Sarana

I had a dental bridge made in Siem Reap for $300 plus root canal for $25 by good dentist opp. Fred Hollows Eye Hospital.(Root canal cost $250 in Thailand). But the dentist first took only impression of the upper teeth and made a cheap bridge that I think he makes fpr tourists in a hurry, after he made the temporay, then, I made him take another impression for whole occlusion and he made a better quality ceramic bridge but spent 3 hours adjusting my bite...then the pin became loose... But it looks good and only aches when it rains and cost $100 a tooth. In Australia it would start at $1,000 for the root canal...I think he bought his wife an anniversary gift with the $300 and made the first bridge himself...totally took 2 weeks and a lot of angst but now OK...he also said something about having a twin...one way round the one child policy in China.

I am early model owner driver with low kms, some body damage but no stretch marks.

I getting really excited about the idea of older women dating younger men, kept men. Will that give me a non immigrant O that keeps the marriage together?

As for stank eyes it may be because they think your wife is a prostitute/potential immigrant/visa marriage and any jealousy may be the thought about 'where is my retirement plan?"

How easily fooled you all are...your 'young' Thai wives may be pushing 45+ and able to pop out one more kid before menopause kicks in so you see really hog tied when they she very quickly botoxed to the max.

Would you like to have a Bullet Rani along on your trek? I have 12 yrs experience riding Bullets in India, 350cc and 530cc. I think only 500cc bikes are strong enough for mountain riding...2 ppl plus luggage. I don't think there is a border post between India and Myanmar although local ppl cross over you cannot exit India and enter Myanmar. I hope you plan to come through Pokhara and via Lumbini as the direct route from Kathmandu is full of hair pin bends.Anyone for riding a Bullet around the world?

I feel I have stayed in Thailand long enough and if Immigration issues the stamps and visas they should not complain about it afterwards like they did to me in India. They should also plainly advertise all the different types of visa available apart from tourist. Anyway for me now the feeling is mutual.

Phnom Penh is a very liveable city, and so is Diem Reap. Beaches are not far away. All meds available around the same price as Thailand. Medical facilities not as available except path labs, eye docs and dentistry is very good and very cheap. Locals go to Vietnam for specialist treatment. Left hand drive, low cost of living, suitable for Americans and Phillipinas.

The Kingdom of Thailand's immigration website is a bit hard to navigate. Previously you entered by tapping on a picture of the King, then they posted information on the same topic on different pages! But all the options are there for those who seek will surely find the right visa to suit them.

Did you know that you can get a non immigrant O Medical Visa on about the same terms and conditions as a Retirement visa? Frankly I shocked that ppl have used border runs to stay in the country for years when they jus have to read the Thai immigration website and do the paper work.

Strange days indeed. People doing the wrong thing make it worse for the rest of us. Also, I feel too many border runs is disrespectful to the country you go to for 5 mins to get your passport stamped. I mean once in a while is OK if you can't afford the expenses to get a new visa.

I know a guy who every year gets double back to back 60 day visas before leaving the UK and staysin Thailand with one visa run. Otherwise, you can get one 60 day on a border run, extend for onemonth and get a second 60 day but I understand they are not giving a third one in the same year. I not sure about non visa entries whether they count in this equation. It used to be you could stay six months in a year but then they changed it to no limit. I had planned to retire in Thailand, then went on a 60 day medical visa and then TR visa but Stoll have not found the ideal location.

I think there should be encouragement for a range of budgets and not just the high end promoted by the previous Shinawatra regime in the luxury category. People just doubled their prices. With wages so low I do not see how these high prices be justified. Tourism in Thailand was founded on the backpacker culture and I'm sure its time to tighten the rules and cut back on border

runs and legal overstayers, but it also may be a good time to reward the legals a better deal.

There are different types of tourism: travel and leisure. You can legally stay on Thailand for 6 months just to kick back and relax or use it as a base to explore other countries on SE Asia. But if you are on a pension or have limited income, it takes time to save money for these trips. Ideally, the time to travel is when your visa is due to expire. The cost of visa renewal (fares, accom) is covered BT the travel expenses. I contribute as much to the Thai economy every month as any luxury tourist and I spend it in the local community.

I feel its time Thailand gave some respect to its foreign residents and granted permanent residency to retirees and citizenship to those married to a Thai instead of having to front up to immigration every three months.Rental agreement registration also leaves one the mercy of unscrupulous landlords and land sharks.