slipperylobster

However, it the tourist gets injured due to taxi, van, train, airplane, bus mishap, then the 500 should be refunded? I think it makes more sense for the Thai government to give each tourist free insurance, as this is bound to be the main cause of injury.

If you havent made a contract (even a verbal one) with the broker then you owe him nothing no matter what he does.

What normally happens is that the vendor engages the broker to find him a buyer and if he does so the vendor pays the agreed commission, which would commonly be a percentage of the sale price. The buyer would not normally have a contract with a broker even though ultimately all the money does come out of his pocket. Even if this buyer does have a contract with the broker and owes him something, that's none of your business or concern.

Absolutely. A good broker should draw up a contract and you will need to have it translated. Be professional about it, review the contract, add to it and have it signed and notarized. Hire an attorney and file a copy with him. You are the one receiving the cash, but your attorney should be the one paying the broker (Your money of course). I think that would cover it.

This is all in hindsight for you, but good for the next person.

Looks to me like he is looking at his cellphone?

decorum, gentlemen, decorum.

Bad mouthing religious beliefs simply does not work. I just see alot of negativity . People strive to be good, but some need a belief system. Religions are man made, true, and as such, are inherently fallable. But better than nothing. People need to be comforted and believe in and afterlife, they yearn to discover meaning and deal with adversity, death, afterlife and a God. Why try to deny them?

Right now the temperatures are plenty cool in Udon. My aircon has been off for many weeks, and my ceiling fan is just fine. Most nights, the temperature is around 22, sometimes lower. I am actually using a blanket. The fan is just for ambiance....the noise and the breeze. Great weather, and even better in Dec and Jan.

Okay, I think I've sussed it, but, believe this to be the basic version.

In Yahoo Mail, go to the cog icon in the top right hand corner. Select settings. Click on viewing email and select basic at the foot of the dialogue box and save.

yep..you sort of click on the small triangle next to you I.D. at the upper right corner on your mail page. It displays Profile, Options and other things. Click on options and then when that opens look for mail account on the left side. click on that...and then you can switch between the new and old yahoo mail. it should work

Thailand is already a world hub of everything that has ever existed.

hub of hubs?

Sorry ,i did that one in another "hub" thread But as i did think as Bangkok is sinking ,it could eventually be "the hub of underwater cities?"

Hub of lost hubcaps?

I see that somebody has posted charts and graphs showing gold is getting cheaper to buy. Are they inferring this only happens in Thailand? I thought gold prices were set internationally ! Thai Gold is still gold. I am looking at the precious metals index, but do not see anything about "Thai" gold. What am I missing?

Thailand is already a world hub of everything that has ever existed.

hub of hubs?

Just checked again. The option is still there for New or Classic Yahoo mail.

Click on options, then mail account.

it looks like this..

Switch now Full featured (recommended) - View photo slideshows, drag and drop attachments, personalize your theme, and more. Basic

Yahoo mail started to roll out a major upgrade a month ago. You can no longer opt to keep the old version that worked.

I am using the old "Classic" and it is still working. Look under options. Also i am still seeing a prompt in the upper right section that asks if I need to switch to the "New" yahoo.

Used Yahoo email for 10 years with no major problems. Security questions are available if I forget my password, I forget sometimes my first dog's name, then I remembered I used the name of a different dog... that was the worst case scenario.

One thing that was annoying was when they made the new yahoo (with adobe flash) and I could not really read everything on my small eee pc. I quickly discovered how I could go to options and use Yahoo "Classic"...and it worked like a charm.

Not that I recieve important emails...but i don't need to fix somethings that is not broken. Getting a new service such as gmail (I detest google and all their toolbars and monopolies)...would be a pain in the butt. Some addressees might accidently forget to update my id. Email is like a text message...who cares what the machine/program looks like...I just read and write....not all that complicated.

Air Asia may not require an on-going reservation to travel but both Kuwait Air and Cebu Pacific did when I flew from BKK to the Philippines on my last two trips. Kuwait would not even accept the copy of my Travelocity reservation but made me wait at the check-in counter until they could verify it in some kind of data base.

Yes. Indeed. And the OP never mentioned exceptions such as visa holders and long term residency in arrival country. The OP only implied that apparently Air Asia does not require proof of onward travel. Exceptions are many, I argue with no one. but fact remains....there is a requirement and there are exceptions. But I do believe the OP now is aware that one cannot simply fly to an international destination without the risk of having proof of onward travel. Airlines may differ in their approach, and I have stood in line trying to check in and would have people in front of me argue with the Check In Personnel about this. Many times these people have been sent out of line to go print out their itineraries. As usual, the self proclaimed experts will deny any knowledge or experience with this issue...and I am not sure if this is just denial, trolling, or whatever..

The OP contacted Air Asia and was given advice which contradicts their website. I tend to believe the website, as perhaps the employee was quoting a practice of looking the other way. but not aware of the website information.

Air Asia website says round trip/onward... they don't care or specify ..one or the other

There's a lot of times I don't get asked to prove onward travel.

Like when I fly R/T on the same itinerary. The nice lady behind the check-in counter has my entire itinerary on her screen.

That's more definitive than any e-ticket I could have easily falsified and printed.

Thats a good example of not needing proof..... but Round trip tickets are self explanatory....aren't they?

As far as onward travel....that a bit more complicated. I leave New York, and they chase me down asking for proof that I am ever coming back. Then I say, hey, I got a visa to Thailand for 2 months so I don't need a return. The airline says, well, you cannot board. Then I say, well I have this ticket from Bangkok to the Philippines (onward travel). They look at me again and shake their heads...very nice, you are visiting two places this year....but I need to see your return trip. Thats when I flash the Philippine I-Card for permanent residency. Now their requirement for a round trip has been negated, and I have the onward travel to deal with in the Philippines. (The I-card is expired and I enter visa exempt for 21 days). That is where the problem occurs.

A visa does exclude the recruirement for a ticket out o the country within 30 days of arrival. The ATA database, which member airlines can check, states so and is also what is being checked by aililnes. Travelling on a one-way ticket they ask to see my visa and all is well.

However....this does not hold up. For example, when leaving the USA in particular, they will still ask for the return, as in my case. Granted, it was not Air Asia, but EVA.

So many ideas here, so I just noticed the OP started this thread as "apparently Air Asia does not require proof on onward travel"

All the input has been helpful, circumstances and travel arrangements, visas, residency overseas, all play a part.

The correct answer is "Yes" they do...for international travel. However it specifically states "In General". So exceptions are possible.

Visas alone (as their are many kinds) do not exclude the requirement....for example, a single entry. I know this to be true.

Requirements again from air asia,

1. passport

2. Visa (if required)

and !!!

3. Onward/Return trip

This is not my opinion, it is well document on the Air Asia site. No room for debates. If you get through without this, good.

I have been asked more than a few times. Several times on a layover. One of those in Copenhagen on my Toronto to

Bangkok flight, and another in KUL on my way to Tahiti. I had a one way ticket to Auckland and a 24 hour layover there.

Air Malaysia pulled me out of the boarding line after my Phuket to KUL leg and said New Zealand customs had flagged me

and requested the proof. Most people have round trip tickets and are totally unaware. The other times when leaving Canada

I just showed my triple entry visa and there were no issues but one should be properly prepared. One other thing, if you are

caught out at the airport and you decide to buy a second one way, fully refundable (VERY EXPENSIVE) ticket out to satisfy the

gate agent which you then intend on cancelling and getting the refund. Most important, make sure the second ticket is not attached

to the fist as part of the itinerary. Once you start the trip you may not be able to cancel the second leg for a refund. It needs to be kept

as a separate one-way ticket.

I consider your post as more informative on what could possibly happened. The "seasoned travellers" who have never, ever had been asked, might have never tried to fly without a round trip/onward travel. I currently fly about 8 flights a year, and have been doing that for forty years(career military), so i have a great amount of personal experience. Many times I have not been checked, only because I had purchased a round trip ticket. You will absolutely be asked for proof of return when you leave the USA for a foreign destination. If you have not, then somebody screwed up, or they somehow know that you live overseas. When you arrive in the Philippines on a one way ticket, especially Manila, (I now choose to fly into Clark) you will definitely be asked for a onward or return ticket as well. Purchasing a round trip from Thailand to the USA can sometimes be cheaper, but before you get on your flight coming back to Thailand, they will be asking you for about your plans to return.. Like I metioned in a previous post, proof of residence abroad (Philippine Immigration I-Card ) took care of that. I now live in Thailand, but I believe your best visa and or extension for staying here expires each year. Cambodia might have something similar to the Philippines.

I am sure the Thais get a chuckle out fat, cheese bandits and backpack grabbers with sandals and socks.

Seriously, my self esteem is suffering from these farang revelations in the news.

It also occurs to me that this is a way to for the Newspaper to evade the real issues of serious offenses that were reported...in which some of the victims were farangs.

I think this question has been belabored. I can just look at the calendar and I know the date I must use my visas by. I do use a travel budget spreadsheet and it warns me of critical visa dates / flight bookings, money issues etc. I get automatic warnings. But then again, I book my travel 2 months in advance so the date is pretty much fixed in my head...no need for calculations.

Seeing is believing..

This should clear up the issue. I took the liberty of researching the information from Air Asia website...so it is right from the horse's mouth. Notice it calls for..

1. Valid Passport

2. Visas (when required)

3. A return/onward ticket

"The general rule for international travel is that you must ensure your passport is still valid for at least another six (6) months at the end of your travel date, the applicable visa(s), and a return or an onward journey ticket. The system can't block you from purchasing the ticket as it won't be able to track the requirements you need to travel."

http://www.airasia.com/ask/template.do?id=147&name=What+travel+documents+do+I+need%3f+Do+I+need+a+Visa%3f

I am not going to do this for each and every airline...but I bet they are all the same.

Whether you have been asked for a return ticket/onward travel is a different story.... Good for you, but no dice.

I bought a round trip ticket to the USA last February. When I used my return ticket, I flew into the Philippines before coming back to Thailand. When asked where my return ticket (to the USA) was, I just shrugged and told the I lived in the Philippines for 18 years, as that was my home address. I showed my Permanent Residence "I" Card (It was expired), my bank book, and driver's license. The lady at the check in counter looked confused, and talked to some other people..and bam...I was ok.

As you can see...just one more issue, that many of these "experienced traveller posters" fail to recognize. Onward Travel/or return tickets...are important considerations.....

It also occured to me that if you pass through immigration and they have your incoming flight number, they may be able to determine that you have purchased a round trip ticket (on their computer screen). I do not know if this actually happens, but it makes sense that they would not ask for proof of onward travel (if they could get that information). Also, you may be given the benefit of the doubt if you had made several previous trips. Speculating on this because I was just as curious as the OP.

Come to think of it, I was able to talk my way out of the Philippines once, buy saying I had made arrangements with my travel agency in Pattaya, and I only needed to show up. I gave them a business card with contact information. This was an impromptu song and dance, but they let me through.

One other thing, what about purchasing a bus ticket from Nong Khai to Vientiane? Very inexpensive and might even work.

I am reading several ways...but after reading the fees involved....Wiring sounds very expensive, if you are doing it monthly.

I withdraw from an ATM and keep my money in the USA (I am not required to have a bank account here for my Visa...but many people are)

The fee is about 5 bucks a transaction. I do three a month, but the safety and convenience is well worth it. I do not care to enter a bank, take a number, fill out forms, and pray that everything works.

I understand that Aeon has no fees, (my bank charges an International Fee but it is miniscule) There are just a few Aeon Banks up here, and it was a nightmare when a failed withdrawal was charged, but not payed out (happened the second time). Took more than a month to get the amount put back into my bank...and guess what? My bank refused to speak to Aeon and Aeon refused to speak to my bank. I had to literally play middle man...both banks had requirements. Well, that cured me of ever using Aeon.... In 15 years, no other ATM made that same error. Just my luck...I supposed 2 or 3 Aeon ATM machines were just too many to keep serviced.

I tried a direct deposit using a routing number for BBK in New York city, with my girlfriends account number...that took 3 months to recover....nightmare. Only a hundred dollars though. As mentioned before, the name of the account was critical, and I had followed some erroneous advice.

I kind of like the idea of one poster who writes a check and waits 30 days to clear.... but I would need to know the charges and rates he is getting.

Bottom line..... Lived overseas 18 years with a U.S Atm card. It was always about the same fee for wiring/direct deposit (XOOM and Western Union are convient if yoiu use their online websites for emergencies. The service is immediate..however the exchange rate is not good. That is my backup) I am quite happy with my ATM card, regardless of the 5 buck fee.