ccarbaugh

I was in Ubon, (USAF,) in the mid 70's and it was wonderful! Been there a couple of times recently and it was "dead-as-hell!" Finally found a soapy but they wanted twice the price as in BKK!

2- weeks ago, I did my 90-Day extension- took 5 hours! From now on, I'll be sure to mail it in in time or try doing it online!

Expat - too long

Since you're 61 years-old, you probably don't have to worry. I had just turned 30, married a Japanese girl from a "upper-middle class" family in Japan. Took her to the states, (CA,) and had 3 adorable, wonderful, great kids. She met an older Japanese lady and after 16 years of marriage she decided she wanted to "sow her wild oats" again. She became American-ized in all the worst ways imaginable! With her lawyer's expertise, she ended-up with everything! - The kids, (they're all over 18 now but won't talk to me,) the house, the car, and all my money for the rest of my life! - Just sayin, would be different if I was starting out at 61 and she was 49. You probably won't have the same situation at all. Best Wishes to both of you

DISHONEST.

As distasteful and repulsive as it is for most Thai ladies, they know that marrying a farang is being a "Big-winner" in the financial jackpot. There's no such a thing as "friendship" with Thais. Take away the commercial transactions and tere's precious little acknowledgement. They can be patient and stick-it-out for 2 or 3 years and getting access to all financial resources, house, car,... then isolating you so that you drink yourself to death or just outright running away- to their Thai BF. So the question, "Where's your wife?" is done to size-up her possibilities of her hitting the "jackpot" and having a huge windfall over the next couple of years!

Posters here never waste an opportunity to go Thai bashing. My own daily experience is nothing but respect and warm hearts from the locals. Ive said it before but for those who live here and dont like it then go back from where you came from. End of. No ifs or buts just go home.

Been here long? Ever go outside?

I will renew my extension in mid-June, 2015. My passport expires mid March 2016. Do I have to get a new passport before I renew my extension?

Whenever I see any ants, I sprinkle a little 'after-bath powder' (talcum?) and

in just a couple of minutes, they've completely disappeared!

Would you call him a bozo and a moron if he was Farang?

Much MORE so!

Unfortunately, I didn't stay abreast of the the photo-ops, PR appearances or social events attended by the ambassador. I have lived in Bangkok for the entire tenure of her ambassadorship. The only memory I have of her "service" is the promotion of Mitt Romney in the 2012 election and the (misguided) condemnation of the military-coo. (My experience is that Bangkok has been a much more peaceful, sane, convenient... place to live ever since the good-general put a stop to all the red-shirt, Yingluck, Thaksin nonsense!) I am happy that she learned to speak Thai - albeit at the expense of hard-working taxpayers and all the while collecting a most formidable salary! I hope the replacement ambassador is more practical and substantial as opposed to frill, flash and appearance. Her appointment has always appeared to me to be similar to the Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman, "lipstick-on-a-pig" job-performance.

Misguided condemnation of the coup? Did it ever occur to you the US has better information about the situation.

Even I know the reason for the coup and it aint what The Nation has been telling you.

So please- DO bless all of us morons with your privileged knowledge of the "reason for the coup." Maybe some of us that aren't blessed with such privileged knowledge are just enjoying the more peaceful, convenient, quiet city without all the protests, marches, whistle-blowing mobs.

Did mine in mid-June and no change from other years. Using Embassy letter of several weeks before, signed copies of passport data/transfer information/extensions and departure card, TM.7 filled out with recent photo on back (digital print on home computer/printer) and home phone number. Payment of 1,900 baht and fill out portions of one or two normal papers at desk. Total time at desk about 15 mins (officer made change without leaving) and then 10 minutes at senior officer for final signing.

Coming with my +1. Sorry though - My phone is too old to be "Smart."

I had an identical experience on Friday, June 6th.

(Just a little touchy when a uniformed official at the

information desk said I needed 800K and bank-book

in addition to my notarized letter of income.)

Once over that hurdle, just about a 20 minute wait for

my number to be called and treated very courteously

after that!

Total time - 1 hour, 15 minutes!

Chaeng Wattanna is so much more pleasant and

professional than Lat Phrao!

LaraC, What you described is 2nd-hand heresay- gossip. You only heard, (and described to us,) her side of the story. Without hearing his side of the story, there is actually nothing anyone can or should do- which includes telling her to dump-the-bum. After hearing his side of the story too, it might make perfect sense for him to try to get her to dump him because he might be tired of being smothered- ??? We will never know until we hear both sides. So, for us to waste our time concerning ourselves with this incomplete drama is neurotic.

Wonderful report - thanks! (No mention of the social interactions/nightlife situation- ????)

No, I wouldn't recommend it.

"Farangs" are always outsiders here

no matter how fluent, friendly, civilized, virtuous....

It is a very distrustful society that is

fixated on appearance and superficiality.

What has changed is the type of expat and tourist who stays in Thailand and their attitude. I think many farang who came here (including many on thai visa) thought that thailand was going to be a cheap , quaint third world-esque country and an easy place to pick up women. What they found instead is that:

a) they can only afford to buy alcohol in 7-11s or cheapest bars and spend their days raging about 10 baht differences in drink prices in bars and double pricing at national parks.

they have zero success in meeting /picking up non-bar thai girl type cuties and instead find themselves with rather unattractive aging thai bar ladies- its the getting rebuffed from the pretty non-working thai girls that burns the ego (and the resentment to all things thai builds)

c) they come here expecting third world but are shocked to find infrastructure newer and better than their own home towns back home (how come these 'backward thais ' have better facilities than us super smart farangs back home?? further burning the old ego).

d) they see the middle class and wealthy thais enjoying a better lifestyle and standard of living than their own lives back home (and again that burns - how can these backward thais and their ways be more successful than me!?).

Overtime it builds up and the end product is the grumpy old farang so common in thaivisa and thailand (we all know the type) who begins to hate thailand for all of the above reasons but tries to disguise it with a faux concern for democracy and corruption.

For me, MOSTLY B and D - only sometimes A and C.

If Thailand became "undo-able," I would have to research the plusses and minuses of Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Philipines. I also am spoiled by the climate, cost-of-living, and infinite "eye-candy." (My pension is so small that I wouldn't be able to be retired anywhere else!)