samjaidee

According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office the cost of renewing a UK passport overseas (i.e. in Thailand) is currently adult 10 year 24 page = GBP 124 and 48 page equivalent is GBP 150 (a lot more than prices quoted in the original Daily Telegraph article...anyone know why?).

I need to track down the new rate and find out how early I can renew mine, expiring March 2010. Any thoughts?

Foreign and Commonwealth Office This link will tell you about passport costs outside the UK.

I don't know why they are so much more expensive. It seems a little unreasonable to me but that's the nature of the current government.

There's no indication of price increases outside the UK, anywhere I've looked so far. If I find something I'll post.

I happen to get this article from a farang guy who works here in thailand. He got this threw many farangs who have worked here in thailand for many amounts of years. Please note this is NOT in any attempt to bash thai people it is just general observations farangs have seen when working with thais. The actual list is about 2 pages long. I am just putting in some basics.

If you agree or disagree with them is fine, or have any input on the matter feel free to add in on this posting

1.Willing to change: Thais tend to hold on to their good old preferences, with no thought of making changes. Full cooperation is very hard to come around them

2.Thai trait is not daring to express one's ideas

3.Thais dont set ahead a time period on a project even when it must be done on a set time

4.Not willing to obligate and take responsibility in writing

5.Tend not to have any support plans when problems arise

6.Don't know how to solve problems

7.Not willing to tell their foreigner boss about problem until problem is worse

8.when there is a problem no one takes responsibility for the problem

9.Lack working skills

10.Most thais are not interested in learning much of the movement about the world and not in favor to gain any additional knowledge even if it involves work

11.Thai staff on many occasions like to lie on small things such as coming to work late. Absent by giving reason of being sick. Go out of office during work period time

12.Thai prefer bringing in friends or family to involve with work but when any cheating is done by friends or family and get caught thai's usually protect and cover up until discovered by management

13.Thais dont know difference between what is called work and what is called personal matter they like to very much mix the two

14.Like to be very nosy especially fellow workers matters

15.always talk about matters not related to work

16.Always wish to get raised without creating any additional work value

17.Like to quit their jobs without giving advance notices as agreed but still expect full benefits paid to them

of course I do know some of this is be applied to many countries as well.

So why do business in Thailand?

Are you insane, surely if you think like this your business mind is totally fawked up by doing business here in the first place?

Lucky you don't work for me, I'd sack you azz immediately for being so stupid.

Pathetic attempt at slagging off Thai people, I notice that I never actually see this in real life, only from the safety of an anonymous internet forum

Something about those small Thai guys strikes terror into the biggest of Farangs.....

Look guys, if your running out of money, go back to the wonderful west, make a fortune, then come back when you have a few quid to spare, remember when you first came to Thailand, pocketful of money, how happy you were ?

Then the money ran out and you blame Thailand.

GTFOH !!!

You've posted so many comments I'd have thought you'd have learned to read properly.

The poster clearly says he got the list from "a farang guy who works here in thailand". He never once says they are his views.

Can't you see he's playing "Devils Advocate".

As for your ranting replying. Your grammar sucks!

Warning! This country is owned and operated, and inhabited by Thai people, enter at your own risk.

that actually is a very good idea , given the way things work here.

Spotted at a little-used, small, backwoods border crossing coming over from the Lao frontier....

Hey Sriracha John: Your sign is obviously a phony. I love the Thais dearly but they have never put that many English words together without a grammatical error or misspelled word or two...

Hey, John, doesn't your software have a facility to make the text in the same perspective and the metal sign? If a jobs worth doing it's worth doing well.

Having said that, it's quite funny. Thanks.

Forget Dong, take clean low value $US.

Get your change in US bucks too.

Dong not even good enuff for toilet paper.

Hi there. I think you're a little confused. He's not going to Cambodia where USD are the commonly used currency. In Vietnam almost every financial transaction is in Dong.

Why should they give you change in USD? You can try but don't be surprised if they say no.

Dong may have no value outside Vietnam but you'd be screwed without it in Vietnam. You use Hand Made Mulberry Toilet Paper?

I don't trust Thai ATM's that much, and I think Vietnamese ATM's are much the same!! Where is the best place to exchange Thai Baht cash into VND?

I live in Vietnam. The Baht - Dong exchange rate here is worse than you could imagine. You should bring Western Currency, preferably US$. The current exchange rate is US$1 = 16,500 VND.

I don't understand the rationale behind your lack of trust of Vietnamese ATMs. I've never had a problem in 3 years living here, neither have I ever heard of anybody having a problem with an ATM here.

You can spend dollars here but you may get lower than Bank Rate.

Remember!!! Dong have absolutely no value outside Vietnam!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope that helps

Salvation for the poor

BANGKOK: -- State kicks in nearly Bt50 billion for economic fillip and to help needy make ends meet.

The government will pay water bills for low-income households that consume fewer than 50 cubic litres each month.

--Xpress/The Nation 2008-07-16

<deleted> is a cubic litre?

Can't they get journos who understand what they are writing about? Or at least an editor who does?

litre is in the dictionary, mostly British use, they used it properly. <deleted> is a jurnos?

Surely it is obvious he was referring to the unnecessary use of the word cubic rather than the spelling of the word litre!?!

Journos (not "jurnos" as you misquote) is an abreviation of journalists. I think the context in which the word is used makes that clear enough. (or not)

A terrible incident and even though Pattaya is not a fair representative of Thailand , it is something for those who keep slagging off the UK as a hellhole, something to pontificate over.

RIP

Why would anyone want to talk in a pompous or dogmatic about this incident. I suspect pontificate was not the word you were looking for. Use words you know the meaning of not words you think you know the meaning of.

Some basT**D stole my wife's bicycle today outside seacon square (locked up) she was on the phone in tears she had only had it 2 weeks 1500 baht form Tesco. Have ordered a new bike lock form these people in the uk http://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk/ should slow the sods down next time they try!!

No wonder there is no toilet paper in Thai toilets surprised they dont take the seats as well!!

They do take the seats as well and that's after they've broken them by standing on them.

Hi,

I've been in Thailand a few months now on a non-immi O visa. Soon after I got here I met a girl (as you do) who ended up moving in with me just over a month ago. I'm planning to stay here until probably October next year, and at that time if we're still together I thought it might be nice for her to come back to the UK for a visit (3 or 4 weeks). Neither of us are working, I've got plenty of savings at the mo, and to be honest I'm enjoying spending time with her and wouldn't want her working all day at the moment. I have told her though that if she did want to get a UK visit visa she would have to get a job at some point.

The one problem concerning me is how would we go about proving that we've been together for X months if/when we apply if we've been living in Thailand for that time? We obviously don't email each other, we use Thai sim cards and pay as you go so dont have phone records, I rent a room so no bills to put her name on. What sort of prove would be acceptable to the embassay in this situation?

I know it's early days still and things might not even work out, but I thought it was worth thinking about it sooner rather than later.

Cheers.

WideWheels.

If you want to make sure photographic evidence stands up as proof of the period of time you've been together then do what kidnappers do. Make sure you have the front page of the Bangkok Post in some of the pictures then any authorities should be more convinced of the time frame. That's all I can suggest for now but I hope it helps

Dear mister Backpacker; Prices are far too low! Airlines sshould be charged taxes on their fuel like government charge taxes on any other form of transport. Maybe you have not looked at Thai Airways prices, they make look Bangkok Air fares dirt cheap. It is high time that you use your backpack and use your militray boots to walk a bit further, take the train or take a boat. as long as you can take the airplane the prices are TOO low

Wrecker are you on some kond of medication? I'd be curious to know how Bangkok Airways prices look cheap compared to anybody when the have a monopoly on flights to Samui.

The only reasonable alternative is to fly to Suratthani which, with Thai Airways, is 5,280 Baht return. i.e half the Bangkok Airways price to Samui.

Should cost 1,000 baht for the trip.

Just got back from the States. If you book a o/w ticket between Phoenix and LA (somewhere around 360 - 400 miles) a month or so in advance it is $35 - $45; if you get a ticket seven days or less in advance it can run you close to $140. Greyhound bus gets you to LA for about $50 but you are a long way from LAX. A o/w car rental goes from $80 to $100 or more, plus gas, because of the drop fee.

I just flew from the new airport to Chaingmai on Thai Air Asia, bought the o/w ticket at the counter when it opened at 6am, for 1,700 baht - that's a fair price on a pretty basic air plane. I believe Thai Air was 2,500? Haven't flown to KOH SAMUI so am not sure what is reasonable, but all in all the new pricing seems high.

I've just checked Air Asia's website and I can fly from Bangkok to Suratthani for 899 Baht one way and the return price is double that. There may be surcharges but it's not even close to the Bangkok Airways price and it's really not too much trouble to get from the airport to the ferry.

It seem to me like the obvious compromise.

It's doesn't take anything like as long as the sleeper train but is not much more expensive.

You must pay duty on those in excess if you want to keep them. I'd let them have the fags and be on your way. 5 cartons - worst happens is confiscation, this has to be a one off.

Be interested to see the legislation here.They would probably have to pay the duty plus a penalty etc.

well most dutymen follow this policy in my experience - unless its an obvious taking the piss, more than self consumption - ie trying to sell.

Seen at Heathrow - asian lady was pulled aside with her bags and counterfeit dvds/cds and must have been hundreds cartons of ciggies. These are the types they are looking for not some lad with 5 cartons. Waist of time and more headaches than its worth.

About 5 years ago, when I was living on Samui, I did a border run to Ranong and when I got off the LongTail back in Ranong two plain clothes asked to check my bag. They found 3 cartons of cheapo Burmese cigarettes. 600 cigarettes worth 150 Baht. They took me to immigration and then to some kind of Police Building where I met, for the second time, the pick-up driver who took me everywhere. Anyway......... It cost me 6,500 Baht for 150 Baht worth of cigarettes. I don't know if it's the same now; but then you paid a starting fine plus an extra fine per cigarette. I took a gamble as I did every time I went and that time I got caught. My fine of 6,500 B five years ago was almost 2 weeks wages at the time. A lot of money. I'm fairly sure 30,000 Baht wasn't 2 weeks wages for him.

Okay he probably was over charged but this is Thailand and surely; as much as you want it to change; you can't be surprised. Hopefully the recent change of government up will go someway to reverse the expansion of corruption but it's not going to happen overnight.

The big question is....... did the pick-up driver set me up? I don't know; but it seems to be a strange coincidence that he was at the Police Station later. It was a long time ago but................. BE WARNED

Always comes down to $ ?

I'm far more cynical since I came to live in Asia but my father, who is now 70 and lives in Nongkhai, is married to a woman from Issan, who is 30 years younger than him, but is still one of the BEST people I have ever met in my life. I'm English, but am also Buddhist, and she has taught me more about the right way to live than I could have possibly learnt in the good old UK where I come from. People like you have obviously only experienced only the seedier side of Thailand which does not reflect fairly on a group of people who could teach us Westerner so much about what life is really all about. Enough said, I think