how long have you lived here? and, do you like Thailand? and, have a nice day - while you wave me on. I don't need your help.....you obviously need my help, so I'd much rather pay my token 100 or 200 baht like the rest of the drivers.
And finally, all you expat owners of beer and hamburger joints and stores selling falang food: Who said I needed homemade tortillas or imported cheese or fancy cider? I don't recall ever asking, or you ever polling, what our preferences are. Please stop trying to make our lives better.
Back to my cave.

[jackspratt]

parrot, possibly the worst example of this is Lee - did he poll all farangs resident in Udon (and surrounds) before he took the initiative to set up an English-speaking forum based in, and all about, Udon?

Imagine the potential for disruption this had for those comfortably set up here at the time, living in complete harmony with the Thai bureaucracy, and their rules and regulations.

Who was this fellow? What did we know about him? How long had he been here, and why didn't he post on Udon Map ...... oh!, that's right.

[trubrit]

Well I must admit this is the most intriguing topic by a new member that I can ever remember on the map since it started. With every susequent post by him raising more questions than answers. In view of that we are only left to form our own theories. This is mine .Assuming that a member of the Prime Ministers office did contact someone here in Udon , which has by no means been established, why would they choose Mr Info or possibly the body he represents? Perhaps they Googled and came up with a group calling themselves Udon Expats Club .Sounds rather grandiose and unless you looked further and found out that there membership is so small it would more appropiately called 'Some Udon Expats club" and in no stretch of the imagination be said to be representative of even a majority of us . By deed , thought or numbers .
An excusable error by the PM. However if this club received such an invitation, how convenient for them as they have been having credibility problems of their own lately, with convicted fraudsters in their midst .If they could pull this off maybe they could gain some kudos and enlarge their club .Of course they mustn't let anyone else onto it, that would diminish the effect. So they put a notice on a bar in Sex Soi and posted on our forum under complete anonymity. Now logically it would have reached more people and a greater cross section of us if the notice was displayed at the immigration office. But of course that would have required official approval which wouldn't have been given without producing the original letter from the Pm's office.!Maybe a problem there ?
Having examined the origin, let me list my concerns as to the credibilty of the little bit of info we do have. I must admit the biggest of which is the governors participation, although he wasn't named his office was .Now I listened to his inaugral speech upon appointment given to many organisations including top police officers .In this he pledged to clean up Udon Thani and ordered the police force to clear out the scourge of all types of establishments that traded in prostitution, big and small. He came over as quite sincere in this quest .It comes then to wonder why he would request to visit one such place in a social capacity. Of course that may account for why we haven't seen any reports or photos in the local media.
The above is I repeat my theorising but in the absence of positive information , I am hoping we can establish whats going on in our name by a looking at the negatives. A denial of which will of course give us some positives.

[parrot]

trubrit,
I'm curious.....when you were attending government meetings or meetings with officials, did you check their credentials or facebook page? I'd guess you polled the expat community to see who wanted your help, and what kind of help, if any, they wanted. And I'd guess you provided minutes of the meetings for everyone to read and approve. You've obviously got a bug up your butt about this individual or what he's trying to do. The way I see it, little harm can come from anything he might try to do. Even if he were an individual on the run (I'm not implying in any way that he is) or if the government officials were the worst of the worst, I'd still see little harm that could come from any meetings he might attend.
Many years ago I attended a few Tourist Authority of Thailand meetings....they asked me for some assistance, and when I attended, they asked my opinion of a few things. I apologize to anyone that might have been offended by my attending.....I took no polls, I told no one, I didn't provide minutes of the meeting. And I didn't check the facebook page of the officials who were in attendance. I'm surprised that the first class air conditioned bus that transported 30 or so expats to Ban Chiang, on behalf of the TAT, wasn't hijacked or pulled over with everyone robbed of their cash and jewels.
Next time, if there is a next time, I'll be sure to do more indepth investigation of just who I might be talking to.
As for Lee, I'm in total agreement. Who needs the first class map, the forum, the list of advertisers, the phone numbers, the opportunity to ask others for insight into things they don't know? Where'd he come up with the idea that I needed his help?....and then, didn't ask me beforehand.
Back to my medicine cabinet.

[pienmash]

You do have a point TB ,,,,, im quite suprised not to have seen anything on home cable etc ,,as im led to believe the attendees did form rather a grand bunch on both sides what seemed like a "getting to know you " discussion or meetup more than a debate.

Ref negative n positive ,,,,,,,,, tiz my experience ,,a neg n neg or a pos n pos will always make any change difficult where as when a neg and a pos collide and discuss the problems rationally and constructively there is a far greater chance of real change ..precisely i think the best way forward for any expat living hee with a serious interest in change however bi or small it would be worth a brief sorte in to town to meet up with Tom thus presenting their view or negtives directly and receiving hopefully positives ....... thats what i did .

mash

[fatbob]

In answer to Gary, I work here, I get paid here, I live here, my money is in the bank here so the amounts for visa's make no difference to me. A lot of my long term retired expat friends depending on the visa bring either 400k or 800k and then use that money to live on for the year, every 12 months they top it up to meet the visa requirement, they have no problems there, if that is to hard for permanent expats to do then take the wife back to your own country and see what you must do then, you may then think Thai immigration is quite simple. I do.

Parrot I would suggest you learn to speak Thai, even a little, if you make some form of effort so will they, if not you might have a good laugh and get a result. Signs on the highways, well Thailand is a popular tourist destination and has been for a long time, maybe your trying to be funny with that statement but it is just hot wind with no meaning in my book and no argument. Movie's in English, what are you talking about Parrot, make some sense man, cinemas are a business and if a company feels there is a market for English speaking movie's then we will get English movie's based on a business decision, dear old Tom will not make it happen. Please Parrot the hamburger and food joints are created by enterprising individuals who have made a decision to live and work here, if you truly believe the Toms of Thailand will help you then I pity your judgement, I have seen far to many world beaters come to Thailand wanting to change everything overnight, they soon disappear never to be seen again, they all seem to have beer bars. Something to do with ego, give me someone who quietly go's about there business without all the fanfare any day.

Jackspratt, potential, join Toms club mate, hope he can help you out.

[Khun Paul]

Having read all posts and especially TB's with some interest, it is quite amazing that nothing is being said publically by anyone be they Thai of Foreigner about what has been discussed or even that any discussion ever took place.

Lack of information raises more questions than some information and in the main I concur with most posters, a wait and see policy should be adopted, the waiting period should not pre-determined however, and for those who think I am pompous have a nice day ok.

[trubrit]

KhunParrot. I was rather hoping to draw Mr Info or possibly a member of the organisation he has hinted at ,into an open debate or denial rather than start bickering with you. As a member of the admin team I am sure you already know the answers to the questions you pose or at least able to research them in the forum archives . :-"

[Galee]

In answer to Gary, I work here, I get paid here, I live here, my money is in the bank here so the amounts for visa's make no difference to me. .

In reply to TB and coxo, my example was hypothetical not literal. Surprised you didn't realise that.

[fatbob]

by Galee » September 21, 2012, 7:17 am

So i assume then coxo that should Toms initiative result in any improvements you are not interested in taking advantage of them?
Say for example the financial requirements were reduced from 800K to 600K. Are you going to say to them, "no thanks, I didn't ask for this, I'm keeping 800K in the bank?".

Udon Thani Province Initiative
by Galee » September 21, 2012, 3:39 pm

coxo wrote:
In answer to Gary, I work here, I get paid here, I live here, my money is in the bank here so the amounts for visa's make no difference to me. .


In reply to TB and coxo, my example was hypothetical not literal. Surprised you didn't realise that.

Sorry mate, the use of the question marks appeared to me that you were asking me a direct question to which I responded.

[rick]

Hi, I have obtained a copy of the agenda and will bring to the meeting at the night market on Saturday, Have no idea which of the suggestions will be followed up but it is a start. I understand copies are available from the UT governors office, from a Mr Prudsak.

It is a pity that the whole subject got off to a bad start on here by being surrounded with so much mystery. I will point out i have no connection to this and did not attend the meetings (as never knew about it in time) but was fortunate to be shown a copy which i borrowed.



// Mod. Note: Thread locked at request of OP. //