CroBiker

I have been renewing my Non-Immigrant type "O" visa for 14 years now and always after the existing visa expired.

Current visa expiring in February 2014 but wish to apply for new one earlier, got my reasons. Can this be done and how early can I apply? Just for the record: all these years I got my visa in Thai Consulate in KL, no exceptions.

Thanks in advance.

I actually know Prap Keesan in person and he seem to be very nice guy. You can sit with him for hours and talk just about anything....I mean just about anything, including hot issues like this. As much as I hate these Phuket taxi/tuk tuk gangsters something tells me he is just a puppet in someone else hands.....someone higher than him....have pretty good idea who that is though.

Thank you for info guys, appreciate it.

Need help from fellow TV members:

My motorcycle riding license (issued in European country) expires in few days time, therefore I decided to get Thai license.

1. For how long are these licenses valid these days? Is there such thing as 5 years or is it 1 year only?

2. Can I get IDP too? Someone said in order to get IDP, license has to be valid for at least 5 years but I couldn't verify this?

3. Are the rules still the same? Non-immigrant visa or work permit, medical certificate, photo, letter from immigration. Is there anything else I should bring with me?

Obviously, I am based in Phuket and any extra info how these things work out here would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

According to another news source he has been broke for some time. His only income is an B11,000 a month pension.

Rather than ditching him or dobbing him, his ex "Honey" has been feeding him.

Pension of THB 11,000 only? Is it really possible to live on such small monthly budget in Phuket?

dam_n it....few days ago bought ticket Phuket-BKK-Manila....wish I knew about this.

Edit: from August 16th...ok then.

Salapoo, on 03 Jun 2013 - 23:14, said:

Ahh, beautiful, moral, superior buddhist Thais.

Don't worry, the problem will be gone in 10 or so years as there won't be any tourists left visiting there.

what makes you believe they are buddhist - the island is 50% muslim

Majority of them are Isaan scum. The rest comes from Nakhon and Phatthalung.

No doubt cars were destined for Cambodia. During my recent trips to this country I was shocked to see so many super cars in Phnom Penh. Just go to Naga World Hotel and Casino in Phnom Penh and you will see dozens of exotic cars at hotel parking lot.

Nothing wrong with a visa requirement for entering at this border or any other. Every country I can think of that has a visa requirement does NOT allow you to enter even for a day, even near the border area if you don't have a visa for that country so I don't understand the bickering amongst some posters here about whether a visa would be required to cross this border or not and their hopes that it won't be. Myanmar is clearly an exception to the international rule of treating your country as one by applying the same entry requirements at all designated international border entry points and overland access at these crossings.

I'd be more interested in knowing whether this will be one of the first crossings (after Mae Sot/Myawaddy) to allow full overland access to other parts of the country, which would only be allowed WITH a visa in your passport. But since the Mae Sot/Myawaddy overland crossing opening date keeps changing (currently it is unclear whether it already allows overland crossings to Yangon etc. or not), I am not confident that one can reach Myeik or Dawei overland from Dan Singkorn, unless maybe someone could check with Prachuab immigration and post here?

Mae Sot/Myawaddy is open for overland crossing for some time now. There are numerous 4X4 adventure caravans from Thailand on their way to India and Nepal, I've seen it with my own eyes. I was also part of motorcycle expedition and we rode all the way up to Naypyidaw and Bagan before turning south towards Yangon. First 60km's across Dawna Range are challenging but afterwards no problem.

And that trip that you did looks really great. Do pls post on it and then link the info here.

However, as you state in the other thread one needs an embassy issued visa AND a permit authorising said journey. So it is not a matter of just turning up and crossing thinking one can head inland. (Unless this has suddenly changed).

AND all of these overland crossings have been pre arranged "adventure caravans" or "expeditions" approved by the embassy. So it seems doubtful that a few friends could just ask for approval for a permit to travel inland if they didn't have their own transport and a govt. authorised guide (the latter is a requirement at Mae Sai to head towards Kentung on the road to China).

I don't know which is why I asked you for further info. However, based on previous restrictions, my Feb advice at the Mae Sot border and your info, this appears to still be restricted travel beyond Myawaddy. More than happy to be corrected if it is fully open travel for all.

Waiting for the first Singkhon crossers trip report for the details on the burma side. I suspect that for now it will be limited to day entry only but someone will confirm. Note sure that the Burmese would yet want hordes of foreign travelers heading inland through parts of the country where few foreigners have ventured for decades. Just a guess.

I should have clarified: special permit needs to be obtained from Myanmar government. This takes from 2 to 12 months to get, depends on luck and who you know basically. Then with valid visa issued at Myanmar Embassy and this permit you can ride/drive across the country accompanied by official guides and government minders.

There are many crossing points between Thailand and Burma between Mae Sot and Ranong that can be used by locals for trading purposes. There aren't any, however, where you can do a visa run. Hopefully that will change in the not too distant future with the upgrading of the Nam Ron and Three Pagoda crossings. As an aside when I went on a visit to Nam Ron last November wifey got talking with one of the locals there and learnt many Thais go to a small Burmese casino just across the border. I was also told farang were not allowed to cross. In answer to Ignis's border post I was told there is a small local crossing due west of Ratchaburi. May fit the description.

The Mae Sot/Myawaddy crossing may now allow full overland crossings between Thailand and Myanmar, the only international crossing allowing this for now.

No it doesn't, foreigners are still prohibited to travel beyond the Myawaddy city limits. And Mae Sai does allows people to travel up to the Chinese border on the 14 day pass albeit with a govt registered guide. They still keep your passport at Mae Sai to ensure your return.

You have been misinformed lakegeneve. As recently as March 2013 we rode on bikes from Myawaddy to Kyaikhtiyo Golden Rock, capital city Naypyidaw, Bagan, Pyay, Bago, Mawlamyaing and back without any issues. Anyone can go with valid 4 weeks tourist visa and permit issued by Myanmar government.

At Shwe pagoda replica in Naypyidaw

Naypyidaw City Hall

Mae Sot border checkpoint

The only way thru is via Dawna Range

Bagan....

WW2 Allied soldiers cemetery, 27,000 graves..

Indian border not far from here

Nothing wrong with a visa requirement for entering at this border or any other. Every country I can think of that has a visa requirement does NOT allow you to enter even for a day, even near the border area if you don't have a visa for that country so I don't understand the bickering amongst some posters here about whether a visa would be required to cross this border or not and their hopes that it won't be. Myanmar is clearly an exception to the international rule of treating your country as one by applying the same entry requirements at all designated international border entry points and overland access at these crossings.

I'd be more interested in knowing whether this will be one of the first crossings (after Mae Sot/Myawaddy) to allow full overland access to other parts of the country, which would only be allowed WITH a visa in your passport. But since the Mae Sot/Myawaddy overland crossing opening date keeps changing (currently it is unclear whether it already allows overland crossings to Yangon etc. or not), I am not confident that one can reach Myeik or Dawei overland from Dan Singkorn, unless maybe someone could check with Prachuab immigration and post here?

Mae Sot/Myawaddy is open for overland crossing for some time now. There are numerous 4X4 adventure caravans from Thailand on their way to India and Nepal, I've seen it with my own eyes. I was also part of motorcycle expedition and we rode all the way up to Naypyidaw and Bagan before turning south towards Yangon. First 60km's across Dawna Range are challenging but afterwards no problem.

lol you morons....this says a lot about quality of Thai Visa readers

I remember my son getting bullied in his first couple of years of primary school - I got sick of it in the end as the school wouldn't deal with it, so I got the boys fathers outside the school and kicked seven shades of shit out of them and told them all that every night my boy got a hiding, so did they. Bullying stopped immediately. Was a big confidence booster for my boy too when he watched the little shits' fathers slapping their ears all the way down the road after it

Wow - you must be a boxer, MMA star or something really special. Kicking the crap of several other guys and infront of your son too. Guess he was real proud of his macho super hard dad. Lucky you didn't pistol whip'em, cut'em up a bit or shoot'em. What a role model!

Obviously you have no children. No caring parent would stood by and watch his child being bullied. I would do exactly the same thing as bigdod....beat the shit out of these little scumbags. Once my kid came home crying, says South African bitch teacher put a soap in his mouth....I found her and slapped her right in front of everybody. Next day I moved my kid to new school. She and school never brought charges against me, in fact she was fired few weeks later for false theft report and subsequently kicked out of country.

Yellow is not benzine, period.

Not that I wanna argue with you:

http://t2.gstatic.co...dHXnBjm7RDgREsh

(Picture link, but no permission to use it!)

PTT Blue Gasoline 95 is Yellow and no Gasohol!

http://www.pttplc.co...Pages/home.aspx

scroll a bit, till you see media center. Look onto the right side of the page.

Funny story, I had a chat with a friend, about the gasoline at the Wichit PTT

Not available, at the 'motocy pumps'. The friend of mine insisted, to get it at the "not for motocy, only for car" pump.

They don't wanted to sell. The guy needed to ask the boss, what they should do, to get the stupid Farang (my friend understand a bit Thai) move his motocy away.

Solution: Boss said sell him what he want.

Btw: My mileage per liter is going up. About 10%, I think. The gas station in Chalong is selling yellow Benzene (!) to motocy and car, no ploblem for them.

Kata will never get it, i think. I stopped going there, after I thought about, how they changed the tanks, without digging, at the time, gasohol came on the market.

The same price, like before, but less mileage. So my guess was, they changed only the color and the price at the pump., If I remember right, they did set up the standard colors for the fuel color (colored the fuel by type) in Thailand, about 3-4 years after they started with gasohol.

That is strange....I went today to at least 6-7 stations and they clearly told me benzine has been discontinued on PTT and Esso stations nationwide. They even placed warning stickers on pumps. Had no choice but to pump Gasohol 95.

Yellow is not benzine, period. If there is no red sticker or red nozzle, it means there is no benzine. All other colors such as yellow, green and blue are non-benzine. The only benzine you can find on the island is 95 at Susco near airport and another Susco station half way between Sarasin Bridge and Phang Nga town. Price in excess of THB 50 per liter. In upcountry, notably around BKK area, look for Malaysian Petronas stations, they sell RON 95. In Phuket stick to Shell V-Power E10/95 if you were previously using 91 or 95 benzine. 2 stroke bikes will suffer though...plastic and rubber parts deteriorate due to presence of alcohol.

I am reading comments from Thai people at very popular social network site. They commenting on this and Michelle Smith case. Not once they express sorrow for victims and they families, all they saying is "oh this is so bad for Thai tourism". Indifference, ignorrance, heartlessnes......shame on them!

Isan driver + poorly maintained bus + Patong Hill = recipe for disaster.

Hmmm....time to dump my blackberry.

Any suggestions from fellow readers on best android phone for receiving gmails?

Thank you gentlemen! Right now I feel as if I bought my very first bike, absolutelly overwhelmed by joy and happines. Tomorrow 9am I am blasting down to Railey Beach in Krabi with another 2 riders. Phatthalung, Phuket, Samui and Hat Yai bike weeks - here comes papa!!!!

More pics please

lol Karlos.....in due time hahaha....meanwhile take a look this video. It is test ride organized by Barcelona Motor at Kirimaya, Khao Yai, Thailand. Take a look how this bike perfectly handles twisty roads....

BMW K1600GTL Test Ride @ Kirimaya, Khao Yai, Thailand

Thank you gentlemen! Right now I feel as if I bought my very first bike, absolutelly overwhelmed by joy and happines. Tomorrow 9am I am blasting down to Railey Beach in Krabi with another 2 riders. Phatthalung, Phuket, Samui and Hat Yai bike weeks - here comes papa!!!!

One more thing: I have to thank BSJ for starting this topic. He was the first guy on this planet who told me (via forum topic) of existance of such bike.

As you can see, I immediatelly fell in love with this machine and couldn't rest until I got it. Thanks BSJ, I owe you commision lol....

And here is little video I made, music you hear is from bike's audio system........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rvzC6aNboI&list=UUXpzzOBwfY1zJHCs8ggQl2Q&index=1&feature=plcp

Sorry for late reply, below you can find the pics of 2012 BMW K 1600 GTL. This is my 14th bike since 1982.

As I said earlier, I waited 7 months for delivery. Thailand has received total of 12 units, most of them to be distributed in BKK, Phuket and Hat Yai.

At this very moment there are 2 more units at Barcelona Motor Phuket but you can't see them, they are neatly stashed inside the shipping box.

Apparently 1 unit goes to Hat Yai and the other one is to be eventually displayed in local showroom. Interesting though, manager says they don't have one single booking outside of Bangkok.

I got myself pretty nice deal; price is 1,450,000 but they gave me discount of additional 50k because I was the very first customer. My wife jokingly asked for discount, manager called BKK HQ and got approval. Didn't expect this but not complaining though. 2 Years parts and labor warranty, 30k for 80% insurance and additional 6k for plate number 1. I didn't ask for it, they offered to me so I said what a hell, why not.

My first impressions: as a lifelong sport bike rider, riding GTL 1600 is something else. 350kg of weight and 2.5 meter long bike is not something I got used to.

I'll be honest, first day when I was picking up the bike I got little nervous.....bike is much bigger than I thought! Don't get me wrong, this is what I want and can't think of any other bike on this planet I rather have except from sport line up - 1199 Panigale. I bought the bike without ever having it seen on the road let alone test riding. Well, back in August 2011 during my visit to Europe I had an opportunity to finally see this beauty closely and really swept me off my feet. GTL 1600 is called "Touring bike for retired Sport bike riders" and I absolutelly agree.

Anyway, very first impression was feeling of sitting inside the bike, not on the bike because of it's shear size and interesting rider seat. Smooth gear shifting is simply incredible. Second impression was negative: placing of horn button is so stupidly located almost under the menu roller and every time I want to use it I actually have to look for the dam_n thing instead of keeping my eyes on the road. 60+ old brigade from certain GTL forum is complaining about gear shift noise, honestly.....I have no clue what they talking about.

I was very cautious after riding first 400-500 meters thru thick traffic of Phuket town.

It didn't take long for me to step on it and actually overtake Yamaha R1 rider in pretty sharp corner. He was looking at me in disbelief and to tell you the truth I was so surprised how easy this baby goes thru corners. Trouble starts when you get stuck in traffic jam, I mean it's nightmare. Bike is exactly 100cm wide and going in between the lanes and other vehicles is impossibility which brings slight nostalgia from my days as sport biker. Once you are out of town on open highway, can't help feeling like king of the road. The feeling is undescribable (sp lol...). Six cylinders, 160 HP, 6 speed, ESA, dynamic traction control, ABS, 27 liter fuel tank with range of 450 km without refuelling (at average speed of 110 km/h). There is a world's first headlight adaptive system, heated seats and grips too lmao....I asked them what am I gonna do with this option in tropical country but they explained all GTL's in Thailand are US Spec and that's what you get. They also gave me powerfull spot/fog lights which is not standard. Apparently, all future buyers will get bike without these lights and if you want to order them from motorrad on line, price is US$ 970 before shipping and import taxes.

I swear to God, onboard audio system is better than the one I have at home. At the right fairing there is a compartment with i-Pod and USB connection. Transfered about 3000 rock mp3's from my PC to USB stick, litterally rocking down the highway. Look, I can write until tomorrow to tell you what this bike has or can do....you just have to ask for test ride to trully appreciate it even if you aren't fan of such motorcycles.

Enjoy the pics and see you on the road!

"He CONFESSED to the police and the media followed through the reported accusations so no one here owes him a farking thing...

I am with you most of the way but have you noticed that it is the same tourist police volunteer who recently got a South African man to sign a confession to passing counterfeit $ bills. A confession written in Thai and the Chalong volunteer cant read Thai? In Phuket they have what the police call a 'Safe House' but it is safe only for the police... Story has too many holes and the fact that the BKK police once again had to do what could and should have been done by the Chalong police adds to the mystery!

You talking about the tourist cop in the pic a few pages back....leading him out unhandcuffed ??

I know him well.

Gary (Tourist Police volunteer) is from New Zealand and speak, read and write Thai perfectly.

I see everyone is confusing his role of Big Bike Highway Patrol volunteer with Tourist Police volunteer.

Bike Highway Patrol volunteer is nothing, any of you can get the badge and ID card which is valid max year or two. All you have to do is to attend seminar organized by highway police, sit and listen, no exam required. On the second day, fork out 500 baht and they give you brand new spanking shiny badge aka dick extention. These seminars are held each year in different province. Phuket Merlin hotel hosted the event in 2010 and that's whem KBB obtained this badge. Mind you, 100 other people got it too.

As far as claims that he was fast and experienced rider, all nonsense. He was shaky rider at best, had an accident or fallen of the bike numerous times.

is it really katabeachbum?

wll miss him posting his same reused pickup picture in every post

its weird according to his post he had a respectable gf/wife which he just bought a new car and bike for.. only 6months together? seems like he was a compulsive liar then

wasnt he also a Tourist Police Volunteer as well?

No. He was Big Bike Highway Police volunteer.