louse1953

The risk level associated with drinking and driving in Thailand means it's not worth it. It's not a matter of tut-tutting, just common sense.

The only positive outcome one can get is getting home unscathed and unchecked.

The negative outcomes can include:

1/ Getting caught by the police. As a falang, you are a prime target for the heftiest fine they can think up. Loss of licence also.

2/ You're in an accident, no-one injured. Police will breath-test you, you will be liable irrespective of whose fault it was, and your insurance company will walk away.

3/ Someone is injured in an accident. You will be paying their hospital bills. See (2) as well.

4/ Someone is killed in an accident. If it's you, your problems have ended. Your next of kin's won't have. If it's someone else, your problems are only just beginning.

If you want to drink, fine. Just do it at your own place, sleep over at a mate's place, or get a taxi if you want to cruise the bars. It's simply not worth the risk.

"or get a taxi if you want to cruise the bars" - and there lays the problem. There are no proper taxis. Hence, the OP's post, and let's be honest, we all know where he's coming from.

It's the reason why the road death toll is huge on Phuket, and we rarely ever hear about those left in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives.

Also, in my opinion, it's the single biggest cause of Phuket's loss of the western tourist market. Basically, criminals controlling the freedom of movement around the island of everyone.

It's a disgrace.

Bugger me,an economy run on the premise of being able to drink and drive.Surely you Phuket drinkers can work a deal. out.

Cheers all... think some of you have got me wrong, I dont plan on getting lashed and driving around, I was talking a few beers but your right... push bike it is lol

" Another thing I wanted to ask, when I last visited you would rent a motorbike and drive from bar to bar etc"

Is that what you do in your own country of origin?

If not, why not ?

Not at all, think you got me wrong mate,

Happy new years to you all you miserable set of ******* (joke)

That's what we all say.One more Teeluk,and when the lil head starts doing the thinking,all hope is lost.

I know better brigade,i drive better when i've had a few.Maybe you shouldn't drive when you have had no alcohol,if you drive better after you have had a few. I am amazed so early into the NY,the arrogance and ignorance of some people.

Today in the morning, TV people condoning drinking and driving and this afternoon (same day) people condoning drug use....man o man I sure hope 2016 will be a better year.

I thought illegal activities (to include support) was against the rulezzzzz

We make our own rules.

2 codine pills,an i phone and a nasty Ninja,throw away the keys.

The proof is in the pudding , over decades the RTP have proven that they are far from a professional team as a law enforcement agency , it might very well be that this time England has been too quick to accept the court's verdict , another case in Chiang Mai this wasn't so, and along with the murdered girl's parents with BBC help they hired a ex Scotland yard detective to investigate , end result RTP dropped the charges against a Sydney lad and charged the Thai owner of the Hostel, in retaliation the BBC was then banned in Thailand for a period time. The point being raised here if it can happen it will happen in Thailand , there should be life handed down by the court , at least those innocent won't lose their life, right from the start this case was floored with unprofessional conduct , so why should opinion change against the RTP..................................................... .

Nz government did nothing to assist the investigation int the mysterious deaths in Chaing Mai of Kiwis and Britts.

Only a 60 minutes undecover investigation discovered toxic spray residue that kills humans on the beds and in the aircon units.

This residue was proffesionaly anylised in NZ.

The owner of the Hotel who commissioned the cheap charlie spray to kill bed bugs was high up an ex mayor, he was never charged.

The British and NZ government did nothing they lay down like wimps , Murry Mc Cully the muppet minister who not only resembles a clown but is one.

So don't hold your Breath on getting any help from Britain as they could not give a toss about two little Burmese ants being executed in favour of maintaining diplomatic relations.

Same Rainbow Warrior.

why would you buy two new tickets to fly back, the airline is responsible for the baggage unless you used two different airlines and your baggage was not checked through to the final destination.

Explain please

He had prohibited objects in his luggage.If his name was on the bag,maybe the should have sent a message to the boarding gate.

here's a fourth..

Brad from the Specials also went to play the great gig in the sky..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35194738

(hopefully BBC links are allowed.)

And Stevie Wright, frontman for the Easybeats.

If i do as you folks suggest you will have done me a huge favor will save me some 50,000 baht a month will cost nothing to live here then not thats a smart idea !! Everyone should do it so all the bars close down.

I am with you on this. Everyone quit drinking and driving. Shutter all the bars. Tourism, the sex trade will dry up and peace and tranquility will return again to paradise. Oh happy days.

You don't need beer to have sex do you.Even teetotalers have sex.

No problem if you don't drink and drive/ride.As far as prejudice is concerned,he smelt alcohol on your breath and he didn't smell it on the Thai's.

Is there any restrictions on time between 3 month visits.Eg,quick trip to NZ.

As has been pointed out many times, it is the law here with regards to having your passport on you. Thais have to carry their ID at all times. We have to prove we are in the country legally. The only way to do this is to have your passport on you with a valid visa stamp. It's up to the official on the scene as to whether they will accept other forms of ID or copies, or give you time to go retrieve your documents. In this case, they demanded the original. Not the first time this has happened.

You are wrong. A statement was issued a couple or so months ago by a very senior member of the police that a photocopy is acceptable. He even said he did not expect foreigners to have to carry their passport.

Of course, him declaring something and his men acting on it are two very different things. As you know, each police station. immigration office etc make up their own rules and do whatever they want. Just like in any other Banana Republic.

How some people can read what is right in front of there nose, and come out with a totally different meaning is beyond me.

Nobody ever said it was acceptable for foreigners to walk around without there passport. Nobody! What was said that if you don't have your passport on you, it doesn't mean you will be hauled off to jail right away and be deported. You will be given a chance, usually within 24 hours, to produce your original passport and to prove you are here legally.

But understand that the 2,000 Baht Fine is for not having your Original Passport on you when asked by police or immigration officers. So regardless if you can prove later you are all legal, you can still be Fined. Up-to-them!

I know of one instance when a person decided to go for a morning swim by himself in the ocean, and with only a swim suit, towel, some small cash, and shoes, he left his hotel and passport and went to the beach. As luck would have it the police were doing a police patrol for passport at this beach and he was questioned. He of course couldn't produce his passport or any other documentation.

But instead of hauling this guy down to the police station they decided to go with him to his nearby hotel, where he produced his passport, and thus they decided to let him go. But it didn't have to end this way, and this is the point I am trying to make.

Nobody ever said it was acceptable for foreigners to walk around without there passport. Nobody! What was said that if you don't have your passport on you, it doesn't mean you will be hauled off to jail right away and be deported. You will be given a chance, usually within 24 hours, to produce your original passport and to prove you are here legally.

The above seems to be acceptance that the law is an ass to me.

From the Pattaya One article, they say a number of customers were arrested because they didn't have their 'original' passport with them and may be fined. The use of the word original seems to imply they had a copy which previous reports said was okay. Seems to continue the confusing and conflicting info disseminated.

You need to carry your original passport on you at all times! It has always been this way! So there is nothing confusing about it!

There is just some people who don't like these rules and thus try to avoid them by playing around in the "Grey Area" and carrying Photo Copies or Mobile Phone Copies, instead of there Original Passport. Some get away with this on a Road Side Check, and some don't, as in this raid of this bar.

If you carry your Original Passport on you, and you are here legally, you will not experience any problems. I can't see anything less confusing that this.

Some months ago while the Thonglor police was giving problems to foreigners they said it was OK to have a laminated copy of the passport/visa with you.

If even the police tells contrary rules of law then who can we trust?

I hope the General comes on tv telling what the real rules/laws are for all foreigners staying in Thailand. How can wealthy beachtourists carry their passport while going to the beach? They have to leave it at their beachbed while they go swimming?

Also prostitution is illegal in Thailand, there are no ho's right? They even closed down many massage parlors around Sukhumvit when the new sheriff came to town. Are they still closed now or what?

Open for business.

From the Pattaya One article, they say a number of customers were arrested because they didn't have their 'original' passport with them and may be fined. The use of the word original seems to imply they had a copy which previous reports said was okay. Seems to continue the confusing and conflicting info disseminated.

As has been pointed out many times, it is the law here with regards to having your passport on you. Thais have to carry their ID at all times. We have to prove we are in the country legally. The only way to do this is to have your passport on you with a valid visa stamp. It's up to the official on the scene as to whether they will accept other forms of ID or copies, or give you time to go retrieve your documents. In this case, they demanded the original. Not the first time this has happened.

It may be the law but I don't carry my PP with me all the time and I especially wouldn't carry it when out on the town. I would rather pay the fine than lose the PP. But then, in twelve years I have never been asked to produce my passport by any authority except at Immigration and even when I forget it at home when on holiday the hotel accepts my DL as proper ID.

I don't Speed on the Highway very often, but there has been many times in my life time where I went over the Speed Limit. But I have never got a Speeding Ticket in my life so far. I think the same applies to you. The big difference being that I would rather slow down and stay within the Speed Limit then pay the Fine.

It is understandable that a person doesn't want to bring his passport when out on the town. That paying a 2,000 Baht Fine is better than losing your passport. But there is ways around this. Invest 100 Baht and get good zippers installed on your shorts, and keep you passport in one. You shouldn't have to pull it out anywhere. It is probably safer that way then sitting in a hotel room someplace, like on a table. I just had a friend have his stolen this way, in Australia of all places, so it is not as safe as you think it is.

So the next time you are out and about around town, and then get surprised by being asked in a bar to produce your passport, which you don't have and thus get your night ruined by being hauled down to the Cop Shop, Fined 2,000 Baht, and yet still having to retrieve your passport to prove you are here legally, maybe then you will consider getting zippers.

Who said the fine was 2000b for this minor offence and if you could produce your original passport maybe the fine would not apply.I would rather have my night ruined than having to go to Bangkok and explain to my embassy that i was pissed and lost my passport.Then pay through the nose for a new one,entailing another trip to Bangkok,then going to my local Immi and sort the paperwork out there.They would all say i was a DH for taking my passport with me when i'm on the tear,and they would be right.Plus the guilt of my passport being used for bad deeds.

For the love of God, please either look at the video or read the thread.

He received a receipt for 500 Euros

The hotel changed the receipt to 300 Euros. They tried to scam him 200 Euros.

He has the official receipt for 500 Euros to prove his case. HE GOT A RECEIPT.

Pictures from his video.

55,what about the 500 above the 300?

All hotels swipe your credit card upon check in and block of a certain amount on your credit card that they can charge your expenses to when you check out.

A charge slip is generated but you are NOT required to sign it. (never do this!!!)

When you check out, they swipe your card again for the actual amount you spent, generate a new charge slip….you sign that.

Then they hand over the previous charge slip back to you, to destroy, or tear it up in front of you….and reverse those charges with the card issuing bank.

That's the internationally recognised process.

Ive been in a thai hotel where the idiot at reception generated a blank charge slip and asked me to sign it….that is like signing a blank cheque….and I refused outright.

My best practice is to never use a credit card anywhere,which would be hard for me,as i don't have one.Only use debit card at "safe"atm,and pay cash.

Edit of previous mistake of not reading full story.

I don't wanna be an armchair economist, so I make it simple.

I look at what 200,000 can buy me in Toronto (apparently one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world) and Bangkok.

In both cities, 200,000k won't get me much, but at least in Canada I am in my own territory and even though there is property tax and higher maintenance fees I have a piece of mind regarding better construction and condos that won't fall apart in 10 years. Another big advantage over Bangkok is an extremely liquid market which in Bangkok just doesn't exist.

Speaking of, I bought my shoebox Toronto condo in 2010 and thought I bought at the top (apparently I did not). When I decided to move to Thailand in 2013 I literally rented my condo in 2 days. I had 50 people lining up to see it. Now, someone is paying my mortgage.

Would this happen in Bangkok? Not a chance. There are units sitting empty for years.

I have a condo in bangkok and your right it's empty so when I go down to bkk it's free for me. duh

your logic and reasoning escape me

So there for your condo is making no money,poor investment.

1. you are about 4 years+ too late.

2, Air BnB is in a tough position in Thailand - see news. also many AirBnB falangs were busted by immigration for renting w/o work permit, not paying taxes, etc...

3. Thailand's economy expected to be in very bad shape in the coming year. not a good time.

4. consider other options; securities...

well... I partly agree with Oscar here

1. yes you are about 5 years too late - forget it

2. maybe BUT AirBnB is short term and you really need long term

3. well... it's true this is bad timing

4. no consider 'hunker down' and WAIT

I'm little lucky in that i bought condos 10 year ago but even i am selling most/ In about 5 years things will be better I hope but Thailand had changed under the Junta and we have to just tighten our belts. Good luck.

The Junta has just bought Thailand back to some form of reality,not the Disneyland of yesteryear.

OK, then let's say a guy has a Thai wife he trusts, so he intends to put the condos in her name and rent them out.

Why would ya?

What about a Chinese resturant.

I am on a retirement extension. I live full time in Thailand so that is my country of residence. Immigration have not queried my TM6

Does your home country recognize that Thailand is your legal residence? Do you still pay taxes to your home country?

For me,an Ozzie,i am a non resident in Oz and i pay tax at a higher rate.I live in Thailand with a OA extension,have a static address and i rekon i am a resident(in theory).If not,what am i,non resident everywhere.

• You don't need to complete the questionnaire on the back of the arrival card. If you do you should give your home country address.
• A non-immigrant visa holder is not considered a resident of Thailand by immigration.

What if you have no home address?

We're not in your area, but I've never seen this service offered.

Any particular reason you don't want to do what everyone else does and swap out your bottle for a full one?

had a big refill station in Chaiyaphum. Very professional and speedy operation specifically to do bottle refills. A lot safer than some of the horrible rusty old exchange bottles I've seen.

Let's hope your not involved in a road traffic accident on route or returning from refilling your gas bottle.

You worry about rusty bottles but are prepared to drive on the worlds 2nd most dangerous roads with fully laden bottles of gas,I'm sorry but I fail to see your logic in that remark.

Surely you are increasing the risk as opposed to minimising it.

To each his own.

I shall stick to the ease of the local shop delivering mine to the door.

So the risk gets past to somebody else.When was the last time you heard of a gas bottle going off?Minimal risk on all counts.

Although it should not be done, there are some lpg stations that might put some gas in your bottles.

Mind you, it is supposed to be illegal.

The whole exchange business has to do with safety.

Don't forget that every house has a potential bomb on the premises.

For your own good, exchange.

It is cheaper anyway.

I have been to the gas filling depot and LPG station is the same.Only issue is the age of the bottle.After 10 years the seals should be changed.If you have a new bottle you know the age and have control of the situation.Exchange bottles could be any age.