HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Thank you Charity Club

Dangerous situation along Soi 16 in Naklua

Opinion: Visa Runs

Thank you Charity Club

Editor;
I read your article about the young boy who is blind, dumb, and paralysed after a brain tumour. I found this very moving, in fact it brought tears to my eyes. Whilst there is no way that I can say the story has a happy ending I can sincerely say that it does show that here in Pattaya, indeed everywhere, there are some good people about who work selflessly for the good of others. I would like to publicly make every one of your readers aware of the efforts of Christina and Malcolm Boden, the husband and wife team who make up the Charity Club, together with their treasurer Vic King of the Queen Victoria Inn, who put so much time and energy into improving the quality of life for many of those amongst us who are less fortunate. I have seen many articles that you have printed about their good works and wish them all the best for their fundraising in the New Year.
Humbly,
Peter Williams

Dangerous situation along Soi 16 in Naklua

Editor;
From Naklua Highway, Soi 16 is the main route to and from Wong Amat Beach Road. Because of the mass construction now taking place along the beach and the many homeowners living in the Wong Amat vicinity, Soi 16 is becoming busier by the day.
Unfortunately, the narrow two lane road has become one lane because of the spotty street parking taking place all along the road. Traffic has to weave around the parked cars causing accidents and many near misses.
Because of the narrow roadway and the increased traffic, street parking should not be allowed along this artery. City Fathers, please consider this issue before a serious injury or death occurs.
Gary Hacker
Pattaya

Opinion: Visa Runs

Editor;
Re: Visa Runs. 90 days in/90 days out - When I or any other EU citizen (as well as those from a very long list of countries) enter Malaysia I can automatically stay there without a visa for three months and get a three-months extension upon request at the closest immigration office.
When an EU, Japanese, or Commonwealth resident enters the USA he/she gets a 3-months stamp automatically, 6 months upon request right at the port of entry, no visa required.
When a Thai citizen enters the USA with a tourist visa, he/she gets 3 or 6 months just as any other tourist with that status. No change after 9/11.
I just talked to a Patong bar lady who had a great time in California, Nevada and Florida all of November. She got her American tourist visa and three-months entry stamp with no problems.
But when I came to Thailand for the umpteenth time, the immigration officials at the airport gave me just 30 lousy days. I really want to spend the entire winter, just like the “snowbirds” from icy northern US-states and Canadian provinces who drive their campers and motor-homes to Mexico, or fly to Caribbean or Central American countries, for the entire cold season.
When I want to stay longer than 30 days in Thailand I cannot just go to closest immigration office and ask for an extension. That would be too easy. To punish me for my love for the Land of Smiles, I have to spend a day on a bouncy microbus to leave the country for a few minutes, get a fresh 30-day stamp and return. This costs not only money, but also nerves and time.
Recently, the powers that be made it even more foreboding: Now it’s 90 days in then 90 days out! One can only get three extension stamps: Three visa runs and get out of here!
Now let me inform you, dear Thai readers: it may sound incredible for you, but many people in Europe get vacation periods longer than 90 days! In my serviced apartment mansion alone there are four Scandinavians who would like to spend four months out of the snow. A Canadian couple who runs a summer business in Vancouver and doesn’t feel like returning there before the ice melts, and several like myself who live off retirement income and are permanent travellers.
We all spend good money here. The mansion room rent alone is 10,000 baht (paeng-paeng say my Thai friends: very expensive), the food, drink, entertainment, rent and petrol for a car or motorbike. All this money goes directly to Thai business people, we even tip the hospitality staff, and (hey it’s Christmas!) some of us give presents or money to our Thai friends. I just spontaneously gave THB 2,200 as a gift to a new mother who had worked up to her last week of pregnancy in my favourite grocery store. In Iceland mothers get six months paid maternity leave, just like in many farang countries! Wouldn’t it be nice if they could spend that time and all that welfare state money on a Thai beach?
Tourists, long term or short, will probably obediently leave after 90 days (while the Mafiosi just go into hiding). But many will not return. I certainly will not.
Any hassles they were subjected to will get re-told 1000 times to their friends and relatives at home and on Internet blogs. As we learn in marketing psychology: in contrast, positive experiences rarely get reported.
All it would take is one stroke on a pen, by just one executive in charge, to get back to the old visa-run work-around, and with the new regime, an edict from the governing council to adjust immigration requirements to those of Thailand’s tourism competitors.
Nowadays that is every country with a tropical climate, beaches and friendly people. There are many to chose from.
So, sometime in January my “90 days in” will be up and I’ll take that nice sleeper train ride to Butterworth, Malaysia, where the same sun shines, the same ocean laps the beaches and people are of the same ethnic mix as in Thailand. As I hear living expenses are cheaper there than here and they even offer Thai massage!
Dr Jerry Hoss,
Phuket and Detroit
Ed’s note: People who wish to stay in Thailand for longer than 90 days have the option of obtaining a multiple entry visa in their home country before they come to Thailand.

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