wilson steer

What you never get to hear about in Thailand are cases of falangs having their penis sliced off. It is always covered up in an almost surreal way. This is quite common, yet is never reported in the newspapers.

If you speak with hospital doctors about this they are sworn to secrecy. A few bar girls know a few tales, but it's hard to get the truth. Lets face it, a few falangs with this happening could cause a drop in tourism.

It usually happens between partners who have been together for a while, then the falang screws around, gets found out and bingo: chop, chop.

When it happens, the victim is rushed to hospital and re-attachment is attempted, sadly many Thai wome now quickly flush the chopped penis down the toilet to prevent re-attachment.

All medical costs are met by the Thai government, compensation is made and the falang is sent back to his home country with a lot of cash, sans penis.

If you are sceptical, do as I did, ask around, ask professional Thais, ask Thai medical staff, and for 500 baht you will learn the truth!

This is Thailand, stand your ground, know your rights, don't go ballistic, all they want is money.

Just give them 500-1000 baht to shut them up, otherwise ask to see a superior and be confident.

Thai officials always want back handers, but they should be reasonable. NEVER pay bribes at the airport or to immigration though.

Dual Pricing is all in the mind, I never even give it a second thought. Thais pay less because this is a third world country and a decent wage here is $100 a month, I earn that in a day.

Back home, children and OAP's pay half on trains buses and museums, just think of Thais as children or OAPS they are deserving of a reduced rate.

Try to imagine that Thais pay less, not that you pay more!

The original story is pathetic, quite pathetic. Never trust a Thai. They love only money and sadly many gamble heavily. Never give a Thai money for 'food' offer to go with them and eat together and pay the bill. If you do want a long term relationship witha Thai, make sure you give them no money, ever. Just explain that you will pay all the bills and buy all the food, never buy property in Thailand always rent, don't bother with cars, rent them, the same goes for motorcycles.

I suppose the best is to live alone, and pay 1000 baht for a jump when you need one.

As a resident of Pattaya, I read the Pattaya Mail and read about all these suspicious deaths. They are of particular interest to me as I live in a high rise condo.

I have four theories:

1. The men are thrown off the balconies by drug gangs to whom they owe money.

2. Genuine suicide; there are a lot of blokes who go and live in Pattaya and blow everything they have, money, credit cards etc.

3. Ladymen will kill a man for money, especially a lot of money and gold. They usually set it uop well with assistance from other lady men.

4. Thai bargirls often have Thai boyfriends. They set up home in a condo with a medium wealthy falang, a year later they have it fully furnished and the trust of the falang. Bingo Thai boyfriend throws falang off the balcony and cops the furnishings, cash, and usually the ATM numbers.

These crimes are never solved because Thais stick together, what is the odd dead falang? Usually the falang is pissed and shows up with alcohol in his blood, and many falangs do drugs and this is found by pathology in the blood.....then it's a case of good riddance!

I think Pattaya Baht buses are O.K. They come along every minute, it is 10 baht flat fare and you can charter them to take you home for 50 baht.

Pattaya has something for everyone, you don't have to go to soi 2,7,8 walking street every night. There are fantastic malls for eating and shopping, great sports facilities, decent hospitals, nice beaches a boat ride away. I personally think Bangkok is a tourist trap, everything is overpriced, in Pattaya you can bet a full English breakfast for 65 baht and Beer Chang 35 Baht a bottle. The girls are fun, no hard sell, genuine for the long term falang.

Pattaya gets bad press, but I know families that come back again and again, and some women love it too.

I think Krung Thai is the best Thai bank, money wires from the U.K.always take 5 days. ATM is good and I get 0.5% interest on my balance. No questions are asked, just a passport and a few thousand baht to open.

The Thai Farmers is O.K. and they have just started an internet banking service so I can transfer money myself on the internet, between accounts. I am not registered on it yet, but I will let you know.......

Sex Toys can be a problem depending on the immigration officer. Officially, they are considered obscene, and you could be fined and have them confiscated.  I have a friend who brought in some dildos, vibrators and strap-ons. They let him keep the vibrators, but confiscated the strap-ons and realistic dildos.

Sometimes tablets are inspected, better to have a doctors note for sleeping pills or strong pain killers.

I got hassled once for my laptop, I think the immigration was just causing me bother, I kept smiling and said it belonged to my company.

Don't bring a roulette wheel in, even if it's for fun, that is a no,no.

Top shelf mags will be confiscated for sure, but usually just to keep them themselves. Once they nicked my 'Loaded' magazine!

Never under any circumstances use immigration on Soi 8 in Pattaya. They are the most corrupt officials in the land, it might be a pain, but use Bangkok. Don't even request a 15 day extension. The officials there demand bottles of Jonnie Walker, bribes, threaten etc. They are worse than Nigeria.

True story: A friend of mine went to get a 30 extension to a two month tourist visa; cost 500 baht. When he collected his passport it was stamped "extention request under review" return in two weeks. He went back in two weeks, only to be told he had overstayed, had to pay 15 times 200 baht overstay and leave for border immediately. NEVER go to Pattaya immigration for anything ever, ever, ever!!

George, again you are wrong. August 26th is the date set by Thai immigration to hike visa fees within the Kingdom of Thailand. January 1st 2004 is the date set for the price hike for embassies overseas.

Changes in cost to visa fees within the Kingdom of Thailand can be effected overnight. Fees in overseas embassies fall strict to rule 18(a) which states a six month hiatus (or else) rule 118 © parragraph III " The next calendar year A.D. (WESTERN)".

alykev  spot on mate, these people going to Laos always get ripped off, fixing fee is a con. I always do the same as you, plus I take loads of passport photos. Taxi 200 baht for sure.

Quick tip, the tuk tuk drivers to and from the bridge from the visa place are becoming nasty individuals, take an older man, not some young bastard who demands 100/150 at the friendship bridge.

These nasty Laos men Tuk Tuk drivers hang around the passport place looking for daft falangs.

Re visas , six time rules, re entry from the Union of Myanmar, P.D.R.Lao etc.

British subjects can change their passports at any time for a new one by paying the fee. British subjects can also LEGALLY hold two passports.

The trip over the border to Myanmar scenerio whilst unlikely would result in Thai immigration issuing a 48 hour visa, where the six time 30 day in-out tourist would be required to leave the Kingdom in 48 hours, if no flights out are available, stay in the airport, and that is the working code of this event.

However Thailand being Thailand, many immigration officials won't even flick through a six-timers passport.

Don't worry folks, Thailand needs tourists both long and short stay.

I disagree with previous comments on this. If you have a long overstay it is better to declare it before going to the airport, preferably at an immigration office other than Pattaya.

Again take a Thai professional or Thai lawyer. Sort it out in a quiet, serious manner. This will avoid jail and only attract a 20,000 baht fine.

Thai immigration want to see you with a clean white shirt, a short haircut, glasses (even if you don't need them) and nervous looking, tearful and with a Thai friend. Don't panic, come clean, pay your way!

the new cost for an extension visa is 1900 baht, this is a cunning plan. Suppose my uncle billy comes to Thailnd for Christmas and New Year for five weeks, he gets an automatic 30 day entry visa but is five days short of his departure. He can a)get an extension for 5 days at immigration

b)pay five days overstay at the airport 5X200 baht= 1000 baht

Overstay in Thailand is illegal, and if you are the unlucky one you can be jailed and fined.

This six time rule is causing a lot of needless panic, it refers only to six consecutive automatic 30 day free entry visa stamps. These are given no questions asked.

If you apply for a thai tourist visa 2 month this is not the same thing.

This new six time rule is to stamp out the criminals who come in and out of Thailand all the time on 30 day visa stamps.

This six time rule is causing a lot of panic, a 30 day visa is not a tourist visa. A tourist visa has to be applied for at an embassy. There are not many people who come in and out of Thailand on 30 days, it's too costly, better to get a multiple entry tourist visa. By the way from August 26th this year fees are set to sky rocket.

Tourist visa rise to 1000 baht for two months

Extention visa either 15 day on a 30 day  or

30 day on a 2 month tourist rise to a wacking 1900 baht from 500.