I’m honestly shocked they paid at all. I wonder if they’ll come back later and ask the refund from you. United doesn’t want to pay claims for visits to hospitals in the US that they’re in network with let alone visits outside the country. But otherwise, good for you.

@Matthew ********

not sure any of that is going to affect my ability to help my gf family with funding

@Matthew ********

there are plenty of ways to transfer funds without having your own Thai bank account. Wise account is very easy.

Did you get your money back that was in the account?

Is this how long it usually takes? Is there anyway to speed up the process? Thx.

I’m not criticizing the government but free workers are free workers.

@Chrisna *********

volunteers are y going to take every job. They’re going to take jobs where they’re doing service to those less fortunate. Not cleaning houses or starting food stalls or doing tech work for free. But if there are children or others in the slums that need assistance and no one else is telling them, why not allow farangs to do it for free?

@Chrisna *********

I understand that but why require foreigners to get visa just to volunteer?

The ban or need to get a volunteer visa totally baffles me. Why would Thailand turn down free labor from happy volunteer farangs?

I think Thailand would be better off by simply adding a tax on goods and services to non Thai citizens. You show your id and if you’re Thai, you don’t pay it. Much simpler imo than the double tax idea.

It seems that many ex pats are living on $1000-2000/month which in their home countries isn’t much, so their are low. But in Thailand, that’s still 2-4x the average income and thus would put them in much higher tax brackets relatively speaking. Thus effectively forcing those ex pats to leave or significantly reduce their standards of living in Thailand causing them to reconsider other options like Vietnam.