MekhongKurt

It may not be the airline.

Some years ago, I was in the US returning to Thailand (where I live as an expat) on Eva Airline. I was refused boarding in Los Angeles because I didn't have a visa for Thailand nor an onward or return ticket. I poionted on the 30-day visa-on-arrival, but after considerable discussion, a supervisor got involved. He pulled up what the airline had received from Thai Immigration and invited me to take the mouse and scroll through it, adding that if I could find anything about such a visa, he'd happily approve letting me board.

There wasn't a single syllable about a visa on arrival.

In the event, the cheapest ticket I could buy on the spot was Bangkok-Taipei, so I did that. In Bangkok, no one questioned me, and I got the visa on arrival without ever even showing the ticket on to Taipei. Then I turned the ticket in and got a refund in full.

Again -- that was years ago, different place, different airline. But I have run into it, that's my only point.

Without your pension you could spend 200,000 to 300,000 setting yourself up with house car etc (you could do it for a lot less). The remaining say 200,000 if you live to 100 gives you 5,000 per month. Unless you like extreme luxury you won't run out of money without making any allowance for interest etc.

Gary are we talking Baht or euro now.

Glad you made that point -- I was going to until I saw you already have --

I saw that too. The fact that the price was in written Thai script was a little like visiting National Parks, where the Thai price is cleverly written in Thai script.

Wow...imagine that...writing signs in Thai in Thailand...how dastardly sneaky of them...surely this practice of posting signs in a country's own language in that country is something only done in Thailand and nowhere else

The point isn't that it was written in Thai Of course it's written in Thai, as should be the entire menu of any restaurant. But those targeting primarily foreigners need to have the signs in at least English as well, given that English is the most common global language, though I would think that with as many Chinese tourists the Kingdom has, it would be a good idea to see much more Chinese written, too. And maybe Japanese and Korean, in Bangkok, then perhaps Malaysian, at least in southern Thailand.

Does anyone know if the MEA is closed, too? I've tried repeatedly to call over the last hour or so, but keep getting a "Network busy" signal, and I don't have access to a landline where I am (and don't want to go wandering the streets looking for a pay phone).

If the PM does not crush the rebellion he will be criticized. If he does he will be vilified. He is in a no-win situation.

I'm glad we have such a good man in charge at a time like this. Look at some of the past PMs. Who knows what kind of bonehead will replace him?

Since I'm a foreigner, I don't feel I should comment on individuals on any side, nor to offer any proposals to solve the problems facing Thailand now.

However, as a friendly who cares about the Thai people, and the nation, I will say I hope this situation gets resolved very soon, and resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

My best wishes to all Thais.

i hate I didnt invest in sugar. 10years ago it was just 12-13 a kg

guess the big companys just hold it back in their storehouses atm

How stupid can you be? This is a good thing. Sugar is bad for you anyway

Heck, he was sorry not to have INVESTED insugar; nary a word about EATING it!!!

I've not been to Pattaya in over 3 years, but if anecdotes I've heard from friends who have been there since I last was are even halfway correct regarding foreign criminals, especially Russian mafia types (or seemingly mafia types, anyway), then for the Thai police to crack down is good news. Ditto Interpol opening an office there, I suppose, though I think there's already an Interpol office in Thailand (Bangkok? -- not sure). I was startled to read such a high number -- 2,000 -- of wanted people who aren't Thais but thought to be here. That does indeed merit attention.

Another observer here commented that if Thailand had casinos, it could make buckets of money, which I imagine is true. Look at how well Cambodia and Laos do, to name but two places some Thais go for their gambling fixes. Given there is the government lottery there in Thailand, I've often wondered why the parliament doesn't legalize casinos. The members could get good advice from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and Macau, both the governments and casino operators in those places. On the other hand, I guess that strictly speaking, gambling is distinct from the illegal flesh trade (though of course they often come as a package deal!).

I think this article is an example of very poor, unresearched journalism, which seems typical of so much Thai media, when it comes to "social" issues.

The dropping of the import duty will only level the playing field - that is the issue for the local alcohol manufacturers. It will become more competitive - particularly for the beer and spirits companies.

Whether or not the government decides to increase the excise tax, is not the issue, because ALL alcohol will be affected. But in reletive terms a bottle of whiskey now imported from say the Phillipines will now be able to be landed in Thailand at a price which could make it quite competitive to the Thai manufactured item. Similarly, the Thai company can now export a bottle of local whiskey to say the Philippines.

But, of course this could also show which of the companies is more cost efficient....or perhaps the fear is "inefficient"!

Further, if Thailand decides on using this in some way, to maintain a "local protection", it sort of makes a mockery of the FTA, doesn't it ?

Leveling the playing field is one thing, but I bet even if the *net* price on affected alcohol goes down you'll see the bars *raising* prices.

Actually, this isn't very surprising. I've wondered before if you have agreements with sources you use. I am *not* criticizing -- I just have previously thought about it.

Don't know that it's such a smart move on their part, since with the traffic Thaivisa.com gets, to have their stories here has to be of some advertising benefot for the paper. For free.

Don't know about the fair-use doctrine as it applies to headlines. Google has quarreled with some heavyweights over that, as has (I think) Yahoo.

Wonder what the legal situation is here in Thailand concerning fair use, in terms of quoting published media content?

Sunny

Khun Sunny, this is something I've discussed for years at length with my local attorney, who specializes in IPR law, and as I understand it, one very big factor is "Well, it depends." I am not being sarcastic, nor critical of Thailand, just passing along what I take to be good information.

I've always been puzzled by the worry concerning a "security threat" in these kinds of cases, particularly when we'retalk about a 12-year-pld kid, for pete's sake, after all.

But maybe there are legitimate concerns, so I'll turn to the U.S., my country of birth and still legal residence to exemplify this.

I'm from Texas, where there are thousands upon thousands of immigrants, including a great many illegal ones, the majority coming from Mexico.

We (Americans) may have legitimate gripes about different proposals to deal with the issue, proposals ranging from a "Berlin Wall" from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, for starters, to creating a way even for those already illegally present to get legal status of some sort (whether such status allows application for citizenship or not, but a legal status -- maybe a guest-worker one).

Now, if we want to put this into a local crime context, one form of security, then yeah, sure, there are concerns. Any group that large is likely to include criminal types, whether said group has legal status to be in the country or not. Immigration officers don't have a role in preventing burglaries, robberies, rapes, murders, thefts, etc., not per se. Nor do immigration agents have a responsibility for apprehending perps of such crimes. In other words, if a foreigner legally present commits a crime, then he's a problem for the police, not ICE (the Americans' Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency). Yes, a court might -- I think -- order such a person's deportation eventually, such as after he's served time, and after stripping him of his legal status. And then he does become the responsibility of ICE.

What about *national* security? I would suggest that virtually no immigrant, legal or illegal, is likely to give the CIA, NSA, FBI, etc. any genuine concern on that score. After all, most illegals who work end up in jobs work in areas such as agricultural (secret ways to grow tomatos on a small family farm have national security implications? Spare me.) Or construction, as service personnel (waiters/waitresses, housekeepers, gardners, and the like).

Then there's the issue of who'll do the job Americans don't like if we build a Fortress America? Contrary to some folks' contentions, it sometimes seems literally impossible to entice an American to work in jobs many view as unpleasant in one way or another.

For instance, I know someone in the U.S. who has a commercial garden, but who herself is not able to take care of it by herself. She employed seasonal workers, including some illegals, but finally had a pang of conscience and when her next season rolled around, advertised well in advance for a US citizen or a green-card holder via posters, flyers, local help-wanted ads, word of mouth, and face-to-face entreaties. Here's what she offered: $12/hour, at the time rather more than double the federal minimum wage; a small but decent trailer house, furnished, for the worker, and for a spouse and one or two small children, if applicable; $100/month towards utilities in the trailer; and pick-up/drop-off service every day if the applicant didn't have a vehicle. Plus one day a week off, and PAID public holidays, and social security set-up and employer contribution. Oh -- I almost forgot -- and a free home-cooked (by her, and she's an excellent cook) lunch in her kitchen, if the person wanted, or a ride to a nearby restaurant for that meal, if the person preferred. Eight hours a day assured, an hour off for lunch. Plus some free vegetables, when there was an excess.

This lady advertised for something like two MONTHS before she needed anyone. And how many Americans and/or green-card holders applied?

Zero, that's how many. Several times when she cornered high-school she knew were seeking summer employment and adults she knew to be desperately in search of work, the answers they gave her fell into the category of "I'd rather flip burgers at under half the pay than pick vegetables or the like."

Kind of hard to fault the lady for coming back in her detractors' faces' with "I tried, dam_ it all!"

So, that year she sweated it, depending on her son-in-law, daughter, their son, and anyone else who volunteered to pitch in. (I couldn't offer, since I was nowhere near enough to be able to do so.)

Now, concerning, for instance, hill tribes in the north of Thailand -- the children at least -- do they pose a genuine *national* security threat? If so, fine, and since I'm not Thai, it's ultimately none of my business anyway. But any such claim sure does leave me scratching my head. . . .

I hope this dilemma can be worked out to the satisfaction of all concerned, especially the Thais, who are often quite generous with foreigners, something for which they -- and their government -- often don't get enough credit, much less thanks, for. I've always been very well-treated in Thailand, including by Immigration and Customs officers.

After reading this story about the Spanish man who is starting a campaign to help fund the police, http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Spanish-Busi...ds-t284652.html

I wondered, we all hear stories about how the police have to buy their own guns, uniforms and so on. That they are poorly paid. Is this really true? Does anyone know the real facts behind the police, their training and the investigative resources available to them?

I don't expect CSI but surely they must have some technology?

I have two friends, one a police colonel who commands a station upcountry, the other an immigration police senior sergeant major. Both have told me in years past that the police are genuinely hamstrung in some instances by lack of financial resources, especially at either end of the technology scale: uniforms, guns, ammo, badges, etc. at the low end, and the CSI sort of stuff you mention at the high end.

That doesn't mean that there aren't some dedicated, very competent officers, including in various investigative units -- despite the negative public image of the police generally.

You may have noticed that often there are two officers astride a single police motorcycle. There are two good reasons for that: lack of money to buy them in the first place, and lack of money to fuel and maintain them in the second place even if they had the money to buy them.

The subject hasn't come up anytime recently, so maybe things have improved. And there sure was a lot of room for that.

There are some matters the Thai police take very, very seriously, and they'll move mountains to try to get to the bottom of them. Crimes against foreigners (Western ones, Japanese, etc. anyway) involving violence, for instance.

I'm not offering up a defense nor excuse for any incompetent and/or corrupt officer, just trying to acknowledge there are some good ones, good ones with limited police resources (unless the situation has changed for the better and I just don't know it).

hi, my husband and I are looking for apt/house to rent in Samutprakan,near crocodile farm, or near Tesco lotus Srinakarin. is there anyone can help us? we even can't find a local real estate agent. pity

Try this website:

http://www.thaihomelist.com/list.php?lg=en...;button2=Search

Just call me dumb! Forgot the LINK!

http://homes.point2.com/Agent/Thailand.aspx

There!

Mekhong Kurt

hi, my husband and I are looking for apt/house to rent in Samutprakan,near crocodile farm, or near Tesco lotus Srinakarin. is there anyone can help us? we even can't find a local real estate agent. pity

Here's a link whI found 14 agents listed, though I don't know a thing about any of them. I've been here 15 years and always used word-of-mouth and just pounding the pavement. A Thai friend of mine did recently find a house in the general area you want, though she found it on her own then decided against it in the end.

Good luck!

Mekhong Kurt

Thanks, ubonjoe; that's what I was afraid of. Up until two-three years ago, if one's expiry date fell on a Sunday, he could go in Monday and get an extension back-dated to the day before with no penalty. But one time, again, two-three years ago, that was again my situation, so I went down Monday -- and was told the policy had changed.

Adding to my confusion is that I called Immigration last time it happened my visa-on-arrival ended on a Sunday (about 1-1/2 months ago) -- called twice. One officer said I could come Monday; the other said I couldn't.

May as well book myself out Wednesday (the earliest I can get away) and pay an extra day's overstay. Already have a ticket, but need to book the seats.

Again -- thanks.

Does anyone know if it's possible to get any extension for the "new, improved" 15-day tourist visa-on-arrival one receives when entering Thailand other than by air? If so, how long of an extension?

Another related subject: my 15-day visa-on-arrival expired this past Saturday, so I trotted off to Bangkok Immigration, understanding it would be open half a day Saturday then closed today, Monday. A lady in the photocopy shop assured me I could go there tomorrow since Immigration was closed, and would not be considered on overstay. But she's not an Immigration officer. Anyone know the story about this???

Thanks in advance to anyone who might enlightenment!

I want to second the recommendations for taking the train. I've done that, and my return ticket was indeed just a few hundred baht. If you go all the way to Nongkhai, all you have to do then is to take a bus to cross the bridge into Laos then catch a taxi or minivan into Vientiane. Someone mentioned the office was moving (?), something I don't know about, though it doesn't surprise me, as the last time I was there, the location was the third one for the visa section in the years I've been going there (well over 25 trips).

I've always stayed at a particular guest house very near the Mekhong River in a side street in the Central Business District. When I was there last, about 10 months ago, the rate was US$20.00/night, or about 700 baht at today's exchange rate.

Now, I always tend to eat and drink well when I'm there, so I ended up spending maybe 7500-8000 baht -- but the trip can be made for far less. Had I gone as inexpensively as possible, I probably could have got by south of 5,000 baht, including the Laos visa on arrival and a Thai tourist visa (one of them).

There's another option for those who can afford it: fly. (As long as the schedules hold.) Several times I've flown up on THAI in the morning, rushed to the visa office and turned my stuff in, stayed the night, gone to get my passport the following afternoon, then took Laos Airlines afternoon flight to Bangkok. Figure on somewhere in the range of double the cost, though.

Finally, the other day my travel agent told me THAI has a code-share special with Laos Aviation for about 6,000 baht, taking the THAI morning flight and the Laos afternoon one. You could do that in a matter of hours, as long as a 30-day visa on arrival works for you. I've done that entirely on THAI a few times -- with a layover in Vientiane of only about an hour! The cabin crew did look at me like I waas weird when we were coming back to Bangkok. . . .

There is one place in Washington Square that keeps it going and that will likely stand for a long time. May I present...

The Texas Lonestar Saloon...for all of your eating, drinking and being merry pleasure.

When you're there, check out the distinguished and admirable pictures, photos and images on the walls. They're truly legendary.

I've heard that "Generous George" from the Texas Lonestarr is in the hospital. What happened?

First off, George Pipas "aka "Generous George") died a couple days ago, so who knows what's in stor for the Texas Lone Staar in particular.

As for the future of the Square, after being a regular there for 14+ years -- even living above the Lone Staar about 4 years earlier on -- it's difficult to say. For me, impossible. I know all my many sources are reporting what they have been told, reporting honestly and accurately -- but their various stories at best don't add up, and sometimes downright contradict each other. Took some doing, but I finally convinced folks that for me to take a wait-and-see attitude is not tantamount to calling them liars; I plain don't know, and have no inside track with the owners.

As for the atmosphere of Washington Square . . . well, I don't see rowdy guys who'll cool things down when a stranger walks in (especially a lady) is as bad as drunk fools trying to perform oral sex on a naked a-go-go girl in front of everyone in the place, as one can readily see in Cowboy (which I like), NEP, and Patpong (the latter two which I haven't visited in eons). I also like knowing most of the folks around the Square, and actually like most of them, to one degree or another.

And though the ranks are thinning, one can even now meet true legends around the Square. The late Pat Landry, senior commander with the CIA during the secret war in Laos. Tony Po in his day (before my time). George himself was legendary, as he should have been after some 44 years on the ground in Bangkok. Then there was the spice king, German Kurt, who supposedly fled Germany after WW II, joined the Foreign Legion, then had to flee again -- when Diem Bien Phu fell, from where he is said to have made his way overland to Bangkok and gone into the "pull-myself-up-by-my-bootstraps" routine. Lots of retired military, and former military. The occasional embassy type.

Well-known local writer Roger Beaumont once described Squaronians -- as they call themselves -- as "men with thousand-yard stares" -- sort of like, say, the Marlboro Man. It's more accurate, if you consider the meaning, than might first meet the eye.

There's a rare fellowship (if of a rough sort) there.

As Doctor Dennis noted much earlier in this thread, one is far less likely to get hassled or ripped off in the Square than he well might in quite a few other places.

As for the *physical* atmosphere, yes, most of the places definitely need a major face lift, to put it nicely.

But not everyone likes the same places, the same ambiance, etc. And that's okay, too.

Meanwhile R.I.P., George. . . .

Hello to you all , that are acquainted with George Pipas, proprietor of the Texas Lone Staar. I am sure most of you know, George has been in the hospital for some time now.

I just wanted to put out the message that George can have visitors, and he will know you. Also he will surly appreciate some kind words from his old friends.

I went to see him last week, and his eyes really light up when he hears a familiar voice. It was a good experience, certainly worth the effort, if it makes his day, just a little better.

I guess what I am trying to say is this, come on guys, we have all eaten at his table and accepted his hospitality for a long time, so do the right thing and go say hello. I have seen the sadness on faces around the Square, and I guarantee you will will feel better if you just go see him. He is still George and he will think kindly of you, for doing so.

You can find the name of the hospital at the Lone Staar

Thursday, July 24, 2008. George Pipas passed away a couple days ago; I'm in the States, but have had several e-mails, etc. passing along the information.

Mekhong Kurt

This story sure caught me entirely out of left field -- and I have a friend who is a senior sergeant at Immigration Headquarters in Bangkok. (Maybe he caught caught off-guard as well.)

Someone made the point this is the Thais' country so they can do what they wish, and that of course is true. Still, it would be interesting to know what led to the decision. The authorities certainly appear to be continuing to encourage foreign tourists and foreign investors (if the latter group to a lesser degree than before), so it's puzzling why retirees in particular have had the bar raised. It's especially puzzling given reverse trends in some other regional countries; Cambodia and Malaysia spring readily to mind, and I recently heard that Singapore is easing up on various immigration requirements (though I haven't confirmed that). I was already musing on the possibility of basing myself elsewhere but returning here frequently. I'l see how things wash out, and if there is no change in matters as they've been reported, then I'll move from musing to seriously investigating.

A number of posters have commented they aren't affected by this particular change but fear future changes may ensnare them as well.

I sure do feel for those who *are* directly affected and may, in some cases, HAVE to leave.

Chris will be on hand Saturday afternoon at the Texas Lone Staar Bar in Washington Square to autograph copies of his latest Calvino novel, The Risk of Infidelity Index.

Calvino is the hero of an ongoing series of novels Chris has penned, The Risk of Infidelity Index being the ninth in the series.

Calvino is a private detective based in Bangkok, a guy originally hailing from New York. He also is very much Chris's alter ego.

Chris has a talent for rising to high drama, something I've mentioned before in connection with a previous Calvino novel, Pattaya 24/7, once of the finest works of fiction it has ever been my pleasure to read. While I haven't read this latest work, I have no doubt it will turn out to be Chris's usual high-quality writing.

Not only will the book-signing give you an opportunity to buy the book (and, I would imagine, others, if Chris follows his usual pattern), but it will be the first opportunity to do so -- Chris has graciously agreed to make the Square his very first publicity stop. And that's worth a lot to most book hounds.

Chris will be at the Texas Lone Staar 2:30P.M.-4:00P.M. (or so) Saturday, January 20, 2007 with both books and pen in hand. If you've never met Chris, here's a chance to meet not just an increasingly (and deservedly) well-known author, but one heck of a nice guy as well.

Washington Square has two entrances, one from Sukhumvit Road, the other from Sukhumvit Soi 22. If you enter from Sukhumvit Road (nearly opposite Sukhumvit Soi 33), turn left inside the Square then turn right; the bar is part way down on your left. If you enter from Sukhumvit Soi 22 (at the traffic signal), turn left into the Square (directly opposite the Regency Park Hotel), then go left-right-right to arrive there.

By the way, Chris's book-signing will be simultaneous with the bar's regular free Saturday afternoon lunch. The lunch this Saturday consists of spare pork ribs, beans, and collard greens. (Do plan to buy a drink or two!)

The funniest part came when I saw that 245 OTHER visitors were reading this topic along with me!

A recent post mentions the protectiveness Thais feel towards their culture. There may be some [cold] comfort in that fact; after all, look at all the hilltribe people whose families have been here for generations yet are denied Thai nationality.

Since I'm American and not happy with the way Thais are too often treated at my embassy, I'm not completely comfortable for me personally to criticize. That said, a different contributor submits that the officers are, essentially, just following the rules. What puzzles me about that is 2 people talking to 2 officers at the same time about precisely the same set of circumstances may very well get differing, even completely opposing, responses.

Regarding having to submit a bunch of paperwork each year, while I'm certainly not a lawyer, a British friend of mine who has been here nearly 3 decades got tired of filling out the same form each year for a visa renewal when he has worked at the same job almost from the beginning, lived in the same house with his Thai wife and children and so on. One year he went to renew, but had a photocopy of the previous year's paperwork on which he whited out his age and wrote in his current age. The officer refused to accept it. It happens this man's wife is related to a fairly heavyweight Thai immigration attorney. In the end, when the attorney went with my friend, the officer could not point to any rule or law that either required filling in a new form or prohibited the use of a photocopy. Ultimately, the officer accepted it. At least that's my friend's story.

Suggestions have been made in this thread for us to bring up these issues with our own governments, a position I've long held. I've written my representatives over the years.

The document may be partly out of date, but it's good the foreign Chambers of Commerce have put some ideas on the table.

If the experiences of quite a few people I know are anything to go by, there is a lot a variation around the country, even at the headquarters here in Bangkok. For example, I knew one guy who went down to Bangkok headquarters to ask what all he needed to apply for a retirement visa. He already had a letter from the U.S. embassy (he was American), his bank passbook, his passport, and some passport photos. Though he hadn't brought in the required 800,000 baht, the officer asked him how much he did have. When my friend told him something in the 100,000 baht range, the officer promptly granted him retirement status -- much to his delighted bewilderment.

Yet I've known other people who've had trouble, including me. In my case, I had well over the minimum money in a local bank, a letter from the bank, etc. (except not the letter from the U.S. embassy -- I didn't think it necessary since I had the bank letter and my passbook). I presented the lot to an officer who read the bank letter, handed everything back to me and said I couldn't apply because the bank letter did not specifically state the money had come from outside the country. I happened to have my bank statements for the preceding few months, so offered to show him the transfer and to use my own phone so he could call my bank and verify the money came from abroad. He plain refused, and wouldn't say anything further.

On the subject of the Thai embassy in Cambodia, I went there once and got a tourist visa with no problem, though the lady did ask why I didn't opt for a retirement visa. I explained I hadn't had the money transferred and wasn't sure when that would be. Then I went back last year. I first asked for a Non-O, but they said no. So I asked if I could apply for a tourist visa in that case. When I went back to get my passport, the Consul-General came out and questioned me at length; he, too, focused on the retirement status. I told him since I couldn't get the right visa there, I had little choice other than either to get a tourist visa from him or settle for a visa-on-arrival. He was very polite, but told me he was going to give me a single tourist visa and that I could neve get another visa there. And he stamped in my passport, on the same page as the visa, words to the effect "Allowed to apply for a visa in Phnom Penh this time only." Don't ask me why; I haven't the faintest notion. I was reasonably well-dressed and groomed, and was polite the entire time. At 54 years old, I'm not likely to be taken as a hel_l-raiser or trouble-maker.

As for Penang, it's been years since I've been there myself, but I never had any problem with the consulate there any of the several times I went to it. I called down there late last year and they said they do issue O visas there, but that could have changed by now.

There may be one other possibility, though I've not been able to find anything out. Apparantly it's fairly easy to get a one-year visa in Cambodia to stay there. When I was down there recently, there was an article in the paper that Thailand and Cambodia have signed an agreement to let nationals of the countries can travel visa-less back and forth. I wonder if any foreigners (other than those who are naturalized Thai or Cambodian citizens, a rare breed) might be affected in any way -- the articles I read were silent on the point, and I've not been able to find anything out.

I do want to note that the Immigration Bureau personnel at the headquarters here in Bangkok have invariably been very friendly to me and efficient -- a far cry from when I arrived in 1994 -- the past several years. Even way back when, the only time I witnessed anyone having truly serious trouble essentially asked for it, demanding, not requesting, shouting silly stuff like "I know my rights!" and so on. I have a friend who works there, and though he is not a visa officer, he knows many foreigners and tries to keep up with the rules -- and even he regularly gets frustrated.

I sure wish they could copy China; last time I worked there I never once went to a police station, immigration office, etc. I had my letter of invitation, handed it, my passport, and some photos over to my employer, who took care of the works. Residency permit, work permit, etc. When the work permit got tied up in the bowels of the bureaucracy, two Immigration officers were sent to see me to tell me the chief wanted me not to worry, and to go right ahead and teach. Heck, one of my students was a police officer -- she could have nailed me, but never said anything about it!

Thanks, Kurt. The opinions appear to be consistent. Same feedback that the travel agent told me she had received from passengers she had booked onto EVA's premium economy class.

GR

Not that this is particularly on-thread, but there's an amusing sidebar to my experience in 1997 in my quest for food for my acquaintance.

It so happens I speak a spot of Mandarin, the national language of Taiwan. In said quest I approached an airport police officer and asked him if there was somewhere I could get food. He pointed towards a door clearly marked in Chinese, English, and Japanese "No exit without a visa for Taiwan."

Doubtful, I asked him to . . . "Um, say again?" He repeated himself and directed me to the far side of whatever room was beyond the door, adding to hand a left and I would find a restaurant then could come back to retrieve my friend.

Well, hey, he had the uniform, badge, and gun, so I figured I would venture out. Found myself in the *check0in* area for departing passengers! But, heck, a COP had told me, and I'm an ex-cop (long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away), so I pushed on.

And met a couple of beret-wearing, combat-booted, submachinegun-toting airport police who were eyeing me up and down. Kbowing evasiveness not to be the best approach in the situation, I approached and asked in they could speak English.

One spoke in reply in Her Majesty's finest stiff-upper-lip, Oxfordian English that he indeed could, and could he see my passport, please. Not with a question mark. "See your passport, please."

I extracted requested document, going into improv mode. "I don't have a visa for Taiwan, but an airport police sergeant told me there is a restaurant over there [me indicating the hallway runiing off to the left of the far side of the check-in hall. He looked at my passport and grimaced -- naturally -- then asked "WHAT restaurant? Besides, Sgt. Schmuck doesn't speak English, so how could he tell you?"

I admitted to having picked up to picking up a smattering of The Celestial Language once forbidden to us barbaric foreign devils after having spent some years in The Motherland and Macau, and having been married to a native of Beijing. He told me to come with them, and promptly escorted me back through the door (which on this side also said, essentially, no admittance). Inside, Sgt. Schmuck was still standing there, oblivious of what was to come.

The Captain -- and he was a Captain, his assistant a Lt. -- asked me if that was the Sgt. Schmuck to whom I had referred. Once I confirmed he indeed was, the Captain approached him and asked, "Did you tell this foreign devil there's a restaurant on the other side of the departure hall?" Sgt. Schmuck -- perhaps I should rename him "Sgt. Witless" at this point -- readily, even enthusiastically, he had. The Captain patiently asked him if he, Sgt. Witless, had directed me to go there over my concerns about going into The Forbidden Zone, another question the unfortunate sergeant agreed (strill with enthusiams, mind you) he had.

The Captain and the Lt. [the latter breifed by the Captain as we had returned to the transit area] both sighed. The Captain turned to me and told me not to worry, just to go ahead and catch my departing flight, but NEXT time not to listen to a witless policeman when I knew better.

Which I did, post-haste.

I was sweating little bullets of blood during the encounter, I'm quite happy to admit. But in retrospect, years later, it's easy to smile about the memory.

I just hope the unfortunate Sgt. Witless wasn't assigned to a team of "volunteers" to de-mine Cambodia or some such! ;-)

Anyway -- give EVA a try, and have a splendid trip.

Cheers!

Mekhong Kurt