Metapod

 

If I want to live a 9-5 and Monday to Friday lifestyle, I wouldn't be living in Thailand.

 

Well I have been informed by my local language school that to apply for an ED visa moving forward you will have to sign and submit with your application a declaration that you will attend 5 days per week.

 

So don't go to class....UP TO YOU.  But you will then be in breach of your own written declaration and open to rejection of your next extension application and perhaps even subjected to a juicy fine...

 

I'm not on an eD visa but I was considering it and I am actively learning Thai language (self taught from internet and from living here). Five days a week is just unworkable. i don't want to live for the weekend. I have other things I like to do during the day time like train muay thai, travel, hang out with friends, etc. Even when I studied university you were not required to attend most classes during the week. I'd be happy to do more study hours a week (because I am legitimately interested in learning), but not 5 days mandatory a week.

"hey Metapod, you want to come wakeboard with us today?"

"sorry I have to study"

One or two days you can work around. Five days is back to slave lifestyle.

5 days a week is nonsense. I studied university in Australia and I didn't even have to attend 5 days a week doing that. Contact hours were about 10hours a week. I had all my classes on 2 or 3 days every week.

What did they ask you in Thai? I'm curious how in depth the test was.

Scratching Hua Hin off my travel list. I usually pop down there every few months too.

I stay at a hotel that is a 5-10min walk from the beach. What the FUCK am I supposed to do with my passport when I go swimming? 

Wouldn't a more reasonable ruling be "foreigner must be able to present a passport in X amount of time." It would solve this issue. Allowing those to leave passport at a hotel and retrieve it upon request.

These rules are getting fucking stupid, really.

is this confirmed yet?

where is walen?

Better advice would be to use the motivation of having a hard time finding clothes to eat healthy and workout.

200kg? lol

he <deleted> up.

It is just this flying trip, which is really just an excuse to let my hair down before another (snooze) week in Singapore...

I just moved to BKK from Singapore, and S'pore is 1000x better for late night partying than BKK, unless you are looking for hookers. Loads of places with good bands and open late. For a place with a reputation as a party capital, Bangkok is one of the very worst places for that --- pretty much the worst in SE Asia...give me Jakarta or Singapore any day!

BKK does have some great rooftop chill places, but as for good live music and late night partying? Nope, and has never had much in my many years of visiting before I moved here. When we want to party we go to S'pore or Jakarta for the weekend. Just sayin'

For a place with a reputation as a party capital, Bangkok is one of the very worst places for that --- pretty much the worst in SE Asia..

Aint that the truth, well said.

Has been that way for years, nothing to do with the present junta situation.

BKK has plenty of places to party. Might be a different experience though for guys like me in their 20s....

It's official.

I have just rung the farang owner of a bar I regularly use who told me last night he was getting his wife to call immigration at Poipet to ask what they consider 'too long' The IO told her more than six months of tourist visas in your passport over the last 2 years and you will be questioned.

That is the order that came from the bosses in BKK and being circulated around all border points as the official guide rule.

They don't consider anyone to be a tourist of more than 6 months across the past 2 years, and you have to be good to prove you are.

Secondly he also confirmed that second visits on double entry visas are not considered. You will still be turned away at the border regardless.

That is official from the horse's mouth.

6 months in 2 years? 3months a year? That is nothing.

That is going to effect ALOT of people (me included).

"Now, those on a visa run who are allowed back in will find an "O-I" (Out-In) mark next to their latest stamp marking entry. From August 13, nobody with an O-I sign on their passport will be allowed to re-enter Thailand if they cannot produce a proper visa."

How did everybody miss this?

If a genuine tourist on a long stay gets a O-I sign in their passport how long are they not allowed to enter for?

And what is the "proper visa" next time they want to come in if they are under 50 and not working?

sorry but such an important decision, and all is given is a vague statement in The Nation is shambolic.

I think it is confirmed by information at Chong Chom today. ONE visa run only.

You go out and come back in you get "O-I" marked on the entry stamp. This suggests that you can come in for 30 days, go out/turn round and get another 30 days (if you are from a G7 country).

That is it.

Frankly, that is more than sufficient for the casual visitor/tourist.

As for under 50's not working, then marriage is the only option for a longer stay.

Not it isn't at all. All the young backpackers go out and in multiple times. Now a young group of aussies who just finished high school and want to spend some time travelling SEA are <deleted>. They can't fly into BKK, pop over to Siem Reap, come back Thailand, head up to Laos, etc.

They will get marked O/I and have their travel severely limited.

Thailand is going to lose big here. One of the reasons Thailand is so successful for tourism is because it is the hub for traveling around SEA. If tourists can no longer access a travel hub, then it will cease to be one. This could shack things up in a big way for genuine tourists.

I'm on double entry tourist visa spending a week in Vietnam and arriving back to Thailand on 14th for second half of my visa.

Wonder how this will go. I don't have any back to back visas in my passport, and I don't have any visa exemptions. I do have multiple double entry tourist visas over many years. Visa was acquired from home country, not a border country in Asia.

you'll be fine. youre not doing an Out/In

How do you define Out/In though? I'll be in Vietnam for 7 days. Is Out/In about people who cross back the same day? 1 day? 3 days? 1 week?

I wish the immigration rules were clearer.

I agree that they are a bit unclear. According to some officials at the southern border with Malaysia, they requested that some people stay in Malaysia a minimum of 1-2 nights. That is not a difficult thing to do and one would think if you are going all the way to a border crossing you would actually be staying in that country for a couple of days? If that's all it takes...a couple of days then I think a lot of people can breathe a sigh of relief. However, the impression I'm getting is that may not be enough if you've spent 350 days in Thailand on back-to-back tourist visas and/or visa exemptions and only 1-3 days in between visa/border runs. A clearer directive would certainly be welcome. In any case I fortunately do not fit the profile of a visa runner and always stay a few days, a week or two outside of Thailand between each entry I've made. Generally I have legitimate business reasons for doing so, but even in the rare case I had to leave to extend my stay, I spent some time outside of Thailand before returning. I've only ever done one in-out border run at a small crossing, which I had some trepidation at doing, but I knew I'd only be doing it once before going for a visa. That was shortly after my job and work permit ended so I was pretty OK.

I've also never done an immediate In/Out. I usually take 5-7 days and enjoy a holiday in another place. Bali, Myanmar, Vietnam, Hong Kong, etc

This time I'm off to Vietnam for 7 days. In spirit it is Out/In to activate my 2nd TR half, but I'm still a genuine tourist. Not all tourists travel only 2 weeks a year.

terrible idea.

I'm on double entry tourist visa spending a week in Vietnam and arriving back to Thailand on 14th for second half of my visa.

Wonder how this will go. I don't have any back to back visas in my passport, and I don't have any visa exemptions. I do have multiple double entry tourist visas over many years. Visa was acquired from home country, not a border country in Asia.

you'll be fine. youre not doing an Out/In

How do you define Out/In though? I'll be in Vietnam for 7 days. Is Out/In about people who cross back the same day? 1 day? 3 days? 1 week?

I wish the immigration rules were clearer.

I'm on double entry tourist visa spending a week in Vietnam and arriving back to Thailand on 14th for second half of my visa.

Wonder how this will go. I don't have any back to back visas in my passport, and I don't have any visa exemptions. I do have multiple double entry tourist visas over many years. Visa was acquired from home country, not a border country in Asia.

So they have to pay for it up front and hope that you reimburse them??

Well if I don't pay them, how am I going to get my GF grill? I have no incentive NOT to pay.

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Is it stuffed with drugs, They ask " has anyone given you anything to carry for them in your bag. " Did you pack your bag yourself, they put people in prison for what is being asked here.

"Of cause I would give you the cash for it" are the filled with drugs when they come out of the factory?

Its whenever specific addresses are strongly suggested and phrases like "Make sure you only talk with 'Jose'" that would make me nervous.

Still, in all my years of travelling, I never carry for anyone else, even if I know them....................

I'm not asking anyone to carry something of mine for me.

I am asking them to buy something in their country and bring it here.

Pretty big difference there I think. I don't see how it is hard to understand.

We bought ours at HomePro same thing different name. Try Verasu in BKK .

I went to HomePro (and 100 places) yesterday. Didn't find anything remotely similiar. Closest thing I found was a sandwich grill and that won't suffice.

I've been dying to get a George Foreman Grill here in Thailand. It seems impossible.

So last ditch effort is to see if someone here might be able to do me a big favour and bring one over. I would appreciate it ALOT!

Of cause I would give you the cash for it, and also happy to shout you some beers or food for your troubles too.

For those that don't know what a GF grill is. It is a small electric grill that is amazing for cooking meats (not so much steaks as it dries them out), and veges. I use it for all kinds of stuff, but the main one is chicken breasts.

Don't need to use oil and it drains the fat. Cooks super fast and hassle free to clean. The swiss army knife of bachelor cooking.

Let me know if anyone is able to help out. Cheers!

As the title says.

Where can I buy a George Foreman Grill in Bangkok?

Been looking all over for one. I'd much prefer it to the hotplates or gas things that most Thais use.

Anyone know?

Guess I am going to be a guinea pig for the new system as I fly in and out of Thailand August 5th to August 14th

mine is around 800-1500 a month. Only 1 aircon unit.

Hey man. If you are lazy and/or shy forget shopping malls and public places. Best advice is to take up a hobby that interests you and then hit it off from there.

If they ask me for pee test, ill ask them to hold the cup. I have a terrible aim