AlexRich

I found this on travelfish.org. They said that the process was simple but you need to make sure you dot the 'i's' and cross the 't's'. I'm going to Bali next week and will have to go through this process before I return to Thailand.

"Although the process is fast and painless, they are sticklers for the correct documentation in Bali. You’ll need a passport with at least six months’ validity, a photocopy of the passport, one four by six centimetre head shot photos, 560,000 rupiah, proof of travel both in and out of Thailand -- including proof of payment and (these are new as of 2015, thanks Maureen for the update!) proof of a reserved hotel in Thailand for seven days and a bank statement showing a balance of $700. The paperwork is important; a clearly marked sign outside the consulate says in bold letters that “it is not possible to grant visas if no proofs of travel are submitted”. You need all the paperwork for EACH applicant."

Why don't you just try a cheeky offer and gauge the response? I'm not sure what the market is like, but it does look as if supply is fairly strong, and that along with a less than buoyant economy may be to your advantage.

I'm hanging out here for a few years ... so far so good. Like the previous commentators, I like the weather, the relaxed atmosphere, the food, the generally pleasant people and pretty much anything that I need I can find here.

I don't mind too much the visa requirements and use it as an opportunity to check out - so far - Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia. i'm in Bali next week for a few weeks and then off to Chiang Mai.

I don't have any bad experiences to report but I am aware that Thailand has a dark side ... so I recognise it, and take steps to avoid being caught up in it. I personally don't mind people raising negative aspects ... for a person new to Thailand it can be quite helpful.

The White Temple is worth a visit if you are in the region. The main attraction is the temple itself, I don't recall anything inside the complex to be anything special. I originally thought it was a religious temple until I saw Star Wars characters on the internal wall frescos. Unless of course Yoda is a Buddhist?

So, if you don't wish to pay just take photographs from outside, and if you're not too concerned then pay and have a look inside. Personally it was the external design that I found most interesting, not the internal artworks, etc.

Small man syndrome. Yeah. You Dutch are the tallest people on earth, right?

Wish we were tall like you. Then we could have fended off the Nazis like you did.

Good job on that, by the way.

Even better job on those tiny Vietnamese, by the way.

+1 for the jab

But now seriously... did the Vietnamese ever use guns?

And is it okay with you Euros that they did?

Maybe everyone should get a "moral license" from an EU citizen before buying one?

Or would that be "licence"?

I just want to say that there is a minority europeans, like me, who actually think anyone should be able to defend themself with any means necessary and also be able to concealed carry. But most of the europeans have brain cancer or something that prevents them from thinking rationally and only feel, could be the socialist brainwashing going on in schools and society.

I'm not sure about brain cancer, i hope not. As for socialism, I wouldn't subscribe to that either. My thoughts on this topic would be to try to stay in a place where these risks (burglary, and being slaughtered by a mad Thai) are minimal. I like the comments about dogs, that makes sense to me. Also, alarms, CCTV, safe room and other deterrents. My main concern was the crossbow, guns, etc argument. I wonder how sympathetic a Thai court would be if you used them? I think you'd be on pretty safe grounds in the US, but I'm not sure you would be here. You might be sent to jail and never get out. A grim prospect.

But if you insist on having deadly weapons then it would make sense to have a "clean up and burial contingency plan", so as to dispose of the evidence and clean up the scene of the incident. Together with a "permanent holiday in my country of birth plan", whereby you exit the country within 6 hours. Fail to plan, plan to fail. Good luck chaps.

@AlexRich, thank you very much for the report and glad you had a nice visit.

No problem. Great place, well worth the effort.

I visited Chiang Rai last October-November 2015. I enjoyed it so much I'm planning to go back.

I stayed at the Ariya Inn, very close to the old airport landing strip (where people congregate and use as a jogging and cycling track). A good location, reasonably close to the Central Shopping Centre on one side, and the town centre on the other. The hotel was clean, of a good standard, and the staff were pleasant and helpful. An added bonus was a a great coffee place close to the school (the name escapes me), just down the road from the hotel heading for town and first on your left.

As far as eating is concerned I lunched at a cafe (Discovery Cafe) in town. Lot's of foreigner customers because I believe it is connected to the children's charity that many of them work for. Nice food, good wi fi, reasonable prices. I tried a couple of Thai places around the bar area and they were surprisingly good, and great value. Also went to Hungry Wolf's ... a good place if you are looking for western fare. If you want traditional fast food you can find it on the high street close to the night market or at the Central Shopping place.

The town is quiet and the locals are friendly, but never in your face, unlike some of the more popular Thai destinations. I enjoyed exploring the town by foot, and visited a number of the market areas. It's not a party town, so if that is important to you just stay a short time.

I also hired a car and visited a number of places ... the White Temple, Doi Chang coffee plantation, a tea plantation, the Golden Triangle, Chiang Saen, Chiang Khong, and Mae Sai. All very enjoyable.

All in all, a great place and I'm planning to spend more time there this Summer.

The Director said he had good intentions when he hit them, what the hell is that for a statement, that is just saying yes hit them for anything they do wrong and do not worry about it as I will back you up!!

Unlike Mike Tyson, who used to hit with "bad intentions".

We are all racist to some extent and no amount of discussing it will ever alter that. Thailand exhibits racism on a daily basis as does every other country. Accept it exists and get on with your life.

In some respects that's true. I don't think it is racism so much as general prejudice. I read a quote from a young black kid on an article about youth gangs. He said that if he is outside his home area and is walking down the road he will try to avoid groups of other young black men. He's clearly not racist, but he doesn't want to take a chance and discover that the group are hostile. He's not taking any chances ... and neither is the landlord in Bangkok (who wants a good tenant). To a greater or lesser extent we are all acting on some prejudice for safety, and other reasons. In the past, the one's that failed to do so were eliminated from the species, Darwin style. We are all full of 'in-built' prejudice, many just don't like to acknowledge it.

The landlord may well have had a bad experience or bad experiences with people from that region. Prejudice for sure but it may not be completely motivated by skin colour. It's not pleasant but if you need the rent money you have to make sure that your tenant is reliable.

Bear in mind that Indian's live in a country with a defined 'caste' system ... they are no strangers to judging before knowing.

I like the relaxed atmosphere here, the pleasant weather, and the fact that I can base myself here and explore other countries in South East Asia. It's not forever, but it will do for now.