ThaiEye

They could have gone any time this week.

Usually they will allow going on Mondays as they are closed for the weekend.

Thanks Lite Beer, so this means they should get their 30 day extension and not have to pay a two day over-stay? If got to pay, then nevermind..

My two cousins are with me just outside Bangkok. Their free 2 month tourist visas run out tomorrow, 31 July. They wish to extend for another 30 days at cost of 1,900 each.

According to an expat this morning, immigration at Jaeng Wattana is closed on a Saturday and Sunday. Then what to do? If they go to immigration at Jaeng Wattana on Monday, the next day immigration re-opens after the weekend they'll be on a two day involuntary over-stay. Then, on this small overstay can they still extend their tourists visas for another 30 days?

Passenger van and guide for my cousins is already booked and paid for to take us to Kanchanaburi a little later today, so today is not a fine time to go Jaeng Wattana. But, if the worse comes to the worse...

Thank you very much for info in advance.

PS: Official immigration website is a joke for info, they still have an office at Suan Phlu!

How very typical of many of the members here on these forums

Here we have foreign expats living in Thailand telling us how much better Bali is than Thailand! Of course, there is only one answer for that.

The OP is asking about relative comparisons between Bali and Phuket/Samui, so the answer isn't about mountains and fresh air in Bali. If he wants that he can visit the north of Thailand. Or for rice fields the central/north-east of Thailand. What's comparable is Bali's seashores and Phuket's/Samui's, and Bali's are nothing compared to the south of Thailand.

Lime juice, never heard that one before. Good advise mate.

Sorry about your jellyfish sting, but that kinda thing could happen anywhere in this part of the world.

This excellent write-up mentions some places with a big screen:

Where to catch all the World Cup action in Bangkok | CNNGo.com

There is nothing going on at all in any of Bangkok let alone the Khao Sarn and Pratunam areas. Yes, it is as safe as it ever was. No worries.

I go through the area virtually everyday and can promise you that it is very safe. Although as mentioned, rather quiet.

It re-opened today (Sunday) but closed at 7 pm because of the curfew.

No, MBK did not re-open today. In fact, it has been open every single day of the year so far.

That area has been 'still' since the yellow shirts almost 3 years ago.

Yes.

Phuket has not been affected by any protestors - everything serious happened in Bangkok.

Anyway, all the red-shirts have gone home now.

Every day/overnight bus is running as normal, even during any curfew in Bangkok.

Every overnight train is running as normal, even during any curfew in Bangkok.

The bars around Nana are buzzing as always. Open for business.

Nothing has changed. It's just more expensive and harder to get travel insurance.

A lot has changed. Don't come to bangkok with a yellow or a red shirt. Wear pink, better some gays are buying you a beer than a bullet in your mouth. Beer is healthier.

You can come to Thailand and wear what ever color shirt you wish, and especially if you are a foreigner. No foreigner outside of any 'danger' zone has been hurt due to the 'chaos' going on.

One Friday there was also plenty of military and police personal surrounding the Royal Army regent on Phaholyothin Rd here in Bangkok. It appeard that security was heavily beefed up after the shooting of the two policemen the night previous.

Nothing to worry about really.

Has Siam Paragon reopened yet? It was closed last week. I need to go to that huge bookstore, I think it's the only place in Thailand that has the book I need.

No, Siam Paragon hasn't really opened yet, but Emporium Stadium at Sukhumvit 35 is having a huge sale May 7 - 20, all stuff from Rajaprasong precinct up to 80% off.

I popped into MBK a few days back and it was packed out with customers. There were a lotta red shirts there too with their families and kids, but they just mingled with the crowds as normal and no one paid them any attention.

I was in Pratunam shopping and having dinner with my girlfriend just a few days ago in Pratunam and no one seemed to care about the red shirt protestors just a few hundred meters away. Life just seemed to keep on moving as if nothing wrong was going on. Plenty of foreign tourists out and about shopping with their kids etc...

Anyway, according to the news the red shirts will be leaving the area very very soon, so nothing much for you to worry about.

None of these gatherings in Chiang Mai has every lasted for long. Give em a few songs and free food and the area will soon be deserted before bedtime.

I'm not too sure about Sukhumvit, but the traveller scene in and around Khao Sarn is as busy as usual.

Nothing to worry about.

But do keep an eye on news of red shirt movements on Bangkok main roads, in and around.

I can count the amount of friends who have left Thailand because of possible civil war by joining the tip of my index finger with my thumbs. That makes big zero.

Unrest in Bangkok has got nothing to do with Phuket and family safety there. The OP is actually in Phuket? If so, he can't be serious!

Enough of the Thai Bashing.

Many of the worst garbage offenders i have witnessed in Phuket are foreigners. Go down to Patong any late afternoon and be amazed at the amount of rubbish left by beach-goers. Empty cans of beer, cigarette butts, plastic water bottle tops - you name it and the farang leaves it.

Besides that, Phuket is much cleaner, on a whole, than it used to be. Nothing as bad as the OP makes out.

Anyone know where all the girls from Patpong are working, what doing for money now?

All queued up for a job at nearby Burger King?

I still been going out in Bangkok the odd night and nothing has changed - as said above just Patpong/Thaniya bars closed.