ThaiItAgain

Points are deducted from 1 -30 points dependent on the type of offence.

where to find out the  value of a demerit point to equal the type of offence that information is not in the editorial 

Reading the original post, there most certainly much confusion as to who is officially supplying it surrounding your B visa. There is mention of the school arranging your Non-B., that the agent did not do that for you (irrespective of what ever reason given). what about any work permits (if any) work permits usually, should you decide to  leave a school, the work permit is revoked owing that this/the permit is with that particular school and not transferrable to any other school, If it is transferable!? are you able to take / transfer the permit out of that province?. You explain it was the school that arranged your B visa, is that  for your entire stay anywhere in Thailand? when  it reaches its expire date? who offers you any renewal of the visa, (the school or the so called agent)?  what is the total cost of the b visa?, what is the cost if any for a permit to work or is that wrapped up in your visa? You're saying that 4000 per month is deducted from your salary and sent to whom?  when the total cost of the b visa (what ever figure that is) has been paid, does the 4000 stop being deducted? as it appears now that if you're to work with the school for 12 months your visa costs 48000 ie 4000baht x12, is that greater than the total cost for a Non-B visa and to work in a school? Only to be read as example purposes, the following information has no relationship to your visa, but note pricing comparison, (1900baht gets you a none residential 0 visa, renewable each year. 3000baht gets you a multiple re-entry for 12 months attached to the 0 visa)  note the cost of these, none of these = your Monthy deductions of 4000

 There is so much you truly need to know more and to get a clear understanding of your staying in Thailand conditions  and of your working permission and permits if any and payments

23 hours ago, Chris747 said:

Last week i went to Promenada, Chiang Mai to do the 90 day report. Had all papers done, copies and when it was my turn the immigration officer told me that i should not have come because i recently entered Thailand.

 

She changed manually the due date on the last 90 day paper slip, writing due on 13th december - 90 days after i came back to Thailand...

Correct Chris all above board. Had a similar experience when I went to China, my reporting date prior to going was 28th August 2017 to report Chiang Mai, We left for China 28th June, arrived back BKK on 12th July.  that new entry changed 28th August to 11th October and a new TM 6 arrival number ..... thanks for giving those persons here who are interested in keeping up-to date via your post

2 minutes ago, glegolo said:

OMG this proves that Chiang Mai is a complete and utterly RAT-HOLE on earth..... Happy I dont live there.......

 

Glegolo

it might be that CM is setting standards....... must be cause so many BKK people are moving there  

4 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

What is is the short version of an explanation for the TM 30?

Never heard of it before? 

you nee a tm30.. is that short

1 minute ago, Boon Mee said:

What is is the short version of an explanation for the TM 30?

Never heard of it before? 

its a document that you need to have in your passport these days to get your 12 month visa renewed... S i have learnd. Like you, never heard of it until 2 days ago. nor did my wife know she had to report me as being back in the house if I went a way on a trip.... its all in the post I just submitted

Interesting reading re the 90 days report.

I live Chiang Mai and have done for 4 years now. Promenade is the reporting place. I did the 90 days’ report 2 days ago and thought to renew my retirement visa for another 12 months at the same time; seeing it is due 7th November to be renewed... kill 2 birds one visit. 

point of interest: this is 2 days ago I attempted to do the report online via the 90 days’  extra link Thai immigration CM. I got a reference number and the PENDING notice. I checked the status every day and It stayed in pending for 5 days at which point I called help desk immigration in CM. They told me the site had crashed and that I need to take in the reference number to the promenade. Upon arrival I showed all necessary paperwork + copy of the printout of the 90 days that I did online to the registration desk, they could find no record on their computer of such reference number. having checked my 90 days report documents I had to completed they gave me the number for the desk No.1 for 90 days’ reporting I did that and got the new receipt stapled into my passport before 12 noon.  I went back to the register desk out front again and asked do I still have time to get the 12 months’ renewed retirement visa done. Showed her all the paper work, same as I had done for all the previous years; I was asked for the passport which is normal and then the surprise”

 “Where is the TM30 “they asked. What TM30? Never had this asked of me in 4 years. She said you need to go upstairs to 2^nd Floor and showed them the passport and get TM30 in your passport. Got to the TM30 Division I was then told my wife needs to fill out this form. TM30 and show all copies of her ID, BLUE BOOK passport if she has one etc.  who owns the house she said of course the wife does I have the yellow book No the officer said your wife needs to fill in the TM30 in English yellow book not accepted. Hmmm! Took the TM30 form home and got it all filled. With the wife next day, WE went back the office in Promenade.  Thong had to sign all paperwork[CS1]  and I had to show all copies of various pages from my passport  when they were satisfied they issued a notification slip document stapled into my passport expressing I had complied TM30.  Info. This division checked my passport number on line and saw each time I used my passport to buy Air Asia tickets from CM to UTP Pattaya and told me that I had left the province each time and that upon my return Thong my wife should have reported to my return. They imposed a 1600 baht fine. She then said ‘if you stay in a place more than 2 nights outside your province” your wife need to report when you get back to your proper address. She said, You/I can go to the division on 2^nd floor and show the copy of the letter they gave Thong and my passport and all will be ok, no fines. All is good now.

I Took the passport down to register desk they checked the TM30 slip was in the passport and the 90 days’ report slip and was then given the ticket number for the renewal of the retirement visa…. For all you that know about the TM30 all well and good. for those who know nothing about this TM30 and the wife/partner having to report be informed and or go check it out or you just may find yourself like I was when attempting to renew your visas. Things they are a changing….

These replies are only partially accurate. I'm going through the process at the moment. Here's how it really works. If you have an Australian Working Life Residency of 35 years or more (AWLR is calculated from the day you turn 16 to the day you reach pension age and you do not have to actually be working during this time), you only need to be resident in Australia when you apply for the pension and whilst it is being approved. Once you receive your written advice from Centrelink confirming approval and your first pension payment has been deposited into your Australian bank account, you are then free to move OS permanently. Because you have an AWLR of 35+ years you will receive the full BASE pension but only the BASE Age Supplement. (The current rate for the BASE Pension and Base Age Supplement is AUD $402.00 per week for a single person). On the other hand, if you have been living outside Australia more than you have in Australia over the years preceding your pension age being reached, then you will need to live in Australia for 2 years from your pension date before your pension becomes portable and then you can live wherever you want. I have a mate who has been living in Thailand 6 months a year and in Oz 6 months a year for the last 10 years. He reaches pension age in July. He has to live in Australia for 2 years before he can take his pension with him when he returns to Thailand permanently. In my case, I was in Thailand for 7 months from Oct 2014 - end of April 2015. The 2 year rule does not affect me. I am back in Thailand, but will be returning to Oz in mid-June ( I reach pension age in July). I will have to only be resident in Australia, once I return, until my pension is approved and the first payment is in my aussie bank account, then I free to leave permanently and receive the pension in Thailand, until the day I depart this world. The AWLR will still apply though. So if you have an AWLR of say 28 years, then you would divide the $402 by 35 and multiply by 28 to calculate your part pension. $402/35*28 = $321.60 per week. Pension rates are reviewed every March & September, but for those who are permanently overseas they are reviewed quarterly. Also the pension is only paid every 4 weeks if you are overseas and if you wish Centrelink will pay the pension directly into your OS bank account. They will remit in the currency of the country you are living in or USD. They use the Reserve Bank exchange rate on the day of remitting and no fees are charged by Centrelink. However, your OS bank will most likely deduct a small fee when the transfer is credited to your account. A small trap to be aware of that I have yet to confirm, is that in Thailand your bank may deduct income tax from the transfer amount as they consider regular payments of this nature to be income. This would then mean having to lodge a tax return in Thailand if this turns out to be correct.

Thank you for your comprehensive reply.

I have friends back in Australia jumping through the hoops now.

Before I left Australia 2 years ago, I had lunch with a former student who is a Centrelink regional manager/director. She knew that I was retiring overseas to live and I expressed my extreme distaste with the new aged pension requirements. She knew that I was born in Australia, as were my parents and grandparents,a nd that I had been a resident of Australia all my life and had been paying Australian taxes for 40 years.

I expressed how I thought it unAustralian for someone like me, who had decided to move overseas to live, but still paid taxes on investment income in Australia, and that I would not be making any demands on Australia's health care system, transportation systems, or any Australian resources, such as food, etc. would be denied an age pension.

Retirees in Australia place demands on all Australia's resources and many public services, but overseas retirees do not, so why should we be discriminated against when we are actually reducing the public burden on Australian resources?

In essence, we overseas retirees place fewer demands on Australia than Australia-based retirees, so why should be denied a pension and why should we be discriminated against?

Although she agreed with me, she replied, as I knew, all policies come from Canberra.

With respect to Viet Nam - I had planned to retire there or Thailand. Viet Nam was a better choice for me, as over 40 years I had spent more time there than in Thailand, and can read, write and speak Vietnamese. However, as some of my friends (including Vietnamese doctors and nurses) in Viet Nam pointed out, the Vietnamese health care system is crap; Vietnamese people who have the money go to Thailand, SIngapore or Taiwan for health care.

If I was healthier, I would be living in Viet Nam, not Thailand.

Just fro my clarification, Centrelink pay fortnightly so is that $321 per week or per fortnightly payment ? @ 321x 2 that is $642 per fortnight is that correct; is that what he you will receive?

hey giddyup!

is your pension portable ?

New rulings from Centrelink is that if you return to Australia and are there fro 6 months or more then YOU are re assessed and you come under then new pensioner rules ice your eligibility to the pension is re assed your working life is re valued to fall in line with current policy and that might mean that you work to 70 providing that you are not over 70 already, that your working life is greater than 30 years not 25 years (as it was to get the full pension) and that your current assets levels determine just how much you will get anyways.

I didnt think you could get the pension outside australia.

. So if you have worked in Australia and paid taxes all your life you can not choose to retire abroad. Even the scamming politicians in the UK aren't that bad.

You're absolutely right about that! but it serves to remember that Australia was founded on a convict bases. Governor Bligh is not dead along with all his cronies.

Australia is still a penal colony, it can only think PEANALTY the difference is nowadays that the prisoners are more educated, don't ware visible chains and slightly more sophisticated. but the overall governmental philosophy is "how can we not give the people what they need and what they want" and for those who are responsible for running the country it appears that their motto is (no matter which party reigns) "how can we give ourselves that very best of life whilst we are in government and how can we ensure that we keep the PERKS going once we are out of government" As for the pensioners!, well in the past when a prisoner got to old to work, or no longer are able to contribute then they were killed off or fed to the sharks. now days, the old prisoners get the chance to leave the country. some with the meagre pension that is offered and many that want to leave are not allowed for greater than 16 weeks or their pension stops. YES, your are right in your comments....... Sounds disgraceful!

To agogohome

Did you arrive in Thailand via Car? if not, perhaps if you put in the flight number of aircraft that you arrived in Thailand; it might accept that,

But once again, my American friend living in CM now for 9 years and for 3 of them as retired, only 4 days ago, at my request, tried to submit a dummy run at reporting on line. He advised me that he was able to log on; fill in the information required on the first page but was not able to submit it. The reporting system failed to acknowledge any sort of receipt, not even a message that suggested that the form was incomplete. So his conclusion is that it is still not up and running

As for me!, I have a retirement extension to my visa, I need to report by 2nd June, Yesterday 25th May I went to Star visa agency in CM, (I initially used them to arrange my retirement visa) they took my passport, made copies of what they needed including the Yellow book gave me a copy of my passport and told me that it would be back on Wednesday 27th May and pick it up at 3pm. Note: the woman at star visa told me that, "within 15 days prior to the reporting date in your passport, you need to address the matter of reporting". . I asked the girl there "Are you using the online 90 day reporting system yourselves" her answer No! She said I have tried but it is not working, has problems accepting information, and the stability of the system is erratic".

In any event it will cost me 1000 baht for their service which under the current circumstances is well worth it to me rather than traipsing all the way down to the immigration centre near the airport and going through the rigmarole of presenting my passport; might I suggest that many of you need to consider your time is worth money or should I say your leisure time has a monetary value to it....

This information from NancL is sound advice for anyone who has had little experience dealing with the Thai immigration department relating to reporting processes and or O visa retirement extensions. I use Star visa in Chiang Mai they are very good at acquiring the retirement visa and also with the 90 days reporting requirement. They will advise you about all the documents you require and check all the documents you give to them and then advise you of their fees. it cost me to obtain my retirement extension 6500 baht for their time and the additional necessary costs for the visas etc. I also decided to obtain an additional multi-entry visa inclusion in the passport it cost me 3000 Bah; t it allows me to leave the country and re enter as many times during the year that I wish.( Under the retirement visa you need only report each 90 days but is you wish to leave the country (so I am lead to believe), you need a re-entry visa; the 1 only entry is good if you will be leaving just once.. A 1 only re-entry visa cost 1000 baht.) I also used them for the 90 day reporting it cost me 1000 Baht. You will see that I value my time and quality of life, I don't like to spend vast quantities of my time sitting amoungst farrangs who specialize in creating an impression for the Thais that we are (as it has been described) lots of sour faced, loud mouthed fat and layabout slob style farrangs. Quite frankly, you are not doing me any favors behaving that way because as far as the Thais are concerned; we are all put into the same barrel and are just as bad as each other---- quite a sad situation really; wouldn't you say? Anyways, I am happy to pay for services that let me enjoy the life style I cam here to Thailand to enjoy

.

I'm a quality tourist. I only barfine soi 33 birds

I just love a member who has a great imagination, I mean "quality tourist" indeed, he who slums it on Soi 33.....really! 55555555

Question:

How much is the deposit?

How far behind are you in the rent?

Is the lease contract that was signed in Thai or English, if Thai, go get it translated; clearly understand your position and her position.

Do you know and understand what the obligations are of you the tenant the landlord?

Have you considered involving a solicitor in this matter, (that is provided that the legal costs don't outstrip the value of the deposit?)

Now!

The deposit in this case seems to be being treated as a bond, which is the right of the landlord to apply. A true deposit is paid generally to secure the premises from other potential/prospective tenants or to safe guard the landlord from you doing a midnight move or defaulting in your rental payments. --- In this case, you have got 2 issues, you are behind in your rent and you have a situation of damage dispute. Whose fault it is that the damage occurred is the issue? If a true bond was involved, all costs of repair or replacements would be taken from the bond once the fault of the damage has been established. ----- getting to the bottom of the blame or acceptance of responsibility for the damage usually can't be agreed until a solicitor gets involved...sorry!

​ the fact is that you have no true bond to worry about, if you have not paid any rent for some time , if the outstanding rent payment is close to the value of the bond/deposit; then the least expensive way for you is to "write it off" and turn the page,if you don’t like that idea; got down the road of the expense of the solicitor and put it down to a "battle won perhaps “”for you and a "face losing exercise" for the landlord.

regards “ its now up to you"

Thaiitagain

Please post reasons why you are fed up by Thailand and want to go back to you home country?

My reasons would be in my home country there is:

More job security

Better health care

People are sincere and honest

Relationships are not all about the money

Not many fall for criminal populist politicians

No congested streets

I read your post with interest but sorry to rain on your parade but

One other respondent asked you where do you come from. I ask the same which country are you from? Your picture shows Eastwood which of course is American; if that is where you are from, and of course we don't know from where you come; then job security in the current economic climate in America surely can not be a reason to go back.

sincere and honest people; well again if you are from America I guess that is dependent on which side of the track your from the people that do the killings, muggings and robberies every single day; surely you can't be missing the risk of being one of thse statistics.

Relationships are very much about money; when a couple break up, what is the most important thing after the kids are fought over? how much do we each get. Just ask those couples that have either are in deep trouble because one or both of them now don't have enough money the relationship generally suffers. yes or no?

All politicians to some degree have a streak of corruption in them, in the UK for example 96% of the pollies on both sides entered into fraud over many years. It was only recently that a proper audit of the tax system in regards to the Pollies exposed how they were oughting in a massive way the tax system claiming on things like mortgages on houses they didn't even have. And in the states, well politics is rife with corruptions scams. In Aussie, well once or twice a year some body blows the whistle on some corrupt pollies like that guy nu-tall who takes a bribe from business and says he didn't think they wanted anything in return - hes now on his way to prison; so criminal pollies..........

The health systems generally are OK; well in Aussie they are even though many people here are pissed off at having to wait years to get into hospital for an operation on the general health system. It's different of course if you have private health cover; which is the same in Thailand isn't it?

That leaves congestion on the roads: In Thailand, in Bangkok, that is very true but up in northern Thailand its not so true; the traffic flows well and the roads are for the most not congested.

I guess for me to want to go back home, the reasons would have to be more severe than those that you have sighted.

Please post reasons why you are fed up by Thailand and want to go back to you home country?

My reasons would be in my home country there is:

More job security

Better health care

People are sincere and honest

Relationships are not all about the money

Not many fall for criminal populist politicians

No congested streets

I read your post with interest but sorry to rain on your parade but

One other respondent asked you where do you come from. I ask the same which country are you from? Your picture shows Eastwood which of course is American; if that is where you are from then job security in the current economic climate in America surely can not be a reason to go back.

sincere and honest people; well again if you are from America I guess that is dependent on which side of the track your from the people that do the killings, muggings and robberies every single day surely can't be who you miss.

Relationships are very much about money; when a couple break up, what is the most most important thing after the kids are fought over? how much do we each get. Just ask those couples that have either are in deep trouble because one or both of them now don't have enough money the relationship generally suffers. yes or no?

All politicians to some degree have a streak of corruption in them, in the UK for example 96% of the pollies on both sides entered into fraud over many years. It was only recently that a proper audit of the tax system in regards to the Pollies exposed how they were oughting in a massive way the tax system claiming on things like mortgages on houses they didn't even have. And in the states, well politics is rife with corruptions scams. In Aussie, well once or twice a year some body blows the whistle on some corrupt pollies like that guy nu-tall who takes a bribe from business and says he didn't think they wanted anything in return - hes now on his way to prison; so criminal pollies..........

The health systems generally are OK; well in Aussie they are even though many people here are pissed off at having to wait years to get into hospital for an operation on the general health system. It's different of course if you have private health cover; which is the same in Thailand isn't it?

That leaves congestion on the roads: In Thailand, in Bangkok, that is very true but up in northern Thailand its not so true; the traffic flows well and the roads are for the most not congested.

I guess for me to want to go back home, the reasons would have to be more severe than those that you have sighted.

Hiya, I hope this doesn't get deleted. It's not about my business, but of a good friend so I'm trying to drum up some publicity for him! Him and his wife 'Piggy' have just opened up the above business today. It's a great little place. They've got an excellent menu (I'm vegan myself, but they even cater for me, and everyone has said the fish is really good.) They do cod, plaice, battered sausage, all traditional British stuff. Very reasonable prices and a full bar! Deserts too, apple pie and custard etc.

Give it a go!!

Turn left down Chiang Moi just before Mike's Burgers and it's a few shops down on the right!

x

How many dedicated shops/bars of F & C are there to your knowledge in the Chiang Mai area? where is the major concentreation of these shops ?

I started the original thread and yes im a Brit yes i was a frequent visitor to patong yes i like a drink and have fun i have read the post's and it sickens me that we brits are slagged off a piss head whoremongering trouble makers. All the so called brits that live in the LOS are i believe not brits but people jumping on the brit bashing wagon. Lets just have a quick think here where was the beer mat thief from in patong dont remember a brit or brits being chased down the beach rd. Where was the guy from just nicked at swampy with the ecstasy stashed in his undies from, where were the 2 prisoners just executed from need i go on. The tread was about safety not brit bashing, to say we ride about drunk is totally arrogance is it not the fact that most fatalities are caused by locals riding on the wrong side of the road sometimes coming straight at you or the fact the locals ride about at night without lights on or the truck drivers driving vehicles with defective brake's then running off when there is an accident, i could go on and on. These are facts not fiction, was it not the governor of phuket said we get more trouble and bad behaviour from the aussie tourists. Not many brits mentioned there was there. How many young brits in the last year have comitted ( suicide) from throwing themselves from balconies, not a single 1 of you that live there in phuket have mentioned your gun murders in the last 2 monthes, so its ok to have a shootout in a resort full of tourists. or take out 3 men sat having a beer. is Thailand dangerouse ask the guy in phi phi who was drugged and robbed last week. Incidently there with his wife not a brit lager lout.

You're right about the Aussies, I am a true Britisher, living in Australia and I too feel ashamed in regards to Aussie behavior overseas and in Australia. Much to their discredit, they have managed to learn many bad things from the rest of the world. Understanding that as far as the Aussie goes they have seem to be drawn like a magnet to the belief that what happens overseas is how they should be. They take their ques from what America, Britain and Europe is doing and that extends to behavior. They have taken notice of these countries as to "what seems to be acceptable behavior" once outside of Australia. They have become "loud mouthed"; a crown that only Americans around the world once held and; to some extent still do viz " a loud mouth Yank". And of course, they now know how to drink piss in huge quantities and hug each other at football and cricket matches, (they have not yet learned how to beat the shit out of fans from opposing football teams when attending overseas games; but give them time they will learn that too) and; of course smashing a glass in someones face if you don't like what someone says is the latest of the learning, something that was all the rage back in Britain; in places like London, Birmingham Manchester Liverpool and Glasgow; all areas where glassing in th face happens. So yes you are right Aussies have learned how to behave; sad isn't it.

I am an American Guy, I have lived in Thailand 5 years, Brittan 6 months, Spain a month and France a month, the British behavior while on holiday is outrageous. I fully understand the Spanish Government arresting them repeatedly, if not in bulk and deporting them, Drunk and fighting every night in the pubs, France too. There were bars in France where I couldn't get a drink until I showed my passport to prove I was not British. Thailand is a little further, we can hope only the somewhat more responsible Britts get that far from home, that they might not still be somewhat special, I have no doubt. Behave yourselves! English speakers around the world suffer the consequences of what U do on Holiday!

It's worth noting that the true Brit does not exist any more. The Britisher of yeaster-years is nothing like the Britisher of today. Today's Britisher is a mish-mash of many cultures and races. just because they sound like a Londoner, Brummie, Scouse, Jordie, Mancunian Yorkie or Scot; doesn't make them one. The behavior today of the so called Britisher is appalling both in Britain and outside of Britain. There is no defense for the way in which they behave. I ask you - what else can you honestly expect? What I am about to say now should not be taken in any way as being random racism, but, when you have a platform of multi races formulating the core of your country e.g. Lebanese, Indians, Africans, Muslims, Saudis Jamaicans Europeans and any other race of people that now inhabit Britain, they just don't embrace the same beliefs or thinking. A common standard of behavior is not able to be established; so don't expect a standard code of behavior from todays Britisher. When they leave their home shores and head for any other shores, be aware that "Behavior is not a word they know or even start to understand". It's not going to happen; not as long as their arse points to the ground. Just try to rise above it, compromise your own tolerance levels knowing that you have a better understanding of some of the underlying reasons as to why they behave like they do; but you don't ever excuse it.

I am an American Guy, I have lived in Thailand 5 years, Brittan 6 months, Spain a month and France a month, the British behavior while on holiday is outrageous. I fully understand the Spanish Government arresting them repeatedly, if not in bulk and deporting them, Drunk and fighting every night in the pubs, France too. There were bars in France where I couldn't get a drink until I showed my passport to prove I was not British. Thailand is a little further, we can hope only the somewhat more responsible Britt's get that far from home, that they might not still be somewhat special, I have no doubt. Behave yourselves! English speakers around the world suffer the consequences of what U do on Holiday!

It's worth noting that the true Brit does not exist any more. The Britisher of yeaster-years is nothing like the Britisher of today. Today's Britisher is a mish-mash of many cultures and races. just because they sound like a Londoner, Brummie, Scouse, Jordie, Mancunian Yorkie or Scot; doesn't make them one. The behavior today of the so called Britisher is appalling both in Britain and outside of Britain. There is no defense for the way in which they behave. I ask you - what else can you honestly expect? What I am about to say now should not be taken in any way as being random racism, but, when you have a platform of multi races formulating the core of your country e.g. Lebanese, Indians, Africans, Muslims, Saudis Jamaicans Europeans and any other race of people that now inhabit Britain, they just don't embrace the same beliefs or thinking. A common standard of behavior is not able to be established; so don't expect a standard code of behavior from todays Britisher. When they leave their home shores and head for any other shores, be aware that "Behavior is not a word they know or even start to understand". It's not going to happen; not as long as their arse points to the ground. Just try to rise above it, compromise your own tolerance levels knowing that you have a better understanding of some of the underlying reasons as to why they behave like they do; but you don't ever excuse it.

There really seems to be a lot of anti-foreign sentiment lately. More than usual, that's for sure.

Perhaps the cause for the anti-foreign sentiment might have something to do with

those foreigners that are sited as being involved with "Billions of baht theft", "scams on ATM'S"and "drug related involvement" as is often reported. Foreigners will come under the spy glas or and scrutiny of the officials as a result of that. In my opinion, these type of incidents certainly have something to do with the as you put it "anti sentiment".

Anything the Sensetionalists and the anti foreigner lobyist/mongers can get there teeth into they will.

So if we Foreigners/Farangs wish to be less visible; then perhaps some Foreigners need to pull their head in when they come to Thailand and not malke it difficult for those of us who just want to live a nice life in Thailand.

How long exactly is a "tourist visa" 30 days 60 days??? I usually get a Non O but I only ever stay 60-90 days per time so it may be worth remembering this for my next trip.

Tourist visa are good for an entry of 60 days that can be extended at immigration for 30 days.

Last time I went to the Thai embasy March 2009 here in Brisbane Australia they would not issue a double entry visa only 60 days or 30 days single entry. I was reminded by them and you also need to keep in mind that should you go outside of thailand during the 30 days or 60 days then you have 15 days only when you come back in unless you travelled by air then you get 30 days, your 60 days is gone. The 12 month O visa with 60-90 days renewal periods is exempt the 15 day rule; but of course you don't get that 12 month for free; so the unsuspecting tourist who has planned his/her itinery and is looking forward to coming to Thailand loking around and then travelling to say laos, or burma or vietnam leaving from Thailand will be in for quite a supprise should they be planning to come back in to Thailand

ThaiItAgain

I and many others, stopped using Thai airways when they ruined their frequent flyer program. I will never fly with them again unless they are the cheapest on the market.

For a long time Singapore Air was my choice when I flew from Australia to visit the Phil's, but since marrying a Thai, we fly Thai Air. The service on board is good and friendly (similar to that of Singapore Air) Using the orchid frequent flyer points one could get extra benefits and, once you reach silver frequent flyer status with Thai, then seat upgrades and some times class upgrade was possible. silver class also gave you automatic 30kg baggage allowance each person, express boarding; those types of things you generally have to pay extra for with other airlines. One thing that did irk me off was when Thai Air return flights from BK to Brisbane were redirected to Sydney then onto Brisbane instead of direct to Brisbane; that added more time to the flight and a forced evacuation into transit lounge whilst they cleaned the craft to start their return run back to BK. extra security checks and lost of stuffing around. was not very happy with that.

I leave for Thailand on the 3rd March using this time Air Asia leaving from the Gold coast coolangatta airport. Why! The flight ends in KL so we will have 4 days there. The round trip for 2 people from Australia to KL with 4 day stop over (not including accom) then from KL to Chiang Mai return on the 25th April to KL and then on the 26th April back to Coolangatta Australia includes 25kg baggage weight each person Total air costs $1600AUS$ round trip. Right now, in Australia with Thai Air. BK return to Brisbane it cost close to $1200+ each person; plus flight from BK to Chiang Mai; return Chiang Mai to BK for 2 approx Aus$400 Overall cost $2800 and no trip to KL, So It is the first time we have gone via Air Asia but as one member said Air Asia on this occasion has a very good price advantage over Thai Air. I did all the bookings on the Internet via Air Asia and booking hotels in KL via Aisiarooms.com in KL.

ThaiItAgain

May be Robert and Brat, Boris would come on tennis racket with a dark skinned one on his back.....

serve it babyyyyyyyyy !!!

Now, if you recollect, he'd be more likely to fly in on a broomstick - seems to like his sorties in a broom-cupboard - remember?

Yes, you're right on there, Vulcan!

Well! the next thing he will build is a minature indoor football pitch for all his football mates from around the owrld; I guess that you can say good by to all the reasonabley priced land once his mates start making similar moves to buy there

ThaiItAgain