ExoticMatter

Guys, I would like to know what is make you come to live and Visit Koh Samui.

I not see what interesting here (I been here for 2 months)

The lack of a better place , next winter no early reservation, i want to give Bali a chance even they have visa rules worse than Thailand.

Bali's nice if you don't mind poser Aussie surfers, absolutely all wearing Billabong (without exception). Try treking to the Gilli islands nearby, far more laid back and cool

Not a surprise really under this government.

Exactly, they don't have a clue unless it comes down to how best to hide their fake expenses claims.

heard that minister got sussed for claiming 24k per yr for his 2nd home which was actually his parent's house. Wonder if he has to pay it back- probably not..

The Albedo effect is a scary thing due to its positive feedback nature. There being less 'mirror' ice/snow to reflect heat back to space as it melts can only escalate (the temp) in a possibly exponential way; Making the time domain very short indeed.

Extra heat evaporates the oceans which create cloud/mist which keeps the heat in more (like on Venus) hence more positive feedback.

mmm or could global dimming save us all

personally I like the taste of freshly thawed Alaskan Wooly Mammouth

All you people hating on this movie are just movie snobs!

Yeah! Why would anyone not like a p1ss-poor movie? Unless it was to prove how clever they are. Snobs!

As someone else mentioned please go see the original Bangkok Dangerous not the shit hollywood copy.

And while u're there get a copy of Om Bak 1 and Tom yam Gung..

Ong Bak is a good film - and I guess you know, given you call it the first film, a sequel has just been filmed. I don't know if it has been released as yet, but I haven't seen it.

Tom yam gung (Warrior King in The UK) is ok, but I didn't like it as much. I watched it because I enjoyed Ong Bak with Tony Jaa and also because it was a chance to see another Thai movie.

Another Thai movie maybe worth checking out is Som Dam. That big swede is back again(forget his name). I think the movie shows a great Thai sense of humour:-)

Heard the Swede can speak really good Thai(but I've never heard him in any movies)

My first time in Bangkok in 2003 at Don Muang consisted of me waking up (free drink on plane) after a long flight and not filling in the embarkation form. After joining the back of the queue I eventually and naively faced my first Thai offical, anyway because no form he took 20 pound from me, did the form on the spot and I was in.(second time its cost me money to get thru an airport). Anyone else?

Tiger were coming up with cheap flights to NZ so I decided to do a quick 'background' Net check on them. Found some very negative reviews, flights not exisiting, no customer services at all, no money back for cancelled flights,the list went on; It was enough to put me off!

O and may I add that if there is anyone reading this who thinks they drink coffee but its actually '3 in 1' they should be led out of the door and shot (in the stomach).

Can I use these space to speak about coffee. When I order my Latte it will often come with sweet water already in, sweet milk (or even worse sweet powdered milk) and they just can't resist putting a sprinkle of chocolate on top as well. Once all this 'I don't take sugar in any form whatsoever business' has been sorted out I actually (usually) manage to get a nice cup of coffee.

All you people hating on this movie are just movie snobs!

Yeah! Why would anyone not like a p1ss-poor movie? Unless it was to prove how clever they are. Snobs!

As someone else mentioned please go see the original Bangkok Dangerous not the shit hollywood copy.

And while u're there get a copy of Om Bak 1 and Tom yam Gung..

. If it still bothers you then make notes on small pieces of paper saying CAUTION...REVERSED POLARITY and put one in each of the switch boxes and light fixtures and junction boxes.

Of course this is just the rice farmer approach....and as you well know all us rice farmers are luckless and clueless.....

Chownah

P.S. You might be able to just swap the wires in the switch box...or the fixture...or something like that but being clueless...and lazy...I'll not suggest how this could be done.

Chownah

You have to be pretty fast, as AC/DC current switches polarity constantly at 50 or 60Hz, thats 50 or 60 times a second. Thats why it does not matter what way you insert a plug into an electrical outlet.

What you should worry about is overloaded wiring, not dimensioned for the load, and short circuits, and not to mention earth being directly connected to one of the live wires, and carrying a current...

It certainly does matter which way you insert a plug. Its only the live(+/-340 Volts) that oscillates about the neutral (which stays at 0 volts always)

Old (UK) valve tv's have a directly tapped (unisolated) rectified (by 1 diode) live of about 340 VDC. if you plugged in the wrong way round the chassis is live and tv probably blows up (am not sure myself what they did in places like Thailand?)

More commonly Variacs (directly tapped speed/voltage controllers) are also polarity sensitive.

Its only design that allows polarity insensitive plugs.

For my Grandmother's 97th birthday, I want to buy her a ticket to see my/her family in Thailand.

Has anyone experienced people of this age flying?

will she come alone? to BKK or somewhere else with connecting flights?

Anyway let the airline(s?) organise a wheel chair at all airports for her. The airline staff will take care of her.

If she is healthy, there should be no problems on board and afterwards in Thailand, but better avoid the hot season, if possible.

make sure she stands up and walks about during the flight to help the circulation. I've met old people who like to break the journey (with a cup of tea I'm sure) in the middle for a couple of hours instead of doing the direct long haul thing, also closer to an airport if there was a problem.

All phone records (if you use cheap numbers 0844 they will question it. They want her number on the statements.)

No they won't. They're not stupid, they know that calling by normal methods is expensive and most people call using pre-paid cards or access numbers. If you provide your itemised bills with the access number, proof of the websites (Printout with the Thai access number) and explain it in your covering letter you'll be fine.

I provided about 1.5 years of itemised bills (1 or 2 calls a day) with 2 Thai access numbers on them, plus printouts of the main website screen and the page showing the Thai access numbers + an explanation that I had used these numbers due to the excessive standard rate call charges.

Hi Mate

That is what they said to me a month ago and I had 18 months worth of phone bills and they would not accept it as proof and I explained why I used this number in a covering letter.

But I suppose it depends who your dealing with at the Embassy.

I've known people get knocked back for just showing telephone cards(UK).I just telephone her for 1 minute every few wks to show it on bill. Better I think if you text her it shows up on mobile itemised bills.

Thai wife even phoned AIS to try to get the records of her 'pay as go', they said they had them but they wouldn't give them, well it was a long shot!

Download the excellent Robs visa guide (pinned on this site)-it will show how to structure the application (I hope a smiliar layout will get me a settlement visa soon), good luck.

Hello All. Shug.... we got the message this morning mate to go and pick up. Wife travelling tomorrow morning to BKK to pick up. So tomorrow is judgement day!!! Will post again when we find out the outcome. Fingers crossed.!!!! Whole process in our case 5th Jan - 29th Jan.

Hi all . I am doing a settlement visa for UK. Could anyone clarify about interview wait times, did you get interview just before visa stamp? We have applied for a New Zealand tourist visa for my Thai wife, should I leave all documents with Regent House before we go away for 3wks (pending that visa stamp as well), I go back to England in May. Good luck johnieboy and thanks everyone.

Might be an odd question, but are you going away to New Zealand for these 3 weeks? If so, how can you leave all your docs at the UK embassy, including your wifes passport AND travel overseas?

Yer good point CharlieB, I was just trying to avoid hanging around for weeks on end,I guess they'd need her passport. Think we'll put application in march and hope its done before I go back in may.

Isn't getting a confirmation of a flight from a travel agent for as little as 150 baht better? It gives you dates and the piece of paper to show embassy and if perchance the flight was booked(if needed), you could just inform the embassy and rebook? I had same problem for NZ because no way do we want to pay ticket prices first(only to be told no visa).

Hello All. Shug.... we got the message this morning mate to go and pick up. Wife travelling tomorrow morning to BKK to pick up. So tomorrow is judgement day!!! Will post again when we find out the outcome. Fingers crossed.!!!! Whole process in our case 5th Jan - 29th Jan.

Hi all . I am doing a settlement visa for UK. Could anyone clarify about interview wait times, did you get interview just before visa stamp? We have applied for a New Zealand tourist visa for my Thai wife, should I leave all documents with Regent House before we go away for 3wks (pending that visa stamp as well), I go back to England in May. Good luck johnieboy and thanks everyone.