limirl

Thanks guys I had no idea if I had I would have just stuck to the G7 passport.

I crossed into Thailand yesterday at the Phu Nam Ron crossing from Myanmar as I have 2 passports one Irish and one US. Entering and leaving Myanmar I used my sparkling new Irish passport as I wanted to get the first stamp in it and because my US passport pages are filling up quickly. When I entered Thailand yesterday I attempted to use my US passport as G7 countries get 30 days at land border crossings, the immigration officer looked for my exit stamp from Myanmar so I had to explain I used my irish passport there. He insisted I had to use my Irish passport which would only give me 15 days, I politely argued that it was irrelevant which passport I use in myanmar as having dual citizenship entitled me to switch between both. He became quite pissed off and at one stage queried what I was up to, I told him many people have dual citizenship and can use either freely. You can guess who won the argument or shall I say discussion, he actually lectured me that I am not a kid any more and should have known I could not do this, previously a few years ago I did this travelling in south america and was not aware of a potential problem.

Now I have to do a border run in 2 weeks, in order to get 30 days do I have to fly back in to thailand in order to get that 30 days?

I was wondering if its possible to pick up the visa at the embassy in bangkok say a week or 10 days later after filling out the application in person. I know typically its same day, next day or a 3 day process. If I applied for the 3 day processing would the visa still be there for pick up if I just sauntered in 10 days later?

I went from Ko Samet to Snooky 2 years ago (about the same distance as pattaya) left the island at 7am and didn't get into Snooky until 11pm, it was brutal. I think I got to the border around 1pm but the trip onwards was way too long unfortunately I was on the last bus out of Koh Kong and it involved changing buses and waiting at a crossroads in the dark in the middle of nowhere. If you decide to bus it make sure its a direct bus with no changes.

7 hours ago, Laza 45 said:

Thanks for the link.. I have heard of this place before.. it sounds great.. nice pic.  You are right about Vang Vieng.. beautiful scenery but the place is a dump with all the backpackers.. the restaurants were all playing 'Friends' on their TVs.. unbelievable. but true.. 

I thought this was around 3 years ago but apparently the backpackers and their stupid drunken floating tube parties have all but disappeared as the authorities cracked down on them...no?

I heard the place had rediscovered itself and was now attracting a lot of Asian tourists. The scenery there looked very appealing plus I would probably stay at somewhere a slightly more upriver than in the actual town.

I was there 2 years ago most places had electricity, didn't see a 7/11 just a regular type grocery store. I thought it was a stunning island went there in low season and got a fantastic room for 1000B a night we had the place to ourselves. Beaches were great, restaurant choices were quite limited but the Dusita resort we stayed at had great food, way better than other places we tried. No nightlife really to speak of. Koh Kood along with Koh Ngai are the 2 nicest islands I have been to in Thailand. Koh Samet cannot hold a candle to Koh Kood in my opinion though Samet does have better nightlife if that's important to you.

Some photos I took below.

I am looking for somewhere laid back to spend Christmas and new years by myself in Thailand or possibly somewhere else in SE Asia. I will be in SE asia for about 3 months between projects and need somewhere to destress and chill out, kick back & drink some beer and maybe do a little sightseeing away from the hordes. I realise Christmas and new years is exceptionally busy in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chang Mai and most of the islands with sky high prices for accomodation and crowds. This will be my 15th or 16th trip to Thailand and places I have been thinking of going are Kanchanaburi getting a place by the river and doing nothing, Chantaburi because every time I passed by on the main road to the Cambodian border or to Koh Chang the countryside around there looked beautiful. Then there is Cha-am down by Hua Hin is another possibility. Outside of Thailand I was thinking Vang Vieng in Laos but I heard it is attracting a lot of of Chinese tour groups now or there is Otres beach in Sihanoukville Cambodia.

Would love to hear others people opinions or ideas.

Cheers.

It is a hard slog from pattaya, despite all the posts about the 6am bus from pattaya its actually an orange local that stops at every mango tree on the way. When I got on it was jam packed full of schoolkids and navy workers all going to Sattahip. It took ages just to make it to Sattahip as we were literally stopping every few hundred yards. A few km's outside of Rayong the bus took a crap and died and we all waited on the side of the road for another bus. The driver somehow got it going again and we jumped back but it sounded f**ked. Another 5km's of stopping and I lost patience got off and took a minivan back to Pattaya. About a week later I went to the border from Ko Samet/Rayong by minivan leaving Rayong at 9am and got to the border crossing about 1.30pm. When I got into Ko Kong the mototaxi dropped me off at the 'bus station' which was a red muddy field and there was only 1 bus left going to Snooky at 3pm. I foolishly took this bus believing the guy telling me it was about 3 hrs, he said I also would have to transfer to a bus coming from PP along the route. I got there at 11.30pm starving, nightmare trip.

You definitely want to get the evisa as they charge anywhere from 1500-2000 baht and they will not accept the payment in dollars despite the official cambodian website stating it. They are a royal pain in the arse the cambo border guards.

One of the annoying things about the ATM's in cambodia is they give out $100 bills and cashing them is impossible.

If you change the font so we can read it clearly you might get more responses, its barely legible

Does anyone have any experience living in Laos? Been all over SE asia but never to Laos. I've encountered several Lao women in Patts who were very fine looking & similar to their Isaan brethren.

They're too stupid and ignorant to hire a top class media relations officer to handle ALL press releases and Somyot is too arrogant in believing he can handle the media. Someone needs to sew his lips shut because everything that comes out makes him and thailand look more foolish and incompetent everyday. I will say it makes a great sitcom though, homer simpson couldn't have dreamed this up.

Relax the case is almost solved, they just need to get through the current season of blue bloods first. This has turned into a complete farce.

"Bangkok bombing: Prime Minister tells investigators to watch Blue Bloods."

http://www.smh.com.au/world/bangkok-bombing-prime-minister-tells-investigators-to-watch-blue-bloods-20150821-gj4ke0.html

I want to know if the hospitals will ask for your credit card first before they treat you. Isn't that the standard for treating all farang when they end up in the ER in thailand ?

Yes, you are correct. No different to the way local citizens are treated.

If your point is hospitals are run as businesses in Thailand then I agree. But if your point is that we poor farangs get shafted and treated differently in terms of being expected to pay or show proof of ability to pay before being treated at private hospitals then you're wrong.

Try strolling up to a hospital admission desk in the US without a medical insurance card or other proof of ability to pay or make a security deposit and see if you would be treated any differently.

The difference though is that in the USA a hospital must provide "stabilizing care" for a patient with an emergency medical condition. The hospital must screen for the emergency and provide the care without inquiring about your ability to pay. This is the law under the Emergency Treatment and Labor Act, they cannot turn you away if you need emergency care. In Thailand what would they do if you were unconscious and time was of the essence. I wouldn't want to be in this situation they may or may not treat you or just let you linger until they figure out if you can pay or not.

I want to know if the hospitals will ask for your credit card first before they treat you. Isn't that the standard for treating all farang when they end up in the ER in thailand ?

I am trying to help a friend get verification of her daughters status from the local authority here in isaan. Her daughter gets benefits thru the Swiss embassy and the embassy sends a marital status and residence certificate that needs to be verified by the local municipality. She went once before and since the local administrator couldn't read the English document she wouldn't sign or stamp it for her. Since then every year she has to trek all the way to the embassy in Bangkok with her young daughter to prove she still exists.

All she needs is someone to affirm her daughter is alive and that she resides at her current isaan address and have it notarized or stamped.

Any ideas on how she get this done without having to visit the embassy in person.

Beggars in tourist areas that target farangs are mostly professionals taking advantage of tourists. Most are not even Thai, they are Cambodians that come here because they can make more money begging than working in factory at home.

Poor disabled Thais usually try to do something marginally useful rather than straight up beg. Sell lottery tickets or some sort of snack or knick knack. People don't necessarily want these things but will buy in order to help out. There is a mentally disabled man near me that sells brooms for instance. I have a lot of brooms. But I never give to anyone in tourist areas.

Yeah...right on.

Some go to such extremes as to have all their fingers removed to fake leprosy. Some actually catch leprosy just for the donations. Then there are those that had their limbs intentionally removed just to wrench a farangs heart out of 20 Baht. Howabout the guys that crawl around on their bellies with no legs?

All to get out of working for a living.

You are seriously ignorant & delusional if you believe that beggars chop off their limbs for 20 baht and that they intentionally catch leprosy. Have you actual proof of this or are you just being an idiot ?