Michael Hare

These motor bike accidents with tourists seems to be occurring nearly every week. Hiring a motorbike just is so dangerous. Especially if one is a visitor and not used to the dangerous driving here. Why not rent a car? I know renting a car is more expensive (900-1,200 baht/day) but if one is only on holiday for a few days, then the overall expense is not much. I have lived in Thailand since 1974 and whenever I go to Krabi, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai I rent a car. In Bangkok I use taxis.

https://tohsang.com/khongchiam/

Not quite on the topic, but if anyone wants a range of food for dinner, the new Centara Hotel puts on a good buffet dinner every Saturday and Sunday evening.

Try https://www.facebook.com/jayjaycarrentubon/ They may have a car and driver

Ricco Cafe has a wide range of Thai and Western food. Great atmosphere. I recently enjoyed dinner at the new Centara hotel restaurant. Sapori's cold cuts are always good. Risotto has consistently served good Italian food for over 20 years. Papillo House is good for lunch. For Vietamese food, I enjoy VT restaurant. For quick Japanese food, Fuji in Central Plaza never disappoints. The range of good restarants in Ubon is endless. Venezia has good food presentation.

We went to this restaurant last night. No buffet. The international food wasn't that interesting. We ordered Thai instead.

No, this was absolutely true. I think words were exchanged as my old friend who had travelled world-wide, but never to Australia, couldn't believe that a wooden pair of shoe stretchers had to be declared.

A few years ago, an eldery English friend of mine (90+ years), flew from Bangkok to Sydney to visit his daughter. On arrival, he ticked no on all the boxes. No food, no wood items etc. The agricultural people did a bag search and found he had a pair of leather shoes which had wooden shoe stretchers inside each pair. "What are these mate?" asked the agricultural officer. "Shoe stretchers, my good man, to keep my shoes in shape" replied my English friend. "They are wooden, mate and you didn't declare them" said the agricultural officer. My English friend was having difficulty understanding the Australian accent and asked if he could talk to someone higher up who could speak English. All hell broke out. My English friend was taken to a side room where a full body search was made, even an anus search. He had to pay a fine, his shoe stretchers were taken away and destroyed and my friend never went back to Australia again.

You were very very lucky not to be fined. An Australian was fined over $2,000 for failing to declare a subway sandwich. https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/aussie-traveller-hit-with-2664-fine-after-failing-to-declare-subway-sandwich-c-7516246 Hilary Swank was fined $200 for failing to declare an apple and a organge on arrival in NZ, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/mar/31/filmnews.film

Other airports are having long queue problems. Auckland NZ airport https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/absolute-chaos-air-new-zealand-passengers-caught-in-huge-queues-at-auckland-airport/VJYLGS5JLFHCZMB6XL2GFR2CTY/ Sydney Australia airport https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/photo-of-queue-at-sydney-international-airport-sparks-outrage/R7HZZS6EU5FMJP6HTG43R42S5U/

That may be because you and your kids had a Thai nationality first and the second nationality came later. My son got his Thai nationality when he was about 2 or 3 years old.

Thank you for this information. I have PR and so my ID number is 8. My son has dual nationality so his ID number is 5. My wife is 3 and her two daughters are 1. Most of my staff are 3, except for two, who are 5, because their parents did not notify the authorities in time.

If there is a Thai Watsadu near you then ask them. https://www.central.co.th/en/euroe-green-euroe-lawn-mower-elm-1500-size-1500-w-mkp0325318

Yes, I have PR. My serial number starts with 8, which shows I have PR, but the average official in Thailand wouldn't know that. Most expats who are on a long-term visa have an ID starting with 6. I don't know what the ID number starting with 7 indicates. Must be something to do with your type of visa.

My bank accounts were all opened years ago with my passport. I got my pink ID card in 2010 and the SCB changed my four bank accounts across to my ID card. So easy now not having to carry my passport around. I use the iD for registering into hotels and on domestic flights. However, this year for the first time, I encountered a problem with one airline who wanted identification in English as my air ticket was issued in English. I showed them my driver's licence and that was accepted.

For expats who have PR (like myself) it starts with 8. For others on visas it starts with 6.

Valid for life if over the age of 65.

That is correct. Take your Blue House registration blue and your PR booklets to the local Amphur. The red-bown book is most important. Take your passport just in case, but usually that is not necessary. You should be able to get your pink ID card on the spot.

In 1999, my wife and I purchased 800 sq m of bare land in Ubon Ratchathani city to build our new house. The land department at first refused to allow my wife to purchase, because she was married to a foreigner, even though she was a Thai national. She passed over the details of the new law recently passed by the Chuan government, which allowed Thai ladies married to foreigners to purchase up to 1 rai, but only for residential purchases. As for myself, despite being a permanent resident for over 20 years, I still can not buy even one sq m in the Kingdom.

Try contacting retired General Pichet. He has an organic fertiliser business not far from Na Yia. https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/292928/from-battlefield-to-field-of-dreams?fbclid=IwAR05jbuFBCggX3mw8SzCBnwfubttZe4P9WlKbIIzvOfFhLL1BDkRocuMkj4

I definitely will continue to wear a mask out in public. I haven't had the flu or even a cold since mask wearing came in. I think hospitals may get more overburdened with covid cases in the next few months.

I would recommend Crystal in Ubon. The owner of Crystal was a tailor at Manhatten Tailors in the old party of Ubon city. I first went there in 1980. It used to be popular with the Amercian service men stationed here. The tailor left Manhatten and set up his own shop on Chayangkun Road. I have had two suits made there and all my trousers. They have a wide selection of cloth. Crystal tailor shop is a few meters down the road from a Esso Service station (corner of chayangkun and suriyart roads) and is next to the Big Wing Honda motorbike center. 74, ร้าน คริสตัล 76 Chayangkun Rd, Mueang Ubon Ratchathani District, Ubon Ratchathani 34000

I live right in Ubon Ratchathani city. We have just built an outside storage shed, 4 m x 4.5 m, behind our house. No permission was needed.

Ubon passport office has always been excellent. My wife's passport has expired but she is not getting one, because we don't know where to travel to with all these covid restrictions!