whoppe78

Flying from BKK to Luang Prabang, I imagine I get my visa right there at airport.Just going for 2 weeks.

Want to go to Laos for 10- 14 days and wondering where to start. I see flights are pretty expensive so wondering if taking train to Ventiane would be cheaper. Is it worth to go to Ventiane or should I just fly right to Luang Prabang. I know that is a vague question.Any good tour operators that people can recommend, also hotels or guesthouses you have used before, in Ventiane or Luang Prabang.I'm going beginning of Oct., so still be rainy season so might be good to do some river adventures.Kind of winging this post just trying to get some ideas from people that have done this trip. Plus turning 53 next month and have some walking problems so can't go trekking all over the place.Is the Mekong raging during rainy season or will it be calm waters to float down?

How long do you have to spend in Laos?

If you want to see the 4000 islands and then catch a bus up north, depending on where up north, that is going to be a very long bus ride. Generally the buses I rode in Laos were very old and very slow as they stop a zillion times to pick up and drop off. There are some minibuses on some routes but seems they fill every seat and not all that comfortable eithere. So bottom line it is a very long way from far southern laos to far northern laos and yes i would say that would be a brutal bus ride for you.

I always do two weeks up north or two weeks down south but don't try to do it all in one trip. Up to you.

I'm sure others can probably provide you with more info and suggestions depending on your time etc.

I was only planning a 10 day trip so maybe you right just fly to Ventiane and start there. Thanks for confirming me about bus rides, that is what I've read.

Thinking going in at Chon Mek and then taking bus up north. Thought seeing the 4000 island area would be interesting. Is the bus to go north going to be a brutal uncomfortable ride? Maybe better to go in at Mukadan and start there.Eventually want to fly back to BKK so I get automatic 30 day visa, which will cover the rest of my time here in Thailand.Saw a few reviews about Chon Mek and there was a lot of negative remarks. Want to have a adventure but am turning 53 next month and have some walking issues,bad foot.Would love to see the country side but don't want to be stuck on a broken down bus in the middle of no where. Any experiences will be appreciated.

I leave country on Nov. 1st. I get my 3o day extension on 23rd Sept. So I can stay till Oct. 24th. and then do border run or fly some where.My question is if I go some where before the 24th of Oct. does that automatically erase my 30 day extension?So say I drive to Laos and then come back I just get a 15 day visa.I know pretty basic question but was just wondering what my options are.

I agree 100%

I don't even know what most of that stuff is. I've been here 4 months and dropped 19 kilos. I don't eat break fast,I eat lunch around 12 pm (mostly vegetarian) and for dinner usually a salad. Plus some nights I eat the bbq fish they have at market. I do cardio 5-6 nights a week. Was lifting weights but old injury came back and I stopped.I've done fasting before which is similar to what your doing but when done I always put weight right back on.The idea is to eat right and not starve your self so the weight comes off gradually. My problem is when I go home I work in a pizza shop and way to many temptations. But good luck and keep excercising.

Follow that advice, and you're a fool.

thanks for both replys and I will try to act on them legally.

Answering this question is required even if your records were sealed or otherwise cleared or if anyone, including a judge, law enforcement officer or attorney, told you that you no longer have a record."

http://www.uscis.gov...form/i-129f.pdf

The part about answering the question even if the record is expunged is horseshit. There are different levels of "sealing, "expungement," etc. But if it is truly wiped, thus "deemed not to have occured," don't re-open it. If your record is completely sealed or expenged it will not ever turn up on a criminal background check. If you mention it on an official form, you have just made a new public record of it. I had a couple of youthful (over 18) offenses that were expunged, and I have NEVER disclosed them on any form that contained such a requirement as shown above, including the Bar Association application. Yes, I am a lawyer. I thought it ironic that the offenses were legally "deemed not to have occurred," a legal fiction, but the Bar Association, a conglomeration of professionals that live by and thrive on the legal fiction don't respect it! At the time they were expunged, I asked the judge if I could now legally say I have never been arrested or convicted and he said "YES." I have always followed his good advice. It's a trick question.

ok thanks for info, I guess my next step is to contact all courts I have lived in and see if I have any records of convictions.

I see I need to report all my convictions on my form. Does that mean every thing that I was convicted over my life time. All dui's, a couple misdemeanors from marijuana, all over 10 years ago and longer. All have been wiped clean on records. I was going to fill out K1 form myself but you think I should use a professional. I don't even know where to start to get all the dates and records for these offences.I was no saint in my younger days.

Do I need to send k1 visa form to USA or do I file online? Plus I see I have to report all criminal convictions on my form.does that mean every thing in my life over 10 years ago and longer. like DUI's, and a couple misdemeanors for marijuana.How accurate do I have to be? I was going to do process by myself but with this problem I might need professional help. I guess my younger days will come back to haunt me.

If don't close first company officially is it possible to start up a separate company.Would they check your passport records or whatever and try to inflict penalties that way. And would it be possible to get work permit, buss. visa like I did with the first company.

Hi! I guess you will soon hear from james collister,but in the meantime I can tell you,that it is,hm,well,rubbish.......You will need at least 500 trees and probably work them youself,to get a modest,and I mean modest,living out of it! I think you have missunderstood what your gf told you....Perhaps she meant to say one land with trees...

Bosse137: you hit the nail squarely on its head !

thanks that is what I thought maybe they talking about land with many trees. But mostly I thinking they want me to pay off some land they aquired and make up a story about buying 1 tree for 20000 baht.

today my gf came to me with idea to buy a rubber tree and to plant for the future.Says 1 tree will give family a job and income in 7 years. I don't know if this is her Mommas idea to get money out of me for whatever reason. It seems to me that 1 tree can not generate that much income. Is there any potential for rubber tree farming here in Thailand and if so I would imagine would need more than 1 tree.I'm just trying to get some facts on subject before I jump to the conclusion that they are just trying to scam me again.

why the not touch clause, she is your partner surely you can trust her not to access it.

Its not about trust, it's just that I'm not good at saving money as she isn't any better. When I'm away I send money and if there is a emergency I send more.But if we had a separent acct. that we just put money into and not constantly dip into it we might be able to save money.Plus if our relationship doesn't work out she can have a little nest egg to cushion the blow of being single again.

Is there a game between Thailand and Chelsea in Buri Ram?

I want to set up some sort of savings plan for my TGF. We both have savings acct in Bank Bangkok but both accts. are always low. Want to do some thing separate that she won't touch. Not interested in a life ins. plan because they want to much to start up and the return is low.Any ideas ?. I'm thinking just a basic saving acct. and one that I can do online banking and maybe a good rate on wire transfers. Are any of the banks better than the others in reguards to interest rates.Basically I am open to any suggestions besides all the negative ones I will probably get in this subject.

Besides going to Foodland and making a steak at home is there a excellent steak restaurant in Pattaya or Jometien? My brother turns 50 this weekend and want to take him out to a fun,lively restaurant that serves good steaks.

Has anyone used this company before and can any of them be trusted to have money to give. My TGF wants life insurance so she can get big money later in life. wouldn't it be better to do some type of saving plan/insurance thru a bank, maybe have a better chance at seeing a return in future.Basically what I'm asking is if anyone has set up life insurance for wife/tgf, parents,etc.

Has any one's GF or wife try these injections? I see that one shot good for reducing wrinkles or removing old acne scars. My girl still has break outs at ripe old age of 28.Of course all the fried pork and stinky fish she eats can't help. What can I do ? Now she uses Gluta whitening creme anyone hear of that product?

Go any time within the last week and get it extended. You do not lose days by going early.

excellent advice I did not know that.

My TR Visa runs out on the 2nd July so I have to extend before the 2nd since it is a Sat. are all offices still going to be open on Fri. because of elections.Do you think better for me to go on Thur.? Plus this year thinking of going to Jometien office for convenience, is that office open on Fri. and is it better to go early morning or is the afternoon better.Last year went to BKK and used my Surin adress and they wouldn't accept it and had to give a BKK adress will that be the same down at Jometien. I know this subject been beat to death but I don't like problems and like to be prepared.

Check out the website, last year looked pretty busy. I only added a few pics, didnt' want to overload people's connections

is the party on the 4th or the 3rd ? the other post looks like same event and that one said on the 3rd.

As you're not married, your income will not be able to be assesed.

Being on a TR visa you cannot apply for finance in your name (you used to be able to do this with a big enough downpayment, but not anymore), nor will you be able to act as a guarantor.

The only chance you have is if the money you have been sending her has been regular as clockwork for at least 6 months, has been a decent amount of money, and she can get a Thai friend who's a business owner to provide a letter of employment to match so it looks like a salary - then she can perhaps get the finance in her own name.. But it all has to "look" right - i.e. no-one gets paid 40K/Mth to work at a beauty salon

Note that the motorcycle finance will most likely not have counted towards her credit rating - in almost all cases (for small bikes) this is vendor finance, not a finance company, so not in the credit register.

thanks for info. there's nothing regular with me sending her money.

A second-hand dealer would certainly sell your girlfriend a car with that down payment, perhaps with a member of her family acting as the guarantor.

The fiscal issue for you to consider is the sum you're being charged to send her money from outside Thailand vs the interest rates charged on the auto loan.

I don't mind sharing a tale of my own financial ineptitde as I have experience with the high-interest charged on auto loans as the first car I bought in Thailand was a second-hand Toyota, superb car, but it was a real wake-up call financally. This is back in 2005, I used my work permit with my wife as guarrantor and from a cash price of 310k, I paid 50k down and the auto loan, underwritten by Kiatnakin bank, was quoted as 6%, which I agreed to.

On the principal of 260,000baht, the effective rate was much higher as I ended up paying 12,500/month for two years which was 44,500 in interest (including some other charge for the intermediary finance compay) so I may have well have bought the car on my credit card. I know I was stupid, but you live and learn; I still don't understand how interest is charged in Thailand. Since then I've always bought new.

My point is that instead of getting gouged with interest rates from a Thai bank and then losing again with variable exchange rates and transfer charges to your girlfriend, you may consider borrowing money from a bank in your home country and negotiating a lower cash-price for a car in your price bracket.

thanks for info I guess I just pay all. I have the cash but it's in mutual funds and hate to take out before market rebounds.