teatree

We need a Thai branch of 'Stop A Douchebag"

When applying for an EU visa I strongly recommend going to a northern EU country (Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden etc) rather than a southern country (Italy, Spain).  The former are likely to be helpful and accommodating and above all fair minded, whereas the latter are more likely to be petty and obstructive.

5 hours ago, Titan1962 said:

Pick up driver entered a road without giving way to the right. The motorcycle riders attempted to change lanes to avoid collision. But the pickup driver was going straight to the far lane, hence the accident. The bikes had nowhere to go.

In a normal country the pickup driver would be in the wrong 100%. But here in Thailand no one gives way to motorcycles especially if they are in a motor vehicle. Just another inconsiderate <deleted>, without any consideration to other road users. Normal Thai attitude I am afraid, mine is bigger than yours.

 

The bikes had nowhere to go?  I'm pretty sure the motorcycles here are fitted with brakes.

4 hours ago, DualSportBiker said:

Just how do you come to that judgement? The bikes were riding too tightly for sure. It is not possible to see if the lead bike was partially blocked the the bike to its right. The bikes did move right as the driver waltzed in to the outside lane and cut them up. He pushed further and further right as they moved to avoid them.

 

They had enough time to brake.  If they had been riding defensively they would not be in hospital now.

9 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Not many posts in, but already the "If you were as good a rider as me"  brigade are giving detailed commentary on how they would have avoided the homicidal driver. 

If you can't control a motorbike then don't ride one on the road. 

Nothing to do with "If you were as good a rider as me" more like 'If you could ride to a very basic level'.

Truck driver cut up the bikers BUT the lead biker had ample time to adjust/slow down/swerve etc.

For a country that has so many motorcycles, the lack of knowledge about how to control a bike is staggering.  I have seen motorbike taxi riders who clearly have no idea about how to use counter steering.

I recently paid my bill 8 days late at 7/11 with no probs in BKK.  I think you get charged 40 baht for paying late.

3 hours ago, wirat69 said:

Wear gloves for food preparation and still wear the same gloves to take the grubby bacteria infested money....!!!!!

But at least they will probably have to take off their gloves to pick their nose.

On 06/05/2017 at 6:19 AM, colinneil said:

My friend has a problem, how many times is that one posted?

If anybody is on nine years overstay, they deserve a stay in theI IDC.

It shows a total disregard for the law, total lack of respect for Thailand.

Many things here are not to our liking, but as we chose to live here, we have to put up with them.

I will never understand why people automatically assume that when someone ask a question for a friend, they are really asking the question for themselves.  The OP is anonymous <deleted>!  The name of Bluebird279 is tarnished forever!  Why would he care?  Why bother questioning it?

Actually, it might be a tactic to avoid the sanctimonious rantings that inevitably get posted on threads like this.

The driver may have overreacted but he was just responding to violence against his wife by the monk.  In the same position I would have smacked him on the jaw.

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes there have been reports of people getting them with no financial proof.

Great, thanks.

On 08/04/2015 at 1:37 PM, ubonjoe said:

If you apply at the embassy in London you do not need any financial proof to get the multiple entry non-o based upon marriage.

The info on the embassy website (same for Hull) is not correct.

Is this still the case?  I checked the embassy website and it still hasn't been changed.  Are there any reports of people getting visas without financials?

On 28/04/2017 at 5:47 PM, mobiryder said:

Thanks for all of the replies.  I'm currently already amidst the '15th month' route and it is expiring May 6th.  I'll be looking to start a fresh Non-IMM O visa (married, previous visa was an IMM-B with work permit.  WP has since expired.)

 

I emailed the embassy and this is what they replied:

 

I'm still a bit confused by what '1 working day'.  For example, if I submit it in the morning of a Monday, will I pick it up the next day, Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday afternoon?  I suspect the answer is Tuesday but I don't know for sure and the embassy has not replied to my response asking for clarification.

Thanks for all of your insight and help.

 

Couldn't you stretch it to 17 months by getting an extension of 2 months on the final entry by going to immigration with the wife?

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

OK, Eeyore,

 

I did not say what you claim

 

I just made the obvious point that it at least appears that most very bright people are not pro Brexit unless they see that they can make an easy buck.

 

Why is that?

 

Now you, sir, are obviously an outlier; clearly knowledgeable and bright but now pro Brexit. It's the exception that proves the rule eh!

 

I appreciate a well engineered mocking response ?

What do you mean by saying that most bright people voted against Brexit?  Is this opinion anecdotal or is it because more graduates voted for remain?

3 hours ago, Grouse said:

It's a matter of trust

 

I for one do NOT trust the Con Party to act in the "best interest" of the UK generally rather than just line their own pockets. Parliament MUST reserve the right to endorse or otherwise. 

 

You folks obviously dont see the risk. Sad but not surprising

 

I always used board approval as a negotiating lever. I never found it to be an impediment. 

 

Signing subject to endorsment by parliament is entirely reasonable.

 

I'm glad you have no objections to (1) & (2)

I do see the risk.  I am not a Conservative supporter and have never voted for them.

But I also see not giving the government the power to make a deal as an even greater risk.  The UK needs to get out ASAP so that we can get on with making trade deals across the globe.  The longer we are in limbo the more it will hurt the UK.  I see the amendment by the Lords as a cynical attempt to derail the whole Brexit process.

Not sure what you meant by saying that they would line their own pockets rather act in the best interests of the UK.  Can you be more specific?

On 08/03/2017 at 10:59 AM, Grouse said:

1) The Con Party are strangely gleeful and united about Brexit when before a majority were pro remain. Why?

 

2) The Con Party are strangely reluctant to protect the rights of EU citizens living in the UK because they fear it might not be reciprocated. Why?

 

3) The Con Party do not wish parliament to have the final say. Why?

 

It's because they intend to undermine the EU and European social democracy by turning the U.K. Into a low cost, low tax, low service off shore economy.

 

This will be terrible for most U.K. Citizens but great for companies and shareholders. They want to attract manufacturing by offering very low corporation tax. 

 

What will that do for UK health and education and society generally? Increased inequality, reduced health care, poorer education.

 

There will be a two tier school system for the masses: grammar schools and crap schools. 

 

This is NOT the kind of UK I want ?

3) ANS - Because if the UK parliament gets a veto on the final deal the risk is that the UK will be offered the worst possible deal after the longest possible negotiation period.  The EU could do this in the hope that the UK parliament would veto the deal, delaying the whole process and increasing the chance of another referendum.

If the executive has the power to agree to any deal then the EU would have to accept that Brexit IS going to happen and is more likely to offer a better deal. 

Also, going into a negotiation it is important for the parties involved to have the authority to make decisions.  If the UK negotiators do not have that and have to go back to parliament to approve everything then it makes the whole process a farce.  (I understand that this is the farcical system the EU uses and is why a trade deal with Canada took seven years and was at one point stalled because the Belgian regional parliament of Wallonia refused to pass it!   Absolutely absurd.  Europe is a continent, not a country)

On 09/03/2017 at 0:39 PM, Lakegeneve said:

As mentioned, if the SRTET does order these new cars they would be from Siemens which is the supplier of the original ARL rolling stock. The rolling stock is Desiro II which is a commuter rolling stock NOT metro. It is not meant to run at a metro frequency regardless of perceived demand. 

 

This line is a commuter/suburban line NOT a metro line. The issue with overcrowding specifically relates to the lack of rolling stock, 5 cars per train would solve that problem as it should have done 2-3 years ago.

I would much rather the interior of the Siemens trains in use on the BTS, which much more spacious and efficient - far better and handling lots of people with luggage.   

The Desiro trains appear to be designed for light provincial use with much longer distances between stops - there is even a (deactivated) button to open and close doors! 

The trains aren't really suitable for connecting one of the world's busiest airports with such a crowded city as Bangkok.  It would be much better with 5 cars per train of course, but still the wrong choice for they are used for.

2 minutes ago, selftaopath said:

Isn't the taxi "supposed" to yield?

No.  He is supposed to filter in and cars already in the slow lane are supposed to slow down or change lane to let him in.

The term 'give way' does not seem to appear in the Thai vocabulary.

Let's hope the new trains that will be bought are similar to the ones used on the BTS. 

The current ARL trains are very inefficient at holding lots of people and allowing them to get on and off the train.  The ARL trains seem to have been built for relatively light provincial use - they only have 2 sets of doors per carriage, the area where carriages are connected is not used, the area next to the doors is narrower - and are not really fit for purpose.

BTS trains would be much better at handling lots of people with lots of luggage.

To avoid any confusion it might be an idea to state whether your experiences are from arriving or departing.

Have noticed that some posts in this and other threads don't mention this.

20 hours ago, Grouse said:

7by7 I admire your stamina!

 

Sadly, some fools will never accept a FACT!

 

For me, the killer last week was the white paper stating that UK Parliament retained sovereignty throughout "even if sometimes it did not appear that way"

 

So, what is the Brexiteers list of "benefits" reduced to now? Too many Poles? Not enough bent bananas? I'm sure Sterling's collapse is worth it?

It is very simple.

The Commission proposes regulations, which are then rubber stamped by the EU parliament and then become law throughout the EU.  The UK parliament has no say on the matter and this is where the lack of sovereignty is.

Just a few points in response to the hysterical frothing by much of the media:

1.  It is not a Muslim ban!  It is a ban on NATIONALS.  Pakistanis can still go, Indonesians can still go and UK muslims can still go etc etc etc!

2. The exact same seven countries were selected by the Obama administration as 'countries of concern' in 2016.https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/02/18/dhs-announces-further-travel-restrictions-visa-waiver-program

3. Obama banned Iraqi refugees for 6 months in 2011, where was the outrage then?

18 minutes ago, jlwilliamsjr18 said:

A foolish and primitive endeavor...Xenophobia driven and will accomplish nothing. 

Then every country in the world is xenophobic. 

I wish there were no need for borders and visas but in the real world there is.  I went to India last year and I needed a (very expensive) visa.  I don't like having to do this but I accept there is a logic and reason for it.

What is wrong with enforcing a border and issuing work visas as and when needed?  I'm not sure a border fence is practical given the vast distance but if it is then I just see it as common sense.

The EU has a land border with Morocco and has very tall fence to keep out economic migrants.  Don't remember anyone calling them out for being xenophobic:

21 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

 

Hmm

Farage is such a loser that he managed to win the Brexit vote?

Trump is such a loser that he amassed a  mega business empire, the support of  tens of millions and won the  presidency of the USA?

 

It's your condescending dismissive arrogance that put these two people  where they are today.

Because you disagree, doesn't make them losers. I have no love for either of these two, but they gave voice to the frustrations of tens of millions who have been pissed upon for decades by people like you. You will propel them further unless you reconsider your approach.

 

I have long thought that Trump's ascension has been a reaction against PC culture and identity politics.  Jonathan Pie sums it up perfectly: