Thailand

It is common for us, the traveller, to think about how to stay a country with correct and legal visa. As Thailand is a very beautiful county with nice people there, sometimes we want to stay longer. So, this tip could be useful for you.
For foreign people, usually, they will get 30 days visa for free. You don't require to process a Thai visa from your original country. But for sure, please check the website of Thai immigration first. If you get 30 days visa it means that you can stay in Thai for 30 days only.
Going around, shopping, travelling .. bla bla .. och! my visa is almost finish, how to extend it? I'm not finish my adventure here? don't worry!, there are two ways to entend it, first by formal legal way: you go to immigration office and ask for the extension. Absolutely, you have to pay for it. Last time I went there and asked how much that I have to pay. Expensive! 100 to 150 baht per day !!! So, I suggest to use the 2nd legal way, go to other countries near Thailand. There are two countries that usually travellers go, first is Lao and second is Cambodia. For this purpose, actually you can use many travel agencies in Thai that offer this service or even you can go by yourself. I have plenty of experinces with 4 times of visa renewal.

For the first renewal, I went to Lao by myself. So, I applied visa to Lao embassy which was around 200 baht (actually depend on how long that you able to wait until the visa finish. Faster is more expensive). I used economic train to go Lao from Bangkok station Don Muang (in front of Don Muang airport) which was very cheap. It took almost 10 hours before you arrived in Nong Khai (Thailand area near the border). After this, you can decide wheter you want to go using bus to Lao or again by youseft. If you want to go by bus, you can ask 'tuc tuc' driver (usually they wait the passanger in front of the station) to go to the bus station. There is air condition public bus service from Nong Khai to Vientine (capital city of Lao). If not, ask the driver to go directly to the border, called as friendship bridge. Both are same, at the border gate you have to get down from your bus to process your visa. You can make an arrival visa and enter Lao in very short time. After all 'bearucrazy' is finish, you can get in again to your bus or you can go by mini bus that usually offer to enter Lao with cheaper price (only for crossing the bridge). Between Lao and Thai, they are separated by a bridge called as Friendship bridge built by Australian. After entering Lao, you can do whatever you want. or even you can directly back to Thai by processing new visa on arrival ^^. I think it is a good idea to see how silent Lao is. Near bordergate of Lao, there is a bus station which you can wait the bus go back to Thailand (Nong Khai) or continue your journey to Vientine. So, another 30 days visa with very cheap price.

The second destination way is Cambodia. The way how to do is really similar. Go to border and ask for the visa. Different from Lao, the border areas that you can visit are quite alot. Usually it is depend on the travell agency that you choose. Most commont, they will go to Poi Pet. But, all are almost same that it takes around one day to go and back again to Bangkok.

As comparison:
when you ask extension for 30 days in immigration office, you will spend around 3000 baht. But by the travellers way, you can only spent max 500 baht (economic way by economic train, terrible mini bus, tuc tuc', and so on .. ha ha ha) and around 1000 baht using the economic traveller agency (including small mini van car which is quite confortable) also around 1500-2000 baht using exclusive confortable bus by excellent expensive travel agency. So, many ways to Roma and also many ways to extend our visa in Thailand.
So, happy travelling in Thai.

Wat Arun or temple of the dawn is a temple complex in Bangkok beside the river of Chao Phraya. This is the most famous and beautiful temple complex among others in Bangkok. In Thailand, to show how 'big' and how 'great' of the king, they usually built many temples. Fortunately for us, the location of temple complex is near each other. From Wat Pho or king palace, you just need to across the river which is quite very cheap and not spend so much time.

Wat Arus has many beautiful temples which managed well. During the Buddha ceremony or Buddha religious days, this place will be very crowded. Chao Phraya river itself is one of Bangkok symbol. Many activities are still using this river. When the king celebrated his birthday, the ceremony is held in this river. Beautiful boats from local and other countries are there to give a remark on his birthday. As Thailand people very respect to their king, don't ask me how crowded the river will be at that time.

One of the interesting temple in Bangkok is Wat Pho. It is located near the grand palace or I can say that it is still in one complex area although you have to walk little bit to reach this place from the grand palace. The main thing here is the big big statue with yellow metal colour of Buddha with rest position. People said that it is a one of yoga position. You can go around to the statue where they put many boxs for praying purpose. Some thing like this, there is a place that you can change your baht money with some special coints. You will receive many coins and you put it one by one during your walk surround the statue. For believe, they did it with praying or saying something. My friend told me that it is a place that you can ask somethings to Buddha.

This place is the oldest and the largest 'wat' in Bangkok where many temples and Buddha statues are in here. You can believe that this is the place of the beginning of Thai massage. Surround the area is also very nice. Imagine, see everything with full of temple and Buddha statue. Really like in the different world.

I think everybody knows very well about this place. Or at least, ever heard about the name of Pataya, famous beach in Thailand. In my opinion, frankly speaking, the beach itself is not so beautiful. In my opinion, Indonesian beach is more beautiful and clean than Pataya. But, don't even argue about the facility for tourism. It is very complete. The motor boat, tend, accomodation, bar, massage, ..everything there. This is probably what Pataya offers to us. It was also nice that I arrived there in the evening where I can know the night life of Pataya.

They build many buildings and malls beside the beach. One of the famous is Ripley's believe it or not where you can find many stranges things there. I am not sure whether it is still there or not. At night, the street beside the beach is closed and very crowded of foreign tourisms who want to spend their night in the bars, restaurant, and see the beach as Pataya has many docs.

It was May 2, 2005 that I have joined Indonesian community in AIT having tour to Pataya. After visiting the maritim museum in Burapha university and chinese three kingdom palace, we stoped the place where there is a big picture of Buddha. They created that picture on the slope of Kau Si Jan hill. From the story that I heard, first they make an almost flat slope by crushing the stone of the small hill. Then, by laser, they created the picture schetch and finalized by giving 'gold'-like metal on it. So, it will create a drawing-line similar to cartoon. I am not sure whether it is really gold metal or not, as I know it mixed between some metals.

In front of the hill, you can enjoy the big park where you can take a rest or make some picture with the background of buddha.