up2ubar

I also Had the same problem for the last couple of days!

I also was charged 1 baht per minute as they were charging my phone credit rather than deducting minutes from my 500 baht/200 hour per month package!

It was only when my phone ran out of credit i realised i had a problem.

I called the AIS customer service using the 1175 number, as was politely informed that they were experiencing a problem with the gprs crediting/debiting system nationwide!

I was also informed that they will be replacing users telephone credit lost during the downtime!

My connection is back to normal now! But still waiting for approx 180 baht of lost phone credit!

I actually live in Ban "Santisuk" But i am no where near Chiang Mai!

The Ban Santisuk i live is actually in the Udon Thani Province, And is located 55K From Udon itself , we are around 6 kilometres from Bandung which is our nearest town!

You better ask some more questions to try & fathom out jus which Ban Santisuk she is referring too mate!

PHUKETDICK FOR PRIME MINISTER!

What dif does it make you were refused entry to laos? You left thailand, all you had to do was come back. I use 2 passports and often use the second for entry to the next country so when I return to thailand it looks like I went nowhere. Have never even been asked where i was

I get it!

I get my exit stamp out of Thailand, don't bother paying 10 baht for the bus to take me over the bridge, instead walk a couple of hundred meters in the direction of Laos before doing a 180 & walking the couple of hundred metres back into thailand!

THIS IS THE BEST ADVICE I HAVE SEEN ON THAI VISA IN YEARS

Anyone carrying out PHUKETSDICKS MASTERPLAN will not only have saved themselves the hassle of a return journey on a crappy bus, packed to the rafters with smelly backpackers! But will not need to file any paperwork/apply for a laos visa, avoid the horrendous queues seen at times & in the process save themselves $35 US DOLLARS as well as 20 baht in bus fares not to mention the 20 baht saving in not having to pay local taxes as they will not actually be entering Laos!

PHUCKING AMAZING! Why has No One Else Thought of Masterminding Such an Elaborate Plan!

Just another shining example of mouthy prick know all!

Tell ya wot! i have read some UTTER <deleted> on Thaivisa over the years but the utter cr@p posted here tops the lot by a long way!!

No denying that in hindsight (Marvellous thing) perhaps i should have been forthright with them & told them the forms had indeed been filled in by a third party (Agent)!

However i did feel at that moment in time! if i had confirmed the initial officers suspicions i would have been flatly denied a laos visa there & then!

I guess panic took over & i tried to blag my way through the situation the best i could!

Yes it was a hairy 30 minutes or so, and not an experience i would wish on anyone else, but i got my visa & consequently back into Thailand.

Would i recommend anyone deal with a situation such as this the same as i did...NO

Was i aware i was doing something illegal...NO

Would i use the services of a visa agent in the future...NO

An awful experience, but because of it i have learned a very valuable lesson!

One thing is for sure i wll not make that mistake again!

Right i'm off for another beer!

No I didn't bother Cruncher!

Just wanted collect my wife & daughter from the market in nong khai! and get back to Udon!

where i had a few beers & chilled out whilst the 2 girls in my life went food shopping in Topps!

Don't think i will be using that one again in the future!

In fact i will probably just do it myself in future....JUST IN CASE!

ONCE BITTEN & ALL THAT

Thaddeus, lets just agree to dissagree on the ways i see fit to spend my dollers mate eh!

I really don't want this thread to degenerate into some kind of crazy meaningless flame war.

The purpose of this post was simply to make you fellow expats here aware of the potentially big problem i experienced today!

I am hopefull it may help to ensure other members here don't have to endure a similiar gut wrenching experience to mine!

Maybe she didn't told you anything because anything changed. I know it is absolute forbidden to use an agent for thai immigration forms of any kind. There are huge signs about this on every border checkpoint. And i guess that the other countries here have the same rules.

Hi llothar!

I had/have never had in 3 years any trouble of this nature or anything like it!

The problem here was 100% with the Laos Authorities, Not the Thai's!

Maybe she didn't told you anything because anything changed.

Not sure if i fully understand that mate!

If you mean:

Maybe she didn't tell me anything as there was nothing to tell, ie no changes

Well for the first time in 3 years i was handed the paperwork & US Dollers to do the donkey work myself! when i asked why she could not do it as always happened in the past she just said "CANNOT"

I can also assure you there was marked change in the attitude of th PDR Laos immigration officials!

Final llother I Can't say i have ever seen a sign referring to Agents at either nong khai or In Laos, not saying tyou are incorrect, merely saying i have not noticed any!

Thaddeus, lets just agree to dissagree on the ways i see fit to spend my dollers mate eh!

I really don't want this thread to degenerate into some kind of crazy meaningless flame war.

The purpose of this post was simply to make you fellow expats here aware of the potentially big problem i experienced today!

I am hopefull it may help to ensure other members here don't have to endure a similiar gut wrenching experience to mine!

Cheers

Why use a Visa agent..... in this example you have been doing all the work for three years anyway, all they did was hold you hand.

I'll do that, sounds like an easy job...... do you think they could get me a work permit for that?

Q, Why Use A Visa Agent?

A, It's Called "CONVENIENCE"

And because i don't mind paying for a service if it makes my life easier!

Up until today thats exactly what it did!

BY THE WAY!

MY VEHICLE IS AUTOMATIC!........................BUT I STILL HAVE TO BE THERE MUPPET!

Hi Again Folks!

I can guarantee there is nothing missing from the story at all, thats exactly how it was from start to finish, nothing omitted, nothing added!

I have no idea what to make of it all either i can assure you all!

Perhaps there may be some substance in the theory Laos are becoming awkward in the wake of the recently inroduced Thai Immigration regs which will cost thailands bordering countries big bucks! "Who Knows"

The thing that angers me most in hindsight was the way the visa agent i have used for years failed to inform me of new procedure's/regs in place for the sake of a few baht!

Just a footnote!

I forgot to mention that on our arrival back in Thailand, the guy in front of me on VOA had his TM card marked (1) which leads me to believe that the Thai Authorities will indeed be enforcing the 3 continuous VOA'S max then out!

The Military personel were also searching every vehicle entering the kingom!

Had a very tricky 30 minutes or so today whilst on my Nong Khai - Laos Friendship Bridge visa run !

Just to put you guys in the picture i always have used the services of a very friendly tour operator/travel agent to run me over the bridge & back to Nong khai whilst on laos visa runs!

It's just been convenience of it really, as they fill all the forms in and on many occasions have skipped past horrendous queue's etc.

so for the additional 300 baht or so it cost me i felt it was great value for money.

Anyway I turned up at their office this morning and was greeted exactly as i have been each time i have presented myself there over the past 3 years or so!

I Handed over my passport along with passport photograph & the fee.

One of the girls filled out the paperwork as they usually do & i just signed them, we set off for the 1 kilometre journey to the immigration checkpoint in one of their company vehicles.

From the moment i arrived at their office to arriving at the immigration checkpoint on the Thai Side of the border nothing at all was said to me that would have led me to believe that today was going to be any different in anyway shape or form from the countless other times i have done exactly the same visa run.

we arrived at the Immigration checkpoint (Thai Side) no more than 5 minutes after leaving the office & Although there was a strong military presence in evidence it seemed to be business as usuall, certainly with respect to folk leaving the kingdom!

Whilst travelling over the bridge my courier handed me my passport along with some $$$$$$

<deleted> i thought as this was the first time this had happened! They usually deal with all the stages visa run & i just followed like a lamb in thr past!

I asked her what she was doing handing me everything, And politelypointed out i had already paid her company for her services to handle all this for me?

I was me with a swift & sharp CANNOT! nothing more nothing less, again i thought <deleted>! But decided just to keep cool and deal with the rest of the usually painless visa run myself!

Arrived over the bridge at the Laos immigration checkpoint & was directed towards a window. where i was handed a couple of forms i needed to fillout!

One of which was identical to one i had already signed after being filled out for me in the couriers office in Nong Khai!

So me being the LAZY ASS i am! I filled out one of them & switched the other for the identical one i had prepared earlier!

I handed both forms along with my fistful of dollers & sat down waiting for my visa into Laos to be processed!

After maybe 5 minutes i was beckoned back to the window and was quizzed on whether i had come alone or was using the services of an agent!

(He had oviously seen the X's on the form that was filled out for me & i had only signed)

I said i was alone & was not using an agent!

At this point i knew i had a problem, but didn't yet realise just how severe it could have become!

After maybe another 10 minutes had passed i was approached by another immigration officer & was then escorted to a small office within the main building.

I was confronted by two male & one female immigration officers, one of the men shouted at me "YOU USE AGENT" to which again i totally denied.

They pointed at the X's on the form that was pre filled out for me, and again said "YOU USE AGENT FOR VISA"

Again i totally denied it.

Another couple of minutes passed whilst they chatted amongst themselves, then the female officer approached me & explained they were refusing me a visa into Laos as they believed i was using a the services of a visa agent/courier!

My heart just sank at that statement, as it seemed i was now caught in a terrible situation everyone hopes they will not find themselves in! NO MANS LAND!

I cannot get into laos as they are refusing me a visa!

I cannot go back to Thailand, as although i have officially left, i have not yet arrived in another country!

I decided to plead with whom i hoped would be the officer most willing to listen & hopefuly offer me a way out of this nghtmare! "THE FEMALE OFFICER"

I came clean with her & explained i indeed had used a service i had used for the past 3 years with no problems!

I also explained i was completely unaware that any legilation had changed regarding the use of such services on Laos Visa runs.

I also explained my thai wife & 2 year old daughter were patiently waiting for me back in nong khai, & would be totally unaware of what was happening & i had no way of contacting her.

She then left the room came back a couple of minutes later with my passport complete with Laos Visa. THANK GOD!

NEXT TIME NOT USE AGENT WAS HER PARTING WORDS TO ME!

although it had only been maybe 20/30 minutes, Words just cannot describe my relief on getting my passport back & Visa!

I genuinly had no idea anything had changed re using services such as these!

Does anybody have any further information or had the same experience of late?

Thank you for your very swift response!

Will go check the alternative link you provided me.

Cheers

Was just trying to book a hotel using your drop down box --> --> Book your hotel here: -- that is located at the top of each page!

But whilst doing this i am recieving an error! The error reads:

<%if ($URL) { header("Location:$URL"); } if ($go1) { header("Location:$URL1"); } if ($go2) { header("Location:$URL2"); } if ($go3) { header("Location:$URL3"); } %>

Is it just me/my pc or is that link not working for everyone at the moment?

yes, there seems to be a problem with that drop down box in the header. thank you for bringing this to our attention, will fix that.

for today, please go to the bottom right corner of this page to select your hotel destination:

http://www.phukethotel.com/

Was just trying to book a hotel using your drop down box --> --> Book your hotel here: -- that is located at the top of each page!

But whilst doing this i am recieving an error! The error reads:

<%if ($URL) { header("Location:$URL"); } if ($go1) { header("Location:$URL1"); } if ($go2) { header("Location:$URL2"); } if ($go3) { header("Location:$URL3"); } %>

Is it just me/my pc or is that link not working for everyone at the moment?

Winners ->->->-> England

Losing Finalists ->->->->Brazil

Third Place ->->->-> Germany

Nowt down for the aussies or yanks i'm afraid!

Perhaps they could have a competition between themselves to see who has the biggest chip on their shoulder?.....JUST A THOUGHT

Hi edd

Mojo's is right next door to Steve's bar pal!

As your looking at the row of three bars from the road then steve's is in the centre with The Horseshoe Bar to it's immediate left & mojo's to it's immediate right.

It's owned by Alan who'm is from the North East of England! The menu is very extensive and i can guarantee that anything you order there will be excellent & also plenty of it!

Hope this helps edd

Regards

Dave

###### that looks bloody good to me! How much does it cost?

If any of you guys ever get up to Udon Thani. the breakfast served at Mojo's (Just around the corner from Robinsons complex) also Is Great Value For Money

Comprises of:

Unlimited Orange Juice

Unlimited Tea or ground coffee

Toast & Preserves

Bacon

Sausages

Eggs

Fried Bread

Hash Browns Or Bubble & Squeak

Fried Tomatoes

Mushrooms

Baked Beans

Black Pudding

all for the bargain price of 150 baht.

Sorry could never read a post that long!

Did you have something to say?

Whatever gave you that idea?

I live (Udon Thani Province) made the move up here from Pattaya over 2 years ago & Really love my life here in Isaan, however it really astonishes me the amount of expats in this neck of the woods that are nothing more than cynical, bitter, angry & generally unhappy people who see themselves as nothing more than victims here in Thailand.

They are miserable and they frequently make others miserable with their constant bitching & backbiting

I am almost sure the reason for this is that they acquire a little know about disease I like to call “Lost in Los Syndrome”.

It seems to me that the primary symptom of this problem is general unhappiness with their life.

This can often manifest itself in many ways that could well be extreme or irrational anger alcohol/drug abuse and in extreme cases chronic depression & even suicide.

In addition to this the very frequent use of swear words in association with Thailand and/or Thai women more often than not, the person uses the following words very frequently: cheat, lie, steal, irresponsible, stupid, backward, lazy and corrupt.

Sarcasm is an often-used tool as is mocking Thais as well as expatriates who happen to enjoy their lives in Thailand.

Finally, these bitter and twisted guys really seem to get a kick out of celebrating problems or difficulties that Thailand/Thai people & in many cases, fellow expats experience.

If you are happy with your lot here in Thailand & are doing ok for yourself you will almost certainly become a target for these losers attention!

These people will almost always smile and speak amiably with you face to face, but understand as soon as your back is turned they will mock/slander/ridicule you in any way they possibly can, It seems another common trait these pricks share is a big yellow streak running the length of their backs.

They actually want you to fail (As they are/have) so you can join them in their pitiful world of misery.

If you do not believe this diagnosis then all I ask you to do is walk into some of the local expat bars here in issan, grab a cold one chill out and listen for a while.

Off course this doesn't apply to all establishments, but you will usually find people in the same negative state of mind tend to frequent the same joints! "Birds Of A Feather" etc.

Don't worry you will soon spot your local "Losers Lounge" Trust me it's there!

If you have not moved to Thailand yet, understand quite clearly that Thailand is a country with its share of problems. Many of these problems and the solutions to them are generally different to the problems and solutions we would normally have to deal & live with in the western world.

If you are already here.

Try to hang with positive people; those who are happy and enjoy living in Thailand.

As difficult as it may be quickly distinguish who are your genuine friends, genuine friends can make a very big difference to your own life.

Avoid negative people whom amongst many other things incessantly bitch about their wives/ the in-laws or even the spiralling price of diesel.

Also avoid people taking illegal substances, drunks and people who are always broke, god only knows there are literally 1000,s of them here in issan in particular.

Most often these people are fellow expats. Be extremely careful with them - whether they are the professional type or the barfly. All of the problems I have experienced in Thailand came from expats - NOT Thais. (Ok i may have been lucky on that score)

Find people you can talk with about assorted problems without whining. Joking about problems (in Thailand or anywhere else) is not the same thing as bitterly accusing an entire country of something bad

If you already suffer from the idea that Thailand and Thai people have in some way victimized you and you developed into a boring monotonous whining machine, there is only one possible cure & It’s very simple indeed.

Go back where you came from.

Maybe then, you will realize what a great place Thailand is and be able to come back and be happy. On the other hand, maybe you were an unhappy Mother &lt;deleted&gt; burdened by one problem after another in your own country before you came to Thailand. In that case, seek counselling.

But please whatever you decide:

Give my ears a ######ing break will ya!

For the rest of you guys please try & remember the following:

LIVING IN ISSAN RULE 1

Avoid the Issan Losers! ( There Are Many More Than You MayThink)

You can die from someone else’s misery – emotional states are as infectious as disease. You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunates more often than not draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead.

“YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE”

Once again fella's,

Thank you very much for all your advice & sharing of your knowledge/experiences.

It really is very much appreciated, & i certainly feel much easier about the whole situation now thats for sure.

Regards

Dave

Thanks again folks!

I notice the fee for a 32 page British passport in Bangkok is baht 5175, how does that compare to the Uk Then Briley any idea?

By the way Mr Denner i will be expecting a note from your parents on your return to the bar explaining your absence today, if you do not show with one expect a detention!!!!!

Thats great news John!

Thanks for that pal, really appreciate it.

Regards

Dave

I have a quandry i am hoping some of you good people can help me with advice wise.

Here goes:

My current British Passport is due to expire in mid April 2006, i currently hold a one year multiple entry type O within my expiring Passport, not only that but i now have only two unused pages left within my current passport, which will be taken up with my next two visa runs!

Here is the problem,

Although i will be returning to the UK around xmas which is just within the expiry date of my current non O Visa, i will only be back in England for around two weeks over the xmas & new year period, which will make it almost impossible to get a new passport & consequently get a new year visa during the short time frame i will be back in England!

If i go to the British Embassy in Bangkok and apply & obtain for a new passport before i return to the UK at Xmas will the visa currently in my present passport be rendered useless, meaning i will have to do 30 day visa runs for my remaining period in the kingdom before returning to England where i can apply for a new Multiple O Visa before heading back here to Los early January 2006.

Is it possible my existing visa can transferred into the new passport by Thai Immigration/the relevant Embassy.

Hoping someone can shed some light on this for me.

Thank you in advance!