bangkok19

Quite possibly some of the pilots (during the "secret war" in Laos) were sampling their illegal cargo. More bombs were dropped onto Laos than onto Europe in WWII... maybe there was nothing left to bomb in the southern part of Lao so he disposed of it over the border... luckily it must've been a dud!

My wife is getting an O-A Visa and the Thai Consulate has told her that the Covid Insurance MUST be taken out for the period of the Visa, not the period of the 'stay'. So, if she's only staying 7 months, she MUST still pay for 1 year (the length of the visa). I'm not up to par with extensions, however I continually monitor this Forum for any changes to visa rules uploaded by forum members with a greater knowledge than myself.

Covid Insurance - another huge rip-off!!!! Apply for an O-A 1 year Visa but if you want to stay only 6 months you still have to pay for the full year (according to Thai Consulate).

"....and must cover the whole period of stay in Thailand". Meaning, if I want to only stay for 6 months (using an O-A) I still must pay for 1 year. The Thai Consulate in my capitol city told me that the Covid Health Insurance MUST be for a minimum of 1 year. That's a lot of extra bucks that the Insurance company get that I won't use!

I thought they recently lowered coverage (for O-A) to $50,000 USD.

I'm quite fine with using TUNE for my COVID/Travel Insurance as per requirement to attain an O-A Visa later this year although it covers you for $50,000 USD and I thought the requirement was for $100,000 USD cover. I'm staying 5 - 6 months. I was directed to TUNE (Mr Prakarn Website) from a Thai Consulate link.

Sure... but as long as it includes cover for COVID 19.

Thanks... Her airline ticket is in her married name matching her Oz Passport. If I got her Thai Passport renewed in her maiden name (matching her ID)... and present that when arriving at Swampy, it shouldn't be a problem as Immigration there don't check your plane ticket (on arrival). That might solve her problems. Our Thai friends (now Aussies) use their Oz Passport when arriving and departing Oz, and Thai Passport when arriving and departing BKK. I was always under the impression the Immigration people checked the country that you came from when inspecting the 'incomings' Passport. Oh well... Worth a try. Tah.

Many thanks for all your assistance... The #23 VISA EXTENSION sounds good but does that have to be done once you're in Thailand, or from the Consulate here in Sydney pre departure? (stupid question?) We've already bought tickets for a July departure. Getting her a brand new Thai passport would solve all her future Visa woes however we've put that into the "too hard" basket for now but will definitely consider it in the future. I read the "O-A" Visa Category requirements that one forum member kindly sent and it seems to be the best alternative for my wife. A lot of paperwork but at least we don't have to start changing surnames on ID Cards to match a new passport surname. I know she will be whinging about all the paperwork however I'm the one doing all the 'leg work". She's got the equivalent of 800K Bt in her Aussie bank account.. I'm hoping that is okay. Again, Thanks for your help... better to hear the info first from somebody on our side of the counter who's been there, done that!

My Thai wife (living in Australia) has an Australian Passport in her married name. She has a valid Thai ID Card in her maiden name. Her Thai Passport 'lapsed' over 20 years ago. She wants to visit her family in Thailand and stay with them no more than 6 months. What kind of visa should she apply for? We want to be 'armed' with our options before we visit the Thai Embassy in Sydney. Also.. a related question... if proof of sufficient funds are required, is an Aussie bank account okay or MUST it be a Thai bank account? That's if, of course proof of funds are mandatory for a LESS THAN 6 month stay. Any help would be appreciated.

Miss the QPP also... It was a "rebound" Bar area for a lot of 'Squaronians'.... especially the Moonshine. The closure of Washington Square was a bit of a progression towards QPP. First the part closed with the Texxan and Silver Dollar... the crowd then migrated to the P.O.W, Taffy's, B52, Easy Pub... then when they shut >>> to the QPP. Moonshine had the great food and sometimes free dinners on special occasions. Thanksgiving and Xmas dinners were packed. The B52 was good for an "intimate" evening of light relief, especially your wallet. Bundy and Popeye were fun bars but unpleasant after a while because they allowed smoking. The small bars scattered between the former QPP and Sukhumvit are quite enjoyable late afternoons. Also the Soi between 18 and 20. Is <deleted> 2 still open, anyone?

There was a very similar Barber shop on Sukhumvit's Soi 19 in the early 80's... The JOY Barber Shop. (It was situated just down from the corner about where the side entrance to Robinson's is today). You stepped-up onto a large gold-painted chair (similar to a King's throne) and got your haircut, shoulder massage, manicure etc by several lovely ladies. Unfortunately they were fully clothed, however.. with a name like the JOY Barber shop, the owner, Joy, always made sure you enJOYed your haircut... especially after it was 'finished'. Unfortunately it was demolished, along with the rest of the block in 1989 to make way for the construction of Robinson/Tops/Macca's and the Hotel above them.

The resident band at the Cowboy COUNTRY ROAD had many band members moving on over the years, some guitarists retiring because of arthritis in the hands, some dying (poor OOT falling over in the bathroom hitting his head).... however they remained consistent with one particular song during all those years and changes... Billy Ray Cyrus's - "....Don't break my heart, my aychy braychy heart." ('CH' as in CHurch).

Back in the early 80's.... I remember when making an International phone call from a 'private' phone booth along Sukhumvit Rd I'd have to pay 100 Baht and the lady in the office outside would terminate the call abruptly after 1 minute. There was another Supermarket between Villa and Sukhumvit Soi 1... The Kangaroo Supermarket. It was on Sukhumvit near the corner of Soi 19, right where Macca's is today. There was also a rear lane access. Just down the road past the ASIA Book Shop was a large TFB (Thai Farmer's Bank) and also the Kloster Beer Head Office. The 10, 20, 100 & 500 Baht banknotes were the local currency denominations, there were no plastic (polymer) notes and no 1000's. Brown Satang coins always filled your pockets. VASU Money Exchange (Sukhumvit Rd) was a Travel Agent at the front, and a little black market 'hole in the wall' at the back. You'd get your bundles of 500 Baht notes in a brown paper bag. At the OLD Thermae Coffee Shop, the deaf and dumb ladies would always congregate around the Juke Box in the centre of the room (for the good vibes, I guess). Sukhumvit Soi 22 was a very quiet Soi. Ratchadapisek wasn't there. That link road between Rama 4 and Sukhumvit didn't exist. It was originally only Soi 16 (off Sukhumvit Rd) and an access to the Thai Tobacco Monopoly. You could drive through Patpong 1 Rd and park there. If you brought a (bar) lady back to a large 4 &1/2 Star hotel at night the reception would add a "JOINER FEE" to your Bill.. usually 400/500 Baht. If you tried to get her in during the day.... good luck. It wasn't allowed during the day as they didn't want the other guests seeing the girls. Hotel Security knew all the tricks. The local hotel in Chiang Khan was 20 Baht per night (with community bathrooms). It had a huge restaurant balcony on stilts over the Mekong River. At night, the owner would let you drive your car inside the building at lock it up in the reception area. There were not many other cars in town. Kuhn Sah, the biggest exporter of Heroin in S.E.Asia at the time had his HQ in a small but busy Soi in Chiang Mai. The small compound had a sign at the front gate - PATTANA MEAT FACTORY and it was guarded by soldiers. For those older locals, it was just down the road from Stuart and Nok's OASIS BAR and the BLACK CAT BAR. The Chiang Mai version of the Thermae Coffee Shop was THE PEACOCK CAFE. It closed most mornings at sunrise and was situated under the MONTRI HOTEL. (now the Coffee Club and Subway). The local bar girls would kick-on there after hours. There were NO BARS in Loi Kroh except for a couple near Kotchasarn Rd corner. The beer bars were scattered around Moon Muang Rd and Kotchasarn Rd, Chiang Moi lane (The Karen Hut) and the rest in the Night Bazaar and the Soi behind it (Blue Sky Bar, Seven Stars, Heart Bar). Aaaaah, the good ol' days.

I was sitting one afternoon at a bar in Soi 22 near the cnr of Sukhumvit Rd when I heard (and saw) a concrete mixer truck hurtling past me and turning right onto Sukhumvit Rd. The wheels on the RHS of the truck had lifted off the ground....... I don't know how he didn't flip onto the footpath on the other side. He'd gone through a red light... Brake failure always comes into the equation when an 18 ton missile is trying to get through the traffic lights as they turn red. By "brake failure" I mean... failure to apply the brakes!

You would hope so!

I remember a power blackout here last summer at the local (large) supermarket. No electricity, no ATM's working nor card swiping terminals for payment.... The credit card paying customers were left standing there with a trolley full of shopping.. those paying cash (with the correct money - ME! ) paid and departed.

At least they're wearing face masks!

Perhaps because of the Pandemic, they don't want to touch "dirty money".????

I use a UNIDEN system however there are other companies i.e. Swann that make similar. (check on Ebay).... Cameras for outdoors come with a long thin cable and small solar panel that keep your battery (in the camera) fully charged all the time. Cameras for indoors you can charge via a USB once every 3 or 4 months.. These cameras have heat/motion detection.. when there's a movement you get an alert (single beep) to your mobile phone. The camera records the following 30 seconds (or whatever time you set)... the video goes to a mini SD memory card in your camera.... camera linked to your mobile phone using camera companies App via your home modem. Your home modem has 2 bands... you should check the band your ISP uses to make sure it's the same as the camera's band (2.4 or 5.0)... it's simple to change, if you have to. These cameras have great night vision, they mostly have wide angle lenses, you can swivel them 360 degs via the App and are fairly inexpensive and simple to install.

I protested back in the 90's asking the Thai Government to prevent the demolition of the 'original' Thermae Coffee Shop and declare it a "National Treasure" but my request fell on deaf ears. I was a temporary 'squatter' in the Texxan Lone Star Bar @ Washington Sq. (sleeping in the empty shell) hoping against further demolition whilst waiting for a Preservation Order from the Government. If you believe the above then you believe Taksin actually cares.... (it's damn uncomfortable up here on the 1st floor of the old Honey Hotel... broken glass everywhere!)

The Texxan free lunch was a great gathering of minds.. Fat George would entertain in his distinctive fashion. I loved their Philly Cheese Steak! Bobby Tooms Silver Dollar was unique... Prince Of Wales had great BBQ's out front on special occasions. Bourbon St was excellent for entertaining friends from out of town.. Yum.. MR DAENG'S BAR on the road to the "27" Hotel was a great meeting place. The urinal at the cnr of the building had great views of the QPP Hotel.

The approximate percentage (as of 30th June, 2020) of Thai Bar girls that are post-op Transexual was 62.5%. The other 37.5% of bargirls were actually males awaiting plastic surgery, implants and hormone treatment. (figures supplied by kind permission of The Thailand National Bureau Of Statistics in conjunction with the Nonthaburi Advanced College of Physicians).

The online stuff is definitely an option, as it was pre-covid highlighted by the fact that many of the (more attractive) girls working in the bars were covering all bases by doing online dating at multiple sites. However, with more and more competition from the online sites many girls will still like the "hands on" approach of a bar where they can sit and talk and drink, or dance. For many, it was a way of life.. and actually lived above their work premises. I reckon, when the bar scene rebounds there will be opportunities for new players!! Bars will open with brand new owners... and many brand new girls, who lost their "real jobs" during Covid will enter the industry.

So yeah - Go-Gos and the like are a thing of the past as well as the foreign tourism population that frequented Go-Gos and the bar-girl scene. What a lot of crock! Who are you? NOSTRADAMUS! The oldest profession in the world will rebound and prosper in Thailand in its many forms (go-go bars, massage, cocktail lounges etc) long after you've kicked the bucket. Money makes the world go 'round. Whichever Govt. is in power will never admit that a big chunk of its revenue comes from 'sex tourists'. The current "flavour of the month" is the aim of attracting wealthy tourists. If you've been around Thailand long enough you must know that they come out with these "thought bubbles" every few weeks. Tourism will prosper again in Thailand for all the usual reasons... shopping, beaches and sex!