[Eva Air Baggage Allowance.]

Just arrived in Taiwan with Eva.  The flight was full.  Hold luggage was just within limit.  They looked at the hand luggage but did not weigh it !

[Tourist visa is stamped 7/31.When should I extend]

Even better, go today !   It will not be granted immediately, and you will be required to come back to collect it.  With Public Holidays looming, there will be increased demand, so there is no time to lose!

[Is Thailand a bad idea?]

Yes, excellent grammar indeed !  There have been some very sensible and helpful posts on here for a change.  Of course there will be some discrimination, but you sound sensible enough to be able to deal with it.  Try life here first for a while. You could come to like it !  It has lots of definite advantages over the U. S !! 

[Carrying a passport around]

If one does not have a Thai DL, and IDP is an excellent alternative, as it has to carry a photo.  I believe that a Government Hospital card with photo and in Thai, might be acceptable?

[Defamation/set-up in Thailand concerns]

The defamation laws are bizarre, and I would recommend extreme caution.  How did anybody know of your intended return to the Kingdom, and why?

[Immigration staff checking passports at DMK Domestic]

A passport is required to match up with an eticket, regardless of whether you are going on a domestic or international flight!

[The "beautiful Thai girl" myth?]

I thought this post would evoke much more comment?!!

[How the Visa Exempt Entry "warning alarm" for the IO is working ?]

Clarification really would be greatly welcomed !  There are so many differing points of view on this subject, but nothing official.  One IO was quoted as saying that there is in fact no actual limit - it is up to discretion on the day?

[Pattaya Immigration]

Siam Bruce makes a good point !

[Options after being warned by DMK immigration]

There seems to be no hard and fast rule, and I can see why many people are worried.  In the UK things have been made even more difficult, by taking away the power of Thai Consulates to issue visas any more, and making it more difficult to obtain one by post from the Embassy in London.

So, to sum up, visas are now more difficult to obtain, yet V.E. entries are being arbitrarily clamped down upon.  In addition, if you have a visa as they want, and you travel around during that period, you must pay for a re-entry every single time?

Does this really encourage tourism, when some other countries nearby, issue 3 month visas, or allow visas to be obtained at the point of entry?

[looking for a bank in bangkok to open account . They all refuse.]

Krung Thai on Samui are helpful on granting an account - Chaweng Branch.  It will cost 30 baht to draw money out up to 10,000 Baht in BKK, but worth the facility. 50 baht for larger amounts. Plus a Thai Bank and credit card.

[Shirtless Falange in Restaurants]

Perhaps some people realise that Vitamin D3 is important, and need as much sun on their bodies as possible?!!!

[NHS Surcharge set to double for UK Settlement Applicants]

Yes, it should indeed be far higher, if it is to be regarded as realistic.

[why no love and respect for farang no more in asia]

Sometimes it is a reflection of how friendly you appear to them?  Always on the brink of a smile oneself, often brings a ready smile back !

[not allowed on the airport to enter by tourist visa.]

Sometimes just the number of VE entries is counted, and NOT the fact that the passport holder had returned from another country or different countries, solely to catch a flight back home from BKK.

[airline carry on limits in thailand]

The answer is that they are entitled to, and sometimes they do check.  7 kg is the norm, but one or two airlines allow 10 kg, and a very few, allow unlimited weight, but not size, as carry on, provided you can safely lift it up into the overhead rack. These include British Airways and now Easy Jet, amazingly.

[Advice - Too many visa runs?]

So are VE which are NOT back to back and are always by air, not limited in theory at least ?

[How maxed out can my Thai visas be in a year?]

The problem with VE entries, is that if you go out of the country touring, then come back again within the 30 days, a new VE entry has to be granted and it looks as if you are making far more entries/exits on 1 visit than you really are.  How do they count or tally these up?  One frlend who knows an Insider IO, said that it is completely hit and miss - depends which side of the bed they got out of that morning, whether they had a row with the wife, g/f, mia noi or whatever!

[Putting to use the 30 day visa exemption in/out by air]

Also if you have more than one 1,900 baht extension to a 30 day VE, it might ring alarm bells!

[Maximum extensions in a year?]

How many VE entries can one have then,  if NOT back to back?

[3 Visa exempts this year already.. 4th possible??]

In that case, I would have thought a Visa Exempt would be acceptable, but have proof of funds and your return ticket to the U.S handy!

[Lending money to a Thai relative, legal advise?]

You cannot of course get legal protection as a farang in LOS.  Oldhippy has a good point, but then they might have already taken out several bank loans.

Your only protection taken subtly, is to 'borrow'  something of approximately equal value, remove it and hand it back when the loan is repaid!

[Visa Report: Seoul , South Korea - No Problems - Free Visa]

Very interesting !

[Best locations for applying for Tourist Visas?]

More detail needed in order to be able to give a sensible answer!

[Swampy tonight.]

Working in Anti-aging Medicine (AAM), you may look far younger than 70 and get refused for the Priority Lane !  Do you then admit to being older,  or smirk over the fact that no-one can believe your actual age?!  (Actual occurrence at Swampy !)