mikemellow

Maybe they just need an altitude adjustment

From all the Thais I talk with in Bangkok he is not liked at all but you have to give him credit for solving the muslim problem in the south. When I saw him on tv last summer and I read the english translation on how he was going to end the violence in the south by the end of the year (2014), I have to say I did not think he was being truthful or realistic...but If he has really ended the problems there he deserves a lot of credit. We should all give the General credit where credit is due and the USA should invite him to give a speech on how to end problems with the muslim people.

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=bush+holding+hands+with+sheik&oq=bush&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j69i59j0l4.3959j0j8&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

Everybody should google Bush holding hands with sheik. Bush was in bed with the Saudies...so to speak.

I was forbidden to post those images on the TV community. Those pictures tell a story

All the Indian food at Khao San is really weak. Don't bother.

I am on the 8pm train tonight 1st class sleeper but I had to buy tickets 3 weeks ago. Probably sold out now. You can try 2nd class sleeper car, you may get lucky, and its a little better than a 3rd class seat.

There used to be a large food court in the mall in Vientiane but the last time I was in Vientiane a few months ago, it didn't seem to be there anymore and no one seem to understand what a food court is. Did the food court move to somewhere else in the city or is it out of business? The mall also looks like it is halfway out of business also. The economy must be really weak there or there is a different mall I didn't see. Anyone know?

I am married to a Thai national and I want to get a Non O visa in Laos and they require a copy of house registration book. I am staying at my wife's sisters house in Bangkok and she has no idea what a house registration book is or where to get one.

The embassy in Vientrane also wants a copy of Thai bank account statement but they make no mention of an amount needed in the account. Does it have to be my bank account or can it be my wife's account (in her maiden name)?

Is Vientrane the easiest place in Laos to get a non O Visa?

These bonds are to cover debt the Thai government has for the rice scheme. This debt isn't carried on Thailand's books as national debt because with head planted firmly in sand it pretends it has collateral to cover the loans. We all know that's ridiculous for two reasons. The government borrowed the money and paid way more for the rice than its worth, and much of the rice is missing or rotten. If that weren't the case they'd just sell the rice and pay off the loans.

In the meantime the Ag Bank is technically bankrupt if anyone honest audited it. Those auditors would mark the rice to market and show what it's really worth as a ratio of the loans in the Ag Bank's "revolving fund." The rice value would be a tiny fraction of the amount owed to the bank and the Ag Bank would have to charge that loan off as a loss.

So here come the guys on white horses with another scheme. Get the little people who don't know anything to collectively lend them billions to pay off the bank before its true balance sheet becomes common news.

The Thai government doesn't show this debt as national debt even though it's obvious they have to find the money to cover it and they don't have it.

Some people haven't even been paid for their rice or for their new car scheme rebates. And now they want to go out there ten years and bet they'll be paid back for bailing out the rice scheme losses which amount to at least 700 billion baht?

Good post

Asian financial crisis #2 Anyone?

Maybe Thailand can be #1 again, at starting another Asian meltdown.

If your wife is willing to gamble in Thai government bonds maybe a safer gamble would be for her to diversify into a few Thai stocks that pay dividends on the SET (Stock Exchange of Thailand).

thats funny a bond in a country that does not have a constitution or a stable government that need a prize drawing each month attached to it to get people to buy it.

I have done 1st class sleeper overnight train with my GF in a private room and 2nd class overnight sleeper and they are both fun for me but I like 1st class best. Make sure you book early at the station. At Nong Khai you can bargan the tuk tuk drivers for a cheap ride to the border. Its not too far if the weather is nice it is a easy walk. Bring a passport picture. I just went and they only wanted one picture and $35 in US dollars. Get some Laos Kips at the atm after you cross and then it is easy to get a van to the city for 100 baht or you can take the green bus to the Vientiane Bus station for cheap only 6000 kips. The same bus #14 will bring you right back to the boarder when you are finished getting your visa and ready to leave. Book your hotel on the internet in advance for the best rates. It takes 2 days to get your visa. Fill out the forms the morning of the 1st day and then get your visa the afternoon the next day. Have to pay in Baht 1000 per entry. good luck

Look at the wall street protests in New York City, America. Corrupt governments never change, But at least in Hong Kong and in New York City the army did not kill anyone they just arrested some people.

I brought her over on K1 visa then married.

She got part of my retirement about 450 USD until my death.

She claimed to be a working girl but maybe she was part time hooker. Unsure on this one but she sure thought like one. Quit more that 15 jobs in that ten years. She was college educated and got another degree here on medical coding and billing here. Lied a lot. Her day stated at 2pm.

Married in Thai temple in Texas.

If I was to do it again I'd be smart to do a background check! Thai girls do lie a lot. Not long ago another Thai girl asked me to send her money when when red/yellow were fighting and I did that. Never heard of her sense.

Problems started right from the immigration interview....after 5 months here she still did not know her address of residents here.

She was in her mid 40s when we were married. I was in my mid 50s.

I tried to answer all your ?

DrKSS

Thanks. Sounds like you ended up with a bad one for sure. Not sure how a background check would have helped you in that case. I am surprised you sent money to any Thai girl after that and I am also surprised she did not hang around after so maybe at least she could get more money out of you.

I married a Thai girl here in Houston that was a big mistake. If you do! Don't give her access to your checking account. Mine modified the checks I wrote and the bank called me. Of coarse I divorced her 10 years to late. Anyway you can get her in the USA on K1 Visa. If you marry her there the government here (USA) will make you wait thru paperwork up to 10 years. Also If your marry her in Florida at least make both preamps in yours and hers languages certified translations. That way if a divorce happens she could not says she did not understand.Florida is very tuff on men's divorces. She can be in USA 30 days on a K1 visa. In that time you must get married if you are going to or she will have to return to Thailand. If you marry there you can start the paperwork thru immigration in Florida. You can do the paperwork yourself all the information is online immigration. Also in immagration interviews they want you to give her a credit card. I wasted 10 years of my life. Think long and hard man. In Huffington Post story on divorces in america they say women start divorces, when one is started, 66% to 90% of the time. Not good odds for men. Cheaper to have a girl friend there that pay lawyers here.

DrKSS

PS if you have ? Post here further.

Did you bring her over from Thailand and marry her in Texas on a K1 or was she already here when you met? Was she a regular Thai girl or a bargirl? How old was she and you?

You say you were married 10 years, that is a long time. How long before your marriage went bad or were there a lot of problems right from the start? Did you have to give her alot of money from the divorce?

better would be get a prenup there and get married there. You can register your marriage later here in Thailand.

If the majority of your assets are in the USA that would be much better and a lot easier.

Good Luck

I agree with the prenup being drawn up in the states and registering there, but you can not later register the marriage or the prenup in Thailand.

It does require a lot of original documents to be brought over to register the prenup here. Be careful that you have a copy that is translated into Thai when you register there so no possible misunderstanding can be claimed later.

If you marry here and register the prenup here at the registration time, it is legal in the States but have the document translated to English and certified by the the Thai FM just to be 100% sure no problems later, many will say over kill but that is =what a prenup is for teh unexpected and worst case scenario. You should also have a Floridian lawyer check it is within the laws of Florida so a court there does not void it.

When you say "have the document translated to English and certified by the Thai FM" what does that mean. What is a Thai FM and how do you register with him?

Does anyone here have any experience or advice with having a prenuptial with a Thai lady that is valid in the state of Florida? We are interested in getting married here in Thailand and then moving to the state of Florida in America.

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It obvious by most comments, none of you have spent any time or indeed been in our Southern Provinces.

Contrary to what the militants and rebel rouses would have you believe, the people are kind, peaceful and polite. Why not they are Thai!

They do not push the Muslim religion you or even bring it up for that matter.

If it was not for Mosques visible and a few women with headscarves, you would not know you were in a so called Muslim area.

they are Thai's, just ask them and proud of it.

Increasing tourism and improving infrastructure and security will make the Rebels and Terrorists very unhappy because they will lose their control over the Thai people. They control now with fear and as long as no one cares it will continue as it has for a long time.

Everyone seems to forget these provinces and their people as Citizens of Thailand they deserve the same rights and protection as everyone else gets in The Kingdom of Thailand.

There are more muslims in the south than just a few women in scarfs. It is definately a dangerous area for Americans and Brits as well as non muslim thais in that area and even Monks. From what I understand from my trips to the south is that the muslims in that area want to separate from Thailand and have their own muslim country. If you have some tourists beheaded in the south that will not be good for the tourists numbers going into the future.

Good luck, the problem has been ignored for to long.

They have been the Ugly stepchild for to long.

They are Thai and need to be treated a Thai's.

Open the area to tourism, there are some of the most beautiful beaches in Asia in the south of Thailand.

Help the develop their resources jobs and respect go a long way.

Thats funny. Your idea is to bring tourists into a war zone? I think most non muslim countries have travel warnings issued on travel to the south of Thailand.

If the PM is afraid to use force in the south how is he actually going to control the problem? How many centuries have the Indians been trying to solve their muslim problem? If he is writing love stories for the TV maybe he will be too busy to have a real war in the south if the country is attacted by a radical group.

Has anybody taken a van from the Friendship bridge to Vientiane lately? A few years ago I remember there were vans that would drop you at or near your hotel. They would quote a price of 300 baht a person but back then you could barter them down to 50 baht a person.

Also are there any vans that regularly go back to the Friendship bridge? and if so where can you catch them?

Talk about not a clue. No one posting here has even a basic knowledge of economics 101. New money coming into a country from outside.. for example from a farang getting SS from the US and spending that money here in Thailand or a Brit on a pension doing the same has a much greater impact by far on a third world economy like Thailand than numerious regular Thai people doing their jobs driving a taxi or clerking at the 7-11. Thailand has only advanced econimically because it is lucky to be a tourist destination.

Do any other countries have as many dead tourists as Thailand?

Stock market bulls will always shout you down when you start asking questions like that. I am wanting to buy Thai Stocks but I am waiting as every regular Thai person I talk with is making a lot less money in recent months. The elite are doing fine but if the economy starts to slow from the bottom up it may reach to the level of the national economy and then the SET. Governments can keep bubbles going for a long time so I am just waiting cash in hand for a massive pullback when I can load up with Thai stocks. As a side note Bill Gates a few months ago before the coup took a large position in Thai stocks but I am not sure of his position at this time.

They only do single entry tourist visas. And you may need to show a ticket out of Thailand to get it.

Do you know if that is the same for getting a 2 entry visa from Tokyo?  I need a two entry visa as I am doing extensive dental proceedures in Bangkok and I do not have a return ticket booked until the dentral work is finished.  I need about 5 months to complete the work.

Does anyone know if it is possible to get a double entry tourist visa from Hong Kong for a USA passport holder.