sandyf

All about personal choice. I can't eat a lot so being able to pick and choose is a good option. My wife's family love it and they pay so a win-win.

There are 2 separate and distinct problems. Firstly the various E-visa websites are in different languages and questions can be confusing for native speakers. Secondly there is an issue over residency. Effective from 27 September 2021,the Foreign nationals with a legal/permanent residence in South Korea who wishes to apply for Thai visa must submit his/her application through the new online e-Visa platform at http://thaievisa.go.th.(Eligible for all nationalities) https://seoul.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/required-documents-for-visa-application?page=5fa4ac18af46ee3780556b72&menu=5fa4b54f317ab80e961d20d2

If you are a French national you would normally be expected to apply in France. Although the E-visa platform is central applications are handled at the local embassy. You could however apply in the UK, or any other E-visa country, if you had long term visa status and ok with the language on that website.

It shouldn't be. The E-visa system is based on the right of abode in the country of application. If you do not have the right of abode in the country of application you would need a valid reason why the application is being made from that country. However it couldn't be ruled out that a zealous official may question why a TV with a Thai contact address. A plausible answer should suffice but that would depend on circumstances.

Yes, the BTS station is at the Royal Thai Air Force museum on the other side of the airport. Interesting visit but not much good for the airport. As said the train station near the terminals would be more appropriate.

I have had 5 home visits and no two have been the same, one was as you describe. The very first, four came, nobody else involved. They just asked some questions and filled in some forms. When they had done they asked to look around the garden and then left. When we went back in the house all the paperwork was still on the table, not only mine, a few others in the area. Came back the following day to collect it. Another time they went knocking on the neighbours doors asking questions, they wouldn't have known much, I'd been here much longer than all of them. The most recent, back in Nov, only one guy turned up with a tripod. Took some photos that included himself and left, no witnesses, no questions.

No he didn't. "he saw the car speed along the right lane" You are assuming he meant "wrong".

Falang perception, guilty till proven innocent. It would have been dark which gives rise to several scenarios where control of a speeding vehicle could be lost.

Quite. Not far from us, it is a dangerous area. Several long straight roads with little traffic leads to vehicles travelling too fast. Early morning and maybe late for work, the temptation a bit too much. Wouldn't be out of the question to have hit a pothole and lost control.

How about Luang Prabang, interesting town and as quiet or lively as you want. Bit of a bonus is many of the older Laotians speak Thai. My wife asked why and it stems from when they were young they only had Thai TV. We went in Jan, flew from BKK and had 3 days in LP then took the new high speed train to Vientiane. Bus from the station across the border, stayed overnight in Udon Thani and flew back to BKK following day, enjoyable trip.

The fact you have mentioned USD would imply you are mixing up different regulations, which is generally 20,000 USD. The Thai baht is subject to currency control which negates any other general rule on the movement of cash. You’re only able to take up to THB 50,000 if you’re leaving the country with Thai currency. To give an idea, that’s around about USD 1500. The rules are slightly relaxed if you’re only going into one of the bordering countries - Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia, as well as Vietnam, or the Yunnan province of China. In this case, you can take up to THB 2,000,000 - but you must make a declaration to Thai Customs Authorities, if you’re planning on taking more than THB 450,000 to these countries. https://wise.com/gb/blog/taking-cash-in-or-out-of-thailand

Our final year project was to build a basic oscilloscope. One team conected a fairly large electrolytic capacitor the wrong way round. When switched on it was like a snowstorm had hit the training room.

Never to be forgotton. In the mid 60s I was trained on thermionic valves, magnetic amplifiers, differential transformers, infinitely variable gearboxes, analogue computers etc. Stuff that most in the electrical world have never heard of. Worst electric shock I ever had was from a 450v DC HT lead, blown off the stool and a quarter inch deep hole at the point of contact.

"the people" - what people would that be? At the end of the day it doesn't really matter what view you want to take, it is a case of live with it or look elswhere.

Not interested in what you think should happen, only what does. Only the arrogant would make definitive statements on issues that are subjective. Obviously another case of "rogue offices" that do not insist on renewing the TM30.

I said it would be seen as a deterrent, not that it would work. In nearly 25 years I have seen a lot of changes along beach road some for the better but mainly for the worse. Nothing they have done has ever had a satisfactory outcome. Once it had become a magnet for the low life robbery and assault increased significantly. It was inevitable the authorities were going to try anything they could to bring that down. If there is no potential victims on the beach there has to have been a reduction. Very unlikely there will ever be a solution that suits everyone. I live in Muang Chonburi and visit Pattaya regularly, not somewhere I would choose to live. An unusual sight on Pattay beach.

Personal experience tells me that is not true. I returned last Aug on new Evisa, no TM30 required for extension in Nov, or 90 day reports since.

You would have to show me where I said you couldn't. Sooner or later you will come across a hotel that insists on copying your permission to stay. It is all about hotels choosing to follow immigration guidelines. Sometimes I check in without showing anything, others the pink card is ok for ID, but then there are those that will insist on your passport. Of course you will choose to believe what you want until it happens.

There is nothing evil about the agenda. The problem with a place like Pattaya is that an nice environment attracts the low life. When there was seating you couldn't find one for drunks sleeping it off with empty bottles strewn everywhere. Apart from that there were ladies of the night plying their wares and ladyboys lurking in the shadows. The concrete environment may not be to your liking but it helps deter the low life. Pattaya beach area is aimed at attracting tourists and low life is now seen as a deterrent in that respect. Unfortunately the expat community is insignificant in the bigger picture and would need to look further afield.

You are free to believe what you want.

Nothing to do with it, all about hotel policy, they either just check ID or also report to immigration. A few years back immigration had a purge on hotel reporting and at that time most hotels towed the line and pick cards were not accepted, had to be passport so they could copy permission to stay stamp. I had a few issues with reception staff that didn't know what an extension stamp was, only familiar with an entry stamp. Fortunately that has eased off and many hotels have gone back to just ID check with the pink card being more readily accepted.

The falang mentality again. Just because they do not plant the trees where you want, obviously in your mind it equates to them never creating attractive green areas. Try getting ot a bit more. Pattaya is a tourist area and your so called "Thais" cannot be blamed for creating an environment that will withstand tourist abuse.

Another assumption that they do not know what they are doing. I have no love for cats or dogs but it is the height of arrogance to critisise the views of those that do. If people on this forum do not like the way things are here in Thailand then they shouldn't be here. They should also remember it was foreign do gooders that brought about an end to the culling of soi dogs that used to take place years ago. The foreign press put the Thai government between a rock and a hard place but of course it is much easier to blame the first target that comes to mind.

Bit of an irresponsible assumption. My wife and her sister have been running a voluntary sanctuary for unwanted cats since she retired in 2014. The cats are housed in large walkin cages in the garden, think about 17 cages at the moment. Most of the cats have come to us from neighbours who were going to get rid of them at birth. All the cats are taken to the vets to be inoculated and neutered. They also take in dogs but only if the dog is in need of medical attention, about a dozen at the moment. Again all dogs are taken to the vets. The rabies mobile unit were aware and would always call to give the animals a booster.

At my last renewal there was nearly 7 years remaining. Penalty of living here on a ME Non O.