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For the OP, next to impossible to get out of a listed service charge on a bill, though you could offer to wash dishes.

Regarding the foreigners who think all tipping is a mandatory show of wealth, I always get a laugh out of those holier-than-thou types who think they are big spenders because they leave a 20-100 baht tip. Go on and really show off if you want and leave a 1000 baht tip. Now you are a somebody!

What I don't get is the people who are so tight about it. Leaving 20B on a 3,000baht dinner bill for example. Or moaning about their being a service charge of 10%.

10% is considered 'normal' for a tip isn't it?

The most I've ever paid was 400baht in one of the secret cocktail bars because the bill was around 4000B (for 4 cocktails) and the service impeccable.

The mixologists knew their stuff, they made cocktails to taste, had great service skills and were really friendly to talk to.

I imagine some people would think that I was "showing off" by tipping 400B but really it's just a 10% tip for great service and worth it.

I don't think leaving a tip is the actual issue, it is being forced to leave set amount as a tip.

When I am out, I will usually leave a tip....depending on the service it will be 0-20%, but what if the service is abysmal, should I still be "forced" to pay an extra 10% for poor service?

I think that is the issue.

The starting point should be $0 for a tip and work up from there. Compulsory tip, as in service charge is a con.

Service charge annoys me no end.

In malaysia the owner must post the employment contract near the door to show the staff get the service charge at the end of the month. However, at some places i found out that if staff do not meet their quota for drink sales then they dont get the charge. Its a con, pure and simple.

At such places i post on their facebook page often enough to annoy them. Its my own little personal protest.

Thanks very much for your replies people, most kind of you!. I'm keen to go, as is my Missus, and I think we'll make the trip this Thursday.

One more question please, I see the tickets are available on Thai Ticket tech but can you just buy them at the gate?.

Surely, you will have a pleasant time but keep one thing in mind. You are supporting a sham event. It is by no means an open tournament. There is no qualifying and they pay a few key players appearance money to show up and make it appear to be a significant event and the legitimate open they pretend it to be. While this is par for the course in Thailand, pun intended, just remember that golf is at its core and tradition a game of integrity and character. The Japanese and Thai stakeholders the stage this event need their hands slapped for passing off a ruse instead of conducting a bona fide open golf tournament. Have fun.

Not true. There are many ways to qualify for the event through order of merit of many tours and other means. There are also 6 players in it that played pre qualifying rounds.

The word OPEN means anyone can win it. If only Thais can win it would be called a Closed championship.

It is just as open an event as other countries open events.

I was in Da Nang a couple of montha ago. Its about half way from HCM and Hanoi. Its on the coast. Nice town, quite vibrant. Many hotels on the river that are good for the price. If you dont want to be in the town can chose to stay at the beach, its only a couple of km away. China Beach is there.

Hoi An is very close, I didnt visit HoinAn but hear it is very nice.

Buy your Indian gardener a flute.

I like when I go to a restaurant and order the same food as another table and get charged double what they are charged. Because I am rich and I love Thai people and it's always good to be complimented and to be thought of as upper class and to be respected.

My biggest complaint is that chain restaurants do not have a dual pricing system. I almost had a heartache at KFC when they insisted I pay the same prices as the rest of the customers.

Look at it another way - tourist attractions which charge, should generally subsidize locals by way of free or reduced rates........simple!! The 'dual' pricing is really for the benefit of locals, and is not only confined to Thailand.

There are establishments in Las Vegas that charge entrance fees to tourists, unless you can prove local residency by way of driver's licence, etc.

KFC hardly qualifies as a tourist attraction......

I'll put my coat on.......

The difference is that in hose places it is, as you say, locals. Citizens from other parts of the country are not considered locals and pay tourist price.

In Thailand, local means everyone except foreigners.

If 200 baht, or $5 usd is going to break you...you should probably stay home and think about why you are so poor, and living in a foreign country!

Nobody has said 200 baht was going to break them. That's is not a rational standard to judge every expense.

People hate the policy because it's RACIST because your race determines the price you pay. It is especially indefensible now that showing a work permit or Thai driver's license doesn't work.

I don't have the right to be racist to people in California just because they're not from California. That is <deleted> crazy and so are you.

>deleted< Many countries have different prices for locals than for tourists. Some villages in Switzerland can only be reached by funicular in winter so locals hope to keep their weekly travel costs down by charging tourists more. Some travel reductions in Switzerland are only available to people with a home address in Switzerland. That's what I know about, I'm sure that other countries do the same. Racist? I think you misspelt realistic.

No, in most countries the reduced rate for things are usually only for locals, living in the area. Citizens from outside the area are usually charged the full price.

If 200 baht, or $5 usd is going to break you...you should probably stay home and think about why you are so poor, and living in a foreign country!

Nobody has said 200 baht was going to break them. That's is not a rational standard to judge every expense.

People hate the policy because it's RACIST because your race determines the price you pay. It is especially indefensible now that showing a work permit or Thai driver's license doesn't work.

I don't have the right to be racist to people in California just because they're not from California. That is <deleted> crazy and so are you.

California. Lessee. As a senior citizen, I have a lifetime pass to get into your beautiful Yosemite National Park (and any other US national park) for free. You, because you are discriminated against due to age, will pay $25 per carload every time you visit. Or, you can buy an annual pass.

In Anaheim California where Disneyland is, the locals can get a cheap annual pass to Disneyland. That's Disney's way of saying "thank you" for the infrastructure that surrounds the park. The locals pay the taxes that build the roads and other necessities that even make Disneyland possible. There's your dual pricing in your California.

I could give you a lot more examples of dual pricing in the US. I hope your mind isn't made up to reject the notion that the Thais own these Thai parks, can charge whatever they choose, and you can choose whether to go.

Cheers.

Which of your situations gives a discount based on race?

Immigration is there to ensure you have all docs and meet their reqirements.

That is it, nothing more. They should stop trying to decide fashion reqirements.

People who dress in suits can smell just as badly as others that dont. No crime in how someone smells anyway.

Just do your job.

To the fellow Australian, I might not wear beach attire to offices in Oz but I wear bloody shorts.

Only time since being in Thailand have I worn jeans ie trousers, was on a flight to Singapore to keep my carry on under 7 kgs.

I will buy a pair of elephant pants ( those are those loose fitting baggy pants with elephants all over them) for the occasion, it will take me back to my hippie days

Agreed. In Oz i often visited govt offices. In winter i wore jeans. In summer it was shorts and sandals and tshirt. Never a problem.

Later I worked for a govt agency. Every Friday was casual day and we wore shorts and tshirts, basically like we came off the beach. The only people that dressed in shirt and tie etc were office workers in the city. Never did we have any issue with how anyone dressed.

No one was there to enter a fashion parade so it was no issue.

"Sex capital of Asia"? Never going to happen.

Agreed. Muslim laws laying in wait, higher prices.

Absolute cr*p. Nothing to do with muslim laws. Its cheaper in KL than it is in australia.

So how does that fit?

I just did Vietnam.

You cannot just get visa on arrival like turning up at immigration at airport in Bangkok.

First you need an approval letter that you do online, very simple and costs around US$18. With this approval letter will be the visa application. Fill that in.

Second you get 2 passport photos.

Third you turn up at HCM airport and at the left side of immigration is a window for the visa. Give them your passport and visa application form, photos and US$45.

If you dont have the photos they will take for you for US$5. They also have extra forms if you lose yours.

From the time I got to the window to the time i got the visa was 5 minutes.

The visa is for 30 days but not multiple entry. Also you can only get them at HCM, Hanoi, Danang airport entry points.

Hope that helps.

Didnt use a company. Straight to their website.

Myvietnamvisa.com

Easy to do but if you need help feel free to ask me. Though Im certainly no expert

What did the approval letter look like?

a) http://www.instantvietnamvisa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/example_approval_letter1.jpg

.b.) http://www.viettravelcenter.com/upload/Vietnam%20visa%20letter.jpg

What i mean is did it just have your name (possibly your partners) name or did it have other dudes' and dudettes names on it as well. (those not in your group)

Mine has 10 names on it. I am number 6 and beside it is the date of my arrival and departure.

Yes the letters you posted look similar, but i cant read vietnamese. My letter is 3 pages but that is because there are so many names on it.

Also try vietnamvisa.gov.vn

Didnt use a company. Straight to their website.

Myvietnamvisa.com

Easy to do but if you need help feel free to ask me. Though Im certainly no expert

I just did mine last week. Very simple, just request it online for US$20 for I month visa but this is not multiple entry.

The approval letter was sent to my email the following day. Take that letter with you and upon arrival you get the visa for another US$45. You will also need 2 passport photos.

This can only be done at 3 airports on arrival.

I don't know about Australia but a number of countries get seriously upset if you are a citizen of that country and try to enter on another country's passport. I got a 3 hour detention and a stern talking to when I did this to enter the U.S. once (only did it because I had forgotten to bring my US passport along.

P

ThEy do get annoyed but cannot refuse you entry when it is confirmed you are a citizen. They can talk as sternly as they want but it is not illegal.

When I left Oz one officer also strongly suggested I use the Oz passport so the govt can assist me if I get into difficulty. I strongly suggested the Oz govt does all it can to avoid any such assistance. We agreed to disagree but in the end there was nothing he could do about it.

funny, my kids citizenship is one of those things i didn't let slide.

I let my own citizenship slide. Lived in Oz since I was 4 and only got citizenship when I was 48. Just in time to leave oz permanently 2 months later.

The kids citizenship didnt let slide as they are and always will be citizens of somewhere. Citizenship is not something to be too bothered about. The kids will be citizens of a country, that is enough for them. It will be up to them if they later in life want to get other citizenship.

If she is an Australian citizen she doesn't need a visa (or a passport) to enter Australia.

Australians who hold dual or multiple nationalities should hold an Australian passport and use it to enter or leave Australia, even when using a foreign passport overseas. The only exception is where they have been issued with an Australian Declaratory Visa.

http://www.border.gov.au/Lega/Lega/Mana/document

When I left oz I did so with my UK passport. Immigration questioned me using that section you quoted. I pointed out that although I have an Oz passport I prefer to travel on my UK one, also the section says 'should' not 'must' so there is no compulsion to use the oz passport.

They had no reason to stop me leaving so that was it.

OK, had a funny one tonight.

Definitely not really horror story but worth sharing and kind of sort of fits here (as it's not worth starting a new thread over).

Shopping for a vitamin item at one of the famous chain stores that sells such things.

Well, golly, there is exactly what I want on a Buy 1 / Get 1 Free Offer.

I'm big on those so I grab two of the item I want, expecting to pay for one.

Go up to the counter.

Total charge ... full price for two, no discount.

I then protest this is a promotion, Buy 1 / Get 1 Free.

Clerk looks annoyed and angry.

We go to the scene of the display.

There is the sign clearly making the offer along with an English label that matches the item in name and number.

This is just too much for the clerk to process so he calls out for help.

The tension is building.

A lady comes over, sees the sign, and just RIPS it away.

Aha, I figure, another one of those famous in Thailand the sign never existed ... prove otherwise.

So I get impatient and ask yes or no for the promotion.

No answer.

Time passes.

I'm still waiting.

More time passes.

Back at the counter, the final pronouncement is made.

YES ... they will honor the promotion.

Well, that's great.

Then here's the kicker.

Clerk asks me with a straight deadpan expression: Do you want ONE or TWO?

In his own way he could actually be asking if you want one, plus the free one. Or wanr 2, plus 2 free ones.

Many years ago I was told to look for this when in Malaysia.

Capture.JPG

I've been told that about China but not Malaysia. Will have to keep lookout for that

Hundreds of girls in Beach club and across the road in Thai club though. There is no shortage at all.

They are offering the get Malaysia my second home 10 year visa for free and they want you to come and live there none of the BS like here.

where do you see a MALAYSIA MY 2ND HOME VISA for free ?

the requirements are not easy to fulfill. a lot more difficult than in Thailand.

At least it was like that 2-3 years ago

There is another visa you wont find easily. Its Malaysia's got talent.

If you get your standard work permit and have it for 3 years, taxes paid, you can apply for it, gives you a work visa, not tied to a specific employer. A lot more freedom.

But that isnt a retirement visa, for work purposes.

"Sex capital of Asia"? Never going to happen.

No cant ever see that happening either. But definitely no shortage either.

^{Just can not go to a complete Muslim country. Extremism scares me. I've read posts that its a great country, and posts with cute guys, but I just know, they would find a way to kick my butt.}

Malaysia may be a muslim country but dont fear that you must live like a muslim. Their sharia law does not pertain to non muslims, hell muslims dont worry about it either, my muslim gf is always wanting a whiskey when we are out.

In saying all that and you need not worry yourself just dont be so stupid to walk down a more muslim conservative area with a roll of pork sausages around your neck and a beer in your hand. It is unlikely to cause you any harm but it may stir the locals up enough to ask you to remove such items.

Malay muslims are, in the whole, very nice and understanding. They care not what you do.

Come on over and I will take you for a few beers.

Edit: Traffic sucks big time though.