jitenshaman

Of course since it is all about reciprocity, the day the new visa rules go into effect will be the same day that craft beer prices will drop to 135 baht (per pint, not small bottle) from 250 and upwards, same as in the US. And good wine will also be discounted by 50% in order to have parity with other countries. And let's not forget to drop all the national park fees, museum and temple entrance fees, etc down to the same prices for everyone, just like is done in all the reciprocal countries. Can't wait.

Looking and having watched this all unfold for the past months, while the losers from the last election have done there utmost to destabilise the present Government, Yingluck has shown a maturity of a positive leader. There hasn't been the raging violence of the past couple of encounters (yet). The Democrats have shown their true colors joining the marches ( a clear fear of losing their own support to Suthep ).

Once again Yingluck has at this point out maneuvered the opposition by saying lets get a new mandate from the sixty nine million not the two hundred thousand. This is what a democracy is and how it works contrary to the views of a few of the TV Forum subscribers?

I hope personally that the protesters now step back, work toward new elections and if they (the Thai people) want change they get it but let it be in the hands of the majority not the few!

Marcos and Suharto claimed the same kind of democracy. It most definitely is anything but democracy when all the decisions of a government are being made by a criminal fugitive who lives overseas, all the while continuing to claim that he has no interest in politics anymore. The Dems and Suthep are horrid in what they are doing, but the Shin clan are about as ugly and low as you can get and the country cannot and will not ever move forward until they are completely banned from ever having anything to do with politics here. If the Reds are so strong that they can win an election without paying people, why don't they just renounce the scumbag, give the Dems what they wish, and still come out on top? Looks like the only happy endings you get here are in massage parlors.

100.000 only???

What a loss of face for insane Suthep

And the majority were bought from the deep south...

Sorry, "brought"

If it's only 100.000 it is a very good news. It means that there are less brainwashed extremists than I thought.

Sound people would never follow or support Suthep in his acts of treason and insurrection.

Sound people would never vote for a thug who ordered extra judicial killings and robbed the country blind. Whoops, then again, people have the wool pulled over their eyes all the time.

I have used my Thai drivers license numerous times to pay a Thai price. Always works in national parks, museums, and some other attractions. I am usually polite about it, speak to them in Thai, tell them that I live here, and it almost always works...even went up to one of the longneck villages in Mae Hong Son, where they charge farangs 300 baht to enter, and when i asked how much it cost for those who live here, the girl looked at me and said, "it's free!!"

Once in Khao Sok they told me my license was not valid and I made a stink, asking to see the boss, and I soon got in at the Thai price. If they do double charge me, I will most likely not pay and just walk away. I don't have an issue with tourists having to pay a bit extra, as yes, the average tourist probably is earning a bit more than the average Thai, and the double pricing is not only to Thailand, try going to Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, or China, they all have different prices for tourists at parks and attractions. But when one resides in a country and speaks the language, it definitely should be a different story.

There is a noodle vendor up near Chatuchak, who, when you ask to pay for your kanom jeen, points to a sign that says in English, "noodles, 50 baht." I asked her if it wasn't 30 baht, and she pointed to the sign again. I asked her again and she did the same. Finally, I pointed to the Thai menu and asked her if she could read Thai. I gave her 30 baht and made sure to tell all my friends, both Thai and foreign, not to give her business ever again.

I honestly can't fathom those living here on an income of 20-30k p/m.

Life must be an endless struggle.

Life not an endless struggle at all. I could easily live at the top of the spectrum if I so chose, but it just does not interest me. I own my own condo, eat out at least 5 times a week, and hit up some of my favorite bars now and then, still don't spend more than 25,000 a month. Guess it just depends what makes one happy.

As to the costs between the US and Thailand....i moved here about 8 years ago..when I left Washington state, I was paying around $500 a month rent, got around everywhere on a bicycle so had almost zero transportation costs, did not have health insurance, ate at home most of the time...the majority of my income expenditure went to beer and expensive mountaineering gear.....over here, I do have transport costs (BTS and taxis), I do eat out all the time because it is so affordable, I do now have health insurance, so it is rather apples and oranges. The costs are just different, and of course in some cases one cant really compare because the average incomes earned in both countries are so radically different. When I was single, I spent far more here on going out and nightlife, something that I didn't spend on in the US...now in a relationship, that expenditure is gone. If one spends most of one's time in central Bangkok, eats in foreign or upscale restaurants, shops in Paragon and so chooses, then expenditure here can come out fairly close to the west, presumably without being close to taking in what one would make back home. Fortunately, Thailand does give plenty of choice, so one can live very comfortabl for far far less.

I just got my retirement visa renewed and had just changed accounts (from one matured CD to a new higher interest one) a week earlier. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. Immigration official could clearly see what had happened, and even said it wasn't an issue when I showed her the changes. I think the main stickler on the issue is the accompanying letter you need from your bank. When I asked at Bangkok Bank for a letter for immigration I was told I'd have to wait a day before I could open the new account (the letter needs to be for the old account which is more than 3 months old) and close the old one. Immigration was far more concerned with the letter than the passbooks. They just checked to make sure that everything was properly signed and outlined according to specs.

The spirits have been very naughty & busy this year.......higher budget should be given to the transport ministry to keep the spirits flowing happy They need it for the railroad & airport spirit

I propose a mandatory spirit tax to be leveled on all farangs arriving in the kingdom. Surely if we weren't here this wouldn't be happening.

Surely an evil Phuket tuk tuk driver must have driven across the spot precisely where each train derailed, or else maybe the boss in Dubai passed through the area in a previous lifetime.

I am more than happy being married to my Falang wife most friends we know who are married to Thai woman are always moaning that they have no money most are my age 62 and have a Thai son/daughter below 6 years of age do I need say any more NO !!!!!!!!!!

I was just wondering if you still have sex?

Sorry to ask such a personal question, but I was married to an English lady for 30 years, and the last 20 years no sex.

Now I have a Thai lady much, much younger than me, and I have plenty of sex.

Yes, she's a little bit violent and possibly dangerous, but I'm living a full life again.

I was happy to exchange my personal security for a fulfilling sex life.

The other possibility is that at age 62 you no longer want sex, I know many men lose their sex drive at that age.

You can have an extremely fulfilling sex life in Thailand without getting married nor ever risking your assets. A fulfilling sex life usually depends on one's partner, not on her nationality.

After almost a decade of living here I don't eat that much street food anymore. Mainly because I am far more discerning now in terms of taste and quality...meaning I go to some sit down places where i pay an extra 50 baht for what i feel is some of the best food in the country. That said, the food being on the street has nothing to do with the quality of it. There is plenty of street food if you know the right stalls that is out of this world and puts the majority of high end "artisinal" "organic" places here to shame. One reason I still live here is the fact that Bangkok has not become a sterile devoid of life city like Singapore and precisely because I don't want to pay 100 baht to eat street food in an air conditioned mall (actually the places I really avoid here are the air conditioned mall food courts as in Tesco or Big C, you will find stuff outside that is scores better).

I wonder if the original poster has ever wandered around Tops, Villa, Tesco, or Big C late at night, when it is not an abberation to spot rats running here or there. Does that stop you from shopping in the supermarket?

In all my years here, probably got sick from street food twice, and both times from fish that had been sitting out quite awhile.

You will also notice that many of the best vendors sell their wares according to needs...the best lunch vendors set up just prior to office towers emptying out at noon, and most of them have sold out by 130, same goes for some of the after work vendors as well.

For anyone who doesn't appreciate street food, pick up a copy of Chawadee Nulkhair's guide to the best vendors in Bangkok, very well researched and written.

Stop bringing your western values to Thailand... they don't work here.

Hitler is just a historical figure, no worse than Chairman Mao.. so get over it.

Nothing about a western value, most places in the world, including Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia, don't celebrate Adolph Hitler on murals next to super heroes. Given the lack of any kind of understanding of history here, amazing they were able to come up with the Fuhrer as opposed to say Gandhi or Nelson Mandela.

3. A bar by a beautiful lake on pracha rabamphen rd

Could you elaborate on this one a bit more? Is this the correct spelling of the road? Never heard of it, where is it, and what lake?

I really dont understand all the negativity on this topic requiring people who are non-Thai citizens to have mandatory medical insurance while in Thailand is actually one of the smarter suggestions that the power that be have come up with.

A lot of countries also require similar things for non-citizens, so this suggestion is hardly a unique requirement in Thailand.

Of course one must wonder why all the negativity and hostility towards a very sensible requirement, is it becasue some members believe introducing this requirement will it it harder for them to get a visa or their ability to live here ?

The negativity is based on the fact that the claims made and the proposals are utter hypocritical crap. There may be a few emergencies that do get care, but I'd say that 99% of tourists or resident farangs here not only pay, but get charged double most of the time. I'd also venture that most farangs here are contributing quite mightily to the well being of many of the hospitals. It's the same idiocy that prevails in all the visa schemes and requirements. While yes, it might be a good idea to have fair and just visa laws that require compliance, we all know that at the end of the day here, it has nothing to do with anything other than whom one is willing to pay as to being able to stay here. It will be the same with this, it will absolutely never ever be enforced, but people certainly will get paid and make money out of it.

Hope I don't provoke too much laughter, but has the driver who caused these deaths been charged with reckless driving and manslaughter?

Hope I don't provoke too much laughter, but has the driver who caused these deaths been charged with reckless driving and manslaughter?

no, it was obviously the farangs fault. As the minister of whatever said a few weeks ago after a truck killed 2 foreign cyclists, "foreigners need to learn more about Thai laws. If you stop at a red light, you may be hit."

Hi end tourists don't want to be fleeced, scammed, and treated like crap by tuk tuk or jet ski mafias, not to mention the private vehicles they usually hire get harassed by the mafias to limit them from getting around...so why not call in the army to Phuket and clean the place of the sewage.

I don't know of many people who have been able to get out of a hospital without paying, if they didn't pay, they don;t release them or give back their passport, this sounds more like a plan to charge higher prices to not have to tax locals higher for their medical care

yes, a complete joke, farang don't get any kind of treatment in hospitals here without showing a credit card, insurance card, or some sort of proof of payment prior to being treated.

I don't doubt that statistic. However, the one statistic that is not available is "how many Thais bought their drivers license?" This has been a rampant and pervasive situation for many years all over Thailand. Slipping some cash to the right person avoids taking the tests etc.. I know many, many Thais who have admitted to me they got their license this way. One person said she still had to take the actual driving test, but avoided all else. She said she had to re-do the parallel parking test many times, and still couldn't do it - but was awarded her license nonetheless.

- just a wild guess - maybe 30-40% of all Thai drivers?(quote)

judging by what I see on a daily basis in the Tesco Parking Lot where I live, I'd say 80%. The parking lot actually resembles a training school for wannabe drivers, except with no teachers present.

I have personally witnessed or observed (i.e. with my own two eyes) far more instances of tourists being rude, disrespectful, and generally inconsiderate and/or condescending towards Thais, then I've ever seen Thais act that way towards tourists or farangs in general. (Those instances do not include any tuk tuk incidents, as I've never actually witnessed any.)

But whether it be at a bar, a restaurant, a shop or 7-Eleven, a street vendor or souvenir stall, I'm often embarrassed at how some farangs, without any provocation, turn aggressive towards and mistreat and verbally abuse Thais. That is not to excuse using violence to resolve such problems, but it does explain how frustration can lead up to and often intensify these kinds of incidents.

Some of the tourists coming here of late, are just not very nice, and not very understanding of the culture and language differences, and that often contributes to these problems getting out of hand. And too many are not patient or tolerant enough to try and resolve their differences in a good natured way. Jai yen yen!

Some of the tourists coming here are not very nice in their own country and bring it with them.

I have also witnessed the same thing, which is inexcusable and sad, but I'm afraid the Phuket mafia are a different breed. I speak fairly decent Thai and would have to say that every time I have visited Phuket, I have found them to be some of the most disgusting human beings I have ever come in contact with. Phuket is one of the few towns in the world where the local and only form of public transportation drivers regularly beat up and harass their passengers, the ones who pay for them to live.

Seems like a fair sentence...

As for the damages to tourism, without condoning violence, 10 egyptians piling into a tuk-tuk refusing to pay 40bht each, no sure it's the kind of tourist Thailand needs in the first place.

These are the large Phuket tuk tuks, not the little mealy ones, which is beside the point anyways. NOWHERE in Thailand would a Thai EVER pay by the person for transportation like this, there is one charge for the vehicle, be it one person or 10. In Bangkok, to go 1km in a nice airconditioned taxi with a polite driver happy to have the work is 40 baht, so yeah, the Egyptians have every dam_n right not to pay these scum.

It would be easier to just obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa prior to coming but if you want to convert that can be done. You first convert at 2k and then extend for 1.9k and if using embassy letter or combination or money seasoned it might be allowed to do both at one time but if not you will have to obtain a second set of financial documents for the later extension of stay. Normally combination money does not have to meet the seasoning requirement.

The visa entry will be 90 day single and from that you extend your stay one year at a time from then on.

thanks....unfortunately, I will be entering Thailand from somewhere where it might not be possible to obtain a visa in advance (travels in Morocco, most N. African countries Thai embassies require you to be a resident in those countries in order to issue visas). Once Immigration gives a single entry Non O, how long do I have to get the 1 year extension? Can it be done in the last week of that 30 days?

Approaching my 50th b-day in a few months, American living in Thailand, and still seem to be slightly confused about the necessities and numbers involving a Non O 1 year based on retirement. Can someone correct me if I am wrong and fill in the blanks?

A recent visit to immigration seemed to tell me that when I come back into the country after having turned 50, I wouldn't need a visa upon entering to go through the hoops. If I enter on a 30 day stamp, I believe that if I go to Immigration within 15 days of arrival, I can convert that stamp to a Non O for purposes of retirement, providing I produce the 65,000/800,000 proof of funds, the correct passport copies, a photo, and 2000 baht. Thus, I arrive, get a Consular Statement from the US Embassy on the income, and will then have a non O.

What I do not know is what kind of Non O this is and how long it is good for? Is it a single entry 90 day non O or a one year multiple? And during this time, do I then need to go to Immigration and reapply for an extension of it based on retirement, completing the steps I have already completed one more time? If it is a single non O they have given me, if given the 1 year extension do I need to leave after 3 months (and then would need another visa to re-enter, as opposed to a multiple entry)?

One question about money. If my Consulate letter shows a pension of 55-60,000 baht, this is just slightly below the requirement, meaning the rest of the cash has to be in a Thai bank. For that 5-10,000, when does it have to arrive in order to "season," and do there have to be two dates for seasoning, meaning for the first change from an entry stamp to a Non O, and then for the subsequent application for extension of the O based on retirement?

Thanks.

Thai and Thailand have no fear.

We are number 1 in ASEAN.

Number 2 in ASIA, after Japan.

We have plenty of rice in our field, and much fish in our water.

And above all, we have a great king, to much envy of all other countires in the whole universe.

Great head in the sand attitude..... Pssst....Indonesia is in ASEAN, and has an economy that is TWICE as large as Thailand. Get your facts straight. I think the well known Thai saying about the rice and the fish was probably made a long time ago when Thailand was primarily an agrarian country. Does not really apply to factory workers in the present age.

I don't know where you get your incorrect information from.

But my information is certified by Thai government, from Thai school.

All Thai student must be able to recite what I have said. So it must be a fact. The true fact.

most likely a shill, so I wont even get into the argument, but just so you get the facts straight, the Indonesian GDP is twice that of Thailand, and if you do a few other searches you may see that Malaysia and Singapore have possibly passed LOS in the last few years as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ASEAN_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29