Bangkok Barry

Why not Google if you want to know the answer to anything?

On your first point, I have no intention of making anyone at my local office lose face by reporting to 1178 that they don't know their own rules at Kalasin. I know they previously got into hot water for allowing someone to dip into his 400,000 between getting his bank letter and submitting his application. On the second point, the solution they came up with - albeit one they didn't need to suggest - means that instead o paying 1900 for the 60-day extension and the fee for a re-entry permit (1000 for a single?) I'm paying 1500 to enter Laos. Saving me 1400. The IO actually mentioned the saving to me.

Thanks for the clarification re 45/60 days. I've not previously had any 60-day extension, if that is what you mean. If you mean an extension and I think you do, then yes, I'm on my third annual due to marriage. Anyway, doing the border hop instead saves me money. Just wastes several hours of my time as I play their silly game of departing the country for an hour. Enter Laos, sit and have a leisurely Beer Lao at the border post, return to Thailand. What's not to like ????

The World Cup that keeps on giving. First, they threaten to break the camera of a Dutch tv crew. Now a reversal of allowing alcohol sales at the venue (but free if you're very rich and can afford a hospitality deal). Next, suspend play during prayer time?

More likely is that he views Thailand as the tiny, significant and irrelevant nation that it is, with no influence on him, China or anywhere or anything else in the world.

As I just wrote, that's what I'm doing. It's 45 days at a land border, 60 by air, by the way. WHY, WFS? It's so nice having to ask for permission to visit my wife of 32 years.

With all the little mishaps that Indians appear to suffer here, how long before they cross Thailand off their 'to visit' list. Then who will TAT chase after next.

Obtain 60 day extension to visit wife. That will start from November 23. Giving permission of stay till approx Jan 22. Buy a reentry permit for your trips and apply for 12 month extension after you return prior to ~jan 22 Following your seemingly excellent advice I went to the Kalasin office today, and came up with a blank. They said as I have a current one-year extension, albeit about to expire on the 23rd - I cannot have a 60-day one. After several minutes of conferring with a colleague and my wife he thought the best solution would be to pop over to Laos, get a 45-day permission to stay upon my return, leave for Dubai on 18th December and after coming back in on 25th to then return to the office and apply for a new one-year. He refused my suggestion that my under consideration day until 23rd December be moved to 25th, saying it had to be 30 days (even though in reality and in my experience it can take longer). Mukdahan is less than two hours from home, I can be back in time for lunch after taking part in their pantomime, and I might actually save money, if not time, by not paying for a 60-day and re-entry fee. The whole experience was a little unnerving, as the IO was smiling and trying to be helpful, something I've not experienced before in my 26 years in Thailand. I'll now be looking up the latest info on what Laos wants from me, paper application or electronic, and the fee.

They didn't get a cheap price. FIFA didn't play their game. Why would they, only to get everyone else demanding a discount next time? Companies and undisclosed others came up with the cash.

Not the whole world - only 5 billion. If you aren't interested and don't plan to watch it, fine. Some like NHL, some don't. Some like cricket, some don't. Some like tennis, some don't. But football is the number one sport in the world, and my original response was to answer the question posed, which was who cares? The answer was 5 billion care enough to watch. That seems to offend you.

They appear to have not known the WC was on until about a week ago. No planning for it, came as a complete surprise.

Tuesday: Likely that no matches will be shown in Thailand Wednesday: Likely that some matches will be shown in Thailand Thursday: Possible that all matches will be shown in Thailand Friday: ? December 18: When does the World Cup start?

Doesn't the business use a terminal linked to the internet? I've rarely used my phone to pay, if ever, so I don't know.

We had a long power cut in my area yesterday. So if you wanted to use the internet to pay, forget it. Paper works, always, every time, never needs an internet connection. But having something that works all the time is so retro and only for dinosaurs.

Probably every male and most of the females in Thailand. Clearly you are out of touch, but I'm surprised you feel a need to broadcast it. If you have no interest in the World Cup then better to remain quiet rather than make a flippant and ignorant comment. Five billion around the world are expected to watch it.

How long has CCTV been around, yet still so many appear to be oblivious to it. My favourite CCTV story relates to a (Thai) dress shop owner who installed CCTV to catch shoplifters, and it caught her stealing from a customers bag while the customer was in a booth trying on a dress. Not the smartest knife in the drawer, obviously.

Unrealistic sentences...no doubt copying the US system. Nothing strictly Thai about it. I was going to say that too, but edited it out before posting as no-one has suggested it is uniquely Thai.

You have proof they dont? Do you have proof that HRH pardons sex offenders? Are you suggesting that he does? Be very careful what you question or suggest. I am saying, very clearly, that he does not.

It's pot luck. I'm convinced that some doctors qualify by buying a white coat. I was once diagnosed with bronchitis when, as another doctor later confirmed, I had severe food poisoning and would have been dead within two days without proper treatment. Soon after I arrived in Thailand I visited a dentist and was told I needed three teeth removed. I thought not, and still have them 25 years later. Another time I was told I needed root canal surgery. I didn't. A friend had a heart attack and was told it was indigestion, and was lucky someone with him took him elsewhere where he was treated appropriately. Another friend was feeling down on himself and in need of some TLC and pretended he had suffered whiplash in a taxi accident. He was taken to a hospital, which not only diagnosed a non-existent injury but produced an x-ray to support it and said he needed to stay as an inpatient.

I doubt very much that a pardon, which is awarded only by HRH, would be given for sex trafficking and sex with minors.

It's a worldwide thing, and very strange. The human race can't bring itself to mention - sshh - sex.

That might be the case in the west, but I believe elsewhere sentences are taken seriously (apart for the Thai habit of imposing unrealistic sentences of 100+ years).

They don't an opportunity for that when they drive around the testing centre car park to prove their skills.

Depends on the time of day - or to be more accurate the evening.

I've paid a little over 900 just to get as far as Dubai and back to Bangkok next month. so 960 sounds like a good deal.