ianpants69

Yes you are all right, we should just mind our own business, I mean christ what would the world be like if we took an interest in what was going on around us.

For example, that black bitch should have got out of the white seats and gone sat at the back of the bus.

We should let the US invade any countries they like

The germans wanna roast the jews, thats fine too, doesn't bother me right?

You prats, the world doesn't change for the better unless we critisize the wrong we see around us. Those of you who are quite happy to watch the Thai people get shafted by there own government while probably shafting the younger ones themselves will no-doubt come back with something intelligent like 'If you don't like it pack your shit and get out'. To them I will say you are not helping your 'host country' in anyway by not being prepared to say anything about the wrongs that are crippling this country in case your shagging for 500 baht privilages get taken away from you. You are worthless go elsewhere.

I just called the CAT office in Phuket who said they only collect 'many' parcels and not a single one. Any suggestions?

Many thanks

Who is the WALL???????????

I wouldn't think that if you got a new passport and then entered over a land border you'd have any problem.

Thanks for this clarifiation ,George. Although it is slightly disconcerting to be wandering around with 10,000 bht on my person whilst going,and coming back,from the usual border crossings.

As I know there are mini buses wth their logos "visa run" ,going to borders with up to eight person .This means 80.000 Bht per Minibus, a good target for robbers. It does not have to happen at the border, it can happen on the way form/to border. I feel this is very dangerous.

Come on guys, this is rediculous! You all want to stay here in Thailand but dont want (or have maybe) to walk around with 10,000 baht?? ######, you all talk like this is $10,000. Look, this is ONLY $250 If you wer ein your own countries, would you not have this amount in your pocket, especially if you were going out of the country for some reason. Lets get this in to perspective, we all choose to live here and we all must have money to stay, this is the same all over the world. If we dont have money in our pockets we starve, have no where to live, rely on others for everything or die, this is the plain and simple truth of the matter.

Let me ask you guys this, If a Thai went to your country, they get to the immigration post and, after giving their passport, they are asked how long they are staying in the country and for the reason that they are travelling to the country (this is mainly the question asked when entering the US). If they then ask the Thai, "ok, you are requesting leave to enter the country for a period of 30 days, how much money do you have to support yourself"? Do you think that $250 is sufficient for them to show the immigration officer for this period of time? that is a definite NO!!

Every country you enter you must have money to support yourself, the same way anyone and everyoine has to have money to support themselves in a foreign country. In my opinion, if you guys dont have $250 in your pockets then you should stay in your own countries and not want to stay in any one elses country.

I for one make sure that both I and my (Thai) Wife have at least this amount of money in our pockets at all times, not for immigration reasons, just for common sense. What if you want to buy something? Do you not have to go out of the house with the money in your pockets?

Honestly, you guys want everything given to you on a plate and want to go to other countries and for them to conform to your own wishes and likes/dislikes.

Some of you are just Unbelievable!!!

Falcon

What the ###### is wrong with you, well I suppose the 'just 250 dollars' comment gives us a fair idea. I too live here with my wife and baby , and it is my wife rather than I that has to go over the border every month. If you are stupid enough to think this is a fair deal, why is that? Do you walk around with 10000 baht in your pocket at anytime? quite possibly as you clearly don't know the value of money, but I sure as ###### don't.

Am I prepared to put my wife to the additional risk of allowing her to cross into another country where every down-and-out she walks past knows she is carrying 'only 250 dollars' no I'd rather live somewhere thanks. So we can carry travellers checks well that is great I am sure any assailant will be extra pleased after he has beaten the shit out of my wife to discover that in actual fact he did it for nothing.

And on top of all this what the ###### does it prove anyway? 10000 baht isn't exactly enough money to live on for a month is it? If a person doesn't have enough money what do they do? Go home or go begging to the embassy, do we get anything free from the government, no nothing.

Do me a favor take your head out of your arse and say something sensible.

coming to Thailand? buy one of these, protect urself and ur family 

and what would the penalty for a falang carrying a side-arm in Thailand be.....?

feel we have gone off topic here somewhat... we need some more input from the beavers & the otters... not to mention the butt contingent... 

i am genuinly shocked by the great number of western men with their young thai women. isn’t this flagrant economic exploitation? western men visiting thailand for sex holidays certainly take advantage of the thais’ abasement and hankering for western wealth and lifestyle – a blind yearning that turns many thai women into active participants in their own exploitation...

fyi, mai pen rai is often interpreted in the wrong context. the term actually reflects the surplus society of the past, not a lackadaisical attitude...

surely just a product of the fact that western men generally do have more money than Thai men. Prostitution is certainly not a result of us being here nor do western men do the majority of the whoring.

For some reason we prefer to do it publicly however.... she really does like me / she said she loves me etc.. etc..

For those women who are lucky enough to have a choice about what part of the huge Thai sex industry they will be in (i.e. the ones not chained to their beds or locked in closed brothel on the Burmese border) Pattaya / Patong are probably pretty sound options.

Personally, I don't think its a question of making the Immigration rules harder or easier, its a case of they should be different.

Ignoring tourism which is easy, which is logical, and pretty much hassle free.

Immigration is good for a country - any country - as long as it brings in people that are willing to work and can return money to the country through taxes and buying things (domestic economic cycle). This is of course if that immigrant is not a straight replacement for a national who in turn becomes a drain on the country (as s/he now has no job).

Therefore, it makes sense to capture people that will either: bring in missing skills; bring in new bussiness from abroad; help to improve the economy (investors); improve/add to the image (promote the country - sports people, actors, musicians etc); those that will bring money, but do not require a job (retirees, the rich); those that will create new jobs (businessmes/investors).

It makes more sense to make these people citizens or at least residents. This is best way to both instill a new national pride and, more importantly, keep the money earned in the country.

The govenment belief is that people on work permits take jobs from the nationals and money from the country. It seems better to use the Immigration Rules to make sure that the only people on work permits are those that can not be sourced at home (specialist skills including the ability to teach native language as a skill as well as the usual IT etc) - with the exception of foreign government employees (embassy staff etc) and foreign journalists. As for those immigrants mentioned above, hone the tests to include as many of the above people as possible for residency/citizenship. This would enrich the country, safe guard against the Kee-Nok that we all love-2-hate (they could only be tourists - reduce the amount of back-2-back tourist visas in conjunction), and give the country an investment for the future.

Ah the voice of reason... well done sir!

If he was working for a well paying company in another field he would have had a work permit.

Nope. Not a teacher. He has his own business. Well, if it's hard to swallow, then don't. I only talk shit. I don't bullshit.

I didn't mean to offend, nor do I now but my understanding is this... but as a business owner, surely he could have got one?

More importantly, how to make this QUOTE thing work?

so Soi Naratiwat is 'New Sathorn Road' ? Right?

He never had a work permit. But in fact, he came here to work. He never paid taxes. And he took loads of THB out of our country. Any Immigration officer around here

Well I know that the working illegally thing happens a lot mainly thanks to the fact that emplyers have different ideas about what qualifies a person to fill the vacant position than their government does.

As for the he left the country with loads of Thai Baht, I find that a bit hard to swallow.... What was he doing? I assume teaching English

If he was working for a well paying company in another field he would have had a work permit.

So that is the answer is it internatioal terrorism can be stopped by Thailand charging exorbatant fees to enter the country?????

And no I would not cry 'I didn't like the place anyway' I would be very upset... I do indeed like Thailand despite the annoyances to be found in any developing country, I have not forgotten the reason that I left the UK in the first place. How is it beneficial to anyone to have the immigration precedures of this country so difficult?

My 6 month old baby has to have a visa to be here, I am sure that will hold back the tide of international terrorism, what a bloody joke!

well first of all congratulations on your exellent English I am sure you could get far more than a 150 Baht a day if you put your mind to it.

It is very true we have the options as western people of (theoretically) zipping all over the world. However I will not apologize for my post as the simple facts are these.

Non-nationals are granted tourist visas to visit the UK and having got there many people stay long term.

Non-nationals are able to own and run their owns businesses in the UK.

Non-nationals are eligable for free health care and education in the UK.

and many many more

I want none of these things from poor old Thailand although being able to own stuff might be nice and not have to go over the border how many times a year. The 400% price hike of immigration fees have already made it difficult to live here.

But then the British and their Government being so rich perhaps we should scour the fields of Isaan for poor farmers and fly them to the UK... or perhaps YOU should use your exellent English skills to alert the world to the plight of the poor people in Thailand.

So we come over here bring money and don't take anything out of the economy yet about left and right while there are how many Thais living in Britain and getting government hand-outs??!!

Don't get me wrong people should be allowed to get a live where ever they want as far as I am concerned but the idea of making the immigration procedures more difficult here is ridiculous not to mention the effect that not having people coming to Thailand would have on the economy.

I have to go and meet someone in Soi Naratiwat in the Sathorn area (I think) does anyone know where it is?

Also can anyone recommend a decent searchable map site for Bangkok?

there are many places in that budget, I use.....

http://www.thaiapartment.com/

it is pretty good

Chula farang fees are in the order of 270,000 a year while Thammasat is more like 50,000. So Chula is clearly out but it is interesting to here that about ABAC, the level of English at my current place is pretty appalling, and as you said, it doesn't really affect me but it does make me wonder how the ###### they can learn anything.

A TEFL is very useful and with a degree in any disicpline you'll be able to land a decent job. The bottom line is that if you a white face and anything approaching passable English you'll get a job in Bangkok no worries.

Under-grad

Splendid, many thanks!!!

'Somtam and Sandwiches' just past the Chalong circle going towards Rawai (on the left) does some cracking food.

This sounds like just the ticket, one more question, where does one pay, at the collection or delivery point?

This sounds like just the ticket, one more question, where does one pay, at the collection or delivery point?

do people generally agree with that? Thammasat is definately at the top of my list at the moment. Chula is clearly exellent but the fees are prohibitively expensive there.

What is the surrounding area to Thammasat like?

well I am currently studying an International Business major and would want to study in at least a similar area.

Bangkok university does look pretty good as do Thammasat and ABAC but I would love to get an insider's perspective.

I have heard good things about Webster's too but am keen to stay in Bangkok for the work that I need to pay my way through the course.