samuijack

His name was John Pickin (also known as Chick or Chicken) aged 52 from Yorkshire
England. The death took place on Choeng Mon beach in front of P.S.
Villas, where his girlfriend works.

He collapsed in the water 15 metres from the shore.He died fron an
apparent heart attack and/or water inhalation. The medical crew
attended, but were unable to revive him.

His father is about to come and make arrangement for his funeral in Koh Samui in the next few days

That was nice... Anyone else who thinks that it was way too nice and that double would have been more appropriate?

Bye Bye, off you go, nice to see you (almost) even nicer to never see you again

He should remember that he was a guest in Thailand, as all us farangs are, and not get involved in the politic's of this country. Who elected him to speak on this issue ? If he was never to come out, it was of his own making and hopefully he will be deported and let the rest of us who respect the privilage of living here have a wonderful life in this wonderful kingdom.

The wind was blowing hard yesterday, as it does every year at this time, and blowing the light rain almost perfectly parallel to the ground.

This had to be a major factor, but then other planes have landed in this sort of weather for years without incident.

If you read my previous post, you will see that I the plane's approach and landing, from the time it turned final. I saw it make a textbook landing.eg: right on the numbers: right on the centre line: wings level. It continued down the centre line slowing down normally. When it arrived at the old tower, (more htan 500 meters) I would guess it was not doing more than 20kts. It then turned left. I thought it did this on purpose so as not to go to the end and backtrack. It seemed there was no problem until the brakes were applied, as up to this time the pilot would be steering on the rudder.

The winds played no part in this accident and would have no effect at this speed and if they did, it would have blown the plane the opposite way. Winds were 290/18kts. No reports on the ATIS or from the tower of gusting.

have just heard there has been some sort of incident at Samui airport. Plane off the runway or something.

anyone nearby see or heard anything ?

I witnessed this tragic accident and was listning on my airband radio.

Two airbus aircraft took off on runway 35 in short succession, at the same time as the ATR72 reported downwind for runway 35 and asked for a wind check. The tower informed him the wind as 300/15kts. The pilot reported turning base and was given the wind as 290/18kts and cleared to land. At this time it began to rain heavily and I was interested to see the landing. The pilot seemed to make a textbook landing and continued down the centerline of the runway ,slowing down, to a point apposite the terminal building (maybe 500 meters) when it seemed he applied the brakes and the plane turned 90 degrees left (as if the right hand brakes failed) colliding head on into the old tower building. This area which is concrete and set back from the runway, was a few years ago where the passengers would alight to be taken to the terminal by tram style busses.

As the plane was full and the pilot would have retracted the flaps at this stage, he would have maximum braking effiency and I can not imagine the the presence on water on the runway would cause such a dramatic turn to the left.

The normal procedue is to taxi to the end of the runway and backtrack to the terminal, as there is no taxiway.

If this had happened further down the runway, it would have ended up in a big drainage ditch, maybe causing more fatalities.

I believe that the tracking number is only good whilst the package is inside Thailand, once it leaves the country it is no longer traceable.... I was told this buy a post office clerk.

This despite the fact that the service is apparently worldwide.

When the package arrives in the UK, for instance, you can still track it. But the tracking number changes to a Royal Mail number, which you can get online, if you know how to find it. I got the kind lady at my local post office to get it for me.

Can somebody clarify the law relating to making a will in Thailand.

I have a thai girlfriend for 4 years now and not married. I have property in the uk which I wish to leave to my english daughter.

I went to a thai lawer today and asked to make a will, leaving any assets in thailand to my girlfriend and the property to my daughter. He said that I could leave any assets I had in thailand to my girlfriend, but as I was not married to her, under thai law it was not possible to make a will to leave assets outside of thailand.

I tried to make a will in uk for this purpose some time ago, but was told by a british lawer that under uk law, probate would be decided in the country where I was domicile eg. thailand, so I must make a will in tahiland.

I don't understand why I can make a will leaving my thai assets to anybody in thailand, unmarried. But I must be married to a thai in order to leave my uk assets to my english daughter. Why as a farang should the fact that I have a thai wife, make a difference who I leave my foreign assets to as I am not leaving it to her.

Just out of curiousity - why is the Thai Gouvernment so "Anti Long Stay Tourist" ...... I know alot of guys that work in the UK / Europe for 6 months during srping / summer, save up alot of cash, then go to Thailand for the autumn / winter (6 months) and spend all that cash...... I'm talking like 10 grand...... as in half a million Baht..... surely that is a good thing for the country? I can understand why they would want to stop foriegners buying up land & houses, pushing up prices etc., but what is wrong with people hanging around spending what is locally a hel_l of alot of money..... this money is filtering back up the entire country one way or another..... the typical long stay tourist is not exaclt a burden on the state?

Just seems pointless to me........... could some one fill me in?

The people who come here for 6 months (long stay tourists) will have a return airline ticket, so they will have no problem getting an extension.

What they are trying to stop is the farang who opens a bar or business in his Thai girlfriends name and is staying here long term on a tourist visa, or the timeshare touts etc. who are working illegaly, therefore avoiding having to pay for a work permit and not paying tax. If you live in any of the big tourist areas, you will see this all the time.

The answer to this problem is as they quote "get a visa appropiate to your purpose of stay" The immigration are getting fed up with these people taking the p*ss.

It doesn't say that we are forbidden to consume alcohol. It only says no alcohol will be "served" or "sold".

This means it is okay to drink our own alcohol, and to drink it regardless of the location.

It's a bit like the time-of-day restriction on alcohol sales. You can't buy alcohol before 11am or between 2pm and 5pm, but you can consume it any time of the day.

If we had left bottles of whisky with our name on it at a bar or club that were purchased on a date prior to the 14th of December 2007, can we consume them?

Would any bars or clubs allow BYO?

I think you will find, that resorts who provide accomadation and have a TOT license will be allowed to sell alchol to residents, as they are deemed to be part of the tourism industry. Do you think the boys in brown will check every resort in order to verify who is and who is not a resident.

I know from previous experience that a lot of cups of coffee !!!!!! will be drunk over these days

Hi all,

I would be appreciated if you guys chould shed some light for me.

I need some clarification on this 3 months term money in the Thai Bank account.. my partner has successfully changed his visa from Tourist visa to Non-Immigrant A-O in early September. I used the method of the retirement monthly income plus my money 80,000 baht in Thai Bank so it's make up to Thb800,000. he is going to apply for an extension of retirement visa next month. As following the advises from you all from this forum earlier.

Now the question is, he has been using his thai bank account to withdraw and deposit money in the meantime as it incurrs no charge as his Australian bank does for withdrawals on overseas/different bank. On visiting the Thai immigration office today to make sure everything is in correct order for next month, he was told in very stern terms that because he has been using that money from Thai Bank account and would now be refused the extension 12 month visa or whatever the terms they usually extended for. and would have to leave the country and reapply again even though the amount needed will be in the bank when he will have his final interview. This seems ludricrous to me, has anyone had this sort of problem before and /or can anyone advise me if he has been given correct information about this from the immigration office.? He has not been told that he is not allowed to touch that money either.

Any thought or same experience would like to share? or do you have alternative ways for me to be able to obtain this retirement extension of visa without leaving Thailand?

Thanks very much for your assistance in advance. and hope to hear some great advise as usual soon

Best regards,

Mrfreezier.

The rules for retirement visas are, that you must have 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account for at least 3 months before applying for your visa. This rule has been enforced to stop applicants borrowing the funds from their friends a few days before the application and repaying it having obtaining it

I have my truck insured with Sampanh insurance, who were told by the government 2 months ago not to take on any new buisness as their capital reserves were below the minimum required. They are were in negotiatins with some middle east company with the view of solving their finances with a merger. They, according to the Bangkok post had until 16th August to solve this problem, but I have seen nothing more about this and cannot find out any info on their web site. Does anybody have any information on this as they are the 4th largest insurance in Thailand. I understand that in the event of a claim, I must pay first and then claim from them as the repair shops are not willing to undertake their business.

Budget is very flexible depending on property and whether it is for sale or long-term lease. Property must be at least 1.5 rai wide (60 meters) and 25 rai long (1000 meters) approximately to be ideal for paved landing strip. There is a possibility of leaving it unpaved if we can grade it and drain it very well. Must not be directly under IFR approach to Hua Hin airport, so west of bypass road would be perfect. Ideally, the perfect plot would be 2 rai wide by 40 rai long equaling 80 rai. There are many small private airstrips in Thailand and they are all different.

I have a US PPL and asked at a Hua Hin flying club if I could rent a single engine plane for a sightseeing trip with a Thai qualified flying instructer as a safety pilot and was informed that because the King is resident in Hua Hin, no foreign national (whatever his qualifications) can be in an aircraft, operating from or to Hua Hin, where he has access to the flying controls, because of the events of 9/11.

Samui does not need a new airport .

Quite right. Samui airport could handle maybe 3/4 times the number of flights it operates, depending on the time of day. But they would not be able to get the slots into BKK as the airspace there is already at its maximum. Building a new airport in Samui or PNG would not solve this problem.

Can the 800,000 baht be kept in a high interest account, or long term deposit account.

Do you think there have been less tourists coming to Samui over the last 6 months in comparison to previous years?

If this is the case, what reasons would you give?

Costs of flights to USM, Not enough publicity,

Concern about possible threats or terrorism and unrest,

Negative publicity about Samui and Thailand in general.

Miliatry unelected government, terrorism in the south and bombs in Bangkok, baht up 10% in the last year, high cost of flying with bankokair (8200 baht return) 4 people can fly from Suratthani with asiaair for the same cost.

Canadian killed in robbery

BANGKOK: -- A Canadian man was shot dead and three compatriots injured in a robbery last night in their condominium off Sukhumvit Soi 18.

The lone robber climbed into the room on 10th floor of City Smart Condominium while the four Canadians, including victim Mark Jay Keffer, 42, and a number of foreign guests were celebrating Christmas.

The robber, apparently a Thai man, asked them to hand over their valuables at gunpoint.

He started shooting when a woman guest, a relative of room owner Norzachray Nordin, a Bruneian, hit him with her handbag. Keffer and all three injured people were later sent to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Thong Lor police station duty inspector Pol Maj Saravuth Dejsri said he suspected the robber, who had easy access to the room from a communal area, could have been tipped off about the party by people working or residing at the condo.

--The Nation 2006-12-26

In America anyone can own a gun as long as they are not a criminal. Aliens who establish residency by just living in a State can go out and buy a gun and anyone can buy a shotgun. Too bad we in the USA allow law abiding people to own a firearm but not here.

The woman should have come out with a shotgun and blown his head into pulp. Handbags do little against a firearm.

A very backwards country is Thailand in this regard.

This is a measure the treasuary department has come up with in order to reduce the value of the baht and to assist exporters against the rising value of the baht. Thailand is the worlds largest export of rice, for instance. If the cost to the importer was to rise 10% it would have a big effect on exports. Add to this the other exports, and you have a big problem for Thai exporters.

[siz

Can the 65,000 income be made up partially or wholly from investment income and not a gvment pension? I get a small pension, much less than 65,000 a month, but have other income from funds and building society.

Yes it can, if its a fixed payment from the investment.

If the above is allowable, will the Brit Embassy need proof before they notarize the letter of income which I must take to Immig?

Yes and then you need to show this proof as well to Immigration.

Prsumably with monthly income over 65,000, a bank transfer is not needed?

Correct at least in BKK. Correct. In Samui, the Immigration insist that you require a medical report at renewal. They say "it say so in the newspaper, but it is not correct" If you live in Samui and have your retirement Visa renewed elsewhere, they get very unhelpful if you have any problems and tell you to go back to where you had the Visa renewed.

If any amount of bank transfer is needed (200k or 800k), is the new 3 month rule "gospel" ? The official didn't mention that the money must have been in for 3 months already.

No

Someone in my soi told me that if I get the Ret Visa, I have to go out every 90 days. Surely they meant 90 day notification only?

The "someone" was talking of someone who cannot meet the criteria for the extension of stay permit and has a one year multi entry visa obtained at a Embassy/ Consulate. With this type of visa, they must leave Thailand every 90 days to get a fresh 90 days at the Immigration check point.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

If Immigration also wish to see this credible evidence it is a new requirement for British citizens.

I believe it is only a requirement for US citzens who only have give their word at the US embassy. Personally I would unquestioningly accept their word.

It is all nationalities that they require the proof. This is been happening around 5 weeks in BKK.

In your circumstances if you cannot provide evidence of 65k/m income and go part income part savings route they WILL require the savings to be on deposit for 3 months before granting an extension. This is only waived if you are already on an extension as a retiree.

As he will be doing a change from a extension of stay based on business to a "O" visa. AS OF NOW, he will not need to have the funds in the bank for three months. This 3 month rule of the money in the bank would only apply when he applies for the extension of stay based on retirement permit.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

What is this "If Immigration also wish to see this credible evidence"?

I have a several years old certification from the Belgian embassy (which needed proof to obtain by showing a retirement income certificate written in local language) that I used again on November 22 to obtain a new retirement extension at Bangkok immigration, showing also letter of bank balance less than 800k and bankbook with money in/out over the last year, the last money transfer being less than 3 months old.

I don't think it would help if Immigration would want to see and read the belgian papers explaining my pension income, even in my local language you would not understand what they are talking about, luckily the people at the Belgiam embassy did, LOL