nonthaburial

I have shopped around and the best deal I came up with was about 33000 Baht including taxes. This for February using QATAR

A word of warning here, I have used that Post box sized office at terminal1 on two occasions, on both occasions there were more people wanting re entry permits that you would find viewing a cup final match at Wembley Stadium

It was chaotic and I know that many people missed their flights. It was so bad that airline ground staff had to get involved to put a queue priority system in place.And I saw at least one punch thrown at a group of Indians who tried toforce their way to the front of the line.

I was lucky - just -Singapore airlines nearly closed the door on my hand as I was so late to board.

Thanks for that Thetyim, I suppose it makes sense for such requirements but I can smell a very long road of Red Tape here.

I suppose If I w anted touse it to load 50 farmers onto it then hurtle along a busy but fast road, that would require less paperwork !!!

I know I am cynical

Christian Churches helping the poor Thai sufferers. Dream on, in my opinion its nothing more than taking advantage of the sufferers!!!!

Lets not forget the real help came from the hearts and minds of those who bravely and admirably were on the scene amongst the rubbish and the stench for weeks if not months at their own expense and discomfort.

Can a Church really "buy" their flock and hope to keep them!!!! If they can and they do then I would suggest certain converts are merely prostituting themselves

Just a thought but if your baggage is checked in direct to Samui maybe Bangkok Air will not know the weight. If you have to collect your baggage from the International side and recheck in at the Domestic then this is what the Filipinos would do:-...........................

Hang around the check in until you find someone who is travelling light i.e hand carry only and then check in together. Pretty ###### sneeky eh ???

Well it seems as if our usual well informed experts are not too sure about this one !!!!

Can anyone tell me whether it is legal or not for a Pick Up to tow a trailor in Thailand. The reason I ask is, in the New Year it is intended to tour Thailand demonstrating a new fire fighting unit mounted on an ATV.

A purpose built trailor with fitted lights etc would be much more manageable rather than driving the "Beast" up and down ramps onto a truck.

To make matters worse, it has been explained to me that motor cycle riders believe that their form of transportation is not a motor vehicle and they consider themselves as "motorised pedestrians" and have no need to conform to road rules etc.

There may be some truth in this as I on a number of occasions, I have been heavily eye balled for not allowing a rider to have his right of way when he is being totally stupid i.e riding on the pavement or against the flow of traffic.

There also seems to be an attitude that they can do what hey like and what are you going to do about it ?

I had a friend who took a motorcycle taxi down a grid locked Phaya Thai road and whilst threading his way through traffic that was not moving, he managed to smash my friends knee into the rear light cluster of a Honda. This resulted in a very serious leg wound as well as smashed rear lights. The motor cycle driver insisted that the innocent car owner pay the medical bills and he did !!!!!!!!!!

Its really about time that motorcycle riders whether they are Thai, Westerners, Easteners, Northeners, Jews, Taoists etc understood that the human body was not really designed to hit a hard road,slide and get way with out damage.

jayenram I do wish that you would stop nit picking

My IP was never meant to be inflammatory, nor was it aimed with a racial bias. It was meant to be an honest observation of the driving standards in Thailand.

Then along comes DUNK who has, in an attempt to justify the standards here, merely confirmed my earlier observations as wellas turning it into a racial thread.

Some of DUNKS comments qualify him for the same "lock up and throw the keys away" suggestion and it certainly worries me that a self confessed educated man with a Uni degree can spout off such drivel.

Horses for courses I guess !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In my youth (oh god so long ago) at the age of 18, I sat and passed my driving test in a military Bedford 3 ton truck.Straight in at the deep end was my thought at the time.

Over the years and having driven what must be hundreds and hundreds of thousands of miles, using all sorts of transport from Tanks, Articulated Trucks, Heavy trucks, Cars and Motorcycles and even a number of Double deck buses, I have never yet had the embarrassment of being involved in a traffic accident.

I have driven on nearly every continent and as one would expect have encountered driving standards ranging from excellent to non existant. Later in my life - just for the hel_l of it- I sat and passed the UK Institute of Advanced Motorists test.

Why am I telling all this, well certainly not to boost my ego but perhaps in a round about way of putting a few records straight.

I have read on TV about people in Thailand openly proud of themselves whilst driving under the influence of alcohol. I have also read of a person who was smacked in the back of his pickup by a youth who was under the influence and the innocent victim is suffering from huge guilt feelings.

I have also read a few threads that home in on pure racialism or maybe its cultural differences, however which ever it is, driving manners (or lack of) in Thailand are totally atrocious and one must be 110% aware at all times when driving defensively here.

It says an awful lot when intoxicated people have accidents OR are found to be intoxicated here by the BIB and are let off scot free. The guy who rammed his motorcylce into the back of a pickup AND the lady who admitted that she was treated like a VIP after being found intoxicated behind the wheel should be locked up and the keys thrown away. And its certainly not an episode in life to be proud of!!

How can mature, careful drivers have any form of sympathy for brain dead idiots of all races who consider that their motorcycles, and their helmetless attitudes gives them any rights if an accident should occur.

In the last paragraph I mentioned "all races" yes isnt it sad to see farangs on vacation who joing the local idiots in driving intoxicated without helmets - something thst would probably get them locked up for a long time in their own countries. So why do they do it whilst they are here in Thailand.

I just wish it could be realised that a motor vehicle is no different to a firearm in the hands of idiots and senseless people, they are killers.

Rant Over and soapbox returned to store room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I must admit I have a number of thoughts on the subject of Visas tothe UK AND may I add I have never had any dealings with the BE here in Bangkok.

HOWEVER:-

I have been very happily married to a Filipina for nearly 18 years, we have a Son who like me holds a British Passport. And here is the problem, Whenever my family wish to visit my Parents in the UK my wife has to go through the rigmarole of obtaining a visa to accompany us. This in itself is painstaking with proof of finances etc but I have never had a request denied.

What makes things even more harrowing are the very obviously biased checks at the UK Port of entry on my wifes Filipina passport.

Something is desperately wrong when a ex Royal Marine Commando for 15 years, with medals to boot, has to fight hard to get a visitors visa for his wife of such long standing. and yet it seems as if every Tom, Dick and Harry from foreign countries are able to fill the streets and houses of the UK,most unable to even speak a word of English.

WHICH REMINDS ME OF THIS JOKE.

A somali gets a British citizenship and proudly walks around London on his first day in the country. He is so excited that he walks up to the first person he sees and says "isnt it great to be British" to which the answer was " I dont know I am from China"

The second person says "I dont know I am from Colombia" this leaves the Somali a little baffled and the next person he asks says ' No Idea, I am from Greece". With a total look of bewilderment, the Somali askes "Where are all the Brits then" to which the Greek replied "Probably all at work" !!!!!!

My apologies if I have ruined this thread

Against my wishes, I am required to attend a exhibition in Phuket on the 8/9th December. The Royal Phuket City Hotel is the venue., but as is usual I pefer to stay away from the venue and reside in another nearby hotel.

Can anyone please advise me of a hotel in the 1000 Baht per night bracket which is comfortable and relatively close to the Royal Phuket City Hotel.

Many thanks

Bangkok-Manila flights are a farce price wise.Very much over priced. I think I would be right in saying that the choice of airline is also very limited after such carriers as Emirates, Eygpt Air and Air France withdrew their services over the past years.

TG/LH and PAL tend to match each other Pesos for Peso on that route SOOOOO checkout Kuwait Air. I believe they are the cheapest, but timings are a little of putting.

I assume you are using the new Etihad (?) airline. I am bokked to go back to the UK in Feb and they were by far the cheapest option. Also the timing are very agreeable so lets see what they are like

I thank you all for suggesting I be patient etc in this case, however I was not able to put my patience to the test due to the fact that the ID ACTUALLY called me today and politely explained that my visa extension had been approved and I was free to go and get the chop in my passport any time I was available.

Now I feel a right fool bringing my woes onto this forum and I am now left pondering whether or not I should pass my story onto the Guiness Book of Records

Totally forget Manila, waste of office space and the "local"employees who man the desk are ignorant and arrogant. I had a huge bust up there and politely requested to see the Consul. No way was I allowed to get near him/her. So I spent a lot of money and got no where.

I have used both HK and Singapore and found them both very pleasant and dare I say it very helpful

There are at least two ATV manufacturers in Thailand being IMAC and MONIKA cannot vouch for their standards tho. I also believe that Polaris have a franchise here.

In an earlier reply someone said they had a friend who wanted to sell a Polaris 500 which is just what I am looking for. Is it still available ???

After going through the usual heartache of obtaining a Non Immmigrant visa from a "foreign" based Thai consulate, AND submitting all the required forms to the Immigration and Labour Dept And being told everything was in order. Today I went down to hopefully collect my new 12 month visa etc only to be told .........

"Sorry the papers have no problem but there is a new Head of Immigration so can only extend for another month so please come back on the 21st December when we are sure we can give you the full year or at least the balance of "!!

My questions are ............... what the <deleted> has it got to do with a new Head of Immigration ???? Is he going to change the rules etc single handedly and refuses to issue new visas until his feet are under the table OR is it as I suspect that these ruses are a way of lining the Immigration Dept coffers???

To cap it all, I have now got so many chops/visas etc in my passport, which was only issued last year that it will soon be time to obtain a new one as no pages are left. And no before someone asks am I a hopeful teacher etc, the answer is I am a qualified engineer who just happens to be contracted to look after all the Fire Trucks in Bangkok which is a massive task with its own heartaches and I certainly do not need these hassles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Intelligent comments most welcomed

Dont waste your time, there is no way a "foreigner" married to a UK subject is entitled to a British Passport unless they legally live together in the UK for three straight years.

This includes showing all documentation relating to taxes and many other things.

In the past this meant that a british husband could not leave the UK for long periods leaving his so called wife at home, which I believe may now be amended.

Check it out with the local Embassy or FCO and find the rules before getting involved

When driving around Thailand, one sees road signs saying BKK 300kms etc etc. All very well but where exactly in Bangkok are these signs talking about..

Being a huge sprawling metroplis there must be a landmark that is considered as the "centre" of the city and hence that is the point where the kilometre signs are taken from.

Anyone throw any light on this please

Thanks folks, but please dont misunderstand me. When I said "muscle" I certainly did not have any intentions of lying in ambush one dark night with a shotgun under my arm. I merely meant the "muscle"of a legal debt collector.

A Filipina friend of mine,who has worked in Thailand legally(with WP) for a number of years lent a fellow Filipina Baht 40,000. This was about three years ago. The money was lent to help a family in trouble.

However, after the due period for repayment was long gone she lost contact with the borrower and has only recently been able to track her down.

The Filipina borrower is married to a Thai, has a daughter and works for a very big travel agency in Bangkok (name with held)

After finding this lady and discussing the situation with her, the lender was assured that the money would be paid back at a very small rate of 2,000 per month. The first months payment received was 50% of the agreed figure and since then no more payments have been made.

The borrower now says she cannot afford topay back this sum as she has other debts.

My question is very simple, as diplomacy appears to have failed is it time / right to bring in the muscle in the form of a debt collector?

Any comments please and does anyone know of a debt collector likely to be interested in this case

Sad story and possible consequences. However I also believe that no dog is born viscious and as a rule a well disciplined dog is usually totally trustworthy.

I had a Bullmastiff in Manila from a pup and she was the most loving and loyal dog you could wish for - sadly she died of a tick born disease.

looking at the picture posted, I must admit that TOGETHER these two look rather aggressive, I wouldnt mind betting that if seperated they would be OK.

Sorry I have two large dogs already but there is a possibility I can find a home for one of them at a factory in Bang Bua Thong where there are no other dogs and large grounds to prowl with security guards.

So lets call a spaid a spayed or whatever

And another toopen at Sports City on prachachuen Rd very shortly. Coupled with a new Foodland opening next month in the new IT City in Laksi