KhunRobert

Goodness, you guys are scaring me!

I will be visiting Thailand from the 7th August for 2-3weeks. How do I avoid all these things?! I haven't the money to be having police scam me or anyone else for that matter. A couple of dollars here and there I can tolerate, but not frequent or large fines etc.

If I just go to cheap places and don't engage in all the expensive tourist stuff will I be okay?

I don't plan on riding jet skis or any expensive stuff, I might not even use a scooter if the risk of fines by corrupt police is high.

Advice please.

Where shouldn't I go?

What shouldn't I do?

What places are safe?

Thanks,

Lothar

Don't do what you see Thai people do ahd think it applies to you. Just follow the laws as they are written. Like wearing a helmut and don't drink and drive. But mark my words in 3 weeks you will get stopped only because of the color of your skin. And don't talk back when you are stopped. Just smile, pay the 500 baht (20 dollars) and go on your merry way. You'll have a good time. All of us on here complain because we live here and have just been here to long and have seen it all. For you, just have fun and get laid

Straight to the point drdoom6996. If you live here long enough you've seen it all. And every time you visit the Immigration Office for your visa extension they point a loaded gun against your head to apply for a visa. If you ever try to leave this wonderful country the will shoot you at the airport or border crossing. So for this we expats has no other chose than to stay the rest of our miserable lives in the Land Of Smiles. But the beers are cheap and the girls in the bars tell us that we are the most handsome man and they will love us long time..

And we have Thai Visa to complain about everything and show our knowledge about everything.

In France every car must have a breath analyzer to detect the use of alcohol. So this is a good step forwards in Thailand. But I understand most of you, drinking and driving with a bike with automatic pilot back home should be no problem.

In a country with almost no regulations its good to live but if the start the regulations from other countries which you all shout out lout on this forum and if one of them can really a disadvantage for you OOOOO problems. Police corrupt, no alternatives etc etc. I love to read this forum, the best jokes ever. If it don't hit me everything is bad bad bad. When the improvement in Thailand can have effect on my life style than its even worse.

But we all enjoy you're bashing on Thailand in the good or in the bad.

Can you all send a copy of your land papers and ownerships. I'm willing to share the 20 % of the land price reward to turn you in.

What happened with all the theories that the BIB just take 2 volunteers of the streets, and their family's will be paid off by the real robbers???

Not 1 reply about conspiracy, bad works of BIB or what so ever.

Are the Royal Thai Police suddenly doing a great job by arresting 2 British?

I really start loving Thai visa forum, If a Thai do the crime there is something wrong but when a Farang does the crime the brilliant police does a good job.

This is why I only take buses from the bus terminals not from tour operators. Buses from the terminals are regulated where as the tour operators do it with cheap buses and labor and all untrained and behind the regulators backs. This kind of stuff has been going on for years by tour operators. TAT and the tourist police should regulate this just as it does tour guides.

Be warned,

Randy

As a tour operator I have to comment on this. Not all tour operators are offering illegal bus service. I only sell and I check myself if the drivers and cars are registered within the company as official tour bus.

I know it happens many times, you get asked as tourist "Where you go" you answer and that "helpfull" person know someone who can bring you cheap cheap. The magic words for many tourists.

This incident is tradgic, it never should happen. I hope the police will catch the man and send him to jail for it.

I hope the tourist will recover soon and able to continue his holiday.

Be aware in a foreign country, book your tours with a reliable office. Every company must have the T.A.T. license on the wall visible for every guest.

You have to apply for a Thai visa at an consulate or embassy of Thailand in that country. Make sure that there is one at your destination. As far as I know there is none in Myanmar.

I got a new passport in 2010, changed over the visa to this new passport and have extended the visa for 2011 and 2012. Only used 4 pages in passport. So in 3 years staying and living in Thailand, the land of Smiles a small use of passport pages. It is possible if you get your act together. Do not live here as a tourist, saying you are not working and playing you have a lot of money. The rules are more relaxed than Europe or America. Play by the rules and you can have an easy and relaxed life. Take a look at your own country about illegal labor, illegal stay of foreigners, how to get a visa for your country as a foreigner and after that complain about the ease of getting a Thai visa for your self.

good to hear that most coastall tsunami towers are informative an helpfull,in aonang you cant not hear them half a km from the beach not even when they have the tsunami drills,im far from old or hard of hearing they are just not loud enough an not enought of them for us to hear here ,from the beach to my house its all flat land so its worry ,if i cant hear the warning when im awake hot the hell is it supposed to wake me up when im asleep,,,,

I dont know if you live in Ao Nang, but from the beach the land scape goes straigt up. The Tsunami warning towers are not used, the government only asked to prepare just in case. So don't complain about you can not hear what was not there and don't tell stories about the land scape. In 2004 the Tsunami reached only 20 meters land inwards Ao Nang. Just a small fact, Don't believe the stories of long stayed expats and don't tell this hear abouts. Stay to the facts.

I put important items high up in the house. Took the important papers in dry bag and left to higher ground. Lots of Thais running and racing around in total panic. Every one left the beaches and lower area in case of. Hotels, bars, restaurants and shops all closed and every one running to high area. The police checkpoint made for Songkran was empty, even they run to higher places without informing or controlling the traffic. Nicely said it was a shit our whit lots of panic. But lucky nothing happened and YES better safe than sorry. I hope that the next time the warnings still go on. Please DO NOT WAIT TILL A WAVE HIT SOMEWHERE TO WARN. I rather work to take care and run for nothing than the other way around. Big hand to Thai government to make this call. By the way, I lived in Baan Ban Niang (Khoa Lak) during the Tsunami of 2004.

Every boat is must have an inspection from the Marine Department before operating. This Marine Department does an inspection on board, before the owner of the boat get their boat ownership papers. Every year you must come back for inspection. Every boat must have life jackets for all passangers and staff and must have a way to communicate with main land. This could be a radio or a cell phone. The inspection of Marine Department also check the status of the boat, hull, engines etc. Depending on the amount of seats on the boat you get a liscence to transport a maximum of passangers and staff after getting the papers including the insurance payments for this maximum amount of people.

On every boat must be visible for all the maximum amount of people, passagers and staff and also visible the registration number. 25 customers on speedboat of this size is normal in Thailand.

How many speedboats are running from Phuket, Ao Nang, Krabi and Koh Lanta to Koh Phi Phi on daily basis? Accidents happen luckely not daily. The Andaman sea between this tourist destination is specially in high season full with boats, snorkeling, diving, fishing etc. Good news is that the boat captains respond directly to an emergency and pick up the customers. For all those writers of negative views on boats, rules and regulations in Thailand I suggest read the news in your home country and you will find at least one similar accident in their.

I feel sorry for the 25 people on board who had to experience this accident and hope that they continued their holiday and had a good time before and after this day.

Been out diving today, no big waves. Wind is coming from the east, this mean over main land. To go to Koh Phi Phi from Krabi or Ao Nang is no problem

To make it easy for yourself:

Obtain a 90 day visa at your home country, after arriving in Thailand visit the Immigration office in the area where you wish to stay.

Explain that you want to stay longer and apply there for a 9 months extension on your visa, if approved that means every 30 days a

visit to local immigration for prove of residence.

After in total 1 year go for extension again.

This avoid every 90 days a visa run to the border.

Possible visa to obtain:

Non-O if older than 50 years

Non-B if you want to work in Thailand.

And what will happen with the charges to enter National Parks in Thailand?

Thai Adults 20 THB, Thai Children 10 THB, Farang Adults 200 THB, Farang Children 100 THB.

Written in front of every National Park by government ruling??

Is he wiling to get himself arrested for Tourist fraude?

Thanks for the info.

Will ask monday for WP 7 form.

We have all the company papers incl TAT license for diving.

For job descriptions I will find a alternative for Dive Instructor. Also thanks for that information.

Hello,

I opened up an tour company and we sell all day tours and diving.

Unfortunately we are in a very quit area, but with in mind that that area is upcoming in tourism.

For the moment to get some income I would like to work with a good friend.

The easiest way I think is to set up a second office at his address for selling tours and diving in name of mine office.

Or add his office to my working permit.

Both options seems to be impossible,

Yesterday a police raid in the office and my working permit is according to the officer who checked only valid to sell bus tickets and airplanes.

Even when I go back to my main office I can never make up the money with selling bus tickets, the usual commission on a ticket is max 200 THB.

I would like to extend our business with diving (told by application but not in working permit) and the second location.

Can some one inform me if this is possible?

Asking the office of labour in this area gave all involved head aches.

Answer was I can only sell tickets, can not go diving ( I'm fully certified diving Instructor) can only work in own shop.

You pay 3.100 THB and send in papers.

What papers? Nobody can explain.

I'm sitting on an island and depending on information from mainland, If necessary I will take a few days leave and a ferry to sort it out.

Thanks

I had the same in Krabi. Went 30 days before expiring of 1 year Non B visa with all the copies plus many more just in case.

Asked to come back 2 days before expiring date.

Came back filed all the papers and they give me another 30 days extension stamp in my passport.

After 30 days went back and got another 11 months

I just paid the normal fee of 1900 THB.

I also know from other farangs in Krabi that this is the system here.

I totally agree. I think the number of tourist are going up. But it is not the European tourist we see but more and more Asian tourist, most of them for short term holidays.

And with the business plans of the Thais, my neighbor makes money with his hotel so I build one, the amount of rooms increased quickly and much less than the amount of tourists.

At the end of the day it means that a lot of rooms are empty and nobody is making money anymore. If I see in 300 meter beach road in Ao Nang 8 supermarkets I can not understand

that only 1 of them is making any money. As long as their is no regulation in starting and opening new business the problem for the business owners will get worse.

Shops close down and are being taken over by new renters who think they make the money. Restaurants are opening quicker than I can breathe, most of them with high prices and not

the best service. The European tourist is not the backpacking tourist anymore, cheap cheap and sabai sabai, but a family who likes to have some quality and service.

The first thing what happened is the rents of the shops went sky high, the shops did not want to raise their prices so kicked out their service.

And now their complaining the tourist don't spend money? So they raised their prices. I heard in one restaurant: " We have lost 1/3 of the customers but we need to pay rent, so we put the prices up with 35%".

Get your act together as a shop owner or make the decision: If you don't make the money, take your loss and close down. After all nobody forced you to open in the beginning and if it doesn't work,

well you took the risk. Self-employed and business owner could be good, but there is a risk if your business plan is build on the fact: He makes money so I will do same same.

Even in Thailand: It is same same but different. And the tourist will choose that what they like.

A new business owner in Thailand. If the last papers are ready we will open 1 September 2010. Living here for 7 years before I decided to open up a business.

I totally agree. I think the number of tourist are going up. But it is not the European tourist we see but more and more Asian tourist, most of them for short term holidays.

And with the business plans of the Thais, my neighbor makes money with his hotel so I build one, the amount of rooms increased quickly and much less than the amount of tourists.

At the end of the day it means that a lot of rooms are empty and nobody is making money anymore. If I see in 300 meter beach road in Ao Nang 8 supermarkets I can not understand

that only 1 of them is making any money. As long as their is no regulation in starting and opening new business the problem for the business owners will get worse.

Shops close down and are being taken over by new renters who think they make the money. Restaurants are opening quicker than I can breathe, most of them with high prices and not

the best service. The European tourist is not the backpacking tourist anymore, cheap cheap and sabai sabai, but a family who likes to have some quality and service.

The first thing what happened is the rents of the shops went sky high, the shops did not want to raise their prices so kicked out their service.

And now their complaining the tourist don't spend money? So they raised their prices. I heard in one restaurant: " We have lost 1/3 of the customers but we need to pay rent, so we put the prices up with 35%".

Get your act together as a shop owner or make the decision: If you don't make the money, take your loss and close down. After all nobody forced you to open in the beginning and if it doesn't work,

well you took the risk. Self-employed and business owner could be good, but there is a risk if your business plan is build on the fact: He makes money so I will do same same.

Even in Thailand: It is same same but different. And the tourist will choose that what they like.

A new business owner in Thailand. If the last papers are ready we will open 1 September 2010. Living here for 7 years before I decided to open up a business.

I agree with MR Heinecke. Thailand is a big country with more than 70 million people. A big demonstration with a dreadful ending in Bangkok does not mean the whole country is unsafe. Here in the southern parts of Thailand like Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi there is not even a small thing to see about the politic issues of Bangkok and the northern provinces. People can go to a beach and order a drink from a Thai in a red shirt and at the same time order some food from a Thai in a yellow shirt. The people here are interested in tourism, while we make money it is okay. Krabi province about 900 KM away from Bangkok is unsafe due to demonstrations in Bangkok? Well let me see and keep it fair, demonstrations in Amsterdam from people who don't like the government housing rules, so that means a negative travel advise for the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Austria because all of these countries are in a limit of 900 km from Amsterdam. It does not matter what kind of protest it is, look at the kind of protest, the way it spread out over the country and base your decision on the facts not on: I have holiday when we agree on negative or There is no economic profit from the country. After Tsunami there was a negative travel advise, after the closing down of airports there was a negative travel advise, as soon as the demonstrations begun in Bangkok there was a negative travel advise. I think the most of the embassies are trying to have more holidays then ever. During the demonstrations the embassies of many Europe countries closed down, that means no help for the people out of their country. I am sure that a embassy is made to help people out of their country in times of trouble, but our embassy choose to close down due the fact that there is trouble going on in Thailand. They left for a nice beach holiday outside the area and left their country man behind. If the employees of the embassy can have a beach holiday in the same country as from which the say it is unsafe to travel to this country I get confused. We went for a Schengen Visa to Bangkok in April, but our embassy told us it is unsafe in Bangkok so don't go there on the website. When we applied for the visa they told us to wait 3 days, after I stated their website they apologist. Your website says unsafe but you telling me wait 3 days??? We stayed outside Bangkok and waited 2 days to get the visa. Thanks for the quick help, but it seems to me that embassies are the same as Thailand. AMAZING.

Hello Simon,

Obviously you met the wrong people in Ao Nang.

If your interested I know better places for less money to rent.

I'm living here for 6 years, contact me if you're interested to talk or just have a beer and a laugh about the crazy offers,

greetings

Luckely living in Krabi province, near the beach of Ao Nang.

Here is it still quit, the touists loving the area and hotels, restaurants are doing business as usual.

Ok, it is getting low season so we have less customers, but no army, no riot police.

To make it clear guys, Thailand is bigger than Bangkok, much bigger.

Tourist can easily make their way to lovely spots around the country where there is no political battle going on.

Let's stay positive, I agree a 2 month tourist visa for free will not bring many big spending tourist to Thailand.

But it is a start. Hopefully the TAT and the Thai Government are going to promote Thailand in a better way than free visa

and reduced costs for airliners.

Government I wish you succes in ending the political battles without any more bloodshed and wishdom to all to protect Thailand as

the well know country of smiles.