Gumballl

Mr. SURANAND viewed it is a personal matter, and it does not affect one’s performance towards the public and the society. Therefore, significance should not be given to this type of matter even though the person is considered to be a public figure.

Wrong... it could affects ones performance of duties. Let's say Mr. Suranands new-found friend starts asking for political favours, money, etc. Politicians need to be extra careful not to find themselves in a compromising situation. Fortunately for Mr. Suranand, his mis-deed is now public... but imagine if it were not. His friend would have a lot of leverage to get what she wanted out of him.

Remember Prez Clinton... the media went stir-crazy reporting about the extra-marital affair, what transpired, dirty dresses, etc. The real issue should have been to outline how such an affair could have affected national security. Lewinsky could have used the affair as leverage (i.e. blackmail) to obtain sensitive government information to pass on to others. Or someone else (who knew about the affair) could have done it aswell.

Anyhow, the moral... don't be a politician and a d!ck.

How are individuals, who are currently outside of Thailand, supposed to register their SIM cards if they do not plan to be in LOS on or prior to the 31-Dec-05 cutoff date?

Does DTAC offer an online registration system?

What about the folks in rural Thailand, who probably have not heard that they need to register their phones?

I've noticed that some street vendors sell deep-fried bananas, but have yet to see actual plantains being used. The deep-fried bananas are great for a sweet snack, but would prefer to have deep-fried plantains any day of the week. They tend to be prepared as a salty snack to complement other latin american dishes that have a "sweet" taste.

I can just imagine... pork chop, white rice and beans (black of course!), a side of deep-fried plantains, and a nice cuba libre on the side.

Jeez, I need to visit my mom's house... she is from PR and is a great cook.

P.S. The plantain is definitely a type of banana, though it is larger, and is generally picked when green (not ripe).

Ah, just what Thailand needs. More roads leading smack into the middle to town centers. Jeez, when will they realise that more roads does not necessarily mean less congestion on the roadways.

Please Thai civil engineers... learn to build bypasses around major cities... learn to build exit and entrance ramps onto highways... think safety above convenience. Think outside the box.

As an outsider, it makes me wonder what was the state of mind of the engineers that built the road systems in Thailand. Similar curiousities run rampant in my mind concerning who designed the streets in Bangkok.

Does anybody share my views that the flow of traffic on a major highway is "somewhat" interrupted when a 5-tonne vehicle makes a u-turn right onto a lane where cars are travelling 120km per hour. What were the engineers thinking when they built such a catastrophe? (They probably were not thinking, so as not to break Thai custom).

It makes me wonder if on my next holiday, if should I play russian roulette or should I come to Thailand?

As one of the other posters said in an earlier statement, just use your PC (or laptop) if you have one, for playing CDs or MP3s. A cheapo multi-region DVD player can be used, if not your PC itself.

When it comes to stereo systems, what really sets it apart is the quality of the sound. Shop for good speakers, for these are paramount for any worthy stereo system. Note that BIG speakers are not always better than small ones.

When I was living in LOS last year, I bought a 2000 baht speakers from a manufacturer called Micro (?). The set came with a subwoofer, and a pair of "double decker" satellite speakers. The sound was awesome for the small condo I rented.

I hooked these speakers to the TV, my laptop, and more often than these, to my iPod. I could not have asked for better sound (well, actually a 5.1 system would have been nice!). But still, good speakers for the mulah.

Here in the US, I have a Denon audio-visual-receiver (AVR) with Paradigm speakers in a 5.1-setup. DVD player is Phillips. This entire system cost $1700 in the US... a bit rich for most in Thailand... even for me when I was there.

It's hard to believe that a sea-kayak would be damaged so severely from a 3-meter wave. But then who is to say without knowing all of the facts (i.e. the condition of the kayak, whether it was indeed a sea-kayak, was it made of fiberglass or plastic, was the passenger inebriated, etc).

I used to own a 5-meter long sea-kayak and intentionally seek out tall waves (not 3-meter waves, but about 2-meter), and never had any problems. Kayak-surfing is one of the avenues of entertainment for those who own sea-kayaks, since these "boats" are too big/impractical for white-water.

Slipping out of the enclosed kayak is quite simple, unless leg-pressure is used to keep yourself inside. Doing the roll-over is easy, but with lots of practice. I wouldn't expect a novice to know how to perform this just by learning from a video.

Has anyone postulated that perhaps this individual was hit by another boat??? That is a common problem, since sometimes it is hard to see kayakers because they are sitting so close to the water-line.

When kayaking, always wear a life-vest (there are some that are specifically tailored for kayakers). Also, carry a whistle or blow-horn to alert other boaters in the area should the need arise. For an enclosed kayak, a small builge pump should also be accessible by the occupant.

P.S. Kayaks float in the ocean like cork. Not much to it. A lot of fun, and easy sport to enjoy. The "boat" I owned had two sealed compartments, at the fore and aft portions of the kayak. Even if the area occupied by the passenger filled completely with water, the kayak still stayed afloat.

Thanks for info.

Another related question:

My girl has already recieved a 10 year multiple entry tourist visa.  I have no intentions of living in the US, but would like to visit occasionally.

After we are married in Thailand, will she need another passport/Visa?

Can she still travel on a tourist visa?

Are we guaranteed to get another 10 year multiple entry visa?

Thanks for the help.

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She must change her passport to "MRS" and although a name change could be made in the passport the visa name would not be changed so I would not want to try using it. I would make the required new ID card and then have her make a new passport. They only cost a little over 1,000 baht.

Yes, she can still travel on a tourist visa if there is no intent to live in the USA. Your employment history/reasons for staying overseas will probably be a key factor for that proof.

I don't believe anyone is guaranteed anything but a 10 year multi entry is what my wife has and she had no prior travel to US so I would expect she would probably get the same.

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Be careful about changing the names on any passports yet. If the tourist visa was issued under your wife's maiden name, and then she changes her passport to bear your surname, the visa could be deemed to be invalid.

Think of this scenario: Ms. Jane Wannabee obtains a visa under this name, and then marries Mr. Joe Somebody. If Jane changes her name (in passport) to be Mrs. Jane Somebody, then the visa is technically not valid because it was issued for "someone else".

Think along the lines of a security risk... a no-no in today's USA; then you'll will understand.

I just went thru this myself last week. First go to the US Embassy, to the ACS (American Citizen Services) department (into the embassy, up the ramp/stairs, far right queue, and thru the door). Ask for the form that is needed to marry a thai citizen.

Fill out the form, pay the fee at the cashier (800 baht, if I recall), then return receipt and form to the ACS to have them certify it.

Once the certified form is returned to you (same day, within about 30 minutes or less), run up the street (Wireless Road) to one of the many translation services, and have the form translated into Thai. I went to "Professional Translation", which is not too far from Wireless/Ploenchit intersection.

Once the form is translated, either go in person to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and have them bless the form, undoubtably for more money. Then go to the nearest Amphur to get married (yes, more money needed!).

At Professional Translation, all fees were covered for 6,500 baht. A bit steep, but it saved me the far, far away trip to the MFA and the time, and the trip to/from the Amphur was included (ie. fees and taxi fares). Also, I was treated to a lot of Chang Beer!

Cheers, and congratulations on your marriage to your fiance.

Hmmm, mini-golf... seems like this would be a great business opportunity. The same for a mini-car race track (I think there is one in Phuket?).

I don't know anything about the UK's citizenship policies, but for the US, it was a cinch.

It took me about 45 minutes of my time at the American Citizen Services at the US Embassy (in BKK) to register the birth of my daughter (as a US Citizen born abroad) and to apply for a US Passport for her. Her mother is Thai, and we are currently unmarried.

Whether a man is married to the mother of his child is not really that relevant. What is relevant is that if you are the father (and not just biologically speaking), you must also prove that there is an ongoing relationship with the child (financial support, visits, etc).

I presented photos taken of me together with my daughter and GF (fiance), and also other misc information (that I have resided in the US). Although I did not have them on me, it would have been even more helpful to show photos of me and my GF when she was pregnant. I also present the child's Thai birth certificate (original and translated) which showed that I was the father. For the child's passport, I had to present a passport photo (2" x 2"), and fill out the passport application.

The cost for everything was $167 (about 6700 Baht). I bit steep, but nevertheless, my child is now a bonafide US citizen! This November I will return to the Embassy to collect her certificate indicating that she is a US Citizen, and also her passport.

With any luck, perhaps the British Embassy will have similar policies to that of the US.

I have been told at the US Embassy that if you are a resident in Thailand (and a US Citizen), that you can file your I-129 at the USCIS (?) offices across the street from the US Embassy on Wireless Road.

Only if you are a resident in the US must you first file thru one of the regional offices in the US.

P.S. USCIS = US Citizen and Immigration Service

At Don Muang, electronic photos are taken of passengers upon arrival AND departure. Getting thru immigration now takes a little longer than 30 seconds.

Also, my carry-on bag was hand-searched just AFTER to going thru the x-ray checkpoint at my designated departure gate/wing of Terminal 2. This was a random search... not everyone had to go thru this.

The terrorists are winning... they are disrupting normal life.

-- "Mr Pinij was rushed to Chulalongkorn Hospital after the accident which took place in front of Theptarin Hospital on Rama IV Road"

What's the deal with Theptarin Hospital --- can't they treat an injured person???. This guy was hauled to "nearby" Chula hospital. Imagine the agony this guy endured in his journey thru BKK traffic. Amazing Thailand!

It took about 1-2 hours and my wife went to Bumrungrad hospital do get it done.  How long was it from the time you sent in the initial paperwork to get the K-1 started until the  US Embassy sent her the packet of papers in Thailand?  I am just curious to see how long it is taking right now.

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TRIPxCORE -

Thanks for the reply... I will forward this info to my TGF. I think she will be happy to know that the med exam only takes a short time.

As for your query, the USCIS received my initial application (the I-129F) on 07-Apr-2005, and by 05-May-2005, they notified me that it had been approved, and that the petition had been forwarded to the Visa Section at the US Embassy in BKK.

As for when my fiance received the "Packet 3" forms, I think that it was sometime in early June. Then she had to forward them to me, to have me fill out the infinite quantity of forms, which surprisingly appear almost identical to the forms associated with the I-129F.

Sort of pissed me off, that the forms are all in "formal" english, something that the average Thai person is not going to be able to comprehend. Hence trying to explain over the phone, to my TGF, that she needs to get a Police Certificate, and prepare photos of certain dimensions for the Med Exam, is like trying to teach a construction worker how to perform brain surgery.

It is easier to smuggle an illegal alien into the US, than it is to complete the paperwork... and a lot less costly. I am here in the US right now, and I am trying to get my TGF to complete the remaining tasks ahead, so that she can notify the embassy that she is ready for her appointment (and for "Packet 4"). It's a slow process. Anyhow, I've heard that getting the K-1 generally takes about 12 weeks, but in my case, it might be about 20.

When she has her appointment, I will return to Thailand to accompany her to the embassy, and of course, to help with our baby daughter.

As for our baby... I am debating which is easier... to follow thru and get her a visa as well, or just apply for a US passport. The latter requires more leg work, more money, and more forms, and appointment... a lot of hassle.

I am in the process of applying for a K-1 (fiance) visa for my TGF to come to the US. She has received the Packet-3 forms, and also instructions for getting the required medical checkup.

Does anyone know how long such a checkup take? My TGF is from Korat, and she will be required to have this checkup in BKK. Just in travel time (roundtrip), she is looking at 7-8 hours. Each minute away from home, is a minute away from our baby daughter (which is 6 months old).

I've suggested to my GF to bring our daughter with her, but she worries about the "travel stress" on such a young child... and I tend to agree with her.

Anyhow, if anyone has a fiance (or spouse) that has gone thru the hassle of getting a medical checkup, please let me know how much time it took (at the hospital).

Thank you in advance.

You're right... the amount is pretty stiff. Thai gov't probably imposes this restriction to keep out folks who want to use their kids as an easy excuse to get long term visas.

Good luck with your plans!

"Does anyone really know what time it is? (Does anybody really care, about time?)"

These are the proverbial questions asked by the music group Chicago.

As for me, I prefer option 2. But if I ever have doubts as to the date and/or time, I can quickly reference it on my PC, my wrist watch, and my cell phone!

Now, what would really be cool to see on TV, is a (pop-up) page that displays in real-time, the times in various locales around the world. That way I can stop performing basic math computations in my mind to figure out the time in LOS vs. the US.

Hmmm, 800 C (= 1472 F) is a "wee bit" above the comfort zone for most people I know, including Thai's who live with infernally hot summers. At that temperature, the mask may survive exposure to a fire, but the person bearing it would be charred beyond recognition.

I propose that the folks at the Interior Ministry be sent back to elementary school to learn the basics about science, before they propose any more off-the-wall laws or regulations.

Anyhow, praise the IM for the chuckle.

Interesting URL (and info), Axel. Is this really true?

I have read hints about this before (minimum income, etc), but I am amazed if this is really true. If so, Thailand and their rules can kiss my buttocks. Who the "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" would want to put up with this mierda. Move to another country is what I say. Thailand is a country of two classes... the rich and the poor. Oh yeah, and the middle class Bangkonians who think they are rich, well, do the cost of living, they are actually poor too.

Warning too all... unless you enjoy a different BG every night, move to another country.

hate me if u wish... rebuttals are welcome.

This type of "drug" is used all of the time... it is called "marketing". This is where a company (or more sinisterly, a government) insists that everyone must have this "new, redeveloped" product, regardless of the cost, and should therefore toss away their earned money, into a sinkhole.

This product, undoubtably, is called "Thailand", or as commonly called by the addicts as, LOS.

Strongview -

If you want daily accounts of bomb threats, school shootings, bloody murders, then read the US press. I personally tune out that nonsense, because there is nothing that I can do about it. People of all colours, and of all races, perform malevolent actions, and simply worrying about whether it will happen to me (or my loved ones), is not going to change that.

The people in Thailand have more of a chance of being in a car accident or twisting their ankles on the "level" city sidewalks, as they do being in a bombing incident.

I think that the Thai gov't should refrain from spreading fear amongst it constituents. Otherwise, a part of everyone's life is sacrificed in the name of maintaining a "safe" society. I enjoy the fact that Thailand is the "Land of Smiles". If everyone started treating everyone else with suspicion, then what you would have a society that fails itself.

Suvarnabhumi Airport and it will adopt the BKK tag

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If the new airport adopts the BKK IATA, then what will be the IATA of the existing airport (Don Muang)?

I've read in earlier posts that the new Bangkok airport will be opening sometime next year (2006). Does anyone know what it will be called? What about the IATA airport code (the 3-letter code)?

I wonder if folks will still continue to refer to Bangkok as BKK, when they write in "shorthand".

BTW, my guess is that if the Thai gov't could have it their way, the IATA code for the new airport would be HUB.

Thanks britmaveric! Next time when I am in LOS, I will get one of these players.

Does anyone know whether Region 1 DVDs (those that are sold in the US/Canadian area) can be viewed in Thailand? Are there DVD players in Thailand that will play these DVDs?

Another issue that raises my concern is that Region 1 DVDs are NTSC formatted, as opposed to PAL (which is the norm for video in Thailand).

I know that it is possible to strip the Region encoding on a DVD, when creating a copy, but software to do this is illegal in the US, and possibly in Thailand as well. And the resulting copy does not have the same quality in the video (due to video compression).