Zendo

10 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Not true at all... A lot of parks these days enforce the foreign rate even if you present a Thai driving licence, work permit or yellow book..

Double pricing would be acceptable but x 10 !!!

That's right because after 20 years going to the same hot springs place, last time they refused to apply a 'local price' for me.. as my wife and kids are thais and I live here with all documents to show.

Things change and not for the best sometimes.

I do it by car.. nice road trip !!!

As Avalon is often full, we booked at Joli guesthouse but when arriving with the kids we just had a "sorry, but your rooms have been given" ;(

But that was Luck in fact, we ended up on SenSabai in front of Mékong, best situation with food around, much more than around avalon.. night food market, plenty of bars and café and the bank next door. Swimming pool not far on the Spa nearby.

Mission Done, but of course not without surprises !!

After 40mn waiting  for making this "Special Photo Session" they discovered that the software would not allowed them to take my pic... because of the adress I lived in is from Lamphoon district and not Chiang Mai... That means I lost 4h30 over there for nothing , because at the end they just canceled the extension already filled in the passport, gave me back all the money : 1900 + 500 overstay fine + 1600 TM30 fine.

Then I went to Lamphoon immigration office, just above the feet of the Huge golden monk on the doï, There was a small dedicated team that did all the job (that Chiang Mai one did in 4h 30mn) just in 20mn chrono !! with the smile and relaxed like a Zen master ^p

And on top of That He explained me that Chiang Mai office usually overcharge the penalty for the TM30.. he just ask me 800thb instead of 1600thb : that's a good one.

This office opened 2 years ago and if your adress allowed it : GO there, it's the best service available : fast and nicely done !

Now I am good until 22 october.

Than you again Tanoshi for sharing advices and your experience.

I have seen my passeport, good until 22th October.

I had to pay 1600 for  tm30 adress landlord report Never donne before.

Now i'll have to do special photo cession..and i'll got my passport

8 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

What did you state on the form?

 

I hereby apply for extension period of temporary stay in the Kingdom for……………days.

Should have stated 60 days.

 

Reason of extension.

Visit Thai wife.

 

Let's hope common sense prevails.

 

 

I did Ask for 60 days on the first place and explain with my wife why i missed to renew in time, we talked with 3 different officers from different bureau...All said 7 days permitted only even After begging them, Lucky that the Boss is a Smart Guy and understand the case fully....

Still waiting ...

New informations on their way...The Main officer found strange that I want 7 days extension for family purpose... So we talked and He helped me to change mind of the previous employee... Waiting for results now.. crossed finguers for the 60days extension to come. 

Well, well, well.. it Didn't work out like i thought... I juste had the right to pay the same amount 1900 + 500 for overstay BUT for 7 days only because or overstay... Have to go monday on savannaketh still.

thank you really much..

I'll go in the morning with all that documents including also my yellow tabien ban.

OK, I didn't know about the 2 months plus.. I was doing 15 month only with 4 borders run.

Only 3 borders run..that also sounds comfortable !! Thank you for the advice ^^

thanks for reply ?

It sounds a good option for me then, because it will only cost 500thb for overstay...

Do you know what documents are required for this extension of 60 days ?

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There is no 30 day extension for a non immigrant visa possible.

There is only a 60 day extension for those married to a Thai or have a Thai child.

 

Is it possible for a 12 months non O  visa  already finished today to be extented tomorrow in chiang mai for 60 days more when married to a Thai and  have a Thai child?

I tought it was written 28_ not 23 on the last stamp from Mae Sai^^ and I would like to avoid paying 2000 Thb in Savannaket on monday then.

To all you folks reminiscing about the good old days and how bad the world is today;

Please go look in the mirror.

IT IS YOUR GENERATION THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE OF THE WORLD.

YOU, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR GENERATION, YOU YOU YOU YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do YOU get it now? You are responsible. Your greed and your sucking the lifeblood out of society ruined it for future generations.

Good job.

Thanks for destroying the world.

You are a little bit hard with the old guys... Hey don't we have Internet and viagra now ?? Smarphones, facebook, Line !? whaoo how can people live without it ? I wonder ....

Seems that OP is getting OLD.. that is a common process to think about golden age : your youth !!

But think twice... "it was better before" => that for SURE

but also "the grass is always greener on the other side" => Really true too !!

anyway you won't change time space... have to accept Life and if you look really in your memories.. you'll start thinking of real bad things of the past.. but hey, you can also remain in your toughts and dreams

Have to move forward, and live for real in THIS world.. or leave it, it's up to you !

Even when euro goes to 30.. I still enjoy life here, and I don't change my plans to live here very soon.

It's not only the money that makes life enjoyable here.. in Europe there is the weather, the mood.. well you know that well too ^^

Unbelievable what people on this forum call good value, as long as it is cheap.

I have some real piss for 30 baht a liter. Anyone want to try?

dont knock it till you have tried it mate (that is unless you see someone else try it, and then go blind, in which case you would be wise to skip that one)

my bottle of R at 200b is real tasty, and my vision in one eye is still good

What does really tasty means for you.. what kind of REAL rhum can you compare this with ?

do you drink rhum streight ? on the rocks ? or mixed with juices or soda ?

If the highest standard you talk about is Bacardi, then there is nothing much to say... Bacardi might be the worst rhum you can buy worldwide, it is so tasteless and really strange, that's why it can only fit with Coke and lemon !

Now for Sang Sum and others made in asia.. i can't even qualify them as Rhum

The Indian rhum mentionned here scares me also.. as I tried many types of rhum in Goa.. and what to say?! FuXXing old monk tastes like shit ! and also contain permitted color and flavor !

If you can find something like havana club, it might be already much better, otherwise the Captain Morgan is available here now, it's a spiced one, but I never tried it, maybe it can do the job ! who knows... anyway it can't be worst than sang sum, which I repeat is not RHUM at all.. maybe made from sugar cane.. but I don't know how ^^

You are right trd when you say this :

Doing nothing sounds very appealing and there are many teachers, particularly from the neo advaita circles who say this. Unfortunately it's just not true. I have known many people with strong bowel movements who are not enlightened. There has to be some effort to reach a state of no effort. And I'm not laughing Zendo.

as being ordinary and not "special" might be the most difficult state to be, anyway you can make efforts all your life(s) and leading nowhere, loosing time..., so better STOP now and look at the grass growing and listen the one hand clapping ^^

But you know what, you SHOULD be laughing, as it might be the most powerfull tool to reach samadhi ^^ !

From Linji Yixuan (Jap. Rinzai Gigen) :

Those who have fulfilled the ten stages of bodhisattva practice are no better than hired field hands; those who have attained the enlightenment of the fifty-first and fifty-second stages are prisoners shackled and bound; arhats and pratyekabuddhas are so much filth in the latrine; bodhi and nirvana are hitching posts for donkeys.

In Buddhism there is no place for using effort. Just be ordinary and nothing special. Eat your food, move your bowels, pass water, and when you're tired go and lie down. The ignorant will laugh at me, but the wise will understand.

 Osho on Nirvana :

"Nirvana means the ultimate enlightenment, the state when the ego disappears, when man is no more separate from existence – not even a thin curtain separates him, not even a transparent glass separates him – when all separation disappears. That meeting with the total, that merger with the whole, that melting into the absolute, is called nirvana.

The literal meaning of the word is beautiful, one of the most beautiful words. Literally it means blowing out a candle. When you blow out a candle, the light disappears and you cannot say where it has gone. You cannot show any direction to the East, to the West, to the North, to the South; it has simply disappeared. It has not gone anywhere, it has not moved into some other place. It has gone out of existence. It has moved into nothingness. It is no more. Exactly like that flame of the candle, the ego disappears. You cannot say where it has gone, it has not gone anywhere; it is no more. When the ego disappears, all is silence, because all turmoil, all noise, is of the ego. And when the ego disappears there is no longer any possibility of any anguish, anxiety. There is nobody to be anxious in the first place. One feels oneself as pure emptiness, and that pure emptiness has a fragrance to it."

you can read some more from the book : "Nirvana, The Last Nightmare" >> here : http://www.oshorajneesh.com/download/osho-books/zen/Nirvana_The_Last_Nightmare.pdf

I spent such a great time in Luang Prabang 15 and 10 years ago, I hope it didn't changed too much.

If you are looking for shopping malls and night life, no need to go there because this is about nature, simple things to do and kindness of people.. And FOOD too !

Also It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you are lucky enough to go for in the proper season, the one when mushrooms comes, you'll find some Cantharellus cibarius, commonly known as the chanterelle, golden chanterelle or girolle, which is maybe the best mushroom in the world and which is used in Lao Curries, Soups, Omelettes..on the market and also on all french restaurants downtown.

Sabaï Dee !

HMMMM...???

It seems you haven't noticed most shrines are dedicated to Brahma - not Buddha...

The string is a Hindu concept - the tenuous thread that connects us to God, It is carried to the point of tying a wedding couple together.

In the West the idea grew into a ribbon as the 'tie that binds'...

Hinduism, is tied to Judaism, as Judiasm is tied to Christianity.

Monasteries, Monk's robes, chants, scriputres, all have a common root.

Well well, well...

why not after all, you can believe everything you want.. but as far as the thai are concerned nobody knows anything about brahma anymore here.

And hinduism is tied to judaism ?? please explain me that ^!

for the question asked by the OP : "String around the wrist related to buddhism? "

I will tell you YES, related to "Thai Buddhism", because the coton string have to be blessed by the monk before somebody do it for you, usually it happens for birthdays, departures.. etc and is about wishing good luck and protection, etc.. but about the "32 organs story", that I never heard of that, even the monk was not aware at all of that.

Actually it comes from India, but there only bhramans do it for pujas and most often ask for money, so it was imported in siam long before buddhism and has been included in Thai tradition, so into thai buddhism too.

In Thailand when they wrist it, they have to say some mantras in sanskrit, and note that if a monk give it to you it can be way more complicated as if you're a women he can't touch you... so try to wrist without touching the body.. so crazy situation.. it takes long time and the string is loosed of course.

Suthep rocks like Morrison, at least he's running on strong dope, don't you think ?

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes...again
Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need...of some...stranger's hand
In a...desperate land ?

There is nothing wrong with the religion itself, it's the culture of the masses that is off.

I wouldn't say that, anyway is there any religion which is right, not based of fear and manipulation ? i doubt this ^

^Buddhism is very different as Buddhism is not a religion, it is a philosophy.

I think that a pilosophy never build temples.. and people in the street never give gold to philosopher to worship them...

But Yes, on his primary form it's more of a philosophy than a religion, but look at the facts here in Thailand : this is a religion, no doubt about it.

One of the major differences between religion and philosophy is the need for rituals. In religions, there are ceremonies for important life events (birth, death, marriage, etc.) and for important times of the year (days commemorating spring, harvest, etc.). Philosophies, however, do not have their adherents engage in ritualistic actions. Students do not have to ritually wash their hands before studying Hegel and professors do not celebrate a “Utilitarian Day” every year. So, while a person can be philosophical without having to do any sort of practices or rituals, it is almost impossible for him to be religious without doing any sort of rituals or practices stated in that particular religion.

In thailand everything is based on the best practices to get merit, the higher levels of buddhism is totaly unknown for most of the people here, they just follow rules and don't ask any question, it is what it is.. philosophy then ?