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stuurman

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Posts posted by stuurman

    Final crackdown for border runners - New strict Immigration regulation in force from today

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    Retirement visa age is also supposed to be increased to 55. That will make things even worse!

    Do you have a reliable source for this piece of information?

    I can't find anything on google that supports your comment.

    That is a rumour from the immigration, has been circulating for a while now. I am not sure but It used to be 55 already, they they reduced it to 50. Going back to 55 is quite possible. I am not an expert when it comes to retirement visas.

    Thanks for clearing that up. I hope the information you give on this forum about ED visas is based on facts and not on rumours.

    Malaysia Visa Run by Airplane

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted · Edited by stuurman

    Assuming you are going to KL.

    Are you arriving at the KLIA or LCCT?

    AirAsia is moving it's operations from LCCT to the new low cost terminal KLIA2 as of 9 May:

    http://www.airasia.com/my/en/press-releases/airasia-group-will-move-to-klia2.page

    If OP arrives with AirAsia he will have to go trough immigration and obtain a boarding pass or have his documents checked at the AirAsia check in counter.

    In that case 1 hour and 50 minutes seems tight schedule to me.

    • Like 1

    Weighing our visa options.

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted · Edited by ubonjoe
    fixed broken quote

    I think for me there are 2 options:

    - Get a Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” here in Penang.

    - Get an extension of stay based on retirement in Chiang Mai.

    As Mario said, you would be getting a Non-Imm O, not an O-A. Usually you have to apply for an O-A in your home country or a country in which you have some legal residence status.

    I have a legal residence status in Malaysia but getting a non-o and proceed from there seems less hassle free then the O-A option.

    Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

    Weighing our visa options.

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    I want to move to Chiang Mai with my non-Thai wife.

    I am 50 and she 49, currently we live in Penang Malaysia.

    We both have Dutch passports.

    What would be the easiest way to secure our long term stay in Thailand?

    I think for me there are 2 options:

    - Get a Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” here in Penang.

    - Get an extension of stay based on retirement in Chiang Mai.

    But how about my wife?

    In case I get a Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” here in Penang can she get a dependent visa there at the same time?

    In case we choose to get my extension of stay in Chiang Mai can she get her's as well? Or does she first have to go to an embassy or consulate outside Thailand?

    Thanks,

    Paul

    American-No Bank Account, No Visa Catch 22. Help please.

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    Bangkok bank stipulates that in order to open an account with them, you will either need to produce work permit or ED visa with confirmation from the school.

    โชคดี

    On their website they say you can open a savings account and get a debit card to use for shopping and ATM withdrawals without work permit or ED visa.

    http://www.bangkokbank.com/BANGKOKBANK/PERSONALBANKING/SPECIALSERVICES/FOREIGNCUSTOMERS/Pages/Openinganaccountnew.aspx

    • Like 1

    Open a bank card in Singapore (where is it easily)?

    in Singapore General Chat

    Posted

    Which means a deposit how much?

    More or less an off shore account, bet your annual banking fees reflect the service.

    Not what the OP was looking for, unless the OP has a stack of cash.

    The question by OP was: "In what bank(s) is it mostly easy to open a bank (debit, of course) card in Singapore for a tourist?"

    This is how I opened an account as a tourist. Yes you need a deposit in the country where you are registered for the premier service, the amount varies from country to country. I don't pay any bank fees.

    Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

    Is KL better than Bangkok as a travel destination?

    in Thailand Travel Forum

    Posted

    Malaysia has its own political tensions and the cultural clash between Bumiputra, ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian is palpable and ready to go off at any time.

    I live in Malaysia and feel very much the same as for KL or Bangkok. Bangkok wins for me, KL is trying to be a second Singapore but only succeeds in having the same soullessness.

    Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

    Renting apartment in Penang?

    in Malaysia General Chat

    Posted · Edited by stuurman

    Officially you can't rent without a proper visa but given the fact there is an oversupply of rental apartments (especially in the high end market) I doubt landlords will let go of a tenant if they found one.
    Have you had a look at http://www.my2home.info ? This forum was set up to answer mm2h visa related questions but lots of other info can be found as well.

    The Malaysia section on the British Expat forum can also be a good source to gather information http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=11c3ec659980ce04b816891f77952a14&f=148

    Pros and cons of Penang

    in Malaysia General Chat

    Posted

    Stuurman wrote in my associated but rent-specific thread (so I am replying here in this mire general thread)...

    "I live in Penang and think cost of living is substantial higher then in Thailand, about 20-30% I would say. That figure will go up next year when VAT on all goods is introduced."

    Based on my one week visit to Penang Christmas 2013 I observed that indeed guesthouse accommodation us about that much more, maybe higher, than Bangkok. Care to break down your 29-30% higher estimate? I found groceries seemed to be cheaper, eating out about the same.

    " i'm actually thinking of moving to Thailand, not because of that but because tensions between the Muslim Malay and the rest of country are getting higher."

    Rely? This is bad news. Do you see examples in day- 'to-day life? I notice Hindu parades having gov't provided guards to discourage vandalism . I see this as both good and bad. Good that security is taken seriously, bad that it is necessary.

    "When I arrived here 5 years ago I found Malaysia a moderate Muslim country, that is getting less and less. Most of it is politically driven by the ruling party who tries to be the defender of Muslim rights."

    So, you have noticed a negative change in as little as five years. I do not doubt what you are saying us true. But do you think so e if this is from you changing from a wide-eyed newcomer to eyes wide open? Hindu friends complain to me that the religious tolerance is fiction. Technically freedom of religion, but try to get a permit to build a Temple. There dies seem to be a concerted effort to squeeze non-Muslins out. What I find curious is it seems to be a gov't sponsored progrom, that your average Malaysian Muslim is more tolerant than the government. And Indonesia gas a more secular gov't despite having the largest Muslim population in the world. Curiously, even 95%+ Muslim Bangladesh is more tolerant, but socially and at gov't level. What's with thus mentality if the rah-rah Sunni gov't in Malaysia that belongs in a Middle Eastern Shia government of the Middle East. It is so out of place.

    "Because Penang is mainly Chinese and ruled by the opposition it's an easy target for the Malay populist right wing fractions"

    This surprises me. Isn't it the FEDERATED STATES of Malaysia, as in 'if you want to go your own way and have shariah law, go for it' as several northern states have? Does this freedom of religion not also apply to Christians etc? Maybe it is time for a SE cessessionist movement like Venito and Catalonia.

    " for example just a few weeks a go a church was firebombed."

    Ugh. Did the police and courts take it seriously? Some hooligans also interfered with a Hindu parade by throwing a decapitated cow's head in the procession (equally as offensive, although for different reasons, as throwing a slaughtered pig into a mosque)

    "Apart from the political/ethnic tension there is also a steep raise in crime. This added up makes Malaysia no longer the country where I want to live."

    Oh, I wasn't aware of this. Thank you.

    It's not just me who thinks Malaysia is turning from a moderate Muslim country into a stricter one, this also the view of my Chinese friends but since you are mostly interested in cost of living and related subjects I will narrow my remarks to that:

    When I was in Krabi a few months ago I went to some supermarkets and compared prices to what a pay in Penang, looking at these prices I estimated that for the same amount of groceries I would pay about 20-30% less in Thailand. Eating out (not street food but a proper restaurant) at least that amount as well. The only thing that's really much less expensive in Malaysia is gas because it's subsidized. However cars, when comparing same brand and model are also at least 20% less expensive in Thailand.

    I must add that I live on Gurney Drive in Penang, one of the most expensive places on the island, so mainland prices might be more on par with Thailand.

    Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

    Renting apartment in Penang?

    in Malaysia General Chat

    Posted

    To get an idea of rents try http://www.propertyguru.com.my/

    I live in Penang and think cost of living is substantial higher then in Thailand, about 20-30% I would say. That figure will go up next year when VAT on all goods is introduced.

    I'm actually thinking of moving to Thailand, not because of that but because tensions between the Muslim Malay and the rest of country are getting higher.

    When I arrived here 5 years ago I found Malaysia a moderate Muslim country, that is getting less and less. Most of it is politically driven by the ruling party who tries to be the defender of Muslim rights.

    Because Penang is mainly Chinese and ruled by the opposition it's an easy target for the Malay populist right wing fractions, for example just a few weeks a go a church was firebombed.

    Apart from the political/ethnic tension there is also a steep raise in crime. This added up makes Malaysia no longer the country where I want to live.

    Smoke, Smog, Dust 2014 Chiang Mai

    in Chiang Mai

    Posted

    Hi

    Is there a chart with last years PM10 data for the period January to May?

    Sure.

    http://aqnis.pcd.go.th/webfm_send/1851

    Relevant parts:

    attachicon.gifUntitled.png

    So that's the months on the left in rows: January through May.

    First four columns show the PM10 (24 hour averages) :

    * Highest value

    * Lowest value

    * Number of days that were over the 120 ug/m3 limit (also shows number of valid measurements, so '12/31' means 31 measurements with 12 days over the limit)

    * Average PM-10

    Last four columns show the same, but for PM2.5

    Great info thanks a a lot. If I understand correct it's mainly March/April that it gets really bad?

    I'm now living in Penang Malaysia and consider moving to Chiang Mai next year.

    We have our haze as well, normally only June/July/August but it seems to get more and more a year round phenomenon.

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