AdoboLove

Hi, I hope someone can point me to the right direction. My mom and brother are visiting Thailand in November, the highlight would be going to the JJ plant and pet market. My mom is a plant afficianado and my brother is Betta (Siamese fish) fan, I already researched on the requirements for bring back them to Manila. So my question is where do I get a phytosanitary permit for the plants and health permit for the aquarium fish? I've attempted once to ask the sellers in JJ but most of the plant sellers don't speak English.

The gall of this people.

I suggest a truce on the case of the 10 years young boy.

It is an obvious mistake, unwanted, that everybody regrets.

Condolences to the family

Rest in Peace.

I think we should stop to speculate on a so tragic error.

thank you

I agree. RIP young lad.

The boys photo before being shot: http://tweetphoto.com/22511456

This is sad. Why is a ten year old boy in a protest rally like this? He is too young to comprehend what is going on. The situation has been rocky since yesterday, his guardians/parents should have sent him home.

I was watching CNN, it reports that one of the dead is a Japanese citizen from Reuters news agency.

Also, in the middle of the clash, there was caucasian woman, who seems like a curious tourist rather than a journalist, taking pictures of the riot.

Malls - Advantage Philippines

Natural Parks - Advantage Philippines

National Parks - Advantage Philippines

Beaches - Advantage Philippines

Mountain Climbing - Advantage Philippines

Island Hopping - Advantage Philippines

Cheap tour around the country - Advantage Thailand (Philippines is an archipelago state)

Well here is my unbiased rating. I traveled around Thailand for 2 months and lived and traveled in the Philippines most of my life

Natural Parks - Advantage Philippines

National Parks - Advantage Thailand - We don't have that many public parks for people. Infact, I only know one in Manila, which is Luneta

Beaches - Advantage Philippines

Mountain Climbing - Advantage Philippines

Island Hopping - Advantage Philippines

Cheap tour around the country - Advantage Thailand and it will stay that way

Road infrastructure - Advantage Thailand

Shopping/Malls - Advantage Thailand - Shopping is definitely cheaper in Thailand. As for malls, I find the malls in Thailand are concentrated in the Siam area but there's a variety of brands and choices. I find the malls in the Philippines convenient as there is always an SM near where you live - but its only good for running errands and grocery shopping. But shopping is still better in Thailand! Hehe.

I've traveled all over Thailand for 2 months, there are nice beaches, mountains etc. But I still would say more beautiful & unexplored places in the Philippines. Philippines is one of the most biodiverse rich countries in the world. For the person who said brown sand beaches only - you're kidding right? Obviously you haven't traveled much outside of Manila. Remember it's 7,107 islands. Diving is also one of the best in the world - Apo Islands, Tubattha Reef, Ship Wreck diving in Palawan. The only catch is you have to pay more as Philippines is not as touristy as Thailand (maybe I prefer it that way) and some places you can only reach by plane or boat, well boat is unsafe.

When my friends ask where to go in the Philippines, I usually advice to skip Manila. I also had to laugh when I was in Siam, one of my Swiss friend asked me to stop so she could take a picture of the "traffic" in Bangkok, I told her, that congestion is only moderate traffic in Manila.

As far as religion is concerned, I like that Thailand has less organized religion. I was raised a Catholic but just ended up an agnostic. The church meddles too much with the affairs of the state.

As far as Sex Tourism is concerned, no thanks. I'd rather keep them away from country.

Well maybe is the situation is bad now. Everyone is trying to leave, well most are overseas workers, who at the end of their diaspora, goes always back to the Philippines to retire. Maybe 50 years from now, we don't have to send our best professionals outside our country. Most overseas Filipino workers send money so they can send their children to school hoping that their kids wouldn't have to leave their families behind just to get a decent paying job.

Lucky you people, you only have to worry about what is the better food, which is the better beer, which has the better women

P.S. We don't have elephants in the Philippines, to this day I remain envious of my South East Asian neighbors . I like elephants

www.bsp.gov.ph/downloads/publications/faqs/fxregulations.pdf

6. Can a person bring in or take out of the country any amount of Philippine

currency?

A person may, without prior BSP approval, import or export, or bring in or take out

of the country, or electronically transfer, legal tender Philippine notes and coins,

checks, money orders or other bills of exchange drawn in pesos against banks

operating in the Philippines in amounts not exceeding P10,000.00. Prior

authorization from the BSP, through the International Operations Department, is

required for the export and import of Philippine currency exceeding P10,000.00.

7. Is there any restriction or limit in the amount of foreign currency that a

person may bring in or take out of the Philippines?

There is no restriction or limit on the amount of foreign currency that a person may

bring in or take out of the Philippines. However, any person bringing in or

taking out of the Philippines foreign currency, as well as other foreign

exchange-denominated bearer monetary instruments, (whereby title thereto

passes to another by endorsement, assignment or delivery), in excess of

US$10,000.00 or its equivalent must declare such fact in writing and furnish

information on the source and purpose of the transport of such currency or

monetary instruments using the prescribed Foreign Currency and Other

Foreign Exchange-Denominated Bearer Monetary Instruments Declaration Form.

The form is available at the Bureau of Customs desk in the arrival/departure areas of

all international airports and seaports. Failure to do so shall subject the violator to

sanctions, including confiscation of the foreign currency or monetary instruments

involved.

double post

My girlfriend went into the Cebu Pacific office in Manila. At first they told her they would not refund her and her ticket was no longer valid. Apparently, after she put up a fuss the best they would do was allow her to re-schedule the flight, but no longer than the next ninety days. She had enough money, and a return ticket, and as you said, the rest is all BS. Unfortunately, the immigration officers have the power to enforce that BS. My idea now is that I should travel to the Philippines in the next three months and bring her over. If we travel together she should not have any problem, I think. Or am I being overly optimistic?

She will get through if you are with her. Yeah, the immigration probably suspected your gf would become an illegal migrant worker . Your girlfriend is right to raise hel_l at Cebu Pacific, those people don't know any better. Usually at immigration, they ask single females, specially those traveling alone, proof of employment. But if you are traveling with her there shouldn't be any problems whether she is unemployed or not.

Here is the what is listed in the CebuPacific

http://www.cebupacificair.com/aboutus/trav...egulations.html

Further update: My girlfriend was not allowed aboard the plane on March 10th, 2010. She was told she needed a) a letter of invitation notarized on my embassy, a picture of me, and c) proof of reservation of hotel lodgings. The airlines (Cebu Pacific) stated that they will not refund the ticket (or allow the date to be changed) because they say we should have known the documentation that was required (like my photograph!) Does anyone know where requirements for this type of documentation (and personal photographs) are listed. Interestingly, the airline would refund the ticket if the immigration officials did not let her go for another reason: 'that they did not like how she looked. That means officials can and do turn people back simply if they don't like what they look like. Remember, my girlfriend was not a 17 year old, but 30 years old. She also said that in explaining why she was being rejected, the official told her foreign men are dangerous.

So I would warn anyone against having a Philippina travel alone to visit them in Thailand.

Do you still have the copy of your e-ticket of Cebu Pacific? The requirements are there. As far I know, you only need two things

1. Return ticket to Manila

2. Proof of Funds

All the rest are pure BS.

The travel tax is around 2,700 plus 750 terminal fee, and not 5,000 as the previous poster stated

I'm in Vietnam right now, and entered the country Visa-free since I am from an ASEAN Country. Would like have to extended my visa here but the cost ranges from 300-400 USD for a 3 - month multiple entry visa. The reason was that I have no visa to begin with, wether this is true or not, it's too expensive when you can get it on arrival for 50-80 USD.

So I'm going to Laos for a week, can anyone tell me what is the price for a 3 month multiple entry visa in Vientiane Vietnamese Embassy? Is the price same for all nationalities? Any ASEAN citizen recently been there? I want to bring enough USD for the visa payment.

Thanks in advance!

you can apply for a longer stay up to 3 months, either a single or multiple entry tourist visa. they used to have a 6 month visa for tourists but the rules have changed.

you need to be out by 29th

Thailand. The Hub of Hubs.

But seriously. MORE BANDWIDTH would be needed to be a hub. Can you imagine Thailand with 50 MB DSL like Korea, Japan etc? Google is even rolling out 1 GB connections in the US.

Thailand has some serious catch up

Even Vietnam has faster internet connections than Thailand, any random hotel/guesthouse in Vietnam can give me fast or decent connections

Any single, female traveling as group or solo raises a red flag at the Philippine immigration.

It happened to me and I have traveled a lot before, it was annoying but probably they were just doing their jobs. But the staff are actually polite. My case was different though, I am traveling/backpacking for a year around South East Asia, I didn't have a return ticket to Manila but I have exit tickets and advanced booked tickets around SE Asia. Well, they asked me why didn't I have return ticket to PHIL and I explained because I am traveling for a year. And because an asian woman going on solo travel is not common here they asked what was my job. The immigration officer even asked me what is "backpacking". and he didn't really know. Well, they let me through anyway because I had exit tickets. But I did have ATMS, cc's and a passbook with me just in case they asked for proof of funds.

I cannot blame them tho' because they are probably trained for this, with so many women/men that are victims of illegal recruitment, human trafficking and people trying to get jobs without proper work permits, it is us, travelers who gets the occasional annoyance.

On another note, they are probably strict with return/exit tickets because it is a requirement for ASEAN passport holders travelling around SE Asia, although seldom checked in your destination countries. The reason is that the immigration could fine the airline anything from 1,000-5,000 usd for letting a passenger get on the airplane without return/exit tickets.