opebo

I just read a terrifying tale in another forum (one for that kind of tourist) about an old man being shaken down by the cops at Ekamai because he had a few Kamagara on him. They apparentely lay in wait there to catch, frighten, browbeat, and shake down the hated farang - this old man had to pay 10,000 baht to be let go! Perhaps the economic collapse and dire lack of tourists has made them hungrier, or the political crisis has given them totally free reign to attack the foreigner.

I suppose the best policy is to buy Kamagra one at a time and consume them immediately inside or just outside the pharmacy, or possibly to get a 'prescription'. I wonder, however, if this prescription would really work as the cops could simply tear it up when you showed it to them.

For those who have a valid driving license from your home country, it is very easy to obtain Thai driving license.

* Non-immigrant Visa

* Work Permit or Residence certificate from your Embassy

* Doctor's ceritificate (If you are visiting Bangkok office, you can easily get this near the entrance of the office for about 60 to 70 Baht) Or you can ask the motor cycle service men in the entrance of the office and they will take the certificate for 100 to 120 Baht

* Your passport / workpermit photo copies with your signature

* If you need the Thai only version license, itz about 150+ Baht or if you want the new smart card type English/Thai version license, itz 250+ Baht

* Your license obtained from your country and a photocopy of it

Just take these to the office and you've to do an eye test and an another small test to check whether your eye-sight and responding time are good or not.

Thatz it.

You will get the license on the same time.

If you don't have a license from your country, then you have to take a written test in which you have to take atleast 26 marks out of 30 questions. All are objective type questions. After this you've to ride the vehicle also. If you pass on both of these tests and if you posses all the above documents you will get the license immeidately.

I have to say this process does not sound 'easy'!

But one question - since I live in a godforsaken upcountry backwater, am I even allowed to get my driving license in Bangkok, or must I seek it up here? The usual answer I get about just about everything from the local authorities is 'oh, farang can't get that'.

I've never gotten a 'Thai drivers license' in years of driving a motorbike in Thailand off and on, but then again I've never driven in Bangkok.

In Pattaya if you are stopped for any other reason - no helmet, going the 'wrong' way on a one way street, etc., the cop will fine you the extra 200 or 400 baht for the no license, but they don't seem to just do random license checks of foreigners.

Upcountry they seem to be lenient, at least in towns where there aren't that many foreigners (they haven't gotten used to us as a target to suck money out of yet); one big exception would be Udon Thani where foreigners are routinely harrassed.

If the dealer has the book you should be able to go to the Dealer's offices and pay them the tax fees and they will give you a copy of the pages in the book and the year decal when they complete the payment to the Land Transport office.

Yeah I already payed them that, I think.. anyway they charged me an extra 1,300 baht or so my final month of paying on the thing. But they decline to give me any book untill I come up with this 'residence paper' in addition to my work permit.

You need to have the registration book to pay the tax. Do you have that or does the finance company have it?

Alas the motorbike dealer (financer) have it.

I see! Is it possible to simply pay the tax and get insurance even though the car remains in the previous owner's name?

Yes, we have a family member that did exactly this while the truck's owner was working overseas in Taiwan.

That's great news, and saves so much trouble! So I just go down to the DMV and pay? I wonder how they would look up the bike or car, from the license number?

Does it become illegal to be driven at some point?

If you don't pay the tax or have no insurance.

I see! Is it possible to simply pay the tax and get insurance even though the car remains in the previous owner's name?

You need passport and visa copies

and a work permit or residence certificate from either your embassy or local immigration.

You will also need the various forms and a copy of the sellers tabian baan and ID card.

Thanks. I wonder what I should do since the Thai motor vehicle office is telling me the work permit is insufficient? I doubt disputing them on the subject will be fruitful.

Oh, and the 'seller' was of course the dealership/finance company.. just finished paying off the bike. (actually I thought about trading it in if they would allow it just to avoid this ownership fiasco, though I admit the 20+% annual interest rates are a bit offputting).

Proof of your address in Thailand - from Thai Immigration Office.

For those holding a work permit, you don't need the immigration paper, a copy of the WP will do, it has both your home and work address in it!

I tried that, but they refused. They said that the work permit alone was insufficient. As for this residency paper from the Thai immigration office, is this one of those things one can only get from one's assigned office or from any immigration office? (of course many of us are hundreds of kilometers from our assigned office).

Do a search and you will find everything you need on here, it is an easy process.

Yeah I tried that - couldn't find anything. I also went to the relevant offices (the DMV equivalent in Thailand) and was told I could not do it without some kind of residency paper or 'yellow house book', but they also told me they doubted a farang could get that.

Is it possible to 'own' a car or motorbike in one's own name in Thailand? I had heard from fellow expats that all one needs is a work permit, but the applicable bureaucracies informed me that there is in addition some sort of 'residency paper' or 'yellow book' proving one's address and so forth that one must get. I've also heard this is extremely difficult to get.

Alternatively, if one has purchased a motorbike or automobile, what happens if one never does anything about 'putting it in ones name'? Does it become illegal to be driven at some point? Does the license on the rear of the vehicle informed the police whether or not it is up to date in terms of taxation, etc., as in the USA?

Changing jobs from a university to a high school? Are you sure you wouldn't rather throw in the towel? High school employment sucks massively in Thailand.

But presumably you will have to get a new non-immigrant B, a new work permit, and in the interim come in on a 30 day stamp or tourist visa a few times. Usually it takes ones school at least 2-3 months to prepare the paperwork to get a new non-immigrant B and following that a couple more months to get a work permit. I would suggest getting at least 2 consecutive tourist visas to make it through the inevitable delaying period schools always put the farang through.

I always say you can count on getting your paperwork for the year square about halfway through the year, and then you begin to have to think about next year.

Turns out the tax liability for one year for around 265,000 is about 8,000 baht. Or anyway that was what was extracted of me.

Most aren't proper teachers by trade, so I suspect thats probably why they don't earn the respect that might be given otherwise if this was one's profession back in the west. Rather than just a TEFler certification.

Haha, 'proper teachers' are unlikely to be willing to work for the ridiculous pittance paid - most farangs teaching in Thailand only make 30-35,000 baht/month.

Can anyone advise how to get out to the Korat immigration office now that it is so far from everything? Is there a songtow, bus, or some other transport? Or maybe Tuk tuks will go that far out (must be rather expensive.

35,000 is a horrible way to live in Thailand, certainly. One is always broke and gets to have only a very few girls. But, nevertheless, that is what teachers make, and for most it is better than what they would have in their homelands.

Decrying the standard of living of the working class is all very well and good, but surely we all know most people experience economic misery every day.

What I'm wondering is, where is the immigration office in Korat?

On the main Highway to Bangkok.

Good lord that's a hel_l of a long way from the actual town. How do you get out there? Get on a Bangkok bound bus and ask them to stop?

Of course, Thailand is full of farangs making money: Teachers, and we make around 30,000-35,000 baht per month. Let me tell you, that isn't so cheerful.

Udon-Nongkhai~50Km,Udon-Khorat~300Km,and the diesel price rising daily.

I'm stuck with b***** NongKhai!

Try the bus - it is much cheaper than driving, and probably more pleasant. Also the third class train goes Udon-Korat from around noon to around seven PM.. it is extremely charming, scenic, and cheap, but of course only for the hardy.

What I'm wondering is, where is the immigration office in Korat?

Sound like a bunch of sex tourists to me.

Obviously a huge percentage of visitors to either Thailand or the Philippines are sex tourists, Acquiesce. And an even higher number of those of us motivated enough to live in either or to post on this visa board. I'll certainly own to the title, and proudly.

As to the original question:

1) the biggest difference is that the Philippines is much more expensive, particularly hotels.

2) Philippines is much more dangerous.

3) Girls redily available in both places, at around the same price. There are some generalizations one can make about Thai girl or Phillipina service or style, but I think preferrences are so subjective in this area you'll have to try for yourself.

Mail it in.

Instructions here: http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=90days

Wow, I've always been told that one MUST do one's ninety day reporting at the immigration office to which one is assigned - in the case of teachers the one in which one's school is located - for example in Issan one must mostly go to Nong Khai or Mukdahan. Lastly I was told that Nong Khai refuses to accept reporting by mail.

If one could just do everything in Bangkok this nightmare wouldn't be so bad, but I fear that is not allowed. (last time I tried to do a visa extension in Bangkok they refused, stating I must do it and could only do it at the office where I had previously extended).

I've never had any problem extending visas in the past after not reporting.

Your time will come. I didn't report for over 10 years because no one else I knew was. At that time the enforcement was nearly non-existent. Then a couple of years ago I went in for my visa extension (work) and the officer asked where my TM47 was and then pointed over to the 90 day report desk. 2000 Baht later immigration then approved my extension, which seems they would not have if I didn't get my 90 day up to date.

Are you serious? The fine is only 2,000 baht? It would cost me far more than 2,000 baht each time for each ninety day run to Nong Khai, Mukdahan, Nakhon Panhom or whatever ungodly backwater they would send me to for it, not to mention days of my life and work-time lost. A once a year fine of 2,000 baht is far preferrable. I would have thought it was more like 20,000 baht.

If you are ever in contact with "decent" Thais, then you would think differently.

Presumably you mean the middle class, who are quite judgemental and unpleasant, certainly. It is unfortunately a necessary evil to associate with such people when one must earn one's bread (and hooker money) by teaching.

But even so, nearly all middle class Thai men certainly do visit prostitutes occasionally, some even regularly. The Thai bourgeoisie tend to save their harshest disapproval for the despised foreigner, though it is hardly clear whether this is motivated by 'decency' (sexual prudery), xenophobia, or simply envy for the foriegner's enormous salary (30,000 baht).

I've never had any problem extending visas in the past after not reporting. And when does one 'need a letter confirming' one's address? I've never needed that.

Hotels/Apartments are required by law to report any forign person checking-in to Immigration.

There is even the ability for them to do it my email.

Landlords are even required to doit when you lease a house.

Wow. I wonder how often this requirement is actually carried out - maybe 1% of the time?