hansnl

Any country, any people, have positive and negative points.

You and I probably left our country for various reasons.

A lot of us also promote the new country we live in and rake up the negatives about the old country we lived in.

Why?

Probably to prove ourselves that we did the right thing.

If I run over the list, it is quite easy to debase all the values you hurrah about.

It is also quite easy to supply a list with things that are very negative in my eyes.

But I could do the same about my own country.

No, you've got the basics wrong on this. The US CONSTITUTION does protect aliens

only in your wet dreams!

As usual, Naam is probably talking out of his rear orifice. I'm sure the farang has the same right in the States as the Americans, same in the UK, where the farang probably has more rights than the Brits. Does Naam ever leave his computor? Shouldn't criticise the guy really, this site really does appear to be all he lives for. Go on mate, take the wife out for an evening and give us all a break. Double pricing is immoral, and may be illegal, I don't know. What I do know is, that in Pattaya, I will never again accompany any visitors inside venues like Nong Nooche, Crocodile Farm, Underwater World etc. If they want to be ripped off, that's up to them, and I'll drop them off and return later to collect them. It's a matter of principle.

Before the sunshine brigade get on my back (which they probably will anyway), might I just add that I'm a pensioner on a not too high a pension, supporting my Thai wife and her daughter. There are Thais paying a fraction of the charges that are levied on me who could buy and sell me ten times over. With exchange rates etc, and the living standards that people are used to, I'm probably not much better off than the average Thai anyway.

Between the British Army and the Foreign Office, I served in many places all over the world, but never before have I encountered double pricing. I love the Thais, but can't understand why they've never nipped this piece of criminality in the bud.

I am with you, all the way.

If I get quoted a ""farang price" anywhere, will never go there again.

And advise all other farangs.

We should all do that!

I would like to make a reservation for thai train to suratthani.

Are there any way I can make reservation for Thai Train through internet?

I looked up the website of SRT.

It reads: buy the tickets at main stations only.

It is not only the Vet clinic which is good in KKU

The dental clinic is very good, the heart centre is fantastic.

And my daughter found out that the Radiologic dept is very good too.

I don't know about anyone else, but if that had my wife stomped by the elephant I would be insisting that when it made its next appearance it would be wallets and belts.

Did anyone consider what may have been done to the Elephant to make it do this?

Was it the same one that was painted panda?

You probably would get the same response if you asked most kids in Western countries what they disliked about school. Same problem lots of kids shared toilets and little money/interest in cleaning. I know the subject came up a couple of times in Australia when my daughter was at school.

Of course another problem in Australia is that teachers must have their own toiletsa as they couldnt use the ones for the kids. I always thought if the teachers used the main toilets they could nip behavior problems in the bud

Besides the implied "problems" of teachers using the same toilets as pupils in your reaction, now try to imagine Thai teachers doing that.....or even thinking about.

Why is it that so many of us always seem to want to kill the messenger?

Why is it that so many of us try to make somebody foolish who just wants to tell us what happened to him?

Why always assume that people tell fantasies?

Most of us live in this country and know anything is possible, nothing is too much.

I guess the man just told the truth, and was angry or shocked.

Why the unholy pressing for names?

All going out to check if he man tells the truth?

It does not really matter if the agent or the hotel singled out a nationality to charge an extra 2000.

Of course, being in the business he cannot tell names, would be the end of the business.

Many of us are victims of double pricing, farang pricing, whatever you want to call it.

If I am a victim of this stupid behaviour, I will not keep silent.

I turn around, and leave!

I will inform anyone who wants to hear.

And maybe take away a lot of customers from this enterprise.

And in this time, it will hurt.

On the other hand, if I am treated in the same way as Thai customers, I will try to give more business to the business, and tll others.

They are very easy to get. The problem will be if the PO has any boxes availble. The charge is B 500 per year. I got mine many years ago but I think you will only need your passport. Although there was a recent post that mentioned some other requirments.

Yes , easy to get and 500baht per year, you need your passport and work permit, at my post office they were very strict on the work permit or retirement visa to be produced. You could get one with UPS or Fedex, but they are about 500bahts per month.

Indeed, 500 baht per year!

You need to prove your ID and your living address.

So take your passport, or even better, your Thai driving license with you.

And if you have a yellow house book, show it.

PS

If you can inspect the boxes before you start renting, try to find one without a lock, and ask for that one!

Then you are certain you don't get one already in use by someone else.

Let them install a lock from their own stock, and if possible, change the lock later with one you bought yourself.

Ver nasty thing to do, but thn you will be sure they will not give the key to someone else.

Hi all.

wondered if anyone can walk into any bank/branch with cash (less than $1000 USD in THB) and transfer into someones account overseas without presenting their passport or other ID.....

Any insights appreciated.

No, not possible.

Bank of Thailand regulations stipulate that the identity of the person sending the money is registered along with the reason for the transfer.

Even for tiny transfers at for example Western Union, the standard BoT form has to be filled out along with a copy of your passport.

Also for receiving funds. Because of this BoT regulation, the secret question option at Western Union is not available in Thailand.

I send on a monthly basis 5000 baht to someone in the Phillipines via Western Union.

I go to the post office, complete the "send money" form, present my Thai driving license, pay the money plus fee (5475 baht), and it is done.

Nowhere on the form I have to give a reason for the transfer.

I have no idea if the secret question is available, I send to someone with an ID-card.

I am also given the amount of peso that will be paid out to the receiver, and that amount is always available.

Although a daily reader I have never posted, however today i feel compelled to do so

I have lived here for 9 years and work in the inbound tourist industry, with full work permit etc

Today a contact wished to book the aforsaid hotel so i contacted my booking agent, the first question I was asked was the nationality (attached is skype conversation)

What Nationality are they?

Not Thai does that help?

No, but if they're British they pay a lot more...

really why?

They tear the place down and are always drunk

or so they seem to think

Anyway their best price to us today is ***** Baht/room/night for British citizens

and **** Baht for most others

both include breakfast

cheers i think they will probably be told to stuff it

Needless to say the British price was 2000 baht more then other nationalities

Why do Thais especially in the touist sector insist on shooting themseves in the feet?

Why specially in the tourist sector?

This is really bad news for Thailand's Commerce Minister Pornthiva Nakasai, owner of Poseidon, one of the biggest whore house in Ratchada, if not the biggest in the whole of Thailand.

What is in a name?

good. this is a really sickening aspect of human nature.

I agree.

However, when will this problem tackled at origin, and not at the end.

Same as with child porn, the downloaders of this filth are hunted, while the producers and uploaders seem to remain at large.

Same as with drugs, the users are hunted while the producers are kind of untouchable.

Of course, the police want to score, so they do by hunting down the end users, so to say.

But the origin stays in business and can can go on.

So sorry.

The figures refer to the broader economy but disguise the fact that the vast majority of these Asian tourists are on very rigid package deals that restrict their spending power to a selected few businesses. The vast majority of Thai businesses, tourist or otherwise, will never see any benefit from this supposed influx.

Right!

Farang visitors will stay 2-3 weeks and spend at least 2500-5000 baht locally, daily.

Asian visitors stay maybe one week, in an organised visit, and spend less locally.

Some arithmetic will show that this country needs 3-5 Asian visitors for one lost farang visitor.

I I had to choose between 100 visitors spending 5000 baht daily and 400 visitors spending 1000 baht daily, I would know.

Ah well.............

Same problem here.

Have some friends who are very enthusiastic web users, so to say.

Asked a friend in NL to help me around, he took over the computer, and guess........

During loading of a site (looking up server) a short time a message came up with gov.th in it.

Happened while opening a lot of websites.

Strange.

It's already been answered above...but it's fun to jump on the bandwagon. Yes, she can keep Thai citizenship after gaining Australian. I did the same thing with U.S. citizenship...and the United States is a better country than Australia.

Oh really?

On the double nationality issue, as I gather and was told by someone who should know very well, ofiicially a Thai national cannot have two nationalities.

If taking another nationality, the Thai one should be given up.

However, like so many things in this country, there is the law and there is reality.

Red-shirt leaders confirm plan to hold mass rally on Saturday

BANGKOK: -- The red-shirt leaders Wednesday confirmed their plan to hold a mass rally at Sanam Luang on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference, Veera Musigapong said the mass rally would start at 4 pm.

Natthawut Saikua said the red-shirt people would reaffirm their intention to fight against the bureaucratic polity and to return democracy to the country.

The rally will continue until 6 am on Sunday and the protesters would not move from Sanam Luang, Natthawut said.

-- The Nation 2009-06-24

It goes on and on because the present government really does not have a mandate.

This government has a legal mandate, a mandate like the one before.

No party had more than 50% of the votes, which means that a combination of parties go for it it together by means of making compromises.

The old one was abolished because the combination of parties lost the majority, and the new one could make a majority.

So, this government has a mandate!

By the way, have you any idea how many votes were given to every party?

Look it up, surprising stuff.

The new catamaran that will ply the high seas between Pattaya and Hua Hin was launched this week.

(A similar boat will be used to ferry people from the mainland near Trat to Koh Mak.)

Youtube video

In any other civilized country in the world, this floating-creation' would never ever be able to obtain a license to carry (ferry) people for money across a stretch of water such as what is proposed in this particular case. This cat has been built for maximum 'pasenger-outlook-enjoyment' but far below the minimum requirements for the safety of those same passengers.

We're talking about a chunck of water where it can (and invariably does !) 'spook', as we sailors call it. The large windows and the way too high super-structure (steering-house on the top) are potential helpless victims to high-running seas and would not last very long, even in moderate 'spook' conditions. This boat, in my humble opinion (I was born on the sea and sailed her all my life) is an accident waiting to happen !

Sofar he boat; now about this launch clip. The only thing which comes to mind is "Mickey Mouse". And if they really believe that setting of some firecrackers, to ward off evil spirits, will keep this vessel and its pasengers safe, they are surely kidding themselves ! !

Again; such a 'pleasure-craft' contraption would never achieve a Lloyd's rating beyond 1/2 nM off shore (if that) and that has something to do with 'insurability', you figure out the conclussions of that.

I, for one, would never ever risk that crossing (from Pattaya to Hua-hin) on a vessel like his, even if my life depended on it: and it most certainly would !

It will be interesting to see if and how the owner of this "fairy ferry" gets licensed by the responsible authorities; I'll be following this one up, since I truly believe that this is a "crime in the making".

JGK/Pattaya

PS: Re-enforcing this 'Mikey Mouse ambiance' is the statement by the owner about the road-trip taking 9.5 hours . . . . . and he expects ME to trust HIM with my and my family's lives on 'that' thing ? ? Got to be kidding !

I think you may be right.

On the other hand, I have plied the routes between the UK and the Continent for years.

Some of the cats and the the jetfoils or even the hovercrafts used, in quite heavy seas, made me wonder if all would be safe.

I experienced many rough crossings, up till Windforce 11, and with the highspeed cats up till 8.

But the cats ride the waves, the Holyman cats pierce the waves.

And like the cat in Pattaya, the cats in Europe were very high, had lots of glass, but were also very wide.

And most of them were licensed to waves of 3 to 4 meters.

So maybe, just maybe, it is not as bad as it seems to look.

However, the construction might not deter me from making a ride, but what about the seamanship of the crew?

English or German, you are still soliciting business, and using this forum for it.

Why not put an dual language ad in this website?

That would probably generate more business

And....the website rules are English language.

By the way, European rules from January 2009 state that all countries should have a language test for all non-EU people wishing to immigrate into the EU.

Do you really believe that people will come only in thailand because they can have a free visa ?

what is the financial impact of such a measure for the holiday budget

What next ? They will give candy at the immigration

Like before, I repeat that most tourists go to Thailand for 2-3 weeks.

From most countries they don't need a visa anyway (30-day stamp)

The longer staying crowd need a visa.

And indeed, that is handy for them, but not handy for the consulates.

The consulates charging a handling fee will equalise waiving the visa fee, and is not helping the longer staying crowd too much or not at all.

So. more or less, the effect on tourism is very minimal.

Which we all know.

But............

When business is bad, raise the prices.

Don't even try to generate more business!

They never plan to do anything which can violate laws.

Who will believe them?

Why not?

They haven't broken into NBT tv station.

They haven't lived inside the Government House.

They haven't stopped MPs from going into the Parliament House.

They didn't attack any policemen.

They haven't blocked any airport.

They are a prime example of law abiding citizens.

Indeed, the yellow shirts did the above,

But plain violence, including killing, not.

Red-shirt leaders confirm plan to hold mass rally on Saturday

BANGKOK: -- The red-shirt leaders Wednesday confirmed their plan to hold a mass rally at Sanam Luang on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference, Veera Musigapong said the mass rally would start at 4 pm.

Natthawut Saikua said the red-shirt people would reaffirm their intention to fight against the bureaucratic polity and to return democracy to the country.

The rally will continue until 6 am on Sunday and the protesters would not move from Sanam Luang, Natthawut said.

-- The Nation 2009-06-24

It goes on and on because the present government really does not have a mandate.

They do have a mandate by a coalition of parties.

(Same as Mr T.)

Free tourist visas between June 25, 2009 and March 2010

BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- Continuing its efforts to expedite the revival of the Thai travel and tourism industry, the Royal Thai government has agreed to exempt the fee for tourist visa applications, effective 25 June 2009 to March 2010.

All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide will be exempted from tourist visa fee from 25 June 2009 to March B.E.2553 (2010).

Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa single entry only.

-- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok 2009-06-24

Is it allowed to shed my serious doubts about this?

Most tourist coming over from Europe, and I guess from most other destinations, will stay here for maybe 2-3 weeks, max.

No visa needed!

They can stay here for 15/30/60 days without any visa application.

Maybe it is time for the Thai Government to start thinking different.

Maybe, just maybe, might it be possible to look upon the longer staying people not as "vermin" but as potential supporters of tourism?

If they talk to friends and family abroad in a negative way, one can be rather certain that part of the negative vibrations will remain with the potential visitor?

On the other hand, positive vibes can have a positive influence.

And, lately, the longer staying crowd does not really have much reason to emit positive vibrations.

Talking to a lot of other expats or looking in Thai Visa does not give one the idea of radiant vibrations.

Here we go again.

Another one for chasing tourists away.

In the same league as raising prices to get the same income.

If the tourists stay away, for whatever reason, you make it more difficult for the remaining visitors.

...the SRT will set up two companies - one to be responsible for train operations and the other for assets management.

If implemented properly, this has the potential to be the best thing that could possibly happen for the rail system in Thailand: i.e. an SRT that actually focuses on rail operations rather than mainly as a landlord collecting the monthly rent on their vast real estate holdings. Presumably, the proposed assets management company would perform the "landlord" function.

Oh really?

Like in the UK?

Like in Europe?

Railway operation is not a real profit generating enterprise.

Maybe it can break even, but that is very iffy.

Market thinking with railways never made it better for the passengers, including safety!

Operating railways should be seen a a community serving enterprise, passenger oriented.

As soon as passengers are called customers, the rot will set in

It would be MUCH better if they told the sodding Mafia Banks to stop charging poor toorists for withdrawing their money...where dae they think they are going to spend the stuff anyway...?

Aso stop the DUEL racist pricing policy and maybe make the country credible and respected......and FAIR...then perchance...

The banks are not mafia.(really????) Almost all are public companies traded on the bourse.

The banks do not target tourist withdrawals.(Oh yes, they do) The fees apply to everyone based upon the card used. As pointed out in language even a simpleton should understand, the fees charged cover;

1. the cost of installing and servicing the atm

2. Are in line with what banks in the EU and North America charge.(Maybe in the US, but not in the EU, having a bank account in the EU, it is free!!!!!)

Tourists are NOT being targeted.

Hope this isn't Abhisit's idea. Doesn't make him look too clever.

If they want tourists to come back:

1. Devalue the baht by 50%

2. Open up the National Parks for free.

3. Sack any BiB/government official found guilty of targeting/scamming tourists.

Devaluation of the baht will also impose hardship upon the entire population when items like vital fuel imports double in price. Do you think the average worker can afford to pay more?

Because of hedging, and other nice things done by among others, banks.. the price will go up anyway.

Open the National parks for free? Right. Who is going to pay for the upkeep when all the tourists leave litter behind? The National park system is underfunded as it is and the small amounts of money raised allows the parks to do such things as mount patrols to discourage poaching, to rescue visitors that get lost and to restore areas. C'mon, be reasonable.

Can't argue with you on 3, because you are right.

Who is to blame for the ongoing financial crisis????

The banks, and in all aspects what they did is criminal behaviour!

Devaluation of the Baht, if even industry and banks are pushing for a devaluation, might me beneficial in the long end (export???)

Dual pricing for farang....and only for farang is counterproductive, bad for tourism, just think about it.