mpetersen

Going to and from long time parking is idiot

The shops --> mafia

The way they did handle the hire cars

Indeed

BKK is way better than Shanghai or many other airports. Very fast luggage delivery, efficient customs/immigration, etc.

VAT refunds work without problems, and there is lots of space for all arriving and departing passengers to walk around without bumping into eachother.

Shopping complaints (nobody forces anyone to shop there!) aside, the lounges are great, and its easy to get arround.

m

Bang Saphan is pretty cool. Yai and Noi. Also Ban Krut nearby is very quiet. We stayed at a great resort right across from the beach on a rarely used road. Great place to relax, beautiful beaches. http://www.rachavadee.com/

Khao Lak is nice (the whole area north of Phuket). It's also close to Kao Sok national park,with many trails to explore, as I am sure sitting on the beach everyday will become a bore...

m

Honda CBR150 - closely measured over many tanks. Last tank almost 36 k/l on E10 gasohol, riding up to 120 kph. I wonder how accurate some guesses are; such as a big BMW 1200. Check your maths.

mine is accurate as it can be,,,as it's computericed systema and calibrated every 6mths,, can be difference +\- 2dl per 1000km

beemer is not thursty as one might think and it's all about driving speed, im not deemon and very seldomly riding over 120km\h that explains it a lot,,

Just did a 2200Km trip to and around Phuket on a fully loaded 1200GS including passenger, side and top cases, and tankbag.

31mpg

Fast driving (140-180km/h highway) gets me 250Km per 19l fillup (can't run the tank down to zero obviously). Ditto for city driving including sitting in BKK traffic.

38mpg

Countryside driving at 80-120km/h gives me about 310km range for 19l fillup

I think careful driving, single passengers, no bags should yield over 40mpg.

m

Fly Air New Zealand... first thing i noticed on their planes is the extra seat width and leg room... planes built for all those maoris..

Seriously though, there needs to be a fixed limit on these things. Passengers can not be permitted to risk the safety of everybody else for their weight problems, genetic or not. I agree that if the definition is just "fat" then there's too much grey area around it.

I totally agree with the suggestion about moving people around to create the space, but I do also think there must be a fixed girth limit and weight limit for passengers and the rest is the airline's problem. Some of those budget american airlines (and QANTAS on asian flights) cram in everybody so tightly to get an extra row of seats in it's criminal. They should lose the customers and not blame it on a guy who's a little oversized.

As for the smell thing, i know for a fact that Sinapore airlines has refused to board a passenger without a shower first. The guy was in terribly shape and I don't think he'd showered for months.

I am 6'5" about 110Kg. I find myself too big to fit comfortably in economy, so i try my darndest to get biz seats on long haul. In some cases I would welcome being able to buy two seats at the cheap economy fare, but it's not offered on any booking engine I know of.

United is allowing passengers to pay for a second seat at the price of their original fare upon checkin. That seems a good solution. They also offer "economy plus" with longer seat pitch which is worth buying on long haul flights.

That said, the seats are too small, but planes are packed. So what gives?

I doubt that a morbidly obese passenger can even fit in a business class seat (they aren't that much wider, just mostly have better recline). There are conditions that don' t allow people to fly, so be it (pregnancy for instance).

Air Canada is forced to make available the extra seat for obese passengers at no cost. It's part of the courts' determination on human rights in Canada. So, if in doubt, book AC. They have great connections to Europe and all over North America.

Happy flying.

m

In L.A., take her to Hollywood, then to Thai town. You might want to take her to Vegas as well.

I thought Hollywood might be interesting, but it's kind of lame just to drive around and look at the usual sights... is there some sort of interactive thing we could do? Maybe watch a red carpet event, tour a studio or attend a fashion show or something? I'm also completely ignorant of Vegas... I thought if they had go-go bars it might be kind of (ironic) to go look at one. Other than that I was thinking the one expensive hotel night I might buy (~$200+ ) should be in Vegas. Most of it we'll be camping though since we're both still young and poor(ish).

Also, you really must include a redwood forest, there are different choices for that.

Sequoias have bigger circumferences, and I've never been to 'em, but I guess they're kind of out of the way if we'll be heading up Highway 1. It is true the redwoods are taller, and they're more on the way I guess if we want to get back to Seattle from San Fran.

If she is a real city girl you may have to stick to the outlet malls and shopping centers and Vegas.

Yes, I can't forget outlet malls... are there any major ones or ones that have Asian brands I should know about?

We just did a San Fran/Las Vegas trip with lots of nature trecking (Muir Woods, Halfmoon Bay, Napa/Sonoma, Red Rock Canyon). A nice combo of city and country, culture, and nature.

Try to see at least one cirque du soleil show if you got to Vegas...

It is fantastic, you will find everything you need

If it is not to your liking it is because you are as

pompous as you appear just for asking this question

It's not pompous to ask about a lounge experience. I travel through NRT alot, and much prefer the ANA business lounge over UA's. Why? UA is often really crowded and seems more like a bus terminal than a cosy lounge. ANA also has a real nice soup station and sake bar. You can buy sakes not easily found elsewhere in the duty free shops at NRT, which is a great reason to connect there, as well...

Lastly, there is a great sushi bar in NRT terminal, near the UAL departure gates.

Enjoy your trip.

1150GS better than the latest incarnation 1200GS which is nothing sort of diabolical in terms of reliability and costs trying to keep it roadworthy.

Check out the Bee Em forum for disgruntled owners.

Enjoy it while it last.

some of it might have to do with the ever-increasing complex electronic systems. I think the engine and transmission on the 1200GS/GSA is great. I also love the safety systems (ABS and ASC) and the ESA on the newer incarnations. Anything that gives me a little extra margin of error to keep me alive is well worth it.

I haven't honestly owned either the 2005 GS or the 2009 GSA long enough to make a statement on long-term reliability, but I have faith in the BMW GS franchise and, yea, I do expect to pay a little more for maintenance than I would on a "simpler" bike.

The 1150GS looks cooler than the 1200GS, but the late-model 1200GSAs surely are a nice looking machine.

m

I bought my first BMW earlier this year and spent just over 2 months touring Europe, doing around 8,000 miles in total. Very comfortable bike to ride, although I suffered a bit from nappy rash due to the plastic seat covers. Have subsequently read that I should have tied a sheepskin to the seat, and I'll try that on my next trip in spring/summer 2010.

This pic was taken on the Cote Savage in Corsica. I had removed the back seat so I could strap on a big kit bag to carry a tent, cooking equipment etc.

Ikea sheepskins work well. In Thai traffic (polution), you'll have to shampoo it every 20 riding hours or so.

mike

I know a Thai guy who rides a 1200 and he is a really nice guy. Rich a god, but a nice guy.

The 1200 (especially 1200GS) seems to be a big favourite of rich Thai guys! I am always amazed how they handle that huge bike, having to cimb up on the footpeg to get seated!

100% gree

I sat next to a fat knacker once and he was stinking for hours

tried to sit in my seat and squash me.

Cherge more or double I say.

I moved myself as the stench of the fat man was really bad!!!!

I mean bad.

Just curious, are there any threads whereby fat people slag off skinny runts?

If not, then why are the mods allowing this thread to continue?, or is Thaivisa a skinny only club???

so i'm assuming what side you are on, and it isn't in favor of it.

fat people make a choice to eat. That is a choice they make in life, and they should bear the consequences of seriously over eating; just like a smoker - if a person smokes, they make the choice to do that, risk their health, knacker their body and now are confined in many countries to smoking only in private places or limited public places - was also long overdue.

The fact that I had to pay something like 1500 baht for an extra 1kg of weight on my luggage (it was 21kg) when coming back from Thailand was a joke. The fact that I was only 61kg or so, and combined with my luggage 82kg, and I had to pay an extra 1500baht was a joke. The fact that fat people who are 90kg+, and with their luggage 110kg+ can get on without needing to pay any extra when I have to pay 1500baht for 1 measily extra kg, when my combined weight with bag is at least 30kg less is the biggest joke of all. 30KG is also a very conservative estimate.

To say it's discrimination is laughable. Charging someone extra because their colour of skin is discrimination.

It would be fat people getting penalised for their choice. Bear the consequences because it's not fair on the people who would be considered 'normal' weight. If they don't like it, stop eating so much.

and none of this fat gene genetic stuff either.

I am 110Kg and NOT fat, but tall... Then again, I never intrude on someone else's seat, because, for the most part, I buy a biz class seat. That usually takes care of it. United allows for the purchase of a second seat now at the same cost of the original ticket. I think that's a fair arrangement.

Air Canada, on the other hand, has been ordered by the courts to make available a FREE seat to overweight people, considering weight a disability.

So, I guess, obese people can start flying Air Canada and not have to worry about extra charges.

The thing about total passenger/luggage weight is a fair way of handling things too. After all we pay a ticket price for both dead and live weight. So, I do think it's unfair to charge a small person an overweight luggage fee for a few Kgs. That said, again, if you buy an executive fare, or you are a gold flyer you usually get more luggage allowance than is possible to carry (again, Air Canada is super generous, allowing their frequent flyers 96kg of luggage, that's almost 200Kg PLUS carry-ons with two people flying together).

I had been riding sport tourers (R1100rs and K1200rs) for 12+ years in Canada, and never really enjoyed taking them on long rides. More than 4 or 5 hours in one day became, literally, a pain in the neck (and back). In the last few years, I barely touched my K-bike (only put 4000 Kms on it in a decade).

Then, last August I came across a gently used 1200GS in Bangkok and bought it on the spot. Boy, what an amazing ride. Is it expensive? Yes maybe. Is it worth it? Yes every penny. So much so that I decided today to trade my K bike for a brand new R1200GS Adventure in Canada, and I am absolutely certain that next spring I'll be exploring my own country.

I would love to hear from other people about experiences, and get together for rides. Barcelona BMW often accompanies rides. Last month (November) there were over 60 bikes going from BKK to Umphang (leaving Friday, returning Sunday). My wife jumped on the back of my bike and we just went, with no idea of how we'd enjoy such a long trip in such a short time. We didn't think I would enjoy being on a bike almost 24 hours in just one weekend, but this trip was just such a joy.

There is an impression that BMW riders are "elitists", but I found them all to be down-to-earth, youthful at any age, and adventurous. I would say, in general, BMW riders are "understated", and down to earth.

Mike

"Of course you should declare it..."

Why?

If you buy a watch or camera to be given as a gift, do you think there is a requirement to declare them? New clothes?

I'll assume it's for personal use or to be given as a gift. If so, I don't think you need to declare it.

If my thinking is wrong, which in my personal experience it's not, then someone will be along to set me straight.

"Why?" Because I think one of the Thai Visa forum rules is not to advise anything illegal.... So take the "of course..." tongue-in-cheek, or take it at face value, depending on your morals and threshold for accomodating customs official's questions.

That said, the maximum personal items exemption is 20,000 THB (or so I was told on one of my recent trips by customs when I had about 80,000 THB worth of personal stuff and motorcycle gear in my bags). Everything above that is assessed at 30% (with official invoice), or less (upon cash payment, no receipt).

Telling a customs officer that a girl's diamond ring is one of your personal possessions would stretch it abit, that's really "why". But it's not too hard to put a ring somewhere incognito, for sure.

Sometimes, it's best not to ask...

Sometimes the Nation news site looks like Thaksin's personal blog page. Is this really news? C'mon. Don't we have better things to read than that kind of nonsensical non-news?

According to my experience, most things get taxed/dutied at 30% against their value when coming into the airport. Then they try to tell you that "without invoice" it's 1/3 of it. So be prepared to pay at least 10-20,000 THB coming in (cash that is). If you don't keep the case and documenation on it, how is anyone supposed to know it's a brandnew item?

Of course you should declare it, but unless it's outrageously ornate/expensive jewelry (3000$ doesn't count for that), I don't think anyone would care/ask about it.

I doubt whether this is a linear statistic, and I expect that the vast majority accidents involve low mileage/beginner/young loony riders. Experience counts for a lot when riding bikes, control, anticipation, riding skills and road awareness.

i am not a biker, but i understand the allure, freedom, etc. ..its dangerous enough that my thai wife has almost lost count of how many friends and relatives have died as a result of motorcycle accidents...FYI..the last one was caused by a CAR..but does that change the stats? ??? signed: under seige in Phuket ( watching for motorcycles, spinning my head in 360 's constantly )

I have enjoyed reading most of this thread, and agree that riding experience, defensive riding behaviours, ju-jitsu (muay thai Bangkok), decent lights, and rearview mirrors that get looked in every 10 seconds between scanning the width of the road situation ahead, and preferably cargo strapped to something that doesn't mess with the handlebars can do a lot to change our luck in the big city.

At the same time there are two classically probable causes for why motorcycles are dangerous: Error by a motorcyclist, or error by a car or truck driver, or occasionally both. Due to Newtonian physics F=MA, the outcome is usually a damaged motorcyclist whichever the cause.

One thing it has taken me a few years and two trips to emergency to learn, is the difference between daytime riding and nightime riding in Thailand. It doesn't seem such a change in Australia because IMHO the traffic is somewhat more predictable. In Thailand at night, it seems that switching on headlights and stopping at redlights are optional extras, and it's important to recognise the very significant difference between the situational awareness we might get used to riding a motosai during the day, and the whole new set of skills to stay alive on two wheels at night.

It seems safer to get somewhere local at sunset on a bike, and only ride the few hundred metres to the minimart if you need to, but if going out somewhere at night, make it very local or catch a taxi. If F=MA then Taxi=M.

I agree with you. Usually if I want to go anywhere here in Pattaya other than restaurants, etc. within a mile or two of the condo on the much less trafficked back streets, I'll drive my motorbike up the backstreets to a bar or restaurant on Naklua Road and park my bike there. I will then take the ten baht taxi to where I'm going from that point. However, Once in awhile I'll deviate from this procedure knowing it's at great peril. Although a lot of Thais here in Pattaya are decent drivers who take the rules of the road seriously a huge percentage of them as you say view motorbike lights as optional, run red lights whenever they feel like it, view one way lanes and streets as normal traffic lanes. I'm sorry if I referred to such people as morons in a previous post. I meant sub-morons.

The problem with having a car here is cars are cumbersome lumbering goliaths on Pattaya's busy streets. Parking is difficult. I can outrun them in most situations on my bicycle. They are expensive. Also...the unwritten rule here is "Falang always wrong". So I reasoned that because cars have a much wider frontal area than a bike and are simply much larger, the chances of being hit or hitting something are vastly greater than on a bike. So I'd be at huge risk at paying off some Thai who was at fault in the first place. Motorbikes are much more practical (unless one is always taking his golf clubs to the golf course). However the danger level to one's own life and limb is through the stratosphere. When I constantly bring up the virtues of the Yamaha Nouvo Elegance and other automatic scooters, I'm thinking first of the danger level here and that an automatic allows the driver to focus 100 percent on his own driving plus the next idiotic move that will imperil him from another driver near him without having to diminish this focus one iota because of the need to shift, worrying about what gear he should be in, missed shifts, etc. Survival here requires not 99 % of one's complete concentration but 100 percent and even then getting by without getting killed or suffering major injuries is a matter of luck.

Oh boy, if shifting gears is distracting to any biker, they definitely should stick to scooters! Practice practice practice! Wear full gear, and stay away from obstacles.

I saw a BMW 1200 go down infront of me on a sandy turn and they just got up back on the bike and kept driving. Full gear, noone hurt, about 40km/h speed. There is skill, preparation, attention, and foresight (as well as rearview mirror hindsight). Being seen is important (i wear a safety vest which makes me look like a geek, but <deleted>... nobody comes near me).

Granted, in Thailand nobody takes scooters too seriously, and scooters are perennial road-rule breakers. So a seriously "big bike" is a good compromise here by making sure it's being taken seriously as a legitimate road vehicle by other drivers, and can get out of situations with ease.

Motorbike lanes would be a great improvement, though, avoiding weaving through traffic everywhere.

m

You might want to try out an ER6n- very versatile, neutral and easy to ride 650cc road bike and many available for rent now in Chiang Mai. (Not sure about Chiang Rai).

They're all less than a year old so generally in very good condition whereas you never know what you might get if you rent something older.

Happy Trails!

Tony

Get a BMW 800. That, or buy a used GS, there are 1100/1150s for sale up there as far as I know.

Hi guys,

I have to spend one night in Bangkok, Dec 22nd (land 7:30pm on a tuesday) and transfer down to Koh Samui the next day at 10:30am. I've been to Thailand in February of this year, but only to the south (phuket, phi phi, koh samui and koh phangan).

I would like to make the most of my time in Bangkok but have no idea which province/district to stay in. I dont go to Thailand for the prostitution, it makes me sick. I would like to go somewhere where there are 0 prostitutes and maximum tourists. I hated phuket and bangala road, so please don't suggest places that resemble that. Places like ibiza beach bar on phi phi or green mango in Koh Samui. I don't really have time to experiment with Bangkok as I am only there for such a short time.

Thanks

you could just head to night-market, have a dinner, listen to some (not always great) music, shop around the stalls, and if you love jazz jam sessions, head to Monkey Joes.

Then get some sleep and enjoy your flight to CM.

getting off topic again but no a warning stamp at one consulate does not mean denial at other consulates. Penang issued these warnings for years and no problem to go to another consulate like KL, Khota Baru or Ventiane

Correct... I had one red stamp from Penang in 2006, and I had my next TV from Vientiane without trouble three months later.

What was the text on your red stamp? Was it the same text as the current red stamp delivered in Vientiane?

The text of the current red stamp says what it says.

If it is "same ol', same ol'", then I fail to understand why there are over 50 pages of discussion on various forums.

This may indicate their intentions a little more clearly, in regard to the use of the word "May" as was discussed earlier. Upto you how you want interpret it though.

I should have looked more closely. NO PROBLEM. Get a new passport, if it's really important. It gives you another 10 entries then, right? In my case I have dual citizenship. That gives me two passports to work with, especially in cases where I didn't want a single entry visa be wasted where a simple entry-stamp would suffice.

Here is this red stamp

Just take the visa paper out of your passport. No more red stamp. Nobody has any idea it was there. Thai officials get upset about removing old visas, but a) they take way too much space; and passport is not property of Thailand, but property of the issuing country. I had a lecture about "tampering with official documents". So, if my passport expires, and I burn or shred it, I am tampering with an official document? Ridiculous. Of course, some visa offices might use non-removable adhesive.

Re Coyote's branch on Sukhumvit near The Emporium, they also have pretty decent daily Happy Hour specials on drinks, both early and late, and a Thursday lady's night deal.

In terms of margaritas, I know a place or two that IMHO serves better regular margaritas. But I surely don't know of any place in Bangkok or Thailand for that matter that serves more different flavors/varieties of margaritas than Coyote.

Here's the info on their Happy Hour and Lady's Night at the Sukhumvit branch. I believe the Soi Convent branch also has a happy hour, but not the same times and terms.

PS - The last time my wife and I were at the Sukhumvit branch for their margaritas happy hour, the waitress apparently misunderstood our order. We each ordered a flavored alcohol margarita, and that meant we each would have a second one for free. But that special (strangely) doesn't apply to their virgin margaritas, only their alcohol ones. And the waitress wrongly thought my wife had ordered a virgin drink. So when the bill came, they had charged her wrongly for two virgin margaritas. No amount of discussion with the waitress would resolve the problem. So finally I had to demand to speak with the lady manager on duty, who, after our explanation, corrected the bill with an apology to us. I guess there's a lesson to be learned there... only drink alcohol drinks, never virgin ones...

I have experienced that curiosity before: virgin drinks are not included in 2 for 1 happy hour. I never made a deal of it, but indeed it's strange.

The best dining deal around, in my view, is the Marriott Gold Card (available at the JW Marriott hotel Business Center), which gives 50% off for 2 people dining in almost every location/restaurant at any Marriott/Courtyard/Renaissance property in Thailand (and some outside Thailand). So, a wonderful dinner buffet, breakfast, lunch, or even a Trader Vic's brunch ends up being rather affordable. Lunch specials at Momo cafe (Courtyard hotel) are already cheap (165 THB includes softdrink and Tax/Service), but at 165 all inclusive for two people, it's cheaper than a foodcourt!

Of course, there is the cost of acquisition, but that includes some other freebies, special rate vouchers (in case you have guests coming, or you just want a night out somewhere) and even a couple of free dinner for two vouchers.

I've travelled quite a bit over the last few years and have had travel insurance for probably 80% of that time, but never needed it. Now I'm heading over to Thailand for a while and I've become very complacent to the point where i am probably not going to buy any, or if I do it will only be for the first few weeks so that i am covered until I get settled in.

I know this is bad. I'd really appreciate it if somebody could tell me a travel insurance horror story, or something, that will convince me to part with my hard earned cash to cover me for the full length of the trip.

Thanks

Yes, my business partner's wife had a heart attack while in Thailand on a 3-week visit just about 2 years ago. Surgery, complications, flight home...Probably "only 70K USD" in Thailand which would have cost 500,000 in the States, but it's 70K he didn't have to cover out of his own pocket.

With good travel insurance you get better service (The hospital knows they are covered), have no delays, and most plans cover for annual insurance for unlimited trips of, say 30-day length. I am paying less than $200 for an annual plan covering me and my family! It's just not worth thinking about.

Doesn't take much to get clipped by a car, step on a coral, fall down a slippery step, eat some really bad food, catch H1N1 in a bad way, or any other number of things.

I think the whole thing answers itself, really.

I sent money for a bike $20k, for condo $400K, both times funds were posted to my accounts same day. two different banks (HSBC/SCB), so I don't know ... i think it's important to have a good relationship with your local bank, or use HSBC Premier service.

While we deal with the subject lightheartedly on forum, may like to know guys that the law was nearly changed in 2001.

The problem was: what would the cc limit be, and how could it be enforced - how would tollway staff be able to distinguish one bike from another?

All very clear when you have a moped and a big Beem'r side by side, but lets say a cc limit was used - what would it be, and why? - a limit of 125cc, or say, 600cc (?)

How could a 125cc bike be clearly seperated from a 150cc or 175cc bike, and how could a Gixer 600cc be defined from a Gixer 750cc - what would prevent bike owners from putting Gixer' 750cc fairings and graphics onto a 600cc Gixer' - guys who "know" bikes and keep up to date with with the subtle changes season to season, and bike to bike, may be able to tell, but how could tollway staff be trained to tell the difference in this case - and with the 4 or 5 other big Japanese names, never mind the European brands like Truimph, Ducati, KTM .......?

A suggestion was that bikes could be presented for a "cc inspection" (if cc was to be used as the defining criteria) when been registered, at which point a holographic faring/windscreen sticker could be issued - for a fee of course! - something like a road tax disc - fine, but the issue then was: how would the authorities stop these been swoped from one bike to another(?)

Could, or would tollway staff have the time during rush hour to stop and inspect each bike/sticker combination e.g. the holographic sticker has the bike reg on it and could be compared with the bike reg plates - then what would stop reg plates from been changed, or, stop the counterfeiters making holographic stickers - now staff have to be trained to spot dodgy index plates and/or dodgy holographic stickers (.... it wouldn't be long before counterfeit stickers were been knocked-up in some basement print shop).

Tollway staff could be linked to the vechicle reg [plate] database - wouldn't stop counterfeit sticker/bike combinations, but could perhaps stop multiple bikes from using the details of one genuine bike. Now the reg plate records have to be "on-line" realtime at the booths - so a whole new computer system has to be got up and running (problems, problems, problems ......... that you can be sure of - it'll work some days, others days it will not - what then?

In principal the authorities were not against allowing bikes of a certain size and upwards been allowed into the tollways - the problem was always going to be 2 fold:

- what criteria to use to qualify bikes - size?, if so from what size upwards?

- enforcement - how could the system be relaibly enforced?

One of the concerns that was with out doubt going to fast turn into a problem, was that of youngsters on their sooped up mopeds, using quiet pay roads (been as nice as they are) as late night speedways - sneek up long side a truck or bus then race through the plaza ... now the cops have a whole new class of offenders to have to deal with - they'll be spending all day (night) dealing with kids who turn up at the tollway to sneak through, or saying " Sorry - have no Satang". Now what? - tell them to turn round and go back, take their bike away from them?

...... nice idea, no practical way to decide on which bikes would be entitled, and which would not, and no practical way to enforce it (.... and thats ignoring the boys in brown who will quickly see all sorts of "oppurtunities").

Anyone have any realistic and usable ideas how qualifying bikes could be seperated from unqualifying bikes (whatever the criteria was going to be), and how the system could be enforced - never know, may be able to get the authorities to rethink the 2001 decision.

Just issue a different color/type of registration and license plate. It's not that complicated. They have moped plates as distinguished from motorcycle plates in places like germany, where - gee-whiz - mopeds are NOT allowed on autobahns, but big motorbikes are.

I really don't want this topic to get closed, since I'm genuinely interested in a sociological sense what average farang-Thai relationships are like in Thailand, so please, no lame, one-sentence quips trolls. I personally fall in the third category, but several people I know fall into the first and second categories. Please give your own serious observations, from Thailand or elsewhere in Asia.

A decent percentage of relationships are "open" to liaisons with other people. I think it's fair as long as it's a two-way street. Anyway, it's not really cheating then, if it's pre-approved and openly disclosed.

We spend way too much time apart, due to our work, to worry about what exactly happens when we meet other people. Most often nothing happens, and it appears, the more the relationship is open to such things, the less they happen....

Less stress, more time to concentrate on important things. Just try to stay healthy...

The biggest obstacle appears to be other people not believing that our relationship is open to it, and us having to pretend we are single in order to even have some fun...

my friend mario888

and so, what sayeth thou on the poster's major concern which has eluded most posters' responses....

The problem is, then ,when she leaves Thailand again on her British passport,(which she needs to do to travel to certain countries) there wont be any record of her being stamped in on her British passport , as she entered Thailand from Cambodia on her Thai passport.

....the lady standing on the soil of the kingdom and is holding a valid british passport with no record of her ever entering the kingdom.... how is she going to explain to the EXIT immigration officers at the port, of having no entry stamp....

but on the other hand, she has all the rights in the world to stand here, live here and enjoy her family members here.... cause she is thai by birth and on official record as such....

what would you suggest my friend?

Just enter and leave Thailand on your Thai passport. For the airline's purpose, show the UK passport if travelling, say, to Britain, so they don't deny boarding for lack of a visa.

Just because you leave Thailand on a Thai passport doesn't mean you have to enter the next country on your Thai passport also.

I do this myself when travelling to Europe, I leave on a home passport and enter on a EU passport, then when I leave I show exit immigration my EU passport, but the airline sees my home passport which I also use to enter back to my home country.

It's really quite simple.