Advice For West Australians

[petercallen]

Book a package deal through a travel agent for 12 nights, the package deal should cost between $700 and $900 which includes airfare, accommodation and breakfast. I checked the prices in the weekend papers when i was in Perth in February

Arrange with the travel agent to change the date of your return flight this will probably cost you more but less than the $1100 price i paid in February for just the return flight with virgin blue.

Hire a motorcycle and go and check the available accommodation yourself if you don't have a good friend here, anyone else who offers to take you around will probably be wanting to be payed a commission of who you rent of and this will put the price up , lots of people will be your friend if they think they can make money out of you, this includes expats.

If you want a more relaxed lifestyle than in Patong check out Chalong and Rawia the rents are cheaper and restaurants and nearly everything else and plenty of other expats live in these areas, i have found the Thai people in Chalong very friendly.

Before you do anything go to the Thai consulate in Perth and get yourself a 60 day tourist or a none 0 visa which lasts for 1 year but you have to be over 50 years old to get the none 0, i suggest the 60 day visa to start with which i believe is still free.

[gotlost]

Good advise. The only added information is that at the moment the visa is not free. That ended on March 4, but the good news is that becomes free again on April 1st for one year.

[Hobc]

Tiger air will do a return for $450, an non imm O can be obtained under 50 as long as you have the funds and a letter from a girlfriend with a photo copy of her Thai Id. a friend who's 39 got an O in Brisbane vai mail didn't even go to the Consol.

[petercallen]

Tiger air will do a return for $450, an non imm O can be obtained under 50 as long as you have the funds and a letter from a girlfriend with a photo copy of her Thai Id. a friend who's 39 got an O in Brisbane vai mail didn't even go to the Consol.

Yes i know mate but i wanted a direct flight both ways and virgin blue were the only airline that did it, i could have got a flight with air Malaysia meals , drinks etc included cheaper but it involved a stopover in KL both ways which i did not want to do.

I will probably fly with Tiger next trip as its only a short stopover in Singapore and breaks the trip into 2 three hour flights and are certainly much cheaper.

I am sure Australians who are thinking of coming to Thailand will appreciate this extra information about visas etc.

[Old Croc]

Thanks Peter.

As a West Aussie who is planning the big move in the next couple of months it was interesting to read your thoughts.

A couple of comments: Those package deals are only for twin share, and have other conditions attached as well. Not many of us retirees plan to bring a wife with us to Phuket. (my lady is already there).

I am planning to travel on Virgin as I also hate stopovers. (I may treat myself to the front of the plane on this occassion. About $1150 one way)

I plan to get an OA from the Perth Consulate and don't anticipate any problems.

Most likely I will be renting a residence somewhere in the south and am aware of the likelyhood of people seeking commissions.

[LeungKen]

(I may treat myself to the front of the plane on this occassion.

Don't try riding too far up front Crocs as I believe the airlines frown on passengers trying to sit up the front with the Captain......

Hope you make it up here soon mate.

Cheers

[Old Croc]

Thanks Ken, will catch up for that coffee.

[petercallen]

Thanks Peter.

As a West Aussie who is planning the big move in the next couple of months it was interesting to read your thoughts.

A couple of comments: Those package deals are only for twin share, and have other conditions attached as well. Not many of us retirees plan to bring a wife with us to Phuket. (my lady is already there).

I am planning to travel on Virgin as I also hate stopovers. (I may treat myself to the front of the plane on this occassion. About $1150 one way)

I plan to get an OA from the Perth Consulate and don't anticipate any problems.

Most likely I will be renting a residence somewhere in the south and am aware of the likelyhood of people seeking commissions.

There is more leg and bum room on there planes than any other airline i have traveled on, i am 190cm tall and the normal seat was fine for me.

The upgraded seats seem to be the same size with a little more leg room and were empty both ways.

See your travel agent and ask if she can do 1 airfare and 2 accommodation package if the price is ok which it should be have her book your lady for

the hotel from Australia, none of this she cant go to your room, she will be a booked in as a guest, i am pretty sure it wont cost any or much more

or very little more than just your airfare.

This will give your lady a holiday with you in the hotel( no questions asked)And time to look for a rental property.

PM me on this forum before you arrive and i will give you my contact details.

[petercallen]

MORE GOOD ADVICE.

If using your ATM card make sure no one is standing behind you unless its some one you really trust and take your time giving that trust.

I had a person i though i could trust and had $10000 stolen from my Australian bank account.

by by money.

Be very careful with your credit card also, if you use it make sure it never leaves your sight during any transactions and check your

wallet on a regular basis to make the cards are still there, if you are living with someone they can rapidly deplete your bank account

when only taking the card/cards for a very short period of time then putting them back.

On my second trip to Thailand i did not use my credit card , on returning to Australia i tried to use it in duty free and a message came

up to contact the bank and i had to pay cash.

I contacted the bank and was told $20000 had been charged to it which was $5000 over my limit, they asked me if i had my card which

i did and i told them it had never left my possession, and they posted me a statement straight away.

On receiving the statement i found my credit card had been used for one week in China and one week in France even though i was in Phuket

and had my card with at all times.

I had no credit for a period of time because i refused to pay the bill and could prove i had never been to China or France.

It took about 6 weeks to get the mess cleaned up and get my credit back, lots of other people have been in the same situation.