Hal65

I saw the Laos METV pinned thread and it looks like that option is mostly closed. Are there any others left? If not, how many times can one apply for a single entry tourist visa in succession? My passport has only a (soon to expire) ED visa in it.

Dolphin into beach road has always felt overbuilt to me. On the other hand, 2nd road into dolphin has slowed down a lot just due to 1 lane of construction.

2nd road around Central Marina doesn't seem like much of a drag.

Pattaya Nua near dolphin, now there is a place that may have a day and night change.

The thread above said both 1) The 2 visa rule applies only to the same border crossing and 2) It does not (or air crossings do not apply).

Thread is 7 months old though. Anyone have an update on which it is?

My situation is: blank passport other than expired ED visa, going back to tourist visas and border runs for a while but unsure how to maximize them. Located in Pattaya BTW

I know of a bike shop on Sukhumvit going towards Jomtien. There are 2 on Theraprasit. And there is one in Jomtien around the center.

I've been riding around looking for a bicycle shop in Pattaya itself, west side, but haven't found anything. Anyone know of a shop nearby? I'm specifically talking about pedal bikes and not motorbikes.

A major mall being built in any city is a big deal. Let's be honest, life isn't a wild movie with dinosaur attacks and aliens invading. 

Have a 9 hour ride coming up. From what I've read (and remember) any work done on a laptop is impossible. What do you guys do? I think I'll load up a few audiobooks and buy a battery pack for the phone.

You may actually be right since my mental view of CF is from the front or back, but T21, you see the whole side of it in passing. 

Who is the Korat location catering to? I didn't realize Korat was a good opportunity for a more high end mall (by Thai standards)

It's a huge mall, I'd say 50% bigger than Central Festival, maybe more. Outside there is also a fake airplane parked on the "tarmac" about 70% completed. Also those airport style boarding walkways leading from ground to the 2nd level. I think it may be bigger in terms of land footprint than the BKK location which is quite space constrained (memory is rusty, haven't been there in years)

3 hours ago, darrendsd said:

OP you are asking a lot of questions here on the forum about things are basically illegal

Your post in general is well received but the quoted sentence is a stretch. This forum is about visas in Thailand and my other 2 recent posts were both about visa runs, a common forum topic.

This particular topic appears to cross the line as drawn these days, but to project and then say I'm knee deep in illegal territory based on one question is excessive.

Reading trip reports it seems you do not even talk to immigration on these runs. So essentially the passport is needed and the person's body is a formality.

Do any services allow skipping the 9-10 hour trip if you pay extra? I would like to hand off and pick up the passport

Are outlets available, for free or for a price, for charging at Thai airports? Or is it a case of "bring your own charging pack" if you need extra electricity?

The 3 I am most interested in are: Don Mueng, Udon Thani, and Utapao (Pattaya)

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Other than the Poipet/Aranyaprathet crossing, you can use your new passport for TR Visas for 1 to 2 more years. 

Ok, that doesn't seem too bad other than the hassles. Poipet is the closest to me though (I'm in Pattaya) do they regularly deny the tourist visa? I went to them about 3 years ago, they wanted a 100 baht bribe at the time.

34 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

Go out via a land border 

 

Get 30 days in Thailand

 

Get your new Passport

 

Get your 30 day stamp transferred into your new PP at Immigration within Thailand 

 

Apply for your new ED visa

 

Yes, this would have been the right order. I didn't realize my school owner didn't know the proper order until I asked him about the stamp transfer issue.

It is too late now. Unless I want to get yet another new passport. I already have the new one.

Maybe I need to re-look into how long I can do tourist visa runs back to back on a passport with nothing but an expired ED visa. I haven't done those in years.

Anyone know if there are minibuses waiting at Utapao to take passengers back to pattaya? I normally pay in the 200 to 250 range when that option is available, otherwise it's 700 to 1000 for a private taxi.

My ED Visa school told me to get a new passport so they could restart my ED Visas, but the issue is that doing a land border run with a fresh passport and no transferred stamp isn't an option. The school says they can not get me another ED visa if the stamp is transferred, so this option is off the table.

A visa run company told me my best option is to go to Laos by plane. At the airport the officer will either stamp a cancellation on the old passport (which has 2 holes punched) or they will stamp the new one with a note saying 'visa is in the old passport.' Both of these options would be fine for me and my school as the visa would not be transfered to the new passport.

Has anyone gone through this process via air travel at BKK airport? Does the stamping process happen as explained? 

20 hours ago, Pogust said:

This often happen with worn thai outlets. The quality of the parts are so bad that the flexible parts inside gets loose and don't have enough contact area to the plug you put in. You get a light-arc that melts the plastic contacts. Try taking the cover off the outlet and adjust the metal parts, or better change the whole thing.

Good to know. I may spend the extra money and import a power strip from Aliexpress (says something when you look to China for quality)

Bought a 1300w air fryer off Lazada and in 3 weeks it's melted the adapter it came with (last week) and a power strip fuse just blew (right now). 

Here's the model: https://www.lazada.co.th/products/electric-intelligent-air-fryer-40-1300w-i100138908-s100165038.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.3.34c53a51SMJ5KF&search=1

Doesn't say but I assume it's 220-230v. 

WIll a surge protector possibly help or is my apartment just not up to the task of powering this thing without blowing more fuses? 

PS: The plug has angled prongs like so, and needs some sort of adapter: 

PPS Google translate is a bit rough but looks like the Thais are having powder/heat/electrical issues with this unit too.

Ya who knows what I decide in 10 years, I guess I'll keep renewing. I have 5-6 months left on my current one.

Is there any reason to have a Thai license if you never drive?

I've been here 4 years now and am thinking of letting my 2 year license expire. I have not driven or motorbiked once in Thailand (I live centrally, have a bicycle and rent a ride on rare occasions).

My USA license is expired. I of course have a valid US passport.

Hmm, school told me not to transfer the current stamp to the new passport. I will ask him about the letter he plans to give me to handle this.

Is there any concern with doing a quick exit / reentry from Nongkai into Vientiane and back? I will be exiting with an old passport and letter from my school, and coming back in with a new passport and 30 day tourist stamp.

Anyone know a good local place? I need this for a home water fizzer / soda maker

Any locations in Thailand have them for online order?

Oculus.com doesn't list Thailand as a destination, I guess that's typical.