Eneukman

The maximum temperature in Pattaya tends to be 35 Celsius (95 fahrenheit). it may slightly above that but not ny much and not that often. If your hotel balcony gets the sun for much of the day, it will be hotter there. At the moment, it's about 33 or 34 on my balcony. Bear in mind that for 3 to 4 months of the year, the Sun is to the north in Pattaya rather than the south. Alan

Although I was given a date of 25th August, I'll probably report my address towards the end of next week. I thought that the fine for being late reporting your address was 2,000 baht. I got fined that when I forgot some time ago so I'm not sure where the sum of 5,000 baht comes in. I think they just make up the rules as they go along some of the time! Alan

You can get a retirement visa once your 50. I'm 52 and have just extended my visa for the second time. Alan

The lights were on when I passed last night so somebody must have been working overtime. Alan

I came back from Bali on 4 different airlines - Garuda to Jakarta Singapore to Singapore QANTAS to Heathrow and BA to Edinburgh. I had one ticket and was able to get my luggage checked all the way to Edinburgh from Bali at no extra charge. Of course, when I got to Edinburgh it had got held up somewhere though it did eventually turn up at 4.00 pm I had to check in three times though! Bali, Jakarta and Singapore. Alan

Re, the 90 day reporting, I renewed my visa earlier in the week. The chitty in the front of my passport said I had to report again by 30th June but as I had last entered Thailand on 28th Nay, I hadn't botherd doing so. The lady at Immigration just changed the date to 25th August 90 days after I last entered the country There is therefore no need to report unless you have been in the country for 90 consecutive days. Renewing your visa doesn't count towards this though! Alan

But with good cause! A friend is having work done on his condo and had electricians in to fit new lights. He told them where he wanted them put and then turned his back for a few minutes - he has knocked three or four studio units into one - only to find that the electricians were putting installing the lights in totally different placeany taless. And that is just one of many tales of total incompetence that he has. Alan

Good point! If you book flights over the internet and you are obliged for whatever reason to use different airlines, is there any way you can get all flights on one ticket, specifically if flying from Bangkok to the UK and return. I will be back in Scotland for a short visit in October and am flying Business Class with KLM on each leg of the journey. I will have a bit under 4 hours in Amsterdam so on the outward journey at least, will have time for a shower before flying on to Edinburgh. Alan

Such pessisism. September if he stands over them to ensure that they do what HE wants done. If he doesn't, then a further 2 or 3 months to sort out the mess made would be about right. Alan

It has always been my interpretation that the first entry into Thailand on a multiple-entry non-Immigrant O visa has to be within 90 days. This ties in with your comment that the first entry on a 2 stamp tourist visa has to be within 90 days of the visa being issued. It would make sense for all visas to have similar rules, but TiT! I've just posted this question on Thai Visa so hopefully someone there will clarify the position. Alan

Remember to close the door on your way out. Alan

I see they also say not to apply for a visa more than 3 months in advance of your arrival date in Thailand. As I said in my first post, I would urge the OP to clarify the position with the consulate in Hull before doing anything. Alan

It's a bit over 2 years since I got my multiple entry non Immigrant O visa but I seem to recall reading somewhere, probably on Thai Visa, that you had to enter Thailand for the first time within 90 days of the visa being issued. I could be wrong, which is why I suggested contacting the consulate in Hull for clarification. I now have a retirement visa, which I've just renewed so I can now stay here until 23rd August 2008. Alan

Is the complex opposite Soi 7? I've used them a few times and found them to be very good. The driver they use for airport pick ups is reliable and doesn't drive too fast. He turns up at your condo or hotel about 10 minutes before the due time. Alan

I'm not convinced that jacko is correct with regard to question one. When I retired here, I entered initially on a multiple entry non-Immigrant O visa and I'm pretty certain that I had to enter Thailand within 90 days of the visa being issued. I would suggest that before you do anything, you telephone the Thai Consulate in Hull and ask them to clarify the position for you. It could save you £100. If you re-enter Thailand a day or two before your current visa expires, you will be given permission to stay for a further 90 days, which will take you up to early January. Alan

I think the same family run thwe two Sportsmans as the menus are very similar. The father (Ron?) is usually in the Soi 6 restaurant. Alan

Close, but wrong on both. The Haven and Sportsman are both on Soi 13. 13/1 & 13/2 are the next two sois as you head towards Walking Street. The Haven has a good restaurant though I much prefer the Sportsman on Soi 6 to the one on Soi 13. Alan

I downloaded the Pimsleur course and have listened to about half the lessons. My Thai is slightly more advanced than that covered by the lessons I've listened to so far, but I have noticed a couple of times when they have given the wrong tone for some words. I think they said that มาก, pronounced maak has a high tone, whereas it in fact has a falling tone. I will try to listen to a few more later. Alan

A retirement visa can ONLY be issued in your home country. I would not recommend this route and as Gary says it is much easier to obtain this in Thailand. For one thing, a medical report is no longer required. (it was a joke in any case). When I applied for mine, I obtained a multiple non-Immigrant O visa from Hull, which I later converted to a retirement visa here. (strictly speaking, what you get in Thailand isn't a retirement visa, but an extension to an existing visa based on retirement). Immigration now require you have to had a minimum balance of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank for at least 3 months, unless you are applying on the basis of having an income of at least 65,000 baht per month. This figure has been the same for a few years now, so no doubt it will be increased at some point in the future. Those already living here may be able to stay on the same rate - but TiT. Gary said he originally came out on a tourist visa, which he later converted to a retiremet one. I'm not certain about this but I think that this has first to be converted to a non-Immigrant O visa here. Is this correct, Gary, or can you go straight from a tourist visa to a retirement one? Alan

The offer is for View Talay Villas, rather than one of the View Talay condos. hey have their own web-site, which you may find helpful - http://view-talay-villas.th66.com/ Alan

I'm not 100% certain, but I think it's a little over 30,000 baht (about 1,000 baht per day). Alan

I'm not certain whether I've mentioned this above, but once I knew my address in Thailand, I completed a form from the Revenue cliaming non-residence status. Also, before I left the UK, I wrote to the Inland Revenue and asked a few questions. They called me back as I hadn't said where I was emigrating to, which gave me the chance of asking a few questions. They were actually very helpful. Alan

dacah, I'm not 100% certain, but I believe that so long as you do not remit income into Thailand, there will be no tax liability here. All my income is paid into a UK account, from where I transfer funds from time to time to the Isle of Man. Funds are then transferred from there as and when required to Thailand. Funds held outwith the EU can only be completely tax free if you don't live in the EU. If I was still in the UK, there would be no point in my having an account in the Isle of Man as the interest would still be liable to income tax. Also, you would have to be treated as being non-resident in the EU. Alan

Good luck with the new job, Ricky. Now, who's going to take over when he leaves? Hmm, lets see - otherway and Cennn3 to be joint managers? Alan

Good one. That reminds me of a Dave Allen sketch from many years ago. A guy facing the firing squad was given one last request. He asked his guard to sing a certain song, but his singing was so bad that the firing squad shot him instead. Alan