sua yai

I've been here for 7 years now, so not surprisingly I've noticed quite a change.

The "sleepy" seaside town feel has gone. Probably would still seem that way to visitors from larger resorts, but at weekends and school times the town's a war zone now

Yes, there's perennial talk of the restaurants going along the beach near The Hilton. The story goes that the people there are squatters and so the big hotels want them removed to build a promenade. Other than talk, it's never got further than that. I believe some of those restaurants are owned by pretty powerful politicians and military.

BTW, I've got photos of the night market and Petchkasem Road from 1989 when I first came on holiday. Town certainly has changed since then!!

You can make it there and back in a day by bus, but it's a long day.

Get the 8am bus in HH- always seems to arrive at 8.30am - and get to Ranong @2-2.30pm. Cost 190 B.

Jump on motorcycle taxi. He'll take you to immigration (not waliking distance) then on to the pier. Wait for you, back to imm and then bus station for @150 B.

Return boat will cost 250-350 (up to you to negotiate). Takes 30 mins to get over.

You'll need 5 US dollars. Get at bank before and it'll cost you @200, or from a multitude of Thais at the pier, for 300.

All being well, you'll be in time to get the 4.30 bus from Ranong. There's another at 5.30pm. Takes 7 hours to get back. Continual stops for school kids between Ranong and Chumpon.

I'm due to go on the 28th, but don't mind going a couple of days early if there's other interest in splitting the cost of the taxi. Gets expensive with only two people.

I was always 8 hours when working in the UK.

Over here, 6-7 and feel better for it.

Was at The Ministry of Forign Affairs on Wednesday and I'm certain that it got warmer during the lunchbreak. Maybe just me, but I overheard others saying the same.

How about the folk who park their vehicles for ten minutes, leaving the engine running. OK, they want it cold when they get back from their strenuous 2 min walk, but what a waste - let alone the fuel and pollution.

Lazy.

I know someone in Kao Lak who built his bungalow resort 4-5 years ago.

Unfortunately, it was destroyed in the tsumani, but he's rebuilding it now.

Met mine at her sister's restaurant. We've been together for 18 months now and are getting married on Friday 15th.

After 47 years of life and 7 years in los "it's the end of the world as we know it".

Always thought we had 4 fingers and a thumb.

So, what's the fifth finger? If it's what I think it is, I'd hate to lose that.

Wounds are notoriously slow to heal over here as Tornado says.

Had my leg split open in a motorcycle accident 4 months ago. Took 3 months for it heal properly and I was taking good care of it.

One MF of a scar that will not go away, ever.

WhiteShiva,

Fair enough. We all have our priorities.

pktkid,

Your friend could have had the new passpot sent to him by The Embassy. Although it's a bit risky, it's not illegal.

I did that 6 years ago.

Mind you, a week in BKK would have been fun.

That's a bit harsh, WhiteShiva.

The forigners in BK are doing at least 25 years. The only inmates there are those on that sentence, life, awaiting an appeal to The Supreme Court or on death row.

Most of the forigners fell on hard times. Yes, the decision they made was stupid, but knowing someone in there who's almost 3 years through a 100 year sentence and having a copy of the BBC documentary on the place (sanitised of course, or no permission given to broadcast), I have a measure of sympathy for some of them.

A visit wouldn't go amiss IMHO.

Back to the OP and his being married.

You can get a multi entry non O from Penang on the basis of being married without any proof of funds at all. You'll need the marriage certificate and a copy of your wife's ID.

OK, you have to leave the country every 90 days, so it's not as convenient as the year's extension, but it's an alternative to getting proof from your Embassy that you have the required 40,000 income or showing 400,000 in a Thai bank.

Hope I'm right on this as I'll be doing it soon. A number of friends have been sucessful this way for years after their marriages or, in one case, supporting a Thai child.

You don't say where you're from, but the UK requires you to get another passport - 36 or 48 pages.

I was at the consular section of the British Embassy yesterday and overheard someone say that it's currently taking 7 days to issue a new passport.

If you are a Brit, look at the Embassy's website. They've got the proceedures and up to date prices. Consular fees changed a short while ago.

Agree with others.

Have other revenue streams other than relying on just one here.

Read last year when back in the UK that they'd cross bred a variety of chilli in Assam - NE India - that was, I think, 7 -10 times hotter than the already recognised hottest - a Mexican one. Heaven knows what that's like.

Chilies, capsicums etc are a very important source of vitamins, but I did hear once of a regular customer to an Indian restaurant who was eventually refused his usual "extremely hot Phall". Not good for his health the management said.

Maybe a traveller's tale, but I'm sure a bit of truth in it as well.

Access to cheap medicines is what stands out for me in this article.

Not long ago, the thai government was due to sign a trade agreement with the USA that, among other things, would stop Thailand producing cheap antiretroviral drugs.

Before these came onto the market here, people were paying 3,000 a month. Now it's 30.

I havn't heard any more about this agreement. Has anyone else?

Had the same experience as tornado a number of years ago at the joint funerals of my ex's father and husband.

The whole thing cost around 120,000 and 100,000 was raised through contributions. I put in 10,000 and the family the rest. Everyone was happy except one sister who had expected to make a profit. Never did like her.

Ok. Tell you what I'm going to do.

I'll e-mail the national debtline in the UK and see what they have to say. Last year, they replied within hours.

I'm not doubting anyone who's actually done some collecting. This was info given from three sources to me.

I'll come back with an answer.

My comments yesterday were based on three sources that were checked out last year when I went back to the UK for a holiday.

1. A local Citizens Advice Bureau - advice was to pay after negotiating with the company, otherwise I'd never get credit again. When I asked them if the company could take me to court, get a lien against my property, or have baliffs or debt collectors remove items from my property, I was told they couldn't. I would be threatened with it, but they had no legal right to do so.

2. The national debt hotline. Staffed voluntarily by lawyers, my correspondence was by e-mail. Ditto the above.

3. A friend here who used to do consultancy work for a credit card company in the UK and lectured employees on, amongst other matters, what they could and could not do under the law to debtors. Again ditto the above.

I've repaid my debt -about 6,000 pounds - as I didn't want to be on a blacklist. It was amazing just how flexible the company was when I pointed out that if they didn't accept my offer, they wouldn't get a penny.

I appreciate the above comments from people who have had to go after debts. My understanding is that there's a big stink in the UK now about how credit card companies are getting people into serious financial problems by continually extending their credit. If the contract you have with them dosn't say that your home and possessions are at risk if you default, there's not a lot they can do. This is a totally different situation to someone defaulting on a mortgage or hire purchase agreement. You're definitely in trouble then.

This was just my experience and the advice I got.

Cor. You're a rich man. I expect a beer!!

50,000 pweek?

Bring it on.

Possibly, we're going around in circles.

If you've borrowed money in the UK against your home, if you owe rent, if you have purchashed goods on hp, then there's a legal contract to repay that debt and you'll be persued to the full letter of the law. Quite rightly.

However, credit card companies in the UK now cannot enforce an agreement that puts your goods and chattels at risk. It's their risk. Hence interest rates.

Rinrada. I suggest your friend gets in touch with any CAB and they'll put him straight. There's also a very helpful website, that's free. Your're talking to lawyers and they'll also direct you. Lost the name for the moment, but can find it if necessary.

Again, is the law the same in Thailand as the UK? It seems not.

maerim,

I suggest you take a look at the law on unsecured debts in the UK. I know this is slightly off topic, but it relates to my first post.

Under NO circumstances can a unsecured creditor start civil proceedings for a ccj or other order. That's why it's an unsecured loan.

They lent you the money, they take the risk. It's as simple as that.

All I was asking in response to the OP was if it's the same in Thailand.

By the look of other posts, the answer is no.

Even better, you tell us what you can afford over the 4 weeks and I'm sure you'll get a lot of helpful advice.

No good doing budgets without a finite figre to work to.

One of the things that gets me is that there's a big concrete road divider as you come out of the development.

So, currently no option for vehicles to turn right, coming out or in.

Traffic light there might be an answer. Anyone know if this will happen?