Ubonquest

This morning I took the mini van from Ubon main bus station to Chongmek but I got off in front of the immigration office, that was pretty simple and people at the bus station was quite helpful explaining what to do. I didn't use the bus for the return to Ubon, I got a ride from someone who was at the immigration office. There are a row of stores/restaurants on the opposite side of the high way, Ubon bound, one or two kilometers from the immigration office (maybe be shorter) , you can ask for a place where they sell bus ticket and wait there for the return to Ubon. This was what the bus driver explained to me.

Since I don't own a car, am I supposed to take the mini van from Ubon main bus station to Chongmek and stop at the immigration office or I should get off at Sirindhorn bus station and take a taxi to the office? Any bus going from Warin market? Thanks

> If you already have two back to back double entries from Savannakhet will he be able to apply for a double entry in Vientiane ?

When?

If it's after November 13,

he may get the surprise of no more 2-entry visa available.... (maybe, see METV topics)

Does this mean that if I go to Savannakhet and apply for a TR with 2-entry two days before the 13th, I still have a chance to obtain it?

You do your extension solely on the 800k deposited in the account?

Do you have a regular income/pension in your homecountry?

Which office does your extension, where?

Knowing this helps to answer because members from different offices here have different experiences.

Some offices simply don't ask anything more than the bankbook.

Others are nitpicking and want to see how the money comes from abroad.

Its all about proof that you don't work/earn money in Thailand.

If at all they ask for "what do you live on?" then ATM withdrawl slips should be good enough.

Do copies of the slips as they deteriorate quickly and get unreadable.

If possible go early for the application (30 days) to find out if they want to see something extra (maybe account statements/withdrawls from your home country).

I am planning to use the combined method to apply for retirement extension. Yes I have income from social security benefits and pension which are directly deposited into my US bank account. Once in Thailand, I intend to withdraw from ATM and make deposit to an account here to meet that required fund. I guess I will do my extension at CW like most TV members are doing right? I don't think I can apply in Phiboun.

You should consider opening an account at Bangkok Bank. You could transfer your funds to your account via their New York branch as a domestic transfer. See: http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/TransferingFunds/TransferringIntoThailand/ReceivingFundsfromUSA/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUSA.aspx through ACH.

Thank you for the info UbJ. My problem is doing the transferring from my bank to any other banks, including those in the US. As I said earlier, it can only be done through paperwork, not by electronic means. I can have Social Security benefits deposit directly to Bangkok bank as you said but I don't want to go that route, not yet this time.

I applied for a retirement extension at Phibun a few weeks ago.

Had 800,000/ baht in a SCB account for about 6 months.

I had a multi non-O visa.

Was asked what I had been living on, as SCB account untouched.

Had to show another bank book, KTB, which I use to live on, money being transferred from UK.

If the OP is in Ubon, he should go down to Phibun and ask what they require.

That is what I did a few weeks before applying for the extension.

Hi. Yes I will be living in Ubon, actually 25km from there. I will fly in early November and get the visa exempt at entry. Later on when I am ready, I will go to Vientiane to get a Non O for retirement. Based on what you said above, I don't have to go to CW, Bangkok to apply for the retirement extension. I didn't know that it can be done in Phibun. This will be better without having to go to Bangkok.

You do your extension solely on the 800k deposited in the account?

Do you have a regular income/pension in your homecountry?

Which office does your extension, where?

Knowing this helps to answer because members from different offices here have different experiences.

Some offices simply don't ask anything more than the bankbook.

Others are nitpicking and want to see how the money comes from abroad.

Its all about proof that you don't work/earn money in Thailand.

If at all they ask for "what do you live on?" then ATM withdrawl slips should be good enough.

Do copies of the slips as they deteriorate quickly and get unreadable.

If possible go early for the application (30 days) to find out if they want to see something extra (maybe account statements/withdrawls from your home country).

I am planning to use the combined method to apply for retirement extension. Yes I have income from social security benefits and pension which are directly deposited into my US bank account. Once in Thailand, I intend to withdraw from ATM and make deposit to an account here to meet that required fund. I guess I will do my extension at CW like most TV members are doing right? I don't think I can apply in Phiboun.

When you apply at immigration for extension based on retirement, what exactly does i/o looks for in the bank book? When the book shows the required amount is met, does he want to see the actual transactions made from overseas. If I brought the money in Thailand with me and open an account or if I made a withdrawl from the ATM and deposit regularly to meet that amount, wouldn't this be enough? The reason I am asking is that my bank in the US doesn't have electronic money transferring. If I need to do one, it involves some paper work and needs to be pre approved. That will be a big hassle to do that from Thailand. Thanks.

Thank you jacksam.

I don't quite understand this TM30 requirements because I didn't know this and my friend who is the owner the house never did either and never submitted the TM30. Does it mean she has to submit this form when I move in? I am going back to Thailand beginning of November but she won't be there, she is overseas and probably won't be back for a while. I will be living in her house. How do I solve this? Thanks.

Thank you ubonjoe

Thank you all for the information.

Does anyone know any dental clinic that provides good service?

The Sappasit International hospital, where is it located?

Can you get a re-entry permit at land crossing immigration post instead of getting it at the local immigration office?

Thank you everyone for the clarification.

I would like to open a bank account in Thailand but would like to know what type of accounts, and how many accounts do I need in order to meet the immigration requirements. I will opt for an income plus money in the bank. Secondly does the money in the bank needs to be seasoned? Thank you

No need to insult every Laotian. Ten years ago they were driving. These guys are the new rich and think they are above the law. Actually not much different than other rich people from other countries.

I will be flying to BKK but my main destination is Laos. I will fly to Ubon then take the bus to Pakse through Chong Mek. My air ticket will be from mid October to end of March 2015. I am a Lao born but carry only an American passport. I won't get a tourist visa due to the visa exemption. Will I be able to board the flight without the Thai tourist visa? Thank you.

Sure, I did miss that, the Thais living in Buriram, Sisaket and Surin have a lot of Khmer ancestry, in fact i recently read that in Buriram about 40% could speak Khmer, so with that information I would venture to say that 60-70% are of ethnic Khmers

You can find many only Khmer speaking people for example in Kantharalak, Sisaket province. Then the "Lamduan Festival, held in Sisaket on each second weekend of March.shows a lot about the ancient history.(Khmer, Lao and Sauy).

You'll even find only Khmer speaking people near Uthumphon Phisai/ Sisaket area on the way to Surin.

People in Surin are well -known for chasing elephants in Cambodia. People in the north east only speak "Lao", which doesn't make them to people from Laos.

http://www.thai.nu/sisaket#.UxLHgeOSzTo

Yes, it doesn't make them "to people from Laos'' but modern day Laos as we know it was a French creation, before that the independent Kingdom of Lan Xang was the fore barer to the modern Lao nation and its territory covered the majority of modern Isan and BOTH sides of the Mekong river...they may not be "Lao proper" in the sense that they live in Laos, but yes they are very much "Lao people" one must remember that only 3 million Lao people live in Laos, but 18 million Lao people live in Thailand. Historians generally agree also that if if weren't for the french taking the right bank of the Mekong river in an agreement with King Chulalongkorn, modern Laos would most likely be part of Modern day Thailand, and independent Laos would not exist

I beg to differ. It was the French who had given the left side of the Mekong which is present day Isan, to Thailand, otherwise Isan would have been part of today Laos.

Sure, I did miss that, the Thais living in Buriram, Sisaket and Surin have a lot of Khmer ancestry, in fact i recently read that in Buriram about 40% could speak Khmer, so with that information I would venture to say that 60-70% are of ethnic Khmers

You can find many only Khmer speaking people for example in Kantharalak, Sisaket province. Then the "Lamduan Festival, held in Sisaket on each second weekend of March.shows a lot about the ancient history.(Khmer, Lao and Sauy).

You'll even find only Khmer speaking people near Uthumphon Phisai/ Sisaket area on the way to Surin.That on the other hand explains so many Cambodian influence.

People in Surin are well -known for chasing elephants in Cambodia. People in the north east only speak "Lao", especially in Sisaket, Ubon, area. which doesn't make them to people from Laos.

http://www.thai.nu/sisaket#.UxLHgeOSzTo

People who speak Lao, are descendants of Lao people with Thai nationality.

Sure, I did miss that, the Thais living in Buriram, Sisaket and Surin have a lot of Khmer ancestry, in fact i recently read that in Buriram about 40% could speak Khmer, so with that information I would venture to say that 60-70% are of ethnic Khmers

You can find many only Khmer speaking people for example in Kantharalak, Sisaket province. Then the "Lamduan Festival, held in Sisaket on each second weekend of March.shows a lot about the ancient history.(Khmer, Lao and Sauy).

You'll even find only Khmer speaking people near Uthumphon Phisai/ Sisaket area on the way to Surin.That on the other hand explains so many Cambodian influence.

People in Surin are well -known for chasing elephants in Cambodia. People in the north east only speak "Lao", especially in Sisaket, Ubon, area. which doesn't make them to people from Laos.

http://www.thai.nu/sisaket#.UxLHgeOSzTo

you really think that the general Thai populace actually think any different to her? After being here for a long time, it is blatantly obvious that we are not welcome here, we are tolerated because we pay, we are just as unwelcome as foreigners are in our home countries... You will meet individuals that dont fit the mould certainly, but to Thais as a "collective" we are not welcome but our money is, perpetual paying guests, that is all we are and all we will ever be.

The sooner you accept that fact the better.

I agree with you to a point, although Thai prejudice against farangs is not in the epic proportions as you are trying to suggest.

Strange actually because the most blatant in your face prejudice I have experienced in Thailand has come from the more educated prominent Thais, mostly middle aged women in fact, but thankfully these incidents have been very few and far between.

Even some of my neighbors whom I have known for years, still regard me being rich and believe I should pay more in Thailand than the poor so-called downtrodden hard working Thais and I should be entitled to nothing. There is no convincing them otherwise, although I have tried. It`s just a stigma that has stuck and refuses to fade away.

We never know what some people are really thinking about us, even those who appear nice and are always polite with us face to face. If all the ex-pats were one day given their marching orders to leave the country, I doubt that the average Thai Joe public would give a toss.

Obviously the prejudice is there in some of the people, this is the down side to living as a foreigner in a foreign land. It makes us realise how foreigners, especially those of other races and cultures, must feel in our own countries, to be part of the communities, but to never be really excepted into them.

Your last paragraph sums up as how foreigners feel living in your countries. Some welcome us, some don't.

I wonder if the philippines helped thailand during the 2004 tsunami incident. I don't think so but the philippines is so poor i don;t think they could even afford to send a team.

As a Filipino, it's hurt for me to read that people saying that my country are poor. You don't know the factual history of Philippines. We filipinos are hardworking and Philippines economy matching the pace of China as the two fastest growing in Asia but since Philippines is near in the Pacific Ocean we experiencing lots of typhoon ( cyclone ) every year and earthquake billions of money are spending for calamity aid. Two thirds of all the gold in the world is in Philippines and one third is devided among the rest of the countries of the world. Politicians in different country knows that Philippine is the richest country. During the interview President Bush was asked which is the richest country in the world and he said Philippines. They knew where are the money deposited. Like freezing of the Romanov Swiss account it was freeze up to day. And lots more.

Your people are suffering and all you care about is your country being called "Poor country"?

I was in Ubon last June. I had food poisoning, I knew it for sure, and was sick for three days. One lady said "what food poisoning? there is no such thing. It's the weather".

It'a a Thai thing. Stubbornness and pride. Years ago, neighboring countries such as Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia were encouraged to know at least French language and high school students learned French as part of their curriculum. Now they embrace English like most of the countries in the world. Thailand was different then but has not changed much as far as having students learning a foreign language in class. The new generation of kids living in Esan don't want to speak Lao as their parents, some of them are ashamed to do so, that is how much they have been brainwashed by the system. Every thing has to be Thai.