Hugh Jarse

You can get it on the same day as you apply, here are a few recent reports.

Thanks Mate, very helpful.

I'm still wondering if there's any truth in the closure this week though, even though it shouldn't really affect me.

When I applied 2 weeks ago I was told by a charming and very helpful Officer that it now takes 7 days to issue this document. So, no worries . Presumably the roof is leaking if they need to shut -up shop.

First of all and one more time I can see Russian bashing ...... This guy is UZBEKISTAN citizen , so why they put Russian ???????????????/ ridiculous !! How come he could take a boat out of the marina ? there are guards at the entrance asking question ( I know I have a boat there) , then you need a key to start , you need knowledge in sailing .... sounds very strange to me !

A dodgy insurance claim perhaps?

Those or any other people who try to sell their religions, mostly to people with weak minds, should be treated the way they are trying to do to others. If they wish to play with the minds, then it's quite ok to play with theirs.

Invite them in. Let them be be all exited and remember to say things like "hmm, that makes sense" etc. After an while, when you get tired, just say "No thanks, your way of life is no fun at all. I choose Satan, he got the best parties." .. and gently direct them outside. They are not likely to come back as you are already a lost soul.

Yes, they are all over the world. The best way to deal with these God Botherers is to state that you are a Buddhist and very content with this belief system. This usually shuts them up. Anybody who cannot find salvation in their religious beliefs without trying to hammer it down the throats of others , seriously needs to obtain counselling.

You sound as if you are almost ready for Pattaya............................

Agree ,he's a seasoned sex tourist, so will luv it in Pattaya & Phuket.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2408869/Tony-Blair-causes-Thailand-protests-accusations-paid-400k-talk.html

Daily mail says he was paid 400,000 quid = 20 million baht.

Yes, that figure was quoted on Thai news channel this AM. Plus his and his entourage's accomodation costs.

After an article like that the NYT are in real danger of facing a law suite for tarnishing Thailands image.

I suppose it's just a matter of time before the NY Times is banned from Thailand newsstands?

It's about time too that The Economist magazine does some more coverage on this story, than it has hitherto." Comparative systems of accountability and justice in Southeast Asia". Would make a rivetting aricle!

He could have picked a taller hotel. Isn't the Honey only a couple of floors high?

Helluva place to lose your honey is the Honey.

Why bother making such pathetic postings!

I stayed at the Ambassador a couple of times and never again. Smelly rooms, lousy air conditioning and average food. Come to the other side of Sukhumvit from the grace and there is Woraburi, SM Grande, Nana and Rajah just to rattle off a few. Plenty of others along the road that are a bit smaller and cheaper.

Try The Atlanta at the end of Soi 2 Sukhumvit. The most charming establishment in Bangkok, (1930's German art deco) reasonably priced. a swimming pool, writers bureux, internet, small gym, a good restaurant, travel shop and great selection of magazines, newspapers. It is a very welcoming place for singles and families to stay. Sex tourists and yobs are not welcome there though.A real Aladdins Cave of a place!

Agreed, the Atlanta is very nice and different. But the staff are a bit snooty, thouogh.

Atlanta? Snooty?? That's a massive understatement. A friend and his Thai wife, married for more than 10 years had reservations there a few years ago. He and his wife were rudely and dismissively denied a room..even though he had his marriage certificate and offered to show them.

Snooty doesn't even begin to cover it; "charming" my ass!

Your 'friends" probably turned up looking like tramps to be treated like this.

I stayed at the Ambassador a couple of times and never again. Smelly rooms, lousy air conditioning and average food. Come to the other side of Sukhumvit from the grace and there is Woraburi, SM Grande, Nana and Rajah just to rattle off a few. Plenty of others along the road that are a bit smaller and cheaper.

Try The Atlanta at the end of Soi 2 Sukhumvit. The most charming establishment in Bangkok, (1930's German art deco) reasonably priced. a swimming pool, writers bureux, internet, small gym, a good restaurant, travel shop and great selection of magazines, newspapers. It is a very welcoming place for singles and families to stay. Sex tourists and yobs are not welcome there though.A real Aladdins Cave of a place!

Why not try speaking nicely to and about her----------Using the Thai language of course !

Thai langauge won't impress anyone at immigration. I speak it pretty well and every time I speak in Thai to them, they answer back in English. That is standard experience though with most Thais. Speak a few words and they love it. Any more and you know a bit too much. I have a friend who has a masters degree in Thai. Sometimes it takes him three sentences before they answer back in Thai.

How very sad that this should be so. Its as though this office has a policy of employing people with little, if any, English language skills. I recently witnessed the young official under criticism here deal with a Japanese person and was unable to deal with the latters elementary English and dealt with in a rude manner. I thought that this junior official had a prejudice against farangs only, but no, as her inability to cope with many other nationalities is apparant. It's as though she has been pushed into a job that she is ill suited for and definately needs some basic customer care training (and we do pay for their services) or some career counselling. An earlier post noted that this office is a national disgrace. I agree, it is Third World standard of service for a crucial government department. It must also be a hellish place to work!

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

Hi gamini, I am afraid you are wrong, I have a yellow book and get free treatment,tablets,examinations,and blood work done every month,

at my local Government hospital, and I rate it better than Lana hospital,the Nurses,Doctors are very friendly and helpful,and seem to take

a real interest in my problems, while the Dr. at Lana,was not happy at all when you did not buy the medicines from their dispensary,at

inflated prices.

So I am one Expat who coverts his yellow book,

regards Worgeordie

Please advise ,what documentation do you need before applying for this book? Thanks in advance.

Re-entry stamps are issued for permitted stays and extensions of stays - not for visas. They act as your visa for new entry.

My UK passport expired earlier this month and had to have relevant stamps transferred to a new passport (Non I O based on marriage ). In the old passport is a Multiple re-entry permit. Immigration did not transfer this into the new passport. If I leave Thailand and return can I use the old passport in conjunction with the new one to re enter or will I have to pay for another re-entry permit for the new passport? Advice appreciated.

...this is political.....GMO's have no place in this....

...this government keeps making big announcements, pronouncements, like they have answers....

.....all talk and no substance...

...why doesn't The Prime Minister go negotiate....she is such a champion of justice, etc....

She cant just go and 'negiotiate" as she has nothing to offer.

Why can't the military just roll in and take them on?

Simply because the Thai state lacks legitimacy/the right to rule in these regions -formerly the State/Sultany of Pattani (Google it and you will see why there is so much hatred toward the Thai state). In my humble view Thailand needs to cede territory to solve this monumental problem. If they cannot do so then bring in the Norweigans and other peacemakers to try and resolve this age old conflict .Thais are unable to solve this alone. Stop the slaughter of innocent Thai soldiers also.

For a time I corresponded on ThaiLoveLinks with a very pleasant lonely-heart Prachuap KiriKhan 34yo girl.

She came to stay a few times in my BKK place.

During those stays I let her use my laptop and could watch over as the poor girl was bombarded on her TLL account and by email by scam artists' imaginative creations. Including the parcel story like described above.

She was a straight girl with no malice, full of hope to meet Mr Right online and just didn't catch on that she was being played. I had to carefully explain to her that, unfortunately, many of her prospective cyberlovers were just criminals out to cheat her of money. And, yes, she was educated with a Uni degree. No bar background.

She eventually met a TLL guy to love. A 50yo German with a good job and a nice house.

Right from the beginning it was certain that this guy was for real as he soon paid for her to go study German at the BKK Goethe Institut.

They got married last December in Germany where she lives now. I'm very happy for her.

Always good to hear a happy tale.

For border crossing no ticket needed.

Just gets better.

Ok thanks guys for spending your time answering my q's, it is very much appreciated.

Another example of why ThaiVisa is such a great site.

Why don't you rent them for a day and try them out, best way to find out if you like them or not.

After I rented a PCX 125 on Phuket for 4 days I knew I wanted one, was lucky and found out that the 150cc was coming so I waited and bought one as soon as the price was ok, never regretted the choice.

Good suggestion, also try out the Honda Phanton, a 200cc single, very comfortable, fat seat, good riding position,easy to maintain, dirt cheap to run and good resale price. It will poodle along all day at 85-90 kph.. 70k should get you a good one.

We checked at our amphur a couple of weeks ago and they said we could not get insurance with a yello book.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Well they may well be right but at the end of the day its the hospital that makes the decision,hopefully someone will come forward with some info

Having recently got the very coveted yellow book i would also like to know for sure .

What documention do the Amphur Office require before issuing the "Yellow" book? And do you still need to be accompanied by the headman of the Tamboon? Grateful.

This webpage has some contact numbers and link to email them.

http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=262

Thank you, most helpful.

As a P.S to my earlier response, I heard today that 90 day reports can now be done at the HangDong Police station. Is this correct?

I just did this morning.As you have the form Photocopy all pages of your old passsport and the front page of new passport. I went along at c.8.15am as when I tried in the afternoon last week they said come again tomorrow early. No charge was levied. I left with new stamps at just after midday. Desk 3 deals with these and they were slow today. They made an error with mine so check the new (handwritten) stamps and dates carefully before leaving.

That sums it up. I really hope this is for real and not just lip service.

IF it is for real maybe some families will consider returning to Phuket for holidays, but what a pathetic response from th Mayor's son to a genuine and serious issue.

Pattaya beach... no way I would swim in that sewer. And it is literally a sewer. Google around and see for yourself.

Jomtien beach... anyone have the photo from a few weeks ago with the black sewer leak pouring into the water? While parts of it are cleaner than others, it is also a sewer dump. Literally.

IMHO, Hua Hin and Pkuket have much cleaner beaches. I won't swim in the water around Pattaya. Seen too many spills, raw sewer pipe leaks, and garbage dumped into it.

Agree, whenever I swam there, water was a cloudy brown, plastic bags floating around and there were small lumps of brown stuff in the water. On the beaches round Jomtein, they were also fillthy, dog ends in the sand and other debris. Without doubt the worst beaches in Thailand are situated there. Rent a guest house there for a couple of nights. Far better to look for accomodation on "The Dark Side" and enjoy some of the pool bars there. Dont risk the sea! sorry.

On the subject of new airline routes, anyone know about developments on the direct Chiang Mai -Hua Hin route. The Bangkok Post reported this in December last year, due to start early Jan.2013? Think it was Nok air?

I'm sitting next to a man in his 60's who has had Dengue 6 times so far,

and expecting it again. He has 20 years here, but the Dengue is all in the last 6 or 7.

I had it once 4 years ago, that was enough.

I still get the feeling there is some lingering in me even now.

So what exactly are the symptoms?