chrissables

Just now, Matzzon said:

Nah, the places where it would be 1000% is very few, and not even wirth bringing up. Not even the one that offer free for Thai´s and paid for foreigners comes up to your 1000%, out of the reason it can only be considered 100% when it stands against zero. However, mathematic lesson over.

I am probaly stupid, is you were allowed to use you measurement tools, and that´s ok. I can live with that, because there is not only you and your thoughts in this world. ???? 

It still doesn´t happen based on skin color, it´s mostly based on beeing a citizen or not. In some cases they have a leinient attitude against fellow asians. Nothing wrong with beeing a little bit patriotic. Just take a look at the wide spread patriotism in USA.

Not worth bring up?

Many National parks charge a tenfold increase on the Thai price 40 to 400 baht. 

Yes tenfold is a tad under 1,000 percent but you understand my meaning I'm sure ????

Not on skin colour as long as you look Asian 5555555555

On 8/6/2019 at 1:10 PM, shy coconut said:

Can you explain the 1000% concept and give an example.

National parks are 10 fold the price for Westerners, so a tad under 1,000%

8 hours ago, Yinn said:

Not everyone. I not piss off. 

Have a rethink 

15 hours ago, stevenl said:

O-A visa are not renewed, a stay can be extended. A thread like this shows the importance of that distinction.

Then this whole thread is about nothing! ???? Why are Phuket Immigration even talking about it.

8 hours ago, Raymonddiaz said:

Thai immigration should screen every foreigner upon arrival in Thailand. Not only some nationalities. They should really do their job because some people just add foreigners a worst name... Our names are already bad because it Thai minds foreigners are making Thailand bad.. 

They should screen their own people too. 

6 hours ago, smedly said:

exactly, I don't understand the content of the OP and why Phuket IO are even commenting on it, O-A visa's are not issued in Thailand

I agree, but it seems they are clarifying in country renewal of O-A visas. But also not clarifying what they do need. I would presume the 800.000 route, but as ever not clear. 

17 hours ago, ukrules said:

I have a 5 year license but I got it about 4 years ago. They issued this to me because I had a 5 year visa. I was expecting another 1 year license at the time so that came as a bit of a surprise.

 

I will renew it shortly after my birthday next year.

Renew it a few days late and it becomes 6 years ????

1 hour ago, MaxYakov said:

If one wants to do "touring" in Thailand and better avoid an early death one should rent a car or, better yet, take the bus. These spectacular crashes we've been seeing are not done with "touring" bikes but with racing bikes that don't strike me as being the best tour bikes such as the Honda Gold Wing, for example.

 

 

A Gold Wing for touring the mountains and hill tribe villages? I suggest you have not travelled or ridden a motorbike touring.

A bus, that would work if you could persuade the driver to slow down and turn up the side road/track to the view points for a photo opportunity. Give it a go and report back ????

I took this photo from an imaginary bus stop!

5 hours ago, drbeach said:

I agree with your first paragraph in general, although I disagree with the conspiracy theory floating around in expat circles that the government here is trying to get rid of all foreigners, especially westerners. They are instead trying to get rid of what the British call "riff-raff" by removing long-staying foreigners on the wrong visas (such as tourist visas) and upping the anti for retirement visas to ensure only relatively high-net worth individuals can remain. So they are "cleaning up" the country not to get rid of foreigners per se, but less desirable foreigners. There's a difference. They may not be going about it in the right way, but in their mind they think they are doing the right thing though I doubt it's based on xenophobia as such, otherwise I would have felt it by now, but I don't.

In all my dealings with Thai immigration it has actually been relatively pleasant for the most part. Exceptions always exist but on average, Thai immigration is far more pleasant than Cambodian immigration and don't get me started on Vietnamese customs officials. Horrible, aggressive and completely uncompromising people. Throwing passports back at tourists, including first time visitors is a common occurrence, especially at land borders. Forget about bringing in a car for tourism purposes. They hate that.

 

The people in all three countries are pretty friendly towards foreigners on the whole, though the Vietnamese have this weird habit of staring at foreigners as soon as you get outside of the tourist/expat areas. It's bizarre...I mean, haven't these people ever seen even any foreigners, who are often located just a short distance away? I once went to a rural area just outside of Nha Trang and was completely surprised by the weird response I received. Smiles and hellos from the kids, everyone crowding around to touch my hair and uncomfortable stares from the older generation. Yet just 30km away, thousands of foreigners, including Russians, Chinese and westerners from other countries were all over the place. It's like these rural folk came from the back of the moon, completely bizarre.

 

Yet when I travel to some isolated place or one which doesn't see many westerners anywhere in Thailand, nobody stares or acts weird. Even the kids rarely say hello and definitely no crowds form.

 

I think it's the mentality. Thais are often on the receiving end of criticism by jaded expats and foreigners, especially on this forum, but as you have correctly pointed out, there is a reason why Thailand hosts more westerners than any other Asian country other than Singapore. Even more than the Philippines I think, although numbers in that country may come close. It's because Thailand is, despite it's faults still far more welcoming than Japan, Korea, China and yes, ultimately, to some extent even Vietnam. Vietnam is fine if you stick to the tourist/expat areas, but it's not a very comfortable place to live if you choose to live out in the sticks. In fact, the government may not allow it and doesn't like foreigners hanging around border areas, except near official crossings.

Forget about bringing in a car for tourism purposes. They hate that.

It's not allowed, so why think it's personal? It's a pity, because riding from here through to the north of Laos, Vietnam, then south and back through Cambodia would be great. But governments have stopped it, not individual customs/immigration officers. 

5 hours ago, drbeach said:

Indeed. Vietnam is an even more dangerous place to drive than Thailand, on average. I have done it and I know what I'm talking about. Lots more motorcycles there, slower traffic speeds, but almost as many deaths. They have fewer vehicles on the road there, about 8 times fewer cars although more motorcycles.

Unbelievable, where have you driven/ridden in the country? Or in fact Thailand?

I have ridden South to North (Chinese border) Far North East and West and back two times, on many different roads and most big cities, no way is it more dangerous there.

I have ridden maybe 100,000 km in Thailand too, so maybe i can make the comparison.

In Vietnamese cities, i understand it feels more intimidating, but not more dangerous. 

On 7/31/2019 at 10:16 AM, SammyT said:

To be fair, while I agree it's idiotic, it's not like that Thai Immigration haven't widely publicised this (stupid) rule is going to be enforced. Landlords who are renting to farang should know these rules. I've had no issues with my landlords doing it to-date. It sounds like it's the ones who don't want to pay tax who don't do it. 

 

Also, the 24 hour thing seems very subjective and dependant on which officer you get. Recently came back into the country but didn't get in to immigration for a few days and there was no issue at all. In and out in five minutes. 

To be fair, while I agree it's idiotic, it's not like that Thai Immigration haven't widely publicised this (stupid) rule is going to be enforced.

How many Thai people read about Thai immigration rules? Is it on Thai tv and in Thai newspapers informing the Thai public? I don't know the answer, but suspect not.

21 hours ago, abrahamzvi said:

I am sure that in such circumstances the Thai authorities would let a spouse stay on humanitarian basis. Quite frankly, the UK immigration laws are inhuman in as much as they make it practically impossible for UK nationals to stay married to a foreigner and live in the UK, unless they are financially well off. Isn't a poor man or woman allowed to marry a non British partner and live at home. I know the Thai laws also don't allow this unless the partner has a certain income, but even at the low rate of exchange of the Pound there is still a huge difference between the financial requirements in the UK and Thailand. Reading the stories about people being deported from the UK (read the SUN or the Independent) , I can only say that this is an utter disgrace. The Thai regulations, which are being described as anti expatriates, are simply extra generous compared to the UK.

Rounded up numbers.

UK, average salary 35,500

Salary required for wife visa 18,600 

Thailand, average salary 168,000

Visa for marriage must show 400,000

A 10% difference.

21 hours ago, gbswales said:

I agree with the original poster and I am living in the UK - at least this is the general direction it seems to be heading in if you look at who the clown (Johnson) has appointed to his cabinet.  I am stuck here for health reasons but if I could get out before the brexit mess concludes I would.

He has been PM for a week, hard to blame anything on him yet.

Cabinet is 50 - 50  remain and leave EU.

39 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

Rider or driver.. same same age 14.

If you are in the sidecar you are a passenger. Age has nothing to do with it.

18 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

all bridges should be no go for m-bikes

Do you ride?

Why do you think that?

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Actually YOU posted the question...

I felt the whole of Thailand was a better comparison to Vietnam. 

 

 

Really, take a look at what you posted, i replied about Issan because you said there are better sites in Issan than Vietnam.

Did Iran break the agreement?

39 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

I traveled all over Vietnam by helicopter and small slow aircraft.  Saw a lot.  None of which was impressive to my 22 year old American experience.  Lot of red mud.  At that age, Thailand women and Vietnam red mud.  I lived in the Rockies and San Fran and Seattle all before I got to SEA.  What was I going to be impressed by?  I was very glad to get back to America then.  Why would a young American be impressed by anything in South East Asia?  Now as an old guy I ooh and aah at the temples and quaint rituals and archaic methods of governing --  ha ha ha.  

So why are you here?

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Do a search... you will find some good pictures to compare to the two you sent. You also restricted Thailand to Issarn when comparing, rather a weighted comparison. Chiang Mai province, Mae Hong Son and many other areas compare favourably. The South offers great images in Phang Nga and Krabi. I also found Eastern Ubon attractive. 

Vietnam on my list though, the UK Top Gear team piqued my interest.

It was you who said better sites in Issan 5555555555 I have ridden my motorbike all around Thailand too ????

Had you said Thailand i would agree there are equally nice places, but in Vietnam, more of them, less well known for sure and better for that. Also not being charged to ride/drive along looking at them.

On 7/24/2019 at 5:17 PM, Traubert said:

Yeah, 349k up from 240k. Hardly a bank buster in tourism terms.

 

That same article cheerfully admits that there's little to see or do in Vietnam. After five visits, I can back that up. The country is boring, not too clean and at 28,500 dong to the pound, dual pricing is rife.

That same article cheerfully admits that there's little to see or do in Vietnam.

What do you do here that you can't in Vietnam? Where did you go?

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Khao Yai, Korat.

Besides being so small and charging too much i can't see it comparing with the views i sent you. Ok if you like pay per view i suppose.