PhuketRam

Personally I have been waiting for a specific date from the Immigration, an amnesty period for people in overstay trouble here.

I (and not my friend..) have been saving up money for my ticket back home and the overstay fine. Now when I finally got it, I wake up to these news.

I am not writing to discuss the actual overstay, just saying I have had a reason for doing so. I have not been involved with any criminal activity whatsoever here or back home.

I am just a man falling in love with my wife here in Thailand several years ago, and have been doing everything I can to stay with her and our kid.

My income has been up and down, and during the down-times, I just postponed the visa renewals for a while, hoping to fix it when my income (from renting out two condos in my country) where up and going again. The later it got, the more expensive it became, so here I am.

Reading the posts here the last weeks, I have been trying everything I can do pay my fine, and get a proper visa once again.

But this stranded today.

Now I will obviously get a 3 years ban when I leave for my home country to fix this problem, so why leave?

A ban from seeing my wife and kids for years, are not an option.

I will probably get caught in the future, and deported, but for now, I just can not leave.

This will probably apply for many of the overstayers now. It will be just a mess.

And everything could easily have been avoided by setting a date in the near future, or having an amnesty for a short period of time.

These new rules of punishments has just been in the open for a couple of weeks, NOT for months, as someone say here.

And how many of farangs read thaivisa.com? Not everyone, believe me.

For most of you, we who overstay for different reasons, are trash, and you want us out. Okey, I can understand that, but have in mind most of us have never done anything wrong in this country besides overstaying, We of course want to stay legally, but not all of us have the right age (retirement), or the right amount in the banks. Many of us will not meet the right requirements in the future either, when they are clamping down on back to back TVs and visa excempts.

Myself, I have spent my good share of my own money in this country, and are not the trash you think you are talking about. And many of us have it the same way.

The result of these new rules getting immidiate affect, is that we will not get our visas right. And now we will just not leave, when a ban is awaiting us anyway.

I agree with you thaibreaker, i am not a real criminal, for 15 years i have been legal with a B Visa and work permit, i went to renew my last visa in the UK and to my dismay i was only given a tourist visa and told to sort it here. ok, on my last local report to immigration he stamped my only clean page by mistake, given my passport was half full i did not look at the stamp until it was time to get a new visa.. Catch 22, i needed a new passport and new visa but no time, instant overstay. so instead of doing it immediately, i thought i would do it the next time i fly home. my own fault i know.

i am now booked in to see immigration tomorrow to clear my overstay and hopefully avoid the 1 year ban. i will let you know how i get on.

For many people, under 50 the overstay is the cheapest way to stay and they may not all have lavish incomes but they can manage with making some small sacrifices like no visa runs...and upto now the system has allowed us to take advantage of this. i have a girlfriend of 14 years and i take care of her 2 teenage children, i would hate to get married just so i could get a visa, but i believe i would.

i wish you good luck and i hope we both come through this

i believe alot of people on overstays are in the process of sorting themselves out, i contacted my local immigration office 2 days ago and i have an appointment for tomorrow to clear myself. Obviously i would be really upset if i get a year ban after it was published from 12 Aug, But then again, we are under military control and they can do want ever they want... i will let you all know how i get on

Strangely I got a call from a BKK number today, what was a foreigner trying to sell me something ... oddly enough he knew my name. Perhaps buying mailing lists from a gym or something?

(relevant because when I checked the number on the internet it returned some stock agency.

Yes, I have had the call many times on my mobile and office phone, hang up, they just call back... These were Filipinos working in Korean. After ten calls of SAY NO, i got an Englishman, 45 mins of high pressure sales. He started with "I have booked you 20,000 Shares and I am sending you an Invoice.... i am like <deleted>, again after 30 mins of argueing he went down to 5,000 shares, all the time i am saying no, i dont want. but he was persistantly saying i am invoicing you which stopped me from hanging up... i can see weak people falling for this. the 20,000 shares were 80,000 Euro's

They knew my name, job and work place address...

i did say they were wasting their time targeting foreigners in Thailand, the majority are skint, lol.

Seriously not very nice.

This might indicate different police districts,'' said the officer. ''Silom Road is under the jurisdiction of Bangrak police station and has a different set of rules from the Lumpini station, which has jurisdiction over Sukhumvit Road.''

But surely there is just One Law

"To distribute or exhibit obscene materials is a criminal offence under Section 287 of the penal code of Thailand with the punishment not exceeding three years' imprisonment or fine not exceeding 6,000baht

The fine does not fit the crime...

I too have seen and purchased off the beach rd in Pattaya, there is only a hand full of vendors and yes there are straight and gay porn on display but i have never seen or been offered child porn or anything that resembles anything illegal (apart from the copyright crime, which no one is really apposed to)

I do not see Thai Porn as that is not a fine but a jail sentence which is stiffer than the Section 287.

If child porn is displayed in BKK i am sure the authorities will take action

Effren Reyes struggles but goes through to the semi finals after going down 7 - 3 to Surathep Phoochalam(THA)

After taking a commanding lead of 7 - 3 local Surathep Phoochalam missed a very easy black ball (nervious) to go on the hill, but Reyes capitalised on the mistake and his strength grew.

Reyes went 8 - 7 up on a race to 9, with Surathep on the table, he potted the 2 ball only to find the white scratched in the center pocket. For the first time in the match Reyes showed emotion by raising him cue in joy.

With ball in hand Reyes went on to win 9 - 7 in a very entertaining game.

Surathep Phoochalam(THA) can only put it down to nerves and experience, the day i nearly beat Effren Reyes

Effren Reyes plays again in the semi final at 7 pm Thai time today

You can watch on

http://www.megabreakpool.com/pattaya9ball2010live.html

Efren Reyes (PHI) V Surathep Phoochalam (THA)

Reyes in trouble to Local Thai Surathep

Reyes down 2 - 5

The come back is in action, now 7 - 7 with Reyes in the driving seat. Surathep missed an easy black to make it 8 - 3 but Reyes capitalized and has grown in strength

Efren Reyes (PHI) V Surathep Phoochalam (THA)

Reyes in trouble to Local Thai Surathep

Reyes down 2 - 5

Prontus Reece Beat Darren Appleton 9 -8

Megabreaks (Pattaya) new golden boy gets through i a hill hill game against the 2008 World 10-ball champion Darren Appleton of Great Britain.

Prontus Reece from Sweden is thrilled to beat such a star in a dramatic match which went all the way to the final frame.

Prontus has been living in Pattaya for 2 yrs and is a local restaurant manager, it is a real achievement for him to face and beat the 2008 World 10-ball champion Darren Appleton

Prontus now faces American Professional Stevie Moore Today at 3pm Local Time

Viewers can watch Live on : http://www.megabreakpool.com/pattaya9ball2010live.html

The Remaining Schedule for Today / Tomorrow

Takashi Uraoka (JPN) v <deleted> Chi Wei (TPE) 1 pm (Thailand) Efren Reyes (PHI) V Surathep Phoochalam (THA) 1 pm (Thailand) Taguchi Kenji (JPN) V Liu Hui Chang (TPE) 1 pm (Thailand) Lee van Corteza (PHI) V Nittiwat Kanjanasri (THA) 1 pm (Thailand) Dennis Orcollo (PHI) v Chris Melling (ENG) 3 pm (Thailand) Tomo Takano (JPN) v Liu Chien Chieh (TPE) 3 pm (Thailand) Ronnie Alcano (PHI) v 3 pm (Thailand) 3 pm (Thailand) Quarter Finals Start 5 pm (Thailand) Quarter Finals Start 7 pm (Thailand)

SF-1 3/10/2010 - 1PM (Thailand) SF-2 3/10/2010 - 3PM (Thailand)

http://www.megabreakpool.com/pattaya9ball2010live.html

I work in the hotel industry and it was announced yesterday that the company had been sold.

The new Managing Director took over today. We have had no official notification as yet.

The staff are on edge as to whats going happen regarding their employment?

The sales staff are still due commission from last month! Are the new owners responsible for this?

I believe they can change our contracts of employments etc, if the individual refuses the new contract, can they leave with benefits or without? As some have many years in...

Obviously the Dep of Employment website is in Thai and I will have to rely on the Thai translation.

Can anyone help me with any of the above.

No end in sight. Is there a way to end this peacefully?

Well, why not let them vote? Plus, it just might save some innocent lives - and some people say, the economy too.

No government should be forced to call elections by violent mobs.

This is the whole problem, the Government is NOT an Elected Government, the current Government was put in power by court Judge (probably paid to do so). So why not just have an Election, No is the answer cos the current government wont win.... It will be another Red Shirt landslide win...

Well the planes seem to have stopped landing at pattaya...

Does anyone know what is up with the airport this morning???

we have just had 5 airplanes land at pattaya over the last 10 min..

I wonder how many 'bar girls' are HIV positive? It's a concern for poor bastards like me who can't attract a normal woman and have to get sexual release with a prostitute.

Dont put yourself down, Just think of it as the cheaper option than having a wife n kids, she will divorce you sooner than later, she will take half your assets and pension and still make you pay for the kids education. So if this has happened to you, write down the figure she took you for, divide it by the number of days you were together and then smile, cos the bird you pulled/paid for yesterday was better looking and sucked for longer than your wife did and she only charged you 1,000 baht ish

"The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?"

I believe it is only a matter of time.

Without saying whether I agree with it or not, I do not expect to see the sex scene as-we-know-it today to look anything like this in Thailand in five years from now. There is a groundswell of resentment to it among common Thai people, especially women, and a growing movement among the elite towards cleaning up Thailand's image. Like it or not, cracking down on perceived and actual immorality (certainly in public) is a vote winner.

I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. I think the Thai populous in general is quite weary of their country's reputation as the world's whorehouse. The middle class is growing and has more opportunity for foreign travel and more access to international news and opinion. Ask most middle class Thais and I venture that you will find the vast majority are completely in favor of any measures that will reduce "visible" prostitution and the perception of immorality.

For those who think "TIT" and it will never happen here, well, just look at other Asian cities. Thirty years ago, Taipei, Hong Kong, Seoul, & Singapore all had a flourishing, "open" sex trade. As the general population in these places became more affluent and more aware of global consensus, the cheaper, visible sex-for-hire establishments (catering to both locals and foreigners) all disappeared. Of course, prostitution still exists and, in some cases, thrives in these cities, but not in the highly accessible, open, and inexpensive manner it previously had.

And, whether you realize it or not, the same thing is already happening in Thailand. Less than ten years ago most Thai cities (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Udon, Ubon, P'loke, etc., etc.) all had large, well-known cheap brothel districts. These areas have all been closed down or have been drastically reduced in size and forced to go "underground". Again, it doesn't mean that sex for sale has been eliminated, just that it's not as open and visible as it was in the past.

Like it or not, this trend will continue and will extend to foreign-patronized go-gos and massage parlors. If you think it won't happen becasue of the loss of revenue, then you've underestimated the cleverness and ingenuity of the Thais. They'll continue to make money off horny foreigners via escort services, rip-off "coyote" bars, and all the other schemes used to separate sex-starved old men from their money in other countries. And prostitution will always be available to those willing to pay a high enough price or who know where to look. But the days of user-friendly, out in the open, inexpensive sex establishments in Thailand are numbered.

I'm not saying this because I think it's right or wrong. Personally, I'm kind of ambivilent. I'd like to live in a moral society but would also like to have an endless supply of nubile sex partners available for nominal fee. It's just the way things go...

go to wanchai or mongkok in hongkong. go to khaosiong on the other side of taipei or downtown . go to downtown seoul on the slaezy side. go to downtown tokyo around ginza,shinjuku, etc.etc. tell me no cheap imported sex slaves can be found. even in clean and green singapore, geylang, joo chiat and ang teng and neighborhood residence areas are teeming with prostitutes if not sex slaves of all nationalities - be it chinese, indian, nepalese, indonesians, thais,vietnamese, russians, some europeans, blah, blah, blah, blah. please, please , please, ambivalent or not, your search for that endless supply of nubile sex partners for nominal fees need not stop in thailand and your days are not numbered as far this search of yours is concerned...so long as you are prepared to travel further and research more thoroughly. check the BANGKOK POST a couple of months ago when one reporter was in singapore covering a sexual slavery scandal and the cheap "imports" and locales where this cheap sex exist - before you put thailand at the bottom of your totem pole of cheap sex.

By all means, go to Wanchai, Mongkok, Tsim Sha Tsui in HK; Itawan in Seoul; Khaosiang in Taipei; Ginza, Roppongi, and Shinjuku in Tokyo; and all the neighborhoods of "flats" in Singapore; they prove my point exactly. None of them have anything close to the "in your face" inexpensive establishments that still flourish in Bangkok. Please note that in my original post I said "Of course, prostitution still exists and, in some cases, thrives in these cities, but not in the highly accessible, open, and inexpensive manner it previously had."

None of those areas or cities are remotely like they were 20 or 30 years ago. None of those areas still have large "foreign-friendly" clusters of huge go-go bars advertising "bar fines" of about (US) $12, where the girls provide service for an average of $50. (don't tell me Wan Chai - rip off places modeled after US and European go-go bars), none of the places have massive massage parlors located on major roads with dozens of girls sitting behind glass, openly offered to anybody who walks in for an average of $40. But all of these cities USED to have exactly this type of scene, as Bangkok does now. Sure, there's all sorts of sex for sale in these places "underground", if you know where to look. Again, as I said in my original post "And prostitution will always be available to those willing to pay a high enough price or who know where to look".

My original point (and I think that of KhunOr, to which I was responding) and the point that you are overlooking, is that the trend in Thailand is likely to be far less "out in the open" sex establishments because Thais are tired of the international reputation they have. It doesn't matter that Singapore, Taipei, HK, & Tokyo still have plenty of prostitution; it's no longer out in the open like it is in Bangkok. As you said in your post "so long as you are prepared to travel further and research more thoroughly". In Bangkok, there's still no need to research or travel further; it's right there in the open. Ask any random Westerner not overly familiar with Asia as to which city is synonomous with prostitution. You know what the answer is...and that's what I think the middle and upper class Thais want to change. I'm not putting Bangkok on the bottom of any "totem pole", just stating a fact.

By the way, I have no personal "quest" or search; those days are long behind me. I simply added that line for a little levity. And, naturally, there are lots of places other than Thailand with abundant, cheap prostitution. But that doesn't alter the fact that Thailand IS changing...

I have to agree totally with Chmike, Singapore once famous for "the 6 floors of whores", right in the centre of Singapore, the sex scene is now really non existant, its has been pushed away to Geyland, a real shit hole where no tourist would ever venture, unless he was looking for it. Singapore now has gone Internet, many websites posting prostitution, phone numbers and pictures, check out http://www.sammyboyforum.com/ , so the scene has changed from high profile to unseen, and the price has gone up, your lucky to get an hour for 200$ sgd. 4,728.82 THB. Plus taxi and tip...

Now Bangkok has really only two areas, Nana and Cowboy and the last time i was in Nana, I was not impressed... expensive and hassled, dirty and smelly and Non Smoking...

Phuket is really tame, bangla road has a couple of bars where you may see a nipple or two, but thats really it, they are more catering for families, restaurants and themed bars are taking over the once thriving sex scene. (I hear girls can charge in excess of 3,000 baht, no longer 300 baht outside 7/11 at 1am, but i am sure some still will). Phuket has really changed and I believe the Government are seeing rewards down there, tourist numbers up, hotel occupancy increased, more private jets and luxury yatchs than ever before, increase in high end property ($4-5 Mill USD, high end in pattaya is 5 million baht).

Pattaya still has a very open scene but there is talk of closing it down and trying to move it toward 3rd rd area, only talk at the moment, but i am sure if the government want to move it (hide) they will.

Without side tracking, if these laws are further steps to "clean up" Thailand, then its called Progress, and you will never stop it, moan but you'll never stop it.

The film ratings has to be done, i hope they include cable tv in these laws? I watched that Rambo film at 8am one morning, not really fitting for breakfast tv (it made me late for work, lol)

the kareoke bars, if they mean these road side bars with fairly lights, then, if they get closed down, its no loss to tourism or anything else. They have been many cases of Thai on Thai murder in those bars, once for someone "pushing in" to sing, stabbed 30 times for his punishment... Or like the Soi Buakhoa Kareoke bars with 20 men sat outside, is that not just a brothel/pick up joint, trading under another licence?

The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?

You are probably misinformed: there are NO massage parlors with sexy girls, NO gogo bars in Thailand. Anyway, prostitution and pornography are illegal in this country.

BR><BR><BR>According to Chief of Police in Phuket, which was printed in the Phuket Gazette two years ago:

Massage Parlours where the girls are free to leave at any time and they have the ability to say NO to the customer who choses her are Legal. Kept women and the ones where the mamasan forces them to service a customer are Illegal. They are to preform a massage! Anything else is between two consulting adults.

Go Go Bars are no more than bars with dancers for your entertainment, however nakedness and lude acts are Illegal and the girls are fined and the bar can be closed down. Similar to topless bathing is illegal and warrents a 500 baht fine. However a bar fine is legal, you are paying to take away a girl from her place of work and depriving the business of a worker. The bar fine only entitles the customer to spend time with the girl, ie go for a meal, cinema, bowling etc. Anything else is just a business agreement between two consulting adults.

Prostitution is illegal, defined by: a postitute is a girl / boy who approaches potential customers offering services. ie the street walkers on walking street and beach road, they are legal as long as they dont approach us. We approach them and again it is a business transaction between two consulting adults. As long as they do not work for a street mamasan/pimp.

pornography is illegal and thai pornography warrents a jail sentence foreign porn in small quantities, for your own viewing will be destroyed if found in your possession. sales and distribution warrents a jail sentence.

Dont shoot the messenger!

The karaoke thing is a huge double standard, why crack down on that and turn a blind eye to massage parlours and go go bars?

You are probably misinformed: there are NO massage parlors with sexy girls, NO gogo bars in Thailand. Anyway, prostitution and pornography are illegal in this country.

According

Another blow for the tourism industry ,

Right now a lot of Scandinavians start their vacation to Thailand , and most of them goto Phuket.

Maybe not for long.

Australians already are very wary of Phuket, British wary because of the airport extortion case, then Danish just the other day.

It seems Thailand seems to make some kind of negative news on monthly basis where the main story is about either extortion of foreigners or how unsafe the country is.

Keep it up Thailand!

The last time I looked, Phuket still sells SEX with beautiful beaches.

This was an obvious land dispute involving large sums of cash, not involving any foreign persons, whats there to be scared of? Nothing... you'll still get a sun tan, a cheap hand bag n dvd's and the male population will still .....................!!!

Taywin in Fortune Tower Shopping Mall, Rachada Rd, Dindang.

They have many designs and if they do not have your size they will make them special within the week, they are expensive designer shoes, between 1,000 and 1,500 baht a pair. They do last, my ex has had about ten pairs for over 3 years.

i know Taywin has two different shops and websites, one affordable every day shoes and the dress designer shoes.

On the Thai Grapevine a Thai Girl was kidnapped from outside Karon Temple yesterday morning at 10.30.

Eye whitness's saw a girl being dragged into the back of a pick up truck but did nothing about it, thinking it was just a domestic.

The girl was raped and robbed and released about 8pm the same evening.

A second report of a Burmeese Girl was taken later that same day in Karon but has still not been released by her captives.

Update to follow.

A Thai woman posing as a fortune teller juped 3 girls into going to their home where she drugged them and robbed them.

On Sunday afternoon a fortune teller wondered into a bar in Karon Beach telling the patrons that she would tell their future. She cohersed 3 unsuspecting girls into taking her back to one of their houses as the bar was not the perfect location.

Agreeing the girls took the fortune teller back to their home where the teller made a coffee and put in some "Thai Whisky" which they all drank.

All 3 girls went unconsious and were later discovered by friends several hours later, the girls were rushed to hostpital were one only gained consiousness yesterday afternoon.

The girls had been relieved for all their possesions and the house contents of value.

Rude gullet said at Newcastle "How do you motivate 11 Multi Millionaires who talk about their next Rolls Royce, and not on who they are playing on Saturday".

Very difficult, I believe Hughes is going through this same syndrome where Sir Alex has always been able to control and get respect from his players, otherwise your OUT. S A has done a wonderful job of keeping giggs out the lime light for years.

is it hughes fault that you bought pay check players instead of players who actually want to play for the club. Look at Ireland, revelation this season and he did not cost a penny. Big Phil had no control at chelsea so why whould he do a good job at City?

anyway, a picture taken of Roy Keene leaving Sunderland

I checked out the rooms, very basic.... there were no door to your closet and i smoke which means all my clothes would have smelled of smoke...

short term to a month, check out the liquid lounge on soi buakaow, 600-800 per night, 12,000 - 15,000 a month, very good.

for 3 months or longer you can look around and get rooms for 5,000 - 7,000 a month in and around soi buakaow.

Well Beat as really expected, but we did put up a bit of a fight in the second half..

Strange off side rule which i had not seen for years...

Ronaldo ran onto the ball 25 yds, stroked it into the net, then the flag went up???

The replay showed he was just offside, so why did he not flag straight away? Because until he touches the ball, he is not interfearing with play...

now i thought that rule went out in the 80's

for the second goal, park and nani clearly offside but deemed not interfearing? the question is park actually jumped over the ball.

In the words of the late Brian Clough " If a player is deemed not to be interfearing with play, what the f... is he doing on the pitch ".

paul masefield at halftime said "Park by jumping over the ball becomes a distraction for the goal keeper and it should not have been given".

Personnally we see this every week, interfearing with play, a very grey area and we will contest these issues again and again. This is why its the best game in the world.

Again well done Man Utd, it may have been 4, but we were not disgraced...

It is to US.

Never heard of the Leeds Utd bar in Pattaya.

There was a Bar Called "Elland Road" on Soi 7, central pattaya about 6 years ago. Unfortunately it closed or changed its name....

most leeds fans i know go to the "Butchers Arms" on Soi Buakhou, it is run by Burnley Fan, most of the customers are from Yorkshire.

They have the internet link too, so if its not on Satelite you can probably watch it in the bar over the net... we watched your match against them non leaguers in there over the net.