Hugh Jarse

Pissed down here

Are you in London?!!

The missus is flying with them to Thailand in June, she chose them over BA and Emirates because she'll be travelling with a 21 month old toddler and will be 5 months pregnant so she thinks, and I agree with her, if the trolley dollies are thai then she might get more help, we'll see.

Not so. The Taiwanese carrier EVA are far superior, have Thai cabin crew on board and are slightly cheaper too. EVA also have a modern fleet with rear of seat screens also. A far better bet in my view.

I'll be travelling to Britain in a couple of months with my one year old daughter who has two passports. If I accompany her in the short Thai queue will they stamp my passport at that counter or will I have to queue again for the foreign counter? Has anyone done this? Her Thai mother, my wife, is travelling with us. I just thought I'd try to on!

I hold an EEA passport and when I last exited at S'Phum with my Thai wife and kids there was no problem . Immigration just stamped mine too.

It is also possible for a Thai to have tri-/treble nationality.

A most helpful thread, indeed. I too have a 6 year old with virtually no Thai. Will be checking out the schools mentioned as wel as Sarasas (nr the railway station). Also plan to re visit Wichai Wittaya and Varee and revert.

This is a weird story. Do you think it might be fabricated?

Most likely fabricated.

I did a search:

http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-relea...s#searchResults

Very odd The Nation publish this without double checking the ''news''.

LaoPo

The BBC here in London are currently confirming this announcement from the IND/Home Office.

Last time we had an argued i got a slap around the head from the wife. Can we go the domestic violence route and save the £750 ILR fees.

Yorkie

Your wife would have to go first to a doctor so he /she could see evidence of a battering and other injuries and then to the police to make a statement. That done to a womens refuge who would refer her to a lawyer who could make representations on her behalf to the IND. Photo's help too. Men who do this are scumbags.

I understand that the Monarch has asked that smog levels be monitored. Lets hope this leads to some positive change .

I am awake in the night as I write this with a burning chest and a throbbing headache. The neighbors here in the Wat Pong Noi area 3 KM south of CMU are burning leaves like they do almost every night but today the smoke is especially thick at my rental house. Earlier today I took a bike ride up to Doi Kham, the hill west of the airport with the beautiful white Buddha statue. A crew of four people were raking the leaves on the side of the road, and burning them. On this road, they could easily just push the leaves over the side of the road into the deep forest gullies and let them decompose naturally. But they don't…. they burn them.

I have printed up cards that politely tell of the health risks and possible affects on tourism. The cards also provide an alternative idea to compost. I hand them out when I see people burning but they seem to have little impact.

My father and sister died of lung cancer in their fifties and I am concerned that if I stay in Thailand, I will be next. The issue of vile smoke pollution never crossed my mind as I made the decision to move to this beautiful country two years ago, but now I am afraid it will make me leave.

So I ask you, is there anything that could be done to get the colleges and the government to become involved to stop the burning once and for all? Do you have contacts that would want to get involved? Also, what are the current phone numbers that can be called outside of the city of Chiang Mai that might possibly rally law enforcement of a practice that I understand is illegal? Chiang Mai has a very high respiratory illness level and eliminating the burning would sure help that a lot. What are the things that concerned Thai nationals and visitors can do on this issue? The city of Chiang Mai is getting good results reducing the burning so now it would be good to expand those successes to outlying areas.

Just been looking at the photo of Chiang Mai in The Nation newspaper. Pollution loks really bad. Any news from locals there on the extent of the smog. Hope its not as bad as last year.

You could try the Mac Cormack hospital nr. the railway station. They have a centre for complimentary medicine including an experienced (Thai) acupuncturist, who is also a qualified anaesthetist. Very reasonable rates too. Check the listings mags. for 'phone No. and opening times.

Good luck.

She can apply for further leave to remain which extends her current permission to stay for another 2 years by which time she may be able to pass the 'life in UK test'.

She will eventually have to pass it anyway (even if she goes the EU family permit route) if she intends to seek British Citizenship.

By all means apply for the Irish/EU family permit and wait a while, but Ireland has now changed the rules and you and your wife would have to be resident in Ireland for her to get an Irish passport. They got fed up with the no's of people abusing their hospitality.

Why aren't you doing more to improve her English? There are dozens of non college options.

Thankyou MApguy for your posting on the pollution/air quality issues in CM.Really very helpful, especially to those like myself who are seriously contemplating a move to CM with a young family. We are now reconsidering . Perhaps Chiang Rai prov. but are there any decent schools that have English language programmes? (A seperate thread perhaps but follows as reason for move to CM is the choice of International schools)

Thanks again

Hugh

Hiya All,

sorry just looking at all the different websites for schools and conversing with the Wife about it all.

Just a note to say thank you for all your replies, excellent comments on an all important subject.

Thanks

I agree. As one who is also looking for a school for my 5 year old this post and the previous (now closed) thread most of the postings were helpful.

On a broader note THai Visa website is one of the best sites I have ever used.

Hope it goes on.

That is very bad news. I admire your tenacity and courage in offering the children there some basic human rights. Education and training provide the essential underpinnings for meaningful development (of the individual and society) to occur.

Can you send me some info about this project as it seems to be very worthy of support.

Not sure if anyone that interested, I've posted a few weeks ago how Sat-Ed had launched it's education on demand project in the deep south,

Sadly when you work in the tough areas we have chosen too, the news will not always good, and when we held the training day in Bangkok a few weekends back for teachers and heads from the schools in the South, we sadly expected but hoped we would never hear this.

Last night I received the following message re the South Schools project Sat-Ed is deploying,

"Headmaster from Bankaemae Naratthiwat just rang me. Insurgent just kill his teacher in front of his school. Now 30 Schools in Ampher Rakhae Narathiwat closed. He will now install our system next week. He said he is confident that our system will really help teacher and student."

We will send a message of condolence from Sat-Ed.

The important point is they do have faith in the system helping them, and that is an important message for us to remember and build upon, and not stop bringing education to those who need it the most, regardless.

Yes agree I had similar problem with cancelled flights a while back and complained then but got nowhere. It is good you started this off as Air Asia do not survey their customers for their views and they need to to improve their service. Competition is fierce and will get more intense. The refund policy is inexcusable and no doubt due to incompetent administration.

Last time I flew them from Had Yai BKK CNX they phoned me the day before departure to say the flight would be delayed by 4 hours. That was good service indeed.

There are at least 2 ways Air Asia could be better: provide better training for staff, especially in English language training as this is generally poor and customers dont always understand why they are being delayed for their flights. Second be less strict on the baggage allowance.Wo betide you if you are as much as a donut overweight. Even Thai's fume at the parsimonious policy here.

Finally on dress. The female stewardesses have to wear ridiculouly tight clothing . Is this in the interest of safety or what? Perhaps this is Fernandes being too influenced by his side-kick Richard Branson who has always liked to tart up his in flight stewardesses. Good for business he thinks but some faiths may find this tatty and cheap.

Overall I'd give AirAsia a 5 out of 10 and Thai a 6 for internal flights.

As I started this Forum section, I have flown Air Asia numerous times & as yet have not really had any problems with them, the main problem is there delayed & late running flights, but as a number of you have said & I agree, you get what you pay for.

My argument is why should they charge you double to change a flight to another date, the actuall diffrence in the flight cost for all 3 of us was less than 1000 baht, air asia wanted another 6500 baht

No problem with the no refund policy, "you pays your money you take your chances"

Anyway the bottom line is were not going to fly to Krabi & I'll swallow the 5500 baht

The international rate appears to still be 64 thb to UK £ ?

Correct.The off shore rate in UK is usually 5 baht to the £ less than on shore rate,

Let's hope this initiative is sucessful as far too many operators there and little space for free beach. Hope they can do the cleaning of the sand too. We stopped going there a few years back because of this and the increasingly seedy atmosphere.

Rats - A teacher on a school trip was once bitten by a rat at the Andaman Resort (corner with the nice beach). The owner laughed when told. I was there.

Noise - Thailand, 'nuff said. There can be someone at any of the bungalows who doesn't give a rat's arse about other people, so noise is always a 'potential' problem. None of the bungalows have any insulation, so noise travels easily and far.

Italian guy - yes, a real prick (and fat a ugly). He used to have a monkey chained to a tree on a short leash. He and his obnoxious friends go out fishing and sells fish to places like the Varin Resort. These fish should be caught and sold by the sea gypsies whose livelihood depends on such things... in my opinion.

My advice is to find a place that has a where you can rent the last bungalow. Sorry, I can't say where as I haven't been there yet this season. I'm sure they'll have another zillion new bungalows built on and island that isn't big enough for half of what's built already. See it while it's still worth visiting.

That italien guy seems to get very famouse, when searching the internet for Koh Lipe I found a couple of discussions and he got mentioned often and not once in a nice way.

Is there any resort which you can recommend or where you made good experiences?

thanks

h90

I'm looking to head off to Satun for a few days in October. I'll be travelling with the wife and two-year-old. Does anyone have any practical advice or tips for good places to see/stay?

Many thanks.

Presumably you have your own transport? Lots to see . Just head out of town towards Had Yai for about 20 kms then turn left towards Kuan Khalong. After about 5kms turn right :its signposted to a waterfall, follow that til you reach the waterfall. It is a lovely quite pace to take your family and it is safe . This environment is lush (rubber & Palm oil). There is nowhere to stay here so it makes a good day trip from Satun. In Satun the best hotel is The Pinacle about 800 baht and nearby some good restaurants and bakers and local cafes. The countryside all around is very pleasant and not geared up for mass tourism (thankfully)

Satun is the departure point for the Tarutao archipelago. If you go Ko Lipe is good for families. We always stay at the Ko Lipe resort, safe and secure and cheap. Once there there are lots of places to visit by boat, but with a 2 year old you will have to take turns as boats do break down and the swells at this time of year may mean too rough.

All in all it is a very pleasant and safe part of Thailand.

Enjoy it.

Just downloaded the latest ed. and it looks really useful. Will be in touch.

Perhaps you can make it an Adobe PDF file and send it out via email for the rest of us to print up at home.

I'll certainly pass the suggestion on thanks for the idea.

Thai Embassy in London now issue single, double, treble and quadruple visitors visas at 25 pounds per entry. The service is efficient ,polite and swift. (British Embassy officials here in Bangkok could learn a lot about civility and good service from the Thai staff in London)

Thanks for your post. Do you happen to know whether they are also issuing 12 month non-immi B visas in London?

Thanks

I am not sure about Non Imm B visas. I got a Multi. entry Non Imm O (married to a Thai) and just showed the marriage lines. No evidence of finances were asked of me.

Songkhla City

Walking distance to the beach!

I will be moving to Songkhla to teach and I will need an apartment. Does anyone have any recommendations? Size is not important. A studio is OK so long as it has cooking facilities. I would like an economical apartment near the beach that has availability of high speed internet. I would consider one without air conditioning if it has a good ceiling fan. I will be arriving in Songkhla around May 3. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

There is a 'tourist area' near the beach and they have daily/weekly rentals on Soi Sangam.. Can't remember the name, but it is in the first block off the main road. They have aircon if you want it (you will when you are arriving)

If you are teaching at Taksin University, ask about where the teacher that left was living. I taught there 10+ years ago, and housing was very tight, and expensive.

This is a monumental problem that Thai's must deal with. The powers that be know how serious is the problem. Its s though they fiddle while Chiang Mai burns!

Thai's with the help of foreigners could stage weekly demo's outside the governors home, place ads.in daily newspapers and get more access to TV and radio.University students as well as the well established NGO's and their (usually) wise leaders must take the bull by the horns.

I am seriously thiking of buying here in Mai but after reading this shocking news will keep it on ice.ca

Last night I watched the film "An Inconvenient Truth" made by Al Gore.

Man...that was scary....anybody that has NOT seen it SHOULD definatley see it and see how we are destroying our planet for our kids and grandkids.

What can we Farangs who live here do about the polution situation? Should we just accept it or try and do something about it?

Individually we can do little, but maybee as a collective voice we can do something?

Anyone any decent ideas..as this is very serious now ?

2 days ago one of my freinds staff a 32 year old Thai, had a severe ahstma attack which lead to a heart attack and death for 10 minutes. He hs been given a 1% chance of survival, and 9% chance of living..but with brain damage. He has lived his whole life in CM ! He has 2 young children that my freind will have to raise.

I cannot blame CM for everything but with air quality as poor as it is (and its getting worse apparantly)..I am sure it has not helped his cause down the years.

What can WE do guys?

Sadly not much. Too many people in this valley. Fortunately its not so much industrial pollution or even car exhaust. Its mostly trash and agricultural smoke locally produced. Thai people love to burn things. Its keeps those ghosts away. Still its terrible for health. My skin hurts after even short exposures.

I am leaving in the next month. I love thailand but its not worth shortening my life by decades.

Either back to States (colorado), hawaii, or considering Costa Rica.