Guitar God

It sounds like The Usual Suspect and I might be neighbors. I too am building a house in Isaan that's 1/2 meter above ground with a block foundation and concrete slab floor. The developer lives across the street in the same little gated community, I've been in a few houses there that are a couple years old, they seem to be well-constructed and our house is progressing nicely. There was a push to get the roof on before the rainy season so they could work protected from the sun and rain and could complete it on time but they managed to meet the deadline.

I wanted a higher foundation like they have on the single story houses and at first they said they couldn't but they did it anyway.

My advice would be: Bulid it the way you want it and tell the inlaws to wait until it's finished before they form an opinion, and bring the workers cold drinks.

I think it's different for different citizenships. For U.S. passport holders I thought the VOA was only 30 days, that's what I've always been given. A friend with a Dutch and Canadian passport came here and got a 60 day visa. Not sure which passport she used though.

I flew KLM from AMS to BKK on a tourist visa with a return flight booked past 30 days from departure and I had to tell the check in agent that I was leaving and reentering Thailand before the 30 day visa was up.

I'm not sure if they would have refused me if I didn't but they were definitely interested in if I was going to be staying more than 30 daytha in a row. I usually get preferential treatment when I fly so they may have cut me some slack. I'd reccomend having something with you to show you are leaving within the 30 days, flight reservations, hotel booking in another country etc.

Leaving Narita on KLM to BKK on a return leg I had to show my visa during check-in. Again, I'm not sure what they would have done if I didn't have one but why would they ask if they didn't care?

Confusing. Tourist Visas are good for 60d, not 30d. (And there's an option for a 30d extension to the 60d for a total of a possible 90d on a single entry.)

Anyway, wrt the original question, it's really down to the airline and perhaps even the employee checking you in. An oversight on my part, but I showed up with a RT eticket with a return more than 30d out (and no visa). The girl caught it and politely questioned me about it. I told her I was planning a side-trip to Laos by land before the 30d limit, and then re-entering Thailand for my return. She was ok with that. No fuss, no muss. Being one of their frequent flyers might've helped.

I certainly can't guarantee that'll always work though.

I've noticed that the ganja related stories here are well-received... Just sayin'...

Anyway, most all of the coffeeshops also carry some imported brickweed from Thailand, Jamaica, Mexico etc. It's not the most popular of strains but sometimes people like a change. No matter how good the indoor-grown Dutch sensimilla is, you can get used to it and switching to brickweed, even if it's inferior in quality, can give you a more desirable effect. Or so I've heard.

Why would Holland import crap Thai weed? Seriously its like importing piss water when you have a lake full of Glenfiddich.

Not to be contrary but for example, U.S. immigration doesn't specify what to bring and with them, more was better. The first time my wife went there with a few papers she was declined, the second time she was approved and that was only after she kept presenting more and more evidence that she wasn't planning on overstaying her visa until they were finally convinced.

My lawyer included an annual statement in addition to the (imho, fairly worthless) embassy affidavit with my application. I'd rather give them one paper they might not want than have to go back.

I flew KLM from AMS to BKK on a tourist visa with a return flight booked past 30 days from departure and I had to tell the check in agent that I was leaving and reentering Thailand before the 30 day visa was up.

I'm not sure if they would have refused me if I didn't but they were definitely interested in if I was going to be staying more than 30 days in a row. I usually get preferential treatment when I fly so they may have cut me some slack. I'd reccomend having something with you to show you are leaving within the 30 days, flight reservations, hotel booking in another country etc.

Leaving Narita on KLM to BKK on a return leg I had to show my visa during check-in. Again, I'm not sure what they would have done if I didn't have one but why would they ask if they didn't care?

All I said is don't waste your time or paper printing out proof for the embassy because they're not interested in seeing it. This document is colloquially referred to as "proof of income". I didn't dig through the embassy site to find more than what I needed to make an appointment but I was surprised that they weren't interested in any proof I brough.

Ubonjoe explained why but I'm used to the government requiring supporting documents. When I file a tax return it requires a W-2 and loads of other paperwork, not just a notarized statement saying how much I made.

I've supplied supporting documents for every application I've made, whether they asked for it here or not. I've assumed that if I didn't supply it, they'd ask for it anyway, especially since I'm sure they're well aware of the fact that embassies don't verify anything except the signature.

It seems like you're blaming me for the Thai government asking for supporting documents. I'm sure they've done it long before people mentioned it on internet forums and I'm sure they know that the affidavits are not verified by the embassies.

My advice to people going to the embassy for this service is to bring your passport and 50 bucks or 1500 THB and a pen. When you file your application, include supporting documents so the process isn't delayed.

It's posts like the OP that has Thai Immi officers now asking for corroborating evidence to your affadivit - the sworn statement is your testimony and if required to be proven needs to be done by you - not the Embassy/Consulate witness.

Be aware that an Embassy or a Consulate, once inside, you are legally liable to that country's laws.

Swearing a false affadivit before a Federal official under U.S. law is liable for a penalty up to 10 years imprisonment.

The last two annual extensions I have been asked for corroborating bank and pension statements at Phuket Immigration.

I'm not a nuclear physicist, though I did play one on TV, I can't think of any way they would use a nuclear reactor to search for a downed plane. Any ideas?

I thought they were already ฿6 a pack, how can they go up if that's the highest allowed price?

The writing in some of these articles leaves a lot to be desired.

You don't see that on countries that have enough public toilets. It's commonplace in the Netherlands where public toilets are few and far between. I've seen mothers there teaching their kids to piss on trees next to canals. I've only seen drunks and hunters out in the woods do in the U.S.

You don't see that on countries that have enough public toilets. It's commonplace in the Netherlands where public toilets are few and far between. I've seen mothers there teaching their kids to piss on trees next to canals. I've only seen drunks and hunters out in the woods do in the U.S.

And today they weren't accepting credit cards again. Their unforeseen technical circumstances must have reoccurred.

<p>

On the 14th am sure they were not accepting - but as of 18th they were from information they made public on tweeter.

ACS Bangkok ‏@ACSBKK Apr 18

We have resumed accepting payment by credit card. Thanks for your patience.

Expand

I can understand that they only act as a notary witnessing a signature to a declaration stating you're not currently married, since certificates of non-marriage don't exist and it's difficult to prove a negative.

Proof of income is another matter, it's easy enough to look at a bank statement and compare the number on the declaration with the corroborating evidence and see if they match.

My point was that it"s a waste of time and money if all you get is a notarized copy of your own declaration where nothing has been verified.

If Thai officials want real proof, a bank statement is better proof than this so what's the point of the declaration? Bureaucracy.

Like I said, don't waste your time printing anything off for the embassy, they don't care.

The Embassy in Bangkok had a sign at the cashier window saying that until further notice, they could not accept credit (or debit) cards for payment.

In an email from them on the 14th I received this message:

Message for U.S. Citizens:

U.S. Consulate General Amsterdam Consular Cashier Unable to Accept Credit Card Payments

I assumed it was all US embassy's and consulates. They said it was due to "unforeseen technical problems".

Don't waste your printer paper. I just printed off 20 sheets of bank statements and other proof of income and brought them to the embassy to get a certificate of proof of income.

The were not the least bit interested in looking at any of it. Not even a one page annual statement.

They just gave me a form for me to fill out and put in any numbers I wanted and sign it. They took my 50 bucks and stamped it.

Same procedure with a declaration stating you're not married. When I went in for that a while ago it was basically, "Are you married? Promise? 50 bucks please. "

Oh, and they don't take credit cards right now either so make sure you bring cash.

I think it's the annonimity of the Internet that causes this, and other forums to have so many negative comments, flames, smart-ass comments and personal attacks.

In real life, I know mostly positive people who would never make the type of negative comments I see here and elsewhere in the Internet to someone's face.

Other places on the Internet where people can post annomously I see flames, insults, personal attack and some idiot to uses any story to slam Obama.

That said, it does seen like this forum has more than it's share of grumpy old men who have had bad experiences in Thailand (mainly by getting ripped off by hookers) just waiting to pounce on someone who has a positive experience here.

I went to Marrakesh a few years ago and found it annoying as hell to have to listen to call to prayer over a PA for 15 minutes every morning at sunrise. I can understand them wanted be be reminded of the exact time of day to pray, but do they need to do it for 15 minutes? What's wrong with just saying

" It's 5:24, put on your robe and Adidas and get your ass to the mosque. That is all.

"?

True is horrible.  Horrible programming, horrible service, horrible...........................
 
 

Dead dogs don't reproduce. Starving dogs reproduce slower. Well-fed dogs reproduce the most successfully.

Retinopathy is another possibility. You should see an opthamologist soon to rule it out.

What are the differences?

It sounds like there's preferential treatment for farang women married to Thai men.

Do children in the marriage change the rules for farang men married to Thai women as far as PR or citizenship?

Thai wife and pharang man, pharang wife and Thai man - what's the difference? Legally it's 100% the same, a Thai national married to a foreigner.

True they are the same when it comes to the marriage.

But there are different rules for extensions of stay and obtaining Thai citizenship.

Another possibility is gastric reflux (GERD). The usual symptoms are "heartburn" or acid indigestion but it can also cause excessive mucus production in the lungs resulting in a cough.

Does she smoke cigarettes? Chemicals added to the tobacco during the manufacturing process suppress the cough reflex and reduce the activity of the cillia which normally clear out the lungs.

I saw a specialist at Mankutwattana hospital and the bill including lab tests was under ฿2500.

A visit to an ENT should either find the cause or at least eliminate some possibilities.

Or as my Norwegian great-grandmother would say "Oh my, what a high man".

To the person asking why you referred to him as an addict, crystal meth isn't really a recreational drug. I suspect most people who sell it do it so they can get their own supply for less or for free.

Being a volunteer cop will work agsinst him when it comes time for sentencing though.

Very tall guy.

How sad to see addicts get caught and charged with dealing. Addicts should get help, not 25 years in a Thai jail.

I have a hard time finding products without "whitening" on the label. Seems like every time I reach for shower gel it's one with a whitening ingredient. I seriously doubt their efficacy.

I was airside at BKK getting ready to fly to Maui and I get an SMS from DTAC informing me that if I want to roam that I need to go to a DTAC store and get my SIM card replaced, for free.

Thanks a lot but unless they opened one in the lounge, it's a little too late now.

I've had this account for over a year, it's not a pre-paid and I've flew out of BKK probably a dozen times since then and never received an SMS like that before and I'm sure I could enable roaming if I wanted.

If you have DTAC and plan to use it abroad I'd suggest checking with them before you go or you too may receive a worthless SMS.

Yeah, can't they go play on the lawn? What's the point of interfering with the lives and livelyhood of people who just happen to live in the area or have to pass through to get to work, shopping etc.

There's room enough in front of the building for their needs, why block the damn street.

I was happy when I heard a few weeks ago that Suthep was going to dismantle the protest sites, except this one I guess.

I've been going past that site regularly and in the past 3-4 weeks it's nothing but a pile of tires, sandbags, a few guards and a couple rows of street vendor booths.

Oh, I guess the were also playing reruns of speeches on TV's and over the PA.

I doubt they're making many friends in the area with their roadblock.

And when do they want to finish their idiocy and go home from this empty rally site which is plenty of guards and weapons.

Many times I had to drive there, and always was up set about big circle in government center area for NOTHING. Why do they keep this place? Are they waiting for papa suthep's coming back?

Makes me laugh when people are being bombed and shot at on a nightly basis, some farang comes out to whinge that his drive is slightly inconvenienced by the protests.

If you can't handle Thailand, I suggest you get out.

I have a new chipped card from Bangkok Bank. The extra security is nice but it really sucks that the only place they work is at Bangkok Bank ATM's. I used to be able to withdraw money from my Thai account all over the world, now I have to plan ahead to make sure I can find one of their ATM's when I'm in Thailand if I need some cash.