stuandchris

For me it is because it is becoming less of a Thai forum for expats and visitors and more of an advertising business, more threads getting deleted in case it upsets sponsors.

Thinking of getting out of it myself.

Just like to say welcome and I hope you have enjoyed your first six months here, do you still feel a bit lost lol

It is a difficult one, there are many tourists who haven't been here and Thailand is marketing heavily in Europe to sustain interest, there are the emerging markets as well that are largely untapped [partly due to dissaportionate wealth distributions in these Countires that leave a smallish target audience]

Against this is the rip off mentatilty that has set in here, terrible crime stats and the ability of the Gov to do everything possible to shoot the goose that lays the egg. Coup's, endless beaurocracy, 40 mins to get through immigration, bars shut for elections in tourist areas, the new proposal to shut bars for Songkran, Buddist holidays and now Western New Year for Christ's sake.

Peak season this year the bars were shut for two consecutive weekends, don't bother me I live here but if that was my two week hol I sure as hel_l wouldn't be coming back.

I understand that The Thai Gov has to protect it's heritage etc but unless they learn how to compromise to keep the gravy train flowing and sort out the crime then I will give it ten more years before the rest of Asia has caught up.

As strange though it seems I love living here and I have had many hols here I wouldn't think of having a hol here again, there are few places better to stay long term than Phuket but there are hundreds of better holiday destinations now.

Having flown from the UK lots of times to LOS, Etihad knocks spots off the lot, Business class is superb, massage seats that fold down to a full bed even I can lie flat out in .

The stop at Abu Dhabi can be a nuisance but I like the couple of hour break to stretch my legs.

If you want to go non stop then Singapore Airline is still ok.

BA, Thai, KLM are very hit and miss, hate to say it but Thai was the pits and that was business class.

Wife did it last month, all info is on the embassy website, Ems the lot to BKK with the old passport and the new one comes in a couple of weeks.

Dead easy, and if you want to check it has arrived safely just ring them and they will tell you right away and will tell you how long.

I was quite suprised as the UK doesn't have the best reputation for helping citizens but they were spot on.

I am really happy you got this sorted but can I ask a a question?

You are going back to the UK with a partner and £1,000 quid to your name?

You have no confirmed job and are bringing someone else into the country?

Jeeeez

And please don't leave your passport with them or you will be stung with no option but to pay, leave a photocopy.

That is my point, there is scum in every country, however in most countries if someone is murdered or there is a spate of violence in an area action is taken, here the police don't care, that is why I am hoping that voicing concerns to our Embassies might get some positive action from the authorities.

Redted, telling it how it is, why is now tourists that are at fault? The Norwegian guy that was murdered in Rawai lived here for years. And just because something is difficult it is no reason not to try, if we all had your attitude nothing would ever be accomplished.

No problem, just carry both passports and it will be ok, UK only cut the back page not every one.

Thanks Lopburi 3,

I was aware of that one but for pension reasons it would be better if my wife was the dependant that is why I need the reitrement.

Could you advise again please?

Also does the dependant have to do a visa run or do they just report to Immigration?

Cheers,

Stuart

Thanks for that, I fail to see how asking our Embassies to help stop attacks on Farangs is supid or is Redteds contention that we are fair game and should not rock the delicate balance between cultures?

I think he will find that attacking farang's is illegal in Thailand and as such IS part of the law.

I have no intention in interfering in Thai ways but the law is the law and it is there for everyone, even guests.

FYI several Embassies now have warnings especially for the fairer sex and Sweden is considering following suit. I suppose redted considers this as upsetting to his sensibilities as well.

Hi,

I have a 1 year Non O Multi entry visa that expires this month, I have just done the Visa run to take my stay until July 1st.

I am 50 on July 15th and intend to apply for the retirement visa then, [my wife has hers already, the old git].

What is the best way forward to make up this two week gap? Can I go to immigration in Phuket and get a three month Visa and then apply for the God's waiting room extension or do I need another 1 year Visa?

Many thanks,

Stu

For my money given the age of the old dears Rawai or Nai Harn, Icon has a lovely 24 bed hotel, quiet and very relaxed but 10 mins away from Kata and the rooms are brilliant, I might be biased but I find Kamala, Surin, Laguna souless places from hel_l. And then the only place close is Patong which is truly hel_l!

Sorry it isn't a coup here it is a re-allignment of proper politics, along the lines that the Army wants. Totally different.

Can't believe you all live in Thailand and can't spell coup lol! It happens every couple of years.

These threads go on and on, a friend of mine was in his fortuner back to Rawai from Kata when two youths on a motorbike pulled alongside saying his tyre was flat to get him to stop.

I have tried to start some sort of action, I will collate complaint forms from all nationalities to present to the various Consulates who sit on their <deleted> and take the freebies as a start but everyone seems to want to complain but do nothing.

Make your consuls life a misery, If the mods here can tell me how to do an on line petition for the various nationals then I will be happy to it, then all you will have to do is put your name and address and I will deliver the results to all concerned.

I am fed up with the what can you attitude, it is endangering lives and we should try to do something, I have mentioned this on similar threads and been hit with a deafening silence both from posters and Thai Visa.

This seems to have gone off thread a bit but I can't resist the vicious pommeranian, one well place boot would but it two gardens away!

As for the original thread, it is not your area alone. Rawai has an epidemic of break in's, I live in a Soi of six houses, all but mine has been broken into in the last three months, I am the only one with steel security sceens.

My friend who moved a hundred metres away from me two weeks ago has already been robbed.

I am writing this now at midnight having been sitting outside and watching two people on a bike come into the end of our Soi, I shouted hello what do you want? They turned the bike around, switched off the lights and zoomed away.

People in Rawai don't even bother reporting break in's anymore, there is no point, having said that I told my friend to report the theft of his laptop, he filled out the report and was told there is little chance of getting it back. He then mentioned he would pay a handsome reward for the return on the computer, no questions asked and was told we will have it back within a week!

It is a shame but the feeling here now is, falang=Target, police don't care unless there is a profit in it for them.

It will turn round and bite them on the arse in a couple of years but there is lot of this to go through yet. Look after yourself, this is paradise but only if you underatnd the limitations.

As an old git of fifty but with a bit of life in me yet I have to say that to say that Phuket has no night life is cr*p, there are many really fun clubs and bars where Thai's and Farangs mix and have a good time in a better way than the Patong rip off joints.

You even get Thai girlies that aren't after the free drinks at three times the price to the farang.

Stay in Phuket, get a legal bike for the day, Rawai Muay Thai is good. Club in Phuket or if you end up having a few too many stay in a cheap room in Rawai for the night. You can get an a/c room for 500THB in May.

Enjoy

Heard this story many times my friend, a very few go through the courts and win but it can take years and years and cost you a huge extra wedge of money, your lawyer will tell you when we win we can claim a lot back [after paying big money up front to them] but by then all her assests are in the family name and she appears destitute.

Sorry but you have had an expensive lesson, never ever take on a bar girl for a long term relationship, they are expert at loving you but are really only interested in one thing. MONEY. Cut your losses and walk away.

To turn a bar girl into your dream is like a girl trying to turn a handsome gay man into someone straight, some try most fail.

Personally I have no sympathy, it is a budget carrier that has tight rules to turn a profit, just the same as Easy Jet and Ryan Air in Europe.

If you are still turning up at airports with no time to spare with excess baggage then either you don't fly much don't read your conditions or expect people to bend over backwatds to accomadate you.

Flying economy is like catching a bus, if you are late you missed it, it doesn't matter that the plane is in sight to you, think about the other two hundred passengers who got there on time and want to go.

As your only claims to fame are a bit of rape and pillage 1400 years ago, building the world's most boring cars and having the highest suicide rate in Europe forgive me if I don't beat down the doors of the party. lol

Been here a year and had the Delhi belly once and that was Chilli con Carne from Don's! Before I upset one of the sponsors of the site I have to say I have eat there many times and the food has always been fabulous.

It was a one off which is ok. I have eat in some of the UK's best restaurants and gone home feeling not on top form the next day,

For my two satang's worth, I live here with a farang wife and mix and match between Thai and farang for food [maybe leaning more to farang] We have a pension of 90,000 THB and have a very good life.

We don't do Patong or the tourist bits though.

What a pleasent person you must be ted, cheap charlie doesn't come into it.

Houses here are expensive, if you knew anything about Phuket you would have known that, instead you get a strop on about sarcastic remarks from your original post.

I don't know where you live at the moment but please stay there.

Very true Donna, the girls have a good laugh with them.