Marksamui

I had a problem with a guy in Phuket immigration before.

My passport was ok, I was holding my son and they said they had a problem with the passport. I am standing there trying to hold on and ask whats the problem. I was told that it was non of my business. I said its taking along time. Guy shouts to get out the line and wait for as long as it takes because I was being very rude!!

He came back 10 mins later saying everything was ok and we both said sorry (although I was not).....

Looks like I was lucky not to be banged up!

I and the family currently live in a 2 bed Condo in Harbourfront area.

Which is great because I can jog to work in the CBD (it is only 4km) and we have a ton of shops in Vivo City. Its got some nice parks and can get to Sentosa easy.

Been in the condo 2 years now and will probably stay on at least another year when it comes up for renewal.

Just what they can possibly enjoy about this is beyond me.

Then why do you ask?

Because I am interested to know and understand people’s views on this....

Do you have a opinion on the matter?

After reading these forums for the past couple of months I am surprised not by the amount of Expats with Thai wifes, but with the amount of Expats who with said wife live in a native/rural Thailand.

Really something like this is not for me and as much as possible I add a western influence onto things. My wife is really happy this way around.

I just thought that some posters seem to revel in the fact that they live a rural life in a Thai village. Just what they can possibly enjoy about this is beyond me.

I am sure plently will come and knock this, but really its each to their own, but it certainly is not for me...

You know you're in the real Thailand when you wake up and look for some breakfast and real coffee and the only thing offered is Birdy and last nights left-overs (which have been sitting in an unrefrigerated pantrybox).

You know you're in the real Thailand when that meal is eaten on the floor with the young 'uns dropping and picking up to consume their food--but you have to sit cross legged cause feet are dirty.

You know you're in the real Thailand when the old lady bitches you out because you wasted electricity by putting your laptop in sleep mode all the while having the aircon running in an empty bedroom.

You know you're in the real Thailand when all this starts off by the tambon speakers blare the morning news.

You know you're in the real Thailand when, although there's a perfectly good well with a filtration system, the local water delivery guy drops off a load of "rain water" that the M.I.L just HAS to have.

You know you're in the real Thailand when the in-laws bust out the shotgun upon seeing a dove and decide that's what's for lunch. Speed at which shotgun disappears will tell you the legality of that weapon.

You know you're in the real Thailand when it's only the government that has the dual pricing; otherwise you'll pay the same for food and everything else.

You know you're in the real Thailand when you can look out at the fence row and see tonight's dinner blissfully picking away at whatever assorted bugs there happens to be.

You know you're in the real Thailand when despite the mobile noise pollution adverts, tambon speakers, screaming family, you still get 'shushed' when attempting to make a phone call to a mate.

You know you're in the real Thailand when it's perfectly natural to see most of your meals cooked on a clay 'BBQ' pot.

You know you're in the real Thailand when you go to town and hear 'falang, falang'.

You know you're in the real Thailand when you don't have salt and pepper on your table, but rather sugar, ground chili, fish sauce, and fish sauce with chili.

You know you're in the real Thailand when you go out and buy drinking water which the family immediately empties into the communal water igloo with a single steel cup that may have been last washed when Ghandi was still alive.

You know you're in the real Thailand when you start knowing which manufacturer of tak-tak engines is the best.

You know you're in the real Thailand when knowing about tak-tak engines let's you know which is used in the 'bus' that takes the family member's kids to school.

That's about it for now, but I'd like to say I love each and every one of those aforementioned examples.....well possibly with the exception of the breakfast!

I know that I am in Thailand when I try to avoid nearly everything listed in the above post. Some of these things would have me packing my bags are running.......far, far, far to native for me!!

I know I am in Thailand when I smell the drains!

Or am I right in thinking that you can do it at the desk the otherside of the imergration counters when you depart from Phuket, same as in Bangkokg?

Thanks

Oh Dear...you should have obtained your multi entry visa from an embassy/consulate before entering Thailand.Now you have the chore of visa runs...15 day extensions can be got at Ranong burma.

90 days Penang Malaysia.

No I don't. I have a 3 month visa single entry and can get a multi entry stamp at the immergration office. I have done it before in Bangkok and Samui. My question is do they have that office at the airport (as in bangkok) or is there another imergration office in Phuket and if so where? I think I heard of one in Phuket town?

By multi entry stamp I mean re-entry permit......best get the terminology correct i guess that might help.....

Or am I right in thinking that you can do it at the desk the otherside of the imergration counters when you depart from Phuket, same as in Bangkokg?

Thanks

Oh Dear...you should have obtained your multi entry visa from an embassy/consulate before entering Thailand.Now you have the chore of visa runs...15 day extensions can be got at Ranong burma.

90 days Penang Malaysia.

No I don't. I have a 3 month visa single entry and can get a multi entry stamp at the immergration office. I have done it before in Bangkok and Samui. My question is do they have that office at the airport (as in bangkok) or is there another imergration office in Phuket and if so where? I think I heard of one in Phuket town?

Or am I right in thinking that you can do it at the desk the otherside of the imergration counters when you depart from Phuket, same as in Bangkokg?

Thanks

The original poster has been conned by a BG and her parents and should cut his losees and run.

(That is if he is not a Troll)

All this degree nonsense is just that.

A fool and his money are easily parted......

Very simple, do you trust this lady? If you do than sinsod and money is not important. But if you have doubts that she might be a gold digger...

If you give the money to her parents it is not so much trust the girl but trust the parents.

Are you meant to get this Sinsod back or not. That makes a big difference especially when the OP is handing over 600,000 Baht! Money is important in this day and age and for me it would be much more important that trying to maintain some out of date tradition.

The world has moved forward and the new generations of Thais are starting to understand that they need education, qualifactions, a good job and get some decent financial structure in their life. Not breed and then sell the children to the highest bidder so they have something to retire on! This is one of the reasons why there is such a large division of wealth in Thailand. Some try and make something, others are lazy looking for a handout!

I was doing an edit while you were writing your post. The MFA website has info about Thai passports but in Thai only.

My wife did not have to change her's when she got her own house book after we built our house.

Ok, sounds good enough to me.

I will tell her to look at the website....

Cheers

This is not exacly the right forum but I will leave it here and answer your questions.

A new passport is not needed if she changes her house book or registered address.

There was a recent news report that they will be opening a passport office in Phuket. When?

For the moment Songkla is the nearest office.

Ok as long as it is certain the a change in house registeration does not require a new passport then I am happy. Do you have a link which states this? I can't find anything....

BTW - can you renew the passports by post?

Ok - I am not sure about this so here goes.

My wife has a Thai passport and in that it states her ID card number etc. The ID card is on the current Thai address.

She is asking me that when we move house and so she goes from one blue book to another, gets a new ID card, does she need to get a new passport also.

I said I really did not think so but she wants me to check it out.

Does anyone know?

Also where is the nearest place to get a Thai passport in Phuket?

Thanks

I am part time.

I live/work in Singapore but have a weekend home in Phuket.

That way the wife is happy to spend sometime in Thailand as am I. But get to live/earn a decent wedge elsewhere without to much hassle...

So you have spent:

900,000 (17k GBP) on Gold!!

600,000 (11.5k GBP) on a present to the inlaws!!

This is probably the most stupid thing I have ever heard.

If the Sinsod is supposed to be returned, what is the point in paying it? Besides it should just be a token amount, if they are giving it back! I think this will be lost.

The gold. 17k GBP on gold? What you do, make Mr. T an offer?

I think this is all nonsense. I made a deal with my wife that we would live by our rules not some old Thai rules. If people don't like it they can lump it......I could not give a shit if some Aunt I have never met in some village says the family needs money, go and earn it then I say and we keep our money.

Can't live without

Heinz Baked Beans

Good sausages

Wine Gums (have to get from M&S in Thailand although duty free have Bassett's)

Starbucks

Can live without (only just)

Buying decent beef burgers to ccok at home (I just can't find them)

Nice fresh bread (it is always a little sweet for me)

English Fish and Chips from a Chip Shop (You can get fish and chips but they are never the same as in England)

Sky TV (only just)

Making the live without list makes me wonder how I do it!

I can of course also live without paying a small fortune for a round of drinks in a London pub, and standing around bored all night.

so what is the situation today?

I talked with Mark yesterday and he said that he has given up posting as he was being accused of doing it to advertise his business. Many things have happened and he said that people can just send him a PM and get an update if they want.

The idea of going to a resturant which has a bunch of squatters next to it puts me off. I can't believe some people think of posting this news as advertising......there would be much better ways of advertising than saying you had squatters next door come and look. I can see the look on the wifes face when discussing where to go for dinner 'i know lets go to that place with the squatters next door.....' I mean honestly do these people have this type of conversation?

Thanks for the replys.

I know the way because I drive regular from Phuket to Trang and know the new bit of road just beofre Krabi to take, just I never have driven this route before and thought about 3 - 3.5 hours should do, just don't want to get caught out on a 5 - 5.5 hour drive.

I think it might be about the same as getting to Trang which is great.

We always book the Ferry beforehand, been stuck there before. Sometimes have been lucky but once arrived about 1pm and were told that it was full for the rest of the day. That was seatrans, got around to the other and they said the same thing! Never again.....

Say from Phuket Airport to Don Sak ferry terminal to go to Samui. What is the travelling time by car?

Assume normal 'put your foot down' resonable pace (say upto 140kph)?

Just a rough idea I think around 3 hours or less??

Who uses what and which one is generally considered the best connection/value for money.

I don't want anything complex or expensive just something for general surfing and MSN video calls.

Area is Pak Lok......

Thanks

I have seen that you can get HBO boxing PPV in LOS as I have watched many a fight in the pubs, so what provider do I need. Is it TrueVision or another one?

Thanks

(Mods: please don't move this to the Internet and whatever forum as I have posted the same question there 2 times already with no reply).

My wife and I have a house with garden in Phuket. We would both like an apple tree in it. I am not sure if it will go well in Thailand climate, my wife says it won't.

So, can you grow an apple tree in Thailand and get some apples off it to eat?

If not, any other suggestions for a fruit tree in the garden which works well. I would like Banana but my wife says that they are difficult as the spread around and get out of control. Is Pineapple easy I wonder??

Bananas are not a big deal (I kept 2 of them ... potted in LARGE pots in Kamala) If the ground surrounding them is hard they don't tend to spread and they are easy to pull out of the ground.

Papaya and Mango are always decent options.

Pineapple grow in a low plant that looks a bit like a cactus

Thai Basil is an option as well (and useful)

If you do not mind a slow growing fruit tree/shrub you could try avocados.

If we put an apple tree in a large pot, would it grow and fruit?

Seem to remember seeing small wooden shed in new Homepro at Chalong, also HomePro at Lotus.

i was in homepro the other day and did not see them, but to be honest I was really looking at cooking tops and not thinking about garden sheds, so i will have a look again.

Is homepro also in the basement of central (opposite lotus (nearly))??

My wife and I have a house with garden in Phuket. We would both like an apple tree in it. I am not sure if it will go well in Thailand climate, my wife says it won't.

So, can you grow an apple tree in Thailand and get some apples off it to eat?

If not, any other suggestions for a fruit tree in the garden which works well. I would like Banana but my wife says that they are difficult as the spread around and get out of control. Is Pineapple easy I wonder??

Is there a garden shed shop on Phuket?

Or even better a shop whihc sells those heavy duty plastic storage shed type things I used to see in the garden centers in the UK?

I need something in my garden that I can store the usual garder type stuff in.........

Thanks