chrisinth

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For those affected by Thai crackdown easy solution is to move to other ASEAN countries. Malaysia for example gives 90 days free. Just make sure you get out before August 12 if your only option to get back in is a tourist visa.

Perhaps easier for a Thai girlfriend/wife to get a visa in another Asean country than for you to do so here. But will they want to stay in the Philippines or Cambodia.....not mine. I am submitting to the new regulations and will obtain correct visas from now on. It was only on bad advice that I ever clung to the Tourist Visa/border run scenario. I would wake up one morning and just say to myself....how can I get this out of the way, quickly.

The REAL ultimate implication is that if someone is not yet at retirement age and/or has no work permit it is not possible to "live" in Thailand permanently with ANY visa (as I understand it). In ANY case it is 6 months in 1 year at best, and for the remaining period of the year it always means "Good Bye Thailand". Looks to me that whoever "settled" here "unofficially" will need to look for another place... BIG change, cold shock for many, I suspect...

Brilliant post. Everyone has option for ED VISA if they can afford it, many English teachers can't especially those spending most of their meagre salary on Beer Chang, or can be bothered when in almost all other ASEAN countries it's just a matter of paying fee or even free. Will be interesting to see if this option open to the under 50s is closed because it is often abused to work illegally. Perhaps it's time to hire a furniture removal truck and head across an ASEAN border or return to your beloved homeland to avoid this visa crackdown. Inaction will be painful.

Are you under the impression that English Teachers need/have and education visa? If so you are totally off the mark. To Teach in Thailand you need a "B" visa and a work permit....just like any other job.

They can't but they do, in my estimates quarter of farang teachers work illegally on ED VISAS

Just as a matter of interest, where do you get or how do you arrive at these figures/percentages? Why would a teacher want to apply for an ED-visa when he would be under contract with whatever school he/she is working at?

25% of teachers working in Thailand are on ED-visas?

Really.............................

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And al the people claiming Thailand is so safe ahummm
Try living a low profile life and buy a few rottweilers ,i hope some of you gun lovers never have any burglars but just in case you shoot one and his family has higher connections than you i think you can shuv al the permits and what little legal rights you have as a foreigner in Thailand up your @rse.

But surely the same could be said if one of your rotties rips the throat out of said burglar? You would still have to deal with 'the family and higher connections'.

With that attitude, why not forget about offensive/defensive security altogether?

As for Thailand being safe, I would agree that in general it is quite safe (certainly a lot safer than where I came from IMHO), but as with everywhere in the world there are circumstances where it can be different. Not everyone needs protection, but some feel that they may need it due to these circumstances, due to location of where they are living, threats leveled against them or their family, etc, etc.

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you know what usually happens to gun owners in thailand girlfriend tells friend has a gun in house friend tells another etc etc

till drug element in area find out a gun to them as they cannt buy is worth more than gold or there all there yaba

so naturally have to have at any cost think about it and donnt think my girl wont talk they all do its there culture cheers

That is such a difficult thought process for me to follow. If, and I do mean if, the information that you have a weapon on the premises is out in the wild it should act as a deterrent instead of a magnet for a break in. You wouldn't want to break into a premises knowing there may be a surprise waiting on the other side of the door.

Try a trip to any of the border towns around Thailand, spend a couple of days and see what is available to buy.................

Generally speaking, it is not weapons that kill, but the people using the weapons, many of which are obtained as above or similar. Lets not fool ourselves, there is a lot of stuff out there on the streets.

"How do you handle this with your parnter , wife or gf?"

We sleep in different rooms.

In different cities........................

In truth, I don't think my wife knows how much I make a month or what my total income is. Of course, after 15 years of marriage, that could be total naivety on my part...................

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I haven't gone through the whole thread so please excuse me if I've double posted.

Best place to buy guns is around the Old Siam Plaza, Wangburapha, BKK. Your wife doesn't need a permit unless she intends to carry the gun in the car with her.

If she did shoot someone at your house then the police always say to give the gun to the permit owner and make sure the permit owner has actually fired the gun to leave powder residue on their hand. They will be tested. A 20 gauge shotgun would be the best home defense weapon for your wife, with 00 or BB shot.

Although she can take a completely unloaded firearm with no ammo to the range by herself with a copy of your permit.

For all the anti gun mob out there guns aren't going away anytime soon but the laws in Thailand are getting stricter all the time and guns are very expensive now.

It has always amazed me why you need a driving test for a car but not a shooting test for a gun, it's the same the World over.

Legal gun owners are usually law abiding, it's illegal gun owners who commit most crimes and it's easy to get illegal guns in Thailand, but owning one comes with very harsh penalties.

Hi ATF, not sure where you got your information from, but I don't think it is correct.

In Thailand, only licensed gun owners may lawfully acquire, possess or transfer a firearm or ammunition.

Whether it be a Thai or a falang.

Edit: There is nothing in the Thai gun laws that state a falang cannot own a gun licence. The additional requirements are that he/she must prove a permanent address (blue or yellow book) and I believe a minimum income of 100K baht (I may be wrong with the actual figures). And of course is mentally sound at the time of application.................

Every weapon will have its own licence and will be required to be submitted to the registrar for marking.

As an aside, be prepared to pay between 80 - 100K baht for the weapon, inclusive of paperwork (licence is 1,00 baht). This is based on a new Glock 19, so obviously prices are very changeable. If you decide to go for second hand, make sure you use a reputable gun shop, the last thing you would need is for the weapon's history to catch up with you if you ever needed to use it for self protection............................

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The concept of a minimum reseved price is standard at auctions, but here's what I don't understand: 1) The cars were confiscated, not bought, so every single Baht is free money 2) The price is the actual value of the car plue tax - if I was wealthy enough to pay this price, why would I then go bid on a (untrusworthy/unknown origin) vehicle rather than go to a dealer and pay the same price?

Edit to add: I would have understood the reserve to be the tax, as that is what the customs department were denied, but the should not receive any money from the car's selling price.

Good Post! Couldn't have asked those questions better myself.......................

Why is it going to take so long for her new passport? Earliest the end of September?

Does she have enough room in the passport to get to Vietnam?

Why was she red stamped on tourist visas?

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The fascination with gore is one thing, it's sick, but a few years back there was a photo at an accident scene, I think in Pattaya, that revealed a side of Thais and their view of death, I found really disturbing.

A nurse (in uniform including her cap) was standing in front of the wreck. She was smiling. The man next to her was smiling. He was also pointing at the large chunk of unidentifiable flesh the nurse dangled from her hand.

I agree with Beetlejuice, to a degree. Other cultures may also have this sick fascination, but I have doubts western cultures would take pleasure in holding up a piece of the victim, for their own Kodak moment.

Indeed. As beetlejuice alludes, of course this happens all over, but in Western society its taboo to post it on your facebook! Perhaps half my mates secretly look at this crap and I dont know about it, but my original point is it isnt accepted in mainstream circles the way it is here.

Even the Farrang media here has descended to Thai standards - http://www.pattayaone.net/video-news/132827/video-2-dead-3-injured-in-east-pattaya-bike-collision/

Check 30 seconds in and a passer by has walked over to video some bloke lieing injured on the ground. There is almost an air of excitement at Thai road crashes, a strange lust for death and gore, look at the size of that crowd all coming for a peak. A more recent one has close up of a body with blood still running out of it, is there any need?

I don`t get it and it disturbs me

I do understand where you are coming from Tully, but you seem to have it in your mind that this doesn't happen in the West. Your statement:

"but in Western society its taboo to post it on your facebook!"

Unless you are friends with the world on FB, how do you know? You have been exposed to some weird, gory clips & photos from a relatively (?) small group of people and you think it reflects on the entire Thai membership of FB?

​Believe me when i say that i have seen videos and photographs of unbelievable cruelty and treatment of other humans that are kept as 'trophies' by certain individuals, and that was in the UK. Think of the American interrogation in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq a few years ago, what would make sane Western people do something like that and then post the videos & phots? Because they were a "liberating" force does not give anyone the right to do that and is no excuse.

My post isn't disagreeing with you par se, its just that i find your observations narrow if you believe this just to be a Thai thing. There are sick people everywhere.

I am not sure that this is a Thailand specific problem, this happens all over the world.

Almost everybody has a camera these days as part of their phone or tablet and the morbid curiosity of us humans know no bounds. It doesn't matter where a fatal accident occurs, you will always get your crowds stopping for a better look.

My experience seems to be a little different to that of the OP's. The schools my step kids went to had a parent/teachers meeting every term, and their (kids) school history records would come home with them, again at the end of each term, to be signed and returned. If anything un-toward happened while at school, we would be told almost immediately.

And this is up-country as you city folk like to call it....................

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JoePai post # 3

Oh dear more holidays - do they not think of the work lost ................

So you think working a 10-12 hour day for 6 days a week for around 30 baht an hour is a breeze do you?

Do you work under those conditions for that salary?

Perhaps in reality the average Thai employee might just like or in fact deserve a bit more recovery time.

Perhaps he was looking at the larger picture, for companies committed to a completion date that will be put in danger of not being finished because of the half-thought out ideas of well meaning politicians.

Granted, at least this time they are giving a bit of notice.

Keep it friendly until the demands start.

If they ever do.

Next time you're in Thailand, look her up and see what reaction you get. Despite the general consensus, Its not all doom & gloom..................

How long were you sat there atyclb?

Doesn't normally happen, especially to a regular.

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The picture looks like he's thinking, "Hey this pile is LIGHT! Damn cops ripped me off!"

And Neversure, how can you tell from that low res picture what kind of gun it is? I checked out your links, and the gun in the table more closely resembles the small Spanish pistola. But who knows, could be a Pakistani knockoff.

What an idiot. There isn't enough money in the world to get me to risk prison.

They are wrong about that gun. It's not a Spanish astra unceta y cia sa guernica. LINK

It's an Italian Beretta 92FS 9mm. Link

is there a bigger photo somewhere NeverSure?,

I'm a bit of a Ballistics/Weapons corrector myself(my friends tolerate it and carry a 92FS on occasion for work,

I also despair at the incorrect ID's given to many of the weapons found in this country(the "AK33" found at a bus stop recently being a prime example),but I really can't tell from that low res photo,even after copying and zooming in whether it's the Spanish .22 short or the M9/Berretta,I'm kinda leaning more towards Frank James in that it looks like a shorter barrel than the classic lines of the 92...not just idle curiosity either,the major source for the M9(military version of the Beretta 92fs)is soldiers selling/trading their weapons,

also the fact that i'd rather have 5 .22's fired at me than 15 9mm's!

I don't know guys. I've never seen a longer Astra that didn't have a rounded end on the barrel/slide like this:

4.JPG

The gun in the OP is foreshortened in perspective due to the angle of the photo. It's longer and taller than it would appear.

Due to the shape of the grip, the placement of the emblem, the trigger guard, barrel etc. I'm making it a 92FS. Also, there are a lot of those floating around in Thailand, and 9mm is the common caliber in Thailand. Maybe 9mm is due to the military getting NATO compatible ammo from the US.

I've been wrong before. If you know of an Astra the resembles that, I'd be interested of course.

They may not be that good at telling gun models, but it is difficult to mistake a .22 and a 9mm round. If it were 9mm rounds and a 22 pistol, I wouldn't panic too much.

Same the other way round.

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It seems that many of these people caught with small amounts of drugs give up their supplier. Sometimes the supplier gives up his supplier as well. I'm wondering how the police achieve such a high level of cooperation.

And so few results as they advance up the ladder...............................

I've often wondered what hurts more, spilling a cup of coffee over a 110V or 220V socket.

I might ask the BIL who doesn't seem to like me that much, to have a go. Not sure where to find a 110 socket though, but can start with the other one for the record.

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Is it stuffed with drugs, They ask " has anyone given you anything to carry for them in your bag. " Did you pack your bag yourself, they put people in prison for what is being asked here.

"Of cause I would give you the cash for it" are the filled with drugs when they come out of the factory?

Its whenever specific addresses are strongly suggested and phrases like "Make sure you only talk with 'Jose'" that would make me nervous.

Still, in all my years of travelling, I never carry for anyone else, even if I know them....................

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I have a few questions which i do not think OP will answer.

But in what language did all the communications with the brother took place?

Either OP speaks fluent Thai or brother is bossing everyone around in English.

Secondly if so called brother dared to grab my arm hard, i would have slapped him.

OP, if you are genuine, and he is really a brother and you really do have balls, the next time you see him and he tries to boss you around, take him outside, out of everyone;s sight and bitch slap him,

Make sure its the hardest bitch slap you ever give.

Then tell him, if he ever disrespects you again or even looks at you in a way you do not like, you will use closed fist for the next time.

The beauty of the bitch slap is that it hurts like hell, totally unexpected and does not leave any marks, besides a red cheek.

I have not been married but did have a GF, her sister was married to an arrogant tool, who for some reason assumed my house was his house and my cigarettes were his.

He also had trouble remembering my name or anything but to call me "you"

One bitch slap fixed all that, he even learned how to ask if he can have a cigarette in English.

I used to think like that as well. The stitches come out tomorrow...................

Before you strike, make sure it is a bitch before you slap that has never done kick-boxing.

But being serious, what is it you are looking for OP? An insight into Thai culture?

For the marriage issue and in-laws, use your imagination and think how it would be solved in your home country.

And make it so....................

Don't forget, unless both of you are the same religion now, or one is willing to change, marriage is a farce in the religious sense, just another piece of paper.

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When the guy said 'filling his plate' ... maybe it wasn't in a heaped fashion, but placed the desired food items, enjoyed them, then went to try another delicacy?

Five and seven course meals are still considered the height of culinary enjoyment in French cuisine.

The serving sizes aren't large, each one designed to be a different taste sensation.

But for me ... Buffets are wasted on me ... when I'm full ... that's it, I push away ... you need room for beer!

You're doing it wrong David.

At least different than me, I was always taught to never eat on an empty stomach........................

Some things in life, especially advice, you may suspect as being wrong but you still cling to them just cause they're fun......................

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For example - Joe arrives in Thailand on a tourist visa for 30 days, visits immigration and extends for another 60 days since he is visiting his spouse and children. At the end of this period, Joe must leave Thailand by air to a neighbouring country - and then returning the next day, would then re-enter Thailand on another 30 day tourist visa. Thus - Joe begins the cycle again...

Why even have a stay limit if this is allowed? Just to screw 'Joe' around?

He'll be told to book the next flight out and not try again for x months. In fact once it happens often enough and airlines get sick of whinging 'Joes' asking for refunds they'll probably check their passports and tell them not to bother trying a re-entry.

There's certainly nothing wrong with a Joe having a spousal visa and visiting his wife and children ( who are Thai) but the limit imposed is ludicrous. I have been married for 12 years and have 4 children by the same wife and Im still stuck in this stupid cycle because I don't have a business based in Thailand. My business is a very successful one in the UK, but I choose to live here. Im just trying to clearly work out if my cycle of travel and visa extension will be affected by this new tightening of the rules.

What is the ludicrous limit imposed on a spousal visa? If you have a successful company in UK, what is the problem with showing an income of 40,000 baht a month? You self admittedly state that you prefer to live here, what do you live on while you are here?

Joe should be applying for a non-O visa instead of relying on visa exempt stamps in his passport if the nature of his visit is to visit wife and children.

This normally gets rid of the need to complain about being hard done by..........................

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If consumers make it their business to know what is going on and then make their opinions and desires known (i.e. stop paying money for things if the product or service contributes to the oppression of another person or class of people), then governments get the message. I think it is more of a personal responsibility. Saying it is not up to the consumer is the easy way to side step what is happening to fellow human beings. This is not just about the seafood industry. Let's not forget that. Let us all conduct ourselves with integrity and values at all times.

Problem is that the consumers in Thailand are only a very small number. The money is in export, and the majority of consumers in the countries the seafood is being exported to can eat with denial to a problem that isn't happening in their own country.

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Trembly, the OP says this has happened over two years, so I'd imagine there are long periods when there is no contact with the guy (remember, someone else did the postal round for a while), and I guess the OP and his missus were hoping it had ended.

But you're right - his missus should have handled it by now. OP, there is a hierarchy in your village, so why haven't you taken advantage of it to solve the problem? Village headman (buy him a couple of beers - ) talks to big posty man who kicks little derriere.

Actually, I wouldn't buy anyone else any beers or you might form a queue........................

OP, if you need to do that to identify, you would be better off going to Spain, save on the airfare.

The Brits seem to have been able to mess certain areas up there for the last 4 decades quite well..................................