frimu

Seems to be among Thais.

I was hoping for the revenge of a cheated foreigner!!! :-)

[...]

The good news is i emailed Nokair yesterday with my problem and they just replied to me: can change my flights to another day or they can refund my ticket without charges....!

So i will ask refund and book me a Thai air flight phuket-Bkk...its a 1000 bath extra but then i'm sure to get my flight without hassle and taxi costs....

Think it's a good customer service from nokair to offer me that solution....

Anyway,thanks all of you again!

Jan

I don't think that it's "a good customer service from Nok Air" as it is now more costly for you to go where you want to, because of the departure airport change that this company has imposed for your domestic flight.

I am in a similar situation than you and I am not happy (so far) with what theyare offering me: just a refund for my domestic return flight but no compensation for the inconvenience, no payment of the difference in price for buying another flight ticket with a departure from Suvarnabhumi the same day or to pay the taxi fare from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang.

If I was the one who requested any change for my domestice flight, Nok Air would charge me extra fees, but this company (apparently) offers no compensation for its customers when making such a change!

Does any company do that for economy customers?

It's actually "normal" for any dog to see a small child as a competitor and hence they try to kill them. Seems like Thai people don't know that yet. A little knowledge always helps. Never leave a dog alone with a child smaller than 6 years!

And even a normal dog, that is not a guard dog, can do that!

dam_n! I live near it!

Good work fire team.

However, 2 explosions there in 18 months? This must be a major point of concern for the whole of Bangkok because one accident like this in the life of a facility like Bangchek is really not acceptable; 2 in 18 months shows there are endemic problems there. No way I would want to live in that vicinity until a western HSE engineering firm has been through it and all the recommendations have been up taken, and passed as up to scratch by an independent (non local) audit. Wouldn't trust anything else in this country.

Thank you for sharing this.

I'm living in Thailand now and coming from Switzerland which does not have a king for more than 700 years! So it really helps me to understand a monarchy.

I have never understood why other countries do not reciprocate the 'rules and regulations' that countries such as Thailand impose on foreigners. For example, if a Brit cannot own land or property in Thailand , then a Thai should be under the same rules in the UK, if a Brit cannot own a company in Thailand then the same should apply in the UK for Thai nationals. Things would soon change in Thailand, Saudi and the UAE if we simply matched their respective regulations. When the elite suddenly found they cannot own properties in London and shift large amounts of money by say owning football clubs ! Then things would rapidly change for us.

It sounds like the Deputy Commerce Minister has been shafted on a shares deal so has started a vendetta.

Because western governments and electorates are smart enough to realise such protectionism doesn't work. What it would mean is that the price of top end houses, football clubs etc in the UK would fall pretty sharply, investment would dry up and the UK would be poorer as a result. If Thai, Russians and middle eastern billionaires want to spend their money in the UK, good for the UK.

==> Good message to the Thai government!!!

Ever heard of counter violence. Maybe you could shoot two before they shoot you or slash your throat.

It's a very shitty situation and only the police and government could do something. But since they're corrupt not much will happen. Every now and then they might bring someone to court to show the embassadors that they do something.

But that won't help. Only a systematic fight against crime would help. But that's not going to happen in Thailand.

Not fishy, Slum and drug peaple all over the places. Also here in Pattaya. They are lazy to work, just stealing is easy. I got my own lesson. I got surRouded by 5 locals last Octobre. What chance do you hace without weapon? The problem is that we foreigners can't carry guns. In my home country i can do that. So we are just victims in this country. In my case police was useless.

I never had to wait three or four trains to get in. So it's not that bad, but Bangkok can be proud. :-)

Thanks for your feedback. I have now applied at a school to learn Thai and get the visa. And once I'm back in Thailand on the basis of the visa I might let you know what I learned and update the facts here.

One thing is obvious: Getting the visa just to stay and not showing up on courses does not seem to work anymore. You wouldn't get an extension after 90 days. They check that now. But I really want to improve my Thai, so that doesn't bother me too much. :-)

Cheers, Frimu

It continues to amaze me how often Thai government contracts end-up with major flaws/court challenges, to include apparently unclear rules on who can award the contract. Sure, in western countries contract awards are challenged all the time by a losing bidder(s) usually on some minor technical/contract award issue and the great, great majority of the time the contract award is upheld.

But in Thailand you all so often see another govt agency challenging another govt agency over which agency controls the awarding of the contract. Coordination problems? Unclear law/rules/regulations? Most likely just different political agendas and who gets a share of the money pie.

It's a practical system. :-) If sometimes turns out to be unpopular they just find a way to cancel it.

Dear all,

I have researched about one year Thailand education visas? Here are the facts I found:

• 
  It is difficult to get a multiple entry one year education visa, normally the authorities just grant single entry one year education visas. One place where it seems to be possible is Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
  
• 
  If I just get a single entry education visa I can still try to get a multiple re-entry permit for 3800 Baht (bring one passport photo when applying for it, a single re-entry permit would be 1000 Baht) at a Thailand immigration office.
  
• 
  The 90 day extension fee is 1900 Baht. You have to report to an immigration office every 90 days for that.
  

So are all of the above facts true and the fees still accurate?

My open questions:

• 
  Let's assume, I leave Thailand 40 days after my first entry with the one year education visa and return 20 days after that. Do I have to report to the immigration office for the extension of my visa 90 days or 30 days after my re-entry? So is that period of 90 days absolute or depending on your travel activity?
  
• 
  Should I be able to get a multiple entry visa: Will I then have to leave Thailand every 90 days or could I get an extension at an immigration office without leaving?
  

I'm curious if someone know the answers. :-) I prefer to ask you in the forum, because in my experience many Thai people don't want to embarrass you and just tell you what you like to hear, but not necessarily the truth. :-)

Thanks for your time, possibly your answers and kind regards

Frimu

Thanks for the information! I plan to go July 7. I'd feel better, if someone could personally confirm, that it really works again. Cuz then I can save half a day of queueing in BKK. :-)

Thanks, Frimu

just what Bangkok needs.. another set of concrete pillars that are left to rot , to match the ones that are out there at Don Muang.

No no no these are already built for the train line Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani!!

Doesn't a feasibility study try to determine WHETHER the project is feasible? Perhaps announcing the completion date is a little premature.

Some of the land in the railway corridors may need to be resumed, I guess... and equipment purchased... that's a lot of concrete and rails... 6 years, huh? ... hmmmmm

Well the Chinese are quick, In their own country they have proven countless times, that they can do something alike in 5 years. The only thing that might stop them is, that human rights are taken a bit more seriously in Thailand. At least I hope so. That might slow down processes like getting the land and stuff like that.

Did you have a visa for Myanmar? The requirement for visa exempt entry is onward transportation to a destination you have paperwork to enter. Malaysia allows visa free entry for most - Myanmar does not. Suspect Consulate was using the same criteria for visa issue. Have seen no report of a 2 entry from Rangoon and doubt you will obtain in KL but can not be sure what situation will be a few months from now. As you seem to want to remain suspect the ED may be your best option.

My plan is to get the Myanmar Visa in Bangkok. And that was not an issue in the consulate, that I don't have that visa yet.

Dear all,

This is what happened to me recently:

I applied for a single 60 day tourist visa in the Thai consulate in Zurich, Switzerland.

It was requested, that I provide the passport, two passport fotos, the flight ticket in and out of Thailand and the visa form and fees.

As a ticket I provided the flight from Zurich to Bangkok, then a return ticket to Rangoon, where I plan to go after the 60 days.

The consulate staff told me, they can't issue me the visa, because I would return to Bangkok from Rangoon. I was able to save the situation by booking a single ticket from Rangoon to Kuala Lumpur. After giving them this ticket they told me, it would be ok now and I would get the visa.

My thoughts:

- If all consulates and embassies handle it like that, then Thailand is no longer suitable as a travel hub for South East Asia globetrotters, unless of course the requirements for the 30 day visa on arrival are not that tough.

- The trend goes towards this, I guess: Return ticket tourists are welcome, for everyone else it gets tougher and more bureaucratic all the time.

My questions:

- Did that happen to other people before? Is that now the normal situation or is the Thai consulate in Zurich stricter than others?

- How are the requirements for the standard 30 day visa on arrival. Is the return or single onward ticket to be provided the standard too?

- My original plan was to ask for a double entry 60 tourist visa in Rangoon. Is that wise? Will I get it after having a 60 day visa in my passport already? Is it better to go to Kuala Lumpur and ask for it there? Or should I head for a one year education visa as I have plans to improve my Thai language skills anyway?

Sorry for my questions related to the 30 day visa. Just wanted to give you all my ideas. I guess, that info I can get here already and I will now search for it.

Best regards from frimu

I would have a follow up question on that one? Isn't it a fact, that you can't get more pages for biometric passports? Or do some countries give a page extension for biometric passports too.

How about passports from Schengen countries specifically?

No kidding, there are plenty of other countries who use a whole page stamp, not just the "abnormal" countries of Laos, Cambodia, & Myanmar. I don't know where you are from, but for me, it wasn't too expensive to get more pages added to my passport.

I do know that Malaysia uses small stamps.

Which begs thr most obvious question, how can anyone be allowed to sell inflammable gas in balloons. Helium not hydrogen is the way forward.

Had a kids party where a few went bang. Wondered how helium could go bang and realised the resident balloon guy had a hydrogen canister next to the barbecue.

Just read an article, that helium becomes more and more expensive, because it's a rare gas and difficult to produce. I guess, that is the answer.

[...]

Personally I would rather stay in Laos for 2 months or the whole block of vacation. Get away from the usual tourist that make the typical scene in Asia feel exactly like back home in the United States or any developed country. When your Laos Visa expires there's no need to be panic, the Freedom Bridge is accessible late and a u turn when you get to the Thai side will get you another 60 day stay in Laos. You can get as many Laos 60 days visa as you want so don't panic because they wont red stamp anyone willing to spend money in Laos. But you want to visit Thai? Let the Laos Concierge arrange an hour or 2 boat crossing to Thailand to cure your hunger for Pad Thai or any other things Thai. You want to stay in Thailand for 120 days no problem. The concierge will also handle the arrangement for the single or dual entry visa . All you have to do is go get a nice freshly cut coconut and head to the Thai consulate to watch the other foreigners get first degree burns waiting to get rejected by the Consulate. Don't be like Mike and follow what others do, let the concierge take care of those pesky annoying things, besides spending the whole day in the hot sun to find out that the line cuts off at the person before you, you did not get approved, or they have not returned your passport. You've not only wasted a day waiting, you probably wasted 2 days. 1 day for apply and another day to wait to get your passport back. Don't be a cheap butt because how much is 72 hours of your time? If you need more help. Please feel free to ask

"""

Here's the most frugal and almost always a guarantee way for a dual entry visa. Buy an airplane ticket in advance on nokair or airasia to Udon. Depending on where you are flying it should not be more than $100 usd round trip. Don't waste your time taking a bus service or train. Take the limo service $7 usd right in the airport, the service counter for the purchasing the ticket is right in front when you walk out the departure exit. The van drops you directly at the border where you stamp out of Thailand. Purchase a bus bridge ticket for .75 usd to Laos. Get off the bus and head to window 1 for Laos entry documents. Here's a trick and a hack. Those 3 guys seating on the right on the table in front of the atm machine are volunteers working for tip. Let them fill out the forms and hand it in, this method will push you to the front of the line. Cost for a Laos visa $35 usd, 2 months stay. Please don't forget to give them a tip. Here's the tricky part. Once you pass customs. Here's a hack for free food and drinks before 10 pm sun - thurs, 2 am fri-sat. Make a u turn but stay on the perimeter of the fence next to the Duty free store and head to the casino. Play a little slots or roulette and enjoy the complimentary food. Here's the most important hack Call your Laos assistant in advance. They'll automate all the essentials: transportation, hotel, dual entry visa, and lots of other things. The assistants saved me 75% living per day compared to daily living cost in Thai. Good luck and let me know how the journey goes.

This is a suggestion to stay in Laos for two months inbetween. Right? That's a good suggestion, asI still need to see North Laos and all of the South.

Do you mean to call the Laos assistant to get a Thai tourist double entry visa to go back to Thailand afterwards? Did I get that right?

Thanks a lot for your advise

Claudio

Personally I would rather stay in Laos for 2 months or the whole block of vacation. Get away from the usual tourist that make the typical scene in Asia feel exactly like back home in the United States or any developed country. When your Laos Visa expires there's no need to be panic, the Freedom Bridge is accessible late and a u turn when you get to the Thai side will get you another 60 day stay in Laos. You can get as many Laos 60 days visa as you want so don't panic because they wont red stamp anyone willing to spend money in Laos. But you want to visit Thai? Let the Laos Concierge arrange an hour or 2 boat crossing to Thailand to cure your hunger for Pad Thai or any other things Thai. You want to stay in Thailand for 120 days no problem. The concierge will also handle the arrangement for the single or dual entry visa . All you have to do is go get a nice freshly cut coconut and head to the Thai consulate to watch the other foreigners get first degree burns waiting to get rejected by the Consulate. Don't be like Mike and follow what others do, let the concierge take care of those pesky annoying things, besides spending the whole day in the hot sun to find out that the line cuts off at the person before you, you did not get approved, or they have not returned your passport. You've not only wasted a day waiting, you probably wasted 2 days. 1 day for apply and another day to wait to get your passport back. Don't be a cheap butt because how much is 72 hours of your time? If you need more help. Please feel free to ask

Hello,

Thanks for your advice again.

I'm quite connected to Thailand already. But Laos once for 60 days sounds like a really good idea!

And then getting back relying on this concierge service. That's a really good tipp!

Cheers

Claudio

Some Thai consulates can be quite bureaucratic. I get my visas from the honorary consulate in Zurich an when I once applied without submitting a copy of my return flight ticket they simply ignored my application until I followed up by phone and they requested the copy of the ticket.

Ok. I will have to figure this out by asking them in the consulate of Zurich?

Or does someone know the requirements now? Do you need to show an onward flight ticket for all visa types now?

Thank you

Claudio

Here's the most frugal and almost always a guarantee way for a dual entry visa. Buy an airplane ticket in advance on nokair or airasia to Udon. Depending on where you are flying it should not be more than $100 usd round trip. Don't waste your time taking a bus service or train. Take the limo service $7 usd right in the airport, the service counter for the purchasing the ticket is right in front when you walk out the departure exit. The van drops you directly at the border where you stamp out of Thailand. Purchase a bus bridge ticket for .75 usd to Laos. Get off the bus and head to window 1 for Laos entry documents. Here's a trick and a hack. Those 3 guys seating on the right on the table in front of the atm machine are volunteers working for tip. Let them fill out the forms and hand it in, this method will push you to the front of the line. Cost for a Laos visa $35 usd, 2 months stay. Please don't forget to give them a tip. Here's the tricky part. Once you pass customs. Here's a hack for free food and drinks before 10 pm sun - thurs, 2 am fri-sat. Make a u turn but stay on the perimeter of the fence next to the Duty free store and head to the casino. Play a little slots or roulette and enjoy the complimentary food. Here's the most important hack Call your Laos assistant in advance. They'll automate all the essentials: transportation, hotel, dual entry visa, and lots of other things. The assistants saved me 75% living per day compared to daily living cost in Thai. Good luck and let me know how the journey goes.

This is a suggestion to stay in Laos for two months inbetween. Right? That's a good suggestion, asI still need to see North Laos and all of the South.

Do you mean to call the Laos assistant to get a Thai tourist double entry visa to go back to Thailand afterwards? Did I get that right?

Thanks a lot for your advise

Claudio

Why not apply for a double entry Tourist Visa first shortly before leaving home, each entry is good for a 60 day entry and each can be extended for 30 days for 1900 Baht. You will just need to make sure you do the second entry before the "use by date" or valdity date.

After that, go to a consulate in Laos, or some other country within the region to apply for other Tourist Visas. There are no official limits, but some consulates will refuse to issue visas, thinking that the applicant is living and working illegally in Thailand.

Apply for a six month triple entry tourist tourist visa just before leaving Switzerland. If you use it correctly, you can get almost 270 days out of it with two border runs and three 30 day extensions at immigration in Thailand - cost 1900 baht each. You would then have to leave and apply for another visa in a neighboring country or rely on visa exept entries - 15 days by land, 30 days by air.

Wow, I had no idea that these kinds of visas exist! Thank you! I will try to get one of those after getting a new passport because my old one is not valid the minimal 6 months anymore.

Really cool of you to give me this advice.

Thanks a lot! Claudio

Dear all,

I'm a citizen of Switzerland, 38 years young and my plan is to stay in Thailand as a tourist for a year.

Visa wise I was thinking of this solution:

Get a 60 day tourist visa in Switzerland and enter Thailand.

Travel to another country by plane - when it is expired - for 30 days and apply there for my next 60 day tourist visa and come back to Thailand for the next 60 days.

Repeat that process twice and it would be up to a year.

Is there a danger, that my second, third, fourth 60 day visa request might be rejected?

Are there other things that I should be aware of in my plan?

I checked the forum, but didn't find a post with this idea in yet.

Thank you all for your help and cheers

Claudio

Why is this breaking news? It's just about bla bla without any immediate effect, totally uninteresting and certainly not worth breaking news. I was expecting to read something about police action somewhere. Don't wast my time!