boshidoson

I just returned to BKK after 10 days in CM. Police presence very strong in and outside of Moat area. Reminded me of the bad old days in BKK a few years ago. Up to a dozen officers set at random locations stopping every motorcycle, regardless. I was stopped 4 times in an hour's time one day. I had my Thai Licence, Helmet and registration so after questioning I was let go. Another time got nicked for 500 baht for not stopping in front of the white line at a red light? Did not see anyone giving urine tests. Plenty of tickets being written.

I had something similar. A mistake was made at BKK on my re-entry one time, and even though I had a retirement extension with re entry permit the officer stamped me in on a 30 day visa exempt. Because of the mistake I could not get my extension at year end. I was told I had to do the process over by leaving the country and get a 15 day visa exempt. I then had to go back to CW to get a 90 day O and then come back for a 1 year extension based on retirement.

In order to do that I had to sign an affidavit at CW saying I was requested my Re Entry permit be cancelled. Then they stamped something in Thai across it and wrote in English that I requested it be canceled. I went to Cambodia in a Visa run van to leave Thailand and re-enter on a 15 day visa exempt. The officers were confused because I had a valid Visa, but let me leave and come back and gave me the 15 day I needed.

When I travel there I pick up a sim card from the local T Mobile Store and a 1 month unlimited plan for phone and data. It is quite reasonable.

I was walking along Sukumvit at 8:00 pm last night on my way home. As I crossed soi 32 there were 2 policemen with a police bike waiting there. I saw them turn into the soi ahead of me as I was walking. I was pulled into the soi and questioned by by the one cop as the other looked on. I had my Thai license in my pocket but was not asked for ID. I have no idea what is happening here or what they wanted, but it is not good. It is menacing and truly feels like a police state. We went through this before the coup with the Thonglor Station. It hit the press and it stopped. There was a PR campaign with posters and smiles. They are back at it, No one is safe here...from the police.

Mr Suthep has lost the plot. If he is allowed to seize power, he says he will seize Yingluck's assets and exile her, maybe? Who is next on his enemy list ? His dislike for farangs is well known. The hi-so's who are backing him now? What happens when they try to reign him in ? He has no regard for the rule of law. He will turn on them in a heartbeat. If this government has broken laws are there no instruments available through the courts? He was a part of the government. Has he raised the issue in Parliament ? What are the specific charges ? Suthep and Thaksin are two sides of the same coin. Both are corrupt to the core megalomaniacs.

Suthep is under indictment for murder, yet he does not see fit to appear as he is busy. Just like the red shirts did in 2010, he flaunts lawlessness. The yellows did it in 2006, the reds in 2010 and now the yellows again in 2013. Each time it is OK because the other group did it before. Where is the logic in this thinking? When does this insane thinking end and how ? This time it is different. Suthep speaks of reform. What are the reforms? Picking your own "Peoples Committees" cannot be taken seriously as reforms. Once Suthep has seized power there is only one way he will ever give it back. That is not a pretty picture. If allowed Suthep will destroy the the very thing he professes to love, Thailand. He will seize power with the help of a lot of innocent people who will learn only when it is too late what his true intentions are.

There is a real opportunity at this moment for Thailand to rid themselves of the Thaksins and Sutheps. It may not happen again for a long time. The corruption here like many country is systemic. It did not happen overnight and will not be fixed overnight. One thing is for certain. There is not one case in History where a dictator seized power, routed out corruption and returned power to the people. Suthep's friends will do well and everyone else will suffer, and like Thaksin, Suthep will make the rules and enforce them.

This is great advice. In July I went to get an extension on my retirement visa, my fourth. I had taken a trip 2 months into the extension. On each of the other extensions I got, the re-entry permit was stamped on the same page as the extension. That third time it was put on another page and when I asked about it the officer said it would not fit. So I took the trip came back to BKK and forgot about it. Went to CW every 90 days as required, no problems. At renewal time I could tell there was a problem by the look on the officers face. When I came back from the trip I was stamped in with a 30 day stamp. No big deal I thought, a simple mistake. Well, it turned out to be a big deal. They started talking about fines for 10 months overstay and on and on. They knew what the mistake was and who made it but they would not just change the date on the 30 day stamp to coincide with my extension date. To fix it I had to start the whole visa/extension process over. I had to void my re-entry permit which was good for another month, but if I left on that the problem of the 30 day stamp would still exist. I Took the bus to Cambodia for a visa run where the officers there were very confused as to what was going on. I told them I just needed a 15 day stamp. I got that and went back to CW the next day. I got my visa and extension on the same day which was great. The officers were very nice, but if I have learned anything here is that there is no wiggle room when it comes to immigration. It was an expensive lesson and a pain, but I learned one thing. Whenever I come back I will always check the entry stamp and put the re-entry number on the TM card. At least I got some benefit though as I will not have to extend for 15 months.

The questions asked Khun Netiwit seem aggressive, putting him on the defensive. The fact that he has an opinion and is willing to speak his truth is the problem according to the powers that be. Speaking ones mind is not encouraged but discouraged. Students like this are branded troublemakers and pay a price for speaking out. The education system prefers sheeple, not critical thinkers. Teachers that encourage critical thinking are also deemed a problem, unfortunately.

Stay away from this airline at all cost. I was booked on flights 2 weeks ahead of time to Manila and Leyete. The night before the flight I got an email saying my bank had declined the charges. In spite of having a bank statement showing payment, they refused to let me board without paying cash. So much for the trip. While the bank has reinbursed me the $450.00 they still are fighting for the money. Apparently this is not the first time they have done this. In the beginning of June they had an incident at Davao where they ran off the runway. It was 15 minutes before the crew began evacuating the plane. Look them up on the internet before booking with them.

My experience has been that sending money out of the country on a retirement visa is a big problem. My bank ( Bangkok Bank) would not allow me to wire money to the US. They said a work permit was needed. I would have had to withdraw the money and send it by Western Union. A very expensive option for me.

Just returned from Chaing Wattanna for 1 year extension of retirement visa. Submitted income affidavit from US embassy. A quick glance and officer said I needed a letter to verify income. I had read this thread so I had my bank book with me. I had over 800,000 THB in account so after checking the age of the money she made copies and excepted it. She still converted the dollars to baht stated on affidavit. I went early for extension as I am going to US in a few weeks and will not return before visa expires. I have to return 2 days before departure to get passport stamped and re-entry permit

A quick question. If you had the 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account for the required length of time, then why bother with the embassy affidavit?

The affidavit worked last time. I did not want to give them the bank book unless I had too. Bad precedent for next time I think. Keeping that much money here is not very smart as you are very limited what you can do with it, ie. investments even earning a pittence of interest. I try to take everything that they they could possibly ask for. I have never had a time when they asked for something that I did not have to ultimately provide it. It saves me trips out there. As it turns out I have to go back anyway.

The logic escapes me! You need to make an unnecessary trip to the US Embassy and pay 50 USD for your income affidavit plus you need living expenses in Thailand anyway, or are you one of those fellows that live off the ATM and claim zero cost for using the machine.

The logic escapes you as does your rudeness escape me!

Just returned from Chaing Wattanna for 1 year extension of retirement visa. Submitted income affidavit from US embassy. A quick glance and officer said I needed a letter to verify income. I had read this thread so I had my bank book with me. I had over 800,000 THB in account so after checking the age of the money she made copies and excepted it. She still converted the dollars to baht stated on affidavit. I went early for extension as I am going to US in a few weeks and will not return before visa expires. I have to return 2 days before departure to get passport stamped and re-entry permit

A quick question. If you had the 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account for the required length of time, then why bother with the embassy affidavit?

The affidavit worked last time. I did not want to give them the bank book unless I had too. Bad precedent for next time I think. Keeping that much money here is not very smart as you are very limited what you can do with it, ie. investments even earning a pittence of interest. I try to take everything that they they could possibly ask for. I have never had a time when they asked for something that I did not have to ultimately provide it. It saves me trips out there. As it turns out I have to go back anyway.

Just returned from Chaing Wattanna for 1 year extension of retirement visa. Submitted income affidavit from US embassy. A quick glance and officer said I needed a letter to verify income. I had read this thread so I had my bank book with me. I had over 800,000 THB in account so after checking the age of the money she made copies and excepted it. She still converted the dollars to baht stated on affidavit. I went early for extension as I am going to US in a few weeks and will not return before visa expires. I have to return 2 days before departure to get passport stamped and re-entry permit

The reason so many people responded to this is because it is not beyond the realm of possibilities. Highly believable actually. That is the ugly truth in the land of smiles.