MangoKorat

That's not how it used to be though - being pulled in was a regular occurrence. I was once pulled over/stopped twice within 15 minutes - both times for BS reasons. First time was joining the expressway from Rama 4. Not sure if its the same now but you used to drive under the expressway to join it (junction before Lumpini Park, Rama 4 West bound). At that time immediately you drove under there was a choice of lanes with the destination of each lane arrowed on the concrete wall in front of you. At the time I could not speak any Thai but I had a Thai friend with me. As soon as we drove under the expressway with the arrows on the wall in front of us, a policemen jumped out and stopped me. He told my Thai friend we were in the wrong lane and he had to fine me. There was just one problem with that - he hadn't asked where we were going, how could he say we were in the wrong lane? I won't repeat what I said but I didn't pay any fine. Second time, 10 to 15 minutes later, we passed through a toll and as we did I saw a cop look at me, lift his radio to his mouth and say something into it. I'd had this 'scam' before so I knew what was coming. I told my friend that we would most likely be pulled over at the next toll, she asked me how I knew - just watch I said. Next toll, paid, drove through, pulled over! This cop spoke English and told me I had been driving too fast and had to pay a fine. As I knew what was coming, I knew damned well that I had not been driving too fast. I asked him where his evidence was - all of a sudden his English was poor. A little more back and forth chat and he, realising he was getting nowhere with this 'farang' that dared to question him, said "OK sir, we have to go talk with the big boss". I told my friend to get out of the car and locked it up. The cop stood there looking lost for what to say, he clearly had no intention of taking me to see the 'big boss' and expected the prospect to worry me. He then patted me on the shoulder and said "OK but cha cha (slowly) na". I, and just about every other foreigner I knew at the time was pulled over on a regular basis but it seems to be different now. I have no idea why, its not that they've realised we won't pay because plenty used to pay them. I never have, not when I know I've done nothing wrong.

This is almost as funny as the planned 'Moon Mission' - I have no idea what they've been smoking but I want some.

I defy anyone to be able to tell the difference in Thailand. Never has the saying 'They're all the same' been more applicable. The only slight differences between the various past governments in Thailand is that they maybe vary the way they stitch the electorate up each time. The country is run for the rich by the rich and anyone who gets in the way of that, or even tries, ends up in prison on trumped up charges/is publicly disgraced or in the worst cases - just disappears. However, never have I seen the Thai electorate stitched up as badly as they have been in recent years. First there was a coup, then a promise to return to democracy, then the army general who staged the coup changed his jacket and became 'democratically elected'. He knew however, that he and his mob wouldn't last forever so concocted the stitch up of all stitch ups - created The Senate to ensure the retention of power. Fast forward to the next election and what might just have had the possibility of being a truly democratically elected government looked likely - I think the result even shocked the 'jacket changer'. Not to worry though. The Senate did what they were put in place to do and the democratically elected member of the winning party was not allowed to run the government. Amazing Thailand. The stitch ups continue however.........'people', with an 8 year jail sentence have yet to spend one night of that sentence in an actual jail and in any case, their sentence has been reduced from 8 years to 1.

Nothing's changed much then.

I thought similar but they will only give me 2 months worth in the UK.

Correct Nick but actually, you know exactly where I live . As It appears we have the same problem - there's one sure fire way to check if the meds are working. I check my blood pressure every week using a £20 machine - worth its weight on gold.

I'll be in Khao Yai/Pak Chong but regularly visit Korat.

Yes, I've just had 3 strokes (little ones mind). My doc may change the meds in future, no idea really, its all a bit new to me. All I know is he said I need to take these for life if I want to live a 'normal' life. There is a possibility that the Amlodipine dose might actually have to go up. My BP is around 135 (on the current dose) and the doc says that seeing as I've already had strokes, he rather it was in the 120's.

It does to me too - seeing as my cholesterol wasn't that high. But that's what the doctor ordered.

As of next year I will need to buy 3 types medicine every month in Thailand. It would be nice if it was possible to buy the same brands as I get in the UK but the main thing is that they are good quality and effective: Is the only way to guarantee that by going to somewhere like Boots or are there other Pharmacies that supply decent quality medicines? My concerns come from past experiences. Many years ago I had a stomach problem whilst in Thailand - something I often had when I was in the UK and took medicine as necessary. I went to a small Pharmacy and bought the same medicine but a different brand - it didn't work. By that time I was in a different city and visited another larger Pharmacy to ask their advice. The Pharmacist took one look at the medicine that I'd bought and shook her head. I asked her if it was a fake, she told me it wasn't really a fake but most likely contained a much lower dose of the actual medicine than claimed on the label - quite common apparently. I was given a propriety brand of the same stuff and my problem cleared up in a couple of hours. The medicine I require now is far more important and I have to take it every day for life. The three medicines are: Atorvastatin 80mg Amlodipine 5mg Clopidogrel 75mg

I've ni idea whether statutes exist or not but they certainly impound bikes for plenty of other reasons - the area where they keep impounded bikes at Pak Chong police station is rammed full.

I don't doubt its been your experience. I said it isn't mine. I will describe one experience. The I.O. at the booth when I entered questioned why I was entering on a 30 day exempt, why didn't I have a MENO. I tried to explain to her that my MENO had expired and as I was only coming for 2 weeks, I didn't think a visa was necessary. I tried to keep it simple and gave her some of my reasoning in Thai but she could not explain her decision to me. She had to bring another officer over to tell me that I would be allowed in this time but in future I must have a visa. When I exited at the end of that visit I went to the immigration counter behind the passport booths to ask a few simple questions in relation to my next entry. Two officers could not understand me at all and had to bring a third officer over to answer my questions. I am not stupid and always try to keep what I say simple when speaking English with Thai's - I also try to use Thai to the best of my ability. I would expect that a basic requirement for any Immigration Officer in any country would be fluency in the international language.

That's not been my experience at the airport.

Do you believe they are his true thoughts though Richard? I've started to take a different view of this site since reading George's comments on moderation just before the site went offline. I'm wondering if some of the posts and indeed some posters are simply 'planted' with the aim of obtaining more clicks. More clicks = a more appealing prospect to advertisers. Contraversial comments and posts almost always draw the most comments but I think that far more people view and never post - again greatly assisting the 'click' ratio.

I wonder if both jobs are 'for sale' as I believe those of police officers may be?

You might think differently if they were to hit you or a loved one. Smoking weed whilst driving is much the same as drinking and driving - you think you're in control but the reality is that you are far from it.

A past girlfriend spoke, wrote and read excellent English - the reason being that she was at University doing a degree in Tourism and Hospitality and the University banned the use of Thai whilst students were on campus. If they were heard to speak Thai, even in personal conversation with other students, they were sent home. One thing I have never quite understood in Thailand is how anyone can get a job as an Immigration Officer when they don't speak English.

Just to put your mind at rest, I've entered a few times on a MENO via land crossings, only once did they stamp me in for 30 days and when I pointed out their mistake they corrected it to 90 days. Keep your eyes on the stamp though.

555 maybe you haven't seen it but I'm refering to the practice of laying tree branches on the road a few yards before a hazard - the Thai alternative to a reflective triangle.

No 'reflective' tree branch?

Neither a townie nor a beach bum here but a road is for vehicles, not for drying rice. Just because locals have done it for years, that doesn't make it right. A farmer where I live in the UK has just been prosecuted for leaving muck on the road after he'd been muck spreading. A motorcyclist came around a corner, skidded on the muck and went under a truck - dead. There are often accidents around here during the silage season when farmers sometimes work all night to bring in the crop - very often using vehicles with no lights and poor brakes. They don't seem to think that the laws are there for a reason and that reason applies to them and everyone else. When we were building some houses just 2 miles from where the above accident took place, on the same road, we had to clean the road every time a vehicle from our site left mud on it and we had to keep a record of all that activity. A guy from the council came around regularly to check we were doing that. People moving into the countryside and complaining about the smell, yes, on that I'd agree that its part. Farmers are not immune from basic safety practices - they must adhere to the rules just as everyone else must. People don't move around on Buffalo carts at 5kph any more - you can't mess around with the roads. As a motorcyclist, I'd be appalled if I came around a corner and found rice spread out across the road. The roads are built to allow vehicles, including farm vehicles, to get around. It may be a tradition to dry rice on a public road road but that doesn't make it right - its a tradition that needs to be stopped. I wonder how the farmers would be if people were to start driving around and parking their cars in their fields. Farmers in all countries seem to think they are a special case and laws don't apply to them - they do.

Almost 17 months actually. Enter on the day before the visa expires - gives 90 days after expiry = 15 months. However, all entries, including the last one can be extended by 60 days (based on marriage). So 90 + 60 = 150 days after the final entry = 17 months.

There is no limit to how many single entry Non O visas based on marriage you can apply for.

Were they small massage parlours on back streets?

They had tarmac or concrete centuries ago?