StevieAus

48 minutes ago, natway09 said:

I love all you guys talking about Thai Immiigration BS, one more today from Australia

I took my then Thai lady to NZ & OZ before we married.Now you can see BS.

The process to the US for single Thai females is also very difficult, we helped one with the 

maze of paperwork & 6 months to approve. She is there now

Most of the expats I know don’t consider it particularly onerous to deal with the Immigration here in Thailand.

I have lived here ten years and renewing the retirement extension is no big deal.

I turn up at the appointed time on the appointed date and leave  in a very short space of time.

I recently timed how long it took to carry out the ninety day reporting, a total of four minutes from leaving the car to returning.

I cannot think of too many countries apart from perhaps some neighboring countries, where I wouldn’t want to live anyway, where you can literally turn up and as long as you keep the equivalent of 800.000 baht in the bank stay indefinitely.

Neither of our two cars or motorbike have road tax that expire in April so your “someone” is wrong.

As far as police road checks are concerned they can have as many as possible as long as it catches the offenders.

My only cricism is that after issuing the infringement notice they allow the offenders to drive away, rather than impounding the vehicle as happens in a couple of countries I know.

18 hours ago, Pmbkk said:

 

The reason I would think an IDP would be required/helpful is a Thai driving license is written in Thai - and as most Europeans don't read Thai & thus wouldn't know what your "license" is/would cover without it e.g. vehicle type, type of license.

 

If you just turn up with a Thai license I think you may well encounter problems at a rental firm(unless it's Honest John's down the back alley). IDPs are not expensive so would be helpful at a minimum.

 

 

If you actually have a Thai Drivers Licence I would suggest that you have another look at both the front and back

All the relevant information is in both Thai and English

On the back  mine shows a picture of a car, pickup and mini bus.

It is pretty much the same as my Australia Licence which apart from being in English defines the vehicles I can drive rather than showing a picture.

7 hours ago, Niteowl45 said:

This is another example of why it will be a long time before I visit Thailand again.

 

People who spend thousands of dollars to come over now have to also get expensive health insurance, quarantine, tracking etc, while in the meantime they let in workers from nearby countries for some payola and then they tell locals to go traveling in the country during another wave....

 

Screw them and their idiotic way of doing things.....

And the Covid free paradise where you are currently residing is ??

On 4/1/2021 at 8:45 AM, Susco said:

 

 

Not everyone knows that NSW is not in the UK, but actually where they sent the UK convicts, so it's actually an Australian state full of Brits.

 

Do you know where Hasselt or Diest are?

I think you will find that any of the convicts who were transported to NSW are long dead.

If any of their dependents are still alive they would be Australians by birth, just to make a point.

On 4/2/2021 at 12:09 PM, digger70 said:

Yes , We in Aus use Power kerosene , that's what the road workers use to clean their tools and implements.   Don't know where to get this in Los . 

 One Can use a mix 50/50 of Diesel and Petrol. 

You can buy it from Home Pro in metal cans usually I. The section where they sell the turps.

2 hours ago, connda said:

Thailand: constantly searching for ways to kick foreigners out.

"We have a shortage of teachers due to Covid."
I know what we can do.  Let's create more regulations to make it more difficult for the teachers already here to stay.
"Great idea!!!"

Perhaps you could enlighten me as to what has been introduced in say the past ten years or so to make it easier to “ kick foreigners out”

I haven’t found it any harder to stay here and none of my many  expat friends have raised any issues, perhaps because we comply with the legal requirements to live here.

As far as teachers are concerned I think you will find that most western countries have restrictions on teachers convicted of offenses against children.

I certainly don’t want such people teaching my daughter but perhaps my standards are higher than yours.

1 hour ago, dabhand said:

 

Received my new UK passport early March. The process, via VFS in Bangkok, took about 7 weeks. Advised initially that it would take up to 8 weeks, no idea if this has now improved but would advise that an early renewal is always best, if at all possible.

We renewed our daughters UK passport at VFS in Chiang Mai about two weeks ago.

Received an email from the UK passports office today advising that due to delays expect delivery in about 8 weeks.

We renewed her Australian passport in Chiang Mai the week before and received an email yesterday saying that it had been processed and despatched.

With her Thai passport it was delivered in two days.

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Thanks.

Interestingly the cost of 10 year pp in AU is 7200 baht. Must be the quality of the paper.

We renewed our young daughter’s Thai passport in Chiang Mai about a week ago.

They are now using the bio metric system and the service was brilliant.

There was no need to bring copies of any documents the originals were scanned

and  they gave us a choice from the photographs taken.

The new passport was delivered by mail 48 hours later.

I said to one of the staff it would be good if you teach the Immigration Department about your levels of service, he thought the comment very amusing.

PS for anyone in Chiang Mai the office has relocated to the Convention Centre it’s further out of town but plenty of parking.

18 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

When will the common sense prevail, enforcement begin, those under age stopped from operating a motorbike to drive around the village, go to school, or go out racing with friends?  When will the parents become responsible for the actions of their children and take responsibility in  appropriately.  When will a true training course for getting a motorbike license become mandatory without a brown envelope for the certificate and real training commence prior to obtaining a license and then having a real riding test.  I could go on and on...like when will they stop riding the wrong way and on the sidewalks.  Why not make specified lanes....hahahah, everyone will use them and no one will pay attention.  To me those riding a motorbike without a license, training, insurance, a helmet, proper attire, and only a max of two on a motorbike should not be on the roads and are not only the cause of there potential demise but also cause other people to become injured.  Just like the most recent crash involving two teenagers that ran a red light and hit a older lady driving through a green light.   Enforce the laws RTP and the country may save lives.  My rant is far from over but for this OP it is.  

I am not sure why you would need a brown envelope to pass the test for a motor cycle or a car as it is a farce.

Go to your local DLT office and have a look at them taking the test if you can call it that.

Many  years ago  my Thai wife took her car driving test here while visiting from from Australia.

After observing the circus I told her she would learn to drive in Australia which 

she did.

It involved almost other things well over a 100 hours compulsory on road training some of it with a qualified trainer some at night all of which had to logged.

Even after passing the on road test it was another two years after further annual testing that a full unrestricted licence was issued.

She is a qualified and very competent safe driver.

My Thai wife has Thai and Australian passports our daughter has Thai, Australian and UK passports.

We have never experienced any problem when traveling or when they were renewed only recently.

On 3/20/2021 at 7:27 PM, bermondburi said:

Monsoon Valley Vineyard about 45mins inland from Hua Hin. There's a very nice restaurant there too with a great view of the surrounding hills.

Thanks for your reply there is a slight problem, we live about 150 kms North of Chiang Mai it’s a long way to go to try the wine.

I will keep my eyes open for it in Rimping they keep a good range.

We had a nice bottle of Australian Wolf Blaz Shiraz last night very enjoyable and reasonably priced.

1 minute ago, StevieAus said:

To be honest I have never heard of it but if you an tell me where it’s available I will try.

I am not a great read drinker but when I do I buy Australian or Californian normally my Thai wife likes Reds in moderation of course.

The Thai whites I have tried were terrible couldn’t finish but maybe there is one out there.

The sad thing is that if they got people in to show them what to do they could produce decent wine here.

Should have said “red “in second paragraph.

2 minutes ago, bermondburi said:

A bit unfair to thai wines. The shiraz from Monsoon Valley is excellent, comparable with anything from Europe. 

And due to the pandemic, last time I was there, they were doing buy 2 bottles get 1 free. 

To be honest I have never heard of it but if you an tell me where it’s available I will try.

I am not a great read drinker but when I do I buy Australian or Californian normally my Thai wife likes Reds in moderation of course.

The Thai whites I have tried were terrible couldn’t finish but maybe there is one out there.

The sad thing is that if they got people in to show them what to do they could produce decent wine here.

6 hours ago, millymoopoo said:

True, and it's a bit sad so many are out there gouging what they can out of wine sales.!

And to be honest, I personally am not a big drinker, not even regular, but when I do I buy by reputation not price. Eg: Clairette de Die (tradition) maybe Euro 8/bottle, a lovely light summer wine or Gaia Barolo Euro 80/bottle (if your lucky) a nice big bold red.
So for me it's about taste not price.

Unfortunately as Thailand is not a wine producing region and wine drinking is not traditional with Thais, wine has to be imported, and so they know most sales go to Farangs, thus the gouging.!

I think you will find the gouging is by the government, the last time I looked there were about three layers of tax on wine including one called I think a health tax.

Its hardly to protect the Thai wine industry as they don’t produce anything here you could call wine.

4 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Been on these threads (sometime ago) and seen people commenting that they regularly DUI........and think nothing of it!!!!!"

Happens in other countries as well saw some figures from the UK a while back although it seems taking drugs and driving has overtaken alcohol.

Apart from moral issues in my book, certainly in Australia you would have to be crazy, apart from the fines and driving ban your insurance is loaded the next year and if you have an accident your insurance is void.

If you kill or seriously injure somebody likely to serve prison time.

2 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Personally.......all for it....happy for any DD to be caught and have the book thrown at them.

 

So would I didn’t do it in Australia and don’t do it here.

4 hours ago, Surelynot said:

That is an awful lot of effort......555

Some of it sounds like what they do in the US.

In Australia or certainly Sydney ( NSW) they have random breath testing at various times of the day/ night.

Motorists are pulled over and tested you don’t have to have committed any offense.

18 hours ago, Scottie12 said:

I used to get my retirement visa by showing proof of monthly income but this t..t screwed that up, hope he comes to a sticky end.

I still get my retirement extension if that is what you mean, by way of showing proof of monthly income.

I obtain a letter from the bank which is actually easier than obtaining the document from the Embassy.

35 minutes ago, Tracyb said:

Has anyone ever seen a speeding vehicle under pursuit by a police vehicle?  Does a speed limit actually make any difference in any practical way?

No but over the last few months I have seen a lot of use use of police using speed cameras around the Chiang Mai region.

5 hours ago, Srikcir said:

I get all my annual vaccinations/boosters from Bangkok Red Cross which charges all visitors about 40% less than private hospitals.

I don't expect Red Cross to provide covid vaccine nor has the government mentioned it as a vac center for covid-19. But it should be.

Thanks for the information I live in the North so not worth traveling to Bangkok nice place as it is.

As a matter of interest will check out Chiang Mai for the Red Cross.

5 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Because Thais living in my country get it for free. And no doubt some have had it already.

They probably get it in my country  as well as long as they are citizens or have permanent residency.

However we  are not in my country or your country so doesn’t apply.

However there is an easy solution we could both return to our respective countries and get it for free.

5 hours ago, mommysboy said:

This is a pandemic: vaccines are free in most other countries.  

You've lived in countries with arcane health systems, so paying through the teeth seems normal. 

Good point about not expecting anything for free as an expat in Thailand- no reciprocity.  But hardly a desirable state of affairs.

Not sure how you can describe the Australian health system as “arcane” as it’s clearly understood.

As far as paying through the teeth Health Care in Australia is free as long as you use the  government system and of a very high standard.

If you elect to use the private system even with the top insurance cover you can be substantially out of pocket.

As far as reciprocity is concerned whilst desirable from my experience it’s limited.

The only place I have found it exists for me and my family is in the UK where it seems because we all hold  Australia citizenship and passports we are entitled to “ free” emergency treatment as defined.

2 hours ago, stament said:

I was just wondering the same thing myself after seeing the HUGE number of vaccines that Thailand have acquired for June and September per a thaitiger article.

My guess is that as a farang I will be very lucky if I get vaccinated in 2021. 

Will farangs even eligible for free government vaccination or will this be another cash ???? for Thai agencies I wonder....? 

 

Why would you expect it for free?

I have always paid for any medical / hospital treatment including vaccines since I have lived in Thailand.

Depending on the status of your health, there is probably as much chance of dying of some other illness/ disease against which you can be vaccinated as there is of Covid.

When you decide to live in Thailand you have to accept there is no Welfare State for farangs.

I don’t know if this assists you but about a week ago I applied for an appointment at VFS in Chiang Mai for the renewal of our daughters UK passport.

I gave three dates with the preferred date of 21March and an am appointment.

I got the time and date requested and as there is only one email address presume it’s a central booking system I got a response the same day.