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Just to get me back on track as the poster - With my original question asked:

The website for London Embassy seemed to indicate that sending application by post for O-A was possible - I was looking for guidance to establish if this was actually possible.

It was helpful when Tanoshi - identified that a friend has done this same application by post - hence it was an indicator that this was actually possible.

Ubonjoe and a few others were questioning how this might have been achieved when there has been few other reports of this occurring on the forum.

I just want to get the A-O visa that gives me 2 years (if I leave and return before end of visa date).

However I just do not want to travel down to London and stay overnight if I can prevent doing this.

Hence I was looking for clarity if I could make a postal application for the O-A visa.

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It is not possible to apply for a OA visa at immigration.

the Soi Suan Plu immigration offices has been closed since 2009 when the office moved to Chaeng Wattana.

Thanks ubonjoe - Amazing that this  is still on the London Thai Embassy web site especially  if things changed and now done only at Chaeng Wattana since 2009. This would also mean that whatever the interpretation is attempted to be made for 'visit or post' - just using their words on site - Might be irrelevant.

7 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

If the OP is in receipt of the UK State Pension he is eligible for a non-O from the London Embassy.

 

Thanks OJAS - Unfortunately still 5 years away

Thanks ubonjoe - I had that very same feeling and was pleasantly surprised from the wording I saw on the site - as you say its difficult to call them, last time waited 55 mins with music on hold and no one did pick up. Hull are pretty active on call answering and usually good for information and so will call them on Monday.

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

What do you base that upon.

I am not aware of anybody doing it by post.

Most other visas yes but not the OA.

Thanks Tanoshi - Mnnnnn sounds promising if you know someone that did actually do this application by post. Reading this again I can see the following is also said....

 **Visa fees are payable in pound sterling (£) in cash only**

 - But this would seem impracticable if postal was acceptable?

I was a bit surprised at the cost of 400 GBP your friend uncured

- Was this new medicals or criminal reports required?

- If everything goes well the costs should be around:

Visa 125 GBP

Postage used to send passport back 10GBP

Criminal check 45 GBP

Medical certificate (approx) 50 GBP

Copies of bank statement, criminal record, medical record, Notified 4 x 5 GBP = 20 GBP

Total = 250 GBP

3 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Read the link supplied by perthman for postal applications.

I know someone who obtained his Non O-A via post last year, but it's a touchy subject as he's made a real hash of the Visa.

EXTRA QUESTION:

There is also the option stated on the web page to do this in Bangkok, which would make it much easier than actually travelling all the way down to London and staying overnight and then travelling back.

The words on the site are....

Start - "Channels to submit visa application and fee

1.  Applicants can submit their applications at the Royal Thai Embassy 

2.  The Office of the Immigration Bureau, Section 1, Sub-Division 1, Immigration Bureau, Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Road, Sathon District, Bangkok 10120. Tel. 0066-22873101-10 Ext.2236"- End

-  This was a surprise when I read this. So does this mean that someone could enter the kingdom with just a visa exempt - And then simply go down to the Sathon immigration office with these  same docs together with the 125 GBP fee to achieve the same result for the visa O-A ? 

8 minutes ago, perthperson said:

"The Royal Thai Embassy in London commenced its visa application by post service on the 2 January 2014. Termination of visa services by post at the Royal Thai Consulates in the United Kingdom and Ireland (namely, the Royal Thai Consulates in Birmingham, Cardiff, Hull, Liverpool, Glasgow, Gibraltar and Dublin) will be effective from 15 January 2014." 

 

http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/en/visa-modern#section2

Thanks perthperson - Yup I read this same page - And it looked like I could apply by post when I read it but I was not certain - So I think you are you confirming that you read this as - Yes an applications by post can be made. 

As I understand (while I am currently here in the Uk) I can only get the O-A Visa  from the Thai Embassy in London and not from the other consulates, Hull, Liverpool, Cardiff etc

However I thought  I had to attend in person to make the application, but reading from the  website there is no clear direct instruction apart from an indicator in one of the sentences that says:

"send a copy of bank statement, the original reference letter from the banking concerned" - Find this from either of the two sources below.

1. Copy and past of the actual relevant section and highlighted

2. Actual website - (Deep down the page) I cut and paste for the above

  http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/en/types-of-visa#section8

Hence my question: Can the O-A Visa  from the Thai Embassy in London be applied for via the UK post?

What would happen if the the op returned back to own country - got a STV - then attempted to get next STV in a neighboring country - would the home STV  act as a reset?

working of Alien act 2008

Section 5: Definition - WORK : Means of engaging in work by exerting energy or using knowledge whether or not in consideration of wages or benefits …..goes on to say….In  order to do work you need a work permit if you are a foreigner.

With this very broad definition of work - Then any foreigner that enters into the kingdom of Thailand who for example - is then found just to be simply breathing - would need a work permit - Because that is exerting energy.

In the past this Act was used to allow labor officials to go into factories to check for foreign workers - In today's changing economy the act is clearly out of date with modern work practice especially when used by digital nomads.

Its worth noting how this Act has been used in the past:

About 10 years ago - Company ECC were teaching Thai students how to speak english (Company still exists) - Many regional centers were raided and it was found that many of the teaches did not have a work permit, but none were prosecuted or fined. The employers ECC were prosecuted mostly relating to laws about acting as an education establishment.  

There was a strange case in Chang Mai of a foreigner who was renovating his house and was raided (and the act used for the purpose of the raid) because he was said to be working as he was exerting energy as quoted under the act (clearly not for compensation, but irrelevant since this is not required under the Act). He was raided simply because his the next door neighbor made a complaint (possibly well connected for the complaint to get traction). The foreigner house was raided and the foreigner was threatened with prosecution - With a max penalty for working without work permit: 2 years in prison and/or fine up to 100K THB. - He paid a 100K fine and did not go to prison.

This is a typical result of what happens in Thailand and this is because no prosecutor would be willing to charge a foreign worker in a situation like this. The case stayed under the control of the single police officer who attended the house and the single labour officer that also entered the house. They placed pressure on the foreigner to settle before charges could be applied and obviously they wanted the settlement.

Generally if the police did want to pursue charges it is unlikely that the prosecutor would want to take the case. The most likely outcome would be the foreigner would be let off since the Act was not designed for this occurrence and the prosecutor knows this.

The bottom line for most foreigners is that if the  police did ever do threaten make a charge - They would first need to be accompanied with a Gov Labour official - Then they will take your passport -  You will then be allowed release on bail (figure of around 5K THB)  - The key issue is that they will only attempt to follow the  prosecute after they have tried to scare you with 2 years in prison to settle before. After this the net result is that there is only a very slim chance that the state prosecutors would accept the case - And actually being prosecuted for working without a work Visa is an unlikely event / outcome from the court if you ended up there.

There is estimated to be 2 to 3 million digital Nomads working in Thailand - typically they are mostly part time in Thailand and estimated to usually be working only 4 to 5 months of the year.

Another case - A few years ago (again in Chiang Mai) a raid on a co-working space occured (called Punspace) Details of Raid

The net result of the raid was that no foreigners were ever charged - The co-working space was not raider because of suspicion of digital Nomad’s actives of blogging and online design etc but rather the Co-Working space was raided as so many foreigners gathering is a single area it was thought that they were operating a call center for boiler room sales of shares to overseas prospects.

The result was some discussion afterwards and also related publications from the Labor office Dept issued - They released a confirmation that it is unlikely that any prosecutions of Digital Nomads would ever occur ...Unless they were seen as competing with a Thai worker - A blogger is not the target and will not be prosecuted - If a foreigner was shipping good directly from Thailand this would be seen as something requiring a work visa .

There was also another raid in Chiang Mai at the Riverside hotel - where online teaching was occurring - after a conversion of a large conference room for foreign teachers who could work online (teaching students in China).

A complaint was made and the raid occurred. Again similar to the PunSpace raid the intent of the raid was not to prevent  digital foreigners  working illegally, but rather the suspicion that this was some form of Spying operation for China (not clear how this could ever be considered as provide a spying opportunity). Again all foreigners were taken to the Police station and temporarily their notebooks were taken together with their passports. None of the foreign digital workers were prosecuted for working illegally - All were released apart from one who was on overstay and was dealt under separate act by immigration.

The company that converted the Hotel space in the hotel was prosecuted, but not under any laws related to foreign workers working without a Visa, rather was prosecuted for illegal conversion of the space / not registering the conversion as a property.for business use.

Summary: It is illegal to work in Thailand without a work permit, but because the way that work is defined it is impossible to define what work actually is. Specifically no Digital Bloggers have ever been prosecuted in Thailand for Blogging without a work permit - even after being found to be working as a blogger. And the bottom line is you are very unlikely ever to get into a Thai court for prosecution - if you make sure that you do not compete with a Thai person.

In the grey space of what might happen is if you upset a Thai person (Who has connections) - Its going to all be about how much your nerves will allow you to brave it out and then going the distance - But you might want to make it easier and compromise in the process and pay up 

Specifically if you are a Digital Nomad you will have no problems. But if you are shipping goods out of Thailand then you will have the problems. The issue of online blog / website / Facebook account being used in any  process is irrelevant.

I am confused - If   BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s Cabinet has approved to extend the current free visa incentives for foreign tourists for another six months.  And this thread title is " Free Tourist Visas Not Extended For Those From All Countries From Today"

I am from UK and I am also on my way to HCMC for a TV 

Question:

Has the free visa incentive been extend for UK passport holders? 

bangkoklasse makes a reasonable point This was very widely reported - Such as <link removed> It would take some explaining (even by Thai standards) what has changed and why.

3 hours ago, bangkoklasse said:

So what about this???

 

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s Cabinet has approved to extend the current free visa incentives for foreign tourists for another six months.

 

Under the measures, visa fees will be waived at Thai embassies and consulates until August 2017, while the visa on arrival fee will continue to be 1,000 baht.

 

On Tuesday, government spokesperson Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that waiving visa fees from December to February 28 had resulted in a 12% increase in foreign tourist arrivals.

 

The move to waive visa fees was first introduced on December 1 2016 and came after a sudden decrease in arrivals from China following last year’s crackdown on zero dollar tours, with number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand plummeting by 30 percent.

 

The continuation of the offering free tourist visas for all nationalities is also hoped to give Thailand’s tourism industry a boost as it heads into what is traditionally the low season.

Are you saying bamukloy  that you believe the above is still correct and free TV's  remains extended until August 2017?

59 minutes ago, bamukloy said:

Actually Thai visa readers cannot read.

Thai immigrations have made a memo advising different nationalities of visa changes.

 

There is absolutely nothing here that suggests,  or even hints at, any changes or cancellations of visa conditions for the other countries.

Why/how do people read into something thats not there??

Thanks - ubonjo

Amazing timing on this - I arranged to go HCMC Thai Embassy last day of Feb - But after announcement of free continued - I changed plans  for a few days latter. 

Today I need to get right amount / correct currency - For TV.

The website http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/home  and main website http://www.thaiembassy.org/ are down.

Does anyone know what currency is required (USD / THB / VND) and how much?

Yup - That's correct - You get a free Vietnamese Visa - allows 15 days stay.

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You assume correctly.

Good stuff again Joe - Thanks

4 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

A friend of mine was there a month ago, applied one morning, picked up the next afternoon

 

Ensure that you have at least 20k (he showed them 40) a ticket out of Thailand and proof of where you are staying in Thailand, they do ask for all of these

I am assuming that a bank in UK showing equivalent is OK?

i.e doesn't require a Thai Bank for 20K proof?

Just now, ubonjoe said:

Same as Vientiane.

Good stuff - Thanks Joe

58 minutes ago, simon43 said:

There is one problem with operating a 'standalone' online hotel booking service.  Many (most?) of the hotels use a 'Channel Manager' software application to automatically manage their allocation of available rooms.  If a new guest books a room via Agoda, then the Channel Manager will automatically log into the extranet for booking.com, Expedia etc and adjust the number of available rooms.  So the hotel can maximise their exposure across many online booking websites and not worry about getting overbooked - the Channel Manager takes care of everything.

 

But with a bespoke online booking service, unless the admin interface is supported by the third party Channel Manager, (and it will not be if it is a new service), all updates of room bookings and allocations have to be manually processed by the hotel admin staff ==> a lot (A LOT!) of work.

 

That's why the preferred route is to 'white-label' an existing booking service, such as Agoda or booking.com.  (The end-user also gets the benefit of the complete range of hotels).

 

A bespoke service really only works when it targets a niche market, such as 'Great Hotels of the World', where the revenue generated from upmarket guest rooms can justify the software coding and integration with the Channel Manager.

 

I hope ThaiVisa have thought through this business model for their new booking site :)

Excellent post. Pivotal point.

However the Embassy site also says that there is still a fee and does not reflect that a  single entry tourist visa is free for all nationalities at all Thai embassies and consulates.

3. VISA FEE

40 USD for Single-Entry

For - yellowboat - Asiantravel

There should be no problem with 90 days air ticket out of Thailand + The evidence for finance amount is shown  in the rules from the Thai Emabassy in HCMC below.

• Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
• Visa application form completely filled out
• Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph (s) of the applicant
• Evidence of travel (air/bus ticket to and from Thailand)
• Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)

The process for me took 14 days from applying in BKK and getting a pickup date - Very friendly customer experience - I thought  that it was going to more complex and invasive, but a simple 10 min conversation check your application and old passport is all it takes.

Nice to see something that has an actual definitive number in terms of allowances per year for Border crossing entitlements (rather than guessing) - However any thoughts on if this will start to have any impact on mixing border crossing with air crossings?

Crossings by air have (unofficially) allowed 6 visa exempt entries (before the questioning starts from immigration).  

Hence if you switch after your second  border exempt entry crossing and then start entering using an airport for extra  entries  - Any guess that this is still going to work ?

Part of the METV application requires a flight ticket

- Hull want to see a flight OUT of Thailand (Visa application pack - copy and paste) - "Copy of confirmed return or onward air ticket showing that the application will be exiting "

- London (state of the website) that want to See a flight ticket INTO Thailand (copy and paste from website)  -  "A photocopy of the confirmed Air ticket to Thailand "

Is there a typo from either the Consulate or the Embassy  - Or does one of them really require an opposite direction flight tickets (from that required by the other) - for the same METV?

47 minutes ago, biggles45 said:

"no other country in the world to my knowledge has offered what Thailand offers with respect to "Retirement Visa" ..

 

Not so, the Philippines has a Retirement Visa that is valid for life, no need to visit immigration to report or renew. $US20k term deposit, no monthly income requirement.  It is all handled by a department that issues a 3 year ID card not immigration and renewing the cad costs $10 a year. I have had mine for 6  years now. www.pra.gov.ph for more info. 

biggles45 - Good Insight

I just read as a follow up http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/012915/how-plan-your-retirement-philippines.asp

It identifies  $20K deposit  you mention - It also mentions the annual renewal cost of the special card same as you identify, but then shows another annual cost for renewal of the Visa itself $360 - is this extra cost that you haven't mentioned correct or not?

"Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) -  The initial application fee is $1,400 for the principal -  This is a one-time payment - After the first year the annual fee to renew the visa will be $360"