freddy123

Sounds like you may just need to reinstall windows, have you tried this? Its probably the first step to take before taking it to a repair person.

Are you getting the "Blue screen of death" at all? That usually indicates that there is something wrong with the hardware, if you just get an error and it returns to the desktop then its possibly just a software issue.

Do we know it's a scam for sure? As yet has anybody paid over cash and been ripped off?

It certainly sounds iffy, but innocent until proven guilty, unless of course in Thailand!

Regards Bojo

Wouldn't a look at the Thai Immigration website confirm that its a scam? If there is nothing about a 10 year visa then its a scam. I can't read thai just yet so I will have to leave someone else more knowledgeable to that task.

Is there a way to let city life now that its a scam so they can stop publishing the ad? Or is getting scam money to important for city life folks?

Was the email address gmail? Or another provider? Maybe we could sign them up for a touch of spam? If gmail it wouldn't be worth it cause their filters are to good.

What to Buy in the Night Bazaar

Nothing

If you have to buy something touristy, I suggest you buy it at the Sunday walking market, where the prices are somewhat less than the Tourist Bazaar. You may even see some locals walking around the Sunday market aswell.

Would not recommend buying any electronics over here, they are usually the same price or more than in wester countries. Plus good luck getting any warrenties fullfilled from your home country, plus you might buy a fake if your not careful.

Lately, every time that I exit hotmail I am dumped to that obnoxious MSN India Homepage and must wait for and then click on "back to MSN US".

I do not want "India" and have never gone there of my own free will.

How can I change this default to MSN US????

Very irritating!

The underlying problem here seems to be that your using Hotmail. Once you migrate away from that and onto Gmail you will be free from obnoxious pages.

As for your percieved problem, maybe you could try deleting your cookies? You might have picked up an Indian one accidently. Or maybe thats the way microsoft designed Hotmail... India - Thailand same same, we just want to shove more ads at people. Be careful deleting your cookies though cause you may miss them, understand what it means before you do it.

Also check that your computer is set to the Thai or US local settings and not Indian for some reason.

Edit: Stupid html stuffed up becuase I was replying and topic got moved.

Yeah does make more sense, I wasn't planning on staying another year anyway. But would be nice to have that option though. Ok thanks very much for all your help guys.

Thanks Tywais

The minority wins again

Ok thanks everyone, I will report to the local Chiang Mai office here when its time, and see what they say.

It is a multi entry visa, however I'm pretty sure I will not have to leave the country after 90days.

After reading the link rpovided by Lite Beer I'm pretty sure you don't have to leave the country. If your non-B-A visa is indeed a multiple you will get another year to stay in Thailand if you leave and return just before your VISA expires (not your current pemision to stay, the VISA is the stamp fom the cponsulate and is valid for 1 year from the day it was isseud. Says something like Utilise before ** - ** 2010.)

Wow didn't know that, It says enter before May 12 2010, So if I enter on May 11 2010 I can stay for a whole year, unless I leave the country, is that correct?

Ok thanks everyone, I will report to the local Chiang Mai office here when its time, and see what they say.

It is a multi entry visa, however I'm pretty sure I will not have to leave the country after 90days.

You have to make a report to Immigration after you are here for 90 days; which includes your arrival information and current address. You use a TM.47 form to do so and the bottom portion retain in passport for the next 90 day report. You can download the form from the pinned items at top of page.

The window for reporting is plus/minus 7 days.

Ok thanks... Should I have only been stamped for 90 days? Or is this just how things work?

Ok I am a Australian (22 yrs old). I have a 1 year working holiday visa. (http://www.thaiconsulatesydney.org/Consular_services/Visa/working%20holiday.html) and I've been in the country for just over 2 months now. When I entered at the airport they stamped my passport with "Admitted Until 23/05/2010" with the blue stamp.

Now the complication to this is that when I picked up my visa/passport from the embassy in Sydney the guy told me that I would need to get it stamped every 90 days, so when I got to the airport I was anticipating a stamp valid for 90 days. But after confused and bewildered looks from the staff on duty at suvanaburi (who I don't think had ever seen a working holiday visa before) I was stamped with a full year.

Now my question is do I just leave it and do nothing? Or should I go to the immigration office and just check it out when the 90 days comes up?

Thanks for your advice

3 Votes For Unpin

5 Votes Against

Unpin Denied.

Why anyone should want it removed is beyond me, do they think that if we hide "death" it won't happen to them? Please leave it where it is, in the event of my death I don't my b/f to have to rely on TV's somewhat perverse search function to find out what to do!

I don't want it removed, I would like to see it unpinned. I to think it would be of benefit for loved ones, but having a link in the chiang mai information would seem more appropriate to me. But I'm no Admin

Yeah I noticed it aswell, I'm living in the touristy area atm and it has definately picked up in the last couple of weeks. Didn't know they all came from europe though.

I read the dying at home topic on probably the first time I found the chiang mai forum, I found it informative and useful. But 2-3 months on its a little disconcerting having it pinned at the very top of the forum all the time. Anyone else of the same opinion?

Maybe we can unpin it but provide a link in the Chiang Mai information section?

I think its probably reasonable that a user has to do a search on a hopefully remote topic like dying? (Especially seeing that all the current users definately know there is a thread about it already.)

Just out of interest, does anyone know if the pedestrian crossings here are sponsered by the local hospitals? I imagine they would bring in a fair amount of farang travel insurance money over the years. They really are great little death traps for fresh of the plane tourists.

I myself have had a few close calls when they just suddenly step out in front of the bike. I know you probably should stop but after a couple of months here riding the bike here I tend to ride like a local.

Anyone shed some light on this? Anyone ever hit a farang at a pedestrian crossing?

maybe http://www.mandalachiangmai.com/

Thapae area (soy 3), about 300m to gate. Just outside the moat.

Are you still in need of players?

I'm a young aussie, living and working here for awhile. I havn't played a huge amount in the last 5 years or so (been playing cricket mainly) but back when I was 14-16 I played quite a few night comps at a somewhat reasonable level, and had a fair bit of tennis coaching when I was a little tacker. I'm by no means a pro but not a beginer either.

Let me know if you would like me to come along one time, although I think i'd preffer to stick to doubles until I gain a bit of confidence after not having played in so long.

Also if you do need a player would you have a spare racket I could borrow for the first couple of weeks, just to make sure its going to work out and stuff before I buy one myself?

[Tried to send PM but he seemed to be on the banned list? Whats that about.]

Hey guys

Just looked at Le Chalet tonight (http://www.lechaletsuite.com/) seemed pretty good. Seemed like a decent sort of area, lots of uni students and lots of restraunts. Anyone currently living here or around this area? Is it a good area to live in? Any problems living in Le Chalet?

I'm only 1 year out of uni myself so having uni students around is no problem, probably even prefferable.

Thanks

Freddy, just a suggestion, walk around CM, look in all the internet shops that you come across, notice a vacant chair, go in and try it out. If it meets your requirements, try to buy or rent same. Next suggestion get one of the plastic chairs used at noodle shops, procure several bricks, adjust height and tilt via brick placement. You have a good one now.

Thanks slapout, I don't think ilve ever been into a internet cafe here thats had an adjustable height chair.

Brick idea sounds a like more fun than just buying a normal chair, but may not help my back to work for long periods of time

Thanks for the suggestions.

Looking for a decent computer chair, if anyone has got one, please pm me with a price and a photo (if possible). Or maybe suggest a good second hand shop that might have one?

Requirements are

- Goes up and down. (Gas operated thingy)

- Is in reasonable condition

- Preferrably high backed.

- Back rest doesn't recline to much (or you can adjust how much it reclines)

I looked in a furniture shop the other day and they were around the 2000 baht mark for a new one, im not particullary wanting to pay that much for a chair so thats why im looking for a second hand one.

Also be very interested in renting one if that happens to suit anybody.

Thanks

Hey, another option is to get a Working Holiday Visa

www DOT thaiconsulatesydney DOT org/Consular_services/Visa/working%20holiday.html

I am currently here on one of these. While it was a bit of a struggle to obtain, and ended up havin to get my local fedral member to call the embassy, but now im in the country for a whole year for just $225, no visa runs, no "studying", and I can even work if i want to (for up to 3 months with one employer).

They blamed my application problems on a "misplaced" application, hard to tell if they were hoping I would just go away or someone really just made a mistake, or they were to busy (applied about the time of the red shirt protests in pattaya) .

However you need to meet the following criteria (off the website)

1.1 Must be an Australian national currently residing in Australia;

1.2 Must be aged between 18-30 years inclusive at the time of application and not accompanied by children or dependents;

1.3 Have tertiary qualifications (full time courses with at least 3 years of study);

1.4 Have a valid Australian passport (valid for at least 6 months);

1.5 Have a return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase the ticket;

1.6 Have sufficient funds of at least AUD 5,000 for living expense in Thailand;

1.7 Must be in good health and hold a medical and comprehensive health insurance that remains in force throughout the stay in Thailand

If your under 30 (you did say young right?) with some sort of tertiary qualification then youll probably be sweet. I'm not sure if you can renew them or reapply, im guessing maybe not, but I intend to find out in another 10 months.

PM me for more information if you like, if there is enough intrest I can start a new thread on the working holiday visas (if there isn't one already)

Looking to rent a motorbike on a monthly basis. I have asked at a few places and have got widely varying prices. Just wondering if anyone else has experience with this and could let me know what they paid and where and stuff.

Also looking to buy a proper motorbike helmet as well. Is there a place that specializes in them?

Thanks

Ok, I've been searching for a good 3-4 days now here in CM for a decent serviced apartment. Here is my criteria

1) Needs to have at least a small kitchen, ie stove, something to fry stuff on

2) Good internet, seems like everywhere has that though

3) Some sort of desk to work at

4) Have a reasonably clean feel to it

5) Be anything up to 15,000 Baht a month.

6) Only be month to month payment, ie no contracts

7) Needs to be fully furnished.

Possible options that I have found include

- The Smith Residence. Meets all the criteria except the clean and nice feel to it part. I'd prefer a place where seedy old men don't hang out the front learing at thai girls. Am I mistaken in my first impression?

- The Grand Napat, Meets all the criteria except the 15,000 part, and the stove part (for a studio). Hopeing I maybe able to negotiate around these though.

- Give up on getting a kitchen and get a nice room for 7000 b at mandala house.

Has anyone else got any other suggestions? I'd be much appreciated. Looking at somewhere around a 1-3 month stay

Thanks