ItDontMeanAThing

Referencing an official government announcement, the Travel Authority of Thailand states to enter Thailand you need "A Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination/Recovery". And "Everyone 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand."

Is Astra/Zeneca on the approved list? 
Does one need a booster to be fully vaccinated?

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/12/thailand-reopening-exemption-from-quarantine-test-go/

I overheard the Clerk say to the man in front of me that she would notarize it but warned Thai Immigration might not accept it. He picked up a new form and a new line number. My form was current. It's file name is income-verification-affidavit-bkk-0517.pdf

Before getting the certificate, I read conflicting statements on what would be needed. For those topics of conflict, here is what I needed. TIT so YWMV.

= Quotes From the US Embassy document

"NON-THAI APPLICANT
* Passport with one photocopy"

I offered, and the clerk at station 1 kept copies of: data page, stamp of original visa transferred to this passport, current annual renewal, most recent entry stamp.

"* Document(s) certify that the applicant is working, used to work or residing in Thailand"

My Residence Certificate was in the pile of docs I handed to the clerk. She looked at it for a few seconds then handed it back. No idea if that document was necessary.

= From a Thai government document, requirements for an applicant residing in Thailand included:  

"Letter from the Embassy for Request check to objectives
...
For Residence
-Residence application or Resident card
-Letter from the Embassy or Request for Record check from Embassy"

I needed the Police Clearance to apply for a residence visa in another country. My documents included: 1) The email response from their embassy referring to an attached document containing a list of requirements for a visa application, and 2) The attached document. Clerk read the email, glanced at the document before giving it back to me. No idea if that document was necessary.

In other matters, the US Embassy document on Police Cert has a map showing the office is in building #24. The gate guard told me it was in #7. The map is correct. Finally, if I ever have to be fingerprinted there again, I'm bringing a baggie of paper towels. The cloth towels where you wash off the ink were so black I thought they'd get ink on my now clean hands, and they were so wet as to be useless for drying.

It opened my mind when I first heard it 3 weeks ago, but it's not an opening track. Only knew the Yardbirds original version. Humble Pie did an acoustic, 7 min interpretation.

A friend sent me these directions to the testing facility. They worked, but some directions are easier to follow than others.

1. Left side of Hang Dong Road about 3 KM south of Airport Plaza.

I'm studying for a drivers license. Given TIT, I expected the absurd. I found it.

Round, white on blue, that's a 'must'.

Round, white on blue, that's a 'may'. It's the best answer, so I'd pick it. That's not absurd. Thailand, like many other countries, uses red on white signs for prohibitions, e.g., no U-turn, and stop signs. Black on yellow signs are warnings. Round white on blue signs are mandatory actions, e.g., turn left - but rectangular white on blue signs are informational, e.g. H for hospital. Why 2 classes of action for the same color scheme? Absurd? TIT.

(I rarely use the word 'absurd' but the site doesn't allow the initials for What The Frank)

This won't answer all your questions, but should cover most:-

ThaiDriving.pdf

Often browsed, but I can not remember finding anything about the parking rules e.g.

Lot of details missing. They must be hidden elsewhere.

Did you search the file? I can't remember when pdf viewers didn't have that capability. There are eight sections on parking.

I live on Ramkhamheang, but the only reason I went to see star wars at Paragon was because I wanted to take pics with props which they wouldn't have where I live. I avoided IMAX because of previous experience and just went for the regular 2D. However, the entire time movie looked a little blurred.

I saw it at SFX Cinema Maya. During closeups of 2 person conversations, the focus would sometimes drift a bit in and out of sharp focus. Didn't know if this was a director's choice or bad projection.

>Firstly parking. I know the black stripes me can park. Red stripes not park. What do the yellow stripes mean?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ2EPeq1TK0

Not road legal then what is the Point? Need a truck to get it to the Bike Trails..I Pass

Precise bike control is the point. In countries where Trials is a thing, comparing the average rider who has won a few trophies at the lowest level of competition to the average street rider is like comparing Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughn to a 4 thumbed bass player.

One website reports a 15:00 start time

last paragraph: http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/roads-repaired-in-preperation-for-bike-for-dad/

Seems a little silly to complain about it.. it's a playground, they got stuck a litle: big deal.

Try rereading the OP. Getting stuck caused the collision with the next raft which almost caused them being ejected from the ride. It's silly to think they were complaining about getting stuck.

...

For instance: Which is it illegal to drive? A military tank or car without windshield. I said Military Tank. Wrong. Apparently it is legal to own and drive a Tank but not a car without a windshield.......I ride motorcycle, I do not always ride with my visor down. Whats the difference? Furthermore, this question was on my test twice, the exact same question.

Another: U Turn in intersection or on a bridge. Definitely a bridge......NOPE. Intersection. So its OK to U-Turn on a bridge? <deleted>?

...

It's an intersection because accidents are far more likely to occur at intersections than anywhere else. On the tank / windshield question, the answer is windshield because it's the most dangerous of the choices. As for the tank, I've long since forgotten what test creators call that type of choice. But I do remember it's used to present an attractive alternate (at least to those who don't know the test material) to the correct choice.

I've looked at the test copies BB24 posted. I've never studied for or taken the test, but got the first 20 correct by using a combination of having paid attention to signs and markings while riding a motorbike for 5 years in Thailand and, depending on how the question is worded, choosing the safest or most dangerous option.

Will I need either a car or motorbike for a road test, as a first time applicant?

If you need to take the practical test then you must supply the bike for bike licence and car for car licence.

Supplying the bike means I'll ride it there without a license. Any consequences for that?

>Was your breakfast good ?

I think so. It's my current favorite. Various combinations from: eggs, toast, tea/coffee, beans, bacon (what the English call bacon), sausage, beans, black pudding. As with most places in Thailand, they fail at soft boiled eggs.

>Does that price include breakfast?

I doubt it.

I had breakfast at Limelight today, so I asked about their rooms: Standard 550b, Superior 600b. All: ensuite, aircon, king size bed, fridge, hot water, TV.

Limelight. 600b. Maybe also 500b, but not sure. Believe it or not, they're on Booking.com: http://www.booking.com/hotel/th/limelight-guest-house-restaurant-bar.en-gb.html

The map at booking.com is off a bit. Limelight is at the "LL" in the label "Selakam Alley". If you know the area, it's just outside El Murphy's front door.

You can get the residence certificate since you have an extension of stay.

Have you changed your address at immigration in CM yet?

Thanks for connecting the residence certificate and extension of stay.

I don't plan to arrive in CM for a few months.

You should not have a problem to get a residence certificate with 3 month rental contract.

You visa/entry status could effect you getting it though.

Thanks.

I have a non-imm 'O' for the purpose of retirement with several 12 month extensions (did I phrase that right? ... I need coffee)

Will a 3 month rental agreement for a place in Chiang Mai be sufficient proof of residence to obtain a residency certificate in Chiang Mai? I've never had a need for a residency certificate. Finally decided to get a drivers license, so I'll need the certificate.

invadeIT, 58/160 Hua Hin Soi 6

might have to give buddy a call first to make sure they have a tech there but yep

google the name you'll find number and map and what you need.

It's been years since they did repair.

Things I like best about Hua Hin:

- If there is a better combination of good air quality, access to a variety of western style amenities and able to get to the either the center of bangkok or it's airports usually in less than 4 hours, please tell me about it.

- It's not a sexpat destination. Among the worst parts of such locations are the resident expat men. It has nothing to do with their use of rent-a-girls.

However, at the rate it's growing, living nearby may be a more attractive option. Those who came here years before me have led the way. The most obvious growth related problem is traffic. Those who complain about it remind me of those in Los Angeles who complain about the traffic: they'd rather complain about it than adjust to driving when and where there is less traffic. Heaven forbid one were to suggest to such car owning people they could get most anywhere in town at most anytime much easier on a motorbike.

Yikes, so many comments don't know where to start.

Like so many said, everything is comparative and whether or not you like a place depends on many factors. When we were in Bangkok we met people who loved living there. We gave it 3 weeks and were happy to leave. We liked Hua Hin much more but, for us, wouldn't be a place we would want to live in long term. Chiang Mai - mom's lived there 10 years and over the last few she complains endlessly of traffic and pollution. We've been in Nong Khai for a month now and actually really enjoy it - beautiful location, just enough of a tourist infrastructure, and the cleanest Thai town we've come across yet. We could easily settle here for a while. A lot of people wouldn't agree but (for us) really perfect as far as Thailand goes.

A lot of people getting upset but really was just an opinion piece (no boss by the way, no one paying for this). Appreciate the people who took the time to write the good about the town, I'll edit the post down the line and include some of the more helpful extracts as a counter-argument.

Mikosan - Angela and Chris were there 3 days. So if I get criticism for not getting a feel of the place after 5 weeks...

Jagfx - that was our goal as well, to find a base while travelling around SE Asia.

Nielsk - Thanks, appreciate it. Lots of the usual suspects on forums and not worth getting into it. I previously wrote about them in this post: http://bbqboy.net/travel-forums-101-dealing-trolls-haters-expats-uglies/. Best to just let them vent and wish them a happy new year.

I advise visiting during the burning season before getting too deep into plans about settling.

El Murphy's is the only place I know of that regularly shows live pro football from the US, and other pro sports. Don't know if they do the year end college bowls, but that's where I'd start. Find the Bintabaht map thread in the 'After Dark' subforum at huahinforum dot com. Murph's is toward the east end of Soi Selakam, at the odd shaped intersection of 4 sois.

They have a book with each week's intended shows at the cash register, but will show events not in the book if there are unused screens. So few Yanks watch sports, it helps the staff locate the right channel if one knows the network of the desired show.

Never seen one in 5 years here. If a pool noodle can substitute, they're sold in the toy store on the 3rd floor of Market Village.