vickswagon

Tried keeping fan on, hanging clothes outside, but the 72 hours we had of constant rain here in Chiang Mai is creating silly humidity. Blankets, pillows, wood, sofa, everything smells and has mould. Have heard people talk of a Mould eater heater but can't find one. Help. I want to feel fresh, not damp and smell mouldy.

Be a good spot to catch the perigee full moon tonight. Maybe (with some luck) we can catch a meteor or two. Good night for star gazing and moon bathing. I might join them.

If the 5.3 afterquake today is huge, what was the 8.7 quake last week??

According to the Richter Scale a 5.3 quake is 4000 times weaker than a 8.7 quake, so definitely no need for a Tsunami warning.

What matters is not so much the size of the quake but the TYPE of quake. Last weeks was a "strike-slip" quake which is not the type to cause tsunamis, despite it's massive size on the scale.

Exactly matey. NZ Christchurch was hit by a 7.1 which was (if I remember rightly) up and down movement. It caused damage but nothing compared to the 6.3 which was up down and side to side. Less energy but more damaging movement.

Out to sea an up down would certainly be more damaging and Tsunami causing. I would much rather get a warning for all earth quakes as they are unpredictable. We already know the damage that can be done by earth quakes. Best be safe then sorry.

I hadn't lost interest thank you. Was just reading with interest. So I'm going to do an online tefl as the school is an alternative school so Tefl is not really required only for the authorities!.. I already have a dam good degree and a job offer from trusted people so I'm sweet. Thanks guys

Do you have an Education Degree or English Degree? If so then your cool but if not then you need (so far as all my research has led me to believe) a Tefl/CELTA. Do you have a Tefl? And yeah.. how on earth did you manage to teach so long on a work permit at a Uni without a Non B?

Wish I could! I'm going through the same bother now but I'm heading to KL to get my NON B once I have my Online Tefl sorted which I hope they accept as I'm considering doing a 100hr and not a full time (no time for all that and my school doesn't need it). Legend has it that they (authorities) expect the school to check over the doc's and as long as you have a doc that says Tefl and translated Degree doc's and all the other gumpf they are happy.

Just to let you know I'm currently waiting on a new passport as I also had 3 pgs.

Hong Kong no longer issue passports but they DO take the payment.

The process if your interested....

* If you don't already have it download the up-dated Adobe Reader

* Fill in the form

* Attach a decent scan of your passport (you don't send your current)

* Provide 2 pefect pictures with a light grey or cream back ground which is almost impossible to get.

I had to measure the dimensions myself and it was completely wrong. I couldnt find a place anywhere with a light grey or cream background so I had to agree to them photo shopping it which is risky. (someone else said he did this and it was cool) The place appeared professional and I even printed off the pages from the Uk Embassy giving EXACT measurements.

She reasured me she knew what she was doing!! I returned an hour later to an airbrushed crazy, wrong measurement picture. So I had to go around the counter and do it myself.

2 days to DHL application to Hong Kong, up to 4 weeks to produce passport, 2 days for them to send it to the UK and then once they produce it, 2 days to to DHL it back. So up to 5 weeks in all.

I'm here on a 2 month visa and am hoping I get it before 17th May! Just give yourself time to sort out pictures and the application as it took me a full day of running around, downloading and all that.

At least I didn't have to get the pictures verified!

I have never heard of an on-line TEFL however I'm sure they are out there. Why one would not want to take one here in Thailand is beyond me. It's like a guy I know who came here for a vacation and said he was going to go back to Canada, learn to speak Thai and return full time. Arai wah !!!!

If you plan on living and teaching in Thailand then come here and take your TEFL HERE. Text & Talk is a GREAT academy to take it with and they are all over Thailand. Then when you are here you can learn all the rules and ways of getting your visas, work permits etc.

I have never heard of an on-line TEFL however I'm sure they are out there. Why one would not want to take one here in Thailand is beyond me. It's like a guy I know who came here for a vacation and said he was going to go back to Canada, learn to speak Thai and return full time. Arai wah !!!!

If you plan on living and teaching in Thailand then come here and take your TEFL HERE. Text & Talk is a GREAT academy to take it with and they are all over Thailand. Then when you are here you can learn all the rules and ways of getting your visas, work permits etc.

I am in Thailand and have been passing through as a tourist since 2001. I know the place, the culture and speak enough to get by. Like I said in my original post.. I don't have time now to do a full on Tefl course.

There are a number of on-line courses for Tefl which are accepted for jobs but I ALREADY have a job offer.

Just want to know what to do and what is needed for an Non Immigrant B visa and where I can get one. If you havce experience or knowledge of that I'd love to hear it.

Thanks for trying to help though but it really didn't answer my question as you do not have the knowledge of Tefl courses and obtaining a Non Imm B Visa that I am hoping for.

But like I said thanks for replying.

Hey maybe you guys can help me...

What do you need to get a Non Imm B visa. I have a degree, new passport and a work offer. What else?

cheers

So what do I need to get a non Imm B visa then? ANd I'm a little confused about how to get the 1 yr and do I still have to leave every 3 mths? It's all rather baffling and I get different stories everywhere I look.

I'd go for KL mate.

I met a guy there in the Thai Consulate waiting room doing much the same as you are and saw him the following day all smiles and happy with his visa. Everyone is so helpful in KL.

I stayed in an awesome friendly and reasonably priced place called The Step Inn smack bang in Sentral near everything. Makes the visa run easy peasy and lotsa good food in Lil india and China town.

Run consists of these simple steps...

* Cheap flight to KL on Air Asia

* Shuttle bus to KL (takes just over an hour)

* 5 min walk from the Airport star shuttle stop to the guest house

* 5 min walk to the bus that takes you to the Thai consulate. Tell the bus driver where your going and he'll be sure to stop right outside.

From air con bus to air con waiting room. Too flipping easy. We stayed in KL for a week we liked the Guest house so much. Movies, educated chats and card games till 4am! Was sad to leave.

A/C room with bathroom 65 Ringets. Awesome staff, priceless!

Only thing is... always ALWAYS double check that visa's are still being issued as things change at the drop of a hat when it comes to Thailands visa rules!

Have fun matey x

Hi guys,

Looking to be a teacher, have taught before in England without a Tefl and have been teaching English on all levels to Italian relatives all my life as well as giving free lessons helping out EU workers when I was a recruitment consultant to help them find work and make new friends. I want to do everything right and above board in my move to Thailand.

I am aware that the new school year is creeping in and so maybe an on-line Tefl is a good option seeing as I already have experience and a friend who worked here before put in a good word so I already have a job offer. They just need me to have a Tefl and seem to think that an on-line one will be enough.

Just want to make sure I don't spend the money and then can't get the Non Imm B visa. I don't want to go the dodgey route I hear many do. Getting fined and banned from a country isn't something I would want to worry about.

So which on-line Tefl will help me get the visa so I can check out this school and others for work?

Recommendations please?

x

Sorry was writing in a hurry and not maybe being very clear. I want to get a 2 month visa for thailand and THEN get my passport.

SO they don't do double entry.. thats fine. As long as with all the visa's for thailand in my passport they don't say no then I'm happy. Is this the case? Will they give single visa and should I get a return flight to KL as a precaution?

Thanks

Visa history...

• 2006-2007 - Many 30 day Mai Sai visa runs
  
• 2008 - 1 x 60 days visa granted in Perth Oz + 1 more visa run to Mai Sai
  
• 2010 - 2 x dble entry in Vientienne plus a few 30 days in Mai Sai
  

Currently in NZ heading to KL to get at least a single entry. Then while there I need to send off for a new passport (UK) as I have 4 pages left! Going to DHL it and hope for the best.

Have bank balance (nice and healthy) printed out.

My questions are this.

• Do they do dble entry anymore from there? My boyfriend may as well get one if it's possible. No need for me as I need to get a new Passport.
  

• Should I get an outbound ticket to show them.
  

• Will it cause a problem if the visa is in the old passport that I have to return in order to get a new one! Is there something I should do to avoid any problems. I experienced problems once in Cambodia when someone forgot to put entry stamp. Had to bribe my way out. Only $5 but still caused a bit of stress.
  

Help guys.. Cheers Vicks