Baaksida

.. gorgeous boys walking past.. ahhh...

Thank you, I guess I am...

So it was you the other day on Phuket?

A 2000 baht bill would make sense.

Taxi driver: "Cannot give change on 2,000 baht, no hab money for change..."

First-time (naive) tourist: "Errh..., well, that's okay. Just keep the rest of 1,945 baht...

Taxi driver (while tourist is leaving the cab): "Falang baaaaaaaah..."

By enforcing such a law, all they are trying to say is "GET A WORK PERMIT...

...and a gun for going overland to neighbouring countries (just to protect your own life, when travelling in and out of Thailand with 40,000 baht in your pocket).

Only issue with influx of expats who seem completely unwilling to try to learn anything about the country.

Whilst we may never completely understand the country, I am sick of people who are not the little bit curious of the people, culture and the such.

Well, on the other hand you have people like me, who lived on and of in Thailand/came for holidays since seven years.

There were times when I was new to Thailand, when I wanted to be 200% Thai, learn the language, smile all the time, eat only Thai food, being overly friendly to every Thai. I learned about the culture, history and started to learn the language, was standing up for the national anthem...

But then I had a Thai girlfriend (university student)... All the nasty remarks in her village: "Why you have Thai girlfriend? You no money for bargirls?", or in her government office (after she graduated in accountancy): "Farang have Aids...".

Always when I come back from Tesco Lotus or Big C, I have some people whispering: "Farang baaaah..." The same when I go on foot 15 metres from my home to the next internet cafe: 'farang baaaah'... ('Why farang not use taxi for the 15 metres?')

Quite the only places where I feel respected as a human being are my government school where I work, and my fiancee's parents home. And my only Thai friends are friends of my girlfriend or some of my former students.

And also those stares and 'farang, farang' whispers behind my back, cheatings, etc. etc.

I nowadays don't care about the language anymore, don't care as much for the culture as I used to, dislike the silly Thai TV (I watch HBO instead), eat Thai food rather seldom (but my girlfriend and I eat mostly western food) and don't like to go out often due to the stares and the 'farang, farang' talking.

I can say, that I'm just staying in Thailand now because of my (new) girlfriend who studies here (after that??), the beaches and climate, and for travelling to other countries in Asia.

According to my work permit, I have to report my residency on October 2nd which is a Sunday. I live near the Thonglor BTS station. Where do I go? What documents other than my WP do I need and since October 2nd is on a Saturday can I report any time this week or the following week?

I have the same problem, I am a teacher in Songkhla, but living in Hat Yai (about 40 kms. away).

I would need to report right in the middle of the the school holidays. My school did report my residential address already at Immigration in Songkhla.

So, can I report after another 90 days (in October) to my local Immigration office in Hat Yai (same province, but different city), or do I have to travel all the way (80 kms.) to the Immigration office where my address was reported for the first time??

Please excuse my mistakes in the topic description, due to a bottle of wine.

Should be an English language school..................

Well, a Thai language school would make sense, teaching some Thais the proper pronunciation of their language...

Seriously, the competition between private English language schools is tough, as for my experience. However, if the location, business idea+finances, teaching methods, staff, promotion, etc. are right you might have success.

Anyway, good luck!

I voted *chang*.... apart from the obvious reason I also think calling a dog "elephant" is bloody funny....

Me too. I like 'Chang' beer, so I would like a dog with this name.

'Thaksin' would be another (obvious) option, but then I would hate my dog...

How do you spend your holidays in LOS?

Phatthalung. Spicy Southern Thai gal.

Congratulations! My girlfriend is from this corner of Thailand too. Family is from Phatthalung/Rattaphum.

Actually I met my wife at her home in Udorn Thani  I see that's not on the poll. 

She was a Real Estate Salesperson when i met her  now she's not working  getting ready to come to the US. 

Where did she work?

Possible choices: 'office worker' or 'businesswoman'...

Where did you meet your squeezy?

Well, the question is 'what was her job' at the time?

And I voted in my own poll for 'student in Thailand' (vs. exchange student)...

But that doesn't mean, that I'm not familiar with the nighttime entertainment venues in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket...

I met my 'partner' on the beach, walking

But what was her job at that time?

Which catagrory should I put myself in? I was a columnist and a writer for a fashion magazine when I met my hubby who is a petrophysicist while he worked in bangkok.

Well, alleypanda, as the number of possible options is twenty only, please choose the last one.

Anyway, thanks for the reply!

I met my wife in an upstairs Patpong bar blowing poison darts out her @$$h01&.

So, mbkudu, why didn't you vote for option 2??

Okay, I misspelled Germany as "German"...

How can one edit the poll questions??

Somebody suggested to make a poll, where we 'farang' met our Thai wife/current girlfriend.

So, here you go! It's all anonymous, so no need to worry.

Also, for the shy guys among us, there is still the last option...

> what about the option...

> I've already left ???

Good one. Can I add this one?

You already did...

what about the option...

I've already left ???

Have you??

Excuse me for adding the final option. I thought even the first one was a bit on the negative side; it assumes that everyone agrees that stricter laws are a bad thing. I bet there is an equal number of expats that's quite happy that the little Karaoke shack next door doesn't go on until 5am!

Cheers,

Chanchao

You could have asked first...

Are you married? Is your wife/girlfriend Thai or Caucasian, Japanese or African?

(If she is pretty, please attach a photograph!)

Sorry guys, clicked the wrong button...

Please see and answer to the new poll.

How did recent changes in nighttime entertainment, visa- and work permit-regulations and -costs effect your long-term plans of living as an expat in Thailand? Are you considering to move back 'early' to your home country?

As for me, I am very unsure now about my long-term prospects in Thailand. I would definitely like to stay for the next couple of years, but are worried what this and future Thailand governments might be up to.

As for the nightlife changes over the last few years, I go out less often and have no more desire to travel to places like Patong or Pattaya. (It just isn't the same as four or five years ago...)

I nowadays travel less often in Thailand, but to neighbouring countries instead.

...Since you specifically used the word "farang," do you believe the color of one's skin somehow precludes begging?

...I would imagine just about every foreigner in Thailand is a burden to society in one way or another...

Well, the difference between, say Cambodians and 'farang' is, that a begging 'farang' would be escorted to the next police station/immigration office within minutes, while the SE Asian beggars may remain on the street for weeks or months...

As for the costs for society to arrest a foreigner, who is for example overstaying, okay, I agree with that one.

However, if foreigners in Thailand are just a "burden" to society, why are the TAT and Thailand's government so keen to attract 20 million foreigners per year to Thailand? Pure masochism??

Even though a lot of Thai citizens live on less per month, this is a reasonable sum to ask to make sure that you (the foreigner) are not down and out, hence a potential burden to an already burdened society. 

They say they will accept in lieu of cash:

• Bank statements (probably includes your passbook)

• ATM receipts

• Traveler’s checques

No one is asking you to carry cash around in your pocket.  No one is requiring you to go and buy traveler's checques.  Really, it’s not asking a lot to require you to carry an extra piece of paper or a little bank book in addition to your passport.

Well, where in Thailand have you ever seen 'farang' begging for money (from Thai people)??

Westerners running out of money for whatever reason get either (financial) help,

or assistance to fly back to their home country by their respective embassy.

I never heard about one single case where Thailand's government, any organization or people have provided a western tourist with financial assistance!

(I guess, that no 'farang'/tourist to Thailand ever received one single satang from Thailand's government or any organization because he was broke or needed help...) So, how can Western foreigners be a burden to Thailand's society??

As for the bank passbook/statement, I'd be happy to take it with me to the border, but not lots of cash!

And as they say: 'It's at the discretion of the individual immigration checkpoint (officer)...

Then get the PROPER Visa that Thailand freely gives.

Nice one, but how about the 30 or 40 (not 50/55) year old guy, who is married/engaged with this lovely Thai woman, who (the woman) can't leave Thailand at this time as she is studying/working/having a business/taking care of the sick parents and/or property...

This guy, let's call him John Doe, had bad luck recently, and/or built a house for the in-laws in Thailand. He hasn't got 800,000 (or 400,000) baht to put into a 0.5% interest-paying Thailand savings account, but only 300,000 baht.

He hasn't got enough money to open a beer bar in Kanchanaburi (where his pregnant girlfriend lives), but just enough savings to stay for 10 months in Thailand. He spends 30,000 baht per month in Kanchanaburi (or Khon Kaen), which is about what ten average Thai families spend per month. The shopowners/food sellers, etc. etc. in his girlfriend's village make a good business; he brings real money to Thailand...

This guy has no other choice than tourist visas or 30-day entry permits!

Also, how about the many long-time tourists in Phuket, Pattaya and Hua Hin who stay 6+ months at a time? Don't they bring lots of cash to Thailand for the benefit of many Thai people??