Bagwan

On the subject of selling alcohol, can anyone explain the rationale behind not being able to buy alcohol in Pattaya between 1400 and 1700?

The schools start turning out at 1400 and the morons running the country assume that by 1700 the kids will all be home with Mummy and thereby safe from the demon drink.

Buy your booze at a wholesaler. They will sell at any time of day and it is cheaper than at a supermarket. You can even have it delivered to your pad.

My application for a Married Man's Visa was turned down two weeks ago (after a wait of two months!) on the grounds that I did not have enough money in my bank account. Although I stated that I had accounts with three banks in Thailand and the total amount in credit was in excess of 400K this was not acceptable to the powers that be. I was told that I should have to re-apply, fork out 1900 baht plus provide all the medical certificate and photograph crap and this time leave my money in the designated account for a minimum of three months. No explanation was forthcoming as to why I hadn't been informed of this when I made the application.

I did this, this time applying for a Retirement Visa since I will not be told where I keep and what I do with my well earned money by anybody. As soon as I had the stamp in my passport, I went to my bank and transferred most of my money back to the Channel Islands and intend to keep minimum credit balances here. A tad childish perhaps but I felt better for it.

I also had a conversation with the Honorary British Consul in Pattaya who advised me to give him a large amount of dosh and he would issue a certificate stating that I had sufficient pension and annuity income to meet current Thai requirements. He advised me that the certificate would be valid for only two years, that the charges were set by the Foreign Office (and FO to you too!) and that by dealing through him I would be saving myself the hassle of going to BKK and joining the queue at the Embassy. I intend going by this route in future and have heard that the issue is practically automatic, no questions asked. Maybe somebody here can advise me whether this is true or not. In the case of the US Embassy I am assure by friends that this is so.

It is to be hoped that the lot currently getting their feet under the table have more nous than those we have been force to endure hitherto and that they will be more farang resident friendly.