IMA_FARANG
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Posts posted by IMA_FARANG
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The BBC News today carried an item showing the British Ambassador visiting the Kho Lak.
The BBC reporter stated that the local NGOs are reporting in excess of 5000 dead on Kho Lak alone.
Now the Thai goverment is reporting 4,800 dead.
So who is it that can't count?
I'm sorry to have to say that the reality is that many of the people who were swept away by the Tsunami will never be found. Those still "missing" are probably dead by now. Many of their bodies will never be found.
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From experience, I would also have to say Bangkok Bank. Plus they have a branch in New York, funds transfer for US citizens is easy as pie.
I transfered a sum of money between Washington Mutual Bank in the US and that was a huge pain in the ass - long transfer time, high fees, etc. How exactly does the 'easy as pie' transfer work between BB and an American bank?
Thanks in advance.
I do a regular wire transfer between my state-side bank and Bangkok Bank. Cost is $15 wire xfer fee at U.S. bank and takes 24 to 48 hours depending on what day I start transfer. You just need BB account number, account name, and ABA number of Bangkok Bank. Like someone said, it goes thru New York. No fee at recieve end (as long as it stays Baht). Don't know about converting to foreign currency (not Baht) in Thailand.
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I know a Laotian girl who had a Thai mother (dead unfortunately) and a Laotian father, she was born and raised in Laos.
I have read some stuff on the Internet that suggests she can get Thai nationality if she wants owing to having a Thai mum, but to be honest I wouldn't know how to go about initiating the process or the costs involved.
Her Uncle (Thai) has said he can arrange it using local contacts but has quoted an exhorbitant figure and I am not entirely sure he is to be trusted.
Anyone know where to start with this and as I say what the costs involved might be?
Thanks in Advance.
Jeddah Jo.
My Thai girlfriend has 3 children by a previous marriage. Father not Thai. At one time they could not get Thai I.D. card or Thai passport. Father had to be Thai to get Thai nationality. Law has now been changed and they have been given Thai nationality and I.D. card based on mother being Thai. So it is possible, but I don't know how it is done. (My girlfriend did it, not me)
Are you in Thailand? Does she have a Thai I.D. card. Probably someone else can help you with details, but believe she needs to apply at local Amphur for Thai I.D. card. Don't think this is expensive process, but will require birth certificate and proof of parents nationality.
Hope someone else on this forum can give you better info than I can.
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Morning all,did anybody feel a slight earth tremor around 0835 this morning?????I live out between CM and Mae Rim,no it wasn't the result of Xmas overindulgence or flatulance caused by too much turkey..................
Cheers
Just went back to the USGS earthquake site. Seems there has been an 8.5 quake in Sumatra, Indonesia. (off-shore) This is a very big quake and the time should have been about 08:00 in Thailand. I would guess that is what you felt, even though you are quite a bit north. Alternatively; large quakes like that can cause minor weak quakes in other areas as stressed faults release. So possible that is what happened.
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Ahhhh not just me then.Felt some tremors around 0835 up here in Chiang Mai,set the door to swinging.cheers
Interesting.
The USGS web site has a 4.6 magnitude earthquake just off Java at 06:54 Bangkok time. That seems to far south to register, but who knows.
It was a very deep quake, around 250 Km down.
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Hi All,
Enlightenment, does anyone know a person who has attained this state?
Have a Happy…
DeDanan
Why do you presume that you are not elightened already?
Perhaps it is only your self-delusion that makes you believe you are not enlightened?
In the Heart of all things,
In whatever has Reality,
In this dwells the Lord,
Master of the Universe.
(not Buddhist, but from an Indian source.)
So ask yourself; if at your heart there is the Lord, why are you not enlightened?
Perhaps, your perception is in error?
When a person gains enlightenment, he/she has gained nothing that was not his or her nature all along.
A more conventional answer: I once knew a Buddhist nun in Vietnam who the locals believed was an enlightend person. She seemed to glow from within.
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Bomb hits Thailand amid warning
BANGKOK: -- A bomb hidden in a motorbike has killed one person and wounded eight outside a bank in southern Thailand, as a top adviser warns that Islamic insurgents may be targeting tourist resorts across the nation.
Authorities believe the bomb was detonated via cell phone. The attack took place at 9:05 a.m. Friday in front of a branch of the Siam Commercial Bank.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Violence has troubled the Muslim south of predominantly Buddhist Thailand for decades, but has worsened this year, with more than 500 people dying so far.
Until now, the violence has been concentrated in the south, where most of Thailand's Muslim population lives.
But a senior security advisor to Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has warned that the separatist campaign could escalate, saying Islamic insurgents are plotting to attack tourist resorts across Thailand next year.
Gen. Kitti Rattanachaya told the Associated Press that documents found in the house of a fugitive leader of the country's Islamic insurgency indicate plans to broaden the conflict and turn predominantly Muslim provinces into bases for attacks on the rest of the majority Buddhist country.
The rebels also plan to turn three Muslim-dominated provinces in the south into a base for international terrorist groups, he told AP.
Thailand's government has already blamed the rise in violence on domestic separatists taking a cue from other Muslim extremist movements around the world.
But there is also speculation that international Muslim extremists are present in the region or that insurgents are retaliating against Thaksin's heavy-handed war on drugs, which affects the economically desperate region.
Rattanachaya said the documents show that in 2005, the militants plan to attack "soft targets" such as the tropical beach resorts of Pattaya and Phuket, which draw tourist from around the world.
On Thursday thousands of teachers walked off their jobs to protest a lack of security in the country's south.
More than 300 schools in Pattani province, a region hard hit by the Muslim insurgency, closed their doors Thursday.
But others in Yala and Narathiwat provinces remained open.
The teachers say they won't return to school until the government can provide adequate protection, an education official said.
Southern residents, who are mainly ethnically Malay and not Thai, claim the Buddhist administration in Bangkok discriminates against them.
--CNN 2004-12-24
Notice it doesn't say where. Here is an update from the BBC World service:
At least two people have been killed and several injured after a bomb exploded in southern Thailand.
The blast happened at a Siam Commercial Bank branch in Sungai Kolok, a town in Narathiwat province on the border with Malaysia, said police
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Bangkok Bank has it but how comprehensive I can't say. Be sure you have an English speking staff member set up the account and the internet application at the same time and make it clear no internet access, no account.
I had all my accounts there and filled out all the applications to make them internet accessible. I can't even remember the rediculous reason they gave me for why I couldn't get it, something like I hadn't set up the accounts right. I am no longer with them.
I have an account in Bangkok Bank....My undestanding is they make it very clear in their web site is that access to internet banking is only available to those with other than a tourist visa....they want to see visa or residency before they allow you to get password to access your account via internet. No problem getting into their web site...but no go in getting password unless you reside in Thailand and have either residence or a visa that allows you to stay long-term (not tourist).
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Been here in LOS for 18 years, been on a bus once only, 18 years ago. I would rather WALK from BKK to anywhere, than take a Thai bus. Driving or motorbiking here requires guts, but anyone who has seen my fantastic collection of Thai auto accident photos, mostly buses and trucks (or both head-on) would NEVER consider going on a long haul bus in the Kingdom. Nuff said.
I read a story about an Aussie guy who went around taking snaps of accidents in and around Thailand.....son of a Polly......is that you ?????
Each to their own "hobby" I suppose, but if you want to see some really good wrecks, go visit the Taj Mahal and take the Delhi to Agra bus. And wear some thick - absorbent - underpants
About 25 years ago, when I was much younger and somewhat stupider, I took a bus trip with my then TG down to Phuket from Bangkok by bus. I remember waking up on the bus (night bus) amd seeing our bus side by side with another bus. Apparently the buses were racing each other. The driver, the girl who collected the tickets, and the guy who handled the luggage were all up at the front of the bus, yelling in Thai at the crew from the other bus and laughing. This was on a winding road going through the mountains. Both buses were swerving around like crazy. What could I do? Well, there was nothing I could do, so I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep.
Guess it wasn't my time to die.
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Militants planning large-scale attacks in Bangkok: security source
BANGKOK: --Islamic militants were planning large-scale attacks in Bangkok and southern Thai provinces in January to mark the first anniversary of a violent separatist insurgency, a security source said.
The attacks would be staged in the five southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun, as well as the capital Bangkok in order to promote the struggle for an independent Muslim state in the south of the predominantly Buddhist kingdom, he said.
"According to their plan the large-scale attacks, by means of remote control bombs in five provinces and Bangkok, would be prolonged and severe, as they have stockpiled lots of ammunition," the security source, assigned to work on southern violence, told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"The reason why they have to stage attacks in Bangkok is to prevent the central government from sending additional troops to the south," he added.
The attacks were expected after the new year to mark the first anniversary of a bold January 4 raid by masked assailants on a military base in Narathiwat, he said.
The raid saw the assailants kill four soldiers and steal hundreds of assault rifles, while militants believed to be linked to the same movement torched about 20 state schools in the south on the same night.
The event was widely seen as re-kindling a sporadic separatist insurgency that has rumbled for decades in the south, parts of which were an independent kingdom before being annexed by Thailand in 1902.
Some 560 people have died in the violence this year.
--AFP 2004-12-17
See my post in Travel Thailand section. This is almost direct qoute from source I mentioned.......HOWEVER....nothing was mentioned about Bangkok. Seems like news people got the info and added stuff about Bangkok to make it more sensational. Original info said possible terroist attacks in southern provinces....with timing around January anniversary of start of troubles...and NO MENTION of Bangkok.
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Thanks for the responses. Well, I'm still not sure what to do. It never occurred to me a few years ago that having savings accounts in US dollars was a risky investment, but now it is turning out to be so. I feel like I'm in the stock market, and everything is down, down, down.
Darn, why didn't I do something about this four years ago when the dollar was at almost 45 baht?
A few questions. You who said invest in Yuan...I realize this seems like a foolproof investment, but haven't insiders known for years that the yuan was destined to go up a lot? I mean, isn't this old news? So it is still possible to hitch a ride on that currency today? I would have thought that such opportunities vanish quickly, and it would now be too late. However, I know that China still has the peg. But if this is such a foolproof idea, why isn't everybody doing it?
Don't confuse short term currency flucuations and long term curency value.
In short don't panic.
If the CDs you have will take a penalty to close them out, leave them until they close out.
The Euro is high now because of speculation and U.S. deficit spending. The outlook for Euro economy is not great. Germany may actually have negative growth in 2005. In time the Euro will go to fair value against dollar.
Yes, you can legally open accounts in U.K. You might consider that, but first be sure of what you are doing.
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We often like to bring something from our home countries with us when we come to Thailand. Oxo cubes, Marmite etc.
Probably we sometimes bring things in that are not strictly allowed without knowing it. Has anyone ever had problems?
What happens if you get caught bringing something that you shouldn't. Do the customs just confiscate it or do you get a grilling and fine?
I'm obviously not talking about something that is definitely illegal, drugs, guns etc. Just something that you may bring unwittingly.
Any experiences?
Has anyone actually ever been checked going through customs? I never have yet (Famous last words)!!
Is there a full list of what is and isn't allowed anywhere?
I would like to bring some seeds for the garden in with me, but not sure if this is allowed or not. I think that plants are not allowed, but not sure about seeds
Almost always will be a duty to pay if the item requires duty....only veryrarely will they confiscate. (Unless your dumb enough to try bringing in drugs) I once brought in 20 kilos of prime-rib for a friends restaurant. Got it thru the "nothing to declare" line. Did get a suspisous look on that one. I got a free prime-rib dinner for two for carying it in from Singapore.
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I need to see if anyone has had experience with this. I plan on marrying my Thai fiance of 2 years this december and proceeding right into the Visa process. I am in the US military and will be getting out in June05. I am looking at the support affidavit (I-134) and i have a few questions on this if anyone could help me.
How much do they actually look at your current account? I am not in debt but i dont have alot....
Will they take into account the fact that my active service ends in 6 months?
Can i list my parents as "co-signees" as it where?
Are there any other tips on this form? I have all the others and will have no problem with them..
Also, what other paperwork will i need for marriage besides that listed on the embassy web site (affidavit, birth cert, passport)
Thanks in advance
First of all...Good Luck
From experience friends have had with marriage and getting Thai wife a visa...
it can run from good experience to Truely Bitchy
Don't know how to put this nicely, so I'll just say if proposed wife was ever a bargirl type local workers in American Embessy can sometimes be nasty about paperwork and such. May be envious that she going to get visa and go stateside and they can't.
One thing.....if locals in Embessy get picky with you...POLITELY, ask to see the American consul...but that is last resort. Best to answer politely, don't let them get your goat, even if they dis-respect you and your prospective wife.
That aside, they want proof you have funds to provide for yor wife once you are back stateside. Best to have a job lined up. In your case:
1. Stay in (reenlist) until after marriage. Military is a sure source of job continuity.
2. Have job offer after you seperate in writing. (Job interview scheduled may help)
3. Dependent on age, have your parents or family member vouch for you.
I had a friend that applied for visa for Thai wife who had about 50K U.S. in bank, but no job in U.S. They were uncertain about his ability to support wife sfter he went to states. He got his brother to vouch for him. Brother was mortaged up to his ears, didn't own anything that wasn't bought on credit. The Embessy loved his brother because he was a solid citizen with job in states. Didn't mater that brother had no money and everything was on credit. Go figure.
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Woman's Bangkok death probed
Authorities were investigating the death of a South African woman found in her hotel room in Bangkok, the World Bank said on Thursday.
Laura Walker was employed by the bank at the time of her death, said spokesperson Cristina Mejia.
She said the bank's security team was working with the Thai authorities to unravel the circumstances around the tragedy.
Apparently she was robbed in her hotel - the five-star Shangri-La - before being found dead on Wednesday, one of her friends told the Associated Press.
Walker, who was married, completed an master's degree in economics at the University of Cape Town and then worked in the budget division of the Institute for Democracy in South Africa.
The 34-year-old economist is the author of a number of academic and policy documents, and has been associated with the ministry of finance.
Mejia would not say how long Walker had been in the employment of the bank.
"Out of consideration for the staff member's family, we're not in a position to comment further at this time," she said.
--News24.com 2004-12-09
ORIGINAL STORY:
South African woman found dead in Bangkok
Bangkok - A South African World Bank official has been found dead in a five-star hotel in Bangkok, sources said on Thursday.
A spokesperson for the bank, Cristina Mejia, confirmed that a staff member had died at a Bangkok hotel and that an investigation was continuing but declined to give further details.
Thai police investigators also declined to comment but police at the department's forensic division said the body of Laura Walker arrived from the Shangri-La Hotel on Wednesday afternoon. The police officials, who declined to be named, said an autopsy was being carried out.
An e-mail from one of Walker's friends, made available to The Associated Press, said: "Our friend Laura Walker died yesterday in Bangkok while in training. Details are still sketchy. All we know at this time is that she was robbed in her hotel and that's where she died."
"The authorities are looking into the circumstances surrounding this tragedy and our own security team is working closely with them," Mejia said.
Earlier this week, an elderly Swiss tourist was found dead in a hotel room on the resort island of Phuket. According to police accounts, she was robbed and beaten to death, possibly by a hotel employee.
--News24.com 2004-12-09
For the latest info on this see today's (11 December) The Nation newspaper. According to their story her boyfriend is implicated.
Hmmm....I see someone has already got this info into this forum.
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TG was recently refused passport as a result of problems caused by her going overseas to Japan and overstaying there 5 years.
Eventually returned to Thailand through a letter from Thai embassy in Japan.
We went to Thai passport office in Bangkok to see if there was someway they could issue her a passport.
They said according to her ( i was standing next to her but cannot understand thai and nobody could explain to me in English) that she could get a passport if we were married and i could provide copy of marriage certificate and also prove that she had sufficient funds in bank.They also wanted a signed photocopy of my passport.
Now quite frankly i couldn't believe this story even thou i was standing next to her when she was making the enquiries.
It just doesn't seem logical to me why i would have anything to do with her getting a Thai passport. A visa for another country i can understand but this just seems unbelievable. I told her i didn't believe it but she insists that she is not lying.
I have point blank refused to make any concessions and said it is up to her to get a passport and nothing to do with me.
Am i being unreasonble?
Is it remotely possible that this could be true?
1.What is age of TG? If young wait until she is older. To be frank, older she is,less likely they will think she is going to try to stay in country she is going to. Young and pretty equals little chance of passport. What is not possible at age 25 may be possible at age 45.
2. If you do get married to get her passport, be warned: you are responsible for her if she accompanies you. If she overstays and Thai government has to pay for her return, it will come back on you. Maybe you will be blacklisted for return to Thailand.
3. This is totally unofficial, but I have heard of girls being turned down for passport who were then visted by (legitimate) official from Thai government who informed them if they really wanted passport it could be done for XXXX baht. This is of course illegal, be very careful of scams.
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"Don't use elevator while causing a fire "
jontiem view talay 1 building A
stayed there for a few months, made me laugh every time i took the elevator
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Reminds me of a sign I once saw in a Pattaya hotel (many years bacK). It was intended to warn about smoking in bed. Had a no smoking sign (red circle with cigarette with cross thru it). Don't know what the Thai words said, but the English translation underneath said, "Hey You be Safety Life in Bed". Along with "No Smoking."
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Favorite Quotes
in Pattaya
Posted
Another from Woody Allen:
I went to college in the 1960's. That was what they called the Sexual Revolution. Unfortunately I was a non-combatant at the time.
Or this one:
Sex between two consenting adults is a wonderful thing . Three or four, however, is better.