Tod Daniels

Sorry,

I should have said, EARLY IN THE MORNING, it can be quite the hassle to cross the border, especially right when it opens. All the visa run companies are there with their clients, and there's a plethora of tourists crossing then too.

Later in the day, I dunno and would most likely heed the advice from the poster known as "Colabamumbai".

You don’t even need to pre-purchase your Lao visa in Khon Kaen if you don’t wanna, as they sell ‘em at the Lao border when you enter from Nong Khai.

Although having a Lao visa in your passport can speed your trip into Lao because sometimes that border crossing is a total cluster-fu_ck with people tryin to get in.

With the amount of foreigners crossing that border you’d think it was Disney Land or something, instead of what it really is; a communist third world country.

As has been pointed out, you don’t need to stay in Lao for any length of time, just stamp outta thailand, cross the border into Lao, stamp in, stamp out, and you can re-enter thailand getting another 90 day stamp on your non-O visa.

I might add that my withdrawal of full support for CMU has been due to the effect non or iregularly attending students have on courses which has been at least condoned by the administration despite the quality of the teachers.. If this is a sign of more stringent application of study demands to its potential stucents I would look on this change possitively.

While this is slightly off topic I still feel it is of merit;

I completely concur, that lack of attendance on the part of thai language students is a chronic problem (especially in the private thai language school sector). I also believe it should be looked at in a much more critical manner by Thai Immigrations. I went so far as to have a meeting with the ‘Captain’ in the ED visa section at Changwattana to discuss this very topic.

Currently the minimum required hours of study are 16 hours a MONTH to continue in-country extensions of stay. Even if a student studied 4 hours a day for 4 days, they’d still qualify for an extension of stay, as the hours are specified by the month NOT the week.

However, in all the time I’ve assisted many, many ‘acquaintances’ in extending their ED visas at Changwattana; not a single time has the school provided a time sheet, or anything which shows the number of hours said student is actually studying the thai language.

I routinely make scans of all the paperwork which my ‘acquaintances’ have from various private thai language schools (more out of curiosity, than need). In reviewing a few of them just now; they only state the student has paid their tuition and is currently enrolled in the school. (There is only some vague language that the student meets the minimum criteria, and it's ambigious in its wording at best)

That someone would go the ED visa route, and then not have the wherewithal to spend the pathetically low 4 hours a week to study thai, is beyond belief to me.

BACK ON TOPIC

It's a shame this happened at CMU, as they do have a quality thai language program, and at least before had a really dedicated teaching staff which knew how to impart the thai language to foreigners in an efficient and interesting manner. They also have some killer material as far as learning thai too. I hope they get sorted out as they provided quite a good 'bang-4-the-baht' in terms of quality thai language instruction

NOTE TO THE O/P;

Id suggest calling or emailing your thai embassy (as you dont state your country, I dunno where you actually are) to see if using just the receipt of funds is enough for them to issue you a one year multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type ED visa. You indicated you don't leave for 7 weeks, and that's plenty long enough to secure a visa from where ever.

Some honorary consulates in the US have been known (in the recent past) to issue a year long multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type-ED to people with ONLY a letter typed by the student indicating his intent to study at this or that private thai language school (meaning he didn't even pay a single baht yet!)! That letter and an email from the school confirming this info was more than enough for them to issue a visa.

Then again, honorary consulates in the US, are pretty easy going as opposed to a real thai embassy which tends to be more of a stickler when it comes to interpreting the rules.

If youre reticent to write them, send me a P/M of where you are and what embassy youre gonna deal with and Ill email (or call em) as a prospective student in the thai language to see what they say they need as far as documentation, cost, etc.

<SNIPPED for brevity as it's the previous post>

Actually that 'excuse' sounds like a 'crock of proverbial shit' . CMU is right up there with Chula, Mahidol, Thammasat, and other illustrious unis in the glorious "Land 'O Thais". Given the feed back by posters who live up there, Thai Immigrations in Chiang Mai has been known to be quite 'user friendly' and accommodating in most situations.

I think it's more likely the as you so succinctly quoted 'relevant change in administration staff at CMULI' (a polite way to put the new people 'couldn't find their ass with both hands' as far as extensions or visas are concerned ) is the real culprit in this extension quandary.

That CMU would actually encourage students to over stay their visas, is ludicrous at best, and down right reprehensible at the worst.

I'll still try to call the Language Institute on Monday. FWIW I already sent an email to the President of CMU just to try to sort this out.

Sad really, as you coulda studied on a Non-Immigrant Type-O visa and just 'run for the border' every 90 days until it ran out (almost 15 months of stay). There is NOTHING that prohibits you undertaking education on ANY type of thai visa.

Mario is correct, most if not all the thai consulates/embassies in S/E Asia will only give you a single entry Non-Immigrant Type ED visa.

What I find strange is; 'real universities', of which Assumption certainly qualifies, usually give you documentation you take to thai Immigrations INSIDE the country and convert what ever visa your on to a Non-ED for a year. (I know Chula, Thammasat, Mahidol, and even Ramkhamhaeng do this). The documentation a ‘real uni’ receives from the Ministry of Education is usually addressed to Thai Immigrations, instead of the documentation you get from a private thai language school which is addressed to any thai embassy or consulate. As there're no thai embassies or consulates inside thailand that means you hafta leave to get a visa.

Right now you have a 90 day single entry Non-ED visa. IF you need to leave the country during the 90 days, you'd go purchase a re-entry PERMIT (not a visa), and it would keep your 'permitted to stay until stamp' alive.

I'm sure Assumption will give you documentation to extend the ED visa you have out at Immigrations. Now whether it will be for another 90 days, or a year, dunno. It would certainly behoove you to ask the administrations office at the college if they can give you paperwork which requests a year, as the worst thing they can say is no.

Do remember, a re-entry permit is only valid as long as the visa or extension of stay is valid. If you bought one now, it'd expire when your current 90 day visa expires. If you bought one after your extension, well depending on whether they extended you 90 days or a year, it'd be good for that amount of time. (Re-entry permits cost 1000baht for single re-entry and 3800baht for a multiple).

Again, as long as your Non-Immigrant Type-O was valid; I wouldn't have even bothered to get an ED visa. Despite the mis-advice from your 'attorney', (which was incorrect as far as undertaking study on a Non-O).

Good luck, hope this post wasn't too confusing. Do let us know what Assumption tells you as far as in-country extensions and if you get a year or only another 90 day.

What else do I listen to (when I'm not studying the thai language) except KISS!!

Here is a song which, when it was released, was panned by the critics in the US. I guess it was too disco at that time!

But when it is played 'live', it still ROCKZ!!

It's called;

"I Was Made 4 Luvin' U"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne9YwwchmNI&feature=related

Enjoy (or NOT). As the thais here say "Up-2-U"!!

Now anyway you measure it, that was a frickin' LONG wire-fly over the crowd. ..

Show me ONE band that does a show like KISS and I'll switch bands tomorrow!!

BUT no band in the entire world does a show like they do.... Deal with it, or take it to your grave!

You should have given him one of your Kiss t shirts Todd, improve his street cred.

FWIW: my KISS tour shirts cost anywhere from 1000baht to 1400baht depending on how much the band KISS wanted to screw fans at a particular concert . These are not the b/s KISS shirts you see for sale here!

Not that anyone other than me cares; but I’ve collected KISS tour shirts for well over 30 years and have 120+ shirts.

I’ve even taken the ‘super-rare’ ones to MBK and had them copied, so I can retire the original shirt, yet still wear one with that pattern . Am I a crazy KISS fan, err, yes!

Do I wear KISS shirts when I go to Changwattana, NO frickin’ way, not even when I go to turn in a 90 day reporting paper. (Although I do wear a KISS belt buckle and hat)..

Tod,

<SNIPPED OUT MY QUOTES>

Are there two Tod-Daniels posting here.....or did you have a brain fart?

Hey! go easy there, at 51 y/o, I 'resemble' that remark!!

NO, (unless I am sorely mistaken, which I could be) that was in reference to a visa conversion from a "Tourist Visa" or a "Visa Exempt Entry” from a first world country, where they do both things at once; convert what ever ”visa” or “visa exempt” stamp they’re on to a Non-Immigrant Type-O, and THEN issue the yearly extension of stay. BUT the fact of the matter is; those people WERE actually allowed to be here.

My 'acquaintance', after paying his over-stay, was essentially 'visa-less', and HE currently held NO visa AT ALL to be here! (To be honest, I dunno why they didn't make him get the "emergency 7 days to leave thailand" visa and start outside the country with his cluster-fuc_k)!

Hey man , I screw around with visas as a HOBBY (because I'm bored here) . It is not a source of income like 'real' forum sponsors, so gimme a break, now and again .

I sincerely hope for all concerned, that there’s only one poser <sic> errr, poster, known as Tod Daniels on the T/V Forum.

<SNIPPED OUT MY QUOTE, WHICH YOU DIDN'T QUOTE>

I am confused by the above quote...Over many posts, I thought it was established that there was no need for a health certificate any longer

My 'acquaintance' had broken his EIGHT years of consecutive extensions of stay based on retirement, and was at least "in theory", applying for a brand spanking NEW retirement extension of stay.

Now sometimes the very first time you apply for a yearly extension of stay out at Changwattana they want to see a health certificate (NOT for subsequent extensions, just the very first time). Then again sometimes they don't (I have yet to find ANY rhyme or reason to their methodology).

I just wanted it to "fly", so thought &lt;deleted&gt;; it's 100 baht, might as well have one.

FWIW; they took it rather than handed it back as a document not needed (like they normally do).

Now was it really 'required'? Again, I dunno, and at this point I don't care.

FWIW; (which might be nothing ) thais are deadly serious about the bend over, look between your legs and see ghosts dealy!

I asked the thai guys I drink with out on the soi. As I've said before they're middle aged (40-47 y/o) middle class working stiffs who have great jobs at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel. To a person they said, NEVER EVER do that !!!

I mean the warnings I got from them were so severe I actually apologized to them for asking such a stupid question . They thought my question was just too stupid even for a foreigner to ask. They all said, "That is the way you can see ghosts 100%."

Take it for what you will, but if these middle aged guys believe it, I imagine EVERY thai in this country believes it too!

As an aside, and just to show you HOW prevalent the belief in ghosts are here in thailand; here is a Sylvania light bulb commercial which goes over some of the more ‘famous’ thai ghosts. (Including the infamous ผีขนุน or "Jackfruit Ghost", lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7mqTwfUwnU

Did you already do the "extra 90 days" that you garner for leaving and re-entering just before the visa itself expires? Every Multi-Entry Non-O Visa is good for stays of 90 days at a time before you "run for the border" and get another 90 days in-country.

Playing the 'game' right gets you almost 15 months on that type of visa.

If you already did that; you're basically screwed in S/E Asia for getting another Multi-Entry Non-O Visa.

Like other more learned posters than I have said, the closest one to the glorious "Land 'O Thais" is Perth, but it will close in early October.

I suggest you wing it on over there quickly! Next to Hull in England, Perth was by a LONG shot the most "user friendly" consulate.

I've enrolled and paid my deposit from abroad, due to start in November. I'm REALLY interested to find out what's going on.

My advice to you, IF indeed you’re in your home country and have documentation from CMU for their year long thai language course is:

Apply for a Multi Entry Year Long Non-Immigrant Type-ED Visa. Even students with documentation from private thai language schools (which is quite different from real university’s paperwork) can usually secure that type of visa at their home country’s Thai Embassy or Consulate.

With that type of visa you don’t need to extend it in country every 90 days. Every 90 days you just cross any border, and re-enter, getting another 90 days automatically. Plus if you do it one last time before the visa expires, you get another 90 days, making your stay here almost 15 months.

I’d seriously check into that option if I were you (which I’m not, but just saying. .)

As an aside, I tried that number for CMU’s Thai Language Study Program a coupla more times today but no one answered. Sadly no one ‘returned my call, despite the guys assurance someone would, go figure. ..

For whatever it's worth; I'm glad you got sorted out, and it is heartening to hear things like this can be done. (Dunno about forkin' over a 1000 baht tip, even after they sold you a re-entry permit. But hey, your money, spend it as you see fit.)

I still for the life of me can't figure out why the Thai Immigrations office out at Suvarnabhumi in their infinite wisdom stopped selling re-entry PERMITS. (FWIW: it's not a visa, but a "permit" my posting pals . Using the wrong lingo in these posts makes it a tough row to hoe sometimes figuring out what someone wants ).

Never the less;

Selling re-entry permits out at Suvarnabhumi had to have been a HUGE cash cow for them, especially with travelers who either forgot, or have to leave on an emergency, when the regular Immigrations office is closed.

Then again, TIT, and perhaps I'm looking for logic where there is none.

OR

Perhaps, Thai Immigrations actually stopped selling them at the airport because they want you to exit without a re-entry permit, there by canceling your existing visa. This would make you start back over at square one when you return.

Come to think about it; that's an even BIGGER cash cow .

Obviously, it would behoove anyone contemplating exiting the country to pick up a re-entry permit at Immigrations when you extend your visa.

Sorry this is Off Topic but;

Obviously in a thai language class where your objective is to learn thai I concur, correcting bad pronunciation, and bad sentence constructs should be the norm not the exception. In fact in learning the correct way to pronounce a thai word (given SO many similarly pronounced thai words to foreign ears) this should be pounded into your heads from day one.

Perhaps I need to expound on what I meant by "being sensitive to thais correcting my spoken thai" ;

This country has about 64 million thais, but given the number of times I've been corrected for what I deem a slight mispronunciation of a thai word or a 'sketchy' sentence order, I'm almost lead to believe there're 64 MILLION frickin' thai language professors here in the glorious "Land 'O Thais" . Native speaker or not, I don't take kindly to being corrected by every "Tom, Dick, and Somchai' out on the street if it's just a casual conversation which, like most things are about nothing in particular.

Like I said before; I totally accept what passes for engrish from these people most all of the time. As long as I can understand what the meaning is, it certainly ain't my job to correct 'em. I take that back, often I am with a specific group of thais where, in addition to drinking, we are exchanging languages; 'thai for english' and 'english for thai', then I hope to be corrected, just as I correct them too.

BTW: isn't that what the plethora of foreigners teaching engrish to thais are here for? Heck given the incredible number of foreigners I've met here who are allegedly "engrish teachers"; you'd think these people would be fluent in engrish instead of 'effluent' .

So now that I've muddied the water a little (or a lot more depending on your take on things), I hope I've cleared up the fact that in any school teaching the thai language I would hope to be corrected repeatedly, as I'm there to learn. Seeing as I didn't take the 'free class' at PhaSorn Thai, I wasn't in the best "let me correct your thai" mindset, but dealt with it, as it was done very politely.

Now out on the street, if a thai can understand what I'm saying, nope, they just need to suck it up; realize I'm a foreigner, speak thai with a foreign accent, and sometimes have my words out of order.

It's not genome decoding here, just basic communication.

To the ultra politically correct foreign contingent;

I am sorry this post contained the phrase "these people" when referring to the thais.

However, as I view my existence here as a "me against them" type of life; the phrase 'these people' is not inherently denigrating, I use it as a classifier only to differentiate them from me.

I also apologize if I've offended any of the we-b-thai, sheep-like, foreign sock-puppets living here who wear color coordinated shirts and matching snazzy rubber bracelets.

NOW BACK ON TOPIC

Still I give the school a thumbs up, as it's a good one!

Having a HUGE interest in ANYTHING related to thai language studies by foreigners here, and being curious (since I'm not a cat, that in and of itself isn't usually fatal );

I just spent 40+ minutes on the phone being shuffled from office to office up there at CMU tryin' to get to the bottom of this quandary, as well as trying to reach the Director of the Thai Language Studies Program, who ever that is .

Actually FINALLY by calling the main number I got routed to a guy who spoke perfect english (for a thai) and he's gonna give my mobile to the Thai Language Study Department and have someone call me back (although it is my experience this is often a fruitless endeavor), but we will see.

If you can give me a contact name for the Thai Language Studies Department, and the contact phone number I'll call and see what is what about this. The contact number I have 053-94-3761, but no one answers it, so I am unable to ascertain if it's the correct number.

If this is indeed true (which I have no reason to doubt, as I just spoke to a currently enrolled foreign student in that program who mirrored your post) it is really sad. CMU has great textbooks and was previously known as a totally above board quality language school.

They also USED to provide you with documentation where you could get a full years extension of stay INSIDE the country once you paid your tuition as they're a 'real uni' not a private thai language school and their documentation from the Ministry of Education was different from the stuff most private thai language schools get.

If you don't wanna post the contact info here, send me a P/M. I will call 'em and make a follow-up post on here regarding the outcome IF I can get to the bottom of it.

Ahhh, obviously I "mis-remembered" the meaning of the word 'hot' . Then again as I'm 51 y/o that could certainly be a possibility. I thought he meant in terms of LOOKS, versus in terms of a hot teaching ability, .

Especially so, as he mentioned it in this context

"if a hot (my emphasis not the O/P’s) teacher from bkk wants to come teach me, I will pay accommodation, expenses and salary, and do full time study"

Like I said, I musta 'mis-remembered' the definition of the word 'hot'.

No harm, no foul, nothing disparaging meant or intended (other than my normal condescension, which I am taking medication for ). ..

Sorry this post is long, stick with it, I'm sure you'll find it of interest.

This week I had the misfortune to accompany an acquaintance to Changwattana to attempt to secure a new yearly extension of stay based on retirement.

This acquaintance met the financial requirements with documentation from his Embassy (UK, which BTW; holds people to a far higher standard than the b/s US scouts honor income verification letter). Never the less, we secured the documentation he needed.

Now whether it was senility, stupidity, laziness or a combination of all three in varying quantities; this person had let his current extension of stay lapse, by 3 MONTHS! He previously had 8 years of unbroken extensions of stay (never even leaving the glorious Land O Thais once in all that time)! Then, as he put it; this slight hiccup.. Now any way you spin it, contrary to his concept of hiccups, this is major screw-up on his part.

I knew going in it would not be a normal situation, but thought, &lt;deleted&gt;, Ive never tried it before, so I might as well give it a go and see what happened. Hed come over to my apartment the previous week and Id gotten all his ducks in a row as far as his paperwork, copies, photos, etc. I even sent him to health clinic above the Cabbages and Condoms restaurant to get a health certificate for 100 baht just to be safe. FYI: therere no health clinics out at the Changwattana Complex. (Note to someone, this would be a cash cow!!)

Despite my chiding for this person to dress for success obviously our opinions of what the word success entails were markedly different. He showed up at my door wearing the obligatory foreign ex-pat uniform of cargo shorts, flip flops, and a Chang Beer t-shirt (which thankfully wasnt a singlet). Needless to say I was less than thrilled at how things were starting out.

We got out to Changwattana bright and early.

First I did his 90 day reporting for him. It was late, and garnered the obligatory 2000baht fine, but even on an expired extension of stay, they took it, and gave me a new paper showing his next report date. (This only goes to show you, the people who do 90 day reporting at Changwattana dont care what visa youre on, or evidently even if you have a valid visa, just that you report to them every 90 days.)

I wanted to see if we could just pay the overstay fine at the Extensions of stay area, and go from there, but that got nixed by the first officer we saw. Off to the overstay fines paid here area to settle the 20,000baht fine. Then as the person was now technically visa-less, and his extension of stay chain had been broken I wasnt sure if we could actually get this sorted out there or not.

Leaving him parked in a chair, I went for a brief meeting of the minds with an Immigrations officer whose seen me there hundreds of times and either takes pity on me, or thinks I dont do to bad with the stuff I undertake, dunno which one.

Upon reviewing the paperwork, she said, we needed to apply for a NEW single entry Non-O visa, as this guy currently was, officially at least, visa-less. When I mentioned I thought they couldnt be had inside the country, she made a brief phone call, sent me to queue in a different area, and presto-change-o, we got it issued for 2000baht.

Then she sent me back to the extension of stay area. Now I was under the (obviously false assumption) that you needed to return when there was a month left on your current visa to apply for a yearly extension of stay. NOPE, another 1900baht later and he was in possession of a NEW years extension of stay. One which was GOOD FOR FIFTEEN months from the day we were there no less!!. 90 days on the new Non-O plus a yearly extension equals out to 15 months. WOW, go figure!!

I didnt even question it, as I was too frazzled by that time. Again despite my admonitions that the guy sits quiet as a church mouse when we were at the various Immigrations Officers desks, he continued to try to engage them in his horrific bar-thai, much to their consternation. One officer even asked me in thai if the guy had lost his mind or what? I told her I wasnt sure, but he was certainly old. FWIW; he was 62, so not too old, just really not the sharpest crayon in the box

It was the strangest thing Ive ever undertaken out there, and Ive tried a fair number of atypical things. I cant help thinking this somehow didnt go quite according to Hoyle. Now whether I am a familiar face out there and usually my stuff flies right thru without a glance or an extra copy required, OR, if a person doesnt rock the boat, is polite and deferential, maybe they actually have that much latitude to do what they want, with them being Immigrations Officers and all, I honestly dunno.

Like I said, as Im NOT contemplating doing this kinda hoop jumping in the near future (IF EVER), I dont really care. My acquaintance was tickled pink he got sorted without having to leave the country, (something his expert in resident friends said hed hafta do). He was also happy that he got 15 months more in thailand.

Of course adding it all up; he paid 25,900baht for something thatd cost 1900baht (if he reported on time, and applied for his extension of stay on time too, but hey, his money, NOT mine)!

Just thought Id offer this out as a whoda ever thunk it kinda story.

FWIW; it took nearly 5 hours to get this accomplished, but that was due in part to the lunch break, and queuing at the various and sundry areas.

Not to be pedantic, umm just a question?

Why would you care if the teacher is 'hot' or not? IF indeed your real objective is as your post is so clearly titled "I Want To Learn Thai And I Am Serious (I want a teacher who can get me there) who cares what she looks like?

What do you care if they're a dowdy 50+ y/o retired uni-professor or some other professional as long as you can, as you so succinctly put it; 'get there'?

I think you've got a few priorities mixed up there my posting pal . I've met more 'hot' female thai language teachers who suck at teaching thai to foreigners than I could shake a frickin' stick at (possibly hundreds!). That someone has a degree in engrish, or even thai for that matter does NOT in and of itself make them a good candidate to teach the thai language to foreigners.

I'd do a quick revision of your priorities, and save the 'hot' ones for some other endeavor .

Some of the best thai teachers I've met wouldn't hit your spec on their appearance but would certainly teach you to speak, read and write thai.

While I’m not thrilled to hafta agree with the poster known as “IMA_FARANG” , just as I’m sure he’s not thrilled with me being on the same side of the proverbial fence too ; I wholeheartedly agree, the "currently his visa is expired" dealy is a 'deal breaker' .

He has very few (as in ZERO options) other than exiting thailand, paying his overstay, and then attempting to secure another visa what ever the type in a neighboring country.

How about some info on this 'friend'?

Nationality:? possibly UK but not clear in your post

Age:?

Current expired visa: Non-O, Non-B, Tourist, what?

Situation: is he married to a thai, is he over 50, does he have the financial requirements to secure a yearly extension of stay? Is he a 'perpetual tourist' or a 'runner'?

What I am writing below doesn't violate ANY Thai Immigrations Laws, and could be a possibility as I know it is done routinely.

In theory;

Your friend could pay his overstay, exit thailand, and camp out in a neighboring country for a few weeks. He could post his passport to a friend in the UK via FedEx, DHL, with the proper application form for a visa from Hull, and have his friend in the UK forward it on to Hull with the return address being the friend's UK addy. Once the friend receives the passport back with the visa in it, he could post it back to what ever country your friend is holed-up in waiting for this all to transpire and he could then re-enter thailand on the new visa.

I know people who routinely go to Philippines, or Cambodia and do this year after year. As they already have a thai exit stamp, and they're NOT posting their passport from inside thailand, it does NOT violate ANY thai Immigration Law. Nor does Immigrations bat an eye or even notice that the visa from Hull was issued whilst the person was in a different country (as it is not spelled out in ANY thai immigration law that a person hasta secure a new visa from the thai embassy of what ever country he happens to be in).

Now whether hanging around in Cambodia or the Philippines without a passport in hand for 8 or 9 days violates any law in those countries, I couldn't and wouldn't hazard a guess. I'm sure other more illustrious posers <sic> err posters will weigh in on the legalities of this, cry foul, or cry it is not the intent of the law, which thankfully operates more by the letter than in a good spirited, fair type of take on things.

Last time I checked, I thought Hull was asking for an 'invite letter' from someone in thailand for a person to secure a Multi-Entry Non-Immigrant Type O visa, but I could be wrong on that.

I do know that passports hafta be posted either from a UK addy or an EU addy. (Even though I’m an American, I emailed Hull about hypothetically posting my passport from an EU country and they said fine, no problem; just allow more time in the post, ship it via a secure shipper, FedEx, DHL, etc and to make the cashiers check, money order payable in pounds.)

Good luck, hope your ‘friend’ gets sorted. What he doesn’t need is to get ‘caught out’ on an expired visa here in thailand. That is a “horse of a different color” altogether.

This is most definitely OLD frickin' NEWS, and last time I checked (which I do periodically) the เทศกิจ (pronounced as; thaeht^F sa^L git^L) have been enforcing this litter ordinance for YEARS and YEARS here, especially in areas with a large foreign and/or tourist contingent.

Christ, how about people take some personal responsibility and just don't frickin' litter here, or in ANY country for that matter.

To say the thais are held to a different standard is more than laughable. I doubt it's called "thai-land" for no reason. Seeing as it's their country; the police or municipal ordinance people can target whoever they want to .

Actually, a few months ago they had an article in a thai language newspaper which said the Bangkok municipal code enforcers for littering were going to start targeting more thais, with a starting fine of 200 baht. As it is, they already routinely stop moto-cys traveling on the sidewalk and ticket them for their errant behavior.

Now, is this particular targeting of foreigners a cash cow? That answer is MOST definitely; YES!!

The guys which man the "station" in front of "Little-Korea" aka; Sukhumvit Plaza, also happen to drink on my soi after work. I've shared drinks with them and sat with them many, many times at their little booth out there on the Sukhumvit (as a neutral observer ).

The parade of befuddled (yet totally guilty) foreigners they haul up there is staggering in sheer numbers. On a good day, it could be a HUNDRED PEOPLE. They certainly make some real money. In all that time, I’ve never seen them NOT write out a receipt at that 'station'. Even if the fine is 'negotiated' down, they still issue one. When I first moved to this soi, I even got caught out by them once. I just haggled 'em down to 200baht, and still got a receipt .

FWIW; the key cutter and the old lady who does sewing and sits behind the bus stop near the main Bangkok Bank Branch between Sukhumvit Soi 8 and 10 both have walkie-talkies. They routinely tell the enforcers which foreigners have littered. In fact, ANYONE with an orange walkie-talkie is suspect as a possible ‘informant’ from about Nana BTS Station to Asok BTS station on the even soi side of Sukhumvit.

It looked to be such a lucrative endeavor I even asked them if I could get in on it, as I've nothing to do . They said it was "only for thai to help thai". Evidently turning in foreigners who litter is one of the 'prohibited trades' in thailand reserved for thai nationals only.

There was an article in 'the paper which can't be named' a while back that went over ALL the land titles, and had a nifty chart outlining the restrictions, transfer rights, etc.

Due to forum restrictions; I can't jump you the link.

However; I bet if you Googled "A place to call your own", along with the name of the un-named paper, you might find it right at the top of the search.

FWIW: it's a good article. ..

Nope, sorry man; no experience with this school.

Thought I mighta scoped them out already. However in looking at their (totally lame ) website, and their downloadable (less than informative ) PDF file, you piqued my interest.

I called them and at least the person I spoke to had good engrish skills. She answered my questions without hesitation and with no hard-sell tactic other than to come and see how they teach thai. I'm scheduled to go on a 're-con mission' tomorrow.

I'll look at their material, take a free class, and basically get as much info as I can to report back some facts as far as how this school rates with other private thai language schools I've visited before.

This much I was able to glean from the conversation;

*They offer three levels of thai (Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced).

*The text books have phonetic, real thai, and english in them.

*It is a 'step method', (meaning the lessons build new vocab by using vocab learned in previous lessons).

They have no group classes running right now but they're due to start next week. I also ran into a road-block (really a language barrier) when I asked her if I could talk to current or former students. (BTW: I don't speak ANY thai when I first re-con these schools), as I want to see how they handle foreigners who are just beginners learning the thai language.

FWIW: their pricing is in line with other private thai language schools offering the 6 month and year long study programs to qualify for an ED visa .

Even their hourly rate isn't too bad, (although it doesn't say if you hafta purchase blocks of hours to get the rate they quote or not).

Like I said, I'll post on this thread tomorrow and give you my perceived 'bang-4-the-baht' regarding the school.

One last thing; There are certainly NO shortage of private thai language schools in that general area.

For a thai take on things I always use a play on the old US anti-drunk driving commercial tag line, "Friends don't let friends drive drunk.."

"Thais don't let thais VOTE drunk. .."

Now why foreigners should be penalized, seeing as the vast majority of them here ARENT thai citizens, and therefore cant vote, is beyond me.

FWIW: most of the small mom & pop type mini-marts seem to be doing a brisk business (with a wink and a nod attitude in regards to the letter of the law) where it pertains to sales of spirits, as are the local Yaa-dong (ยาดอง) sellers on the street.