Kitbaikitmah

Like it up north...and thats where I'll stay for me holidays...calm gentle polite and old style....well away from the wild 'west'.

Key points. Top location for tourists, many confronting gang members, carrying a pre-made lethal device, firing randomly.

A law and order issue...the combination was preventable and the shameful result was avoidable.

The arrestee has neither a sneer nor smirk but the Thai expression shown when about to receive wrath from above. he knows he will be punished for the police and national loss of face.

The FO advice is perfectly phrased. ..basically at your own peril, law and order is not the norm, bewarned.

Again, an utterly preventable and shameful event...a very sad loss for all.

For those of us lucky enough come from cultures underpinned by logic , critical thinking and thus somewhat uncommon 'common-sense'....prevention before cure.

Mosquitoes: full-length clothing, repellants, screens and nets.

Driving: don't drink, helmet, mirror-signal-manouver.

Dusky ladies: condom, limited cash in wallet.

Local food: well cooked and popular.

Local marriage: Don't get involved unless: money to burn, secure reserve funds for evac home/start-up, GPS chip in spouse, selective/under-presented ability to understand local language, bodyguard and kevlar and finally monthly ATM limit, NEVER assume and NEVER under-estimate local peer advice to truly 'muck-up' things.

Local investment: as local marriage.

Local beach parties: as marriage.

Local employment: as marriage

Local car/bike hire: as marriage

Basically take care of yourself.

Amazing. Finally praise, albeit indirectly, for the craftmanship of all the Burmese Cambodian and Lao builders....mmmm!?...I haven't heard of them all rushing to the safest place on the planet!

If any of it is true the news would be interesting: 'Hundreds of Government ministers trampled in rush for space on 'End of Days' proof dam'.

THE FOURTH HOUR, DAY ONE, YEAR ONE.

And all about was in ruin. The last of Man stood upon the dam, greatly saddened. Then a great cry arose 'heaw kaew' and so the Great Investigative Commission was appointed.

YEAR 4000

After much turmoil, strife, bloodshed, irregularities and general fannying-about, the production of the plough begun.

YEAR 8000

We have conquered the new world...without a single defeat but tourism is still an elusive goal....the epic search for the gold-laden foreigner is still on-going. The Great Investigative Commission (all praise thy name) after much turmoil, strife.....has approved production of the oblong wheel and set in motion an enquiry into the colonisatioo of the moon, free massage and water sanitisation.

Hope I can be the first to say, this is a nuatty idea !

The world knows it as 'Thai Massage', and changes of brand-name are expensive, oops ... sorry ... I think I just spotted the rationale behind the change, loads-a-money and advertising-budgets required !

To be followed by the world-wide re-naming of 'Thai Boxing', or 'Thai Food to Take-Away' or 'Thai Rice', perhaps ?

Imagine a "fresh off the plane" Newcastle lad emailling home.

"Some cow thai, pet - <deleted>, no beef and spicey, bangkok belly all night".

"Some a-han thai saigon - limp sweet pasta/noodles with nuts, no imported nukkie brown, miss me bottle of dog";

"Go see some moi thai - scary <deleted>, dark jungle...... I... I... I cried, I wept like some grandmother. I wanted to tear my teeth out; I didn't know what I wanted to do! And I want to remember it. I never want to forget it... I never want to forget. And then I realized... like I was shot... like I was shot with a diamond... a diamond bullet right through my forehead. And I thought, my God... the genius of that! The genius!";

"Go see some nude thai - <deleted>, My man boobs are bigger and...the mum bums..The horror... the horror."

Lets keep it sweet and simple?

Being an honest, sincere and utterly faithful guy, I explained to my fun-loving girlfriend that I needed a syphilis test for my work permit....admittedly using basic Thai and graphical gestures. At first she was confused then angry and finally oddly silent.

Then the next day I was incessently subjected to the question "Wor permii mii mai?'.

The issue of the work permit has now become such an headache......am very confused.

Thank you guys for your analyse and explainations based on your experiance and knowledge.

The initial explaination was provided by my school Director.....hence the posting to clarify underlying mis-communication.

To clarify a point in the posting. "A couple of days" refers to the time spent (crossing denied) waiting for communication and paperwork (because it hasn't happened before).

Again the posting (phone a friend) was to bring reason and understanding to bear on the events and prevent others experiancing the same situation.

Apologies for the newbiness of the post....I just teach (note: in the present continuous tense)....Immigration confounds me...hence the asking of a peer and mentor group for advice.

Thank you again.

@digitialchromakey. Thank you...I didn't kmow this. Please could you post on my duplicate posting in the Teacher forum...am sure many others there would find this useful also. Thanks again.

Apologies..am a newbie.....should be on the Teacher forum.

The first time it happened (at a Cambodian crossing)....I thought so too...but later at Nong Kai (a major crossing)......yes sounds crazy but I was there to hear the office phone dialogue. As for people whos work crosses the borders....I have no idea (maybe the computorised system recognises them?). However I was referring to the average teacher on an average work permit/visa.....the majority of teachers. The posting is a warning from the last months events....I don't know the policy mechanics. As with many things, we don't know they are in effect...until there is an effect.

IMHO...this will end up like the other scam.

The Gorv sponsored Eng Camps. Schools are paid an amount per number of NETs per day. A few teachers are sent to teach on different days...but the school inists the teachers sign for everyday ie 4 teachers per day over 2 days becomes 8 teachers for 2 days.

IMHO....you will not see an extra B. No NET could be employed for 10k even part-time. NETs will be signed up (you...like your contract, visa..ok...sign..here...now), monies paid (to the school), stastics made (by MoE...NET in many many school like other ASEAN country)......everybody happy.

Next year there will be a same same but different technique with a different MoE.

You my friend will still be grinding away without a single crumb falling into your lap.

The last month a number of ESL Teachers have been denied departure from the Kingdom (at land crossings) because thier work permits are still active.

Clearence has only been granted when the school has faxed a 'headed' letter confirming the person is no longer employed.....at the date of attempted departure.

The working visa and work permit are interlinked.. Should either expire or be terminated you must immediately transfer to a Tourist visa.

If you have not co-ordinated with your employer (nicely!) when your work contact has completed (or been terminated) and decide to have a relaxing island holiday until your visa/work permit expires.......your end-of-contract date takes president and you will be fined as overstay from the EoC date.

Some teachers have faced a 10k overstay fine whilst in visa limbo at immigraton posts...for a couple of days. However this has been rescinded by the grace of the school director with a phone call and a fax....the now ex-employee has then been allowed to depart without being fined.....probably never to return.

I was told this is enabled by newly introduced online data-tracking.

Without loading the reply dice too much...one should carefully research and select the establishment granting you a work visa and permit....once you sign....your short and curlies will now be firmly in their grasp.

Wai, smile, wai again, keep smiling, keep wai-ing and NEVER EVER utter a truism.

Kitbaikitmah

The last month a number of ESL Teachers have been denied departure from the Kingdom (at land crossings) because thier work permits are still active.

Clearence has only been granted when the school has faxed a 'headed' letter confirming the person is no longer employed.....at the date of attempted departure.

The working visa and work permit are interlinked.. Should either expire or be terminated you must immediately transfer to a Tourist visa.

If you have not co-ordinated with your employer (nicely!) when your work contact has completed (or been terminated) and decide to have a relaxing island holiday until your visa/work permit expires.......your end-of-contract date takes president and you will be fined as overstay from the EoC date.

Some teachers have faced a 10k overstay fine whilst in visa limbo at immigraton posts...for a couple of days. However this has been rescinded by the grace of the school director with a phone call and a fax....the now ex-employee has then been allowed to depart without being fined.....probably never to return.

I was told this is enabled by newly introduced online data-tracking.

Without loading the reply dice too much...one should carefully research and select the establishment granting you a work visa and permit....once you sign....your short and curlies will now be firmly in their grasp.

Wai, smile, wai again, keep smiling and NEVER EVER utter a truism.

Kitbaikitmah