stevenl

Interested in the distinction the OP makes 'not only a lawyer but a barrister too' - care to expand on that please?

My understanding is that only a Barrister is allowed to argue cases in the upper courts, if nothing else it shows advanced learning in the field of law.

i have never heard of that distinction here in thailand. Sounds to me like a sales pitch from your 'barrister'

You think a Thai will be demanding a ID card and proofs out of a monk dressed in their robes ?? If you do you dont know how Thais are ingrained.

And the charity scammers all carry ID, how hard is it to knock that up, they have papers, ID, the works.. As I said it was almost one a week up in the villas. Half the time they even just looked shifty.

The non monks would get sent away, even by the missus.. But false monks presented a special problem.

with only one a week, i would presume they are all real.

You will not be in transit but visiting a Schengen state. So yes, you'll need a Schengen visa.

Usually a transit visa allows for overnight stays for a night or two depending on the country. So not really a valid answer.

What you mention are really personal opinions, so not much point in a discussion there.

But no sharks at shark point: we nearly always see them there, so i can't imagine where you got that idea.

Are you based on Phi Phi or Phuket?

If you're based on Phi Phi you stand some chance of a good dive, even at this time of year. On Phuket???? All the dive sites have been fished/blasted out of existence.

from phuket: racha noi offers good diving, racha yai reasonable diving.

The other divesites are shared with krabi and phi phi, and are the best sites krabi and phi phi have to offer, so you really don't know what you're talking about.

And what is the inflation in the 2 countries?

You will not be in transit but visiting a Schengen state. So yes, you'll need a Schengen visa.

Well done, although I personally prefered Kata Noi when I lived there. Okay, put it this way, from a touristic point of view, which is where the op is probably coming from, the southern end of Kata has the nicest, most appealing stretch of sand.

In your opinion the southern end of Kata has the nicest, most appealing stretch of sand from a touristic point of view. And I don't agree with that. I find it very strange that you again give your personal opinion as a fact.

But we are getting a bit off topic here.

Please go to a real dive shop, not one of the many booking agents, to ensure your satisfaction . The best service and value will always come from a well established company owning and operating their own boats.

On phuket the company setup will cost around 25.000-30.000 baht.

Yes, you need a workpermit.

In stead of setting up your own company and beingemployed by that company, you could also try to get a workpermit via the people hiring you for the entertainment.

But a workpermit takes time and can be quite costly.

Diving from phuket is hardly seasonal. All daytrips are going, and offerexcellent diving. There are even liveaboard options.

Just no trips to similans.

I'm not criticising anybody here. I am just pointing out that the quite often used comment: 'take your rose coloured glasses of', just like you did here, is a comment made from a certain perspective. Life will be much more enjoyable if you change your perspective and look at life through rose coloured glasses.

I'm not viewing Phuket through "dark glasses" - it's just reality.

Having a Thai missus has nothing to do with ones view on life.

I don't agree that the Southern end is the nicest part of the beach BTW, but that is personal.

Sounds as though you're as confused as the op. The northern end of Kata Beach is the same as the middle and has fishing boats along it. The southern end is where the beach opens out, has no road behind it, and has hotels fronting onto it.

Wait, someone does not agree with you so he must be confused? Sorry, I have been working in Kata for 7 years now, and know it reasonably well. I simply don't agree that the Southern end is the nicest part of the beach.

Maybe you should take off those rose coloured glasses of yours.

The seas all over the area have been exrremely hot, so there is coral bleaching happening everywhere, including eg sri lanka.

At the moment it looks like racha yai has been hardest hit, still nice divung though, but we'll have to wait and see.

For masks: don't worry about specifications. but try them.

That makes sense..

When I read it I thought he hit the biker, sped up and crashed, all at one scene..

Still as others are saying.. No drink driving test or charge.. Prominent (thai) businessman no doubt..

nowhere in the article does it say 'no drunk driving harge', nor does it say 'drunk driving charge'. The text is simply not clear on this.

Hi

I am thinking of staying in Kata, Phuket for a few days after I arrive in TL. I have been looking at the best place to find a hotel (there are so many of them, makes it hard to choose =P) ... but have been confused by lots of contradictory claims, some saying that "northside" (kata central) is the shopping/dining/nightlife area - while others claim that hotels southside (e.g. Sugar Palm Resort) are in the middle of town etc (they cant both be true...or can they??)

I want to enjoy the best of the beach, aswell as shopping/eating etc. - where should I stay? Northside seems to have more action, but southside has better beach access. Should I find somewhere in the middle (I have been tempted by Sawasdee Village)? Or is Kata small enough that it really doesn't matter?

More generally, I would love to hear any stories/experiences ppl have had staying in Kata.

Cheers

Further, your information is completely correct.

I don't agree that the Southern end is the nicest part of the beach BTW, but that is personal.

Same road as sawadee village, centara kata, alpina nalina, don's gym.

Kata book store at the back of the Club Med resort has a decent selection. If you return the book you get 50% of the purchase price back.

sometimes kata bookstore is more convenient to me, but they are more expensive and have a smaller selection.

They have moved btw and are now on katekwan road.

YEY!

<b>From what's written in the order, the visa runs can be done indefinately! so thx for the info!!!!</b>

Make that south wind, not second wind.