swerve

Farang bad driving behaviours piss me off too.

I have a bank account with Krungthai bank. To open a second account I needed to show a driver's license and a long term passport stay. The banks have been told by the government to be more strict about new accounts (Chinese criminal interests have been using them). Having a Thai driver's license allows people to do more things easily.

Border runs are cheap and will likely give you an additional 30 days stay. This is long enough to change your tourist entry/border run to an O visa and then to the yearly retirement stay. For the retirement stay you will need to have cash in a Thai bank and/or money incoming. You should visit an immigration office and get the proper info from them.

Adrian, you might think about buying a bar. I hear that right now is a good time to buy. And you can have some fun with the girls too.

Fly out of Thailand return to any nearby country and you'll get a stamp (30 days) upon your Thai return. Border runs will also get you 30 days. It would be helpful to know what country your passport is, how long you have been in Thailand, previous Thai visas, border runs etc.

Why is he allowed a valid UK passport? Responsible countries should not be subjecting the rest of the world to their worst people.

Is Singh Reserve any good? If so, I will look for it. I am mostly a Leo guy.

I wonder how much he was getting paid for this 1.66 Kg baht delivery. Cocaine is getting popular in Thailand.

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It's a bank money spinner. Happens often in the third world. I once took Baht to the Philippines and got a good exchange in Manila. Then, when I got to Boracay the Baht exchange value decreased by over 50%. Once I got to Clark/Angeles the Baht exchange was back to normal.

Sounds like a good money spinner for the Cambodians. I agree with the OP that it's a ripoff. Whether it's enough to care, is another matter.

A wife is a very good reason to be in Thailand. Perhaps the wife could move with him. I don't know how sneaking out of the country will go in the end. I do remember hearing about a Nigerian guy who was deported and then snuck back into Thailand. He was eventually caught and deported again, but did manage to stay here for a few years more.

I don't know how Thai Immigration catches deportees when they pull a fast one, and try to return early. Like with a name change passport. But, they do catch many of them and it doesn't go well. Maybe your friend doesn't need to be in Thailand. There are other warm countries he can go to and wait out his 5 year ban should he wish to return.

You are correct, and not him. A new passport won't help his case. Looks like your buddy will be banned for 5 years + the 20,000 baht fine. His cavalier attitude to overstay is what has got him in this fix.

Currently, a handful of members create new topics in the Pub that are constant drivel, all about nothing. This was posted above. I fully agree with this statement.

San paints a picture of being the victim. Sounds like the usual Thai wrongdoer excuses (i.e. he was too noisy, the brakes failed, he owed me money, he called me names, etc.) And now someone is dead.

Credit card fraud is on the rise. I have had 2 western Visa cards compromised in the past year. It's a pain to have them replaced (50 minutes on the phone to your bank) and sometimes you don't get reimbursed. I now only use my cards when I can't pay with phone or cash.

Mr. Action Thailand is on the move. This guy is sooo impressive.

I think when I top up my SIM, with money, it is good for a year from that date. I don't think you need a long-term data package. Money in the account should be good enough. It is a good idea to keep the same phone number so friends, dental clinics, etc. can continue to use your number. If you are gone longer than a year, you can get a friend in Thailand to top up your account.

Internationally, Thailand is irrelevant and useless. Thailand doesn't stand for anything. Thailand can't even find any fault or censure when 33 Thai citizens are killed in Israel/Gaza.

Each to his own. The weather in Thailand is perfect for me. I live here fan only/ no aircon. You won't find a $500 per month apartment in Toronto. Boring, politically correct, expensive, housing hard to find, and bad weather are common complaints about Canada. Good food, safe, free schooling for kids, outdoor activities, mostly free healthcare (maybe long wait times), and can make money are the upsides.

Dr. Jack is correct. 20,000 baht fine to be paid at the airport and one year ban will be issued.

I read that there were body parts of the Colombian found in the drains of the suite the "chef" was staying at. This suggests the "chef" carved his victim up in his hotel room and couldn't hide all the evidence. Atreaga's body was cut up into many pieces and distributed around Koh Phagnan. I haven't heard if the Spaniard has admitted to the crime.

Condolences about your accident BritManToo. Hope you get well soon and can keep your spirits high. This is another reminder of how dangerous the roads are in Thailand. No one knows when it's going to be their turn for disaster.

The sub will provide backhanders and make the Chinese happy. What more does it need to do?