LawrenceChee

The company will be okay without the 49 baht ...leave 50 baht at the next donation box ...karma balanced and everyone is happy

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-72hour/

http://lawandborder.com/china-72-hour-transit-visa-waiver/

Heya Matt

This is the links to the countries permitted for the transit ; basically it's like what we have in ASEAN there re some preferred Asian countries like Korea Japan etc and Thailand is not one of them unfortunately

I travel to business often with my spouse and it's a hassle but now after numerous single entries , they are close to offering her a multi entry based on records of entries etc

6 months is standard for most ASEAN countries and Indonesia Singapore are really strict with it

If the passport is almost due , better to renew it

The transit visa won't work and a actual tourist visa can be easily applied

If she has uk / USA / Australia visa in her passport or has prior visits , the Canada multi entry is easy to apply and get approval on

Attach the confirmed cruise booking with her name on it and they will approve

I have done it before last year and worked with no hassles as she was already approved for B1/B2 on her passport and they used that as a basis for the approval

Heya Matt

They have tightened the rules and no ASEAN passport except Singapore (14 day visa free) can get that 72 hour transit visa now

@lawrence Thanks for your reply, good to see another Singaporean on this forum.

You mentioned "wait till they give you the letter ...if not it's fine" - what kind of letter is this?

The official letter that tells you to get a proper visa but a Singapore passport you rarely get problems as we are one of the original targets of the METV so they do want us here that frequently

My passport now issued since Oct has about 17 -20 stamps already for Thai 30 day exempt ...just got in on Saturday no questions asked again.

It's 500 baht for the fine ....so hit them well for all its worth

Kai - I hold a Singapore passport and have been going in / out for the last 6 years

Been asked a few times but when I say I love Thailand and this is the best vacation for holiday , they smile stamp it and say okay have fun !

I know a few hotel managers friends ...so I normally put their hotels in a running order when asked for the address in the event they really check on the reservations

S far no issues ...don't waste money on the Thai Elite / METV

Wait till they give you the letter ...if not it's fine

Their products are a hit and miss due to the Low price range

So I would for small appliances like a kettle and fan etc which is mass produced in China for hotels in local China hotels and robust enough to last for years

Big ticket items maybe better to pay a little bit more and get the Korean or Japanese Brand’s

Haier is made in china ...you get what you pay for the price though there are some products which are good and Long lasting and depends on the user too

Essence and their chain is really good in Hanoi and hence the higher rates and the staff there mostly do deserve the insane reviews they get on TripAdvisor

They really want to help and in Vietnam always use the hotel transfers if the cost is not nutty ....I believe $10 is the going rate saves you lots of happiness at the airport if haggling is not your forte

If not head straight to the taxi queue and get a blue taxi

I can confirm the same ...in large hotels when i travel by road there are times when I have dumbly forgotten my passport at home

They look at us , take the wife's ID and we get the keys

I guess maybe the membership status helps and also paying cash instead of credit cards

They probably just omit my registration and take the missus and the kid or the families that travel with us as the guests

I wish they would do it fast and do it consistently and make sure they strictly enforce this

No one should think it's funny or doable as a risk to overstay and then moan about the consequences

No one would attempt that in any country and believe they are above the law

Walk in mate and if they ask for it say you don't have it today they scan a card on their counter and let you buy whatever you have in the trolley

I just installed AIS and they are currently running a few promotions

We picked the 6 months 50% off the subscription price and at 15/5 it's fast enough for the usual YouTube music stuff and work emails etc

We don't play games or stream movies so I Guess 15/5 was more than fast enough for us

Came with a free wifi router and also the AIS playbox which came with free movies for a month and the karaoke function

Pleased setup was a Breeze and everything is working as its mentioned

I don't believe the majority of the Singaporeans have a problem with the construction workers Road sweepers and maids

That's a given ...no Singaporeans want those as jobs ...the question is if there is any government which has allowed so many PMEs and employment pass holders to compete for local jobs that is the more relevant question

When my company recruits it is an MOM requirement that the position is offered to the local work force for two weeks.

99% of the time no citizen comes forward leaving the only option to recruit from oversees.

If you look at it through the eyes ifs local ...this is akin to rubber stamping a foreign number invasion

After all Singapore of the 80 & 90s was not half as bad and at 3.5 million at that time it was harmonious ...only the current ruling party keep harping on how important it is to stay as No 1 in the region and paying themselves the heftiest public salaries in the world

The man on the street can live with slower or moderate growth , smaller populations and less swanky cars on the streets

I have never seen a developed country with so many elderly forced to work beyond their retirement year In menial jobs like tissue sellers ( u need a license for that too regulated Singapore ) , tray collectors in Food courts and luggage pushers at the swanky airport

U think this is fundamentally right ?

I don't believe the majority of the Singaporeans have a problem with the construction workers Road sweepers and maids

That's a given ...no Singaporeans want those as jobs ...the question is if there is any government which has allowed so many PMEs and employment pass holders to compete for local jobs that is the more relevant question

Not all the citizens are happy about this ratio ....I have not seen such ratios in most developed countries

Burn the tree down

China seeks to project naval power into both the Pacific and the Indian Oceans so that Japan, the Philippines, the US, and other emerging regional powers will have no choice but to accept problematic Chinese policies, like de-facto annexation of disputed islands and oil and natural gas fields in the South China and East China seas.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-chinas-strategy-for-establishing-naval-superiority-in-asia-2015-4#ixzz3XLSQkHBk

That's not the only strategic goal of China ....naval power is important but the land forces will remain China's main thrust and defense of the motherland and how to transport them quickly and efficiently is still the way to protect its interests best

China defers from other superpowers because it refuses to be another non entity

It has chosen trade over wars ...it has chosen non political interference as its trading and foreign affairs policy

Unlike the west , it has to take care of 1.3 billion like a communist state while staying capitalist in its trading needs

In its recent history of world politics, it has learnt quickly the effects of media and scrutiny

It has started to slow its environmental damage and also prosecuted its corrupt officials

I believe they have a good path and opportunity to be a superpower that some countries would envy

Head to Rimpings on weekends ...lots of free tasting and if you are thick skinned enough to walk a few rounds ...could be mum's recommended balanced meal for the day

Plus those new ones have great windows ....you could do a show stopper dancing i neon nights when you are bored and see if anyone stops their cars and throw you a coin

In reality ...even at its cheapest the Chinese would probably be contributing more $$$ than the cheap backpackers of the west with their one beer in the hand, loud belching and drunk lout behaviors

The tour group Chinese contribute jobs to to the factory hands in all these en mass factory stops, photos souvenir dishes , bus drivers and guides , language schools churning out Chinese guides and of course shopping $$$

One downside is the more traffic accidents as they continue to stop bikes in the middle of the road reading maps etc etc but we are rather used to that from the Thais anyway being dangerous drivers

In my books that beats the 30 baht beer bottle backpacker who behaves like an idiot in khao San

Hope he tried some tikka masala