TBKK

I have a Garmin Nuvi that I have been using in Thailand for several years. Every year I get my Thailand ESRI map updated to the most recent map at a shop at Tukcom for 500 baht. This year the shop had closed before I couid purchase my update. Does anyone know of a shop in Bangkok or Pattaya that would be able to download the latest Thailand map to my Garmin GPS ?   

3 hours ago, dentonian said:

 

I think your still misunderstanding how the O-A Visa works.

 

You currently have an O-A Visa issued October 2016.

It has an enter before date of ?? October 2017.

During the period Oct 2016 - Oct 2017 you can exit and re-entry Thailand as many times as you want because the Visa is multi entry.

On each re-entry you are given another 1 year permission to stay.

 

If you exit and re-enter Thailand just before the 'enter before' date on the Visa (?? Oct 2017) you will be given another 1 year permission to stay until ?? Oct 2018.

Although the Visa and it's multi entry facility expires on the 'enter before' date (?? Oct 2017) your permission to stay remain valid until Oct 2018.

If you want to exit and re-enter Thailand during the period Oct 2017 - Oct 2018, you can purchase a re-entry permit from Immigration which keeps your permission to stay valid (single entry 1,000 baht, multiple entry 3,800 baht).

 

You then don't need to obtain another O-A Visa until Oct 2018.

You are correct and I do understand how the O - A visa works. 

In my case, I just returned from a trip and I have permission to stay until March 15, 2018.

I plan on leaving Thailand at the end of April and not returning until November 2017 which will be after my current O - A visa expires.

I have two options, obtain a new visa before I leave the States in November or buy a re-entry permit before I leave in April and apply for a one year extension of my current visa before March 15, 2018 in Thialand.

I would prefer to obtain a new O - A visa before I leave in the States because I don't like dealing with Thai immigration in Thailand.

OK............I understand. 

Will have to ask the Thai Consulate in Chicago if I can apply for a new visa before my existing one expires. 

Didn't realize that it depends on which foreign consulate that you are dealing with.

35 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You don't have to wait until your current extension of stay (it is not a visa) ends. You no longer have a valid extension as soon as you leave the country.

It would be best not to have a re-entry permit to avoid problems when entering the country with the OA visa.

ubonjoe,

I think you misunderstood my question.

I currently have a O - A visa that expires in October of 2017.

My question is whether I have to wait until my visa expires in October 2017 to apply and obtain a new one or will I be able to apply and obtain a new type O - A visa before my existing one expires.

Last year I had an extension of my existing O - A visa that expired in Feb of 2017 and I decided to obtain a new type O - A visa in the States in October 2016.

When I came back to Thailand in November of 2016, I had a new type O - A visa and also a vailid extension of my old visa. The immigration officer looked confused and he had to ask his collegue for assistance. They finally asked me which one I wanted to use and I told him I want to use my new O - A vias and not the extension of my old visa.

I guess that probably haven't encountered that situation too often! 

I have one follow up question regarding this post.

I've decided to obtain a new O - A visa every year in the States instead of obtaining a one year extension of my existing visa in Thailand .

I've decided that this is easier for me instead of dealing with Thai immigration every year for the past 13 years.

Does anyone know if you are allowed to obtain a new O - A visa in the States before one's existing visa expires or do you have to wait for your existing visa to expire before you obtain a new O - A visa?

20 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

For me there is only one place, Rutnin Eye Hospital on Soi Asoke in Bangkok. I had both eyes done there, about a month apart, around $800 per eye, performed by an american trained and qualified surgeon who was sharp as a whip. I find the original post highly unlikely, and possibly for Lasik and not an intra-occular- lens-transplant. The results  in my case were immediate (ie next morning) and far exceeded my wildest expectations, being better than 20/20. I tend to research the hell out of anything like this before diving into the operating room, and the 2 top hospitals both said that if one is more concerned with perfect clarity and sharpness of vision then the fixed focal length lens is the way to go, and 10 years later I heartily agree. They both said that the variable focus lens, though more convenient for some, gave a bit of a compromise regarding visual accuity.  

Can you give me the name of the American trained surgeon that performed your operation? I am like you in the sense that I do extensive research also.

You only have one set of eyes!

I went to the website of Rutnin Eye Hospital and there are many surgeons.

How did you happen to chose this particular doctor?

2 hours ago, xylophone said:

 

Below is what I wrote in 2012 when looking around and to poss change from Bupa........you may want to do your own research, but look deep and extensively.

 

I have been searching for an alternative to my current Bupa policy, as outlined in another post of mine and I have looked IMG as a possible alternative because the price was very reasonable.

I did some research on the Internet about IMG and the feedback was not very promising with one particular trend evident throughout the complaints………the non-payment of claims on the basis that they were "pre-existing conditions", however when some complainants had stated the circumstances of the claim, most of them could never be construed as "pre-existing".

One actually suggested that because the company was registered in Indiana, USA, and the company states in its policy that any liabilities/claims against the company will be handled by the legal system in Indiana, then there is not a lot that one can do to try and overturn what is seen to be an incorrect policy decision by the company, i. e. once the company has made its decision you are pretty well helpless to challenge it.

One or two posts regarding poor service I could handle, but the more I searched the more I found so that did not give me any confidence.

Thanks for the info.

Will have to look at IMG with more caution! 

On 11/26/2016 at 3:07 AM, Sheryl said:

My current company is BUPA Thailand (Platinum Plan) but I am looking to change as they do not meet criteria #2 and 3. I want to switch to a policy which does while I am still healthy, one I can expect to stay with for life.

 

Still searching, just emailed a broker to help me. My "short list" was (in no particular order)

• Cigna Global
• A+ (SEA plan)
• Globaility
• William Russell
• April

 

Though the last one looks iffy as it seems, if I read correctly, that they require a second opinion by a doctor of their choosing. If so, that is out as I am not going to give an insurance company veto power over my health care, which is what that would amount to. But I may have misunderstood that provision.

 

It is also possible I have overlooked some, this is just what I have unearthed so far that looks possible.

 

 

I have also been shopping for an international health insurance plan.

You might want to look at IMG Global and Geo Blue (Blue Cross Blue Shield Network).

My short list is:

* IMG Global

* Cigna Global

* Allianz

* Geo Blue 

After working for over 30 years and earning health care under my pension, it appears that I will be losing my health care benefits at the end of this year. The pension fund has filed a lawsuit based on the fact that health care befefits are part of retirement benefits and earned retirements benefits can not be diminished  or impaired. I an not optimistic that the pension find will win this lawsuit. Bottom line, since I am 62 and not eligible for Medicare, I will be forced to purchase private health care in the market place. I looked at Obama Care and it is a disaster with high premiums and a high out of pocket expense. I am looking for an international health care program that will cover me in Thailand and in the U.S.. I would be interested if anyone has come across a private health care plan that they consider reasonable and good value for their money.

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You would get stamped in until April 15, 2018 unless you asked the immigration officer not to use your re-entry permit and get a 30 day visa exempt entry instead. If you did that though you would not be able to apply for a one year extension until you got a non-o visa.

Ok, understand...........thanks.

I acquired my first retirement visa in 2004 and you have more knowledge of Thai Immigration policy than anyone that I have come across. 

Very helpful information.

21 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You have it correct but my suggestion would be to do a border hop shortly before your trip to get a new one year entry and then get a re-entry permit for that one year entry.

You could get a new new visa after October 4th of 2017without a problem. Before that date they might not issue a new one unless the were willing to cancel your still valid visa.

I have one final question that came to mind.

If I did a border hop in April of 2017 and extended my permission to stay until April 15, 2018, and I left Thailand on April 1, 2018 and returned on April 10, 2018, would my permission to stay remain at April 15, 2018 or would I get a 30 day extension upon entry would would push my permission to stay from April 15, 2018 to May 10, 2018?

24 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You have it correct but my suggestion would be to do a border hop shortly before your trip to get a new one year entry and then get a re-entry permit for that one year entry.

You could get a new new visa after October 4th of 2017 without a problem. Before that date they might not issue a new one unless the were willing to cancel your still valid visa.

Good idea........if I take a trip to get away from Songkran for about a week in early April, I can extend my permission to stay until April 2018.

Got it..........thanks for information. 

On 11/16/2016 at 4:09 AM, ubonjoe said:

You will be extending your permission to stay not your visa so its expiration date means nothing more than the last day you can enter the country for a new one year entry.

It is possible to get almost 2 years of total stay form your visa before you need to apply for the extension. After your visas enter before date you will need a re-entry permit to keep the last one year permission to stay valid it you want to travel.

So if I curretly have a ME - OA visa that expires on Oct  4 2017, and I currently have permission to stay until Nov. 7, 2017, best thing to do if I leave on April 30, 2017 and want to return on Nov. 1, 2017 would be to purchase a re-entry permit before I leave Thailand and then apply for a one year extension to stay before Nov 7, 2017 in Thailand.  

The other option would be to apply for a new ME - OA retirement visa when I get back to the States after April 30.

Does my understanding of this situation seem correct?

On 11/10/2016 at 2:06 AM, ubonjoe said:

If you have a multiple entry non-o visa you can apply for an extension during the last 30 days of any of the 90 day entries from the visa.

I have a related question, I have a ME O - A retirement visa, if I have permission to stay after expiration date of oringinal visa, can I apply for extension of my visa in Thailand before permission to stay expiration date or must I apply for extension before the expiration of my original visa?

On 10/29/2016 at 1:03 AM, Evilbaz said:

The last one year permission to stay, in the last couple of days before the "enter before date" expiry of the Visa then gives you a further year to stay, but does not come with a free re-entry permit like the first year.

You have to buy a single or mutiple re-entry permit from your Local Immi office, if you wish to leave the Kingdom and keep the second year "permission to stay" alive, or it will be lost on leaving.

 

OK.........now I understand.

My ME O - A retirement visa will give me multilply entry for one year from date of issue.

If I have permission to stay after expiration date of origingal visa, then I have to buy re-entry permit.

Thanks.

One further question, does anyone know how long the health certificate is valid when applying for a ME O - A visa.

One of the people at the Thai Consulte told me one month, but other people have told me 3 months and 6 months.

It doesn't give this information on the website of the Thail Consulate.

In other words, if I obtain a health certificate notorized on April 1 2017, do I have to apply for new ME O - A visa before May 1, 2017 ( 1 month), July 1, 2017 ( 3 months) or Oct. 1, 2017 ( 6 months)?     

15 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Your question is about O-A visa or muli re-entry permit?  Not the same thing.

1.  Multi entry O-A visa issued by Consulat 2 May 2016 with validity to 1 May 2017 would be a new one year permitted to stay on any entry between those dates - so if enter 1 May 2017 would be permitted to stay until end of April 2018.

2.  Multi re-entry permit keep current permitted to stay until date alive for any entry up to that date.  So if now permitted to stay until May 1 2017 each entry would get that as your permitted to stay until date.

My question is about multiple entry O - A retirement visa.

I believe what you are saying is that if I have a multiple entry O - A retirement visa issued 2 May 2016 with validity to 1 May 2017, the re-entry permit issued with the visa is valid until 1 May 2017 and I would have to buy a new re-entry permit after 1 May 2017.

In other words, if I was permitted to stay until the end of April 2008, the expiration date of the re-entry permit issued with my original would not change.

Is that correct?

I would like to clarify an issue with the rules for a O - A retirement visa multiple entry.

I understand that you get a new year every time you enter the country  the first year of your retirement visa but I am not sure if the multipe entry permit expires on the date of my origingal retirement visa or the or the date of my visa extension every time I enter the country. 

Bought my Michelin City Pro's at Maxxis also and they are 10mm wider and 10mm lower profile than previous tires.

Price for both was 2200 BAHT.

They told me that they didn't have Pirellis or Dunlops in stock but he said that the City Pro is Michelin's latest model and he has sold quite a lot of them for Yamaha Nouvo.

Noticed a big difference in how the bike handles...........seems to have much better traction on the road.

Very happy with these tires.

OK.......will upgrade to Michelin City Pro.

Thanks for info.

I would like to change the tires on my Nouvo 135 and upgrade to a superior brand.

I currently have IRC tires on the bike now and I would like to upgrade to Michelin, Dunlop, or Pirelli.

I have discovered that these name brands do not provide the original size tires that the Yamaha recommends for this bike.

The recommended tire sizes for this bike are:

Front: 70/90 - 16 M/C

Rear: 80/90 - 16 M/C

The dealer told me that if I wanted to put a Michelin City Pro tire on the bike I would have to change the recommended size to:

Front: 80/80 - 16 M/C

Rear: 90/80 - 16 M/C

I did a little research on the internet and I found out that the so called "experts" recommend not changing the size of the original tires that were that were specified for the bike. The reason being that the engineers from Yamaha have done extensive research on the best tire size for the bike and the bike is designed to ride best by using the recommended tire size.

I would like to go with a better quality brand tire instead of the IRC but I not sure if I should listen to the experts or go ahead and change the original tire size which is recommended by the Yamaha for this bike.

In addition, if I do decide to change the tire size, would Michelin City Pro be about the best quality tire I could put on the bike.

If anyone has any extensive knowledge of this issue, I would appreciate your input.

Thanks for the info..........I think that I'll hold off for a while and wait for windows 10 to hit the market.

If windows 10 turns out to be the improved operating system that Microsoft wants you to believe, than I will go with it.

If not, than I'll opt for windows 8.

Good to know that I can use both the touch screen and the touch pad with windows 8.

I thought that I would have the option to use one or the other.

If buying a windows 8 laptop with a touch screen also gives me the option to use the touch pad, then there would be no reason not to buy the touch screen model and have the option of using one or the other.

Did you have any problems getting used to the touch screen using windows 8?

Dell gives me the option of ordering windows 8 with a touch screen or touch pad.

Since I've been using a touch pad with my laptops for the past 10 years, I think that I will continue to use a touch pad.

It seems like it would be easier to use a touch pad instead of a touch screen.

I am in the process of buying a new laptop, probably will get a slim notebook type, and I am not sure if I should get windows 8 or windows 7 on my new laptop.

I currently have windows 7 and I am happy with it. Also, if I get windows 8, I will have to make a decision if I should get a touchscreen or a touch pad with the windows 8 operating system.

I am comfortable with the touch pad on my current laptop and it seems that using a touchscreen would be awkward, bit I never have used a touchscreen with a laptop so I'm not certain.

I have no experience using window 8 so I would appreciate some input regarding this matter.