MangoKorat

I believe I am correct in saying that I can bring my furniture/personal possessions from the UK if I have either Non O/Non B/Retirement visa and bring them in within 6 months of entry - would that be correct? (Yes I am aware that it might not be cost effective - that's not my question). On the basis that I am able to, can anyone recommend a shipper? Is it better to use a Thai or UK shipper and has anyone got any (recent) ideas on the price of a container? I'm happy to pack myself and take to the UK port + pick up from the Thai port. The quotes I've had so far from UK shippers are all vastly different - I mean thousands of pounds different.

Such a nice chap, I can see why a 'certain type' like him.

Would that be the Reform gaining ground with the country's far right racist groups? The party who's leader started the whole Brexit fiasco and 'gave us our sovereignty back? That Reform? Well your leader is nothing short of a liar and a populist - where's all the benefits we were supposed to gain from leaving the EU eh? Oh, I forgot, its all the fault of the UK being a member of the ECHR isn't it? That's why the economy isn't growing as it should, that's why we can't get any laws passed.................yeah right! And as for those dammed immigrants, we don't need them do we? After all, there's no staff shortage in the NHS is there? We don't have an ageing population that is slowly draining the pension pot at all do we. We don't need an influx of young immigrant workers to pay taxes and bolster that pot at all do we? Tell me, who will Farage and Co blame when they achieve their final goals but things still don't get any better? Musk, Farage, Trump......bla bla bla, just a load of power crazy right wing nutters. Yes Reform will continue to gain ground, most of the electorate are politically uneducated and will tag on to anyone who says something they feel they can believe in - whether its true or not. In the long run though, the UK is a reasonable nation and won't suffer right wing racists for long. For now, we've just had an election, let's let this government get on with trying to run the country - instead of having to deal with all these 'sideshows' that nutters like Musk and Farage keep throwing up. The next election is over 4 years away, now is not the time for Reform to try destabilising the government. Far too much government time is being spent all all this c r a p at the moment.. Thank god I'm leaving

Elon Musk - living proof that even the most socially inept people can make a fortune. I would have thought though, that he might use some of his money and employ someone to at least teach him the most basic social skills. Just about every time I see the man on TV he's behaving like a total t i t. Possibly that's normal? He's 'muscled' ($$$) his way into US politics and now thinks he has a right to comment on the way the UK is run. He's turned on his 'new friend' Farage - another loony. How long before his ideas get even bigger and he turns on Trump? Or will it be Trump who moves first? He's won the election, why would he want Musk continually stealing the limelight? Whatever Musk, just keep your nose out of the UK's business.

No you're not, you're quite simply being an a hole and that's the long and short of it. If you think that all travellers check out whether an airline serves alcohol before booking with them then you are living in an alternative universe.

Tosh, I very much can 'live without booze for a few hours'. I have in fact, just gone 5 months without a drop of alcohol. You should maybe, not spout off without knowing the full details. A couple of glasses of wine and I usually wake up at the destination. 7 hours without any kip really drags! A carrier that has such rules - which are not the norm in air transport, should in my opinion, make it quite clear that they do not serve alcohol. Many Arab states have quite stiff alcohol laws but often relax them for foreigners. I've never been to Saudi and have no particular wish to go there so I knew nothing of their laws. I'm not in the habit of carrying out a root and branch investigation into an airline before I book a flight. Every other airline I've ever flown with, has served alcohol, why should I think Saudia would be any different?

I'd suggest the majority of us never carry a knife and I doubt the one the suspect had with him was of the Swiss Army variety. I'll never understand why anyone feels the need to carry a knife. Tools belong in a tool box - not in your pocket when you're out for a drink.

Thanks but I won't be flying with them again.

The Russian response to suggestions that they shot the plane down is not complete denial, as it usually is. They are simply saying that its wrong to speculate at this stage which is very suspicious, given their usual responses in such matters.

That's fair enough but how many tourists know that? I've come through Bangkok and connected to a domestic flight quite a few times and I had no idea this was possible. I have to say though, that if I was thinking of taking an expensive bottle of whisky with me, I'd be calling the long haul carrier and asking them if they will indeed, check my bags through. If they couldn't reassure me, I wouldn't take the risk - that bottle would be placed in my hold luggage at the domestic check in. One point comes to mind - suppose your bags don't arrive at your final destination and are lost. Who will take responsibility? I can see both airlines blaming the other. I suspect that the barcodes are supposed to be scanned at each point when they are moved. On the one occasion where one of my bags did go missing, the airline either couldn't or wouldn't give me any information as to where my bag it was last seen. The just said they didn't have that information.

Why should he? Would you be persuaded if he did? You appear to have failed to read the testimonies given by muslim women to the British parliamentary committee investigating Sharia Courts. Either that or you have ignored them because they don't support your point of view.

There are a lot of people commenting on this thread who rely on what they read and reports they've seen. I doubt those people have any direct knowledge of how muslim society in the UK operates. There is a lot that goes on in British muslim society that is closed off to most. I suggest that some commentators speak to a police officer who operates in a largely muslim area before trying to make little of the authority of Sharia Courts. and the other muslim 'institutions' that exist. Ask that officer about the illegal banks, the unlicenced tour operators, money transfer services that don't report transactions, unrecognised lawyers etc. that exist alongside the illegal schools and these 'Sharia Courts'. It is this 'creating' of an 'islamic society' within the UK with parallel institutions and the failure to recognise the paramount authority of British institutions that fuels the racists. Further, we do not live in the 'dark ages' - women's rights in the UK have come a long way in the last 50 years. Reasonable British people (including reasonable muslims) accept equal women's rights readily. Hardline Islamist muslim males do not. Objecting to all of that is in no way racist. It is illegal behaviour and it should be stamped out. They must abide by the laws of the UK, there is no place for their 'parallel society'. However, criticise them and you are very likely to find yourself prosecuted for 'racism' and hate speech - Just as those here cry 'islamaphobia'.

Enjoy it while you can - you might have already discovered that even Suvarnabhumi has a train now. I've travelled with Etihad since they started in 2003 - the old 'flying saucer' airport was great. Most flights parked around it and all you had to do was simply walk across it to your next flight. Very few flights were remotely parked.

I've no intention of trying to find it right now. I just remember seeing that gifting looked like a possibility - talking strictly on a circumvention basis, only for that thought to be struck down in flames by something I read later. I thought it was official but I wouldn't swear to that. In any case, anyone thinking of gifting should seek professional advice at the time.

I don't have time to find the source right now but I remember doing plenty of reading on this when the new tax regulations were first mentioned. I'm almost certain that I came across an official source that stated you cannot get around the new tax requirements by gifting money to your wife.

Can I just point out that thailawonline is not an official source. Its a private law firm offering paid advice.

Until recently I flew to Thailand 8 -10 times per year. It is only by seeking out the best value deals that I was able to do that. I don't like short layovers - some of these middle eastern airports are massive and getting to the next gate on time can be extremely difficult. I actually enjoy time spent in the lounge - direct flights are too mush for me, I've tried them. I am also a smoker. On my last flight with Qatar, the stopover was around 1.5 hours - never again. We arrived 15 minutes late and then had to wait a further 15 minutes whilst some of the royal family's employees were allowed to join those in business class and leave together. To add to the delay, clearly the new Doha airport isn't big enough because we parked out on the concrete and had to wait for buses to ferry us to the terminal. Then, as has now become the norm again, we had to pass through security yet again (clearly we'd had the opportunity to visit the terrorist shop in the sky). We were assured that our ongoing flights were aware and would wait - mine didn't. I then had to fight with Qatar who were trying to tell me that according to their system my flight had arrived more or less on time and I should have been able to catch my connection! No allowance was made for the matters above. When I got through security my next flight was listed as 'Gate Closed'. Qatar staff advised me to go to the 'connections desk' - long queue. I was then advised that they couldn't help and was sent upstairs where the fighting began. Whenever possible I choose flights with at least a 2 hour layover - especially in airports that are so big, you have to get a train between gates. I wouldn't recommend anyone accepts anything less - especially if you plan on visiting duty free.

Have you read the links I posted? The UK needs to take action now. I would point out that I have no time at all for Robinson, Reform or Farage but I repeat, the actions of these Sharia Courts plays directly into their hands. They call themselves 'courts' by the way and state that they do not recognise UK law - read the accounts contained within links.

I agree to an extent and I have stated that the behaviour of hardline muslims plays directly into the hands of racists. However there is an old saying - give them an inch and they will take a mile and I'm sorry to admit that in this case its very true. We granted these people a home and a right to live and work freely in the UK. In doing that, I don't think it was ever anticipated that they would segregate themselves and move their entire society over here. They hardline groups have no intention of integrating. We allow Sharia Courts to exist for example - because they claim to be societal advisers. As evidenced by the links I posted earlier, they are far from that. I dont' think there is anything more I have to say on the matter except that if you take an overview of the world's troublespots, the vast majority of them have a common denominator - Islam. Even in totally muslim societies, they fight amongst themselves - hardline groups seek to impose their brand of islam on others. Even Thailand does not escape that phenomenon.

You don't see a difference between Islamaphobia and being disgusted by the actions of some Muslim factions? I would condemn disgusting behaviour by any group or religious sect - as I did against those who rioted in the UK this summer. However, I would remind you that this thread is about Shariah Courts - a facet of the muslim religion. It should not be surprising then, that the behaviour of muslims is discussed. The BBC for example, regularly report on the situation in Afghanistan where women have recently been banned from talking outside their home. Are they wrong to call out such behaviour? Is the treatment of women and gay people by hardline Islamic sects acceptable? You cannot fairly state that the calling out of such behaviour is a phobia. Its right that people call it out, its not acceptable - in the UK or anywhere. Men and women of any or no religion and of any sexuality have a right to live their lives free of persecution. They have a right to live freely without being coerced or forced to live according to any religious group claiming to hold authority over them. Relating that to the UK - we are a free society and we will not accept such behaviour. We welcome and accept any religion provided that its practices do not harm the normal life and freedoms of either its or our people. Where we have gone wrong is we have failed to recognise what's been going on in the UK's muslim societies, we have bent and adapted to accomodate them and they have abused that. If calling all of this out is Islamaphobic in your book - so be it but I think most would disagree.

Never had any problems in either Doha or Abu Dhabi.

Because I fly regularly with Qatar and Etihad - they have no such rules.

As abhorent and shameful as this woman's behaviour is, you can bet this story becomes way bigger than that of the 80 year old Belgian man that was subjected to a knife attack and robbed in Pattaya. None of my Thai friends have seen that story but they have seen this one.

You think you know better? I used to live amongst these people. I deal with real world matters, not fanciful statements containing implict superiority. Read the damned statements of the muslim women to the parliamentary committee instead of trying to appear to have superior knowledge via your mobile dictionary. There is no human rights law that allows for a sham legal system to exist and attempt to dish out rulings and punishments. The behaviour of those courts in fact, violates the human rights of muslim women. Again, you fail to see the wood for the trees. The extremist elements of muslim society in the UK are not victims of racism - they are the creators of racism. The very fact that these courts exist just gives racists like Tommy Robinson et al ammuntion with which to stir up hatred. I am not anti muslim and I have no problem with muslims living in the UK. I do however, have a problem with muslims setting up courts and subjugating women in the UK. I have a problem with laws being changed to accommodate non native immigrant groups and I have a problem with any religion attempting to impose its ways and beliefs on society in general. Perhaps if you had the opportunity to listen to these people talk in private, to learn how they despise British ways and how the intend infiltrating further into the British political system in order to further their aims, you might begin to understand what is really going on. I have had that opportunity and also gain a lot of information from a non practicing muslim girl who lives amongst a largely muslim population in a large UK city. When an Asian taxi driver states "we're going to take over this country you know" its not just idle talk. He is of course wrong but he believes what he says and its illustrates the mindset. It should be made clear to people of any race, creed or colour that when they are allowed the privilege of being allowed to settle in the UK, they must adopt British laws. When in Rome..................

You should be damned well ashamed of yourself - the emoji is disgusting considering the subject matter! Pattaya has its shady side granted but it is also a tourist city. If tourists can't walk around safely, having had a drink or otherwise, then the city is lost. It it wants to keep its tourist status then the police have to get out there and make it safe. I urge everybody to repost the video of the attack in as many places as possible - there is nothing that jolts the Thai authorities into action more than bad publicity.