quiggs

I am planning to apply for a multiple entry non immigrant B visa in Chicago. Will my passport, invitation letter, and photos, and application suffice, or do I need to provide all the other company documentation as well? It seems an invitation letter was enough a while back.

Thanks for any input!

I lived in Thailand for about 4 years. I now live in the US. I have a career, and do quite well, however, I am planning to return to Asia...for good. I may not be able to work in Thailand because they are not terribly competitive in my industry, but, I plan to work in Singapore or Malaysia and maintain a residence in Thailand.

I am not sure about the UK, but, In the US, even outside work, people are uptight these days, and have terrible attitudes. The government seems to encroach further on us every minute. It's nice to go somewhere that you can just be yourself and relax.

Hard work, and stress are part of life wherever you live. I just find Thailand has much less of it. Since I visited LOS it's never occurred to me to remain indefinitely in the US.

There is a inexpensive, clean hotel with great rooms, and a nice restaurant. Wired internet in every room, wi-fi throughout. Amanta House....www.amantahouse.com.

I have been reading these posts on Thaivisa for 3 years. I have a feeling that these US$ posts will continue indefinitely until the orinial posters are dead, or the dollar actually does cause some financial crisis. Pretty funny really.

I have been in Thailand for several years and previously was employed with a work permit. I resigned from that position about a year ago, and now I am starting a company and going through the work permit process again.

Upon visiting the labor office in Phuket I am informed I must have my old work permit. It has been cancelled I am told by my old employer but, they "cannot find it".

Do I really need the old permit...cancelled and invalid to apply for a new one? How do I get around this?

Thanks in advance!

Who tipped off the tourist police that the company was assisting illegal aliens into Burma. Could it be one of the other "visa run" companies?? I have done one organised visa run before deciding not to put my life in the hands of some he11 bent speed freak.The first thing they made clear was that they would not accept overstays on board because of the hold ups at immigration. Maybe some companies are a bit pizzed off with the hold ups this company are creating with overstayers and decided to put an end to it themselves. Just a thought.

nice conspiracy theory, but if you've ever been through a police checkpoint on Thailand roads, they pull over every vehicle that matches the "target de jeur"... in this case, bus or van loads of people, particularly if they are foreigners onboard.

"Who tipped off the tourist police that the company was assisting illegal aliens into Burma. Could it be one of the other "visa run" companies??"

Bingo! In around Phuket....the word regarding this story..this is considered fact, not theory. Seems very few in this thread picked up on this.

Oil is now plentiful...and it will continue to be plentiful for many years.

The commodity markets are creating this strange "derrivitive factor"

Oil is now officially "overpriced" by the markets..I hate to say it....but, the US is driving these price market fluctuations as well. They simply eat to much energy.....which they need to pull 11 trillion gdp.

"Big deal. If gas prices get high, I’ll just drive less. Why should I give a ######?"

Wrong. Our whole civilization is based on oil and its derivatives, along with its cheap availability. Oil is used for polymers, medecines, agriculture, chemicals etc. The list is obviously long.

Of course : back in 18 century people were living without it...

So as the matter of fact, the question shoudl be : "in wich society model i want to live ?"

"How Do I Know This Isn't Just Fear-Mongering by Loony-Environmentalists?"

Might be right. But as previously said : there will be always oil. The only problem is it's cost.

"How Do I Know Peak Oil Isn't Big Oil Propaganda That is Being Used To Create Artificial Scarcity & Justify Gouging Us at the Pump?"

Right. Speculation plays a role. Now. But on which scale compare to 1.3 + 1.3 billions of chineses and indians who WANT to have the same lifestyle than american people ?

I mean no need to create "artificial scarcity" : the demand will do the job.

"How Can I Be Sure This Isn't Just More 1970s Doom-and-Gloom?"

Once again, you can't compare 1970 with nowadays. China and India were INEXISTENTS at that time (from an oil point of view, of course )

"What's Going to Happen to the Economy?"

Total collapse. Is it a problem for you ?

That's tar sands. Same thing applies, if it's cheaper than oil it'll be used.

As far as I know(ignorant)

The Tar sands produce their product easily, or more easily than the more difficult extractions in Colarado. From what I have learned....it appears more stuff died in Colorado. Bthan the erasically, from what I understand...which is little, North America has more "fossil fuels" than therest of the world combined, though there huge deposits in Australia...and China. It is curious to me to see as oil becomes expensive...if this is a valid option. I am actually more interested about "what if"...in terms of world economy. I believe this fossil fuel production to be inevitable.

It appears we are on the brink of actually finding another source of fossil fuel, that may for good ar bad "fuel" our economies.

I am curious about thoughts on this. If this has been covered before...I apologize. It seems to be a fairly large issue for both Thailand....and everyone else.

http://ww2.scripps.com/cgi-bin/archives/de...05&DOCNUM=20000

Date: Saturday, September 3, 2005

Section: Commentary/Editorial

Page: 25B

Source: By Linda Seebach, Rocky Mountain News

Memo: Linda Seebach is an editorial writer for the News. She can be reached by telephone at (303) 892-2519 or by e-mail at [email protected].

COLUMN

Edition: Final

When oil prices last touched record highs - actually, after adjusting for inflation we're not there yet, but given the effects of Hurricane Katrina, we probably will be soon - politicians' response was more hype than hope. Oil shale in Colorado! Tar sands in Alberta! OPEC be damned!

Remember the Carter-era Synfuels Corp. debacle? It was a response to the '70s energy shortages, closed down in 1985 after accomplishing essentially nothing at great expense, which is pretty much a description of what usually happens when the government tries to take over something that the private sector can do better. Private actors are, after all, spending their own money.

Since 1981, Shell researchers at the company's division of "unconventional resources" have been spending their own money trying to figure out how to get usable energy out of oil shale. Judging by the presentation the Rocky Mountain News heard this week, they think they've got it.

Shell's method, which it calls "in situ conversion," is simplicity itself in concept but exquisitely ingenious in execution. Terry O'Connor, a vice president for external and regulatory affairs at Shell Exploration and Production, explained how it's done (and they have done it, in several test projects):

Drill shafts into the oil-bearing rock. Drop heaters down the shaft. Cook the rock until the hydrocarbons boil off, the lightest and most desirable first. Collect them.

Please note, you don't have to go looking for oil fields when you're brewing your own.

On one small test plot about 20 feet by 35 feet, on land Shell owns, they started heating the rock in early 2004. "Product" - about one-third natural gas, two-thirds light crude - began to appear in September 2004. They turned the heaters off about a month ago, after harvesting about 1,500 barrels of oil.

While we were trying to do the math, O'Connor told us the answers. Upwards of a million barrels an acre, a billion barrels a square mile. And the oil shale formation in the Green River Basin, most of which is in Colorado, covers more than a thousand square miles - the largest fossil fuel deposits in the world.

Wow.

They don't need subsidies; the process should be commercially feasible with world oil prices at $30 a barrel. The energy balance is favorable; under a conservative life-cycle analysis, it should yield 3.5 units of energy for every 1 unit used in production. The process recovers about 10 times as much oil as mining the rock and crushing and cooking it at the surface, and it's a more desirable grade. Reclamation is easier because the only thing that comes to the surface is the oil you want.

And we've hardly gotten to the really ingenious part yet. While the rock is cooking, at about 650 or 750 degrees Fahrenheit, how do you keep the hydrocarbons from contaminating ground water? Why, you build an ice wall around the whole thing. As O'Connor said, it's counterintuitive.

But ice is impermeable to water. So around the perimeter of the productive site, you drill lots more shafts, only 8 to 12 feet apart, put in piping, and pump refrigerants through it. The water in the ground around the shafts freezes, and eventually forms a 20- to 30-foot ice barrier around the site.

Next you take the water out of the ground inside the ice wall, turn up the heat, and then sit back and harvest the oil until it stops coming in useful quantities. When production drops, it falls off rather quickly.

That's an advantage over ordinary wells, which very gradually get less productive as they age.

Then you pump the water back in. (Well, not necessarily the same water, which has moved on to other uses.) It's hot down there so the water flashes into steam, picking up loose chemicals in the process. Collect the steam, strip the gunk out of it, repeat until the water comes out clean. Then you can turn off the heaters and the chillers and move on to the next plot (even saving one or two of the sides of the ice wall, if you want to be thrifty about it).

Most of the best territory for this astonishing process is on land under the control of the Bureau of Land Management. Shell has applied for a research and development lease on 160 acres of BLM land, which could be approved by February. That project would be on a large enough scale so design of a commercial facility could begin.

The 2005 energy bill altered some provisions of the 1920 Minerals Leasing Act that were a deterrent to large-scale development, and also laid out a 30-month timetable for establishing federal regulations governing commercial leasing.

Shell has been deliberately low-key about their R&D, wanting to avoid the hype, and the disappointment, that surrounded the last oil-shale boom. But O'Connor said the results have been sufficiently encouraging they are gradually getting more open. Starting next week, they will be holding public hearings in northwest Colorado.

I'll say it again. Wow.

Keywords: COMMENTARY

A true sportsman would appreciate both soccer and american football.

This is the first intelligent post of this thread

The History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire

- Edward Gibbon

Volume 3

Like the title suggests that is what I am asking. In an attempt to find the reader in this forum I will start by saying that I myself read ALL THE TIME. I don't stop and read more than one book at a time as well. I read non-fiction, fiction, I don't care. Normal I stay with in the genre of sci-fi/fantasy and I always read something about history, science or philosophy. School however is taking care of the non-fiction for me. Over X-mas break I am tackling Malthus, Beccaria, Locke, Emerson, Dostoevsky just to name a few, not to mention some really great books on the histroies or Japan, China, and India. I will not post all of that stuff I am just posting the stuff that was not assigned.

1.The Camulod Chronicles Book III

The Eagles Brood

by Jack Whyte

2. The Song of Fire and Ice Book IV

A Feast For Crows

by George R.R. Martin

3. Star Wars:Revenage of the Sith

by Matthew Stover (much better than the movie )

Okay, I showed ya mine, now you show me yours. What are you reading?

If you are married to a Thai woman, and mutually decide to divorce, do you split all Thai assets 50/50? This assuming they were aquired together.

I realize the car and house are in her name, but, her name is your name no? I am confused.

Again - For all those 'Farang' that are reading the postings to TV - If you remember nothing at all - Remember This - The day you arrive in Thailand YOUR assets (100%) will belong to your Thai GF/Wife/etc.  No amount of legal documentation will protect anything 'You Think You Own'.  In Thailand you own nothing (0%).

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My assetts in Thailand:

motorci: in my name

car: my name in the blue book

house: in company name, girlfriend is not even a shareholder.

cash: in bank account in my name.

I firmly believe that everything above cannot be taken by my girlfriend. I will never marry her.

So i have quite a few assets that i own 100%

there are hundreds of others who are in the same position as me.

I think your entire post is rubbish!

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If you took the time to read the case studies I mentioned I doubt that you would call what I wrote as rubbish.

A foreigner, in the same position as yourself lost everything he had because some folks played with all the paperwork that originally formed the business.

Good luck.

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I do not know why, but, I have come to enjoy the frequent US bashing that I so frequently read on this forum(though I am American). All of the dire predictions, and conspiracy theories are terribly entertaining.

Someone go watch fox news, and let's get going again!

The lack of it at present is actually somewhat dissapointing, and makes me a little nervous

The only people I hear talking about quoting barrels of oil in Euros, is Europeans.

Harmonica = all these scare tactics are amusing. I hope they keep it up - dollar is growing stronger. Perhaps there is a method in their madness?

Butterfy - trust me $ isnt going to crash, if it does the whole world will be deep shi*e. China is moving away from currency control - probably take decades. However that being said this is good - means chinese goods will be back in line with the rest of the world.

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Wishful thinking? I am paid in dollars so obviously I don't want it to sink. However, I do think it's inevitable. Wait until OPEC start quoting barrels in Euro and we are doomed.

The dollar is being maitained artificially. We are in 1997 scenario with the Thai Baht. When it's going to happen, it's not getting to be pretty, and yes everybody will loose. Even the Euro fags with their mighty Euros. Their export will stop unless everyone switch to the EURO.

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Number one, it's no secret that the US, and India are becoming Strategic Partners due to Chinas ascent. This is almost outwardly stated...

I have never heard any estimate that puts the Chinese economy at the US size in 11 years, and a sustained 9% growth that long is not probable, anyway. The firgure I have heard is that if they do everything PERFECT, they may catch the US in 25-30 years. MAYBE, with allot of "ifs".

I wonder why it is assumed that it will be smooth sailing? Noone expects smooth sailing for any other economy in the world.

July 21, 2005: 7:22 AM EDT CNN Money link

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China scrapped the yuan's peg to the U.S. dollar Thursday and tied it to a basket of currencies, the central bank said, the first steps in highly anticipated reforms aimed at letting the currency float freely.

The new yuan rate versus the dollar revalues the currency by 2.1 percent, to 8.11 per U.S. dollar as of 7 a.m. ET, the central bank said on its Web site.

Under the previous policy, the yuan was kept near 8.28 per dollar, a virtual peg that had led the United States and other countries to complain that China's currency was unfairly undervalued.

The changes came amid intense speculation that Beijing would overhaul its currency regime, which had been basically unchanged since the 1997/98 Asia crisis

------

I'll leave speculation to harmonica's abacus  and no, I don't think Scampy's simultaneous arrival in China is anything other than a mere coincidence...

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Hehehehe

All h*ll has broken loose in asian currencies and the USD, which was already in a correction is taking it on the chin.

Waiting for the dust to settle.

Just yesterday I heard that US expects China's economy to beat their own in 11 years @ the current 9.5% growth rate.

Uncle George has a new strategy (or is it old?) -- he's courting India in a determined way.

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Nice post, anyway, it is true that many Americans are oblivious to the world outside the US. Most never leave, but, then, they really don't have to. Also, other than travelling in North America, I think most feel it is too far.

I am ashamed to say you are correct about college graduates not knowing geography. I have a friend that works for Cisco who can build a router from peanut butter and string, and he is clueless about geography. I think it is something that should be addressed, however, I think the continuing globalization will address this.

What a fascinating thread!

The OP had a great point, and then Harmonica chimed in with all kinds of comments. This is what makes this forum so interesting, and yes, i am a Brit.

Hopefullly, i can offer some selected comments that are relevant to both the OP, and the little antagonistic comments posted by him mentioned above, though, hats off, they were worded very nicely.

First and foremost, I am one of those entrepreneurs that you talk to in the bars (if i ever had chance to get to the bars!!). I am definately not wealthy, and am struggling to make a future for my family and i, but without talking to others (not bragging) how can you exepct to network and find out new avenues to persue? That, to me is what is called doing business, whether in your home land or in a foreign country.

I am certainly not one of the farangs who moans about this country un-necessarily, but hey, why cant we moan about it? when in your own country dont you have gripes that you talk about when down at the pub with your friends? There are many things here that irritate the ###### out of me! Starting with the serious inefieciency (sp?) of the beurocracy throughout the country, which is the first stumbling block of any developing nation. But, were i at home i would be moaning about the road works on the A1, or the recent budget Tax increases. Different places, different gripes, same outcome. That's human kind.

With regard to other comments by Harmonica, mai pen rai. I just point out the Britain has the 8th highest military budget in the world, but only the 97th largest military force. No other force in the world could sail 9000 (?) miles around the world to take on a force 60 times its size and succeed in its mission. That should tell you something. Our most secret special forces have the motto, 'Not by strength, but by guile." Maybe that should be adopted by the Americans to some degree.

I am one of those who loves USA bashing, but at the same time i love the USA. I love the country itself, and the vast majority of Americans i have met are wonderful, interesting people, but please dont tell me that a country in which 60% of college grads cannot pin the UK on a map, or name the Prime Minister of the UK doesnt have problems. It is fact that the USA has the highest poverty rate in the developed world. The fact that in general most citizens have no idea what is happening in the world around them speaks for itself.

The point i am making is that all countries have strengths and weaknesses. America is not as great as it likes to think. Thailand is not the  wonderful easy life in a tropical paradise, and the UK is not the easiest, warmest or anything else. All have good and bad points.

And in response to the OP. I have been in the country for almost 4 years now, and of the hundreds of numbers i have in my cellphone of people that i have met, i would only trust my money with a certain few. They would be 70% Thai. I leave my staff in charge of hundreds of thousands of Baht, and have no worries, but i have only a couple of farang friends who i would trust with such sums. The bottom line is that yes, Thailand attracts some low lifes, but so do most western cities. You watch your back wherever you are, and whatever you are doing.

Anyway, thats my rant over. My fingers hurt!

Goodnight to all.

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The "popularity" of the US in Europe is not good, and is a problem, but, let's face it, many "popular" countries are global nobodies, and other issues must be taken into account. It is not a popularity contest.

I love the UK, and have been there many time, but, this relationship is reciprocal, the US government needs the UK, and Vice Versa as you say, so what? you would prefer to dump the US as an ally and turn to Spain for assistance?

This b*tching all the time is so popular, but, sort of stupid, and I find it incredible it is the passing fancy of the cultural elite, and not so elite in Europe to discuss how sh*tty America is except thet fat guy from Michigan(Michael Moore). How does the discussion continue without any differing opinion.

"Americans are stupid"

"Yes, stupid"

"American are fat"

"Yes, fat"

sizzling conversation.

I don't mean to rant, but, sometimes this is what it seems like.

Hmmm you seem to have a fascination with War and military might.

We had a tiff with the Argies a few decades back , I recall the US not helping us , yet we are expected to pitch in whenever you lot need some proper expertise.

SAS ring any bells?

As for negativity , just look at the defiance our people are showing in the aftermath of last weeks happenings. We won't be sulking about it for decades unlike some people have done in the past.

Lets face it , your country , for whatever reasons, is the least popular on this planet, unfortunately the UK are your most important allies, you need us as much as vice versa, all of Europe keep trying to persuade UK to sever ties with you guys.

without Europe the USA would become a very lonely place.

But come on , to say the French would whip us is just a step to far.

You are a very funny guy!

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Priceless...

Well I'm sure you are astute enough to prove anything via stats and figure , but it still amuses me as to why you seem to have it in for us Brits?

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I will get to the "Brits" issue shortly -- the points you raised dovetail right into that point of view.

W.r.t the economy, kindly note that even though Britain has a substantial one, it is not even the strongest in Europe. Germany is the largest economy in Europe and then, counting Asia, Japan beats the pants of both!

One cannot even fathom a comparison between America and Britain economywise. It would be foolish to even go in that direction for it would be like comparing a frog's p*ssy to the Panama canal.

But more to our point, it is astoundingly clear that pretty much on a daily basis, when the european markets open up, they just tread water for hours and hours just waiting for US markets to open so that they can see "how/where is the boss going?" ..... that's just the way it is and it will be this way until China comes along and kicks all our asses -- but it won't happen in our lifetime.

England has a limited mind of her own economywise and further proof comes via a look at both stockmarkets for the last 50 years.

Done!

On to the Brit issue.

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I understand from this thread that "secondhand housing" is not worth anything? Or it is "rare". In most of the rest of the world this IS most of the housing market. is there no home market here? Only land?

There is now a forum for property in LOS.

It is new, I registered today and was member number 2, hence there are only eleven posts to read and all from one guy.

When it grows it may be useful.

Not fair on George if I post the link here so PM me if you want details.

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Take a look around, Thailand could use some good carpenters, where I am at, building skills western style are in demand, not sure if you can make money from it though.

It takes a year to build a house here.....with no kitchen!!!

The original post from Vegemite at some times displays after the word "father" that he is possibly interested in making a resort in a village.

There is enough bad quality housing by "self proclaimed" real estate moguls, contractors and architects. Carpenter at home does not equal Donald Trump in Thailand....

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If you have a work permit, and immigrant "B" visa, and an established Thai bank account. Are you saying you cannot buy a condo with this cash, even though it originates in Thailand?

This is an interesting supposition. I would think it would be difficult to transition to this sort of government in current times, and with the sort of cultural heritage of liberty that the US prides itself in, allbeit a naive belief as liberties erode there as much as anywhere. It would take dark, dark times, and a very charasmatic leader....something similar to Germany circa 1930's....however, we have the first piece of the puzzle, world opinion against the US...much like germany after WWI.

I think that was a somewhat unique situation in which all of Europe was demanding payment as well, no real independant press, internet....would be tough. Who knows.

The political backlash to the economic situation during the "Great Depression" is often blamed for toppling democracies and bringing fascist governments to power in Germany, Italy, and Japan, and ultimately provoking the Second World War. Hitler's rise to power can be directly linked to the profound economic crisis in Germany at that time.

So, are we headed for WWIII, Lead by a fascist govt of U.S.A ?

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If you have a work permit, and Immigrant "B" visa, do you still need funds from outside the country?

2 bedroom bungalows on the estate I live sell for 600,000 baht. 30 minutes from Pattaya. mortgage available, subject to status i.e. you or your wife must have a reasonable monthly income.

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But you won't be telling where about they are ?

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Sure. In Sattahip. Attach photo of my 3 bedroom, 1.4 million, but I bought 4 plots of land to go with it. Had 1 million baht mortgage.

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Fastest-growing small companies

From Fortune Small Business: Health care still rules, and oil has come on strong, but this year's unlikely winner is ... manufacturing?

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/fsb100/

Most jobs in the US economy are not provided by Microsoft and Cisco, but, companies like these. Of these businesses manufacturing is the fastest growing sector in the US economy right now.....

I realize this will not prevent the headlong destruction of the US economy this week,and prevent the US from having to beg for help from Burma but, just thought I would mention.

Evidence:

The ultrasonic infusion and transfusion of CREDIT into the system after the crash in 2000 and starting in 2002 and extending into 2005 to revive the old bullmarket trend  is now showing  signs of rupture and failure .

Clearly visible in Commodity, stock and metals charts.

Real Estate via the Dow Jones REIT Index has already isssued a topping signal and is currently doing just that.

Failure to take out previous TOPS is abundant, regardless of the country one examines.

The US manufacturing sector is shrinking at a record rate.  Delta is nearing bankruptcy, ford and General Motors debt have bben downgraded to junk.  IBM is laying off over 10,000 people.  Real wages in the US are falling at their fastest rate in 14 years.  The price of lumber, which bounced earlier, is now dropping again -- serious ramification for the construction industry.

There's more, a whole lot more.  Oh, brother, we're only getting warmed up now.

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The US is also a world leader in rice production

The total world export market for rice stood at 27 million tons in 2002. Thailand (7.34 million tons) is the largest exporter of rice, followed by India (5.05 million tons), USA (3.27 million tons) and Vietnam (3.24 million tons). Pakistan is the worlds 5th largest exporter of rice, with total exports of 1.68 million tons in 2002.

Which is worse, a racing in debt economy or one that runs on how much it can steal.  USofA has problems but at least our economy is based on a solid foundation of homes and goods and not on something as ethereal as tourists and how many can the country clip when they come to visit. face it the US is the biggest bully on the street, if you don't like that get off the street!  Everybody loves to hate the US but everybody wants to go there including all you Thais out there.

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Thailand is the biggest exporter in the world of Rice and Pineapple and top exporter of Chicken, Shrimp, Rubber and many other agriculture goods. Its not all tourism as you depict it. And there's nothing wrong with earning from tourism as well.

Everybody wants to go there? Let me just not comment on that.

Edit - removed elaborated explanation of why not to go to the US.

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