FLHR

"I am glad he came into power because something started to change in Thai society"

​What exactly "started to change"?

They are changing back to the traditional corrupt ways instead.of the new fangled ones like trains and water projects.

Agree! Thailand desperately needs those infrastructure projects, 2nd to education though! Keep them stupid and in the dark ages, easier to control & manipulate.

Problem is there isnt any party that isnt totally corrupt and out for what they can grab, Thais have no patience for elections or democracy hence the 22 or so attempted or successful; coups in the last 100 years rather than fight it out at election time.... no patience at all.

Politics are a joke in Thailand, always have and for the foreseeable future always will be.

Absolutely! Until there's a decent educational system here that can replace the current nationalistic brainwashing, there'll always be a population incapable of critical thinking & individual thought.

Best of luck, here's hoping to the end of The Convicted Criminals Governemnt

Not in this century.

This is how democracy works in Thailand, Forget waiting until the next elections you take to the streets anytime you feel like selling a gimmick like a coloured shirt or wristband ... who needs elections anyway.

Typical spoiled brat antics and they are all as bad as each other.

Least some food stalls will be doing a roaring trade for a few days

Exactly!!!! Leading these gullible people into believing there will be change; when it's really all about lining different pockets. Thais desperately need the change in the educational system!!!

Drinking beer with kids that happen to be carrying a baseball bat.... Just about as moronic as politics here!

I am confused as to why those that voted for the amendment are being impeached - does this set a precedent that where anything voted for that is later struck down by the CC would have those that voted for it banned?

Suppose anything can be in this twilight zone kind-a-place; but, I think they're referring to voting fraud (one moron voting in place of several morons).

The former Surat Thani MP Suthep said that some of the civil disobedience measures were effective, citing the whistleblowing protest against a Cabinet member outside a hotel yesterday.

If this guy in any way is represantive for the alternative to the present government, Lord have mercy on Thailand!!

In a match between those two morons:

30125595-01.jpg andSuthep_Thaugsuban.jpg

There will be no winners, only losers: The people of Thailand!

No doubt!

At some point, if the people had a decent education available & critical thinking was widespread, I would think having elected representatives would be a huge step forward.

You guys did good getting the amnesty bill off the table, now it's time to grow up & go home.

Even if they pushed the city into chaos & pulled off some kind of coup; what would change? Only the faces. There would still be the same old self serving corruption. Until there's a decent educational system here (without the nationalistic brainwashing) it will always be the same old thing.

Sure would like to see a little peace & equality in this world!

No doubt about that. Now the business sector is getting an idea of how screwed up their government is. Even local institutions are pulling out of investment here because of the childish behavior in government, and foreign money pulls out by the billions when there's a mere mention of their nonsense. Now inflation's going crazy & the credit bubble is topped off & they're saying domestic spending can carry this economy.?????????

That was my immediate focus too Worgeordie.

With the sh1t about to hit the fan, the only thing they can currently rely upon is the housing bubble, but when that bursts, as it surely must, we are really going to see this place going the way of the Philippines, from boom to bust.

She is suggesting that domestic consumption is going to save Thailand, and yet, we are already well aware that household debt is through the roof. Add to this rampant inflation leading to an alarming rise in the CPI and no-one has any money left to spend on anything but absolute necessities.

I was in the UK a couple of months ago and was shocked to find that there were so many things that were cheaper there than here, and I'm not talking about luxury items. The average earnings for all full-time workers in the UK are now GBP 26,500; how does that compare to earnings here?

This PTP government is going to go down in history as the dark days of Thai politics, and it's going to take a very strong opposition party, and some drastic measures, to recover from this once they have been ousted. I dread to think what the final bill (total losses) is going to be....!!

PTP are throwing candy around, those that would come later will have to spoon feed the bitter medicine to fix PTPs irresponsibility. The following election who do you think the people would vote for? Candy or bitter medicine?

Democracy needs an informed and civic minded population to work, therefore, it´s not working here and I don´t see any group or individual taking any measures to remedy the situation.

Keep the population uneducated and unarmed. It's always worked for self serving governments through out history! No problem here, they're beyond uneducated and heavily brainwashed!

Here, in Thailand? There isn't enough room on this website to note that.

It just baffles me how these people can do these things at the expense of the citizens & countries well being. I thought self serving and deception was bad in the States; but here, I just can't believe what I'm seeing. How many coups have been thrown here in the last 75 years?

Hold on now! This guy planned in advance & covered his tracks; yet he confesses when the cops question him??? Either these clown criminals are dumber then a box of rocks or the cops use some heavy interrogation techniques.???

Guess I answered my own question. BOTH

Yes, a bad plan. I know a teacher with a master's degree in Isaan who bought a new house on the no-down new house scheme, and a new pickup on that scheme, and some furniture on a credit card. She also has a smartphone and can barely afford to eat. Her salary is 30k pm.

She has no clue what her interest rates are, or how long it will take her to pay off her debt.

I hear ya on that! Sadly, they really don't think past what that borrowed money's putting in their driveway or home. When you explain to them the life of debt they're creating, it's like it really doesn't matter. Really a bummer when you see someone you care about going down this path!

Yes, work will likely play a role in this @ some point & the easier financial requirements are a selling point. Not sure if there's any other benefits to a marriage visa. ???

Outstanding information & I thank you all!!!

You apparently have an extension of stay based upon marriage not a visa. You have to return to Thailand to apply for a new extension.

If your extension expires while out of the country you will need to start all over again by getting a non-o visa and apply for an extension when you turn.

Just to clarify, I'm on a 90 day Non-O/Non-Immigrant (nothing based on marriage) & it wont expire while I'm gone. I was on a visa based on retirement prior to this 90 dayer so maybe it's based on retirement. The original plan was to go back on the retirement visa when this expires, but since this trip came up & I'm married, I was hoping to get a 1 year based on marriage. I apologize for any confusion!

From what I'm getting from the posts so far is I can get a visa based on marriage while in the States but it will only be good for 90 days, then I have to do the marathon at immigration for an extension. ???

I was hoping I could get the 1 year marriage visa like I did a 1 year retirement visa a few years back while in the States. Is that possible?

Thanks!

I'll be back in the States for a while with an active Non-Immigrant visa from here (& valid re-entry permit). Is it possible to get a marriage visa from the LA or DC embassies? I've done it once for a retirement visa, just wondering if it's possible for a marriage visa if I have all the paperwork with me.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks Jake!

The new Samsung Note will be out next month. Scince I will be in the States at that time I'm thinking about making the purchase there. My questions are;

1: Are these smartphone operating systems compatible (States/Thailand)?

2: Could I run my Stateside sim card & Thailand sim card simultaneously?

3: What service (with good internet capabilities) would you recommend here in Thailand?

Thanks in advance!

Correct. You can also apply for visa at immigration with 15 day on entry and extension documents.

Sent from my i-mobile i-note WIFI3 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks Lopburi!

"I ended up on a 90 day NON-O single entry & will be applying for a retirement visa close to its expiration."

Do you mean you'll be extending the Non O for reason of retirement?

Yes, guess I will be doing the retirement extension. I think Lopburi answered my question; so, I would assume if I returned after the 90 day NON-O expired I would come in on a 15 day stamp. Either that or apply for another visa while I'm abroad. ????????

I ended up on a 90 day NON-O single entry & will be applying for a retirement visa close to its expiration. In the mean time I need to exit the country (I'll get a re-entry permit). Do I have to be back before this 90 day visa expires or will I get another 90 days upon my return?

Thanks in advance!

Those rigs & pipes out there in the Gulf (&Andaman) are always leaking. As said, they only give a $hit when it's big enough to become obvious.

We forget, Thailand is a "developing country" - safety, accountability, and thinking of the "what ifs" is not part of the culture--yet.

Yea, developing the wrong way! Vehicles go faster now but mindsets remain the same as the Rickshaw days. Developing countries invest in public safety, education, safe roads with safe sidewalks, vehicle inspections, drivers licenses with endorsements and consequences for negligence, ect., ect...............

Even if the country started developing, it would only add on to the corrupt bureaucracies.

Does anyone have any solid information on how long the US Consulate income verification letter is good for? I'm seeing many posts on this site saying it's valid for 6 months. I've heard 2 different time lines at CM immigration. Both are a much smaller windows than 6 months.

Thanks!

Yea, it was April 2012. Visa was a multiple entry O-A issued 13/June, 2011. Entered July/2011, exited March/2012 & reentered April, 2012 and received a 1 year stamp at the airport. I probably should have excepted/known that was a valid 1 year stamp but logic had me thinking I better go to immigration & apply for an extension in July/2012 (1 year from the original entry). But immigration should have never issued me a 1 year extension and then cancel it at some point, yet telling me the extension was valid, verbally and stamped on every 90 day report.

From your responses, I'm getting I just have to roll with it. I didn't want to raise a stink about it while in an overstay status, which is why I did the border run. Think I'll put the marriage visa on the back burner also.

Thanks for the responses!