Chiang Mai, Thailand – Marvelous Mystical City in the Jungle
November 11, 2009 by Pattaya Girls
Filed under Thailand Travel Guide
Author: Michael A. Allenbr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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Whether you want to chill out, immerse yourself in history or simply check out the smoking hot nightlife, Chiang Mai, in Northern Thailand, has a little bit of something to please everyone.
Like most of the cities of the north, Chiang Mai is far more laid back than the southern metropolises like Bangkok, and the prices are far more reasonable.
Chiang Mai is not only one of the oldest cities in Thailand; it has also hosted western tourists for hundreds of years. The city traces its own origins back at least 700 years and there are records of European explorers writing home about this fair and great town in the 1500s.
The long history of this town is a boon to tourists who can marvel at the archeological and historical artifacts that seem to burst out of the countryside.
For much of its storied history Chiang Mai was an important cultural and religious center for both Siam and Burma, which helps explain the huge number of ruins and temples that still remain to this day.
Although Chiang Mai has always boasted beautiful mountains and a pleasant climate, it did not start attracting large numbers of western tourists until the early 1990s, when people started looking for new places to relax and ways to save money.
Once people started visiting Chaing Mai, word spread fast and by the mid 1990s, Bangkok tourism speculators started buying up large chunks of the city and converting them into vacation havens.
Chaing Mai celebrated its 700th anniversary in 1992 and in 1998 played host to the Asia Games sporting events.
During the day you will want to take a walking tour through some of the more than 300 Buddhist temples including Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phan Taom, Wat Jet Yod and Wat Suan Dawk all of which are at least 500 years old.
You can walk through the temples on your own or rent a guide for the day. Please remember to dress respectfully when you visit any temple in Thailand; flip-flops and shorts are not appreciated.
If you are into shopping, Chiang Mai has one of the most exciting nighttime bazaars in all of Thailand. This is where you want to go in order to get great deals on silk and traditional hand made crafts.
On days when you dont feel like hiking or walking, you can enjoy any number of boat trips up and down the Ping River. Just sit back, relax, watch the scenery and let your captain take charge!
Chaing Mai is known as the city to go to in Thailand if you want gourmet meals at affordable prices. There are literally dozens of restaurants in the city, and almost all of them are world class. You can find nearly any type of food you desire, and you wont have to worry about busting your wallet.
The most interesting ruins in the region are called Wiang Kum Kham. They are from a lively city that was washed out in a flood 700 years ago.
By far the most popular tourist activity in Chaing Mai is to ride an elephant into the jungle. These tame beasts are so tall that you will be able to see for miles and the beasts are so tame that you will always feel secure. When we last went to the elephant farm in Chiang Mai, the elephant trainers greeted us and they put on a show for us. They showed us how they taught the elephants to paint, play soccer and basketball. All of this was quiet entertaining and just a warm up for the elephant trek through the wilderness. Riding one of these wild beasts is an incredible experience. It is simply one of the most amazing things that can be done in Thailand. The elephants helped build ancient Thailand and they are respected and revered.
White water rafting is another popular activity, as is rock climbing. You can rent all the gear you will need for both activities fairly cheaply if you just ask around. There is a rock climbing wall downtown that you can practice at. It is also in the middle of many gay beer bars. If you are into people watching, watching the climbers ascend the wall while sipping on a beer is very relaxing.
Thailand is becoming known for its amazing gold courses. There are many tours planned that bring US and European citizens to Thailand for a week or two of playing golf at some of the most amazing courses in the world.
For those of you who like to explore on your own, local guides will be happy to prepare trekking maps that will explain how to walk into and through many of the tiny villages that dot the mountains around the city.
For more information on this great place, take a look at http://thailandvisa.com!
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pFor all the information you need to know about Thailand Visa and Immigration issues and about living and working in Thailand, go to a target=_new href=http://www.thailandvisa.com rel=nofollowhttp://www.thailandvisa.com/a The Thailand Visa website is a free resource for expats living in Thailand and for travelers who want to visit the country. Michael A. Allen lives abroad and loves travel and adventure./pbr
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Thailand Visa
July 17, 2009 by Pattaya Girls
Filed under Thailand Travel Guide
The Types of Thai Visa
In this article, we have chosen the outstanding Thai Visas that foreigners take an interest particularly.
1. One Year Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Visa
This one year visa will allow you to stay 90 days for each entry, with in the One Year Period. If you would like to stay in Thailand for longer than 90 days then you will only have to do go cross the border or leave Thailand and come back to renew your 90 days Visa. It is not difficult to extend your stay, you just cross the border and when the Immigration officer proves your visa in your passport. They will automatically stamp a visa in the passport. That means your visa has been already extended. You may travel in Thailand’s neighbouring countries or you can immediately back to Thailand.
With this One Year Non-Immigrant Visa from oversea, you will be able to obtain a work permit and apply for the Business Visa in Thailand or if you are qualify; you can also convert this to a Retirement or Marriage Visa while you are in Thailand, which will give you a One Year uninterrupted stay in Thailand.
In addition, if you utilize your visa the last time just before it expire, you will get an extra 3 months, so the total validity of this one year visa will be nearly 15 months.
2. Business Visa
All aliens who intend to work/conduct business in Thailand, they are required to provide the following documents from companies, affiliates or institutes in Thailand:
2.1 Original Invitation Letter from companies where you will participate in them
2.2 Business registration
2.3 List of shareholders
2.4 Company profile
2.5 Details of business operation
2.6 Map of the company
2.7 List of alien employees
2.8 Balance sheet, statement of Income Tax (Por Ngor Dor 50) and Business Tax (Por Ngor Dor 30) for the latest year
3. Retirement Visa
To apply for a Retirement Visa in Thailand, you must be able to show your financial evidence between :
3.1 THAILAND BANK ACCOUNT SHOWING THB 800,000 (must be able to show the evidence of transfer the money to your Thai Bank account and this sum of money must be depositted in your bank account at least 3 months) OR
3.2 PENSION/MONTHLY INCOME OF AT LEAST THB 65,000 (must present a letter from your embassy to prove the pension and the letter from the government or social security) Both of documents must be certified by your embassy in Bangkok as well.
In case you do not have the pension, I would recommend you to open a Thai Bank Account as soon as possible because as I suggested you, your money of at least 800,000 Bahts or more must be depositted in your Thai Bank Account for 90 days before applying for a Retirement Visa. Then you have to ask your Thai bank to issue the certified letter and also need to show the evidence of transfer your money from your side when you submit the visa application at the immigration office.
For the processing procedures of a Retirement Visa, we will first help you to receive a 90 Days Non Immigrant O Visa, we will send your our questionnaire email for the visa application. Then you have to respond us your personal information for us completed in the application form. The next step, we will send you back our prepared documents and you have to print them out, sign your name in our prepared application form and other documents before mailing your passport and documents to the Thai Consulate in your country as we instruct. You can receive a visa stamped on your passport within a week once the Thai Consulate received your visa application’s documents. When you arrived in Thailand with a 90 Days visa, we will accompany you to your embassy in Bangkok for getting the pension certified letter. Once you got the certified letter, you just have to wait until your 90 days has remained at least 3-4 weeks before it expires. The final step, we will go together with you at the Immigration Office along with your financial evidence for extending from a 90 Days Non Immigrant O Visa to a One Year Retirement Visa.
4. Marriage Visa
To apply for a Marriage Visa, you need to show your financial evidence as the monthly income of at least 40,000 Bahts. This income can be shown as a “combined income” and also able to include both the husband’s and wife’s income.
Requirements:
- Married to Thai Citizen, must provide a marriage certificate
- 40,000 Baht per month income.
For the financial evidence, you can choose the most appropriate evidence from the following options:
Option 4.1 In the case of working inside Thailand: You must provide your work permit and taxation records.
Option 4.2 In the case of Working outside Thailand: You must provide a certified income statement from your embassy. You may also be requested to provide a letter from your employer, or other documents to support the proof of income such as: your bank statements.
Option 4.3 In the case of Spouse’s income: Spouse must provide his/her taxation records.
For the processing procedures of a Marriage Visa, it is similar to a Retirement Visa. We will help you to receive a 90 Days Non Immigrant O Visa from your country before converting to a Marriage Visa when you arrived in Thailand.
5. Education Visa
To apply for an Education Visa, you must provide the original acceptance/invitation letter from the schools, universities or institutes in Kingdom of Thailand specifying the name of applicant, passport number, latest educational background and duration of the course. The applicant should also provide the schools/universities or institutes’s registration notarized by authorized director.
As in above-mentioned informations, I hope that you would have the appropriate visa in your mind. Nevertheless, if you are looking for other types of Thailand Visa or you are interested in using our service, please contact the Siamese Visa (Thailand) through our following contacting details:
Akkamon Hukherm (Senior Legal Consultant)
Siamese Visa (Thailand), 37/39 Ladpraw-Wanghin Road Soi 65, Ladpraw, Bangkok 10230, Thailand, Telephone:66-2538-1467, Mobile Phone:66-89126-6547 (24 hours), Email Address: contact@siamese-visa.com or visa_section@siamese-visa.com, Website: http://www.siamese-visa.com
Akkamon Hukherm (Senior Legal Consultant)
37/39 Ladpraw-Wanghin Road Soi 65, Ladpraw, Bangkok 10230, Thailand,
Telephone: 66-2538-1467,
Fax: 66-2538-1467,
Mobile Phone: 66-89126-6547 (24 hours),
Email Address: contact@siamese-visa.com or visa_section@siamese-visa.com,
Website: www.siamese-visa.com