Hanuman2547

You can also private message the hotel directors/manager.

Dear Hotel Director,

We are apprehensive to take our holiday to Thailand this year due to the reports of police harassing tourists, particularily in the Sukhumvit area.

Here is a link to the discussion.

http://www.thaivisa....ourists-expats/

Please,can you advise us on the situation?

1. Advice about how to deal with random body searches & urine tests on the street outside your hotel?

2. Does the hotel have an attorney we can contact when we are being harassed by Thai Police?

3. Should we cancel our trip?

Facebook pages of Sukhumvit Hotels impacted by Police harassment.

Novotel,

https://www.facebook.com/novotelbangkokploenchits

The link for the Novotel Hotel is broken. All of the others are correct.

I'm not the one sounding desperate.

The phrase you posted in all caps shows your real motive, and actually is factually inaccurate as the current allegations are 6 months after the military's actions last May, which put an end to the violence and intimidation directed at protesters and which resulted in the murders of several children.

The issues you attempted to interject were far more relevant prior to military intervention than they are now.

I was in that area 6 days ago and didn't even see a single police officer so I know from my experience this claim is spurious.

Well I was in the area last Monday night and saw several police officers so I know your claim is spurious.

Anyway, my experience with the RTP on that evening is posted on page 10 #246

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/781621-surge-of-reported-police-harassment-suggests-campaign-targeting-tourists-expats/page-10

 

Strangely enough, this summer, the Spanish were offering tourists an official - police copy of their passport so they can carry that and avoid having the real one stolen. I didn't check on the cost and don't know if the service is still available.

Perhaps it would be nice if the RTP could offer that?

Also make it about credit card size so it fits in the pocket easily?

It is law in many countries that visitors must carry their passport at all times.

If carrying your actual passport,wrap it in something waterproof because it only needs a little wetting to render the passport useless!

Then you are into the additional waste of time and extra cost of an emergency passport, a replacement once you get home etc.

A royal pain in the bum!

Many countries give even ex-pat workers a credit card-size plastic Residence/ID card.

I lived and traveled all over the world for decades. Technically it's probably a law. But other than when boarding a train or at airport, or bank, I can never recall being asked to show my passport. Especially never just on the street. Never once, anywhere in 20 years of world travel.

I have been asked only once....on Sukhumvit by the petrol station at Soi 23 almost exactly two years ago.

I had this happen last Monday night. See page #10 post #248 for a description of what happened.

Last Monday night I was leaving Soi Cowboy around 12:30am and walked down Soi 23 out to Sukhumvit. I looked right and saw about 3-4 Bib searching two farangs. I was headed outbound so just kept walking. Then I heard a Thai telling me to stop. I didn't stop but just kept walking. I know he repeated himself a couple of times. Finally he caught up to me and tugged on the bag I was carrying. He then told me to stop which I did. He said he wanted to look at my bag. I said "no". He looked puzzled. He asked again to search my bag. I again said "no". Then we stood and looked at each other. I told him I was going. He said "no". I began walking away and after a few steps he got in front of me and said I had to stop and search bag. He then yelled at one of his group to come over which he did rather quickly. This other policeman then also asked to check my bag. I said ok. Are you ready? I went out running earlier in the evening. Inside was all of my sweaty, wet, running clothes that were wrapped up in plastic bags. Up until this time I spoke English. Then I spoke Thai to them and produced one sweaty towel in a plastic bag. I asked them if it stunk (he said yes). Then I produced a pair of running shoes in a plastic bag and held it up to his nose and asked if it stunk (he said yes). Then I produced a plastic bag containing my T-shirt, shorts, and socks and held it up to his nose and asked him if it stunk (he said yes) and laughed. I showed him my stick of deodorant and that was it. I told him I wasn't carrying any ya-ba, heroin, or ganja. He did ask if I had a passport. I said yes but not with me but if they like they can come home with me and check it. That was it. I wanted to comply with them but I also didn't want them to get it so easily. I wanted to make them work a bit. The only thing I was worried about was the police planting something on me. They did not ask me to empty my pockets at any time which surprised me.

Gun shops in Bangkok are situated on Thanon Burapha and Thanon Unakan which are opposite each other running perpendicular to Thanon Charoen Krung.. Jump in a cab and ask for Old Siam Plaza (on Burapha). Your wife can hold a firearms permit as a Thai but as a farang you have very little chance. Handguns here in Thailand are expensive, about 4-5 times the cost in the US and about 3-4 times that of Australia. However, the expense is diminished somewhat by your ability to bargain and the time of year. Gun shop owners apply for and receive a yearly quota of weapons. If it is towards the end of the quota year and business has been slow they need to sell off or the subsequent allocation is reduced. I have not been there in many years but as an example three consecutive shops were asking 80,000B, 75,000B and 52,000B for a Beretta 92F. Ammunition here is unbelievably costly, 9mm FMJ is about 3 or 4 times the back home cost of Hydrashok. (If you can't control the firearms, control the next best thing). Reloading equipment (presses, dies etc.) is unavailable here as are components. (and no, you can't bring yours in to the country).

For pistol ranges try Ramkhamhaeng sports stadium. They have a reasonable pistol range and a rimfire rifle range. I haven't been in quite some time but membership was 1000B per year. They will require your passport and work permit copies. I taught my wife to shoot there many years ago and once the range marshal is satisfied that you can handle a firearm he quickly disappears and leaves you to your own devices. They have weapons for rent ......a rather antiquated 4" Smith in 38 Special and a S&W M39 converted to 38. Ammo was about 500B a box for 158g WC.

BTW they also engrave (chicken-scratch) a Thai serial number on the weapon...makes a real mess of the bluing.

A lot of good info here. Firearms are very expensive in Thailand. I looked at a few firearms and was shocked at the prices. A Glock 19 Gen 3 was listed at 90,000 baht. (A newer Gen 4 in the USA will be around 15,000 baht.) The 9mm ammunition for it was about 2,200 baht for a box of 50 FMJ Sellior & Bellot. 45ACP was 2,400 baht. I used to get that same 9mm S&B in the USA for about 300 baht prior to Sandy Hook (Dec 2012)

You need to be careful about the overseas educated daughters of rich Thai Chinese businessmen, or even worse corrupt politicians, military or police who seem to have become westernised. That is just a very thin veneer of westernisation. They are under the thumbs of their fathers and brothers who will force them to conform. In the unlikely event that they will be allowed to marry a relatively poor farang, who just works for a living, they will be pressured to meet expectations to have certain kind of lifestyle, whether you can afford it or not, and to drive a certain kind of car to the tedious Sunday lunches at the family mansion. Often Thai farang couples meet studying abroad and decide to come and live in Thailand after graduation which is invariably a disastrous decision. Under peer group pressure the Thai partner forgets her (or his) westernisation and reverts to type. Bye bye marriage.

Yeah, I don't think so.

Married Thai grad student wife in 1982 in the USA. Had reception in the USA and another in Bangkok. Father's General Policeman brother arranged for venue in Bangkok. If there were ever any expectations, nothing was ever said to us. After working in the USA for a few years we moved to Bangkok and worked there for 12 years before returning to the USA.

i'm 10 y here,

never met a farang whit a hi so girl,

maybe they claim to be well educated,but lol,

they are all ex-bar ladies,no exception.

The better English they speak,the longer they were flirting with farangs.

Some can speak a little italian, or dutch,or ......just gives away what nationality

was B#nging them before you did.

But no offence ,and there are exceptions !

Virgins.....witch were invisible to the thai boys in their village? lol

Some worked in a "shoe shop" in BKK ,lol (they massage your shoes there?)

But even if you have the sole pure GF, 5 minutes and she will accept 1000bht ( if you are not looking !)

Bets are on .

I met my semi-hot, grad student, middle class, Thai/no-Chinese, and not Hi-So wife in the USA when she was studying for her PhD. We lived in Bangkok for 12 years but are now back in the USA.

I came to Thailand (Bangkok) for the first time in 1983 at the age of 23 with my Thai wife who I had met in the USA. She was a graduate student and we had married the year before.

I know that is a lot different than most people on this and many other forums!

No, I would not like details. No idea where the 800,000 sharing idea came from. Did you just make that up?

Actually I posted about sharing the 800,000 baht for two farangs back around Post #103.

Although I don't have a farang wife I guess if you wanted too one of you could get a retirement visa on your 800,000 baht in a Thai bank. Just don't ever apply together for your retirement visas or indicate that you are married..The other could get a 90 day visa and then go out of the country and get another 90 day visa. Then transfer the 800,000 baht from the retirement visa holder's bank account into the new retirement visa seekers account a number of months before and then they can use the same 800,000 baht for their retirement visa. The process will have to be reversed again when the first visa holder needs to re-apply. Sure beats tying up 1.6 million baht in two Thai banks accounts!

Wow...I thought Norwegians were tall blonde viking looking chaps....

in case you did not know, in the USA, there are not only white people, but black people, asian people, native indians, etc.

.................and don't forget people of Hispanic origin now the 2nd largest minority in the USA. In California Hispanics make up 39% of the general population.

Congratulations on the move! I think you made a great move. You're not right in Pattaya. Far enough away to escape from it and close enough to get the things you need. The rent seems like a good price and the non-slip tile floor in the bathroom is great. I've seen too many of those tiles that become ice skating rinks when wet. You're also just a short drive away from Bangkok when you need to head up that way as well.

If there is enough evidence they should proceed with a criminal trial. In that case:

1. Prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law!
2. After serving his sentence in a Thai prison, deport his sorry arse.
3. Black list him for 30 years (which should be the rest of his filthy life) of ever entering Thailand again.
4. Make him known to other nearby SE Asian countries that he is a convicted sex offender.

Now we'll all be left in suspense as to where he moved to!

Regardless of where you moved, there will always be people saying why did you move there? Hey, if it works for YOU then that is what matters most.

Without seeing the house in Chalong I'm not sure.............but it does look nice and the price is good. Definitely worth a look except the only problem is it is still on Phuket but at least not in Patong.

I was in Krabi last November. It was nice and much better than Phuket. A few aggressive Indian/Nepalese touts for restaurants. I hadn't been there in over 10 years so yeah, it has changed a lot too. Would prefer it to Phuket any day for me.

Flower needs to go look tomorrow if possible , is it North of Patong? east but North would be streching.

but we'd have to get the elec. MC 3wheel pickup see the link

http://www.lionbike.com/store/product/view/%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%A5%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%9F%E0%B8%9F%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2_800W-22626297-th.html

Lion Bike is really close to where I used to live in Bangkok.

Without seeing the house in Chalong I'm not sure.............but it does look nice and the price is good. Definitely worth a look except the only problem is it is still on Phuket but at least not in Patong.

I was in Krabi last November. It was nice and much better than Phuket. A few aggressive Indian/Nepalese touts for restaurants. I hadn't been there in over 10 years so yeah, it has changed a lot too. Would prefer it to Phuket any day for me.

Looks like most of you guys have been here quiet a long time. I arrived in Phuket in April 2006 so even being here 7 years I'm more or less a newbie compared to most. After spending 4 great years in Phuket (Kata/Karon) we decided that cost of living was getting out of hand along with a slowly accelerating crime rate and we also wanted to buy some land and build a home and with the land prices in Phuket (for us) it was not possible. Have visited Pattaya didn't think as nice as Phuket. We jumped on our Phantom and started driving towards Bangkok checking out all the places in between. We found the Cha Am Hua Hin area the best for cost of living land prices Farang community and a very nice beach. We bought a small bit of land built (local man who built home did a fantastic job cheaply) our very nice 1650 sq ft 3 bdrm 2 bath home for 1 million baht. We settled in Tha Yang area 40K north of Cha Am 65K north of Hua Hin.

I would suggest to anyone seriously thinking of leaving Phuket but remaining in Thailand to spend a few days in Cha Am/Hua Hin area. Where ever you go, good luck

Well said! If the nightlife isn't a big factor in your life than there are many other nice places to live in Thailand. The Cha Am - Hua Hin area is quite nice and an area I have always enjoyed. Further south, Prachuab Khirikhan is also nice. If you want to be in the Pattaya area but not right in Pattaya then maybe Bang Saray about 15kms south of Pattaya might be another option.

When I first visited Phuket in 1983 I thought it was fantastic. Slowly through the years I have seen it go downhill. Since 2000 it has been very bad. My last visit was in 2003 and I don't miss it at all. To many problems which Big Bill has already alluded to and I'm sure a few more. As a former writer used to say, I give Phuket a wide berth now. There are many other places I would rather spend my time at. The touts and taxi/tuk-tuk mafias are just a few of the negatives that put off many tourists. It's no wonder that many expats are leaving.

I was looking for the topic

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/626985-german-international-school-of-pattaya/

but couldn`t find it.

DisainaM, a link here (but only in german) and not a reliable source (sth. like the Sun in England)

http://www.tee-pak.net/hotels/video.php?title=Deutsche%20Schule%20Pattaya%20Betrug%20Ja%20Oder%20Nein.&id=QNESPSAwZtg&feature=youtube_gdata_player&area=pattaya〈=th

Samut,

"Correct his name is Ralf Wirz however the school has no

license at all has never applied for and will never get one neither from the

German nor from the Thai Education Ministry because the “school” doesn’t comply

with the requirements of the authorities; this is a fact!"

the Germans have no say what gets licensed or not. Its only the Thai ed. Ministry and they take it serious.

You might get away without a helmet on a motocy but no way you advertise a school and they haven't heard about it.

When i opened mine 7 people came to look for fire extinguisher, second toilet, book shelves, exits and so forth.

And nobody wanted money

Nobody wanted money? Are you sure they were REAL officials??

Isn't England the place with never ending rain and grey skies? (At least it is in most movies :-)

Yes, and the smog - don't forget the smog. And Jack the Ripper. He's always walking around the smog filled streets.

In my bucket list: Pendine sands in S. Wales

- just like Phuket except, no tuk-tuks, no hassles, quiet, etc. Maybe like Phuket was 30 years ago.

Just like Phuket?? Hmmm..........I bet the water temp off the coast is a bit different than the water temp in Phuket.

You say,who wants to holiday in England? The answer is,most of the world.It seems all of the world wants to visit England and no one wants to go back to their own country. England is a great place. When I tell people I am from england they always say the same thing,"You are lucky".

Even though we are ruled by a bunch of anti-british politicians (I mean Cameron,the Lib/Dem Con and the establishment)the indigenous people are sharp,modern and very intelligent. We are lucky to live in such a well organised country.Such a beautiful country,too.Could it be that people envy us!

Isn't England the place with never ending rain and grey skies? (At least it is in most movies :-)

English weather is pretty much like the state of New York, some days good, some days bad, some years we have too many grey days, and other years we are spoilt with lots of blue skies. We don't try to paint our country with rose coloured specs, so in movie and TV we portray it as it really is, sometimes raining and some days sunny

English weather, from what I've been told is more closer to Seattle than New York.

Although LINE is very popular in Thailand and other countries, it is almost unheard of here in the USA. When I tell my friends I'm using LINE I am greeted with blank stares. Most of the people I know using LINE in the USA are Asians from recently from Asia or have a strong connection with Asia.

I'm looking to rent a car in Bangkok for one month. Any recomendations on companies to use in Bangkok and those to stay away from? I'm an experienced Bangkok driver so I know what to expect, just not so sure about what company to use for a good price.

Emirates airlines uses a Boeing 777 on its route from LAX to Dubai nonstop. That's a 15:50 in the air according to their website. THAI does fly the 777 but not sure which routes they use it on.

Personally, I don't care what Thai Air does. To me they're overpriced, with bad service. I'll take EVA Emerald Class over Thai First Class every time!

My feelings as well. THAI is overpriced which is why I rarely fly them. I much prefer EVA and China Airlines. The arrival departure times are much better on both ends of the flight.