qualtrough

I don't have a problem with customs and immigration authorities in the US doing their jobs, and I expect that I will be questioned and even searched once in a while. I do have a problem with rude agents with an attitude, and I have experienced that on a more than a few ocassions. I will be visiting the US again on Monday for 10 days, so might have another story, although I hope not!

interesting responses in this thread.

looking at the larger picture,

what kind of culture teaches its members that to kill another human being is an acceptable way of resolving a dispute?

all above warnings about being careful are so very true of course.

it just seems to me that even the foreigners are afraid to say that this kind of behaviour is neanderthal.

i am always looking for an influential Thai person who will speak out about how schizoid Thai 'culture" is.

like in pretending to be Buddhist and then voting back into power a man who gave carte-blanche to the police to go out and kill people (the "rid Thailand of drugs campaign") without any review or repercussions.

in my humble opinion,

there is no moral leadership in this country.

the Sangha has too many corrupted members.

Monks are there for giving out lottery numbers, for a price.

Politicians and business people are nearly all corrupt.

Academics are toothless tigers or in someones pocket.

News and TV are scared into compliance.

A country that cares so much about "Face",

and nearly everything it does only causes others to see that they being mentally primitive, thus losing respect.

i think it ok to criticize what one sees as immoral or stupid behaviour.

in many many countries on this planet, that poor chap would not be dead.

there is NO EXCUSE for this kind of behaviour.

and now with the new visa enforcements,

Thailand is becoming an international joke.

Sorry, but in a lot of countries that tourists visit, including the USA, tourists sometimes get murdered. A good thing? No, of course not. If you think of all the hundreds of thousands of tourists that spend most of their time getting shit-faced in sleazy bars during their visit here the amazing thing is that more don't end up dead or injured. If that same number of people were to visit bars with strippers and hookers in the US the number would be many, many times higher. It seems to me that a lot of forum members bought into the Land of Smiles nonsense and get all outraged when a bit of reality creeps in. I have lived here for a long time, and sadly once in a while a tourist dies or is murdered. In my opinion the only reason there seems to be an increase in these events is primarily due to the fact that we have better and instant communication now via the Internet, and because the number of foreigners here has dramatically increased.

It is if you are one of the up-country types who sit around drinking Lao kao shouting "จน" "เครียด" "จน" "เครียด" all day long.

I seriously doubt if that kind of people would have the nerve to ask for a loan.

And if you did provide the loan for them then you don't deserve to have any money left.

That was the point really.

Seriously if it was one of my brother in laws that did that to me i would kick his a$$

This is the Thai way and i would save face even if i lost.

By doing nothing I have lost face with everyone. This is upcountry "face" protocol, BKK

may differ.

Good luck

nam

I seriously doubt if that is the 'thai' way.

It is if you are one of the up-country types who sit around drinking Lao kao shouting "จน" "เครียด" "จน" "เครียด" all day long.

You would be crazy to get remarried so quickly, especially so shortly after getting divorced. The only reason you should remarry is if you still get along well after a considerable period of time and even then only if you want to have kids and raise a family. There are other simpler ways to get a visa and/or WP. Don't do it....but if you do please be sure to post periodic follow-ups for our entertainment

Hi All,

The way I read the rules is that if I remarry I can obtain a Non 'O' (maybe even Multiple entry) at a consulate outside of Thailand which then can be repeated after 3 months as I dont have the required 400k for the 1 year extension.

I got divorced from my crazy wife 2 weeks ago. We are on better terms now than we have ever been and she has offered to help me out with my now screwed up visa situation by remarrying. Has anyone ever been in a similar situation as this? Do I have to go through the whole marriage process again (declaration from embassy, translation, MFA, District Office ect.) or is there a 'period of grace' for people that *cough* regret getting divorced?

Thanks in advance for any help.

I cannot answer your visa question, but I have been in a similar situation. Some years ago I married a Thai-Chinese woman and we moved to the US. We stayed together about 5 years, but fought like cats and dogs. We got divorced and moved apart, living about 15 minutes away from each other. For the next year and a half we were together every night, with her staying over at my place. We had almost no fights and, like you, we were on better terms than we ever were before. The only thing that ended it was my going away to grad school out of state and then eventually meeting someone else. What I think made the difference, and I have heard similar stories from others, is that we each had our own space to fall back on. Anyway, that is how it worked for us. I am telling this to you because you might find that if you get remarried and move back in together you will be back in the status quo ante before you know it. Good luck on the relationship and the visa!

Seriously if it was one of my brother in laws that did that to me i would kick his a$$

This is the Thai way and i would save face even if i lost.

By doing nothing I have lost face with everyone. This is upcountry "face" protocol, BKK

may differ.

Good luck

nam

I expect we will be reading about 'Nam Kao' in the News forum one day...

If you really think you must make a loan why not ask for some collateral? That is not an unheard of concept here. If they sincerely want/need the money and intend to pay surely they would be willing to place something they own of value in your hands as collateral? If they have nothing, or if they are unwilling to offer anything up, the chances that your loan will become a 'gift' have just increased dramatically. Anybody asking you for a loan is asking you a really big favor. If they are unwilling to return the favor by doing something that minimizes your risk then they are imposing on your good will and you should not feel any obligation to them whatsoever. That is the way I would operate, but if others want to do differently that is their business.

Yeah, and unfortunately, it is something that cannot be explained to people who do not want to hear it. So, for those who do, here is breaking news:

manners and attitudes are very often communicated non-verbally, especially in Asia.

Most adults can tell the difference between an ordinary friendly smile, and a come on smile; most women in Asia can tell the difference between an ordinary friendly attitude, and a proprietary one; I was talking about the latter.

Here in Thailand, I have often encountered this attitude from older Thai men, especially when I am out late and coming home alone. It is an attitude that crosses the anonymous sphere and assumes much in the way they glance at you openly. It is quite obvious in an otherwise polite society.

As a female here, I think I am well versed in this attitude, as it has occured a few times, or enough for me to notice a pattern.

What are other patterns or experiences other people have with security guards or building people overstepping their bounds?

Kat, you have chosen to live in a culture wherein the majority of people think that a single woman going out alone and coming back at all hours of the night is not a good thing. That attitude is not going to change in your lifetime so you will get 'looks' from time to time. Having said that, if your security staff is stepping over the line or making your feel uncomfortable you need to inform the management.

I have traveled all over the world for the last 35 years, and without a doubt the worst customs and immigration experiences have been in the US--hands down--and I am a US citizen. If you are asked an inappropriate question such as "Are you there for the girls?" you should immediately ask to speak with a supervisor and file a formal complaint. You are under no obligation to answer rhetorical questions about personal preferences.

On my last visit with my family (wife, two daughters) the immigration officer in Seattle looked like she was going to go postal as she made a big deal out of removing our passports from their plastic covers. Didn't say one word the entire time, but made it very clear she was disgusted and angry that she had to do that. If she had asked me if we could remove them I would have happily done so. BTW, that is the first and last time I have seen anyone remove the covers.

I had one US official ask me whether or not a I was a secular humanist when he discovered I was doing field research for a Ph.D. in Thailand. Unfortunately I didn't follow the advice I just gave above as it only registered with me after I left the line.

A freind of mine who's traveled all over Asia, including Thailand told me once that the Thai's are essentially a "warrior" people. I'v always kept this in mind when i'v been in Thailand!

Do you mean "warriors" as in fighting noble wars; or as in cowardly and sadistically murdering unarmed tourists ? Please clarify....

Thais, God bless 'em, are not a warrior race, and if so, they are the most spectacularly inept warriors ever. A comparison of the boundaries of Thailand some 100 years ago and today tells you all you need to know about that, or the fact that they could not wrest a tiny island from the Laos a few years back, or... They are part of a culture that generally puts a high value on avoiding conflict. Because so much emotion is constantly held in check, when it gets loose it usually blows big-time, no restraint. The importance of face is another issue.

A loan in Thailand translates to a 'grant' or 'gift.'

Only loan what you're willing to give away.

A westerner being with a Thai woman involves him giving money.

No money, no girl, no girlfriend, no wife.

One of the top questions a farang needs to ask himself when he wants to shack up with a Thai lady is:

How much am I willing to spend to stay with her?

If that amount is not sufficient in her view, there's either no relationship, or it's a strained one at best.

Any notions of romance, are best left for novels and videos. Regardless of what she might say about romance and love, her prime concerns are money (for her) and security for her family.

Unfortunately, farang men are so easily duped, that they keep getting on the conveyer belt of hopes and dreams for their entrancing Thai gals and dumped down the other end with dashed hopes and thin wallets.

Have to agree with the others who rubbished this post. Been married 11 years now, two kids, and have not experienced one of the issues raised by Brahmburger to be the case, not one.

I have a similar situation to yours, wife has one brother, parents run a shop, put kids through college, extremely thrifty, etc. I was asked one time long ago by the brother-in-law to loan some money for the purchase of a small flat. Probably a similar amount of money to yours, I forget the exact amount. I told my wife that I was not lending money for any speculative ventures, and that my responsibility was to her and our children. Only possible exception was if someone was sick or dying and needed medical help. But--in order to soften the blow I told her to tell him that my money was tied up in investments overseas and that I would be penalized for early withdrawal. The brother ended up getting a loan and all worked out well in the end. No repercussions, and no further loan requests either. He is a sober hard-working guy and the property he purchased worked out well. I am pretty confidant he would have paid me back, but why risk all that trouble? If you let it be known you are a soft touch you will be forever getting hit for loans, etc. and it will be difficult if not impossible to change that policy without affecting your relationship with your family. My advice to anyone would be to make it clear from the start that you are not an ATM machine or a bank and if they don't like it they can suck eggs. The advantage of that policy is that you will know who your real friends are. Saying that I know that this would be hard to implement with some families, so choose your in-laws well!

Belgian newspaper in french:

http://www.dhnet.be/dhinfos/article.phtml?id=155786

Baically same infos as already posted here

Parents added murdered guy was a calm guy

That article mentioned that the family is trying to locate two Frenchmen who were drinking with the brothers but they have been unable to do so. A German was also there, but since he was not mentioned again presumably they have been in contact with him.

I have banked with Siam Commercial Bank for years. There Internet banking interface is easy to use. If Bangkok Bank makes life hard for you screw 'em.

If you have to/want to pay, tell whoever is arranging it to get receipts for anything over 1000 B and reimburse them for those. No receipt, no payment, except for petty expenses.

Anyone who thinks that torture is ever justified is a terrorist.

So right...

Interesting Nam Kao, but what the heck do those stories have to do with street beggars??

A few years back I had to buy a ticket at the airport in Seattle for some reason and they wouldn't let me buy a one-way ticket unless I could show them a visa. I wasted a lot of time arguing with them about the non-neccessity of doing that, but in the end bought a full fare ticket as their suggestion so that I could get a refund on the return portion. Only time that has ever happened to me.

I was going to rant about the miserable failure of the Bush administration in its idiotic 'War on Terror', but I asked myself, is it related to Thailand? Answer, No. So I won't say anything.

1. Have you applied to AIS for Roaming Service.

2. Have you tried it with a local SIM card?

I have used AIS and DTAC services in Hongkong without difficulty.

Not to be recommended as it is expensive.

Much better to install a local SIM card.

BTW Phones sold in Thailand are no longer locked.

Astral,

Thanks for the advice on global roaming, I will check that out. And thanks for the warning. I once had to make an emergency visit to Sri Lanka when my mother was in the hospital there and rang up a bill over a $1000 dollars for phone calls made over the space of 5 days. Ouch! If the roaming activation doesn't pan out I may check out the local SIM option. I am only in the US for 10 days and don't use the phone for business, so being able to use it on ocassion is more of a want than a need.

I want to thank everyone for their help. I will be exploring several of the suggestions offered by members.

SamuiJens-I know what a gf. I just don't understand what relevance that has to a thread on beggars. Get some sleep and perhaps you can make a more coherent reply tomorrow...

Let review this

1. First answer Terry 57's question.(good un, by crikity 57)

2. Google Mafia

Other evidence you will find later.

But as you think, all of Thailand is drivin' by "mafia", buddha man, there can't be that many Sicilian men in LOS!

3. If you don't like it, move, to some other country.

4 If you have a thai gf, then she to is controled by your "Mafia"./and paying to them) All in what YOU THINK!

Ok, so you apparently pulled the 15% statistic out of your arse.

Mafia, buddha man, move to some other country, thai gf?? Sorry, I can't make any sense out of what you wrote. Try again tomorrow when you sober up!

Give you're $$ to charities and at the most 15% gets to the ones that NEED IT, THEY ARE THE MAFIA. Check out how much $$ gets to the needy by charity, maybe "theCambodens" learned from them.

SamuiJens-Meadish Sweetball provided a link to a site that cites a study by the International Labor Organization (ILO) on the child begging racket in Bangkok as well as an article from the Sydney Morning Herald. You can also find additional information on the Stop-Childbegging site at http://www.stop-childbegging.org/. It is in Thai, but since you have apparently conducted in-depth research on more than 25 beggars in Thailand that should pose no problem for you. This is just one portion of the begging racket as practiced in Bangkok and elsewhere.

OK now, some of us have provided links to actual research and reports documenting this practice. Can you please do the same for your 15% figure? Is that just a few charities, or all charities? Would Father Joe and his work in Klong Toey fall under that category? Have you ever visited his center there? Are small NGOs working closely with the poor, including beggars, included in your 15% figure? We eagerly await your documentation.