fester

Avex, why you don't just not cross any land border point and do a visa run, they are not supposed to check the 90 days rule at land crossings. After that you are ok again, and the 90 days count will start from that entry back to the Kingdom, as you declare your address at the TM-card.

Because you are on yearly extensions, you will need a re-entry permit if you don't have a valid one already.

Fester I had seen the thread you mention, but it seems that your question was about a one day pass, and I would like to know if it goes the same for a 3 day stay.

Anyway fester, did you eventually go to Laos and how was it at the border for your Thai friend?

Thais can be issued with 1 or 3 days Laos border passes. They also have longer border passes available, with multiple entries, 1 month up to a year.

We came to Nong Khai on a Saturday, so the City Hall was closed, so I have to go alone.

We saw that several travel agencies in Nong Khai can help with this as well. Same day delivery. Didn't check the fees though.

SARS - Billion cases in 60 weeks

Sars 'has potential to be more serious than Aids'

A UK medical expert has warned the Sars virus has the potential to be more devastating than the Aids epidemic.

Dr Patrick Dixon said it was not inevitable, but there was a 25% chance of a global Sars pandemic.

Dr Dixon, who is an expert on Aids and considered Europe's leading futurist, predicting global trends, said the crisis needed to be taken out of the hands of health chiefs and handled by world leaders.

He said: "This is not a yuppie disease contracted by air travellers.

That is a pathetic reaction that will put the whole world at risk. It is worth remembering that Aids has infected 80 million people so far over a 15 to 20 year period.

"Aids spreads slowly so we can track it and plan for it. We have effective anti-viral drugs which can prolong life. But this is different, we don't have the time. This is a far more serious epidemic potentially than Aids."

Dr Dixon said his main concern was not the number of infections in Beijing, but rural, isolated areas in China and around the world.

He said: "China has draconian measures in place in a bid to contain the virus, but in a country like India which is chaotic with minimum health provision, the potential for spreading the virus is huge."

Dr Dixon, a fellow at the Centre for Management Development at London Business School, said if current trends continued there could be a billion cases within 60 weeks. He has called on world leaders to address the problem as a matter of national security.

He added: "Unless the virus spontaneously mutates into a less dangerous form, the only hope we have is to mount an immediate aggressive global response at the highest levels against Sars, something we've not yet seen.

"If things continue as they are, with a mixture of denial, confusion, delay, ignorance, bad decisions, poor data gathering, official decision-making paralysis, incompetence, concealment, secrecy and government apathy in some parts of the world, then a pandemic is surely only a matter of time."

Sinclair,

This thread will answer your questions:

http://forum.thaivisa.com/cgi-bin....hl=laos

wildside, you are on a one-year extension, righty, and not on a multiple entry visa??

Dr. Pong is wrong and George is right if this is a yearly extension from Immigration and not a multiple entry.

Emergency package of B3bn not enough, say Thai travel companies

Calls for tax breaks and heavy discounts across the board

BANGKOK: The assistance the government has pledged to the Thai travel industry, hard hit by the Sars outbreak, will not enable many members to survive during the next six months - a period industry leaders say will determine their fates.

Five travel-related groups said the ``emergency package'' credit line of three billion baht pledged yesterday by the SME Development Bank was not sufficient and additional aid in the form of financial support, tax breaks and other incentives would be needed.

Outbound travel agencies have seen 95% of their bookings cancelled, inbound tourist numbers are down 50% and domestic travel is off 40-50% since public alarm began to ring over Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus.

The damage to the industry so far has been estimated at 40 billion baht, and many of the 3,000-plus member companies in the associations face the risk of collapse.

``We hope this is [just] the first measure and we expect more to be introduced by the government,'' said Suparerk Soorangura, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

``In addition to loans to be used as working capital, we need to cut expenses and need the government's support by considering a reduction of value-added tax.''

``[The SME bank package] is a good start and would be a pilot project to help the tourism industry, which had earlier lost hope of survival due to several negative conditions,'' added Charoen Wanggananont, president of the Association of Domestic Travel.

Suwanna Dejrungruang of the Thai Hotels Association said its members had lost more than they could possibly obtain in funds from the state bank, as 50-60% of their room bookings had disappeared.

``We will ask for more from Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak,'' she said.

Dr Somkid yesterday told tourism-related agencies to come up with a ``super attractive campaign'' _ including heavy discounts _ to stimulate domestic travel.

He told operators including Thai Airways International to cut prices by up to 70% for local travellers.

However, THAI president Kanok Abhiradee said that although the airline was willing to participate in a campaign, fares should not be undervalued too much. He suggested that a combined package should be designed with all operators.

``The package should be a combination of discounts from each operator who should give as much of a discount as it could,'' he said.

Operators will reveal details of the promotion at the Consumer Fair, which will be held from May 1-4. Hotels are expected to offer 70% discounts, airlines 25%, train services 50% and tour packages 50%.

Under an agreement signed yesterday, the SME Development Bank would lend between 500,000 baht and three million baht to each tourism-related company requiring assistance. The loans must be repaid within two years and carry a 6% interest rate, slightly below market levels.

Sars has killed more than 200 people and infected more than 4,500 others, mostly in Asia.

Manus Pipathananunth, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association, said at least 10% of its 536 members were on the verge of closure, based on the assumption that almost all of their income could disappear in the next five months.

``The current situation is the worst we have faced. It is as severe as a combination of what we felt from the first Gulf War, the 1997 baht depreciation and the [2001 and 2002] terrorist attacks [in the US and Bali],'' Mr Manus said.

In another development, reservations specialist Thai-Amadeus Southeast Asia Co said it had joined with THAI and Krung Thai Bank in a programme to provide financial support to travel agents.

Agents using the Amadeus system would be eligible for an unlimited amount of preferential SME (small- and medium-sized enterprises) loans to ease cash-flow problems, it said.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has forecast foreign tourist arrivals to fall by about 25% in the second quarter from a year earlier, due to the Sars outbreak. Expected arrivals for the full year could drop to 10.56 million. The TAT had previously estimated arrivals would grow to 11.7 million this year from 10.8 million last year.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Suchart Jaovisidha said the government would have to revise the country's economic growth rate in the second quarter if no measure was found to curb the Sars outbreak, given the large number of tourist arrivals to the region and Thailand in particular.

The ministry has already estimated that the Sars epidemic could knock 0.3 points off a full-year growth rate projected earlier at 5.1%.

``However, we expect that the impact of Sars could not dampen the economy by more than 1%,'' Mr Suchart said yesterday.

Source: Bangkok Post

Beijing's Mayor Ousted Amid SARS Questions

Chinese Government Declares SARS Top Priority

China's state-run newspapers say Beijing's mayor has been fired after questions about the government's handling of the rise of severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Over the weekend, the mayor and the health minister were removed from key posts in the ruling Communist Party.

One newspaper reported that the decisions came at a meeting where the party's top personnel official said Beijing's slow response let the flulike illness spread.

China reported a nearly 10-fold increase in SARS cases in Beijing Sunday, from 37 to 346. Across China, 79 people have died and more than 1,800 cases have been reported.

After weeks of global criticism that the government reacted too slowly to the mysterious, deadly outbreak, Chinese leaders have declared fighting SARS a national priority.

But the disease is continuing its spread through the country.

The state-run news agency says a poor, isolated northwest province has reported its first two cases of SARS. Both patients reportedly caught the disease while traveling outside the region.

The news agency also says a province in the southeast and one in the northeast each has three reported cases, while another northeast province has one.

It's the first reported infections for the three areas. SARS is front-page news in every major Chinese newspaper Monday, and also dominated the national midday news on state TV. It's a dramatic change from weeks of limited coverage -- or outright silence -- by China's state-run media.

A popular tabloid The Beijing Times devoted its first six pages to the respiratory sickness. It had news articles on the top and ads for disinfectant and medicines on the bottom.

Meanwhile, a major SARS quarantine is to take place in Singapore. Officials are preparing to quarantine all 2,400 workers at Singapore's biggest wholesale vegetable market. Three people there were stricken by SARS. And a regional airline has suspended some flights to India, China, and Thailand.

Even lawmakers in Singapore are being requested to take their temperatures before each sitting of parliament.

The gambling enclave of Macau is reporting its first suspected SARS case. It neighbors Hong Kong, which has been severely hit by the disease.

Canada has reported its 14th death from SARS, and a major Toronto hospital has closed its critical care and other units after staff members started to show symptoms.

While Vietnam officials haven't reported a new SARS case in more than a week, the country's government is considering closing its land border with China in an attempt to prevent importing more cases.

As of Saturday, the World Health Organization reported more than 3,500 illnesses and 180 deaths worldwide due to SARS.

Hong Kong Reports More Deaths

Hong Kong's government says the SARS virus has claimed six more lives. That increases the total number of deaths in Hong Kong to 94.

The oldest of the most recent victims was 79, and the youngest was 48. All are said to have suffered from chronic illnesses.

But increased screening efforts for SARS in Hong Kong are reportedly paying off.

Hong Kong's government leader said quarantining households of victims and tracking down potential contacts is helping find more suspected cases. He said that, in turn, is leading to earlier treatments, which doctors say is critical in beating the illness.

With the stepped-up measures, Hong Kong has reportedly identified 150 suspected cases.

The chief executive wouldn't take questions from reporters and made no predictions about how soon the flulike illness may be controlled.

Critics have accused the territory of being too slow in efforts to fight the disease.

Some Hong Kong students are preparing to go back to school Tuesday, wearing surgical masks to reduce the risk of spreading SARS. But about 10 schools are refusing to reopen.

Hong Kong closed all schools March 29 after some students came down with SARS, but there is no evidence it was spread in classrooms.

Hong Kong's education secretary said the number of students infected jumped from 12 to more than 60 while schools were closed, so the infection was apparently spread by relatives or health care workers, and not in the classroom.

Source:  VRAL.com

S'pore, Malaysia may install thermal sensors at all checkpoints

Camera that detects body temperature may be placed at land and sea checkpoints, including the Causeway and Second Link, to tackle Sars

By Leslie Lau

SINGAPORE and Malaysia are considering installing thermal imaging cameras - currently on trial at the Republic's airport - at their land and sea checkpoints as part of procedures by both sides to tackle the Sars outbreak.

Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority commissioner Lock Wai Han said screening with cameras, which can detect body temperature, could be put in place at all checkpoints including the Causeway and Second Link.

Malaysian officials said the government could decide by tomorrow whether to install such cameras at major checkpoints.

Mr Lock said yesterday that Singapore was considering health declaration cards for visitors to fill in before entering the country.

Malaysia already requires travellers from Sars-affected areas to fill in a declaration card on arrival.

Mr Lock was speaking in Johor Baru yesterday after a meeting on the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) between officials from Singapore and Malaysia.

The meeting stemmed from a decision made by the two governments last week for closer cooperation in dealing with the threat posed by the outbreak.

Among the decisions taken was that both sides should formalise medical procedures to screen for Sars at the Causeway and Second Link.

Malaysian Health Ministry director for disease control Shafie Ooyub said both sides would standardise procedures for health checks at these border checkpoints.

The meeting also proposed that the health ministries promptly share personal information, travel history, hospitalisation details and contact lists of all probable and suspected Sars cases that travelled through either country.

Further meetings among officials are planned some time after next week's Asean leaders' meeting on Sars in Thailand.

Acting Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, who confirmed he would attend the April 29 Bangkok meeting, said that Malaysia had already spent RM30 million (S$13.9 million) in tackling the Sars outbreak.

The government would also announce a stimulus package soon to help industries hit by the virus.

Only six Sars cases have been reported, with just one death. But Malaysia is anxious to ensure there is no local transmission of the bug.

Health Minister Chua Jui Meng said funds had been used thus far to buy additional medical equipment and to set up Sars isolation wards throughout the country.

He said the uncertainty of the disease could mean Malaysia would have to spend even more to tackle the outbreak.

-- Straits Times 2003-04-22

We should really have this listed on thaivisa.com website, but for now Google is your friend:

http://directory.google.com/Top/Regional/A...Transportation/

I hope we will have a complete thread here soon.

The BEST, CHEAPEST, or most RELIABLE Internet Service Provider in Thailand.

The minute price for connection will go down at the end of the year, when Thailand gets better international connections to the real internet backbone.

1. Bassets

   a) Licorique

    Wine gums

2. Farang condoms (local brands are a bit iffy..)

3. Decent cheese (not tasty the one at Foodland)

The in-built forum search is great as well! I did a search for "Aranyapratet" and got this list of topics:

http://forum.thaivisa.com/cgi-bin....8c75ab3

There is currently no reliable free SMS service available.

Keep an eye on this forum in about a month from now, and we will have it here, http://www.thaivisa.com/

From what I remember of my last visit to Phrae, the locals drink Beer Chang - it does the job and tastes pretty good.  

Beer Chang is for the professionals like you, then.

Cheers!

Salaries in Thailand:

http://www.ethailand.com/article/default2.asp?tree=251

IT salary survey 2002:

http://www.ethailand.com/article/redir.asp...e=1533&tree=251

Hi Moonman,

Yes, it helps to have a strong financial Thai partner who knows the ins and outs of taxation, bribes and accounting. Koh Samui and surrounding island are not known to have the best business pratctices against farangs.

Do you have a budget?

Do you have a business plan?

Heve you worked in the restaurant bisiness before?

How long have you been living in Thailand?

Do you know the Surathani area of Koh Samui/Koh Phangan?

How much is your investment?

What is your profit estimations?

Steve,

Phuket Train Station: It's one of the local Farang practial jokes with Tuk-Tuk's in Phuket Town, hehe.

Train station = "Satani Rot Fai". Phuket does NOT have a "Satani Rot Fai" = train connection.

Solly, bus or car/taxi is your only alternative here. BKK airways have a (expensive!) connection as well.

What visa did your boyfriend got? Propably a NON-B.

If the consular section was nice with him he would have that.

Ask for a NON-O (as a dependent) valid for 3 months. If they refuse that, you have to stick with "TR", that means "tourist visa" and that visa covers you 60 days plus a 30 days entension possible.

Both of you should INSTEAD apply at the Thai Consulate in Hull, UK, who are farang friendly. Search this forum for "Hull" and you both will obtain a One Year Multiple Entry Visa (border run every 90 days required to keep it alive). Hull will give him a one year "B" and a one year "O" for you.

BTW: Don't go overstay!

There is none.The Thai GMS operators get a kickback (similar to the GSM roaming agreement)  from the foreign GSM operators every time an overseas SMS arrives into the Kingdom.

The companies like eSmszone.com do have a real problem here, their business model just does not work any more.

We are currently negotiating with DTAC and AIS, but sad to say they are not very interested in incoming international traffic on the "free basis", so they have blocked the free SMS providers out.

This might look like TiT, but many operators around the world have blocked this FREE sms practise as well.

So the best SMS is mobile to mobile. You get what you pay for!

I still think DTAC subscribers can receive from ICQ SMS. Not sure. Anybody who can confirm this?

how do I get from surat thani train station to the surat thani bus station? Are thet very far from one another?

The biggest problem is to get from Phuket Train Station to Phuket Bus Station, but the Tuk Tuk drivers normally knows.

2 baht.