Yumiko

wow, 3-400 baht/day for a 'competent' 2D/3D artist?

From your website:

1. Pay by the job, one time payment on completion, no profit sharing
   
2. Work for free now, share in profits later
   

If you prefer to get paid for your work now, the projects listed below indicate how much we will pay for a completed assignment. Completed assignment means work of a sufficiently high quality to use in a commercial game at the quality level of Warcraft or Grand Theft Auto and is subject to our discretion.

I'm with MSingh, good luck with that!

Thank you for the advice. Would anyone be able to advise me if its ok to carry the cat in my arms w/ a leash on when I picked up the luggage and ready to walk out of the departure gate?

I don't know if there are specific rules about this at the BKK airport, but I think it should be no problem to carry your kitty around with a leash. I brought my cat and large dog through the BKK airport with no problem, my cat stayed in his carrier (he was more comfortable in there with the hussle and bussle), but my 70lb. dog walked on the leash throughout the baggage claim area to the quarantine office and then outside, and I got nothing but giggles and big smiles from the airport personnel. I think you should have no problems!

There is a place called "pet Paradise"across the river not far from Pinklao, it offers rooms with a/c and other amenities. I have not personally used it but website looks good and they have affiliation witrh an animal hospital should the pet get sick. It has a website, just google "Pet Paradise"+ Bangkok.

Maybe some other readers could advise re any personal experiences with the place.

As I assume you know, cats are happiest if they can stay in their familiar surroundings so getting someone in to stay with the cat rather than boarding the cat is usually best wherever it is possible.

I have boarded my Giant Schnauzer in their air conditioned rooms at Pet Paradise Park on 2 occasions, 10 days for each stay. I highly recommend them, the owner is a vet and speaks good English. You can see some more details and photos I already posted of Pet Paradise in this thread here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Dog-friendly...52#entry1781552

Hi, Im interested to know if a 5mth old kitten would be able to travel with me on board a plane from Sg to Bkk? I intend to bring him back with me here but unsure if its safe? He doesn't like to be caged up too and would feel more secure if he was sitting on my lap or being cuddled whenever we go out in a cab . Would the airline eg TG or SIA allow the pets to be out of their cage?

Appreciate any advice.

No, you will never be able to take a pet (cat/dog/whatever) out of it's carrier in the cabin of the plane, no matter what airline. I have however seen people put the carrier on their lap (after seat belt signs turn off), and put their hand inside the carrier to pet or calm the animal, but again, the animal can never be taken out.

I read many of the posts BUT no one offered information about walking the pet for him to use the bathroom. YES this travel can be stress on the animal. For me, my little guy is a 4 # pom, he is beyond spoiled and would not survive in the lower deck. It is a long flight from Detroit to Japan, he will need to GO, I plan on taking him as carry on for my final flight to BKK there he will have his NEW permanant home with my wife until I am able to move there myself.

My concerns are his spoiled and pampered ways. I rescued him from abused at 9 months, he has been cared for as well as the King. His early abuse made him affraid of many things as things were thrown at him, beat, loud noises send him into deep tremble state, he is better now with me for 7 years, but he still remembers some things.

My biggest concern is his comfort and he makes the trip without going into shock. And his time to use toilet. The next flight typically departs Japan to BKK in about 1 hour, there is not time to exit the terminal going through customs, returning and catching the next flight, CAN HE USE the outside at the gates in any way.

Knowing this answer will put both of us at great comfort.

Added he's never been in a flight box before and I am getting him used to it now. SLOWLY,

He is the most well mannered dog having and making use of his over 600 comands not only in speech, but signal,and sound. He never needs a leash but I do put on him, as he went to the Perry Georgia dog show only to hopefully find a girlfriend and no one there could believe his nature. He didnt mind seeing other dogs, and remained a perfect disaplined little man without ever saying a word to him. Everyone wanted him to be in the show. But he is just my little guy !!!!

Again ---- How about after the long flight can he use facility without problems of exit and return into terminal and customs.

THanks

Tuktukusa - I've traveled from USA to Thailand and back with my cat and my large dog (both road in the hull of the plane as excess baggage) but have never seen a place within the airport terminal to let your pet use the bathroom specifically. However since you have a small dog, perhaps you could get a little "creative." You could line the bottom of kennel carrier with "potty pads," and change the pads out as needed. Or you could bring a few potty pads with you, and take your dog into the public restroom, lay the pad down, and see if he will go on it there. If not, there are always doggy daipers! They come in XXS size too.

Potty pads as seen here:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=18589

Doggy daipers as seen here:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=15227

Hope that helps!

Check the pet-friendly hotel thread stickied at the top of the forum if you haven't already.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=66397

I just brought my dog back with me from Thailand to USA on Dec. 30 2007, so the contact info below is current. It's unbelievably easy to bring your dog to the USA so you should do it. There is no required quarantine in the USA if your dog has her rabies vaccination. You should ship your dog as "excess baggage," that means your dog travels in the hull of your same plane. When you land, she lands. I've assembled a long winded explanation of steps, but trust me it's easy!

1.) Find the airline you will be flying with. Each airline has their own requirements for flying pets, independent of the country of import (USA) requirements. Most flights from Thailand to USA have a stop over, make sure you use the same airline for both legs of the trip. This is so you do not have any issues with the requirements of the next airline to deal with when you stop over. (Some discount airfare websites will sell you seats on 2 different carriers which is why I mention it.) It's just less stress to use a single airline.

2.) Check their airline website for the appropriate kennel requirements. Some airlines require you to add a sticker to the kennel that says "Live Animals," some require the kennel to have food & water dishes attached to the door, some require arrow stickers to show which side is up, etc.

2.) As soon as you purchase your ticket, call the airline and let them know you're flying with your dog as excess baggage. Most airlines only allow a maximum of 2 animals to fly as excess baggage, so the purpose of the call is to reserve their spot on the flight.

3.) All your dog needs as far as vaccinations go is proof of rabies vaccination, which she probably already has (if she doesn't, go and get it!).

4.) Make an appointment with the Thai Animal Quarantine Station. The appointment should be within 3 days of your departure date.

5.) The Quarantine doctor will ask you for your rabies paperwork.

6.) The doctor will examine your dog, and then issue you a Health Certificate, and an Export License. You will pay a small fee for the new paperwork (not more than 200 baht or something).

7.) Show up to your flight 3 hours early with your pet & kennel. Usually they will allow you to walk your dog on the leash until check-in. You will show the Health Certificate & Export License to your airline when you check-in. They will inspect the kennel for explosives (standard procedure), then take your pet-in-kennel to the plane. Then you're both off to America!

Read this article for more pet travel info:

http://www.ask-the-vet.com/pet-air-travel.htm

***************

Animal Quarantine Office:

Suvarnabhumi Airport animal quarantine station.

Free zone Area,CE-1 building 1st Floor. (This office is not by the arrivals/departures, it's off in a seperate property lot, looks like a bunch of warehouses.)

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Racha Thewa Sub-district,

Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province 10540

Thailand

Tel: 02-1340731,

Fax: 02-1340732

open 8:30am-4:30pm, (12-1pm closed for lunch)

-have animals get Health Certificate 3 days before departure

**********

Good Luck!

Hi, I just posted some boarding info in a different thread, so I am just gunna copy/paste some of what I said in that post, and add a little more here.

I'd recommend Pet Paradise Park in Bangkok, www.petparadise2004.com

The owner is a vet herself, Dr. Watcheerat, and she speaks excellent english. They have a nice big swimming pool, a man-made lake your dog can also swim in (when you're with him), a fenced agility course, and plenty of areas for your dog to play. There is a store with anything you might need for your pet, and a restaurant. I have boarded my 65 lb. giant schauzer in the air conditioned rooms twice, for about 10 days on each stay. My dog seemed happy each time we picked him up. We paid extra for him to go swimming every other day, and after each swim the dog gets a bath and blow dry. The daily rate includes 3 outings a day, but we paid extra for him to get extra excersice/play each day. We felt really gulity about having to board our dog so we paid for him to get extra everything. I would recommend boarding your dog there if needed. Every time we went I saw several golden retreivers. On the times we brought our dog to play in the park we could see that the employees were taking good care of the other dogs being boarded. Dr. Wacheerat & all the employees seem like very caring people!

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...p;#entry1781552

^^^ check this link for pictures I posted of Pet Paradise Park (post #19).

There is also another place I'd recommend because it's cage-less and your dog can run around on a farm all day! Doesn't that sound perfect? But last I checked they had a 30 day minimum stay, so you might try to call and see if you can persuade them to take goldie for 2 weeks. Smooth talk as best you can, and if they still say no, try offering more money.... usually works.

His name is Patrick Bundock (English speaker), and besides boarding, he teaches an obedience class at Ozono (www.ozono.us)

(Sorry I don't have any personal experience with Ozono because the membership to use the facilities & doggie boarding is ridiculously expensive... even for a farang!)

He runs a cage-less boarding service, that is remarkably cheap compared to any boarding to be found inside of Bangkok. The location is on a farm (so plenty of trouble, er, I mean "fun" for your dog to get into), about 4 hours outside of Bangkok. You are not expected to bring your dog there yourself, on the contrary, Patrick can arrange for pick up and delivery of your dog from Bangkok for a nominal fee. He has several large dogs of his own, so yours will never get lonely.

Patrick Bundock - 08-1846-1478

K9 Bangkok LCD

[email protected]

30 day minimum stay

Rates given Nov. 2007 (rates subject to change)

350 baht/day

300 baht/pickup & delivery

Cheers!

Great - can you give us some detail where it is in Bangkok?

Thanks,

Asaf

Oops, yeah I guess it would help if I posted the details huh?! hehe Ok I should start by saying that both of the locations pictured below, Ministry of Public Health (in Nonthaburi) & Pet Paradise Park are drivable distance to people living in the Bangkok area.

The Ministry of Health has a HUGE plot of land with little lakes, and a perimeter moat. There are several gated entrances, but I'm not sure which gate we entered/drove through... After entering the gate we drove down the road looking for a good spot to get out. The white bridge crossing the perimeter moat looked like as good a place as any. The white bridge with temple looking thing in the first pic is right off of the road with parking spots all along. Another distinguishing landmark was a big white office building (it was only 2 or 3 stories if I remember correctly) at that same spot. To get there we called a pet taxi, but most taxi's will allow pets if you ask them first. We have taken our big dog in a "regular" taxi several times, you just need to ask the driver if they are OK with it first. The drive was about 45 minutes from our hotel, "Oakwood City Residence" near the Chongnonsee BTS station, up to MOPH/Nonthaburi. Well worth the drive!!!

Can i take my 2 giant dogs there? 2 great danes and a husky? can u give me the direction, we live in Mueng Ake rangsit area here

thank you

LMP

Im sorry but my Thai geography is horrible, and Im not totally sure where Mueng Ake rangsit is... MOPH is in Nonthaburi and if Mueng Ake is in Pathum Thani, acording to this map (link) I think you will be able to drive (Westward) to MOPH, though I don't know how long the drive would be.

If so, MOPH is the perfect place to take them, they will have seemingly endless space to run around off-leash.

Link to Ministry of Public health website & MAP - http://www.moph.go.th/about/map.php

Youtube video of my dog at MOPH #1 - http://youtube.com/watch?v=lQfsS2heloo

Youtube video of my dog at MOPH #2 - http://youtube.com/watch?v=70ej_hp30R4

Also, another great place to take your dog is Pet Paradise Park! Not nearly as big as MOPH, but they have a good size swimming pool, a man-made lake your dog can also swim in, a fenced agility course, and plenty of areas for your dog to play. There is a store with anything you might need for your pet, and a restaurant. The owner is a vet herself, Dr. Watcheerat, and she speaks excellent english.

They also do doggie day care & boarding. I have boarded my giant schauzer in the air conditioned rooms twice, for about 10 days on each stay. My dog seemed happy each time we picked him up, we paid extra for him to going swimming every other day, and after each swim the dog gets a bath and blow dry. I would recommend boarding your dog there if needed.

Dr. Wacheerat & all the employees seem like very caring people!

www.petparadise2004.com

Hope all this info is helpful!

Cheers!

I found an excellent park-- the "Ministry of Public Health" has a lot of land and is dog friendly. While there we saw several people walking their dogs, and a soi dogs who passed through. We had a pcinic & spent the day there lounging around, all in all it was an excellent place to bring our dog (the big black Giant schnauzer)! What would a glowing review be without pictures?! Here a few, you can get the feel of the area from them, enjoy

haters...not worth sharing conversation with. I will just ignore you guys from now on. Same type of people who say that global warming isn't happening, that man made pollutants are not causing changes in the climate etc...were saying the earth was flat and the sun was the center of the universe not that long ago.

congrats to gore for winning the prize and for making a far greater difference on such a globally important topic than any other political leader in the world. the award is cleary deserved as those making the choices are also far more capable of making such a decision than the haters in this forum.

i do imagine the world would be a far greater place had bush not won the election on a technicality and the problems in florida in 2000. the US would not be in iraq, kyoto would be signed, and america would be far less hated by half of the planet. may peace and wisdom come to the usa with the new election and change in power.

Y

Hi

The Thai Ridgeback has a loose-skinned, muscular body. Its back is strong, firm, and covered with dense hair. Coat colors include: chestnut, black, blue, and silver. It has a ridge on its back, formed by hair growing in opposite directions which forms whorls and circles. The shoulders are strong and muscular. The head is carried high on the firm, strong, clean cut neck. The muzzle is wedge-shaped and powerful looking. The tongue should be blue or bluish gray. The ears are large, high set, triangular, pricked and inclined forward. The top of the skull is flat and slopes gently to the stop. The dark-brown eyes are almond-shaped with an alert expression. The nose is black and the tail is thicker at the base tapering to the tip. The ribs are well sprung with no hint of a barrel appearance. The hind legs are long and moderately lean and bend slightly to the stifles. The back of the neck has extra rolls of skin when the dog is alert. This is particularly noticeable in puppies. i am sure one of them will make a match or you e-mail [email protected] for more pictures and other details.palpetcarehome foundation acturally give for free if you prove good keeping conditions,then you pay just the transportation cost.which is $350

^^^ ummm, just a warning that this seems fishy!!! That exact description and photos were stolen off this website:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/thairidgeback.htm

On the above website there is a page specifically for spotting pet scammers. Please read this whole page, don't be a victim:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/scammingbuyers.htm

A few exerpts below...

"There are a lot of scammers posing as breeders, pretending to sell fictitious puppies. They take your deposit and you never hear from them again. These scammers are usually running out of foreign countries, posing as USA or Canadian breeders selling adorable little puppies, when in fact they don't even own a dog themselves let alone have a puppy to sell. The vast majority of breeders advertising puppies for sale are legitimate breeders, however you must keep your guard up for these scam 'breeders'."

"A good way to determine if a picture of a dog or puppy posted for sale is really for sale, or is simply a stolen picture, ask the seller to send you a picture of that same dog or puppy with something in the picture which you can identify. Such as a piece of paper with the date written on it, or even with your own name written on it. Beware of doctored pictures, so ask to see different shots of the same dog in different poses with your identifiable object in the picture."

"3. One reason these scam websites look so legit is because they are stealing text from real breeder websites. Copy and paste a sentence or two from the site in question into a Google search with quotes around the text; for example, if they have a list of references. The quotes tell Google to look for those exact words in the same order as you have them typed. If you find another website with those same exact words on it, a red flag should go up. Either the site you are investigating has stolen the words, OR they have had their words stolen from them."

^^^ I googled "malvis's" text, that's how I found the original site the content was stolen from.

If Malvis would like to prove himself not a theft, I'd feel better

I am looking for a more high end camera. All the cams at pantip are low quality. I am looking at a Canon GL2. Does anyone know where I might find more high end cameras instead of the crappy ones for tourists?

thanks much!

yumiko

Why would Al Gore start telling the truth now? An inconvenient Truth was full of convenient lies, misinformation and manipulation of facts. I'll probably get jumped on by several people about saying that and accused of being a planet hater, but I don't hate Earth and don't think it's good to pollute. I believe everyone should do their part to keep the planet healthy, but I don't like it when people like AL Gore use their influence to sell us a load of BS.

Well one thing is certain. Gore is far more educated on the matter than any of us in this forum and he is making a difference...which is far more than most everyone can say. People can spew hate all they want, it won't change the fact that he is a far better man than those uneducated people in this thread doing the hate mongering.

I find it amusing that you people doing the griping can stomach going out in the pollution here every day and not wonder about the ill effects it is having on your lives, regardless of whether you believe gore or not, he is supporting a good cause. The health of the planet is most certainly worth of our attention.

At the very least he has everyone talking about it. Good comes from such things. For the global awareness alone, that he has generated by sheer will and hard work, he deserves the Nobel.

yumiko

since bkk is known as a big film, commercial, and tv production hub, there certainly must be a store I can purchase a canon gl2 or comparable 3ccd hd video camera (one with a hd would be awesome too). I have googled my fingers to death and do not find any.

Any advice is appreciated.

thanks all!

yumiko

I just wanted to post my experience in flying with my pets (1 dog & 1 cat) from California to Bangkok last week, and leave advice since everything I learned about bringing them was from ThaiVisa in the first place! Thanks everyone!

Ok, first things first, find a single airline carrier that flies all the way to Bangkok. The carrier can have stop overs, but you do not want to change carriers mid-trip. For example, taking Delta from USA to Korea, then switching to Korean Air from Korea to Thailand. The reason being that your animal has to meet the different regulations of both Delta AND Korean Air. (Not a problem if you're flying a cat or small dog, but I have a big dog that doesn't meet many of the carrier's regulations due to weight/size.)

I'll tell you about a bullet to the head that I barely avoided. I had wanted to fly with Delta because they were based in the USA, and I wanted to speak to native english speakers if something bad was to befall my pets in transit. Also because Delta was the only USA based airline that my big dog could meet the excess baggage requirements for. As I found out, Delta does NOT actually fly all the way to Bangkok even though you can buy tickets from them to Bangkok, in fact they have what they call a "plane-share" with other airlines like Korean Air & China Air.

Be careful when buying tickets on Cheaptickets/Travelocity/Expedia/Orbitz etc (I'm thrifty and always get my tickets there) because it will look like you are buying a Delta ticket from start to finish, but the fine print might read that the connecting Delta flight is "operated by Korean Air" or "operated by China Air." This operated flight is actually a Korean Air plane, or a China Air plane, therefore your pet must meet the requirement of that seperate airline.

None of the airlines know any of the other airline's pet regulations, Delta does not know Korean Air's regulations even though they plane-share with them. You have to call each airline seperately to get the information. As it turns out, my dog's total weight with kennel was 90 lbs. (40kg), plus kennel dimensions (siz: XLG/500 series, 40" x 27" x 30") DID meet the Delta requirements, but did NOT meet the Korean Air regulations of 70 lbs. (30kg) maximum. Therefore, I would have bought my "Delta" plus "Delta operated by Korean air" tickets, checked in at the Delta booth in USA, got my boarding passes all the way to Bangkok (since the Delta agents do not know the Korean Air regulations they would not know that my dog could not continue onto the Korean flight), and my dog would have been LEFT IN KOREA in the stop-over, WHILE I CONTINUED ON TO THAILAND. I flipped out and called both Delta & Korean Air to confirm that that would be the consiquence of buying those tickets, and they both said YES my dog would have been left in Korea, and "good thing I checked."

So I bought EVA tickets instead and it worked out perfectly.

Ok, so the second thing to check after you find a carrier that flies all the way to Bangkok (probably EVA, & Thai Air are most popular) are the pet regulations necessary to check your animal(s) as excess baggage. You will need to know the "total" weight (aminal weight plus kennel weight) & kennel size/dimensions. You always want your pet to travel on your SAME airplane, therefore in the cabin (if it qualifies) or as "excess baggage." Flying as excess baggage is cheaper than buying a seperate "Cargo" flight, and you will rest assured that when you arrive at the airport, so will your pet.

Third, get all your necessary paperwork. As mentioned in this forum, I contacted the Thai Dept. of Livestock/Agriculture by email (emailed to: [email protected] OR [email protected]) to request the necessary documents needed. They emailed me back this list seen here:

http://www.dld.go.th/webenglish/movec1.html

1) A health certificate in English, signed or further endorsed by a full-time authorized veterinary official of the government of the exporting country, if it is previously acknowledged by a veterinary surgeon, stating :- 1.1) number and species ,

1.2) breed, sex, age and color or animal identification,

1.3) name and address of the owner OR the kennel of origin,

1.4) certification of condition items (2) to (5).

2) The animals must come from an area where animal diseases are under control. They are found to be healthy, free from signs of any infectious and contagious diseases including ectoparasitism at the time of export and fit to travel.

3) The country has been free from Rabies for at least the past 12 (twelve) months OR the animals are vaccinated against Rabies with an official approved vaccine not less than 21 (twenty- one) days prior to the departure.

4) EITHER a) The dog is vaccinated against Leptospirosis at least 21(twenty-one) days preceding departure.

OR The dog is subjected to a test for Leptospirosis with negative result during the 30 (thirty) days prior to the departure.

5) The animals shall be vaccinated against other significant infectious or contagious diseases i.e. Distemper, Hepatitis, and Parvovirus, with an official approved vaccine at least 21 (twenty-one) days prior to the departure.

6) The animals must be conveyed in nose-and-paw proof crates designed to avoid any risk of injury or unnecessary suffering.

7) The animals are not allowed to expose to other animals if they have to be landed in transit at any approved intermediate port. They shall not be allowed to leave precinct of the port except to an officially approved transit quarantine area.

8) The animals are subjected to quarantine at approved premises for a period of at least 30 (thirty) days upon arrival during which they shall be submitted to tests and/or treatments deemed necessary. The importer/owner shall be fully charged for the incurred expenses.

9) Failure to follow the import procedures may result in returning the animals to the country of origin or destroying without compensation.

**ATTN USA Residents** Note about item "1." on the list, in the USA there is no "full-time authorized veterinary official of the government of the exporting country," so I had to get the international health certificate from an APHIS accredited veterinarian (I've never seen or known of a vet that wasn't accredited so you probably don't have to worry about that part) and then take the certificates to the US Dept. of Agriculture (also referred to as "Veterinary Services" Import/Export) to have them notarized. If you live in the USA, go to this website and find your local US. Dept. of Agriculture officer, call & make an appointment for them to notarize your documents:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/portvet.html

Your animals do not need to be present, the only thing you need is about $24/per notarized document. Gary Chun in San Francisco notarized my cat & dog health certificates with one of those nifty stamp/press things that embosses a seal, and stamped my 2 rabies certificates, all for $24, so I guess I got a discount!

Also note, that being that Thailand is pretty "lax," and after my experience with the Thai quaratine office, I think they would have accepted the the health certificates even if they weren't notarized. Never hurts to have your "i"s dotted and yout "t"s crossed though.

Some airlines require that you obtain a "Thai Import Permit." In order to do this, as before, contact the Thai Dept. of Livestock/Agriculture by email (emailed to: [email protected] OR [email protected]) and request an Import Permit. They will send you back the above list of requirements for you pets, and request info from you as well. You can scan your documents & email them, or fax them. I am pasting the email from the Thai officer below:

Dear Jessica,

Please send document to E-mail : [email protected] or Fax +662-134-3640 for make your

Import Permit

1. Copy of Passport or Identification of owner

2. Address in exporting country and Address in Thailand

3. E-mail address

4. Details of your pet (ex. kind,breed,number,age and sex) and copy of vaccination

book of your pet

5. Detail of arrival date, airline and flight No.

Best regard

A few days later they emailed me back a scan of the Import Permit they issued for me. This was optional for EVA, I didn't even show it to them at the airport, they didn't ask for it.

I would suggest NOT connecting your flight through Hong Kong unless you have a months time to apply for a Transit permit (China Air connects in Hong Kong which is why I didn't want to use them), as every animal that transits through Hong Kong, no matter how brief the layover, must have a transit permit issued. From what I read you need to apply for the permit several weeks to 30 days in advance. I did not have this much time, so I flew EVA wich connects in Taiwan instead. For EVA I did not have to apply for a Taipei transit permit. The EVA agent told me that since my animals would not be leaving their kennels during the 3 hour layover, they were exempt from needing a permit.

In my case, this is the paperwork I brought to the Thai Quaratine office upon arrival were:

Cat (Bengal):

1.) International Health Certificate (notarized) *Required

2.) Rabies Certificate *Required

3.) Microchip Number (not listed as a requirement, but your animals should be microchiped! And I brought a copy of the microchip

certificate)

4.) Copy of passport (not listed as a requirement, but I like to be thorough... if you couldn't tell)

Dog (Giant Schnauzer):

1.) International Health Certificate (notarized) *Required, On your health certificate there should be an area for the vet to list "Other

Vaccinations" have your vet list Leptospirosis & DHPP in this area

2.) Rabies Certificate *Required

3.) Leptospirosis Vaccination *Required

4.) DHPP Vaccination *Required (this is a "core" vaccination your dog should already have, assuming your dog is old enough to get

vaccines. It's several vaccines consolidated into a single shot. Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus)

4.) Microchip Number (not listed as a requirement, but your animals should be microchiped!)

5.) Copy of passport (not listed as a requirement, but I like to be thorough... if you couldn't tell)

Going through the Quarantine office was easy as pie. Filled out a few papers, no translator necessary, they had samples in English so we knew what we were doing, paid 200 baht for both animals combined, they gave us our Import Permit & Import License. All the staff were extremely nice, we were allowed to let the dog out of the kennel to walk around on his leash for the rest of the exit. Everyone at the airport smiled ear to ear and pointed at the doggy.

Tips for the Kennel:

1.) Put some clothes you've worn in the kennel, something you don't mind losing forever, the stinkier the better Helps to calm their

nerves, your scent will give your pet a scense of "home" on the long trip.

2.) Freeze water in th kennel dish the night before, so that they have an ice cube to lick, instead of pouring water and having it spill

the moment the kennel gets lifted & moved.

3.) Make a sign for the kennel that has a picture of your animal, your name & contact info. If your animal should manage to get out of

the kennel the employees will know what to look for! Our cat is exceptionally loud, especially when he's upset. (When I call

people on the phone they always ask me if I have kids because they can hear a screaming baby.... it's actually my cat lying on the

bed in the other room "talking"... he's speacial. So we also added a speacial note for our cat's kennel that said "No Ketamine"

Our cat is extremely sensitive to medication, and if an employee thought that the cat was in complete distress, because they've

never heard a cat as loud as ours, they might think to sedate him, bad idea, fatal consiquences for our kitty.

Hotels:

We have a 60 lb. (27 kg) dog, MOST of the hotels you find listed on websites like LetsGoPets.com, DogFriendly.com, PetTravel.com, etc DO NOT allow animals over 11 pounds (5 kg), I called about 15 hotels that claimed to be "pet-friendly" but they would not accept a dog as big as mine, or would not accept 2 pets in one room/apartment, or susprisingly they didn't accept pets at all anymore. Make sure you call the hotel and talk to someone personally before you book the reservation online.

We finally found a hotel that would accept both our cat & dog. It's a bit pricey by Thai standards but it is literally the only place we could find. And the longer you stay the cheaper the nightly rate. We're booked for several weeks so our nightly rate is very reasonable. We're staying at Oakwood Residences, 291 Soi Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 24, New Sathorn Road, Chongnonsee | Bangkok, Thailand | + (66-2) 672-0200:

http://www.oakwood.com/serviced-apartments...owPolicies.html

This is their pet policy:

• Two pet maximum per unit (one canine and one feline).
  
• Maximum weight limit 75 lbs.
  
• All canines/felines must be spayed or neutered.
  
• All inoculations must be current, proof must be supplied.
  
• All canines must be licensed and must wear collar and current ID tags.
  
• Owners must provide litter box for felines.
  
• Canine breed restrictions apply.
  

And I think that's about all.....

And for some pictures....

We made it!! This is just as we came out of Customs. The first thing we heard was "Need a taxi?" And we responded, "Can you fit all 4 of us?" They certainly could, they gave us a van of our own.

In the taxi on the way to Oakwood.

The animals are COMPLETELY POOPED after the 24 hour trip, and take a well deserved nap.

Here is an example of the kennel label we made for the kitty:

Good luck to everyone bringing pets to Thailand! Though you really don't need luck, you just need your preparations. It was all the planning & preparations that had me stressed, but actually doing the trip was a piece of cake.The quarantine office was a breeze. All the airport staff were extremely nice & friendly. All in all I'd say the experience of bringing the animals was very good. If I were to do it a second time, it will be a snap!

2 pets as Exess Baggage cost: $495 (cat was $100, dog was $395)

Thai import fees/deposit: $6 (200 baht)

Total cost = $501 plus hours researching ThaiVisa & Google for importing info

And to think, I had considered using a "Pet Moving" service because I was afraid I'd mess something up. The Pet Moving service quoted me a cost of $4,895!! Totally rediculous & unfounded. You can do it yourself, really.

Thanks,

Jess

The people have been so friendly and helpful, and the food is wonderful I'd like to stay as long as I can.

... isn't it great to read her comment?! Takes me back to my first visit and the feelings I experienced and is in stark contrast to much of the negativity we read.

My thoughts exactly, when I read the OP.

Jessica, I am glad to see that you enjoy your vacation in Thailand. No doubt you will come back for more. All my friends to whom I recommended Thailand for a holiday have loved it.

--

Maestro

Thank you everyone for the responses, I will put together my plan.

I trully am amazed at the kindness of strangers here in Thailand. I've had the fortune of making many friends immediately! I was raised in Hawaii, and never really thought I'd find a place that could make the "Aloha spirit" pale in comparison, hehe. For example, I was walking my dog with my bf near my hotel and stopped to pick up a drink at a cornner store. When I came out, I found my bf in talks with a lovely woman who was complimenting our dog. What started out as small talk about our pets on the woman's part, turned into a full on welcome wagon when she found out we had only been in Thailand for 1 day! We all sat down at the table there on the corner sipping our drinks, and she drew us a map to the shopping mall where we could get a local phone, and made a list of everything we could possibly need, like the best hospital near by, local grocery stores, her personal vet's phone number, some really great places to eat, etc. And insisted we call her once we got our phone, so that we could stay in touch. The time she took out of her day to to help us out made us feel so special. And we have nothing but more stories of the same type of friendly experiences so far. We love it here!

Now we're trying our best to learn some of the Thai language. Baby steps! Visa first.

Hi,

I am a USA passport holder, Im currently in Bangkok on a 30 day stamp, I had only planned to be here for a few weeks but I absolutely fell in love with Thailand. I have never been to such an amazing country and have decided that I would like to stay longer.

I read many threads about re-newing existing visas, but I was curious about obtaining a longer term tourist visa from my current stamp. Is it possible to upgrade to a longer term visa without having to leave Thailand?

The people have been so friendly and helpful, and the food is wonderful I'd like to stay as long as I can.

Thank You very much,

Jessica

I am taking my cat on Thai airways from BKK to Chiang Mai this week.

I am a little apprehensive about the journey. My cat is blind and does not take kindly to being put in a travel box with constant meowing. Although TG have told me that i could take her on board i really think this would be a mistake as she makes so much noise. I have decided to put her in the cargo area but i have to admit about being very worried about her care on board. I love Thailand however Thai people generally dont seem to care for animals in the same way as farangs do.

I would be grateful if anyone who has done this journey with a cat could report their experiences of TG. Can you put my mind at rest?

Thank you for any advice.

I just flew with my cat (and medium/large dog) from California to Bangkok last Sunday using EVA airways, a 24 hour trip! We checked both animals as "excess baggage," and they were put in a special cargo hold in the bulk of our plane. ("Excess baggage is not to be confused with "flying cargo" which is a completely different & more expensive service in which your animal is put on a DIFFERENT plane.) We also could have brought our cat in the cabin BUT he meows and yowls VERY loudly, worse than a crying baby. When he gets mad it's sounds like a cross between a cat in heat & a cat getting a bath, add a hardy pair of lungs and that's our boy. Not very pleasant. That is why we chose to put him under with the baggage, all the other passengers would have hated us otherwise. It worked out just fine!! The baggage area is preasurized and climate controlled, you really have nothing to worry about.

On a side note, Do Not sedate your cat to calm the meowing. Our cat is very sensitive to medication and would die if given ketamine, so we even put a note on his kennel with warning symbols that said "NO Ketamine," so that nobody else would make the mistake of sedating him if by the loud meowing they thought he was in too much distress.

Just a quick update....We got his tests done. He has a valve problem that will require checkups every six months so the info you have given is very very appreciated. Thank you so much. If I could find a hotel that I can have him at while I find a home, or a cageless boarding facility as easily, I will be a fortunate woman.

Thanks again for the help!

Jessica

Does anyone happen to know of a "veterinary cardiologist" in Bangkok (or anywhere in Thailand)? Has anyone had to treat a pet with heart problems? And if so, what was your experience?

Thanks for pointing that out

I did read the whole thread, as most of the replies are more about general issuses like vaccinations & de-sexing I was hoping that perhaps someone who had experience with heart murmurs/echocardiograms/heart problems in dogs could suggest a specialist. So far my search (on Thai Visa & Google) for "veterinary cardiologist" in Thailand has turned up nothing. I'm hoping that doesn't mean they don't exist in Thailand.

Me and my bf will be moving to Bangkok in a week, and would be very interested in finding an excellent vet. My dog (giant schnauzer, 70 lbs., male, 4 years old) was just diagnosed with a heart murmur. He had a health exam 3.5 months ago and the murmur was not detected, then he had another exam this past Saturday (9/8/2007) and the doc heard it and classified it between a 1-2 on a scale of 6. So we went to get a second opinion today, & the next vet classified it as a 3-4 (which is pretty scary) and wants us to get x-rays & cardiograms. I'm not sure if the last vet classified it as a 3-4 in order to sell me more services, I hate that feeling, but I'll do whatever I need to do to keep my dog healthy. We're supposed fly to Thailand this coming Monday, and I was wondering if we could get the x-rays & cardiogram done in Thailand and, get quality care for him thereafter. For example, if he needs heart medication will we be able to get it for him in BKK? I'm a little paniced by the whole thing, so I'd definitely like to find some great vets in BKK.

Sincerest thanks for any help/advice.

There is also a Small Animal Clinic at Kasetsart University (Lad Prao area), I have no personal experience with it but have heard it is good.

Another affordable source is the Animal Hospital on Ramkamhaeng road near the ring road exit, next to a Lemon Farm shop. It is non-profit and under Royal Patronage. I believe they charge 1200 Baht for female cats.

I read that the Kasetsart staff goes to examine the royal family's dogs every Sunday, I assume they must be really good.

Article here:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/06/03...es_30005622.php

I will be moving to Bangkok in a week, and would be very interested in finding an excellent vet. My dog (giant schnauzer, 70 lbs., male, 4 years old) was just diagnosed with a heart murmur. I don't want to change the topic of this thread so I have started my own thread here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=141946

If you have any advice it would be appreciated. thanks!