agsnowdon

Just before I came back through the Thai border I saw three young Thai boys swimming across the Nam Mae sai with bundles held above their heads, and then handing them to a man on the steps.

I asked the customs officer what was going on with the young boys...."Shsss was the reply, blackmarket" I nearly cracked up on the spot

What customs officers Thai side or Burma side? Just wondering.

Thai side

Just before I came back through the Thai border I saw three young Thai boys swimming across the Nam Mae sai with bundles held above their heads, and then handing them to a man on the steps.

I asked the customs officer what was going on with the young boys...."Shsss was the reply, blackmarket" I nearly cracked up on the spot

What customs officers Thai side or Burma side? Just wondering.

Cheers

Ash

I have to do my first border run next week. A few questions I have, unrelated to the x-ray machine, are:

1) Is it feasible/sensible to rent a motorbike and go up that way?

2) I've read that you need to flash 10,000 baht on your return to Thailand, is there any way around this (if, ahem, one might not have that much in the bank...) ?

1 yes its possible but you will have sore bottom, just go on one of those tours.

2 I have never been asked to flash my 20,000 for my Non Imm B visa BUT I always have it in my pocket.

Now back to topic anyone else been recently?

No comments on if I thinks it OK or not, but I have known someone thats done it for more than 3 years and still going strong.

Maybe you could buy your way out of trouble if caught but I'm not sure.

Personally if you were caught depending n the case I think it would be a fine and deportation, even if the law says something else.

If you want to do it do it and to get any real life know on the subject would be to come here and do it and ask your fellow colluges as if your working with no W/P I'm sure they are too.

As for the non imm B visa its very easy if your UK citerzen just call your local consulate and they will tell you.

X-Ray machines? What x-ray? I was just there on the 15th of June and there were none that i saw... It was a normal trip across quick and easy as normal.

Well there is a super sized one there now Take a look at the Chiangmai Mae Sai latest info thread.

Are they letting you bring back DVDs now or not? Are they using these machines to look for drugs? Can they really stop people from buying DVDs with this machine?

Maybe someone can tell us if they have been stopped or not, but keeping it to forum rules!

Get a Non Imm B visa!

Or send a letter saying your going to view future business prospects in Thailand and they shall grant you the Non Imm B. I have recently just done that with no problems.

what sort of additional paperwork do you need for this? and how much would you actually need in the bank for this to be viable?

Youu just need the docs I statet in my posts, no bank statments. Well thats for a UK citerzen

Hi All,

My sister and I are visiting Thailand for the first time shortly.

We would like to visit the Kanchanaburi region for a couple of days to explore the River Kwai area and also visit the Tiger Temple.

Can Members please suggest a suitable tour operator in Bangkok we can contact on our arrival who can arrange this trip for us.

Thanks,

Don't forget a bullet-proof vest and a Kevlar helmet if visiting Kanch.

Can you pleae explain what you mean

Thanks,

Recently a farang lady got shot in the head in kan.

But im sure you'll be fine!!!!

Theres a thread on it if you have a scan.

Don't worry go and have a great time.

Hey all,

Have any of you been to Mae Sai recently to do your visa runs?

If so have you had any good or bad experiences with the newly installed x-ray machine?

Cheers

Ash

The luggage allowance for Royal First Class is 40 kg. (88 lbs.); for Royal Executive Class passengers: 30 kg. (66 lbs.); and for Economy Class passengers: 20 kg. (44 lb.).

Royal Orchid Plus Gold Card members are entitled to check an additional 20 kg. (44 lbs.). Royal Orchid Plus Silver Card members can check an additional 10 kg. (22 lbs.) of luggage.

Infants (not occupying a seat) are allowed 10 kg. (22 lbs.) excluding one fully-collapsible child stroller, pushchair, or infant-carrying basket.

and its 29 US$ per KG over your weight, but like you said MM the lady I just spoke to at Thai Air said just what you said

I got my information from my "member's book" that arrived with my new card last week, websites here are notoriously out of date. However, smile, bow, wai, grovel, and if all else fails....CRY!! I have always find this ploy helps a lot Except with American airlines

Looks like I shall be saying please please and Khap Khun Krap alot.

What is please in thai?

Be much better if there was something to gain from it!

probally just as cheap to buy a new one.

yes,papillon,great movie,fantastic book.

bullit,another good steve mcqueen movie.best movie car chase ever?

road to pedition was a good movie,another sam mendes film.jude law played a great psycho.

i thought das boot is a great war movie,if you can call it that.

what was the stalingrad sniper movie with jude law,joseph feines, & rachel weiss?

great film(so great ive forgotten the f@@@@@g name of it).

Enemy of the gates

yup up for that too as long as all I have to do is make the predictions and don't have to update my own points

Great Raid

To End All Wars

Uncommon Valour

Hey Brit,

I just looked at Great Raid and To End All Wars and they are now on my list but when I search for Uncommon Valour all I can find is a film done in 83 with Gene Hackman in it.

Is that the one your on about? If so I was probally a month old lol

Enemy of the Gates

Is that the one with Jude Law in it? Thats a good one if so!

1 i think is good is Behind Enemy Lines.

What you think of that one?

Bridge Over River Kwai

Full Metal Jacket

Hamburger Hill

Bridge Too Far

Big Red One

Patton

Patriot

Braveheart

Gladiator

Gallipoli

Band Of Brothers

More than 3, but good ones.

Nice one Brit theres a few more to add to my shopping list!

What are the most recent war films with great effects etc?

Must say I have got BoB and that is one of the most best mini series I have ever seen.

Kan Win

If you took that pic fair play its a great shot.

I did a trip to the bridge and cem a few years ago and alll I can say on it is I was speechless.

Thai Air only allow a maximum of 20kg per passenger but last time I went back to UK my bag weighed in at 30kg and the lady said thats the maximum any passenger can take even first class. She didnt even charge me for the extra.

So what would I do if my bags exceeded 30kgs? Do you or anyone know?

Well she fibbed to you Thai Airways baggage allowance is 20Kg for economy, 40Kg for Royal Orchid Plus or business, and 60Kg for first class passengers.

I have always found them liberal with overweight cases, but having said that, if you waltz up with 50Kg you will probably get stuck for excess.

If you check in late you stand a better chance of not paying excess. At the check in counter they have a rolling total of all baggage loaded, and if you are one of the last to check in, and the plane is only at 80/90% of maximum baggage load, you most likely will not be charged.

Just had a look at Thai Air website and got this info...

How much luggage am I allowed to check?

The luggage allowance for Royal First Class is 40 kg. (88 lbs.); for Royal Executive Class passengers: 30 kg. (66 lbs.); and for Economy Class passengers: 20 kg. (44 lb.).

Royal Orchid Plus Gold Card members are entitled to check an additional 20 kg. (44 lbs.). Royal Orchid Plus Silver Card members can check an additional 10 kg. (22 lbs.) of luggage.

Infants (not occupying a seat) are allowed 10 kg. (22 lbs.) excluding one fully-collapsible child stroller, pushchair, or infant-carrying basket.

Source?

and its 29 US$ per KG over your weight, but like you said MM the lady I just spoke to at Thai Air said just what you said

So maybe 2 suitcases is the way to go?

Box sets of 100 or so DVDs are generally just boxes containing the paper inserts and disks anyway. No jewel cases are involved. (I have purchased three or four of these sets in the past.)

My advice above stands. If you don't have room, just buy a new suitcase and pack them in it with some clothes. Take them back as checked baggage. My kids have done this frequently in the past.

P1P you mean like check in 2 bags? I know Thai Air only allow a maximum of 20kg per passenger but last time I went back to UK my bag weighed in at 30kg and the lady said thats the maximum any passenger can take even first class. She didnt even charge me for the extra.

So what would I do if my bags exceeded 30kgs? Do you or anyone know?

As to the comment about dvd regions if you by a cheap dvd player in your home country 99% it will be region free. I paid 30pound for my unknown brand and it played anything, but I lent a dvd to a mate who had a sony dvd that cost about 100pound it it was locked to UK region.

ok now Im looking for your the best war movies ever.

For me I haven't seen alot but love them.

The only 3 that stand out for me are SPR, Black Hawk Down and Platoon.

What are your fav war movies.

One possibility is to remove them and the cover inserts from the jewel case, put the CDs in a CD stack holder (the ones you get when you buy bulk quantity of CDs) and the paper inserts will flatten to a small stack and leave the jewel cases behind. Buy new jewel cases when you get home, they are cheap.

You mean the the CD Stack holder you get when you buy bulk CDR's at Com Plazza or somewhere similar?

I think you do and thats a good idea!

I take it you're shipping them for the potential profit and thus need to take them with you? If not you could bung them on a mobile HDD, although I don't think they make them big enough to hold that much data yet.

Not taking them home to sell, just seen a couple of large box sets that would be great to watch if I had nothing eles going on. I have a mobile HDD but 200gb is just not enough LOL.

Mate.. have you played them yet to see if they are OK.?

I spent 1,200 baht on the boxed set of "Band OF Brothers" which I bought from Pantip.. and they are <deleted>.. absolute rubbish.. I tried to get a refund, ..but TIT, no joy

Ain't got them yet want to see how I can get them home. Hope they do work.

U got any ideas as to my dilema?

Or do you have any suggestions?

Yes - never start a topic with 'Hey"

And why is that Mr Hippo?

As you have so much experience on Thai Visa with all of 5 posts so far. If you got a problem PM me.

I think you went a bit like I said PM me.

Hey

Whilst out at the Airport Plazza my girlfriend was in the DVD shop on the ground floor and I spotted these 2 great DVD box sets 1 was for The Discovery Channel and the other for National Geographical these were the best of collection and both box sets consisted of about 100 DVDs in each as you can imagine the boxes for these sets were great elaborate boxes and really good packaging and I imagine the dimensions of these boxes were about H 50cm W 30cm D 12cm, and I must have them as they would cost probally a good 30% more in the UK.

So if you can imagine if I brought these 2 and tried to get them in my suitcase when I return home in a few months I won't be getting much else in there either.

How could I get these back to UK safely? I have come up with a couple of Ideas but wondering if there will be restrictions on both of them and am looking for your input.

Scenario

1) I could pack both the box sets (with the DVDs inside) in a box big enough to hold them both and then go to my local post office and send them home.

But would I have to pay customs anything would they arrive OK?

Scenario

2) Take the DVD's out of their box sets and put them in my suitcase and just send the box sets back to UK without the DVDs inside.

Or do you have any suggestions?

Cheers

Ash

any others guys I think I'm going to have to go shopping soon.