LoveThaiGirls

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Do you need a hose, or pipe?

What's the application?

Sounds like an American and I think he's after a garden hose.

English We call them hose-pipes, but yes essentially a garden hose.

I just need a small-ish one that I can attach to a tap to help clean my balcony - it gets a lot of dust/rubbish from nearby construction so would like to hose it down every week.

@KarenBravo - never seen a hardware store on Bangla! Must open my eyes more.

Anyone have any ideas where I can find a shop selling them?

All seems possible then, great news

Having read the forum more it seems there could be one issue applying for the work permit whilst on my extension of stay based on education? If I understand, I can apply (form WP1) whilst on my extension (some conflicting posts about that), but cannot receive the actual work permit until I get a non-imm B? i.e. WP1 is submitted, and the letter of approval is received, which I then take to say Penang with the rest of the documentation needed, and come back in on a non-imm B to actually pick up the work permit?

If that is still an issue - I would have to exit and come back in on a tourist visa, submit WP1, then exit AGAIN to come back in on a non-imm B? Aaiiiigh

Just thinking out loud as I consider what options are available should I wish to stay in Thailand after my ED Visa/course finishes. I've really enjoyed myself here and would love to stay longer, but there are obvious challenges for long-term (1yr) visa/stays.

If a friend has a Thai company with adequate Thai staff, could I get a work permit through him if he was happy to do so? Are there any negative aspects for him or his company in doing so? (obviously wouldn't want to make his life harder).

Even if it was a simple job (managing a website) with very low salary (don't mind leaving the country every 90 days), it would allow me to stay in the country long-term at least? In turn I'm helping him as well so it seems like a win-win situation? Feels like there'd be a catch somewhere?

Thanks.

If it comes from Singapore then surely Thai customs will slap on import tax? Obviously from a Thai store it won't be an issue.

Going home, wouldn't you be able to claim VAT back as well?

3.2MB/s (25mbit) on my 30mbit 3BB package in Patong, well worth it.

Trying to piece together bits from different threads, some conflicting information. Can someone just confirm for the new PE membership:

1) 5 year membership - does that equate to 5 x 1 year VISA, with an extension of stay covering the full year each time?

2) No reporting to immigration to extend your stay

3) 90 day address reporting as usual

4) If its 5 x 1 year, then essentially you're covered for 6 years?

5) One off payment of 500,000B with no other fees.

6) You can renew the yearly in-country?

To the OP - I find the top level of Jungceylon always quiet in comparison to the rest of it - I'm not sure most people know there's even arcades/pool tables/bowling up there! Jungceylon is busy every day for shopping and eating.

It has been a quiet High Season compared to last year for obvious reasons, but it's not dead by any means.

If you have the money a Thai Elite 5 year PE visa that give unlimited one year entries could be an option. Just pay 500k baht for the 5 year option.

I'll be in a similar situation soon, and whilst 500k up-front can be hard to get, the effective cost of 100k/year for peace and mind is looking more and more appealing.

If I recall the "PE" is actually better than it used to be, in that it now grants you a full one year extension of stay - i.e. no trips to immigration every 3 months? Seriously sounds more appealing every time I think about it.

I'm betting your landlord didn't register you on their system like he should do now. If he had I don't believe you'd need any tenancy/ID papers, as this was similar to my first report. The first time they said I wasn't on their system and wanted my tenancy agreement and landlord ID, but the second time I was already on their system so they just wanted my passport and it was done in a few minutes.

The 'under consideration' stamp granting one month extension of stay is common place at Phuket. When she goes back on the date requested they should give her the extra two months (making three months in total).

The visas aren't really relevant (apart from initial length of stay on entering the Kingdom), it's the period you can extend for that is constantly changing.

Students sign up for 1 year courses expecting to be able to extend stay for a year, and you could originally do that in one extension at one point, then (at least in Phuket) they restricted extensions to 3 months at a time for the duration of your course (1 month consideration followed by 2 month additional afterwards, making 3 months total), so a 1 year course would be 3 separate extensions (full paperwork each time, 1900B etc).

Now there's a test, which in some provinces determines the length of the extension, but in Phuket their use is still unclear and a total mess for schools and students who are trying to work out what may be needed on their next extension.

No, sorry if it wasn't clear - "maximum is 6 months" was referring to the ED Visa, not the extensions (sounded like maybe you thought I was referring to extension?).

Originally it was pretty standard to get a 1 year ED Visa that once used allowed upto 1 year of extensions before needing to apply for a new ED Visa again. Now they've reduced that (apparently, still nothing concrete) to a maximum 6 month ED Visa which would mean needing 3 months worth of extensions (1st 3 months covered by Visa, next 3 months covered by first extension you make, usually 1 month consideration followed by a further 2 months).

But as I said in earlier posts, there is conflicting information at Phuket Immigration. Some people who are making their 1st extension (i.e. after 3 months covering the next 3 months) are being told that after that initial 6 months they'll need to take a test, and if they pass they can apply (MoE letter, exit country etc) for another ED Visa (6 months again). Others have been told no test, no need for a new Visa, and can just get another extension stamp(s) (upto 1 year as originally covered by the Visa).

If you read other threads for other areas (BKK etc) it sounds like the test is being used to grant further extensions, rather than being used as a limit to the Visa duration. Their policies are all over the place and causing endless confusion for schools and students.

You're reporting confusion and misunderstanding, The "one year ED visa" is actually a multiple entry non-imm ED visa that allow stay 90 days at time for up to one year, and is issued at a consulate. Immigration don't issues it, consulate do. In fact it is not even very frequent because nearby consulates only issue single entry non-imm ED visa, that is valid for a stay of 90 days only. People with multi-entry visa do not have a problem really.

Also, to be issued a new ED visa, no immigration test is needed. Only MoE letter and school paperwork. Again, Immigration is not involved in visa issued at consulates. They cannot cancel visa or limit their duration, except for truly unusual circumstances like counterfeiting.

So. Immigration offices (in Phuket or anywhere else) can do any informal testing, require add.t documents, shorten extension length and do anything else to make students life miserable only when it's about extensions.

Yes technically the visa is not related to the course or duration - what I mean is, when you apply for an ED Visa, the documentation to MoE states how long you are studying for (and this information is presented to Immigration), so a "one year ED visa" is *essentially* 1 year of study, entering on an ED visa (single or multi) with extensions upto a year. If you're only here studying for 6 months, you'll only get extensions upto a 6 month period of stay.

Phuket have now said to at least one person I know that you can stay for a maximum of 6 months before having to leave the country and come back in on a new visa (with new letter from MoE etc), so yes essentially they're saying there is a maximum of 6 months extensions, and to gain more you have to get a new visa. The student said the bit about the test was whether or not he'd be allowed to get a new visa (i.e. fail and you can't get a new visa). Whether this truly gets enforced as rule I don't know (could be a IO who doesn't fully know what's going on or the rules were still being defined), but it has already affected another student in my class who had to go home because he couldn't get a new visa in time before his extension ran out (he'd been here just under 6 months).

Personally I think its just a mixup as the rules are changing - it doesn't make sense otherwise, but this confusion has still affected students in the meantime.

Phuket have been saying the maximum is 6 months now, after which a test must be taken before you can get a new *visa* (i.e. apply again with MoE).

Problem is none of these new rules are in writing and seem to change day-to-day.

So Phuket is relaxing the official rules, which is good and could be a starting point for a future positive change countrywide.

No, sorry if it wasn't clear - "maximum is 6 months" was referring to the ED Visa, not the extensions (sounded like maybe you thought I was referring to extension?).

Originally it was pretty standard to get a 1 year ED Visa that once used allowed upto 1 year of extensions before needing to apply for a new ED Visa again. Now they've reduced that (apparently, still nothing concrete) to a maximum 6 month ED Visa which would mean needing 3 months worth of extensions (1st 3 months covered by Visa, next 3 months covered by first extension you make, usually 1 month consideration followed by a further 2 months).

But as I said in earlier posts, there is conflicting information at Phuket Immigration. Some people who are making their 1st extension (i.e. after 3 months covering the next 3 months) are being told that after that initial 6 months they'll need to take a test, and if they pass they can apply (MoE letter, exit country etc) for another ED Visa (6 months again). Others have been told no test, no need for a new Visa, and can just get another extension stamp(s) (upto 1 year as originally covered by the Visa).

If you read other threads for other areas (BKK etc) it sounds like the test is being used to grant further extensions, rather than being used as a limit to the Visa duration. Their policies are all over the place and causing endless confusion for schools and students.

Hi

Sorry, did I understand well? Now ED visas are only for 6 months?

Thanks.

Extension of stay are given for three months at time, for a maximum of one year. Then a new visa is needed.

Phuket have been saying the maximum is 6 months now, after which a test must be taken before you can get a new *visa* (i.e. apply again with MoE).

Problem is none of these new rules are in writing and seem to change day-to-day.

Glad to hear it worked out. Trust me you're not the only one running around at the last minute trying to make sure everything is covered.

Communication between Immigration, the schools, and obviously the students is key - and unfortunately with the chaos and ambiguity in the changes, the communication is breaking down

Finally just to make it clear the people at the school basically BS'd her, telling her that she had to wait till the last day because they actually hadn't received this letter from immigration yet.

This isn't 100% BS, I know many students in my class who have been told the same by Phuket Immigration. How strict they enforce it at the IO is a different issue. Personally I did my extension a week before it was due and was fine, but I know of at least 2 other students in my class who asked the IO if they could come earlier next time (as it clashed with classes) and they flat out told them "No, must come on this day".

So yes, if they didn't have the letter from MoE (immigration don't send the approval letters, MoE do), regardless of who's fault it was that they didn't have the letter back (it can take weeks on MoE end), it would make sense for her to go on the very last day possible.

Why the school took so long to send the papers to MOE?

Don't know this exact case, but please remember that previously (until very recently) you could get a 1 year ED Visa, so schools didn't need to apply twice for students. Now if all of a sudden the Immigration office change their policies and only issues 6 month Visas, that means the school has to once again get all the paperwork sorted and apply to MoE (which itself can take weeks for a response). Multiply that issue by possibly 10-100 of students and you can see it would be a logistical nightmare for a school in such a short space of time.

The Immigration offices should have worked with the schools in advance and notified them of the upcoming changes, but as usual they're done on a whim and the legit schools/students get shafted. It wouldn't have been hard for Immigration to simply say "going forward, any NEW ED visas will only be valid for 6 months" giving those on their existing visa/extension time to prepare.

I know of one person already affected by this rash change - he was due to go for his 2nd extension (i.e. done 6 months) a week or two before the 6 month max rule came into place, and there was literally no way he could got the papers back from MoE in time - so he was completely shafted because they didn't take into account those already on or close to their existing 6 month mark of their 1 year visa.

I'm not saying the school isn't it a fault in this case - no one knows the specifics so we shouldn't guess, but if you look at the situation you can understand WHY there may be delays.

Not sure you could place 100% of the fault on the school. These recent 6-month only visas are still fairly new in enforcement and at least in Phuket the rules around them keep changing from person-to-person you speak to at Immigration Office. Given it can take weeks to get the letter from MoE, and this being a new rule, it's not surprising it would perhaps take longer than usual to try and figure out what is needed and when.

As an example, I know some students who have been told they won't need a new visa, and they'll just get given another extension after 6 months (usual 1+2 months). Others have been told there will be a test, others have been told there isn't. It's a complete mess for both student and school without exact/consistent information from Immigration.

Hey,

I want to make a t-shirt that says "I love my girlfriend" in Thai script. Google suggests 'ผมรักแฟนของผม' which seems to be 'I love girlfriend of me', which logically makes sense, but would a Thai understand it, or perhaps say it differently?

Thanks!

I can't comment on the Thai G/F aspect but I think that taking a job in SG on a net salary of SGD 6,350 a month is crazy, after home rental costs you might just have 80SGD a day to pay for everything else you need to buy.

I see people saying this a lot but I still can't work out _why_. I totally get some expats are on huge packages and spend a fortune on housing and lifestyle, but I've researched cost of living for everything else and can't see any issues on living on say S$3500 a month after rental.

Wow great info and insight Docno - much appreciated! Sounding a lot harder than I initially thought, and possibly going to be longer to get her over with me

Did your wife get an LVTP then? i.e. common-law marriage?

I'll take your advice though and go and see MoM when I get there. I'm sure if I explain what the outcome I want is they can advise the right course of action.

I'd be fine in a HDB - some of them are pretty nice! As long as we can live on about $3500 a month I'm sure we'll manage (and going forward if she does secure some work, even if its a low salary, it will all help).

Thanks again for the information.

I'm not bothered about an ultra fancy condo - and looking at the cost of living it seemed like the remainder (say $3500) was plenty for the living expenses (I don't really drink or eat out at expensive restaurants). If locals can manage on a LOT less I'm sure we'll manage.

The Student Pass is an interesting idea, you should follow that one up. In practical terms there is little between a DEP and an LTVP, except that it is easier to gain permission to work if under a DEP. Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is very user friendly and usually display a 'can do' attitude to any issues that crop up, so long as you aren't trying to pull the wool over their eyes, and have a well-remunerated job offer in Singapore for which you are well qualified. Why not contact them and ask them what paperwork they would want to see to consider an application for a DEP / LTVP?

My missus and I have been living in Singapore since late 2006 and we both like it here (for differing reasons). For her, it is distinctively SE Asian, there is a large Thai community and it is certainly a good place to improve English language skills.

Good luck.

I think I will follow up on the Student Pass, thanks brit1984. Cost will be my only hurdle but I can look into that.

Captain Chaos - I've looked at the MOM website for DEP and LTVP and it is quite clearly listed what the requirements are. I'd have no problem marrying her if everything continues as it is, probably after we've been together a little longer and I'm settled in Singapore. Not sure if Singapore recognises Thai marriage (she'd want to marry in Thailand), but if not maybe marry in Singapore too??!

I'm not on a full blown expat package, but the pay is decent for SG. Monthly SGD after tax will be $6350, and although I know property rental is expensive in SG, I think that should still be enough for two people to live on - so I'd hope MOM sees I have enough to take care of her even if she isn't working. It's just knowing which form fits us, as there is a catch 22 situation with her needing to live with me to prove common-law marriage, which will be hard if she only gets a 30 day travel visa (and I don't want to risk immigration flagging anything with multiple re-entries).

Thanks for everyone's help so far!