sua yai

I've posted this a while ago, but I had a major problem with The Atlanta Hotel last year.

Returned to Thailand after 3 months in the UK. I'd pre booked a room at the hotel by fax explaining that my g/f, now wife, would be coming up from HH to meet me there. In the event that the flight was delayed, I hoped that the hotel would allow her the facilities of the coffee shop, on production of her ID card, until I arrived.

I was first. Checked her into the room later - no problem. Having a few beers in the coffee shop, she had the audacity to rest her elbow on my shoulder. Well, the manager of the shop got the right hump and told her not to behave like that. When we asked for the bill, there was a printed message with it stating that our behavior was unacceptable and we were being asked to leave. If we didn't, the police would be called. I cleared it up with reception, rather than the stupid old dragon - Pee Anong.

Very embassassing, particularly as my wife is not used to BKK and I've been staying at the hotel off ond on for years. Never again.

Thanks for that. I'll pass the info along.

My friend has been living in Thailand for 6 years, so is fairly up to date with the "way of life" there.

It's just that the tour company has said that imm will hold his passport. Personally, I don't see a problem with that. A fact of life there if you want to go and visit, especially as I don't think he'll be getting off the diving boat for 6-7 days but will be within Burmese coastal waters.

A friend of mine is going for a diving holiday to Burma in November.

He's a little concerned that his passport will be held by by immigration whilst he's there. I've said to him that this will possibly will be the case to stop him travelling inland - he has no intention of doing so, BTW.

Is this normal?

There's one born every day.

I just can't see the financial benefit of selling a property in London that earns rent and appreciates in value a lot faster than in Thailand.

Plus my investment, legally, is far more secure

That's always been the case.

The difference is that you're getting a mult entry on the basis of marriage. So you have to exit every 90 days, rather than applying for a year's extension to the visa in Thailand and then having to demonstrate funds, not exit and report every 90 days. As long as you're legally married, the visa you just got shouldn't be a problem.

Go to Yahoo games. Register and just follow the simple instructions to play. The game's under "all card games".

Maybe a TV cribbage session for members? I'm not sure if you can reserve tables though which might make it difficult.

The sniffer dogs are "drained"?

They're probably having the time of their lives.

Don't blame our canine companions.

There are plenty of players in Hua hin, but I don't suppose that helps you much. We used to have a weekly tournament - 100 Baht entry, winner take all - and had up to 20 odd people taking part on occasion. Mostly Brit or Canadian. We even had a visit from the Tourist Police on one occasion. Luckily the kitty was behind the bar. As they'd never seen the game before and we asked them if they wanted to join in, they left us alone.

As far as online crib is concerned, I'd reckon that the players are probably good as it's rather difficult to cheat on the internet. But you can set games up between yourselves using Yahoo or MSN gaming zone. As you can chat as well, it's quite a laugh.

One that keeps the 400,000 in there.

Sorry, couldn't resist it.

I came over 7 years ago, aged 40 to run a bar with my "girlfriend". I'd been to Thailand many times and thought I knew a bit. Little did I know. If I'd been reading this forum at that time, I might have stayed away.

A culture shock? Just a bit. It's one thing coming over for 3-6months and reckoning you know the country. A totally different thing living and running a business here.

Looking back over the 7 years, there's not much that gets to me now. If that sounds boastful - not the right word, exactly - I suppose it could be. A lot of water etc.

I still don't regret anything. Now married to a great girl and the culture shock of years ago is standing me in good stead now.

I was going to reply to this post, but as it seems to veering toward the religious, I won't bother.

I'll continue watching the rain, having a beer and listening to The Happy Mondays.

I can understand the need for addresses on TM cards and also hotels/ guesthouses registering visitors as proof of where any person is staying.

But to leave that registered address for 24 hours and have to contact the local authorities is a bit much if you're staying with family/friends in their house. I've done it loads of times. And then have returned to HH before 90 days. If it's longer than that, I'll have to have made another visa run anyway, so details on the new TM card would have been changed.

Ok, if I left Hua Hin and went to Chiang Mai to live, I can see the need for registration in the latter. At the end of the day, it may benefit me if anything bad happens - an accident etc.

OK, rules are rules, but I can't imagine that these are strictly enforced. Before I got married a couple of months ago, the only office that ever insisted on my full address was Suan Plu when applying for an extension. Any other immigration ofice was happy with me just entering Hua Hin.

Thanks,

That explains it all.

Sounds like a <deleted> who's trying to speak south London.

Innit.

Prat.

England winning the World Cup in around 1966.

But I'm far too young to remember that exactly.

Why not just ask the local Thais what they think about the price increases? Most will be silent, because that's the way they were brought up.

I was really surprised at the outburst my wife gave about the economic situation when prompted by me recently.

She's not a happy camper and I would suspect there are a lot of other dissatisfied voters out there.

Let's suppose that someone's got a multiple entry NonO on the basis of marriage from Penang. No proof of funds. They must exit every 90 days. No problem.

Why should someone be given a hard time to try and extend this for a year, with proof of funds in Thailand?

I've tried to explain to a friend that you can only get an extension within the last 30 days validity of the original visa. Therefore, he should have only applied for a single entry. I think?

Local immigration are also asking for 600,000 Baht in a Thai bank account. That seems to be tea money for an express delivery of what he's not entitled to anyway.

Can someone advise, please.

Reminds me of an occasion a few years ago when about 20 farangs were playing a cribbage tournament. The entrants put 100 Baht into the kitty, winner take all. The hosting establishment also put up a bottle of Thai whisky for the winner as well.

Tables were just starting and the tourist police walked in

"Eh, EH, what's going on here?" Six or so separate tables playing.

"It's just an English game, sir. Do you want to learn the rules?"

They went away. Just as well that the money was behind the bar.

I moved over here to get away from stress. 19 years in publishing, Fleet Street etc and generally it's worked.

The tenets of "live and let live", "mai pen rai" and most importantly for me the idea of reincarnation, just don't work.

The OP asked for some non Buddhist views. That's mine.

However, I sit here doing nothing and certainly do contemplate my existence.

That's pretty stressful in itself.

I got mine through TOT two weeks ago. I'm in HH though, not Cha Am. Don't know if that should make any difference.

So far so good. I'm getting a pretty stable 180-215 kbs on a 256 modem. Does that make sense? A friend tells me it's not bad for my modem.

The modem itself cost me 3,000 (was told I was ripped off and it should have been 2,200). Line is 500 per month. I'm happy. Anything is an improvement on dial up.

Steer clear of TT&T Imax (I think that's the name). There's a thread on it in the computer section. Friends in HH have had the same problems as BKK and cancelled their subscriptions.

Too right, Gazza.

I must have a word with the wife about our/my electricity bill.

I've got 5 but am still waiting for the mushrooms to kick in.

I'll give it another go in an hour or so.

Ditto Dragonman,

I'm certain that the cobra is the most venomous in Thailand and that's the common ones, rather than king cobras.

As always, it depends on how much venom is received.

I really don't think that instantaneous death is possible.

Other than a heart attack from fright.

There's still one going on, as far as I'm aware in Hua Hin.

Toby Charnaud's remains were found on his wife's property in Petchaburi district. The ex wife and her family are still in police custody.

That one didn't make the headlines on this forum. DNA evidence etc identified him. He was cremated at the main temple here in July.

A really sorry story as he wouldn't have said "boo to a goose".

RIP.

Zzzzz.

So what?