CM451

All this indecision about our lives does not suit my wife and I we have talked at lengh over the last few days and we are not going to be held hostge to this possible decision one way or anouther or future changes, we will not have our lives decided in this arbitrary fashon so we have decided to move on to a place with a more reasoned attitude to immigration.

Same here. We will know in about 1 month (when we are up for renewal), but if it's renewal as usual I plan on using the time to set up a Malaysian retirement plan. Won't buy a house there either

Well, I don't know what to say... this new law seems to be directed at me and my wife. I am American, 59 yo and have the retirement visa, my wife is Japanese,46 yo and has her visa piggybacked on my visa. We have followed all the rules to the letter. I could use some advise from all of you smart people out there who might have any ideas on what I might do? Money is not much of a problem so, I am open to suggestions.

This law change is also aimed at me. I'm not sure I am up for jumping through any more hoops for my Thai hosts. If they can get away with this they can

get away with anything. A couple of years in Malaysia might make me appreciate Thailand more.... as a nice place to visit.

Canadian killed in robbery

BANGKOK: -- A Canadian man was shot dead and three compatriots injured in a robbery last night in their condominium off Sukhumvit Soi 18.

The lone robber climbed into the room on 10th floor of City Smart Condominium while the four Canadians, including victim Mark Jay Keffer, 42, and a number of foreign guests were celebrating Christmas.

The robber, apparently a Thai man, asked them to hand over their valuables at gunpoint.

He started shooting when a woman guest, a relative of room owner Norzachray Nordin, a Bruneian, hit him with her handbag. Keffer and all three injured people were later sent to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Thong Lor police station duty inspector Pol Maj Saravuth Dejsri said he suspected the robber, who had easy access to the room from a communal area, could have been tipped off about the party by people working or residing at the condo.

--The Nation 2006-12-26

In America anyone can own a gun as long as they are not a criminal. Aliens who establish residency by just living in a State can go out and buy a gun and anyone can buy a shotgun. Too bad we in the USA allow law abiding people to own a firearm but not here.

The woman should have come out with a shotgun and blown his head into pulp. Handbags do little against a firearm.

A very backwards country is Thailand in this regard.

The reason this is even news is because someone was shot. If you arm everyone do you think you would read about more shootings or less? Cambodia might be more your style yankee.

Saw lots of think ..No 6 buses passing while sitting in the Sportsman Bar at the airport last Sunday...so at least one sticking to its route...

I guess that this is a start BUT unless you drive to the airport and then take a ride on the # 6 you wouldn't know what it's route is (and then it would probably go on a different route the next time) Oh well !!

The Bus Station for 6 was just before Central Airport Plaza and then went to the airport. It leaves the airport and wanders around like a drunken sailor until it gets back to the station. In town, out by U of CM, past Carrefoure. I think the other busses use the same station.... someone might be able to get a route map there. (I didn't see an actual station, just a place where all the waiting busses were, but some sort of organization was present)

whahha stop surfing porn and install adware - is a program that remove all the spyware in your system ..

if you wanna be safe .. get a harddisk , and install a new copy of window .

and then slow tranfer the data over from the second harddisk ..

when you are ONLINE .

DON'T read any mail from Unknow e-mail address..

never go sign up any porn site , gamble site , .. There are tons of junky for your system ..

start a Secure list where only people yuo add on your personal e-mail list can e-mail you .

all this take time and you got to start .

RE_INSTALL is the best way to slove all . problem ..

.

ANTI VIRUS .. is a waste of time .

i had started using computer since 10-15 years ago . had never used any ANTI VIRUS .

cos i stick to a few simple rule ..

DON"T KNOW FROM WHO - DELETE

NEVER REGISTER in ANY PORN SITE OR SIGN UP for SERVCIE from PORN OR GAMBLE SITE .

NEVER DOWNLOAD UNKNOW PROGRAM OR JUNK. ALWAY READ THE EXTENTION before OPENING THE FILE >.

ALL .EXE FILE would not be Open unless you know what you are doing .. and

LAST OF ALL . REINSTALL - and alway Clear your system from JUNK ..and never let friends or strange use your computer .. is like you would never share Your GF .... whahah AIDS

and use Norton Go back. Resets the hard drive back to before you *ucked up.

If you purchase a copy of Windows XP that is a bootleg, get all your window upgrades from disks they sell at your local bootleg store... not from Msoft.

And of course use anti-virus.

Hi,

He lives to screw up all customers of the CM office. Sending you away to come back in the afternoon even when you are early in the que, If he finds one page you forgot to copy .... he won't tell you, just burying it and forgeting about it until you go and ask and God forbid you ask too early. When you do ask what is wrong that is keeping you at the office all day you will be standing behind someone else doing the same, because he does it every day to as many as he can.

I hope this makes you feel better, sorry I couldn't help with any specifics... just wanted to introduce you to .....

Cheers,

John Smith.

Leaving town go over Nakornping bridge and its about 2kms down on your right hand side. Alternately if you know where Brit Councel is come out of there turn right and right again at the lights and its 200mts down on the right.

Also a lot of cheap and good eating places just before the hospital on the right hand side.

I tell ya wot ! I would not like to be askin you guys for directions if I wus really sick.

We have everything thing from a block before the train station to references to Kad Suan Kaew.

Follow my directions and if you don't end up where I sent you, I'll give you your money back.

PS: the train station guy opted out of the competition I think.

Does anybody know how to get there from the Airport?

Many Thanks

TP

Leave the airport turn right (toward Central Airport Plaza) , make the left (veer left)before the first light, go straight until you get to the backside of the moat turn right (shopping mall Kad suan gow on left) and travel the complete length of the moat and continue on straight, turn right when you cant go straight any longer (around american Embassy ) turn left at bridge and light... go straight and hospital will be on the right before the bus station.

G

et off your high horse and stop feeling so superior to the citizens of this country. Simple get the proper visa, get legal, or if that is too much for you or cannot otherwise be done..... get out, go somewhere where you can drink in peace.

I agree there are some high horses around. Why would a name like ThaiVisa.com be a good choice for a forum name in Thailand? The fact that border runs are the way things are is because it has been beneficial to Thailand. Many Other countries allow the same process for the same reasons. Why would you blame people for taking the path of least resistance when dealing with a government?

Obviously, some officials (with the power to do so) have decided it is no longer beneficial for Thailand to allow infinite border runs. Some of the foreigners living here will be affected others won't this time. But we should all have a little empathy and keep track which way the wind is blowing.

Summing up, a policy that has been in place for a long time was canceled, 2 weeks notice given to people who have been using a perfectly legitimate process to stay in Thailand. A few years ago many of them would have been receiving longer term non-immigrant visas but times are changing.

IMO, Yes, get right with the new rules and expect the rules to continue to change. And oh yes.... don't buy a house..... And good luck.

I have been repeatedly asked for a work permit while in Thailand. Sometimes for opening bank accounts phone service etc. If you go immigration and get them to give you the same form you supply when getting a drivers license (Immigration verifying your visa status and address) you will probably get what you want. This paper costs anything from free to 500 bt depending on where you live and the immigration office. If somebody knows the form # for that they can chime in. But save breathe trying to explain you will come back with a form from immigration and not a work permit, because, well, if you have been here a while you understand....

Yesterday my True high-speed service got cut off for non-payment. Fair enough, I was careless about paying on time, although I had actually paid everything up to date at a True shop six days earlier. Still, TiT, and apparently the only thing to do was apply for an entire new connection. One problem. A new rule says you must show your work permit. I'm not working at the moment. So no re-connection.

I spent 4 hours in the True shops in Siam and Silom discussing this (without raising my voice etc) and the staff made multiple calls to their head office and were very apologetic but could not do anything. No work permit, no new hi-speed connection, end of story. Existing customers are not affected.

I confirmed several times that this applied EVEN IF YOU HAVE A RETIREMENT VISA. It also applies even if you offer a credit card, including a Thai credit card, or even if you offer to make a payment upfront. I didn't think to ask about a house registration or Thai drivers license, but they insisted that there are two options that will entitle you to a connection: Thai national ID, or passport in combination with WP (not visa).

I did end up chatting with the manager of the Silom office, who explained that this was a new rule implemented by True management, because 5-10% of accounts opened by foreigners were defaulted on after one or two months. You can see their point, no company wants to take that sort of credit risk. Of course there are better solutions available, and perhaps in a few years when management notice the drop in (say) connections from wealthy retirees in Phuket, they might get around to revising their stance. In the meaetime, we have an absurd overreaction, caused by the sort of farangs that nobody wants in Thailand. Great.

The staff openly suggested that I ask a Thai friend to sign up on my behalf, with bills still going to my address, and eventually this is what I did. It annoys me, because I don't like to ask this sort of favour from my friends. Of course that means that the head office ruling is pretty pointless, since the farangs that were defaulting now need to pay a BG gf a few hundred baht to help them out, leaving True with an unpaid debt traceable to a house registration of some shack in Isaan.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi,

ThaiPauly you seem to have a good attitude about it. I guess I know too many Farrang surrounded by folks (family and friends of family) urging them to spend the money, and it's good you can bounce it off a few of us who have no interest in the situation.

.

PS: I've been retired for 10 years, I'm 45 now, and busy all the time, busy enouph anyway.

Cheers,

Hi ThaiPauly,

I read your post and became curious as to why you came to Thailand. If you came here to make money or become a Real Estate developer you probably are on the right track, but you probably wouldn't need much advice. It sounds like it will be a very good deal for your Thai friend if you make this investment and he probably didn't ask anyone if it was a good idea if he take in a farrang investor.

So here is what I think, if you want to make money go do it where you know what is what. And if you are just bored I think you can relieve it for less than 7 million. And if you just want to help Thai friends, family, economy just give away some money, buy somebody a motorcycle , throw a big party and invite everybody you know. All greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

there is a VIP bus running from CM to BKK for as little as 149BT ( I don't know how they do it) so I guess if you want to see how cheap you can get around thats the way. CM to Kao San Rd (sorry spelling)

The Train 2nd class aircon is nice, take the lower berth, about 700bt. Get on at the BKK airport or wherever. upper birth cheaper and not as comfy. Plan ahead for the ticket, can buy return at the same time.

For going back, this last trip from CM to BKK I got off at "Ban-suer" and caught the subway from there down to Asok. Just thought I would throw that in for the people who avoid taxis at all cost.

I'm not sure on your # because they grew so fast they had promised a phone line to someone who built a house and ended up giving them one of their own phone lines because one for the home owner was not available.

I do know the office cell line is 015301132. Noi usually carries that phone and she speaks English ok. The house that I think is open (and the cheapest one) is "Mikes house". It is the "pretty" one on the website with Jacuzzi tub, great master bedroom, full kitchen, full furnished, and fireplace for 12,000 ? I was just there today visiting my friend and it still looked empty. People usually rent it while building houses out there.

We now rent down the road for about 5000 a month long term (not in Tanaboon) so will be glad to show you around if you'd like. we are close to the Hang Dong Lotus by the way.

Cheers,

J

Hi,

We moved here from Phuket about 1 1/2 years ago, some friends who had lived in Phuket for 7 or more years followed recently, and some friends of theirs even more recently. The traffic difference was the original reason I gave but have found so many more reasons why we like it here better.

I was just commenting to a visitor that all three "families" who moved here from Phuket found nice places here in CM for 5000 bt a month, each with different requirements. (all said the same about Phuket drivers as you wrote)

And yes if CM grows too much.... CR is a place to think about in the future.

send an email at [email protected] and I'll give you any pointers or help I can.

Cheers

j

When I rented short term to look for a place in CM I rented a house short term at the rate of about 12000 a month, outside of CM. It's hard to imagine leaving CM with a favorable impression if I had stayed downtown. Just my biased opinion. So below is my suggestion.... which is not at all what you were thinking about.

So if your renting a car anyway, this place that has a lot of foreign home owners who sometimes lease out their houses might have a house for short term Tel # 05393035 (Tanaboon) and you can talk to a lot of foreigners that live here . It's close to the end of the line for the city bus also. so you don't have to drive to look around downtown if that's where you want to live. For internet access there I had to go down the street a bit. It's all easy.

cheers,

cm451

Hi,

I understand the international bus from Udon is a good way to go if you already have your Laos Visa.

I got the $30 Visa on arrival, also had a ten Bt entrance fee. I arrived in Nong Khai by train and took a tuk tuk to the bridge, fellow travelers pointed out the taxi's try to turn the wrong way (should go toward the right (sign saying Vientenne) at the T in the road that heads toward the bridge, so they can try and get you to a river crossing by boat and make some extra money.

I had to try and make it to the Thai Embassy by 12, so took a car/taxi at the cost of 200Bt. They seemed to be well aware of the time crunch at the taxi stand. Fellow travelers to the "group" tuk tuk but got there nearly 30 minutes later. If you take the car taxi, have them take you to copy your Lao visa first (the copy place next to the Thai embassy is a rip off) and include them waiting for you and taking you to your hotel after the visa aplication. The Thai embassy is on the same street as the Indian Embassy and the Vietnam Embassy, if you go toward those embassy's there are copy and photo places less of a rip off.

I forgot to check for Thai/Lao holidays and got to stay in Laos for 4 nights. They can understand your Thai there, nice people, boring place. Take a lot of small Thai notes and use them anywhere or change them for Kip and carry around a real bankroll More expensive than Thailand on most things, hotels a good enough deal though. And if you eat like the locals it costs the same as Thailand.

When you come back they give you a free group taxi ride to the taxi stand from the bridge, where they will rip you off for where ever you want to go. If you walk out to the highway beside the taxi stand you can get a non-rip-off ride I think.

I had paperwork in order and got the single entry "O" I requested. Make sure you have 2 photos. The Embassy staff where friendly and helpful .

Cheers.

In Chiangmai we have a form of open sided , and closed sided, midi-bus referred to as electric trams

Quick entry & exit, plus cheap enough to run on the same price structure as the songthaews - why have they not been considered for somewhere like Pattaya

Also why not a mini railway (with steam engine?) up and down the promenade?

Lots of tourist friendly / attracting alternatives could have been considered - definately seems some form of graft was involved in the decision.

In Chiangmai we have a form of open sided , and closed sided, midi-bus referred to as electric trams

Quick entry & exit, plus cheap enough to run on the same price structure as the songthaews - why have they not been considered for somewhere like Pattaya

We do? Where are these? Who refers to them as electric trams?

I've never seen one and I ride the fantastic city bus everyday..... is it Aprils fools day?

I don't give a rats about the porn but I wish someone would round up the bloody 'sexy movie' guys in Pantip. Is it my imagination or has their sales pitch gotten more aggressive ?

The last I heard the hottest selling "sexy movie" item over there at Pantip was the drunk farrang genre... secretly filmed while having his wallet lightened. Is this a BKK Urban legend? Yes a crack down is in order!

Well, that's about 50B per CD they figure. That must be wholesale cost?

2000 Police each brought back 5 cd's each, that's 10,000 right? Those porn Cd's are pretty hard to find, if each policeman could only find 5. Sounds like they must have cleaned the whole situation up. Case closed. We should all sleep better tonight.

I live in Kwan Viang Village outside of Chiang Mai, and they warned me the water was a little dirty. Some days its so dirty it looks like your flushing the toilet with mud. So, maybe I have a different situation.

We use one of the many "water net" reverse osmosis machines to fill a couple of 18 liter bottles (cost is 30 B for 36 liters) and that lasts about 1 week, drinking coffee Ice ect. Also have a plastic dispensing machine from that would make it hot or cold if I plugged it in, so not inconvenient at all. If my purified water soaks up some containments from the environment that's ok, at least I did my best to remove herbicides, pesticides, mercury, cadmium, ect. and whatever else the Naga left behind.

Speaking of dirty water and bacteria and fasting... I would like to mention that if you live here and eat and drink.... you most likely have worm parasites. I found them after not eating a couple of days and they started coming out and swimming in the toilet... no sh*t! I looked it up, and in Thailand they are almost impossible to avoid... . All the drug stores sell these pills for 30B over the counter "Alda" that contains "albendazole" its a "broad spectrum anthelmintic" for the treatment of single or mixed worms. They are not much of a problem, just living in you and reproducing , unless you go hungry, then they can attack your internal organs and such... depending on exactly what type they are. Anyway, good idea to de-worm every 6 months, and or eat well every day.

I don't think taste of the water should have a lot to do with your plans to drink tap water long term, not relative to the safety question anyway. It's great to find out you can occasionally drink the local water without getting a bacterial dose, but if your thinking about drinking long term maybe you should consider arsenic content, ect. (hard to boil that away!)

Even in the first world countries there is some debate about what levels of heavy metals are acceptable because of the expense of removing them. "Third world" countries that have gone to the extra expense of having potable water often put up signs to let tourist and taxpayers know.... have you seen any of those signs? If not, they might not want anyone questioning what standards they are using to determine drinking water safety.

If you can sip your drink and not think about any of this stuff, I figure you are probably ok with it, if you think you might be harming yourself every drink you take, its probably worth buying a reverse osmosis filter.

drink long and prosper.

"Savings Account" is the one a foreigner can open without WP at most banks.

I was asked for a work permit when opening a savings account at a Thai Farmer Bank in BKK, I told them no, that it wasn't required and showed them my ATM card from the Thai Farmers in Pattaya, and after they talked among themselves it was all OK. If I had just gone away they would have saved themselves some work... I think that was the discussion.... he's not leaving, why doesn't he leave?

I was stopped from "changing" my telephone # from AIS (through a telewhiz outlet) because they wanted a work permit, even though I obtained my # with no W/P, no problem. Just a lot of confusion. A friend told me that whenever he was told he needed a work permit for something (except working), the paper you get from immigration, don't know the name of it , but the same thing you get for the drivers license, will suffice. That requires showing your passport and current lease, and that should be free, although some immigration offices charge 500B.

good luck,

CM451 I suppose you're implying that Thai immigration is perpetrating some great injustice. Maybe you're right. That's another issue altogether.

No, I wasn't really implying that, but that could be the case, they may back-off of tightening when they feel they have shot their own foot... isn't that the way it works? I'm not really one to be crying about injustice, but do know with whom I share a common lot (not poor but Farrang)and may be a little less dismissive of their concerns . This is Thailand... and they should continue to do what's best for Thailand, as I will do what is best for me, which includes exchanging information on a board like this.

By the way, Malaysia has a retirement scheme that is excellent, without arbitrary age limits, and I wouldn't at all be surprised if Thailand isn't aware that the deposit requirement Malaysia has is higher than the 800,000 B Thailand now has. (to add fuel to the rumor about future hikes on retirement deposits)

. .

. Anyway luck to all.

PS: The Republican comment was because I sensed an "I got what I need, the world is alright" attitude. Although I do appreciate your attempt to "sum things up" I didn't agree with your math. ( It's a myth about smaller Gov. and less regulations )

I think that sums it up very well. For those of us who can qualify for long-term visas under these conditions, it all seems very reasonable. For those who can't (DaveYo, IsaanAlex, etc), it seems like a conspiracy aimed at farangs, ar even at them as individuals.

Wow, do you think there is a third group that can spot a trend... and isn't so self- absorbed they can acknowledge it might not be a good trend?

Somehow, I think the line they cross that affects you is when it stops being "very reasonable", and when you say "us" you think everyone agrees with you. Sabaijai,Are you a Republican from America by the way? (not a personal attack, maybe I like American Republicans)