marginline

Perhaps you would prefer it if we all looked like this Globeliner.

...where are they please?

My partner and I are getting a bit tired of LOS so we're thinking of going back to the UK for a while. As I haven't lived there for approximately 15-years, I'm wondering if anyone can advise what cities (besides London) have fairly sizeable Thai communities please? Thanks a lot for any feedback.

The police was able to bring in Anong for questioning. She denies any involvcement in the death of her ex-husband. She was later released while the police awaits the forensic report in order to be able to to make an arrest based on solid evidence.

- Scandasia

This is absolutely bloody disgraceful, had the Thai wife been found dead on the floor instead of Mr. During, I'm ###### sure that he would not have been released pending the forensic report.

Hmmm...yours is an interesting post sohn. Personally, I don't see why a mere 6-day overstay would cause you problems while standing in-line to depart LOS duly clutching your air ticket - because I see half-a-dozen (over-stayers) turn-up at the Arayaprathet/Poipet land crossing every time I go; some with over a week's overstay and nothing untoward seems to happen to them. They pay their fine and then hop straight back on the bus!

As for there being ramifications at Kuala Lumpur some time later 'down the trail'...again, IMHO I don't think your overstay will be an issue with Malaysian immigration; not one iota!

Btw...please let us know if you do decide to go to Thai immigration and what the result is with that; and finally "chok dee" to you!

Yes I agree jeebusjones, cali’s advice hit’s spot on the mark. With all the recent changes (starting last October) and new requirements to provide this or that as proof you are leaving LOS, I guess it’s like a wake-up call (for me at least) to actually begin appreciating life here in Thailand.

I’m not a boozer and I certainly don’t frequent Soi Cowboy (not that there's anything wrong in doing so) but one thing I am guilty of is living my life as though I was still in the UK or US. As you rightly say jeebusjones – the Cambodia thing IS getting a bit old and perhaps just trying to get the visa run over and done with, I should perhaps wake-up and smell the coffee and begin to experience something anew; like cali’s “old Thailand” where “the people are so friendly”.

Nice posts gentlemen!

You are required to be in possession of your passport at all times in Thailand ....

highly illegal practice from here .... though I wonder about doing it whilst abroad in say Malaysia ... you MIGHT be breaking Malaysian law by not having your passport ..... and you could be caught out if ALL your stamps were looked at closely ....

<not an issue for me ... every 15 months to Australia ... or the USA is ok>

So what's the Thai immigration law on this please?

As I've never been stopped and asked for my passport in almost the 3-years I've lived here, I'd be willing to take a chance in Malaysia for say a week with a photocopy of said passport and the 90-day departure card they give you. Respectfully...so what then if "ALL" my stamps were scrutinized? I could prove definitively I had departed LOS, I just couldn't prove that I had physically applied (and collected) my new tourist visa issued from London that's all.

Would that be a problem or considered illegal?

Hmmm…so hypothetically if I physically departed LOS for a week’s vacation in say Malaysia, and overnighted my UK passport to a visa agent in London, would the 3x, 6-month validity tourist visa duly stamped into my passport and subsequently returned to me in Malaysia – be legal for me to use to re-enter Thailand?

My understanding is it all boils down to whether or not I physically need to be present at the Royal Thai Embassy in London in order to submit and collect my own visa paperwork as well. Can anyone help with this please?

There were absolutely no questions asked of me although the Immigration Officer (a lady) checking passports exiting LOS chuckled and read aloud the word "Butterworth" as I produced my rail ticket. Btw, I did ask her why she was laughing and all she replied was "It doesn't matter, it's all right" before stamping me out of Thailand.

I bought the ticket from Hua Lamphong, which is the main railway station here in Bangkok and very easy to get to.

Hua Lamphong station has a well-organised reservation office, open daily 8:00am to 4:00pm. From the main entrance, walk towards the platforms, and the reservation office is tucked away on the extreme right, more or less level with the entrance to the platforms. There's a queuing system: When you enter, take a numbered ticket from the machine and wait until your number appears on the display, directing you to a particular reservation counter. The cost is 1,210 baht of which 80% is refundable should you cancel the ticket within 4-days of travel. Alternatively there is a 50 baht fee to postpone and rebook your rail travel, as necessary.

The staff here are friendly and helpful and FWIW...there were no questions asked of me either exiting or re-entering the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing.

I did a 'Visa On Arrival' visa run last Sunday (May 13th) to the Aranyaprathet/Poipet crossing using Jack Total Golf. FWIW I used a single rail ticket from Bangkok to Butterworth, Malaysia as my confirmation to "EXIT THE KINGDOM".

I want to make sure I CAN return. I don't want to get stuck at the border between a country where my visa has been stamped as exiting and then Thailand won't let me in.

I kind of had this EXACT same thought in mind when I did my first Visa On Arrival run last Monday (May 13th) Damian - to Aranyaprathet/Poipet. My "TICKET OR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PAID ALREADY" was not an air ticket but a single rail ticket from Bangkok to Butterworth, Malaysia.

Ironically a Filipino family in the line one place ahead of me didn't have any paperwork to confirm they were going to "EXIT THE KINGDOM", so after about 5-minutes of 'discussion' they were advised not to leave LOS and left the line, presumably to get the necessary travel documents. I mention this because IMHO I don't think Immigration would ever put you in a situation where they'd just leave you stranded at a border between a country where your visa had already been stamped as having exited; I'm sure they'd 'weed you out' beforehand and provide advice...just like they did to the Filipino family.

FWIW I had no problems exiting and re-entering Thailand using my rail ticket, however saying that...I was prepared to stand my ground if at first I was denied. I guess having a 'Plan B' (which I had but didn't need to activate) is also a useful possession as well!

No point in quoting me. I conceded early yesterday that this is a genuine issue.

An example of the best a long term "tourist" can hope for is:

Day 1 enter Thailand with tourist visa issued in Penang. Extend permission to stay from 60 to 90 days.

Day 90 border run to Poipet with confirmed ticket to Penang. Get 30 days visa free

Day 119 fly to Penang and get new visa

Day 120 re-enter Thailand with a new tourist and start process again.

At least the issue of 90 days in 6 months becomes academic and they can make half the immigration officers at Poi-pet redundant.

Previous suggestions about re-dating airline tickets to get 3 consecutive 30 day permits is only really practical if you initally pay for a full fare ticket (or know a good travel agent). Most cheapo fares are no change, no refund

Thinking ahead, Poi-Pet could tighten the ratchet a further notch and refuse re-admittance to those doing a border run and not holding a visa because they did not exit Thailand using the ticket they presented to gain admittance 30days previously.

I see on TV air-asia have ordered an Airbus A380 to use exclusively on the Bangkok-Penang route.

I really appreciate your “Thinking ahead” advice ChokChaiChas and it got me thinking...what if you re-entered LOS by train after you'd been issued your tourist visa? That could (would) circumvent any further 'ratcheting' at Aranyaprathet/Poi-Pet; no?

This is how I think it could work, using current scheduling and prices from AirAsia, State Railway of Thailand (SRT), Malaysian Railway (KTM) and Tune Hotels AND giving yourself plenty of notice; at least 30-days! Firstly you buy a one-way air ticket from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur using AirAsia and then three rail tickets (*2 of which can be amended (BT50 per ticket) or cancelled (BT268 per ticket) as and when you choose for later use):

Rail ticket #1. Kuala Lumpar to Bangkok (actually this leg would consist of 2 tickets - KTM & SRT)

Rail ticket #2. Bangkok to Butterworth - Dated approx 30-days after ticket #1

Rail ticket #3. Butterworth to Bangkok - Dated approx 5-days after ticket #2

Your visa run itinerary and cost then should go something like this:

Day 1

1745 Depart Bangkok using AirAsia (1,972 baht)

2050 Arrive Kuala Lumpur

2100 Bus to Hotel, an AirAsia add-on (90 baht)

2215 Arrive Hotel 3-nights accommodation (1,200 baht)

Day 2

0900 Go to Royal Thai Embassy and apply for 2-entry tourist visa (2,000 baht). Show all 3 rail tickets (*2,420 baht)

Day 3

1100 Go to Royal Thai Embassy and collect Passport

2045 Depart Kuala Lumpur Rail Station (400 baht)

Day 4

0540 Arrive Butterworth Rail Station

1315 Depart Butterworth Rail Station (1,210 baht)

Day 5

0830 Arrive Bangkok Rail Station

Estimated time taken 3 days, 14 hours and 45 minutes

Now I'm assuming a big thing here, that is by providing the Royal Thai Embassy proof that you will be leaving and returning say within a 30-day period of arriving using your tourist visa, they will actually issue a double visa based on your rail itinerary. Does anyone know otherwise please?

So, although the cost here is close to 10,000 baht, the repeat of this journey some 9-months later - would only cost about 7,000 baht AND (by postponing and rebooking those rail tickets) you'd always have valid proof, when your last visa and extension expires, that you could fulfil Immigration's current additional 'Visa On Arrival' (VOA) requirement.

This then is my take on what ChokchaiChas kindly provided earlier:

Day 1 - Enter Thailand with double tourist visa issued in Kuala Lumpur. Extend permission to stay from 60 to 90 days.

Day 90 - Border run to Poipet, use 2nd tourist visa. Extend permission to stay from 60 to 90 days.

Day 180 - Border run to Poipet with confirmed rail ticket to Butterworth. Get 30 days visa free (VOA).

Day 210 - Border run to Poipet with confirmed rail ticket to Butterworth. Get 30 days visa free (VOA).

Day 240 - Border run to Poipet with confirmed rail ticket to Butterworth. Get 30 days visa free (VOA).

Day 270 - Fly to Kuala Lumpur and get a new double visa.

Day 275 - Re-enter LOS by train with a new double tourist visa and start process again.

One final thing...during the planning of your trip, always take into account National and Public Holidays in LOS and Malaysia as failure to do so could give you one nasty surprise (like closed Embassy).

Bruceboy, you wrote: "A tourist visa is for tourists, many people misuse the generous Thai immigration system to stay on for years and years, I don't blame the Thais for cracking down on this, it's like the many immigrants in the UK taking advantage of our generousity back home".

You can't really compare "the many immigrants in the UK" and people staying in Thailand on back to back Tourist Visas.

We don't take advantage here of any medical or social services...And have no intention to do so.

It's clearly the other way around. Thai economy benefits from our spending here. In my case I have never made any attempt to work illegally as well.

Now, if an "honest motive" is either working or marrying, it's quite a narrow perspective on life. This is a matter of personnal choice. Nothing to do with honesty.

It may sound that many people "misuse the generous Thai Immigration system", as you say. Many do so because they don't fit anywhere in the proper system. I understand that an administrative system can't address the diversity of all individuals. Tourist Visas were useful to correct the rigidity of the system.

The crackdown on individual freedom is a worry. Eveyone benefits from diversity. However, as a guest here I don't blame or praise the local Authorities, I just respect them and look for a way to stick with legality.

Thanks for your advice about "Sunbelt". I doubt they would be able to renew the current visa system, though.

Great post Charles2550; I agree with everything you have written whole heartedly! Thanks for taking the time to spell things out.

Did you actually need the rail ticket out of thailand ?

If you did then why not buy one from padang besar to kuala perlis - be alot cheaper than bkk to penang !

HTH

KB

Good point Khun Bob, that did cross my mind but as I was absolutely, positively told (by Jack Total Golf) that anything other than an "air ticket" would not be accepted at Aranyaprathet, I didn't want to tempt fate any further than I thought I was already doing - by purchasing a rail ticket originating slap-bang on the border.

To be honest I went down to Aranyaprathet yesterday anticipating a confrontation and I was quite prepared to go toe-to-toe if necessary in order to stand-up for my right to chose whatever mode of transport I wanted to "exit the Kingdom". As it happens both exit and entrance Immigrations Officers politely examined my rail ticket, said a few words and then allowed me to exit and re-enter the LOS without hindrance; FWIW it was very smooth.

"Proof of Onward Travel".

No mention of needing a flight ticket, flight itinerary or otherwise. Simply have a paid-up, valid train ticket to Penang, or perhaps a bus ticket from Nong Khai to Vientianne, or any other cheap ticket which crosses at a land border.

You may even be able to re-fund the train ticket (maybe someone can confirm?) and then, let's say you get 50% back, it will have only added a couple of hundred Baht onto your visa run cost.

Yes, that is possible dantilley. FWIW I did a 'Visa On Arrival' run with Jack Total Golf today (May 13th) using their 5:00am bus to Aranyaprathet and my single rail ticket from Bangkok to Butterworth (cost 1,210 baht) was refunded, less 20% (in other words 968 baht was refunded).

This is the press release I found on their Web site:

"OASIS HONG KONG AIRLINES OFFERS ALL BUSINESS AND ECONOMY CLASS SEATS AT LOWEST FARE FOR ITS INAUGURAL MONTH.

Fly Business or Economy Class to London Gatwick direct for just HK$6,600 (THB31,500) and HK$1,000 (THB4,800) one-way respectively."

FWIW...now all we need is for Russia to authorize Oasis to fly over its airspace and to find an airline that gives a great return Bangkok to Hong Kong deal which will make this actually worthwhile.

http://www.oasishongkong.com/hk/en/home.aspx

I feel a tear welling..................why did he die?

oh that's right he was being an idiot!

As a previos poster noted "what if the guesthouse burned down and people's lives were lost?"

Would you still post the funeral notices?

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You're absolutely right poolcleaner. I am so glad that I have at last got to know of someone who has never made a stupid mistake before. I can tell you that I've certainly made my fair share. I guess I've just been lucky so far.

Don't know who originally said this but it seems appropriate "If if and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no need for tinker's hands."

There will always be the wisearses cracking funnys about lives being lost, acting like hard men.

Think about this next time. What if it was your brother, son or best friend. Would you tolerate anyone mocking his memory???

My condolences to this guys family.

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Your post medicinebox has probably the nicest sentiment I’ve read in this entire thread and succinctly tells the true story here.

I read from The New Zealand Herald that Ian James Corin was buried yesterday afternoon in the town of Te Awamutu, which is approximately 30kms south of Hamilton on the North Island of New Zealand.

Ian, who used to be a Leading Aircraftsman with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, is survived by his parents Allan and Margaret and I’ve taken the liberty of prefacing three excerpts that were written to share with this forum:

“Ian James. (LAC A1001742; ex-RNZAF). Suddenly on 2 May 2005. Very dearly loved younger son of Allan and Margaret Corin. Loved brother of Kirsten and Ross Milne, and Bruce. Dearly loved grandson of Alf and Elizabeth, much loved nephew of Rob and Gloria, Neil and Lorna, Chris, and Marion and Wayne. Loved uncle of Mia, Isaac, Jamila, and Rain. Dear cousin of Robyn, Janet and Brenda, Mark and Danelle, Russell and Paula, Joanne, Hayley and Jenny, and Sharon, Julia, Helen and Claire. Sadly missed. "We love you, God bless you our darling son." A funeral service for Ian will be held at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Mutu Street, Te Awamutu on Monday May 9th at 1:00pm followed by burial at the Te Awamutu RSA Cemetery. All communications to 522 Park Road, Te Awamutu. Te Awamutu Funeral Services Ltd.”

I echo your condolences and offer my sincere commiserations to all of Ian’s family and friends at this very sad time. May he rest in peace.

Thanks for your piece of advice fisherd3. This looks suspiciously like the information I was actually looking for when I originally asked the question. Since then however, I’ve been provided with some great workarounds (thank you forum members for that ), one of which (username: U89$0y)[email protected]) I’ve been using now since Asia Access short timed my Unlimited 30-day 1222 connection by 10-days on December 2nd.

This begs me to ask the question…if I (or anyone) can connect to the Internet (using totonline.net) without paying 300 - 400 baht per month to the likes of Asia Access or Pacific Internet, why doesn’t everyone use U89$0y)[email protected]?

As of writing you see I’ve used U89$0y)[email protected] about a dozen times to access the Internet and I’ve been able to get online first time, every time…exactly the same as before when using Asia Access and Pacific Internet.

In conclusion I guess I will eventually need to sign-up to a basic ADSL service as the 3 baht (per 2-hour) connection fee for a 50 kbps download speed is almost the same for using something which (presumably) allows me to surf the Internet up to 5x faster. I dial-up on average about half-a-dozen times a day you see.

I am using the JI-Net 'card' 'Shark Byte' which is 179 bht for 15 days unlimited and I believe about 325bht for 30 days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're exactly in the same position I was in last month jauntyjohn.

Take both old and new passports to the 4th floor, Room 402 of the Immigration Bureau and they will help you there. Basically, you just complete a form, hand your passports in to the Immigration clerk then after about a 5 minute wait they return both passports duly processed.

At that time you will be asked to go to the 2nd floor, Room 206 for final processing action. That's it. If you're lucky (like perhaps I was) you'll be in and out within 15 minutes! There is NO CHARGE for this service by the way; not 1 baht.

When you go to Poipet...simply take both passports with you and when summoned by the incoming Thai Immigration clerk hand them both passports (old & new), with the old passport opened at the still valid visa page.

Have a very safe and enjoyable trip.

As I am unable to find LYSOL's disinfectant sprays or Nair's hair remover whenever I go shopping, I wonder if someone would be kind enough to advise whether there are Thai equivalent products I can buy instead please? Thank you.

Since arriving in Thailand I've been trying to get a hold of canned air so that I might be able to air blast my laptop's keyboard clean. Looking around though and despite visiting a whole host of places I thought I wouldn't have a problem finding the stuff...the best I've managed to do so far is something called CARBIDE Super Cleaner (CSC) from Big C. If it wasn't for the fact that CSC is a solvent, highly flammable and leaves a residue when cleaning my camera lens, it would be fine; that is why I would prefer to use canned air...if its available that is!

FYI I've tried Big C, Carrefour, Data IT, IT City, MBK, Office Depot, Pantip Plaza, Tesco/Lotus all to no avail. I wonder then please if someone might know where I might be able to find this product here in Bangkok? Thank you.

Thank you paulfr and lopburi3, your advice was invaluable. By going to Tools/Email Accts I was indeed able to tinker around with the settings and (finally) get MS Outlook to begin sending and receiving again. As paulfr rightly says there should not have been a problem with MS Outlook and that would probably have been the case...had I not had AOL as my ISP prior to leaving the UK. Anyway your advice made me re-examine my MS Outlook settings, for which I am very grateful to you.

By the way, kudos to Wash and Thetyim too for their advice. I now know what to do the next time I run out of time on my Asia Access account.

Thanks again everyone!

I've been reliably informed that this was a road traffic accident on Suk Suwat Road where the individual (duly pixelated) was riding, dare I say racing his motorcycle with other members of a motorbike gang. Apparently he crashed into a pole alongside the road and in the process was decapitated.

I have used two dial-up card providers since coming to Thailand:

Pacific Internet (http://www.pacific.net.th) and

Asia Access (http://www.asiaaccess.net.th)

and have had absolutely no problem with either of them connecting to the internet...dialling-in at any time of the day!

Keep your spirits up, the problem may simply lie with Samart. I don't know whether any of the other forum members or forum guests have any opinion about your current provider.

Good Luck then merlin1 on getting on track with a more reliable service provider.