Rmac442

One negative ..it's an island !!

Careful you are not viewing it with rose tinted glasses ...

Ask your local chemist for a generic antiseptic ... 

The biggest rip-off is Gaviscon ...gerenic anti-acid 40bt

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

Quite unbelievable that this Phuket taxi extortion racket has been ongoing now for years.....and the so called authorities simply back it endlessly.

Where is the government...where is that useless enterprise, TAT...nothing is ever said!

TAT are busy counting everyone who passes thru an immigration post as a tourist !!!  "But I only went to Malaysia on a visa run .."  

8 minutes ago, marcusb said:

Whoppee for you.  

 Meanwhile if you were a struggling Thai (which is the topic) doubling your daily wage would be an incredible boost in your quality of life.  

Not necessarily....everything they buy now would double ... And many would lose there jobs and, or jobs moved to Vietnam or Indonesia ...

How many jobs would be lost if PTT decided to move to self service at petrol stations !!!??

When are they going to stop playing numbers game ?  I would suggest 40/50% are not tourist but, like myself, following COVID, I returned to the UK and back twice ..and I know many who also have or are currently away and will return.

Then weve got the Indian tourists who can fly in cheap on Bangkok Airlines from Mumbai ..significant number in Pattaya currently ... Possible zero spend tourists like the Chinese ..

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Use Wise.

Attached is screenshot just done now. (AUD)

They give you the total charges and the exchange rate. 

 

Excellent ...use it 5/6 times a year ..and no limit and very fast

2 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

They're trying to polish a turd. Let the shops open unencumbered as before and this "travelution" nonense will become moot.

'Silk purse from a pig ear' comes to mind ...

Bad press such as despicable tuk-tuk drivers recently and  poor value for money with artificial inflated currency as it trys to keep pace with the $ .. not to mention the appalling railway infrastructure ....

Simple really ..if the $ is strong, which currently is very strong, so also will be the Thai BAHT .. £ currently down from ¢1.30 to $1.15 ..Euro even worst !!

Serious case of ..

Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink ..

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

There , fixed.

 

I've been back in Pattaya now 8 months and that path has not changed in all that time. Will be 80% for the next 2 years also. So much for quality resort

There a few weeks back it is appalling...and still, when it rains, total chaos !!

What are u on about ..'AN internal search ..' !!???

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

1. Yes

2. You will apply for a one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon marriage to a Thai near the end of the 90 day stay in Thailand the non-o will allow. 

You will need to have 400k baht in a Thai bank in name only for 2 months on the day you apply for the extension of stay.

3. No

4. No need for a translation of your marriage certificate to apply for the non-o visa.

5. The  letter can be in Thai and there will be need for it translated to english.

6. You will not need a return or onward ticket since you will have a valid visa to enter the country.

BTW ..you can hold the 400k in a foreign currency account ..I've got £10k in BKK bank and they covert and state on the letter to immigration the Thai bt value .. 

There seems to be a push to show helath insurance when applying for a retirement visa ... NZ guy I know refused visa because no  health insurance  (HI) !!!

What are the rules currently regarding HI ??

2 hours ago, PeachCH said:

The easiest? Come as a normal tourist. Go to a visa agent and all the necessary steps he will do for you. No money in the bank needed. 

Not that simple ...everything possible at a price !!!!

Depends on so many factors ..what's your expectations, entertainment needs ..quality of hotel and restaurants u are willing to pay for ...had a excellent 3 nights at The Avani hotel ..but for some very expensive !!! I stayed away from the bars with the risk of covid transmission !!

"where did u find her .." the clue using the number 59 !!

Crush democracy .. not  far behind Myanmar in crushing any decent ... 

2 hours ago, proton said:

How do Chinese and Russians buy land?

Always plenty of 'hot' money about !!

31 minutes ago, androokery said:

I don't tell people to avoid the place entirely. I just point out that there are other, nicer, cheaper, more welcoming places in Thailand. 

I tell them, give Thailand a miss ... Having recently been to Turkey it was significantly more fun, with great bars and restaurants .. 

But if they are coming to the girly bars then that overrides everything !!!

5 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

No surprise really. I have always found Phuket to be more expensive even than Bangkok, with no real justification for it.  In my view, the island has an over blown reputation as a tourist destination, I find it  to be scam central,  with a largely unfriendly population and yes, expensive. . I have no plans to return there , ever.  

Thing they have some god (or Buddha)  given right to charge what the like ...

Guess the work on the principle ' they won't be back' so let's max on the prices !!

Why so much about this Chinese's link when Thai internal infrastructure is so appallingly bad based on 1940s narrow gauge, single track.