Samaaw

Khun Acharawadee - clean up your act at home first, then maybe (just MAYBE) people will take you seriously you.... and also my dear, dear woman.... the world is a little bigger "out there"

​Well I'm off to the Buddha bar guys...chat later, cheers !

1) They could start by teaching immigration some manners

2) Teaching immigration ENGLISH

3) Teaching immigration what a VISA is - how it is used etc

4) Speed up the baggage claims area

This airport will never be world Nr 1 !! - but give them some credit, they have fantastic dreams - shame

VOTE FRAUD???????? I can't believe it... in Thailand - fraud?? NEVER

Easy - apply for a new passport - then no risk of blacklisting

More Ivory for Thailand?

Thai's are probably one of the nicest nations on a social level - party - fun - smiles - jokes etc... however when it comes to working they are one of the worst I have come across- they are lazy and alot of the work is "half jobs"

Was looking at registering a business here but after some thought and observations I decided not to because of the bad after sales service and lazy half job way of working

Genetically speaking the eyes will change to either green or most probably brown.

So take tons of snap shots to remember the occasion.... The main thing is.. Thank God your baby is healthy... and enjoy the special moments, congrats !

It all depends on if a Thai official drives past and sees you and decides to ask for a bribe or not...

Surely by now people going to these parties as well as discos etc.... should know how to protect themselves against this kind of thing??

If they do get into this then they have themselves to blame !!

Isn't Thailand just great fun.

Where else would you get this type of story?

And even some 'conspiracy theory' nuts chirp in!

LOL @ Jacko - that's right - they are simple minded loving people (who even sometimes love other peoples wives)

I was told by a Cambodian that the Thai's do not practice real Buddhism - I never got much into the subject as I was still busy reading my book on "fairy tales by the Grimm brothers"

I also never quite understand what happens to the fruit and red sodas that are put out at these "shrines" on every corner?? I heard that if someone stole that fruit & sodas they would be punished by maybe coming back in the next life as a rat or something....

LOL an extra orange and a little bottle of red soda with many many stinky burny incense - bend over 10 times move your lips (all four of them if you need to) and you shall be FORGIVEN !

"Thailand has called on the United Nations fact-finding mission on Syria to submit its report as soon as possible, and strongly called on the UN Security Council to rise up to this challenge to take effective action on this critical matter and to protect innocent people in Syria."

LOL - shame this is such OLD news now to the "international world" - where has Thailand been the last few weeks??? tea parties?? hahahahahaha

you have to love these "simple people" shame man !!

Mrs PM - does this include the treatment of foreign fishermen on Thai fishing boats??

When you renew next time they will be valid for 5 years.

That's what the wifey said but apparently it's 1 year for farangs and 5 years for Thais.

I asked the wifey to go back and ask for sure and we were told the same. This is up in Sakon Nakhon (not that it makes any difference).

I actually thought I was part of the Thai society

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Mines 5 years.

the renewal after 1 year should be for 5 years - mine is.

LOL @ part of Thai society - this depends on how much money you have and how long it lasts.... "easy come - easy go" - I have learnt that Thailand is for Thai's...farangs are just another source of income.

"technical glitch" -maybe Thai would like to tell us more about this "glitch" - the painting over the Thai Markings on the tail was a good idea, however what about the rest of the colours??? What a joke.

Airlines are all the same, once you have made the payment you are just a number... they act as they owe you nothing !

Bad infrastructure with connections... Try to book flights that all work out of ONE airport.

Longest I have parked in the undercover paid parking is 37 days - pay per day at THB 250/day

I never had a problem... I believe there is free parking but not covered, I think (but open to correction) the shuttle bus from the free parking area has been stopped... so not sure if you might have to walk to the terminal.

I am a white South African of German parents.

and that could be the problem, at lot Thai's dont believe there are white African's

therefore thinking your on a dodgy PP, refused then realised he had c*kced up..

Lekker dag boet

Thanks - Yes I have noticed many seem totally uneducated to world geography (many farangs are also) - but surely there are many South African Whites in Thailand...

Vas Byt !

I have been driven to my first post on Thai Visa by some of the responses to the comments by Samaaw. I think some of the responses, which seem at first to be well intentioned, do not display what I might call appropriate imagination when reading his posts so I can, to a degree, understand his posts that were not taken well.

An extension of stay is an extension of stay on a visa (in this case education) and when coupled with a re-entry permit is in effect the same as what in many countires is called a visa. I always read that Samaaw originally got a 12 month Ed Visa and then had a further extension of stay for 12 months hence my bemusement at some of the posts. I know that many posts on this sort of subject can be confusing but I did not think his was.

Posts like "visas are never renewed" are unhelpful, can be inflamatory and are playing semantics. Yes, a visa is followed by and extension of stay, in Thailand, which is followed by an extension of stay but when a further re-entry permit is gained with each extension of stay it is in effect what is usually referred to as a visa. The only difference for the punter that I can see is that what they have has a different name but they do the same. Further, it should be born in mind that even different native English speaking countries use different terms for what in effect is a visa (to me). So please people be a little less pedantic.

On the theme of the original post by Nautilus05 I would like to add that different countries have different rules that apply to what one can do on what is commonly called a visa. Some allow you to travel to the country (but not enter), some allow you to travel to and enter for the prupose of .... The thing to bear in mind about these variations is that in the first case the decision to allow you to enter is made by the Immigration Officer on arrival. In the second even though you have permission to enter the Immigration Officer at point of arrival can refuse you entry, cancel your visa and put you on an airplane back to your last departure point. So whilst there might be different nuances involved they are in effect the same.

On another note and this is only a guess - after 29 years of Thai experiences. The experience of Samaaw with the "insufficent funds" and being put on a plane out without a cancellation of his extension of stay or re-entry permit may have been a case someone getting away with what he could in an exercise of power. After all if brought to account the officer could merely say he asked for evidence of funds and no evidence was provided. On a similar note acquantances of mine have had experiences with Thai Immigration Officers that could be easily be considered as similar abuses of power. In the first case when my acquantance was applying for a further extenson of stay on his retirement visa he was told no and that he should leave the country because "Thailand doesn't need all you retired foreigners here." After he recovered himself he spoke to another IO later that day and his extension was granted. And only a few weeks ago a neighbour of mine on his 5th retirement extension of stay was told that he could not get an extension of stay and that he would have to leave the country. He queried this, the supervisor was fetched and came up with the same response. When he asked why he was told he had not had the required 800k in his bank account for 3 months (he thought it was 2 months - never an issue in the last 5 years because he had never previously taken any money out of this account which had held 1,000k+). Can I get a letter form the Embassy to verify my income (1,500k) and add that to the 650k in my bank account. No, you have to leave the country. Can I get an extension of stay as a spouse (he has been married to a Thai for 6+ years). No, you have to leave Thailand. He obtained an Embassy stamped verification of his income and I went with him when he next applied. He came away with his extension of stay. I have personally never had any issues when dealing with Immigration but I have seen what has happened to others.

Thanks for the interesting post... it just goes to show immigration officials seem to have "individual" authority - and any past record of how long one has stayed here - legally - even married to a Thai as in the case of your friend... it does not matter at all to immigration.

Anyway my visa expires early next month - I will be leaving - will return on a "normal" 30 day stamp.

To be denied entry is not up to the officer that checks your passport. It would probably require an officer of a certain rank to do it. It certainly would not be non com officer. I am also certain there would be a significant amount of paperwork needed. With a copy given to the person being denied entry with a thorough explanation given as to why it was done.

The officer was a snr ranking one. I was taken to his "office" - he never asked me to sign anything - he made some report but I never got any copy... reason is because the Visa I have is LEGAL... I since have a contact with immigration who checked to see if there is something on the computer system re the "insufficient funds" which there is not...therefore my issue (report) was not filed.

it would be good to get the NON B Business visa without having to go all the way without the work permit etc....but this is probably not possible???

Not possible. Actually, on a couple of occasions while doing my 90-day border run the immigration officer has asked to see my work permit to ensure that I in fact have one. If I didn't no doubt I would have been refused entry on a valid visa.

Many people go through the process of getting a Non Imm-B and WP and then later hand it the WP but keep the multiple entry B visa. They are now starting to crack down on this.

Thanks - this also reaffirms other enquiries I have made re the NON B Business visa

Maybe the officer was thinking, "This African guy has been coming to Thailand for 10 years, twice to work and Non B Business, and now he is here to go to school?"

Just sayin.

In the ten years that I have been living in Thailand, and contributing to this forum, I have always observed that those who finish their posts with "just saying" or "just sayin" do so because they are fully aware that their post is intentionally provocative.

I just can't help but wonder why anyone who doesn't have anything constructive to add to the topic bothers to post at all.

Of course, that's me "just saying"....!

This I have also seen when reading posts as well as the other member who mentioned "some african guy" because I am South African (by birth) - probably they think I am black - however I am white and of German parents. This also makes me think that there is some prejudice amongst some members here.... some days ago there was an article on the forum about how farangs don't stick together.... goes to show how some are by the replies to my initial posting that we are pretty much alone and there is no community amongst farangs who live in Thailand to support each other - even by just offering some advice instead of judging and scrutinizing posts.... sadly !

Just a short story: Returning from a trip out of Thailand, the immigration official looked at my visa (NON B ED - Education visa) which is on its 2nd year and has a multi entry stamp with it. She then said to me to step one side and called her senior, who told me I cannot have this visa. I asked why not to which he replied "you cannot have this visa". After several attempts to ask the reason he kept saying "You cannot have this visa" - I waited for a while - he wrote some report and stamped something into my passport - I was then led away to the Thai Airways desk and had to buy a ticket out of the country, which I did.

I asked the Thai Airways lady what the stamp was which the immigration guy put in my passport - she told me "insufficient funds to enter Thailand"

I was not asked at anytime to produce any statement of bank account and my visa was not cancelled....

I left Thailand to return the following day... I entered without any issue !!

So that is how they are - sometimes I wonder if they have any clue what they are doing !!

Another short story about Immigration officials.

I was on my 5th or 6th trip (over 2 years) to Jakarta to see my daughter and ex (both Indonesians) and was stopped briefly at Immigration as the official looked at his computer for 4 or 5 minutes till his buddy told him to hit a key or 2 and then I was stamped in. Walked to luggage and was outside when 2 officers came and got me and brought me back inside where I was interrogated. They told me I was black listed. (10 years ago my passport was stolen and it wound up in the hands of an international drug trafficker who was caught and was doing time in Bali. I know cause US Immigration told me this when they issued me the new passport back in'94). Why they blacklisted me along with the Nigerian who was drug running with a stolen passport is a mystery.

I showed them the many entry stamps, and calmly explained there is a mistake. Then more and more officers came into the room. My passport was examined under blacklight and told it was 'Tampered with'. Well... I thought about it and they were kinda right... I explained that the Embassy had added pages, but they did not like this.

Denied entry. They stamped me out. (I was already stamped in). Then I was held in a small room until the evening flight when I was escorted by police onto the plane, much to the amusement of fellow passengers and people in the airport.

I now think the first guy was looking for some money. Alone in a room, if I had thought quick enough I might have slipped a couple hundred $ into the book. I knew I had nothing to hide. But once there were 5 or 6 guys involved it got intimidating.

I got a new passport and have not had any problems since.

To add to this and my story: I was never held in a room, I was taken to the Thai Airways desk at transit counter and left there (alone) - where I bought the ticket out. I could of probably just turned around and tried to come in again there and then but was a bit worried they might stop me again.

I have also since this whole issue, applied for a new passport to get "away" from the stamp "insufficient funds"