ChiangmaiRob

OK my appointment is on the 13th to apply for my son's passport. I'm going to go mad with all these bits of paper!. Can I just get a sanity check on my documents for those who've done this before? I'm a Brit, my wife is Thai, and I was born after 1982. Here's what I have:

• Colour copies of every page in my passport.
• Colour copies of every page in my son's Thai passport.
• Colour copies of every page in my wife's Thai passport.
• The application form, filled out and signed by countersignatory.
• Two photographs of my son, one countersigned on the back.
• My wife's birth certificate, translated and stamped by the Thai foreign affairs ministry.
• My son's birth certificate, translated and stamped by the Thai foreign affairs ministry.
• Mine and my wife's marriage certificate, translated and stamped.
• My original birth certificate, long version with my parent's names.
• My mother's birth certificate.
• My father's birth certificate.
• My mother and father's marriage certificate.
• Tabien baan with my son's name, translated.

Am I missing anything here? I don't think I am, but I don't want to go all the way down to Bangkok and have it be unsuccessful because I missed a document.

Probably too late now, but take colour copies of all the certified translated documents as they will certify the copies at VTS and give you the originals back.

I just got a call today to say my 2 kids passports are ready for collection .... that's only 2 weeks after I submitted the applications. Seems HMPO officials got a very large rocket up their asses since this time last year!

"Order was given out for the drug traffickers to stop but the armed guards opened fire" .... I know if someone opens fire on me, as the traffickers armed guards did to the soldiers, I'd assume a. they had something to hide, and b. they were trying to kill me, and in those circumstances, I'd be shooting first and asking questions later!

Yes, that's the official version, no one can dispute that now.

So your starting position is that a pack of homicidal maniacs (aka soldiers) killed some poor innocent Burmese villagers (armed for self-protection from homicidal maniacs) on their way to market, and it was only pure luck that they were found to be trafficking heroin?

No, they had a tip off and were fairly certain just as i am fairly certain that they probably opened fire immediately they caught sight of them with no warning, i'm not saying they didn't get what they deserved but supposing they were wrong. I saw a video on the net some years ago of the slaughter, one cant call it anything else, of drug smugglers in the jungle, even when they ran to the car and sat in it without driving off, to me a sign of surrender, they continued firing until the car looked like Swiss cheese. Going for a hike in the jungle with a backpack could turn out deadly for an innocent person. Conjecture on my part but i think the army and the police here are trigger happy amateurs.

We can only comment on what the OP stated, and that was that the traffickers guards opened fire first. We can speculate all we like and come up with a hundred different possible scenarios, but the soldiers did exactly the right thing, based on the OP.

was the order for them to stop given immediately....or were they dead by then

When it comes to drug traffickers, does it really matter?

I agree with you but it would be nice to know that they really were drug smugglers ( you know, something silly like proof ) and not just poor peasants transporting their produce.

Get a metered cab , fare should come in at $267 in peak hour will be more.

I hope that $ is just a typo error!

Doubtful that a visa can be obtained in Japan.

You will receive a "visa exempt" entry on returning to Thailand which can be extended by 30 days at an immigration office for 1900 Baht

Perhaps they've changed the rules, but as far as I am aware, you cannot extend a visa exempt entry.

Yes you can. I had 30 day extension done in Jomtien in April and just had another 30 days done on Samui on Wednesday! All that's required are your passport, copies of the main page and departure card and a photo ... oh and of course 1900 baht!

Thanks for your advice. My only worry is that it may look sort of dodgy as I have been in Thailand so long so maybe they won't give me the exemption or let me in at all. Has anyone had any experience in a similar situation?

Don't worry, I have only had 3 Non O's in 14 years and all the rest have been exempt stamps with a few 30 day extensions. I am in and out regularly and my last passport was full of Thai exempt stamps and I've never been questioned once.

"Did the driver drive too fast or recklessly," .... this seems a totally irrelevant question. The truck, as reported, had already ground to a halt and started rolling backwards and, according to the driver, could not be stopped because the brakes didn't work. If this statement is true, how can the driver be charged with reckless driving causing death and injury to others? I guess because TIT, some poor sod has to be held accountable and it's probably beyond comprehension that the accountability just may lie with the truck owner for not maintaining the truck in a roadworthy condition.

No, that's not what he said. He said he could not stop it.

“I stepped on the brake but it did not stop, instead it kept on rolling and got faster" ...... so if someone steps on the brake and the vehicle keeps rolling and gets faster, IMO, it's a fair assumption the brakes didn't work!

"Did the driver drive too fast or recklessly," .... this seems a totally irrelevant question. The truck, as reported, had already ground to a halt and started rolling backwards and, according to the driver, could not be stopped because the brakes didn't work. If this statement is true, how can the driver be charged with reckless driving causing death and injury to others? I guess because TIT, some poor sod has to be held accountable and it's probably beyond comprehension that the accountability just may lie with the truck owner for not maintaining the truck in a roadworthy condition.

was the order for them to stop given immediately....or were they dead by then

When it comes to drug traffickers, does it really matter?

Don't you just love a story with a happy ending!

Thanks for the heads up.

Apparently THE big change that is coming to driving laws is that police will no longer be able to accept money on the roadside.

A friend of a friend who works as a translator for the police said that this is to be approved soon as part of the crackdown on graft. Has anybody been told the same about this?

ABout the image above - the big thing, as always with stuff like this, is enforcement. You can have all the laws you want but if they are not enforced properly they are pretty pointless!

The cops taking fines at the roadside seems to be the norm in Chiang Mai, which IMO, is fair enough as they also give a receipt so it all seems above board. It saves a lot if inconvenience having to go to the police station to pay a fine. I'm also not adverse to paying "cash" fines if it saves me that inconvenience.

Oh No, not another crackdown.

I think the authorities should crack down on the crackdowns and simply do the bloody jobs they're paid to do!

And I'm reporting EXACTLY what happened to me. Go chill in Mexico, Thailand is obviously getting to you.

You posted a snide remark and now don't have the backbone to admit it. "L"

My post was exactly what it said ... my experiences buying vehicles, nothing more, nothing less. Sounds like Mr Angry has nothing on you and Thailand's gain will be Mexico's loss!

Yes you can..All that is Needed is a correct Visa

And they are absolutely "black bean" (anal) about this. I was in the process of buying a new bike from Honda with 6 weeks left to my visa and they REFUSED to release it to me (though they had NO f4cking problem taking my money!) until I showed a new visa. I hadn't planned on renewing the visa until a week before its expiration date, so this delayed possession of the bike for a month. One MORE reason why Mexico will soon be home.

Hmmm, interesting ... wonder how I managed to purchase and register all my vehicles with only 30 day visa exempt stamps ... only needed certificate of residence and passport only as proof of ID. Good luck in Mexico.

If intimating I'm a liar makes your feel more like a man, then I'm glad I could help. I am reporting exactly what happened to me at a Honda dealer to try and help the OP.

And I'm reporting EXACTLY what happened to me. Go chill in Mexico, Thailand is obviously getting to you.

Yes you can..All that is Needed is a correct Visa

And they are absolutely "black bean" (anal) about this. I was in the process of buying a new bike from Honda with 6 weeks left to my visa and they REFUSED to release it to me (though they had NO f4cking problem taking my money!) until I showed a new visa. I hadn't planned on renewing the visa until a week before its expiration date, so this delayed possession of the bike for a month. One MORE reason why Mexico will soon be home.

Hmmm, interesting ... wonder how I managed to purchase and register all my vehicles with only 30 day visa exempt stamps ... only needed certificate of residence and passport only as proof of ID. Good luck in Mexico.

Over the years I bought 3 bikes and a truck and no licence required. But now with the crackdown on non IDP and Thai licence holders, I have now got both Thai bike and car licences.

Understood. It's just that "driving a bike" is generally the language of non-riders.

Sheeeeeesh I see its turning into a shitfest with some of the replies, probably driven ( who cares) more bikes than you've had hot dinners, heres just a few including the gsx 250 stripped down (nut n bolt) and restored after 20 years to concourse. me at 18 ( 1982) on it then restored in 2002

My Uncle was UK grass track champion 5 years running back in the 1950's before I was born, you can google "Bill Evans" Grasstrack. I don't feel the need to go with the herd

Wow ... I'm impressed .... and even with a restored 250 under your belt, ridden more bikes than wotsits name, a family history of "great bikers" and you still feel the need to ask those questions .... like I said before, stick to the scooter for a couple of years and you might pick up enough useful information to help you survive on a "big bike"!

Do you drive a scooter in Thailand?

Yes

Seems you really need to look around a LOT more and get lots more experience while you're out on your scooter, before you even consider riding a big bike! I mean ... turning right from the left lane ... come on!!

The only difference I've noticed is that there seems to be a lot more song teaws on the road. They also seem to cruise a lot, looking for customers, and even if you're walking in the totally opposite direction, they'll toot just in case you change your mind.

The worst is the motorbikes after midnight with aftermarket mufflers on them. They crank em wide open for 2 or 3 hundred metres here on Huay Kaew Road and then throttle down. As the air is now a bit cooler we like to leave our balcony doors open for fresh air at night and these guys are just insane. They are also getting more aggressive at cross walks on HKR speeding up when your crossing instead of slowing down. I guess the BIB are all home snuggled in their bed by this time.

I am amazed that these guys can get away with the noise they make, night after night. Don't the police do anything at night?

The police don't really do much during the day so why would they do anything at night ... except of course sleep!

Who cares about a Thai licence. It's s total waste of time & money having one.

Name the benefits of a Thai licence over a western one?

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It's not rocketscience ...

Every day another accident - or more. Same story. Same 'This is Thailand' replies.

It is a shame people want to record and share the grief, no need for such film to dramatize the event. Lets just keep to the facts.

Everyone wants to point fingers and attribute blame. Rather than stand back and try to avoid such situations in the first place.

TiT - cars - even police cars, lorries and Coaches will stop in stupid places and even drive against the traffic.

TiT - People will drive too fast for the conditions.

TiT - Many road users are under the influence of alcohol.

TiT - Accidents like this will continue to happen every day until some big changes happen.

The choice is to make change happen or live/die with the current situation.

No surprise - no accident.

Wow! A Thai road expert. Incidentally, how long have you lived in the Kingdom and how many miles have you done on Thai roads?

Sorry? What point are you trying to make here?

Please attack me all you wish if it makes you feel better.

Cannot change the facts.

Police cars and lorries driving against the traffic? Nope, not seen that yet

Driving too fast for the conditions? See this in UK and Europe as well

Many road users under the influence of alcohol? Many? On what do you base this? Just you and your friends are not a representative sampling.

Accidents like this will continue to happen? Most accidents do not involve a vehicle ramming into the back of another stationary one.

Any other "facts" you would like to share based on your limited experience on Thai roads?

Seems like you're the one with the limited experience on Thai roads.

I've seen many lorries driving against the traffic.

It's easy to state the fact that many road users are under the influence of alcohol, simply read the news reports on the many accidents that happen across Thailand every day.

The types of accidents are wide and varied, and this one certainly wouldn't be the first and only one on that particular day of a vehicle being rear ended. Only a few days ago a guy in a Toyota rear ended a couple of motorbikes in Pattaya, killing one of the riders.

IMHO which is based on my personal experiences and through reading many media outlets, Caroljadzia is pretty much spot on!

oh well, nice to see the resident TV "experts" are out in force as usual try to impress everyone with their wisdom and expertise at Googling

If you just pause for thought and maybe consider that some "TV experts" as you call them, simply use Google as a tool to back up a statement made, based on their own knowledge. If, for example, someone thinks a head on crash is when one vehicle rear ends another, why is that person going to simply believe a "TV expert", simply on his say so, that it is not!

What are the chances that the policeman was wearing a seat belt? They very seldom use them when they are moving yet alone, stopped.

Wearing a seatbelt or not, after getting hit that hard from behind, would have made little or no difference to the outcome. A seatbelt only restrains you from being thrown forward, not backwards. The chances are that the back of his seat collapsed with the impact and he was hit and killed by the crumpling rear end of his own car.

That looks more like a head on collision. She must have been going over 140kph. Surprised she could walk. Hopefully a real investigation is done and the blame is put where it is suppose to. If it is truly an accident, then leave her be, but if she was talking on her phone, drunk driving, or speeding, throw the book at her.

I'm really intrigued to know how you come to that conclusion, especially when you consider it's the rear end of the police car that's crumpled beyond recognition!

Yes, I have had a direct debit with PEA for years through my K Bank account so no worries about getting cut off when I'm away for any length of time. I just filled out the form and took it to the PEA office in Naklua, job done!