Dassie

What were the extra forms for?

Not sure BritTim. But I read a thread on here about these forms last week. If I can find it I'll send you a link

Just an update regarding a visa run yesterday from Chiang Mai to KL. I had booked a return trip and was back home for dinner the same day. I flew out on the last day of my tourist visa extension (from CM Immigration). It is my practice to dress smart and conservative when dealing with Thai immigration so as to show some respect for the officers, look respectable and like I can afford to travel.

At CM International airport the Immigration officer was openly annoyed and sighed audibly when I went to her open counter. After sighting my visa extension date stamp she declared 'Last day!' I was unsure how to respond to this statement because the Thai immigration visa stamp does clearly state that one can legally stay in the Kingdom up until the date on your visa stamp. She repeated herself twice more, a little louder each time. So I said 'Yes. I'm leaving today'. She was now glaring at me. So I remained calm, quiet and politely smiled at her. Eventually she stamped my passport and threw it back at me on the counter. Thankfully I experienced no problems at KL. It was all swift and painless at that end of the journey. At Chiang Mai airport the Immigration officer asked if I had a visa. I replied no. She asked how long will I be staying. I replied one month. As far as I understand I am eligible for a 30 day exemption tourist visa upon entry through airports in the Kingdom.

I've never experienced such close scrutiny (not to mention such contempt) of my movements in Thailand where I've been enjoying spending time away from work in my home country for over 3 years. I just don't understand why CM immigration insist on treating tourists that follow the rules, as they are set out, like we're doing something wrong. If I choose to stay in Thailand and spend my money here why try to make me feel bad about it? If this is how things are going to continue I will certainly be looking for greener pastures where I feel welcome and happy to spend my hard earned money!?

I also wanted to confirm that the Thai immigration had 2 staff posted at the bottom of the escalator handing out a separate form to all of the male passengers only. Which is creating a hazardous bottleneck effect at the end of the escalator. As most of the travel partners of the men filling out said extra forms stood in wait all over the arrival hall for them to finish.

The fun never stops here!?

Need wine?

Plenty to be had here on TV.

No wonder I like it here so much ???

Hello ladies

I'm just having a good old fashioned whinge about how, in general, I find it a real challenge to have more than one glass of wine poured for me at meals in restaurants. With exception of more upmarket hi so and farang focused restaurants this has been my experience. I can only hazard a guess that the waiters assume I did not pay for the wine and probably won't be stumping up any money for the bill either. Which is incorrect on both accounts ? Oh how I love my life in Thailand but this frustrates me no end some days!? My dear farang partner had barely noticed that this was the norm until I brought it to his attention when we started our life here. Now, God bless him, he'll cover his glass with his hand and ask the waiter to top up mine first. 'Ladies first! ?' Which he usually follows up by telling them 'She is the one paying the bill. She has all the money! So if you want a good tip best you look after the lady.' ? Has anyone else noticed this??

You can only get one 30 day extension per entry. Did you have a 60 day tourist visa entry or a visa exempt entry?

You would not get an extension at a border crossing it would be a new entry.

Mae Sai is unpredictable as far as getting a visa exempt entry. It seems to vary day by day. You could go to the Chiang Kong crossing to Laos.

There is no requirement to fly out and back to get a new entry.

Thanks, Ubonjoe. Yes, ok I understand how it works now.

No, I didn't have a 60 day tourist visa or any exemptions as such.

So, do you mean that I could still go through Chiang Kong crossing to Laos and potentially get a 2 week visa upon re-entry in to Thailand, as opposed to flying out of the Kingdom and back? Or, are you referring to when I have a new 30 day tourist visa that I can then do such a trip?

I'm sorry to ask you so many questions! This is awkward when, as you know all too well, border areas such as Mae Sai are so unpredictable!? It gets frustrating especially when I think about how I'd much rather stay here in Thailand and choose to spend my money here! Visas are so restrictive here that they actually prevent people from spending more of their money in the Kingdom?! It just does my head in...????

If you've got that much money to spend, why don't you just go to a nearby consulate and get a tourist visa instead of messing around trying to do visa exempt border runs?

That sounds like a good idea. However, it didn't work out cheaper than visiting my consulate in this instance. This is somewhat of an unusual situation for me because I would normally travel back to my home country for work every other month. But it's all under control for now ?

AIA have many plans, all up to 70 years old and without medical exam, and starting at 20000THB/year with life insurance, and cash value. Better than that???? I didn't find any, and I got it at 69. Cost 32000THB/year. About pre-existing conditions? I just didn't declare any. On my first visit to one of the private hospitals, the best, VIP service, 6 months after getting the policy, the bill was 21000THB and AIA paid in full, and direct to the hospital.

The same policies and prices than Thai, to foreigners, but I believe that needs to be a resident, employee or retired expat, with at lest 6 months in the country. I am married with Thai. I do not know if that makes any difference.

Call an AIA office for information.

Correct me if I am wrong but looking at their site it looks like you can add a measure of health insurance to a life insurance package - but health insurance is not sold separately?

Umbanda, Yes. I had a look at the AIA website and came to the same conclusion as you did about them. BUPA appear to have all the bases covered, much as I hate to admit it! I still consider them rather expensive for what is covered and their limits ??

You apparently had a 30 day visa exempt entry you got on entry to the country.

Chiang Kong has been reported as allowing out/in visa exempt entries. You would get 15 days unless you are from a G7 country which would allow a 30 day entry.

I think Mae Sai is strict because they are so close to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

Many thanks Ubonjoe. I appreciate your help!

You can only get one 30 day extension per entry. Did you have a 60 day tourist visa entry or a visa exempt entry?

You would not get an extension at a border crossing it would be a new entry.

Mae Sai is unpredictable as far as getting a visa exempt entry. It seems to vary day by day. You could go to the Chiang Kong crossing to Laos.

There is no requirement to fly out and back to get a new entry.

No, I didn't have a 60 day tourist visa or any exemptions as such.

So, do you mean that I could still go through Chiang Kong crossing to Laos and potentially get a 2 week visa upon re-entry in to Thailand, as opposed to flying out of the Kingdom and back? Or, are you referring to when I have a new 30 day tourist visa that I can then do such a trip?

I'm sorry to ask you so many questions! This is awkward when, as you know all too well, border areas such as Mae Sai are so unpredictable!? It gets frustrating especially when I think about how I'd much rather stay here in Thailand and choose to spend my money here! Visas are so restrictive here that they actually prevent people from spending more of their money in the Kingdom?! It just does my head in...????

I went to Promenada today to apply for a second extension on my 30 day tourist visa. I was advised that I would be granted a 7 day extension and required to pay the full fee of THB 1900, and must fly out of the Kingdom in order to get another 30 day tourist visa. That said I've just arranged a flight to KL next week. However I can't help but wonder if I'd gone to Mae Sai today would they have stamped an extension of 14 days as they had been doing about a year ago?? Can any one please help to shed some light on this?

Just bought my first pair of Red Wing slip on boots. A painful 2-3 week break in. But, I can do a 12 hr. day on my feet without being tired. Looking forward to 2 months of flip flops.

Thanjs for the feedback. I'm hearing you about the flip flops! I just about shed a tear of joy when I can finally slip my favourite sandals on come pay off day ?

I hope you have a great time on leave ??

Was with my Thai Wife of eleven years in Bangkok in May of this year. She got obvious stink eye just a few times only and always in the BTS with me. Always from Thai women and they made it very clear with their eyes and body language that they did not like her. Two women even lashed out at her verbally for no reason. My Wife tells me that it is much better now than it was even 10 years ago. She said 10 years ago, just about every Thai women would be considered a "sale lady" if with a Foreigner. She took it well though and we overall had a good time there. The only thing she noticed most was that most people have lost their joy in their work. She was actually stunned how people seemed to care less about customer service as a whole and thinks the iphone is the culprit lol.

Steve654

I totally agree with your wife that many people are simply too busy using their smart phones to bother engaging with anyone even potent customers coming along and requiring them to provide a little service, let alone service sufficient to make a sale. I also find it shocking how many people sleep in full view of customers and the public. They'll be asleep on top of shop counters, in chairs, on the floor, just about anywhere seems fit. Don't these people get any sleep at home? Or is this just standard operating procedure?

Thanks heaps for your advice Isaan Farang and DMC1. I'm up in Chiang Mai but I'll see if I can make my way down to one of the shops ?

Dassie I have attached a map if you venture to Leeden, they will also send to your location. For a pair of lace up Redwings we are talking 7.500 Baht plus VAT.

I just ordered a new pair of Redwings from the USA on E-Bay, the postage is quite expensive but the selection is bigger than Leeden.

These cost me $153 bucks all in.

Thanks again Isanfarang! I really appreciate the map and the photo ?

Baan & Beyond has a good stock of 3M Filtrate for use in your aircon units. Turn left at the checkouts and walk past the tools and car sections until you see the traffic cones. Fitrate on end cap just behind them.

So does Central in Kad Suan Kaew in the hardware section.

Mapguy, forgive my ignorance, but does this hardware section also sell parts for down lights, light bulbs and such? Up until you mentioned it I didn't know that Central at Kad Suan Kaew had a hardware section?!

Sorry that was going off topic ?

Thanks heaps for your advice Isaan Farang and DMC1. I'm up in Chiang Mai but I'll see if I can make my way down to one of the shops ?

Thanks for the link Boksida. I like the look of those Jalattas!

Soutpeel

Where did you see the Redwing so for sale?I've not worn them before but always hear good things about them

Daguerreotype

I think the claim is going to be refused. Because we did not buy Outpatient Cover. That's the real problem. Well that and my situation did not constitute an emergency according to BUPAs definition. So it's tough luck all around as you say.

Unfortunately you didn't. My previous company allowed me to get Bupa and I paid a 200USD per month premium. My company was purchased 2 years ago and the only option was Muang Thai (no premium). My wife saw it and almost broke into tears. Beside the surgery I had a couple procedures, but the total annual payment is only around 200k baht per person. Nothing like Bupa. If I were in any position to chose I would never chose anything but Bupa. Not only that the greatest portion of my premium was for my 2 year old daughter, for everyone else it was considerably less.

Look into Bupa first, then anything else.

Hi, yes then this is indeed very sad. Buba i see with for example IMG as very good. I think if you have like 500'000$ (15'000'000 Baht) would already be quite nice and in my opinion enough. I found some insurance which give you this cover and are cheaper than for example Buba.

What I see important:

• Live time garantee, not that they will kick you out with 65 or 70 years of aga
• good coverage (minimum 16'000'000 Baht per year) for this with a lifetime coverage sum i guess 5'000'000$ (160'000'000 Baht) also should be OK
• monthly rates which are payable (and not that the rates for over 65 years will increase dramatically) I like to see the rates for different ages.

Outpatient i am not sure how important this is? because most bigger problems will be handled inpatient. But maybe if you have a bad sicknes which not need inpatient but still have to pay a lot for medicine (maybe some kind of cancer, ...) then would be good to have this as wel... still considering...

HampiK, do you remember that old saying 'buyer beware'?. I think they must have been referencing insurance or used car sales!?

Jokes aside...I wanted to contribute my recent experience with BUPA. My partner and I purchased BUPA Platinum cover, and we opted not to take the Outpatient Cover because we were primarily concerned with having emergencies covered.

Unfortunately we experienced an emergency soon afterwards when I fell ill with food poisoning so my partner hauled me off to our local private hospital. We had only just initiated the policy and paid for it in full on friday, so we did not have a BUPA card to present on the Sunday we went hospital. The nurse who greeted us at the hospital directed us to the Internal Medicine counter. I saw a nurse who checked my vital signs. Followed quickly by a consultation with a GP who was concerned I may have had Appendicitis. She ordered a blood test and an ultrasound. I also saw a Surgeon for a physical examination. Once the Surgeon determined my appendix was fine I was referred back to the GP. The GP wrote a report and a prescription, I had it filled and dashed back home. In the middle of the tests and consultations I rang BUPA and was treated very poorly by a rather officious Customer Service Representative. He gleefully informed me that I did not have a policy because the policy number the Assistant Branch Manager had told me to quote did not exist. To which he added that I could not just present in hospital and ask for blood tests and such without having Outpatient Cover. I tried in vain to explain that I simply did not ask for any tests, these were what the GP requested. Trust me, I could think of 100 other things I would rather have spent 3 hours doing on a Sunday morning had I been feeling fit and healthy! I also attempted to submit a claim at the hospitals insurance counter. But again the policy number was not recognised there either. So, next business day we went to our local BUPA office to discuss what had happened with the Assistant Branch Manager. I was informed that because the policy was less than 30 days old we could not claim on anything other than an accident. Again, I attempted to explain that I could not afford to wait 30 days lest I die from food poisoning at home while waiting for my policy to be ready to claim on. Again, we were met with indifference regarding what constitutes an emergency according to BUPA, and given superfluous photocopies of policy documentation, which we all ready had, specifically to underline that we shouldn't bother trying to claim in this instance. It is also worth mentioning that it was pretty embarrassing telling hospital staff that I had insurance that did not actually exist at that point in time, despite the fact that we had paid in full for our policy 2 days prior, and been given the policy number to quote.

We were very disheartened by all of this as it seems emergency only refers to accident. My advice would be that you had better arrive at hospital in an ambulance if you don't have BUPA Out Patient cover!

I've no doubt that BUPA are probably one of our best options here. Just be very careful which policy you decide upon, because they don't come cheap. I do regret not asking more specific questions.

Can any offshore O&G crew advise if you've recently bought safety boots for work in Thailand or online locally. If so, where did you find them and what brands were available? I'd like to buy a new pair up here and break them in well before getting back out to work!

Hi! Another Chiang Mai resident checking in. The only "stink eye" I'ver ever gotten here is from older, fat, (probably alcoholic) western guys. Some of them will actually go so far as to say western women shouldn't be granted retirement visas in Thailand. I guess we older (and reasonably fit) western women remind them of their failed marriages.

Hi NancyL. I spend a lot of time in Chiang Mai, not retired yet though. I too have veen on tbe receiving end those glances and downright glares from some farang men. I can't possibly imagine that I'm offending them with my mere presence, but it sure looks and feels that way at times. A decent farang male friend of mine based in BKK said these types of guys often remind themselves that they can't be with Western women like us anymore. I used to smile at everyone on the street up here. But those disdainful looks those guys dish out is off putting, unnecessary and simply unkind. Now if a farang guy smiles at me when I see him I will always smile right back. At least some of them still love life and are happy to 'share' Thailand with us LOL

I have a super lazy sods healthy smoothie recipe for you!

3/4 cup Kefir Yoghurt

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon flaxseed oil

Stir to mix ingredients and drink up!

We imbibe this smoothie daily at home to help maintain good digestive health and boost good gut flora. We buy the Kefir Yoghurt and flaxseed oil at a local health food store, and the chia seeds can be bought at Tops. Best of luck with your smoothie recipe search!

Converse, I've been told by my Thai gfs with 'darker' skin that it was, and still is, the norm to be discriminated against for this physical trait alone. I agree with all of the other posters that it sounds outrageous. But this latent racism it is very much a part of Thai culture. I have a light olive complexion which most Thais seem to like. I watch them fawn all over a very pale farang gf of mine whenever we're out for a massage. She says she does find it irritating, and she too doesn't understand the fascination for pale skin. I can recall twisting myself in to knots trying to 'fit in' by dressing more modestly than I would at home. I even attempted changing my style to 'blend in' amongst the gorgeous Thai women. Eventually it dawned on me that I could still look attractive and stylish in my own right by just dressing to please myself. Loving my curves, height, big curly hair, big feet and all! I'm far happier now for it. I too get snarky, withering and downright catty glances from Thai girls generally directly after they've eyed up my bf! LOL But, alas I cannot prevent that from happening. However I can, and do, make a point of looking as gorgeous as I can possibly make myself if I know that there'll be any Thai ladies at an event we've been invited to. Is it shallow of me? Maybe. But I like to show that us farang girls are every bit as desirable and beautiful as the local girls too. Call it what you like. I will make no apologies for that.

But back to your original topic...I'm no expert but I can only recommend it may smooth your way to life in Thailand if you can make friends with any nice, friendly Thais you meet, and perhaps try to learn a little more language. Just another suggestion is to check out chickynet.com for local events where you can meet like minded farang ladies and Thai ladies wanting to befriend farang women. I noticed that the place and the people seemed a lot more open and warm once I pushed myself to learn to speak Thai.

All the best to you Miss Converse ☺

Can anyone please advise if there is somewhere in Chiang Mai where I can buy genuine Anastasia Beverly Hills products?

Where would you recommend having golf lessons in Chiang Mai? My partner and I are both novices so we'll need a teacher that is both good and very patient! ? Thanks in advance for your help.

My sister is coming from UK for a holiday and will be staying with my wife and I for a couple of weeks in October.

We have a rice business on the outskirts of Bangkok not too far from Suvarnabhumi airport and not exactly in the middle of any tourist attraction areas. Our business is open around 12 hours a day, 7 days a week which leaves very little time for me to play the good brother and host.

This will be the third time she has visited us here and although she enjoys just chilling and relaxing with us she would like to see a bit more of Thailand than on the previous trips and is happy to do a bit of traveling by herself but is not too sure where would be friendly and safe locations for a woman on her own.

Although I have been in Thailand for a few years I have never really got into the tourist type of thing or done much traveling apart from to Pattaya and Nakhon Sawan (Wifes home province) and as such have limited personal knowledge of where to go. Together, we have done a few of the sights in Bangkok previously but have not been much further afield.

Can any of the members recommend any places they feel would be a good getaway for a few days for a single female?

Obviously it is a very open question so a little background is most likely in order. She is: 65 years old but is very fit, in good health and looks 10 to 15 years younger than she actually is. She has travelled quite a lot and has common sense enough to avoid the obvious pitfalls of ambling down a dark soi etc. She enjoys the beach but equally enjoys walking and sightseeing. She is friendly, intelligent, enjoys good food and a drink and a laugh in good company. And definitely cant stand bull####.

Obviously as her brother that may come over as a bit biased but it is about as close to the truth as I can get.

We are not looking for miracles but any sensible suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in anticipation.

Hi Narisarasgroove

I spend a good deal of time in Chiang Mai where I've met many women travelling solo. It has a wide selection of accommodation, dining and entertainment options to suit all budgets. There's a great variety of tourist attractions in and around town. From Lanna theatre restaurants, Thai massage and cooking classes, zip lining, shooting ranges, Tiger Kingdom, ATV tours, mountain biking, trekking, plus many beautiful national parks and waterfalls. Plus, it's handy as a base for travel up to Pai, Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle. There are dozens of beautiful wats dotted throughout the city, some of which offer meditation classes and short courses on a pay by donation basis. I personally love the day spas here. They literally have tons of them, from the expensive high end right through to the basics with no frills but excellent massage therapists. Yoga is also huge up here. I have a great list of local tourist attractions that a friend made for when her family came to visit. We've gotten great mileage out of it since. Please PM me if you would like me to send you a copy.

I highly recommend a blog called chickynet.com It's an online community for women living in not only Thailand but throughout SEE Asia. She can post questions up there and potentially make new friends while she's here through their events and activities. They have a great number of members based in Bangkok too, so she could use it as a way to meet like minded women there.

I can vouch for feeling safe in Chiang Mai when I'm there on my own. But of course you must follow your gut/intuition and be streetwise no matter where you travel.

I wish your sister safe and happy travels!