Fallangpakwan

I bought 10 avos at Khao Yai last week for 100baht they were the only ones available at the time and not such good quality, guess it's wrong time of year as they usually have loads there and quite good;but the best variety except for Chiangmai/Chiangrai region is Tak. The Musers always have a good variety at their market on the Tak to Mae-Sot road and about 2 years back Musers also set up a market on the main highway about 30km south of Tak that usually has them too.

Makes me think of all the useless a...holes back in my home country who live and breed on the dole for generations.

I just today drove back from Khao Yai and at the police stop before coming down the hill towards Kabinburi on 304, the dilapidated pickup in front of me handed out a nice watermelon; when alongside the cop I wound down the window and asked in Thai could I have a slice; I have a knife you can cut it for me. He asked me where I was going, I said Chonburi; so he said "buy yourself one on the way".

I had some staff working on the new bridge at NongKhai back in early 1990's and would drive up there often to show the flag and there was always a copstop about 30km north of Korat, I was always speeding according to them but whenever they asked where I was going and said to "the bridge job" it was "okay go go"; same back in the early MabTa Phut days, 1980's would always answer "I have a meeting with PTT" and it was okay go-go.

Not any kind of an expert but I would say to be very sure just take a roundtrip flight to Singapore, you are guaranteed the 30 days on re-arrival.I did that last year, did not even clear Singapore customs or Immi just turned around and back onto the same aircraft.

Please tell me more about this water, we buy the 40baht tanks and use it for cooking food,tea,coffeee, etc.

Drinking water we normally use from Tesco or Singha or similar

Are you drinking water from that (poison) white nalgene bottles sold for 5b at shops/40b for a 20liter refill tank? In that case you might have developed a hormonal disorder and in fact are changing into a woman, hence you are getting 'woman fat'.

I just spent a few days in Petchabun and the area we traveled mostly; (right in town near the jail) had 2 sets of traffic lights out of action evidently awaiting replacement; the traffic through there was sweet-as, moving well with none of the problems and buildup when the lights are working.

I get unlimited data from True for about 70baht per week and "tether" my phone to the computer if and when I need to.Pretty slow but at least works.

I've lived and worked in Thailand since 1981 and still are finding nice/different places; try Nan and north of there,Golden Triangle, Namnao in Petchabun province; you really need a car and just go.

Thanks JacChang,

Internet banking is another on my urgent to do list!! Last time I was home I went in with the boss to Kbank where we have several accounts, the girl told my wife no we do not do internet banking!! we were in a hurry then so could not argue the point, but next month hopefully!!!

K'Bank does internet banking; I went through the hassle of setting it up a year ago but never use it as it's a pain in the butt compared with BBL which is real easy.

As Estrada was pretty-well saying earlier at least with TRUE it all depends which TRUE office and who you talk to there; half the time you get wrong or no info back at all; I asked for weeks at various places could I top up online, it was always NO; then I finally found some guy who rang a number someplace and came back saying maybe yes; when I asked how? the answer was "ask your bank"; I asked at my BBL branch and they said "cannot". I emailed BBL help centre and they came back with the info immediately and I've topped-up online ever since. Would say it's typical of Thailand.

I just top up our phones "online" from my BBL bank account

Late on Xmas eve 1992 there was a hell of a storm hit Pattaya and threw about 10 or so of those big wooden tour boats up on Beach Rd, the next day until about midday you could see your own breath it was that cold.I was looking around for warm clothes and some kind of a heater; no such thing back then.

I have been staying in Los for 13 months on tourist visas .

I returned to the uk for 3 weeks and whilst I was there I went to Hull and got a triple entry tourist visa without any problems and also had no problems re entering Los at bkk on 13/10/2014.

What did surprise me was I met another expat on my return flight who says he has lived here for 12 years on visa exempt !

I asked if he had a return flight as I doubted he would be allowed on the airplane to which he said yes this was his return flight to bkk , no return flight to uk though !

He works offshore 1 month on 1 month off and says that's why he's never obtained a visa but I was still amazed after arriving in bkk having changed aircraft 3 times he had no problems getting 30 day exempt again and was not challenged on any of the flights

Rumbo can I ask what is the validity of your "triple entry visa" ?? What's it's expiry date

It is 3 60 day tourist entry visa valid until 05/04/2015

By the time it expires I will be 50 and hope to get a non o visa and add a 1 year extension based on retirement

Thanks Rumbo, I have been applying for only 2 entry visas the past 3 or 4 years and it was all okay with one 30 day topup and maybe a border crossing or 2 I could stay 6 months;all has changed though these days; will try for a 3 entry next year and see what happens. I'm nowhere near Hull though; from the other end of the globe.

I have been staying in Los for 13 months on tourist visas .

I returned to the uk for 3 weeks and whilst I was there I went to Hull and got a triple entry tourist visa without any problems and also had no problems re entering Los at bkk on 13/10/2014.

What did surprise me was I met another expat on my return flight who says he has lived here for 12 years on visa exempt !

I asked if he had a return flight as I doubted he would be allowed on the airplane to which he said yes this was his return flight to bkk , no return flight to uk though !

He works offshore 1 month on 1 month off and says that's why he's never obtained a visa but I was still amazed after arriving in bkk having changed aircraft 3 times he had no problems getting 30 day exempt again and was not challenged on any of the flights

Rumbo can I ask what is the validity of your "triple entry visa" ?? What's it's expiry date

I was told a few days back by a BBL employee that their ATM card with the chip will be accepted by other banks ATM's next year.

Rest in peace Hannah; we will never forget you or anything about this most horrible story. My other hope is that the truth will come out and this disaster will never be repeated; that those really responsible are brought to justice, and the various Thai authorities finally enter the real world sometime in the near future.

My situation is though I lived and worked in Thailand for nearly 19 years and now recently retired,and like to spend the summer of my birth country back there; then into the winter months back here in Thailand in my own condo; 6 months on, 6 months off,I do not see the need for a "retirement visa", at least not till now. A double entry tourist visa with 30 day topups and border visa runs was all okay till these days.

A month or so back I went to Mae-sot for a "cross-bridge" 15day top-up run as I have done several times over the past few years; this time told by Thai Immi " you can go but cannot come back; no more short runs, you must have a current visa";mine was already previously re-done there at Mae-sot for the second 60 days. They told me to scoot back to SriRacha where I live and get a 7day TM7 extension which I did. 7days later I flew roundtrip to Singapore; same flight,same seat;for a 30 day top-up.Will depart Thailand within that 30days and look at something better for next year.

Back in the 1990's I was living in 3 expensive beachside condo's south of Pattaya consecutively over a 7year period and in all 3 one of the juristic persons fled with a load of the landlords money; fortunately none of mine.

Really the best way is set up and learn how to do internet banking and just make the payments when you are notified they are due.

Just leave a million baht with me and I'll take care of it all.

My neighbour here; (SriRacha) recently moved his number plate from previous car to his brand new Benz

I usually stay at Golden Cupid; it's beyond Rim Ping supermarket on the road heading north from town. I have always had a good feeling about the place, have probably stayed there 5 times over the past 8 years or so.