Drew345

I called my friends house this morning and got this recoreded message.

"The number you are trying to call is broken and is being under repaired."

I don't have much faith the line will be up this afternoon.

Drew

I was at the Tsuanmi Warning System test in Phuket last year. The sounding of the alarm was delayed by 50 minutes, from 5 minutes after the quake to 55 minutes after the quake, so that Taksin could rush in and make a speech to the crowd gathered for the test. Talk about having people in the loop! I think it was still declared a success.

Drew

I really like the Hatari PhoneNet card. You buy it at 7/11 for 300 or 500 Bt. First you call local Bangkok 02 number. I checked and calls to Indonesia are 6 Bt / min. Same rate to US and China. Pretty darn cheap considering Taksins mobile phones are 5 Bt / min inside Bangkok.

Best to use these cards if you can call 02 numbers from a home phone, calling 02 from hotel may add extra costs.

7 Bt / min is pretty darn good too, as the first person posted.

Hello Thai Visa Forum Members,

Anyone else notice that all of the Yellow Lenso Phones that used to have the ATT Direct button on the upper right hade corner have had the ATT Direct button removed. And if you try to dial the ATT direct number directly, you get "barred call".

This used to be a great way to contact many 800 numbers in America for free. It did not work for every 800 number, but it did work for many. And ATT Direct was a good way to get a really clear phone line to America if you have a ATT direct card. But now, all ATT Direct buttons have been removed, disconected.

The direct dial sequence for ATT Direct is 1-800-001-33 or 001-999-111-11. But now dialing these from the Yellow Lenso Phone just gets "barred Call"

Any new info for how to connect to ATT Direct from Bangkok?

Thanks,

Drew

About twice a year I go to Myanmar for 10 days or so and return through Tachilek. I will go again this new year. I go with a Myanmar visa, enter at Yangon or Tachilek, go to Mandalay, and return through Tachilek to Mae Sai. Do you think this rule applies to anyone arriving wanting the 30 day entry permit, or only applies to day trippers? My passport is full of 3 years worth of Thai 30 day entry stamps, but when I come through Mae Sai it is always after about 10 days in Myanmar. Think this makes a difference? I hate to carry 10kBaht around Myanmar for 10 days.

Thanks, Drew

I used to play tennis in High School and College years; now I am picking up the game again. I live on Sathorn Soi 1 and have courts near my apartment which are available in the mornings. More fully booked in the evenings, but I could try.

Let me know if you want to play some tennis.

Thanks,

Drew

There is a Thai Gay Kareoke bar near Kao San Road, (but not in the tourist area), which is mostly over 30 years old Thai Men, actually mostly over 40 years old. Name is New Friends Kareoke. I have rarely seen another Farang there. Just wait for someone to sing an English song and go talk with them and chat and enjoy.

There is a new Sauna in Chinatown named GSM, again mostly over 30, over 40 year old men. Safe sex required, flirting recomended.

PM or email me for more info on getting to these places.

Drew

This could certainly be a drag for the annual AA convention in Pattaya which gets about 250 Alcoholics a year from all over the world.

Yes, there are meeting in Koh Samui; as well as daily in Bangkok. AA is alive and well in Thailand.

http://www.aathailand.org

Thanks,

Drew

Non-Immigrant Visa from L.A.; Valid Purpose?

I see a few recommendations on this forum recommending Non-Immigrant Multi-Entry One-Year Thai Visas? I will be back in America in August and can take a trip to the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles and apply for this.

Does the Embassy even ask the purpose for wanting the visa? I see the application form, and there is no place for writing the Purpose. How could I state my purpose in a way that would be approved for Non-Immigrant Multi-Entry One-Year Thai Visa?

My specific purpose for wanting the visa is this:

I am 39 years old and retired early. I would like to live in Thailand about 70 % of the year (eight months out of 12) and travel in neighboring SEAsian countries or America the remaining 4 months. I enter and leave Thailand about 8 times a year in the course of these travels. While in Thailand I do not work, I live from my savings in America, transferring money to my Thai bank account as needed. I have more than one million dollars in savings in America and can document this with account statement. I keep between 100,000 and 400,000 Baht in my Thai Bank Account. I have a lease on Apartment in Bangkok, and study Thai Language (part time only, not enough for study visa).

Is this valid purpose for receiving a Non-Immigrant Multi-Entry One-Year Thai Visa ($125) from a Thai consulate in America?

I am not married to a Thai. The Thailand Elite card seems rather expensive at $25000 for 5 years. I saw another thread that buying a 3 million baht condo would qualify me for Non-Immigrant Multi-Entry One-Year Thai Visa. More confirmation of that would be appreciated. This sounds much better than Elite card for me because the condo lasts longer than 5 years.

Thanks,

Drew

This January and last January I got a two entry tourist visa (60 days per entry) from Thai Embassy in Rangoon. Last year the cost was $30 but this year the cost was $50. They did flip through my passport when I submitted it, but I think it was just to make sure I had blank pages. Last year both visas had to be used within 6 months. This year both visas had to be used within 3 months. Luckily, that matched my timing just fine, but it is tight for using two visas. Carry new US dollars as old money will not be accepted.