bangkokburning

Thanks for that.

Score is tv 1 - troll 0

Just avoid the places that do this. I've never knowingly paid "farang prices" for any privately run tourist attraction and I'm not about to start. I don't read Thai fluently but it's not that hard to spot when there's something a bit fishy going on.

The National Parks are a bit different because they're paid for out of taxation so it's sort of understandable that they give a discount for the effective "owners." Even Greece was still doing this with the Parthenon last time I visited. I would have thought the EU would have put a stop to that, but who knows? I have a work permit so I usually get Thai prices, if I can't I don't bother. If I was here on a two week holiday and really wanted to see Doi Inthanon (or any other dual priced NP) then I'd pay it, otherwise I wouldn't bother.

Sad thing is that they keep having these stupid campaigns to clean up such and such a place and attract more wholesome, family tourists, then they encourage and allow this sort of behaviour, what sort of tourists do you expect <deleted>?

Actually, NPs are largely self supporting. In fact, when times were good I am sure money was siphoned off. Farang pay more because like everything else, they can

Sorry, so its just for public grade school? And this check is sufficient? You need nothing from your home country? Is it issued to you? Do you get a copy or able to view it?

Apply for chrck prior to teachers lic not work permit?

So, find a job

Get a visa and work permit

Police check

Teachers lic (waiver)

Where does that cultural test any anything else come into play? Sorry, off topic.

The big bus from Morchit stops in Aran bus station, b10, 15 by big bus songtaew or b60 via tuktuk. Walking would be folly. So would be spending money to go out to Morchit for a sloewer bus when a faster cheaper mv is available.

The minivan I take from Victory stops within a few hundred meters. I can ealk to Thai immigration in less than five mins.

That will be great. Dont forget Yosemite, yeah a detour but not that far.

Are you sure you dont want to do the circuit? My wife loved it and is popular with Thais (trekkingthai).

... Yeah, the Grace was great as well in its day. I was going to mention it but thought only a few would know or recall the coffee shop. Full of Arabs now I hear ...

That's been their area for years, and they've progressed all the way to the Omni at the end of Soi 4,

Drop down from the grace towards Suk and it's the Nigerians / Morocans, if you're going to take a short cut threw there to Soi 5/7, better take Indiana Jones with you.

I hear you. I lost interest in BKK and just went down to PTY. PTY was really great gun in early 90s, so fun, so crazy and so cheap.

Too funny, Muslim hookers lined against the wall in black burquas. Arabs are insane. A life of eternal contridiction and double standards.

So, for persons already residing in Thailand, this check is 100% sufficient?

Does anyone know the process, where to front up? The link is vague and poorly written.

When does the clearance come into play? Prior to wp being issued?

What if teaching at a university?

So Bangkok is on the bottom of not top tier but 2nd grade investments/interest in the region. BFD. I would love to know the next three cities below it and the two above it.

Not really regional as well...Shanghai is mentioned. So that is not such a great report for BKK. Bottom of the bin for East Asia. My hunch is those close behind it are clearly subpar (Manila, Cebu, much of Indonesia, HCMC, Hanoi, Myanmar...).

Phnom.Penh is up and comer as Vietnam.

Looks to me LEAST FAVORED.

Deleted

I can do this visa run for b1250, all in incl morning coffee and lunch on the border. Add b250 for bottle of Jim Beam.

Starting and ending with taxis from our flat as well.

The official place to get the Cam visa is after you exit Thailand, walk across the bridge, stop. Now look to the left under the arch, you will see a newish non descript building. That is it.

There is a "consulate" in Aran but it will be a hassle for you to find and they might even charge you more than the us20 as well. A real one exists, not a restaurant.

Malaysia is great! Id spend s lot more time there but Im married and stuck here. Good food, easy language, friendly-educated people, take care of their nature, loads of beaches, pretty Chinese women and three month stamps free.

I had my 10 year visa tranf from pp to pp in the US. It was a total.nightmare (India). Thebform was identical to a new visa. They were also asking questions that I thought way too personal.

The service was fast but very expensive. I did write to complain about the tedium for a simple visa transf (and expense), the manager was quick with response - WDC, USA.

My gf (now wife) had zero problem. We have visited 2x already.

Personally, aside from CA beaches I would not want to go back to that.

Why dont you take them camping to NPs in Utah and AZ on the Grand Circuit?

I'm simply making a general statement. If your husband is admitted without issue, you have no problem. If they start questioning him the basis of this will be - are you planning on returning. He might have a mountain of paperwork showing ties to Thailand, but I think no ticket is a problem. At its core a ticket is solid evidence of a plan to return, paperwork simply shows a reason.

If you know the ticket is cheaper, buy it and be done with it. At very least, make a booking and print that out as further evidence.

Yeah, the Grace was great as well in its day. I was going to mention it but thought only a few would know or recall the coffee shop. Full of Arabs now I hear.

Ah, these joints really rocked. They were truly what gave Thailand its skeez reputation.

I used to shuttle out of Phnom Penh to BKK. Visas flowing like wine, the world was my oyster.

Another cool thing was back then, we were all in on the same game and all equal. Old and young, rich and poor, working and <deleted>. Nowdays I really get the srnse that guys think they can buy respect here. Its not about what you know or how long youve beeninon the scene, its just about living large, living flash. I remember one night I met a producer of a very well known american tv series in a Nana gogo. Just a few guys. He closed the joint down, bought bottles of whisky and we had one hell of a party. He had some great stories, a few I still recall.

Someone should start a website - your best Thermae story.

Do comedians get paid? Blood, blowies, whisky or moneee?

Yeah, 711 online or dtac in shop. In out less than 2mins. Works for me well enough.

Even dtac card topup is ez now...*100* and code = done.

Cold Stone looks to be Hagen Daz stupid expensive. We go with Swenson's. It's can be cheapish on sale and is easily available for us. Not best, but not Walls in a tub eithier.

I really try to stay away from it, just makes me fat. I have no control, if its in the icebox Im eating it...ALL.

Why would anyone know this, seriously?

Why dont you buy as much as your heart desires, grab a taxi and haul it back yourself.

Baring that, locate a drinks shop and have thrm deliver it. I would imagine they will deliver a small qty for a tiny sum and large qty free.

Soft drinks - pffffft.

Thermae 1, ah the memories. I loved that place. Cheap booze and an oasis that tourists did not know about and if they did, feared to venture.

True "Star Wars" bar.

Oh, the memories...

Star of Light 2

Pretty obvious that cops see this as productive - ie often nets farang with drugs. So many posts confirming. Also seems to be a Sukhumvit thing although I am sure Silom has similar as KSR.

Would also seem they are just hoping to get lucky.You are the one dumb farang with dope on themselves.

Cops are lazy, if they did not see this as a win, they would not be bothered.

This is yet another reason that Thailand (scene/gogo) is finished. Nrxt step will be to plant drugs like is so common in Angeles City.

Smart guys will dort out alternatives to those tired bars. Dumb guys will sooner or later get shaken down. Only takes one bad cop to run your day/holiday/life.

I remember when this song was released. Always thought it was one of the Pogues best.

While this is not "Irish" music, whenever I do hear a bit of it I always kick myself for not visiting Ireland. Somehow I think I had a lovely woman there for me.

Decades past and I'm well settled with a lass 15yrs my junior.

Perhaps in my last life I was Irish, perhaps in my next I will make it back home.

Hey sebscala - hope you are in good health / spirits.

In relation to a rather sad attitude, that is contributing to the way we have been taught to interact on a Global scale - I would say the following...

WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

Yes, listen to all this helpful advice on this forum, delivered without any agenda other than purest altruism - don't go anywhere on the Planet - it's all fuc_ked, man - would you believe, there are people of all different beliefs, colours, ethnic origins, gender all ruining everywhere by enjoying themselves, and trying to find a sense of freedom and happiness, to make sense of a realm of impermanence we're all brought into without our consent, and trying to transcend the insidious capitalist doctrine we're all force fed, and consequently subjugated by in every sense - that would nurture our inherent bias towards our fellow man.

The World's doomed - it's full of Honkies, Asians, Niggers, Queers, Jews, Commies, wanke_rs, T.V. forum members - the list is endless.

You can choose to listen to others - the slaves with the beaming smile, authenticated by their marginalisation of others - others that would not fit into their rather confined World of answers - or, you can go look and find for yourself, and find your own truth, matey.

Adventure is waiting for you everywhere you would chose to go, if you're mindset is conducive to welcome it, and your nature would encourage it - along with a broad spectrum of other sensory experiences and delights, for your pleasure. It really does lie in your own hands. I think if you would be more of a narrow minded demographic - quick to point a finger at others and their ways for the state of a geographical location, after we ourselves have been there - before having the presence of mind and maturity to point it inwards, towards self - then I would believe you would be setting yourself up for a fall, and a rather limited range of expectancy from life and the human condition.

Everyone is entitled to their own psychological rationale, even those who would choose, and find enjoyment from watching re-runs of friends, but I would encourage anyone to make use of their often distracted from natural gifts of freewill and unconditional love to lend towards a cognitive that would encourage tolerance and acceptance towards their fellow travellers, thus contributing to harmonious cohabitation of our Earth. We're all in this together - we're all in the same boat, The World belongs to everyone, and is not owned by anyone.

I have travelled extensively throughout my life, and you get back the energy you put out, nomatter where you are. Adventure is something to dream of - not to be planned - it is to be freely taken away by, and grabbed with an open heart and mind, that would let you find yourself immersed in the middle of it everyday, just for the want of stopping and thinking a little - honestly. Preconception is a dangerous thing.

I have been to Vang Vieng twice - once tubing, and once not. I had a wonderful time there both times, because that's what I went to have. I can speak Laos quite fluently, and had no trouble finding Laos food to eat there - in fact, that's all I ate. What do you think the indigenous people there eat ?

I had a great time both tubing, and walking along the river banks between one bar and another - all I saw were many people enjoying themselves and getting wild - and what's wrong with that ? I think I was perhaps one of the oldest people there, and perhaps because of my last remaining vestiges of inherent conditioning, initially inhibited by that fact - but I found no element of being judged by anyone else - all the people I met were very welcoming, open and friendly. In no time atall, I got blatted, and was truly enjoying myself and dancing semi naked with people of many Nationalities, for many days in a row - at the river during the day, and in town at night. Everyone was connected by music and dance, and love. I saw no trouble in the first week that I was there - only goodness and friendliness, from the locals and the tourists, regardless of how drunk / stoned they were / I was - the vibe for me was reminiscent of Goa, twenty odd Years ago.

I had a great time at the river raves, as I did going up in a hot air baloon, hiring a bike and driving around, aswell as going off walking for many clicks everyday, and taking in the breathtaking scenery, aswell as immersing myself in the local's perspective. I did perhaps find the place was teetering on the edge of over developement, from a concrete point of view - but it was still a very nice place to be, and still has a lot of mileage, I reckon - certainly in terms of the quality of the people there. I got the feeling it was more like a community that had been deliberately placed where it was, as a place for people to go and enjoy themselves freely - and let loose. As I believe - much of the monies raised by the river, and tubing - apart from providing a livelyhood to many of the local people there, actually went towards funding education, in what is a very poor Country, that relies on quite a great deal of funding.

So yes, back on topic - the river raves got shut down - partly due to quite a few tourists drowning there in a short space of time, and subsequent pressure applied by their home Countries. When my time comes, I would rather go out loving and partying than shrivelled up like a bitter, cloistered old alakefic <deleted> smelling of piss, and trying to force their fetid opinions on another. You can still go and find a party there if you would wish for one. I went after the raves had closed, and still had a great time. If you're after more of a wild scene - get on the beaten track and put your ear to the ground - these scenes move elsewhere - people (in general) always want to enjoy themselves whilst they're here in this physical, in whatever way they want to - and just because someone doesn't agree with the way they do it, doesn't mean it's not the right way, it's just another way. What's right for us, is what's right for us. Si pan don is pretty cool.

Get yourself out, and I would wish you to have a great time / trip, wherever you may wish to go - and don't listen to / have your judgement swayed by the haters (unless you want to, of course - your choice). We would all have to be young once - we are still a young species - maybe we will end that way if we can't change our selfishness, and the ridiculous way we would subjectively judge ourselves against another.. We are all Human.

Peace and Love.

That put them in their place well done

For starts, Im not bitter, nor oldish. I just have a certain sense that in visiting a poor third world country people should not behave like this. This post is wrong in so many ways. Somehow this loser thinks that the community benefits? Youd think if he speaks Laotian, he would understand these things. That village turned into pure mafia. The villagers got to wash the clothes. Dope.

Pretty naive, especially in light of the what VV had become and what full moon parties still remain. I mean the children so out of control that one was dying a month, about 25 a year and the country closed down a multi million dollar money spinner IN LAO! One of the poorest countries on the planet.

...."I speak Laos fluently" , moron cant spell the name of a country with THREE letters correctly - LAO (PDR). Perhaps Laotian?

There is now a whole class of riff raff who travel the world in search of places that allow them to drink and consume drugs. They have little interest in culture or much of anything beyond themselves.

Total, whining tripe. Oh please, let the children play...It's written as some sort of neo-thebeach manifesto. Just rubbish. Lao PDR has no obligation to help these sorry losers find their lost souls which ate eroding in a morass of capitalism and blah blah blah. Place eas more like Lord of the flies than Lord Jim. Useless wasters. I don't care what they do with their lives as long as they do not encroach upon mine.

They carry on like this in these poor countries because they cannot do so in their own. Coming out of their little crappy existences, they find a community of likeminded losers.

Now if you will excuse me, my banana pancake is burning.