P.c.e.c.-lots Of Info....

[Rinrada]

Some info just recieved ---enjoy

PATTAYA CITY EXPATS CLUB ,

NEWSLETTER Newsletter for August 15th – 21st Web Site -

1. AUGUST 22nd MEETING

2. FISHING TRIP FOR CHARITIES

3. AMERICAN CONSULAR VISIT

4. MEDITATION AT GLAOWKESA BEAUTY INSTITUTE

5. THAI DRIVERS LICENSE

6. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SHOW

7. REVIEW OF LAST WEEK'S MEETING

8. FORTHCOMING EVENTS

9. OPEN FORUM THE PATTAYA CITY EXPATS CLUB -MEETS EVERY SUNDAY .

1. AUGUST 22ND MEETING - There will be a presentation by the AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AUSTCHAM ) TAAFTA from Bangkok. It will be a briefing on the recently concluded Australia–Thailand Bilateral trade Agreement, which will substantially reduce tariffs on goods traded between Australia and Thailand within a few years. The speakers will be the Chair of the Chamber's Bilateral Trade and Legal subcommittee. Sean will outline the expected trade benefits of the treaty - and identify areas in which both short and long-term greater opportunities in bilateral trade between Thailand and Australia are likely to occur.

Sundowners are offering a networking free flowing Australian Wine and finger food gathering on Friday, 20th, 2004, from 18:30 - 21:30 ...

2. FISHING TRIP FOR CHARITIES, Thursday, Aug. 19 - John Fishback reminded every one of the fishing trip planned for Thursday, August 19, from 9:00AM to 5:00 PM. We will meet at the entry to the Bali Hai pier in South Pattaya at 9:00 AM, and proceed to the 40 foot boat provided to us by member Rod to raise funds for the club's charities. If you are interested in this opportunity to have a fun trip on Pattaya Bay with drinks, food and the possibility to catch a few fish – with friends from the Club, for 500 Baht (all of which goes to our charities) - please contact

AMERICAN CONSULAR VISIT – Thursday, Aug.19, 2004 - A member of the American Consular staff will be available to provide consular services from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Pattaya Hard Rock Hotel (429 Pattaya Beach Road).

The full text of the note describing the Consular services to be available is reproduced as an attachment at the end of this newsletter.

4. MEDITATION AT GLAOWKESA BEAUTY INSTITUTE - Wednesday Aug. 11th Thanks again to Khun Songporn for arranging more opportunities for our members to become involved in some Buddhist cultural activities. The meditation sessions he has arranged are held at his Beauty School in Central Road on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm are a golden opportunity for those PCEC members interested in learning more about the Buddhist meditation techniques.

5. THAI DRIVERS LICENSE – We are getting a trip to the Drivers License office organized. To make it as easy as possible for yourself, please check the www.pattayaexpats.com website,

Topic - Buying or Renting an Automobile or Motorbike, for details of the requirements, how to fill the forms out, what happens at the Drivers License office, how long it is good for and more.

If there is any way to get an International Drivers License, please do so – the process is much quicker and less stressful if you have it. The web site also has information for Americans and Canadians on how to apply for an International Driving License/Permit using the Internet to download the forms and mailing the application, with required photos, to the AAA. Membership in AAA is not required. American and Canadian Drivers License holders can also check out the application procedures for an International Drivers License on the internet at www.aaa.com.. For those with a Thai Drivers License, and wanting an International Drivers License issued in Thailand, we have the following information.

For an international driver's license, you must take the required documents to the Vehicle Registration Division of the Department of Land Transport.

In Bangkok, the office is located opposite Chatuchak Park, by the Mo Chit bus station, at 1032 Poholyothin Rd, Tel: (02) 272-3615. For the international driver's license, you will need:

An Affidavit of residence from your Embassy or Consulate. A Thai Driver's license which has been renewed for the second year. 2 photos, size 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" Photocopy of Passport & visa page Fee in baht, approximately 505 baht (may be subject to change).

Applications must be made in person. Take originals & one set of copies. Our thanks to .......

6. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SHOWS (ITS) - 20 - 22 August, 2004 at IMPACT Exhibition Center in Bangkok. TTG Asia, a leading organizer and event manager of travel trade shows in Asia, will launch the first International Travel Show, Thailand (ITS) in 2004 in Thailand from August 20 to 22, at the IMPACT Exhibition Center in Bangkok. The first travels show of its kind in Thailand, ITS will be a one-stop shopping event for hundreds of Thai consumers and expatriates looking for holidays and tour packages within and outside Thailand. For further details, please visit site.....

7. REVIEW OF LAST WEEK'S (15 August) meeting........

Unfortunately, the ophthalmologist from Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital was not able to come to the meeting due to an emergency at the hospital. Reina Rances, the hospitals representative said that the doctor would be available for a future meeting. Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital makes speakers on medical subjects available to us on the third Sunday of every month.

There were several questions about Broadband service in Pattaya and the nearby area. TOT is offering 1024 kps service for 900 baht per month. You will need a TOT telephone line starting with a 4 (038-4xxx). TOT says they are adding more capacity starting Aug. 24.

You are not supposed to network their line in your house (according to TT&T) – the contract, they say (in Thai) restricts you to one connection. You share the main server port with 50 other lines, so when it is very busy the speed may be reduced. Satellite, reportedly, has a current promotion - installation for about 10,000 (normally 18,000) baht for installation, and 3000 baht per month.,

The monthly fee variable based on the megabyte program you select. Contact Peewee Cochlan for more information, he has a satellite installation. Hutch – is a PCMCIA card (for laptop computers) that accesses the internet through the Hutch mobile phone network – you can be anywhere in Thailand there is Hutch mobile phone service and connect with the internet at speeds substantially faster than a standard dial up connection. The card costs about 17,000 baht, and the monthly charge is about 1,400 baht depending on your choice of megabytes-per-month program. There is a Hutch office on Pattaya Thai – across the street from the Krung Thai Bank. Broadband and ISDN are available from Loxinfo, both expensive.

ATTACHMENT: SUBJECT: CONSULAR VISIT TO PATTAYA – Thursday, August 19, 2004. To: Pattaya Area American Citizens, The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok is pleased to inform you of an upcoming Embassy consular visit in Pattaya.

Consular staff will be available to provide consular services on Thursday, August 19, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya (429 Pattaya Beach Road, Central Pattaya). Consular services will be held in the "Albert Room", first floor, spa building (next to the hotel's swimming pool.)

The following consular services will be available: *Passport renewal applications (US $55.00 or baht 2,200 for adult passports) *Additional passport pages (no charge) *Notarial services (US $30 or baht 1,200 for the first notarial; US $20 or baht 800 for each additional) *Embassy registration and/or address change *Absentee ballot application and voting abroad information *Social security, VA or other federal benefits questions **We ask that you bring correct change. If you have any questions, please e-mail: [email protected] or call the American Citizen Services Unit at: 02.205.4049.

We look forward to seeing you on August 19th. For our services in Bangkok, to register as American citizen in Thailand, and to sign up for consular notices, please use the following contacts.

For consular notices http://usa.or.th/embassy/acs.htm U.S. Embassy Bangkok American Citizen Services Unit: Window Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 - 11 AM and 1 - 3 PM Tel: +66-2-205-4049 E-mail: [email protected] U.S. Department of State travel website: http://travel.state.gov U.S. Embassy Bangkok website: http://usa.or.th - - - - - - - -

(with thanks)www.pattayaexpats.com

[wcr]

Thank you, very interesting.