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The Atkins diet / low carb diets I repeat are very controversial and respected health authorities, doctors of body science and similar academics have done studies on this subject for many years have found very serious health problems that occur short and long term.

You are correct that low carb diets are controversial. There are also plenty of respected health authorities, doctors of body science and similar academics who are fine with it.

Also, what needs to be taken into consideration is the effects of remaining overweight, and these are *not* controversial. Short term issues, if you experience them (friends on Atkins have told me of no negative effects after the first few days), are a small price to pay for reaching your goal weight. And long term effects (if there are any - serious long term studies so far are restricted to animals since the low carb 'craze' is pretty recent) shouldn't enter the equation once you reach your goal and start moving onto a more normal diet.

Not that I would recommend Atkins - it kick started a lot of new thinking but is out of date. In particular, studies I have seen have shown pretty conclusively that Atkins was quite wrong about *why* it works and other more recent diets use this to help good weight loss without the extremes needed to kick your body into ketosis. If I decide to try something more formal, I'll be going with the CSIRO's Total Wellbeing diet which a friend has had amazing success with and comes out of a very well respected government research institution.

I was doing well yesterday. Bananas, a few dim sum, some vegetable soup.

Then at 11pm I succumbed, and had a parmesan cheese sandwich. That was all the ingredients I could find in the fridge.

I don't know why I can't control myself late at night. Yet I'm okay all day.

If you are working during the day, your mind is generally on other things. On a number of occasions, I've knocked off work and realized that I haven't eaten a thing all day. Perhaps you are just being too drastic?

A high protein/low or no carb meal in the evening can work for many people, as it will keep you feeling fuller for longer (as opposed to a parmesan cheese sandwich). A 300g grilled steak and salad at around 6pm might have been the best thing. Combined with a reasonable breakfast you might not have had those 4 sandwiches and a mars bar for lunch today!

Yes, it seems that cooking is in the cards for me- but I don't currently have a kitchen in my cardboard box... something to think about next time I move.

You can always try picking up suitable street food with no rice and buy a rice cooker for doing your own brown or red rice, or just skip the rice all together. A no-carb diet like Atkins is difficult, but I think a saner diet like CSIRO Total Wellbeing or roll-your-own is quite doable without a kitchen if you are not also trying to do low-fat, so no need to put things off until your lease expires. Plenty of suitable curries to choose from, boiled chicken, stewed pork knuckle, ka pow gai/moo/plah muek... Or wander into restaurant and grab a takeaway steamed fish.

This might help as it is very recent and Ubuntu specific - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/AirCard8X0

I'm still not sure about Atkins, has anyone here actually tried it & had success? I always thought the food pyramid was the healthy way to eat. The other problem with me & Atkins is that I naturally have low blood sugar (Mum is an insulin dependent diabetic & seemingly that affected me!?) & carbs - bread, rice, pasta are really important to me. If I had a meal without them, I'd be woozy later on. I do eat brown rice, wholegrain bread etc.

Atkins has been shown to work in tests, and I've had friends who have had great success with it (everyone who stuck with it hit their target weights). The interesting thing is why it works - all the people poo-pooing the diet because they believed losing weight was just a case of eating fewer caleries than you burn where correct. Turns out that people on 'all you can eat' Atkins and other low-carb diets end up consuming fewer calories because a low-carb diet is an appetite suppresant. So if Atkins is too radical for you, there are plenty of other diets out there that work similarly (no carbs after 5, CSIRO, etc.)

As much as many Thais and many of the posters here do not like Thaksin, let's not forget he was elected by a clear majority of the people in Thailand. How he got elected I suppose is subject for debate but no one has ever claimed, to my knowledge, that the elections were rigged in favor of Thaksin. There may have been money or gifts thrown out to villagers but they still voted for the guy.

Paying a few hundred baht per vote placed for your candidate does not count as rigging an election? It is a standard and well proven way of rigging elections.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigged_electi...on_and_coercion

Particularly smart by paying the money to the village head man per actual vote cast 'correctly', rather than the individual voters, as he can then insist people working in Bangkok come home to vote who would otherwise not bother, as well as intimidate people to actually vote the way they are being payed rather than take the money and place a legitimate vote.

Any more news on Trendy's progress please ?

Thanks

Here is a new aerial shot:

Personal observations:

The neon 'Trendy' arch on the roof just got installed today. Cladding over almost the entire building, and I think the top half of the tower has its final surface done. Glass in all the upper half windows (pool level and above. Not sure if glass goes into the lower levels or if this is all carpark). They appear to have stopped digging up the sidewalk in front. Some lights have already been installed on the front of the building (probably silly - it is still very much a building site so why install finishing touches when they are going to get filthy at the very least?). At least one and probably both cranes are gone and they are no longer carting away debris by the truckload. It might end up a shiny new building but I still prefer mine even if the lifts are slow

Cactus bar in Soi Cowboy has a selection of 6-8 for about 150bt a bottle (not bad given local beers are about 110). If you ask nicely, or just buy him a drink, the owner should be able to put you in contact with the importer if you want to purchase in bulk.

I got a request for updated photos, so here is a new one taken from the same vantage point. I'll take a few more from ground level when I wander past next. The roof seems done. There is cladding on the outside, glass has gone in.

Here are some more photos, taken yesterday with a crappy phone camera from ground level. Still looks like a bomb site but work is happening.

Except in this case, it's not what the OP is really asking for nor needs and is therefore inappropriate in this particular case and many others. Only a matter of time before the inappropriate use of them leads to their cancellation for all that do want to use them appropriately... so by all means, get the visa that is the least expensive, the least troublesome, and the most appropriate for your particular needs.

For the purposes of this thread, the OP already mentioned he would obtain the appropriate visa two days ago.

You seem to be claiming better knowledge of what is an appropriate visa is than the consulates. There are a number of consulates who do think a Multiple Entry Type-O Non-Immigrant visa is the appropriate visa to issue to long term stayers, whether they are here for an extended holiday, telecommuters, or whatever. The O in Type-O stands for Other, and it is up to the discretion of the consuls and ambasadors to decide to whom it is appropriate to give them to within the mandate given to them by the Thai govornment. Just like they can refuse to give you any visa at all if they don't like the way you look or are suspicious of your motives. And it is their opinion that counts.

This flexibility is desirable. Instead of an inflexible beurocracy that can be gamed, the discretion of their consuls can allow them to do things like make it difficult for the paupers to obtain visas (by telling Penang and other neighbouring consulates to follow stricter guidelines), but allowing consulates in rich countries to funnel in people who can demonstrate sufficient wealth that it is obvious they wouldn't consider working here. The bulk of visitors fit into the standard rules, and the remainders can still discuss the issue with an official with the power to make decisions. Do you honestly think Thailand wants to deny a visa to a visiting Fortune 500 CEO because their company doesn't have a business presence in Thailand and they might do some work here? Or a pop star? Or a telecommuter and their partner earning western wages and pumping a big chunk of that straight into the local economy?

Very bad information given Pattaya46

Yes, you can get a non immigrant O visa if you are under 50. You do not have to be married. You do not have to have Thai parents. You must be visiting for Bussiness, Professional education or other non tourist activities.

Sorry, but you are the one that is incorrect. One will not be issued a non-immigrant 'O' visa for any of the activities you list. Business visitors are issued non-immigrant category 'B' visas, students non-immigrant category 'ED' visas, missionaries non-immigrant category 'R' visas, etc. Suggest you review the list at Non-Immigrant Thai Visas before you are so quick to criticize.

Visiting friends and family of friends is an acceptable reason. A letter from a Thai friend would certainly bolster the chances of approval

Once again you are incorrect. "Visiting friends" is not technically a valid reason for a Thai consular office to issue a non-immigrant category 'O' visa, although some of the smaller, friendlier consular offices may in fact do so. A Thai embassy will generally follow the letter of the law and category 'O' is usually reserved for dependants/family as Pattaya46 stated.

You can get Multiple Entry Type-O Non-Immigrant Visas for visiting friends or even just an extended stay. Each consulate and embassy is different and seem to be a law unto themselves - if your local one doesn't give them out, try another one in your home country if that is possible. Or even the same consulate a few weeks later you might find they have changed their rules or you are talking to a different staff member. About the only constant is that the consulates and embassies only give out the longer visas to locals, so I doubt an Australian could visit the embassy in Hull UK and get one.

Even if 'not technically valid' acording to the letter of Thai law to give out the visas (which I understand is deliberately vague anyway, and I wouldn't trust a translation either), they are still legal visas if you get one.

PM me if you want photos - I can see the roof from here and wander past once or twice a day.

I got a request for updated photos, so here is a new one taken from the same vantage point. I'll take a few more from ground level when I wander past next. The roof seems done. There is cladding on the outside, glass has gone in.

Do you think that is possible that he has a multiple of four, 60 day tourist visa's?

Well according to my passport I have a Tourist Visa which clearly Says no of entrys 4. And any time I have re entered they have marked a two month period before I have to exit again.

I got it from the Thai Embassy in London before I came so I dont know why its so unbelievable or why I am supposingly so mistaken. When it clearly says Tourist Visa, Lists the numbers of entrys and as i have said so far the officials have been giving me two months stamps in my passport

All I had to do was pay a fixed amount for each entry. I thought that what most people did if coming for a year than after the 8 months are up do a border run for the remaining 4 mmonths

You are unaffected - the changes only apply to entry-stamp-on-arrival. You have a real visa.

Why get the tourist visa multiple from the consulate when u can get a non-immigrant o visa multiple for 1 year for the same cost??

Well according to the Thai Embassy in London that was only available on these conditions

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/niv.htm so you can see its not a tourist visa and we had no way of proving any of there conditions as we did not fit the bill

All i am trying to find out is as I have never had to get a Visa On Arrival, will I be able to do so for 3 times after my multiple runs out or is the multiple visa counted in the same way

However, if you look at the Thai Consulate in Hull's Visa Application Pack on page 2, you will find they say Type-O non-immigrant single or multiple entries are for visiting friends and/or relatives or long term stay. Consulates and embassies seem to make up many of their own criteria - shop around and don't be afraid to ask about your particular situation (although you probably want to wait until the dust has settled if you have the time - I expect most embassies and consulates will revise their criteria in the next few weeks, maybe to tighten up, maybe to appear tightened).

so what do such people ( multiple tourist visa ) do for a living? how do they get money? one assumes its all illigal?

Probably the same thing retirees do for a living - absolutely nothing.

People rich enough to retire early through luck or working their arse off. Common if you are happy retiring somewhere cheap like Thailand.

People who have decided to check out of society for a few years and enjoy life now while they are young rather than work continuously until they are 50+ and spend their retirement recovering from a lifetime of servitude.

People on long service leave (is this just Australia, or do other countries give 6+ months paid leave for 10+ years continuous employment?)

There are also a large group of people who work offshore yet live here. Consultants, oil field workers, telecommuters, professional gamblers, stock market analysts, artists, writers, jornalists. And a lot of them would jump at the chance of being registered for Thai tax if it was at all possibly, as it is much cheaper than paying tax in most of our home countries.

Thanks, Rainman.

But because I travel extensively, a double-entry tourist visa from Penang won't really do me any good.

Such a visa is, of course, good for 2 entries + an extension.

So, that means that if I took that route I would be going to Penang every 2-3 weeks or so and staying 2-3 days to get a tourist visa. That really does not work out for me.

That's why the 30-day visaless stamp was ideal. No hassles.

Come Oct. 1, I'll take your option #2.

Depending on your home country, if you return you may well be able to get a 1 year multiple-entry Type-O Non-Immigrant Visa. Long stay tourists can get these. You might have to demonstrate enough money in the bank that the consulate believes you won't want to work for pissy Thai wages illegally. Email or phone your home country's consulate - you might be surprised.

As an example, if you have a look at Hull in the UK's visa application pack (page 2), it clearly states that Type-O's are for visiting friends/relatives or extended stay. http://www.thaiconsul.co.uk/pdfs/Ab%20%20V...tion%20Pack.pdf

(And if your consulate is stricter, I'm sure you can find a local friend to write a letter of invitation).

My situation is that I make a trip the UK now once a year. The main reason is get my Non-B visa (but I tie other things in as well, visit the family etc.). Its so easy in your home country. The service in the UK is fantastic. I send my passport on a Monday its back by Wednesday. How do they do that? Its simply wonderful.

...

Are the people the make such a song and dance about the visa laws people that can’t go home because of fear of arrest? I just cannot work-out what the problem is.

So you are here on the whim of the (farang) Honorary Consul in Hull in the UK. Each consulate and embassy seems to be a law unto themselves. Some like Hull and (formerly?) Penang hand out visas to almost everyone. Others do not. If Hull happens to change its policy or closes you will quickly find out what the problem is for others who need to deal with less flexible embassys or consulates. It would only take one newpaper article of a farang who got caught with a visa they got by mail order without leaving Thailand or a scare mongering polititian out for a few more votes to invent this or a similar situation.

Plenty of people fall through the cracks in the laws - this being the internet, telecommuters and IT contractors are particularly well represented in this forum. If you are lucky and have an understanding consulate worker at home and you contact them on a day they have the patience to listen to you explain the concept of telecommuting they might give you a 1 year type-O. Or you might be stuck on the 30 day tourist entry stamps or 60 day tourist visa.

Thankfully I'm now personally on a type-O as my wife is now a legal teacher here. It only took an entire 3 months for her to become legal due to all the paper shuffling and visits to various bits of the gov. I think the only English teachers who manage to be legal their entire stay are those who accept a (generally crap) job before they arrive in Thailand and stay there like a good indentured slave. Having seen the hoops the schools have to jump through I can understand why some of them don't bother unless they have been previously busted and have to be especially careful - the time and money wasted is quite breathtaking all for an incredibly common procedure and not every school wants to invest in a dedicated lawyer to deal with the process that winds its way through three seperate ministies multiple times.

Not that any of this matters yet - nothing has actually happened or changed apart from vague anouncements.

At this point I wouldn't bother. Even if you somehow convince AIS/One-2-Call to block the IMEI of your lost phone it really won't have much of an impact. The phone could be used on other networks (DTAC/TrueMove/Hutch), and/or the IMEI could be hacked. Or they'll get the IMEI number wrong and block somebody else's phone.

I think some countries have made it a requirement that all operators block reported lost/stolen phone IMEI's? Maybe Autralia?

If it is done properly, the blacklisted IMEI numbers are shared between the local providers or even globally if they use a central registry. eg. the one England uses is talked about at here. IMEI numbers can be changed on some models of phones, but not all. The more recent your phone model is, the less likely it can be changed.

I'm suspecting in Thailand you are correct and there is no shareing between providers even if you can get one of them to blacklist a handset. If it was available it would be better known In countries where the providers sell handsets they profit from phone theft so I can understand them dragging their feet. I guess here the providers just don't care, which is a real shame given how expensive phones are to the average Thai and the market in second hand phones being large enough that they are an ideal target for thieves.

I'll try going to the AIS main office when I get a chance and see what happens.

Yes & try to go to an AIS main center/office to do it.

AIS told me to go to Telewiz to get a new SIM card made with my old number. SIM card is fine, but the staff looked confused when I tried to give them the IMEI number as well and after I explained that I wanted to get the handset barred so it could not be used I was told that it could not be done (again :-( )

If anyone has had success doing this, can you tell me the address to go to?

Can anyone confirm or deny if it is possible to block a handset from accessing the local mobile networks using the phone's IMEI number?

I know this service is offered in some countries for the last several years to stop people being able to use stolen mobile handsets, but the AIS call cantre didn't know what I was talking about. I'm unsure if it can't be done here yet or if I just wasn't clear explaining myself.

I bank with Lloyds in the UK, I have never had a problem with them sendnig me cards (replacements when expired, replacements when lost or replacements when I had my card cloned).

I've had cards sent to Thailand serveral times, Singapore, Japan and recently Italy. Why should it be a problem? The card is inactive until you receive it and confirm receipt by answering a string of security qestions over the phone.

Lloyds wants me to pay 30 pounds for courier delivery of cards due to 'high levels of lossage' or some such twaddle. Thankfully I can wait to pick them up next time I'm in the UK. I've yet to lose mail here, including several parcels with highish declared values from mail order purchases. I wonder if postage problems and theft occurs in the last leg and it depends on where you live?

I have a work permit with a 1-year validity, but it still needs to be extended (before 6th of June, as this was when my 'B' visa was due to expire).

Immigration have just given me a 6 month visa extension. I now need to go to the Labor Department to extend my WP. I work for a private school. Is the info at thaivisa.com re documents needed for WP extension up to date? Any help appreciated... (and it costs 3000 bt, right?)

Preorders for free CD's of Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake) are now open. Pressed CDs of Ubuntu, Kubuntu and Edubuntu are available:

• Ubuntu Shipit
  
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My employer (a language school) has given me two photocopied pages of my teaching license, p.11 and p.18. Is there any reason for them to be hanging on to the original document?

There is definetly work going on. The place still generally looks lik a bomb site, but they now have car park ramps in enough state for some of the workers to park cars 'inside'. I suspect they have finished or nearly finished stripping all the stuff they no longer want and are underway with the major structural changes. I've seen loads of scrap metal being halled away, and loads of tiles being delivered. There is a new skeleton of a roof on top, and thankfully they have finished jackhammering :-/

PM me if you want photos - I can see the roof from here and wander past once or twice a day.