louse1953

At Udon Thani, no forms to fill out, this is done on computer by the immigration officer, just hand over passport, sign the new document, put mew section in passport and off you go. 5 minutes tops.

Kap Choen the same,for several years.

Honestly... IMO one very destructive reason for much of Thailand's woes is the issue of wanting to be precised differently (FACE) than what is reality. We live in a rural village in Isaan. People are poor by most standards. This is the reality, but so many want to appear (FACE) to be "land barons." They eek out little earnings from growing rice on small plots of land, but refuse to do much of anything else. Seems like they only want to "stay home" daily e.g. not go outside the house/farm for work. Granted so many have little to no education and can not find many work opportunities.

Surprisingly however many have nice trucks and smartphones. There always seems to be enough baht for various ceremonies which include drinking, and card playing. This way of living seems to be circular e.g. no education/few opportunities/ and ALWAYS wanting to appear (FACE) richer/smarter/more skilled than they actually are.

I think very few governments here or "rich people" really care enough to implement change for the poor Thais so this circular life style will continue.

Members of my daughter-in-laws family (her brother and sister) fit this example. They keep buying vehicles, motorcycles, big TVs, continuously update their smartphones with very expensive models way beyond their means.

They have land and they have some education (both have bachelor degrees) and have held jobs in the past. Now they just sit at home in the North and regularly come to son's house and ask for money and continuously tell my son that he is stingy and unfair because he won't pay off their debts. Some years ago he did give both a handout for debts but it was used by both to buy expensive sedans.

My son has tried to get them to talk about starting a business (not farming) but one thing shines through every time - pure laziness.

When they come to son and D-I-L's house they tell my son he is not fair to his wife, she should have more help etc.

Their beliefs - son's father is farang, therefore rich, therefore son is rich and also not nice, just like his father. Never ends and they just get more lazy as time goes by.

Bludgers play on making you feel bad.No is a hard word to say sometimes but it sure feels good.Bludgers and parasites will bleed you dry eventually and who does that help.It does take long for word to get out about tightening of purse strings,these type of people are not your friends,family are worse.

Sorry I didn't specify.

Just want to check for parasites and Giardia...

Local clinic as I am in the middle of nowhere. I live in a village pretty much.

Just go to the chemist and get some pills and examine your poo with a magnifying glass.Take again a week later.

That's super bad advice, protozoa can only be seen with a microscope!

Fair enough,but op didn't ask about protozoa,did he.If symtoms continue,of course,see a doctor.

What are blue and yellow tambien bean's?

A Tabien Bahn is a book that shows ownership of property, a blue one is for locals whilst a yellow one is for farangs.

Yellow book just shows where you live,as we all know you can't own land.

Sorry I didn't specify.

Just want to check for parasites and Giardia...

Local clinic as I am in the middle of nowhere. I live in a village pretty much.

Just go to the chemist and get some pills and examine your poo with a magnifying glass.Take again a week later.

Climate change is a scam.

Can you explain where i live in Oz how every year is hotter than the previous year and this has happened the last 20 years.One denier does't make a scam.Who could trust a pollie anyway,always in somebodies backpocket.

Perhaps I should have made myself more clearer - I do not agree with 'drunk driving' - but I do believe in 'drink driving'. By that I mean I do not agree with having a few beers/wine over dinner and then being abitrarly declared over a pre-determined limit and therefore unable to drive and a danger to myself and others. If ever I have more than a couple the 'better half' or a mate or a taxi/tuk tuk/songthaew drives.

But where I call home, all it takes is a couple of beers/wine and you are over a 'limit'. The fact of the matter is that there are many many people out there driving, where I call home and here, whose ability to drive is far far less than the 'average' and much less than mine. And before anyone thinks that injustified, I have ridden bikes and driven cars for over 40 years and have never had an accident that was my fault (hit at low speed by others a couple of times). That I also competed in bike and car racing events, and have had plenty of training to be able to ride/drive fast, and that I worked in jobs that meant I often drove over 25,000kms in a year, certainly helped. But my point is not me being a 'better' driver after a few beers/wines, it is that back home there has been a ridiculous focus on drink driving and speed limits. This has also been backed up by years of bullsheeite 'advertising' that has convinced many people that to have a beer and drive is a criminal behaviour, and that going 65 in a 50 zone (that used to be 80) warrants arrest. It has become the 'nanny state' there versus the 'wild west' here - and I prefer the wild west. But they do need a few more sherrifs here out and about here on the roads (especially CM), discouraging the idiots who get drunk and then drive (and making bike riders wear helmets).

Having said that, the nanny state has got it right a few times - such as seat belts and bike helmets and red-light cameras and 50km in suburbs - but they have gone too far with drink driving laws and speed/cameras and speed limits. The way it is going back home, the nannys will soon make it so that any alcohol in blood will be illegal, and it will be 40km everywhere but the highways (and only 80km there). There is a main road near my place back home that is a 6 lane divided highway (3 + 3) and it used to be 90kms over 10 years ago - it is now down to 40km for 2km (school adjoins but no kids exit that side) and 50km for another 5km - THAT is what the nanny state will do everywhere.

I much prefer this 'lawless' system here - I am accountable and I accept that accountability - I do not need to be told by my 'Nanny/Mother' what to do and what not to do - if she has her way I will never drive/ride again because it is too dangerous. And dont ask me what she thinks about me having a few beers with mates Nannys/mothers are wonderful - but they should never be allowed to run a state.

So you think the law should not apply to you because you are a experienced impaired driver.This is why the nanny state is needed to try and stop the god complex of,i know best.

And if I may add another point while I am warmed up............

I like the fact that I can go and have a drink and drive home here - without feeling like a criminal. I for one do not miss all the bullshit about speeding and drinking that has now dominated the Nanny State I call home. Hopefully, Thailand never goes that far that a person can break into your house and gets a warning (and the stolen property is never recovered), and on the way back to the home that was being robbed, you are breathalysed and get a huge fine and suspended from driving for 3 months for having a few drinks (not speeding, no accident, just unlucky). Here in Thailand there is a much better 'balance' between things - if you have a few drinks and drink carefully there is no problem. BUT if you have an accident you are up sheeiite creek - it is all up to you. Having said that, what IS needed is policing of the small appendage idiots who have a few beers and think they are both Fangio and Shumacher - in their pickup truck or 4WD

What a hypocrite.Other people can't drink but it's ok if i have a few and be careful.Any amount of alcohol diminisses your driving ability.Tell up to you to the person you hit,don't rekon they will agree.You are a chancer.Considering how cheap public transport is in Thailand,there are no excuses whatsoever for drink driving.I learnt the hard,stupid way in my own country,no body hurt but only a matter of time.

What a laugh,you can go down the road and see the real thing for 20 bucks.

7 years ago i started working, in Thailand, with a friend of mine, he decided to rent a car and i bought one. Today he has no equity in any motor whereas I have, so for me renting is a bad option in the long term, and especially as the motors in Thailand hold their value compared to the UK for example.

I notice about rats eating the wiring looms, I never saw this anywhere, but i suppose it could happen, just as a car could be caught in a flood.

Best to buy from an expat, I would not trust a local or car dealer.

I have just retired and will be moving to the North shortly so will be selling my car as I have a car in the North also.

When i bought mine it was a choice between a fortuna and a Mu 7, the Mu7 won hands down, in my opinion, so that is what i have for sale. If you are interested let me know and I will forward the details.

The trust worthy expat,5555.Just do your homework whoever you buy from.

For a six month period, i would say it would work out about the same money.

Anything longer than that, then buying and reselling would save you money.

Rent your own car out for the 6 months your away.It's just wasting money sitting there.

"You do not always have to believe what officials tell you to be a fact."

Of course, I don't believe them one word. Just being an "official" doesn't make these Thais magically to non-Thais. This is not "racist", but officials are always Thais and it is about Thai "officials".

I'm fully aware that this is a non-constructive post but the whole set up of this thread has the potential to be a no-brainer. At least for the people who live here and have to endure the Thainess of officialdom day after day after day.

I really would love to give a recipe or hint how to crack this system of incompetence and despotism.

And of course, as always, there are exceptions... But they are... just exceptions. Once you have found them (persons), take care of them as long as they are there.

PS: I have written down a recurring experience with custums, as unspecific as possible, but I deleted it as I don't want to get into trouble professionally.

PPS: I really enjoy being in Thailand/Pattaya despite its "officials" who are mostly like the BIBs, just with different costumes.

That's why I'm happy to pay 20,000 baht a year to a Thai lawyer to handle the whole thing for me, renewals, reporting, the lot. Once every three months he sends a guy on a motorcycle around who collects my passport and does the 90-day reporting as well

More money than sense.No wonder they think we're stupid.I enjoy dealing with officals,it's how you find out how the country your"living in"works.Sometimes,if your there at lunch time you get invited over to their restaurant table and get to know them on a more personable level.Works for me.Tell you what,i'll do your dirty work for you for 15k.

I remember opening an account at the bank of Ayudhaya. Initially they refused claiming I needed a work permit. I then produced a million bahts worth of traveler's cheques and asked if he knew of anywhere else I could deposit them. A minute later the branch manager was consulted and agreed to open an account for me with atm card etc.

In Thailand , money talks ..... Very loudly.

It's not the only thing that talks - a friend of mine also wanted to open an account with Bank of Ayudhaya. He found a sub-branch where the young man in charge was gay (my friend is also gay) and not only was he able to open a bank account with ATM card, he also got Internet Banking access - all on a visa waiver entry in his passport. The old International Homosexual conspiracy at work (he says) - a variation of "It's not what you know but who you know".

Internet banking as well,that's a bonus.That must make me gay as well,always had my suspicions,now it's confirmed.

..........it's called 'playing God'....and it is rampant.....

...and oftentimes the 'players' are either ....... ignorant.........or.....'hell-bent'.....

Or god.

I never assume anything anyone tells me is a fact.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Will that do?

Don't always believe what TV posters write

Of course it doesn't. Its a fairy tale for the school children.

East/west is just "approximate".

In June it rises at 66° and sinks at 294° in Bangkok.

Not quite 90° and 270°, more like ENE and WNW.

Currently the sun never shines to the front of our house which faces north.

In June we have plenty of sun shining to the front and mostly after sunrise.

Those Europeans would not even believe that the sun shines from the north

I've been told it shines out my arse.

Yesterday i wanted to change euro's to bahts at a new bank which claimed to be the no1 foreign investment bank.

They wouldn't change it when i showed my EU driverslicense. They needed my wife's passport which she gave them.

Every bank just makes up their own rules and their employee's even don't know their own rules.

In Siam area they can change money within a minute, outside the citycentre it takes 10-20 minutes and driverslicense is fine for ID.

A couple of banks on BTS stations used to change foreign currency,no id at all.Very convenient at the time.

So your telling us you have no bank cards at all.Must be hard operating in todays society,eg,booking air tickets online.

The simple fact is that if Muslims are indeed the perfect picture of all great, good, honest poeple, I find it curious why NOT ONE Muslim stands in public to decry these terriosts. If I was a Muslim it would be in my interests to do everything I could to educate people otherwise.

Instead youu hear nothing from them. So one can conclude that it is indeed their religion beliefs that are dangerous to any that are not Muslim. Sure some are more forward than others (hence ISIS, Al Queda, etc). But the bottom line is Muslims core beliefs ARE dangerous to anyone who is not a Muslim. They are more akin to Nazi's.

It is curious probably because you are not listening. What Ali and others have done, mentioned all throughout this post, is exactly what you say that no one does.

I remember hearing all sorts of Muslim groups speaking about this very matter in the 1990's well up to this date, probably before but I was to young to take note of it.

The message has always been the same that what the terrorists call religion is nothing but a way to prevent a sacred and holy way of life.

Much love to any oppressed by the actions of the mad and insane.

=[...

It doesn't suit the mainstream media to give people with anti terrorist views airtime.This does not fit the right wing agenda.

Mohamad Ali should just shut up and go back to sleep. Only changed to Islam to avoid the draft during VietNam. He is a coward and a embarrassment. No respect for him at all.

Maybe he did,maybe he didn't,but why fight in an unwinable war in somebody elses country for nothing.Some of you Yanks will never learn to think for yourselves,just believe what pollies spout.Bush the minor was dangerous but Trump is taking it to a whole new level.

Haven't they got doctors in Phuket?

"Areas in Thailand’s northern and northeastern regions are experiencing a drastic drop in temperatures."

It's not like this hasn't happened before. Every year it's the same thing and nothing changes. The mindset, as with many other issues, seems to be, "We will worry about the cold when it gets here", with no planning or preparation. As for the people living in some of these areas being too poor to afford warm clothing and blankets, it appears that everyone who receives donations appears to have cell phones, and not the basic models, but the fully loaded ones.

Also, smoking indoors by adults doesn't do much to prevent some of the respiratory diseases which affect the children. Perhaps the inhalation of second hand smoke makes them more susceptible.

It's a matter of lack of education and prioritizing resources by both the government and community.

What happened to last years hand out of blankets and warm cloths,and the year before.

Flu is a virus and cold weather does not carry it any more than warm weather.

I just say, "no bag" and put it in my backpack. If i don't have my backpack, i get a bag.

But why on Earth would I say "no bag" when I'm buying a 250 ml juice? Who needs a bag for a 250 ml juice? The size of the bag is the same as the size of the juice! It's bunk! They put a 10 bath sun-flower kernels in a bag! EVERYTHING! I don't need a bag for that at all! Can't they figure out that's ridiculous? What will I do with that tiny bag?

Can't you figure out how to say no bag in Thai,to give the poor checkout person some chance of reading your obvious superior brain.

OP.....time for some empirical testing....dress up in a plastic bag costume and go into the store and see if they try to put you in another plastic bag......it's the only way to know for sure....

Sounds like a good idea you could make a round of all the 7/11 stores. Sadly they would laugh at the idea and retain the status quo. Even if you wore a sign around your neck stating "no more plastic bags" in 10 languages it would have little bearing on things. The robots are not coming they are already here. Programmers wanted!!

Actually you only need one language,Thai.They seem to understand it out my way.

They're so thin and cheap, it would take me around a year of stops in a 7-11 to collect a kg of plastic bags. Hardly an environmental tragedy considering I use the same amount of petroleum driving a few miles.

The plastic bags aren't the issue. It's the fact that I can walk 500 meters on a crowded street and not see a single waste bin to toss them. I deplore the local habit of just tossing them anywhere, but I can certainly understand why they'd be reluctant to carry a sugar/ketchup coated plastic bag all the way to the next bin.

No bins means a job for someone to sweep the trash up.

In China, my coworkers explained that's a real phenomena called the "iron rice bowl". (iron may not be the best translation) I also used to marvel at ladies sweeping perfectly clean streets for hours- because that was their job. (On other days, they'd sweep up huge piles of leaves or trash from the same street)

It wouldn't surprise me that there's a little of that Chinese methodology here in Thailand...

What piss's me off is after sweeping the leaves they then burn them,or should i say,just make smoke.Is it to hard to dig a hole in the garden and bury them.