Ajarn

Now I see the question correctly..

I would suggest using the Thai Consul (Hon) in Denver. Non-Im B multiple entry one year 90-day visa without all the 'required' paperwork. Call them to confirm the procedure... Dawn is very helpful, and sounds quite cute.

COLORADO

ROYAL THAI CONSULATE-GENERAL

1123 AURARIA PKWY, SUITE 200

DENVER, CO 80204

Tel : (303) 892-0118

Fax : (303) 892-0119

E-mail : [email protected]

Honorary Consul-General, Mr. Donald W. Ringby

The contact person at the Consulate office in Denver, Colorado, is: Dawn Zielbauer ([email protected]), the office hours are: Monday-Thursday, 9:00am to 12:30pm, and their phone number is:(303)892-0118.

The Louisiana Consul has been doing the same thing....

ROYAL THAI CONSULATE-GENERAL

335 JULIA STREET

NEW ORLEANS, LA 70130

Tel : (504) 522-3400

Fax : (504) 522-3434

E-mail : [email protected]

Honorary Consul-General, Mr. Arthur Q. Davis

But I still don't think you can start your retirement visa process in March, as you'd like. With the non-immigrant visa already, you don't need to do anything special before your birthday, like changing a tourist visa to a non im. Just go in with your med cert, letter from your bank in Thailand stating your balance over the minimum, and the other stuff, and you'll be fine.

If you come here on a valid Tourist Visa and have transferred the required (or at least a sizable portion) of the 800k into a Thai bank account before that visa stay ends and meet the over 50 and other requirements there is a good chance that immigration would try to help you convert to a retirement visa I suspect.  It has been done but believe persons always had the money in the bank and paperwork ready when they applied.

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He's tring to avoid the wait until he's 50. There's no reason whatsoever for Immigration to amend his visa type because he simply deesn't meet the age criteria.

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I concur with the doc... I'm in a similar position agewise (50 next month). I've tried pleading and cajoling immigration in CM, and no luck. I have had considerably more than the required funds in a local bank for a long time, but they still won't accept my application until next month, instead giving me 90 day extensions based on my crappy health...

I have just finished a CELTA in Ireland and been granted a Grade B which I know is very hard to achieve (it was for me anyway!).

Will this be worth highlighting in my job applications? Do employers take any notice of grades or are they just looking for "pass" and paper certificate?

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I'd say, take much pride in your accomplishment, but don't expect many Thai hirers to be equally impressed. It's the CELTA and the paper that impresses most, ime. But, no reason not to highlite it in your applications. Psychologically, your making it a big deal might even rub off on them!

Congratulations, by the way!

I've used two places in Thailand with good results...

http://pantipprice.com Excellent prices and follow-up service..

http://tohome.com  good prices, good selection...

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Another good one, thanks Ajarn. I does look like the prices are 20 to 30% higher than here in the US. I'll just have to do some kind of cost benefit analysis and decide whether it is better to buy here and ship or buy online in Thailand. I assume that shipping through UPS or DHL to Koh Samui is safe. I don't have too much faith in the postal service...

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UPS and DHL are the most expensive options and you'll likely be charged duty, and another charge for services, which has averaged 800-1000 baht more for me. Also be aware that the shipping charges are also included when figuring your tax, so if you send DVD's, for example, your 30% duty will include 30% of your shipping costs, too. Also consider warrranties and any possible service needs.. If purchased in-country, no sweat, but from overseas... that's a different story, most likely.

Depending on what you're buying, I think you're better off purchasing online in Thailand and keeping the shipping local. Far less hassle all around, and most likely cheaper in the long run, too.

I've used two places in Thailand with good results...

http://pantipprice.com Excellent prices and follow-up service..

http://tohome.com good prices, good selection...

When I first came here, I stayed in a couple of guest houses inside the moat. I feel I learned more about 'real living' in those situations than I ever did in the years since living outside of that area. That's the best part of Chiang Mai. At least it was for me..

Btw, learn some basic language as soon as you can. Opens up lots more doors and smiles 

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Thanks, Ajarn - also a good suggestion. During my previous visits, I loved the whole area inside the moat........ exploring backstreets day and night as well as the usual venues; by contrast, I think I only went to the Night Market once - for a look.

My basic language is probably a bit rusty since my last spell in Thailand (2000), but after starting a couple of days with some good khao tom , I hope it will come back OK...... I certainly raised some huge smiles with some of my tones

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During that time, I used to practice my Thai on ladies at the Sompet Market (inside) Sort of a captive audience for the neophyte Thai learner fresh from his AUA class, and I'm pretty sure they were laughing with me

Have a great time, wherever your body finds you.

I do a lot of practice searches (like 'Asian recipes') trying to locate my page returns. For those in higher positions, I compare the highlighted returns for any clues as to why their page is ranked higher. Even the page url name helps your rankings. Page Title seems to be the most important, and it shouldn't be too long. I've heard of some tricks like creating a false front for search bots, but I don't know if they really help you, or hurt you.

It's a tough game to get higher search engine returns. Time does make a big difference, for sure. So many sites come and go, so you're bound to get more visits and better rankings at some point. I can't imagine how these companies can guarantee one higher ratings in search engines except by some form of slight of hand...

I think it's also intresting to see what sites have your link. All the search engines can show you all the sites that link to you. And, of course, more links help your traffic, and your ratings...

Onward through the fog

The only way to get in top 10 on google guarenteed is to use Pay for position/click

The only commercial clicks on google that I see are set to the side, not confusing the search returns.. My sites are number one in competitive categories, but I've never paid anything.. Maybe running google ads makes some difference?

When I first came here, I stayed in a couple of guest houses inside the moat. I feel I learned more about 'real living' in those situations than I ever did in the years since living outside of that area. That's the best part of Chiang Mai. At least it was for me..

Btw, learn some basic language as soon as you can. Opens up lots more doors and smiles

Google is super convenient and fast to use. I find it much faster-loading on my crap connection than Yahoo, normally. I use the cached page link on 90% of my searches because it saves so much time in wading through the crap which always comes back in droves. Some engines also place paid ads as first search returns, but Google puts them to the side, so, again, less crap to have to wade through.

Altavista has improved a lot, and it seems to be the leanest, ad wise. It, too, has pretty much the same search features as Google and Yahoo. Putting in 'Asian Recipes' comes back with the same top results in each engine. But it often still loads slower than Google for me.

I don't like Dmoz at all. Not as complete, and getting listed was never easy for websites... Plus, they don't list my website as high in the search returns as other engines do, the bastards

I also recommend Google to my website visitors because I think it's easy and good. I get mostly students doing research, and many had a tendency before to write me directly with their assignments, expecting me to do their homework. But hitting up another teacher to do your homework is wasted effort.... So I made my site more user-friendly with an internal search engine, and some instruction pages to teachers and students on how to find info on my site and at google, plus I give teachers some ideas on how they can best utilize my site in their teaching...

I also run google ads on my site, and google always pays on time. I even bought stock in the company. Google also announced that they've signed deals with the Library of Congress, Harvard Library, and others, to digitize all their libraries, including fragile rare books. What an amazing idea, especially for those of us with fond memories of searching through libraries as a kid, excited about the adventures in learning.

I'm riding on the Google train for the time being, I think.

Survival Thinking at its best. Good show, David

Renews my faith in Siam TV, too.

What? Nobody in your house willing to hand-wash your shorts and socks?

As I bet most of you have figured out already, my nick is an anagram of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, encrypted in fourth level Kabbala code, converted into a graph which was decoded by an AI synthesizer and subsequently copied by an eskimo clarinet player who influenced a special breed of seals native to the Baltic Sea, which in turn had this peculiarity of enjoying playing with balls, and were composed of meat. I thought that was sweet, so there you go.  :-)

BTW, anyone for a mead?

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I figured that out long ago...

Mine's simple. Nationality and home city squashed together.

cv

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Your response reminded me that we met and chatted a bit once... I remember you as being a good guy, too.

Happy Holidays, cdnvic

I'm sure most know what Ajarn means, but my informal nickname is LarryLek (high tone on 'lek' = small) to my biker friends... 'Little Larry'. A bit of a joke on my size

But when a beautiful woman asks my nickname, it becomes LarryLek (low tone on 'lek'= metal... Suggesting, 'Hard Larry'

Don't kid yourself in assuming you won't get a fair hearing in Thailand. Many do get a fair shake. In fact, in every case to which I've been personaly privy to (civil/labour) over 20 years, every farang got a fair shake in the courts, even when they didn't win...

Watch those mass generalizations here.... Life here is not nearly so cut and dried or predictable as many would like to believe... I'm not saying it's all fair and right, but I am saying it's not all unfair and dishonest.... Your experience may vary. 

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In reponse to walk away, first I'm very aware that I am a foriegner. If your assumption is that you will lose in any dispute here and throw in the towel any time one occurs I'm sure you are absolutely correct.

I'm not into flaming so I will go no further then to say you do it your way I'll do it mine and wish you a wonderful day.

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You were referring to another post, but you quoted mine. I think we're in agreement already, right?

Ajarn,  the omega clasp has a stamp because it is gold.  The chain should also have a stamp. ...

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.....I called a few Thai friends just now and asked them to check where their stamps were located. Each said it was on the clasp only... I've seen the stamp on the insides of rings and bracelets directly on the piece, but not the necklaces...

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Just checked my chain - has a stamp on the clasp and has "96.5%K1" printed very small on the first (and larger) link.

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That's a first for me. None of my pieces have anything more than I mentioned earlier... In fact, there is only one possible spot on the first 'O' link to maybe stamp something and nothing is there... Any stamp on a link would damage the link considerably because of its 'wrapped' (hollow) construction.

My best guess is that they stamp the piece itself when possible- otherwise, it's only on the clasp...

Ajarn,  the omega clasp has a stamp because it is gold.  The chain should also have a stamp.  I couldn't recognize Thai stamps. I think Oz jewelers could.  Pawn shops probably would.

Buying gold anywhere I would have to determine whether I trust the dealer/jeweler.  In Bkk I am given a certificate with a signature, it describes the item and states "Quality Guaranteed Return Fully Refunded At Current Price".  Sure the cert. could mean nothing.  I have sold gold back to them.  "Current Price" is their current price not the currrent quote for gold.  So it is a negotiation process.

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Bought back at the bullion price as I understand, since much of what gold is sold back is melted down.... Not sure how the bullion price relates to the quoted gold price, except that there wouldn't be any workmanship fee, I assume

As for the stamp on necklaces...I called a few Thai friends just now and asked them to check where their stamps were located. Each said it was on the clasp only... I've seen the stamp on the insides of rings and bracelets directly on the piece, but not the necklaces...

See anythng 'Thai'?

What I meant by that was, the stamp is likely not going to be recognized by anyone as anything, outside the shop is was bought at... Can't see any words or images- even at the fairly high magnification shown...

My point being that such a stamp is not going to help you except at the shop where it was purchased. Anyone could forge such an unclear stamp and call it Thai gold. Being only on the clasp means even the original shop can't trust that the clasp is connected to the same piece they sold... Nor can anyone else trust the piece without an assay certification of some kind. As I said, I wouldn't trust any shop outside of Thailand claiming to sell Thai gold without proper certification.

I would expect some sign of respect if I ever met him personally.

Being granted an audience with the King was sign enough for me.

I can see his face, but I can't see his name.....

Gallagher says Google

Don't kid yourself in assuming you won't get a fair hearing in Thailand. Many do get a fair shake. In fact, in every case to which I've been personaly privy to (civil/labour) over 20 years, every farang got a fair shake in the courts, even when they didn't win...

Watch those mass generalizations here.... Life here is not nearly so cut and dried or predictable as many would like to believe... I'm not saying it's all fair and right, but I am saying it's not all unfair and dishonest.... Your experience may vary.

Ray, thanks for the updates. I'm sure that your continued reporting of the process of your case here will be valuable info for many...

I think that balance is a good point of reference here, too. I like being friendly and trusting and generous, but I can't always really, for my own safety. There are plenty of people who will victimize you in some way if you give them room.. I must find balance in my actions, to be sure...

But the wai is about politeness, and I don't feel I've ever come across a situation where politeness and civilty would weaken me, or cause me to see myself as kissing ass.

That judgement is purely mine alone unless the lips touch the butt. If someone chooses to try to treat me like I'm kissing their ass, well, that's a basic issue of respect. Nothing to do with my being polite or civil. I don't accept undeserved disrespect from anyone either, and I always deal with that head-on. Otherwise, they will get the wrong message about me....

How can you know it's a Thai stamp? Here's an example of one stamp...Notice that this one is on the clasp, which could be moved to most any other necklace...

See anythng 'Thai'? I wouldn't trust any overseas shop that sells 'Thai' gold without certifying its gold percentage.

In Malaysia, the government certifies the purity of the gold sold in all stores there... I would trust that more than I'd trust Thai gold outside of Thailand..

Here's a table of gold percentage vs karat...

Gold Percentage/ Karat/ Fineness

100.00 24 1000

91.67 22 .916

83.33 20 .833

75.00 18 .750

58.33 14 .583

50.00 12 .500

41.67 10 .416

I guess Holloywood movies do leave an imprint on some!

Wow! It sure wasn't humidity today! Yuck!

Huge inversion layer trapping everything... It seemed like all the previously invisible vehicle exhausts were made visible. When I was coming out of the mountains north of Doi Saket, I went from beautiful blue sky and invisible air to a brown sky and brown air... Some places on the longer stretches, I could only see a couple of hundred yards ahead.

As Chiang Mai grows, so do the numbers of vehicles. I don't sense anything will get better on the air pollution front anytime soon.. -- Today I saw a police officer with a 'fire stick' of some sort, lighting brush fires along the road, and here's where it all starts.... I see the fields are ripe for the torch soon, too.

Some years ago I remember the government touting a field burning vehicle with a built in filter of some sort.. Anyone remember this, or know of anything happening on this front?

As for the forest fires, they're the easiest to enforce. Just arrest the offenders for awhile, and behaviours will change. So far, according to the news, only one person was arrested (doi sutep) but with no evidence outside of his carrying a lighter....

The vehicles... Good luck. No possible reprieve of any sort even being considered by officials. Just more more more of everything...

A crackdown on drivers who hog the outside lanes for absolutly no reason.

Now this something in British English which makes NO sense to me...

Looks like the INSIDE Lane to me..

Maybe this backward thinking while driving is why Brits have problems driving here?

1 baht(weight) = 15.2 grams  ~ 8150 baht(money)

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The key phrase is approximately equal to 8k ThB. The price fluctuates, as does all gold on the world market. And contrary to popular opinion and some advertisements, I believe that prices can be haggled and negotiated somewhat depending on the store.

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I've negotiated on the workmanship fee, but never the gold price. In fact, I would be highly suspect if they were negotiable on the gold price... I would most likely leave, figuring they were trying to pull something fishy like less gold content- or even selling plated as solid... Or the first price offered was already above that day's gold price everywhere else...

Gold is a commodity. Discounting the gold price is akin to going to your bank and them selling you baht at a discount... " Give us 1000 baht, and we'll give you 1200 back"

I also wouldn't buy any unstamped gold piece, because that offers you some protection...