Pattaya Pat

Cannot wait to give the Hammers a good shafting in match day one. COYS

The fact that you used the word shafting tells me all I need to know about you. Secondly, what happened in the THREE games last season Spudo?

Does anyone know if there are going to be any changes to the formatting etc this season? Not saying it needs to be changed but just wondering. Is BluE still about on here?

I FINALLY got a bill from CTH this week, first one since last July, thankfully it was only for a month but they billed me an extra 200 baht for an extra box even though I only have one, so the missus called them up and they told her not to pay that one and they will send out a fresh one, lol.

Come on you rip roaring goal scoring mighty IRONS!

Ah, well that makes more sense as I've never heard of a Thai not sleeping before!

I've only ever been on one of these marathon bus journeys once before (I prefer planes) it was around 12 years ago now and ironically was from Phuket to Bangkok. What i recall was a huge very nice VIP bus, very comfortable inside and I believe only had 12 extremely large reclining seats, very comfortable. I wouldn't say that I slept great but definitely got some kip. These things are huge, so find it very hard to believe that pot holes would keep you awake.

The VIP buses you describe cost almost as much as a plane ticket, the 'affordable' ones I use currently have 48 seats.

Ah well, there you go then. You get what you pay for. That trip must have been an absolute hell.

Anyway, glad you got your PP, I'll leave you in peace now to discuss with the others.

Pattaya Pat OUT.

You still here Victor

I thought by now you would be getting geared up to post bashing Alan Curbishley on the football forum or knuckle dusting all comers at your favorite bar on the dark side

Hee hee. Did you really have to remind me about Alan 'marquee signing' Curbishley. I wonder if he wil be calling any games in September 'must wins' like he did last season? The man is an utter fraud and will never work in football again.

I finally received notification that my passport is ready for collection (applied May 7th). I was told, when applying, that no appointment was necessary when collecting, but the following statement was in my e-mail.

I would be grateful if you could advise when you wish to collect the passport. Our opening days and hours are as follows:

Monday to Friday / 08.30 hours to 15.00 hours..

Please send an email to HMPO Bangkok Centre to confirm collection of the passport.

We need an exact time and date.

Their command of the English language seems to have improved. I'll collect it next Wednesday.

First of all congratulations, eleven weeks though, represents a terrible, third class, service.

Yes, their English has improved, but as of yesterday (Monday 21st July) they did not need an appointment to collect.

As regards an appointment, unless it suits you, then since HMPO/trendy have caused us sufficient inconvenience already - go when it suits you, there is no need to make an appointment.

My name was not on any list, just walked up to the security guys at the scanning gate, told them I was there to collect a passport, they just waved me through.

The door keeper lady, who I have no doubt speaks fluent Thai, however is not blessed with any English skills to match, told me three times "you telephone open", I just smiled nicely and went in.

Now you go to one of the ten or so, microscopic, 'booths' that they have built at the far end - each big enough for a small desk with common access at the rear for the trendy folk and a frosted glass door concealing the applicants chair - somewhat claustrophobic.

I asked where I should go to collect a replacement passport and they sent me to Booth 5, only at this stage did I furnish my name and show the A4 receipt I was given 9 weeks ago when I applied.

They have a supervisor now who has superior English skills, the desk clerk was proficient, but could not answer some of my more detailed questions, hence the supervisor's arrival.

For me, the one saving grace this time was that I did not have to make an appointment to collect, which gave me some limited flexibility on my travel plans.

Having to make an appointment to collect, may yet further delay collection from what is already a simply appalling service.

Out of interest, what detailed questions did you have?

Don't know if this helps but I called my Immigration office in Jomtien to ask if I needed the letter before I transfer the stamps over, I got through to a chap who spoke good English and he told me that I DO need it.

Proof of income ans reaidence are easy for me. Hoooray! Thanks foe the good news

Now, lets roll the dice for aug 7

Calm down.

Why did you provide copies of sons info? Is that a requirement for marrigae extension?

I feel the more proof you have family here the better, why have bullets and not load.

It's either a requirement or it's not, it's not a grey area. In this case it's not, but you still took them along anyway in a look at me look at me kind of way.,I've got kids, what a guy I am. All they need is what they ask for, it's because of this that others could suffer or they think they will change the rules. I'm going to Savannakhet next week to get a Non-O based on marriage, they couldn't care less if you have kids here or not, it is NOT a requirement, so I won't be taking any of those 'bullets' as you call them.

I'm pleased most agree except for Soupteel who seems the very serious type.

Pattaya Pat

I have sent him a message telling him that if he has any problems then he must take it up with the owner of the bar – namely Lek – and that everyone was a witness to his drunken, disgusting behaviour.

He still refused to stop calling me, so I sent him another message :

“Actions have consequences. Dwell on this when you sober up.”

He still keeps calling, but I have no intention of listening to a drunken oaf shout obscenities down the phone at me.

You cannot reason with a drunk. Drunks are self absorbed selfish peoples. A bar owner must know this?

Yes, you are quite correct, and I try to avoid arguments with him, I just tell him the way it is.

This morning I sent him an sms:

"We have reported you to police. This is not the first time. If you touch any of our property police will arrest you and you will go to jail. Everyone saw what you did yesterday . We have many witnesses."

He replied by voice mail . He was very angry and demanded we pay for his damage and accused my 'maid' Lek, of damaging his car twice. In a previous voice mail he admitted he wasn't sure who threw the 'stone' (it was a glass) at his car....He tried to claim that his car was parked on public land , as was our sign, and he had a perfect right to push it over..... etc and so forth.

I wrote:

"Your further threats have been noted and are being passed on to the police"

He sent me an sms:

"You think I am going to let this go a second time that your maid has caused damage to my car. .....If your maid agrees to pay for the damage that she caused yesterday and on the previous occasion.....all that I did yesterday was to push a sign out of the way to enable my car to exit....If you did go to the police which I seriously doubt....I think you are pissed off because the bar is not doing as well as you expected...."

I replied:

"If you don't believe me you can go ask the police. You will get no money from anyone. And if you try to do something you will be in a lot of trouble. My wife's business is doing very well thank you. What do you know? You're too drunk and blind to go anywhere after dark. BTW, the police just love the way you talk down to Thais by calling my wife a maid. Everything you have said on my voice mail and in your sms is with police. Also BTW my wife did nothing yesterday. She had an injured leg and couldn't even walk! You can lie till the cows come home . It doesn't change what you did. It is totally irrelevant who the land belongs to. You had plenty of room to drive away but deliberately threw down our sign when it was NOT obstructing your exit. Everyone saw you and heard you. You cannot win this."

I think I may have shut him up as he has gone all quiet, now he knows that everything he says or writes will be copied and passed onto the BIB.

I wasn't bluffing, we have reported everything to the cops and I even have recordings of all his voice mails. Transcripts of his threatening sms have been handed over.

He is not at the bar today - not yet anyway - so we will see if he turns up tomorrow. It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't find a new place to drink , but who knows? We shall see.

I really didn't seek this fight. He started it all with his loud and abusive behaviour towards me at no provocation from my side before the bar was even open. He was immediately banned and he has born a grudge ever since.

Ah well,, at least life is never dull....

Bring em' on, the forces of right will prevail and the combined powers of Mobi one kenobi's Dark damsels will surely triumph in the end .....

If you need some back up then count me in. The knuckle duster has been gathering dust in the draw for far too long now..

What's all that about then? Are these people all wrapped up in their own self importance? We can see who the poster is so no need to place your name at the bottom of each post you make.

Pattaya Pat

Why did you provide copies of sons info? Is that a requirement for marrigae extension?

No it doesn't but there is a fine to pay.

I believe they changed the rules recently and according to my passport the fine is now a 'Fine not exceeding 5,000 Baht' PLUS an additional fine not exceeding 200 Baht per day.

I think the new part is the 200 Baht per day on top of the fine.

Ok, so he was right then. I doubt he knows about this new fine though :-)

So if you don't bother for the entire year the fine could be approx an additional Bt73,000.00 ?? 365 x 200

Retirement, marriage, etc, if not done are you on overstay? This really doesn't apply to me as neither retired or have a marriage extension but do know a chap who for whatever reason doesn't report in (he has an extension based on retirement) and says it's fine just to pay the fine at the end of that visa when going to renew.

Just got me thinking, IF he is technically on o/s he could now face a 5 year ban if apprehended?

Thanks.

Treat Immigration Officers with respect and you will get respect in return. Having resided in Thailand for ten years and made sure that I am properly attired and behave appropriately when visiting Immigration I have never had a problem. All too often I have witnessed multi-tattooed individuals with numerous rings in various parts of the body, dressed in sleeveless singlets, shorts and flip-flops arguing with Immigration Officers and bemoaning the fact they think they are being treated unfairly. We are visitors in Thailand and if you do not like the rules then go somewhere else.

What a bigoted thing to say. How you dress or what you look like does not define you as a person and everybody should be treated impartially. I learned this in primary school, how old are you?

BUT, you/we are not in farangland, we are in LOS where you should show respect to officials by dressing appropriately as the officials do.............

Perhaps you have a weee bit more to learn about Thai thoughts.

When I go to Immigration I am always fitted out in a suit, sometimes wear a top hat as well. If I see people inappropialtely dressed I tell them that they should get on a plan and go home.

Am I reading this correctly...if apprehended on even a 1 day overstay, in land, you will be banned for 5 years?

I suspect an increase in marriages. Good for Celebrants business I guess.

celebrating? It will be a trip to the amphur or us and then a quiet night out for dinner

Ah, well that makes more sense as I've never heard of a Thai not sleeping before!

I've only ever been on one of these marathon bus journeys once before (I prefer planes) it was around 12 years ago now and ironically was from Phuket to Bangkok. What i recall was a huge very nice VIP bus, very comfortable inside and I believe only had 12 extremely large reclining seats, very comfortable. I wouldn't say that I slept great but definitely got some kip. These things are huge, so find it very hard to believe that pot holes would keep you awake.

The VIP buses you describe cost almost as much as a plane ticket, the 'affordable' ones I use currently have 48 seats.

Ah well, there you go then. You get what you pay for. That trip must have been an absolute hell.

Anyway, glad you got your PP, I'll leave you in peace now to discuss with the others.

Pattaya Pat OUT.

Glad you eventually got your passport Digi, what a palava.

Don't listen to Victor too much, he doesn't seem to have anything better to do other than winding people up.

Another sheep calling me Victor. Well done. Ironic really as I'm the one that has complained the least about this fiasco.

I'm not trying to wind anyone up, just trying to bring a bit of balance to the thread that you poor hard done by hyserical queens have created..

Now that really is funny. Will have to look in the dictionary to find where balanced and unhinged mean the same thing. Or are you overheating?

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

What is 'funny' is that some find a trip to bkk once every TEN YEARS a hellish ordeal. No idea how these people survive in todays world if that is such a huge drama, or is it that the Thai Visa boards are frequented by gormless cheap charlie nerds. Mmmm..

Glad you eventually got your passport Digi, what a palava.

Don't listen to Victor too much, he doesn't seem to have anything better to do other than winding people up.

Another sheep calling me Victor. Well done. Ironic really as I'm the one that has complained the least about this fiasco.

I'm not trying to wind anyone up, just trying to bring a bit of balance to the thread that you poor hard done by hyserical queens have created..

Ah, well that makes more sense as I've never heard of a Thai not sleeping before!

I've only ever been on one of these marathon bus journeys once before (I prefer planes) it was around 12 years ago now and ironically was from Phuket to Bangkok. What i recall was a huge very nice VIP bus, very comfortable inside and I believe only had 12 extremely large reclining seats, very comfortable. I wouldn't say that I slept great but definitely got some kip. These things are huge, so find it very hard to believe that pot holes would keep you awake.

Dig - Ok, thanks. 'Visas' was just a throw away word, I couldn't care less what they transfer over as long as I'm good to go, although the less the better I suppose. No doubt that we have to pay for this as well. Ridiculous that we need this letter anyway.

Well after 137 days my mates 13 year old daughter as finally received her 5 year passport.

Her mother boarded the overnight bus on Sunday evening,arriving at 6 am went to the Trendy office and picked up the passport that took 10 minutes to collect,she then caught the 7 pm overnight bus back home arriving at 6 am this morning with a total journey time off 2,000 k and 36 hours without sleep.

Now the ONLY issue the HMPO had with this application was proof of address for a 13 year old child. To be honest i can't remember what documents they sent off as proof of address or if any proof of address was needed before these changes only to say that a fee of 125 pound was paid for a child 5 year passport that was the fee at the time. Paid in GOOD FAITH on the understanding that the passport WOULD be returned to the address that they had given all the time by DHL. Now common sense tells me that being returned to the address they gave all along by DHL would be proof enough of their address.

I know her father who was working in the UK contacted the HMPO NUMEROUS times trying to get any information on the progress of the passport.The HMPO had the email address of both parents and the phone number of the father.But the HMPO still had the cheek to contact the friend who countersigned the child's photo saying that if they had not received the information they wanted by the 20 th June ? they would consider canceling the application.

The HMPO sent two letters,the first one was a standard proof of address letter asking to have work records or tax records or Id cards or utility bills for a 13 year old translated into English.now I believe that the mothers proof of address would have been acceptable ,but that is not the way it came over on the letter that was addressed to the child's name asking the near impossible.

The 2nd letter was the same standard letter but this time handwritten at the bottom of the form it stated that if the school the child attends compiled a letter stating that the child attends this school and the address on record was of course the same address they had given from the start that they would accept this.Now what could' be more simpler than that,the school info was sent by fax and the original posted within 3 days.

Her father IN TIME was then told the passport had been issued and could shortly be collected at the Trendy office.

3 weeks later having had no contact from Trendy her father contacted the HMPO to ask "how long was shortly"

FINALLY nearly a month after it had been gathering dust at the Trendy someone bothered to contact them to collect the passport.

Now maybe Victor might think this is a smooth and professional service but my opinion is its a incompetent shambles

'Without sleep'? Hahahaha. She didn't sleep on 2 overnight journeys? Hahahahaha. A Thai woman didn't sleep on a very comfortable bus??

Ha ha ha, nothing like making things up to dramatise a story is there.

And btw, if you have been keeping up I took those initial words back.

PS: I've started to get very bored now talking about flipping passports, although I do understand that for some on here it is the highlight of their day, in fact this passport shambles is one of the best things that has happened as it has gave youall something to gossip about every day.

Long distance buses are comfortable?

When did you last go on one Victor?

It's not quite the same as flying Club Class, I just got off one and trust me they are not particularly comfortable for an overnight journey.

If you do manage to 'sleep' in the slightly reclining seats, then you will be woken up every few minutes, each time the bus goes over yet another pot hole in the road.

So now you're complaining about the roads. Jeez. But you're right, she didn't sleep a wink in 2 marathon journeys

Two visits to Bangkok to get a passport that lasts 10 years is hardly an ordeal. I am due at "Trendy" in early August and looking forward to staying overnight. Until the Immigration was sorted out to provincial offices we had to visit Suan Plu, now that was agony.

Forced thousand kilometer trips is an ordeal, particularly if you're elderly or disabled, even if it is only once every 10 years.

But then it practice it isn't every 10 years. If one takes a trip or two abroad every year, even if just popping across the border to a neighbouring country, then the pages of even a "jumbo" passport get used up long before 10 years has passed.

You too might one day get old or handicapped. Have a little compassion for others.

No need to throw the old and disabled card. I know of ex -pat men in their eighties who would bite your head off if you suggested they were too old to do anything.

They still go to immigration, get Thai DL's, and visit home countries.

If you decide to leave the safety of UK shores all these factors need considering, pensions, banking, health insurance etc. Known as the "what if___ factor"

HMPO could be real <deleted> and make us all fly home to renew a passport. Good Morning.

Don't hold your breath, I think first it will two trips to Hong Kong, then yes after that two trips to the UK. They will probably have to do this to try eventually to try and recover some of the millions they have already lost on this current fiasco.

I am able bodied, not retired and have just got back from my second, 40 hour 2,000 km round trip, which included 1x 12 hour and 1x 13 hour overnight bus trips, plus quite a bit of wandering around BKK on public transport.

This, trust me, was unpleasant and you have to be out of your mind to think that anyone could 'enjoy' this chore or even accept it as necessary purely to 'prevent identity theft'.

10 years ago, the last time I renewed my UK passport here in Thailand, I posted the papers to the FCO (British Embassy in BKK) by EMS and got my new passport back within I recollect around 10 days - good service and totally painless.

This stands in stark contract to the f..king lousey apology for a service offered today by HMPO/trendy.

Yes we all know about 'what ifs', but sorry this apology of a third class service just does not cut it.

Every British Government has it apologists, but this shambles will take quite some explaining away.

The fact that there are British Octogenarians prepared to do this trip says more about the British Character, than it does about idiots who are running the British Government.

Was the round trip definitely 2000 km's? Just that you have never mentioned it before!

Glad you got the damned thing anwyay, but what are you going to talk about all day now??

Btw, did you not hve to go to the Brit embassy to get that letter for immigration before they transfer the visas?

Well after 137 days my mates 13 year old daughter as finally received her 5 year passport.

Her mother boarded the overnight bus on Sunday evening,arriving at 6 am went to the Trendy office and picked up the passport that took 10 minutes to collect,she then caught the 7 pm overnight bus back home arriving at 6 am this morning with a total journey time off 2,000 k and 36 hours without sleep.

Now the ONLY issue the HMPO had with this application was proof of address for a 13 year old child. To be honest i can't remember what documents they sent off as proof of address or if any proof of address was needed before these changes only to say that a fee of 125 pound was paid for a child 5 year passport that was the fee at the time. Paid in GOOD FAITH on the understanding that the passport WOULD be returned to the address that they had given all the time by DHL. Now common sense tells me that being returned to the address they gave all along by DHL would be proof enough of their address.

I know her father who was working in the UK contacted the HMPO NUMEROUS times trying to get any information on the progress of the passport.The HMPO had the email address of both parents and the phone number of the father.But the HMPO still had the cheek to contact the friend who countersigned the child's photo saying that if they had not received the information they wanted by the 20 th June ? they would consider canceling the application.

The HMPO sent two letters,the first one was a standard proof of address letter asking to have work records or tax records or Id cards or utility bills for a 13 year old translated into English.now I believe that the mothers proof of address would have been acceptable ,but that is not the way it came over on the letter that was addressed to the child's name asking the near impossible.

The 2nd letter was the same standard letter but this time handwritten at the bottom of the form it stated that if the school the child attends compiled a letter stating that the child attends this school and the address on record was of course the same address they had given from the start that they would accept this.Now what could' be more simpler than that,the school info was sent by fax and the original posted within 3 days.

Her father IN TIME was then told the passport had been issued and could shortly be collected at the Trendy office.

3 weeks later having had no contact from Trendy her father contacted the HMPO to ask "how long was shortly"

FINALLY nearly a month after it had been gathering dust at the Trendy someone bothered to contact them to collect the passport.

Now maybe Victor might think this is a smooth and professional service but my opinion is its a incompetent shambles

'Without sleep'? Hahahaha. She didn't sleep on 2 overnight journeys? Hahahahaha. A Thai woman didn't sleep on a very comfortable bus??

Ha ha ha, nothing like making things up to dramatise a story is there.

And btw, if you have been keeping up I took those initial words back.

PS: I've started to get very bored now talking about flipping passports, although I do understand that for some on here it is the highlight of their day, in fact this passport shambles is one of the best things that has happened as it has gave youall something to gossip about every day.

Why didn't the school make contact with the parents to let them know that their child hadn't arrived at school that morning? Agree with the many posts questioning some aspects of the story. Maybe it's translation issues, maybe poor reporting, but a lot of thnvgs don't add up

They probably just assumed he wasn't coming in. In he past when we have gave our little one a day off, for whatever reason, sometimes we haven't bothered to inform the school and they never called to ask where she was. Then again, we don't send her on a bus.