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I want to get my Thai drivers licenses for cars and motorbikes, and I want to do it in Phuket, soon. If I only get one, it would be for motorbike, but I want both. What I have now is * USA passport * Non-O retirement visa (recently renewed) * Thai (yellow) house book, Yasothon province * Thai (pink) ID card * USA, California, drivers license authorized for cars and motorcycles * International Driver Permit I have experience, riding motorbikes in Thailand, and driving cars on left side of the road in Australia, and many years of cars / motorbike riding in USA (where we drive on the right side). I consider myself to be a skillful, cautious, careful, and polite driver. Online research shows various processes and requirements, and I suppose it varies by province / office. So any specific information about Phuket office, which I understand is at 42/1 Rattanakosin 200 Pi Rd, is appreciated. I'll be in Chalong, so that location isn't far for me. I suppose I could do it on my own, with the help of my Thai wife, but maybe it would be easier with an agent or driving school? Any recommendations or advice? Thank you

I avoid using Air Asia, mainly due to their poor customer service. I only book with them (either direct or via agency like Travelocity) if I'm sure I won't change my plans - because changes are not possible with Air Asia. Unless it's their mistake, for example one time they rebooked my connecting flight such that I left before getting there, I got them to fix that. There is no direct customer service access, only the stupid Bot. I found if I pleaded with the bot long enough it would eventually put me in a queue to message with a live person, but even at then they usually can't help with problems.

She is actually very reasonable with me, we may disagree sometimes but are always very calm with each other and resolve issues amicably. You are in province "next door" to us! Cool.. Well, actually it is quite hot here now, 40+ C 😆🥵 Thank you again for the offer!

Thank you @marty147 ! That is kind of you to offer! 😊 We are actually flying out of Bangkok this morning, back to Ubon Ratchitani / Yasothon, so connecting might be difficult. I think I am successful in convincing my wife to use Thai coins, which are readily available! So, no longer an issue...

Thanks. I used to collect coins too, when I was a child. They are gone now.. I have a bucket full of loose change in the states, that doesn't help now. I will try to convince her that Thai coins are sufficient..

Hi all. My Thai wife wants some USA coins for a ceremony. Any suggestions where I can get these in Bangkok? A few rolls of Quarters, Nickles, Dollar coins, etc would be good. I know local money changers will have a few, but for larger quantities? Thank you.

Thank you to all responders! I am renewed now, reference my report:

Thank you to all responders! I renewed, and the short answer is no, TM30 was not necessary. The long answer is at:

My Thai wife and I went to Yasothon (our precinct) immigration to renew my Non-O retirement visa for another year. The immigration officer lady was friendly and helpful. This was my first time for one year renewal without an agent. The office was not crowded, and it still took a few hours. There were a few Thai people, and I also noticed a couple of Thai lady / Farang man couples. We came prepared with my updated bank book, signed and stamped bank statement pages, 4cm x 5cm passport type photos (I asked for 4x6, but shop made 4x5 anyway), photocopies of all my non-blank passport pages, my Yellow house book, and my Pink ID card. NO TM-6 or TM-30. I've never been in Thailand longer than 90 days on any visa, so no TM-47. Officer only wanted one photo. Officer provided TM-7 for us to fill out. We had two small issues. First was bank did not provide guarantee letter about my funds. Officer noted local bank branch, we went there for the proper document and returned with it. Second was one time last year when entering Thailand, the immigration officer stamped me in on 30 day VOA instead of Non-O. Not a problem at the time, when I left a few weeks later the exit immigration officer noted that error, but since it was less than 30 days stamped me out on it, and next time I made sure to be stamped in on my Non-O. But now it was problem, officer said it would take time to resolve, she needed to contact Suvarnabhumi (the entry airport) about it. So we had to wait a while for that. Finally finished, but still needed to add multiple-reentry permit, that took another picture and more forms. Finally finished, I'm good for another year.

If I am married to Thai lady, living in her house which is also my Yellow House Book address, and return to Thailand after being out of the country for a while and immediately go home to our house, is she required to file a TM30? If she doesn't, does that affect my Non-O retirement visa renewal (a few days after I arrive)? Can we do it at immigration office? Thank you.

TSA found 6737 guns at the checkpoints in 2023. So, at least somewhat effective. USA was not fine without TSA, consider 9-11. That is why USA has TSA now, to avoid that kind of thing happening again.

Here is a random review.. "Somehow, the Green Elephant Sanctuary Park got singled out as one of the most ethical elephant parks in Phuket. I think this is just a way for tourists to justify their “amazing experience” guilt-free. Sure, the elephants have it better here than with their previous abusive owners, and maybe even compared to some other Phuket elephant parks. However, the up-close interactivity that tourists love so much isn’t very ethical and is notably different from Phuket’s proper top ethical elephant park, the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary." https://theperpetualsaturday.com/green-elephant-sanctuary-park-phuket/

Kratom can be safe and effective, used correctly. A primary danger is contamination, supplements are not regulated, a manufacture could label any product as Kratom, and the product could have contamination. Same for any unregulated supplement. Kratom is sometimes used concurrently with other more dangerous drugs, and bad side effects of those drugs can be mislabeled as due to Kratom alone. Used abusively, i.e. excessive dosing, can cause physical problems, there is correlation of excessive dosing with liver damage. Kratom is not shown to be physically addicting, like opioids, however most anything can be psychologically addicting. Kratom is a mostly legal supplement that pharmaceutical industry is pushing to be incorrectly listed as Schedule I. It is relatively benign, used mostly for pain relief, to help recovering opiate addicts stay clean, and recreationally. The last attempt by USA DEA to list Kratom as schedule I was met by overwhelming public opposition, but Kratom remains in danger. Kratom is threatened by pharmaceutical industry. Because it is an inexpensive natural product that produces good results, allowing people to mitigate pain, etc. without buying expensive and addicting substances from pharmaceutical industry. At one time I was diagnosed with clinical depression and prescribed a variety of anti-depressants, some of which were effective. I'm over that now, don't take any medications for depression, but I find that when I get occasion depression symptoms then Kratom is much more effective than any of the anti-depressants were. Effect is almost immediate, compared to hours or days for the medications, and last for a few hours, though can be prolonged by additional dosage.

Reference 1999 Move "Office Space"

Same experience, sort of low cost (though extra costs aren't always clear at first), but if any changes needed, forget it. I found that if I pleaded with Bo long enough it would offer to transfer me to an "associate". Then I'd be in a long queue, few hundred, but it would move quickly, within an hour or two I'd be connected with a human. Who might or might not help. I avoid AirAsia, especially if there is any chance I might need to change anything.