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Fleer (Fleer)
New Contributor
Username: Fleer
Post Number: 15
Registered: 4-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 7:19 pm: |      |
Things are changing a bit on the Asia front, airlines that travel via Japan and non Chinese ports seem to be doing better. Airfares are still high around the $700 round trip mark. Now with the new Monkey virus things could change again. |
Asia Guide
STAFF EDITOR
Username: Asia
Post Number: 66
Registered: 10-1997
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 3:43 pm: | |
As you may already know, if you've come to Thailand without a tourist visa, your stay is limited to 30 days, plus a 10 day extention for 500 baht if you wish. If you've come to Thailand on a tourist visa, you have 59 days, plus you can extend that for another 30 days at 500 baht, and then again (rules sometimes changing) for another 15 days for 500 baht more. After that you must leave the country. (There are other options including business visas and retirement visas if you are over 55 years of age and have 800,000 baht or more in a Thai bank. Consult your nearest Thai Consulate for details).
Now, here's the beauty of living in Chiang Rai or within vicinity. You can do a visa run at the border of Mae Sai (Burma) and get 30 days on your passport. You need only visit the Thai immigration office in Mae Sai, then walk across the Burmese border for a quick afternoon of shopping in their very limited market. Within as short as 30 minutes, you can then re-enter Thailand and presto, you have 30 days. You can do this ad infinitum. Thus tourists who live up here can virtually stay in Thailand for the rest of their lives without having to leave the country but for a very short afternoon.
Note: you can take the public bus up to Mae Sai from CR for 50 baht. It's about a 50 minute ride, fairly scenic and enjoyable.
You have two choices when entering Burma from Mae Sai (Mae Sai is the last town in Thailand, "The most northern part of Thailand" as the sign reads right at the border).
First, you can simply pay the $5 or 250 baht immigration fee into Burma and that will give you a one day pass only (you must return by 5 p.m. that same day). This will not affect your stay in Thailand whatsoever and will not interupt your Thai visa. In other words, it will be as though you never really left the country of Thailand.
Second, you can get a stamp at the Thai immigration "passport control" main office in Mae Sai (about a mile before the border). This will allow you a 30 day tourist visa back into Thailand as you enter Burma and then return that same day. This is what you must do if your visa is about to expire and you therefore must leave the country of Thailand.
I just did my visa run today. It took only a few minutes at the Thai immigration office in Mae Sai. Following, I entered Burma for a quick shopping spree, then re-entered Thailand whereby they stamped my passport and gave me another 30 day stay, NO FEE.
The total process, starting from the bus station in Chiang Mai (25 baht for the fan bus), to my arrival at the bus station in Mae Sai (about a 75 min. ride), to the Thai immigration office in Mae Sai (via a "baht bus" from the Mae Sai bus terminal; 5 min. ride; 5 baht per person), on into Burma (10 min. stop at Burmese immigration border where you present your passport and pay the $5 or 250 baht one day only pass), back to Thailand the same day, stopping at Thai immigration (where they stamp your passport for another 30 days), back to the Mae Sai bus station, onto Chiang Rai, ALTOGETHER cost me 320 baht and took about 3 hours. It was actually a fun trip.
By the way, they are doing some major construction at the border presently, so we'll see if things pick up for tourism in Burma in the upcoming years. Maybe they're starting to realize there's big money in attracting tourists to their country.
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Anon
Experienced Advisor
Username: anon
Post Number: 1606
Registered: 7-2001
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 10, 2002 - 5:19 pm: | |
Some things to think about when visiting Thailand.
1. Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon. You may see Westernised young Thai's holding hands in public, but that is as far as it goes, in polite society.
2. Topless bathing may be considered acceptable in your own country, but is inappropriate in Thailand.
3. Thai's consider the head as the highest part of the body, both literally and figuratively. As a result they don't approve of touching anyone on the head, even as a friendly gesture.
4. It is considered rude to point the sole of your foot at another person, so try to avoid doing so when sitting opposite someone, and following the concept that the foot is the lowest limb, don't point your foot to show anything to anyone.
5. Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, or to accept anything from the hand of one. If a woman wants to give anything to a monk or novice, she first hands it to a man, who then presents it. In case the woman wants to present it with her hand, the monk or novice will spread out a piece of saffron robe, and the woman will lay down the gift on the material.
6. It is alright to wear shoes whilst walking around the grounds of a Buddhist temple, but not inside the chapel where the Buddha image is kept. Women should ensure that their legs and shoulders are covered before entering a Buddhist temple. Please do not wear shorts.
7. The Thai people have a deep traditional reverence for the Royal Family, and the visitor should also show respect for the King and the Queen, and the Royal Children. When attending a public event where a member of the Royal Family is present, the best guide on how to behave is to watch the crowd and do as it does. |
Anon
Experienced Advisor
Username: anon
Post Number: 1607
Registered: 7-2001
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 10, 2002 - 5:21 pm: | |
Fire-arms, pornography and narcotics are strictly prohibited, and the penalties for drug trafficking are severe.
Interesting that you can buy XXX DVD's and movies on the streets and in the Pantip Plaza. Wonder what happens if you bring a Hustler magazine from the US?
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Asia Guide
STAFF EDITOR
Username: Asia
Post Number: 153
Registered: 10-1997
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 7:14 pm: | |
Bendricks Erotic Private Companion Vacations
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Euro
New Contributor
Username: Euro
Post Number: 253
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2005 - 12:46 am: | |
Going to Thailand, you need to check this web site out and study the photos as Sex change operations are common in Thailand. That girl you are taking to the room may indeed NOT be a girl. Some guys might be interested in women that were once men however no matter how you slice it they are still men down deep. |
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