danstarr

The Impalas - Sorry (I ran all the way home)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY0ze7Ky5_k

The Earls - Remember Then (1962)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ-bdlPqJME

You sure Gullivers is open these days?

Dear all,

I'm a UK passport holder and I applied for a 1-year non 'O' visa last December and I have a work permit until the end of November this year. From what I understand, I am coming to the end of my 2nd 'cycle' which means that I have to sign on at immigration firstly after month number one and then at the end of month three.

Does anyone know how long this is going to go on for? How many of these 'cycle' do I have to go through until they issue me with my 1 year visa? I paid for my year-long visa in December and now it seems that every 3 months I have to cough up another 1,900 baht.

Volunteering here is an expensive business.

Any advice much appreciated.

Dan

20 baht where I live up north.

I love dogs but after having been living here for the last seven months have now realised what an absolute menace they are to bikers. I've been riding bikes of all shapes and sizes for 25 years and over here I've acquired an old Honda Dream.

You know the score here - dogs wander about all over the place and often laze about in the road. Most of the time, you can anticipate where they're heading and can avoid them. That is, of course, apart from the ones that chase after you barking and growling.

I make fairly frequent long trips and a couple of months back was slowing down as I entered a small town when I noticed a dog walk out into the road ahead of me: I blasted my horn but it doubled back into my path and I hit it head on (thankfully) and managed to stay aboard. Phew. I know that there's a much better chance of staying on if you hit it square and thankfully it worked.

However, last week I wasn't so fortunate - had a colleague on the back and we were just going along steady down a country road and this large barking dog just leapt from the verge, straight into my front wheel, sending us sprawling into the road; I had absolutely no time to react. Cuts and bruises but relatively OK and bike needed minor straightening. The dog, by the way, was perfectly OK and just sat on the other side of the road continuously barking at us. Upon hearing of this, my Thai colleagues all started to share stories of their own road mishaps with dogs.

So, my question is this (and I've been trying to work this through in my head): would a bigger bike withstand a dog-strike better than the Dream or if you get hit by a dog, are you just lucky to stay in the saddle anyway?

Dan

A small bio-gas unit is a great sustainable alternative for producing gas for cooking.

Depending on her level, I recommend a book with CD specifically designed to help with pronunciation called 'Ship or Sheep'.

Lefty Frizzell - If you've got the money, I've got the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHplXh2V1KY

Hank Snow - Music Makin' Mama from Memphis

... and here was me thinking that maybe, just maybe this bus would see the end of the visa office scam. I still reckon it's better to make one's own way down to Aranyaprathet (train is a cheap and pleasant option if you've the time) and then once you're over the border, get a shared taxi to SR.

The Skyliners - Since I Don't Have You

Had to venture out on the motorbike yesterday in Chiang Mai and had managed to avoid much of the mayhem. However, even though I was seen to be trying to carefully navigate traffic, I still got a full bucket of ice-cold water thrown directly at me by a farang. I enjoy the festivities as much as anyone but some people are just plain thick in the head.

With a WP, you don't need any letter of residence!

Really?! That is very good news! In that case, we'll just go directly to the department of transport tomorrow and take it from there. Wasn't looking forward to another trip to immigration

Just read on another thread that immigration are no longer providing stamps for vehicle purchasing. Is this just applicable for people buying new bikes?

EdIted to add that I have a work permit. Do I still need a certificate of residence?

I've just bought an older model Honda Dream and am in the process of registering it in my name. Got the green book and filled in the transfer documents with the help of a Thai friend.

Will take my passport and work permit to the transport office as well but I'm told that I also need a certificate of residence - I have a letter from the foundation I work for stating my address and have completed the application form. Where do I take it? Immigration or the British Consulate?

Any advice much appreciated.

Was it possible to obtain this Thai visa from Siem Reap?

After initially going to the old location, we went there last night after finding out its new home by the moat. Not the busiest of nights but Took was there. He initially played an absolutely brilliant acoustic set and then another (again excellent) 3-piece came on and then Took returned later on with his band. Great music, a nice vibe inside the place - just a shame that more people weren't there to appreciate it.

Hello,

Going to be in Chiang Mai for the weekend - is there any live Muay Thai happening?

Many thanks,

Dan

Does anyone know where I can obtain the CD (audio not CD rom) for the Success Pre-Intermediate coursebook, preferably in the Chiang Mai area?

Kind regards,

Dan

Dear all,

A couple of things:

Am flying to Thailand from the UK on Emirates. Does anyone have any tips on carrying an open-faced crash helmet in luggage? Am intending to have one large backpack and a cabin-sized rucksack. Should I try to fit it into the backpack or take as hand luggage?

Also, can anyone recommend somewhere to store baggage in Bangkok for a couple of weeks?

Dan

Not sure about UK, but in most other countries criminal record is sealed after 10 years. Even on applications to US or Oz, they ask about criminal record in the past 10 years only.

I was told by a barrister too.All records esponged after 20 years.Great when I went to court and they bought up shit that happened 40 years ago.I didnt care in the end I beat them

You misunderstood what you was told by the lawyer....in the UK records are never exsponged or sealed..after 10 years a conviction may be are considered "spent"....but this does not mean it comes off your record, details of the offsense are still there and always will be..

Having a criminal record myself, i am certain that it is "sealed" after 10 years. It does not mean its erased, however it is not accessible without a court order. If police pull you over and look you up on the system, the record will not be shown( i am referring to police in the West, the ones who actually have computers on board:) )

The "spent" time is the probation period which is usually set at 2 years either after doing jail time or as part of sentencing, though could be set at 5 years

After 10 years i can apply to join police force and do not need to disclose my record, unless the question is asked of any convictions in the past 20 years..

So if I apply to Hull, do I have to disclose the offence on my visa application or will they refuse me if I don't disclose and they run a check and discover it?

Not sure about UK, but in most other countries criminal record is sealed after 10 years. Even on applications to US or Oz, they ask about criminal record in the past 10 years only.

Anybody know what I'm likely to be asked during the visa application interview? Due to my work as a teacher and support worker I've always had to disclose the offence and I've never been refused a job on account of it and have good references; however, Thai Immigration could easily refuse me entry because of this! OK, so what do I do - apply in the UK or go to Thailand, get 30 days and then apply for the non-immigrant visa in Laos?

You get the non-O visa in the UK, with docuemtns fom the organisation where you will be volunteering for. Once in Thailand you apply for the work permit, again with documents from the organisation. make sure the organisation is willing to help yo with the work permit, many can't be bothered and will let you work illegally for them.

And, if a criminal check is a prerequisite to a non-O visa application, the OP will need to make a subject access request to his local police force. A CRB check is a specific requirement for teachers and others planning to work with children and vulnerable adults in the UK.

Further information about subject access requests is available at http://www.acro.poli...ct_access.aspx. The OP will particularly wish to note that his conviction will still show up even if it has now been “stepped down”.

Thanks for this info. I have a current CRB check as I am currently teaching in the UK but a subject access request, I'm sure, will not be a problem to get. However, does anyone think that even after supplying all the required documentation, they could still refuse me a visa based on the conviction?

Get your visa in Laos or a country close to Thailand and there will be no criminal check, but maybe in your home country. Mai Bpen Rai... Don't worry. Work Permit/Labor office does not ask for such things..

Thanks for the replies so far. So does this mean that I can fly in and get the 30 days visa-on-arrival and then go to e.g. Laos to apply for the 'O' visa and work permit? Would I need to show a copy of my teaching certificate?