kandi

3 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

I imagine a lot of people are going to switch to education visa now that the retirement visa are getting tougher to meet.

 

They will be learning Thai and even learning Chinese when they will never actually used it or has already learnt it like English.

 

They certainly won't. Or if they do, they're stupid.

I had been on ED visas for several years, bought course #1, then course #2, then flew to my home country and got myself a clean passport, and repeat the whole thing. It worked. But the rules have become a lot tougher this year. I recently talked to the owner of the language school I had attended and she said that's quite difficult now to obtain an ED visa. Malaysia and Vientiane even go as far as to only hand out a single ED visa if you had no prior non-immigrant via in your passport. Oh right, and if you happen to get an ED visa and fly in through Don Mueang, it's gamble if they let you in or not, despite meeting all necessary requirements.

God, am I relieved that I now have a smart business visa and work permit lasting 2 years.

 

 

 

 

3

19 hours ago, mobako said:

-Where is it better to go first-Savannakhet ot Vientiane?

 

Right now im planning to go to Savannakhet first and if rejected i will go to Vientiane.

Make sure to book your appointment at the embassy in Vientiane as early as possible. Usually takes a few weeks until you get one.

4 hours ago, kishnanakishna said:

Thanks. 

The problem is I was not looking for an easy visa. I am getting a non-B for a work permit, so all of my paperwork mentions Vientiane (I know, I know, I should have checked in advance). Just never thought in a million years it would all move online. 

I have been here multiple times before. 

Trying to pull some strings with some friends I have here and then will head to the airport. Doh!

TIT... Have you ever seen a Thai website that worked and really made things easier? I haven't. Well, at least the booking site doesn't look like it's from the 90's...

On 3/17/2019 at 10:45 AM, visarunner said:

Embassy in Vientiane is aware that " [email protected]" has problem. We received information, that in case you want to cancel your appointment, please send request to  [email protected] explaining the reason you want to cancel your appointment. 

Both websites return as failed delivery notice. Anyone has the same problem?

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

 

It should not be that bad in Savannakhet unless a lot of people start going there due to the problems in Vientiane.

I would keep checking the site to see if the cancellation button comes back or they inform you of another way of doing it.

Thanks, I thought the same. Well, there's not much more I can do anyway. I'm not even bothering calling or emailing them.

Taking into account the current messy situation with the new booking system at the embassy in Vientiane, can anyone say how it looks like over there and in Savannakhet? Is it smarter to go to Savannakhet or is it overcrowded?

I already have an appointment in Vientiane for the 26th, but I probably won't be able to make it and they removed the "Cancel" button from the booking website, so I can't re-schedule. Visa (TR, already extended) expires on 26th.

this shows the monks up for what they are, corrupt criminals uses religion as their cover to enrich themselves. Its way past time the police and army step in and start arresting all those complicit in these criminal activities and it isnt only this temple doing it, many are nothing more than fronts for their corrupt practices by their so called head monks. The amount of money going through their hands is huge, for so called servants of Buddha they are just belittling his name and making massive profits for themselves. Really have to wonder who is on their payrolls seeing they are never harassed or made to answer for what they are doing.

If you really think, the police and especially the army will only move a single finger, you're as naive as the tourists believing in the fairy tale of the good monks taking care of orphaned tigers.

I'm a critical observer of the current political situation in Thailand and recently asked myself this: What has Prayuth Chan-ocha achieved (positively) so far since he became Prime Minister in May 2015?

The only things that come to my mind are trivial things like cleaning up some beaches and adjusting the lottery tickets prices. What else did you improve in this country?

A few months back, I've read about a new regulation requiring people to show his or her passport (foreigners)/IDs (Thai citizen) when mailing a package abroad. My question is: Based on your experience, is this being applied in Bangkok at the moment?

Thanks for your answer, Kitsune. Do you know any school in Bangkok that still gets 3 months extensions?

I've been studying Thai with a language school in Bangkok for the past 2-3 years and always been on a Non-Immigrant ED visa.

Extending the visa was flawless during the first year. I went to Chaengwattana, paid 1900 Baht and got an extension for 3 months.

Then, last year, my school said it was no longer possible to get the 3 month extension. However, there was an agency I could contact who managed to get me an extension for a bit over 2 months for 4000 Baht.

I did this until now. Today I asked the school to prepare the documents for my next extension when they said the agency no longer works. That means I have to extend my ED visa now every 30 days for 1900 Baht. When I asked why this happened, they only said "NCPO" and shook their heads. Being on an ED visa seems to become lesser and lesser attractive.

My question: Is this a nationwide rule or does the immigration treat certain schools differently?

Weird incident, indeed. However, I don't think it was just the fact that you were a foreigner riding a public bus that made the ticket lady acting like this. I've been riding free busses over 4 years and never ever had any incident that would be worth mentioning. Every ride I was treated exactly as the other (Thai) passengers, no matter if it was one of the fixed fee busses (red, blue) or the yellow/orange ones with varying fares. I'd even been giving the correct change even though it would have been easy for a conductor to cheat out a few Baht from a foreigner that - presumbly - doesn't know the fares.

Regarding the explanation with the monk seat: They do have seats reserved for monks and others reserved for old or handicapped people. However, as long as none of them gets on the bus, everyone is allowed to sit there. A few times I've seen Thais sitting on a monk seat when a monk got on which he didn't notice and remained seated. Then the ticket lady came and reminded him and then he simply stood up. End of story.

Bigger Tescos usually have a TGM section. ( Thai German meat). You can even get the tiny ones, also called Nuernberger.

And I can assure you that they taste very good, not just similar to. Some of them even sell "Sauerkraut."

If you can get the Nuernberger, please try the version "Blaue Zipfel." with a lot of onions and a decent black bread.

I'm from a place that was bought from Bavaria, so I a sort of know what a good Bratwurst has to taste like......

P..S. You can also get "Leberwurst", delicious ham, etc....

I'm German and I've never eaten Sauerkraut in my whole life. Nor have my friends. Do these stereotype Germans really exist?

Thais generally don't show their anger, or if they do, they show it with a smile, even though inside they might be furious. Most of the time they can keep up their disguise, but sometimes can't and they explode. And if they explode, they do it like a maniac.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out compared to the Red Bull driver's case.

I would not know how to compare any cases, as after the initial coverage, I never see any follow up on whether the culprit gets convicted, goes to jail etc?

Do we know the status of the red bull case?

Last time I heard about it was in September 2013 in The New Yorker:

Last week, Vorayuth’s alleged crime made headlines once more when he failed to appear for an indictment hearing in Bangkok. The reason: according to his lawyer, Vorayuth had fallen ill during a business trip to nearby Singapore, and was recuperating there on doctor’s orders. That meant that Vorayuth’s indictment was postponed for the sixth time

http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/the-red-bull-heir-and-inequality-in-thailand

The only thing that might have changed is the number of postponed indictments.

Why don't you just ask @Richard_Barrow directly?

The sad thing about this story is that it will only make it more unlikely that people help other people they don't know.

Surprising to read so many critical words from The Nation.

Welcome to the third world.

So all of Europe is third world also.. beggars in Zurich, Berlin, Paris, Rome.. just to mention few..

Is she one of the many "hi-so Thai Chinese" every second TV user claims to have?

What is a gift? It is an item FREELY GIVEN to someone who then owns it free and clear to do with it as they want. If it is a "gift" with strings, then it is not really a gift.

When I give a gift someone, I only expect one thing in return: That they appreciate that I care for them. I don't want anything in return, just a thank you. Is that too much to expect? Those people that don't even say thanks and lack of basic manners (yes, even in Thailand people can express their gratitude) will never get a gift from me again. This has nothing to do with different culturesz it's just plain rude and ignorant.

Welcome to the third world.

you can't tell money by looking at people.

That may be right in any other but country except Thailand. People here expect you to show off - even if you have nothing. It wouldn't go in their heads that there're people who see bragging with their wealth as something bad.

My theory is that most of the time it's because the people working there don't care too much about their job. Which is why they'll stop showing up in the next weeks before the owner of that car dealer/condo/whatever has to look for a new, unmotivated staff that even at the age of above 30 don't manage to be professional for a few minutes. And then the whole circle begins again.