silver sea

When WinnietheKhwai first posted this, the video played ok on my iPad. I have just tried again, but it won't play this time. I get the caption, "This video is not available." Does that mean it's been censored by Thailand's Ministry of Truth?

If you google "laem sor beach Koh Samui", you get a list of links including photos and a location map. It's on the south east of the island.

I was walking there this morning for the first time. It is a very long beautiful sandy beach; much how I have always imagined beaches on a tropical island to be. It's a bit off the beaten track though. Quite isolated but lots of places to stay nearby. There were people on the beach but it was not crowded.

Walking back to my starting point, I then walked on and found a rocky, less attractive beach and then noticed a pagoda close to the beach and then another one up in the hills. I visited the first one and then nearby found another pagoda on top of a boat in an artificial pool of water. I could go on but I appreciate that you are not coming to Samui for the temples ...

If you're spending three months here, then it might be worth staying there for a few days, if only to catch your breath from the nightlife in Chaweng and Lamai.

I do a lot of walking during the day and at night. I find that during the day the dogs can be friendly or they just ignore you. They prefer to sleep whilst the sun is out. There are several dogs along my route who now recognise me and come over to be petted. I like dogs and so I am happy to play with them. They also become used to my scent. After dark, these same dogs can become very aggressive and territorial, but will leave me alone if they recognise me.

A few months ago I was walking down one soi after dark. Suddenly a dog ran into the back of my legs. It didn't bark or snarl; it just ran off again in the other direction. A few nights later I was walking along the same soi again but in the other direction. Suddenly, I felt a sudden sharp pain on the back of my thigh. I turned round and it was the same dog but this time it was snapping and snarling, running forwards and then backwards, accompanied by two other dogs who were doing the same. They were in an extremely bad mood; almost demented. The soi was quiet, but I had not heard them coming up behind me. I only became aware of them when I felt the pack leader's bite.

I thought at first they were going to set about me. I started shouting at them. There were no stones around to throw, but I kept bending down, pretending to pick one up. This made them wary and they kept their distance, but they were still snapping and snarling, as I backed my way up the soi and out on to the main road. Phew!

I looked at the back of my thigh. There was no blood but there was a bite mark. I walked back to my apartment and then got on my scooter and headed to the local state hospital, which was about a 40 minute ride away.

The doctor and nurses at the Emergency Department were very kind and helpful. As they could not be sure whether the dog had had its annual rabies jab, it was decided to play it safe by giving me 5 fast acting injections in the wound itself and then four routine injections in my shoulders. I then had to return to the hospital a further four times, to have another injection in my shoulder.

The whole thing, including journey costs, probably cost me just under 5000 baht.

At the time I did have some dark thoughts about that soi dog, but with the distance of time, my mood has lightened. For a time I carried a big wooden stick, but rarely do so now.

I am still not happy about the way owners, both Thai and Farang, just leave their dogs to roam around unchecked, but that's Thailand for you. I am a guest in someone else's country and that's the way they do things here. The onus is on me to look after myself. "Be alive, to stay alive."

Thanks thaiexpat21. Will do.

Last Friday, 8th November, I sent my passport off to Hull. It was a busy day. First I had gone to my UK bank, HSBC, to arrange a transfer of money, via Swift, from my current account to my bank account in Thailand.

I then went downstairs to use the ATM. I drew out £75 (3771 THB) for the triple visa, and £10 (502 THB) to cover the cost of returning the passport to me from Hull. I was in a hurry as I had promised to go over to my sister's. She had wanted to cook me a nice big midday meal. I quickly filled in the application forms and shot along to the Post Office to send the documents off by Special Delivery. This would guarantee delivery at Hull on Monday 11th November.

My various jobs done, and feeling very pleased with myself, I jumped on a bus to my sister's. She is a good cook and had prepared one of my favourites: casserole with loads of dumplings and new potatoes. And very good it was too. So much so, I had three very generous servings along with plenty of wine served by my brother-in-law.

Whilst Big Sis was in the kitchen, dishing up a slice of apple pie and a scoop of ice cream, and my brother-in-law was organising some more wine, I leant back in my chair and gave my tummy a satisfied rub. "Life is good," I thought.

And then a dark thought floated across the empty space that lies between my two ears: "You didn't enclose the two photos for the visa with your application!"

Somewhere in the distance I could hear Del Boy from "Only Fools and Horses" calling me:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HwDBZuHw7l8&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DHwDBZuHw7l8

When I was in my late 20s and early 30s my parents were convinced that I looked like Rodney

Anyway, I didn't say anything to my sister or brother-in-law; I was too embarrassed. By the time I got back into town it was 4.30 pm; the Consulate at Hull stops taking calls at 4 pm. I therefore decided to send the photos the next day. As this would be Saturday, the photos would arrive on Monday in the same post as my passport.

On Sunday evening, I sent an email to the Consulate marked "urgent" explaining what had happened. For good measure,, I added a photograph of the envelope with the photos. It was fairly distinctive and so hoped it would help them to locate it amongst the piles of visa applications.

I was tempted to phone them on Monday but I was quite busy with other tasks. I had given them my mobile number on the application form and in my email.i thought that I would see what would happen. I have not yet booked my flight, as I was waiting to see whether they would grant my application for my visa.

Also, their information pack advised that their busiest period was September - December. During the other 8 months of the year they would aim to deal with the application by return of post. During their 'busy period' they said that it might take an extra 2 or 3 days to return the passport.

I am pleased to report though that my passport came back this morning, Tuesday 12 November! To recap, I sent it on Friday; it was processed and put back in the post on Monday; I received it on Tuesday ...

... And that was notwithstanding the problems I caused them ...

... And I did not need to phone them on the Monday to check whether they had read my email. They were able to sort out everything themselves....

... And this was during their busiest period of the year too ...

So although there have been some recent concerns raised on ThaiVisa about the Consulate at Hull I have nothing but praise for them.

Well done, Hull!

Hi thaiexpat21

Thank you for your patient explanation I am still new to this game so any input from more experienced members is always appreciated. I would rather be shot down in flames on this forum than end up taking part in one of those "pointing finger" group photos with the Thai police, which seem to be so popular on Thaivisa.

I didn't know that you can only apply for long stay visas in one's home country. The reason I was considering applying for one was that it was suggested by the man who operates the visa runs where I live in Thailand. He runs a legitimate business and works within the rules set by the authorities. He said that he could get me a year long multiple entry visa whilst I was in Thailand. He knew that I was returning to England last October. He advised me to reenter Thailand on a 30 day visa exempt stamp and then to go and see him. He would then arrange the year long visa for, I think he said, 11,000 THB. I guess that I must have misunderstood what he was saying or offering me.

Anyway, this time round, the triple entry visa is the best fit for my plans, together with one of these new fangled 30 day extensions that everyone is talking about. That will take me up to early September next year. When I go on the visa runs with him I can then quiz him more closely about what type of visa he was offering me.

Thank you for your good wishes for my trip too.

Hello thaiexpat21.

Thank you for your reply. I guess that as you have put the word, visa, in inverted commas, this suggests that the alarm bells should be ringing

If ever I make the application, I shall be over 50 and I will have at least 800,000 THB in my Thai bank account. I am in good health and I am not someone that the police call on to help with their enquiries.

If, as seems likely, I go for Plan B, as outlined in my previous post, I won't need to make the application as I shall be returning to the UK in either August, or preferably September, next year.

Again, thank you for your interest.

Thanks thai expat21 and ubonjoe for your comments. Much appreciated.

In reply to ubonjoe's query about 15 months: under Plan A, I was going to return to Thailand on a single entry visa. Once I had got the 30 day extension on my initial 60 days, I was intending to apply for the year long multi entry visa so the two together would add up to 15 months. Sorry I didn't make that clear in my original post.

I would add that there is a reason that I would enter on a visa rather than simply getting a 30 day visa exempt stamp at BKK airport and then applying for the multi entry visa. The reason is that I intend buying a one way ticket to Thailand next week. As I understand it, the airlines won't let you board their planes unless you either have a ticket out of Thailand or you have a visa stamped in your passport. They don't want to be fined by the Thai authorities.

Also I don't know exactly when I shall be returning to the UK next year. Last time, I had a return date in October. I wanted to stay inThailand until January next year, but the booking agent wanted to charge me over £300 (15,000 THB) to change the date. That was more than I was willing to pay, so rather than paying them and then buying another visa to cover me until next January, I flew back to the UK in October instead.

When I do decide to fly back, I shall then book a return flight from Bangkok to Heathrow. As I understand it, return flights from Bangkok are cheaper than those starting from Heathrow.

I am now, however, moving to Plan B. I would still buy a one way ticket, but it would be backed up by a triple entry visa. That would take me up to the middle of next August. I do not, however, fancy flying back during the height of the UK holiday season. I see from one of the current "hot" threads that G7 countries now get 30 day visas rather than 15 days on a visa run. That would suit me as I could then stay until September and then fly back to the UK.

Hope that makes sense If I have got something wrong, no doubt you will tell me. I would rather know now than get into an argument with a Thai official at some later stage because my paperwork was not in order.

Once again, thanks for your help.

Hello, hope it's ok to piggyback onto someone else's thread rather than starting a fresh one.

Is there a limit to the number of triple entry visas that Hull will grant please?

I first went to Thailand in January 2012 for three weeks and so had the usual 30 day visa exempt stamp at the airport.

My second visit was in August - November 2012 so I got a single entry visa from Hull.

My last visit was February 1st - October 18th this year and so got a triple entry visa from Hull.

I am planning on returning to Thailand around next Friday, although I have not yet booked my flight.

Plan A had been to get a single entry visa from Hull and then whilst I am in Thailand obtaining a one year multi entry visa. However, I am not sure at this stage that I want to be away from England for as long as 15 months. I love Thailand hence my many recent visits. It's a great country, but I love England too. Two very different countries - a bit like blondes and brunettes, and I am very happy being with both!

I am now moving over to Plan B. This would mean another triple entry visa from Hull. This would take me through to next August. If I then want to stay out there for another 2 or 3 months I could get another visa or alternatively, I could just fly back instead.

My questions are:

(1) how many times will Hull grant triple entry tourist visas to the same person? At some stage they are going to say to me that I can't be a tourist and wonder why I don't apply for year long visa.

(2) do they look for a time gap of say 6 months between applications for triple entry visas?

(3) If they refuse a triple entry visa presumably you get a red stamp in your passport to that effect. What does that mean in practical terms? e.g. does it mean that I can never ever apply for a single/ double/triple entry tourist visa again, because they no longer regard me as a tourist, even if I wait another 10 years before making another such application?

Thanks for your advice and help.

Hello Maestro

Thank you for your very helpful advice. I shall do as you suggest.

Best Wishes

I am a British subject

I live on Koh Samui.

I arrived on 1st February 2013.

I had a triple visa.

The 60 days on the third visa ends on 17th September.

This week, I shall be going to the Immigration Office to seek a 30 day extension.

If 17th September is the last day, by my calculation, the 30th day will be 17th October.

My original plan had been to spend 12 months in Thailand, returning to the UK in January 2014.

When I booked my flight in January 2013 with a booking agent in the UK, however, I was advised that he could only book ahead as far as October. He suggested that I contact him again in September so that he could change the return flight date from 18th October to one in January.

I got the impression that changing the flight date would only cost me a nominal sum.

My original plan had been that once my triple visa had expired in October, I would then fly to Malaysia for a few days; obtain a new 60 day/90 day visa; return to Thailand; and then fly back to the UK at the end of the 90 days in January 2014.

I have some personal and financial matters to sort out in the UK. This should take about three weeks. I would then be ready to return to Thailand for another 12 months. Koh Samui is my home now.

I am toying with the idea of forgetting the Malaysia trip and returning to the UK in October. It's just unfortunate that the return date is 18th October and not a few days earlier i.e. before my visa expires on 17th October.

I have just been in correspondence today with the booking agency in the UK. It would seem that it will in fact cost me just under 11,200 Baht to change the date of the return flight from 18th October to, say, 14th October.

If I want to change the date from 18th October to, say, 17th January 2014, it will cost me just under 16,300 Baht.

My inclination at this stage is not to change the flight date but to return to the UK on 18th October. This means however that my visa will be out of date because it will have expired the day before.

As I understand it, being out of date by one day is not a criminal offence. Instead I will have to pay a fine and I can then take my flight.

Could someone please:

(a) confirm this is correct

(b ) confirm how much I would have to pay

(c )will it be recorded in my passport?

(d) do I pay the fine at Koh Samui airport or at Bangkok airport?

(e) who do I approach at the airport to confirm that I have overstayed by one day?

(f) how much extra time will this take? Is it straightforward or is there a lot paperwork to fill out?

I would add that on 18th October, my flight from Koh Samui leaves at 6.25 AM (it's their first flight off the island) and I arrive at Bangkok airport at 7.25 AM.

My flight to UK with Muscat Airways leaves at 9.30 AM 18th October.

As you can see I am not going to have a lot of time if the procedure for paying the fine is complicated.

Thanks for your help and advice.

What was your wife like before you married her? Did she just peck at her food like a sparrow and then it all changed when she got the ring on her finger?

Reminds of an old Benny Hill sketch (click below):

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcuwz3_benny-hill-fat-bride-skit_shortfilms

Going back to the Daily Mail article that we were "linked" to on page 1 (here it is again):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2389798/Oprah-Winfrey-branded-liar-Swiss-sales-assistant-racist-handbag-row.html

Look at photo number 8. The text under the photo suggests it was taken in Zurich. If that is how she was dressed when she went into the shop then that might explain why the sales assistant might have thought that Oprah could not afford to buy the handbag.

A monster under the bed would not be as scary as that thing !!!!

I can remember as a child, my mother reading to me a Norwegian story called "The Three Billy Goats Gruff". They each had to cross over a bridge under which was hidden a troll (for pictures "click" below):

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=three+billy+goats+gruff&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#biv=i%7C0%3Bd%7CAJZu1PVF0FVKUM%3A

Once I had learnt to read for myself I would often start the story, as I lay in bed, but could not finish it. The thought of the troll under the bridge, and so in my imagination under my bed, was just too scary.

But you're right lee b, the thought of a ladyboy under my bed .... Brrrr ...shiver me timbers!

As you might expect, the Daily Mail is on the case:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2355152/Professor-J-Meirion-Thomas-A-200-wont-stop-foreigners-abusing-NHS-But-I-know-.html

Ah, so you guess it was an attempt at humour. English humor can be wonderful: Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Derek and Clive, et al.

English wine (English wine?) not so much. Perhaps you could put as much effort into your attempts at humour as you do at yank bashing?

Thank you once again for your comments amexpat.

You say that I am "yank bashing". If as an American you feel battered and bruised by my comments above then you must have very sensitive skin.

The moderators seem to act very quickly on this website. If they had felt that I was "bashing" you, rather than, as I was, gently teasing you, my post would have been deleted. And rightly so! Bullying and impoliteness have no place on this site.

Returning to the OP's original post in which he asked about "unique, interesting or strange spa treatments".

Here is an Hawaiian variation on the Law of Attraction. It is on offer at a spa near me on Koh Samui. It is mixed in with African, Indian (as in Native American) and reiki influences. I doubt that it is being offered anywhere else in Thailand and so in that sense it is "unique". Some of you may find it "interesting" or even "strange". It is at least different.

The session is offered by an American called Paulo Rambo. I have met him a few times at the spa and we have had one or two long chats. I like him. I sense that he genuinely wants to help people to improve the quality of their lives.

One of the stars of the DVD version of Rhonda Byrne's book "The Secret" was Michael Beckwith. Paulo told me that he spent a lot of time with Michael Beckwith in the years before he was made internationally famous by the DVD and was greatly influenced by him.

For some reason, I cannot provide a direct link (hence the "edit" button again). If however you copy and paste the following into Google or YouTube the video should come up. Apologies for the inconvenience.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck7r8CneDbQ

No doubt there are some who would claim that fish pedicures should be banned because it amounts to fish exploitation. Those poor fish being forced to nibble away at those dirty smelly feet.

Edited by jukebox, Today, 11:31 .

I just have to wonder how inane this post was before it was edited.

Ha ha ha! Thanks for your comment amexpat.

I had to edit it because I had left out the word "claim" In the first sentence.

I was not expressing a personal opinion; it was I guess an attempt at humour. English humour can be like English wine in that it does not seem to travel very well - at least if you're American.

There are people out there who genuinely seem to believe that fish pedicures amount to fish exploitation. Click below

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=is+fish+pedicure+cruel&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari

for a wide choice of websites on this subject.

Surprisingly, some of those commentators seem to be American. Ha, ha.

No doubt there are some who would claim that fish pedicures should be banned because it amounts to fish exploitation. Those poor fish being forced to nibble away at those dirty smelly feet.

What happens when zie wants to use a public toilet in a shop or an office? Women might not be too happy if zie wants to use the ladies.

So in the physical test, they check your depth perception, colour bblindness and peripheral vision, but what about an eyesight test i.e. don't they check your distance vision as well?

Also, can Farangs only apply for a temporary one year licence that has to be renewed each year?

first up is a 1 year licence then you can get a 5 year one I have been told by my wife, you need to be able to show that you reside in Thailand before you can get the longer one.

But do they test your distance vision as well - in the UK, for my car licence, I had to read a car number plate from a certain distance. In Thailand the numbers are easy enough to read but the rest of the licence plate is made up of Thai script which means absolutely nothing to me. So do they check your distance vision with a different type of test? Thank you.

So in the physical test, they check your depth perception, colour bblindness and peripheral vision, but what about an eyesight test i.e. don't they check your distance vision as well?

Also, can Farangs only apply for a temporary one year licence that has to be renewed each year?

Thanks for the link - if I can piggyback on to someone else's thread.

What does the "physical test" involve please?

Thank you

I have to admit that, sadly, I'm not a "dirty stop out". These days I am quite happy to mosey on home by midnight.

I would have thought though that if the opening hours are extended until 4 am it would be a good thing from a business point of view. It gives the bar owners more flexibility on how they decide to run their businesses.

It does not mean that they have to "shut up shop" at 4 am every night/morning throughout the year. They might, for example, stay open late Thursdays - Saturdays and on nights when there are important footie matches if that's what the customers want. The other nights they could shut earlier.

On the other hand, if they are not doing much business after 1 am throughout the week, they can still close up at 2 am if they want to. Just because they will now be able to stay open until 4 am doesn't mean they have to. It's a commercial decision - unless the police have a "cunning plan" to fine those bar owners who shut early!

I agree that the Uni student's comments are comical. They perhaps reflect her unconscious belief/prejudice that such crimes are committed by Farangs; a Thai would never do such things!

Things to do:

Click HERE

Place to stay in Lamai area:

Click HERE

Thank you Lite Beer and lopburi3 for your replies.

Happy New Year to everyone.

Sadly, at this stage, I do not qualify for the non immigrant "O" visa. I shall do in future years.

At present, I am not a very confident traveller so I would rather settle my return date now rather than applying for further visas whilst in a strange foreign country.. Perhaps next time

When I had a single entry visa last August, it was valid for 60 days and I then got a 30 day extension whilst still in the country. If I have double entry or triple entry visas can I still get a 30 day extension on each of the visas without leaving the country? I have looked on the website but I cannot find the relevant regulation.

Thank you again.