silver sea

27 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Here's an idea:  Take the amount they spent on controlling the rats last year, divide that by the number of rats they killed, and offer that as a bounty to anyone who brings in dead rats to collection centers.  Tax free, no documents required.

 

If it's a typical socialist government program, it'll be something like $20 (or more) per rat.

 

Could be gainful employment for quite a few of their refugee guests...  And some extra cash for low wage and unemployed locals, too.  

But the "Cobra Effect" is the likely outcome:

https://www.bordermail.com.au/story/4243859/bring-them-back-alive-jakarta-offers-bounty-to-citizens-who-catch-rats/?cs=5

Below is a link to a very interesting and well written article in the Guardian last September about the rat problem. Perhaps Paris should 

contact Loretta Mayer and Cheryl Dyer of SenesTech for advice.

Man v. Rat: could the long war soon be over?

Quote

In 2007, they founded SenesTech. “People say never to invest with a husband and wife team,” Mayer joked to me. “I say, ‘Oh absolutely not! Then you have dominance.’ But wife and wife? Works great!”

9 hours ago, Briggsy said:

"The six passengers were booked for questioning at Klong Hoikhong police station.

But only Ms Waewdee Buddaraksa, 28, an official of the Department of Agriculture Extension was detained and charged for creating disorder in the plane. Five of her colleagues were freed but kept as witnesses."

 

What does "booked for questioning" mean??

 

"Booked" in this sense means "charged". But clearly they were not charged. Who wrote this, an idiot?

 

"Five of her colleagues were freed but kept as witnesses" is again ambiguous. "Freed" meaning not charged, "Freed" meaning released? "Kept as witnesses" meaning "not freed"? "Kept as witnesses" meaning "freed but not allowed to go"? "Kept as witnesses" meaning "missed their flight"? Who knows? Better ask the trainee reporter who cobbled this together.

Quote

What does 'booked for questioning' mean??

Perhaps the reporter is a fan of Hawaii Five O:

Has David Cameron "outmanoevered and checkmated" Boris Johnson? He won't be able to invoke Article 50 to start negotiations with the EU about a formal withdrawal. From the Independent via the comments section in the Guardian. Click HERE

A top British Constitutional lawyer says that the referendum is advisory only. The final decision lies with Parliament.

He also says that there had been "a lot of stupid statements" suggesting Britain could simply send a note to the EU to trigger "Article 50" of the Lisbon Treaty, which lays out the process under which states can leave.

"The article itself says a state can only leave in accordance with "its own constitutional requirements". "Our most fundamental constitutional requirement is that the decision must be taken by parliament. It will require a bill, In November, the situation may have totally changed. According to polls, a million vote leavers appear to have changed their mind, that could be five million by the November."

To read the article and his comments in full, click HERE

If you want to know what Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty actually says, click HERE

On 6th June, I went to the Immigration Office on Koh Samui. I was applying for an extra 30 days on my Tourist Visa.

There were two boxes each containing a stack of forms. Having done this lots of times before, I spotted the usual Extension of Stay form straight away and picked out a copy without paying attention to the other form in the second box.

I completed the form and attached a photo. I returned to the desk and the officer with a friendly smile picked out the form from the second box and handed it to me. It was the Foreign National Application form. I had been vaguely aware some weeks ago, from reading Thaivisa, that it was coming in, but I have been busy recently, and had forgotten all about it.

I filled it it in as best as I could, including my social media details, although I don't remember the question about places I visit. I returned the form. The officer asked if I had a photo for this form. I said that I had only brought one with me for the first form. She just smiled, but did not make me go next door and get a new photo taken.

I had put down only the name and address of my Farang landlord as a contact. She asked if I had a Thai contact and I said no I didn't. (Next time, if it is a problem, I guess I could use the name of my landlord's Thai wife). Anyway, this time, she just smiled and then passed both forms to the officer considering the extension of stay applications. I was given a ticket and was told to come back after lunch to collect the visa and passport. All very sabai sabai.

It was low season, so there were not many people applying for extensions. Anyhow, not for the first, I was impressed by how helpful the staff had been. So 10/10 to the staff at Samui Immigration for their Customer Service.

Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to read my post, and also to those who replied. From my own personal experience this week, you do need the original Green Book, at least on the outward journey.

Last Monday, I arrived about 11.40 am at Nong Khai and the Freedom Bridge, and saw a sign that bicycles and motorcycles were not allowed to use the bridge. However, there were not many people about; it was a quiet day. I felt sure that everything would be OK.

It took about 50 minutes to complete their various forms and then visit the various processing booths. There was additional paperwork because of my motorbike. Fortunately, I had the original Green Book which showed I was the owner; photocopies would not have been accepted.

I did not have to produce a 'translation' of the Green Book. I have to admit that I am not sure why you need a translation; it is unclear what the language the translation is supposed to be in.

I had seen the visa official first. He then referred my to the official processing applications to take vehicles across the border. She printed off the relevant document and then sent me to her colleague in the next booth. He stamped the form and I said I could now cross over the border, and held up both hands as fists to indicate the riding of a motorbike.

Fortunately, I knew that my passport had not been stamped with an exit stamp, so I returned to the first official. Phew! He charged me 40 THB.

I crossed over the Bridge and entered Lao. The officials were very polite and helpful, just as they had been on the Thai side.

It took about 45 minutes to deal with all the paperwork. First, I had to fill in two forms to obtain a Lao visa, and was charged 35 USD. Next, I had to go to another office to have my motorbike registered. Again, I had to show them the original Green Book of ownership. A third official in another booth entered the information on the computer and charged me 200 THB. Finally, I showed the paperwork to a fourth official, who raised the barrier and waved me through into Lao.

Passing from Thailand to Lao had taken about 90 minutes. It certainly helped going on a quiet day.

On the return journey, it took 10 minutes to deal with the Lao officials, and another 10 minutes with the Thai. I just handed over the forms that I had completed for them on the outward journey. Again, you just have to be careful when they indicate you are free to go through; you need to stop and ask yourself whether your passport has been stamped 'in' or 'out'. Your bike might be 'legal' but what about yourself? Does your passport have all the correct stamps?

The only other problem was that crossing the bridge from Lao to Thailand I started on the wrong side of the road. The cars had stopped at a gate while a train passed through. Being on a motorbike I worked my way along the line of traffic to the front. The gates opened and I shot off first. I was driving on the right hand side of the road and then saw a line of traffic fast approaching from the Thai side. I then remembered that when I had driven from Thailand, I had been on the left side. I quickly moved over to the correct side.

I guess you take an original passport, so what's the problem???

If you lose your passport, you can at least get a replacement. If you lose the Green Book, as I understand it, you cannot get a new one, which means, among other things, you can't sell the motorbike.

So the problem is that I do not want to take the original Green Book with me, unless I have to, because it might get lost or stolen. Why take the risk, if photocopies are acceptable?

My current visa is coming to an end. Next week, I shall go to Lao to get a Single Entry Tourist Visa (SETV)

I shall be travelling from Thailand to Vientiane and back again on my motorcycle. The person (Farang) I bought the bike from says that I do not need to take the Green Book with me; I only need to show photocopies of the relevant page in the book.

I have however just noticed THIS ARTICLE from the Internet. If you look at the text under photo #3 you will see that the original green book is required; copies will not be accepted.

If you have to take the original book with you, then there is always a danger that it will get lost or stolen; and then you will have problems when, later on, you want to sell the bike.

Does anyone have experience of taking their motorcycle across the border e.g. the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai please?

Thank you all for your helpful replies.

There is one further question. I shall be travelling from Thailand to Vientiane and back again on my motorcycle. The person (Farang) I bought the bike from says that I do not need to take the Green Book with me; I need only to show photocopies of the relevant page in the book.

I have however just noticed THIS ARTICLE from the Internet. If you look at the text under photo #3 you will see that the original green book is required; copies will not be accepted.

If you have to take the original book with you, then there is always a danger that it will get lost or stolen; and then you will have problems when, later on, you want to sell the bike.

Does anyone have experience of taking their motorcycle across the border e.g. the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai please?

Next month, I shall be travelling to Laos, so that I can get a single entry tourist visa (SETV) from Vientiane.

Previously, I have always got my triple entry visas from my home country, which is the UK. The third entry on my current visa will expire on 10th May. I wish to stay in Thailand for another two months, hence my trip to Laos.

I have found the visa application form that the Thai Embassy/Consulate in Vientiane requires to be completed. Click HERE to see the form.

The form requires the name and contact of two guarantors: one in Thailand and one in Lao PDR. Whose names do I put please?

It also asks for my address in Lao PDR. Presumably, I just put the name of the hotel or guest house that I will be staying in whilst my application for an SETV is being processed.

Thank you for your help.

Lot of competition for being remembered as the FIFTH BEATLE from Brian Epstein and Stuart Sutcliff to George Best and Jimmy Turbuck. Even the VW Beetle on the cover of Abbey Road has been called the Fifth Beatle! ?

Anyway, sad day indeed. RIP Sir George Martin. You left a fine legacy.

Yesterday morning in Lamai, usual place, dozens of motorbikes caught, no idea if there was a fine for the pillion too ? To day same same no more wearing a helmet.

Fine for the pillion is double the riders fine. 1000 bht

No ,1000 baht if both driver and pillion has no helmet.

Lost in translation.......................

Can I ask who told you that please?

I just need to pass it on to the officers in Mae nam as they had already had it confirmed it was not 'lost in translation', as they had already questioned the discrepancy.

At the helmet check in Lamai, the fine was 400 THB for not wearing a helmet, rather than 500 Baht as advertised.

The ticket lists 5 or 6 infringements e.g. not wearing a helmet (there is not a separate box for the pillion driver); not having a valid licence for motorcycle; no licence plate; parts missing from bike etc

... but there was no box for talking on your mobile phone while driving your bike.

At the first table, you have to show your licence, otherwise you get two boxes ticked on the ticket i.e. not wearing helmet and not having a valid licence. Presumably, you would then have to pay double the fine.

You take the ticket to a separate table. You hand over the money with the ticket. You can then pick up your keys from the table.

Under the old system, you got a receipt to show that you had already been fined, and you were verbally told by the officer that it was valid for the rest of the day i.e. you would not get fined for the same offence that day if stopped at another checkpoint on the island. On Friday, however, when you handed over the ticket and the money, you did not get a receipt in return. Presumably, therefore, although you have paid once, you are no longer covered for the rest of the day.

Why does a passenger without a helmet have to pay twice as much as the driver without a helmet?

If you're out and about on your bike and you stop to offer a friend a lift home, it would make economic sense to give them your helmet as well.

What about motorbike taxis? Presumably, they will have a second helmet to give to their 'fare'.

Does wonders for tourism, more Thainess.

Van Gogh-ness. In thailand 'you have to pay', sometimes several times. They're sharks!

What is van Gogh-ness?

Click EAR for 'van Gogh-ness'

They do not have time, to look for muders.When they are arresting. Old age pensioners!

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You will find the answer, catman20, to your ????? if you click HERE

A moving, and uplifting story. Well written too.

"Rummaging" is at least a common American word for going through odds and ends looking for something. You might have a rummage sale which would be selling odds and ends from around the place. You might rummage through your closet looking for something. I don't know where the word came from other than apparently an American?

RIP. There are too many.

It's actually an English word, rather than uniquely American. Brought into common usage, as with so many English words through the pervasive influence of the Royal Navy, as the first meaning of 'to rummage' is to arrange goods or cargo in a ship's hold. It then became popular to use the word to describe the searching of a boarded vessel for contraband. Thence it developed its current popular meaning of to search carelessly.

Pedantic rant over!

It is not, strictly speaking, an English word (in the way that plain, simple, basic words like 'pig', 'cow', and 'sheep' are English) either, but is one of those posh sounding immigrants! According to the online OED, the word 'rummage' has been traced back to the late 15th century, and is from old French/Middle Dutch.

Pattaya City of WELCUM

Phalluses

A few things about the METV that I just got in Los Angeles, one day turn over.

First, I dressed nicely and smiled. I have no idea if they could deny you for poor appearance but why chance it.

There is a Thai man who speaks good English who reviews your paperwork before you turn it in. Good idea because many people are lacking proper documents.

There are signs everywhere "No refunds". My METV cost $200 so you want to make sure you have everything in order.

I posted these earlier:

On the employment question. I am retired and just put in the box "retired". I was advised to do this by the Consulate staff. No problem.

The money requirement was no problem. I am in my 60's. If I have not been able to save $8,000 over my life, shame on me. I just printed a copy of my account statement from the internet.

I am not recommending any type of fraud. Not at all but they want you to show multiple entries over the next 6 months. Not easy to do because many people who travel do not know when they will be in and out. I want to take some side trips to Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, etc over the next 6 months. Then come back to LOS. But I have no idea of those dates.

It is possible to book airline tickets that are confirmed within a few minutes. Some airlines have a 24 hour cancellation with no fee. So you can book, print the confirmations, and cancel if you want.

Same same with the hotels. You can find ones that have a liberal cancellation policy. You can print out the confirmations then cancel at a later time if you want.

So this was it for me in LA. There were not many people in line. I waited about 10 minutes to hand in my paperwork at 930 am. I picked up the next day at 1030 and waited about 5 minutes.

Thanks for the extra information.

It would also be helpful to know:

1 Presumably, your bank statement covered the last 6 months?

2 You say that you printed it from the Internet. Did you get it stamped by your bank to certify that the print out was genuine?

3 The METV lasts 6 months, although if you time the last entry correctly, you can stretch it to almost 9 months. What is the date of your return flight to the US and what is the "enter before" date on the METV please?

4 You say that they wanted you to show multi entries. Was that a verbal request by the counter clerk or a printed requirement?

5 How many of these entries/ hotel bookings were you required to show?

6 How many of these hotel bookings are you now going to cancel?

Many thanks ?

The action is on par with cheering someone who has murdered a victim. People who publish such posts online should also consider that those comments might remain on the Internet for a long time.

Um, no its not at all. Firstly, people don't know that a statement is lese majeste at the time that they like it. Secondly, is it illegal to cheer a murderer? No matter how they dress it up, making a "like" have some legal meaning is absolute nonsense. It has no meaning at all. It conferes no support, no complicit meaning or otherwise.

In a nutshell, it is thought police.

Cheering on a murderer may be distasteful, but I'm sure it's not a crime.

I can see how, with current laws, sharing an LM post could be (actually is) spreading the LM, and thus a crime. Clicking "like" however is merely an expression of self that does not promote or spread the "offensive" post.

Thought police.

What is the difference between 'share' and 'like' on Facebook?

A and B are 'friends' on Facebook.

share:

A posts an LM message on Facebook(FB). If B 'shares' that message, it is transferred onto his timeline. All of B's FB friends, including those who are not FB friends with A, will see that message. Everyone, including those who are not FB friends with A, can 'share' or click 'like'. So 'sharing' does, as Seastallion says, "promote or spread the 'offensive' post."

like:

A posts an LM message on Facebook (FB). If B 'likes', rather than 'shares', that message, it is still transferred onto B's timeline. Those who are not FB friends with A do not have the facility to click 'like', but they can still read that post, and, if they choose, can 'share' it with their own FB friends.

So, those in authority could argue that clicking 'like' can also "promote or spread the 'offensive' post"; maybe not as widely as 'sharing', but it will still be beyond A's original circle of friends.

I went to the embassy in Oslo yesterday and delivered my application for the METV, as posted earlier in this thread they don't demand much of us norwegians so I only needed two tickets in/out of Thailand.

No financial proof or proof of address in Thailand.

I asked the lady who received my application, have you gotten many of this application for METV yet? Yes quite many she said, mostly young backpackers type of people.

I don't think I will have any problems of getting my application approved, I will not pick up my passport before after i finish my tour of duty offshore If any problems I will report back here in this thread.

Picked up my passport yesterday, a lot of people there actually. Had to stand in line for about 20 minutes, obviously high season for visa applications.

Arrived Swampy this morning and got stamped in for 60 days ?

Congratulations on getting the METV.

Out of interest, what is the date of the 'out of Thailand' ticket please?

Presumably, it is your return ticket to Norway and so is dated for the end of your time in Thailand.

Alternatively, does it relate to a flight out of Thailand to a neighbouring country at the end of your first 60 days (or 90 days if you are going to get a 30 day extension), because you do not yet know the exact date you want to fly back to Norway?

Thank you, and I hope that you have fun in Thailand.

Im a frequent traveller in a offshore rotation, stay about 3 weeks in each country. So its not a problem for me to produce 2 tickets in/out of Thailand.

It would still be of interest to know the date of your 'out of Thailand' ticket and where you will be flying to.

Thank you ?

I went to the embassy in Oslo yesterday and delivered my application for the METV, as posted earlier in this thread they don't demand much of us norwegians so I only needed two tickets in/out of Thailand.

No financial proof or proof of address in Thailand.

I asked the lady who received my application, have you gotten many of this application for METV yet? Yes quite many she said, mostly young backpackers type of people.

I don't think I will have any problems of getting my application approved, I will not pick up my passport before after i finish my tour of duty offshore If any problems I will report back here in this thread.

Picked up my passport yesterday, a lot of people there actually. Had to stand in line for about 20 minutes, obviously high season for visa applications.

Arrived Swampy this morning and got stamped in for 60 days ?

Congratulations on getting the METV.

Out of interest, what is the date of the 'out of Thailand' ticket please?

Presumably, it is your return ticket to Norway and so is dated for the end of your time in Thailand.

Alternatively, does it relate to a flight out of Thailand to a neighbouring country at the end of your first 60 days (or 90 days if you are going to get a 30 day extension), because you do not yet know the exact date you want to fly back to Norway?

Thank you, and I hope that you have fun in Thailand.

Got a metv yesterday from Hull.. Easy, just did what it said on guide.

Somebody was getting refused and given a single while I was there, not enough funds in the bank. I can't say things were checked throughly, surely things are easily forged with a scanner, a pc and photoshop?

Many thanks for taking the time to post!

Could you say what you provided regarding UK employment letter/self employment proof/Tax returns (if anything) please?

I took a letter from HR depth, that said exactly what they wanted it to say. Continuous employment, aware I was travelling to Thailand for up to six months (even though covered for up to 8 months?).. Bank statements with over £5k in for 6 months, return tickets...etc all info downloaded from Hull Consulate site, London forms not acceptable!? You are correct, a self assessment is OK, as is a pension statement for retired folk.

Easy... If you do what they say.

Note to anybody planning on doing what our American friend says... You can only apply on person.

Thank you MROLL320 for taking the trouble to post your experience, and to answer questions.

In your OP, are you saying that you got your METV on the same day that you applied? For instance, when I have applied in person for the old triple entry visa at the RTE in London, I have had to return the next day to collect my passport and visa.

What does ubonjoe think of bb1's point please? Could you effectively stay 9 months like the old triple entry visa?

Yes you can, just go out 1-2 days before and you will get another 60 days and you could extend it for another 30 days at 1900 Baht.

Didnt the Visa expire 3 months after being issued, thus making only six months possible?

Triple entry TR's were issued with a 6 month validity making nearly 9 months possible.

For completeness, this is the full quote, which includes ubonjoe's reply from post #25 at the bottom of page 1 of this thread:

So with this METV once you have it!

You can stay for 6 months, enter and re enter as often as you like but must leave every 60 days?

Do we know if the 60 days can be extended by 30 days like old TV? Thus would make it similar to old multi 60 day TV albeit can only be obtained in home country.

Cheers

Who says you can stay only for 6 months? The visa is valid for 6 months so if you enter the 3rd time before the expiry & extend for 30 days at Chaeng Wattana after those 2 months are expiring, you will get about 9 months before needing to get a new visa. In essence it would be similar to the old 3 entry tourist visa which you could get hardly anywhere except a few lucky cities around the world.

What does ubonjoe think of bb1's point please? Could you effectively stay 9 months like the old triple entry visa?

If you do an entry on or before the enter before date on the visa you will get another 60 day entry. So yes it is equal to having the old 3 entry tourist visa.