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Waltzing Along posted:Did you not apply for the thailand pass? I'm pretty sure if you had done that they are still allowing that format for people who were already approved. I'd started doing it like mid december then for some reason thought it'd be a good idea to wait since it involved a bunch of hotel signups and everything. looking back....gently caress
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Jan 3, 2022 02:55
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Well they did announce the signups for it would be honored for another 24 hours or something before they closed it but, ya, if you weren't monitoring that situation you got shut out. Its all kind of silly. Omicron is now here all over and delta has been since last April. Restricting foreign visitors who are vaccinated and tested just hurts the businesses and people's livelihoods at this point. Phuket sandbox is like a guaranteed ticket to getting covid too, which is kind of funny. If you go out to bars and stuff there, covid is spreading nonstop like wildfire. Staying away from Phuket myself.
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Jan 3, 2022 03:59
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I had a buddy spend a week in Phuket and now he and his girlfriend can't stop coughing. He has Pfizer so isn't worried, but the girlfriend had the local vaccine and is in much worse shape. He doesn't want to end up in a government hospital though so they're just quarantining themselves at home and won't get a PCR unless they have a severe turn for the worse. They didn't just restrict foreign visitors. Entertainment venues are all closed again. The government is having flashbacks to last New Years when they really didn't take things seriously enough and poo poo got real bad over the summer as a result. We're seeing breakthrough omicron infections from tourists showing up a few days after leaving their hotels which I think is the main reason the one day quarantine was frozen. It's really important to remember that most Thais are vaccinated on a combination of the far less effective Chinese vaccines and 1-2 Astra Zeneca jabs. Any data we have on omicron being less severe is based on populations that had completely different vaccine rates and combinations. The Thai government probably doesn't want to see how a population largely on sinovac does against the most virulent strain so far. Minimizing vectors, such as foreign tourists, seems like a good move in my opinion. It sucks for the economy, but I look at 825,000 dead Americans and can't think that that was the better approach.
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Jan 3, 2022 06:52
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Thailand is going to covid alert level 4 today. Unnecessary travel within the country is being discouraged. Sorry for anyone who had plans to come visit.
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Jan 6, 2022 04:45
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If you didn't see this coming, you weren't watching.
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Jan 6, 2022 05:36
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Out of everywhere I've ever been from India, Europe, Canada, Mexico... I seriously miss Bangkok the most out of all of them. The only silver lining is that this variant isn't as severe and hopefully the final wave over in the next few months.
Gucci Loafers fucked around with this message at 14:20 on Jan 6, 2022 |
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Jan 6, 2022 05:47
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There was a real narrow window in early December where I felt comfortable enough to hang out at the open air restaurants and drink beer with buddies again but that's looking to be over.
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Jan 6, 2022 07:51
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lmao Qatar airways website has crashed and their help line is not responding guess everyone is cancelling those tickets
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Jan 7, 2022 03:38
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LfmMhfQHpM Let me back in! 
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Jan 9, 2022 18:45
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Phuket is apparently nearly out of hospital beds. 
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Jan 10, 2022 01:36
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Crosby B. Alfred posted:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LfmMhfQHpM I don't know why this isn't linking but here's the hard link. Has anyone successfully stayed in Thailand - Bangkok or Pattaya in one of these furnished apartments for like a whole year? For the record, I'm from the United States and still younger than 55. I'm hoping there's someone here who's actually made the move or been in the Country long term that can share their experience.
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Jan 16, 2022 00:16
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Crosby B. Alfred posted:
I can answer these: You don't have to use cobra. You can get your own insurance. There are other options. How do you think self-employed people do it? Amazon does not deliver to Thailand (yet.) I think the closest thing there is called Shoppee or something like that. However, I am sure there are second party shippers you can use to ship to you from the US (or Japan Amazon which I think would be cheaper.)
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Jan 16, 2022 00:23
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Where/what are these other options?
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Jan 16, 2022 00:27
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Just google it. I know in Japan there is one called sendico. There have to be some in the US, too.
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Jan 16, 2022 00:29
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Shoppee and lazada are the two biggest amazon like stores here. I've never had issues buying anything I want. Bought a new samsung galaxy phone for same price it would have been in the states. Clothes.. I dont know why youd order from america when everything is here and cheaper but I've had family just mail me things a few times. Cost generally had been 40 dollars or something for a small package and took a few weeks to arrive. I know some electronics can be more expensive if you're a gamer or need specific things. Not my expertise though. I've been here a year. Visa can easily be sorted out like about anything in thailand if you're just willing to pay a little money and find someone to handle it for you. Not a huge deal. Insurance is way way cheaper over here. Dont keep your us insurance if you're going to be here long term. I'd get really bored staying in Pattaya or even Bangkok for a year personally. But everyone has different likes and personalities. Especially Pattaya - I've only been a few times for a few days each stay and that was enough for me. I switch locations every month or two depending on the season and covid restrictions and what I feel like. And pass through Bangkok often but generally just stay there one or two weeks at a time. The big city life is fun but I prefer nature for long term stays. 2 months in chiang mai and exploring around there, 1 month hopping around the north, 1 month hopping around Esan, 1 month staying on places like Phangan/Samui/Phuket each with shorter trips to smaller islands, and little stints in Bangkok has worked really well for me. Or in the future I'd be even happier here knowing I can be on relatively short/cheap flights and take off to trips to places like Vietnam, Philippines, Bali, etc and come back if I want. Ive just stayed in Thailand this long continuously because of the pain of coming and going internationally during these times. Obviously if you do just want to stay in one place and rent for a one year contract, your costs will be way way less. You'll also be able to make friends and have a more normal life. Haven't missed life in america at all besides not seeing my family. Luckily some friends and family came to visit while it was fairly painless back in November. I'll make a trip back to catch up with others this year. No regrats making the move so far.
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Jan 16, 2022 03:34
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Right on, it seems like a fair plan with the only thing I really need to nail down is the immigration stuff. On career level, I want to go back to school and why not do that online from an incredible affordable tropical paradise? And on my personal level I want to spend time out of the Western World for more than a couple weeks before I'm too old. The only caveat I'm able to think of is that I'll spend too much drinking and partying. Pattaya didn't really bother me - contrary to popular belief there is more to do than just the Red Light District - but I'd probably get something around Bangkok. I thought Lumphini Park was awesome.
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Jan 16, 2022 03:53
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Yeah. I know there's more in Pattaya than ladies of the night. But there's also options in Thailand with prettier scenery/nature, infinitely better beaches, that also have modern amenities. That youtube video you linked looks like a decent place though. If you're looking for a high rise type apartment like that near the ocean instead of a villa type house rental, pattaya isnt a bad spot. Its all personal taste.
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Jan 16, 2022 04:06
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And definitely if what you'll be doing is studying online - going to someplace like Thailand is just smart if its something you've always wanted to try and the cost of living will be less for you (maybe significantly so). I've even met some early 20s unviersity students here from America / europe doing the same thing. Living in a nice apartment near the beach here is cheaper than staying in student housing back home and all of their classes are online, so why not? The partying thing... Haha. You'll need some self discipline obviously if you're wanting to accomplish your school goals while here. The party atmosphere is a lot lot more subdued and underground that normal times here so maybe thats a good thing for you.
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Jan 16, 2022 04:12
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Boola posted:Yeah. I know there's more in Pattaya than ladies of the night. But there's also options in Thailand with prettier scenery/nature, infinitely better beaches, that also have modern amenities. What would you recommended? I still want to be near normal city too.
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Jan 16, 2022 04:15
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Chiang Mai or Hua Hin, if not Bangkok No beaches in Chiang Mai but it's a cool place
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Jan 16, 2022 04:18
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Crosby B. Alfred posted:What would you recommended? I still want to be near normal city too. Yeah, if beaches aren't a priority, Chiang Mai is my favorite area/city in Thailand. Super cheap too but big city with everything you could need/want with infinite options of things to explore nearby and a lot of culture/history. Just don't go in March-May - the air quality is poo poo and filled with smoke. If beaches are a priority and you aren't wanting a place too small, Phuket or Samui would be the two alternatives to compare with Pattaya. Both have modern amenities, awesome nature/beaches. Samui is more low key and relaxed than Phuket. Phuket has more big city stuff like mega malls and what not. Both have airports where its easy to hop on a one hour flight to Bangkok. Both have a lot of options nearby for going island hopping or on boat trips. Don't know if you're looking to date or meet women or whatever either, but I'd prefer the women in both of those places a lot more than Pattaya too. More likely to be normal women with normal jobs but still a lot of fun. Hua Hin is like Pattaya but strictly for old people it seems like to me. I wouldn't stay there. Kind of lovely beaches and doesn't have the nightlife of Pattaya to make up for it.
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Jan 16, 2022 04:31
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Doesn't Phuket have a larger rep for the Mos Eisley of Bangkok? Originally, I never ever thought all those lovely GeoCities websites with women everywhere about Thailand were actually real... Was I wrong. 
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Jan 16, 2022 04:59
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I've been in Bangkok about eight years now. I wouldn't mind living in Chiang Mai. I was just there for Christmas and it's neat town. Also I'm always happy to meet other goons.
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Jan 16, 2022 07:29
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I'll keep that in my mind, my job has been kind of drag as of late but they haven't pissed me off enough or fired me. Plus, if I'm taking a whole year off I've got save up some cash. We will see what happens.
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Jan 16, 2022 07:51
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Crosby B. Alfred posted:Doesn't Phuket have a larger rep for the Mos Eisley of Bangkok? Not really. Generally if you say Pattaya most people freely associate "red light capital of the world". If you say Phuket, pretty beaches / tropical paradise is what people all over the world think of first. There's Bangla Road in Phuket, which is not dissimilar to Walking Street in Pattaya (plus some sois around there with beer bars and whatnot). But other than that, the island is almost all family and PG friendly. And its a big big island.
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Jan 16, 2022 11:26
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Yeah. Phuket Town, for instance, is totally chill and not a red-light destination
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Jan 16, 2022 12:17
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I am way more likely to associate Phuket with taxi mafias than with sex work. At the same time, it's Thailand, so the sex work is there.
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Jan 16, 2022 13:55
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edit- I misread city names, woopsy doo here comes the goo. To contribute I don’t feel like small beach towns feel super livable for long periods of time, especially post covid. Most are and will be ghost towns. Living in the famous resort islands could be ok but I feel like the cities have so much more to offer. It’s not like you can’t go to the beach for cheap at any time anyway. Shammypants fucked around with this message at 23:40 on Jan 16, 2022 |
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Jan 16, 2022 23:36
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Living in Bangkok means I'm only a few hours out from Rayong, Pattaya, and Hua Hin and because of how close Rayong is, Koh Samet is right there too.
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Jan 17, 2022 00:02
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Flights to other places are mad cheap too.
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Jan 17, 2022 06:24
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https://twitter.com/business/status/1484775201405554691?s=20 This cannot be real... right?
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Jan 23, 2022 04:07
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Crosby B. Alfred posted:https://twitter.com/business/status/1484775201405554691?s=20 It's been slow coming but it feels kind of inevitable at this point.
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Jan 23, 2022 05:29
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Hi all, I'm a CELTA-certified U.S. citizen and my girlfriend is moving to Thailand soon for work. I have a lot of money saved up so I can afford to survive off of my savings for awhile, so I'm wondering if I should apply for Thailand jobs now while I'm still in the U.S. or if I should wait until I move to Chiang Mai. Additionally, I am wondering what people generally prefer between private/public gigs, and whether there are still remote jobs available. Thank you!
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Feb 22, 2022 07:53
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I would recommend waiting until you get here, though there's nothing stopping you from heading over to ajarn.com and sending in applications with your relevant timeline so they know when you will be in country. Most places do prefer hiring people who are already here for logistical reasons, but if coming into Thailand is already assured they're happy to take a risk. As a CELTA certified teacher, you have three options: 1) Language or exam centers 2) Thai public schools 2) Thai private schools Language centers like Wallstreet English often pay more. You'll also usually be working with older students, frequently adults, who are motivated to learn and don't have any classroom management issues. There's also a corporate structure in place and if you have any experience in management, moving up in the company is a distinct possibility. There are also tons of shady companies and startups that disappear overnight or aren't overly concerned with helping you get your visa or paying you. Make sure to do your research. There isn't necessarily as big a difference between Thai public and private schools as you might think. The lines can also get really blurry as just because something is public doesn't mean it admits every student or has free tuition. It just means it doesn't have a private owner. The range of facilities can very greatly even within a school just between departments. At a public school, you are more likely to see classrooms of 40-50 kids, but often times these schools have English Programs with closer to 20-30 kids in a classroom, and sometimes even fewer than that. You might have air-conditioning, you might have a printer, you might a projector, etc. Your salary will be anywhere from 30-50,000. You may or may not get paid October and April breaks. Read the fine print on your contract. The Thai school year ends in April so this is actually a great time to be applying. If you have any experience, even tenuously, with a specific subject, you will get a bump in pay if you can get a job teaching it. The company I once worked for hired a dude to teach middle and high school science because "he had aspirations to someday be a doctor". Hopefully that illustrates how low this bar can be. He was eventually fired for incompetence because he was loving up one of the school's I managed and nearly cost us a contract, but not every company is that diligent. Now, with that said, if you have a CELTA certificate and a BA/BS, the international schools are actually open to you. You are not going to get into a top school, but you can definitely get your foot in the door. The school will also often help you pay for your M.Ed or other post graduate certificate. You can expect classes of 15-25 kids and modern facilities, though the pressure is far higher. You will be paid 60,000-150,000 depending on what school you get into. The real gold-standard though is to get into an international demonstration school. These are Thai public schools that are held to international school standards and are often WASC and CIS accredited. The salaries are typically 80,000-120,000 starting. You do not need to be a licensed teacher to get in, but an M.Ed is preferred. The biggest issue you're going to run into is the teaching license waiver. To get a visa to teach in Thailand, you need a license from the Thai Ministry of Education. In order to get that license, you have to have either a license from your home country or an M.Ed. Without those, you can be issued a waiver. However, the number of waivers you can be given is limited (something like 3?). After the third year of teaching, the Thai government wants evidence that you are pursuing a post graduate certification or degree. Hence, getting into a program that has a budget for professional development is the best of all worlds as it will help keep your costs down and you'll still end up with a degree you can take with you after you leave Thailand. If you're not planning on being here more than a few years, then it doesn't matter. I am not sure if language and exam centers require you to have a teaching license from the Thai government or not or if they're exempt. The other alternative is to go through a recruitment agency. You'll never officially be on the books at a school and chances are you'll be working off of a tourist visa and doing runs every 90 days. I cannot recommend this, not least because of covid and the difficulty of crossing borders. Last, make sure you arrive on a 60 day visa, not a landing exemption. Apply for this ahead of time. It can be extended in country to 90 days and it can be converted to a non-immigrant B (work visa).
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Feb 23, 2022 07:02
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Golden Bay Leaf has closed. The owner/chef was reportedly hit and killed by a tuk tuk when he was crossing the street. This was one of the first restaurants goons in Bangkok recommended I check out and was a staple I would bring any goon passing through to.
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Feb 25, 2022 09:08
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Imasalmon posted:A few years ago, the wife and I went to Thailand, and had a great time. In the big touristy market in Chiang Mai, we stumbled across a stand selling wooden carved, cat like penis beasts. It was a penis, but with legs and a tail like a cat. After debate, we realized that we didn't have space in our bags for one, and have regretted it ever since. So, following up on this weird rear end post of mine, I've still not been able to find these for sale anywhere. The thread very helpfully informed me that in Roman culture they are called fascinus, but I still can't find something like them for sale. If anyone is in the Chiang Mai area, and wants to be really cool to a random goon, I'd happily pay to try to get one of these shipped, especially if it could arrive by mid April (my wife's birthday). I'm willing to pay a finder's fee on top of covering the costs involved. Send me a PM, or post here if you're willing to see if this random stand is still in the night market.
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Mar 1, 2022 03:40
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I´m in Chiang Mai atm. No promises, but I´ll try to remember it and keep my eyes open when I visit the Sunday tourist market. 
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Mar 1, 2022 13:15
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the heat goes wrong posted:I´m in Chiang Mai atm. Awesome! Fingers crossed!
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Mar 4, 2022 00:55
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Thinking of taking a VTL to Phuket one weekend. What's it like there at the moment? Want to just laze by a pool and/or beach and drink cocktails, any accom suggestions?
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Mar 6, 2022 13:36
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So I'm thinking of booking a trip in the next few days for the Fall, hopefully beating upcoming fuel surcharges that will likely start being added due to the whole WWIII thing. I know nobody can predict the future but I'm curious what the current "feelings" are regarding lockdowns. (Everyone of course wants to "get over it" but wondering if the same response is likely when the next strain comes around, and also if the tourism infrastructure will need more time to recover.) The March 15 announcement withstanding, trying to decide whether to pull out my failed April 2020 Bangkok/Vietnam itinerary for October or if it will likely be better waiting until 2023 and going somewhere in Europe this year.
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Mar 14, 2022 00:14
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