garyinhuahin

Yes. Farang is just the word in Thai for a Westerner. There's no implication of any sort of insult in the word.

Of course, I 'm sure Thai folks can it sound derogartory when they want to. Just as some forum members can make 'Thai person' sound like the world's worst insult.

That narrows it down to half the world's population. Great

In general, consulates are informal affairs run by individuals who are only part-time employees of their country's government. Their interpretations of (probably vague) guidelines is likely to be more idiosyncratic than those of national embassies.

Many problems reported. Doesn't affect everyone but some are affected severely, especially with regard to specialty uses such as music production.

I'm in no hurry....

OT, but I had a curious experience renting a car in US recently. Had booked through an online service. Got off the plane in Los Angeles, when to the rental co with the printour of my booking, handed them that with my credit card and my US drivers license.

The guy said, "We can't rent you a car on this voucher with a US license. Do you have an international license?"

I said "Well, no. But I have a license from Thailand."

He said "Fine." took the license and I drove off a few minutes later, slight befuddled. <deleted>?

At least this DNA thing has kept any innocents from being pegged with this heinous crime. That's something.

You may have your purchase questioned at times, as Thailand has a low rating for fraud issues. I've had vendors simply ignore my purchase, and once had a CS rep tell me directly that my purchase was fraudulent. I asked him to repeat louder so my lawyer could hear. He bumped me to the front office quickly. They gave me a list of requirements (copy of passport, etc.) to accept my money. I walked, and their competitor got my business.

Added to my list of reasons I don't stay in Chiang Mai...

Most, but not all, domestic are to DMK. It pretty much makes no difference which airport, as you still have to transit into Bangkok. Suwarnabhumi is no closer.Taxis are available all night.

Cheap rooms @Chula, but pretty gritty. It's the only time I walked out of a paid up room and moved myself somewhere a little higher priced.

Ignore the Muslim remark. Penang has a colorful history and is more diverse and open than the rest of peninsular Malaysia. You'll find enough to do. Aggressive hookers, though, in my experience. Before you go, check online for any interesting festivals happening. http://www.tourismpenang.net.my/index.php/Festivals/fascinating-festivals. Recommend a visit to Kek Lok Si in Air Itam. Extraordinarily large Chinese temple.

My Thai ladyfriend has taken a keen interest in visiting Sri Lanka. I'd like to take her and her son. The only problem is that they speak very little English. I'm afraid that unless we go with a tour group of Thai, they'll be very lost.

Does anyone have a tour company to recommend for Thai or mixed groups going overseas to such locations? I've been trying to Google it, but only coming up with English language results so far. Thanks!

"Thailand is desperate to avoid further damage to the nation's lucrative tourism industry"

Says it all really.

Not desperate enough, it seems....

It isn't a special account. The terms "direct deposit" was confusing to whoever you spoke to. You open an ordinary savings account at a branch of Bangkok Bank in Thailand. Yes you have an ATM card and yes you can make withdrawals in Thailand once the transfer is completed ... usually in two or three days, allowing also for weekends or holidays.

Domestic transfers can be made from your US bank (or other payer) to Bangkok Bank in New York using exactly the same name and account number that you have on the account in Thailand.

It is a domestic transfer (no need for an International transfer) from an American bank in dollars. The dollars you deposit in NY will appear as a baht bank deposit in your account here in a couple of days and your passbook entry will show it is a foreign exchange deposit, which may be useful in future with Immigrations. The NY branch will charge $10 and your local branch Baht 200 for transfer ... at least that's what I'm charged when transferring monthly amounts in the $2000 to $4000 range. My US bank does not charge for a domestic electronic transfer, so the cost is minimal and the exchange rate is the one posted by Bangkok Bank.

Depending on what your payer or transferring bank require, you can use the ABA number or Fed routing number below. No need for an international transfer and no need for a Swift code.

New York Branch

Mr. Thitipong Prasertsilp, VP & Branch Manager

29 Broadway, 19th Floor, New York

NY 10006

Business Hours: Mon-Fri (9:00 am to 5:00 pm)

Tel: (1-212) 422-8200

Fax: (1-212) 422-0728

SWIFT: BKKB US 33

E-mail: [email protected]

FED Routing No: 026008691

CHIPS ABA: 0869

Excellent info. Thanks. I've been transferring from US to my local account for years and didn't know of this option.

Unless they are giggling when they tell you the route. That means it's a trick at your expense....

Locals word sure. Google maps for Thailand is at best 2 years out of date. At worst it's just wrong. I wouldn't trust any other service either.

A few years ago I made a bicycle trip from Phattalung to Hat Yai, visiting the Talay Noi for music fest. Google maps assured me the only way to get from Talay Noi to my shore hugging route was to go North and around the lake. 150 or so km, a good 2 days bicycling for me.

When I arrived at Talay Noi, I say a sign pointing to the town I was headed for 30km. Headed that way and found a lovely bridge stretching across the narrowest part of the lake

Check Google maps again and found that the bridge was not included in the routing. Although you could see it plainly in the satellite photos, their map showed the drivable road ending at either end and not going across.

I contacted GM about it and got referred to the service that provides their data for Thailand. They told me that they know the bridge is there, but that Google refuses to use any data fresher than 2 years.

So listen to your brother in law.

389 dead Brits in 12 months is quite a lot btw. How many deads from oher nationalities? Perhaps TAT could publish the expected fall of numbers of murdered tourists along side with their optimistic expected rise of numbers of tourists.

Sounds high until you consider the number of elderly retired here. A breakdown would be a lot more meaningful than citing a total and then noting that it 'includes natural causes'.Makes it sound like a natural death is the exception...

Rioting and burning out Muslim communities, of course, is not regarded as crime. I expect that individual violent crime will increase over time as foreigners spread out and citizen's rising expectations go unmet. I'm not living there, but on my last visit I sensed major undercurrents of hostility and frustration.

All it would take for things to go seriously South for us would be if Westerners were to be painted as threats in the way that Muslims are now. Something to consider.

It's a different culture that you aren't expected to understand.

In my state I'm allowed to carry a gun into any school from preschool through uni, and I'm not a teacher or employee. The punk kids who've done school shootings don't qualify to carry guns. They are breaking the law just by possessing.

The countless teachers who carry guns do so to protect themselves and students from some nutter school shooter. To the best of my knowledge, no school shooting has been attempted in the presence of teachers who had guns.

If I was going to have a happy dream, it would be me standing on a street in London when some punk decides he's going to behead a soldier or an elderly woman, or to just happen to be in a school when some punk decides he's going to shoot the place up.

With freedom comes risk, but a different kind of risk than an unarmed population is taking.

Freedom isn't free, and some things are worth dying for, to paraphrase a couple of sayings.

But you wouldn't understand that.

The "culture" is not different - it is based on the immigrants from UK and Europe who populated those lands and displaced the natives. UK and Europe have largely learned how to keep order through education and social standards -- it's not perfect, but it works and any guns n the streets are in the hands of military or police only - or they are illegal. This makes life a lot less stressful

The culture and the people are entirely different. You should be able to see that with no help from me.

Those who ventured across the ocean at a time when sailing wasn't safe to a new land that wasn't safe, and began to forge themselves new lives of freedom were nothing like those who stayed behind.

The King of England at the time was a tyrant. Those who came to America did so to escape him. But he followed and took power over the new colonies. When they'd had enough they rose up and kicked his ass all the way back to England. Those who stayed in England continued to take his abuse.

The colonists rose up with their own guns and fought off the Redcoats of England and WE haven't forgotten that someday we may again have to fight for our freedom.

America was born in blood, lived in blood, and it hasn't been all that long. Those still in Europe have had it too soft for too long and they don't even seem to see the danger as their traitorous government gives up their borders and even some PC laws to extremists. They don't see the danger that's increasingly surrounding them and will eat their children up because they don't have the guts to do anything about it.

Mark my words.

What you mean WE, Kimo Sabe?

A teacher was legally carrying a gun in school!!! What the hell???!!!

The bizarre, archaic and utterly nonsensical gun laws in America absolutely beggar belief.

It's a different culture that you aren't expected to understand.

In my state I'm allowed to carry a gun into any school from preschool through uni, and I'm not a teacher or employee. The punk kids who've done school shootings don't qualify to carry guns. They are breaking the law just by possessing.

The countless teachers who carry guns do so to protect themselves and students from some nutter school shooter. To the best of my knowledge, no school shooting has been attempted in the presence of teachers who had guns.

If I was going to have a happy dream, it would be me standing on a street in London when some punk decides he's going to behead a soldier or an elderly woman, or to just happen to be in a school when some punk decides he's going to shoot the place up.

With freedom comes risk, but a different kind of risk than an unarmed population is taking.

Freedom isn't free, and some things are worth dying for, to paraphrase a couple of sayings.

But you wouldn't understand that.

Luckily even in your own country there are more and more people who "don't understand your culture" .

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/more-restaurants-guns-butter-don-093000345.html

More Restaurants Say Guns and Butter Don’t Mix

Anyone can restrict guns from his private property, and that includes businesses. However, to enforce it, they have to have a prominent sign at every entrance door to that effect.

This is different from some business which "politely asks" that people don't bring guns. That's talking out of both sides of your mouth to keep everyone happy. You give lip service to a gun free zone but don't restrict them.

If you actually restricted guns from your business, you'd lose too many customers. I've never seen such a sign on a business.

My Glock is concealed. Concealed means concealed. Everyone's happy.

That last is a very big assumption...

Just so. Wine is not a tradition here, and most Thais will not appreciate the nuances. But an every-increasing number do know wine and fine comestibles, so judge according to what you know of your recipients.

More Thais appreciate a famous label. I recently came back from US with 'genuine Levis 501 jeans' (probably made in China or Vietnam and the exact same you could buy here).

Because they came from US (and are at least not counterfeit), my buddy is so proud impressed that he's not going to take up the legs until he's had ample chance to show them around!