Guemlum

Thanks for confirming beechguy. Just another quick question. I have downloaded the tourist appication form but some of the questionsare not clear/specific enough. Does anyone have or know of a sample application form already filled in.

Thanks

Guemlum

I have done many a visa run to Laos before but never applied for one via the Thai embassy. I am assuming that the visa application should be made at the consular office and not at the embassy, as they are both at different locations?

Thanks to anyone that can confirm this.

Guemlum

In tesco lotus today with son and nephew eating KFC of off fancy plates with cutlery...and watching the other thais trying to look hi-so and posh eating their chicken with a knive and fork...pmsl...in the UK its a cardboard box and finger licking good!!!

Guemlum

No worries Ossies...i am flexible and could do mine on the Thursday also, but will think about it.

But in answer to your last post, assuming that the Airasia flight will arrive on time, you will need about 10-20 minutes to receive your bag unless you are travelling light with just a hold-all...before you walk out of the doors to the airport, on the right hand-side is a limousine counter desk...200 baht to Nongkhai, and this can take about 45 minutes to get to Nongkhai depending on how many drop-offs the driver makes...could take longer, so assuming 1 hour has passed already, you could be at the bridge by about 09.30 - 10.00 at the latest.

Depending on how long the queue's are at immigration on the Thai side and also on the Laos side, this could take you upto another hour. The queue on the Laos side is the one to be concerned about as it can get very busy. Go to the 2 blacked out windows to get your papers, fill them in and join the queue. Once you have handed them in, take a seat whilst they process your papers and they will call your name out via another blacked out window....go to collect. You then join the queue's to your right hand side, now that you have got your Laos visa, and enter Laos. You will be bombarded with taxi drivers and tul-tuk drivers. If you take a tuk-tuk or Songtaew, then dont pay any more than 100 baht. Taxi fares I'm not sure about. It will take about another 20-30 minutes to reach either the embassy or centre of Vientienne.

You are right about the times 08.30 - 12.00 for applications but I believe the 13.00 - 15.00 is for collections, for which you will need to do the following day of your application. You would have to put your application in on Thursday morning in order to get back Friday afternoon.

You will be pushing to make it for those times but will take my hat off to you if you do. Worst case scenario is you dont make it, and have to stay in Vientienne 2 nights, or you stay in sunny old Nongkhai for 1 night then cross the bridge at leisure the following day. Its your call...hope this gives you some idea of timescales. If you really must make the application on Thursday morning, then I would suggest the train as you will get to Nongkhai about 06.00 - 06.30ish giving you plenty of time to make your application.

Guemlum

PS...If you do make it to the embassy on time, dont forget the queue's at the embassy for the application. They could decide to kick out those still waiting after time and tell you to come back next day!!

What day are you needing to do your visa run? I will be doing mine on Monday 23rd and will be using the services of a friend here in Nongkhai. Paid off course, but it will involve being picked up from a location of my choice in Nongkhai, driven across the bridge (as I will be driven across I won't have to queue with the normal tourist applications, and will be dealt with by the car queue), then driven to the embassy to make the application. After the application has been made I will be driven to a hotel of my choice. The following day I will be picked up by the same driver and taken to the embassy to collect visa and then driven back across the bridge to a location of my choice. For 1 person this costs 3000 baht but if there is another person to share the trip with then the driver will probably up the price to 3200, but split between 2 will be about 1600 each. This may sound alot to some people and I have done this visa run many a time before on my own, and believe me it takes out alot of hastle catching Tuk-tuks and haggling about how much it will cost...I can speak Thai and Laos, so if you are interested in doing this trip and sharing the cost, let me know.

Guemlum

Whats up with Nobby's in Surin?

Probably the same thing that was up with Nobby's when he was in Nongkhai, and what made him move to Surin.

It was going to happen sooner or later and the merry-go-round looks like its coming full circle...he did a fab Spag Bol when he was in Nongkhai though.

Guemlum

So after doing a bit of hunting around, I finaly found somewhere closer to home where I could get my sak-yants done...in a temple just outside of Phon Phisai. Here are some pics, and if anyone is interested then I can PM some contact details.

Guemlum

I have searched the sak yant websites for some time now, researching the topic in depth and will be looking to get the Yant Paed Tidt on my upper back.

I dont particularly want to get a sak yant tattoo done via the Ajarns of Pathum Thani or in Ayuthaya for personal reasons and was wondering if anyone knew of anywhere up in the Isaan region around Nongkhai or Udon Thani where this practice is carried out?

Thanks

Guemlum

dam_n...I just wrote a huge reply and lost it, so here is the wittled down version..

• Was a bit quick to bite at MeMocks post...sorry.
  
• Son 16, 17 in November.
  
• Still in further education...at college.
  
• Has never had job..but will push him towards getting part time job in the future...especially if he wants to maintain it.
  
• Never promised him a bike...said was exspensive..he is aware of this.
  
• My wife (his mother) recently passed away...always said we would buy him a bike once he was 18.
  
• Again, he is aware of this.
  
• In the 6 years his mother and I were together he has never asked me for anything and does not take things for granted...not a case of Farang will pay...I can be a right stingy s**t when I want to be..he is not aware of this
  
• Before my wife passed away, I promised her that I would take care of him like any father/stepfather would do..see him through his education...to support him financially up untill the age where he was working for himself...whats wrong with that? I just hope he's not in his forties when that happens!!!
  
• Most kids younger than him see to have bikes nowadays..especially up where we live..and I would love for him to have a bit more freedom and independence.
  
• And after all, it is his birthday..its a gift from me to him.
  

Guemlum

Has he got a job, can he not buy one himself?

No he hasn't, and no he can't...did you buy your own motorbike or even present when it was your 17th birthday..probably not. Your parents did.

That was probably the most daft question I've heard on this forum and I've heard some daft ones.

Thanks for the other posts guys. I was also thinking about the Nuevo.

Guemlum

Hi guys, my stepson is going to be 17 years old in November and is wanting a motorbike for his birthday.

I remember when I was 17 and how excited I was when I got my first car. I know that motorbikes are a big thing for youngsters in Thailand.

He has never had his own motorbike before and simply used family members bikes, so I think its about time he had his own.

He would like a Yamaha Fino. Can anyone tell me what up to date costs are of the Fino, as I will be travelling out to be with him early November and would love to surprise him with a new bike. Any alternatives to the Fino would be greatly appreciated.

We are based up in Nongkhai so any dealership recommendations would also be great.

Thanks

Guemlum

Hi guys, my stepson is going to be 17 years old in November and is wanting a motorbike for his birthday.

I remember when I was 17 and how excited I was when I got my first car. I know that motorbikes are a big thing for youngsters in Thailand.

He has never had his own motorbike before and simply used family members bikes, so I think its about time he had his own.

He would like a Yamaha Fino. Can anyone tell me what up to date costs are of the Fino, as I will be travelling out to be with him early November and would love to surprise him with a new bike. Any alternatives to the Fino would be greatly appreciated.

We are based up in Nongkhai so any dealership recommendations would also be great.

Thanks

Guemlum

Sorry to drag this old thread up again but does anyone know if the Meeting Place is still going?

Last I heard it was up for sale but that was some time ago.

As far as I know, someone did buy the Meeting Place again and recently reopened again. I've not been yet to see it though.

I think one guy who used to have it or had something to do with it was a guy called Paul who is now working in a Pattaya go-go called Mistys on Soi 15 Walking Street. He would have been involved circa 2005/6 I suspect.

Ok, just to set the record straight, as I have done in previous posts, and have members such as weejimmy....the Meeting Place is now owned by an English guy called Dave who also owns Nobbi's old place. He's been running it for the past 4 months or so and is run on a day to day basis by his mate "Geoff no mates".

End off....

Guemlum

I am wanting to buy my stepson a remote controlled car. I'm not talking about the cheapie style ones, but the full-on fuel/nitro type cars that you can buy here in the UK. They cost anywhere from 150-300 GBP so I would expect to be paying about 7500-15,000 baht out in Thailand.

Does anyone know of any shops either in Bangkok or Udon Thani that specialises in these types of cars. Thanks.

Guemlum

I am wanting to buy my stepson a remote controlled car. I'm not talking about the cheapie style ones, but the full-on fuel/nitro type cars that you can buy here in the UK. They cost anywhere from 150-300 GBP so I would expect to be paying about 7500-15,000 baht out in Thailand.

Does anyone know of any shops either in Bangkok or Udon Thani that specialises in these types of cars. Thanks.

Guemlum

I have recently carried out my Thai wife's funeral and all in all it cost me about 150,000 baht. 1 year earlier I had attended my father-in-laws funeral, which again cost around the same amount. I could have done things cheaper but I wanted to do things as traditional as possible and as similar to her fathers funeral.

This included 6 days of mourning where Monks visited the home each evening, food for guests that came each evening, flowers and photos on show at the temple, the cost of the cremation including 30+ monks, a brass band (don't quite know what that was all about) hire of boat to scatter my wife's ashes in the Mekong river, and a party including morlam at the family home. As I mentioned, her family said that not all of it was neccesary, but I wanted to do this for my wife and they were happy to accept whatever I wanted to do. My sister-in-law also kept a very detailed book with all running costs breaking things down to show me where money was being spent. We also received money from guests totalling about 50,000 baht.

Extra's included flights from the UK, the Funeral directors used in the UK, repatriation company based in London which included my wife's flight, funeral directors based in Bangkok...total costs about 7000 GBP

Hope this helps and can recommend companies involved.

Guemlum

The most respectable and genuine Thai massage in Nongkhai can be had at the Healthy Garden.

If you are standing outside of Nobbies, head towards the Indochina market and before you enter, turn right and walk past the Thasadej Bar and about 30 metres on your right you will find the Healthy Garden. They have small curtained of areas that will ensure you are not on show.

I have been going here for 6 years now and they are the best in Nongkhai.

Foot massage 180 baht for 1 hr

Traditional thai 150 baht for 1 hr

The Grand hotel is overpriced and to be honest not all that good.

There is a recently opened massage shop just past Nobbies on the left hand side. I went there recently as they were too busy in Healthy Garden. It wasnt too bad but not as good as HG.

There are numerous establishments around Nongkhai but if its genuine you want then Healthy Garden is where its at.

If you are wanting any other kind of massage with extras then PM me and I can also let you know.

Hope this helps

Guemlum

If the mods want to remove or move this thread feel free to if neccesary. I have been helping Oum with her situation both here in Thailand and in the UK since the death of her husband.

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Griev...il/article.html

Guemlum

But does the 50 baht spirits include mixer ...only taking the piss Dave.

Lets hope that our new host can do something for the "Meeting Place" where others once failed. If his desired plans go ahead in the near future, its going to be one busy place for sure.

Guemlum

Can anyone tell me the meaning or significance of the 100 day ceremony that takes place after someone has passed away. I have attended such an event in the past when my father-in-law passed away and will also be carrying out the same event next month for my recently deceased wife.

Thanks

Guemlum

Condolances - no need to declare or go through Red Channel

I had already thought about that one but at Suvarnabhumi your hand baggage is x-rayed prior to you arriving at your departure gate. A small urn would clearly show up including its contents, and thats where the questions would start to begin.

My father died at his house in Spain last March & was cremated as is the spanish way the next day. We performed a memorial for him at his land & scattered his ashes there but I returned on a commercial flight with some of his ashes & his urn as hand luggage. I checked before hand & was told there is no restriction at all.

Thanks Boo for the reply. I'm not to concerned about the UK end but moreso the Thai end. I have since found out that as long as I have both a death certificate in English and in Thai, which I have both, this should be enough, but have also been told that a further piece of paperwork from the British Embassy in Bangkok is required. I shall get on the phone to them tomorrow to find out what it is. Today public holiday.

Thanks

Guemlum

My wife recently passed away in the UK and we have since returned her body to Thailand where we carried out a traditional Thai funeral.

I have kept some off her ashes in a small urn and would like to return them to the UK.

Does anyone know whether there is any paperwork required in order to carry human remains through customs at both Suvarnabhumi airport or at Heathrow airport?. Should I declare them and go through the red channel once in the UK?.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Guemlum

At 13.15hrs yesterday afternoon my wife passed away.

I'd like to thank those forum members who posted with their thoughts and prayers for my wife and my family.

We will be taking her back to her hometown of Nongkhai within the coming weeks.

Guemlum

"Mods, feel free to move to the most appropriate sub forum should you feel it neccesary".I'm transfixed by numbers and colours at the moment…

Green = Heart Rate, fluctuating between 92 to 130

Yellow = Oxygen Saturation levels, fluctuating 80 to 100

Red = Blood pressure, fluctuating between 72 to 130

There's not a lot to do other than look at numbers.

My wife has been in ICU (intensive care unit) in a medically induced coma and on advanced life support for 24 days now.

Midazolan, Atracurium, Altrapid, Furosemide, Platelets; all new to my intellectual vocabulary. It feels like I've been studying medicine and nursing for years now.

An ultrasound monitor, respirator and Stats display sit to the left of her.

9 syringe pumps infusing an array of antibiotics sit to the right of her.

3 statues of Buddha sit watching over her, as does an angel on the windowsill surrounded by wedding photos.

Saffron coloured bracelets are tied around the end of the bed, blessed by monks from her hometown and brought to the UK.

A chest drain and catheter sit at the end of her bed, as does a nurse who gives her 24/7 care, rotating on a 12hr by 12hr shift basis.

A monk from the Thai temple in Wimbledon has just left after giving her a blessing. We hope that she was able to hear and that it gave her some comfort. The nurses tell us that the first sense to go and the first to come back is the hearing, but they also say that she may not remember everything we say to her. It tends to come back in the form of dreams.

Nevertheless, we continue talking to her so she knows we are here.

I don't feel it necessary to go into what brought her here, but just as equally important, the idiocy and bureaucracy that was involved in getting her son here.

A few days after my wife had been admitted, I started the ball rolling with regards to my stepson visiting his sick mother. Only once my family in Thailand had told him he was going to be getting a passport did he realize the seriousness of it all.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please let me introduce you to Mr. Davies of Davies Khan Immigration Associates".

I had used the services of Davies Khan in the past and felt that he was the only man who could take on board and manage my affairs in a prompt and professional manner.

A letter from the consultants in ICU was forwarded to Davies Khan, which in turn was forwarded to the British Embassy in Bangkok. With very few questions asked the British Embassy agreed in principal to issue a visa without the usual formalities subject to him obtaining a valid passport.

I am indebted to the British Embassy for their swift and sympathetic response.

However, we still needed a passport for my stepson, and the British Embassy could not issue the visa until he was in possession of one.

Family members had taken him to the passport office in Udon Thani on 2 occasions only to be told that as he was only 16yrs old and would be traveling alone, he could not be issued one…HOLD IT…unless my wife would write and sign a letter of consent. "<deleted>?"

Now some idiotic clerk with no common sense had already received a letter from our local hospital stating her condition. Surely they would put 2 and 2 together?

Despite me providing them and Davies Khan with all of the necessary documentation asked for, they still weren't budging on the "Authorized Letter" from my wife

Davies Khan steps in again, this time using very influential contacts in Thailand whom include the former Foreign Minister, Dr.Kantathi Suphamongkhon.

Whilst Davies Khan was using his contacts in Thailand, I was using my contacts here in the UK and via the Royal Thai Embassy in London.

Everyone was working flat out in order to get the passport office in Udon Thani to issue the passport. I even believe that Dr.Kantathi Suphamongkhon was told on one occasion that they wouldn't issue the passport because they were concerned that we might be "Child Trafficking"

Anyway, after 1 week of fighting, the passport office decided to issue one with no further questions asked or any explanation as to the delay.

The following day, my stepson was on a flight to the UK where Davies Khan had prepared and issued a letter to the Border Control at Heathrow Airport, ensuing that he had a speedy and problem free entry to the UK. 15 minutes in fact, from departing the plane through to arrivals.

He's been in the UK for 2 weeks now and has settled in very well. You can never tell what someone is feeling on the inside but we can tell how he's feeling from the outside. He just wants his mum to wake up. We all do.

Our days are spent by her side, praying and hoping and not giving up.

The care she is receiving is superb. My stepson realises this and also knows that had she been in Thailand she would have probably have left us already. We are so glad that he made it to the UK in time to see his mother still alive.

My family and I, both here in the UK and in Thailand would like to thank Mr Davies at Davies Khan for the professional, considerate and compassionate service we have received so far. As per my previous posts, I cannot recommend highly enough the service that Mr Davies has provided us.

And last but not least, I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart, the contacts that were used via Davies Khan including the "middle man" and also the former Foreign Minister for Thailand, Dr.Kantathi Suphamongkhon for their intervention in this sensitive matter.

Guemlum

Scouse, you forget we're all shandy drinkers down south

G