AnjelKizzez

Last time I was in Thailand it seemed I had to pay a departure tax. I am assuming it still exists and has only gotten more costly. Can anyone tell me what it currently is? Any other helpful information before I head to the airport?

We are traveling slowly back toward Bangkok (not in a rush to get back to the big city haha). Can anyone recommend an inexpensive guest house/hotel/other type of accomodation in Hua Hin? We are traveling with our child so nothing too noisy. We would appreciate hot shower and internet. Would like to stay around 500 bht if we negotiate and pay several days in advance. Thanks!

Ha! Yes it probably would've helped quite a bit. I was in Chiang Mai at the time. My brain was in a constant state of pollution so I left town.

I miss Chiang Mai already....well everything but the haze

Does anyone have any updated info on where to go to clear my lungs a bit? I have been staying away from busy streets to avoid exhaust fumes but I cannot seem to find a place where there isn't a plethora of smoke. My lungs are screaming and my head is pounding. Please advise on a smoke free invironment...... I am not interested in dying of lung cancer.

Mac,

Not the magic answer I had hoped for but encouraging just the same. I'm glad there are people out there like you.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. If the Returning Resident Visa doesn't work.....well....I guess I had better make some other plan.

So much red-tape! When did life become so complicated haha!

Obviously, I like the response from Tigerwan best as it sounds the most promising. But that doesn't mean it will work for me. I don't have a company sponsoring me, and wouldn't have a clue of how to obtain that! Is it often one can find employment with a Thai company as a photographer or photojournalist?

The idea of marrying to work there is funny to me. As an American, it's drilled into us if you marry someone just to stay in the US both of you go to prison/deportation when they catch you!

Unfortunately, I have a junior college degree and not a Uni degree. I doubt I could find teaching work. But tutoring? What are the requirements for that? Visa/WP etc. It must be that I have to have the TESOL/TEFL.

If I were interested in working abroad I might choose another country. There are other, family related, circumstances bringing me to Thailand. When this situation is worked out I will either return to America or figure out how to stay in Thailand. Again, life is not what I was thinking it would be hahah!

Thank you for your replies! I guess I need to supply a bit of background info for the questions to be answered.

We have not "waited" 5 years. We were told she could not come back to us until she is an adult and can make that decision for herself. We tried to bring her back when she was 18 but the orphanage kindly told us she is not an adult until she's 20.

We still have her green card but were told she had to have come back within a year. She couldn't, of course. We're hoping for a Returning Resident Visa with a waiver stating circumstances beyond her control kept her away for more than a year. It seems like our best shot.

I don't want to get into too many details about her departure from our family. She has done nothing wrong so she was not asked to leave the US. It was something I did many years ago that a spiteful person discovered and used to tear our family apart. It was not illegal, had nothing to do with children, but she felt it was morally incorrect (one night stand when I was just out of college!). So of course Thailand social services needed to save face. They determined our daughter had to return instead of staying in a family she was perfectly happy with. We discovered soon after her return to Thailand, that this exact thing had happened to other families. At least one other family was torn apart by this very same person. I don't know for certain who she is but I feel confident she is a "fellow" American. I would certainly like to meet her one day and share with her the time/money/stress and loss she has caused our family by being a busy body.

Sorry to go off on that! It seemed important to state it was no wrongdoing on her part. She is not a criminal so there should be no real reason she cannot come home. We have a significant attachment, have maintained contact, and wish to bring our daughter home. Of course we asked her if she would rather stay in Thailand and we will come find her a place to live and a job. She said she wants to come home. I just don't know what it will take to make that happen for her.

We were adopting a child about 5 years ago but she was made to return to Thailand before our adoption was finalized. We didn't want her to go and she wanted to stay with us. She will be 20 years old in a few months and we would like to bring her home to our family in America.

What is the process for a person aging out of the system/orphanage? Does she need a release from their house papers to be able to get a Visa? We have her green card and social security card. What Visa is the likeliest one to apply for her to be able to come home with us?

Does anyone know how long this process takes? Is there a certain social worker who works with kids aging out?

Thanks in advance for any tips/advice/leads!

Ooops haha! Forgot to ask what sort of Visa I should apply for. I've heard of a 90-day Visa. What type of Visa is this?

Would I do better to apply for a different sort?

I will be coming to Thailand, from America, in December and It's likely I will be staying for a few to several months (possibly end up staying for a long time?). Do I need a Work Permit for freelance photography/photojournalism?

If I cannot find work in my field, I have been a substitute teacher for Spanish and other subjects at a high end school in my state. I can teach English as well. Do I need a WP for tutoring? Obviously, I have a clean background and I am currently a licensed foster parent.

Thanks for the responses!