DualSportBiker

On 6/3/2020 at 5:25 AM, bkk6060 said:

No.

Waste of time especially if you travel around the country.  The dialects are different Thais lets say in the north, cannot understand everthing a Bangkok Thai says.

Utter twaddle. I've ridden around the entire country multiple times. I have never had a problem making myself understood anywhere with my perfunctory Thai skills.

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

If I know that I am going to be in one place for a few months or longer I will make sure to learn the basics, ie How much is this ? how do I get to ? etc, but one very sad aspect of learning Thai (and I have not experienced this phenomenon in other languages) is that you will pick up many disparaging things they will say about you, thinking that you know not one word of Thai. Many Thais are taught at school from a very early age that they are the world,s superior race (honestly, not joking) and many of them actually believe it, even though the educational standard here is extremely poor. Yet an uneducated Thai will think nothing of calling you stupid because they can speak Thai and you cannot ! Also on many occasions a Farang will go into a shop and order something. The sales girl/waitress then calls the cashier and say "IT wants a cup of coffee" ! Using a term normally used for dogs ! Mun ow cafe ! Whenever this happens I just say change of mind and leave ???? I know many people who deliberately do not learn Thai because of this.

This happens quite often for sure. I push back, "Which dog are you talking about?" "Maybe you like dogs as you have the manners of one." That usually puts them on the back-foot and depending on the mood I am in I will let them know how disappointed their fellow Thais are at their lack of respect.

2 hours ago, aussie11950 said:

brakes didn't slow down much. Bald tyres maybe?

Possibly. Most pickup drivers here over-inflate their tires reducing contact patch size. He locked up instantly which suggests he jump on the brakes too hard instead of easing into them. Easing brakes on transfers weight forward more slowly, loading the tires, widening the contact patch and increasing total braking potential. It is something that gets drilled into you at any serious rider training school.

It is more important on a bike, but not unimportant in a car, especially with normal profile tires at proper pressures where more flexible side-wall allows for spread.

I am guessing this does not extend back to licenses that expired 4 years ago - checking for a friend... ????

No statistically significant change in this collection since posted on April 10 to a related thread. Had a shot of Talisker last night while I watched Wild At Heart. Might go hunt a crate of tonics so I can have a G&T this weekend... get my monthly quota done early! LOL

15 hours ago, Inn Between said:

It seems to me that this approach could add more to the spread of covid rather than helping. If they are going door to door having some type of close contact with people and their homes, doesn't that create the potential to carry the virus to the next person when they'd make contact with someone who is not showing symptoms but has the virus? If there are 3000 volunteers running around from house to house, I can see the possibility of some problems with this approach. 

Not if the process is quick and hands-off. The Singaporean contact-tracing protocol is to trace all people who were close to a carrier for 15 minutes or more. Transient passings are of no concern. The same is true of Taiwan's protocol. 

The message from countries that have excelled at containment is Test, Test, Test. Obviously the testers can't be carriers - that would be... what's the word? Bad.

3 minutes ago, MaiDong said:

And that's the problem, with prices high the demand is low, with low demand comes expensive unsold stock, and with that comes just a handful, and eventually none. ????

 

So true. But now that I have a new job I will be doing everything I can to support their endeavours! I might even clean my truck!

9 minutes ago, MaiDong said:

I've been bombarded with adverts for Punk IPA, and whilst I love the taste, B111 for 330ml(B666 for 6 bottles) isn't worth it. 

Each to their own old boy. I'd rather have 1 or 2 tasty brews than a belly full of water. Especially as I drink 3+ litres of real water everyday! I have a large collection of aged single malts, the odd rare tequila and some parochial gins. I will be just fine...

4 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

have you been away on your bike anywhere recently?

 

I'm thinking about sneaking out for a couple of days.....shh!

No I have not. Just got a new job and am as busy as a tick.

1 minute ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Most long timers here have been through the rounds, the majority end up with Leo as their 'go to' beer.

 

Glad to be in the -1*most crowd. I never drank lager before I arrived here. Took me years to get used to fizzy water. Remember drinking a bottle of Amarit at a street party downtown when a Thai guy approached me, told me he worked for Kloster and that Amarit was Kloster that failed QC. It only took that to get me off lager again. I'll happily abstain if plain is the only option.

Just now, MaiDong said:

Local car wash in Thailand selling Guinness?? ????

Oh, and more. They used to have a selection of maybe 30 craft beers, now just a handful. However, it is 5 mins away and rather plush with great music, killer rack of ribs and cheap car cleaning services. Shame I drive a truck I prefer covered in mud!

18 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

this is true but it's even more of a challenge when exercise is forbidden too

 

it might be time to hit the pharmacies instead

I am using resistance bands - they work a treat and are portable. I even put them in my paniers when I ride along with a pair of press-up supports so I don't strain my wrists. Strained wrists don't work on bikes!

18 hours ago, MaiDong said:

I've become bored of beer recently, so I'll just use this as an opportunity to give it up for a while, we're all getting fatter now anyway... 

Right there with you mate. I am certainly bored of mainstream tasteless beer. My local car wash is still selling draft Guinness - all I need is to pretend to have my truck washed...

18 hours ago, ChipButty said:

You speak for yourself 

Unlikely. I'd happily go without if Leo/Chang/Heineken were the only choices. Bought myself a handful of A Go Go IPA and will follow my preference for quality over quantity. Others are welcome to drink tasteless beer all they want - stacks of Leo boxes fill me with dread!

I was holding out for a more pervasive and functional amnesty also. I have just registered with my embassy for assistance to return home. I have been here since 1991. I founded two companies, invested a little under 20 million baht between the two and my living expenses over that time. Not a lot, but not a little. My latest company folder 5 years ago, but I am on the verge of forming a new one.

The change in process between reporting at the border for visas issued outside of Thailand and the process for visas issued domestically has left me unable to comply and unable to travel to remedy the situation. I have the additional required doc, but they are considered out of date by the officials. My wife or I would need to travel to get new docs and travel is not plausible; getting back in requires medical certs that are effectively impossible to get.

So I am resigned to the fact that my tenure here is over for some while to come and that I am leaving my wife to cope on her own. 

I will not allow myself to join the chorus of people chanting that Thais just want non-Thai and non-Chinese out, but it is very hard to see what purpose this squeezing supports. What benefit arises from it? What national security issues are solved? What problems are fixed that are not replaced by others? The long-term overstayers are buried deeper than ticks - that will not change. Those who are complaint by one method, and not by another are being screwed over royally...

2 minutes ago, Detty said:

This is a bold statement, but if you have enough experience in TH, it is possible. After what I've read here so I'm not so sure. Had been waiting for the new announcement, hoping to get an easier solution. That was a handle .... in the toilet !!!!!
I received a letter from the German embassy and already wanted to go to the IMMI. Then I heard about the "new" regulation from the government. Postponed visit to the IMMI for now. I still have time until April 10th. What is the best way at the moment? I think I will wait until next week.

23 minutes ago, DualSportBiker said:

Live: 

So there is an announcement 

"There is no need to Q at the immigration office en-masse as is happening right now. We know that about 5:00 or 5:40 in the morning around 300 q is already in place. The reason is because it is already in the pipeline that we will be granting the extension of visa permission to extend stays as an automatic renewal. I say that this is in the pipeline because this issue has been proposed and it has passed the cabinet meeting of Thailand on Tuesday, yesterday, and therefore it is in the pipeline and what has to happen now the the announcement, the ministerial-level announcement and the agency-level announcement to implement the cabinet decision. This is the visa flexibility the extension of visa stays for tourist visas who arrived after March 1, which I believe will be the majority of persons currently lining up to file their documents at the immigration bureau. But of course this is for the general population of people going on the Q for specific cases certain cases such as those who have other types of visas for extension, you may have to come to the immigration office."

There you have it! Tourists OK if after March 1, all others go fight it out with your local office!

23 minutes ago, DualSportBiker said:

Announcement likely...

 

Sorry - waste of time. Nothing about immigration....

 

Live: 

Announcement likely...

Sorry - waste of time. Nothing about immigration....

Well, I have been given an additional and insurmountable hoop to jump through. My wife and I were married in Hong Kong in '98. We have never needed to register our marriage here. I have happily applied for and received Non-Imm O visas in Singapore and Savannakhet for the last ten years since we moved back from Singapore.

We have translated and certified copies of our marriage cert. They were notarised by the Thai Embassy in HK, a lawyer there, and then the MFA here. To date they have been acceptable to the Thai Embassies in Singapore and Laos. I missed my exit date on March 8 through my own failure. When we both presented ourselves to Nonthaburi immigration they required a kor ror 22 which is issued by the Amphoe office. The amphoe office will not issue one to us because the complete set of documents we have are older than 3 months! They told us to go to HK to get them anew!

I have written to my Embassy with the new document list from Trat to plead with them to exert what pressure they can. Here's hoping!

FYI: the list from Trat starts by requiring a letter from our embassies. In Thai it says only originals, no copies or printed versions accepted. It conveniently fails to translate that in English!

On 3/22/2020 at 10:13 PM, UdonRoy said:

As a side thought, I wonder if immigration will require the marriage certificate validation from the Amphore office to apply for this "special" extension?

Think I will go to immigration first and wait to be told I need it. I have no wish to visit the always busy Amphore office unnecessarily!

 

Social distancing, apparently not for me tomorrow! ????

As of Thursday at Nonthaburi IO and Amphoe office on Friday, they need it. 

19 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Take what you have to a Amphoe and see what they say. The problem is that it can vary from one to another.

The could want a copy of your passport certified by the embassy and translated.

You called it!

My wife just called to say the process is going to be painful as staff are not available for non-essential work. They need those certifications and translations as you suggested. 

If I engage a lawyer, do I have any chance of getting around the extra requirement for the Kor Ror 22? If the ministry does not stipulate it, how does a branch office add requirements without recourse?

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

He was asked for a Kor Ror 22 for a foreign marriage registration. A lot paperwork is needed to do that registration.

A Kor Ror 2 is for a marriage registration done here.

So we have the original Hong Kong marriage cert, official copies from the HK registry, the Thai HK embassy translation and the MFA certification. Looking at your list here, it seems we have all we need. Unless that list has changed, it should be simple. So thanks for that post too!

Thank you Joe. My wife is registered in Nonthaburi - stuck with the fun-team! 

Great news on the non-cancel - thank you.

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

An overstay does not cancel out a valid visa.

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They are asking for a Kor Ror marriage registry that you get after you register your foreign marriage at a Amphoe.

That is not a standard requirement for a 60 day extension. But Nonthaburi immigration office is known for being difficult.

Not mentioned here on the immigration website. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_24

The overstay fine is 500 baht a day up to a maximum of 20k baht. I suggest you do everything possible to avoid more of an overstay than you have now. If caught with an overstay you can be deported and banned from entering the country for 5 years.

 

Where is your wife's house book for? You could go to the province for where she registered and apply for the extension there at a immigration office there. You could use her house book as proof you are staying there.

 

I have a Non-Imm O multiple-entry visa granted in September 2019. My 90-day permission ended March 8. I missed it - reasons not important...

As the ground borders are closed I presented myself to my local immigration (Nonthaburi) on Tuesday. My papers were reviewed and I was asked for 2000 Baht for the fine defined to me at the time as the max it could be. The same officer then asked me what I wanted him to do. I explained that a) I'd never presented myself at an immigration office for 90 days before and b) I thought that was his job, and c) given that Vovid-19 is changing the possibilities of travel there might be some change of policy that he would know and I would not.

I was told to bring my wife, our marriage cert and her ID and housebook copies. That happened today. The same officer then asked my wife why we were there and what we wanted. "To clear up my overstay and regain permission to be here for some period." was our answer. 

We were told that apart from needed some new form (xx 22) for our HK marriage cert (which we have translated and stamped by MFA), that we would need to apply for a 60 day extension. What happens to the validity of the visa issued to me in Laos last Sept? I am hoping it does not change, and as long as I don't screw up again, I can present myself to a border and get 90 days on entry.

I am loathe to try and travel out and in again as there is a chance that regulations will change and I would need impossible-to-get insurance for Covid-19 and an equally medical impossible-to-get medical cert.

Also, the officer on Tuesday stated 200 Baht per day up to a max of 2,000. The officer today said 500 per day up to 20,000. Are they both right?

Confused...