Cent

So no citizens helped at all with information?

They get nothing.. the police and much of Thailand is so corrupt.. I am actually not even surprised. I have been here too long.

Unbelievable, but not in Thailand it's not. I'd love to know who actually gets this 'reward' money and/or how it is divvied up among the police. WIll this money be a nice little retirement bonus for Thai police chief Somyot Poompunmuang? Seems to be rushing to get the cash rewards before he leaves his job. 55555

I have dollars so the exchange rate is nice. But what goes up can also go back down. I try not to get too excited.

It's all a cycle over time. I just enjoy it while it lasts, and keep my income in a US bank and take what I need when I need it or when I am getting a better exchange rate than usual. Even the Thai currency financial wonks recently said they expect the baht to be at around 36.75 by the first of the year.

36.37 at the moment. I've been following this for weeks. It certainly increases my "value" in Thailand.

Owning property in Thailand with a sliding baht is not going tonic tease ones value. But so far I am still about even from what I paid when purchasing (on average). That said, of course the local rentals and resale prices will adjust somewhat to account for the forex. That said, things can and do swing both ways.

With all the empty condos and rooms, hotel rooms, apartments and such you would think the costs would decrease to try to fill these places. (Getting some profit is better than getting none off your investment.) But hey, this is Thailand, Bizzaro world of the east. Pattaya and Jomtien in particular have many empty places. One or two more low 'high' seasons may do the trick.

left, middle, right

they are all sponsored by lobby parties on each side

so that corporate america can continue to rule the country and make laws that suit & protect them

Yes, with the exception of Bernie Sanders.

The Consulate General in Boston is very friendly and their office is very efficient. Located by The Bell in Hand pub and just around the corner from Ye Olde Oyster House. The woman secretary there is great. Bring along a copy of your marriage certificate maybe if it is your first time using them and doing a marriage O visa. Otherwise you'll need at least one passport photo, fill in the form, and pay the fee. I've been using them for 15 years now. No muss, no fuss. The marriage O visa is a multi entry. Which works out better for you if you find you need to leave Thailand for any reason. Just pack your bag and go... no need for permission or other visa baloney. You can come and go as you please during the year the visa is good for. Step out over a border crossing every 90 days and come back in. The only downside is it'll cost you around 1500 baht in fees each time, and your time that day for doing the crossing. Also the Marriage O visa only needs 400,000 baht for your money shown compared to 800,000 baht to show for a retiree visa, and you can get one if legally married to a Thai no matter what age you are.

Hopefully they also install police barracks or stations at these truck stops as well.

Being a smoker myself, I do admit to feeling a bit of a cold turkey attack on these long hauls. But still have a problem with the fact ecigs aren't allowed

The problem with E-cigs is those ignorant of their use freak out if they see the 'vapor' from one, thinking it is smoke.

The easiest way, and the smartest, to keep from having nicotine withdrawal while flying is by using the nicoderm patches, which are easily available at most pharmacies (21mg is the strongest, and I suggest using those while flying). The airlines and airports would make a fortune selling these as singles (rather than a whole box) in kiosks in the airport, or even on the planes themselves.

Not fat this lady....I guess she isn't seen often at McDonalds....

No, but Dairy Queen is right there.

Congratulations on forming your post. If I'm ever in the area I'll stop by. Now I just wish they could get a reserve unit out here... Korea and Japan are a bit of a hike.

If you are eligible, you are more than welcome to join our post. You don't have to live in the area nor do you have to attend meetings. Just keep your dues current and you are a member. We are new and still learning and can use all the help we can get.

How much are the dues, and how can one make the dues payments? I live in Surin, have my DD214 available (can scan a copy and send by e-mail if that is sufficient), and would like to help you in your endeavor to start an American Legion Post in the area. Is there a life time member option, and what does that cost? I likely wouldn't be able to make many meetings, but would try when I could.

Mike

NO. It looks as if the General is trying but at the end of the day it wont happen.

Corruption is locked into society here and has been for hundreds of years.

It may get more expensive.

Only way to do it is to have the same sort of punishment they have in China. And even then some will think it worth the risk.

1 or 2 year lease. Pay as you go monthly. Get the water and electric under your name and pay it yourself. I personally would not pre-pay at all. Life changes, things happen. Don't lock yourself into something that could lose you a large amount of cash with little to no recourse on getting it back if things go blooey..

This law will stop a lot of foregners from buying and selling goods.

Why?

common sense, tigers are not pets and should not be locked up. Get to close to them and they snap then you got know one to blame but yourself.

That's why they dope the animals to the gills for these 'photo ops' at the tiger zoos and parks. Keeps them docile and mellow.

I've read several reports this morning on various Hua Hin facebook groups about immigration visiting farangs in the past couple of days and taking photos of them and their passports.

I have absolutely nothing to hide as all my documentation is in order etc but am I the only one who feels a little uneasy about this?

Doesn't immigration already have all this info from when we go and do our 90 days?

What's with the home visits? Maybe they are looking for people working at home on the quiet?

I know they recently changed the big boss in HH immigration, maybe this is their way of trying to stamp their authority?

"Doesn't immigration already have all this info from when we go and do our 90 days?

What's with the home visits?"

I would think it was to verify that the address you've given on your visa 90 report is the actual one you are living in, and to see you there in that address. It also might be they use Tourist Police as it might be more cost effective, and a good chance for these fellows to use and practice their English (and give them something to do as well). :-)

Just so unlucky, finding them after they are emptied, eh?

Ah well, never mind, better luck next time.

Or the next.

Or the next.

Ad infinitum..........

Time to bring in the corpse sniffing dogs and search the area in and around this 'camp'. I'd say. More bodies will likely be found in the area.

Turn of events: Today I went to the house and started loading concrete, wood, doors, and all of out personal belongings into the truck.

Arguments insured with wife and her father and a different sister who lives behind the house and who also has done nothing to show bad and even likes our plan to remodel the family house.

By the time I had loaded my truck beyond capacity, father had a change of heart/thinking. Now I an told that I can do what I planned with the house minus the one room the eldest sister lives in. A 3x3 meter room.

I told the wife to explain that her room is still open to the dust and webs is still open to everything else. So they agreed to let me seal her room since this sister is a pig that is lazy to clean.

To me this seems like I was being tested by the father and everyone to see if I would bend to their wishes. If so, then, I have won.

Or, could it be that they have seen that I was serious to take my wife and kids far away from them forever because of their stubbornness?

Either way! They have succumbed to my plan. What problems lie for me in the future can only be imagined now.

I think my next move is to get that eldest sister to really hate being in my home so she will do anything to leave on her own. Maybe then I can find happiness with my wife and 2 babies.

You should still just leave. Problems WILL arise later. You are being held an emotional hostage, as is your wife. If you have the money, buy your own land in your wife's or even your kids names. Buy it far enough away as to keep a good distance from the family. Why place yourself in a position to be having problems again and again? And I'd bet once the house is done you will continue to have problems from your wife's family, in many different ways, giving you headaches and heartaches you do not want, need, or deserve. Or, just rent as I've said before in the earlier post. Renting gives you the option to move away from problems that arise if you need to or want to. Easily enough to do if need be. I've been renting the same place for 15+ years now with no problems (plus we have our own house in the village and never had to put up with this sort of bullcrap). In my opinion it would be in your best interests to leave with your family.

!!!!!!The family is not interested in my money. I know for certain my wife is not with me for cash. ??????!!!!!

i was in two minds as to actually post my reply but honestly my T V friend just look again at the replies through out today they will pretty well follow the same format /advice also i reply because you sound genuine unlike many similar posts which are basically trolls

Well I am definitely not a troll and the story is happening to me at this time.

I am going to follow advice because I was originally thinking the same before I posted this. However I want to give wife a chance to talk one on one with her parents without me there before a final decision is made. So maybe she can explain my options if they refuse to let me make the house livable. I am looking into returning purchases we made that have yet to be delivered for refunds and to put a half to construction so my loss is not so severe even though the house is a mess with holes dug and bare new walls. Just walk away with no afterthought.

Do that I've bolded that you said above. It sounds like they are being totally unreasonable, the sister sounds like she believes she is losing face somehow (is she older or younger than your wife?), and the lack of respect you are getting is over the top. Rent a place of your own away from the family and in a town/city where things will be easier for you. Rents are fairly inexpensive, and 500,000 baht is a good piece of baht that could rent you a decent place for many years to come. I wouldn't go back there, nor would I finish any construction at a later date. It sounds like you may have a decent income or pension money coming in you can live on nicely. Just pack up and leave the ungrateful family to their own devices. Take your wife and kids and go. It sounds like a horrible situation you have. Do what is best for you and your family, not the rest of them. And, it sounds like your wife is reasonable and agrees with you that this is silly and stupid on the rest of her family's part. Screw them and stay away from them in the future. They do not deserve a decent guy like you helping to make all their lives better.

Just my humble opinion.

Well, so the quality tourists will have to do without them ....... for an hour or so. A slap on the hand, a B 500 ticket and off we go again.

Alternatively check if all of them did the mandatory two years army service. Sure they find prey there; albeit not quite a the same tariff structure as on hawking street

The usually reported fine is just 100 Baht, and then they are back on the Beach Road again.

I imagine the law restricts the fine to just 100baht. The next punter will pay the fine, having the extra 100baht removed from his person.

Time for a full overhaul of ALL fines for every offence, with minimum 1000Baht, doubling up for every subsequent similar offence.

Nick,

They should arrest them every night, keep them in the slammer overnight, and fine them in the morning before letting them go. Make it too much of a nuisance for them to want to go there (and Beach Road as well). If they work inside a bar that would be fine in my opinion. The street hustlers are the ones causing all the trouble. And jail the ones causing trouble for longer periods depending on their crimes. Assault causing bodily harm should not just be a fine and a get out of jail next day. The cops and the courts need to take a hard stand on these constant crimes.

There is nothing article 44 can do for this. It is too late. They all knew this years ago and did nothing except rake in the money they were making.

Exactly true. He inherited all the previous corruption, the slavery, the previous money made from ILLEGAL things that are coming to light all across the spectrum and open to the world to see. And now he doesn't like what is happening when the world hears the truth of it all. You want to be the big wheel now, dude, try being a real leader and stop the total corruption that will soon destroy your country and the economy. But I doubt he has the balls to do so. It's all a whitewash, and he is no better than the rest of the pols who want to rule the country, and have for many decades. It's all a scam. Why? Because they all have people who they are beholden to. The corruption is endemic to the soul of the country.

Likely in Florida on the Gulf Coast.

Malaysia possibly if I could not live/stay in Thailand.

Burma/Myanmar if I was 20 years younger in these days.

So this would be sort of like how the police here 'uphold' the illegality of prostitution and gambling and such lucrative activities... but with 'Thai features'.

"I chair countless committees to take care of all aspects - economic, finance, fiscal and education."

Which surely as an army general he is totally qualified to do. Such a well rounded educated 'master of the universe' who knows all and can cure all. Sounds a lot like blabbermouth khun Toxin to me, but with complete military backing.

Out with the old, in with the new, same old same old.

To me ..... His skin is not white, his hair is black and his build is slight ... Ferang? I don't know. What I do know is that I live in Udon Thani and I would have amused myself for a few minutes teaching this guy a few "rules of the road" if he had acted like this towards me.

I'll be taking a ride around Nong sim market tomorrow.

Really? It was stated in an earlier post that the Thais there know this man, and know he is mentally unstable but non-violent. And you are going to actively search him out and give him a lesson on a few 'rules of the road'? If he was a large strapping young man, rather than of 'slight' build, would you do the same? I doubt it.

Gimme the house i not need the trouble involved with a wife.

And after the house is bought and paid for, and the marriage final and legal, a year or two down the road you will end up disappearing, found dead of mysterious cause, or found to have 'committed suicide'. House to remain in the wife's possession permanently there after.