Chalky

No help for you I'm afraid however the Crossman is one of my choices given legal availability here. I have been after the Gamo Whisper VH .177 for some time but Pyramid Air explain that they cannot ship to me in LOS.

Here's a few Bangkok shops for you but I haven't checked them in almost a year and I have heard, but not confirmed, that Miky's Gun Club (6/3 Sukhumvit Soi 22) can help you buy guns if you are a member:

Certificate, Ramintra 17 (Rangsit Future Park) - 02 522 2231 or 02 973 4223

Gun & Guy Enterprises, 111/1 Charoen khrung Road, Wang Burapha Phirom, Pra Nakhon - 02 222 3118

Supsiri Supply Ltd, 94 On Nut 52 - 02 332 2460

Yamai Co Ltd, Vidhavadi 62, Rangsit, Bangkhen - 02 521 6861

A relative says they can get me licence for any firearm as I'm former military however I would have to house it at a registered gun club where the club, again by law, will hold a duplicate key for it.

Will wait until I'm living in the sticks, my mrs will get a licence for something suitable and away we go!

Good hunting and please could you keep me posted on your efforts.

Personally, I enjoy using the City Line of the aiport link to visit the family in outer Bangkok. Two short MRT and City Link rides (yes, the small walk from Petchaburi to Makkasan is an annoyance) and I still get where I want to be 30 minutes quicker and about 100 Baht cheaper than if I caught a taxi.

I agree with Chuwit's comments but this is hardly something new here, more likely a little political grandstanding.

Try your host embassy's consular section or any lawyer, possibly a Thai Visa sposnor?

This is not an easy thing for me to ask however please could some of you ladies advise me of venues for my daughter and her partner to visit on their forthcoming trip here in a few months. I just want them to be able to relax freely, fully and openly and, from what I have read here, gay tolerance and acceptance appears to be much higher than UK.

I have no idea of the etiquette (or their personal comfort level!) regarding whether I could visit same before/with them and what age restrictions there might be as I am trying to loosen the (long absent) proverbial apron strings and allow a measure of freedom that their (UK) mothers won't try to use as a reason to not allow them to visit us again. Additionally, please could I also ask you to advise if I shouldn't try too hard to make these suggestions myself and/or I could refer them (and their mothers) to websites/organisations/publications that they could research themselves.

Thanks in anticipation of some helpful responses, please feel free to PM me if you wish to check my veracity and/or if ypu prefer not to post openly although please be aware that I do not log on daily.

Yes Yes...

But Please Please does anybody know the name of the band and the song playing in the background of the famed video?

Please tell.

Anyone?

I was trying to find the song too. From the lyrics, all I could make out was something like: "I remember" "sitting by me" and "the sun is shining", but searching these in Google turned up nothing....

Here's a link to the audio file in .wma format if anyone else is interested in trying.

http://dl.dropbox.co...gran%20song.wma

I thinks it's either ATB, Funkstar Deluxe or JetSkky, remix of Bob Marley's "The Sun is Shing" - try searching via You Tube

:-)

My friend & his mrs run a letting agency catering mostly to the upper Suk area, PM me for details (apologies if I don't log on often!).

Cheers.

Try here, I used to live there before the family expanded: http://www.buplace.com/

Thoroughly recommended and I think they have a promotion on at present.

Tried cycling around Bangkok? Try GregtoDiffer.com, he also has a blog.

You might also try Dan or Scott at Smiling Albino.com.

Give GregtoDiffer.com a try, he cycles around Bangkok and has his own blog.

You could also try Dan or Scott at Smiling Albino for trips further around.

Enjoy.

I lost you at 2 girlfriends. Especially the "I don't want them to know about each other" bit. I'm not trying to judge you morally, but a dictionary would define this as "cheating".

Depends on what game you're playing.

I think you'll find in poker a pair beats 'queen high'

SC

Personally I prefer two pairs, but I don't get out much!

Anyway, plenty more water under the bridge before the billy goats get here, I think

Interesting.

My name's Andrew and I'm Educated.

Your best bet might be to join EA, or Educated Anonymous. They hold regular meetings in and around Bangkok, and foreigners are always welcome. The ratio of Educated Women to Educated Men is about three to one, so you ought to be able to meet an Educated Woman in your age group. I personally attended a few meetings a while back, and they helped me a lot. I also recall having several long discussions with a very pretty Educated Woman. She told me that she was a Chulalongkhorn University graduate and had started having Education issues in her mid twenties. She also told me that she had been coming to EA meetings on a more or less weekly basis over the last 18 months.

Other than this, I'm not sure what to suggest. Some foreigners here in Thailand suggest that it's possible to go up to Thai women and ask them directly if they are Educated. I'm not sure about this. I think most Educated Women prefer to remain anonymous and are relucatant to discuss their Education in public.

Anyway -- good luck.

Oh, and SC -- the advice and help you give over there on that other forum has been extremely helpful over the last 2 or 3 months.

You'll have to forgive us here mate, we love a good leg-pull (don't go there fellow TVers!).

Try the various pubs and be social, this link might help: http://www.1stopbang...itality/bars_2/ and obviously pop in to any pub/bar that you're passing and strike up a conversation.

Cheers!

I used to live at BU Place, about 10 mins walk from Fortune Tower/Phra Ram 9 MRT but there is also a regular (free) shuttle service. I stayed there again last year on returning to Bkk to move into our present condo. Good facilities, loads of shops, quiet (speed bumps to stop the boy racer motorbikes!) and some fantastic eateries available 24 hrs on the small sois around it - including some of the best jim-jum available in Bangkok! (confirmed by my friend's wife who is from the originating cuisine area!).

I think their current promotion includes free wif fi as well, here's the link: http://www.buplace.com/promotion.php

Internet booking reduces prices and I cannot speak highly enough of all the staff, from cleaners and security staff up to room management - some of my friends still say there on there visits here also.

Good luck to you and your mrs on your trip.

thaivisaservice

Claudio, owner of this thaivisaservice was arrested right before Christmas, none of my colleagues has ever seen him since at the Tesco Lotus. He's gone underground. If you don't believe, find out by yourself at the Tesco Lotus.

Do you have some problems with Claudio as it seems that you are trying to destroy his business in different threads. Give it a rest!

The business is still up and running and I believe his wife is there every day at Tesco Lotus. Lots of people have used the service of Thaivisaservice and have been pleased with it.

Have used Claudio and khun Amonrat's service, off and on when required, for 4 years - never a problem.

Professional, friendly service and always seems to attract nice travelling companions.

HSBC ATM, unfortunately there's only one in Bkk, has a per time limit of 40k despite my personal daily limit being higher.

Similar to other posters, my other Bangkok Bank and K-Bank limits are higher than the per time limits however main (or sometimes "home") branch ATMs seem to allow 30k.

I do not think that this is a conspiracy theory. One has to open the eyes and see how the people are manipulated by the few. Some people are starting to wake up and fight back like the red shirts are doing. However the red shirts are ill advised if they think that Thaksin would be a savior as he himself has a selfish agenda.

That is a hedging your bets quote there....

I'm curious: What do you thing people are 'fighting back' against?

I'm even more interested in your thesis of what 'controlling Thailand' means?

Does it mean that at each point in the day powerful families are somehow dictating how life should be lived by the majority of Thai citizens? Or something else???

Lazygourmet nails it. In Thai society a few families own the majority of the wealth. And they try to keep the common man subservient by feeding him a puppet government and lots of mass media lies.

What's the old saying "you get the govt you deserve"?

Mass Media lies - really so different here than anywhere else. Been to China or Singapore lately?

A not so brilliant person once wrote: "If you look like a sheep, and act like a sheep, don't be surprised if they pull the wool over your eyes."

ha ha, love the sheep quote. Reminds me of one we were taught as political students in the UK in '78/79; "A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves."

Not sure if it's regional but our version (Thung Yai in Nakhornsrithammarat) is to have a lucky number (advised by parents) presented at (ceremonial ) wedding and all of it is returned to us. I have also been told that I can show it in cash or as a cheque.

The contributions from the wedding guests will be used to pay for the cermonies and parties, balance of course from me/us.

Good luck and have a great day, rest of your life. :jap:

OP must be talking about the lowlife basterds who doesn't understand Soi 8 bar is non smoking. Well, it was, for a couple of months it was a perfect place to go and watch rugby. They dont sell Bricanyl in big enough packages for me to walk through the doors anymore...

Echoing others here, it is very gratifying to be able to offer our suggestions here so thank you for this opportunity.

To borrow/plaigairise (with thanks and apologies to) from others, my suggestions are:

First and foremost, visa regulations should be immigration laws and suitably internationally enshrined as such, regardless of country of origin. The current caveat whereby individual immigration officers are able to apply their own interpretation of issued directives, often contrary to same, must be abolished.

PR and citizenship should be about positive immigration, not about raising income. A points system based on many things such as (in no order of preference but could be loaded appropriately): education, long term commitment to the country (relationship, business, employment etc), wealth/investment, level of expertise/trades could be introduced.

Age and financial requirements may need more exceptions with particular reference to (other) national monthly pension rates (such as USA/UK/Oz etc) at around 40-45k THB and reviewed in line with same annually.

With my particular circumstance of expatriate former Service personnel who settle here before their 50th birthday, perhaps their (our) government pensions should have to be paid into a Thai bank account and interest is guaranteed on same (although presently up to Thai banks). Note: Specific to UK, perhaps the UK government could be approached to agree a reciprocal tax agreement between the two countries to encourage pensioners to move to/stay in Thailand permanently and receive annual increases in respect to their pensions without the need to spend several months in both countries (therfore spending more of their income here).

Help to make it easier for mixed families living here by ensuring that marriage, parentage and visa regulations are all in sync with each other..

A "think tank" with farang members, or at least participants, and Thai thinkers could be established, perhaps from long established Chambers of Commerce, NGOs and established charities/foundations.

The basic requirements of Thai proficiency for all long term immigrants/Permanent Residents (PR) is a very reasonable one.

Citizenship/PR should be 5 years.

PRs be issued with a suitable identity card.

The denouncement of parent citizenship is a complete non-starter as far as I am concerned. You are quite rightly proud of being Thai, we should have the right to retain ours. Our children (by birth or adoption) should have the permanent enshrined right of holding either nationality or both.

Permanent removal of dual pricing policies based on race at all institutions.

Interest available on bank accounts for all, otherwise why the need to show any finances in a Thai bank?

Access to mortgages should go hand in hand with entitlement to land assets, i.e. fully available to non Thais with PR.

No requirement for re-entry permit if granted PR or 90 day reporting by e-mail.

Lifting/serious amendment to Working Aliens Employment ban list.

Work Permits not related to citizenship or PR.

Comparisons to other counties. Thailand has a great advantage in that it can (sic) chosse to look at whomever it wants to globally (or "next door" in two countries"!) and "cherry pick" accordingly - comparisons (and amendments) can come later.

Again, similar to many others here, I would like to respectfully let you and other Thais know that not all foriegners living in Thailand by choice, are here for just the booze, women, sex, or such things.

Certainly, the vast majority of my friends and I have Thai families that we love and (continue to) make personal sacrifices for to support them here. We did and do this happily, out of of love and respect for our families in the full knowledge and acceptrance of Thai laws, culture and customs.

All we ask is the right to live quietly, peacefully and equally with our loved ones here in Thailand.

Please, the next time that you talk to your friends, just let them know what our Thai extended families already know and have accepted us for for many years - that there are many foriegners who only want to live here in as full and fair manner as is legally and democratically possible in the land that we now choose to call home.

:jap:

I know of two fully professional web designers here in Bkk who do exceptional and quality work with full back-up service and many on-record satisfied referees/customers. One is British the other French, pls PM me for details.

Sorry to be negative but the salary is 28k per month, depending on experience, with (obviously) the requirements to travel within LOS and have a good command of written and spoken Thai and English.

Hence my comment about being 84,000 being well spent, equating to 36 income letters, did you not detect the sarcasm?

Think they are targeting graduates for whom the 28,000 would not be bad, think they should be looking for someone with a bit of experience in life, but what do I know?

Nice one, apologies for the miss but my fibre hasn't kicked in yet!

Quite agree with you BTW but ditto, what do I know?

I do not know your nationality, but some embassies deliver a "certificate of residence"... You may try this option. If available.

I think you need a Residency Certificate, which are issued by the Immigration Office for such circumstances as applying for a Thai Driving Licence etc. Can't remember what the criteria is now for documents that need to be provided to them as from recollection the goalposts moved within the last year. I do seem to recall that a letter from Landlord of the property you're renting is required. Probably best to pay a visit to Immigration and speak to one of the farang volunteers there.

I take my (Service) pension letter (P60) to the British Embassy and get my Proof of Address which I use for my Thai driving licence and add to my Extension(s) of Stay documents. Embassy staff told me they will take most UK (official) letters for this. Previously I have used a Juristic Office letter while waiting for my change of address UK letters. Definitely try both and good luck.

Sorry to be negative but the salary is 28k per month, depending on experience, with (obviously) the requirements to travel within LOS and have a good command of written and spoken Thai and English.

For the extension based onahving a Thai child, you will need to be the legal fahter of the child and living with the child. Being on the birth certificate is not enough.

There are two options for legitimising a child:

1. go to the amphur together with mother and child and declare you are the father. if all 3 of you agree, than that is all there is. However, the law dosn't state how old the child must be to give consent. Most amphurs will want the child to be at least 7 years old. But some seem to accept a child as young as about 4 years old.

2. Petition the court and ask to be recognised as the legal father. This will take some time (and money) but in case the mother agrees shouldn't be much of a problem and be a fairly simple case.

Thanks Mario, the amphur has said that as our daughter is only 3 then the court process will take several months.

I shall have to do a Laos/Cambodia run and wait for my UK decree absolute (due "any day"), go to the Embassy for Affirmation to Marry, go to amphur and marry then go to Chaengwattana and change the visa.

Thanks again.