teddy_bare

Bank with Barclays. No problems in 7 years of having a Thai address. Cards arrive, statements arrive. The only issue which was solved with one phone call, was they once stopped my card as they saw it used in Thailand! Once I called the Fraud center and had them check my address they reinstated the card and i used it within 10 minutes of the call. I was infact still stood next to the ATM.

Some people seem to have the worst of luck with everything.

I disagre.

Recently a Pakistani man won the World Surfing Championships - he managed 2000 miles on a wardrobe door

I spend a fair bit of time with potentially dangerous animals and reptiles. I don't get angry or upset, but I am aware of my surroundings and what I am dealing with.

You are a laywer or polititian then?

More people killed in one day 9/11 then killed by bombs throughout the whole 30 years of troubles in Ireland

Any clue how many were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, innocent civilians, just people unfortunate to live in a country that got occupied by the USA & Allies forces.

I think you will find that the vast majority of the people killed in these countrys are killed by other muslims.

Correct, it's only the ones by coalition forces that make big media news. No doubt innocent people were/are killed by coalition forces, but by far the majority are killed by either fellow countrymen or foreign insurgents. Shia muslims are the heretics of the muslim world according to some Sunni muslims. Most get on with life, other make it their purpose to kill each other . I spoke with a bank teller in The Bank of Baghdad in Baghdad just after a suicide bomber drove his car into the main entry check point of the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) around July 2005. She was convinced Jewish spies had handcuff the innocent muslim man to the car and remotely drove the car into the people. I think about 17 died that day. She could not believe a muslim would do that.

I dont actually think religion is the fault, I think is it often the misintrepetation of the various holy books and the lack of education of the masses. Look at the decline of Christianity in Europe in the 15th century of it's existance. At about that time the printing press came about and the bible was translated and printed into many languages. Guess what, people read it slightly different from the heirachy and were burnt for being heretics. The pilgrims pushed the boat out and left Europe. Look at the religious fundamentalists in the States!!!!! The enlightment and leaps in scientific understanding, the loss of the 'Divine Rights of Kings' etc saw a move from religious belief and a move to civic responsibility (which is basically what the holy books tells you). Governements losted control of the masses and thus Nations and Nationalism was promoted. Governments now again had a control mechanism to mass the population for defence and war.

Now think what year is the islam faith is in. Hmmmm, add that to the rise of the internet and globalation of news. Some people are getting educated and practice their peace in private. Syria just passed a law banning the face covering from all schools, uni's and government building. Yes Syria!! Others are using the internet to spread further misinformation to the masses. Muslim Countries like Iran, Saudi, Yemen amongst others all control their media as does Thailand. You'd be surprised at the amount of Sat dishes on top of the houses in Baghdad. Even the bedodins have them in Saudi. Reports of Coalition (read Christian)attacks on muslim civilians are quickly rejigged and blasted out as attacks on Islam.

Where are the muslim people condemning the terrorist attacks you ask. I guess the same place the Christian church was when the heretics were being hunted down, the native American Indians were being massacaered and the jews pushed into oven. Where were the UN and NATO when the 7000 muslims were being killed in Bosnia, remember that place. In Europe just 15 years ago. Mostly quiet.

The modern world tends to define itself by nations within alliances of like minded communities. The belief in Islam knows no line on a map and it is almost a philosophy akin to brotherhood. It transcends nations and patriots and therefore can not be fought in a traditional way.

The 'War on Terror' is a regain of previous bad foreign policy. Will it work? I doubt it. Every armed struggle anywhere in the world and throughout the history of mankind has started with be talking and will end with talking. The bit in between is fairly irrelevant as long as it's not you or your family getting killed.

My answer would be to rewrite the holy books without the collective consciounsness of goodness often referred to as God. Rename them 'Living with lots of other people for Dummies'.

Sweet

More people killed in one day 9/11 then killed by bombs throughout the whole 30 years of troubles in Ireland

Any clue how many were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, innocent civilians, just people unfortunate to live in a country that got occupied by the USA & Allies forces.

I think you will find that the vast majority of the people killed in these countrys are killed by other muslims.

Correct, it's only the ones by coalition forces that make big media news. No doubt innocent people were/are killed by coalition forces, but by far the majority are killed by either fellow countrymen or foreign insurgents. Shia muslims are the heretics of the muslim world according to some Sunni muslims. Most get on with life, other make it their purpose to kill each other . I spoke with a bank teller in The Bank of Baghdad in Baghdad just after a suicide bomber drove his car into the main entry check point of the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) around July 2005. She was convinced Jewish spies had handcuff the innocent muslim man to the car and remotely drove the car into the people. I think about 17 died that day. She could not believe a muslim would do that.

I dont actually think religion is the fault, I think is it often the misintrepetation of the various holy books and the lack of education of the masses. Look at the decline of Christianity in Europe in the 15th century of it's existance. At about that time the printing press came about and the bible was translated and printed into many languages. Guess what, people read it slightly different from the heirachy and were burnt for being heretics. The pilgrims pushed the boat out and left Europe. Look at the religious fundamentalists in the States!!!!! The enlightment and leaps in scientific understanding, the loss of the 'Divine Rights of Kings' etc saw a move from religious belief and a move to civic responsibility (which is basically what the holy books tells you). Governements losted control of the masses and thus Nations and Nationalism was promoted. Governments now again had a control mechanism to mass the population for defence and war.

Now think what year is the islam faith is in. Hmmmm, add that to the rise of the internet and globalation of news. Some people are getting educated and practice their peace in private. Syria just passed a law banned the face covering from all schools, uni and government building. Yes Syria!! Others are using the internet to spread further misinformation to the masses. Muslim Countries like Iran, Saudi, Yemen amongst others all control their media as does Thailand. You'd be surprised at the amount of Sat dishes on top of the houses in Baghdad. Even the bedodins have them in Saudi. Reports of Coalition (read Christian)attacks on muslim civilians are quickly rejigged and blasted out as attacks on Islam.

Where are the muslim people condemning the terrorist attacks you ask. I guess the same place the Christian church was when the heretics were being hunted down, the native American Indians were being massacaered and the jews pushed into oven. Where were the UN and NATO when the 7000 muslims were being killed in Bosnia, remember that place. In Europe just 15 years ago. Mostly quiet.

The modern world tends to define itself by nations within alliances of like minded communities. The belief in Islam knows no line on a map and it is almost a philosophy akin to brotherhood. It transcends nations and patriots and therefore can not be fought in a traditional way.

The 'War on Terror' is a regain of previous bad foreign policy. Will it work? I doubt it. Every armed struggle anywhere in the world and throughout the history of mankind has started with be talking and will end with talking. The bit in between is fairly irrelevant as long as it's not you or your family getting killed.

My answer would be to rewrite the holy books without the collective consciounsness of goodness often referred to as God. Rename them 'Living with lots of other people for Dummies'.

Sweet

If you date a Thai girl 3 times, she will be thinking of marriage.

Bar/teacher/shop/good/bad ....... their background doesn't matter, they all think alike.

Pretty much every girl you date will have sex on the first date, sex is not a problem over here.

In the western world, sex is the last thing you do in a relationship, in Thailand it is the first.

[/quote

Hmmmmm, I was going comment on the nice advice being offered, until i read this. Your experience seems to differ from mine. I think many girls from around the world think about marriage before, during and after dates. Some may not. I have found girls will have sex here if they feel comfortable with you and they can see some sort of gain, whether that be long-term relationship, status, etc (i dont necessarily mean that in a negative way). Although all the respectable girls I know don't have sex on the first date. When they did decide the time was right, I found some of them to be virgins, some even 28 year old virgins. You seem luckier than most or you reside under bridges

I just got my wifes passport 'with visa' back 6 days after the visit to the VFS offices. I am guessing they are not too busy based on previous return times. Good luck with your outcome.

try these links: http://www.taladrod.com/w20/Search/TbRst3.aspx#mk:0

and http://www.one2car.com/VARIT# just drop the menus on the right down, yes its in Thai but the car makes and model are in english

The black legging craze is because of the contrast of the black against the milky white skin, it thus increases the illussion of whiteness. The connection between black and increased mossie bites is probably correct. Thailand has spent a great deal of money investigating the spread of tropical diseases. Some, farang beleive they get bitten more, maybe they do, as mossies are attracted to smelly cheeses. Hence why the mossies chew on your feet more than say your arms, head or neck which are probably as exposed. Wet flipflops give your feet a very yummy smell for mossie, so try washing your feet more often, and any other places that get cheesy (and bitten). Now there's another story.

I hear more and more apparently daft thai suggestions and remedies, that often are true, just my initial UK mind can't grasp how a Thai could possible be right and me wrong. It's a bit like old wives tales. Sciencists are now actually finding some chemicals/antigenes/bactereias in the remedies that do have some affect on the human condition.

More likely to run a kid over after they are ejected from the car they are travelling in. Seat belt use is worse than helmet use. Most parents seem to think the can hold on to the kid in an accident. YouTube vids seems to prove otherwise. Safety ignorance is prevalent in this and many underdeveloped countries.

I had to photoshop out a feeding tube and tidy up the background cos my daughter was in NICU. The embassy excepted it no problems. She even had her eyes closed, but as per the website that isn't an issue

These cases always make (good?) press cos they reinforce the Boogie man stories. Yet all the time, most abuse goes on in the family home byfathers, step-fathers, uncles, grandfathers, cousins, and brothers.

Demonizing strangers sells papers thou.

Go to the Royal Thai police in Bangkok Rama 1, you can have a police check done there for free, take a copy of your passport details page and i copy of your visa and entry page.

This takes about 10 days, you can either pick it up yourself or they will post it out to you for 40 baht.

Geordie

Many thanks.

Will pop down once back in country.

My job requires I produce a Criminal Record Check. I obtained my last one via Disclosure Scotland. I can not use this service this time as I am now lived outside of the UK for 7 years. It has been suggested I use http://www.infocubic.net/international/thailand.htm Has anyone used this and is the record credible?

At a party, the Director of the USIS Center once asked me if I met my wife at a bar. I could have done a few nasty things to that person....

If only you'd replied 'No, that's where I met yours!'

--------------------------------

You are a lucky guy "dumball". I did also try to pass on the info and instructions how to deal with this,

but the only reaction I got was that "falang always knows best, I am Ok and our home clean, falang shall not

come here and tell thai not to share food as we always done."

So with this said, what the hel_l???? I really dont know what to do, more than to stop eat home and /or only

eat stuff that I myself have cooked.

Glegolo

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Yes I have adopted a similar pattern after getting blank looks. I very rarely eat Thai food in the house unless it has been cooked 'Suk Suk'.

Why is it that we never near of Thai men being arrested for the same offense? Are their no Thai sex offenders in Thailand? It seems all the Thais love to do is parade foreigners in front of the media while cloaking their own sad societal problems.

Watch Thai TV more often. There was a pederast being paraded on one of the News Channels. The reaction of the thais I was sitting with was of shock. If you want to understand thais and thailand watch their 5 TV channels, mind numbing, uneducational, violence soap opera crap controlled by the army or government. Thais are still at the stage of beleiving what they see on TV without question.

I have been specifically looking around for a car over the last week. I noticed an extra keenest to sell thru big discounts. This is something I have not seen before in Thailand. I also noticed as soon as I stepped out the car, 2 to 4 staff would gather around. Previously, dealers begruged even a 10,000 Baht discount. I was offered an immediate 50,000 off a 950,000 baht vehicle.

Best feeling I have had whilst buying cars in Thailand.

Anyone else noticed a change in practices?

2. Barclays, and probably all UK Banks, do not send replacement cards to Thailand addresses, Totally incorrect. I have had my cards sent here successfully for 6 years.I have changed my Thai address at least 7 times. It has never been a problem

5. Your internet banking is critical for management, make sure you have you pin-sentry (sent to me successfully here and PIN letters also arrive OK), and I upgraded to premium (£22 a month) so I can get a UK person promptly answering my phone queries, along with other priviledges. Also, they tend to no longer let you order and collect a card from a branch when you are back visiting the UK Again totally incorrect, I did this in Dec 2009 when I lost my cards on arrive in UK. A non local branch allowed me to temporary change my address to my brother's so I could collect my cards. They even set up my address to revert to my Thai one automatically after one week. BTW Barclay have been using the Card verifier for at least 2 years or more for online banking, therefore you never need a PIN number sent to you as the Verifer producs a unique one each time. This is an option you might not have opted for

Not sure where you are getting your facts from. Mine are my experiences, so are my reality. Barclay's hasnt always been good to me, but they aint as bad as you paint them. Barclaycard are a difference story, but in line with most credit card companies.

I haven't had a Credit Card for 10 years. Only had one issue in that time, that was in KL when the receptionist at the 'Traders' told me I needed a Credit Card to Check In. On asking him to explain, he came back with a half @ss reason. Stood with my 5 month old kid wailing and wife in tow, I suggested in all my travels I had never been refused a Check In because of a lack on credit card. I was honoured 'Traders' was the exception to the world and asked him to suggest another decent hotel in the area. Seems my Barclay's Debit Card was OK after all and I had a lovely stay in the 'Traders'

Limited or No connectivity also just sez there is a connect between your Laptop and the modem/router. If I get this message I normally find an issue between the ISP (Internet Service Provider) and my modem. IE you have no connection to the internet. As said before, reboot the modem or call the service provider.

Disappointing photos...... only one shot of finger pointing! The last pic is confusing...which bike was it they were trying to steal? Where is the finger pointer?

Busesshoud be taken at your own risk. Only a few exeriences told me buses are not an ideal option. .Same as taxis. The grim turth is self drive unless you're also a numthy behind the wheel. TIT

Try 'the residence' in bang tao

http://maps.google.co.th/maps/place?oe=utf...308169022718326

Stayed there for a week. Excellent service

In any other country, I doubt this would make any news medium. Drugs are massively consumed in the west . This should have no impact on anyones life who is reading this. Every action has a consequence, where common sense fails, some people need to learn from their own mistakes.

I have 2 barclays accounts, both send statements, card renewals etc to my Thai address. Never been a problem.