tavarich

Now this is what I call a good start. Many references many starting points, it's all good. Thanks.

My wife gave me a small very old Budddha, that she had wrapped in gold and plastic.It has been with the family for quite a while. I can't remember the name of it. Since I am leaning toward Buddhism it seems a nice place to start. And it is under my shirt at all times.

I would like to learn some more on Buddism. What is the difiinitive book ? to start with. nothing over the top, don't scare me off.

Au bon pain in Bumrungrad baan

A little goes a long way

A little off topic but I can't remember how to pronounce the new airpots name. And who is it named after

Hey thanks everyone, except Bambi. J K hey how did I do

would someone please take the time to put together a small dictionary of the little short cuts you ole pros use. yes I can figure some of them out but if ya got the time...... Thanks.

You will have to go to the big city nearest her home town. Get the ID changed first. Then go to get the passport changed. One thing keep the old passport with you at all times some times the old name will come back to haunt you and if you don't have it be prepared to deal with the red tape.

Jools on soi C flaky fish and big portions

I mailed about 6 boxes of my personal stuff there. They were of no real value just pics and clothes and some electronics. I got them all eventually. Most of them came straight to the apartment, but a couple landed in the local main post office. They were held up in customs. No suprise that the ones I had marked electronics were the ones that got held up. I had to go down to the main post office with my then girlfriend and she got it all straightend out. But it took my passport and her ID and a letter from the apartment;and most of an afternoon in lines and different clerks, supervisors ..... what I did learn from all of that was to send it to your girlfriend with a Thai name attached.

How do the Thai register to vote? I have been trying to find out from my wife but she doesn't seem to care. I'm trying to get her more involved in the process. Also has there been any numbers crunched as to what percent of the population does vote.

I bet he thinkth twithe before he duth that again

I just got a response from the fine folks at AIS here it is off of an email:

Hi One-2-Call member, Wishing you blessings in the New Year.

Thank you for your e-mail. We are glad to answer your question as follows:

We would like to inform you that to identify yourself as the One-2-call user, the customer need to contact by his or herself only.

To identify yourself you have to bring one of these documents along with your sim card. An Identity Card , A passport, Government officer ID card, A driving license Card. As this policy relates to a security reason so Thai government requested a cooperation from all parties including people and distributor. This must be proceeded according to government policy and from a rule of Corporation Public Company Limited or (TOT).

In addition, the government has extended the period and the not mentioned the deadline yet that you can proceed this when you come back to Thailand. However, if there is some change we will let you know through the general public.

Additional Information : For more information of product and service of One-2-Call you can visit website www.one-2-call.com that you can also apply for Freedom club and you will be able to check balance and validity or join in events held by AIS.

Any questions? Just dial *122# or email us at [email protected] 24 hours' a day.

Freedom Freestyle by one-2-call

It's a little cryptic as to the grace period but what ya gonna do

My 2 cents is that I married a thai and I just do the visa run every 30 day's. As my job lets me out every couple of months I have found that is the easiest way to take care of it. At least until I reach retirement age then I will cross that red tape when I have to.

I just talked to my wife in BKK and she went to AIS and they told her there was no problem. I could register when I got back. I am still not convinced that she got the whole story. They checked my number and it shows that I have a couple of baht left and it expires late next year. So I will have her check again next week and see if the story is different.

Can you fortunate folks that get to stay in LOS full time; keep us poor unfortunates in the cell phone loop. I won't get back until the end of Feb. and I am concerened that I will lose my Phone number I've had for so long. I read the Bangkok Post most day's and never heard about the registration until I read about it here. Any thing to calm my nerves please.

Well my wife’s 18 year old brother was caught in bed with a young village girl last night and now the family wants them to marry. The wife tells me they turned up at home last night looking for there daughter and her brother they then searched the village and found them sleeping together. The brother has done a runner and hasn’t been seen since and her family and my wife’s family are in a discussion now about weather they will marry and how much the dowry will be

The brother doesn’t want to marry

I have told my wife I will not be paying for any dowry but she can sell some of her gold to pay the dowry as I can’t see it being to high.

I will post more after talking to the wife tomorrow to find out what they decide to do

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Thats interesting and funny and sad and scary and just plain entertaining. Thanks

There is a mexican resturaunt on Soi 7 just a short walk from the beach road. I think I saw it on their menu. It could just be wishful thinking. Let me know if they do have it I will be back soon.

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Tequila Reef!!!

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thanks It was driving me nutz trying to remember the name. Dam good Mex food for so far away from the barrio.

So the loads of packets i've got in my cupboards - do i have to throw them away??

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I wonder how many ex-pat teachers could survive on their salaries without instant noodles. This could be a major catastrophy.

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As an expat teacher in Thailand (living in my cardboard box, sipping on noodles) I feel compelled to inform you that the word is 'catastrophe.'

No charge.

"Steven"

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Well, I'm not a teacher, but thanks anyway. I'll spellcheck next time.

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I believe the term is iradiate. like what they do to that box milk

I have just finished a complete renovation on 2 studios ,side by side in jomtien beach. These units have never been lived in and evrything is done to very high standards. Full teakwood custom made kitchen,recessed halogen lighting,american style bathroom w/big shower and everything else you would need to be comfortable.They are right on jomtien beach on the 14th floor. There are 2 huge swimming pools, a 3 minute walk to the beach and many restaurants,laundry,maid service, fitness center etc... These buildings are maintained spotlessly and the maintenance staff here is second to none. The condos are in Jomtien Beach Condominium and there is baht bus service 24 hrs and security is everywhere and very good.There are stores here,barber,massage,pubs and all the amenities needed. The units have balconies, are in a foreign name and will rent for a long term at 8,000 bht a month or sale at 1.25 million. These condos are far better than view talay in my opinion as the swimming pools and grounds are much nicer, the beach location is better and the prices here are much less and you get a much better value for your money.Feel free to call me

Eric

06-111-4136

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I'm not to familiar with that area. would you know the names of any of the private elementary schools. I have wanted to get a condo in that area for sometime

Well..i am not in the same situation...so my points of view might not carry much weight......But still here i go....

It is a mather of respect and a mather of trying to understand how people born and growing up in this country/region is influenced by their peers, religion, culture and circumstances......

It is in no way comparable to most of us "falang" expiriences and upbringing.

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Nicely said.

We've been sending my MIL the same amount of money per month for four years. Three of those years she had to care for her sick mother until her mothers death last year.

Shes added to the size of her house, built a fence around her property painted, and taken care of our son (from my wives first marriage) on the 10,000 baht we send. She asks for nothing extra, provides the food for her dead husbands mother (who lives elsewhere in village in her own home (thats to be given to my wife, on our next visit, whenever that'll be))

MIL does all of our land buying, which my wife (excluding the first 7 rai) has paid for outta the money she makes here in the US.

MIL has taken a part time job to stay busy, after realizing she wasn't going to become happy trying to make money in small scale agriculture.

When her family (brothers and sisters and their kids) need help it comes outta MIL money, theres no asking us, as my wonderful wife has strong feeelings about helping people who didn't help her after an auto accident and her long recovery. My wife forgives, but doesn't forget, so only one uncle and one cousin are in her good graces. I couldn't be happier with the arrangement, after the gov't here gets their act together, and our son comes here we'll cut mommas income a little. Momma also knows when we move back to Thailand, they'll be another cut in income as ours will lessen. To this extent she saves a few thousand baht a month to build a nest egg.

All Thai families aren't the same, trying to drain the farang isn't an automatic. I knew going into a relationship with a thailady that she was responsible for her family, ie I was responsible as I entered into her family. Accept her, accept all it entails. But not to the point of stupidity shown in other posts.

Theres not the socialist system in place that europe and the US provide as partial assistance for their citizens as they age, theres not the monthly social security check coming to the aged.

Thailand does have the cheap medical, but other than the odd program, your on your own, and have only family.

The little money we provided has enabled her to make her life a little better, that makes me feel good, as life isn't only about ourselves.

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I have been reading this thread for a while now and this one has the most

"COMMON SENSE" pouring out of it. I married a Beautiful intelligent Thai lady. But not before I spent four years with her learning about her, the cultural differences and all the problems that would arise from our union. I help her with the family with in the parmeters we both agreed to long before we were married. Best of luck to anyone who just jumps into a multicultural marriage, because if you don't do your homework disaster and heartache are waiting just up the road.

There is a mexican resturaunt on Soi 7 just a short walk from the beach road. I think I saw it on their menu. It could just be wishful thinking. Let me know if they do have it I will be back soon.

I know very little about US immigration rules and procedures, but, despite our transatlantic cousins prevalence for distorting the English language,  surely to qualify for "Resident Alien" status one has to be..........resident!

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I would like to apologize to GU22 for my stupid question. I was taught that there was no such thing as a stupid "question" So in the future I would suggest to all that they first check with the king of all distorted english before they post so as to ask a proper question. Thank you for my english lesson.

Does anyone know if my Thai wife has to live in the States to get a resident alien status. Since we don't have any plans to move there in the near future, I would like to get some information and maybe some direction on this subject.