bangkokburning

Pretty much sizes up the future of democracy in the nation.

The parliament is nothing but facade for the junta.

Because there's no local corruption to go after...

Thanks for vote of confidence. I forgot to add she has university degree. Yes, of course parents (it has been stated this is not a good reason and I agree). She wants to buy a condo, but we will only seriously look after our return - this is better not even mentioned as it is pie-in-the-sky to the officer.

But my real question is - Should I be involved in this process at all? I'd like to make it on her own accord but willing to go to an interview (I think I am not allowed?) or send a letter. Here is my question....some have stated that it may be important to show that I (me) have good reason to return to Thailand as well. I really cannot show this other than: 3pp full of 17yrs of travel (eg my lack of time in the US over 20 yrs), a retirement visa I am disinclined to apply for as I like to travel and is a real hassle.

We have no intention of marrying in states, she will pay for her own ticket and I will reimburse her on her return and bonus her 50K or taxes on a condo whichever is greater.

Should I send a letter of introduction (in bullet points) w/ her?

How long is the process from time of completed online application and obtaining interview date?

If we start in end of July shooting for mid Sept departure OK?

Thanks

I am sure she has her untold problems. Learn to forgive her.

I realize that Thai's often do not get/give rings. But in the west - even losing a ring. Being careless and dropping it down a drain - is a huge loss of face. I could never forgive my wife for pawning a ring, esp if she didnot come to me and ask for 2k Baht. Sheesh! Forgive more like forget.

Sorry - I just saw this thread from the forum and said WOW. I will leave you ladies and never post here again.

Hey friend -

Did I not read you just got married? I think you should be planning a quick and quiet exit.

Evaluate your situation. You sort of answered your own question by posting.

You may be entitled to the whole house - but my advice is get out because being around her the mood will only become more sour and anything can happen. TiT anything!

Leave with your head high, she in the wrong. She played a very short game. She may actually want you to go. More signs to come?

PS: This why she have to work, she married to falang is BS(!!!). Almost as much as the give money to my family nonsense. She is not a princess. I told my gf in no uncertain terms that she will work at least until she is 40 - I had to...and if that isnt good for her, Im not her man.

Maybe the problem is that the work she is capable of low paying and very unrewarding? Maybe she is totally lazy. Maybe she is taking you for a sucker?

There is plenty of advice here and of course, Sheryl's is the always best. I think as well this is fungal so I won't belabor that point. I would double her advice as well as gunnyd and ask to disregard all advice to use steroid creams.

billp makes some great comments but unless you are really (!!) raw and bleeding, dont go to a doctor. They will give you some sort of medication that are totally over the top. Medicines are over perscribed in this country to scary proportions.

Try the anti fungal. If no change in 4-5 days. OK, see a doctor.

My contribution...why does it keep coming back? You are predisposed, sweat and in the heat. The current weather is horrible and quite sticky, but if you plan to spend your life here - get out in the heat! Get used to the weather so when you do go out the weather is somewhat tolerable and you are not sweating like a pig.

Next, try not wearing long pants, not wearing underwear and wearing LONG but thinner shorts.

Isolate the culprit. Do you use public towels or towels from your apt or guesthouse? Gym? Stop, that is very well the problem.

Finally, it is unlikely but possible if you have the same sex partner that s/he is carrying this and giving it back to you.

I had this once from apt towels sure. FYI it took a few weeks for it all to disappear to my satisfaction. If you are really raw, maybe even three weeks. You will be amazed at how the redness goes if you get some Lamisil - and that is the problem. It will more or less vanish in a few days.

If that works, that is a great sign - means potentially you never really got rid of it in the first place. Now you have the right meds - you will be in much better shape!

For what its worth - I met my girlfriend when I was only wearing a bathing suit on an island. Shes a more down dresser than I am!

All the smokin' hot young ladies in pretty dresses here and I get the one who can wears jeans and a t-shirt to work and only wears shorts and a t at home.

Can't ride her too hard - I like me shorts.

People that don't wear shorts in this heat defend themselves by saying it looks poor. It doesn't have to. They have pasty white legs and that is their defense. To be sure, BKK is the realm of long pants weekdays - but everyone wears shorts on the weekends or near the home. I come from California and everyone dresses casual and in shorts - why in more heat and humidity would I wear long pants? ACK!

I've been trolling around for information regarding a visa for my girlfriend to states, is this the gist of it:

1. go online and get the basic info

2. buy a key and fill out online app

3. get a date/appt for her (seems to be about two weeks last I checked

4. Wait for outcome

**Start to finish, how long should I anticipate the process to take?

My questions. It was stated here and in a pm that it is most important to provide evidence of why she will return. My gf does not own a condo, will have only about 200k in the bank. She can provide a letter of employment and character from her corporate employer. Her monthly gross is only about 20k. She has traveled and we continue to do so nationally and internationally. She has been to the US about ten years ago.

Someone mentioned that I might accompany her to the interview and it was stated here that I should be able to show that I have reason to return. Currently, that is a bit scant. I refuse to put large sums in Thai banks, I will turn 50 by the time we make the visa BUT I am very indifferent to getting the extension as we travel so much. I don't have a business here sure.

All I can show in this regard is a stack of passports from all the countries I have traveled in last 17+ years. These passports are now in states - SHOULD I ASK MY FRIEND TO CARRY THESE OUT? Will these be of any value to the reviewers of her application at interview?? It would show that I clearly my lack of time in the US - About 3 passports and about 150 pages used.

Not a fiance` visa. B1/B2 - Tourist for visiting my family and camping national parks

They should simply have an office at every airport that will scan your pp pages into a small booklet for a small fee. You can carry this in lieu of passport. This would be great for tourists and expats alike and a real money spinner for MFA.

But MFA isn't interested in making things easy for expats or tourists.

hey -

Trang is an ok city but a bit of a bore. its a great place to hole up while planning trips in the region. pai is finished but i am sure if you get far afield it is nice, but the town is a mega mall for tourists thai and farang,

I can give a thumbs up to Prachuap if you like seafood. Rooms can be a bit iffy. Hua Hin is not my cup of tea but could be perfect for you. Has nice rooms, farang bar to chill out (incl washed up bargirls from Pattaya) and an ok beach to kick it on. Mind you its no beauty. Also easy access (4hrs from BKK). Good night market (don't eat in that farang market), Cheap internet and 7/11s. HH is an east facing beach, as all mentioned.

Forget the far south - rain on coast.

Heres the ticket for chill: catch a mini bus to Amphawa (2hrs) they have many homestay on the water. I don't know how you get up and back to the market but it looks like its very quiet. The better places have nice restaurants.

Another close possibility: Sankaburi

There are some nice beaches in the far south, but I fear they are just too far too recommend. I really dislike LAnta but it might be right up your alley, you can train to Trang city, walk 50m to mb stand and catch a mb to Lanta (few hrs). Plenty of resorts and while not my cuppa, it is very popular (stay to the north for prettier beaches.

Another island that now has very easy access and again - I was finished with it in 99, but has 4* resorts - Ko Chang.

Finally, very rustic, ready to pop any year now; LOVELY maybe not meet your needs - Ko Phayam. Catch a bus to Ranong. Get off at the Bus station, songtaew to Pier (7mins), high season has a "speed boat" 30km to Ko Phayam. Ao Kwai is the bay to stay on. I can give you a nice bungalow there in you pm me - you will need to walk, bike or rent motorcycles there.

Plenty of islands with really easy access. Don't limit yourself unless your parents are really unfit. In fact, they would most likely love Ko Ngai and you can get there on a big ass boat from both Trang and Lanta

For me, eat facing beaches never cut it. Gotta have a sunset!

Preah Vihear is a Hindu Temple

It is located on sovereign Cambodian soil.

I don't understand the fuss.

Thai's:

Are not Hindu

Do not like people of this region

Do not like Khmer people

Do not have any legal basis to make a claim to Preah Vihear

This nation is so self absorbed and grubbing these years...Land of Smiles? Remember that gag?

Maybe they should move the troops to the south and take on some real issues.

I have not read thru your comments, maybe this has been addressed but is worth stating.

There are a number of reasons someone can hold an add'l passport and not by a citizen of that nation. There must be a bazillion green US passports issued by DOS by now. These are resident aliens and NOT citizens. Just goes to show how totally clueless is. They really need to get staffed up with educated people. The laziness and guessing is ignorant and really tiresome. Thailand is a real embarrassment to itself.

Gotta love how the imm thread is so long and tedious and nothing definitive from the top as to clarifying and codifying the issue.

mark45y

I sat down on a stool and looked up at the stage. A dancer reached down and grabbed me by the neck and planted a minute long French kiss on my mouth.

SO....you allowed a naked prostitute to French kiss you in public for a minute....how special.

I have a lot of issues with the new airport but the taxi's?! You eat in the food court, walk outside one minute and maybe stand a minute in the queue, tell the person where you want to go - and go. trip back to the flat is about 250 incl airport B50 chg.

Anyone else notice all the dust and dirt now collecting on all that metal work? Looks like hel_l and must be great for allergies along with the air system.

I presume you are speaking about prostitutes. Would stand to reason a prostitute would not (French) kiss a John. You might just be too ugly, poor oral hygiene but it is a very intimate thing to do (and might arouse 'emotion/feeling' assuming you are a handsum man), so the girls want little or no part of it. And ...as was stated, she has no idea where your mouth has been (and if you knew where hers has been, maybe you'd decline that as well! Kissing hookers barfined - maybe not a good idea.

17 years in Asia and never had a woman decline a kiss, The news that Thai women don't like French kissing is news to me. My girlfriend is always kissing on me.

I will agree though for many reasons, Asian cultures inherently are not affectionate or into kissing as a rule.

Please take into consideration that while you are fiddling about with the visa paperwork, running, waiting and what not. Your classes may very well be moving right along. It appears this is your first visit here so you can expect some wasted time just getting an understanding of your surroundings as well.

Of course, you may want to see the course first hand before plunking down cash, but as I recall - that is a very good program although I'm dubious of the "cultural aspect".

Good luck

I would like to jailbreak my girlfriends iPod touch rather than ue my cc online at iTunes store as I have heard of theft issues as well as I simply would rather use my cc online as little as possible. She is mainly interested in a few games she's addicted to. Once broken, I presume you do not want to update the iPod or iTunes. Are there any issues with 2nd gen? 2008? iPod touch and jailbreak? I assume if the iPod has problems it will be able to be serviced based on ruling in usa?? Can anyone give me a link to latest and greatest jailbreak site? Are there any issues such as malware and security I need to be aware of? Thanks

I have been thru a number of speakers and would highly recommend Logitech's pure-fi (but they are heavy abt 1kg). On the opposite end, go with the X-mini's. I have the larger size now (2) - you can chain them together as well - more than two. I just saw them today at Fortune the set is 1690 I think and the single (buy 2) is/are 990. Highly recommended and claim 10hrs of life on battery and can be charged on ipod charger.

Nothing will change for the tourists. I read this as further clampdown on people staying in apartments, etc... for the managers to get with the program.

On another note - it just tells me how unwelcome we all are and how much we are not wanted here.

This will come to little or nothing unless SG takes the reins.

AA has been doing this for years and knows its business well. All this new airline can do is compete on price and there is little or nothing left on that bone.

Another blunder on Thai Airs part. Its a wonder how SG wants to be a part of this.

Hope they open new routes: Kathmandu is crying for competition but this is a mafia route by Royal Nepal and Thai.

Guess everyone has forgotten US150 a barrel oil.

I've stopped even asking for a price from TukTuk drivers, they are always more expensive than A/C taxis. Then the potential of being taken to some dark street or on a shopping tour - no thanks.

This is just a tourist propaganda piece. It's actually dangerous. Thailand should be warning people not to take these things.

There is no shortage of places to stay in Penang but I would not stay on Chulia. Very crowded, noisy and polluted.

Hutton House, relatively newly opened Old Penang (always full). Bunch of cheapies of Muntri/Campbell. Upscale at end of Chulia about RM60-100and heading down toward the water are a few.

You could stay at the E&O or the Chong Tze Fatt house :-))

My vote would be for Singapore.

As for you looking here in Thailand. Maybe Hua Hin? I don't think the east coast is very nice although you might have a look at Ban Sare north of Sattahip. Lovely village getting ready to take off.

This information is really spotty and outdated but here it is:

I had take a ferry to the island in 2003. In taking the ferry, esp this time of year you have to be careful as they do not run in rough seas and you may get stuck for days.

The border along the coast (note) was not open at this time to foreigners, you had to use the interior crossing(s).

I obtained my visa for Vietnam in Kampong Som (I think US25) about 20 mins

Evening of my check in I was summoned to the communist party headquarters cum police station where I was harangued in Vietnamese for two hours (for being a spy no doubt), my passport was tossed back to me and I was free to go.

The island has some decent stretches of beach but nothing special. It is noted for the best fish sauce in Vietnam and possibly Asia.

Hope this helps.