jethro69

Hi guys,

In about 10 days I need to get a tourist visa. I got here in July on 30 day visa exemption, coming from Europe, and made my four 15(14) day-runs, 2 in Chiang Khong, and 2 in Chiang Saen (Golden Triangle).

Passport is new, so has only the above mentioned stamps. A single entry would be enough, mid-end January, I had anyway planned a trip to Luang Prabang, on the return, I could stop a few days in Vientanne to get a multiple done.

So my first consideration was to fly to Phnom Penh, give to one of the agents, and that should be hassle free. I read they need 4 days, so I'll stay from Friday to Friday, that'll give them almost 5 complete days. I really would like to see PNH nowadays, as It has been almost 2 years I wasn't there. But with the current tensions, I'm not sure if it's a too good Idea. If things turn wrong, you might be stucked a week in a hotel room.

Second consideration, would be Manila. But Manila sucks, so if someone knows a reliable agent in Angeles, that would be fine as well. I'm just too lazy too make the trip too times to get there on Monday morning, and pick it up before leaving.

Third considering, would be Jakarta, but that's just a worst case scenario.

Vientanne I'll like to rule out, I'll be there anyway beginning next year.

Now to the paperworks. I guess for the bank statement, any printout of a recent online banking account will do it?

For the flight ticket, do you just book a flight, which you don't pay online, and after 3 days it will be canceled anyway by the airline? Eventually, I could book a fully refundable flight, which I get a receipt, and afterwards I let refund me. My next destination was actually a boat trip to Lao.

Same goes for the hotel?

I read in some other posts, some embassies might ask after your job? Need any paperwork for that. I'm living from my savings, but yet too young for retirement visa. My current bank account holds more than the 800K.

What would be the situation if you continue with visa exemption but by plane, are there any specific rules? Have still 300K miles :-)

Hope for some thoughts,

I also have had issues with TG seating (in Business Class)... TG could and should be doing things much better... especially regarding their call centre.... and particularly the quality of English on the recorded messages, the grammatical inaccuracies are no longer cute when you are waiting 30 mins on a international call !...

Maybe you'll Skype next time.

Yes the halogen bulb makes a world of difference. I found the seat to be like a paving slab after 60-70 kms, I got a replacement seat up here in Phitsanulok for 2800 baht and he gave me 900 baht trade in for the old seat. I think it may be a Chiang Rai saddlebags seat, it is deep butttoned and has much more padding and looks pretty too..

Tyre pressures I am not sure about, I ride with recommended 29psi. I think the solid wheels make for a harsher ride, I also have a spoked bike and the ride is much smoother over the much repaired (sic) roads here.

A bit steep. I dropped mine in Chiang Rai, upon I got the address from CRSaddlebags and left it there a couple of days, I had a car anyway and spend some days in CR, damage 1200THB. Did not yet the monster tours, but it seems there is already improvement.

Fave spots over the years - Clark Quay in Singapore, Shekou(China), Haarlem(Netherlands), Taichung in Taiwan also surprised me by being a lot of fun and great locals.

But After 6 weeks in Saudi I'm always really pleased to get a pint anywhere! Even that scabby pub upstairs in Bahrain airport! Doing an extended swing this time..... Roll on April 30th!!

Sent from my iPad-mini.

If you're impressed by Taichung, you should check out Kaoshuing,s Wufu Lu for once, that,s way better. You get there within an hour or so with their high speed train.

I just bought a new computer last Friday, unfortunately I was so focused on the build in SSD (Asus builds in two different SSD's in the same model, on good the other one crap), so I forgot totally to check about the operating system, it's in Thai now , hope I can change to english with an upgrade to Win8. Installed already some Linux OS, but they crash far to often.

Customers in the bar at the time have now told police that the fight happened outside, as the deceased mounted his motorbike to return to his home and had an argument with a companion who thought he might be better to leave the bike and make his way home by bus , as it had been a “heavy night”and that the argument escalated into a fight.

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

This is the story in Norwegian newspaper.

One man tried to stop him from driving his motorbike, and that resulted in words exchange, and then he was knocked of his bike with several blows or strikes to his head and fell to the ground.

So he wasn#t wear his helmet ?

Was on my way last year, took the train from Wongwian Yai. What I didn't know at that time is that you have to change trains, don't recall exactly where. There are two railway stations, about 3 km away from each other. For the second train I had to wait 2:30h, so I was pissed and returned by Van to BKK.

So maybe next time I'll go straight by van.

Well, probably not the right thread to respond. But somehow I wonder? Thailand faces almost every year some kind of deasaster. Let it be the bird flu; Tsunami; Yellow shirt size of airport; Red shirt size of central bangkok; (and a lot of other blockades (road blocks) through the country (most farangs don't know about)). So now we discussing the last year flood, and probably floods which will come in the years to come.

What makes me wonder is that all this, (more or less disasters seem to have no, or very minor impact on their economy). Thai bath is sky rocket high, I'm not really involved in their stock market, but it seems also to be irrational.

At the very end I wonder if it's not the huge amount of farang money (may it be business, or relationships) who keeps the bubble going (continous money flow), and that will probablly last not for too long anymore, considering the global economic situation....

Well, thats why I stay on lease.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

I can't understand the trouble at all. Flying in and out since swampy is existing, 6-8 times a year, and I can't share the experiences which I can read all the times here.

Most times I try to be there around 8-9 (most int. flights leave beween 11-1:30), so I spend the remaining time in Thai lounge, get pissed on their account. Check in & immigration @ that time is managable in 20 min or less.

Once I arrived @10:30 and immigration and security check took me around 45min, but for all the planes leaving in that time span it's quite normal.

For emergencys I still hold my VIP tickets for in and out. Don't show them when you're escorted by the VIP service, so you still have'm ;-)

Thanks for the answers guys, found it finally when I was on my way back to Chiang Mai airport. Quite nice trip off the beaten track. Planing to go by bike next time.

I wonder if there are plans to start a Lao section as well?

The 360 was on the Chiang Rai night bazar, the nicer side with fewer tables, almost only farang customers. However, they did not have the 0,7 bottles, so I went myself, after 2 7/11, and a Tesco express I found finally a little liqor store who had them.

In Kanchanaburi, I remember to got 3 big bottles at Tesco @ 209 bath, a week later in Tak, Tesco and neighboring BigC did not have em. On Thursday I went to Tesco in Mae Chan, no big bottles.

Yesterday I tried my luck in Chiang Saen, 7/11 and Tesco express, both did not have the big bottles.

I was asking the question yesterday with my Thai friends where I had dinner, and they could explain it to me. Guess what, I was told there are now many farangs in the country, they drink all the bottles...

I've been around now from the north to central Thailand for almost a month, and I noticed one thing. The big companies like Big C; Tesco Lotus; 7-eleven a.s.o. don't sell the big bottles of SangSom anymore. Did anyone else notice that already??? And if so, what is the story behind it.

Just for an example, I went to the Chiang Rai night market on Thursday, (the (more expensive) tourist area), they had it on the menu for 360, but said they run out. So I told them just to bring the mixers, and I went myself on the hunt. I checked two 7-elevens, and a TescoLotus express, I could only find the 0.7 bottle in a private store??????

I was thinking, I have good knowledge about northern Thailand. However, to find the whereabouts of the Akha village, where they grow the Doi Chang coffee brand, I'm not very sucessful to locate it. Locals I spoke to, gave me two options one is near Doi Tung, which I doubt, otherwise I would know it. The second must be in the area of Amphoe Mae Suai. Is there someone who can help me with this???

Called my GF yerterday, Soi Thoi Thoet 33 is still dry, no idea where the leather shops are, maybe check that out next time.

I worked in Melbourne myself for 15 months. The demands of the unions were far away from realistic. At the end the procedure was pretty much the same. All the stuff was kicked out, later few were taken over for maintenance people, and we could start to work on our equipment, there was no skilled people around who have could done the job.

The step Qantas took, seems drastic, but seems to comply with local customs.

So, finally I got mine ;-). I returned only yesterday on a crappy Bus from Chiang Saen, so I first had to take a nap, and it was already around 6 pm. So not much time to shop around. Went straight to Phra Ram 9, as I wanted to go to TescoLotus anyway. Went up right to the 4th floor into the ITmall, as I knew from prior purchases, that the have the VAT refund. They had also a stock of SG2, to my surprise it was already discounted to 17900 Thb. I cashed out also the VAT already. (1171 THB). So I got it for 16729 THB. At the moment a great deal indeed.

GT-I9100LKATHL (whatever that means in the end)

That's a good deal indeed. Nice work.

Do you mean IT City on the fourth floor? Was there briefly today and didn't see any discount advertised?

Is that the version which supports true 3g?

Yes,it's IT City. They did display it for 18900, when I asked for it, I was quoted the 17900. The bill showed 17850 + 50 for the display protection foil.

I'd recommend the i9100T, maybe from a True or DTAC shop as this supports 850/1900/2100 3G, at a minimum.

Do you know where there is a DTAC or True shop that I can send me sister to??

You know if there are shops in siam paragon?

I think she is going there tomoorow.

I bought mine (i9100) at Samsung shop in Fortune on Ratchada. Right next to MRT Rama 9 station.

I doubt that any of the mobile operators will help you with the vat refund. A better bet is to go for MBK, and go for one of the larger shops. Or how it is about Jaymart and vat refund?? I'll try to pick one on Thursday or Friday, and post than the location, I picked mine and about vat refund, 18900 is a good quote anyway.

So, finally I got mine ;-). I returned only yesterday on a crappy Bus from Chiang Saen, so I first had to take a nap, and it was already around 6 pm. So not much time to shop around. Went straight to Phra Ram 9, as I wanted to go to TescoLotus anyway. Went up right to the 4th floor into the ITmall, as I knew from prior purchases, that the have the VAT refund. They had also a stock of SG2, to my surprise it was already discounted to 17900 Thb. I cashed out also the VAT already. (1171 THB). So I got it for 16729 THB. At the moment a great deal indeed.

GT-I9100LKATHL (whatever that means in the end)

I'd recommend the i9100T, maybe from a True or DTAC shop as this supports 850/1900/2100 3G, at a minimum.

Do you know where there is a DTAC or True shop that I can send me sister to??

You know if there are shops in siam paragon?

I think she is going there tomoorow.

I bought mine (i9100) at Samsung shop in Fortune on Ratchada. Right next to MRT Rama 9 station.

I doubt that any of the mobile operators will help you with the vat refund. A better bet is to go for MBK, and go for one of the larger shops. Or how it is about Jaymart and vat refund?? I'll try to pick one on Thursday or Friday, and post than the location, I picked mine and about vat refund, 18900 is a good quote anyway.

Google with Vat Refund Thailand came up with :

http://www.thaiwaysm...vat_refund.html

and here the link for the revenue department

http://www.rd.go.th/vrt/

It's quite easy. If buying, the shop has a yellow form, which must be filled out. Then when leaving the country, you have to show the item for inspection, so don't pack it in the checked luggage. After passing immigration, there is another office where you get the 7% refunded, minus a 100 bath fee.

Thanks guys. i did the calculation and saw that if you meet the criteria, you could get refunded 18,900 x 7% - 100 = 1223 off of the SGs II, if you leave by plane within 60 days of purchase. is it hit or miss with an authorized dealer having these forms?

I did it many times on different items, cameras, laptops, and mobile phones. As for the SGSII, I guess that the price will be everywhere the same more or less, so just shop around until you'll find someone who have the forms. The IT mall's (Pantip; Fortune) for example have them, but I don't know if they have the phone.

It's an i9100 so it can be used with any provider. I paid 18,900 Baht for it. A little more expensive than from True but I need to be able to use 3G in 2 or 3 European countries.

In Europe 3G runs anyway not on the 850 MHz band.

I googled a bit, and found that for example Telstra in Australia has the T model as well, they stated that it's fine tuned to run on the 850 MHz band. So the Thai T version might be the same, maybe also an explanation why it comes out here so late.

I'm just back from Central Plaza Chiang Rai. Many of the shops have the S2, although none of them offered the VAT refund, so I'll pick one in Bangkok next week.

How exactly does that VAT refund thing work? I hear it is very complicated and can only be done at the airport? Is it similar to the "mail-in" rebate that you must wait 6 months for?

It's quite easy. If buying, the shop has a yellow form, which must be filled out. Then when leaving the country, you have to show the item for inspection, so don't pack it in the checked luggage. After passing immigration, there is another office where you get the 7% refunded, minus a 100 bath fee.

I'm just back from Central Plaza Chiang Rai. Many of the shops have the S2, although none of them offered the VAT refund, so I'll pick one in Bangkok next week.