Head Snake

A documentary on last year's Festival

Its good stuff. I went to last year's and had a blast. It was hot and no seating; but, the vibe was great.

THis year is year 2 and likely this year's event may be crowded as the ukulele is very popular in Thailand for many reasons.

Several big name performers from Hawaii and Japan. Luthiers. and contestants and lots of other Thai performers

Good for the family.

I highly recommend it.

You no love wong time?

I also took my wife and newborn's passort back to my resident country so that I could get a entry visa for them.

THe lady told me it was illegal for me to do that. I did not know that. I thought I was doing the right thing.

oh well. live and learn. The office made copies of all our passports and I'll mail off my wife and kids passport back to them.

I don't know if you have seen this, but it's from the American Citizen Services web page, maybe a place to start until the experts come along.

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/birth-of-a-u.s.-citizen-in-thailand.html

I just got my passport for my newborn child. I am married so that is the only difference I can tell you about.

Go print out the forms for `1) Reporting a birth abroad and 2) passport application for your new child.

Make an appointment with the American citizen services group on the web. Sorry, you can't just walk in and get served.

Make sure you have all the originals of each document asked of you in the documents.

1) proof of your citizenship - passports, birth certificates

2) proof of living at least 5 years in the States for you - SSN summary or college diploma and rigistrar's report.

3) If you are not married, they may suggest you get DNA tests done - be prepared to be asked if you are sure its yours. You may want to have a history of your whole time with your kid's mom on paper . She may be asked questions. They asked me where I met my wife.

4) Make sure you get at least 2 passport photos of the baby with a white background and the specified dimensions.

5) Need the Thailand birth certificate with proper translation

6) Fill in the forms with either blue or black ink and make sure its consistent and unsigned/signed properly

I had to go twice because we didn't have original form of identification of wife. We just grabbed the wrong passports and assumed it was hers.

Make sure you have the money for the fees .

Have instructions on picking up or delivery of passport.

When I told my landlord there was a bee's nest in the house I was living in, he told me it was good luck.

They specifically told me not try and use a flame and hairspray to remove them.

The bees never bothered me. I guess it was lucky indeed.

1 year happily still married and happy I changed my mind and took the plunge.

I have a 9' pool table in Bangkok. I have moved out of Bangkok and so the table is setup in one of my wive's friend's house.

I bought it from one of the pool bars. Its in good condiition.

I bought it for around 82,000 baht. I know because I just saw the receipt before I put my stuff in storage.

I'd let somebody have it for 40,000 baht if they hire someone to dismantle, deliver and reassemble it themselves.

I'm getting CMN reports that some falang have got off their couches in a sober rage and are driving taxis around to let the local taxi drivers vote.

Reports state the taxis are arriving without hitting too many potholes and falang are giving change if passengers only have 100 baht bills.

service is limited to Sukhumvit and Silom tanoons.

I took the data from my employers.

Yes, if my employers overpaid taxes, I would expect a refund. One thing I didn't want to discuss was total income as I already paid my us taxes for those years and I didn't want to bring US income into the picture. Something in the tax law writeups on the internet got me concerned about this; but, it was not an issue once I submitted my data. They just dealt with money paid in Thailand to me.

I have no idea if penalties or fines are due for late payment. I didn't ask.

I was just about to ask this question. THanks for posting it.

I had a work permit and worked here for about 4 years.

I was given a severance (thanks) and my work permit was pulled.

I had thought that since I kept getting renewed work permits that my taxes were being filed for me. No, I was wrong. My company paid taxes but I was supposed to file the taxes.

So, I took 4 years worth of data to the revenue office by BTS Ari and it took about 1 hour for them to process the taxes. My wife was there and got them to lighten the initial calculated load.

In the end, they handed my copies back to me and told me to present this data if I ever submit for a retirement visa.

And that is the main reason, I wanted to get up to date on those taxes.

It was easy and not too painful.

Let me know if you need more instructions.

I have enjoyed reading this thread.

I think the main subject is does God cure alcoholism or what is the role of God in curing alcoholism?

First off, the person who is drinking may have completely different interpretation of "God" and alcoholism than persons who deal with both issues daily.

After attending AA, my interpretation of both radicallly changed.

AA gave me the ability to stop fighting my aversion to God. I no longer cringe or get irratible if someone mentions God. Nobody at AA ever asked me me to describe my higher power. Nobody at AA gave me instuctions on their HP. If the word "God" or "taxes" or "pattaya" or any word bothers you, you likely need to find a way to let that petty stuff go.

The end result is this makes my life more open to me being a part of life - a group conscience, an earth conscience, a universal energy conscience - whatever. It just stops me from grinding at my preconceptions which makes life much more bearable and waallaaaa - this makes my sober life better and makes me not resort to the normal medicinal cure I used before, having a drink.

I don't want to try and debate what alcoholism is. Let's just say it includes the character traits that make us want to drink as well as the physical desires to just get drunk. I agree with people that it is up to the individual to work on both aspects. If just "believing" that something is bigger than you and letting go to that something helps you not have a drink or helps you to change your feelings/emotions, then use it as a tool.

AA cured me of my obsession to buy self help books. I think that is enough evidence for me that it works.

FYI, I am a fringe AA member who has resentments against AA but doesn't let those resentments stop me from attending meetings. usually, I can glean a number of good things from any meeting.

Yes it is possible and no you do not need to wait any period.

Thanks Lopburi

Is it possible for me to get a tourist visa (30 days) after recently leaving Thailand early this week 5/9/2011 after using an extension to visit spouse in Thailand.

Do I have to wait a certain time before reentering Thailand on a tourist visa?

I just need a short stay to clear up some issues, pay bills, and put items into storage.

The torso in the cardboard box murder article got me thinking.

Don't ever throw away something here because it can always come back to you.

I made that mistake before. I got up early one morning while my wife was sleeping. I was working and decided it was a good time to throw away old photos of an ex girlfriend.

So, I took the photos inside a amall golf bag and was proceeding to throw the item into a far away dumpster.

For whatever reason, the guard was watching me. He asked me what I was doing.

I was throwing away the trash. I told him I cannot have these photos in the house lest my wife thinks I'm trying to remember an old girlfriend. I told him "DO NOT bring this back.. Repeat. DO NOT bring this bag to my condo. REPEAT one more time. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT. "

2 days later as my wife and I are returning, the front desk tells me they found my bag for me.

View of the Ukulele Festival from the skytrain platform

Bangkok Siam Paragon in the outside park area between Paragon and Siam at the BTS SIam station

First off. Thank you to Ribbee and the multiple sponosrs for Day One of the Festival that was yesterday.

It was a good show. Lots of talent and lots of budding talent.

For today, it kicks off around 1 pm

You have serious Ukulele international and local performances starting around 4 pm

I suggest you take a portable seat and umbrella. No need to bring a uke as there are no workshops or strum sessions (even though it would have been great to have those)

Its a show good for kids with easy access to shopping, air conditioning and the food court at SIam Paragon

See this link for a list of planned activities

Thailand Ukulele Festival

homeless people.

They are everywhere. jetsetting around and taking their children to Soi 4.

There's so much more you can do with unemployment money instead of paying motgages.

See doubleU DoubleU DoubleU dot RIBBEE dot com for more details.

The Beatles workshop is February 19th. I can post details in English on this if anybody is interested.

March 12-13 will be a Thailand Ukulele Festival at Park Paragon Siam Paragon. Very good talent, especially Aldrine Gurrero to be showcased. A ukulele contest and more. Ukulele giveaways.

FYI

I'm guessing its sold out.

I'd like to buy 2 good tickets for tonight.

Please PM me.

Honestly, I believe the "3rd car" is a smokescreen as well; however, it seems like some persons are perpetuating this theory but there has never been any quote by persons involved to actually state there was another car. Normally, I wouldn't believe a 3rd vehicle is possible.; but, I have been driving from Bangkok to Lom Sak regularly for the last month and there are cars driving with no lights at night.

My impression now is that if I ever get into an accident, then i should just start making up stories to throw investigators off the reality and the truth.

I have yet to see a red car involved; but, because its been thrown out there, it seems we have to disprove it.

We passed through that tollway section today. There is a tollbooth about a km in front of the accident. I'm sure they could try to account for that 3rd car that way.

I find it extraordinary if that 3rd car avoided contact with anything else besides the girl's car.

This thing is confusing. It seemed so easy to understand before.

It started raining in Bangkok so I told my wife to look out for the ball lightning.

...

...

At first I felt invigorated and then very groggy.

...

I'm lightheaded enough right now that I could easily go sing a few songs at the 7-11 now.