melbat

The chip was in-between 1100-1400 THB (but we bought them separately from the consoles) installing was 500THB

Where did u get it done?

I do console modchip installments in Phuket, for the Wii I use the freeware yaosm with a Microchip pic controller.

Last versions works with Maria Galaxy, the costs depends of the wii version, PM me for more info.

Hi Jack... Thanks for your reply. My version is the USA version. After the Mod will my Wii be able to operate with copy games? If so how much will the mod be. I live in Chalong but I can bring the Wii to you for you to do the job. Hope to hear from you soon. Mel

I used GCorners linky - dropped the wii there, went for a coffee, came back, had it tested/set up. Very good communication.

How much did they charge?

I have recently purchased a Wii Games Consul. I need to get it 'MODDED" so I can play any Wii games. I live in Phuket.. does anyone know where I can go in Phuket to get this done and how much it cost? Any suggestions in BKK will be useful too.. maybe I can post it there to be done if I cant find anyone in Phuket to do it.

Runour going around that wife can no longer be classed as dependant for retirement and will ned 800K in bank account in own name.

1. Anyone know how true this is ?

2. Has anyone had personal experience of needing 2 bank accounts ? (this would verify if true)

Not True.. My wife was granted a visa on my retirement visa last week. All done in 10 mins at Phuket Immigration. Yes there was talk last September of a rule change but it was not implimented. Who knows about the future but for now you can still have your dependants added to your retirement visa with no added requriements. You need to show your marriage certificate to the immigration officer and usual paperwork with photos of your spouse.

Need to do a 90 day report. Anyone know if this immigeation office is open on weekends and holidays and do they do 90 day reportings

I think that if you are late a couple of days most immigration officers will not fine you especially cuz they are closed when your 90 day is up. Of course there is always the exception, but i belive you will be ok if you go straight after they open.

Hey guys,

I'm here in Ho Chi Minh City, and I want out of here *now*. I went to the Thai embassy to get a tourist visa (I'm Canadian), they took my passport and paperwork, and told me to come back at 4. My flight leaves at 6:30. ;-) Yeah. Nice, I know.

It's unclear to me if they're issuing the visa for sure, or if they're just "looking" at things. They were pretty bitchy about doing a same-day visa, but they told me to come back today when I told them my flight left today. I was there yesterday, where they told me I had to come back with my flight ticket. It's a one-way ticket, but they didn't say anything.

So if they've bothered to take all my paperwork, are they going to issue the visa?

If they don't, I can still get a VOA at the airport, but then I have to book some stupid throwaway flight to have proof of onward travel, in case they ask, and the way my week is going, they'll probably ask. ;-)

I am having *an absolutely horrible time in HCMC, it's honestly the worst city I've ever been to, ever, and I want out of here *now*. :-(

If all else fails u can get 30 days on arrival at bkk airport

Taxis to Raise Fare Following LPG Price Hike

This follows requests by taxi operators for a fare hike as the fares have not gone up for over a decade but costs have gone up with the increases in the prices of oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Didn't the fares go up three years ago? I seem to remember they were 27/28 Bt and then they jumped to 35 Bt. Am I missing something here?

The fares have been at 35 baht base fare for at least the last 5 years, since I've been here. They are incredibly cheap, and the drivers should certainly get an increase, in line with fuel and cost of living adjustments. Should have been done a few years ago imo.

I agree.. It's so cheap for taxi's in Thailand. I remember 2 years ago when I went back to the UK I paid 25 pounds for a 15 min taxi ride in Bath (Somerset) plus 5 pounds tip which I'm sure the driver gave me that 'What a meenie' look.

I would be really grateful for some assistance from someone who is used to downloading

MP3 tracks from what seems to be a myriad of " user unfriendly " music web sites

For example after going through a never-ending registration process for Napster

I then got a message saying even the subscription service is only available

in USA ? Same with AOL music. Another friend put me onto esnips but while I have succeeded in creating

playlists with the one track that I am after, I can't seem to find a way of transforming just one of these files

so that I can download it onto my MP3 player.

I just want to obtain an MP3 file of one on the female singer's ( SADE )

tracks from the mid 1980s. I'm fully prepared to pay for this track

and I'm not trying to get something to nothing but I just seem to be

going around in circles. Thanks

Try www.multiply.com What a terrific site. Even I can download music from this site .. it's so easy. Just do your search and not only do you get the song u want.. but many others of the type of music you are trying to download in a simular vein. Its all free to join and use. If you have a problem going to the site direct.. try doing a 'google' with multiply and access the site from there.. then u get the membership page that way. Hope u try multiply.. you wont regret it

Well, I did say before that it's nearly impossible to find on retail shelves, but yes, $250 is the "real" price, and basically the shop is getting nearly $200 profit when you buy it for $399.

Having said that it's nearly impossible to find, it *is* possible to get it for that price, as long as you're diligent and live in the US. There are several places that keep tabs on Wii availability and tips on how to get one, and if I were in the US, I would have been able to buy one for $250 by now. Yes, I realize you're not in the US.

And having said that, I did say that I didn't like the principle of over-paying for a product simply because it's hard to find. Other people are happy to, as seen in the number of people who buy overpriced Wii's in Thailand.

Yes you are probably right.. but even if something is priced a $1 if you cant find it at that price it's no good. If you go to ebay.co.uk you will see it's not $250 they are asking but 250+ pounds they want for this product.. so I would say all in all I have had a good deal. As I have also stated the best price in bkk for someone who has this product in stock is 15900 Baht. Thats the best I could find after days of searching.

Woops, my bad. I was thinking of the yes-asia one. Still, on principle, I wouldn't buy it since it's basically selling a product that should be $250 for $399.

Wish you could tell us all where you can buy a Wii thats in stock and for sale for $250. I was on the net for days looking for a good price.. but belive me no-one is selling this product for $250

What I'm saying is that the Play-asia one is the Japanese version, not the US version. The Japanese version sold here is much cheaper, arond 12,900 baht plus shipping. So basically you're paying more if you order from play-asia, since it's not modded.

No.. I am getting the USA version for 12900 baht. Please go to thier web sire to see price . www.play-asia.com

Customs, like many things in Thailand, is a matter of luck. I've had things sent which passed through customs with no incident and no charges. I've also had things labeled as "gifts" and "repaired items" which were taxed at customs pretty heavily.

The cheapest place to buy the Wii would be at their respective countries. In the US, if you can find it, the Wii is only $250, or around 8,000 baht. But that's only if you can find it, since it's practically impossible to find on store shelves or online retailers. In Japan, it's even cheaper and easier to find, but some people don't like the fact that it's in Japanese. The play-asia price is for a Japanese console sold in the US, and so is a bit more expensive than normal, and actually not that much cheaper than that sold her in Thailand, if you consider the Wii mod price and the shipping costs.

Thanks for the info Firefox.. You are probably correct about customs.. maybe I have just been lucky so far! Anyway I have searched for days looking for a USA version of the Wii in bkk. but the cheapest I can find is 15900 baht plus shipping to Phuket. Play Asia price in including shipping to Phuket is 3000 baht cheaper 13300 baht. I have tried the USA web sites and ebay which proved to be much more expensive. 16500 to 21000 on ebay UK, but as Christmas is just around the corner I expected prices to be high especially as stock of these Wii's is so hard to find. Thanks again.

Do you have problems with Customs if you order this way? That could add a lot more to the price.

I dont think I will have any problems with customs. They will label the item as a gift and it's just one unit so they guess it's not for resale. I have had cell phones sent from Uk with no problems with customs before

play-asia.com

Thanks for the info my friend... I have ordered my Wii from Play-Asia today, saving me 3000 baht on the best bkk price. I owe you a drink if u are ever in Phuket! Thanks again

you looking for original or modded? unmodded retail versions will run you as follows on play-asia.com:

japan =9400 baht + shipping

us (has wii sports) = 12500 + shipping

not sure what a modded one will run ya.

Thanks for info... but where can i buy one????

I want to buy a Wii for my G/F ( for me as well ) hahahaha. Where is the cheapest place to buy. I will need it despached to Phuket. I cant seem to find a place in Phuket where they sell them. Hope someone can help. Thanks

Perhaps your post would be more helpful if you provided a list of "Indeed they wanted all the correct documents" and what financial information was asked for. As you have a wife from the Philippines who was getting the visa, not yourself, and the reason was to join her husband who is on a retirement stay in Thailand do not consider three trips to be that great. But do understand how relived you both must be that some of the negatives you read did not happen to you.

Yes it was 3 trips.. 1. the first initial visit to complete application etc Second time was to give documents related to income which I had forgotton to take on my first visit. 3rd time to collect visa. Docs required were a photocopy of my visa in thailand, and photocopies of bank book, and pension details... nothing more than when I apply for my retirement visa. I was just writing this to let people know how helpful and friendly the staff were there, after what i had read here about the consul in Manila. The people who handled the application were indeed Filipino... Never saw a Thai person at all.

After reading some negative reports about the consul in Manila, it was with some trepidation that my new bride and I ventured to the Thai consul in Manila to apply for a Non Immigrant O visa so we can start out new life together in Phuket. I was very pleasantly suprised by the helpful staff and speed of process for the visa. Indeed they wanted all the correct documents, which I had taken with me, and they did require some info about my income, but once I had satisfied the consul, my wife's visa was processed with speed by the helpful staff. If anyone thinks they can go there and short circuit the process they are going to the wrong place but if your documents are in order you will have no problems in Manila. There were no long waits.. infact the 3 times i visited the consul there were hardly any other people waiting. I will happily use Manila Consul again if the need arises.

Not a problem, as long as it all adds up.

Naka.

And the money can be in any bank accounts in the world or just Thailand?

The money must be in a Thai bank account

I am about to marry my Filipina g/f and will need to obtain for her a Non Immigrant O visa in Manila. This will enable me to apply for a depentant visa on my retirement visa. Anyone any idea if I will have any problem obtaining a visa in Manila for her and what requirements will embassy need in Manila? Any info will be much appreciated!

i would like to know ,which is the best way to transfer money to thailand from a uk bank.Is it best to do it while i am in the uk or when i am in thailand.

I have also seen some posts saying that the bank withholds 30% if the transfer is for more than £10,000,how long do they with hold it for and for what reason any advice appreciated.

I transfer money with the international section of my bank. You can transfer up to 5000 pounds sterling in 1 day to a Thai bank account. The fee for this service is 20 pounds and takes about 3 to 4 working days to arrive in my bank account. Make sure you transfer in STERLING not thai baht.. as the banks here give you a much better exchange rate. As far as I know the 30% rule don't apply to personal bank accounts for money to be used for personal expenditure but I might be wrong. Anyway my bank here have never applied it to me.

Total cost Visa 3900 Baht. Don't have to leave the country, for 15 months just 90 day reporting....

That was 2,000 Baht for the change from tourist visa to non-O, and 1,900 Baht for the annual extension of stay.

Important: if you plan to travel outside Thailand during the 15 months you are now permitted to stay in Thailand, please remember to get a re-entry permit before you leave Thailand so as to keep you current extension alive.

--

Maestro

are we now saying that the money does not have to be wired from abroad ? this is getting confusing

I live in Phuket and the Immigration here have never asked me where my money comes from... All they want to see is my bank book and letter from Bank.

I am planning to marry my Filipina g/f next month in Manila. After we are married we plan to come to live here in Phuket. I have a retirement visa. I understand that I can still have for my wife a dependants visa from my retirement visa. The rules as I understand have not been changed as previously reported. My question is when we apply in Manila for a Non immigrant visa for my wife what documents will be needed to get her a visa in Manila?

now imagine some 10% of sentenced to death penalty being punished for something they never did.

Wrongly convicted - Death penalty or life in prison pretty much amounts to the same thing.....

Not really... We all know that 'life' usually means 15 years in jail but most out after 10 with good behaviour.