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Perhaps not individual transaction but certainly gross transactions of foreign currencies to the Bank of Thailand as do US banks to the Federal Reserve. Likewise, banks that issue credit cards report gross transactions of foreign currencies. In every currency exchange I have done in Thai banks or SuperRich, the first step is to copy the face page of my passport. They even ask for name of hotel. What makes you think, especially with the current administration, some of the transaction data is not being transmitted to the BOT? Central banks worldwide have a huge interest in the state of currencies entering and leaving the country. The spending table above shows only the average spending per foreigner. When George Orwell's 1984 was first published in 1949, it was seen as a futuristic fantasy film. Today, it's tame stuff compared to what information government can collect on its citizens and visitors. ------------- Bank of Thailand Starts Foreign Exchange Regulation Reform - June 14, 2017 The Bank of Thailand has started reform of Foreign Exchange Regulations. The move is seen as a starting point for further reforms of other regulations to enhance ease of doing business. Governor of the Bank of Thailand (BOT) Veerathai Santiprabhob stated that one of the most important impediments in enhancing the nation’s competitiveness involves obsolete regulations that are not accommodative to business management. Although the BOT has continually amended the regulations, certain rules are still not in line with the changing economic and financial environment. Nevertheless, he said, the relaxation must not affect the Bank’s responsibility to maintain financial stability or its ability to collect data for monitoring and analyses of capital flows to evaluate their impact on financial markets and the economy. Over the past six months, the BOT, working with a consultant who is experienced and internationally renowned, has been collaborating closely with representatives from the private sector such as the Board of Trade of Thailand, corporations, commercial banks, money changers, and money transfer agents. All of the mentioned parties identified obstacles and provided recommendations on revising the regulations, considering compliance costs incurred by the private sector. https://www.thailand-business-news.com/banking/58185-bank-thailand-starts-foreign-exchange-regulation-reform.html

The Madrid Patpong is great pizza. Read (on Stickman, I believe) it was a hangout for CIA and similar types during Vietnam era.

Apparently you have enough rope.

I believe that falls under the principle of "regression toward the mean" (technical way of saying that things tend to even out over time). This discussion prompted me to consider one of my favorite topics--massage--as an instrument for explaining why (IMHO) why it's in the best interest of the Thai government to do nothing to discourage it. Why? Because it provides for a transfer of wealth from the wealthier Thais and foreigners to the poorest members of Thai society, most of whom reside in the country's northeast quadrant. Think about it. A not insignificant portion of the tips provided end up supporting families that otherwise would have to rely wholly on agricultural income (or other manual labor). Without the social programs most of us take for granted (i.e., ss, pensions, national health), there's no safety net to speak of. Tip income finds it way to the neediest without taxation or corruption that applies to other forms of wages. OK, the shop may have to pay tea money and taxes in one form of another, but the tips themselves are, in effect, the perfect wealth transfer. Sure, some of it ends up in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, but the lion's share stays at home. So when we hand over those tips, we're doing more good than we probably spend much time thinking about. And it beats writing a check to some NGO that first takes its bite before going on to do its particular form of "good."

We have a system of user names that has worked very well. It ceases, however, to work well when a poster uses more than one user name. BTW Stevie, I don't believe you helped Sglad's case when you brought Trump in as a comparison. But then again, it may not have been your intent to help him at all; you just seek the last word. But by all means please carry on...do you have sufficient rope?

I hate to shatter your genteel sense of reality but we have user names (aka authors) here. This way we can distinguish between what posters write. Why don't you now take the opportunity to get us back on topic as you suggested.

We differ on my counts, Stevie, and this is just one more. When I go to a bookstore, books are arranged into categories like fiction and non fiction. About two-thirds of my selections are fiction and often authors I've read before. But if there was no distinction between the categories, I'd have no way of knowing whether I'm reading history, biography or fantasy. I don't think it's asking too much to expect the same here. As I said above, Sglad has talent but he seems to thrive more on deception than story-telling The deception obviously doesn't bother you so all I can say is happy reading! P.S. And yes, the thread has drifted off topic. Hopefully someone will some along and pull it back on track.

Agree that there's no fool-proof way to figure out exactly who's spending how much and on what activities. The most reliable gross spending indicator is the currency exchange transactions where passports are required. So they know name and nationality of persons exchanging specific quantities of foreign currencies into Thai. There's a limited number of ways visitors pay for goods and services: Thai currency they brought into the country with them; currency they exchange into baht and credit card transactions. (The first is the lone unknown factor; the latter two are easily tabulated into how much visitors from nation X spent). Divide that amount by number of in-bound visitors from that nation during a given period and you come with with an average per person. It's admittedly an imperfect number but it's useful in obtaining a snapshot.

Japan's NHK network remembers the Thai financial crisis: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20170721201747589/

From Pattayaone No sooner has Pattaya recovered from having the filthiest sea in Thailand than the black sludge and effluent are back. Now questions are being asked by the media about what happened to a large budget to clean up water treatment at the resort. What was billed as more of an environmental disaster zone than a high class resort last week, is now back to being a cesspit. Sophon Cable TV said that yesterday a 300 meter stretch of beach around South Pattaya and the old port area was just as bad as ever. Shamed into action last week the cleaners of the local authority and the military had been out in force. Now it looks like they will have to come back to continue to do what many in Pattaya fear will be a recurring theme: “Sticking a plaster on a gaping wound”. Sophon cable said that the gaping wound is filthy water, pollution and excrement that is pumped into the sea that is just blown back ashore time and again. They reported that that the area was as bad as ever yesterday and added some caustic comments as toxic as the pollution stating that 60 million baht was meant to have been spent this year on the pollution of the beaches in the area without any results. This was part of a 27 million baht EEC fund to upgrade the resorts sewage infrastructure topped up to 60 million by the interior ministry. Questions are being asked as to how this money was spent. Sophon said the work was all meant to have been completed by July. Source: Thai Visa http://pattayaone.news/en/pattaya-environmental-disaster/

Sglad originally posted on all three boards (going back as far as '07) with a different user name, although at some point appended it on SN with --old. The registration info he provided would place him now in his mid-70's (a neighborhood many find ourselves in). To the best of my knowledge, that original handle remains active on all boards but is only used currently on GB. He listed Bangkok as his home and some posts described himself as an English teacher. At some point he adopted a second handle that he's using in in this thread and has used on SN. He also appears to have at least one other user name here and two others on SN. One veteran SN contributor sees a Beachlover connection. I really wasn't following the boards closely then so I won't comment on that. It's sad because some of his posts provide useful information and insights. Others, however, about his life as a Singaporean "uni" student or stressed out young man, detract from his original persona and leave readers unsure where he draws the line between reality and fiction . As I've said in another thread, why not have a forum on the board where members can try their hand at fiction? I suspect Sglad might fare quite well.

Bet 'ya do.

How can I put this gently, glad one. You are a fraud. You misrepresent yourself as a someone who you are not. But in the interest of generosity, I nominate you for the Thai gay boards' award for achievement in the field of fiction. I acknowledge that the award does not yet exist. However, no one is more worthy than you.

Post #141 posted above makes no reference to Thai guys lusting after you. And obviously there's no cause that would prompt them to do so--"for money or otherwise."

Yes you are, TW, yes you are indeed.

Glad, you can't even remember what you posted in the same thread. In post #6, you advise: "Five days in CM should be enough to cover most of the major sights comfortably. As you've been to CM previously, you can zero in on the places you'd like to visit." In post #9 you advise: "I think I might have misread your earlier post. I think you should go to Chiang Mai if you've never been." WTF? Across the three boards, you have more personas than you can keep track of and in most you present yourself as a sexy young guy when you're anything but. But we still luv ya' even if your meds are screwing with your mind.

That's because you are one, LOL. Oh course he isn't. How can your right palm be Thai or farang?

Agree that it's hard to trace cash transactions but passport required when exchanging currencies or cashing TC's so authorities have a fairly good handle on who's converting how much to the baht. ATM withdrawals from foreign banks are easily tracked. CC transactions provide a wealth of data about where foreigners are spending. Rich Egyptians and other well-heeled Middle-Easterners probably choose the LOS for some of the same reasons we--and those of the other persuasion--do. But we shouldn't neglect Benjamin Disraeli's take on stats: There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.

From Pattaya One A video of Maha Sarakham police using Y-shaped and hooked sticks to subdue a frantic drunken man, which went viral on Monday, was part of a wider strategy, it was revealed. It is part of Provincial Police Region 4 training to reduce injuries to suspects and arresting police when attempting to subdue knife-wielding or agitated people, said Muang Maha Sarakham precinct superintendent Colonel Chairoj Nakharaj. He said that once a week since last year, each precinct under Provincial Police Region 4 has had a team of four officers trained in how to use three Y-shaped and one hook-shaped stick to subdue suspects. The hook stick is used to pull a suspect off their feet and the Y-shaped sticks are used to hold them down. http://pattayaone.news/en/stick-method-subdue-suspects/

As they might, let's say, with a Singaporean exchange student studying in Chiang Mai?

The BP published this article today, listing 39 categories of professions reserved for Thais. I don't see "massage" or "entertainment" among them. Perhaps they're lumped under labour work. From Bangkok Post The Employment Department will revise the list of 39 professions reserved for Thai citizens to accommodate the changing circumstances of Thai workers. Director-general Varanon Peetiwan said on Wednesday the list had not been updated for a long time, but the circumstances of Thai society had changed. The list included bricklaying which proved not to interest Thai workers any longer, he said. The number of reserved professions was 39 but the cabinet had already allowed migrants to work as labourers and domestic helpers, Mr Varanon said. The Employment Department would invite representatives of professions to help revise the list to better respond to situation and economic condition, he said. The 1979 list of reserved professions comprised: (list continues at) http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1290075/list-of-jobs-reserved-for-thais-to-be-revised

Tabulate voluntary answers to the immigration card you submit upon arrival, review mega data on financial transactions and conduct random interviews at Swampy. While waiting for my return flight on last trip, I was approached by an pleasant, English-speaking young Thai woman who asked if I'd be willing to answer some questions about my visit. She wasn't interested in any personal information (other than nationality) but was very interested in length of stay, how much I spent on airfare, daily accommodations, meals, purchases and activities (and yes, massages was among them along with cultural tours, local travel, and medical care). The government is well-aware of why so many foreigners are choosing to visit the LOS. It's obviously very much interested in promoting the ways outside currencies enter the nation and not interested in taking actions that would reduce that flow. It should come as no surprise that they see the value in extended stay, high-spending visitors. I see no difference in their objective than I do in that of other nations.

It be, I assure you. Many plausible factors have been cited and I believe that they all can come into play depending upon the individuals involved. I think of it as a wonderful puzzle we get to continually explore knowing that we'll never fully arrive at a final solution. But be aware that there is a danger in overthinking all this: our fantasy may vanish--along with our erection--at a most inconvenient moment.

From Bloomberg News Focus instead is on boosting daily spending and length of stay Thailand is now so popular for holidays that almost 35 million foreign tourists -- equivalent to half the country’s population -- are expected this year. As the influx gets harder to manage, the government is shifting strategy. It’s now targeting a minimum increase in tourism revenue of about 5 percent annually instead of a particular number of visitors, Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said. That means encouraging longer stays and higher daily spending, a mix the typical Australian holidaymaker exemplifies, she said. “Maybe they’re the ones who are like: this is my time -- I eat, I shop, and I eat, and I shop," Kobkarn, 56, said in an interview. Australian visitors were among the top 10 biggest spenders in terms of per capita daily expenditure last year, forking out 5,831 baht ($172), Tourism Ministry data shows. Their average length of stay of almost 14 days was the highest in that group. Some nationalities take even longer holidays but tend to be more parsimonious. British tourists, for instance, stayed for just over 18 days on average while spending 4,376 baht daily. “We no longer have a target for number of tourists,” she said. “We shouldn’t go beyond the limit that we can cope. But there’s no statistic on that yet. When people say that Phuket may be too crowded, or Bangkok is too crowded, we have to make sure that we are introducing new destinations too.” Arrivals from overseas more than doubled in the past decade, powered by a surge in Chinese holidaymakers who contributed 28 percent of 1.6 trillion baht in foreign tourism receipts in 2016. Quality doesn’t just mean targeting wealthy tourists as Thailand needs travelers on a variety of budgets, Kobkarn said. Instead, it refers to offering good value experiences that encourage return visits, increase the average length of stay and bolster daily spending per head, she said. Even as Kobkarn tries to focus on revenue targets rather than visitor numbers, arrivals are projected to climb, whether drawn by the allure of white-sand beaches in resorts such as Krabi, the gastronomic delights of Bangkok or the perennially notorious sex capital Pattaya. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-16/spendthrift-aussies-embody-thailand-s-new-strategy-for-tourism

From CNN (CNN) — Thailand is a country blessed by an abundance of fruits and vegetables. Navigate a local market and you'll find a diverse selection of fresh produce in massive quantities. Sounds like a dream destination for vegetarians, right? Not so fast. Once you sit down and browse a Thai restaurant menu, you'll soon realize that pork is an obsession in Thailand and fish sauce is a main flavoring ingredient in many dishes. But don't worry, one of the great things about Thailand is that in most restaurants your food isn't cooked until you order it. This means that you can specify exactly what you want to exclude from your dish before it is prepared. I wrote the Vegetarian Thai Food Guide to show travelers who don't eat meat exactly how to take advantage of the famous tongue-pleasing flavors of Thai cuisine. Here are a few tips from it. To stick to your vegetarian or vegan diet in Thailand, it's helpful to understand the Thai view of vegetarianism. "Vegetarian" loosely translates to "mang sa wirat" (มังสวิรัติ), a word that specifies you don't eat noticeable pieces of meat or seafood. Everything else -- including eggs, meat stock, fish sauce or other animal products -- is fair game. Just not chunks of meat. Vegan translates similarly to the Thai word "jay" (เจ), referring to a person who eats no meat, no seafood, no animal byproducts, no garlic, and even excludes a few herbs and vegetables that have too pungent of a flavor. The first thing you'll need to do is tell the cook or waiter that you are vegetarian: "ben mang sa wirat" (เป็นมังสวิรัต). To play it completely safe, you can say "gin jay" กินเจ). When you order your dish, emphasize again that you are vegetarian and make sure to mention that you want your food without any form of meat ("mai gin neua sat" ไม่กินเนื้อสัตว์). After that you can give further personal requests like no fish sauce ("mai ow nam bplaa" ไม่เอานำ้ปลา) or no oyster sauce ("mai ow nam man hoy" ไม่เอาน้ำมันหอย). To get you started, here are five popular Thai dishes and tips on how to order completely vegetarian versions of them. Continues at http://www.cnn.com/travel/article/thai-food-vegetarians-guide/index.html