dddave

Don't forget that if you leave Thailand anytime within the 90 days, the clock resets from the date of your re-entry as the Arrival Card serves as a report of residence.

There are no more direct flights from USA to Thailand. The last one was cancelled more than a year ago. Your friend will have to go through a stopover somewhere.

The problem may well be the airline not allowing your friend to board without valid, up to date documentation. There was just an item in the news today about airlines being made responsible for the housing and feeding of anyone they bring who cannot pass immigration and is stranded.

I suggest your friend contact the nearest Royal Thai Consulate. (probably not an Honorary Consulate) They will be able to issue him a set of temporary travel documents good only for travel to Thailand. He can sort out a new passport when he is here.

At Pantip Plaza, you can buy a basic 7" Android tablet suitable for a 9 year old for as little as B1500. I bought one for a 10 year old and so far, so good. Be aware that all the cheap tablets including the one you mentioned have standard glass screens; not Gorilla Glass. They are easy to break so a decent case is important.

Sad story first. When the Totalitarian State of Apple announced a number of months ago that it was totally abandoning my original i-phone, I decided it was time to jump the wall into the Free State of Android.

I decided to treat myself to a really good phone; not top of the line but the new Motorola Razr at B14,000 did the trick and I really liked it. Five days after I got it, it somehow fell out of my backpack while on a trip to the USA. Since I wasn't using it, I didn't realize it was missing until I was packing to go back to Thailand. Not a happy return flight.

In my pissed-off state of mind, shelling out another B14K just wasn't going to happen. I went to a dealer in Pantip with whom I've had successful dealings in the past buying several inexpensive Chinese tablets and told him that I wanted something cheap that had up to date Android. He showed me a clone (copy, replica, duplicate, look-alike, rip-off) of a Galaxy S-3 and ran it through it's paces declaring that it was the best copy he'd ever seen and that he was willing to give me a 2 week money back guarantee, a rare declaration at Pantip or anywhere in Thailand for that matter.

We settled on B3100 including a case, spare battery (2100 mAh) and a screen protector. He was upfront that the screen was not genuine Gorilla Glass.

I'n no Android phone expert so I can not comment on how this phone compares to others in it's technical aspects. I do not use a lot of apps, mainly G-mail, messaging, NY Times, Google & Google Translate and an occasional game for 15 or 20 minutes at a time. I probably average 20 calls a day in & out, rarely more than ten minutes duration and maybe 10 to 15 texts. Probably no more than 30 minutes on the music player a day. I've never used more than 30% of the battery in a normal 18 hour day except when at first I had a problem with the charger. I replaced that charger with the higher quality one from the lost Motorola and charging has been fine since. A friend who also bought this phone had a problem with his charger as well so they do seem to be a week point.

AIS 3G H seems to work well and I've had no problems connecting with various Wi-Fi locations. I don't have the greatest hearing but the ringer of this phone is clearly audible even when the phone is in my pocket. Earpiece audio quality is OK, not great but it is loud enough to converse in areas with a lot of background noise...like anywhere in Bangkok.

A friend who has a genuine S-3 wanted to see it and after playing with it for a while declared it "Annoyingly good!" We ran the same YouTube video simultaneously, side by side and you could definitely notice the difference between the two, the genuine S-3 was sharper with brighter colors but the copy wasn't bad at all, just not as good. Resolution is 1280 X 720.

He ran the AN-TU-TU benchmark test and was shocked that the phone scored 16,352, just a few points below his. The CPU is listed as a Quad-Core ARMv7 processor VFPv3. Android version is 4.1.9

I've had the phone for two months now and have had no problems. As I said, I'm not a power user but no shortcomings have appeared yet.

I'm not suggesting everybody run out and buy one of these copies. I've been lucky and had no real quality issues but another friend who bought one had a problem with the battery contacts as the phone kept shutting itself off and on. The seller was able to fix the problem but it does indicate that there can be quality control issues so you pay your money, you take your chances. Make sure your seller will back it up if you do decide to buy.

I'm as happy with this phone as I was with the far more expensive Motorola...your experience may or may not differ.

Beware of higher speed (16GB+) SD's at Pantip, there are many substandard Kingston forgeries. This was pointed out to me by a very competent local computer repair technician. They will show the stated storage amount when you mount them but will not actually address that much data. I had a 32GB Micro-SD and it stopped at 18GB. I could not play anything loaded beyond that. The technician said that if you are paying in the B600-800 range for a 32GB card, then it's a forgery. Probably also true at Fortune.

Also, there is no charge for the transfers at Immigration.

The people who get refused visas tend to be ex-pats who get a string of consecutive tourist visas over a few years without ever returning to their home country, thus appearing to be defacto residents rather than tourists. The fact that you returned to the USA works in your favor and you are unlikely to be declined a visa.

The Phra Khanong branch of JASMINE SUITES is right next to the BTS station, is newly built, has all the amenities you want and is within your price range. Not much in the way of nightlife nearby but Thong Lo only 2 stops away.

Is there any chance miles accumulated on EVA prior to it's joining STAR ALLIANCE will be applied retroactively to one's STAR account?

Too much to hope for? Anybody?

Your time at Immigration will be shorter if you have your old cancelled passport or a copy of the old visa page. I had to have my visa and multiple entry stamp replaced last year and confirm that there is no charge for the service.

I have had to take my Note to the service centre 3 times.. each time for the same reason.... battery wouldn't charge or hold a charge.... Not getting another one.. when this dies will look at another brand

A friend had the same problem with the Note. The charger itself turned out to be defective, not the phone. He was told that happened frequently.

Try using a different charger.

That particular Samsung service center always has a lot of people waiting. Fortunately, they do have a queue number system which makes it easier.

I had a Toshiba notebook purchased in 2005 and after less than a years use began doing the same thing; unexpectedly shutting down. Turned out to be a heat issue and a thorough inside cleaning along with the addition of some heat dissipation paste cured the problem. The next year when I could tell it was getting dangerously warm again I tried to do the cleaning myself but could not successfully open the case so again I paid for it. The technician said that the Toshiba design was poor and had many areas near the cooling fan where dust collected and compacted, thus blocking efficient air-flow.

With EMS, there is tracking, with regular Air Mail, there is not.

I have 65 sq/m (interior space) single room, 10' ceilings, rooms below and above me, 30 sq/ft of un-insulated window on the sunny side which is a 3" thick lengthwise wall that gets hot when exposed to the sun in the AM. I use an older (10 year) 24,000 BTU unit and move air around by fan. I keep temp at 27 degrees and run about 16 hours a day hot season, less at cooler times. Hot season bills (Bt 3/unit) run B4000-4500. Rainy and cooler season run B2500-B3000

I have been told that a 30,000 BTU unit would be more efficient but it would take years to pay for itself and make a change worthwhile

I had never even heard the term "Search Engine" when a friend showed me AltaVista the first time; I was absolutely dazzled by what it could do and spent many hours looking up everything I could think of...this all back in the day of GreenScreen. When Google came along, it was so superior that I never looked back so I shouldn't lament AV's demise but....well, it was my first real internet love.

I tend to like more rural areas, and am more familiar with the north and northeast of Thailand, so here are my recommendations:

(1) The loop from Chiang Mai to Mae Sariang to Mae Hong Son and back to Chiang Mai. Most of the loop runs along the stunning mountains of the Thai-Burmese border, and even though it is recommended widely in travel books, seems to be relatively untouched by the masses. There are lots of cool side roads and other stops to explore as well, such as Ban Rak Thai on the border, and Soppong near the border.

(2) Issan, as someone else recommended. The image I had of Thailand before coming here, bamboo huts amidst rice fields, a laidback culture, etc., seems to come from Issan.

(3) Haven't been there, but I hear Nan province is very beautiful but largely untouched.

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#1, Agree with this route however if you plan to do it by motorbike, make sure the brakes are in top condition as there are many very steep downgrades with sharp curves below and engine compression, even in first gear is not enough for most 100-125CC bikes to control speed. I made the mistake of doing it 2-up and my poor GF had to walk down (and up) many steep hills.

This route is also beautiful starting or finishing in Chaing Rai.

#2, the loop from Udon Thani through Nong Bua Lamphu to Loei and the National park, then return thru North Western Udon is a really lovely drive.

#3, Nan is beautiful but kind of overrun with backpackers . Neighboring PHAYAO is less overrun, has beautiful scenery and an interesting history.

I fly as an air courier and my tickets are paid out of another Asian country. Several times, I have been denied boarding when tickets were purchased with a 3rd party credit card within 72 hours of departure. Others are correct that if you can not show a back-up CC with enough credit available to cover the ticket costs, then the card holder will have to go to the nearest sales office of that airline to verify it. Note that even if they do that, word often does not get to check-in at your departure point. Often times, my company has showed the CC at the sales office but a note was not attached to my reservation meaning that the ticket office in Survanabhumi has to call the office elsewhere and ask about it. It often goes unnoticed, or they neglect to send it or it gets mislaid in BKK. Tell your friend to be sure to get the name and phone no. of the person who verify's the card just in case they need to be called.

Anek Kuson Sala (Viharnra Sien): The absolutely amazing but surprisingly little known Chinese-Thai museum in Jomtien near the Buddha Mountain and Silverlake Vinyard.

The museum is four stories tall and contains a stunning collection of ancient Chinese figures, scrolls, artifacts, military weaponry and Armour.

It is the only museum outside of China to be given permanent custody of a genuine Terra Cotta Warrior from the underground Terra Cotta Army discovered 30 years ago. They also have three thousand year old war chariots on display. On the upper levels are wonderful displays of ancient musical instruments, theater masks and puppets, dioramas of military battles and village life and some amazingly intricate wood carvings of wildlife. There are also several rooms with huge golden Buddahs.

There is a 2nd floor outdoor terrace with a collection of more than 20 life size bronze statues of martial arts warriors at the peak of action. This terrace is exposed to the direct sun and gets frying pan hot. Shoes can not be worn so be sure to bring a heavy pair of socks to protect your feet.

This museum was built by the Chinese-Thai Business Assoc. to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Kings coronation. For some reason it gets little publicity though many Chinese tour buses come there. Many people who live just a few miles away do not know it exists. Once you go, I can almost guarantee you will want to go again and again...it's that good. Admission is B50.

Sorry; I did try to find the map co-ordinates but could not.

Huawei G200 & G300 on sale at the large mobile store to the left of the entrance of Power Buy in Central World, Bangkok.

BTW, this shop has a nice display explaining which phone models & providers cover which bands for 3 & 4G

If you are hauling a suitcase, then just taxi it. Too much upstairs-downstairs making your rail connections.

Almost every country has different visa rules for different countries based on mutual agreements. The US for instance has a long list of mostly European countries whose citizens are US visa exempt.

Somehow doesn´t hold water to me. Apart from the question whether there is there enough to burglar to make a living, burglary is a specific trade with rules such that you basically will have to stay in your own country, or at least in an environment where you are inconspicous. After you burglar things, you have to basically sell them, and for this you will need access to a dealer network. I cannot imagine these four having that. A Russian in Pattaya is relatively inconspicous, but four colombians...? There must be something else...

This isn't the first time South American burglary gangs have been busted here. Several years ago both a Colombian gang and a Salvadorian gang were arrested in Pattaya doing the same thing...breaking into upscale homes and taking everything in sight. The Colombians actually had a warehouse where they stored the booty and had already made arrangements for a container to ship it all back.

Apparently, most luxury and electronic retail goods are so heavily taxed in S.A. that there is a thriving black market for used items. It's worth their while to come to countries like Thailand that have soft law enforcement and lax controls on shipping.

The fact that you have returned to your home country should negate the red stamp. What sets them off is repeated visas from neighboring countries without any intervening home country stays.

Many US phones, even pre-paid ones won't work in Thailand. Unless your Mom is pretty tech savvy, forget about her buying a phone there. I have not seen any phones for sale in the arrivals area. There are kiosks from all the major carriers (AIS, DTAC, TRUE) where she can buy a SIM.

Easiest solution is for her to call you on a pay phone and you give her a cheap Nokia when she gets to your place. Otherwise, she could take a taxi from the airport to Mega-Bang Na, (Ikea)where there is a BIG-C with a large selection of cheap phones. Cab fare to and from would be around B150-200 + B50 airport fee.