gray42

You can always obtain a replacement passport (much easier not to have page extensions when crossing borders). Not sure on mailing as have always picked up but they have an email available for questions such as that. Probably can't answer until next workday however.

Thanks, lopburi. You're always a wealth of information.

They do it while you wait but you need to make an online appointment first from there web site.

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service.html

Wow, I thought for sure they wouldn't do it while you waited. From what I read online, it takes at least 4 weeks in the USA unless you expedite it. This is great news. Thanks!

On the website you gave, it says to get a new passport it takes 2 weeks and can be picked up without an appointment. Do you happen to know if they'll mail your passport to a location within Thailand if you don't live near Bangkok? And do you happen to know if they'll give you a replacement passport even if yours is not lost or stolen and is not expiring soon? I get nervous when the policeman at the entry checkpoint flips through my passport and sees my multiple Thai tourist visas. I'm planning on starting a company here soon, but I may need one or two more tourist visas before I'm ready and I don't want to risk being denied.

I didn't understand how my tourist visa worked, so now I only have 15 days after a trip to the Cambodia border. I thought the date of my first entry's extension would override the Enter Before date on the visa, since the extended date was after the Enter Before date. Anyways, I have 4 blank pages in my passport. (There are 5, but the last one has "This is a replacement passport..." printed on it and I'm assuming they won't let you use that page.) I need to go to Laos and get a new Thai tourist visa. Should I be fine with 4 blank pages in my passport? This is a bit unexpected so I don't have too many options other than going back home, which I don't want to do. It's an American passport so I can order more pages put in, but if I understand correctly it takes a while to get that done, right?

TL;DR: Is 4 pages enough for a Laos and Thai visa?

I want to order a speargun, either the Cressi Geronimo or the Cressi Geronimo Elite. I'm not having an easy time finding shops that can order guns for me, let alone have any Cressis in stock, and I don't want to deal with customs by myself. Anybody know any shops (preferably with a website so I can email them) that is known to sell or order spearguns? I tried Pattaya Diving & Fishing but currently they only have Undersee and Rob Allen guns. I've found some in local Thai fishing shops, but I'm looking for something a bit higher quality.

There are in the CP river I know for I have caught 5 of them on hook and bait

Image0085.jpg ‎ (153.8 KB)

Robby your photo isn't loading. Are you sure they're crayfish and not prawns?

I'm not sure where I should post this, so sorry if it's in the wrong forum. I've been in Thailand over a year and have money that comes in from a company in the US, so according to many websites I should qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. Here's something I saw on another website:

"If you have your full time residence abroad for a full calendar year (bonafide residence test) or do not return to the US more than 35 days in a consecutive 12 month period (physical present test), you can exclude up to $91,500 of earned income from U.S. Income Taxation for 2010 and lesser amounts in earlier years."

Since I've been in Thailand for the entire 2012 calendar year, it appears that I shouldn't have to pay any taxes. What I'm wondering is how do I let the IRS know that I've been living abroad? How do I prove that I've been in Thailand this whole time? Are there forms I need to fill out, and if so, will my time already spent in Thailand still count towards the days required living outside of the US?

Thanks for any information...

You obviously have a phosphate and mercury deficiency in your diet. Just eat a handful of fertilizer and a thermometer and your crayfish craving will pass.

I don't always eat what I catch but I still like to sometimes, including the bottom feeders. The waterways here aren't the cleanest, but if you're that scared then you should avoid ordering crab, catfish, tilapia, clams, or any other animal people catch in risky areas.

Why don't you make some traps, bait them up and then tell us all in a few days if there are native crawfish in Thailand

I'm pretty sure there's none in my local area. There are freshwater crab and prawns I see people catch, but never crawfish.

Are there any? I'd love to make some traps and have myself a crawfish boil. I know some people raise them here, but I'd really like to catch them. Any info on this you could provide?

Thanks for the help

Yep, that's what I meant. My visa expires on the 31st. Do you think I'll be alright going in tomorrow? It's not a hugely popular immigration office and the people are usually friendly.

Can I get the 30 day extension on a tourist entry at any time, or does it have to be the day the visa expires?

The 600 baht is not enough to pay for a 599 baht plan. You need to pay the tax. I always add an extra 100 baht to cover that part.

Ah, thanks for that. Do you know why it still took the 600 baht I added? Are they keeping it until I pay the remainder?

I think they are waiting for the extra money. After you put in the extra money, wait to see if your plan is renewed. If not, give them a call on 1331 and explain the situation to them.

Thanks for your help

The 600 baht is not enough to pay for a 599 baht plan. You need to pay the tax. I always add an extra 100 baht to cover that part.

Ah, thanks for that. Do you know why it still took the 600 baht I added? Are they keeping it until I pay the remainder?

Also, I think this is the SMS I got right before I added more credit. It may have come after that. I get so many in Thai that I don't know anymore...

ขออภัยค่ะ แพ็คเกจ Data599 Data & Wi-Fi Unlimited (Fair Usage 2GB) Recurring ต่ออายุอัตโนมัติ ของคุณถูกยกเลิก เนื่องจากจำนวนเงินคงเหลือของคุณไม่เพียงพอสำหรับการต่ออายุอัตโนมัติค่ะ จำนวนเงินคงเหลือของคุณคือ 60.41 บาท.

I wasn't sure of the exact date I needed to renew my 599 baht 3G plan, but I knew it was close because I was getting text messages from TrueMove in Thai saying things like 3G and 599. My phone's balance was 0 baht, so I went to 7-Eleven and added 600 baht onto my phone. I got the SMS that my credits were received. My 3G worked the rest of the day, but the next morning it stopped working, so I checked my balance. It was 0 baht. When I tried going to a website I got this screen:

So it seems like it did auto-renew a plan, but not the same plan I had before. It looks like maybe I'm on their True WiFi plan (no 3G/EDGE) and I need some type of login. All of the messaging I get is in Thai, so I have no idea what to do and there's no TrueMove shop near me.

Does anybody know what I can do? I really want to get my 3G working again...

Thanks for the " Mr Tu" tip, i have been thinking of trying him for a couple of years, but knowing about the lack of fish around Samui have been reluctant. Seems i was correct.

Since the Mr. Tu fishing trip I've done 2 other ocean trips. One at Koh Tao and one at Koh Chang. The biggest fish I caught was a 1 kg. golden snapper at Koh Chang. That's it. I have a friend though who has done quite a few trips around the Koh Kood / Koh Chang area and has had good success. I think he goes out for more than a day though, but not necessarily far away from the islands. There's big fish in the waters there for sure. It's still overfished, but not like how it is around Samui. You can even catch 6kg+ fish (queenfish, barracuda, cobia) from the piers with live bait if you put in the time or get lucky.

Thanks lopburi

On a website talking about going into Lao from Thailand and back I saw this:

Warning for foreigners on 'Visa Runs' from Thailand

Thai Immigration law now discourages foreigners living, working or retiring in Thailand without the correct visa. Passports are checked for previous entry stamps within the past six months. If they show more than 90 days spent in Thailand, re-entry will given only to those with a visa obtained at a Thai embassy, until a further 90 days has elapsed. If this applies to you, be prepared before you leave on your next 'visa run'. If you return with a visitor visa you can apply for a Thai retirement visa which is available for those over 50 who qualify for the minimum income requirements. More information and options are described on our Thai Visa page.

I'm going to get a Thai tourist visa at the embassy in Vientiane, so according to this I won't have any issues with returning to Thailand, right? Just want to make sure...

Perhaps you are confusing the word "Thai" when what you really mean is "peasant", and the word "farang" for "anyone with standards". If your goal in life is to live as cheap as possible then yes, living like a peasant in cockroach ridden 2000 baht per month studio room, riding on 10 baht buses and eating 30 baht noodles means that Thailand still is cheaper than western countries. However, for most people (including most thais) who aspire to better living standards and have their own car, nice home, their own spending on discretionary items, then Thailand is likely just as expensive or even more expensive than western countries.

You're calling Thai people who can only afford 2,000 per month for rent and 30 baht noodles "peasants"? Have you ever been outside of farangtown? Most Thai people I meet don't talk about better living standards or a nice home. In fact they seem pretty content, and it's incredibly disrespectful of you to call them peasants.

Based on other people's opinions, I'm a handsome guy. I live in an area with not a large number of farang and I get stared at constantly. Guys, girls, kathoey, old, young... they stare. I usually look at them and smile..... and they smile back. It's not like America. The first thing I noticed when I got to Thailand is that Thai people stare at me a lot. It's not aggression; I'd say it's more curiosity in the case of the guys. One time there was a group of Thai guys sitting on the tailgate of a truck. They were staring, so I smiled, and then they lifted a bottle of lao khao towards me. I took a gulp (maybe exaggerating the strongness a bit for the humor), laughed a bit with them, and went on my way. Thailand is the Land of Smiles. Try smiling and looking friendly and you'll see their true intentions.

1) I'm assuming your friends are from Bangkok. I try to avoid BKK, but the few times I've been I saw many young Thai professionals dressed in casual business attire. At the clubs they tone it down a bit, but they're still dressed nice in long pants, nice shoes, and something fashionable up top. Outside of Bangkok that's not usually the case, but that's besides my point. If I tried to dress nice in Bangkok I would die of heat exhaustion. I can't wear a long sleeved shirt in Thailand. I can't wear long pants, or socks and shoes. I'm not overweight, but I was born and bred for dry, cold climates, as are many farang. Shorts, a t-shirt, and flip flops are all I can wear without being extremely uncomfortable. Plus, many of the farang they see are tourists, dressed in tourist attire. You don't usually see the farang professional living in Bangkok who goes home at night to his girlfriend or wife.

2) Can't argue with this But again, you mainly see the tourists.

3) Unfortunately I see this a lot, everywhere in Thailand. When a farang starts talking to another farang (usually in areas that aren't tourist heavy) they start to vent about the Thais in a superior manner. Usually it's just "how the Thais do things is wrong" but sometimes it's "Thais are stupid". These people are here because it's cheap, that's basically it. They took their retirement and moved here to make their money go as far as possible. No respect for Thai culture or the people.

4) Tourists and retired alcoholics.

5) I live in a non-tourist area and the prostitution business is supported 99.9% by Thai people. The girls speak very little English, if any, and are always surprised when a farang comes in.

Anyway, there's truth to the stereotypes, but it's always the loudest who get heard.

Does anybody know if it's possible to get an education visa for the Thai language with a program where you can study at home? I'd like to stay where I'm living but there are no language schools here. I've seen some companies that have Skype lessons, but my internet here is too unreliable for that. Is there another study program that doesn't rely on video conferencing?

Being friendly and cute is good for business.

Could it be she is being nice to you so they can rent the room in the low season?

They don't charge me for rent now that she's my girlfriend.

So you pay no rent and have no job,as you watch your girlfriend like a hawk every day,all day?

Interesting and you wonder why she doesn't sleep with you,do you think maybe she's trying to give you the old 'Spanish Archer'?

I don't watch her like a hawk. She asked me to help her at the bar to keep guys from hitting on her too much.