slipperylobster

Crikey...it looks like Udon is the target, if you look at this map. Good news, it will quickly gear down before

but but but........... i thought USA was the best country in the world why would anyone give it up??

When you see your next movie, hear your next song think of US. LOL

We put alot of effort into it...and we appreciate your cynicism.

You might also check into the numbers a bit...you might be disappointed to find that there are fewer defectors than you think.

As far as I know, All nationalities are just flooding into America...have been for a few hundred years. Millions of people worldwide giving up their homeland for the Red White and Blue...vs a few idiots. Numbers do not lie. Do I needo to give you references....or you can just concede. Because it is going to be phenomenal.

I've travelled the world, close to 90 countries, and I haven't found a one I would give up my right to come back to the 'good ole USA' for............. Better give a lot of thought to what you are thinking. If you are in LOS (and I DO love Thailand), you are not living off of what you earned in LOS, Think about the country that put you where you are today, instead of being in the shoes of someone born in LOS. I will continue to pay my share and keep my US passport....... Thanks......

USA! USA!

As for the others who would defect.... Bye! You already paid into social security, I hope, because I am collecting soon. lol Have fun.

Yep..I screwed up the name of the bridge. Sometimes I write faster than I think.

You do need to get there and get a number quickly. The first time, I never saw the number machine. I ended up sweating it out if I would actually get a chance to submit my papers, as they stop accepting applications just about lunch. Was it 1200 or 1230??? I just know....get there early. You can get out in an hour or two, or you can sweat the deadline and get there later...just know the window closes about 1200 or soon after. If you are crossing into Lao in the morning, it is impossible to get to the Consulate before it opens, due to the fact that you cannot pass through immigration before that opens, and its another half hour ride after that to the consulate. I never got there early enough where I had to wait for them to open! Seems I am always in the middle.

I think the big step for Bill, on the road to his recovery, is to admit "windows" was a mistake too, but that would leave him a few billion short...no doubt. Microsoft......The fourth dimension....monopolizing the future of computing.

Certainly not any military retirees, especially if they also have diabilities/social security. Forget the taxes, that combination brings a hefty paycheck. Renouncing citizenship would be like throwing away money I earned/and rate.

American for Life ! Thank you USA

I live in Udon and been doing this for quite some time. Most recently, last month. First of all, do not bother goo ging to Khon Kaen, you fly right into udon. Make sure you time your travel to arrive at the border very early.

1. Fly into Udon in the Morning early in the week (do not attempt to go to the Consulate in Vientiane on Sat/Sun.

2. Simply take a bus from Udon right to Nong Khai and stay overnight there, on the river. 50-75 baht

3. At 7am have a tuk tuk take you to Freedom Bridge and have a photo (check size online) and if you pay in dollars, take two brand new twenty dollar bills... you should get 5 back. or get fleeced paying baht.

4. Once you clear immigration, head right for the bus that will take you to the Lao side. very cheap.

5. Go right to the window there and get your forms. Fill them out fast. You need to get to the Consulate before everyone else.

6. When you get through the Lao Immigration, get the quickest ride possible to the Thai consulate. It is worth it to get the one that will leave right away.

7. Run into the consulate and grab your number .... you need to do that first. The get the blank forms. go back outside and get your photos....cheap. Complete the paperwork and go upstairs. They make copies for you for a low price.

8 They call groups of numbers up to the window. Watch out for line cutters . Check everyones number in front of you. Make sure you check the Double Entry on the form . Its 1000 baht per entry... so 2000 baht.

9. Stay at a nearby hotel if you like, but I prefer the riverfront. Just take a tuk tuk to the Riverside Hotel, but look for Hotel Paradise Mixay. Its near the temple on the street parallel to the river. Its new, clean, close, and good price. I check most of the others.

10. Keep your receipt and show up at 1pm the next day and grab another number. Its a long line, but if you are number 50 or less, you are doing good

,,,,,

.....my recommendation. I think you would enjoy your night on the river in Nong khai better than udon... and you then prepared to get to the border early.

Do not change alot of money to Lao Money. You will be stuck with it. Rather pay in baht or dollars. Exchange 20 dollars for some funny Lao money to pay transportation/some restaurants or beer money. Hold on to smaller bills.

Admittedly, not user friendly. Once I got the hang of it (I travel often), it became very convenient. I am not the one to carry around lots of luggage, so if you do, its not for you. For a few dollars, I get to ignore all the taxi's...which in itself...makes me very happy. Normally, I fly in, grab an espresso, ride the escalators down to the train, purchase a ticket, and am on my way to my hotel in a ten or fifteen minutes after departing immigration. I always get a comfy seat. With a few quick changes, I can be anywhere within half an hour...and very safely. Recently, I have avoided Bangkok (big cities are not my forte) like a plague. The free shuttle bus gets me to Don Mueang, but its a long wait...and a long ride.

If they ever got a direct express line (subway) between the two airports, that would be the cat's meow.

I will do almost anything to avoid riding in taxis....I am on a sort of boycotting them. Would almost walk if I knew it pissed them off.

You are very lucky to own property right on the beach. I have not checked into it, but I was a bit wary about ownership on the shore line and possible drawbacks. For example, does the government have restrictions on permanent structures within so many yards of the high tide mark? I also would be interested on whether you can actually fence off access to the beach.... ie... right of way. For example, in the Philippines, the Government came in, several years after people built structures, and drew a line 50 meters from high tide. All structures inside that line with illegal. Temporary structures were ok.

You got to me kidding....what a waste of oxygen

oops....not me... you got to be kidding

You got to me kidding....what a waste of oxygen

Dumb n drunk, creating problems again. Leave the critters be. No sale, no expoitation.

correction...exploitation

Dumb n drunk, creating problems again. Leave the critters be. No sale, no expoitation.

I also had an "under the bed" game I used to play with my wife. Before leaving on a business trip, I would tie a spoon under our bed and place a bowl of milk just barely touching the spoon. I figured, if the spoon got dipped in the milk, it would be from the weight of two people on the bed, and I would catch her. When I came back, I curiously found the milk had somehow been replace with ... butter!

3000 years old is hardly pre- historic

old i must admit

It is if there was no writing at that time,in which to record history for this locality. Might check on that. We know of several civilizations that did....

tell me, have you ever danced with the devil?

only 31 !

These might be the same men shouting obscenities and the Thai Consulate in Vientiane. My turn was next, and I detected a real coldness. This is why clerks in stores and waitresses in restaurant try to hide when farangs walk in.

My girlfriend's sister always tells me she is going to the "Fortuner". She means, of course "Fortune Teller", but you can see what she is looking for... (I mean the car..fortuner)

...aside from this, all other problems have also been solved while we were sleeping, as well. Oil spill (as seen by satellite) has magically disappeared. How many goofballs actually believe what they read in this part of the world? lol. My canadian friend likes the russian news...he says they are pretty accurate, because the government won't put up with bad reporting (really?). Ok, I don't like Fox or CNN either... but I wonder who the fk is buying newspapers here, to catch up?

I am not dismissing the poster's experience, but want to add something that might provide some insight on the lack of deference we farangs sometimes encounter. Once I went to a shoe outlet and was shocked to see an elderly farang brow beating a 19 year old cutie pie for not having his size in stock. Instead of just accepting the fact that he was dealing with an employee that probably had no clue as to why his size was not stocked, he chose to throw a temper tantrum. The girl was almost in tears, and everyone was just silent. He huffed and puffed, turned beet red, and stormed out of the store, muttering obscenities. It was to my surprise that a young man still was able to smile and wait on me. I wonder if the girl will shy away from farang customers for the rest of her employment. In short, I met some very offensive customers, but very few offensive sales people. Quite the contrary to t

I agree with the just press cancel for the insurance post, but also the change in flight times without updating their website. They don't accept domestic credit/debit cards whereas the rest of the world does, so took myself along to my nearest agent to find the fare had magically increased by 1700 baht. I've heard you can pay at 7/11's. How? Can't see that option on their page.

I never had a problem using a credit card. But they do charge you a fee for using the card.

Small fee not worth mentioning, and my debit card works like a champ, Each and every time. The small charge is worth my convenience. Consider it gas money to drive down and buy a ticket. Yes, an agent wants a profit on top of the sale...thats how it is supposed to work. In Chiang Mai, the Air Asia Office by the Tapae Gate charged only 100 baht over the price online. Now I just print my boarding pass, bypass the gaggly-fck passengers loaded down with suitcases and golf carts, and go right to security

test is too long. I know where I come from and how I talk because people tell me so.... I don't see the point and I became bored with the questions.....140?????

I do not think it is possible to get ripped off. Just review your options before you pay, and start over if you make a mistake. By default, the site may include insurance, but if you read carefully, it gives a way for you to decline. I am very happy with Air Asia, and never have been disappointed. Fantastic deals, if you purchase in advance and watch for the specials. If I find a flight from Udon to Bangkok for 500 baht, I book it right away. Then, if I cannot fly, it does not hurt too much if I have to cancel. Had a flight from Udon to Phuket for 900 baht. Cannot beat that. If I get impatient, I sometimes forget to cancel the insurance. No need to pay for good seats for a one or two hour flight. The insurance cancellation is a bit awkward, but if you read, it says hit cancel. I am very satisfied overall, and forgive that little push to sell their insurance. I also just use carry on. Flew with them dozens of times.

I am 58 and I am in the top 10% income bracket of the USA. I am far from a loser. I could buy this forum 10 times over.

Yep... I got enough to buy a few of these forums too, but I needed shoes instead.