terryofcrete

On 2/23/2019 at 1:16 PM, Pilotman said:

A big plus for me is that U Tapao Airport is expanding its services and is only 20km from my house. 

I flew into U Tapao for the first ... and last ..time recently from Samui . Expensive flight . But the point I'm making is no taxi... only limo .. 1000 baht to Pattaya city.. no negotiation even my Thai lady failed. And now the bus has been cancelled ... so if that is services expanding .. 

I was stopped today. First time .. so many stamps all under 30 days and no overstays . I explained politely that I come and go up to 5 trips s year under 30 days. Showed them an email from the Thai consulate in Ireland saying that is ok. ..the only question they asked after that was have I got a Thai wife. Oh I told them I always have money and told them I had 2500 € .. they did not ask to see it. When they said it was all ok.. I said but what about next time ? Am I doing something wrong I'd be happy for you to tell me.. no nothing is wrong and I went on my merry way . Hope that helps .

1 hour ago, RotBenz8888 said:

No, only the money they spend.

.. what money ? The average Chinese visitor is a tour group member.. look, look, look,.. don't spend . Yeah.. bookings, hotels, all negotiated at cheap rates.. and guys like me walking in on visa free 30 days 4/5 times a year spend money , money , money... yet we can be told by immigration that we are coming too many times ... anyone ever see a walking street tour of Chinese following a flag ? No a baht gets spent . 

On 11/21/2018 at 3:59 PM, taichiplanet said:

so visa in one minute but still lined up at "special" counters for 2 hours.

 

Interesting list of countries it is available to, and only 16 on the website so far on the selection screen though it shows 20 when you look at the html.

 

Andorran, Bhutanese, Bulgaria, Chinese, Cyprus, Ethiopian, Fijian, Indian, Kazakh,
Latvia, Lithuania, Maldivian, Mauritian, Papua New Guinean, Romania, Sammarinese,
Saudi Arabian, Taiwanese, Ukrainian, Uzbek

 

 

 I must be so lucky missing these 1 to 2 hour waits while making 4/5 trips a year for the last 6 years ! 

I really love being in Thailand as I get older. I can afford it too, thank God. I also find winter at home to hard to bear more and more each year . I could not live completely in Thailand... too many flaws that drive me ting tong... I always need to come home , and then I need to go back.. and that’s fine , the best of both worlds and each appreciated more by absence. 50/50 ... 6 months home and away. Suits me. 

sorry, what am I not understanding here ? I don’t pay anything ever coming in ? I’m from Ireland . 

I used to think that it was better for me to hide away when my lady was asking for prices , because if they saw a farang the price would increase. Not so in my case, as , unfortunately, she is absolutely hopeless at bargaining, or even smelling a rip off. Worst of all she still thinks she will do ok and pushes herself forward when hailing taxis or buying some clothes, and then I intervene , which gets me in trouble even if I manage a better deal than her. It is a no win situation. Lovely woman and I love her to bits , but ... Jaysus wept... as we say in Ireland ! 

On 9/5/2018 at 8:46 PM, madusa said:

I may be wrong. Thais especially younger generation (17 to 45 yr old) would do something to you when they perceive you have done them wrong or perceive a threat(verbal or visual) from you. Whether they have perceived wrongly doesn't really matter much to them.

I had some bad thing done to me and I spent 2 nights in police lockup , too long here to go into details. He could have talked to me and we could have solved the problem. But I guess if he were to approach me to talk to me to solve the problem he would perceive it as a loss of face on his part.

After that bad experience I became careful when dealing with Thais in case they perceive wrongly my words or actions. Not to make them loose face is always important especially in public or in front of their friends, family or peers. Never forget that. I am not sure about other South East Asians. example Vietnamese, or Indonesians do they also have such psychotic illness? Yes, it's a form of psychotic illness. No cure for it because it's embedded in the neurons.It's in their genes. I really would like to write a book called "Everybody wears a mask in Thailand". It would be a fun book to read otherwise nobody will buy it. A small book you can put in your cargo pants.It will enlighten the Farang and at the same time puncture their ego it will also point out the shortcoming of the Thai culture and the country reluctant to see their own faults.

nail on the head , you got it ! to be kind I call it immaturity... but you are correct. 

On 3/18/2015 at 9:56 PM, infinity11 said:

this product gets points for name and you get points if you can pronounce it

sure you can pronounce your own name ? 

I have 5 visa on entry trips a year , 30 days with return flight evidence and lots of €’s in my bag to show if questioned. I have been doing this for 4 years now. I was never questioned, but I have read so many reports on this that I always get slightly nervous on arrival.

This year I emailed the Thai consulate in my own country, Ireland, and received an assurance that I was doing nothin wrong. On my last trip, having completed the departure procedure I went to the Immigration desk and specifically asked if I would have a problem continuing this practice . They inspected my passport and assured me that would be fine. How come I’m still nervous... because it’s Thailand. 

I imagine that there is someone “ up there” in the hierarchy of this lovely country who thinks native. Wine is not important , tax it big time. They would have no idea of the number of people who would not touch Thailand for holidays as they are quality wine drinkers in their own countries. I personally know of family members who refuse to include Thailand on their list because of the exorbitant price of an ordinary bottle of plonk. I am Irish, not a cheap country to live in or visit,  but the price of a bottle of Australian wine, not particularly remarkable, such as Jacobs Creek, is twice the price in Thailand than Ireland, and I shudder to think how cheap it is in Australia. But this particular penny has never dropped. 

12 hours ago, vinegarbase said:

I am shipping out! I'm on a tourist visa the whole point of being on a tourist visa it to visit and leave. So who really needs to shape up here?

The “ who in the world does this guy... “ made me smile in the context of your citizenship. Of all the nationalities on this planet your Homeland has more questions than any other to ask of anyone entering the US,and for good reason, I agree,  but it should be more obvious to you as a US citizen that the guys asking the questions are in charge. I would not argue with an immigration official in the US, No Siree ! 

1 hour ago, cardinalblue said:

Is not one's disease status under the health privacy act?

 

 

When you are a convicted Pedo your privacy rights should be non existent . it is a matter of public safety, worse still , potentially a matter of a child’s life ! 

16 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

And you hit the nail on the head.  They used to not care about the number of exempts.  Unfortunately some bad apples got the issue raised and now those with plenty of finances, time on their hands, ability and desire to travel and hop around the world, now sometimes have to deal with officials asking questions about exempts or even having issues with them, despite probably being tourists that are spending decent amounts of money in a country that has easy entry rules.  When I first chose Thailand to visit, the availablity of a visa exempt on arrival was crucial and a huge draw for me.  I never knew when my contracting jobs would end, or where I was traveling from.  I could be in Los Angeles or I could be in Florida or anyplace in between.  The ability to make a last minute travel reservation and not have to coordinate a Tourist visa with an airline reservation was and is a thing of beauty.  There were several times when I traveled to Thailand on less than 48 hour notice!  From Seattle one year, I got a phone call Friday at 8 PM and was told I was not needed at work on Monday!  I booked a flight for Sunday 1 AM, which  basically meant I had to be at SEATAC by 10 PM Saturday night!   one is not going to get Tourist visas in that short a time frame!

I’m over 65, go to Thailand 4 times every year for 30 days or just under. I haven’t been stopped , but it sat in my head and worries me a bit but I am not stressed about it . Life is too short now . If it happens I will argue my case . That’s all I can do. I spend a lot of money in the Kingdom every year... . 

I am getting close to boiling point reading this thread ... what in God’s name is this all about... I give up ! 

2 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Re money 'disappearing'. A very similar thing happened with my best friend, and he ended up dead. He noticed money vanishing from an account he held and suspected that his wife was making secret withdrawals, using his card when he was sleeping. He told her that he was going to his bank, which required a trip from Roi Et to Bangkok, to check through things with them, and a day or two later he mysteriously got food poisoning.

He was hospitalised, but was eventually allowed home - where he soon mysteriously 'fell' down the stairs. Back to the hospital where he developed complications and died soon after. Before he died I asked if they could check for any poisons in his system and they lied and said they already had (not routine procedure I'm sure, so I'm sure they lied). His wife rarely visited him in hospital, and soon after he died she linked up with a 'former' boyfriend.

OMG. Really ? 

4 separate 30 days walk-in Visa exempt a year for me for 5 years now and I have never  been questioned or asked about funds etc. I would be quite upset if I was because all I do is come to Thailand and spend money, but who knows what will happen at anytime in LOS. 

On 8/4/2018 at 10:28 AM, cyberfarang said:

To westerners they consider homes as their castles, but the reality is, that in most owned western homes the buyers are mortgaged up to their necks and therefore have to keep their properties up to certain standards otherwise they won`t be able to sell and the banks/mortgage lenders won`t give loans on properties that are in dilapidated conditions. In other words, property owners in western countries become trapped in a system where they have to live and work for many years for the upkeep of their properties.

 

In Thailand whereas they place more emphasis on land values and properties can be cheaply built, they consider their homes as just roofs over their heads not as assets of investment value.

 

Now you know.

I’ve heard it all now... 

It depends where you go as said above. I had fun in Samui. In Pattaya  it was so bad that I was chased  with ice water into the path on an oncoming car and got hurt. Farang and Thai , equally active. Lost my cool with another farang and grabbed him by the throat.. my lady pulled me off him. Packed up and moved over to Hua Hin. No problems there, toned down and just a dash of water here and there. Good fun. Pattaya was drunken and malicious in places. A lot of Low Life thinking. 

Hi . I am Irish and I have come for a 30 day stay 4 or 5 times a year for 4 years now. I have never been questioned or asked to produce my return flight ticket, which I always have in my bag. Am I lucky or what .? There is no rule to say how many times you can come on this free visa as far as I am aware and the Thai Embassy in Dublin confirmed that I should not have a problem once I am self sufficient..  a decent amount of money in my wallet and at least one hotel booking. Surely even in LOS they know a good thing when they see it .... not me, my wallet !! But one never takes anything for granted in Thailand. I would argue my case though quite vigourously , but calmly.  

“ I miss you”


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If you are having problems at the airports you are doing something wrong.
 
Last 40+ journeys not a problem using domestic and international ranks at both Bangkok airports. Quick, efficient and every one without fail has used the meter. One tried it on asking for a flat fare and I told him meter and that was that. 
 
The only time I encountered a rip-off was when a colleague (30+ year veteran and still clueless) took us up to DMK departures instead of using the rank. The driver then said he would use the meter and then when we were loaded up and on the way it was the 'meter broken' scam. We ended up giving him 300thb to Mor Chit.

It's a special problem @ Siam Park - small Taxi mafia gang is waiting outside all day for the customers

My Thai lady usually "gets" me a taxi off the street to go the airport. The last guy waited until we were of of sight of her waving goodbye and then "told" me the price would be whatever. I just "told" him to stop the cab, remove my bag , and at the same time took a photo of his number. Then he went into the " how much you pay " I did a Michael Corleone on him ! " Nothing ! I pay nothing !" Let me out or drive to police. No, I wasn't beaten up , we shook hands, I told him I spend half the year in Thailand, and the meter went on. He did not get the tip Of 100 bht I usually give.


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