LivinLOS

I sent it. He (I have no idea as to Sunbelt's corporate opinion) strongly recommends against the use of agents. I did not tell him the name of the agent I used, so it is not something personal.

Isnt that kind of comical when Sunbelt themselves provide those kind of 'agent like' services of invite letters etc..

I dont mean your service is not an honest one.. But do you really think there would be as much posted about your advertising if it didnt come over badly to many of us ??

Lets be honest you cannot control the immigration dept ? You cannot control what new policies immigration may implement in the next year (as you have already been caught out with the 'new' requirements for 90 day extensions) so why 'sell' that ??

Truth in advertising would mean you should state what you can do, you can assist people with thier ED visa application as per the current visa regs.. You cannot guarantee anything for the next year, you only hope that roughly the status quo can continue and hope they dont slap on too many new costs on that you pass to the students. You were (of course) very quick to point out the visa process was outside your control and the students responsibility when they started asking for the 4x1900 amounts of money (which I personally think of as hardly worth bothering about) so it cant cut both ways.

To me your advertising smacks of barnham and bailey grandstanding, and immediately lowers my impression of your school from "possible language tuition" to "pay money to exploit visa regs loophole". Just my 2c and feelings, you did ask for suggestions on improving it after all.

I also remember reading in a guidebook on my earlist visits that in Thailand you shouldnt point at anything and should use your thumb to indicate an object etc not your index finger.. Tho I have never seen this done by Thais. Same as I remember reading that you should never put the fork in your mouth only the spoon (I noticed this as I am hyper sensitive to table manners) but see Thais eating that way.

I know I am guilty of pointing to things that are low down with my feet.. Always get a scowl from the missus but find it hard to over ride the mistake !!

Thanks for the heads up about not putting fork in mouth, but use only a spoon.

This puts to rest an old thread about why Thais use a fork to shovel food on to their spoon.

Come to think of it don't think I've ever seen a Thai putting food into mouth using a fork. I do it all the time when dealing with meat. Another bad farang habit to break.

Your kidding right? Using a fork to eat with is a bad habit? How do you eat your spaghetti or pieces of steak. Maybe some Thais feel it is rude to put a fork in their mouth, my wife has never heard of this BTW, but that is just dumb. I am all for supporting traditions that are beneficial or clever. But forks are brilliant. I use a spoon with rice dishes and similar things, but for most others I use a fork because it is better. Sometimes the visitor has knowledge of a better way. Forks are a better way.

Culture is frequently backwards.

You may notice Thais cut all thier meat into spoon sized pieces prior to cooking / serving ?? Thier closest thing to spagetti would be noodles and those seem to be dealt with spoon style or even spoon and chopsticks in gwie teow form (always baffled me why they choose chopsticks for the slipperyest dam_n item )..

Steak or spaghetti is exactly common thai cuisine !!

Admittedly speaking out of ignorance (what's new?), isn't this thing about not putting the fork in your mouth very similar to what my mother told me, but mentioning the knife instead?

As to why it should be bad to put the knife in your mouth, I can only guess: If it is a sharp knife, you might cut yourself. If the knife is used in contact with common food, you might spread your germs to others. A fork could be seen as a similarly "dangerous" object...? But in Thailand, most communal meals are shared using your own utensils, so the hygiene aspect does not seem to come into play.

Only in terms of table manners, I do not see why a (blunt) knife or a fork contacting your oral regions could offend anyone. But that's only me.

Just before you start to think I am rambling and going over the edge, I shall help you and confirm your suspicion. I am! Bear with me just a little longer, to see a similar situation.

Muslims do not usually eat pork, since it is deemed to be unclean from what I gather. I have not done any research as to why, but I guess it is not based on the fact that a pig is happy to roll in the dirt (funnily pigs are supposedly quite fussy about their personal hygiene), but the fact that pork meat may contain a worm that can infest humans, and lead to very bad illness.

Today there are good ways to control this worm, but the pig stays "unclean" for muslims. I guess more for historical/religous, than for scientific reasons. Please can anyone correct me on this if I am wrong?

Edit: For clarity.

I too had considered the knife similarity...

As to muslims and pork.. I would also say that in an african climate (and flies etc) pork meat would spoil very fast.. I think the bad meat thing has as much to do with pork and also hallal (spelling ??) and kosher eating rules as anything else.. These long standing rules are then repeated and culturally encoded into religous law. Could imagine how fresh shellfish dont travel into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights too well !!

Its good to find an unsecured link occasionally, but do bear in mind that anything you do over this link could be monitored, perhaps it is left open intentionally to lift any personal info you may enter. SO use open connections with care, I certainly wouldn't recommend doing a quick inet bank account check on one

What net bank would not be running https anyway ??? Secured from browser to server..

Wheres the problem in this ??

I am thinking about it, so how would you advertise?

Only 35,200 Baht per year! We charge you only 29,500 the rest you pay to the immigration!

Only 35,200 Baht per year! All extensions included!

Only 35,200 Baht per year! On average 2,935 Baht per month! No visa runs required!

Only 29,500 Baht per year! Plus 5,700 Baht for the visa extensions!

Only 29,500 Baht per year! 5,700 Baht extension fees are not included!

Any suggestions how we can improve our ad?

Or maybe just - hm....... Only 2,935 Baht per month! But then they will say we advertise a small amount and charge for the whole year.

If you have a better idea let me know. 2,935 Baht per month (60 Euro) plus learing Thai for a year and no visa runs is not too bad.

Walen School, Mac

How about being honest and leaving the issues and items outside of your control outside of your advertising ??

"One year language courses for 29.500 - Visa application assistance provided" Would make a lot of sense to me and certainly stop some of the very obvious visa selling connotations with your current technique.

I did the trip to the Andaman club two weeks ago for the first time. I was a little apprehensive as I'd read a lot about it but there seemed to be some conflicting information as you mention. Anyhow, it couldn't have been easier and there was no need to go to immigration in the town centre. Walk into the terminal at the start of the pier and hand over your passport to the staff at the entrance. They prepare your ferry ticket and then direct you to Thai immigration which is the next counter in the same building! Get passport stamped for leaving the country, get the boat over, leave passport behind at Burma immigration on the island, pay 850 baht for the entry visa, get the bus up to the casino and do some shopping (duty free wine - a lot cheaper than Thailand!), come back to the boat and pick up passport as you go back through immigration. On return to Thailand, go back into the terminal and get stamped back into the country. One thing though is that there isn't a boat back at 1.30pm during the week so if you miss the 12.30pm one, the next one is at 2.30pm...those extra two hours can make a difference if you've got a long journey.

Thanks Inspector, just what I wanted to know. 850 Baht is quite steep, especially when compared with the 'normal' visa run, or the 'strength' of the Baht vs USD , but savings on a few bottles of wine can make up for that! Now if only I can avoid the casino...

Well normally you need a crisp perfect 10 USD not (that costs 500 baht from the scam system there) and then pay for the boat service.. Even if you crowd a hot long tail shared and take ages with all the stops it still has some cost..

The additional price for some comfort seems very low to me.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/f50.html

In the above Phuket forum link, the Andaman Club is discussed. There are some good tips including a place to stay overnight.

There is some information missing imho; I found mention in another topic of a new rule that you need to visit the Immigration Office first, before going to the club's pier. That is to stamp out of Thailand, which means you can't do it at the pier any more.

Can anyone comment on this, please?

The Ranong Immigration office is in the town. You stamp out there before you go to the pier to get the boat to Burma. Its always been like that. You get your stamp in Burma then you go back to the immigration office in Ranong town to stamp into Thailand. Have fun.

But this doesnt / didnt apply if you used the Andaman (you have used thier service ?? Fast boat / casino etc)..

The always had a far more convenient service on the pier as a perk.

EDIT :: Posted before finishing the thread.. Others already commented.

Some of us are really doing something productive here and this new 1,900 bhat-for-every-90-day-extension fee will deter some real students from continuing their study.

If less than $20 per month for your paperwork to stay in the country is a big problem for a person, I have a feeling that Thailand does not care if the student came here or not.

NOt everyone is borned in a country of superior currency.

No they are not.. But Thailand has quite obviously decided to review who can and cannot stay in Thailand by mostly fiscal ability. No fiscal ability to stay then dont come seems to clearly be the message.

Needs checking but,

I had always thought you could not work on a retirement visa, but I was told that it is possible to have a work permit on a retirement visa.

I know no more other than you should investigate and get it answered officially by a visa company or immigration.

My guess is people are confusing matters here. I could be wrong but I am of the understanding that it is not possible to get a work permit on a retirement visa. Those that claim otherwise may be getting a work permit on a non imm O extended under the basis of retirement.

Remember the non imm O-A is different than the non imm O.

Possible ??

Yes you need a work permit.

No you cant get one (without forming your own thai corp etc).

Welcome to kafka country !

Luca, all this voodoo BS is actually against the Buddha's teaching. One of the issue in Thailand, is that so many are ready to believe in anything. Just look at the mania with amulets. Like in many developing economies (like Brazil) spirits and voodoo is often on people's mind. Particularly to people with low education level.

I would suggest that you go with your GF to a respected temple, and try to get her to talk one of the important monks. Since these beliefs are not compatible with Buddhism, then you have a high chance to let her and her family see the light.

Unless the monk you speak to is also thinking this way..

Monks blessing cars not to break down, blessing washing machines to last, etc etc.. Very Bhuddist !!

I also remember reading in a guidebook on my earlist visits that in Thailand you shouldnt point at anything and should use your thumb to indicate an object etc not your index finger.. Tho I have never seen this done by Thais. Same as I remember reading that you should never put the fork in your mouth only the spoon (I noticed this as I am hyper sensitive to table manners) but see Thais eating that way.

I know I am guilty of pointing to things that are low down with my feet.. Always get a scowl from the missus but find it hard to over ride the mistake !!

Dear lord, various incarnations of this plan have been mooted every year for the last 8 or so...

Cost of land in the prime tourist spots seem prohibitive. This last year a (IMO clever) attempt was made to use these floating slides and fun items that were tethered in a roped of section of the sea.. Didnt seem to take off somehow.

okay does anybody here know of anyone personally that was lynched, beaten to a pulp etc? If so can you provide a link to a newspaper article, police report etc. One thing for sure is that rumours are wild out here. Not suggesting it never happens but willing to bet not as often as suggested here

After a bike crash, all was going ok (I had agreed to settle, it was a minor minor thing) one drunk member of the mob started trying to get in my face for no reason, I laughed at him (he was tiny) / laughed it off, and when I turned my back he swung and lumped me from behind. I obviously turned round and defended myself and in 5 or so seconds it was a full on melee with 8 or 10 of them around me all swinging for the fences.

Luckily (and through no particular skill of my own) I managed to keep my feet and keep my head moving and doing my best to reduce thier numbers. Connecting with one a gap on the circle around me opened and I was through it and down that road legs going 10 to the dozen. there was a little more to the story after that but the upshot was the police arrived shortly after and were very much on my side.

Not posting this to pretend I am hard, or sound like some knuckledragger but you asked if anyone had personally had problems and so.. I didnt do anything to antagonise, I didnt argue or shout, I was being polite and actually had no animosity for the other person involved, just random crowd, lynch the farang vibe.

Lets not forget that people (mainly young people) have died from using this drug...

And the many, many more people who have died of Thai whisky.

You can ABUSE any drug and more people die of alchohol than any other drug.

Ok....explain abuse....one young girl here died after taking one tablet, one time....she was not a hardcore user...She just didnt know the effect it would have on her....of course the dealer told her about the dangers...didnt he ???

FACT : More people die from eating peanuts than eating E's..

(Seems quite a few people are allergic to peanuts.. Very very very few are to eating MDMA)

Because I find I can balance out that I will remain a second class citizen with less rights and protections with money.. With that money I can attain a nice standard of living in a climate I like.

But I dont for one second think I will ever be anything other than a second class citizen.

What a sad ******* speciman of a life form you prove yourself up to be

Nice to see Thaivisa's rules of flaming and insults are applied equally as usual.

^

Sometimes the truth isn't PC. I agree with LivinLOS.

I gave up being PC a long long time ago..

Its not a casino.

No it isnt.. The odds are much harder to accurately calculate !!

Never, ever, forget the big three rules.

Thailand is for Thais.

Dont bring into Thailand more than you can afford to lose.

Dont be worth more dead than alive.

There's that advice again.

It's great in theory, but what do you think I will do if I lose everything here? Jump on my plane and go back to one of my other houses in Canada

So what your saying is you can afford to lose it.. So there you are problem solved.

Thailand is for Thais.

So why do you live in Thailand.....

Because I find I can balance out that I will remain a second class citizen with less rights and protections with money.. With that money I can attain a nice standard of living in a climate I like.

But I dont for one second think I will ever be anything other than a second class citizen.

Its not a casino.

No it isnt.. The odds are much harder to accurately calculate !!

Never, ever, forget the big three rules.

Thailand is for Thais.

Dont bring into Thailand more than you can afford to lose.

Dont be worth more dead than alive.

9. If you don't like or can't accept these rules of thumb, just play the field when you come to Thailand without entering into any long term commitments.

Do what I do.. Date orphans.

What about the Thai guy who married the two sisters last year..

Hows that one gonna work out ??

from the big bins fulla mixed plastic sandals

Same bins at Big C are full of Adda flip-flops. But you have to dig really deep to find a size 9/41!

Try finding a 45 (US 12 I think)..

Shoe buying in Thailand is more about what they have than what I want.

Crocs look like sh!t and they make your feet smell.

When I see people wearing Crocs, I know immediately that we have nothing in common, and that we could never be friends or have any meaningful kind of relationship. They come in every color imaginable yet look bad with every other article of clothing ever created. The only thing that goes with Crocs is social ostracism.

ha ha ha.. Superb !!

And agreed.

Rainbow...from california...life guarantee. my last pair worked for abut 10 years. around hundred dollars us, absolutly the best sandal made

Been meaning to get a pair for ages.. Brother has them..

Reef, Oakley (leather ones, not the cheapie plastics they are making now) or other good brand last years. I always pick up a few pairs whenever I visit bali.