Acutus

When I lived there many years ago, my provider was TOT. Not that fast and had a problem when the rain came down. But it was bearable considering that it is by Thai in Thailand!

Good luck!

It seems that Thai authorities understand this BitCoin too well.

By making it illegal, they can make money by hassling expats who are using it or just claim that expats are using it. As Thai authorities don't really have to prove whether expats are using it or not but it is expats who need to proof that they are innocent.

Of course, they probably don't care 1-bit about stoping it. They possibly love to have expats using it as much and often as possible so that they can arrest expats and demand a large sum of money. Similar to how they arrested expats on the charges that they hardly did to Thais.

You just can't help admiring them on how they know the ways to maximize their earning from nothing!

There is a current trend throughout thailand to reduce smoking in public areas. Temples have often taken up this and along with encouraging people to give up booze. Some make it a no smoking zone so perhaps a monk might be surreptitious about a quick drag.

It is not considered to break the fifth precept as it is not intoxicating leading to loss of control or mindfulness. It is an addiction ,however, and any good Buddhist should be trying to reduce attachments, especially to sensual pleasures, and since smoking is wasteful and harmful....

Many old monks still chew betel as older people still do...again....a habit... but not a sin...since it harms only the user.

Fred... I just am passing by and saw your comment. Just want to let you know that smoking is breaking the precept#3.

First what is your goal....just to get lots of meditation in or to get ordained?

There is no need to ordain to be able to meditate. In fact, I would go as far as saying that you will be able to attend several long retreats, easier and with less ditractions if you remain as a lay person. Ordination brings certain duties and requirements which are a distraction and disrupt your time. Also ordination is not easy nowadays in thailand since the system has been abused in the past by some who were just after a one-year visa so they are much more careful before ordaining people.

As a lay person you would be able to move around to try different places and teachers and methods and climates, but once ordained do not have that freedom at all.

A one-year multiple re-entry visa would be best for you, which can actually get you almost 15 months here if used correctly.

Bangkok area would be very hot and humid most of the year, so perhaps the North would be nicest in the hot season.

Hi FF

Thanks for your observations.

Goal is to ordain. The plan is to visit a number of places to hopefully find a teacher i admire/respect. I am aware that there are a number of sacrifices in ordination including the need to stay put for at least the first 5 years - one more reason to find a supportive environment in all senses eg climate, conditions and most especially teacher.

The thinking about one year visa was to have time to visit a number of monasteries for a good amount of time at each to investigate approaches/styles and teachers. My influence/exposure here in Australia has been from the forest tradition but I dont wish to limit myself although i like their meditation and discipline focus although they all have slight variations on this. Pali and Thai would also be considerations but i can teach myself if the opportunity exists - i suspect in some places that these are not-but i need to go and spend time to know this for myself.

After speaking with consulate here in Australia it seems that it is difficult for me to get a one year visa - i need letters of recommendation as part of my application. Although some suggested to say i would be visiting friends and provide details but i would prefer to be honest when starting out on this phase of my life .

cheers

The only goal of becoming a monk is to practice Vipassanā and become an Arhat as one tired of the suffering cycle in samsara. Any other purposes is a waste of time.

If you have a problem in getting a one year visa to enter Thailand and looking for practicing Vipassanā, it will be benefit you greatly to go to Myanmar instead. The Myanmar embassy in Canberra can issue a Meditation visa on a request and it could be a one year visa. The simple way is to contact one of the Panditarama temples in Australia as they will be able to help you with a letter that you need to present with your visa application as well as providing you with other advices.

Are you in Sydney? Have a look at this url, "http://www.panditaramasydney.org/". They also have a temple in Melbourne as well.

And below are urls of the meditation centre in Myanmar:

1.

2. http://family.websho...576638212MmxEbt

If you wanted to ask whether it is better to become a monk in Thailand or in Myanmar, an answer is simple. If you wanted to practice Vipassanā, Myanmar is your destination. Currently, to my knowledge, there is no Thai monk known to public who knows and can teach Vipassanā correctly anymore.

Needless to say that to have a good start, one should keep their 5-Precept on a daily basis. Without having 5-Precept (with your respect to them), there is no way to progress, doesn't matter it is Samatha or Vipassanā meditation. Both of them require to have a minimum of 5-Precept. The better your 5-Precept (or 8-Precept or 227-Precept), the easier your practice will be.

However, if you decided that you really want to go to Thailand and become a monk there, as FF said that it is not that easy to become a monk these days, even I am not in Thailand at present but I will be quite happy to offer you a bit of help in becoming a monk in Thailand as well. As FF explained that the system has been abused so they have been more careful but if I was lied to, it was a bad kamma by a person who lied to me and I already made my merit by helping that person so I don't worry about it and always happy to help people

In the past, one can contact the DIAC and ask to have a Thai interpreter to help at the airport. This way, an interpreter could be allowed into the custom area and help a pax getting through the custom etc. However, as it has been awhile now that I witnessed this practice at the airport, it is wise to contact DIAC and/or TIS now. Here is TIS's url, "http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/help-with-english/help_with_translating/".

Of course, as other posters said, just fly THAI. With a bit of luck, one won't run into the BKK-attitude cabin crew who look down on esarn or non-BKK or any undeserving poor people and get a bit of services in flight. If one want to be sure, just fly a business class. They are always nice there, up to a certain point within the Thai Factor, of course.

You may try to find it at China town. As you may have a problem with the name as "Pu-Erh" is a Mandarin name, it may help if you print the foto of the one you want from this url, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu-erh_tea", to show to traders at China town.

Good luck.

Having a BKK Eye maybe a good idea if they can put up a 3G antenna on top of it too

Just an FYI, you're not really missing anything. 3G is a bit of a joke - at least in the USA - from my experience. Unless a website is optimized for a mobile device, it loads about as fast as molasses in January - sorry, rubber sap in the Cool Season! Almost all sites are not optimized, and of those that are, maybe half adequately take into account screen size of the mobile devices. Almost completely useless, and easier to just dial the phone to get the info you seek.

I'll use wifi on my iPhone until 4G arrives, and just live happily unconnected until that day arrives.

In Oz, 3G as well as 3.5G are working quite well and cheap too

For Thailand,

I dont know if i should start worrying now!

Due to go to Bangkok and Pattaya for 5 weeks, starting at the end of October, with my wife and our newborn son.

After reading all the stories coming out recently and just watching the video above i am seriously considering my options as i do not want to endangermy wife or child. Should i go or cancel, big decision.

OR do i cancell the Pattaya part and go elsewhere, not Phuket or Phi Phi due to the oil spillage...oh deer.

Such a shame, such a wonderfull country and they are dividing themselves and are going to drive away one of their biggest economic industries, tourism.

Probability of more troubles in Thailand is there so it is possibly safer to take your family holiday somewhere else. Having yourself or your loved ones become statistics in Thailand is not a desirable option.

Have a good holiday :jap:

Thais are not so restricted for being ordained.

Sayadaw books here for download...http://w w w.yellowrobe.com/images/library/books/(undo spaces in the www)

at WPN you can still get the one year extension of stay as a Novice monk or Pahkaw...

Thank you for the url. I had a quick look and bookmarked it too.

cheers...

At the Monk for a Month project only ordination to Novice is given. The six months as Pahkow then one year as Novice before becoming a monk are the rules at Wat Pah Nanachart, Ubon..... and probably similar at all the Ajarn Chah branch monasteries.

I teach Vipassana according to the Mahasi Sayadaw method as I learned at Wat Amphawan, Singhburi and Wat Rampoeng, Chiangmai.

Perhaps some monks have personal bank accounts...from when they were still laymen...as I have....but mine is for the use of my family to access my army pension. I am not trying to accumulate riches....that is a layman's job.....a monk should be poor.

So that is the rule by number of temples these days. That possibly makes it a bit harder on getting the right visa to stay for the duration. Is this rule also apply to Thais who are known to the temple e.g. live nearby etc?

Is there any Mahasi Sayadaw's books available in Thailand? Any to give to the novices and interested people?

Last but not least, should a monk accept a large donation so that he can redistribute that wealth to the poor people?

cheers...

@fabianfred

Vipassana meditation was mentioned on the MonkforaMonth's web site, pls explain in short how it is taught?

And why is there a waiting period of 6-month before one can ordain as a monk?

Anyway, from your story, money is definitely needed by monks. Good luck with your visa next year.

Thank you

Khao San Road would have fake PADI Instructor cards available, surely??

If one can afford it, one can even get a Certified Emperor of the Land Card in this land of scam without being qualified!

Good to be in Thailand

This book is great, "http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pesala/Pandita/".

Why bother!!! It has been the TOP low class airport in the world since its first day

Okay, you answered that question. I won't bother to ask you my next question.

Pls do ask your next question.

Local people say that it may up to how much money is involved hence it can be as short or as long as one wants

Or it could be as simple as that the delay will give time to organize (more) money from people who want to keep selling illegal software.

Your wife can easily register your baby as a newly born, with the right amount of money to flow in the right direction, it's done before a baby can blink.

Just hope that she or her relatives don't know the right people and how to do it. Good luck.