GiantFan

Any recent experience from TV'ers?

My B Visa expires Feb w/ 90 day added (and 7 - 8 months validity on WP), I will need to renew in late April / early May. Have been going to KL for the last 7 years and it all works well. Friends recently moved to HKG, so may want to visit them whilst applying for renewal. Or perhaps go to HKG Rugby 7's late March.

I have all the company documents, etc..., but I have read some posts in the past that are negative. I am not a HKG ID card holder, which might cause problems (US Passport).

Finally, I have read 7 months and 8 months validity on WP. KL mentions 7 months on their website. Is it different country by country?

Thanks

Check out Tai Life Gym on Soi San Sabai (actual entrance may be on Soi Tai Pan, but I think you can get through from San Sabai side). Part of Yorkshire Inn Group (I think). If staying at Yorkshire, should be able to get in for free / reduced rate.

Website: www.tailifeleisure.com

Hard to get reception at my house in Patong, so I normally use 91.5. My car is another story and I have my radio set to 89.5 most of the time. Going north, back to 91.5 as reception is fairly good all the way to the airport. I also enjoy the hourly BBC news updates on 91.5.

Content on 89.5 is fine IMO. I do get a bit bored with all the cross advertising with the other group companies (Phuket News, Events Thailand, some tourist TV channel, Ticketmaster, etc...). I guess they need to get more paid advertising.

Agree. Radar is best.

Seems like latest weather is circa 3 years ago or so. Usually, some rain in early Nov. and then it dries out. Some years back (I am saying 3, but it could be more) it seemed to rain all the way to January. Further back, not a drop from Oct - April. That was the year they were worried about the Bang Wad dam being too low. I guess it was a fairly dry Sept / Oct.

I wish it would stop for a few days as I need to cut my grass.

It's been several years since I purchased, but I have used Patong Food in the past. Entrance to Andaman Beach Suites off Rat-U-Thit. Not sure they still carry. Big bag. White plastic, about waist high.

Absolutely pissing down last night around 3AM. Lasted a long time. It woke me up and I'm a sound sleeper. Had a small break of sun for an hour or so, but now sprinkling again. Morning commute around Patong must have been interesting.

Our sandwash looks good we used a high pressure water cleaner to get it back to its original condition

and then sealed it with a clear waterproof finish

I have a balcony that needs pressure washing 2x a year and is about to be redone (by me). That clear waterproof finish sounds like the deal Peter. Can you give me the details. I may have seen it up the Bypass Road before Kehin (HomeMart or HomePro). Maybe made by Sika?

Sorry for delay. The firm was Haris & Hawryluk. Bypass Road East, just passed the Big Tesco Lotus lights. The website has a map.

Michelle Hawryluk has some sort of approval from the NSW Board of Legal Eagles and can certify your passport.

My buddy is Oz and needed this for a banking transaction for a UK bank. Couldn't get this done at the HonCon in Phuket. Tried the Brittish HonCon (since UK Bank), but obviously he couldn't certify an Oz PP. He gave my friend the name of a local Oz lawyer who was able to notarize his PP. She is certified by the Oz courts.

Just rang my friend and he isn't answering. Probably still in bed. I will repost when I get her name. Or perhaps somebody else can help.

If urgent, give the Brit HonCon a ring and speak to his secretary and ask her for the name. I have a feeling they get lots of similar calls and will have it on hand. Good Luck.

Hi All,

My builder did a bit of a runner. Didn't finish off my driveway before moving on to another job. He has no money, so I need to finish it off myself.

He did put in a rough concrete driveway, but the plan was to put a top finish coat to make it look "nice" once the other houses were finished. He called it a stampled concrete that could be coloured and textured. At this point, I just want to finish it off as cost effectively as possible.

The driveway is approx. 250 square meters in area and fairly flat for 2/3 rds of it. 1/3 is at an angle of 15 degrees or so. Not sure if this is an issue or not.

Anybody have any experience and any advise?

Many Thanks.

Haven't tried it here, but when I lived in Singapore I went to my nearest hotel and got them to do it. Maybe too difficult in LOS.

Just drove by. A few cars and motorbikes. Wasn't aware that food was available. Looks a bit rustic, but that's fine for me. Will give it a try. Not much in the area.

Noted. Have been going to KL for years but I guess I never noticed it as my PP was always years away from expiring. Now it's not. 7 month validity on WP to get a new non-imm B multi wasn't on the website a few years back and I got stung (only 3 month and had to go back). Now it is.

Some consulates make up new rules from time to time. I recently checked out the KL consulate website and they require a PP with at least 18 months validity. If you already have a WP and need to get a new non-imm B visa, it must have at least 7 months validity for them to issue a new 1 year non-imm B visa.

I've done this visa run twice and I rocked up to the Thai side, parked the car, purchased my return bus ticket, and then checked out at immigration as per normal. You then wait for the Mukdahan bus, which is usually pretty full, and usually stand on the way to Laos. It is only about 5 minutes, so not too taxing.

When you get to Laos, you need to get a visa on arrival (if you haven't got one from the Laos embassy in BKK). Fill out the forms, copy of your PP, 1 x photo, US$35 (THB possible, but you get a bad rate). Get your visa, get on line, and give the immigration guy some tea money (THB 40 if I recall and same on the way out).

I usually get a tuk-tuk to my hotel. I can't remember the name, but I will try Vegas next tiime. It's only about 10 - 15 minutes and they will stop along the way to pick up other passengers. Cost is about THB 100.

One hassle is that you need to pick up your visa at 2PM the next day. My friend was sneaky and he went over in the AM and mentioned that his wife was sick (wife true / sick not true) and they needed to get back to LOS ASAP. They gave it to him and we all got back by about noon. Avoided the visa run rush.

Another point that I read in TV before and can confirm is that you will most likely have a Thai guy outside the consulate offer to help you with the forms. For a fee, which may not be immediately apparent. You can get all the forms you need inside.

Pretty good duty free on the Laos side. After you get chopped out and go through the gate, it's up on your right about 100m. Be careful, the Thai immigration was checking for excess duty free last time I went.

When you wait for the bus back to the Thai side, sit in the seats by the exit gate. The first time I went, I saw a bunch of Thai's queuing a bit further up under a rain shelter. I stood here for a while and asked a kind lady if I was in the right queue. She pointed back towards the gate and mentioned that this was a different bus. I thanked her and went back to whence I had come. She was right. A simple rule, look for other visa runners and follow them.

Good Luck!

Astro removed NFL from their coverage this year. Just college football. True Visions carries it on the ASN Network and I see that they are showing it on delay on Monday at noon. Sorry. Giants live at 3:30AM, but I think I'll be in bed. Replay at 4PM tomorrow. Go to the ASN website and see the schedules.

ASN (True) shows both the early game and late game. Luckily, my neighbor has True and doesn't mind me watching "American Football". I have Astro and they stopped showing the NFL this year. Was trying to catch the G-Men, but they were showing the Bal / Hou game. Boring. Tough loss for your Bills.

Siam Beach Club at Nai Yang Beach was great - it is right on the beach and has a good selection of Thai and western dishes.

Silk in Surin although a little pricey, has great food.

Natural Restaurant in Phuket Town has cheap, great tasting Thai food.

I thought Silk moved to Kamala, opposite KBE / Rockfisth?

See below. Owner should pay, but depends on your lease / rental agreement.

For individual property owners; if they lease out their property (land and house, condominium) building and land tax shall be collected at the rate of 12.5% of the yearly rental according to the lease agreement or the annual assessed value, whichever is higher. The annual assessed value means the amount of money which the property may reasonably be gained from the lease out of a property for each year if the property is offered for lease. If anyone leases a property at a rent lower than a reasonable rent, the lessor could be taxed on what the rent should have been.

Not sure if anybody has noticed, but a lot of building on the north end of Rat-U-Thit Road lately. I turned onto RUT from Phrabaramee Rd. this AM and saw many of the small one story buildings are gone and being rebuilt as 2 - 3 story guesthouses. Even have a 6-7 story TUNE hotel going in as well. The big muilt-story building opposite the Deli Supermarket also seems nearly finished.

This will just add to the water / sewage problems in Patong.

Line still down. Called 1103 service line again and got the same canned response. Going down to TOT now.

Thanks KB.

"2" and TT&T just gave me their standard reply "technician will contact you". 1st time not, 2nd time yes but about 5 hours after I noticed the line was back up, and this time, still waiting (24 hours and counting).

I have a basic land line from TT&T (i.e. 076 number) that has been down 3 times over the last 5 days. No ADSL, just basic talk. My neighbhor has the same, but with ADSL (I should know since I purchased the line for him at the same time I purchased mine). Past 2 times down for 1/2 day. This time, down since yesterday noon. When I call my number, it gives me a recording "number not in service at this time".(in English).

Anybody having similar problems?

It may be time to convert over to TOT. They claim that they laid new copper up my road last year. Could be a bunch of malarkey.

Unfortunately, the smell is expanding. Soi Sai Nam Yen intersection near Subway / Rosco's Bar is bad now as well. We need more rain, I guess.