thurien

Down here South of Chiang Mai there has been a large influx over the past five years in particular because gated communities are popular and a lot of them being built around these parts. Must be something to do with the availability of fine young Lana Women !

I think they appreciate the cool, clear and crisp mountain air of Greater Chiang Mai at all times of the year much more than the women (who are the same anyway everywhere in Thailand as long as you don't travel yonder Surat...)

I hope the 6 hour day is successful and catches on other places....like maybe Thailand!

to our Thai comrades, that would mean a drastic increase from the present REAL working hours/day

I believe that the very last thing to go through their minds would have been their butts.

@WoopyDoo: I feel similarly stalled coz I just laughed me head off...

<How can I solve this problem?>

@bod: get yourself a new passport

Burma is a different country too - so there's no 'of course' - and I don't need to justify my visit.

do as you like...

Being Muslims they won't have dogs in their family for the same reason they don't eat pork because Noah said they are dirty.

"because Noah said they are dirty" ... who is dirty they the pork they the dogs they the family or else?

Blah blah blah blah - every time someone in the government speaks, it reminds me of that teacher from Charlie Brown cartoons...

especially at this time when we don't have a government at all (just some care taker janitor with limited responsibilities; also refer to the corrupt rice scheme...)

This....may well cost the country quite a bit of income.

did you ever feel there was anything taken care of and done "for the sake of the country?" The only language everybody knows here is "my own pocket"...

I honestly believe if all Shins and their cronies all disappeared from Thailand the country could actually be repaired. As long as they are here this hatred will continue forever.

hmm, this would empty the country by about 50% ... many of their cronies never wanted make it to the lime-light...

They have already killed the goose! T.I.T.

no worries - basically, tourists have an extremely short memory ... look at Egypt, just for example ... they go there, they are scared away, things improve - they come again, they are scared away again, they return etc.etc.

and don't forget: The biggest profit makers on Thai tourism are the global players - they don't care too much about a bad year, they just write it off (beforehand, local staff got fired, of course = no harm done to the company)

... which is more important - the image of Thailand ... or the kick-backs received from this scam

with "the image of Thailand", a copper cannot finance his 2nd wife, with cash he can...

You like to send a credicard from your home country to Thailand?

Use a express service! (FedEx or UPS or DHL Express) sure this coast a little bit more but it's more safe then normally mail!

quite a few banks in my home country flatly refuse to mail anything sensible to Thailand; a simple way out for credit cards: have them mailed by your bank to a relative / friend in your home country who then cares for a secure way into Th.

They won't return to Thai easy.

possibly...but they will take a trip for sure to the Netherlands visit some 'friend'

what are this year's 2013 dates of immigration shut down over songkran?

Is it that easy to find and contact insurgents in the South?

if so why can, the Govt ., not find them ?

Reason being that Thai Govt Agencies simply lack Swedish passports ... maybe a new business field for the really talented ...

same for me - when we had our house built I also paid the instalments via bank transfer ... I do not understand about the b.s. why not to trust Thai banks. Needless to say that I pay all of these bills via Thai internet banking, absolutely no problem and the procedere is close to Western banking standards.

All business is not done in cash here. Only the crooked business.

I bought my car via a bank transfer. I pay my utility bills via bank transfers and if it was buying a property here ...

so, for this year (again) better do not plan anything too much and too deep ahead - do not book flights for the entire family, wait with booking hotel rooms until the somtam fog lifts

"...for renewing my annual retirement visa (60+)..."

The age to qualify for a retirement extension (or visa) is 50, not 60.

Terry

tks I know about 50, just wanted to state I am 60+ already

@Lite Beer, thanks for confirmation

also referring to Khorat immi (could be any other, though):

for renewing my annual retirement visa (60+) based on income evidence, do I always have to drag Missus along

or can I just go myself with all pertaining docs?

If bribes of that magnitude are being paid to the police chiefs, what chance is there of closing down all of the illegal casinos?

no chance of course; and closing the illegals is also nobody's ultimate goal: Do not open the market to legal gambling, leave the present places in their illegality and heftily increase the bribes asked! Remember: Legal gambling = no bribing anymore

this leads to M Card (combi for The Mall, Emporium, Paragon)

http://www.mcardmall.../en/m_expat.php

gives you a visible direct discount every time you go shopping (total has to be over thb 800) and a few hundred or more cash thb towards the end of the year; hustle-free, just cash while you shop

mind you: the whole site in English

I must be the only selfish farang in Thailand I would to see the baht where it was 72 to £ when i came to Thailand and transfered all my cash here.

I am selfish just as well...I never changed more than necessary into thb

Col Arun said the robber was “Middle East looking” with fair skin??????

yes, the typical Aryan from Persia (Iran)

BUT is the Rider Licensed ????

Was the driver sober ???

too many questions at this early juncture

As for myself: No questions open