gmeddy

Had the ages of these two been reversed, the first attack would have resulted in death or permanent injury leading to early death.

The Aussie bears the most guilt by far.

To the OP,  you said blah blah blah for about 400 words when all you really want to know is: "What does one have to do to get Thai citizenship?" Because that's apparently what your definition of "moving" to Thailand is. Obviously lots of people have a different definition of what "moving" to Thailand means, but you've made it clear that you mean being able to live here indefinitely without any Visa troubles or restrictions or obligations to leave the country ever again.

So please stop wasting readers time and just ask it straight. You want to become a real Thai citizen, that's the only way to "move" here according to your def. 

I know an American who did it. He learnt Thai so fluently that he translated a book about the King which got him in real good with people in powerful places and they offered him anything he wanted, he asked for citizenship, and got it. But now he's a Citizen, he even needs to apply for permission to leave the country, so he says...

Yes, my wife had it done under GA when she was a teen, in Australia. And I've met a couple others who said all 4 at the same time is the way to go.

Only recently I spoke with a couple of Koreans who were shocked and said it was unheard of to get all 4 at the same time. So I guess it's just not so widely heard of...

It's now been 1 week since my 4 wisdom teeth removed at dental world Chiangmai. 
I can say that overall I'm very happy with the experience. 
I usually get pretty stressed out with just a filling being done, so I went to dental world specifically because they have laughing gas on offer. 

    The laughing gas is an interesting story.

I had the nose-mask fitted and the gas 'turned on' right at the beginning before my dentist even gave me the first couple injections, but after a while when my gums were numb and I could tell he was about to start work, I told him that I was still not experiencing any effects from the gas. I wasn't feeling dreamy or floaty or anything. When I informed him of this, he said they would turn the gas up. 
In about 30 seconds I went completely unconscious and had some amazing trippy dreams, and then I was woken up to find I had a pulse meter attached to my finger and the dentist was looking at me asking me over and over again: "Are you ok?" 
At this point I felt amazing and gave him two thumbs up - I thought the whole procedure was over. 

However, he then asked "OK to start?" and started on the first tooth!
For the rest of the procedure I was fully aware of what was going on and I didn't feel like the gas was doing anything at all. No floaty feeling, and no dreams. 

However, I didn't feel too stressed out about it all and I had no pain at any point at all. 
So perhaps the gas was just taking the edge off the stress, but I was still very disappointed to not be dreaming the whole time like I had read would be the case. 

They charge ฿3000 for a simple tooth extraction, which means shallow roots and no drilling required (possibly no cutting of the gums either). 
I had 1 difficult impacted and 2 standard "difficult" teeth, and just one simple. 

I could feel the difference, the three difficult ones required quite a bit of drilling or cutting of the tooth, and several pulling/breaking sessions. (Afterwards he gave me a little bag full of my teeth, most of them were broken into 2 or 3 pieces, and the breaks looked smooth like they had been cut)

He left the simple one til last, which was removed with a couple very quick strong wiggle pulls and it was done without use of the drill/saw. 
All 4 teeth were out and I was getting my final X-ray within 1 hour from when I sat down in the chair. 

My mouth was full of blood for about 8 hours, I replaced the gauze every 2 hours.

It took probably at least 6 hours from the time of surgery until the numbness in my face was worn off.

I spent the first night with the gauze in until sometime in the early morning hours when I got up and removed them. My wife looked inside my mouth to check for more bleeding and gave me the all clear. 

I was surprised I didn't get pain or aching at any point. I was given one strong 24hr pain killer pill right before surgery started, and another one to take 24hrs later. And 5 more weaker ones to take every 6 hours after that. 

Swelling of my jaws was quite noticeable and I was nicknamed "Godfather" for a few days. 

I started chewing soft food for breakfast on the third day after surgery. I still never experienced any pain or aching. 
Day 4 and onwards I was eating normally but just having to take small bites because it was uncomfortable to open my mouth wide. 
Day 5 and the swelling was pretty much gone. 
I still never had any pain or aching even after I ran out of pain killers. 

I went back 7 days later to have the stitches removed and he told me everything looks good. 

So all in all, a very good experience. 
Total price about $850 AUD. 
 

I've ordered an uber 5 times in Bangkok, and cancelled the last 4 in a row because the stupid driver always calls me to ask for directions to my location.
Or to apologise that he missed the turn and will be stuck in traffic for "5 minutes" which turns into 20 before I cancel.

I once had a good Uber experience getting across Bangkok, but used a standard meter taxi to return and the price was within 20฿ of being the same.
Not worth the hassle unless I'm getting refused by all the meter taxis.

In places like CM, Pattaya or Phuket however, I can see the appeal of using Uber all the time.

Who cares if their business practices are not always respectable or commendable, who are you comparing them with?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

I agree too. And here lies the real problem. The gov is not able to force the laws and rules. It's only a chaos. If uber says, we don't care if we are illegal in Thailand or not, that's a loss of face for the authorities. I really hope, that they will go hard against uber and force the regular taxi drivers to use their meters.

Anyone know if you can buy Swedish Bitters in Pattaya?

I think that if I had some serious or undiagnosed or chronic health problem I would not waste time with any local hospital at all but would go straight to Bangkok.

Do you mean Bangkok Pattaya or a Hospital in Bangkok?

My wife and I are from Australia and in our 30's.

We both have Bupa platinum 2 cover.

No outpatient cover.

She's had abdominal pain and headaches that have worried her for about a year already, and despite checkups several times at different hospitals she has never had any results that show problems.

Twice she had checkups for intestinal parasites, once at the Sirikit Satahip hosp and then again later at the Pattaya International, and both times they said she was all clear.

Not long after, she got a Colun cleanse back in Australia and parasites were abundantly visible.

This kind of simple child-like incompetence at major hospitals, and expensive ones at that, really concerns us. If she has a real problem, how can we get a good doctor to give her a good checkup?

We want to go to BKK Pattaya hosp to get the full checkups, but fear we can't afford it - the Bupa cover will only help if the doc says she needs to stay a night...

And the girls at the counter wouldn't say if it's likely. We really can't afford major expenses at the moment, and only have 2 weeks of our Bupa cover left.

Any suggestions?

You cannot change to a tourist visa at immigration. You can only go to an embassy or consulate to a apply for a tourist visa (not a change).

If you going to Vientiane overland to get a tourist visa you will need a letter from your school to cancel your extension unless you are on a 90 day ED visa entry. Immigration at Nong Khai will not let you leave the country without the letter.

"unless you are on a 90 day ED visa entry."

What does that mean?

Aren't we always on a 90 day ED extension of our stay with the ED visa?

Right now we are on our 3rd, which expires mid-June, and due to the muck around changes with school regulations, our school changed from saying that we only had to do 120 hours for our 12 month visa to saying that we need to do double that to maintain our visa.

This is not only inconvenient but has caused us to use up the hours we paid for ahead of time.

So we are thinking of switching up if we can, to get through to December on a Tourist visa.

So does this phrase "unless you are on a 90 day ED visa entry." mean that we need or don't need a letter to cross into Laos? I assumed from all other comments that we did need the letter until I read that...

Oh another thought just came to me, perhaps it's possible to get a 90 day ED visa?? As opposed to the 12 month visa that you must renew every 90 days? (that's a confusing idea, but perhaps what you meant)

Thanks in advance.

All this year I see quite a few posts where many K-bank branches seem to be pushing some type of insurance to open a bank account. And when I say pushing, I mean a hard sell making it sound mandatory versus a soft attempt/optional offer to accompany some product such as the bank account....usually worthless insurance considering the accompanying terms and conditions of the insurance where you have to have the accident or death in just the right way, day of the week, etc., to make a claim.

Exactly! They sure do push it at the big K branch near on the cnr beside Tuk Com!

Yesterday I went to the Bangkok Bank branch on Jom Tien 2nd road, beside the 7 Eleven at the cnr of soi 7.

No such attempts were made to sell any insurance there, in fact, the elderly gentleman who got served in front of me was on a tourist visa, his Filipino wife was also, and he got an account no problems as well.

She didn't seem to give much care to what kind of visa I was on, I'm pretty sure she even giggled a tiny bit when I mentioned I was on an ED Visa, as if she laughed at the thought of that being a concern!

Terms:

500 Baht opening account balance, 300 baht ATM card fee - which has a 5 year exp. date - a few minutes for them to enter in all your information, and you walk out smiling with a crisp fresh bank book and a Visa Debit card.

I couldn't be happier, especially seeing as Bangkok Bank seems to be the best for international banking with it's New York branch, and others around the world.

I've already set up internet banking and got their App on my iPad. Looks great.

anyways, back on topic anyone?

I went into the big Kasikorn bank near Tuk Com on Pattaya Tai road to open an account on an ED Visa last week, and they said no problems, just need to have 5000 B on hand to deposit.

So when I finally get through the line up and sit down at the desk, the first thing he tells me is there is an upfront fee of 3300 B (not a deposit!) to get myself a debit card and accident insurance!

I show him my Platinum Bupa insurance card and say no thanks, and he says "Thats not our insurance, you need our insurance" - <deleted>? Why the *bleep* do I need my savings account's insurance? In case I break a nail when making a withdrawal from their ATM?

I'm gonna shell out another 120 bucks for a piece of plastic I'll never use?

Get stuffed. I haven't tried Bangkok bank yet, anyone know if they've got these same sorts of cute little fees??

Why don't you refill your money before it expires, it would be a lot smarter and you wouldn't have to get mad at these monkeys !

...

If you read my OP again, I clearly said that I did make sure I had enough credit on my card before midnight came and I got cut off again.

That's the whole reason I'm [bleeeeep]-ing frustrated!

SO... first question, how do I send an email to DTAC asking for help? Their stupid web site doesn't seem to supply it.

And does anyone know of a good Dtac agent I can speak with who knows their stuff?

Here's my story:

I used to use the key codes to activate data packages so that I had internet on my phone. Something like 200B for 250MB which lasts a month...

But then I registered with their web site and found that there is an option to change to other payment plans.

So I selected one with this description:

Smartphone 299B/month*
Enjoy calling any networks 100 minutes, Unlimited Internet with 500 MB FUP

It is supposed to be a ​recurring monthly package.

This is where it get's very frustrating.

at the end of the month, the last day before the expiration date, I get this message:

ระบบจะต่อ โปร Smartphone รายเดือนแบบต่ออายุอัตโนมัติ 299 บาท วันที่ 25-01-2014 00:00 น. กรุณาเติมเงินให้พอค่ะ

Which I ask a Thai I know who speaks english to read and explain to me, and they tell me it means, as I would have expected, that my monthly promotion is about to expire and that I need to have at least 299 baht in my account credit so that it can go ahead and recur...

Yesterday I went to the Big C Extra on Pattaya Central rd, and asked the Dtac office girl, and she seemed as incompetent as is usual, knew less than me about it all, and just took money to make up my balance over 299 B.

So after that, I've got 350+ baht there for it to use up... midnight comes and goes, and I get this message:

ระบบยกเลิกโปรสมาร์ทโฟนรายเดือนแบบต่ออายุอัตโนมัติ299บ. รอบถัดไปแล้วค่ะ

แพ็กเน็ตไม่จำกัด 500MB ได้ถูกยกเลิกแล้ว สมัครใช้แพ็กอื่นโทร*10041

ระบบไม่สามารถต่อ โปร Smartphone รายเดือนแบบต่ออายุอัตโนมัติ 299 บาท เพราะยอดเงินคงเหลือไม่เพียงพอ กรุณาเติมเงิน และสมัครใหม่โทร*1003

Basically again telling me that my promotion has expired and I need to have 299 Baht on hand to reactivate it.

But I had 320 baht on hand in my account when they cancelled it!

I still have over 300 baht in my account and they have cancelled my promotion again!

This is the 3rd time I've been through this with my phone as well as my wive's phone!

When I go into my account on the web site there is no option available to simply reactivate my promotion, and the only way I have found to get around it is to choose a ​new promotion, something either cheaper or more expensive, and change over to that. But then at the end of the month the same thing happens again!

If I don't do something about it quickly, my internet usage uses us all my baht credit.

If anyone knows of a good DTAC agent who knows what they are doing, can you please let me know so I can go talk with them?

I believe that if your already on the OAP (or WVP I would guess) and go overseas, you can still keep getting it. As someone else posted, their are many Aussies that have lived in Thailand for many years on their pensions. However I was specifically asking if anything much has changed since September this year.

My sister-in-law works for Centrelink in Aus, and found this link for me. It makes me think that there is no issue with getting the pension while living OS.

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/outside-australia#AgePensionPensionSupplement

and

https://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/seniors/benefits-payments/pensioners-overseas-0

Nothing stated in those pages indicates that living OS disqualifies you from OAP requirements.

I just scrolled to the end of the last page off this topic and it seems that no one has posted any information post the new rules that came out in September this year.

Have any Aussie aged pensioners been affected by new rules about how long they can stay outside of Aus?

My wife's parents decided not to move over here because they heard they need to live in Aus and be there every 6 weeks, but I think that's <deleted>.

What's the bottom line?

BTW for anyone else who may be searching for these cartridges, I checked out Friendship and they were "finished" (sold out) so went to the big kitchen supplies place with big red storefront on 2nd road, and they had a massive supply of them. 180B a box of 10.

I worked out that I pay around 8B per cup of coffee after breaking down the cost of the carts and the coffee, which is usually between 115 and 150B per bag of 250gm.

what coffee do you buy that is so cheap? 115b-150B per 250gm? Where can I get that deal?

Sorry, i've been away for 3 months, and really busy leading up to that... and I guess I never got an email notification of a reply to this thread!

I was buying coffee from 94 at Big C extra on Pattaya Klang road, I would go through it all looking for the most recent roast date, which is the used by date minus 12 months. But have also found a source of fresh coffee at Benjamit Cafe, which is around the back of the block on Pattaya Tai road between Soi 20 and 21. it's on google maps, i just checked. They roast their own coffee in the actual cafe. Great cafe if you haven't already discovered it.

anyone seen a movie from New Zealand staring all Maori actors/actresses?

their "eksint" has gotta be the best!

Hi,

ok so our visa expires on the 9th of Feb, but we can't depart until the 11th.

So, this would be a max of <48hrs overstay.

Would this attract a 1000 B overstay fine?

We are not too sure if we should go and pay 1900 B for the 7 day overstay pass, or just pay the fine on departure, we intend to return with a new 12 month B visa after around 3 months back home, so we don't want any sort of marks against our name in the immigration books, if there is such a thing...

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I would also highly recommend anyone buying a bike to stay well away from the unhelpful and untruthful salespeople at the Mityon South Pattaya.

I just purchased a new bike there, before reading all the recommendations against it!

I told them I wanted blue, they said there's none left, anywhere, and then try's some heavy pressure to get me to choose the black one he has on the floor.

I told them I'd seen two sitting out front of another dealership, so the salesperson says that it can't be true, he's asked around all the dealerships already, so I told him I wasn't talking about another Mityon... and he looked stumped and went away and came back in 5 mins saying he can get me one, but not electric start.

I tell him the ones i've seen had electric start and I will just go there to buy it, but he tells me to wait another couple minutes and then comes back and says OK he's found one.

20 mins later he rides a new blue bike with electric start in.

So the liar was just wasting my time for an hour all along.

Then they tell me that I can't get insurance to cover damages to the bike, but after I'm done I can get that elsewhere for around 400B per year, on top of the 2500 i've just paid for 2 years Theft that they give you.

Not true, The other insurance place tells me that they should have let me get Fully Comprehensive Insurance elsewhere which includes theft.

You can't get fully comprehensive that excludes theft.

So I've wasted a bunch of money getting two policies for theft thanks to the helpful staff at Mityon.

BTW for anyone else who may be searching for these cartridges, I checked out Friendship and they were "finished" (sold out) so went to the big kitchen supplies place with big red storefront on 2nd road, and they had a massive supply of them. 180B a box of 10.

I worked out that I pay around 8B per cup of coffee after breaking down the cost of the carts and the coffee, which is usually between 115 and 150B per bag of 250gm.

yes but do you have to use a gas cartridge in one sitting or does it hold the gas for use over many days?

Oh yeah, it holds the gas, I make a shot every morning which divides into two cups because I use the large basket and the splitter spout bottom. I usually get the full 4 go's, but have had the occasional dud for some reason and because of perhaps a leaky seal I only get 2 or 3 go's.

Usually it's the full 4 though.

It is not as simple as flashing a letter for any nationality in the Asia area (and suspect at most Consulate) today.

Foreigners who wish to conduct business in Thailand must provide the following documents:

- Passport or travel document with a validity of not less than 6 months.

- Completed application form.

- Recent passport-sized photograph (4 x 6 cm) photograph of the applicant taken within the past 6 months.

- Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family) for the duration of stay in Thailand

- Letter from the applicant’s company indicating the applicant’s position, length of employment, salary and purpose of visit(s) to Thailand.

- Documents showing correspondence with business partners in Thailand.

- Evidence of financial status in the case where the applicant is self-employed.

- Letter of invitation from trading or associated partners/companies in Thailand.

- Corporate documents of associated partners/companies in Thailand such as:

1) business registration and business license

2) list of shareholders

3) company profile

4) details of business operation

5) map indicating location of the company

6) balance sheet, statement of Income Tax and Business Tax (Por

Ngor Dor 50 and Por Ngor Dor 30) of the latest year

7) value-added tax registration (Por Por 20)

(3) Copies of company documents must be signed by the Board of Directors or authorised managing director and affix seal of company.

(4) Additional documents may be requested as and when necessary. In the absence of a required document, applicant must provide a letter explaining the unavailability of such document. Applicant must endorse on each and every page of the submitted copies of documentation. Documents in foreign languages must be translated into Thai and should be notorised by notary organs or by the applicant’s diplomatic or consular mission.

(5) Holder of this type of visa is entitled to stay in Thailand for a maximum period of 90 days. He or she may apply for an extension of stay at the Office of the Immigration Bureau and may be granted such extension for a period of one year from the date of first entry into Thailand.

Is that what everyone is supposed to go through to get the Non Imm B visa in their home country before entering Thailand?

Is that new or has that been the requirements for some time?

usually 4 doubles from each charge. it comes with all the different baskets for pods, single basket, double basket, coarse coffee and espresso grind are separate baskets too. pretty good little system, pretty much it's a full espresso machine, just not a machine...

yeah, the ones for the Twist are the smallest you can get, 8gm. And I've seen a couple of different bigger sizes on an American sellers site, pity they are not selling here, because the price in the US was half that of here.

The Twist manufacturer booklet did mention that it can use either co2 or no2, and that any taste difference would be very hard to notice.

I got my Twist from USA eBay at a bargain price and a friend brought it over with him when he came, however it's not advisable to take it as cary-on, it's all metal and has a trigger... did someone say cavity search?