Gaybutton

Less than a year ago the media was predicting the baht would be at 42 to the US dollar by now. Famous last words . . .

Apparently the current downward trend of the US stock market has also had its effect on the Asian markets. Yesterday, the baht to US dollar exchange rate closed at 32.88. This morning the baht opened at 32.90. Less than an hour later, the exchange rate reached 32.99. Now, two hours later, the exchange rate has reached 33.01. We'll see what ends up happening. As of this post the exchange rates are as follows: US dollar: 33.01 Euro: 47.505 British Pound: 63.925 Australian Dollar: 28.2425 Canadian Dollar: 31.7525 _____ Closing Rates: _____ US dollar: 33.01 Euro: 47.505 British Pound: 63.90 Australian Dollar: 28.11 Canadian Dollar: 31.7325

For most electronics, it is usually less expensive if they are bought outside of Thailand, especially at the current exchange rates. I suggest contacting ESRI to make inquiries about their prices and to also check prices in your home country. eBay might be a good place to purchase a unit too. Incidentally, regarding power, mine has a built-in lithium ion battery. At first I was somewhat surprised because it came with no power cord to plug into a wall socket to recharge the battery. It came with a plug for a car's cigarette lighter and with a USB cable. It charges up via the USB cable and/or the car plug. My particular model might be useless if you don't have a computer or a car unless there is an optional wall socket plug available. As for where I bought mine, that won't do you much good. I have a nephew who works for an electronics company. He was able to get me my unit at a dramatic discount, which would be unavailable to others unless they happen to have a relative or friend with access to that kind of a discount. It is possible that buying directly from ESRI could be the less expensive method if they sell their units pre-loaded with the Thai software. You'll have to check unless someone who already knows posts a response.

2lz2p, what the British consul says might very well happen. If it does, I don't see it as a big problem. It shouldn't be difficult for people to obtain the necessary documentation unless they are trying to live in Thailand on less than the minimum requirement. Even then, if it's a choice of coming up with convincing documents or being forced to leave Thailand, then I'll bet most of them will come up with the documents somehow. This is yet another one on my "I Don't Get It" list. I've never understood why a proof-of-income statement is what the Immigration office wants in the first place. My logic tells me that a requirement to show the immigration office proof-of-pension documentation, instead of the proof-of-income statement should have been in place long ago. I can understand why they might want that documentation notarized by the embassy, but the Consul is right. The whole thing is about proving that you have income enough to support yourself in Thailand without becoming a financial burden on the Thai government. When it comes to pensions, I also don't get the reason why it is necessary to come up with documentation annually. I don't see why it should be necessary to show pension documentation more than once, when first applying for the retirement visa. People's pensions either go up each year or at least remain the same, don't they? I've never heard of anyone's pension being decreased annually (unless they worked for Enron - then having to show valid documentation would make some sense). Oh well, if that's the documentation they'll eventually want, then we'll just have to provide it.

Thank you for that information. You just settled a question nobody else was able to answer. Most of us know that the US embassy requires nothing other than an oath that you are telling the truth to get the proof-of-income statement. Nothing has been said about what the British requirements are. Can you tell us what, if anything, the British Consul requires?

If you're anything like me and easily get lost, especially in Bangkok, then a good GPS is just the thing. It comes in particularly handy if you drive in Thailand. Even though you might be in Thailand only as a holiday maker, you might want to rent a car and drive to all sorts of places within Thailand. A GPS can be extremely helpful. Excellent maps are available for Thailand. In Bangkok, the best of the maps is available through ESRI (see http://www.esrith.com/Eindex.cfm ). They'll install a highly detailed map of all of Thailand into your GPS. The price for the software is 7000 baht. You do have to take your GPS and personally go to ESRI in Bangkok and have them install the software for you. Bangkok is their only location in Thailand and despite the fact that there are ESRI outlets elsewhere in the world, only the Bangkok location carries the highly detailed map you probably want. The recommended GPS is a Garmin GPS. I use the Garmin C340 StreetPilot and it works beautifully. All you have to do is select where you want to go, either manually or by touch screen on the maps and you're all set. The GPS will guide you by voice and map. For example, suppose you are in Pattaya and you want to drive to the Tarntawan Place Hotel. All you have to do is select it on the list of hotels and the GPS does the rest. It will give you a map and voice directions. You'll hear things such as "Turn right in 100 meters." "Turn right here." "Turn left at Soi 29." "Take exit 4, Rama IV and then keep left." If you miss the turn, no problem. The GPS will automatically re-route you and get you to your destination. Considering all the one way and confusing streets in Bangkok, once you have a GPS you won't know how you ever lived without it. It even tells you where hotels, restaurants, gas stations, etc. are located and will guide you right to them. If you are going to get a different brand of GPS or different model of the Garmin GPS, I suggest contacting ESRI first to make sure they have, and can install, the software on the brand and model you have or intend to buy. It can come in handy even if you don't drive. If you are in a taxi, sometimes the driver doesn't have a clue where to go. Sometimes you might wind up with an unscrupulous driver who will drive you all over town, trying to jack up the fare. Having a GPS handy can certainly solve that kind of a problem. If you are getting a Garmin GPS, or already have one, go to the Garmin web site (see http://www.garmin.com ) and download their free web updater. Once you install it, you can download free updates. My GPS came with only a female voice. The web updater has additional voices, including a male voice if you prefer. That's what I preferred. I downloaded it and it installs directly into the GPS. Once it's installed, simply go to the Language menu and select the voice. Additional languages are pre-installed in most GPS systems, but if you need a language that isn't pre-installed, the web updater probably has just what you need. It's a great gadget to have and they are small enough to be easily carried. If you are going to do any serious traveling around Thailand, I highly recommend getting one.

Applying for the retirement visa can seem complex and confusing, but it really is not. It's actually quite simple once you make up your mind whether to do it by having the 800,000 baht or the proof-of-income statement. Wowpow is probably correct that it can be a mix, but I also have never met anyone who tried it that way. As for the trolls, I meant what I said in an earlier post about keeping this board a "troll free environment." We're simply not going to put up with any more of it. Also, to clarify matters, most people seem to assume that I'm the one who makes those decisions. At least I'm usually the one who receives the complaints and/or the thank-you messages. The fact is there are three moderators on this message board. I'm only one of them. Both GayThailand and Stef are the others. Although we are each authorized to act unilaterally, we have never done so. When a problem poster gets dumped, it is by agreement of all three of us. There have been a few problem posters who have recently had their posting privileges revoked. I have a feeling they are reading this message. If you are one of them and you believe that I unilaterally removed your posting privileges, feel free to contact GayThailand and Stef and find out for yourself whether I acted unilaterally or all three of us agreed to get rid of you. In short, if you come to this board and act like a troll, then expect to be treated like one.

It is one or the other, plus the letter from the bank (not more than one week old), valid passport, documentation that shows where you live and the address, your Thai bank account book (updated, preferably the same day), two passport photos with white background, copies (front and back) of your bank's ATM card or credit card, and a filled-out "Application for Extension of Temporary Stay in the Kingdom" (available at the information counter in the Pattaya Immigration office). You can see a copy of the "Application for Extension of Temporary Stay in the Kingdom" form at http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?au...&showfile=7 . I suggest using the downloadable form for information purposes only. I don't know whether the Immigration office will accept it. Maybe they will, but you're probably better off filling out and original one that they give you at the Immigration office. I suggest going to the little photo shop adjacent to the Immigration office first. They'll make sure you have all the necessary documentation, will make all the necessary copies for you, will make the passport photos for you if you don't already have them, and will make sure you are going in with everything you need, properly filled out. Don't forget to dress properly. If you go in wearing a tank top and shorts, they'll send you home and refuse to provide service for you until you show up appropriately dressed.

Of course it is. So is riding on a motorcycle without a helmet. I'd be willing to bet there are plenty of people who swear to whatever income they want, whether it is true or not. I have yet to ever hear about anyone ever ending up in trouble over it.

Yes it is, and that's what makes all these other rules, in my opinion, ridiculous. I can't speak for embassies other than the USA embassy, but all you have to do there is fill out the very short form, pay them their 1200 baht, and swear before a notary that you're telling the truth. That's all there is to it. They neither require nor ask for any documentation whatsoever other than your passport.

The rules seem to change as often as the weather. Unfortunately, every time the rules change, someone comes up with something more absurd than the rules had been. Most of these changes end up on my "I Don't Get It" list. If all this is because they want some sort of proof that your income source is outside of Thailand, fine. I really don't see what difference it makes whether your money is coming from inside or outside of Thailand. Maybe you're lucky enough to have a sugar daddy giving you all your money right here in Thailand, which could easily mean that you've got plenty of money, but it all comes from within Thailand. Just because your money might be coming from within Thailand, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're working illegally in Thailand. Even if you are working illegally in Thailand, the usual Thai salary doesn't exactly generate enough income to keep the average "farang" living in the style to which he is accustomed. Ok, they want a new proof-of-income statement from the embassy each year? Fine. I'll go to the embassy and get it. They want a letter from the bank? Fine. I'll go to the bank and get it. They want copies of ATM and/or credit cards? Fine, I'll give it to them. I don't know why they want these things and so far I have heard no stories about anyone giving their banking or credit card information to Immigration and then finding their accounts wiped, so I'm not afraid of giving them the information. When they come up with even more rules, I'll follow them. Different Immigration offices have different rules? Fine. I'll follow whatever rules they have. All I ask is that they clarify what the rules actually are. I don't want to even try to get anyone at Immigration to explain the reasons for the rules. That's because no matter how many Immigration officers you ask, you'll get a different answer every time. You'll probably get a different answer even if you ask an Immigration officer to explain one day, and then go back and ask the same officer the same question the next day. The common denominator is that none of the answers will make sense anyhow. Look at the bright side . . . it's only once a year.

That is something I didn't know. It was my understanding that the letter requirement applies only to those who don't have the 800,000 baht in their Thai bank account. I have now edited out the portion of my post that contained the misinformation, so there should be no confusion now. Apparently, since they asked for the letter from you too, it is required of everyone.

No. I didn't notice that until your post. The names have now been replaced with asterisks.

Apparently you have missed out. That regulation has been in place for quite some time now. Anyone who is obtaining or renewing a retirement visa, who is also using the proof-of-income statement from the embassy, is required to produce a letter from his Thai bank. That letter, from what I understand, certifies that one's income is generated from a foreign source. I don't know why that letter is required, but that's what Immigration requires nevertheless. Without the letter they will not grant the visa. I don't know what the letter actually says. It's written in Thai and I can't read Thai. I've never bothered to have the letter translated. It's just another piece of paperwork Immigration requires. All you have to do is go to the bank (usually you have to go to the branch where you opened your account) and ask for the letter for Immigration. 200 baht later, which is the fee most banks charge, you have the letter, whatever it says.

That is certainly true. It would have been nice to find good information about bus services posted somewhere, but it seems that you have to find these things out for yourself. I guess I was just lucky. I knew about the express bus to the airport from Pattaya, so I simply assumed there must be the same bus available for returning to Pattaya from the airport. I turned out to be right and I was lucky that my arrival time was just perfect for catching the express bus. While I was at the airport I inquired about the fees for parking at the long-term parking lot. I was told the fee is 150 baht per day. Apparently you parked at the airport parking lot. Is that the amount you were charged for parking? Was there any difficulty finding the parking lot entrance or getting to and from the parking lot?

Can you tell us more about this? Is this bus available at the airport? If yes, where do we find the bus? Do you know what hours they run the bus?

My recent trip out of Thailand was my first experience at Suvarnabhumi. I don't understand why so many people are complaining. I had no problems at all. One of the common complaints is about the distance you have to walk to get to your departure gate. The distances didn't seem any longer to me than at most other major international airports. I also had no problems at all with customs or immigration, either coming or going. When I arrived back in Thailand, as soon as I exited the customs area, there were the taxi touts. "Where you going?" To Pattaya. "Ok, we can take you there 1800 baht." Yeah, right. I decided to take the express bus. It's on the ground floor. You take the escalator or elevator all the way down, then turn to your left while facing the airport exit. It's almost at the end of the terminal building. The bus costs all of 106 baht. When you get to Pattaya, it makes a stop at South Pattaya, on Sukhumvit, near the main bus terminal. The next stop is also on Sukhumvit, just beyond Central Road (Pattaya Klang) at the secondary bus terminal. You can easily catch a baht bus from there. The last stop is on Soi Chaiyapruk, half a block from the beach road. That's pretty far down the beach, in the vicinity of the Nong Nual seafood restaurant. You can easily catch a baht bus from any of the stops. So, there's your choice: 1800 baht for a taxi or 106 baht for the bus. However, the last bus leaves the airport around 9:00 PM, so if your flight is coming in later than that, then you're in the taxi. I don't know why the bus doesn't run 24 hours a day, but it doesn't. If you are arriving during daylight hours, the bus is a very good cost saving choice. I found it very comfortable and it is air conditioned. Obviously it is less convenient than a taxi, but to save 1700 baht I'll take a little inconvenience.

Today I was helping a friend obtain the documents necessary in order to obtain the retirement visa. One of our stops was his bank, to get the letter required by immigration. He was asked if he is going to apply for the visa with use of the proof-of-income statement from the embassy. The answer was yes. The next question was whether he already has the statement. The answer was he is going to the embassy to get it next week. He was then told that he needs to get the letter after obtaining the proof-of-income statement. That's because Immigration will not accept the letter from the bank if it is more than one week old. I did not know that before. I did not know there is a one week limitation on the letter from the bank. The advice was to obtain the letter either one day before or on the same day he intends to apply for the retirement visa.

Many of you are probably familiar with the GayRomeo web site at http://www.gayromeo.com . They have published the following open letter: _____ 11 Jan: Is YouTube homophobic? As you might have read on our startpage, we had more trouble with YouTube over Christmas. Our Christmas video and the whole GayRomeo account was – once again - deleted without any prior warning. Unfortunately YouTube hasn’t reacted to any of our inquiries. So we have decided to write an open letter to YouTube. We do not think it is acceptable that YouTube should rate and remove a harmless non-sexual video as “inappropriate” - just because it shows openly gay artists. To draw attention to this situation, we have written an open letter to YouTube and we give you our permission to copy, forward or publish this letter as long as you do not edit or modify the text in any way. Thank you for your support, Mother and her GayRomeo Team

Heyyyyyyy, very good. You figured that out all by yourself? But not in other words. Those are the perfect words. The bars are about to become a smoke free environment. Why not follow suit and have this board become a troll free environment? So, since you say that we're going to ban people based solely upon whether we like what they say, and since you're obviously doing your best to be a troll here, three guesses who's most likely to be next . . . Still bored?

I hadn't thought of that. You may be right. Even if they are allowed to open I can't help but wonder who is going to work there. I would think that most locals will be afraid to work there. If the store does eventually open, I believe it is only a question of time before we'll be reading articles about attacks or even murders involving those who work there and/or those who patronize the store.

That applies to any poster. When someone consistently, flagrantly, and intentionally violates the posting rules, no matter how many times he has been asked to stop, has been given warnings, has been placed on moderated mode, etc, it finally gets to a point at which we realize our wishes are going to continue to be ignored and the only way to put a stop to it is to enforce the posting rules, ban the violator, and anything else he posts when he comes in under another guise. We give the violators every reasonable chance before resorting to a ban and it is not done lightly. Unfortunately, sometimes with some people there is simply no other alternative. If such people want to find someone to blame, they need only to look in a mirror.

Correction. It was.

"John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it." - Andrew Jackson I have said many times that I'm a smoker. I have also said that I have no problem with a smoking ban in the bars. I don't have any problem at all about stepping outside if I want to light up. However, I have a feeling that the regulation is going to, in the end, mean about as much to the bar owners as the 90 decibel music volume limitation regulation. I hope the ban really works, but I think it definitely rates a "we'll see."

How do I win with some of the posters here? If I post too often, I get criticized for posting too much. If I don't post enough, I get criticized for that. The fact is that I have been out of the country for the past couple of weeks and only checked the web sites a few times while I was gone. I just returned a few hours ago. For those who are bored by this forum, there are several others for you to read. Good or bad, the "almighty moderator" has returned. For the sane, the board trolls might get one or two more posts before they get dumped. For example, one poster seems to be convinced that I am receiving a salary for moderating. I have already said that is not true, but you go right on persisting anyhow. Of course, since you seem to be convinced of it and want to keep saying it, ok . . . prove it.