womblejamie

Womble, I believe QED is correct above... based on what you say...

I don't believe a person can RENEW a BUSINESS VISA inside Thailand. You can obtain a BUSINESS VISA at Thai consulates elsewhere around the world.

I had a B business visa in the past, obtained from a Thai consulate in the U.S. It basically was good for one year plus the final three months of my last entry to Thailand just before the visa expired... After that, I had to go back to the U.S. to apply for/get a new business visa.

I'm not aware that Business visas have extensions of stay, as retirement and marriage visas do...

But there are others around these parts with more expertise on the subject that me...

Current business visa was just over two years ago, renewed after one year at immigration and again recently and I report every 90 days (obviously except if I am not in the country and have gained an exit permit). Also I know of people who are on 'ED' visas (and are actually in education, not pretending) who carry on with just 90 day reports to local immigration. So, they/I are not required to leave the country every 90 days.

Yes business visa and renewed for extension of stay. Valid work permit, etc... The previous business visa (for a totally different business and co.ltd company) before this one went on for three years with extensions of stays

Those with actual visas, particularly multiple entry non-immigrant visas such as business or retirement issued at Thai consulates outside Thailand, are not subject to the same 90 day reporting process. Rather, those folks are required to leave the country before the end of the 90 day period, such as thru a border run, and they then get a new 90 day permission to stay when they return to the country.

Current business visa was just over two years ago, renewed after one year at immigration and again recently and I report every 90 days (obviously except if I am not in the country and have gained an exit permit). Also I know of people who are on 'ED' visas (and are actually in education, not pretending) who carry on with just 90 day reports to local immigration. So, they/I are not required to leave the country every 90 days.

Offshore has everything you request minus friend bread..

Guessing you meant FRIED bread.

Easily fixed then, get them to chuck the bread in frying pan straight after all the goodies are done and hey presto, delicious fried bread to go with the brekkie.

Other countries have English food? No, they might have imitation English food, but never the real thing, I thought you'd know that!!!!!!

Thanks genisis, much appreciated for clearing that up. Some people might have been unaware while the long in the tooth above were already aware!

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't it have something to do with the fact that the South African Channels (Mnet, Zone Reality, etc) have changed satellite and are now unavailbale anymore in this region due lack of coverage? If so, then no matter how much asking and begging, it won't come back...

I cannot correct as you are so right! Forget the days of those channels, The Africans have switched satellites/reduced their range/tightened their spread whatever you want to call it and as I understand we will see no more in the LOS.

you got to love wookienookie's first post is about a pool hall opening

> The swimming pool also gets the sun, which is a bonus

Anyone in a relationship with a Thai person, please run the above by them first.

I spent more time at that pool than our own moo baan pool, as our was covered from the sun and packed from open to close with the whole neighbourhood plus others who wanted to keep out of the sun, and every, Tuesday I think, was school kids day when the pool could not be seen for obnoxious school kids!

I have friends that live there, one family has been there for 18 months and love it. They have a young daughter that goes to school nearby, both 'farang'. The other guy I know lives there with his Thai girlfriend mid 30s and they both enjoy it there. The swimming pool also gets the sun, which is a bonus unlike some of the moo baans in CM.

Rats. I've been hoping someone might reply telling me there was a little known, lovely enclave in phuket desigend for fringe renters. im obviously on the dream train. let me rephrase then...what is the closest town to phuket i can live where the rents are a bit more reasonable. please dont' say trang. what about khao lak, for example?

I'm in Khao Lak and I'm afraid it is much the same with basic Thai houses, expensive villas or overpriced mid level, i.e western kitchen, garden etc...

using TOT in Khao Lak and all my torrents have turned red, meaning there is a connection problem, but is still working and downloading, even new torrents

back on the subject of the programme, I found it very boring, all of it, but laughed when they spotted the camera filming them and then suddenly the undercover roving reporters cacked it and paid up the 150 baht. Good move, it was the best part of the show, I was even thinking big mumma was gonna come out for the 150 baht. What was she thinking, 'that tyre wouldn't go like that in just two or three days,' of course it would dummy, it's called a slow puncture!

I'm not sure where you got you information from, but some of it is incorrect:

Their ATM Visa card is 500 bht, but it is good for 3 years instead of BB or SIAM 1 year.

My Bangkok Bank and Siam Commercial Bank ATM cards are good for 10 years... Plus Bangkok Bank has a branch in New York and I can transfer money online from Bank of America to Bangkok Bank for a low fee. I don't have a work permit, as I have a retirement visa. Online banking with Bangkok Bank is very good and free. I can also transfer money to my GF's account for free. I have accident insurance through Siam Commercial Bank for a very low fee, they also offer health insurance. For a list of Thai banks exchange rate check this link: Bank Exchange Rates

By the way you can open a bank account with a Certificate of Residence from your embassy or Thai Immigration or a "yellow book" from the Land Office. You need a Certificate of Residence to obtain a Thai Drivers license as well.

10 years on my Bangkok Bank ATM Visa card also and when I lost it last year, two years after opening the account in Koh Samui my new card issued in Chiang Mai branch was valid again for 10 years. Have never been able to fault them yet!

During the times when I never even owned a helmet (I do now and wear it 99% of the time, yeah I know the accident could happen that one per cent, but at least I'm honest), it was never the fine that got to me, as it is the law, it was the long ass queues at Chaweng copshop it melting midday sun. After three of these and a friend dieing in motorcycle accident, I now wear one and have not been stopped by the BIB for almost two years now.

The following port and reply is copied from 'The Thai visas, residency and work permits' forum

'I posted a question or two in the Chiang Mai forum under visa+++++ and after 4 hour's and 70+ view's no reply's Ive just told them they are a brain dead lot. So dont let me down.

CM forum users, brain dead? This chap can't even count, there are three hours (well 2 hours 59 minutes) between his first post at 18:46 and his reply at 21:45... Glass houses and stones spring to mind.

catch the cat, get it neutered or spayed (with ever sex it is) and a lot of this trouble will just pass. Especially if it knows it comes near your place and then has an operation! One of the animal rescue places like should do the operation for free as they're trying to stop the growth rate of dogs and cats.

Depending on what type of bike you are after, my friend, an English guy I know from my home town, rents out bikes from 2k to 3.5k per month. He maintains them well by servicing them around once a month, just a little tidy up mind. I think he does ask for a passport deposit or copy of the passport I am not sure, but you have to check that with him. He's located on Chang Kian (not to be confused with Chang Klang) just before the Lanna Muay Thai. If you need his number PM me and I'll send it to you.

living in khao lak now, but loved soi reggae for the sheer randomness that was had down there. a lady boy flashing my wife and her friends, greg looking after bogarts (i think it was called) on the corner opposite family mart, the endless streams of tourist families scared stiff at what they're seeing just after sunset, and drinking until the sun came up, sad shame its all but going, going, gone

Yeah the hawkers can be a real pain in the posterior, especially around the busier parts of the beach in Chaweng. Unfortunately they will always be a part of the scenery. If one group gets caught, as they are usually illegal, another group replaces them. The staff when I've been in Ark Bar have always tried to literally shew them off if they see them, but they would be doing this all the time as they are nearly always about, and then customers would be asking why they are not getting served.

The last time I was down that way Ark Bar had a security guard on the beach who was doing his best to keep the little ones out, but it is a thankless and impossible task.

As for sunglasses and an MP3 player, have tried that many times while sunbathing all over Thailand, all they do to me then is pull at my TOES, until I acknowledge them!

I'm having a great time using a VPN to connect to the UK. Then downloading the whole matches or match of the day from bbc iplayer and watching them at my leisure... It means I can go to bed at the normal time and get up at normal time. As long as no-one tells me the results!

I wish I could do that, I mean be able to wait until the following day, at the minute schedule includes getting about midday and going to bed at 03:30. I don't think I could sleep knowing I'm missing the action!

It is only 30 baht where I live, but then again it is not a tourist area or the islands

where do you live in samui.

I dont believe it costs you 30 baht

I lived just up from 99Karaoke in Chaweng a little over a year ago. The little ram shackle place on the left as you go towards the ring road would indeed charge me 30baht... for a puncture repair. I gave up buying new inner tubes on Samui as I'd average buying a new one every 10 days or so.

In Khao Lak, as soon as the England match finished last night/this morning, there was a procession of Thais and Burmese leaving the beach area where we were watching the footie. We just assumed they had all been watching it somewhere or a big party had been going on and we weren't invited, but then it dawned what I'd been hearing and laughing off for 2 weeks or so, a tsunami was coming.

We only live 400m from the beach so we quickly shot home, got some peanuts, beer, wine and chocolate, and of course the dog, sat upstairs watching the reports come in. Earthquakes can't be predicted, so there must be something very mysterious in the air! We're just waiting for later when we again meet up with our Thai friends who will gloat in the fact that they told us there would be natural disaster in the area yesterday!!!

:Supersport 3 + 1 went from my sophon cable Tv here in pattaya a few days ago but they replaced those channels with astro sports which is great,English commentary

I've got Astro Supersport 2 on my cable in Khao Lak. Is that what you were watching it on? or another Astro Sport channel? Please tell me the same as mine!!!!!

Been hearing this for days now and I live in Khao Lak. All I hear when I leave the house is about a tsunami is coming very soon. Check it on the net, its about the planets aligning and the gravitational pull will cause natural disasters... apparently. Better stock up on food and water as the next month looks for a choppy ride, thank god the world cup will be on

Honestly, some of the replies on here leave me shocked. Dogs culled and sent to Vietnam for food, they're a nuisance and should be collected (and done what with?), blah, blah blah. If you treat these dogs well, they will in return treat you well. Have you noticed that Thai people tend to suffer from dogs barking at them and seemingly chasing them (although if the humans stopped running and clapped their hands the dogs would stop), because the majority are unkind to the soi dogs.

Everywhere I go it takes me three times as long when I'm with my wife as she stops and feeds every dog or cat that she sees. Yes, even in our own street and we have a dog of our own that doesn't generally batter an eyelid. Why should the dogs be culled just because you don't like them? They don't like you, but have not made an attempt on your life!

Honestly, this post is ridiculous. Thai people feed dogs to gain merit. Thai women that is..They're not on the top of the reincarnation tree. A majority of Thais are very poor and compete for food. If you lived on 1000 Baht a day and a soi dog stole your food, how would you feel? You'd kill the f**ker. Yes, soi dogs have made attempts on my life.Soi dogs have had me off my bike twice and badly bitten me. Painfull rabies injections and bike damage.The next day went back to the same spot and culled those who were responsible with a metal baseball bat to the skull. You really should leave your bleeding heart, animals have rights attitude, in the First World. You live in Thailand........

Mate, you're obviously just a sub-normal XXX if you think the answer is a baseball bat, lets hope you don't cause a motorbike accident and someone comes back with a baseball bat for your skull!

And well done old man for pointing out the bleeding obvious, I live in Thailand. You should audition for Mastermind! If you think animals don't have a right to live, I feel sorry for you.

Honestly, some of the replies on here leave me shocked. Dogs culled and sent to Vietnam for food, they're a nuisance and should be collected (and done what with?), blah, blah blah. If you treat these dogs well, they will in return treat you well. Have you noticed that Thai people tend to suffer from dogs barking at them and seemingly chasing them (although if the humans stopped running and clapped their hands the dogs would stop), because the majority are unkind to the soi dogs.

Everywhere I go it takes me three times as long when I'm with my wife as she stops and feeds every dog or cat that she sees. Yes, even in our own street and we have a dog of our own that doesn't generally batter an eyelid. Why should the dogs be culled just because you don't like them? They don't like you, but have not made an attempt on your life!