pinkpanther99

As others have said, it's all about the money.

I suspect these Songkran events are hugely lucrative.

I guess the big ones held in Chiang Mai and Pattaya bring in massive revenue for the whole city.

The fact that Thailand is in the midst of devastating drought crisis will be a mere after thought.

Let's face it, Thais live for today. Mai pen rai about what might happen in the future.

Thanks very much

Hi

Where would a farang apply for a marriage or retirement extension if they live in Nakon Nayok?

Does Nakon Nayok have its own immigration office or would you have to go to Bangkok?

Also when applying for a marriage or retirement ext do you need to apply in the province where you live or could you do it in say Udon Thani, or some other province that you happened to be visiting in a couple of weeks?

Thanks

Good to see the OP has his finger on the pulse!

Seriously where have you been?

This story was huge, even covered on the BBC

Yes, I would agree.

Just out of my fairly small social circle, there are 5 friends/acquaintances who have left Thailand. Two were here on ED visas and couldn't get them renewed. One was a guy who had lived in Thailand on tourist visas for years and the other two were teachers who didn't have degrees (and who were also on here on tourist visas).

Thailand has made it quite clear it isn't interested in foreigners staying here long term. It wants the two week holiday maker now.

In some parts Hua Hin there are always problems due to a lack of water as the province receives such little rainfall.

But this week we were told our communal pool is out of action due to a lack of water.

I dont want to think how bad it will be come April when it starts to get really hot.

What about when it's Songkran and they start with the water fights?

Crumpets!

I love a bit of crumpet in them mornings.

Other than that pretty much the same as everyone else, decent shoes, underwear, socks and maybe a couple of bottles of some nice craft beer if there is room in my case.

No work for the 200b. But all have to work except for foreign inmates. Work pays about 30 baht a month. Weekends off.

I've been in a Thai jail, you think I care what the moaners on here think? :-)

I've heard this before. You know why foreign inmates don't have to work? Because under Thai law they would each require a work permit!

And let's face it, do you think Somchai can bothered sorting out the work permit paperwork for thousands of foreign inmates!

Yes, I try to keep myself fit.

I'm a big believer in healthy body, healthy mind.

Working out also gives me something to do, and most importantly I really enjoy it.

keeping fit in Thailand can be tricky though. I'd like to do more running, I'd actually like to take part in a half marathon, but getting the training in is just too difficult as there are too many soi dogs where I live.

I'd also like to buy a bike and cycle more, but the roads are simply too dangerous.

Or maybe that is me just making excuses.

Luckily I live near a small but really good gym that has most things I need and at home I have a couple of kettlebells and a good jump rope.

With regards to food, I like Thai food but it is nowhere near as healthy for you as some believe, especially if you buy it outdoors where they reuse the cheapest most terrible oil, nearly everything is fried, MSG added and lots of sugar.

Yes, I would say it is.

Actually Thai Visa is the only forum I use anywhere.

A lot of people slag it off but if you keep out of General forum, and only read the news, rather than reading the comments in the news then your experience will be good in my opinion and you will avoid the Thai bashers.

Whenever I ask a question on Thai Visa i nearly always get useful info in return, I guess this is why I keep on coming back.

Plus it passes away hours in the office when I am bored and my boss has no idea so it looks like i am working

I'm not saying this company have intentionally gone out to deceive but there will either be some kind of mistake/misinformation/confusion/catch about the part of foreigners being able to own land - this will never happen in Thailand imo.

Also, regarding this project, it seems they plan to build an airport in Phetchaburi, right?

Which is just about the last thing Phetchaburi needs. Hardly anyone uses Hua Hin airport which is a much larger tourist destination. And Phetchaburi doesn't have anywhere near the same amount of tourists.

Its hard as in you sleep on the floor with 200 other men with just a blanket. Wake up at 5 out at 6 and back in at 4pm. Foreign prisonera dont have to work so theres plenty of time to do nothing but wait for the ricw soup with boiled cucumber.

LOL - probably because they would need a Work Permit!

Amazing Thailand

I saw this posted on Facebook by a guy in Pattaya

The issue with this is who can force him to change. With little liability for an accident who has an incentive to change. If the owner was liable for 10 my baht if he fell off, then it would change in a second.

Ok, I was of course joking a bit in my OP, but you are spot on here.

It's the total lack of liability that allows this kind of disregard for human life to go on here.

It is actually pretty sad when you think about it. The need to change a light bulb is deemed more important than a man's life.

Not hard to understand. Safety is just another luxury not widely available in relatively poor countries.

Fair comment.

But whatever happened to common sense?

Yesterday I visited a new store recently built in Hua Hin.

The store is filled wall to wall with 90 percent junk, with the odd useful.

Anyway, my point of posting this is that whilst I was in the store, there was a Thai guy who had climbed up onto the ceiling of this store (which is actually a large warehouse) in order to change a lightbulb.

No harness, no ladder, attached to absolutely nothing, all whilst his boss looked on like nothing was up with any of this.

Had Somchai slipped he would have plummeted to the ground in a second and would almost certainly been killed instantly.

Now this got me thinking.

What is it with Thai men getting up to this kind of caper?

I regularly see them leaning their ladders against overhead cables, welding without wearing proper safety equipment and the like.

Are we looking at this from the wrong angle?

Rather than mocking Somchai for his stupidity, is now not the time to praise him for his bravery and exemplary work ethic? Going the extra mile for his job.

I bet your bottom dollar you wouldn't see a farang shimmying up to the top of a warehouse in order to change a light bulb

Today 3BB is at an absolute snails pace in Hua Hin.

So slow I'm now using the 3G from my phone.

Learned to speak Thai. Almost 5 years in Thailand and to my shame, cant say much more than hello and thank you.

Not messed around with one of my former Thai female work colleagues because it has taken wifey about 4 years to properly forgive me!!

And looking back the work colleague wasn't worth it anyway - the grass is hardly ever greener.

I also wished I had traveled more.

Now very settled with job, wife, kid we don't get much chance to travel around Thailand.

And finally, fresh off the plane, wish I hadn't let the farang real estate agent rip me off on a house rental, but I was a newbie and didn't know any better!

Generally speaking though there aint too much I would change.

I wasn't speculating about anything, just reposting what HD visa had posted to their Facebook page.

To many things dont add up with this guy. The most hardest to believe being the part about the job.

-What industry or employer makes employment decisions 12 months in advance?

- ok, not impossible, but I find it hard to believe a Thai woman would choose to stay with what amounts to a farang bum, pay half of everything, when all Thai women know they have huge choices of available farangs on the websites.

-he says the internet is slow, wont stream youtube ect. Yet is able to play 1000s of hands of poker a day uninterrupted, without it dipping in and out. Yeah right.

- he blames a travel agent for screwing up because he misses the flight and has to pay for another at the airport.

I ask you, who these days uses a travel agent and pays a premium when you can deal with budget airlines online?

- living on 300 baht a day total?

Just food, water and toiletries for 2 would at least be 200 a day, so he has us believe the other 100 will cover rent, visa provisions and everything else.yeah right

To much BS.

I suspect he somehow makes a few cents from people clicking on the link.

Looza

Yes, good points.

Perhaps the photo is what life really looks like as a Digital Nomad in Thailand?