FairwayJack

Does anyone know a good car rental agency near Don Muang Airport ...I'd like to rent an SUV for 5 days. Thx

I'm a little confused about Koreans. They are generally considered big trouble makers by the Thai people but yet Thailand gives them special visa treatment of 90 days on arrival. Why ?? Are they exempt from maximum of 3 consecutive trips too ??? Anyone know ??

When is this due to hit Thailand ?

Yes !! ...why'd they leave out this critical info ??

I just played Palm Hills and thought it was a very good course as well. The best course probably is Banyan. Springfield is good too but quite long

I agree with the notion of having multiple levels of an Elite card with escalating privileges. That may work.

Thinking they could sign up a million people wealthy enough to afford the plan they have now was dumb. People that wealthy probably have other places they need to be during the course of a year.

People that wealthy don't need to think about getting a discount ("See my card? I am a millionaire. I could buy your establishment if I wanted to. Now give me my THB 500 discount, please."

People that wealthy should be smart enough to know that they can find ways to "effectively" own land if they want it for less than the price of the card! People that wealthy don't NEED to stay in Thailand past 90 days - they can hop a quick flight to wherever and return with a new 90 day visa.

My ideal membership levels (cumulative):

THB 200k - you can stay in Thailand for 2 years. Renewable every 2 years.

THB 500k - you can stay in Thailand for 5 years plus golf, spa, etc. discounts. Renewable every 5 years.

THB 1M - you can work in Thailand with a THB 60k salary per month tax exemption for 10 years. Renewable every 10 years.

THB 2M - you can "buy" up to 1 rai of land anywhere except restricted areas. The government would actually hold title to the land and you would have a 10 year usufruct agreement with the government and right to convey the usufruct. Renewable every 10 years.

THB 5M+ - various perks (BMW transport, concierge services, etc. as per the current plan). Renewable every 10 years.

It would make sense to the punter because they are spending at least that much anyway - but instead of the money going to travel companies, it goes to the government. Travel companies will still have plenty of business from the <1 year visa punters they service now. AND less hassle for everyone. They could make it even more lucrative by tacking on a re-entry fee (THB 2-3k) if the punter leaves and comes back during the period. AND rather than issue card, immigration would do it all with just a simple special stamp which you would show when you need your benefits.

Who wouldn't be happily sign up for a card with benefits like these?!? Imagine the number of people who would be rushing for such benefits. They would make a killing on sheer volume and renewals.

No one will sign up for anything in Thailand anymore if it requires upfront money. Their credibility is zero. Your idea is a good one only if the money is paid after the services are received....and I know...that ain't gonna happen.

Oh great...another thing to look out for..

dont stand near ciggy butts while on BTS..

maybe an announcement on speakers needed..

"please mind your butt while standing on platform"

Ha !! Loved that !!

Just got back from Hong Kong where 3 friends in 3 separate instances started up our conversations with, "what's happening in Thailand with the shoplifting airport scam ?? "

The crazy thing about this situation is that I am now going from Thailand to HK to visit them...for many years it was the other way around. They all refuse to come to Thailand anymore.

Apparently some of the golf courses have been reinstated...but the key benefit and the reason I joined was the family visa. The family visa was removed 3 months after I joined. I cannot understand why they would remove the virtually cost-less visas for the wives and children of members.

Last week my normally reliable car stalled on the #1 highway (electrical short). The police helped me push it to the shoulder and were very polite and helpful. Car started again in 15 mins and I was on my way again. I thought I was toast but this experience gave me a very positive impression of the Bangkok Police force

Came across a new type of lout yesterday. At the airport they have guys hanging around in the car parks that follow you to your car and insistently help to load your bag from your trolley to the car. I told this guy "mai ao" several times but he didn't give up. So instead, I gave up and let him do the whole job. Tipped him 40 baht. 20 would of been OK but I had a lot of stuff

Our son goes to Kumon tutorial school for English and Math 6 hours a week. I pay their fee every month in advance. They told us today that the school was closing for 2 weeks per govt order. I presumed we would not be charged the school fee during this shutdown but was told by the office assistant that he has his homework and there will be no refund or discount. Anyone have a similar problem or advice for me ?? I intend to challenge this with the manager.

We no longer eat at Pizza Hut after seeing a young kitchen worker sneezing and coughing directly onto the salad bar. The Nara restaurant chain is off our "go to" list as well. Once got a half an onion in my calzone there. This was a few years ago. I really do miss good Italian (fast) food.

Many of my friends and relatives have divorced their spouses.....none have divorced thier mums. Parents are always and will always be first in any culture !!

Ahh..the pursuit of the fountain of youth amuses me. Everybody wants to go to heaven ...just not right now

free...Free....FREE...???? Now just how is this supposed to attract the "quality tourist" ??? They should have doubled the visa fee. Then we'd get the uppity hoity toity crowd. Now we'll only get the unwashed hoi polloi

Here's a different perspective...I knew a Thai man who fleeced a Singaporean lady. We met them 7 years ago and he presented himself as her husband. Over the next 3 years, he grabbed as much as he could which was a lot....the lady always turned us for comfort. But when the breakup happened and she left the country...who did she come and visit 2 years later. Him...not us.

We also have a Thai lady friend who was introduced to the new Thai gf of an Aussie mate of mine. Speaking in Thai the very first thing out the new gf's mouth was, "I'm gonna grab as much as I can and get out" thinking our friend was her confederate.

These are my personal experiences...are they representative of the whole population?....don't know. My own experience with Thailand Elite though is starting to shape my opinion.

It does seem that the nice girls in Thailand are the exception to the rule sadly.I lived in Bali,Indonesia a while back and the girls there from all over,Java,Sumatra,Lombok were just lovely.

I read on another thread somebody with an Indonesian girlfriend asked her if she thought he should give her an allowance,like most Thai girls seem to demand and her reaction was:

"Why should you give me money,I'm not a prostitute!"

I've been here for about 6-7 weeks so far but am rapidly coming to the conclusion that the majority of girls should be avoided like the plague!

However,saying that,my local Starbucks next to my workplace they are fantastic,normal,friendly girls but as I mentioned,they seem to be in a (shrinking) minority here in Bangkok!

I second that opinion of Indonesian girls. I'm married now for 8 years with 3 children to a lady from Surabaya. Wonderful woman.

Yet again, this will not help tourism...guilty or not it is another reason for people to avoid Thailand. I'm telling you... nobody wants to come to this country anymore due to the perception of police thugs, govt entanglements and a (very real) palpable feeling of inhospitality emanating from the general Thai populace and institutions. I used to have a steady stream of friends visiting from HK, USA and Australia for golf and sightseeing....now nothing.

. However others have argued that the Japanese effectively colonized it during WWII, the only thing that ended that was the outcome of the war, no kudos to the Thais.

Thailand was not colonized by Japan. Thailand was an ally of Japan. Thailand declared war on US and the UK in Jan 1942 and Thailand seems to be still at war with their tourists.

I know some people who went to a neighbour country and got the only 14 day Visa (but wanted to stay longer).

Thailand is doing everything to get rid of the tourists and than they wonder why there are no tourists

Maybe there will be a time the government will understand that tourists won't come if it is better somewhere else.

I agree Thailand is doing their level best to get rid of the long stay falang....but exactly why are they doing it ?? I too spend buckets of money to support my wife and 3 children here. Is it racism plain and simple ??

Won't be surprise if this is true.

He can built his dream kingdom there.

When he was boss of Man City, he expect the players to 'wai' to him.

Now, wonder what he will expect those working on the island do when they see him?

The reds ( his supporters ) can choose to migrate there as well!

...how do you know about the "wai" requirement ???

I think the anti-falang bias is primarily based on the massive devaluation of the baht 10 years ago. It was a shock to the "powers that be" that Soros et al could waltz off with the billions of dollars that Thailand had in their foreign reserves. All subsequent behaviour has been pay back (revenge) for this financial disaster.

Good luck. You'll like the new you a lot more. Six years for me now.

Very strange stuff...I think we may never know what happened. His handlers will spin this in whichever way that gets the most out of his post-mortum image rights. (Does anyone else remember how Elvis died?..addled by drugs, obese and on the toilet. Yet we have elevated him to god-like status and CDX, Inc paid $150 million for the marketing rights to his likeness). And the fact that this happened in Thailand is perfect...no concerns about actual facts. RIP DC

It (TPC) was doomed to failure before it was even launched.

[...]

Just like all the other pipe dream projects dreamed up by the then 'head waiter' the majority of which were dismal failures.

Failure? Didn't you see the numbers? It was an amazing success, only shutting down now after the unfortunate change of government. Hundreds of millions of Baht have been drained from public coffers to private bank accounts! The fewer actual customers the better - only 1000 members, only 1000 complainants when the scheme finally collapses.

People ridicule the powers in Thailand for being idiots. Once you stop accepting the face saving facade and realize all the schemes have the same goal - enriching the powerful and maintaining power - you realize that the Thai leaders are not idiots, but geniuses. Just don't go too far like Taksin. The airport was an amazing success, the new train line is already a success and has not even opened yet. Name your haha TIT folly and if you ask around you will find people in power who benefited from it being built and others who benefit from having it fail. If you want a project to succeed, it needs to continue raking in the cash after it is completed and you have to make it worth while to the competing concession holders so it doesn't get torpedoed.

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