Thunderbirds20

I can relate to your problem. I have Emphysema so second hand smoke is a health hazard for me as well as annoying. I live in a large complex that gets many short term renters, ( 1 to 3 months), mostly from Russia and they all seem to smoke, but do so on the balcony so they do not stink up their own room, but have no problem stinking up someone elses room.

I had to move once after 4 years in a room here, because a Thai woman moved in across the hall from me and was always smoking. Unfortunately, the breeze blew into my room instead of out her balcony. I explained my situation to her and asked her please to close her door when she smoked. Her reply? ...... I am Thai. I do what I want. You no like it, go home!

There is a pecking order starting with monks, professionals, authority figures, as well as age. I am 69 years old and no Thai ever wais me first. Also the higher the hands are held the greater the respect, ...... evidently, this does not apply to foreigners. The Land of Smiles is losing it's identity as a gentle nation, .... disrespect is rampant and violent attacks on the rise. No wonder Thailand made it in the top ten most dangerous places to visit!

It has certainly changed in the 11 years I have been here. Now I am afraid to go out at night alone. As an elderly person, I am an easy target for Thai Thugs that roam in gangs looking for someone like me.

When I first came to Thailand in 2005, I felt safe anytime, anywhere. There seemed to be very little violent crime, but now it happens daily. The economy is worse than ever. High Season used to be a time of plenty, with shops, restaurants and bars in Pattaya, full of customers and money poured in. For some reason, Western tourists are not so welcome any more, .... fewer are coming, but tourists numbers are up, .... because of the Tsunami of Russians and Chinese, people who do not care about or respect Thai culture, customs, food or even the people! Most shops are empty as these new tourists do not frequent Thai businesses like Westerners did.

Thais are struggling in this stagnant economy so crime of all sorts, including violent crimes are on the rise! I am an elderly single man and fear being out at night alone as someone like me is an ideal target for the Thai thugs that drink a couple of bottles of courage and feel the power of the gang. So often a group of young Thais gang up on an elderly guy, beat the heck out of him and steal everything of value from him, ..... and very little if anything ever happens to them.

In Pattaya,the police were checking people and taking them to jail if they could not produce their passport. I belong to the Expat Club in Pattaya and this was a topic of conversation two weeks in a row, ..... there was even an item in this very forum about it, ...so there you go!

I have lived in Thailand 11 years and every year I get my new Retirement visa in August. I have a Canadian Passport that will expire in May 2017. This will be my third passport renewal while living here. Before, they issued the visa for one year, even though the passport expires before that year is complete. You simply took your old passport with the one year visa and your new passport to Immigration and had the Visa transferred to the new passport.

For some reason, they stopped doing that and will only issue a visa until the expiry date of the existing passport. An alternative is to get a new passport before the current visa expires and get it transferred to the new passport, ....... why will they transfer this way but not the way they used to?

Seems to me they just want to make our lives more difficult, ..like requiring us to carry passports at all times, when in the past a Thai Driver's license and a photocopy of your passport and visa was enough. No passport means you go to jail until you can produce your passport, ..how can you do that when you are in jail? ... not to mention the increased wear and tear on a passport that is constantly being carried or the increased risk of loss or theft

Never ride a songtao alone late at night! I got taken to a dark and deserted area by a songtao driver. He told me to get out and quickly drove away. I started walking back to the main road and two Thai guys stopped me. One had a homemade gun, the other a knife. They were young and high on yaba. They made the mistake of looking at each other instead of me. I kicked one in the groin, he dropped to his knees as I punched the other in the face, breaking his nose, ...then I ran like hell.

I have also had attempts made to pick my pocket, and have had the necklace snatch attempted two times. Van drivers can also be very obnoxious. One time I was coming back from Bangkok to Jomtien. I was assured I would be taken to Jomtien when I bought the ticket, but got dropped at Bali Hai Pier. When I told the driver to take me to Jomtien as promised he punched me in the face. I chose not to retaliate as there were several other Thai guys there, and they are all very brave and aggressive in a group!

Most Thais are reluctant to sign anything. I have lived here more than 10 years and in a few months will have to renew my Canadian Passport for the third time. The last two times I made an appointment with the notary Public at the Canadian Embassy. For 1,500 baht she signs a form declaring I am who I say I am.

I assume most Embassies will have such a person on hand, by appointment

I thought a passport had to be valid for at least 6 months to travel to S.E. Asia

You need a will to set out how you want your affairs handled in the event of your death or you become incapacitated. You can the register your will with Asia One and have them carry out your funeral, cremation and repatriation as you wish. Call Donnie Ekstrom. He can also arrange a prepaid funeral and take care of everything.

My pension is now a measly 15,000 baht a month. I live on that alone, ..... times 200 ... divided by 12 = about 17 years invest it in term deposits and last longer

Sounds like bovine doodoo to me. The ticket seller probably made that up on her own and then pocketed the extra cash.

I went to the hospital in Banglamung this morning. They call you up in groups of 5. My name was the first called, and I arrived at the counter first, but she processed the four Thais before me, ..so I had to wait for the four of them to see the doctor before I could! That kind of stuff makes my blood boil.

If you enjoy coffee, the last thing you would want to drink is a 3in1 coffee mix, ...take a look at the contents, ... mostly sugar and creamer, ... less than 20% coffee. buy instant coffee and add to taste, .. Mocona is ok

I renewed my Retirement Visa in August and did my 90 day report at the same time. I checked the visa was correct but neglected to look at the 90 day report slip. I pulled out my passport in mid November to see when I had to report and discovered they had stapled the old slip in my passport dated August 26. Cost me 2,000 baht for their mistake because Thais never make mistakes, ..that would mean losing face

Move to Jomtien Beach. It does not rain as much as it does in Pattaya ..... really!!

Get your first Retirement Visa at the Thai Embassy in your home country. They only require proof of funds in your country. Once you get that visa, you can open a bank account here in Thailand and get ready for your application for the second Retirement Visa

I have lived in Thailand, more than 10 years. This year was by far the hottest year for me. I seldom use aircon, (it almost killed me once - I got Legionnaire's Disease from a faulty unit in Mexico in 1990). I live near the sea in jomtien Beach, so there is usually a breeze to keep it cooler. the breeze and a fan nearby is usually all I need, but this year, .. I had to trun it on almost every night to cool off before going to sleep. I can not afford to run it all the time like some people do

I have been here in Thailand on a Retirement Visa for 10 years. They have never stamped my passport for a 90 day report. They just staple a piece of paper in your passport when you have to report next. You can report and day from 7 days prior to the date to 7 days after that date!

I would not marry a Thai woman

I would not build a house on her family land

I should have bought a condo in my own name, and lived happily ever after

As I unerstand it, the Multiple entry Visa is good for 6 months which you can draw out to nearly 9 months by returning to Thailand a few days before the end of the visa and applying for a 60 day extension and then a further 30 day extension when that is done. The downside is this Multiple Entry Visa must be obtained in your home country, ... or in a country in which you can prove residence, .. at a cost of about $140 US

You can come and go as often as you like, ..go to Bali for a week or Laos for a weekend, wherever you want as many times as you want, but you eventually have to return to your own country

Good luck getting the Russians to comply

Better to get new passports before they depart. They might get in to Thailand, but they won't get out, so they woulkd have a bigger hassle going to their Embassy to renew their passports

This is Thailand!! I have a wallet sized copy of my passoprt and visa in my wallet and also a Thai Driver's License, which is usually sufficient, but you never know when you will run into a corrupt cop that will hassle you because he can! I think it is best to leave your passport in a safe place and hope you do not meet the corrupt cop!

I'm a 68 year old guy from Canada, ... living in a big complex with guards at the gates and in every lobby of the 5 buildings. Last week a girl was being beated and raped on my floor, .... I went to her aid while a younger and bigger guy went to get Security. I forced my way into the room and got the girl out safely, ..... police were also called but no one came to help! They are window dressing only

I was in Bali for two months, starting the day after the Bali bombing, ..and I have been living in Thailand for 10 years now.

Bali is a small island, Thailand has much more to see

The people of Bali are mostly Hindu, not Muslim. They are friendly and genuine people

Thai people are mostly Buddhist, friendly but not so genuine. A lot more crime in Thailand, ...and getting more and more violent as the economy continues to struggle.

I look at exchange rates every day. The Thai Baht is now going down in value, but is still far stronger than it should be. The exchange rate is much more favorable in Bali. A person like me on a small pension would do better in Bali than Thailand II think.

I stay in Thailand because I can speak Thai and know my way around and am aware of their customs and culture, ... but I often think a move to Bali would make me better off.

Bali is having some problems with waste management as more people are going there.

Lite Beer has it right. She just uses her Thai passport and does not need a visa, just like you do not need a visa to enter the USA