Sa-teef

I asked the teelack when she got home from work why she likes Bell over a private hire and she said she felt safer in the bus. From an older article comparing fatalities on different means of transport: Current Thailand numbers or relative safety may differ of course, but her instincts are probably right. http://www.fp7-restarts.eu/index.php/home/root/state-of-the-art/objectives/2012-02-15-11-58-37/75-book-video/how-a-plane-can-fly-assuring-safety/156-the-risk-of-travel

Halloween is good fun in Pattaya.

I had never used Bell Travel Service until I lived here, since I too was arriving around the midnight hour and departing on the early am flights. Great service that uses good buses from Swampy and stops at the terminal on Pattaya Nua. You transfer to a minibus that drops you at your hotel or apartment. Teelack likes it better than finding a taxi at the airport or a private hire as well.

Thanks for the link. Wow, that has to be a major loss of face for some bureaucrat! It's seems the only sensible thing to do, regardless.

So it sounds like Halloween is on (until 2 am at the very least) ...... .....and the unofficial Loy Krathong events will go ahead as planned, with perhaps the fireworks being subdued a bit?

It's not glamour but they have one now, just about 100 meters SE of the 407 office (which is by the petrol station just north of Pattaya Klang). http://www.waymarkin...onburi_Thailand http://www.waymarkin...attaya_Thailand It's on the sign above (in Pattaya) , and on the schedule. http://www.nakhoncha....com/runway.php Get a friendly Thai lady to read it to you.

Don't forget the party Saturday night the 18th of September at Toyz Ago-go. Toyz Ago-go, Covent Garden, Soi Sixteen Walking Street

There will be a party at Toyz Ago-go (the former Catz Ago-go) on Saturday the 18th of September in honor of Alan's girlfriend J. Free food and frequent trays of shooters will be passed around. Robert and Alan are known for being generous with the B-52's !! As a favor to my friends I took a few pics of the ladies working there. Toyz Ago-go opens at 8:00 pm and is located in Covent Gardens Complex on Soi Sixteen, Walking Street. Stop by and meet the ladies!! Three new ones which recently arrived:

Multiple ways to spell it but it runs north-south roughly parallel with Second and Third Road between Pattaya Tai and Pattaya Klang. Not a bad place to start looking for a low priced room above a shop house and there are plenty of cheap internet cafes in the area. It's low season now so rent a place for a night or two and cruise the side sois on the look out for "Room for Rent" signs. I wouldn't rent anything at the price point you have in mind sight unseen. I think you mentioned you work on the web? Quite a few wifi hot spots in the area so you may get lucky finding an open one or be able to make an arrangement to access one.

A search engine for you sponio. SoiDB Apartment Search There are about 150 apartments listed all over town, and if you are careful with your electric usage you might be able to stay below the 5k number with some of them. Find an area that sounds interesting to you and walk the neighborhood. Some of the best bargains aren't advertised with anything but a sign in the window.

Yes, the additional pages are still free as of May 2008. I did both the income verification letter and adding pages on the same day at ACS in Bangkok that month. Quick service from polite, well-spoken Thai staff who had me out of there in less than two hours. "....Can be done. I did mine about 3 years ago. Went to the Embassy, filled out a form and gave them my passport and form, waited a short time and then my name was called and my TGF and I were out of there. No cost." I think they have changed their procedures a bit since then. When I went to ACS they wouldn't let the TG who was accompanying me into the compound, even though I had listed her when I made the appointment online. I took the BTS to the top of Wireless Rd but the shuttle buses at 7:30 in the morning are crammed with thais trying to get to work. So it was an easy 10 minute walk down Wireless Rd to the American Citizens Service office across from the embassy grounds. ~Sa-teef

So do we have some pictures yet? ~Sa-teef

Do you still send them next door for internet service? Plus electric at what rate with a monthly rental? Plus water or disposal service? Thanks. ~Sa-teef

Yes, you are a drunk. But a loveable one and a sexyman to boot! Fully agree. Disputing a bill in a polite and civilized manner while you are in the bar will almost always result in an explanation or a compromise. That goes double for a falang bar. Making a break for the door or street to dodge a bill? Well that's just dumb and you deserve whatever you get. ```````````````````````````` Whatever else you might say about Misty's, there is always a falang or thai manager on duty from my experience. The thai manager worked at another Walking Street falang owned location before he was hired at Misty's and while he isn't the most gregarious fellow on the block he will respond to your requests and I have no doubt he would resolve any problems you presented to him. The service staff are some of the best trained in town and if you ask to see the manager you'll get one. ~Sa-teef

Good food, reasonable prices, top notch service staff. Great place to relax and enjoy yourself, with or without female company. And a terrific view across the bay. ~Sa-teef

I stopped into Legs A Go Go on the night of July 17th with an entourage so I was definitely not chatting up the ladies and while I got a few looks none dared approach with a table full of TG's with me. The number of dancers was more than a dozen (mind you, that was six weeks ago shortly after they opened) and while there weren't a lot of 18 year old virgins in sight Tim has always been a good host from my experience and I will definitely stop by later this week to see how the place is doing. I thought I remembered someone mentioning that they opened earlier than most (6 pm if I remember right?) but could someone confirm that please? Might be an option to start the evening out early? ~Sa-teef

Well, it does say Fall Sale.......... They always seem to have inconvenient restrictions. " * Advance purchase of 14 days is required. * Tickets must be purchased no later than October 12, 2008. * Outbound travel is permitted between September 3 and December 13, 2008. All travel must be completed by December 18, 2008. * Travel must begin and end in the U.S. 48. * Offer is valid for up to four passengers per reservation." ~Sa-teef

Hi Emil, If you notice in the 4th picture I have a part of a red RETIREMENT stamp on mine as well. I cropped them here and there rather than post my visa number on an open board. A little bird you've met a couple times mentioned that the thai script after NON "O" says I'm old and can't work anymore! I think their concept of retirement might be a little different than ours! "Also on your next trip when your filling out your arrival card and where they ask for visa, use the numbers that are on your multiple re-entry permit." Thank you. Yes, I figured that part out already when I left briefly and returned on the original Non O. ~Sa-teef

"I normally fly NWA MSP-NRT-BKK and RT (NW19-21;22-20) shortest trip and I'm a world perks elite." So am I. Already have my ticket for the 2nd to the 14th of January. $1,274.41. But I bought it early April, before a lot of the prices increases. ~Sa-teef

If you have some Sky Miles and don't know what to do with them: It will cost you 20,000 miles and some cash but hopefully this might save you some dosh for that fall trip to LOS.. Fall Cash & Miles wit NWA From $708 to $828 + taxes and 20k miles. ~Sa-teef

Just so you know I'm not jiving you............. Entered early May on a single entry (60 day) tourist visa. They say you must have at least 21 days left on your present visa (or 30 day entry stamp) to make application at Bangkok. Zipped over to the US Consulate Citizen Services Office and got my income letter since I don't keep more than 50,000-60,000 baht in my Thai savings account (earning a whopping 0.75% interest). That's my emergency fund. It cost me 900 baht as I recall and took about an hour or so. Made application on May 13th at Soi Suan Pleu on Sathorn Road to convert my tourist visa to a non immigrant O on a form tm86 I believe. Paid my 2k baht but all I've got is a receipt so far, no visa. They tell you a date when you can stop back to find out if you got it or not. If all your paper work is in order it's pretty much certain but......? They told me to come back on approximately 21st of May. Stopped back on the 21st and they dig through some piles, find my application and I finally get a stamp in my passport: The beginning date is 13 May the day I applied, not the 21st when I picked it up. Strange but it's their country. They also immediately stamp the single entry O as "USED" in big red letters. They also give me this stamp which tells me it's issued based on retirement, but it's still technically only good for 90 days. They tell you to stop back when there is less than 30 left and apply for a 12 month permission to stay stamp. So on the 15th of July I'm back in Bangkok and make application for a 12 month permission to stay based on retirement. That's when I get the good one: My original single entry non immigrant O was issued officially 13 May and expired 10 August 2008. The 12 month permission to stay date is now 10 August, 2009. And just because I was having so much fun that day, I wandered over to the other office and got my multiple re-entry permit which also has that same date: So that's how it went this summer. With Thai immigration it's always like that box of chocolates........... ~Sa=teef

Perhaps back then it was true. -I entered Thailand first week of May on a tourist visa. -Completed my tm86 converting it to a non immigrant O approximately the 13th of May. That was good for 90 days from the date I applied or until 10 August. I applied after the 12th of July for my 12 month permission to stay (Soi Suam Pleu in Bangkok requires you to wait until there is less than 30 days remaining on it now) and received a stamp good until 10 August, 2009. That's my single entry O in my avatar and you can read very faintly the August 10 2008 date on it. Be happy to show you or Alan by 12 month permission to stay stamp dated August 10, 2009 next week in my passport. EDIT: No that's the application date on my avatar. It expired 10 august 2008. ~Sa-teef

It doesn't sound like he's looking for a retirement visa anyway, so his question was probably answered by the others. But there is one error in your post you linked Joe: "That is what the threads on here refer to often (technically incorrectly) as a retirement visa, spouse visa, etc. Effectively, you can extend them for 9 months, and then for another year on year, indefinitely - with the right accompanying paperwork. A "retirement visa" or a "work visa" or a "spouse visa" is simply an extended non-immigrant visa. However, you don't just walk in and plunk down your money, if that is what you mean. If you want a short extension on a non-imm, you can probably get it on a case by case request for almost any credible reason." You are correct in that it is not officially called a "retirement visa". If you make application for it while you are in Thailand it is a 12 month permission to stay stamp based on retirement that is added onto the back of the single entry non immigrant O. The expiration date of that original Non Immigrant O then becomes the date that you must re-apply by for another 12 month permission to stay stamp. ~Sa-teef

I'm sure that's what he means. Robin's Nest just west of the Soi Diana/Soi Bhuakow intersection. Good made to order breakfasts. That place and Witherspoons just around the corner on Soi Bhuakow aren't the cheapest but very good quality English breakfasts IMO. ~Sa-teef

Ah yes! That would be the younger of the sisters you are referring to I believe? Pleasant enough but has a habit of making a mad dash for a quiet corner sometimes when the phone rings. I stayed at the Irish Rovers for one night in mid-July when my room was not yet available next door. Nice place with good wood treatment in the bar area and the stair way. Staff is good fun. I think I had the last available and smallest room in the place and it was of modest size (nowhere close to the one's in the pictures) but it had a reefer, safe, good shower and bed. Everything you needed and it was very clean. I knew these pictures would come in handy some day. Looking south toward Soi Dianna: And part way down the street walking east to west along the other leg of Soi LK Metro: Probably 100 meters I suppose from Soi Bhuakow to The Irish Rovers but it's good pavement and an easy walk. If you can't make that short walk you are definitely wheel chair material at Swampy! ~Sa-teef