eddi

Yesterday I got 5 stamps at the checkout but the cashier said my store card didn't scan.

So I went to the customer services counter to get a replacement and was told no more cards for foreigners but I could sign up again and use my phone number at the checkouts.

Anybody else had a similar experience?

In December I had the choice of USD 35 or THB 1500 with UK passport

I'm also married to an Indonesian and living in Pattaya. She has been here for about 5 years and finds it difficult to have Thai lady friends.

They all seem to only talk about money, even those that have plenty. Your wife might also find herself in a similar situation here as in Malaysia.

Our solution is 2-3 months a year in Europe (which she likes) then she does several long trips to Jakarta and I also go there for several weeks a year.

I think your best bet is your Plan B!

Good luck

I would be interested in knowing the address of the OCPB in Chonburi.

I might need them in January.

Indonesia for sure

Why?

35USD to get in (30 day VOA) 150,000 IDR to get out

I was quoted USD 900 for a years retirement visa.

Some nice places and people there though!

Are you a US citizen or green card holder ? If you are good luck with this

If your not, its pretty simple to get a USD account in Singapore with the "majors"

I hold an account there as its easy to get things done with them

Absolutely agree. I have a multi currency account in S'pore and move money easily to the country where I need it.

If you are an EU citizen I believe there is no compulsory exchange of your account info to EU authorities.

TigerairMandala are closing down at the end of the month.

This leaves only the "legacy" airlines, Thai and Garuda, flying between the capitals of Thailand and Indonesia at 3 times the price!

(AirAsia moved to Don Muang way back)

Hopefully another LC airline will take over the route, NokAir or........?

Interesting to hear of these cheap and easy Indo visas.

I have 3 friends retired there and they have to get a visa every year. Takes a few weeks and a bit of palm greasing.

Their Embassy tried to persuade me to retire there and gave me the info sheet on the requirements.

My wife (Indo) called one of the few approved visa agents on that list who said he could get me a 1 year visa (renewable) for $900.

A bottle of Gordons Gin is also about $80

Guess that's why we live in Thailand and just visit Indo now and then.

After difficulty finding Schweppes Tonic Water in all the usual places, 7-11, Big C, Makro, Tesco Lotus etc., I decided to buy a 24 can pack from

a drinks wholesaler. Problem solved, well not really, after about 2-3 months I had about 15 cans left in the cupboard but the cupboard floor was quite wet and various other items in there were soaked. On moving out the Tonic cans to clean the mess I discovered about 5 cans completely empty and several others only half full. Looks like they have porous bottoms maybe that's why shops are reluctant to keep it in stock!

Has anyone else had this experience?

......and what's the solution? Store them upside down? Varnish the bottom of the cans?

I know the shop, very good, also for electronic components. Abt 30 meters past the gasstation, coming from the Sukhumvit, at the right handside ...

Sounds like the one I use, almost next door to Mityon Yamaha?

Very helpful, speak English and have almost everything.

I have connections to BBC, Channel 4, ITV, all live, for free of charge, just need the hardware to connect to the telly, I can also watch any movie i want or tv series, on demand, live, free

Nice to know what you have. I suppose there's no way that you could tell us how to get this too?

There's a place selling teak outdoor furniture among the small traders outside Homeworks. Not a huge choice but they can give you a catalogue and it's decent quality, made in Indonesia I think, or at least the wood comes from there. It's ideal for dining al fresco on the patio and as long as you oil it once or twice a year it will last forever.

Thanks for that positive information Guderian, I'll check it out this afternoon

Thanks for the help guys.

I took Guderian's advice and bought a table and 2 chairs there this afternoon for THB 11,500 , they delivered the products at 15:00 today and they are now sitting nicely on my balcony.

I can certainly recomend their helpful and quick service, not many places would deliver that quick! Currently I'm waiting for a delivery from Index, they could only deliver 10 days after purchase.

Tomorrow I'll buy some suitable oil and give them a good oiling, should protect them from the elements for a while.

There's a place selling teak outdoor furniture among the small traders outside Homeworks. Not a huge choice but they can give you a catalogue and it's decent quality, made in Indonesia I think, or at least the wood comes from there. It's ideal for dining al fresco on the patio and as long as you oil it once or twice a year it will last forever.

Thanks for that positive information Guderian, I'll check it out this afternoon

I was led to believe that a motorbike below 100cc could not be registered in Thailand.

Lots of 110cc to 115cc bikes around though.

Yes, there's one shop in Threppasit on the south side, choice of one table and two chairs.

I've checked Pattaya Tai and Pattaya Klang, found nothing, as for Sukumvit, that's a loooong road.

I'm looking for a wooden dining table and 2-4 chairs for the balcony.

All I've found so far is metal framed ones covered in woven plastic tape.

Does anyone know of a place that sells something suitable?

One of them is the tax the banks deduct on your account interest.

Is it too easy to get a visa to visit UK?

My (Asian) wife has lived with me in Brussels for over 7 years, back then, she could fill in a downloaded form and join a queue at the British Consulate in Brussels, have a quick interview and pick up a 6 month visa in the afternoon.

When we last considered applying for a 6 month visitor visa (restricted to travelling with me) it meant applying online, waiting for an appointment in Paris which was several weeks away (biometrics, digital photo etc.) and then waiting several weeks for her passport to be returned.

Sorry, this is just too long a wait and I can't be bothered taking a day out to go to Paris not to mention the cost.

End result, she will never be able to see my family members in the UK again.

By the way, is the UK the only country in world that only checks visas on the way in and not on the way out? Not even a stamp in the passport "valid until...", no arrival card/departure card?

If Thailand has a "crackdown" on money laundering where will the Russians go?

No Schweppes Tonic in Tesco Lotus (Sukumvit) this morning either.

Does gin go of if not consumed within a certain time?

La Bocca. We've eaten there twice and will do it again. Good Italian food and priced between Trattoria Italiana and Pan Pan.

However, I think the steak was listed at THB 600 which is OTT for me, wine was reasonable though.

Unusually they actually have an Italian chef (I'm sure he'll be replaced by a local one day soon)

Thanks for the good suggestions. Last year Carrefour had some but too nice. I'll check out the other places first tomorrow.

Now it's December so I'd better buy some cards to send home.

Anyone know where there's a good selection?

Thanks IO,

I'll ask the developer for a copy of the other side of the chanote.

I'm sure it is registered as a condominium. So it is possible that mine's mortgage free but some others in the project could be mortgaged?