joetys

PR is not citizenship.

With PR you still need a work permit like any other, but you do not need extensions of stay from immigration anymore.

Yes, if not married to a Thai national, it is required to have PR before being able to apply for Thai citizenship.

Thank you very much mario2008. I had gotten the work permit and visa the other way round thanks for pointing that out. Yes I wish to obtain citizenship one day with my wife (not Thai) and this will be my first baby step.

Check out this thread for more detailed information on how to apply for residency:

Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

Thank you george for this old link. May I ask you or anyone here, permanent residency is not citizen right? So does permanent residency application include preficiency in Thai does one need to be able to sing the national anthem at this stage?

The agent whom I had been using in my past 5 years stay here for work permit and visa applications and renewals told me I am eligible for PR application end of this year. Looking at the Quota of 100 per country and last years total application of only 200+ people I guess it is not going to be difficult to be successful, am I right to assume this?

I was also told that the only difference between PR status and Work Permit status that I am in now is that I don't need to renew my work permit every year but I will will need to renew my visa every year. Also buying of property condition still stays. So it seem there is not muct benefit to get a PR except that it could be a pre-requirement to be a citizen. I hope I am right.

Arkady. Automatic gates at Swampy, so what ? How many days of the year will you use those ? Hardly an argument in favour.

Arkady is just listing all the benefits and am being objective I am sure. For me this point is important as I am in and out of the Suvarnabhumbi Airport almost every week.

Made me wanna live here forever and ever and ever and ever

If you hold Thai citizenship, then you are eligible for conscription.

Seriously, you expect to be able to go to Thailand and take advantage of your Thai citizenship, but not have to accept the responsibility of military service that goes along with it? I can see you have assimilated well in the UK.

well I dont really have a choice coming to UK as my mum got a job here... and if i dont want to take a responsibility as a thai person, why would i want to go back now? Im not trying to run away from the army service or anything because my dad is in the army anyway.. just writing to ask a simple question to see what the best option for retuning 'home'

It's really funny, you have family here and your dad's in the army and you are asking all these questions, very very strange indeed. Also you went to UK with your mom when you were already 12 and 9 years later you say "I can't really speak Thai" another very strange thingy here. So you spoke English with your mom all these years? Come on a Thai at 12 will not lose his language skill within 9 years. Who are you kidding?

It's funny Thais equate dark glass to lessening heat in car. Many of my staff got to roll down their windows driving at night just to have a clearer view. Why suffer? Just get a higher quality but clearer heat shield will be safer, more light and less heat.

Hang on, my iPhone has been showing 3G for a very long time, you mean I had been ripped off all this while?

I am a frequent flyer of Thai Airways doing at least 50,000 miles per year for both international and domestic routes, 100% economy class. Without fail, I'll make all my own bookings online and its like almost every other week, I think the online booking is a breeze, I like it and have no problem with it at all. Only feedback I have for TG is please allow online change of flights instead of calling the TG office which I do have one big coomplain, there's always not enough staff to handle the calls.

Drew, if you are reading this I just like you to know whether you succeed or not a big thank you to you for standing up to the many thousands of foreigners here. Nice try and good luck I wish you success as it is also a success to us all.

Anyone know if Viphavadi hospital is still flooded?

I've been to Viphavadee Hospital twice this week. It will be easier if you proceed via Kaset/Nawamin Road from Ekkamia/Ramintra then go under the dry tunnel (below the traffic junction of Paholyothin/KasetNawamin). When you are out of the tunnel the same road is called Ngam WongWan. This side of the road is slightly wet but not flooded whereas the other side or direction (university side) is flooded. Just proceed straight another 400m or so you see the hospital on your left. Enter the hospital through this Ngam WongWan road. After you finish do not go back the same way. Just proceed along Ngam WongWan about another 50m turn left into Viphavadee/Rangsit road and go. Its dry there.

Thank you Planetman, I live in Soi 5 Moo Baan Patra very close to Soi23. Overnight water risen 3cm until now. I hope it stays this way.

Raminthra Soi 23 update as of Noon Thursday.

I came from the east where there was a police barrier and signs preventing cars and small trucks from passing. Raminthra at Soi 23 passable in either direction only by large trucks and boats. The center median was dry yesterday at noon but the wakes of large vehicles almost completely swamped it. The sidewalk was knee deep or a bit higher.

Following Soi 23 the water is mid-thigh for most of the soi's length, with a couple stretches where it is waste deep. Only the very largest commercial trucks were even tried with one exception. One 4WD with a snorkle drove by. I'll bet that snorkel made the drive feel pretty smug; I sure would.

Soi 23 T-bones into Paholyothin 48, where the water is a bit more than knee-deep, and continues so moving east. I live where soi 48 doglegs to the left. knee+ deep.

Overnight the level rose only 2 or 3 cms. I hope the water has almost peaked. The low point of our home is still 30cm above the water, so when they aren't typing these fingers are crossed.

Hi. I just got into Bangkok midnight last night and bunk in with a friend in Ramkhampaeng.

I live in Ramintra Soi 5. Can anyone please advise me how to get into Ramintra Soi 5 or for that matter can I at least get on Ramintra Road at the entrance of Soi 5 or Soi 19. Is there any boat transport to my Moo Baan Patra?

Update, Ramintra Soi 19 and 21 are half a metre now. Looks like its climbing pretty fast.

I wish to update. Ram Intra Soi 19 (20cm), Soi 21 (15cm) and Soi 5 (10cm) is now flooded. My security is now pumping water out of my moo baan Patra's drains, inside moo baan is still dry.

If you go along Ram Inthra towards Minburi, can you have check the odd soi side around KM.8?

Our neighbor said that the fields there have some water. After that, maybe go up Khu Bon Rd?

Live in Soi 5 Ramintra. Ramintra main road is high and dry. But water had creeped in at Soi 19 now's about 10cm or less. Expect to rise further but not much and fast.

I wish to update. Ram Intra Soi 19 (20cm), Soi 21 (15cm) and Soi 5 (10cm) is now flooded. My security is now pumping water out of my moo baan Patra's drains, inside moo baan is still dry.

If you go along Ram Inthra towards Minburi, can you have check the odd soi side around KM.8?

Our neighbor said that the fields there have some water. After that, maybe go up Khu Bon Rd?

Live in Soi 5 Ramintra. Ramintra main road is high and dry. But water had creeped in at Soi 19 now's about 10cm or less. Expect to rise further but not much and fast.

If you go along Ram Inthra towards Minburi, can you have check the odd soi side around KM.8?

Our neighbor said that the fields there have some water. After that, maybe go up Khu Bon Rd?

Live in Soi 5 Ramintra. Ramintra main road is high and dry. But water had creeped in at Soi 19 now's about 10cm or less. Expect to rise further but not much and fast.

Flood reported at Soi 19 Ramintra about noon. 4-5cm.

I had updated at the googlemap - http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=213316271188739590317.0004b016cc08a39456d14&msa=0&ll=13.73605,100.591164&spn=0.178424,0.338173

Was just informed that an announcement had been made about 14 roads to be close as follows:

4 city roads closed

28/10/2011 at 12:43 PM

The Metropolitan Police's traffic command has ordered closed to traffic 14 city roads which have been flooded.

In nothern Bangkok, the roads closed are:

1. Vibhavadi Rangsit: between National Memorial and Lak Si intersection;

2. Phahon Yothin: between National Memorial and Soi Phahon Yothin 50;

3. Khamphaeng Phet 6 (local road): between the entrance to Muang Ake housing estate to Thung Song Hong intersection;

4. Songprapa: between Sri Saman and Kor Sor Bor intersections;

5. Weluwanaram: the entire road;

6. Liap Khlong Song: between Air Force Palathikarn and Sapan Poon intersections;

7. Chantharubeksa: between Air Force Academy and Chantharubeksa intersections.

In western Bangkok:

8. Charan Sanitwong: between Bang Phlad intersection and Sirindhorn interchange;

9. Arun Amarin: between Arun Amarin intersection and Sirindhorn elevated road;

10. Boromratchachonnani:between Pin Klao bridge and Sirindhorn elevated road;

11. Boromratchachonnani:between Phutthamonthon 3 and Phutthamonthon 4 intersections;

12. Sirindhorn: between Bang Phlat intersection and Sirindhorn elevated road;

13. Uthayan: between Uthayan and Phutthamonthon 3 intersections; and

14. Sala Thammasop: the entire road.

When the water eventually makes it past Bang Khen roundabout, there is a definite slope on Phaholyothin Road towards Kasetsart. Whether this will increase the flow into Chatuchak district remains to be seen. At the moment it still looks like it will be 1-2 days before any water might reach Major Ratchayothin.

Thank you Sunderland. Just to add a little Ramintra Road in front of Central Ramintra bone dry too

Any information on the exit Khlong Luang from Highway 9 to Highway 1 direction Ayutthaya (and vv)

I just spoke to my manager. Klong Luang is still accessible via Wongwaen Ring Road (Kanchanaphisek Road). But towards the Vibphavadi/Rangsit end of Klong Luang is pretty jam because of flooding in Klong 1 and 2. This morning he was trying to access to my factory in Klong 4 which is already flooded so he got to take a boat into Klong 4 with people dragging the boat on the flooded road. Tomorrow we will get our motorized boat.

Also an update that my house in Ramintra Soi 5 is high and dry. No sign of any flood. Inside moobaan drains' level is not high (yet). Very fortunate.

Sometime one has no choice if a suggestion is made by the "brilliant" one, even all professors got to support it.

"Yingluck........... said the boats' propellors would move only a relatively small amount of water but that the measure was still "worthwhile and efficient".

A giant step away from tripling the flow rate. "Relatively small" is probably pollie-talk for what engineer's refer to as SFA, but efficiency is a well understood engineering term.

Considering that the boats have to maintain a velocity relative to the water equal and opposite to the current flow just to remain stationary relative to the terra firma, and in many cases this will be the best part of full throttle, I would equate the efficiency to that of a baling bucket with a bloody big hole in the bottom.

It will be interesting to see if anyone from the local press, engineers or whatever, actually have the cajones to point out that this stunt is a waste of time and fuel , not to mention the ridicule it will attract.