wolf81

10 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

As far as I know, Elite visa holders have to do the TM30 just like anyone else, no VIP treatment there, and they don’t receive any assistance from the Elite visa team in completing the TM30. According to their website, they will do a 90 day report for you if you live in Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket, but not the TM30.

I have the Elite visa and could use the 90 days reporting site last time, so that's not too much of a hassle. Of course you'd also still need to report once a year at immigration if you don't leave the country at least once in a 1-year period. 

11 hours ago, Sujo said:

Malaysians dont say that. Thats arabic. Malay word for god is tuhan. Malaysians dont like arabs.

 

60% of malaysians are muslim. So could be lots of chinese malays crossing the border. But then there are enough girls of the night in malaysia not to need to go. Unless they prefer thai.

But Muhammed was an Arab and they seem to like him, right?

Some recent marriage related songs, both funny clips imo:

12 minutes ago, remorhaz said:

...

 

Realize that I am supposed to be one of the tourists they like.  They have proof that all I do is come for 10 days once a year to spend money then promptly leave.  I have enough in the bank to retire right now if I wanted too and sock away 800,000+ baht forever - it wouldn't be a strain.  I have never over stayed my visa and never been denied a visa nor have I ever had any dealing with law enforcement but they just don't want us there.  Its sad because I really do like Thailand and visiting there is always a great experience but times they are changing.

If you have enough money and you like Thailand, I'd say just buy the Elite visa. No more hassles. 

Yingluck Shinawatra … a man can dream

This topic could use a few more songs.

These guys are just funny:

Just a nice relaxing tune:

This lady has a quite distinctive voice imo (can't be embedded):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9odsd4XBJ4

I think age is the main problem. I could get a job easily if I wanted to and I am in IT as well (mobile dev). I'm 37 years old. I get weekly emails asking me if I am interested in working for this or that company in Bangkok. I often have to politely decline, since the payment (while great for Thai standards) is less than I make working remotely.

And there are ways to work around the quota. I interviewed for one mid-sized company (~2017) and they had almost no Thai working for them (P.S.: they seem to be looking for new people to join, so your could try that). Just people from Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Europe. The owner (originally from Bolivia) told me they controlled 100% of their business (not exactly sure how that worked) and that indeed it was possible to have a company with hardly any Thais - perhaps because it's hard to find Thais with the proper skillset. 

Oh and for the people saying it's required to know the Thai language - the companies that invite me, don't have these requirements. These companies often work with a very international team so often the language inside the company is mostly English.

6 hours ago, sirineou said:

Loved the Tai ninja song,  had not heard it before, It will be part of my car listening music.

Who is the singer in the above video? She has great range and would love to hear more of her. She reminds me of a young Siriporn Ampaipong ,

I like Luk Thung music, IMO  it is the only authentic Thai  (Lao ) music playing now day. Mind you I am no expert in Thai music and could stand correcting. But IMO a lot of the other Thai music is simply music with Thai lyrics, Take out the Thai words, replace them with words from any country and it would be music from that country.

Not that it is not enjoyable but not real Thai to me.

Luk Thung smells Thailand to me. 

According to Google Translate her name is Wiang Narumon (เวียง นฤมล). Tai Oratai actually also has a few songs in this style.

3 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

True. Thai have a special Thai name for Indians even if born here. Its benign but meant as an insult. I remember a Thai proverb about meeting an Indian and Cobra, and how to deal with them.

From what I read that proverb was regarding a Muslim and a cobra.

3 hours ago, PatOngo said:

First it was Europeans, then Chinese, now Indians. Wait till they discover the potential of tourists from the north and south pole!

Hmm… forgetting about the Africans are we?

9 hours ago, dastott said:

Are there any places close to Pattaya/Jomtien that do have clean sea and nice beaches?

Sai Kaew beach is about a half our drive from Pattaya and is clean. It's in a military area south of Pattaya. 

https://online-pattaya.com/pattaya-tours/sai-kaew

If you have your own transportation can get in there cheaply. Have to give your passport for the day to some guard outside though and get it back when you return.

17 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Cracks in the wings,no matter how small should be a concern ?

regards worgeordie

I read somewhere before that cracks in airplanes happen all the time. Due to the material expanding and contracting (depending on cold / hot). From what I understand most times it should be of no concern.

For example read this article: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/southwest-airplane-aluminum-cracks/

I do believe airplanes should be checked after every flight for problematic cracks and other issues. Not sure if every airline is diligent in this.

On 7/5/2019 at 4:19 PM, OzFlyer said:

 

She is hell bent on staying in Issan. Despises the cities. I can't explain it to her is much simpler terms that the education system in Issan is a joke and akin to child abuse. We need to move to the city. She won't have any of it. The house she purchased was done quite rapidly and before I had a chance to interject it was already sold. She obviously got finance through the business + other means. I noticed her social circles of business owners and rich parents with assets lend money to one another and pay each other via an app. There must be a trust system between them. None of my business really. The house purchase was a joke and means we have to stay put in Issan. I was interested in buying a condo in BKK/Chiang Mai but with her ultimatum, even if I buy there she can definitely claim 50% (maybe more) through a divorce so I won't be spending a single cent in this country. Even if she does agree to move for the sake of our childrens' education, how can I ignore such an ultimatum and I am sure there will be another one down the track anyway when things flare up.

 

How would you play it? Easy to say divorce but there are 2 kids involved. I think if I do a runner to Australia the next time I will see them is when they are adults and by then they would have been brainwashed into thinking I am a delinquent father.

First of all, I don't have really experience with your situation. I do have a Thai girlfriend though, but I never intend to marry (she sometimes hints she wants to get married, but horror stories like yours will keep me from making that mistake). We have a daughter together. We live in the Chiang Mai province (a village 3-hours drive from Chiang Mai). I bought my girlfriend a house and nice car, total maybe 3 million Baht.

I have been thinking what I'd do if our relationship wouldn't work out. Because like every relationship we also sometimes have bad days. 

What I'd do in your situation would probably be the following: I'd move to some city (likely Pattaya, as I like it, especially the Jomtien area). I'd buy or rent a condo there (in your case, get a divorce first if you want to buy ofc). I'd ask my girlfriend to take our daughter with me so I can take care for her. Now I know my girlfriend loves our daughter very much, so that might be a difficult discussion for her. But I'd feel she will probably get better education at some school there. I would hire some lady to help take care of my daughter and clean the house and such, since I also need to work. I would promise my GF to send her some money every month in return, perhaps 15.000 - 20.000 Baht or something like that, while I take care of our daughter. In my opinion "money talks" and it might prevent a lot of lawyer issues and fights. 

Yes, it'd be expensive, but the money means my GF can still have a decent living, even if not working and it also means I can be sure my GF gets decent education. You'd need a decent income for this approach. I guess at least 100.000 Baht a month, more depending on the school you want to send your kid(s) to. 

On 7/3/2019 at 1:00 PM, tomacht8 said:

She has raised 7 children, has a PhD in medicine and has held high offices in government. After all, she was not so lazy in her life.

Following questions raised by the website VroniPlag Wiki regarding possible plagiarism in her doctoral dissertation, the German Higher Education Commission conducted an investigation that found only three "serious errors", and lesser errors in 20% of the work. Christopher Baum, the president of the Hanover Medical School, said: "In the central part of the dissertation, no shortcomings were found. [...] The results of the dissertation were scientifically new, valid and of practical relevance." In particular, there was "no misconduct directed by the intention to deceive".^[19] As the VroniPlag wiki shows, 43.5% of the thesis pages contained plagiarism, and in 23 cases citations were used to sources that did not contain the claimed content.^[20][21] The independence of the investigating commission was questioned as von der Leyen personally knew its director from joint work for an alumni association.^[22]

...

After the Federal Court of Auditors complained that rules of government procurement had been ignored when giving external consultancies in the ministry from 2015 to 2016 and it turned out documents were destroyed to cover this up, a parliamentary investigative commission was installed in 2019.^[75][76]

She seems corrupt, so in that aspect would be an excellent candidate for a top position in the EU.

Well, perhaps she has a great character.

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I tried to pay by a Thai-issued Amex card in Bangkok for a mobile phone at a shop that is named after a fruit. The sullen idiot behind the counter said they didn't take it, so I lifted up the cardboard display on his counter that said they did. So then he said their machine was broken, and I went away and bought the same item from someone who had a brain. A month later the shop was closed, probably because they didn't let anyone buy anything.

A bit unrelated, but Amex does suck though. Because of the high fees many shops don't accept Amex. Can't buy plane tickets for some airlines (e.g. Bangkok Airways) with Amex card either (when using their company website). I have Amex & MasterCard.

I got an Amex card because my airline provides some frequent flyer points when paying through their Amex card, allowing me to occasionally fly "for free".

I will be happy to switch to the AppleCard (also a MasterCard) in the near future. The cash back is just as good as frequent flyer points imo.

For me as a Dutch national it took around 20 days.

5 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

If hundreds of cops here can't find ANY prostitutes, or any illegal motor bike taxis, you have to say they aren't worthy to call themselves cops. I could find dozens of both without even trying.

Did you consider a job at Pattaya's finest already?

2 hours ago, Lucius verus said:

There is no doubt that the farang demographic has changed dramatically since i moved here 19 years ago. Some posters on pdn are correct about Thais not being as friendly anymore towards foreigners. Can't blame them. Who wants to talk to theseุ tattooed scruffy bar knobs and their bar hooker companions? I dont know any farangs who will go near bar towns anymore. Even Swiss men are on the nose. A massage lady I know in my street says Swiss want sex and marriage with Thai girls but not for money. Free!

I don't think that will work.  Lol

 

In the village where I live the Thai are all generally friendly to me. And I am pretty much the only farang.

Perhaps in cities the Thai are less trustworthy of (Western) foreigners, but here in the sticks it all seems fine. 

13 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

Lots of guys approach & perceive a relationship/marriage in Thailand in the same way as they do in their home countries, I think this is part of the problem.

 

I was talking to an old retired guy in a pub in Worcester where I now live, some months ago, he was moving out to live in Thailand the next day. He has/had the same girlfriend for 7 years in Thailand, she had convinced him that it's not possible for a farang to own any property in Thailand, condo included.

If only he'd have visited the ThaiVisa forums ...

5 hours ago, Hank Gunn said:

I would agree with you if those he were filming were in a private space, but if you’re doing your business in a public place you can’t have an expectation of privacy. Having said that, if you’re going to film people in public, and on top of that ridicule them, then don’t be surprised if you’re confronted (i.e. it’s a two way street).

What he's doing is still lame. Some of these woman might be prostitutes and their families might not know it and perhaps these prostitutes might not want their family to know the work they do.

It's very bad of him to film people in areas where prostitution happens, especially if their faces aren't blurred.