fvw53

- no embassy has legal powers to intervene in your case : only the Thai courts can make a final decision if necessary

- if a Thai court makes a final ruling (no more appeal possible) that you neglect your child - having your nationality - then your embassy may consider to inform justice system in your own country.

I agree with GrahamF in the cases where excessive alcohol consumption is an "alternative" and of course wrong method of stress management...People in such a situation need most of the time external help to solve not only their dependence on alcohol but also to learn how to manage stress in a better way.

I am surprised to read that a few people got rid of their drinking problem without medical assistance : good luck to them because it shows they were probably not alcohol addicts.

If consumption of alcohol is used on a long term as a (wrong) stress management then it can change the brain settings...the same way as "recreational" drugs...can do this....and then you can become an addict who probably needs medical assistance.

India is planning to relax visa regulations (even visa upon arrival for certain countries)

China is very sensitive about the visa restrictions and difficulties imposed by certain countries on its citizens and since 18 months China seems to apply to rule of "reciprocity"

I regret deeply that with the new restrictions imposed by the Embassy in BKK I can no longer make short visits to China - which I did during the last 30 years - but we must always keep in mlnd that a visa is not a "right" but a "favour" granted by a country.

To establish a "professional" consulate (i.e. regional representative office under the authority of the Embassy which is in the capital) depends on the agreement between the Foreign Ministries of countries which have established diplomatic relations.

Under the same rules honorary consuls can be appointed but they have no real consular powers at all, they are volunteers using their high profile (private) status to intervene with local authorities at the request of the Embassy which has appointed them...

Latest info was that foreigners need to apply in person at the Chinese Embassy

To Technologbytes

I am not interested in the discussion if climate change is caused by human activities or by natural cycles...or is a reason to tax people : I am 70 and I always tell a friend in Brisbane who is on your line of thinking... that in 2050 he may be standing at what is now the Gold Coast in water which is one meter higher. At that time I will no longer be on this planet so I do not worry about it.

I am more interested in the question if the beautiful beaches of Hua Hin and Pranburi will last long enough for my lifetime...... because since I went there first in 1969 a lot of beaches has disappeared or were replaced by big rocks.

- is this a case of "climate change" or is this a repetition of previous floods this time of the year?

- two years ago during the big flood I had to escape from Pathum Thani on 22 October and I spent 2 months in Hua Hua and I cannot remember it rained one day.

I cannot accept this is a subject of casual discussion with a lot of offenses.

I am born in a strict Catholic West European family but my former (Catholic) wife wanted a divorce about 30 years ago and now I am happily married more than 25 years to a Thai lady born in a strict Buddhist family.

According to Catholic teachings I should have waited to marry again until my first wife died (but she too is still alive) and I have this way excluded myself from access to what Catholics call "the Sacraments" and so I bought myself a ticket to hell in case I die.

According to the same Catholic teachings my wife (and also her 84 year old mother) will join me in hell because they never understood the meaning of Christianity.... although they live a decent Buddhist life.

So I am not a person inclined to put "stickers" on the heads of other people and to declare all Buddhists are like "this", all Muslims are like "that" etc...

Let me make a guess : you have in every country about 10 pct "evil" people who will never care about anybody except themselves, about 10 pct of "decent" people in no need of any outside guidance to do the right things and about 80 pct of "undecided people" who can be manipulated in a good or a bad direction by others (many times by politicians).

Of course those percentages can change in time and geography : I am born in 1944 and the Germans I know are overwhelmingly not the Germans my father and mother have known..some of my German friends can hardly believe how high the percentage of "undecided and then manipulated" people has been in their Christian country about 80 years ago. There is another German people now...and the same thing could be true comparing what happened in Buddhist Cambodia a generation ago and now.

About Islam : I have many Muslim friends who are simply horrified about the killings done in the name of their religion...the ongoing struggle between Sunni and Shia Islam makes me think of the religious wars in Europe about 400 years ago...(the instrument to kill are of course much more powerful now)..Those killing are always done under the pretext to preserve the power of God...while at the same time their faith says God is already almighty...so that in fact their kill for their own power.

About Buddhism : the above mentioned percentages of evil, decent and manipulated people apply also to Thailand.

In fact true Buddhism - as practised by my wife and her mother - is very similar to the 10 Commandments of the Jews but without the First Commandment ..because it seems Buddha apparently was most of all concerned about practical things to reduce the suffering of mankind and did not bother about things which could not be understood anyway.

I have Christian teachings about compassion and caring for others which my mother put on my empty brain between the age of 3 and 7 : I cannot erase it ...and what I wrote here is inspired by this.

In the past the French Embassy assisted me to get such a visa but that was 15 years ago and I do not know if the cooperation between France and Congo still exists.

But you could call the French Embassy

I prefer strippers at funerals

http://blogs.funeralwise.com/dying/2010/07/26/stripper-funerals-in-china-naked-funeral-directors-in-america/

will Thai tourists also get visa waiver to visit China ?

as a Belgian living North of the city I prefer HOBS beer garden which has 4 locations but the nicest is HOBS Aree, soi 10 Aree Samphang (opposite Ministry of Finance )...but ...no beer is served from 14h00 till 17h00

http://www.areegarden.com/en/body_page/main-body-shop-details.php?shop_id=7

once you have exhausted the 3 GB you have paid for, every internet provider will reduce your speed to very little until you pay for a new month renewing the 3 Gb

I think if you want to download movies or TV programs your quota of 3 Gb will be used quickly and you may have to pay for a larger volume than 3 Gb

Let us keep in mind that the quality of all human relations are based as a first step on mutual respect followed by mutual trust and finally opening the door to mutual friendship.

This does not only apply to relations between wife and husband but also to relations in the work place, to relations between nations, cultures, religions, etc...

I am married in Thailand since 25 years and after a disastrous first marriage in Europe I say to my (Thai) wife from time to time " you are my best friend" : in the beginning she did not understand this...she would reply "but I am your wife !" ...and then I say "each time I come home... I am happy to be home because of you and this was not the case during my first marriage"...

Now she understands

I never heard about a food store with the name Friendship : do you have an address?

Hi Kevvy

There are people who are 25 years old and others who are 60 years young : a lot depends if you are only looking backward because there is not much to look forward.

Nevertheless depending on our genes and our lifestyle we feel at a certain time that the body is slowing down : I have those feelings since the age of 55 and I am now close to 70

You survived a MRSA infection ...my goodness.... that is already a reason to remain optimistic and look forward (others need to survive a heart attack to realize that life if beautiful)

For residents like me with an extension based on marriage, my Thai extension was not a sufficient proof of income...indeed such extension requires prove of income (my pension is paid by my EU government on an account in the home country)

Since 25 years I transfer money to the joint account of my (Thai) wife and myself and for extension I produced certificates of sufficient income issued by my government and certified at my embassy in BKK

...however I was refused a visa because they here in BKK they want to see "bank book" which I did not have and in the end I did not go the China where I lived 6 years (long time ago) and where I have visited friends every years the last 25 years.

It has to be said that "visa" is not a right but a "favour" so that the Chinese authorities do what they want

Thanks for the valuable comments.

I have not yet bought a smartphone because I am puzzled by the many offers on the markets and the absence of English explanations : now I have an idea of prices

Can somebody recommend a DVD player with USB port to play videof files in AVI and MP4 and MKV

does somebody knows if Hong Kong can be considered as a "third" country?...after all the Territory has totally different entry regulations than P.R.China

pls keep us update about the easy ways to visit Guangzhou

in my country (EU member) the girl would have to undergo psychiatric treatment and her parents would face action by the judicial system and have to pay damages

Who goes to the toilet and leaves a mobile telephone on the table of the bar with an unknown person?

If this guy was drunk then he could indeed have been framed...certainly as the girl succeeded to find (follow?) him so quickly