Raesum

I haven't got another product to add at this stage but just want to go with the potato chips theme.The bags look soooo fuulll and pluuump-but when you finally get them open theres about 10 chips inside.To follow along the same lines a friend of mine picked up a bag of afore mentioned potato chips, hurriedly looked at the flavour and thought she was buying "onion flavoured" However on closer inspection the picture turned out to be a potato. So in fact what she bought was "potato flavoured" chips. I'm sure I'll think of more...

I was at Prinz Garden Villa Hua Hin recently and the families there all looked like they were having a great time

I bought one a couple of years ago near thieves market Chinatown Bangkok.Its electric and does the job well. The open belt wheel is a bit scary. From memory it was about 2000 baht.

I guess its a non immigrant visa then as the price was 2000 baht

Hey Ruefarang you were the reason why I joined this forum not long before you left to go back to Oz.

My Thai husband of 20 years and I went back to live in Perth after 3 years here. We went for a year 2009 / 2010 and we are now back living on the outskirts of Bangkok amongst his family. He lived in Oz for nearly 30 years and has both Thai and Australian passports. We are absolutely loving being back here and it even feels cooler!! We only ever intended to go back for the year and like yourself we had goals to achieve in the time we were there which we did. I think you would regret coming back and hubby missing out on getting his Australian passport. Even though I live in Bangkok I don't know any other farang so my remedy is to get friends to come and visit me from Australia and NZ. Usually have someone here most months for a couple of weeks.Fortunately, due to family property we were able to build a small cottage so we put them in there and still keep our house to ourselves. Although with your 10 weeks holidays sounds like you can continue to have the best of both worlds. Good luck with having a family. I have just applied for my first retirement visa so I won't be having the dilemma of bringing up a baby here!!!

No thanks..Old Spice and Brut are both memory aftershaves.They remind me of many years ago...Not even this guy could induce me to buy some!!

I must be unlucky when doing my 90 day report at Bangkok/Cheang Wattana (or previously at Bangkok/Suan Plu) as I've never been able to get one done faster than about one hour and 30 minutes, regardless of the day of the week or time of day. Now my retirement extension and re-entry permit have always went pretty fast (knock on wood for the future ones). Good to hear you had a good experience...you definitely got a lot done today in minimum time...maybe Tuesday's are the day to go.

Last Thursday was pretty quiet as well. My first visit to CW office. So much more space than Suan Plu and there seemed to be hardly any people compared to SP. I received a number and it came up immediately to apply for a Retirement visa. All paperwork and having to go and get a few pages photo-copied completed within 45 minutes-they didn't even ask for house photos, bank accounts. I need to go back in 14 days to have visa put into passport

My Thai husband of 20 years is my soul mate and my best friend.When its just the 2 of us together we speak English exclusively. I believe I know him as well as I know myself and vice versa.Living here in Thailand alongside his family doesn't affect our time together.So,yes I know him well, I know his family well and participate in all gatherings, blessings,ceremonies,parties,outings etc with the family .

No.I'd never even heard of sin sod until I read about it on this forum.I have never heard it discussed amongst my Thai husbands family either.

Prada in the green packaging-discovered it at King Power the other day.Had already gone in to buy my good old favourite Estee Lauder White Linen.Next time!

Tesco Lotus is certainly not the only place they "wai" you whilst you are busy trying to receive your change, your goods ,open your purse etc-its everywhere eg restaurants, shops(little and big),service places etc

In my experience it is most certainly customary everywhere.

Can't express an opinion about the BTS "Kah" but yes, Thai hubby said that to use Kah at the end not only shows politeness and respect but it shows you've been bought up "proper".

By the way ,the younger members of my Thai family always, always wai when they go to work /school or come home from work/school to each family member they see. I like it!!!

My husband went in with me to do the 2 tests-basically they are reaction tests- and the examining officer(female) was so busy talking to hubby that she forgot to turn the machine on for the first one and for the second one I got 1 wrong and 1 right and she said "Lib loey" and I passed! Thank goodness I have been driving for over 30 years as if I was a beginner-God help the others on the road.

They did want alot of paper work.I have a yellow book issued by the local Amphor for my residential address-but before you get that its a lot of paperwork etc via Immigration.

My first licence expired last month and because my birthday is in March they extended my new licence for 5 years and 10 months-to coincide with my next birthday after 5 years has passed!!!And yes-they would not do anything for me until AFTER my licence had expired.

This was all done at the office in Tiawanon Road, Bangkok and although both times there have been hoards of people it only took one hour max which I think it pretty good

Two of my nieces here in Bangkok have each got 18 month olds.

In both cases the grandparents look after the children.These children rarely go out.If the grandparents go out its usually just one of them so the other one looks after the child.As for the parents-they work.When they go out shopping they certainly don't take their child with them!There doesn't seem to be a social network where,say, friends come around for coffee with their children so the kids can mix and play

Kiwi girl meets Thai guy in Australia(Perth).Introduced by Scottish friend.

Married for 20 years.Now living in Thailand.

I have just today made a couple of bookings with Tiger Air to Perth via Singapore.These are the taxes I was charged for 2 people.Bkk to Singapore 3220 Baht. Singapore to Perth $190 SGD. Not sure how it works but hope thats some help.(By the way the fare Bkk to Singapore was just 265Baht each and Singapore to Perth 100SGD each)

Hey this thread has helped me !! I thought I was losing my sense of taste - I have been buying bottled chang for a long time, up until about 6 months ago all the bottles tasted the same, now its very hit or miss. Sometimes its disgusting. Sometimes its as it was.

I thought it was me.

Maybe some counterfeit chang is getting into the chain.

I commented on this very thing about 2 months ago.It seems to be only the big bottles and yes it is very hit and miss.You can buy 6 bottles and open the last one and yuk! Hubby and I are about to sit down and write a letter to Thai Bev or the Chang brewery to complain.We have tasted bad bottles in Bang Saen,Lampang,Nong Khae,Bangkok and so on.Theres no pattern.As for the 6.4% I don't think its anywhere near that.Haven't had "an elephant sit on my head" for months.

I just received a letter in which:

My business name was spelled wrong

The address had an extra 5 (550 instead of 50)

The street was spelled wrong

The district was spelled wrong.

And to top it off the postal code was wrong.

But, it arrived! (within a week of it being sent from the US to boot)

Also, when I got my tax reimbursement check last year from the states it had been opened and re-taped shut. Check still inside!

So, I'm not really sure if i should be impressed or worried....

I've had something similar with wrong number,wrong address,wrong postcode but I have an excellent postie as I get it every time even when I first moved here.One Monday morning I was walking to get the bus and he handed me an envelope that was posted from Melbourne the Friday evening before!!!

Try Lotus Tesco.I , too, have a wedding to buy for.The Tesco near me has quite a good range of "sparkling wine" from many different countries. I think we will go with some Australian Queen Adelaide (for the overseas visitors) and some Italian Cinzano which the Thais seem to like as it is on the sweet side.Both are under 500 Baht per bottle. I did once find some Heinkel Trocken at Big C and bought all 6 bottles on the shelf.They must have some reverse thinking thing that says if it sells so quick we'd better not stock it again.After a couple of enquiries as to when the next lot was due in, I gave up.

With my Thai Bank debit card I can get out 50,000 Baht max per day. With my Aus ATM(or credit cards) I can get up to AUD $1000 per day-whatever that is in Thai Baht these days!!

good bread

cheese

coffee

Good bread,cheese and wine.

Thank goodness Tesco now selling wine by the 5 litre cask.From South Africa-but it gets better the more glasses you have!

Have built our own BBQ here and invested in a 2000 baht machine and now make our own sausages.

Bought 2kg of cheap cheese the other day from makro-780 baht.The normal stuff eg Anchor brand was a massive 1450+ baht!!!! The cheap stuff though is pretty rubbery.More wine me thinks...

I was behind a girl in a Tesco queue recently and she bought a helmet. 80 baht!! Say no more-I'm sure it wasn't for her bicycle.

Hubby(Thai) and I have just come back from a round trip Bangkok-Lampang and boy did he do a lot of swearing!!!(In English so I could enjoy the moment too) Both having driven in Australia for nearly 30 years we feel here that everytime we go out in the car there's always some "richard cranium" on the road and up north was no exception. Just feel like drivers do what they want to do when driving"because thats what they want to do" and "thats where they want to be" No they don't use their mirrors. The only good thing in the country is at least they hang back at the U-turns -we knew when we were near Bangkok as the traffic stick their nose out much further giving you a momentary heart attack. From what we saw-if the police would do their job along with driver education then it might be a bit safer. When I went for my license here all I did was sit in a room.Apparently for 1st time licenses they go out into the car park for their test. I reckon it starts with giving the cops a decent wage .... I know, I'll wake up soon.

Went to Bang Saen last weekend. Lots of people for the long weekend so a bit of rubbish about but only to be expected.This is my 4th visit in 6 months and like it more each time. Beach fine for swimming .Generally it is clean and the tiled walkway is swept every morning.

makro sell pizza bases in their frozen section-by the dozen.They are a bit puffy but do the job

Theres a Buds on the first floor at JJ Mall(Next to Chatuchuk outdoor market)

I left my home country when I was 18 to travel the world. My first job as a nanny in Italy really opened my eyes. I just didn't know that not all people really didn't speak English for starters!!I was there for a year and then to the UK for several years on and off. Its called the travel bug and I still have it now even though I am just travelling in Thailand(I live here)I find the best bit is the planning. but yes, you go back to your original roots and really nobody really wants to hear about you and your travels-It's only if they have experienced it themselves and you keep in constant contact with them that they at least show some sort of interest. I only keep in touch now with the people I feel I can relate to-all of them have come to visit me in Thailand and so know where I'm coming from.So, after nearly 32 years of travel I'm looking forward to my next trip both here in Thailand and then O/S. Having an outgoing Thai husband is just an added bonus to this good life I've led.

Don't be afraid of your unsettled feelings.They are normal and the only thing to do is to work hard and have a plan.