Furryman

Hilarious! The utter racism of low expectations for Arabs.

It's not racism, it simply the reality that many developing countries that remain monarchies are less than exemplary in upholding the ideals of democracy. None of us has to look far from home to see an example of this that includes neither arabs nor jews.

It makes sense for expectations of democratic processes and human rights to be higher for the Nation which touts its status as the bastion of democracy in the middle east.

Not always so different:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/857810-NZ-politicians-'don't-care'-about-Kiwi-jailed-in-Myanmar-for-'insulting'-Buddha

Don't understand what you meant by this case. It's just someone who did a crime in the wrong place and got imprisoned. This imprisonment is not done in the name of Buddhism, unlike the holy wars and crusades where many people are killed. And the ongoing never ending fights between Christians and Muslims.

Jail time for insulting Buddha not done in the name of Buddhism?

Just because the Buddhist holy wars happened a long time ago in a place most of us don't pay much attention to, does not make them any less real.

It's also interesting that you seem to view this man's 'crime' as something that ought to be a crime.

Not always so different:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/857810-NZ-politicians-'don't-care'-about-Kiwi-jailed-in-Myanmar-for-'insulting'-Buddha

Sorry to add a complication, but you possibly will have to leave Thailand and re-apply for a new non imm O visa.

A rule was put in place last year prohibiting extensions of ED visas past one year. They also shut down conversions of ED visas into O visas.

Not 100% sure this will apply as it seems the original visa was an O visa, but with the current climate I'd check into that.

Had my big appointment for the yellow book today, and it went pretty well. My landlord and the lady from the bottle shop in the building were my two witnesses. They and the city hall lady all chit-chatted a bit while papers were passed around and signed. Eventually we were all done and the lady said she would call me when the book is ready. No estimate on time for that to happen so...

In the end I needed:

Copy of passport

Translation of passport

Affidavit with my name, passport number, my parents names and their dates of birth.

Residence certificate from Immigration

3 passport photos (2 inch)

1 witness who's name is on the blue book for the property

1 witness who is Thai and will attest I live where I say I live.

Copy of the blue book

Copy of both witnesses' ID cards

I seem to have lost my birth certificate somewhere along the way, so I got together with my Thai teacher and worked up a Thai style affidavit with the requested info. This actually worked out well because I was able to use my chosen (with help) transliterations of our names.

For $10,000 dollars I could design a sewer system from 2nd road to Beach Road to the ocean that would eliminate floods on those 2 roads. Very simple and elegant and would just use gravity. The gov't is spending all that money for construction on Sukumvit but doesn't care about the damage by floods that could easily be prevented. Definitely not farang thinking. But then farangs would be suing the hell out of their gov't.

Its not that simple, they did soi6 Pratamnak road a few years ago, dug up the whole road and put in very big drains both sides of the road, this road is not short of a mile long.

It still flooded the other night because of the sheer amount of rain coming down, not many places in the world with cope with that amount, and if the tides is in, makes it even harder

If you had a pipe 6' in diameter from 2nd road to the ocean you could drain farangs to the ocean. If you had such a pipe at every 2nd soi there would be no flooding. IMHO Of course it would have to be properly placed so gravity could do its thing. Just digging holes and placing pipe doesn't do it. You have to do an analysis of where it should go and how to get it there. I could put in a 10' pipe. But if it the placement is not engineered correctly it ain't gonna work.

BTW Have you ever walked along second road and noticed all the drains on the sidewalks have been covered over? I guess so ladies' shoes don't get caught in the grill. Removing those covers would be a start.

The covers are there to keep the stink from all the septic tanks illegally draining into the storm sewers away. Mostly they get rolled up at closing or when the rain starts.

Itis the standard practice in Pattaya these days to get an 'under consideration' 15 day stamp when you go for an extension. After the 15 days are up, you get a stamp for the balance of the normal 90 days.

I have not heard of anyone in Pattaya getting only 30 day extensions.

FWIW I am finishing of my run of ED visas at the end of this month. I was able to do a total of about 27 months. According to my school I could get one more year but that would be it.

Luckily I am turning 50 in a few weeks so it becomes a moot point, for me at least.

If you go back to post #35 you will understand that it is about Savannakhet only.

ubonjoe

you are a tireless worker re visas, living in LOS.

Thank you or your valuable contribution.

Wait, are appointments needed to apply for a visa at Vientiane now or Savannhket? This thread got a little confusing as to which consulate you are talking about.

I'm just about to buy a ticket up to Vientiane to do a first time Non-O visa. I turn 50 in a couple weeks.

I don't see anything about appointments on the Vientiane Thai Consulate webpage, but that page has been wonky for a little while.

From what I have heard recently this matches up completely. Several of my fellow students were in for extensions about a week ago and they have added a few new hoops to jump through proving where you live.

I bet it is turning up a lot of landlords for them to fine for not properly reporting a falang living on their property.

Ridiculous statement. You can't put that label on all Christian churches. Many, sure. A majority, possibly. All is over the top.

On the flip side, I get being angry at big organized religion, and all the little evils that get done in it's name. I spent some years in that place after leaving big organized religion behind.

You do realize how much like a street corner preacher you sound, proclaiming your true way, while castigating the infidels for their evil ways?

Why not ? Can you name which church do not collect money by passing the money bag during mass and not starting from the front row to the back ?

I don't understand your last sentence. Please elaborate.

I could start with all the Christian denominations that don't celebrate mass. The Mormons don't pass the plate, but they expect 10% of your earnings. I have seen a lot of donation boxes at a lot of Buddhist shrines around the world too.

Almost all clubs have dues. It takes money to keep the roof patched and the lights on at the clubhouse.

This happens because of selfishness too. I know many knowledgeable people who will not contribute or share their knowledge without monetary benefits. This indirectly promotes ignorance. Christianity is rich due to their money collections tactics so they can afford people everywhere.

plenty of rich buddhist monks too pal

Plenty is not all. In the case of Christianity, ALL churches used the same psychological trick in collecting money.

Ridiculous statement. You can't put that label on all Christian churches. Many, sure. A majority, possibly. All is over the top.

On the flip side, I get being angry at big organized religion, and all the little evils that get done in it's name. I spent some years in that place after leaving big organized religion behind.

You do realize how much like a street corner preacher you sound, proclaiming your true way, while castigating the infidels for their evil ways?

rocky,

I do not spin and I am not interested in using any religious teachings to spin. As far as Buddhism is concerned, I only understand the 4NT, N8FP and live by the 5 Precepts and I think that gives me enough purpose to share the truth about Christianity in order to save their followers as well as preventing more victims falling to them. I believe in karma and even if I don't, I will be living with guilt and against my own conscience for doing nothing or hiding the truth.

Belief without empirical facts requires faith.

You are displaying faith but will not acknowledge it.

Displaying faith and quite the evangelical spirit too, trying so hard to save the souls of the Christians...

Displaying evangelical spirits yes but not faith or blindfaith like christians and Muslims.

Have you followed the Buddhist path to the endgame and reached enlightenment?

Unless you, yourself, have actually reached that place, then you are relying on faith. You are relying on faith that the teachings do what they say they do, despite your denial.

Isn't part of Buddhism giving up denial?

That's a very fast current! Does anyone know where that was?

rocky,

I do not spin and I am not interested in using any religious teachings to spin. As far as Buddhism is concerned, I only understand the 4NT, N8FP and live by the 5 Precepts and I think that gives me enough purpose to share the truth about Christianity in order to save their followers as well as preventing more victims falling to them. I believe in karma and even if I don't, I will be living with guilt and against my own conscience for doing nothing or hiding the truth.

Belief without empirical facts requires faith.

You are displaying faith but will not acknowledge it.

How stupid. The Nazis attacked the Jews for no reason besides their religion. They were mostly pacifists who did not even fight back.

On the other hand. the Palestinians were the ones who started the violence in the first place and when they lost the wars they started, they switched over to terrorism against innocent civilians. The Palestinians caused most of their own problems. There is no legitimate comparison between the two.

Don't you get bored trotting out the same old, same old ??

You are the one who tried falsely comparing the victims of Nazi aggression to the aggressors in the Israel conflict. The Palestinian Arabs started the violence and started the whole conflict. Learn some history instead of posting such ignorant pap.

Really? The Palestinian Arabs are the ones who invaded their own country, ran their grandparents out of their homes, and have kept the Palestinians in refugee camps for generations?

We could raise the confederate flag along side of it.

You mean next to the Israeli flag? They would fit together IMO.

All religions have similarity, but none are the same.

Or...

All ducks are birds, but not all birds are ducks.

Please highlight which few you consider by directly opposite. So far all I see are only this or only that, nothing conflicts or opposite.

#s 1, 2 & 3 are all pretty big ones.

There is no disagreement between the different sect of Buddhism. Their difference is emphasis in different areas of Buddhism.

Here is a list of 20 defining differences between Theravada and Mahayana. Most of them are doctrinal disagreements.

Please refer to them and read again. They did not disagree with each other. As I wrote earlier, they emphasis differently. Thus, not considered as conflicts.

I guess you can use your own definition of conflict if you want, but on several points in that list, the two schools offer directly opposite interpretations of Buddhist teaching. If that is not a doctrinal conflict, I don't know what is.

There is no disagreement between the different sect of Buddhism. Their difference is emphasis in different areas of Buddhism.

Here is a list of 20 defining differences between Theravada and Mahayana. Most of them are doctrinal disagreements.

The Carnet de Passage is like a passport for vehicles. It allows you to take a Thai registered vehicle into Myanmar.

Grin

True, but Thailand is not a signatory of the CPD treaty and from everything I have read it is very hard to get a CPD in Thailand for a Thai vehicle.

555 i knew that would rile up the ATGATT crowd. They are my feet, get over it.

You Think it's only Thailand with bad roads be live me the roads in the UK are no better,of coarse any vehicle at high speed on minor roads is not cool but that's a whole different topic.

Of course Thailand is not the only place with bad roads but coupled with poor emergency service lack of law enforcement etc Thailand is a very special place!

I have driven all over the UK and the roads are far superior to here, my accident will not stop me driving a bike whatever the size, the main highway is no place for a scooter mainly because the road condition is not suited for small wheels and tires!

Not to mention dodging stopped / slow trucks, bikes and even cars going the wrong way in the breakdown lane we are relegated to. Luckily you can get pretty much everywhere in Thailand without having to spend much time at all on the big roads. It's awesome riding out there.