fifthcolumn

I've done this a few times, but not in years. Is there a duty free in Myanmar just off the dock? Real or fake booze?

No interest in sightseeing. When they open the islands up, I will be first to go!

Sorry 4 hijack - thank you.

India, painless? Surely you jest.

Looks like I will pay approx 100% over her visa for being American and a non Thai as well.

Website is broken, online security certificate invalid. Phone auto disconnects.

I am not working here, non O "marriage"

Sigh...India

We have a mutual friend that we want to visit and go camping with, about three weeks.

What sort of hassles or issues with wife's visa?

He (Kiwi) would already have a Malay gf in country visiting him we know her as well. He has no special job, no big money.

Wife has...

Extensive travel in East Asia

Ten year US visa

Job, mediocre money

Married to US citizen

Friend in NZ which we will travel with

Our Malay (Chinese) friend has gone to NZ a few times already. Think they will marry, some day.

Thank you

Interested about the process, peril and pitfall of obtaining visas for self (usa) and wife (tha).

I had a ten yr visa but has expired.

Thank you

Sorry JDG but sounds like you don't lile Thai food. Ive come to realize after reading this board, others and traveling about that most foreigners really don't like Thai food. You can put the UK at the top of the heap and Americans pathetically not far behind.

No rose colored glasses, nor right off the plane. I eat rich 3x a day and now think of Thai food as - food. I actually have cravings, especially in states. We just came off a big trip on a remote island and we were hungry. Wife asked what I wanted. Noodles! Her eyes were wide, yeah!! Then we recalled a noodle shack that closed down where we used to eat after coming off the island. Then, we both smiled and dreamed of noodles.

Wifes family is from Issan and she does have a penchant for the food. I have done my time eating that stuff (many Thai wont touch it, some do though enjoy a bit). For me, it's not the heat but the nasty ingredients. The fish paste, the offal. I'm also not big on some soups and not a big fan of freshwater fish (soft) in general. Lots of Issan food I do like. Not keen on Lao or Khmer - not as spicy and not so much use of fresh herbs, esp krapow. Too many soups - Lao. Too much mudfish - Khmer.

But if you don't honestly love Thai food, you dont love food. Goes double if you call what the UK considers food. Now that is swill. Mashed peas, that is baby food <deleted>.

This post isnt to one up sny or all of you. Just recently came to conclusion that farang really and truly do not eat Thai (general). Those that do are foodies, marrieds or both.

Its one thing to crave comfort food once in awhile or a steak or crunchy food or green salad. Baking is a great hobby and cooking a nice meal (farang food), great. But a life of eating crappy farang food in restaurants that dont even get it right. Well, time to pack it up gents.

Not to mention the addl costs or subjecting the gf or wife to the crappy meal. Always makes me smile, seeing some farang st the mall usually in a pizza joint with Thai girl in tow.

I think me and wife have had pizza three times in four years, even then I tjink I orfered the Pizza Co spicy spaghetti. We have ate more pizza at my parents (2x) than here snd I would never, ever be caught dead with her in a fast food joint, not even kfc.

Rubber hits the road with the food. Separates men from boys to be sure.

My wife is not very romantic. I chalk this up to conservative nature of Thai society. We often keep a loving, but safe space between us in in public.

Coming from a poor family, gifts are not common. She had a few boyfriends prior to me, no farang. Valentines, anniversaries are sort of new (imported) concepts in Thailand. Doesn't care about cut flowers, says they are a waste until we have a big home to put them on tables like fancy people.

Birthday, no gift for me but I need not do anything for her so its just another trip to the sushi restaurant Fuji.

She is loving, happy, fun. She remembers all our milestone anniversaries incl the day we met. Just not very romantic. Cuts both ways though, I need not make special efforts or expendive plans.

Shes cute but not sexy. Its pretty rare I see a farang withba more attractive companion, usually they are rentals or much younger or money dripping off them.

When I met her I thought she was cute and with one of those little dresses and a bit if makeup - wow. Bangkok glamor girl. No such luck, she is casual and lazy, a bit of a tomboy really. I guess I was ready to settle down, lots of chances to move on, but she is pretty great overall. I do miss the makeup. Young women look so tasty in BKK.

Once a month a get the "full option" makeup and some sexy clothes.

Not ez adjust from a life of PSE Pattaya hooker escapades, but Ive done it and shes more adventurous by the month. Its something...

I really shunned marriage for decades, but happy I found her. Romance or not. Its really such a silly marketed notion for the most part anyway. We help and do things for each other out if love and concern all the time. Now, four yrs together.

But she could bring home food more often (Thai sweets).

PS she is though super affectionate. She is always laying with me or all over me or has her legs on me. I often joke she is my puppy and I seem to be her sofa.

Yes, in Pattaya. Endemic there was told by nurse. Was nearly ten years ago. Was lazy about leaving screens open for air circulation. Notbing has been done in Thailand so must be as bad now or worse.

I agree though, who likes being overcharged? I pay 20 baht for ice coffee, 10 baht hot coffee, not sure if that's farang price

10 baht for a coffee. surely it couldnt be real coffee at that price

Very real. Black coffee (coffee tung) is still B8-10. You want all the fancy crap that is making you fat, well that is far more obviously.

I'm astonished at how many foreigners that don't like or cannot eat Thai food. Not as though you are living in Philippines, Costa Rica or the Sudan.

Was recently in an NP, eggs and fried rice for all. Toast in the morning.

One of best cuisines in the world and all of you gravitate back to crappy, unhealthful food most of which your wives and gfs wont touch.

Its one thing to reach for comfort food, another to have a western diet. Wife or gf must roll eyes daily.

Funny how removed so many of you are from this country.

The OP came for advice

Why on earth would you marry someone that...

You met on a dating site who is obviously looking for a western guy

Marry anyone after such a short period of time

Not clue yourself into the culture

Asks specified sinsod. I told my wife, how much I would display 200k (we gave 30k to parents 50/50). I paid for a small ceremony I was indifferent to, enough it was for her mum and herself.

She has a kid, no sinsod for her.

Time you take the upper hand, start to tell her how its going to be.

The whole thing reeks of trouble to me amd not just for the Skype and creepy Internet lovefest.

Btw families can be a never ending drain of YOUR wealth. Poverty is never ending by and large. Do not let terms be dictated to you.

Some people are just like that and there is no amount of Thai that will change them. I speak Thai fluently insofar as purchasing, ordering...

I'm grousing at all the pro's - the never happens to me crowd. Happens to me and guaranteed Ive bern here longer than you. In fact, seems to be getting a bit worse.

If it's an item and there is no price, put it back. I usually always ask a discount (70% of time) as well. If you paid more than you should for goods, that's on you.

I'm as good as fluent when it comes to ordering food and small transactions. When I'm someplace new (traveling), I often have to remember to ask. Sure enough, when I don't I get stuck for extra. It's usually five baht unless it's a proper order. I have to remind my wife to ask when we are together as that seemingly is when prices are given a nudge most.

Bus station eateries seem to be the most sketchy, street food.

The best way to avoid it besides asking is to do it all in Thai. Then they know you know the price.

Wife always forgets, especially ordering for only herself. Yeah, some hawkers will push the price up just for my presence and I need to remind her.

She gets a bit miffed when on rare occassion, I walk away from a vendor over five baht. I'm sure she's thinking it's five B! Thais often allow themselves to overpay due to face of both.

It's usually small money but <deleted>, that bowl of noodles was barely worth thirty (really 25) and you ask 35 or if you have some real balls, 40. I do not say anyghing, just don't go back. Forty B is a lot for a simple bowl of noodles - hell, you can pay that in an ac food court, less.

Invariably, I have a sixth sense and as I take a seat and think - damn, diddn't ask the price. I get nicked. Every time.

Similar to the OP there is a noodle hawker I like, I like to give my business to as well and does reasonable bowl. Friendly guy and really tries to speak (use/practice) English. His wife-helper is really dodgy. I just hand her the money and walk on occassion I eat there. Yesterday, she served a Thai before me (might anger me more than the five baht thing). Not going back.

Open.

But you have to pay 700b to the agent there or the Thai Immigration officer refuses to stamp you out.

If you cannot get stamped out, then this ceases to be a viable visa run. Who needs to vidit another Burmese shi+hole of a border village for dose of dispair only to enrich the immigration officials on both sides.

Done.

Trouble is the Camer visa is one whole page from your passport and 1000bahts fee.... Also who would want a Cambodia visa in their passport , you will get a complete rundown at your airport going home as the authorities are looking for child porn.. Much better Burma run..

I have so many Cambodian visas in my five used passports I could not even count them. I routinely use Poipet as my go to for NonO visa run. I have in twenty years and perhaps 15 trips to US ever been hassled by US authorities. In fact, the only time I have had a country questioned was Thailand!

Perhaps you look like the type who should be questioned and laptop searched?

Cambodia is still far better and cheaper option for those in BKK and to the East. Duty free cheapest in Asia too!

For tourists...whatever, who cares.

Edited: btw, <deleted> is Camer? Do you mean Khmer or Cambodia(n)?! Camer that is so ignorant and lazy, I just hope your first language is not English or French.

Most insects including ant eggs and waterbugs (meng da). Trantula's in Cambodia. Frog leg Khapow. Congeeled blood of course. Various snakes. Venison in US and Thailand (was gifted). Black bear (US). Fried sparrow. Wild boar is about my favorite, esp sun dried. Paddy rats a few times.

Those little dancing shrimp are so common they are street food in central BKK. Anyway, most of it is not very tasty. Famine food as I call it.

Chicken feet, why? Livers, etc...why, just + the cholesterol.

Unhatched ducklings, high protein and cheap but no thanks. Disgusting. More Lao, Cambodian and Philippino anyway. Famine foid.

I really do my best to avoid offal and byproducts. Meat is quite reasonable, leave the discards to the poors.

The meng.da as namprik is not bad. Wife loves it and eats it every oppty. I won't touch it anymore. Again, why.

Most of this stuff I tried years before marrying so when the wife sugests trying, I've been there. I no longer have any need to eat som tam pla la. F it - som thai krap kun. Wife born bkk but parents moved here in their teens.

Trang is quite safe. You might die of boredom though. If you can live a Thai life, you could be happy. There is a lot to do nature wise, great place to be based. Loads of waterfalls and short trips to a number of Thailsnds best islands. The pace is slow, that is good if you have a motorbike. The town is both charming and charmless. The market has great pork and seafood. Trang also has a huge fruit market ascwell as a train station. I can't comment on dental or hospital services. The night market tends to be touristy and overpriced. It is a bit too far inland for me. Oh, new bus station and minibus into town is frequent and cheap.

I enjoy the city when I am there. It is a great jumping off point to the islands.

I'm unaware of any farang bar scene such has in HH. Plenty of st hotels and nonsense. With lack of farang, imagine your visits to immigration less hassled.

We used KAL for our Southwest trip. Layover sucked but we avoided LAX. ICN is decent for layover though. I forget why I opted against LA. Broken airport, short plane change, shitty immigration. Last year we went thru LAX and was no problems with wife (4th US trip). Vegas is small easy airport and immigration was a non issue.

We scored a great room for our first and ladt nts in the city. I disliked the city very much, the tourists were just sad. The gambling tables, low brow rollers, sad. People all fat (hey, it's Murika). Adverts everywhere for horrible buffets.

What a sad life, that this is a holiday for some. Take your time and holiday pay, fly to this ugly city full of quite questionsble people and blow it all on gambling machines and tables. Meanwhile, a short drive away is Zion, Bryce and the Grand Canyon. Lake Havasu and Powell. But hey, thanks for the 22 room Harrah's and thanks for the free snacks.

So now the guy is watching under age porn at his school desk. That is a bit of a reach to make your point no? Maybe he's down south making bombs or in MaeSot cutting up bags of Ice.

What sort of logic would inject such a situation to make a point?

I think you are inferring: bogus degree = (at least potential) evil person

This may be so but far more likely, he's just a lazy slob who found himself in Thailand, broke and has a knack for teaching.

I'm all for running the entire teaching clearance out of govt offices, hiring packages as well. Personally, I feel diploma mills for lifelong learning is bs and are indeed fake diplomas but understand the distinction.

The Educational system does not consider lifelong learning a valid degree. I read it in my documents while studying for the TCT exam.

I have to laugh, so many dodgy UK degrees, especially Masters.

Up to them, hire or fire.

Oysters can be found easily although they are washed. Doubt you will find walnuts. Try baking supply.

Maybe Santa will bring me some concern because frankly I could not care less.

Well it is steps from Democracy Monument. I warned friends to avoid.

From the train station, tske the red #15. Taxis there are not going to be sny more interested in going up there than from your digs on Soi 4.

Is there any hard coral left? Most video I see seems no.

Budget resorts?

Well, I certainly would not tell the cops or his employer <deleted>. He has a Thai child.

I'd just tell him no thanks. If you let the guy in on the secret, he will do a better job next time. Let it be a flag to all such as yourself and Scott.

I don't even know why you would eant that on your concious, he's not working for you.

No idea how ez it is getting clearance out here but it's a hassle back in US if you are only back for a few weeks. Further, local state police office near my parents outsourced it to some 'tard p.i. agency (still, same amnt of time).

The above post is laughable. That is a lot of work and about 100. Driving to the embassy (or consulate?), that is an all day event right there. 95% of schools are not even bothered. Then what are you going to do next year when they ask for one for 2014 or 15? ☺

Between PraRam9 and Suttisan mrt stops along Rachadapisek extending back no more than ten min walk on any given soi there are nearly two dozen condo projects in some stage of completion. I bet the unit number is about 20,000. Then you have another half dozen older condos in the area and another half dozen new condos ( less than four yrs). The newer condos have tried every sort of con to sellnthe condos, but not lower the price. From iPads to cars. As it stands, the last of one crappy condo block is trying to get rid of last few units for about 60% the original advertised ask. Another two have all but given up and now post signs "rentals". Most of these shoeboxes have three things in common. Miserly sqm, lack of windows, crappy balconies - all at a 3m price tag. Maybe its for show and when the projects are done there will be a rethink according to the market - but it's madness.

Then you have the older units which no one will.want because they are all built right on top of thr busiest road inside Bangkok.

I am curious ehat will happen to PR9 Belle project. It is an absolute monster. The flats can be decent size, but msny are on ask at 8m (hahahahaa).

The speculators esp the little guys are going to get smashed.

When will it come to a head? Who knows, could be the end of QE. Could be WHEN the stock market tanks from 16 to 9.5.

Just gotta remember, artificial forces keeping the market on life support. Any day, month, year or never. But, no way all the black money in Thsilsnd can float the condos I mentioned, let alone the other projects.

The true pain will come if people get thrown out of work. This is starting now. Companies downsizing and rethinking, laying off older $$ employees even if they have to pay big severance. I know a big corporation going thru this now. Look at the office and shops in the main areas, lots of empty shops last six months. Loads of empty little kiosks in.shopping malls. Lots of upscsle food stslls failing. Govt has been whinging about a downturn in gdp nearly two years. Loads of ancedotal evidence. Gdp is awful this year, like 3%.

Coming

Part of the 2014 tourist reduction program

Enjoy the Russians, Indians and Chinese! My Thai wife hates them all, she can't figure out which group is the most boorish and rude, but really has it in for the Chinese.

My wifes ten year visa was fast, cheap and easy. Expect a CR1 to go the same.

Funny thing is that nations create visa polices based on a number of things. It is only the most petty of nations that go in for this tit-for-tat thing. Thailand was a shining example of letting people flood in, take their money and watch them leave. Visas are small money, take money, time and govt pensioned lazy bureaucrats to process - and overseas no le$$.

Too funny - We are made out to be the lands of scousers. This is coming from...Thailand (Immigration!!). That is seriously, the funniest thing I have heard all month. Thailand as the old saying goes...where half the women are pros snd half the men are cons.

An easy solution to get back the start menu and its free. Works very well.

http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

This is IOBIT who famously stole malware definition databases to make their products! Not so sure I want them anywhere near my computer any more. Stick with Classic Shell.

I was not aware of this i have use Window total care for years and have been happy with it. Just shows hey.

I was a Totalcare fanatic until I discovered this. CCleaner, Spyboy S&D works wonderfully to take over (and is lighter to boot).

It's all crap. The only good one of that lot is Spybot but takes ages to run.

Bleachbit

SuperAntiSpyware

MS Essentials (runs live) or Avast

Glary

Eusing Reg Clnr

Revo

Hijackthis (patially effective)

GMER

Kaspersky Rootkit

Trend Rootkit

All free