Rhoel

Hi Pete/MM I have notice this month that my avator disappeared - I thought it might have been down to something I did on my site. So I went onto the My Controls area here and checked the URL was right ... I discovered its there and it displays perfectly. Yet on posts, it's missing. I did a reload and still nothing shows. Its a puzzlement! It should look like this Rhoel

There is a hotel in up on Suthisan Road that charges 1200B a night. However, if you stay there, they give you a nice little laminated loyalty card which entitles you to stay there again any time for 500B. Iys basically a loyalty card. This might be a better option. You get a card on your first time bar fine, at the standard rate. If you come back and barfine again, then you get the discount. You might the rider on the card which says this only applies after, say 9pm, at night. The card basically provides an incentive for customers to come back. It's the founding principal of loyalty

I have a cable and conbo lock system for my Sony Viao - I chain it to anything from the fridge to the A/c piping duct. Not an absolutely theft proof but a deterant to casual theives. The other solution of course is to handcuff your BG to the bed - kinky and practical all at the same time Rhoel BTW, the Viao can overheat in Thailand - I retuerned mine to Sony BKK because of thermal shutdown - they just cleaned the filters and other vents and returned it: Overall, best laptop I ever invested in.

I have had affidavits sworn hear and sent to the UK - to date, they have all been accepted. As for the Form D80 UK divorce, an email to the destination department may be advised. The Embassy should also be able to help. Rhoel

I have a UK based PayPal ... it will not allow me to add a Thai bank to the account list :-( Rhoel

Last month, I had a great time at my local Bangkok Bank. I didn't want a credit card, just a debit card I can use to book online flights - the current ATM debit card they issue has no numbers on the back so no online payments: My European ATM/debit cards can be used online - if you have money in your account, you can spend it online. The Thai ATM cards cane be used as a Debit Card in stores etc, as they belong to VISA - for some reason, you can't go online with a standard issue card. T.I.T. So I go to see my branch t osee what they can do - they offer me a credit card. Thank you but no

Spotted this news item in the Bangkok Post. The days of unlimited renewal look like they are over - 90 days to be the limit. Hello Cambodia. Bangkok Post 2006-09-10 Rhoel

The only additional advice I can give here was given to me by another legal business. If you earn money outside Thailand (internet for example) and spend it here (via rent/restaurants and supporting a Thai Family), the Thai authorities will not get too excited about it. If you start earning money from within Thailand, then they will be very interested in it. BTW, you will not be permitted to have a wholly owned company there - there must be Thai partners. From memory, you must also have 2 million baht to invest in the enterprise. There is s further complication. I have a full work pe

Couple of things to consider. Have the right visa - if you are involved with business get a Non-I B. Getting caught working without and you will be deported, period. Being here - time and again, people being in the right place at the right time have fallen into jobs. I am no exception - I came here to teach and discovered a company looking for staff in my specialist field - 8 hours later, I was in Chiang Mai being asked how much salary I was looking for, when I could start, etc. generally, you will not get Western wages. Expect up to a quarter of the Western rate - that is no problem si

Love 'em. Personally, I dislike starfish I'll get my coat.

I came out here to teach and accidentally fell into the same occupation I had in theUK (animation) ... I was in the right place at the right time to see an ad in the BKK - an email to the CEO's secretary and I was travelling to Chiang Mai a few hours later - still there 1 year plus: Had I been in the UK, I'd never have got the job, period. Its a gamble but if you take the chance, get in he right place and network, a surprisingly high number of doors open. You can add writers to the list of work here - I write as well, publishing stuff here (technical and fiction) and abroad (travel and fic

Looked at a brand new Honda Wave on the weekend - several models from maual to auto. Prices were 38000-42000B. This included onroad tacx and insurance. They we re even happy to do some mods for that price too. Remember if you are buying it for you, you'll need permission from immigration. You can buy it in her name but if you split, you lose your bike. If yor buying it for her sone, the best to put it in her name. Rhoel

I'm actually working here and would retire if I had the financial independance (not there yet). I live in Chiang Mai. Its not Pattaya or Bangkok. The weather is generally better (cooler) yet still has enough bars to keep me happy. It also has a heap of interesting stuff to do in and around the city; If you head up into the hills, there's more than enough to keep you busy for weeks on end. Commercially, some falangs up here run export businesses part time, or have internet based companies providing information and services. The is also an active writers group here - seems many a novel

I have a work permit and pay taxes here - I was told by the admin girls it was the 30B deal ... I do carry a certificate which is in Thai, telling em which hospital I can go to. Finally got arounfd to claiming back my 70,000 from BUPA - I'll follow up on Gary's post and talk to Liberty ... having more than one line of insurance looks best for me at present. I'll post more when I have the details. Rhoel

No problems in Chiang Mai - easy to obtain without prescription (UK mate takes them under doctors instruction to alleviate depression caused by S.A.D syndrome - he finds wintering here better than the prozac).

Thanks guys - I am fortunate in that I have a legal blue workbook so I don't have to have run over to immigration. Asfor the rest of it, ... I'll keep you posted: Should be applying just after Songkran - the thought of riding a bike around during Songkran is just too scary to contemplate. I'm applying for both car and bike as I have access to both. Should be interesting. Thanks again for the fast replies. Rhoel.

I am in the situation where have a full ten year UK licence with is okay for motorbike, cars and trucks. My internation ran out some 6 months ago and I am not even sure its here in Thialand. I nthis situation, what paper work/procedure should I follow to get a licence for here. Do I need to sit new tests, can iuse the clean UK one, can I even drive here on the UK one? TIA Rhoel

I try to please :-) Seriously, there are work arounds and I'm now discoveingg them: Fortunately, it's only because BUPA started making stupid exclusions, I started to find better and cheaper alternatives. I'll post more later once I have more (english) paperwork. Curiously, when I went to STA's office here they denied all knowledge of VSO type insurance: No, STA only do foriegn travel, not for Thialnad. I later found out that it was just that rep's office which didn't have the relevant paperwork - head office did: It pays to check out the website first and get the head office to m

Just a quick up date: I discovered that I have insurace cover through my work - the certificate is in Thai and I suspect its the 30B Thai deal. The named hospital isn't a bad one, certainly as good as many in my home area in the UK. The discussions with BUPA are now offically closed - they have refused to reconsider the 70,000B premium on providing just half cover: They say its a all or nothing deal - an easy choice: Becuase I now know I have the basic Thai insurance, its given me the a little breathing space and the ability to tell them to shove it. I have to go to their offices nex

Recently my UK medical insurance ran out and I applied to BUPA for insurance cover here. They started throwing in a heap of exclusions related to a minor heart complaint 15 years ago: A change of lifestyle and diet ordered by my specialists earned me a clean bill of health. They said they would write a check on that. My UK insurance were happy with the prognosis and gave me 100% worldwode cover. Now BUPA TH have decided that they will only provide cover with excludions on all heart related conditions Considering that one day I might find myself in ICU with some caredio-vascular condi

If you have animation experience, email me. Chiang mai has one of the largest animation facilities in Thailand

Having a Degree helps a lot. Some things like teaching and other professional jobs require a degree just to get the work permit. Remember too that having a business visa does not give you the right to paid work in Thailand. You still ahve to apply fior the work permit ... and that is not an easy process. Once you have your blue book (the work permit) you must have it with you at all times when working ... had the immigration guys stop by my office on Friday (with tw o boys in Brown) just to check :-). No permit, and you are in a heap of shit. I also know of two writers here, emplo

Best advice I know s to plan what you are going to do here - have a hobby, paint, play golf, do charity owrk or wahtever. If you don't, you may sadly fall into the trap others have done, of drinking all day because there seems nothing else to do ... check the Pattaya City News site and there are far too many dead falangs who have literally drunk themselves to death. Consider too booking in for a few months of daily Thai lessons - it will be beneficial with the bonus of meeting others living here. There is lots to do. I have just past my first year of living here fulltime and havent re

For a thread about Not Football, you guys have done well to turn it into a discussion about the game. Interesting to see the not watch vote is creeping ahead.

THe results so far have surprised me ... roughly 50-50 for would vs wouldn't.. That sort of relects the even split I saw in the bar up here in Chiang Mai. To miss-quote the famous mis-quote, "Its a game of two halves"