MrMuddle

Thanks techno, I think that was the sum the girl quoted me at Silom. hopefully everything will all go through with EMS OK. I suspect that I was stressed due to the upcoming hospital tests, and perhaps I didn't understand properly. I have to say the whole renewal thing has been a nightmare, we had difficulty finding a photographer with the specified background colour for the photos, (only light grey or cream are acceptable), plus the form MUST be filled out with a black ballpoint pen - we searched every shop in Phetchabun for one, they only sell fibre tipped pens, so I ended up completing the form in a cafe in the centre where the DHL office was - absolute nightmare !

A number of people have reported sending their applications via EMS, or the International equivalent, without problem. Don't forget you are only send the application and a passport copy, so I would wonder what, if any, documents Hong Kong would need to send back.

The passports are sent from the UK so I doubt very much if the Hong Kong manager would have any say as to how your passport is dispatched, I believe you have to pay about twenty quid for the IPS to send your passport, via DHL, from the UK.

I suspect the person in DHL in Silom didn't really know how to answer you, so made something up.

Thanks for your reply., much appreciated. Although the girl spoke quite good English, I did suspect she didn't really know how to explain how things worked to me. We're going to try EMS on Monday, fingers crossed !!

Having been caught in Bangkok's rush hour traffic yesterday, I couldn't believe the waste of natural resources, absolutely ridiculous the amount of fuel wasted everyday in major cities around the world.

On a more positive note, I would be quite happy to fit solar panels at the back of my house, if they were available in my area, but having looked several times, I haven't seen any.

That's good news. Another nail in the coffin of the USA / Israel alliance.

I think it may depend on where you live, as to how much help is available. My wife (Thai), went to a place set up by Stockton on Tees council, called the International Family Centre, which had volunteer teachers to help immigrants to learn English. She went a couple of mornings a week, did really well, and made many friends, who were originally from various different countries.

Depending on how much time you have available, you could help her along yourself. I taught my wife phonetics, which she grasped fairly quickly, and made it much easier for her to read. You could also try asking your local Library, for any audio courses, that your wife could use, and possibly buy her any she finds easy to use. Good Luck.

We went to Silom DHL office yesterday, while in Bangkok for medical checks, to send off my UK passport renewal form. The girl in the office did all the paperwork, and then charged me 639 baht. As I'd read on here the price was over 1000 baht, I asked why it was so 'cheap". "We only send one way", was the reply. "The British Consulate in Hong Kong does not like the way we deliver in Thailand, so we can only offer a one way service", I said that I'd read on here that people had recently used DHl with no reported problems. "This just happen", she replied. "So how do I get my new passport back", I asked. "You must telephone Hong Kong and arrange with them", was the answer. I didn't post the form, I've tried contacting Embassies before, it's like "Mission Impossible".

Unfortunately due to time restrictions, I had to have a lot of medical tests which took most of the day, and I did not have time to try any other DHL offices in Bangkok.

So, my questions are

Is it correct what this girl told me, that the "service" is one way only.

Can I use Thai Post EMS International service instead, (my health is not good, and I need another trip to Bangkok like I need another hole in the head). I live in Phetchabun, we set off at 4a.m. and got home at 11.30 p.m.

Have I got something tattooed on my forehead that others can see, but I can't when I look in the mirror ?

(Politeness and forum rules prevent me from saying what is written there).

Thanks for any help / advice.

Hi, I'm coming to Bangkok tomorrow for a check up at the St Louis Hospital, and would like to send my UK passport renewal while I'm in town. Can anyone advise of the nearest DHL office to St Louis Hospital please? I got a list of DHL offices, but as I don't know Bangkok at all, I'm no wiser. Thank you.

I like the idea that Thai students and teachers will be encouraged to speak only English for one day a week, but I think they will struggle to do this. I'm not a fan of Tony Blair, but it seems a little rude of the reporter to refer to him continually as "Blair", while using the Thai Education ministers' first name throughout the article, surely it should be Mr Blair.

The kids all look cute though.

business visas

ed visas

marriage visa

retirement visa

"All of these are certainly guaranteed to be renewable."

By who, you?

I can't think of anyone who could guarantee that 'certainly'.

business visas

ed visas

marriage visa

retirement visa

1. If you have a WP

2. If you attend a school

3. If you are married and have the requested income

4. If you are 50 or older and have the requested income

Can't see what your concerns are?

4. If you are 50 or older and have the requested income

You've obviously never banked with the Bangkok Bank in Phetchabun, getting the letter from them for renewal is a major ordeal every year.

Can I use the credit card form to pay by direct debit ? The information is confusing on the site.

Having spent time in India in the past I am in agreement with Clarksons comments, indeed the sanitation and hygiene standards are somewhat primitive if in fact actually non existent,

Good job Clarkson never mentioned the Caste System eh what . The memsahib would not have been amused.

Alert the Memsahib. " Dalits on the horizon."

More than 160 million people in India are considered "Untouchable"—people tainted by their birth into a caste system that deems them impure, less than human.

Human rights abuses against these people, known as Dalits, are legion. A random sampling of headlines in mainstream Indian newspapers tells their story: "Dalit boy beaten to death for plucking flowers"; "Dalit tortured by cops for three days"; "Dalit 'witch' paraded naked in Bihar"; "Dalit killed in lock-up at Kurnool"; "7 Dalits burnt alive in caste clash"; "5 Dalits lynched in Haryana"; "Dalit woman gang-raped, paraded naked"; "Police egged on mob to lynch Dalits".

India's Untouchables are relegated to the lowest jobs, and live in constant fear of being publicly humiliated, paraded naked, beaten, and raped with impunity by upper-caste Hindus seeking to keep them in their place. Merely walking through an upper-caste neighborhood is a life-threatening offense.

India needs to put its own house in order before casting stones at others.

Well said. I've never understood why the British government doesn't give this kind of answer, whenever countries like India make trifling complaints, such as this one about Clarkson. I also agree with the poster who complained about the UK government giving vast amounts of money to India in aid, when the UK is in financial trouble itself. Aid to India comes seemingly with no strings attached, to help these poor, unfortunate, "untouchables". Beyond belief really, especially when the same government wants to stop giving aid to certain African countries, unless they acknowledge rights for homosexuals !

On a brighter note, on BBC Knowledge yesterday, there were advertisements for this Top Gear India special, apparently it is going to be shown here soon.

Police chief says detained Lebanese man admits planning attack in Bangkok but aborted, no fertiliser for bombmaking found; will be deported without charge /MCOT

So apparently Thailand doesn't have any "conspiracy" laws. It can be worth 25 years in the UK, if proven. Don't know about anyone else, but I don't feel safer now, knowing this chap is going to be let go.

Thankfully though, we seem to have gotten through Childrens Day without any major incident, that was my biggest fear, when the warning was issued.

There was more on this on the BBC yesterday, including a photo of a Jaguar with a toilet seat in the boot and a roll of toilet paper on the aerial - Clarkson described it as "perfect for India because everyone who comes here gets the trots".

While I think it's fair to say that Clarkson's generalisation isn't 100 % true, a lot of people do suffer from various "botty" related illnesses when in India - hence the phrase "Delhi-Belly".

I was once on a flight and got talking to a British chap, who was from an Indian family, who was on his way to India (via Doha), he had been sent there by his company and hated going to India, because he claimed he was always ill from the minute he got there to after he went back home .

Maybe India like Mexico, need to lighten up a bit.

According to the BBC tonight, all four soldiers have now been identified. IF they have committed these acts, ( and nothing is proven yet), they should have the book thrown at them. It doesn't matter what others do, if you claim the moral high ground, as the US and it's allies do, then you have to behave accordingly.

We have the Gold package from Truevisions. We asked in our local shop how much it would be for BBC Entertainment and were told 963 baht. I assume this includes the upgrade to Platinum, but for me, it's not worth the extra cost. If it was 200-300 baht a month, I'd get it.

JT is totally clueless. Not worth ur time Flying, imho.

Not worth anyone's time. I ignore his posts. I'd advise anyone else to do the same.

It's a shame that under Indonesian law, workers can only be compensated for two years, not the full 18. Yet another case of an evil multinational company mistreating it's workforce, the award of 1 million dollars for 600,000 hours of enforced overtime, is unfortunately a mere pittance, for a company with the turnover Nike has. Unpaid, enforced working, used to be called slavery, as far as I can tell, this is exactly what has been going on here.

Why are the likes of the Olympic Committee, FIFA, and major football teams who use Nike products, all silent, when this sort of thing comes to light ? Shame on them all.

Racism, religion and politics, the three curses of mankind.

The only downsides to this poll, have been the low number of members voting, and the constant attention-seeking posts from the usual suspect. I would suggest next year, that once candidates are announced, and voting begins, that those nominated are excluded from posting on this topic, and any votes for them are not counted, if they do post.

"Toys out of the pram" is an adult response, compared to this ! To whine and witter on endlessly, when one gets a mere 0.00068376 % of the total possible vote, is frankly childish in the extreme.

Sheryl's not available I am afraid, personal reasons not related to TV at all, she is well but just doesn't have much time for the internet at the moment.

However, I do know her well and know her to be in person the same lovely, gracious, helpful and kind person that she is on this forum. She has been a tremendous help to me as she has to so many other posters and I can only say that I am glad to see that everyone here appreciates her as much as I do. I feel very fortunate to count her as a friend.

Beautifully put.

A very worthy winner, in my opinion. Please wish Sheryl the very best for 2012 from all of us on TV.

funny never ever seen a post from sheryl,but good luck to the lady,you obviously deserve it.

<p>Sheryl "operates" in the Health forum, and "dispenses" good advice on all health related matters, with accurate, helpful information, and a caring, thoughtful attitude. She got my vote, just ahead of a couple of other mods.

Perhaps in the interest of fairness, people who have been nominated should refrain from posting on this topic while it's "live".

Isn't that rather like asking a politician not to canvass ?

Politicians aren't allowed to canvass on the day of the vote, certainly in the UK, at least, not too sure about anywhere else.

Perhaps in the interest of fairness, people who have been nominated should refrain from posting on this topic while it's "live".

johnbits, I've lived in Phetchabun, for many years, and have never seen a gym in town. I bought my own equipment, weight machine, speed walker, exercise bike, from Big C. Total cost was under 18,000 baht.

...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not know of ANY religion, where females are treated as equals, which tells me everything I need to know about them.

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I'm all over this one!

If you consider scientology a religion, then that is a religion where the sexes are totally equal.

Agree with your general sentiment, fundamentalism of any faith is usually toxic.

i was given a book several years ago, by a "helpful' scientologist neighbour.

Although I didn't read much of it, ( it was recycling day - too good an opportunity to miss), I always thought that I'd read that it did not profess to be a religion as such, yet a quick "google", states that Scientology does indeed have an explanation of "God".

Personally, I'd file Scientology in the section "places for nutters the rest rejects", along with the Moonies, Children of God, and others too numerous to mention, but apparently Scientologists do, indeed, consider themselves a religion.

As for the sexes being totally equal in Scientology, I really wouldn't know, nor to be honest would I want to !

Fundamental - the clue is in the third and fourth syllables.