sundaram444

You report 90 days after re-entering Thailand.

I have a one-year multiple entry NON-I visa.

Before the 90 day report, if I travel to another country and re-enter

and a new arrival date is stamped on my passport, then when should

I report for the 90 day? Is it the 90 th day from the new stamped -date

or the first one.?

I am unable to contact the Immigration office on the phone.

I am planing to visit this office this week.

Can some one clarify ?

--ken sundaram

The maximum is around 450 what you have seen in the local market,it will be five year old so around that at a push but you need to ask privately if people are interested and gauge the interest accordingly.

Need to put this in the motor forum maybe?

I think I should take it at 450 or little less.

I will try the motor forum , later on, if I do not get my price.

How much did you pay for it?

I checked around here in the local used car market.

The maximum is around 450,000.

I think I should get around 500,000.

Do you agree?

I want to sell my ISUZU pickup -

Year 2008 Model :SLX D-MAX Space cab Gold series 3.0 Ddi - i-Teq

Automatic transmission, Air, ABS EBD Air bags -

Only 75,000 km.

Can any one recommend a selling price?

I have already checked the web "taladrod" . I did not find

a similar pickup for sale.

--Sundaram444

I wouldn’t live in a big city like Bangkok ,or Mumbai in India, with all the congestion, heavy traffic and pollution.

I live in a small district in Korat province.

Cost of living is lot less than in BKK.

Have you ever considered to live in a small town?

I can fully agree with that assessment. Bangkok used to be cheap, but it ain't any longer. Almost every supermarket visit these days easily sets me back 2,500 Baht or more - and no, I am not stocking up on imported cheeses or expensive wines, just normal groceries. And when I see that fast food pizza (yuck!) can cost up to 399 Baht, then I am wondering who would still consider Bangkok a cheap place.

Yeas, taxi fares are still dirt cheap, and you easily can get a delicious one-plate meal at a small neighbourhood food stall for 40 Baht. But even my local barber now takes 200 baht for a cut. A large bottle of beer costs at least 44 Baht (Chang) even at the cheapest mom-and-pop store, with premium brands up to 65 or even 70 Baht. A local beer in a hotel bar for 250 Baht ++? Out of the question.

You are absolutely right. Living in a small village in Isaan, I have noticed in Internet

Shops, all the school kids play video games and listen to Thai music.

The poor children not interested in Internet , play cards and other games for money with the parents .

No interest at all to study any books or newspapers.

I have been teaching English to the village children during school time.

Only 3 or 4 students out of the 15 have any interest.

My step daughter and her cousin both studying in an University in Bangkok for BA in English cannot speak or write English very well .

Do you think they would browse Bangkok Post to read the news and learn English?

No. They both want to have parties and listen to music etc.

How would they get a job in any field?

I speak as someone who ran a computer company for many years and one that believes there are many benefits from useing computers in the classroom. But I have to say that now I am a teacher I am coming to the idea that the downside may well outway the benefits. Sure you need to know how to use them. But this should be restricted to basic skills unless you are going to major in computing and even then a good grounding in English and math is still going to be more valuable in the long run. A a well educated kid can pick these things up fast when they go into further education. The fact is computing is seen as the silver bullet that will give our kids a great education - but actually for many it cements them into a 2nd world where they play games and listen to music. many High School students do badly in exams simply because they can't understand the questions and they don'y have the litteracy skills to write a coherent answer. The IT industry is driven by entertainment - not the desire to really educate. When we are desperate for funds for maintaing schools and paying teachers what is the wisdom of rolling out millions of dollars worth of computers that will need to be replaced in three to four years anyway. In addition to this it is hard to see how all these machines are going to be technically supported. One poorly paid technician (if a school even has one at all) can hardly support 600+ machines with a vast array of printers, networks and software.

A group of wise people under a tree can make better decisions than "IT educated" politicians can in a billion dollar parliament house.

The Pheu Thai party is offering freebies to get the votes.

In a recent state elections in Tamil Nadu state of South India , the two major parties vying with other offering freebies like lap tops, TVs , and mixers and Dresses , Saris etc.

The ignorant people of this state would vote for these corrupt and looting politicians.

This kind of exploiting by these politicians has been going on for a long time.

The Pheu Thai party leader must have seen this on the Internet and wants to do the same .

The politicians should not offer freebies. Let the people work and earn and buy whatever they need.

Offering free things will create lazy, and useless people , and drunkards and thugs.

What a tragedy .Seven people killed and two more on-lookers.

The Songkran hasn't started , yet. Hope this festival season is a

safe one for all. I have seen these huge trucks speeding even on

country roads. But , there is no control by authorities.

Yes. Thailand should bring in this law to prohibit older Farangs and other foreigners from marrying very young women .

I have seen some farangs with young wives who could be their grand daughters!.

Laos and Cambodia have enacted these law: why not Thailand.

I refuse to serve alcohol - beer, local whisky etc- to my Thai Wife's friends and relatives in this village.

I like to party with soft drinks , plenty of food and music. But my TW insists that this is the custom and we have to serve

liquor. Of course this is why there are so many accidents, esp. all the youngsters totally drunk , riding motocycle without

any licence and picking up fights with other guys and creating lot of problem.

The villge police at the checkposts cannot do any thing to stop this. Last Songkran time, the youths of this village and the

opposite village went on a rampage fighting with big knifes , bamboo poles and rocks. One youth died while trying to escape on his

bike and skidded into a ditch. This youth 17 years old was the son of the village head.

Parents should try to control them. But no luck.

No problem at Chong Chom all the local expats use it from the Surin area.

Thank you for the reply. I had driven to Chong Chom , previously .

This time , I will travel by bus to Aran and get my re entry permit.

I saw on TV briefly, yesterday, the over crowded Border crossing at Aranya Prathet.

I need to get the re entry permit ( 90 Day visa run) on my Non-I visa, next week.

Is the border crossing at Chong Chom functioning? Or should I try Aranya Prathet , anyway?

If anyone has been to these borders recently, please let me know your experience .

this is no real surprise to me at all. i teach, i see, i cry

I am not surprised , either. As a retired person staying in this small and poor village,

I am trying to teach English to the school children .

I encourage them to learn by giving candies and cookies etc for

answering correctly some test questions.

The boys have absolutely no interest in learning a foreign language and they do not attend my class any more.

The girls seem to be interested and some of them said

that they would like to get married to a Farang.

The local elementary school headmaster asked me if I could teach at the school .

I have to think about it.

The children have no interest and the teachers , too , I guess.

There is a carpark at the entrance to the bridge, but I have never seen any thing that resembles security. The lot is very small & every time I have tried to park there, the lot is double & triple parked, so during the day at least, it would be almost impossible to steal a car. However, this probably makes it easier to break into.

I left my car at the hotel in Mukdahan and traveled by bus to Savannakhet.

If you are going for visa run, you have to take the Friendship bridge

and not the boat ( it is for migrant Thai or lao workers).

At the Border in Laos, you can hire a taxi ( van type) for sightseeing .

I spent one day and a night with my Thai wife . The van driver , very friendly guy ,took us

to all important places . Very much enjoyed the stay. Do not forget to eat at the Suuki-yaki -

road side eatery on the bank of Mekong.

My thanks for the excellent help I received here, which enabled me to get it right.

Seasons Greetings.

I had applied for "O" visa for one year in 2008. I am a Canadian citizen .

Now I will go to Germany , visiting friends and apply at the Munich Consulate for my

second O visa. At this consulate , the lady is very polite and helpful.

Hope to get it faster, as before.

my brother in law says its open; brother in law works in soeng sang hospital night shifts; we just called him to ask.. very close to our muu baan (not there now but nice to know of a farang place in area)...

bina

israel

(muu baan khok soon, on road to national park )

I was at Alex's restaurant on Sunday. Alex was there. He closes the restaurant on Mondays, when he goes to Korat for shopping.

I stay at muu baan NON THONG 3 km from Soeng Sang on the road to Pakham.

I went to the above restaurant yesterday, only to find it closed. Has anyone any idea as to why ? Thanks

I visited Alex last week on 3rd Oct. He did not mention about closing down.

I plan to go there this evening. Let you know later.

I stay in the Moo Ban Non Thong, 3 km from Soeng Sang. I am from India but lived and worked in Toronto, Canada

for almost 35 years and now retired.

Hi

I am going to be in Surin in a couple of weeks and was planning to go down to Chom Chom market and possibly cross into Cambodia. I haven't seen much on the news recently is it now not advised to cross?

Thanks

Hi

I got my re-entry permit on 20-07 crossing the border at Choeng Chom.

It took me about 40 min to fill the applications at Cambodia border , then return and get all stamps

done etc. It cost me : 1200 B for Visa to Cambodia and 300B for the short stay .

And of course tips to the guys hanging around me- about 150 B.

I did not notice anything unusual there.

-sundaram444

and the only other thing is the Khmer Market just before you get to the border. Good for cheap clothes and Bicycles that fall apart.

I can second that..... they sell T-shirts with a "my bicycle lasted two weeks" slogan on them.

P.S. eat before you get there, the food on that market is truly awful, my wife won't go near it, and she will eat practically anything.

I did my visa run at Choeng Chom. I had PP photo etc. I just crossed over to Cambodia and since i was the only alien on that day, I got back with in 40 minutes. the cost : 1200 B for Cambodia visa and 300 B for short stay . And 150 B for these young guys ( hawks) following me around and getting the application form etc. I had to drive about 160 km from the village and it took nearly 3 hrs. I and my fiance' spent time at the border market and puchased clothes. We found them very cheap.

Thanks for your help, Dave.

-sundaram444

I have one year multiple entry visa . I am thinking of going to Suvannakhet in Laos to renew the visa after 3 month period. A friend of mine said that he has been renewing the visa every 3 months at the

Border check post - Choeng Chom at the Cambodia border. I will try this next week and find out myself.

And your question is????

My crystal balls say what you want to hear is :-

I live 45 mins drive from Choeng Chom and last year when here on a Multi Entry 'O' visa, I used to use that route to get my 3 monthly border runs done. I did not need to visit Kap Chong Immigration Office for a Re-entry permit with this type of Visa. Hope this info helps.

Chock dee

Dave (Tea leaves read.Rune stones and little sticks a speciality)

Thank you Dave. I am staying in Soeng Sang . I have the Multi entry "O" visa.

My question would have been : has anyone tried this checkpost?

I will go there this Sunday to renew my permit.

I shall inform you next week.

Ken Sundaram. (Do good work. Help those in need. Keep the peace.)

I have one year multiple entry visa . I am thinking of going to Suvannakhet in Laos to renew the visa after 3 month period. A friend of mine said that he has been renewing the visa every 3 months at the

Border check post - Choeng Chom at the Cambodia border. I will try this next week and find out myself.

She has a wonderful voice,apart from being beautiful,if she's with Grammy they should have some info on her.

Miss Tai Orathai has a very melodious

and sweet voice .Her songs are very

"naa-fang" i.e very pleasnt to listen .

I attended her concert for the Temple Fund raising , near Khonburi.

I was fortunate to get a picture with her.

My wife tells me that Tai Orathai sings

about her home town in one of the albums.

I will check it out for more info .

- Sundaram.

I have been using a Motorola cell phone to connect as a modem to surf the web.

The speed is 115Kbps. The service provider is True Move.

I am satying in a small village in Isan . Does any one know how to get a faster connection

using the GPRS cell phones and /or a different service provider. True Move says it is not possible

in remote areas.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Sundaram

These are the results of the Thai Visa speed test using a Nokia EDGE capable phone and AIS 12 Call;

Download Speed: 189 kbps (23.6 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 42 kbps (5.3 KB/sec transfer rate)

The 115 Kbps means nothing except what your computer is capable of. Mine reads 460.8 Kbps. The first thing is to make sure your phone is EDGE capable and the second thing is to find out if EDGE coverage is available in your area. I am out in the boonies where AIS and Dtac have EDGE coverage. True has no signal here. Basic GPRS is very slow by itself.

The easiest way is to buy another SIM card and try it. I paid 99 baht for a Dtac card.

Thanks to all those who replied .

The indicator on data transfer shows 230 Kbps,but it is , however , slow.

I am going to try a Black berry model 8700

next week , when I visit the True Miove shop

in Khorat .I will inform if this one gives me better data transfer.

-Sundaram

Wow! If you are getting "True" 115 Kbps using your mobile in a "remote village", I would say you are doing real good. I am also in a remote village using AIS service provider and motorola GPRS mobile phone (bluetooth connection to my desktop). On good days I am happy to get 40 Kbps. Only other option where I live is IPSTAR Satelite which is rather expensive and I still hear too many people complain about the reliability to make me want to try it.