streetlite

I just, last night, received my Non-Immigrant A-O multi Visa back from the Us Thai Embassy in New York. I expressed mailed it last Wednesday with a return express mail envelope.

Included:

-3 applications, 1 original and 2 photocopied with signatures, plus 6 photos.

-1 personal data form

-Criminal backround letter from the State Police and original fingerprint card

-Medical form downloaded from website and filled in from my doctor indicating I did not have Leprosy, Elephantiasis, stage three Syphilis nor Tuberculosis and otherwise in good medical health.

-Financial letter from my pension union, original pansion statement, and bank statements indicating direct -deposit amounts from January.

-A money order for $150 for multiple entry

Nothing was notorized.

Originals were obvious.

3 pictures were actually returned with my passport.

Nothing else was returned which kinda worries me.

Received it last night with a bright new shiny stamp that says

I believe it's called Chantix not Champix. A report came out last week in the US that there were some serious side effects with Chantix, severe depression, suicide, etc. Who knows, but still a warning.

I reckon you have to give the smokes away completely whilst on patches or other aids. Otherwise your body is not really fighting the addiction. Your nicotine levels are essentially the same or higher due to the patches so you're not really achieving much

I tried everything on the market for years, including hypnotherapy, with little or no success. I just couldn't get away from the ACT of smoking, I just felt like i should be doing it every hour regardless of whether i wanted one or not.

At the moment I am trying Champix, a pill regimen from Roche with fantastic success. Have not touched a ciggie in over 2 months with little or no cravings from day 10 when i was required to stop completely.

It may be worth your while checking out if its available in thailand, I'd highly recommend it. My mother started on them at the same time as me with the same success. We both marvel at how EASY it is!

If you can't get them here try the UK, US or Australia if you are travelling there. Singapore may have it. In Australia they are available as doctor prescribed, where you can get them at the subsidised rate of $60 for a 3 month course which involves re-visiting the doc for an update a month into it. Or you can get the whole lot at once for a couple of hundred bucks.

Good luck and keep at it man, every time you try gets you closer

My own personal situation:

Obtained a Tourist Visa from June 26 through August 25, 2007.

Mother passed away and had to return to USA on July 13 but wanted to return to Thailand on the 20th.

Kept my original air ticket and purchased a new round trip to US and back.

Went to Pattaya immigration for details on returning July 20th but still staying to Aug. 25th which was the original return date on the plane ticket.

They said upon returning on the 20th to go back to immigration and they would give me a 7 day stamp, which they did upon return, but it cost me 1900 Bt.

No mention of re-entry stamp for only 1000 Bt.

I guess I didn't ask the right question at immigration.

Chok Dee Krap.... from America

2. TOURIST VISA

o US $30.00 per entry

Wasn't it free???

You are confusing the Visa Exemption (30 days on arrival) which is free,

with formal Tourist visa (60 days per entry) which has always attracted a fee.

It was $25. Just received mine for 60 day tourist. So they raised it $5.00

I don't live in Thailand and I don't like having to mail my passport to Los Angeles to get a tourist visa stamp good for 60 days when I only stay in Thailand 3 weeks max every 3-4 months. Seems like over kill to me. It also seem that someone traveling my schedule will never hit 90 days w/in 180 days. The question I posed I thought was a simple one albiet nobody knows what the heck is going on given the range of interpretations. I shoud be ok even if the 2nd period started April 22, 07 for me rather when I actually come back to LOS on July 29 for another 3 weeks. Anyway thanks.

Jsut got my Visa back from Thai Embassy in NY with a new 60 day Tourist stamp. I did worry for the week that it was out of my possession but it all worked out. You have to use the stamp within 90 days.

I'm still thick headed. I don't even know how to use the reply button.

Are you saying that the 180 begins on Oct. 1 and ends on March 30 for one 180 day period and then another begins on April 1 through Sept. 30?

Or does the 180 begin on your first arrival at any time during the year?

For example:

I arrive Dec. 24, 2006 and stay for 22 days. I come back on April 6, 2007 and stay for 14 days. A total of 36 days in a 4 month period. Does my 180 days run from Dec. 24 through June 24? And then begin a new cycle on June 25th through Dec. 23rd?

I am trying to logically understand these same paragraphs but cannot. When I think I understand what is being written the next sentence goes another way. Can you rewrite the same thing in a different order?

Thanks.

Been here for 15 Songkrans....nothing more fun than a good water fight on a hot day.....everyone enjoy !!

It is not supposed to be a "water fight". It is supposed to be the Thais sprinkling a little water on the hands of their elders as a sign of respect. The Thai youths extended it to fun by splashing each other with water on a very hot day.

Not everyone enjoys it. Not the person going out for dinner in the evening and getting a bucket full of water thrown at him/her; not the motorcyclist having a water hose turned on him, losing control and breaking his head on the road; not the families cremating loved ones after accidents; not the hospitals; not the police; not the resident farangs who flee the country or stay indoors for the duration.

IMHO Songkran changed to water fights because farangs got in on the act with their crazy behaviour.

IMHO the authorities should ban farangs under 60 years of age from the streets of Pattaya (where I am) for the duration of Songkran.

At least most Thais were having fun and were respectful. It's the drunken, obnoxious Farangs that were the problem.

Been here for 15 Songkrans....nothing more fun than a good water fight on a hot day.....everyone enjoy !!

It is not supposed to be a "water fight". It is supposed to be the Thais sprinkling a little water on the hands of their elders as a sign of respect. The Thai youths extended it to fun by splashing each other with water on a very hot day.

Not everyone enjoys it. Not the person going out for dinner in the evening and getting a bucket full of water thrown at him/her; not the motorcyclist having a water hose turned on him, losing control and breaking his head on the road; not the families cremating loved ones after accidents; not the hospitals; not the police; not the resident farangs who flee the country or stay indoors for the duration.

IMHO Songkran changed to water fights because farangs got in on the act with their crazy behaviour.

IMHO the authorities should ban farangs under 60 years of age from the streets of Pattaya (where I am) for the duration of Songkran.

Thailand has managed to take the seriousness out of life. Sanuuk.