Thread: Renewing a passport in Bangkok

I hear ya Hal. The commuter shit vans suck. Did a few early on in my life here. Miserable but got you to where you wanted to go. They serve a purpose especially for Thai folk as do the busses. I have always enjoyed my train treks. Get a sleeper and BYB and have some fun. Early on dating I went on many an excursion. Best times I had quite frankly.

Fast forward and I would still do the train. Busses and commuter vans...while cheap...not going to do it. Don't need to. I am not trying to save a baht.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

I hear ya Hal. The commuter shit vans suck. Did a few early on in my life here. Miserable but got you to where you wanted to go. They serve a purpose especially for Thai folk as do the busses. I have always enjoyed my train treks. Get a sleeper and BYB and have some fun. Early on dating I went on many an excursion. Best times I had quite frankly.

Fast forward and I would still do the train. Busses and commuter vans...while cheap...not going to do it. Don't need to. I am not trying to save a baht.

I love the train anywhere. Without doubt my favourite mode of travel.

Totally unreliable in Thailand, mind, so I'd never do it if I had to be somewhere at a certain time, but I've done the sleepers all over the country and, while it was better when you could buy beer on board, I still enjoy sitting in the buffet car, ordering a bit of food and watching the sun set.

I've never once been on time though - the standard seems to be between 1 and 2 hours late for any journey of distance - and my world record delay was stuck in a village for 8 hours en route to Korat.

Yes, Mendy, Korat was actually my destination of choice!

Originally Posted by hallelujah

I love the train anywhere. Without doubt my favourite mode of travel.

Me too. My wife and I did some incredible Pacific Northwest treks from California to Canada. Way better than flying but you can't be on a time-line and ya gotta open your wallet.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

1400 bht and I enjoy a nice private AC van

That's very cheap. I have asked about private hires here and they want about B2,000 per day plus petrol. These are tourist type vans, not luxury limos and not those horrid commuter vans, something in the middle. It is about 1,000km round trip so probably another B2K for fuel.
I wouldn't do it when travelling alone, it would make more sense if I was traveling with the gf and we had big suitcases.

Originally Posted by Mendip

^ Yeah well, better than the alternative. How's yer forehead these days?


Anyway, FFS that was on a shingle beach just after the tide has gone out.

You should see my strut on a Sukhumvit pavement.

What Time of night Would that be?

Originally Posted by Stumpy

I hear ya Hal. The commuter shit vans suck. Did a few early on in my life here. Miserable but got you to where you wanted to go. They serve a purpose especially for Thai folk as do the busses. I have always enjoyed my train treks. Get a sleeper and BYB and have some fun. Early on dating I went on many an excursion. Best times I had quite frankly.

Fast forward and I would still do the train. Busses and commuter vans...while cheap...not going to do it. Don't need to. I am not trying to save a baht.

Those gas tanks in the back and narly

My passport is ready to be picked up. About 4 weeks turnaround.

Holiday tomorrow and going away this weekend so just ignoring my visa and 90day report until after Songkran.

You timed that well.

Strike started two days ago.

^^ That's not fair, I put in the daughter's more than a week before your application.

I thought I was the expert here...

Originally Posted by Mendip

You must think I'm some kind of newbie at this.

Her Aussie passport also needs renewing before June and I haven't got the time now because I go offshore next week. Her Thai passport also needs renewing before June and that needs doing before I could start the tortuous process of organising a visa for her to visit the UK. My wife can organise the passport renewal at Central Plaza in Korat but then I would have to start the visa process when I return from Norway.

I think I'll have to just keep my fingers crossed that the UK Passport people get their act together.

Dont let that aussie passport expire mendy, once there expired its a whole new ballgame and takes months , put the paperwork in to renew it before it expires, i took my eye of the ball and my nippers aussie passports had expired, its like starting from scratch, the aussie gov blame covid for the backlog. We waited nearly 6 months . What a headfuck

^ Thanks for the heads up BLD, I'll look into it. Maybe I will get to visit Bangkok before 2026 after all.

And hopefully i will to

“ I met a cohort of nice young lads forced to be want I think they called tent boys or teach the natives the Quean's English to save up for a LB on Friday night“

Picking it up was a quick process, if you don't count the two beers before the appointment and then the 6 afterwards.

Originally Posted by armstrong

Picking it up was a quick process, if you don't count the two beers before the appointment and then the 6 afterwards.

You consume alcohol???? I'm shocked and appalled a fine, upstanding teacher like you would do such a thing, especially when yesterday was a work day. You should have been at school, bringing the native children to the light that is the Western world and way of thinking.

School holidays.

I hope they were big bottles.

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

I hope they were big bottles.

is there any other kind? surely only Lulus drink those midget bottles

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

School holidays.

I hope they were big bottles.

Draught pints.

And yes. Praise Jesus for the holidays.

Shocked at there being football matches at 2pm on Good Friday.

Shocked, I tell you.

Twas only about 10 years ago when Australia finally relented and allowed sport games to be played and broadcast on a Good Friday.

Originally Posted by armstrong

Picking it up was a quick process, if you don't count the two beers before the appointment and then the 6 afterwards.

Well this is all a bit embarrassing as I'm supposed to be the 'passport renewal' expert but you have done a better job than me, Armstrong. The daughter's new passport still hasn't turned up but now I don't know what I want... the VSF at Trendy will only hold them for 30 days and maybe this work trip will end up being 6 weeks... I guess the passport arriving in a couple of weeks time would be perfect.

Anyway, what is your venue of choice for a post-passport pick-up pint? I favour Hanrahan's which is maybe a 10 minute walk away and does draught Leo as an added bonus.

Nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s seems pretty clear that you are not really going to Bangkok every month for a new passport each time…



*Bit of a bugger about your daughters passport. Surely she could go and pick it up (with suitable adult supervision…)

Originally Posted by Mendip

the VSF at Trendy will only hold them for 30 days

I used Paul Astlett at Thai Visa Express and he picked mine up for me without my previous passport.

Originally Posted by Mendip

I favour Hanrahan's which is maybe a 10 minute walk away and does draught Leo as an added bonus.

We know, we saw your receipt.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

*Bit of a bugger about your daughters passport. Surely she could go and pick it up (with suitable adult supervision…)

Yeah it is... but I have all the paperwork with me so no-one else can do it. I'm hoping it will work out OK and I can just pick it up on my way home after this work trip. If I left the paperwork at home I would have to rely on the wife sorting it out... I'd have more luck getting the bladdy gardener to do it.