saintofsilence

Thats not a very long jail term, they probably come up with that figure by adding 1 year for every millimetre.

Did you have an Interview before getting the medical papers?

No. The letter said that there is no interview at this time. Is it normal to have a medical before the interview? I was hoping that having a medical would indicate that they will approve it soon. We are hoping it will be approved before the middle of December so we can go home for Xmas.

I am not sure but maybe you had a very good application and don't need an interview please let us know if you get your visa and Good Luck.

Plenty of scams going on again today these people are making big money.

Did you have an Interview before getting the medical papers?

Have you had a interview yet ?

How shocking sex shows in Pattaya well done BIB these people give the place a bad name

Looks like KOH Samui have the same problems

Koh Samui: KOH SAMUI JET SKI SCAM

Hi !

I just got back from a trip to Koh Samui and was unfortunately involved in a JET SKI Scam.

Me and 5 of my friends rented jet skis and paid about 850 baht for 30 mins, little did we know what we were getting into.

In the middle of the ocean, while the jet skis were stationary they barely touched each other due to a wave. I dont think that the touch was even enough to cause a scratch.

Anyways, we get back to the beach and the "boys" inspect the Jet skis and say we have damaged one of them and points to a SCRATCH on one of the jet skis. We feel that it may have been caused by us and offer to pay 1000 odd baht.

At this point the "boys" call the owner who comes and starts acting really angry. Considering there were 6 of us we also get all angry and an argument starts.

At one point in the argument the Boss of the jet ski place picked up a beer bottle and almost broke it on my head, he was looking at another man with him and asking him if he should. I also took an aggresive stance and i think that is the only thing which prevented them from getting violent.

I called the Police but guess what - THEY NEVER SHOWED UP.

I called up AMARI, Koh Samui where we were staying and they said they could not do anything to help and just advised us to try and get the jet ski people with us to the hotel for our safety.

The jet ski company is on CHAWENG BEACH, right in front of this place called THE LIBRARY.

Finally we talk our way out and ask him to come to the hotel.

He comes to the hotel after an hour and demands 20000 Baht !!!!

We talk to the manager of the hotel who tries to reason with him and he gives us a discount of 2000 Baht but still insists on 18000 baht.

When we refuse to pay he wants us to go with him to the police.

At this point we ask for the General Manager of Amari Hotel being sure that a senior person would be able to do something.

He advises us not to go to the police in ANY circumstance as that would make things more expensive with even the police demanding Money, also the JET SKI owner can file a case on the basis of the agreement he made us sign and the police would ask for our passports and we would not be allowed to leave the country till we somehow pay.

We asked what would happen if we refused to pay and all he said was that it would get VERY nasty and even the hotel would not be able to help. Basically the JET SKI Owner would get lots of local boys and things would get very violent.

Basically we were told to PAY and finish this mess.

Looking at NO other possibility, we asked the general manager to get a local person to help negotiate, he got his F&B manager who was from KOH SAMUI and he brokered a deal for 15000 BAHT

Imagine paying 15000 BAHT for a scratch which also i think we didnt cause BUT HAD TO PAY.

In short NEVER EVER RENT A JET SKI IN THAILAND. Specially the one on CHAWENG BEACH in front of THE LIBRARY.

And imagine threatening tourists with breaking beer bottles on their head.

The Police, Government, Local People are all involved.

EVERYONE should STOP VISITING THAILAND completely.

I would NEVER go there again.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g293918-c168156/Koh-Samui:Thailand:Koh.Samui.Jet.Ski.Scam.html

For anyone with home button problems there is now an on screen home button . I recently replaced mine as it was unusable but this new feature is a good work around.

Does anyone know how far into the partner visa process before the papers are sent to do a medical or are they handed out after the first interview ?

And how long does it take for the hospital to do the medical ?

Does a appointment need to made for a medical or can you just turn up ?

Just call apple they will solve the problem by just activating the unlock then you will need to restore again most likely

I have found over time you can adjust you lifestyle and be happy without relying on friends . Why don't you think on the positive side and do something about it !.

Move to a different location or buy a new pet if you drink to much give it a break. No need to be sad you are the one control.

I have just upgraded my iphone to ios 5 it was unlocked in australia and works fine on true no simcard problem.

maybe you should remove and reinsert your card

"For next year delegates also discussed ways of attracting more tourists from Western Europe."

Just a suggestion

1 take back control of the beach drom the mafia

2, remove half the chairs ,

3 kill or rats that over run the beach ,

4 put clean rubbish bins around the place,

5 remove all jet skis and thugs.

6 put all the lady boy hookers that rob tourists in cells.

7.Replace the umbrellas.

8 Have regular beach patrols keeping the beach clean.

9 Remove all the people that have set up home on the beach.

10. Arrest all the drug dealers that openly show packest of drugs and try and sell them along the beach.

Thats a start After that you may be able to promote pattaya beach with a bit of honesty and get more tourists including returning ones.

I will only stop when tourists stop renting jet skis!!!

Tourist Authority of Thailand should issue warning to all tourists - this bovine scatology has been going on for far too long.

There are reports online that TAT would not take complaints about jet skis and people have phoned them and been advised call the tourist police Pattaya .

The Tourist Police Pattaya at one stage looked very much part of the problem and a couple of officers were taken off the beach.

This scam looks like it is very much controlled by people that have a lot of Authority and that is why these thugs on the beach laugh and are allowed to get away with these crimes.

Maybe if some group like DSI decided to be fully investigate this and start charging people including dismissal of any law enforcement officials or politicians involved in this it may help.

The scams have never stopped on Pattaya beach they have leader a big thai man who hangs out opposite Pattaya walk and gets inside info and knows what days are not ok to scam.

There is a big group effort doing these scams and it is not unusual to see the same people turning up at each location a scam is going on.

THe recent lot that were arrested was good to see as they had been involved in hundreds of scams but until the beach is cleaned up from this scum it will never be a good beach.

12 months ago the scammers were using steel pegs and knives to scare and threaten people that seems to have slowed down but the mafia thugs still still are very agressive and you will see them try and retain the tourists on the beach for hours if they have to just to frighten people into paying up.

As one of the scammers said a while back " we own the Police" and that is probably the only true words they have ever said.

For what it is worth, a beach squid seller was recently arrested for drunken molestation of a lady who pressed charges. It could very well be the same case as referred to above.

Jumping to conclusions is always dangerous.

Fair Point Peter but they chase beach vendors everyday until the back of the pick up is full and it is still no excuse for ignoring the scammers at present they are targeting most people that rent jet ski especially soi 11and all groups that hire, they are using possible manipulated photo's as proof and the Pattaya Police and Pattaya City hall have been advised by eye witnesses that photo manipulation is occuring and Police are ignoring it.

It would be so easy to prove but the law enforcement choose to ignore it there is plenty of software available to undelete sd cards.

The situation is getting more dangerous because Pattaya City is getting no assistance from The Police , The Tourist Police or Marine Police they are all turning a blind eye In my opinion it wont be long before a very serious injury occurs and Pattaya City will have another meeting to show the media that they are doing something and then it will be forgotten again and back to business as usual for all the corrupt officials and scammers and another million baht will be robbed off tourists.

A report on Pattaya Future Facebook Page

A couple of days ago while walking past soi 11 I saw a police office running very fast onto the beach where the scams have been going on , for once I thought action at last . The Policeman knocked the man to the ground in an act of great courage but then I looked a bit closer to see this man was just a feeble squid seller who is trying to survive so well done Pattaya Police station great show for the Tourists and to cap this off if the courageous police man had just glimpsed a bit further to his left he would have noticed a jet ski scam going on and tourists actually needing some help.

http://www.facebook.com/PattayaFuture

The police at Soi 9 are fed up with the jet ski cases but since their rules are that it is a civil case for property damage unless threats are truly provable or personal injury is evident, either party can make a report for damage claims but they are normally requested to take it all to City Hall if no agreement can be reached between the parties. Late afternoon/early evening when City Hall is closed is thus an ideal time for the scammers.

The real Foreign Police Volunteers have strict instructions not to be involved as abuse and threats from both sides have occurred in the past as well as the risk of being thought to be getting remuneration from any party - and there are cases of dismissal for those who have been involved in any way. City Hall have recruited hundreds of their own police recently but powers of arrest and reporting etc. still lie with Soi 9 station and it remains to be seen if any City Hall officer patrolling helps in all this.

These city hall officer are not doing much patrolling they do plenty of sitting down and eating noodle dishes along the beach , I have't seen them get involved in assisting foreigners who need help.

THe sikh guy is still being used and also another foreign type person that flashes and id card and tries to get the victims to pay up he goes to many scam areas , the police know him because he goes into the station soi 9.

It is very questionable when the scams are going on that they have the ok from the police because they are not worried about going to the station.

Also it looks like they have the blessing of the marine dept.

Comments Pattaya Mail

Today, 30th Sept 2011, at 5pm witnessed the same Jet Ski scam taking place on Pattaya Beach. This was near Mike Shopping Mall, opposite Beach Road soi 12.

A group of Indian tourists were targeted this evening. One Jet Ski was accused of being damaged. Of course it was there before, this scam occurs every single day with the same gang of Jet Ski operators. Any intervention by passers by would be met with threats, and then violence. There is nothing you can do to help these guys. The four Indian tourists were literally begging, pleading, and were in a pretty bad state. The gang of Thai’s nearby that were part of the scam were laughing, drinking beer, playing with their kids (who were also asking passers by if they wanted to rent a Jet Ski) and pointing at their marks mocking them.

I see that last week (Saturday 24th Sept 2011) that five Jet Ski scammers were arrested for attempting to extort a couple of Saudi Arabia tourists, and followed the tourists to the Marriott Resort & Spa in Pattaya. The police were called, arrests were made.

So, literally a few days later, the scams are continuing on Beach Road. Nothing has changed! NOTHING! The same scammers I’ve seen for months and months are exorting sums of money any between 40,000 to 80,000 baht.

Also closer to Walking Street entrance on Beach Road, opposite soi 13/4 and near there, the same gang of Thai scammers are there every day. They’re also continuing to extort tourists.

They often target the marks around 5pm-5:30pm, as it’s getting dark. There are more of the gangs keeping an eye on people taking photos than I’ve seen before. These gangs are well organised, in that they have around 10 Thai’s ready waiting to add to the threats if there extortion demands are not met.

So, arrests of Thai Jet Ski scammers has had absolutely no impact whatsoever on them continuing ‘business as usual’. It’s disgraceful. Same thugs operating for months and months, and none of them locked up and told not to return. This scam has been operating for years. Welcome to Pattaya, tourists, play safe.

http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/5-alleged-jet-ski-scammers-arrested-after-threatening-victims-inside-5-star-resort-6561

Department of Special Investigation

Complaints can be lodged on line .

http://www.dsi.go.th/index.php?lang=en

I think what he is trying to say that the Asians were stranded and probably had to pay ann extra 2000 baht to get speed boats backs as there were no more ferries.

Look like another scam if thats the case.

Late today opposite mike shopping mall there was a huge crowd of people watching the scammers a couple of farang were having a go at them it was over some indians being scammed the scammers were screaming at the indians and one was pushed one farang was about to start punching on and demanded one scammer go to the police not sure what happenned but there was plenty going on.

The scammer were getting very agressive with tourists taking photo's.

Every time a group of people rent jet skis from that area they are scammed and it has not stopped in 12 months.

Speechless

Its a pity they are not used on the beach scammers the whole beach is covered by them but The world class city of Pattaya allow scams on a daily basis with all this good gear for collecting evidence.