PMZ

Student visas allow you to stay in LOS for 12 months. Better than a tourist visa and far better for Russians on the run. Don't think any of them ever bother attend the college they enrol at and don't think the college cares once they've had their enrollment fee

Except in this particular case he was arrested 'at the school' so it seems that he was attending classes.

Hi

I recently had to get a Thai Licence from my UK one, I received good advice and on-site help and translation from bangkokvisitors.com

I can highly recommend Pinky Tailor, at Ploenchit, behind Mahatun Tower, next to Ploenchit BTS.

Pinky is a super tailor, great attention to detail and great workmanship, with a vast amount of materials.

I have used him for about the past eight years and have had around seven suits from him.

Reading the Washington post side of the story, this sounds more like a lady who is in charge of customer service for the airline got bad service and ejected the person in the crew that was responsible for it (the purser - NOT the flight attendant who gave her the nuts).

I.e. the issue would appear to be the purser's attitude to their job, rather than the woman's one.

The plane wasn't in the air, and if it took 2 minutes to get back to the gate, it probably wasn't on the runway either. Saying it had to return to the airport makes people think it was already in the air and turned around. Journalism at the level we've come to expect from tabloids?

It does not really matter if it was about nuts or poor customer service, this was simply a juvenile, arrogant and ridiculous way to manage the matter.

As a senior member of the management team she should have instigated a review and disciplinary action when all were at the destination.

Disrupting the flight, the air traffic, the other passengers etc was mindless. She is a disgrace.

The Captain is also at fault, he is in charge of the ship at that stage and he should have forced her to manage herself properly and moved along.Turning back over a matter like this is a very poor judgement call for a pilot.

All in all, a horrible show for an International airline.

Not really in the know was he , Pattaya Beach Road was closed to traffic Friday night.

He was also too late for the fireworks.

Ambivalent about this, sad for him and the injured but glad it was only a tree that was hit. Many people brought their kids into town to enjoy the evening and drunk drivers are indiscriminate.

Great response, fair, sensible, considered, real. A bit of a rarity on this site, so just thought that I would comment.

I use a Givi Air 2 from Italy. It has great airflow while moving and really, nothing is going to work when your are stopped. It's not full face but they do make one.

Whatever you use, make sure its a quality helmet to good international safety standards. Much cheaper to buy quality helmets outside of Thailand, if that's an option.

I had an accident two years ago and my Neurologist felt certain that had I been wearing a helmet of lesser quality, my outcome would have been very different.

The biscuit tins that many use here in Thailand are just not up to it.

What about the British Embassy for once doing the decent thing??

Get the poor guys body home and worry about the monetary aspects later!!

I'm British and I don't expect my embassy to give a flying fig about my corpse once I've carked it. What does it matter where a body is finally laid to rest? I'd rather my family (or indeed my country) kept the money (and its expensive to fly the deceased home - it's not the same as finding them an aisle seat - there are health regulations to be met, coffins to be found to hold the body, etc.) rather than moved my no-longer-in-the-remotest-bit-concerned flesh around the world.

for humanitarian reasons, the british embassy should assist to fly back the body back to uk at least.

Er, No.

This is <deleted> bad another good lad from England killed. The UK government is not doing enough to warn them of the dangers. Writing to my Mp about this.

I have been visiting Thailand for 18 years.

I have lived here for 11 years.

I have been a part of the visiting / expat community and guess what, no such problems exist without a good cause, at least no more than would happen in similar circumstances in any western country.

What 'dangers' do you feel that the UK Government should be warning against?

It could be stolen by bank employees but very, very low chance.

Best method of protection is to open an account without an ATM card and with ZERO involvement of any Thai g/f, wife or partner you may have.

If you are American, you will find it more difficult to open an account. Thai banks may have to report details to American agencies if requested. This is onerous for Thai banks so they prefer to avoid U.S. customers.

The best alternative is the 65,000 Baht a month option via affidavit from the U.S. Embassy.

"If you are American, you will find it more difficult to open an account. Thai banks may have to report details to American agencies if requested. This is onerous for Thai banks so they prefer to avoid U.S. customers."

This myth continues to be spread. Virtually all Thai banks are FATCA compliant. They may not want to open some investment account for you, but for the standard savings account there is no legal problem and nothing onerous for them once they've established compliance.

Branches with few farang customers or counter clerks who figure you're going to be an annoying customer may not want you, but all the major Thai banks will accept farang (and even American) accounts at some/most of their branches.

O/P: As far as fraud or theft is concerned, if you plan to retire in Thailand but are getting started with some xenophobic fear of businesses that you will need to deal with on a regular basis, you're going have a tough time here surrounded by all these "foreigners."

It's far more likely that American or European banks will defraud, embezzlor nickle & dime their customers or collapse than Thai banks.

Thanks to Suradit, a very sensible and rational response. Seemingly, sensible and rational are rare on this forum.

If the op is worried about the stability of Thai banks, choose a reputable one and you have as much chance of default as in any other county.

Any other concerns are valid in any bank in any country.

I have been here 11 years and with the exception of dull boring banking processes face to face, all other Banking matters are totally at international standards.

Internet banking here varies in ease terms, but basically you will get your money out easily.

I use SCB and Kriungsri and both are great. I used UOB in the past and found their Internet Banking archaic, but otherwise OK.

Everyone's knocking the British bikes, but I've fallen in love with my old AJS 350 16M, while at home gave it a facelift, new bars, levers, headlight, a big clean. It may be right-foot gear and may not go fast, or reliable, but it is fun. It looks nothing like an AJS, with aprillia upside-down front forks & disk brakes.

Well, so much teasing and no pictures?!?

Looks good In Search of Space.

Here is a pic of a friends 1962 AJS back in Europe. I rode it a few times in the Esterel Mountains in the South of France, lovely, but I constantly struggle with the reversed brake/gears set-up.

It is my understanding that when the Tax rules changed last year, which Ducati reacted to and lowered the price of the Thai built bikes, that BritBike cold have also done the same, but that he chose not to, even though his company tax on the Thai built bikes has reduced substantially.

If this is so, then the original post was correct, it is about a personal choice of BritBike.

If Triumph UK has pushed this forward, I applaud them.

I heard that the dealer for Thailand kept those high prices because he wanted Triumph bikes to be a luxery item for the selected few.

Perhaps Triumph UK have pulled the plug on this guy as Ducati did, and just see how well Ducati Thailand are doing now.

This has nothing to do with artificially inflated prices and everything to do with taxation.

I am considering renting a car for a few months, so maybe we can reach a deal, then I can sell it for you at the end?

BKK Based.

The bag weighing process should be done at the checking stage not the boarding stage. This is an airline scam. I never carry cargo luggage just 'carry on.' So my total weight is less than most peoples combined luggage. Anyway, if they want to be fair they should weigh people as well as their bags.

The problem is that the world over (so not just a Thailand problem), some travellers never go near the check-in desk with their large carry on bags, they are carefully parked with someone else, out of the way.

I will agree that the Boarding Gate is the better place for such a check, rather than on the plane.

Either way, LCC travellers pay a (supposedly) low fee for the flight and if they want to take luggage, then they pay extra.

I do agree with previous comments that 'inconsistency in the application of the rules' leads to problems.

I think they were 100% right to throw this moron off the flight, I just wish they had expedited it rather than let him rant for so long.

The Andaman Sea side of the island will offer the best diving.

As a resort for all of the family to enjoy, the Laguna Beach resort has many hotels of varying prices, so I am sure something will suit. Lots of good beach restaurants around there too.

You could also arrange qualified child care there for the days where the kids do not want to go on the boat.

There is a great Dive Centre at the southern end of Bang Tao Lagoon, so its close to the Laguna area. I have used that Dive Centre for more than eight years and they have a great quality small dive boat that can go to many of the dive sites around that area.

H2o Sportz - Contact Klaus

h2osportzphuket.com

What a ridiculous knee-jerk reaction this is, not much thinking went into this and the concept of electronic tracking devices is incredulous.

Catching the killer(s) would be a good start, followed by actually convicting them, regardless of their connections.

This case, being so brutal and horrific, has highlighted more than any other of recent times, the negligence, immaturity and (possibly) corruption that exists in the Thai Police Force. Add to that a complete inability to properly manage the PR / media around cases, where too much is said, by too many, with too much conflicting evidence, views and progress, that it becomes an embarrassing recipe for disaster.

I have used the broker below for several years now for my medical insurance (I am Thailand based) and he consistently comes up with the best pricing (always better then I can get from the same Insurance companies directly) and his company provide great support services. He will provide you with a sheet of choices based upon your requirements and this allows you to choose the most appropriate cover / pricing.

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T: +86 21 6445 4592 Ext 121
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In case anyone needs a translator / support to attend the Department of Land Transport with them, services can be obtained from: bangkokvisitors.com

I think it would be quite simple for those to that want to stay long term to just do a police background check and/or get a qualified reference or sponsor locally to vouche for one's character, issue a "green card" and let people work where ever they can get a job and pay taxes. I don't understand why that would be so damn difficult. I just find it so offensive that if you're one of a certain race to can work here. Democracy starts with equality and all people should be recognized as people and not things such as "farang".

Really? So why you're not allow Thai to go to EU/US without hell of paperwork? Typical western double standards. Democracy is not kind of thing which will work only in one direction.

I agree with you fully @istinspring, it is a big expectation that many people have about living here and the 'right' to some form of Visa.

I have seen first hand how difficult it is for Thai's and Indian's to get a UK Visa, a USA Visa or an Australian Visa. Even a visitor Visa is a challenge, let alone expecting to stay for six months or more or / and trying to work.

As a Brit, even getting a working visa in Australia was heaps of paperwork, exam certificates, company references, medicals etc.

All that said, there are some decent people living and retiring here and their spending power in Thailand makes them worthwhile to protect, so some form of process improvement needs to take place. I am not sure what we have going on now is going to weed out the undesirables, but perhaps its a start?

Consider a broad range of quality stocks on the Thai Stock Exchange.

I have netted 15% upwards per annum on my portfolio over the past 8 years.

You could also consider Stocks in Singapore and Sri Lanka.

I cant see the article, was the attacker arrested? one thing I have noticed about thailand is that attacks like this seem to be accepted by both the public and the police (ie tax collectors)

From the original report in Pattaya One:

Khun Prasit was charged with assault and awaits further legal procedures while Mr. O’Neill remains in Hospital for now as he recuperates following the violent attack.

I lived here for several years and while I had a Work Permit, I had a One Year Thai Licence followed by a Five Year Thai Licence, which has now expired, by a year.

I am back in Thailand and have just arrived on a 90 Day Non Immg B Visa.

I have my expired Thai 5 Year Licence as well as my Full British Driving Licence on hand.

Am I able to get a Licence renewal based upon my old expired Licence and while on a 90 Day Non Immig B?

If so, any specific requirements?

Many thanks

One plan might be:

Getting Non Immig O Visa's for all in AU before coming here. Use those to convert to:

a retirement visa for the OP

a caretaker visa for OP's wife

ED visa's for the kids, with a supporting letter from the School.

As stated by the other respondents, the way to manage it is through a step-down transformer.

I purchased mine at Amorn in Fortune Town IT Mall, 4th floor. Been working well for years.

But I dare say they are available in Pantip and other big electrical stores.

Although it is sad to see a teenager beat up, I fail to see what this has to do with Thailand. He was not assaulted by Thai men. It just happened to be on Samui during a Full Moon Party.

I do not mean to sound callous, but these kind of assaults happen every single weekend in Australia, the UK, Ireland etc.

Young men, pissed up (maybe some drugs involved) out on the town often leads to senseless violence.

Lets put things in perspective, shall we? I am happy to see that Samui police managed to catch the perps.

I fail to see the relevance of your first paragraph. Who said this was 'about Thailand'? Its a fact that it happened 'in' Thailand, that's all.

What perspective had been lost according to your last paragraph?

The Father's letter was gracious about Thailand. The letter was about a brutal and vicious attack, seemingly from behind, by other foreign nationals and about praise for the determined efforts of the Police.