bluesofa

Have you tried a shop called Easy 108?

They're on Wattana Nuwong Road, right on the centre of town. Tel 042-224402 or 042-224566

If you google "easy 108 udon thani" you'll find an entry and a map.

If you send your report by EMS or registered mail you can track it online and print the info before going to immigration.

Website: http://track.thailandpost.com/trackinternet/Default.aspx?lang=en

Hey yes, Ubonjoe, that's even better. I missed that bit when I went to immigration.

Not wishing to be too pedantic, but you can get a Non O visa issued within Thailand, by changing a tourist visa to a Non O at an immigration office.

Er no you can't, visa's are issued outside a country, this is an extension of stay your referring to which is not a visa, not to be too pedantic

Er, yes you can change a visa in the country. If memory serves me correctly it's form TM 86.

You can change your permission / reason for stay not your visa, Thai immigration cannot issue visa's in country, I don't know how many different was this has to be said

Well you've got me baffled here...

How come I changed from a tourist visa to a Non O, without leaving the country, but by visiting the immigration office?

It took about three hours from depositing the application form (TM 86) and my passport, for the VISA to be stamped into my passport.

Please see the attached file (obviously with personal details blanked out to keep anonymity).

At the top of the image it says Non-immigrant VISA, in the centre: Category "O"

Also in the centre "Immigration Bureau Thailand", as opposed to the name of an embassy or consulate.

Further in the image, the text says" This VISA must be utilized on the day of its issuance" - pretty difficult if it was issued outside of the country.

Or is it not a VISA?

A Non-Immigrant O type visa is for either retirement or marriage and a number of other categories - that's what the "O" stands for - OTHER.

That kind of visa can only be ISSUED at a Thai consulate or Embassy, meaning outside Thailand.

A Non-Immigrant visa can only be EXTENDED by the Immigration Department inside Thailand, and the TYPE of Non-Immigrant O visa will be defined by the extension category for which you apply and are granted the extension. This is where it becomes a Marriage Visa, or say a Retirement Visa etc.

This kind of visa is completely different from the ones mentioned above, and which are the subject of the letter.

Not wishing to be too pedantic, but you can get a Non O visa issued within Thailand, by changing a tourist visa to a Non O at an immigration office.

Er no you can't, visa's are issued outside a country, this is an extension of stay your referring to which is not a visa, not to be too pedantic

Er, yes you can change a visa in the country. If memory serves me correctly it's form TM 86.

A Non-Immigrant O type visa is for either retirement or marriage and a number of other categories - that's what the "O" stands for - OTHER.

That kind of visa can only be ISSUED at a Thai consulate or Embassy, meaning outside Thailand.

A Non-Immigrant visa can only be EXTENDED by the Immigration Department inside Thailand, and the TYPE of Non-Immigrant O visa will be defined by the extension category for which you apply and are granted the extension. This is where it becomes a Marriage Visa, or say a Retirement Visa etc.

This kind of visa is completely different from the ones mentioned above, and which are the subject of the letter.

Not wishing to be too pedantic, but you can get a Non O visa issued within Thailand, by changing a tourist visa to a Non O at an immigration office.

Defaut TOT supplied Modems usernames and passwords I've seen used are-:

Username-: admin

Password-: admin

-or-

Username-: admin

Password-: tot

IP address is usually 192.168.2.1 or 192.168.1.1

Once in the modem the username is usually your telephone number @goldcyber or @diamondcyber etc (dependent upon package subscribed to) with your phone number as the password.

Connection type is PPPoE/LLC

VPI=1

VCI=32

Sometimes the Annex Connection type will be wrong, if you have auto use that otherwise try Annex A or Annex M.

Edit to add-: Try doing all configuration with a pc connected directly to the modem. Bypass the secondary router completely for the time being to ensure your modem is working correctly and at the recommended speed etc.

I wanted to configure my TOT router to use open dns

I've accessed it many times in the past, and as you say above it's always had "admin" and "tot" as the username & password.

For some reason it's not accepting it now. Baffling.

Maybe it's got corrupted - I take it TOT can't access it remotely and change the access credentials?

Any suggestions? It's a TP-Link router.

Too late ( just booked my flight for the 1st time Laos instead of Malaysia. Monday to Wednesday in August.

Any suggestions for avoiding the cue without camping outside the Embassy ?

Be there at 5-6 AM infront of the line

This is purely academic now, but I used to go regularly about four years ago to renew a Non B visa every three months.(Later I went down the route of renewing it at immigration within Thailand, annually.)

I made sure I arrived outside the embassy by 6am, then I was always in the first half dozen in the queue. Also it made it more difficult for queue jumpers when you were that near the gate.

I have been getting the same, on and off for the last for days.... especially here on TV..... it's bloody annoying! Some times it's dead slow or I get that same message.... or it's as fast as a speeding bullet!

I had 3 BB out to check my line, that is not the problem! ..... ????....

I have been clearing the cache too.... which sometimes causes that problem....

It's the same on Firefox and Chrome on Mac .... with useless Chrome I cannot upload images

I'vw been seeing exactly the same problem for the past few days too.

Initially I thought it was a problem acessing UK sites from here - most UK newspapers are painfully slow. I tried some sites I know are hosted in the US (not newspapers) and they seemed to load OK.

BKK Post & the Nation load OK. Checking on those, they both seem to be hosted in Thailand from what I can make out.

Also someone was telling me they haven't been able to get money out of cash machines here for a few days now when using a UK debit card. I've seen the ATM machines here have an ADSL connection. I'm guessing they're using a VPN to access their own bank data? So if there's a UK internet problem, then that could well explain that particular issue.

So whether it's international access problems to the UK, or whether some more murky problems are afoot, I 'm really not sure.

Move to Business forum

When you said above "Move to Businees forum", did you mean as a mod you have moved it already, or were you telling the OP to move/re-ask the question in the Business forum?

I've searched, but can't find any more entries with that heading (even with Thailand spelt correctly, or mis-spelt as above).

Or maybe the thread has no more replies...

Very interesting - or am I just really sad?

Occassionally having used the Nong Khai - Bangkok train (train No. 70). I always assumed it would be an hour or so late arrving in BKK.

Last time I used it was May 22 (day of the coup), I see it was 85 minutes late, but I had allowed for that anyway.

Having looked at only a few entries, it seems that since the coup the trains are not quite so late generally. Maybe SRT have had the fear of god put up them - not a bad thing - or does someone know of another reason perhaps?

I'm booked on the same train again in a couple of weeks, I'll keep tabs on our actual arrival time against what the website will say.

Going off at a slight tangent, when I booked this latest train I asked for a second class fan sleeper - I find the A/C too cold. Staff said I could only book a fan sleeper a few days prior to departure, as there is a shortage of these carriages right now. The one that should be in use is presently in the south of Thailand, and no one could guarantee it would be returned on time.

I'm providing anecdotal evidence which I know most expats here will relate to very well and will know of similar cases.

Anecdotal evidence is worthless when compiling national unemployment data.

If a complete and robust system existed by which unemployment could accurately be measured, I might agree with you. But since no sensible system exists here I think anecdotal evidence has a role to play, it's a factor which influences to lesser degree.

Even in the UK there are difficulties measuring unemployment accurately because a percentage of people there chose to remain below the radar and operate in the black economy whilst collecting benefits, so if the UK numbers are not entirely reliable and accurate, Thailand stands no chance of even coming close.

And don't shout at me, please.

Thailand uses the same system as the USA and Australia. Your assertion is nonsense unless you maintain that Australia and the USA also have no sensible system? You are putting your Thai bash ahead of facts. The UK also uses a survey (as do most other countries in the world) method because the claimant method is not accurate.

PS. All caps would be shouting all bold is emphasis.

Straight question here - I'm not trying to be a sm@t@rse or score points.

Can you tell me why the claimant method is not accurate? I would have thought counting the number people claiming dole would be a much more accurate way than the survey method?

OK, obviously for Thailand it wouldn't work as there's no dole/benefits to claim, but for the UK I'd have thought that would be a more accurate sytem (apart from fraudulent claimants).

'... as it has a reasonably similar population and land size to Thailand ...' The UK's land size is substantially smaller. But any country that deems whistle blowing a job is bound to have damn-all unemployment. And of course, we all know where statistics rank in any league table of facts.

Yes, you're absolutely correct. Just looked it up on wiki. The UK is 242,000 sq km and Thailand is 510,000 sq km.

I thought they were both of a similar size (as opposed to comparing Thailand to say the US or Australia for example).

My mistake, I stand (well sit anyway) corrected.

Can't be compared with a first world country I'm afraid. Op, you need to take into consideration it takes like three foot-shufflers to do a one-man job here. Also, are monks considered as unemployed in those dubious figures! Not much tax revenue there.

I did read recently that out of the 70 million population here, only 2 million pay any sort of income tax. Seems a very low percentage.

That would be about right, all the shop workers at 7-11, Family Mart etc etc, and in the many shopping centres do not pay tax. But out of the 70 million, (is it not 65 M) population, how many are not of employable age, and are bringing up families etc?

The unemployment rate is not computed based on people who pay tax. Tax payer or not has nothing to do with the unemployment rate.

In the original post I didn't mention anything about tax.

However, in a susequent post from daveAustin (see above) he mentioned about tax revenue, to which I replied generally about the low number of people paying tax in Thailand, but I didn't mean it to be linked to the unemployment figures. Sorry if it caused confusion:

Can't be compared with a first world country I'm afraid. Op, you need to take into consideration it takes like three foot-shufflers to do a one-man job here. Also, are monks considered as unemployed in those dubious figures! Not much tax revenue there.

I did read recently that out of the 70 million population here, only 2 million pay any sort of income tax. Seems a very low percentage.

That would be about right, all the shop workers at 7-11, Family Mart etc etc, and in the many shopping centres do not pay tax. But out of the 70 million, (is it not 65 M) population, how many are not of employable age, and are bringing up families etc?

The unemployment rate is not computed based on people who pay tax. Tax payer or not has nothing to do with the unemployment rate.

A bit confused about the above post, regading the unemployment rate based on people who pay tax. I can't see that anyone above has said the two are linked?

They are two separate statement from the way I read it.

BTW I originally put the Thai population at about 70 million, some one has suggested it is 65 million. I based 70 miilion on this: http://www.worldpopulationstatistics.com/thailand-population-2013/ stating it as 69.52 million.

Can't be compared with a first world country I'm afraid. Op, you need to take into consideration it takes like three foot-shufflers to do a one-man job here. Also, are monks considered as unemployed in those dubious figures! Not much tax revenue there.

I did read recently that out of the 70 million population here, only 2 million pay any sort of income tax. Seems a very low percentage.

hah I bet a time n motion study would be hilarious here..........theyd have to measure in decades!

Ha ha! Yes, time and motion in decades! Very witty.

Reading a news article today in which it mentions Thailand has one of the lowest unemployment rates globally.

Thailand is listed as the fourth lowest at 0.7%. Compare that to the UK for example, which has around 6-7% unemployment, depending on which sources you use. I used wiki and also the CIA factbook as my source (figures listed for 2013/4).

The reason why I used the UK as it has a reasonably similar population and land size to Thailand.

What isn't clear though is if the figures are compiled on the same basis. Thailand's figures are listed as supplied by the National Statistical Office Of Thailand. The UK figures come from BBC news.

Not wishing to bring politics into this, but in the UK an awful lot more people will be listed as unemployed as there are financial benefits available if you are looking for work. In Thailand there's nothing like that.

So I just wonder how accurate these figures listing countries in a list globally are likely to be?

Is the real unemployment rate in Thailand 0.7%?

Ok,

The solid white line on the side of the road is the edge of the road... I see it as an aid or target for most drivers in this country because they just can't seem to grasp that peripheral vision and focus on the furthest part of the road ahead, as one should.

Thank you Porkster for that. A clear answer, and I completely understand your caustic comment, but...

Not wishing to sound ungrateful, but being pedantic about it, if that's the edge of the road how come it's sometimes nearly two meters from the "edge" of the tarmac/concrete?

Does that mean the non-road part is then for parking, footpath, or whatever you decide it's for on that particular day?

Go to a DLT and watch the movie.

Not quite sure if that was a serious suggestion? as a) it's all in ThaI and do you know if it specificially covers my original quoestion regarding the lines?

I notice that I was in error when I wrote yellow, as those lines along the side of the road are in fact white (that was the reason I put (yellow) in brackets, as at the time I wasn't certain).

I'm just about to begin reading the Land Traffic Act pdf that was refered to in a post earlier. Hope that has a reference to the white line along the side of the road and their relevance.

Is there somewhere I can find an English version of the Thai highway code – online preferably? That's if there is such a thing?

Every now and then I come across a situation that would be nice to see clarified. Yes, I know generally most locals aren't interested in being clear about these sort of things, but there again I'm quite pendantic.

For example, the continuous (yellow) line near to the edge of the road on most minor roads. It can vary in width anything from 30cm to two meters. What does it signify, and what's the area on the left-hand side of that line supposed to be used for?

I've had various answers ranging from “for motorbikes only”, to “parking”, to “footpath”. Assuming of course, there is a correct answer...

Use your re-entry permit number, on the questions on the back, just put a basic guess if you wish. Those questions are for survey purposes only, if understand correctly.

Ha! You mean people have actually filled in those questions in the middle of the TM6 card?

I've always ignored them as I thought it was a completely irrelevent section, and no business of anyone, unless you wanted to volunteer your private details for someone to stick their nose into. Or am I being bloody minded?

Drinking Archa now, it's as good as any of the other muck they serve up as beer here. How about walking past members of the family and completely ignoring them? I finally trained them to say SDK and now find myself ignoring them. Don't get me into driving the car, I think I drive like a Thai, but I use the mirrors.

Drive like a Thai!! The frightening observation regarding so many who, when on a motorbike, come to a T junction at a main road and turn left without any sort of glance to the right, to see what traffic is incoming. Frightening...

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 5.7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

(edited/re-posted due to my inability to <reply with quote> on my smartphone!)

Yes, but you EXPECT them to do that. What I didn't expect the other day was a Farang driving pretty fast without helmet who cut off my path as I was turning right . 'This is the way you're supposed to do it, stupid Thais'. He won't last long, A Thai probably would have had him off his bike as he wasn't driving like a Thai.

I agree absolutely about expecting drivers to make certain manoeuvres. While it doesn't make it right, it still makes me wince every time I see it.

A bit like following a groups of cars, you need to be looking towards the front of the group to see what's going on there, to try and anticipate what might happen, whereas most of the others just follow the brake lights of the vehicle in front, often causing those multi-vehicle shunts - especially at traffic lights.

I'm not claiming to be a clever/perfect driver, but here, you need to have eyes in every single direction!

Don't get me wrong, it's not meant as a whinge, but more of an observation - honest!

Well I don't know about taller ?

But Thai girls have certainly gotten fatter and really out of shape

I can remember not knowing where to look there were so many cute, sexy, hot little girls

Now young cute sexy skinny girls are few and far between

But there are still plenty of hot sexy girls here just need to look more !

I agree with Craig351 about about them being fatter and out of shape, sadly.

As he said, I also remember 25 years ago you just didn't have to worry about coming across (pun intended) a cute skinny specimen.

I put it down to less manual work and the influence of a western diet (KFC, McDonalds, Pizza, etc). You never used to have to worry about not finding a 35kg sample. Now 50kg+ is common - unfortunately.

A sign of the times...sigh...

Drinking Archa now, it's as good as any of the other muck they serve up as beer here. How about walking past members of the family and completely ignoring them? I finally trained them to say SDK and now find myself ignoring them. Don't get me into driving the car, I think I drive like a Thai, but I use the mirrors.

Drive like a Thai!! The frightening observation regarding so many who, when on a motorbike, come to a T junction at a main road and turn left without any sort of glance to the right, to see what traffic is incoming. Frightening...

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 5.7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

(edited/re-posted due to my inability to <reply with quote> on my smartphone!)