Hua Hin Forum

The point about visas and tourists is that many people on long-stay visas have tourism as their declared reason for visiting. Certainly I do, because I am not married to a Thai, and I have so far not been enthusiastic about going for the retiree visa (though I may have to in the future). Added to th...

Yes. I agree. Speaking to the lady at Hull she had obviously had a lot of difficult conversations with people and was hugely defensive. Very difficult to actually discuss the situation with her. To be honest with you, I don't think Hull at the moment know whether they are coming or going. When I hav...

Well, I'm in the UK for a new visa. My local consulate is Hull, and they have more or less told me to forget it - no help whatsoever. I will be phoning the Embassy this afternoon. The claim not to be handling any OA visa at all now, unless you are over 65 or on a marriage visa. This isn't looking go...

Richard: I seem to remember sometime back statements were being made about moving Thailand's tourist business up-market. In other words discourage low spenders and beach party kids. With all that is going on at the moment perhaps we are going to see a clampdown on the sex industry and beach party go...

Steve G's article is the first real comment I have seen from tourist sources that makes sense. Of course, tourist numbers may be up over the last few years, but it is basically replacing European package / resort tourists with Asians for whom the existing tourist infrastructure is largely irrelevant...

Personal view but I think Sterling weakness lasts until after the May general election. Ironically, and somewhat contradictorily, I feel a yes vote could see the pound strengthen sharply as it sinks in that without 70 odd Labour MP's, the chance of a Miliband government shrinks from small to nothing...

Well, after all the recent upheavals all I can say is - some people ought to be more careful what they wish for, because it might come true. Som nam nah!

Chili powder is a commonly used condiment. Hard to see any way an officer could find cause against you carrying it, even if it *was* in a sugar shaker, for ease of adding to your som tam...

I also generally drive up using the 'Canal' road, rather than Petchkasem. It is a much calmer - actually quite pleasant -route. You exit onto the bypass about 1km before the junction with the Petchkasem as you would take it from Hua Hin. The extra km does involve getting past that junction, but is n...

Never met a stressed Thai in my time here

You have led a quiet life, Richard, given the histrionics that usually passes for political discourse here.

Better still. Take your money elsewhere until common-sense is restored.

SteveG - read the article on the 'site that must not be mentioned' about a German family caught in the middle of this. It may give some perspective about how this *is* being policed, as opposed to what perhaps ought to be happening. The simple fact is, the rules are in chaos.

I'm with Margaret on this one - it has all the hallmarks of a 'point at foot; pull trigger' moment. Policy is ignorant of real-politik and the facts on the ground. Broad-brush approaches never work - the world is too fine grained for that. Targeting Russians, the Vietnamese, ESL teachers and the lik...

No problem - I only have an issue with it because of the hoops I might have to jump through when so far I have managed quite well without it. I don't want a lot of exposure to the Thai situation, asset wise, and can think of better ways to invest the money. As I say - if I begin to have problems wit...

@dundrillin - I didn't say there was anything wrong with it. This isn't meant to be a competitive question and answer system. Whatever works for you - keep doing it. I will do what works for me, until that changes. Then I will do something different.