bbi1

17 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

High smog levels are meadured in Rayong, Pattaya, and deep into Esan. I wonder how long it will take for those in charge to acknowledge the real source of this brown cloud.

Why so many fires everywhere? Is there an out of control bushfire everywhere?

Con - boring as hell to live in, only good for a one time holiday

Con - pollution as bad or worse than BKK

16 hours ago, mogandave said:

Quite nice around Siam Square this morning

Never knew they built a 2nd Siam Square in Pattaya, or have they relocated the one from BKK to here? Can you let us all know where it's located in Pattaya?

2 hours ago, hereforgood said:

Very true just had a friend go in with one week left they told him come back 1 day before. Crazy 

What the hell? Really? Why don't they just do the extensions rather than waiting till the last minute? It's not like they are overflowing with customers like at BKK. Well, they are based on how tiny small their offices are here compared to BKK but not in terms of the amount of people.

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Normal at most offices to apply for an extension of your 60 day entry is about 2 weeks early. As said at Jomtien it varies from day to day it seems.

I always did it about 30 days early every time at BKK. When you say it varies day to day, does it mean varies to be less than 2 weeks or more than 2 weeks being allowed?

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

And don't forget that you'll need to leg it to Jomtien clutching a suitably-completed TM30 form immediately after entering (or re-entering) Thailand on an METV so as to avoid the risk of being fined when the time does come for you to apply for a 30-day extension there.

Already wasted my time going to Jomtien Immigration to do a TM30 again when re-entering so I'm fine on that part.

On 1/12/2019 at 4:39 PM, Lacessit said:

Maybe it is corrupt; however, consider the alternative. Being screwed around for hours or days until the ducks are all in a neat row.

I finished up having to pay an Australian migration agent $1200 (AUD) to get a tourist visa for my Thai GF to go to Australia on holiday. Everything was legal, but it was also much more expensive than anything I've paid in Thailand.

Why couldn't your gf go to the Aussie embassy/consulate and apply for an Oz tourist visa like how we all go to the Thai consulate to apply for a Thai tourist visa? Surely lots of people are doing this all over the world at Aussie embassies/consulates....

As to the OP's question, yes it sure is corruption by gaining a favour to circumvent the proper channels in a fast-track method with a small 500 baht bribe.

At Jomtien Immigation how early before the stamp in your passport date when you flew in can you go for your 30 Day Extension of a METV? Is it a month before the expiry stamp in your passport like BKK?

Yesterday and today the smog here is really bad again. Can see a grey haze everywhere and from 2nd Rd around Royal Garden Plaza you can hardly see the hill where the Pattaya sign it and can't see Koh Larn or any of the other islands before it either.

On 1/9/2019 at 4:54 PM, losworld said:

these stops have been ongoing for many months.  they don't stop cars very often either particularly expensive ones.  i was told by a reliable source that the police get bonuses on every ticket up to a maximum of 10000 baht plus who knows how much they are taking on the sly with dui... ever wonder why you never see english speaking tourist police at dui checkpoints anymore? it's all about the cash...

Is it true if a Merc with tints flashes their lights at a police checkpoint they assume it's someone of power/importance and then they'll just wave them through? I read that on here a while ago. 

As a foreigner don't drive a scooter or motorcycle in Pattaya. Only stupid foreigners do that or ones who likes getting scammed by the cops.

On 1/11/2019 at 2:39 PM, Kerryd said:

Obviously it isn't the lifestyle most of us want to see (or think about) but that is the reality for a lot of people in a lot of poorer countries. The people who look after those beggars know that foreigners are a soft touch, which is why you see those people in the "touristy" areas and rarely anywhere else.

But a lot of Thais also donate to them, probably fully aware that the beggar probably isn't getting a lot of what they make.

 

It reminds me as well of all the old people you see pushing carts around the city and rummaging in the trash for any tiny bit of recyclable material they can find. My neighbour tells me that plastics fetch about 5 baht per kilogram and cardboard is about 3 baht per kilo.

 

Those old people will spend the better part of the whole day pushing their carts around and maybe ending up with 50-100 baht worth of recyclables in a day. But what choice do they have otherwise ? Not much. Work or die. Or, work until you die. They really don't have any other options.

Why do you think Thai people donate to those beggars if they know? Is it stupidity or what? I've never seen Thai people donate money to one of those people collecting recyclables, which they should be doing rather than beggars who are controlled by mafia.

What I can't understand is how stupid some Thai people are who also give money to these mafia controlled beggers. Surely a Thai person would know those beggers are mafia controlled as this is their own country and have been living here all their lives, or are they that stupid or naive?

On 1/11/2019 at 1:45 PM, kingstonkid said:

If she is working for mafia  she will refuse the food.   The sad thing is that this happens in every country.   I didn't know that until I lived in Pakistan.   Our drivers used to keep fruit in the car.   Mothers with babies would come looking for money for food but refuse food no matter what it was.   On one corner we could see the handlers waiting. 

 

I am not naive to think that it doesn't happen  in big cities in Canada where groups can control an intersection.

 

 

If anyone wants to give money to the poor, stop being stupid and giving money to the majority of beggers you see on the street who are all mafia controlled. Look for the poor that are carrying big bags of plastic bottles and digging on the bins to find more plastic bottles to recycle and give them some money. They are truly working their ass off and are not mafia controlled and aren't sitting on the street waiting for handouts from stupid foreigners.

On 1/11/2019 at 2:08 AM, neeray said:

No doubt, very sad story. Your concern and compassion is appreciated.

 

I too was of assistance to a selective few in need, usually mother with baby in arms. However, my Thai gf was very opposed to me assisting as she said they were all 'professional' beggars and scammers. This was in Chiang Mai at the night markets.

 

It is a tuff call. Hope you follow through on this and enlighten others to your findings.

I really don't understand how can lots of you guys being oblivious to knowing that most of the beggars in tourist areas whether they're in BKK, Pattaya, Phuket or any other area are mafia controlled and all the money they collect gets taken away to their mafia handlers. Yet people are happy to give away money to the mafia by giving to them. If you want to really help them, give them food and water, not cash. Others that aren't controlled by mafia can spend money on alcohol and cigarettes if you give to them. And why would you give cash to the million of single mother beggers who most are not Thai? If they can bang and get a kid then I don't support them, just walk past them. Those single mums make a killing begging. I saw some fool give one 100 baht!! Imagine how much she makes in a day!!

What's the opening and closing time of this new food court? Might check it out one day.

5 minutes ago, madmen said:

A box of 50 I bought for 800 baht on soi bukaho. Took a few rounds of sellers before someone cracked

 

I'f you can't be bothered with hard negotiating then 1200 baht is a quick deal

 

On that note, what about Apcalis? What type of deals can you get from those street vendors?

Just now, NanLaew said:

Last year, or maybe it was the year before, Carl's Jr in Central ran out of burger patties. May even have been nationwide.

Lolllll....so people had to order their burgers without their patties? It became a vege burger? lol

8 hours ago, Mitkof Island said:

There is a YouTube channel that is passing off bad information and harassing others and their channels. Run by this mental case.

lol....love the pic. Is this thread for real or are you just trolling? Anyway, cool pic lol

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

My friends experience buying in bulk on the streets (multiple boxes), it is way cheaper than any pharmacy and it's the same, genuine gel. He deals with same couple of street vendors, takes it back to the US where he sells it to strippers at his club who sell it to punters who can't get it up in the VIP for upwards of twenty bucks a sachet. Win, win, win.

Know the prices he pays per box of 50?

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

I would not expect that you get it for the same price at a pharmacy.

You mean that it's cheaper on the streets or more expensive?

Kamagra bought on the streets from those street vendors who walk around with those boxes of them to sell. Are they real or fake? Same as the ones sold at the pharmacies? Are they cheaper than the pharmacies or similar pricing? Curious to know.