TacoBoy

The Traffic is not so congested after you get out of Bangkok. The VIP Bus companies pretty much know how to manage their trips during Song Kron.

Be sure to book and buy your tickets for Bus, Air or Train early and make reservations for a hotel or guest house if you plan to travel any time around Song Kron.

Another option is to take the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, then the Green Bus company from chiang Mai to chiang Rai. A longer trip, but also an enjoyable journey. Especially safer since the highways will have more traffic than normal and of course the normal holiday road problems and crazy drivers.

I will be enjoying my time near the pool with one of those cocktails with an umbrella in it. That should help ward off the hypothermia

Jack and others new to the north should travel around a bit and explore the north.

Chiang Mai is just a big city surounded by nature and natural wonders.

Chiang Rai is 180 kilometers, 2 1/2-3 hours east by bus and much smaller and more intimate.

Yes another city, but not near as much hustle and bustle as Chiang Mai.

To realy enjoy the north, you should have a place a bit out of town and a source of transportation to get about. Car and/or mortorcycle are pretty much required.

Have a good time.

Maybe one of the new shops in the Central Plaza will carry the oils when they open April 1st.

Not easy to avoid Song Kron even in Chiang Rai unless you are out of the city.

I personally try to spend Song Kron in a swimming pool.

A few hotels and guest houses around Chiang Rai will fit that bill.

Lek Guest House is about the most econimical and is nice for about 500-600

http://www.lekguesth....com/index.html

Lek Guest House & Restaurant

Pimann Inn Hotel Map of Pimanninn Hotel (click for maximize)

652/1 moo 24 T.Robwiang

A.Muang

Chiangrai

Thailand

57000

053-756733 , 053-756972-3

053-756753

086-9161133

Standards for AQI and PM10 of 100 and 120 respectively are what the web site claims as a standard not to be exceeded.

Drove from Chiang Mai center to Chiang Rai yesterday and I thought the haze and smoke was far worse in Chiang Mai than this side of the mountain in Chiang Rai.

But the Air Quality Index report shows it was worse than Chiang Mai on a 24 hour average in Chiang Rai ending at 9am this morning.

I am not saying these Visa services are a scam. But "Beware".

Using a Visa Service is risky. If the stamp and/or Visa you get from them is a forgery, you run the risk of going to jail, deportation, and hundreds of thousands of baht in legal fees.

A similar circumstance happened in Thailand nearly 10 years ago with some services back then offering to get you Visa's or stamps for a service fee. Altho these services were offered while you waited in Thailand for your passport, the Visa's and stamps did not really come from legitamate sources.

Not sure if these Visa services are indeed any differnet than what occured nearly 10 years ago with them getting fake stamps and visa's. Even tho they are outside Thailand, be careful that the service you are using is truly a direct agent dealing in fact with the Thai Embassy or Conulate as an agent for you and on your behalf.

And that using an agent is legal.

Once again, here is a link to daily air pollution averages.

PM 10 is typically the dust or smoke in the air. 120 and greater is considered Unhealthy.

AQI is the total Air Quality Index. Levels of 100 and up are considered Unhealthy.

http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/default.cfm

200-300 is the normal going rate for taxi from the airport.

No options other than to arrange ahead of time with your hotel or just get a private taxi from the airport to your hotel.

I have seen the price quoted go up with time after some have tried to get a bargin price and refused the 200-300 taxi fare originally quoted.

Especially since the OP will arrive on the last flight of the night. All the Taxi's will depart shortly thereafter and you will be left trying to get any type of transport to your hotel.

Not worth the hastle for 200-300 baht.

Also remember fuel prices have doubled in the past few years without a real increase to taxi costs.

Enjoy your trip and not try to be a penny pincher. Not worth the hastle over a few baht.

"She enjoyed it but it was too long a day for her on that small saddle"

Is your " Saddle" that small

A Western Saddle usually has a Big Horn on them unlike English Saddles

Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy. Yee Haw !

Agreed KD, still looking fo the elusive BIG-UNS

Just a suggestion fo those with sore butts. If the trip starts a ways from your residence, is it possible to load your bike in a pick up if it isn't too big and take it to the meeting point. Maybe a trailer or bigger truck for bigger bikes.

This might make sence to carry a bike to Chiang Kong. Or bring your support vehicle full of provisions .

Lao Dark would be nice, but think regular would do in a pinch.

If your income verification letter has enough income confirmed, then why worry about a bank letter unless your income verification letter does not have sufficiant income to meet your visa needs. You can use income, or bank deposit, or a combination of the two to meet the income requirement.

Don't think a same day letter matters one way or another, as long as the letter is valid as of the date you submit it.

Residency verification and other letters from a Thai Immigration office many times require the signature of a supervisor or senior immigration official.

Most itmes you complete the application and have them send you the letter by EMS for the Postal fee of usually 100 baht or so.

Or you can wait. Never a good idea to act rude with local officials. Especially when you are asking them to do something for you.

Remember to plan, be patient, and the experience will be pretty much painless as long as you have your ducks in a row.

Firstly, you and your Thai wife have gone thru a lot to get her Green Card and future citizenship.

Adhear to the time limits your wife may be allowed to be out of the US per US Customs and Immigration and Homeland Security.

I understand that a person with a Green Card will forefit their Green card if outside the states for 6 months or more.

Check with US authorities.

She and you can take trips within the guidelines of Alien with a Green Card. Don't go beyond the time limits or she may be denied re-entry into the usa..

You can always obtain a tourist visa. It is a tricky question if you are eligable for an O marriage visa while your wife has a green card to the usa.

In doing so, you could complicate matters of immigration to the usa for your wife prior to her obtaining permanant citizenship.

Remember it is not as easy to fool the us authorities. If they find a discrepincy she may be ineligable to return and be denied visa's in the future.

Might be easier to just get a single or multiple entry tourist visa for yourself if coming to Thailand.

Check with your local Thai Embassy or consulate for Visa details.

There is a consulate in Los Angeles, and think the Embassy is in DC.

Somehow I knew the term "bike Porn" would get lannaman's motor roaring

Ms Taco and her clan combined have a Honda 70, A Mini Trail (unknow cc), Bell 80, and I think that little rattle trap is a Vespa with a spare tire carrier

If Raylo got a flat tire crossing that bridge, the Vespa might have come in handy with that spare tire.

I think a few of us carry our own "spare tire" anyhow.

KD< all I asked for was clarification for the next time. I went back thru the posts and found your statment that all bikes were welcome when you confirmed the event.

My bad for not seeing it. But not welcome for ridicule from others for asking clarity for any future rides.

No smaller bikes that VF mentioned were in any pic's posted. And the total of bikes was put at 5-7.

I did not make issue of this. VF did and decided to be condescending.

Your OP said:

Posted 2011-02-15 20:58:02 "Several people have mentioned that they would like to find a group of laid-back biker types to do some day rides once a month or so."

This set the tone of the discussion for laid back biker types to get together.

BTW, I am joking about a Vespa

"Considering yesterday’s range from 100+ up to 1800, I think your request is redundant. "

VF, it was reported to be 5 bikes. I don't see any smaller bikes in any of the pic's posted.

I could not attend so I didn't ask about smaller thai street bikes. I think many others may have thought the same that this was a ride geared for the medium and bigger bikes. Just asking for clarification for the next time, not ridicule from the likes of VF.

How about some bike porn...

How about considering a ride where all bikes and sizes are welcome.

The 100-125's can go most places also. Of course there are exceptions.

I would have brought my Vespa, but I wasn't able to be in town.

To get a Tourist Visa, you have to go to a Thai Embassy or Consulate outside of Thailand. Not available at boarder checkpoints.

If you leave Thailand by any mode, any previous Visa will be cancelled unless you have a multiple entry or get a re-entry permit prior to departing Thailand.

Leaving and entering Thailand at a boarder crossing will only get you a 15 day Visa on Arrival by land.

You can receive 30 days on arrival if flying in from another country.

I am flying to KL on the 8th of march from Philippines and then flying into Thailand on the 11th. I have a return ticket back to London from Philippines dated June 1st.

Hopefully this will be good enough to get a TV.

If you apply early enough for a TV , you will have time enough to get an onward ticket if they require to see one.

It is a gamble every time if they will ask for a ticket onward or not ask.

Your Ticket from the PI on June 1 is interesting, but what plans or arrangements do you have to travel out of Thailand.

You could always purchase a open ticket or specific date out of Thailand to the PI (if that is your routiing etc) if you don't already have some type of onward ticket.

The McD's banner is hanging on the buiding closest to the super highway facing south according to Ms Taco.

Happy Micky Dee daze ahead.

Hope they will have a Sizzler Steak and Salad restaurant also in the new mall.

Just get a Tourist Visa good for 60 days in Thailand from the Russian Consulate there. At the end of the 60 days, get a 30 days visa extension locally at a Thai immigration office within Thailand.

Should your plans change or if you want to stay longer than the 90 days allowed on a Single Entry Tourist Visa, Consider a Double Entry Tourist Visa, which could be good up to a total of 180 days including the two 30 days extension allowed with that type visa.

Or at the end of your 90 days if you need to stay a little longer then you can cross a Thai border to Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, of Mynmar. Crossing by land into Thailand only gives you 14 days, and 30 days if you arrive by air after your tourist visa has expired.

Being an American or any other nationality is not an issue when dealing with Embassies and Consulates anywhere in the world. They are used to dealing with people living and working abroad throughout the world.

Keep it Simple, it is easy to get your visa.

Be careful of the fatal dog disease Parvo especially if you buy from a shop or the night bizzare. Have the dog checked by a vet and a guarantee letter from the seller that they will pay for or let you get a refund for a sick animal. Some friends have had several problems with this here in CR.

Shih Tsu's have a short snout and can develop difficulty breathing and respriratory problems because of the short snout.

I have some friends that have that breed and they are very friendly, can be very smart and nice dogs.

The hair does not need to be long all the time. Can short clip during the hot months to help keep them cool and let the hair grow when it starts to get into the cooler months.

Ms Taco wants one so bad and constantly looks at the Thai web sites offering Shih Tsu's in Thailand. That is another alternative, but they are a little more expensive, but probably worth it.

Thanks for clarifying and fine tuning lopburi3

So, assuming I moved into another apartment before I go to immigration, what then happens if I, for example, go for a weeks holiday to a hotel in Hua Hin? As the hotel is required to tell immigration of my staying there, am I still legally required to go to wherever is the nearest immigration office to Hua Hin to report my holiday also? Does seem a trifle over the top if so.

Harry

If you are on just about any other type of visa than a tourist or visa on arrival, the rule of reporting your address or whereabouts applies.

A hotel etc must report any foreigner witin 24 hours. A foreigner on any visa other than a torusit or visa on arrival and has to report their address as a condition to their visa is subject to this rule. If they want to make it an issue, they can

I agree it is over the top. Luckily so far I have not heard of them cracking down on anyone for this.

But they do crack down on the hotels etc. if they do not report your staying there.

there are no applicable extensions to a retirement or type O visa.

What? Both types of visa entry can be extended.

Was referring to the common practice of just extending a visa like a Tourist Visa Extension

I was not aware of any "Temporary" type of extensions for type O Visa's. Guess the wording is confusing, but the result was the same as a renewal of my existing visa

I know that my last renewal of my retirement Visa, they had me submit a form differnt from a new visa, but required new and current documents as for a new or original visa. The form may have been extension of stay.

Don't think there is any requirment from foreign Embassies like the UK that your money be seasoned in a Thai Bank.

Surely, they are willing to accept Money in your UK Bank. Easier for them to verify anyhow.

AS someone else replied earlier that you can use a combined formula of bank accounts and annual income to meet the required monetary support amounts.