Beachcomber

Hi

It’s all been said already. The choice is up to you but for what it is worth, as you did ask for opinions, stick with the job and retire with as much as you can get.

Inflation and the rising costs over a number of years is unpredictable. A million dollars now seems like a lot yet in 20/30 years time it’s not going to be so much. Just look back over the price of things in your lifetime. How much was a car or house 20 years ago?

My two cents worth (inflation excluded) is stick with the job. Save the money get the pension and enjoy your worry free “retirement”. Another few years investment in your job will be worth the extra benefits.

Trust me, this I know about.

Good luck.

Hi

What’s the deal with the Free Classified section? I tried to reply to one of the posts but got the “Don’t have permission to access this page” or something like that.

On looking at the other posts I noticed that very few in fact had any replies in spite of the fact that most had been viewed many times. Even given the possibility that some posts get viewed just for curiosity value surely the percentage of replies should be higher than they are.

Anybody have any views, comments or explanation?

Hi

I agree with altf4 [email protected] is good and reliable (http://www.thai.com.) had account with them for a couple of years and always works well. Also not too much junk.

I have also have a Thaimail account but twice now it has "crashed" and lost ALL my mail addresses everything. Also very difficult to access sometimes.

Hi

Has anybody actually had their system validated and been rejected?

What happens??

HI

I run Windows XP Pro that came installed with the computer when I bought it a year or so ago.

Like a good lad I have been doing automatic updates from Microsoft as well as having sent for and installed their SP2 upgrade.

Everything has been fine until recently when on the Microsoft update page appears the notice “To get updates you must first validate your windows software to ensure you are using authentic and fully licensed copy of Windows”

Well how do I know what I have got? As I said the computer came all set up. It seems from reading other posts I should have a copy CD of Windows and some sort of certificate sticker!

The shop where I bought the computer has since closed so cannot check with them.

If I click to validate what will happen? What will they ask for? If I unfortunately do have a non-genuine version installed will my computer self destruct in 30 seconds??? Is it better not to chance the validation?

Has anybody done this survived and can offer some advice?

Thanks

Interesting to hear the different opinions.

Suppose you are just a tourist. On entry into the country you put as your address as Chewang Koh Samui which is acceptable but decide to go somewhere else? Who knows where you are?

On the other hand if you rent a house for your 60 day tourist visa and decide to spend a couple of weeks in Bangkok will you be registered as being in two places?

All very interesting.

Hi All

Thank's for all your help and advice. Beachcombing ain't what it used to be so will go for the frebie option.

Will try your sugestions. good to know I can come back here if I have problems.

Thank you 'all

Hi

Is it possible to copy only the soundtrack from Karaoke CD’s?

I want to copy the Karaoke songs without the video onto one of those small MP3 players but when I had a look at the CD could only find the video.

Are there some hidden files that I should look for?

Can it be done?

Thanks.

Hi

I was in the immigration office some while ago at the same time as a Thai guy who was registering a Farang that was renting his house. He was a bit niffed at this “new” law that required him to go to the trouble of visiting the immigration every time he had a change of guest or tenant but the officer assured him that if he did not come in and register each Farang and they found out it would cost him “big money”

Now I of course did not understand any of this till Ms Beach translated for me. Apparently there is this regulation that requires all landlords who rent to a Farang to go to immigration and inform them who is staying at their place. This apparently applies to all places including hotels, bungalows, guesthouses ect.

How can this be? Surely this would be totally impractical. I can understand it working for Farangs who are here working or on any sort of yearly visa but for the average tourist who maybe changes location every few days it would be a nightmare for the Thai owners, apart from the immigration offices being overwhelmed.

The landlord of the house we are renting at the moment is complaining that he has to go to the immigration office to register me as staying in his house. This involves a couple of hours drive each way as well as ferry crossing and I believe a registration fee. He’s not too happy.

Anybody heard of this regulation and knows anything about it.? Does it apply to tourists?

Thanks.

Hi folks,

          I am trying to send photos back to the family via e-mails, I am using Hotmail, but when I try to attach a folder with the photos the web connection does nothing!! just sits there!  smiling at me! . What am I doing wrong!

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hotmail recently upgraded/improved their photo attachment thing. I think it is pretty good as it lets sending a few photo attachments without going to one of the “online album” services that take long time to set up.

With the new Hotmail service you are requested to download a small additional program that will then work with sending files.

The good thing is that when you want to attach something it give you a couple of options so you can attach files as before but if you go for the “Photo” option it will bring up “My Pictures” and you just click on the ones you want to attach and Hotmail will reduce them in size for e-mail.

And yes back to your question, it sometimes takes time to get a response when you click. But be patient or try later, Hotmail is worldwide and sometimes busy but if you just want to a few attached photos this latest from Hotmail is pretty neat.

Good Luck

Hi folks,

have read a good deal on here today but feel the need of personal recommendations from yourselves. Next year I'm contemplating moving out to Thailand for 12 to 24 months - using this as a base to travel around South East Asia studying those subjects in which I have an interest (architecture and sculpture/art).

What in your opinion is the best way to go about such a move with regard to visas, etc? 

Thanks in advance.

PS. I'm 40 - so a pensioner visa out of the equation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The easiest way is for you to get a DOUBLE entry visa from Thai Embasy in UK. This is easy just apply at the Thai Embasy.

This will give you 60 days on entry which you can extend an aditional 30 days. After that you will have to leave the country to start your SECOND entry. Same thing 60 days with 30 day extention.

This may be the best arangement for you as you said that you will be using Thailand as a base for Asian travel.

Forget about all the "A O B X" visas here you can be a "tourist" for long long time.

Hope this helps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry should have made clear double entry TOURIST visa.

Hi folks,

have read a good deal on here today but feel the need of personal recommendations from yourselves. Next year I'm contemplating moving out to Thailand for 12 to 24 months - using this as a base to travel around South East Asia studying those subjects in which I have an interest (architecture and sculpture/art).

What in your opinion is the best way to go about such a move with regard to visas, etc? 

Thanks in advance.

PS. I'm 40 - so a pensioner visa out of the equation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The easiest way is for you to get a DOUBLE entry visa from Thai Embasy in UK. This is easy just apply at the Thai Embasy.

This will give you 60 days on entry which you can extend an aditional 30 days. After that you will have to leave the country to start your SECOND entry. Same thing 60 days with 30 day extention.

This may be the best arangement for you as you said that you will be using Thailand as a base for Asian travel.

Forget about all the "A O B X" visas here you can be a "tourist" for long long time.

Hope this helps.

I have no idea what this all about - PLEASE somebody tell me.

Erm! Don’t really know what you are asking. Perhaps you could give more details so someone could provide information.

Don’t know what to add. I am a “Trekkie’ and “Beam me up Scottie” has been in my vocabulary since my teens.

Gods speed.

There are many good movies. “Gone with the wind” is one of my favorites but if I were to choose “Starman” would be my all time favorite

I agree with what has been said before and can only emphasize DO NOT get involved with local Thai disputes. You as Farang will NEVER be accepted and any interference no matter how logical to us will never be accepted or even tolerated.

Keep out of it

The Fortuner isn't exactly a converted pickup.

Pickup!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well sure, but then, almost all larger SUVs are based on a Pickup platform. Nothing wrong with that

I have two questions for the proud owners: What mileage does the Diesel get? What's the difference in performance? Both Diesel and gasoline have pretty much the same HP which usually means the Diesel will have better torque and feel stronger.

I am going to do lots of mountain driving so I want to know which one will be better.

Also, how does the automatic cope with mountainous terrain? I have not driven any automatic that would feel "right" on a mountain, but then, I have not tested any newer automatics. The auto I have tends to be in the wrong gear and the only option you have is the kick-down - which is also wrong. Somebody also said manual is preferable when offroading: Why?

This is the reason I am thinking of getting the manual. I want to have leather too though and was told that's only on autos. I want to buy this next year - does that mean I have to queue up right now? I am in the north, in Chiang Mai...

Any advice would be highly appreciated!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi

Again my 2 cents worth – I’m of the OLD school and from experience believe Toyota is best with Nissan a close second for a basic good motor without so many trimmings.

As for manual or automatic if you are a SERIOUS off-roader not just a weekend kinda person go for the manual.

Been there done that and know something!

Hey i just looked at my passport and turns out my 60 day tourist visa expires tomorrow!  I thought it expired next week (which was when i was going to go to immigration to renew it.

So now i'm stuck because the immigration office is closed tomorrow for the holiday!  So now i'm freaking now thinking i have to get out of the country now or i'll get killed or something.

Do you think they would let me extend my visa on Monday (and pay the 200 baht per day fine), or would it be a massive problem and i should try to leave the country tomorrow and re-enter.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Relax, nobody is going to kill you or do unmentionables to you. One time my visa expired on a holiday but they would not accept that as an excuse I still had to pay the 200bt daily fine.

If you want to jump the border same thing 200bt fine but consider the others in your group who might get pissed off at having to wait for you to sort overstay out.

Relax Enjoy

Hi

What lopburi3 is correct, go to any immigration office and they will give you a 30 day extension for 1900bt. After that you can get a 15 day extension for the same price but it makes more economic sense to then do a quick border crossing and start on your second entry.

You will need a photo and some immigration offices still require photocopies of your passport. That is the main page as well as the pages with your visa and entry stamp.

Good Luck.

Hi

You don’t say what nationality you are. I only know about UK requirements. Your best bet is to log onto the British Embassy website where you can get all the info as well as download the relevant forms to fill.

We (just got married recently) were going to do it all ourselves but this nice lady touting outside the Embassy changed our mind, and to be honest we were both glad she did as it all went without a hitch. There is lots of running around to do and everything has to be translated and certified so really unless you have lots of stamina go for an agency.

As for price it would not be fair to say how much we paid, after all they are in business and you can’t blame them for trying to make a profit. I can say that the price is negotiable so up to you. Around 10K.

The agency we used was Visa World Consulting Co. Ltd.

Phone:- 01 – 425 0151 : 01 – 689 0039

Their office is right near the UK Embassy. If you come out of the Embassy turn right towards the x-roads with the Sky-train overhead. Cross over the road before you get to the x-roads and take the footbridge to cross the road to the continuation of Wireless Road. Right on that corner as you come off the footbridge you will see several “translation” shops. Between the first and second shop front there is a set of stairs, go up these to the very top and there is their office.

What impressed me about these people is that, without asking, they gave us a 500bt refund for being a bit late with some translation paper. How often does that happen?

Hope this helps.

Hi

My couple of cents worth. Go for the Toyota. In my personal experience best vehicle of ANY type. Top Gear (BBC TV) did a feature on a Toyota pick-up recently where they tried to “kill” it by various means including parking it on top of a demolishing multistory block of flats which it survived. They drove it into the studio afterwards.

Toyota always.

Hi

I have used Pravez many times and never had any problem. I normally get my visa the following day. Have not been in that much of a hurry so cannot comment on one day service.

As for the triple entry they (Pravez) suggested this to me at one time but pointed out that the visa had to be used within the 90 days with no extensions so my usual double entry with extensions was still the best deal for me. If anyone has ACTUALLY obtained any extensions to a triple entry I’d sure like to hear about it as that would definitely suit me better.

Pravez is on Chulia Street at the entrance to the “Swiss Hotel” you can’t miss the signs for “Swiss Hotel” and they are on the corner left hand side as you face the hotel entrance way.

Their phone numbers are:- 04 - 2622314 – 2619178

Fax:- 04 – 2622314

Mobile:- 016 - 4544141

They open from 9.00am - 10.00pm

Hope this helps.

Hi

Don’t know if this is relevant to your case. I have been a tourist in the LOS for some time and use an agent in Penang and though it costs a bit extra worth it as I’m too lazy to do it myself.

I always get a “double” (2) entry Tourist visa. This gives me 60 days plus 30 days extension then with the second entry get the same again with a total of 180 days or six months in all.

Now the agency guy told me I could get a “triple” (3) entry 3x60 days but it would have to be “used up” within the 180 days (six months). So as I understand it if you get an extension you are exceeding the 180 days and loose the extension days. You only get the 180 days no extensions.

That’s how I understand it – I’d be interested to know if my take on this right as a triple entry with extensions would suit me fine.

As to the other question yes they mark the visa with a circle and No. 1 or 2 and or date stamp then when you use your second or third entry big lines with finished or whatever they feel like right across the visa.

Hope this helps.

Hi

I lived on Maenam for some months and for me was just right. Good beach, a bit steep but that can give some nice waves to play in. As others have said it’s quieter than the other main beaches, though on a quick visit recently it has livened up a bit but it’s a long beach with plenty of accommodation choice.

Usually when I go to a new beach I just take the first bungalow I come across then rent a motorbike for a couple of days to get the feel of the place before deciding where to settle in.

Just one word of caution Samui is reputed to have the worst motor bike accident statistics so be careful especially at might. Unfortunately the local “taxis” really jack up their prices at night but usually still a safer bet than weaving your own back to your bungalow amongst all the other “happy holiday makers” if you have had a few.

Hope this helps.