calibanjr.

It's the Russian way, it's ingrained in the culture, nothing to do with lower or upper classes or sex industry...they simply always want more and think rules are a recommendation, not something you need to worry about too much or feel bad about breaking.

Rules, agreed. A la "Pirates of the Caribbean", where the "Pirate's Law" is deemed to be "more like guidelines". I love it! Also "Fisticuffs with Russian Vacationing Lovelies", my newest video, or dam_n it all, a new adventure vacation! Genius.

I think the problem is that every US visa official thinks that all Thai women want to go to there for a holiday and never to return to their home country. Not sure why they think that, I am not really sure what they think the great pull of the US is.

Hmm lets see. 1. Being able to make in a day what took them a month to earn in their country. 2. Total lack of immigration enforcement once you make it inside the borders. The police can not make you show any identification if you are not breaking the law, and even if you get arrested the chances of getting handed over to immigration or next to nil. 3. Freedom from political and social oppression of their home countries. Our army is forbidden to operate in official capacity inside our borders. The police or soldiers don't run around raping women, cutting off limbs, summarily executing people in the streets. 4. Clean drinking water and safe food (for the most part). And many other things that are too numerous to count.

Yes I realize that Western European countries have some of the freedoms of the US and more social programmes than the US, and there area lot of people around the world that don't approve of our freedom to own and use firearms.

But what happens in Western Europe/OZ/Japan and other 1st world countries if you get stopped by the police without the proper papers? You get a one way ticket home and a ban to top it off. The USCIS pretty much ignores the 20+ million illegal aliens that live in the US. I don't think you will find any other Western or 1st world country with the number of illegals inside their borders.

That is why the consular officials consider all visa applications as immigrant applications. They pretty much are the last step to get into the United States, unless you cross the borders or come by ship. An estimated 8-10 million illegals came on legal visas and never left.

Heck Thailand has tougher immigration enforcement than the USA. I don't know of any other county in the world where 2 non-citizens can bear a child inside their borders and automatically get citizenship of that country, except the USA.

Rant over, and to all that player hate on America you'll never change my mind about loving being American. Is America number 1, nope. The right country for me absolutely!

GunnyD

Hi Gunny,

I dig some of your points, but if you're going to be a bit pro-patria (U.S.), you really have to have tight grammar/syntax and work on the typos. Too much room for haters, be they trolls or legit. Fact checking is helpful, too. But overall, I feel your rant. As I posted above, I'd love to have my wife's 10 year multiple-entry visa vs. my having to jump through innumerable hoops to do biz here and move millions of baht from the US to Thailand. Don't know where you're from, but I'm from the NEast (like as N and E as it gets in the States) , and if there's an illegal working, if they're found out, odds are they can go on working and live and die a whole life by the time it would make to make it to court/magistrate. I really don't mind it so much that way, but that's me. Anyway, I can back some of your points, just tone is a bit off.

No real rules, AFAIK. Stay away from the police. Stay away from drugs. Stay away from Canadians! (a la "The Jerk", which we are all capable of being, I think)

Ry12: Hopefully you are far enough along in law school so you have begun to think like a lawyer and the following will make sense to you.

I have followed all threads on Visas to the U.S. for six years and agree most are turned down. I recently made application for a Visa for my Thai unmarried partner and was sucessful, getting a 10 year multiple entry B2 (Tourist or Business) visa last week in Chiang Mai.

I have read all the Department of State web pages on Visas and most of the websites issuing opinions and directions on how to do it from law firms.

My conclusions are:

The most important issue that must be addressed and emphasized in every thing you do in preparing her "visa package" is the "compelling reasons to return" mandate.

You will also understand the law which compels the interviewer, Department of State Officer, to begin the interview with a mind set that the interviewee will overstay her visa and not return to Thailand. This mindset must be overcome by the interviewee during the interview. The "burden of proof" is on the interviewee to change the mindset of the interviewer.

Thus everything she can present in an organized and persuasive way must be included. The package I prepared was so organized, with the most "compelling reasons to return" at the top ranked in order of what I thought was most important.

By the way, the interviewer looked at every page of my "package" during the interview and so I conclude that your organization of the "package" be persuasive and with interesting photos, maps and related and integrated items included and tabbed. My package went through 8 topics with about 30 or more exhibits.

Use your best legal logic in arranging you "evidence" to support the ultimate conclusion you are trying to generate and carry your burden of proof. The only real out of order item was what I started off with which was the Itinerary and Reason for Trip. Exhibits were attached to each subject matter issue, so in the itinerary for the three week stay was a schedule for a tennis tournament and confirmation of application to play, round trip air plane reservations and bank account showing 10 USD on deposit in Thai bank available through ATM card to pay for the trip. I am not concerned regarding the aging of such an account as clearly one "funds" a travel account from long term savings when the trip is planned. Overnight places to stay and contact numbers and addresses were clearly stated.

The second most persuasive "compelling reason to return" in my view was a six year co-habitation relationship that is economically interdependent. My partner hasn't worked since we met and that is the way we like it. Not a negative, especially when you show in another topic "Overseas travel and return to Thailand". My Thai had lost the Thai passport after the last overseas trip, so I had to establish foreign travel through my visa pages and my declaration, which covered our relationship, overseas travel, joint bank account, etc My declaration was really a sworn statement covering all relevant issues needed to be persuaded.

Won't go on in any further detail but if you want my help, email me at the same screen name at gtalk. [email protected]. I agree with one poster that suggests your biggest negative is your residence in the U.S. and the propensity for your relationship to motivate her to overstay.

You must weigh the factors for and against mentioning your relationship at all in the visa application, does it help or hurt overall.

If the relationship has been longstanding and strong, how about a fiancee visa. I have seen posts recommending that for love relationships, but I have no knowledge or experience in that area.

I spent about 25 hours gathering and compiling the "package" and it included a face page, exhibit list or index, tabls, pictures of anything even remotely relevant, chanotes of properties owned with pictures, vehicles owned with registrations and pictures, etc. Trial attorneys are often referred to as "shotgun" or "laser" in their evidenciary presentation and argument approach and you definitely want to approach this "brief" in a shotgun style as you have no clue what the interviewer will be impressed with so include it all, while paying attention to cumulative evidence so not to bore.

I have helped others in their application process and am impressed on why a lawyer is the best individual to prepare the package due to his trained thought process and paying attention to relevance. Others, of course, can do it well, especially if trained in brochure presentation but doing it in a foreign language seems to me a mountain too high to climb.

Good luck, you will need it.

I got my wife (just over a year) a ten-year multiple-entry (wish I could get one for Thailand for me!) visa to the U.S., last October. I followed PTExpat's steps, almost exactly. But the bolded part, the interview, was the most important. My wife said the interviewer (30ish guy, Chiang Mai consulate) very briefly looked over my carefully prepared dossier and just discussed her visiting plans at reasonable length, that's it. My wife has land in her name (and plans to build a house, with my, uh, help)and maybe 400k in her own bank account. I think the most important part is that her English is just O.K., but she had a distinctly plausible (even TRUE) visting scenario with a timeline of her future plans in Thailand. While I think the dossier was probably unnecessary (they ignored most of it and handed it back to her pretty quickly, especially my thoughtful ), the preparation for it helped her put together the "lay of the land" in her head and allowed her to tell her story and future plans well.

I guess I'd say that if I were you I'd work on the PTExpat "presentation" plan. The presentation itself may or may not carry weight, depending on the interviewer and probably the particular Consulate that you're applying to, not sure. But it will lay out the relevant assets (land, bank, ties to Thailand, etc.) clearly and at a minimum, the building of the presentation with your girlfriend will help her clarify her life here, the States, and back again and have a better interview.

Ulysses G

It is almost impossible to get a reservation here because it is so cheap.Don't like to give business to Puritans, prudes and sex-fascists anyway!

The place has horrible reviews.

Depends on what you need, sure. For a basic QUIET clean, cheap place, sort of like a writer or just a stressed out neurotic (that's me) needing a place "away from it all" but within the city, it sure works for me. But if you bring any "excitement" onto the premises, they're not into that AT ALL, hence some people's discomfort, I'm guessing. Definitely a specialized (quiet) demographic. "In Nana, not OF Nana" as it were.

If you just need a place to sleep and use as a base from which to work, with no "ad hoc" companionship, the Atlanta (soi 2) is cheap, cool pool area, small library. They really are strict about not allowing "night owls w/friends", though.

these days PR5 is already good, sure 6 is higher, but most importantly; the PR is well spread, they don't know much about SEO etc, they could easily get much more PR, if they would organize their internal link structure better, same for the ads, they make good money from it without any doubt, but it could be even more, much more ... but check the visitors; stats; at all times they have thousands of visitors ... this site is worth a whole lot of millions, no doubt about it ...

whole lot of millions of what?

Old saw of course, is that it's worth as much as someone will pay for it. Not very witty, I know. How about "it's worth (or not worth) the paper it's printed on!

I apologize for the animated avatar, but Hobbes just ain't the same without it. Pretty accurate reflection of me, when I'm allowed out of the house.

Don't know the name, but I usually just go to the shop opposite the Hangdong Government/Police building on the CM-HD road, just 100 meters south of the Baan Tawai road intersection.

"I always pass on the right...everybody does it."

Yep, motorcycles on the sidewalk, motorcycles going the wrong way on the street. "Everybody does it" is a poor excuse for inappropriate behavior.

Are you dyslexic by any chance? Overtaking to the left of another vehicle is illegal in Thailand. Although it is sometimes done, it is a poor excuse for inappropriate behavior.

Uh, backflip, where exactly does one pass in Thailand? I assume that since the normal flow of traffic is on the LEFT hand side, that one passes on the RIGHT. The lines dividing the travel lanes and denoting the don't pass and passing areas are on the right. All of the diagrams on that fun computer test at the Motor Vehicle Dept show passing on the right and parking on the left. Are they encouraging "inappropriate" behavior? I think we've got a potential lawsuit on our hands! On what side do you find it proper to overtake?

Is it that I'm so frugal or a "better bargainer" or just have limited life experience, or what is it? I was a pretty frequent bar patron in Pattaya/Phuket/BKK wherever for quite a while, sampled the local cultural "after hours" experiences both after hours and round the clock when on a bender with a "companion" (or 3). I've probably never had more than 3k in my pocket (except for biz, exporting). If I go out in the States drinking with friends, it probably does me about 1-2 hundred $ on a real drinking night. Here, 3k, on a serious night, at the OUTSIDE. Maybe I need to get out and spend more, missing something.

Sort of a corollary to the usual: "don't invest money in Thailand that you can't afford to lose completely"

would be:

"don't go out drinking with more CASH on you than you could walk away from with a shrug" I think that one holds true universally.

You were drunk, you tried to pass on the right, you caused an accident, you turned down a reasonable offer from the person you ran into, and then you tried to bribe a cop. You sound like a heck of a guy, and the reason that farangs are disliked.

I always pass on the right. I thought that was the proper procedure here. Looks like everybody does it.

Bangkok Bank, Sukhumvit Soi 8 corner. Passport and a "theoretical" address. Plenty of friends, never a problem.

And I also have one specific correction for you, LT. I did not say that Brady should have magically transformed into a "mobile QB". His forte, not just in this game, but throughout his career, has been his ability to make very quick, short distance moves in the pocket, and to release the ball very quickly, and on target. It was that skill that he failed to demonstrate in this game, primarily the very last part of it. He was not on target. No amount of pressure has prevented him from hitting his spots in the past. That lack of accuracy was a clear indication that he was not playing at his very best.

I'll also add that his young Offensive Coordinator, Josh McDaniels, contributed to Brady's problems by not calling enough of the type of plays that had made the team so successful throughout the season. Where were the 3 step drop quick slants and outs? Where was the no-huddle offense? Where were the middle screens and check downs? The Patriots, including the coaches, failed to play their game.

Sincere congratulations to the New York Giants. The only way they had any chance to win was to play their best game. That's what they did. But no one can convince me that the Giants "best game" would have been good enough to beat the Patriots "best game".

I'm not sooooo wiped out. I've seen the Patriots' success after 2001 and the Red Sox 2nd WS win as just gravy for me personally. Eight years ago, if you told me we'd have won 1 SB and one WS (especially the WS), I'd have been set for life!

That being said, the loss jolts a bunch of facets in the Pats' world. Junior and Bruschi could have retired at the pinnacle. The perfect season would be in the books, and <deleted> to Mercury Morris. Randy Moss' fragile psyche wouldn't be as much of an issue next year as it might now become (hello Chad Johnson?). Brady tied with Joe M and Terry B. with 4 SB's (really not that big a deal, as I figure Brady wins between 1 and 4 more).

Tell me, was that not the WEIRDEST Super Bowl you've ever seen? Strange momentum shifts, funky bounces (that slapping the ball forward penalty), the "too many men" for a first down for the Pats, the strange INT deflection then a 3 and out (good work by the Giants). The whole thing seemed surreal, and when the "helmet prayer" catch occurred, all of my old "Red Sox Disaster" neurosis came barrelling back, knew it was a bad day gonna happen in the end.

Many strange decisions by Belichick. But as you mention, the thing that really STILL confuses me is what was missing, the in-game adjustments! The Pats' calling card is to change on the fly in the face of what IS working for the opponent and keep them off-balance. I felt really kind of confident coming out of half-time that, as usual, the Pats' would make adjustments in formation, motion, plays, even personnel to get the ball moving. Yes, they seemed uninspired on the field, but I give the D great grades and were one Asante (<deleted>!) dropped INT from getting out alive. Leaving Plax 1on1 in an obvious passing down and NO safety help at all! <deleted>?!

Brady is as close as I GET to actual man-love (after Larry Bird), but he was inaccurate, even the few times he had decent time to throw. A couple of really nifty catches by Welker and Faulk made his numbers look better than he deserved. Remember a wide open Moss in the left side of the end zone that Brady missed? Luckily for him, we subsequently scored with Moss to the right side, but if they don't get in, that miss to Moss would be etched in everybody's mind forever.

O played uninspired NON-ADAPTIVE ball, they get a C-/D+. D held them to 17 on such a bad day for the offense (Time of possession, tiring our D out) they get a B+. That ain't gonna win it when the Giants D had an A+ game and the Giants O had an A- game!

Well, much as I'm depressed about the outcome, CM Saloon 2 was a great venue. Good breakfast, maybe 100 people rooting for both teams. One projection TV and a couple of regular screens. Opened early. Everything was well done, didn't even miss the new advertisements, I guess I'll find some place to download 'em.

Really if you guys know of some bars please list them off... Would love to find a place thats serving breakfast and beer... a great way to start off the week. That and a PATS sweep!!!

I stopped by the Chiang Mai Saloon (near Paradise Pizza and the UN Irish) as mentioned above. Open at 530 a.m. with 129 THB all you can eat bfast. Should be able to eat a reasonable amount over the four hours (unless it's a blow-out). I'm gonna be there for the game, I guess.

Kind of a tough decision really. I usually watch the games on Sopcast and can watch the local US commercials and commentary, which although not my favorite, are a lot less irritating than endless UBC commercials about upcoming soccer games. Especially the US Superbowl commercials, which are a secondary hightlight to the game itself. But I guess a bit of camaraderie trumps a few CGI-enhanced ads, even once a year.

I've got 3.6k to win 2.5k on the Pats straight up. But got them 2 playoff games back and then again 1 playoff game back. Now they're at -490! The spread is 12 pts. i grew up in New England, and + the money...Let's go Patriots.

Is that 3.6k (imaginary, of course) dollahs (proper Boston pronunciation) or baht? I think it's a much better bet that way than the spread.

Wondering if anyone has heard of any bars or restaurants showing the game live at 6 AM? I looked around briefly but did not see anything. Watched it a few years ago at True (bye bye) Blue in the back. Gotta see my Patriots do their thing, any info much appreciated..............D

I watched the last two years at the back of True Blue (the outback, or some such name) also. Good combo: good projection TV, decent food, big crowd. Had a great time, even though the Pats weren't playing in either one. Gotta find a decent alternative. I'll keep you posted.

It would be a shame for a team to go undefeated up to the SB and then lose. I expect the Giants think they have already accomplished everything and more than they expected while the Patriots enter the SB thinking they haven't accomplished anything without this win. The Patriots will want it more and after seeing Eli several times this year and knowing Coughlin, I can't see them ever winning the SB. Their defense will do their best, but I don't think Manning will come through again and I know Coughlin will somehow push the wrong buttons.

I think you are underestimating the desire to win. I don't expect the Giants to "mail-it-in". Coughlin has won a Superbowl (asst. to Parcells). The Rams were 14 point favorites in Superbowl 36, and we all know what happened. In Patriots All Access (Ch. 5) last week Belichick made several references to that game, the playoff experience the Rams had and the fact that anyone can win. I honestly expect this to be a close game.

Rest assured, the most important party, the Pats NEVER underestimate their opponents, as I know you know, really. That week 17 game started out chippy from the beginning and the Giants NEVER let up. I'd never bet that 14 pt spread. That being said, if the weather is nice, very probably, the Pats could possibly start to look like the warm weather aerial circus of the early part of this season. That would be nice, but I'd take a one point win any day.

I think SF is 5-0 in Bowls. Another mark for BB and TB to knock down. SB's 16, 19, 23, 24, and 29. So although I'd like to avoid being greedy, they knock out NYG this year and put away two more before TB's done, there really won't be any arguing about his place in history, as if he really needs it. He's HOF-bound already, obviously.

'

So now that the Laughing Leprechaun is closed, where can you get the best fish and chips?

Leprechaun closed? THAT's why they didn't have Guinness on Christmas! I went in on Xmas (having just arrived at noon from a road trip to the US) specifically for a couple (or 10) pints, but Dom was scarce and Guinness was plum out. I somehow managed to fulfill that requirement elsewhere, but hope Dom's gonna open again somewhere. Good burger, very good fish/chips, good carbonara, and Dom is good people.

Just curious, exactly what's the damage? You'd laugh at how cheap it is to get a bike fixed here. My wife had an accident last year, needed new front shocks, front wheel, plastic fairing pieces. Basically a pretty good going-over for the front end. 3k baht (paid by the insurance even, having an accident report) for the whole thing incl. labor at a dealership (Niyom Panich) here in Chiang Mai. If the bike is fixable, get an estimate for yourself and get the work done if reasonable, so that the rental people don't run it through their own "special" repair pricing menu.

SD has their own "revenging" (a la Ralph Wiggum) to do from last year. Man, they outplayed the Pats all day, but unfortunately, Brady was on the other side, even with that taxi squad receiving corps. He just s*cks to have on the other side, very much like what we (Pats fans) endured with Elway for a looooooong time. That's the source of their anger, IMHO, not the dancing after the game. They just had their season (and Marty S's job) pulled out from under them when all was going so well. Had to hurt. They got to watch NE end up the same way the following week, no? That AFC champ game still traumatizes me during tight games right now, scared for the aging D that cost us that game. Traumatized the Pats office to pick up not 1, but 4 new receivers and some big D acquisitions, in the off season.

Kudos to SD for recovering from a turbulent off-season and a tough start. If they have to use their anger to motivate themselves against the Pats, so be it. I'm not buying it, but you use the rationalizations that you know best. Pats have always had a quiver full of motivational "tools", one of BB's favorite weapons!

Greedy postings:

1.Dam_n'd Welker and Watson drops cost Brady his perfect passing percentage!

2.Dam_n'd run stuffing at the end made the punter have to get up off the bench!

Garrard and Jax both played as well as they could have hoped. Made the Pats look that much more deadly efficient. Brady was ridiculous, esp. on the switch from the left flat throw to rolling right and lofting a perfect ball to Stallworth, where only an outstanding tackle by the def. back saved a dagger in the heart long TD reception (even though that play pretty much sealed the game, anyway).

Still scared about Indy. After they BLOW OUT the Bolts, I'm guessing the line is NE by 4ish.

Blow out the Bolts, huh...........?????

BOLTS STUFF COLTS

and sorry Patsfangr, but here come the Bolts to hand you guys loss #1.

GO BOLTHEADS !!!!

Huggyman, you missed my self-reproaching post just above yours. Anyway, thanks to SD for clearing the road a bit. I kind of wanted a retribution game in the AFC champ game against Indy, but I'll take the lower blood pressure for the week. Pats by a BILLION (make that a Borg-like 34-17). But refer to my accurate prediction of the SD-Colts game of course! Guess I want GBay to win the NFC so we can add another name to this years victims list, since we already beat NYGs, plus a small revenge for '96, even though most NE'ers (including me) liked that Packers team, even thought they beat us in that SB.

Has anyone really put a hat on Brady this season?

Did everyone see how ineffective the Jags were in not rushing and backing into coverage?

Know that the Bolts saw that, and guaranteed, they will be coming after Brady. They can man up because their corners are great (and underrated). Merriman and the rest of the destruction crew will demo, Brady and Co.

Bolts 31, Pats 28, Bolts win it on a field goal in the last minute.

The Giants were ALL OVER Brady in their game. So good they held him to about 360 yards!

The Jags had to pick their poison. They chose to double Moss all day and die by a thousand cuts from everybody else and a very good running day from Mulroney. SD can rush 4-5, blitz, zone blitz, whatever. With a bunch of guys in single coverage, someone'll get open hot, if necessary and Brady'll find him. That's his M.O.

Your score is highly improbable, but possible, I think we'd agree, given a big turnover differential which, again, isn't Brady's style.

Hope LT and Rivers are back to make it a game, and your prediction even remotely possible.

Greedy postings:

1.Dam_n'd Welker and Watson drops cost Brady his perfect passing percentage!

2.Dam_n'd run stuffing at the end made the punter have to get up off the bench!

Garrard and Jax both played as well as they could have hoped. Made the Pats look that much more deadly efficient. Brady was ridiculous, esp. on the switch from the left flat throw to rolling right and lofting a perfect ball to Stallworth, where only an outstanding tackle by the def. back saved a dagger in the heart long TD reception (even though that play pretty much sealed the game, anyway).

Still scared about Indy. After they BLOW OUT the Bolts, I'm guessing the line is NE by 4ish.

Blow out the Bolts, huh...........?????

BOLTS STUFF COLTS

and sorry Patsfangr, but here come the Bolts to hand you guys loss #1.

GO BOLTHEADS !!!!

Huggyman, you missed my self-reproaching post just above yours. Anyway, thanks to SD for clearing the road a bit. I kind of wanted a retribution game in the AFC champ game against Indy, but I'll take the lower blood pressure for the week. Pats by a BILLION (make that a Borg-like 34-17). But refer to my accurate prediction of the SD-Colts game of course! Guess I want GBay to win the NFC so we can add another name to this years victims list, since we already beat NYGs, plus a small revenge for '96, even though most NE'ers (including me) liked that Packers team, even thought they beat us in that SB.