lamphun

At the risk of being looked down upon as a possible "walker" by Dr Patpong;

Shopping. Take the stairs on the right hand side after Burmese Immigration to go down to the market. Don't buy anything from the hawkers. The marlboro cigarettes are fakes made in Vietnam. At the bottom of the stairs walk straight for about 50m. There's a shop with a yellow sign on the right hand side calling itself duty free. It's got whisky, wine, beer. The spirits are cheap. The wine is cheap but dodgy, forget the beer.

Don't buy too much as there's a customs post on the Thai side right next to the passport office.

Thanks for that. I take it the 30 day will still be available but you won't be able to just nip over the border for a refill. That's ok, forget the prune juice.

What is the status of the 30 day 6tourist visa on entry after June ?

Does anybody actually know ?

Doktor Pat

Being thick your point escapes me. Why should I apply for a 60 day tourist visa when I need to stay less than 30 days. If I'm not working here that makes me what ? A resident ! Don't kid yourself, your long term visa is only as good as the next government change of mind. Keep your suitcase packed.

Don't know about low khao, but I suggest you try some prune juice.

For the sake of genuine tourists I hope that the 30 day stamps will be available in the future but a maximum number of stamps per year (3-4) should be applied.

People staying in Thailand for years on 30-day stamps must have some sort of income. Where does it come from? Working illegeally in Thailand? If from abroad why not declare it and get a proper visa?

opalhort

Opalhort

I've been comming in on 30 day visas for the last twenty years. Sorry to inform you I'm not working illegally or smuggling anything. Sure I'd love to queue up at the Thai consulate in Jakarta or Riyhad every couple of months just to please you. Maybe you can contribute to a fund for my taxi fares and extra hotel bills.

The 30 day system was designed to make it easy for tourists to enter the country and spend their money. It's been abused by a small percentage of "hangers on" but that's no reason to change it. It works well.

Not much point if you can't mention names. Cat's litter box is more like it.

It was beer and durian. I think the combined stomach gases blow you up Kapoow !!

The point about the Nation publishing where the Post won't is correct. You may recall that General Kraponyu tried to shut the Nation down during the troubles a few years back. Didn't like the truth.

I suspect that Trink may have been the columnist who wrote the "Go-Go dancer of the week" centerpiece for the Bangkok World. That was hilarious, in an accidental way. He deserves some credit for that at least.

You might note that every time a Farang dies of a heart attack or other natural causes in Chiang Mai, the local Thai Raht "reporter" always claims they died on the job. Protests to the newspaper by upset friends and relatives have usually not been well recieved.

The book of Moron was supposed to have appeared then mysteriously dissappeared a couple of hundred years ago. Very convenient. Morons are just another looney sect trawling for members and have got nothing to do with Christianity. A better comparison is the moonies.

The best solution is not to be rude to these people. Find out where they live. Be sociable. Knock on their door and ask them if they'd like to come to Jesus, or Buddha. Do it often, twice, three times a day. They'll be at home as you'll have already let the air out of their bicycle tyres.

sorry to say, but as far as I know there is no expat-club in Chiang Mai

should be a good idea to setup one, we are quite a few living here ...

Chiang Mai Hash House Harriers has been going since 1981.

Whilst not strictly an expat club, it is 99% expat. The last couple of years have seen it change from a mere drinking club into a fund raising club for various local charities, last year 200,000 baht, whilst still having a good time as a social club.