Scouse123

Guys,

Off this coming week, a quick overnight in Nana Plaza area and then Thursday evening I am flying off to cooler temperatures for a while, and looking forward to it, provided the tropical storms don't begin back end of this week in Bangkok.

The heat up here has begun to grind me down.

Anyway, for any Qatar frequent flyers, I am on the A380 on two legs of the flight in economy and the other two legs in business, so no problems there.

I don't mind economy class on the big planes such as A380, well, I can live with it.

A question has come up though, I have flown in the upstairs small cabin but a long time ago, so I cannot recall how we disembarked.

These days, I usually opt for the lower deck front cabin near the stairs for business class, window seat in the first exit rows 40, in the 3-3-3 configuration. A tall cabin, heightwise, with great legroom and cosy feeling and atmosphere.

These seats ensure you are lively off the plane.

A few have gone online saying I would be better off going upstairs, into the smaller cabin, and seeking seat 30 in the 2-4-2 configuration, where they say there is a lot more room, and is near enough Premium economy standard.

Views are mixed how quickly you disembark from the upstairs cabin, with some saying you follow business class and are off quickly, others say you must go down the rear staircase and it is a slow process.

That would be important to me on the DOH-BKK leg of the flight, as I don't want a massive queue at Immigration with me at the back of it, because we arrive early afternoon.

Have any Qatar frequent flyers done these seating arrangements I am referring to? If so, what are your views, please?

Mule accounts as some have stated are used by those that cannot explain sources of money, and play the ' smoke and mirrors ' game.

The person whose name is on the account is left holding the baby if the authorities swoop.

Unfortunately, due to poverty/greed etc, people are more than happy to use their ID cards to open accounts and hand over control to somebody else for 2000/3000 baht and obtain debit cards.

Many years ago when the ' proxy '  was in vogue on Thai companies were used by foreigners to give the impression that Thais were involved in their hotels/land/property deals, they could go to an employee, give a 1000 baht, and get their copy ID, sign as a director and also sign an undated ' share transfer form '  so the foreigner could move it to another Thai, in case of any problems.

The poorer Thais are selling their ID to be used for whatever and care little at the time and are more interested in getting their hands on some money.

On 5/6/2024 at 6:33 PM, Mark17AA said:

It's a old topic I know, but I'm a 65  more than average fit, and just got my renewal quote which is now doubled. Please any suggestions for a company that's not going to phone me 10 times a day chasing, but has sensible pricing and good quality policies to review.  So basically who would you recommend.

 

Thanks 

I always give the wrong phone number by one digit, this forces them to email me, as I too get sick of 10/15 phone calls a day for people touting insurance, or your personal information has been sold online, and the vultures are trying to contact you for selling other services.

There is nothing that can't be said in an email than can be said in a phone call.

The only thing you avoid is pressure sales.

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Six or seven months ago, when online was going very, very slow, I also started mailing in 90 day notices. While it was taking 10 or 12 days for online to work, mail was even longer. I did always receive replies from both eventually. But the mail would take almost until the next 90 day was due before I received it. 10 or 11 weeks. Nowadays, online works okay. Just a couple of days at most. I would go back and try online if I were you.

Too late for online now, well out of time.

20 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Take a look at this company online

 

Health Insurance for Digital Nomads

Every country. Any doctor or hospital. We've got you covered.,

We're here when you need us

Scooter crash in Thailand

Dengue fever in Bali

Ear infection in Vietnam

Surfing accident in South Africa

Broken foot in Spain

COVID-19 in Colombia

Click the Link
https://bit.ly/4abThKo

Just done it at 62 years old and living in Thailand, meaning I would be out of home country for best part of a year.

660 Euros a month, No, thanks!

2 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

I doubt that you have ever been there... I have and it is a dump... Political unrest, corruption and chronic economic problems have plagued its fragile democracy since it emerged from the 35-year dictatorship of the Alfredo Stroessner in 1989.

Yeah,

They could move much nearer home and still escape the madness.

What about Panama? Costa Rica? Puerto Rico? Chile?

7 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

he hasn't been charged with 91 actual separate offences as the headlines might imply. There are 4 case, each one has been broken down into minute detail by the corrupt prosecution in desperation for something to stick so he gets a conviction that stops him from being able to become President again!

I hope it does.

5 minutes ago, Dioj said:

Seems we've all been missing the entire point here. Big, fancy cannabis shops, with large rents, unsustainable overheads, and no customers is a money laundering business reserved purely for the locals. Makes perfect sense now. Bad guys out, good guys in. 

This is why the Pakistanis in the UK open shops side by side to each other, mainly empty, they are selling Indian Curry and KFC style takeaways, very few people buy from them, but they carry the air of respectability and are a ' front ' to launder their drug proceeds, which is by far, their prime source of revenue. The Police are well aware of it.

I've been inside them, unfriendly guys with beards sat behind the counters playing with their I phone, surprised when somebody walks in and places an order.

Yes,

The visa waiver programme for Ireland is continuing for the eligible countries until 2026.

Thai nationals on holiday/short stay 180 days UK visas qualify for the waiver, and are on the list.

There are a few rules, visa must be valid, it mustn't take you over the 180 days of your UK stay etc, all simple stuff for the genuine tourist.

https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-visit-ireland/short-stay-visa-waiver-programme/

On 5/7/2024 at 8:32 AM, JimHuaHin said:

I am 68 years young, just renewed my policy with Pacific Cross.  No new medical questions this year - just sign a coverage form and fill out a payment form.  Emailed Pacific Cross with a request to renew day 1, received a reply and forms day 2, returned signed forms day 4, received acceptance email day 4.  Package to be sent out to mailing address within 10 days.

I am with the above poster.

I am 62, never needed them, but been with Pacific Cross 4 or 5 years now.

Furthermore, I mentioned in another thread, I want it for big ticket items only, such as serious issues and not run-of-the-mill dentistry or eyes or OPD.

Not only that, but I paid last year with NCD and a 40,000 deductible excess charge, 47,000 for the year. That is up to 10 million Thai baht on an illness /operation/hospitalization with 400K personal accident.

Not seen cheaper or better coverage for the price.

14 hours ago, kickstart said:

Something I learned not so long ago, Lao Khao is made from Pineapples.

I am not so sure about that.

It was made from fermented sticky rice, and these days molasses such as sugar beet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lao_khao

Use it in the prisons.

2 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Now we see how important the war against drugs will be! Go on Srettha! Don't listen to Anutin!!!👏

If they had been stoned and not on Yaa Baa, they would have fallen asleep eating the porridge!

23 minutes ago, PST said:

That's great, much appreciated. No, we haven't had a two year visa before.

 

I presume it's better to go for two year before five year initially?, she had had six, 6 month visitor visas.

 

PST.

22 minutes ago, PST said:

That's great, much appreciated. No, we haven't had a two year visa before.

 

I presume it's better to go for two year before five year initially?, she had had six, 6 month visitor visas.

 

PST.

We went for the 2-year then straight for the ten year, we didn't bother with the five year.

I suppose you could try the five year, we just wanted easy, and it seemed a bit of a jump from 6 months to five years.

After we had done two X two years and considering my age, I didn't bloody care to be honest and after that Covid malarkey, I'd had enough, and just went for the 10 year.

Not much change out of 1,000 quid if I recall.😆

33 minutes ago, PST said:

Thanks, we have been married for 10 years, been to the uk 5 times but never longer than 4 weeks, but circumstances are changing.  Do you need more money in the bank for a two year visa than a 6 month?, how do you 'prove' you are able to sponsor long term?

 

PST

Ah,

I see what you mean. Have you had a 2-year visa before?

If not, that would be the first step instead of jumping for a 10 year, which can raise red flags.

I told them in the letter we had been together 25 plus, our bank accounts have been linked for a long time etc, plus we had travelled extensively to Europe, North America, and Asia.

We had six months visa on a number of occasions, then 2 x 2 year visas and then, I told them straight, I didn't want at my time of life, to be up and down begging for visas, with my age being a factor (62 now) and also that of my siblings, (who are older than me), in the UK. If something were to happen, we want to be on a plane, not begging for visas.

That's how we did it, and it came back 10 year with no issues.

We do have a long track record and likewise, we have never been in the UK longer than 4 weeks on any given trip.

We proved long term sponsorship by having a decent amount in the bank in joint names.

But, I am sure having a decent job would satisfy them, plus you have 10 years of marriage.

I think the only thing they are on the lookout for is those going for six months, returning for a week to Thailand and then another five months.

In effect, living in the UK on a tourist visa, which is not what they are for.

41 minutes ago, PST said:

Off topic slightly, but did your wife obtain, 2 year and 5 year visitor visa first, or go straight from 6 months to 10 year?, is it a gradual process?

 

PST

Had a couple of 2 year visas first.

And proof of a very long relationship plus assets and money in bank.

They do love their uniforms. Even the security at Nana Plaza look like Generals.

11 hours ago, Negita43 said:

You have to (are supposed to) report to the nearest police station after crossing I believe

I wonder how many bother doing that.