simey

Interesting idea, but a little unfeasible. Phuket is on the west side of the Thai land mass, Samui is on the east. To get from one to the other by boat would mean going south around Malaysia, crossing pirate infested waters, etc. Check the map of Thailand and you will see what I mean.

I'm sure you can book a trip from Phuket to Samu in Phuket, prooably via minivan acroos the country and then a boat trip from Donsak or Surat to Samui. But if you do the boat ride please let us know how it went!

For some stupid reason I took a 3 month contract in Helsinki from end Jan. We seemto have got pas the days of -23, but now that the temp has rushed up to -6 it's warm enough to snow, which it has done all day. Looks pretty, but I miss being able to go outside of the apartment without spending half hour getting dressed. And my freinds tell me it's 35 at home, that's a difference of only 60 degress c. bah. Shouldn't have had the extension built on the house...

I was actually flying with Thai, rather than Qantas. And for the record I live in Samui, am a professional consultant, and don't check in as a tatooed singlet wearing Pattaya tourist as was mentioned. I guess there is a risk in lots of situations and as I'm back to Samui usually after working I don't worry too much if I don't get on the flight as there is always another one. The people that will be affected are those on a two week holiday, it's not good to start that by wasting two days getting a visa.

This topic has been covered many times before, and for each person that insists that they have never had a problem there are other people that actually have.

I fit into the latter class, bought a return from BKK to sydney and was taken aside when I tried to check in for the return part at Sydney and told I needed an onward ticket. I actually had one (BA to London) but I had left it in Thailand, they said this was no good and I would have to purchase an onward ticket (there was no BA ticket desk in Sydney that I could confirm my flight). After many discussions and them studying my 2 month tourist visa that I was entering on they finally let me board, but warned me that next time I would have to show the ticket or else no flight for me.

It seems that it is at the discretion of the ground staff, however don't beleive posters when they say you definitely will NOT have a problem, as I can personally vouch for that fact that you MIGHT.

Flew in to Amsterdam earlier this year from Bangkok, they were checking everyone on the flight from Bkk. I asked why and they said they were looking for copied electronic goods (they checked the stickers on my Dell laptop). No check for DVD etc but seems that someone has initiated a more stringent check, certainly in Holland and maybe the whole of Europe. This is the first time I've ever been checked coming from BKK to Europe, so be careful.

Back to the original question, the land and house ownership. If you buy a house you will then lease the land usually on a 30 year rolling lease. and that 30 year lease should be automatically extended. It seems that if the owner of the land sells the land to another person, the new owner is only forced to honour the exisiting 30 year lease and not the extension. This is the situation if you buy a house directly and lease the land.

If you start a thai company, the house and land ownership will be transferred to that company as assets, which means that the land is owned by the company and therefore (in theory) cannot be sold out from under you.

I have also heard the stories of the corrupt lawyers, make sure that the land ownership is transferred into your company name and not just the land lease as this would leave you in the same position as I mentioned above. Ask around and find a lawyer in the area you wish to buy who has a good reputation.

I gave up living in the UK over ten years ago, the first time I packed and left I had everything I could carry loaded into the biggest suitcases I could find. I had studied the city I was going to on maps to get a feeling for it, I had asked everyone I knew that had been there about the place and made notes. When I landed my palms were very damp and I could feel the panic as I looked around and saw a foreign language - I only went to Amsterdam!

Having repeated the same experience (different countries) many many times my luggage is down to a mere 20 kilos, I don't bother checking out the city as I'm sure the taxi driver will know the way, my only concern at the airport is where to get a coffee.

Moving country can be traumatic, and will have an effect, but the pros vastly outweigh the cons. As a tip, be very harsh when you get down to throwing things away. Avoid the temptation to include items 'just in case', I have just moved to Helsinki for 4 months and my baggage only weighed 17 kilos so it's perfectly possible. And when you get here, remember to relax and take your time as everyone else does and you will only frustrate yourself if you try to move at western speed.

Not at all sure about that phillipino band Inferno though, I left halfway through their performance last time. Good food at Secret Garden too.

Buy extra food and clothes next time you are in Tesco and take them to the cargo section at Samui airport, they will fly them to Phuket/Krabi free of charge for distribution.

We were due to go to a 7 course meal for new years eve - seems wrong now. We cancelled that and instead spent the money on clothes at tesco (in Samui). If you take whatever you have down to the cargo section at the airport here they will box it and fly it to Krabi or Phuket free of charge. Anyone thinking of spending money in Samui over the coming period should consider putting a small amount of that to food/clothes and dropping them off at the airport.

Got a message from her father late last night that she has made contact, and seems to be OK. Thanks for your help candy. I'm off to Tesco to buy supplies to send tomorrow.

There are trucks leaving Samui tomorrow for Phuket with donations from the island residents. If you live on Samui and can, please buy something extra from Tesco today (rice, clothing etc) and drop it off at the market in Maenam, on the road beside the Family Mart.

Anyone got any info at all for Phi Phi? I'm trying to find a freind of mine that was staying there but I see either 200 dead or everyone evacuated. Has anyone heard from people evacuated from phi phi?

Hi Samuites, I have heard about Shop called Big Joes which does a good job making Pies,sausages etc does anyone know of the address and Tel number and maybe give a rundown of what he sells? thanks in advance.

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Big Joes is on the ring road in Chaweng, next to Budget rent a car. Not far from the new hospital. He has a price list in the shop, sells all kind of pies, sausages, relish etc. Good stuff.

Well, I'm up in the hills so should be safe enough but some of the glass in my doors is a bit loose, might tape that up soon. A few more falang accidents on mopeds coming up I would think.

Khun Jean - are you going to be OK down there close to the water?

So of the many thaivisa contributors I know some of you own bars in BKK. I'm flying up from Samui on the 8th December, leaving 10th, and will therefore be indulging in a few beers in the evenings. So which of you owns a nice bar for me to have a beer in and put a name to a face?

I have a new Dell laptop from Oz and use it (with a physical adaptor) in Samui no problems. It can get hot if you don't have airconditoning, and if staying in a hotel I would advise using one of those locks that fasten it to a desk just in case the temptation is too much for a poorly paid cleaner.

It took me a year to get a line installed in the hills next to Maenam, it cost 17000 baht and works only occasionally. I bought an internet kit from Tesco but my success at connecting to the Surat ISP was around 10%, and very slow when it was connected.

I don't know how often you would want to connect and at what speed, but if you can work offline for 80% of the time you might be better off doing that and then taking your laptop down to Samui ISP and connecting there for an hour whenever necessary.

If the place you find does not have a phone line don't beleive the owner that says it will be installed no problem for 4500, try to find one with a working line already.

I take it your house is the only house up in the hills, because

17000 bht is quite expensive for a phone line to be installed.

Not the only house for sure, and my next door neighbour has her phone working most of the time. But it's a small problem and I've long since given up worrying about these things. Flying back on Sunday so we'll see if it works, not holding my breath.

I think Khundan is confused about the purpose of this board. And to stand a law-abiding legal farang next to someone who flagrantly breaks the law and say that the first should help the second is wrong - the law applies to all and those who break it deserve the penalty, not our pity.As they say, don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

I flew thru Abu Dhabi earlier this year (bizarrely to get from Bahrain to Jeddah). No security problems, but it's not a big airport and not much to do. You could buy a ticket to win a nice sports car...

Seriously, airports in the middle east are fine and perfectly safe.

I'm flying EVA from Amsterdam to BKK this weekend, business. Can't beat the prices - KLM wanted 1500 euros economy, EVA business only 1600 euros. I've only ever heard good things about evergreen deluxe although lst time I tried to book that class from BKK to heathrow I was told it was not available.

Surely it depends on whether you live in the country or not. If I rent out my villa while I am away living in oz then I don't beleive I need a work permit in Thailand for this?

Management companies (in my experience) take a lot more than 8%. For example, just to advertise my villa on a company webite is 10%, to have the full management (maid etc) would cost 25%.

I'm off to get my visa next week here in Amsterdam. Their website says I can buy the following :

From 26 August 2003 the following visa prices are valid:

Tourist 1 entry Euro 30,- valid; 3 months

stay; 60 days

2 entries Euro 60,- valid; 6 months

stay; 2 x 60 days

3 entries Euro 90,- valid; 6 months

stay; 3 x 60 days

Id. Every 60 days you have to leave the country (pass the border).

I'm still assuming that I will be able to extend my visa at Samui Immigration by 30 days at the end of my first 60, but I might check first just in case I have to follow these rules and 'pass the border'.

Just got the

2 entries Euro 60,- valid; 6 months

stay; 2 x 60 days

issued at the consulate in Amsterdam no problem, no requirement to show flights, just dropped off the passports and collect them with the visas at 12:00.

It took me a year to get a line installed in the hills next to Maenam, it cost 17000 baht and works only occasionally. I bought an internet kit from Tesco but my success at connecting to the Surat ISP was around 10%, and very slow when it was connected.

I don't know how often you would want to connect and at what speed, but if you can work offline for 80% of the time you might be better off doing that and then taking your laptop down to Samui ISP and connecting there for an hour whenever necessary.

If the place you find does not have a phone line don't beleive the owner that says it will be installed no problem for 4500, try to find one with a working line already.

XXXXXXX has never been to the UK before or been refused.

If this is your third attempt, hasn't she been refused twice? Thye might check up on previous applications....