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On-nut [Soi]. [See entry for "Soi Onnut" below.]

Onnuj [Soi]. [See entry for "Soi Onnut" below.]

Onnut [Soi]. [See entry for "Soi Onnut" below.]

Order of the White Elephant: This is a royal award given for noteworthy civic works; even foreigners have received this award. It is a very high award, and recipients are esteemed.

Orphans: There are, sadly, a good many orphans (and abandoned children) in Thailand. Many people anxious to adopt a child come here, but the government makes it very, very difficult to do so – and we believe the barriers are reasonable, as they are designed to protect the unfortunate children. If you are interested in adopting a Thai child, we suggest you contact the nearest Thai embassy or consulate as a start, and with your country’s foreign affairs ministry. You also are sure to need a lawyer; perhaps the best way to approach this is to have a law firm in your country with ties to law firms in Thailand to help you. Be aware the process is lengthy, expensive, and often frustrating. According to what we’ve heard, the process is not susceptible to "tea money" – bribes – unlike other activities.

Overstay of Visa: Westerners who overstay for relatively short periods of time, even as long as several weeks, face surprisingly little difficulty, if this is their only offense. There is a fine of 200 baht for each day one overstays, payable at the point from which departs. In the case of Don Muang Airport in Bangkok, people who have overstayed just 1 day  used do have to deal with Immigration authorities, but pay no fine – but the situation changed in late 2003 and now one is fined right from the first day. DO be aware that reportedly 90 days is the magic number – exceed that, and even Westerners may have serious trouble. However, it is a somewhat different story for citizens of "Third World" countries, particularly those near Thailand and known to be sources of illegal laborers in Thailand. Scarce a month goes by without a story in the media about yet another round-up of such workers, invariably either entirely without visas (a serious offence under Thai law) or here on just tourist visas – which does not entitle one to work – or expired visas.

Even Westerners need to try to keep their visas in order, however. If one is involved in the slightest incident that draws police attention and has overstayed, then h