Mrjustice

Two Questions: 1. You seem to be suggesting to take the Casino Vans for Free to save money; but then you say "the ones going to Paradise and King Roman will take you to Golden Triangle and you will NOT have your visa extended there"???

Are there other Vans that will take you for free to a place where you CAN get your Visa extended -- if so, which Vans or to which Casinos???

2. What is the cost of a Roundtrip (return) bus tickets from CNX to Masai? (And, do you now schedule)?

I'm a cuddly and cute Panda fron north thailand, not a hostile Grizzly from north america.

Just came by to offer some infos as I am from CR, I'm not from China, thus, I'd like all to know the Green Bus from cnx to chiangrai stops at the new chiangrai terminal for passengers to alight but passengers who prefers to alight in the old chiangrai terminal at night bazaar just have to stay put and the bus will drive you directly to the old terminal for FREE, and it all helps if we could listen and understand a little thai announcement by the petite green bus host/hostess. This is for CNX to CRI by Green bus.

For those heading for Maesai will have to tell the ticketing booth lady clearly that you want a ticket for CNX to Maesai, tell her Maesai and not Chiangrai. Now the bus will halt at the Maesai terminal and the red songteaw drivers will greet you but just ignore them if you want to heed my advise and just walk up to the main road and approach any of the silver gray toyota vans and ask what time is the next trip to the casinos, namely Allure or Regina. Please note the ones going to Paradise and King Romans will take you to the Golden Triangle and you will not have your visa extended there.

If all these is too complicated and confusing then I apologise for my command of the language is not as good as I thought I'd be. After reading all these posts and suggestions, you just close your eyes for a moment, take a few deep breathes and let your inner self show you the way, then just follow your heart.

True; but then you are paying 1900Baht extra for each 30-day extension.

OR, you can also just get 120days out of your double-entry Tourist Visa for FREE.

Respectfully, I believe all of the prior Postings regarding extension of the 60-day Tourist Visa are WRONG, when suggesting paying for the 30-day extension at 1900Baht, for a max. of 90-days. IN FACT, if you have the typical double-entry 60-day Tourist Visa (currently free/no cost), if you do a 'Border Run' anytime prior to expiration (i.e. on 59th day), and then re-enter, you get another 60day entry stamp (free); THEN, at the end of that if you choose you can pay the 1900Baht for the additional 30-day extension, for a total of 150days on your original Tourist Visa!! (i.e. It works just like a multiple entry 1yr Visa, that can actually be extended to 2yrs, by doing a border crossing just prior to expiration, as has been noted by several prior articles).

Where is the wrong advice? You can extend any Tourist Visa entry by 30 days, one just needs to make the second entry before the visa expiration date. With a double entry tourist visa, one may extend both entries and be able to stay almost 180 days.

Easiest is probably a one year multi entry which gives stays of 90 days so can be worked to give 15 months.

If you live in UK then the Hull Consulate will probably issue one for visiting friends in Thailand.

Which visa is that, and is it easy to get? when i spoke to the thai consulate in ny they made it sound lilke a tourist visa is the only option. thanks soooo much

You will not get this Visa in The U.S

I use this visa and have done so for a few years. It is generally if you have thai family ie: children or a recognised marriage. You can extend it out to 15 months without extra cost because you get 90 days on each entry. Say your visa expires on the 1st November I would leave the country on say the 28th Oct re enter and get another 90 days. I can't see why they would exclude Americans tho.

Tourist Visa 60-day double entry works same way, can be extended out to 150days, if exit and re-enter prior to expiration, since you get an additional 60-days; and, then apply for the 30-day extension at the end of that!

Tourist Visas will give you 60 days each and can be extended for a further 30 days at Immigration.

You could always study at a Thai Language School and get an Education Visa.

The course fees would be around 28,000 Baht

I was thinking about signing up to a school, but i'm not sure i want to spend my first few months at class and i'm not sure i want to offend anyone by not showing up, unless you know that this is common (i would gladly pay that price to get a year in thailand). is that common practice? do they expect you to show up? Are the tourist visas unlimited? i get a tourist visa before arriving, good fo 60 days. then i can boarder run for by land for another 30? And then how do i go about getting another 60 day tourist? and this process is forever repeatable? thanks

Respectfully, I believe all of the prior Postings regarding extension of the 60-day Tourist Visa are WRONG, when suggesting paying for the 30-day extension at 1900Baht, for a max. of 90-days. IN FACT, if you have the typical double-entry 60-day Tourist Visa (currently free/no cost), if you do a 'Border Run' anytime prior to expiration (i.e. on 59th day), and then re-enter, you get another 60day entry stamp (free); THEN, at the end of that if you choose you can pay the 1900Baht for the additional 30-day extension, for a total of 150days on your original Tourist Visa!! (i.e. It works just like a multiple entry 1yr Visa, that can actually be extended to 2yrs, by doing a border crossing just prior to expiration, as has been noted by several prior articles).

Respectfully, I believe all of the prior Postings regarding extension of the 60-day Tourist Visa are WRONG, when suggesting paying for the 30-day extension at 1900Baht, for a max. of 90-days. IN FACT, if you have the typical double-entry 60-day Tourist Visa (currently free/no cost), if you do a 'Border Run' anytime prior to expiration (i.e. on 59th day), and then re-enter, you get another 60day entry stamp (free); THEN, at the end of that if you choose you can pay the 1900Baht for the additional 30-day extension, for a total of 150days on your original Tourist Visa!! (i.e. It works just like a multiple entry 1yr Visa, that can actually be extended to 2yrs, by doing a border crossing just prior to expiration, as has been noted by several prior articles).

I have been renting motorcycles all this year in Chiang Mai and the prices I now pay: automatic Yamaha Mio 135 - about B2600 per month, Honda Wave (fuel injected, disk brake, manual) B1900. Older and less interesting bikes might be a bit cheaper. I tend to avoid the snazzier bikes with only one shock absorber. I also check the tyres each time I take a bike out, because the rental places don't really care about the condition of the tyres - but they will change them if you point it out.

Rental prices were more expensive initially, but now they know that I bring the bike back in one piece, they're happy to give a reasonable deal. So maybe start for short periods at first, and see if you can lower the price each time you go back. I have considered going for a 3 month rental to get the price down - not sure, though, how good I'd feel if I had to leave the country at short notice.

When I've extended a rental, the daily rate is about the same (maybe a bit more) than it is on the monthly rental - around B65 per day for the Honda Wave I currently have.

My rental company photocopies the pages in my passport and lets me keep the passport - that works for me.

I have been stopped by the police several times but never (so far!) been asked to show a licence. I always wear a full face helmet which I bought for about B700 (not a Shoei, then). Different places will vary wildly in what they want for the same helmet so shop around. I bought mine at a shop on the northern side of the moat, outside the moat, definitely NOT inside.

Basically, if you come off a bike you want some protection for your head. A survey of the disabled that was done in Phrao found that more than 80% of motorcycle injuries could have been avoided if the person had been wearing a helmet.

As for security, I use the padlock provided by the rental company and put it through the disk brake. True, 3 guys can pick the bike up and put it in a pickup. That's always a risk. I park it where it's safe (some of the temples have valet parking ...), where I can keep an eye on it, or I park it at home behind a locked gate. So far, touch wood, no-one's stolen it.

As for rent versus buy - if I come back here next year, definitely I'll buy. It's the only way I can get comprehensive insurance. I will also attempt to get a motorcycle licence here - that avoids trouble with the police. It won't help with my travel insurance, which will only cover me if I have an Australian motorcycle licence, or if I'm pillion on a bike where the rider is a Thai holding a Thai motorcycle licence.

Can you tell me where you rent your Yamaha Mio 135 from? (And, name of owner or whoever gives you your monthly rate)?

Thanks

I was NOT offered to upgrade my visa even tho paperwork they handed me said I may need to.

If you're here on a tourist visa, you'll definitely need to convert to a Non Imm visa in order to process for a retirement extension. Why they didn't process the conversion -- which doesn't require seasoning of 800k -- and instead said come back Dec 1st is perplexing....

Jim, do you know if this can be done from within Thailand? That is, if you are here on a 60-day Tourist Visa, can you convert to the Non-Imm;

and, then apply for Retirement Visa? If yes, what additional docs. required (Medical Letter? -- Could I go to Doctor at Chang Ram Hospital and get letter?

Police Letter? Would this have to be from home, or could I ask Chiang Mail Police?).

QUESTION: If you are in Thailand on a 60-day Tourist Visa, can you apply for the Retirement Visa from within Thailand,

if you meet all of the other requirements (over 50, 800,000 in Bank,?)