pktkid

I think this is probably an accurate report.

This past march, we had a client obtain a three-year Class B visa without even trying, from Thai Conuslate at Penang - see

http://www.thaistartup.com/3yr_visa.pdf

This may have been an early trial run of the program - but they charged him only the equivalent of 5,000 baht.

Cheers!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok

[email protected]

www.thaistartup.com

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Or they simply made a mistake ? Hey, I hope he did the honest thing and went back to them to make sure it wasnt ??!! he he

Well his 1st border run is due soon, be interesting to hear how the immigration view it !

Still, excellent news !

"I have a question though, can you still apply for a WP on an "O" visa ? Just asking on behalf of someone I know."

Yes you can. You can apply for a WP on any type of Non-Immigrant Visa.

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Stupid question but if an "O" visa entitles you to apply for a work permit then why the need to have such a thing as a "B" visa ? Particularly all the hassles that go with applying for one ! Why bother ?

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Because said person might not be eligible for the Non-imm O.

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But surely it goes without saying that an "O" visa is easier to obtain than an "B" visa ? You dont need to find an employer for an "O" visa !

191,400 baht !! I make that the cost equivalent to 95.7 visa runs !!

"I have a question though, can you still apply for a WP on an "O" visa ? Just asking on behalf of someone I know."

Yes you can. You can apply for a WP on any type of Non-Immigrant Visa.

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Stupid question but if an "O" visa entitles you to apply for a work permit then why the need to have such a thing as a "B" visa ? Particularly all the hassles that go with applying for one ! Why bother ?

Sheltered life indeed... Its well known in Patong that the TukTuk's simply consider themselves a law unto themself...

If you want somone roughed up who offers the lowest price service ?? You want somwhere smashed up who performs this ??? For collection menaces etc etc etc.. all can be done via the Tuk Tuk crowd..

Notorious for kicking off for little reason...

The idea its an innocent driver having to tow the line to pay off the big boss is complete imagination.. Otherwise why would they not be taking these 50 baht pickups when no one is watching or from Nanai etc when on thier own..

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Well guys, my congratulations goes out to you all, unfortunately you will have to share the prize of the wooden spoon amongst each other !!!

Its people like you who give this island a bad name, at a time when Phuket needs its tourists to come back you have to put your over-exagerted cr*p on the net ! You should take your "common stories" elsewhere off the island, maybe out of Thailand as your negative rubbish is not wanted, as if the industry is not damaged enough !!!

As for you Mr. Angry long timers who have forgotten the meaning of "jai yen" my guess is you probably deserve it, after 20 years seeing the same miserable farang squabbling over 20 baht I would be reaching for a lump of wood too !!!

Tue 31 May 05

Hi all,

Just being a worry wort, double and triple checking everything.  A few questions:

(1)  I am American on a multiple entry Non "B" which expires mid-September.  Is it true that I can do a fourth "visa run" giving  me an "extra" 90 days, effectively extending  the visa to  15 rather than 12 months?

(2)  One other question.  Last year, I avoided Penang and the consulates in the area because I heard it had become quite difficult to get a multiple entry "B".  Single entry no problem, but not multiple.  Has anything about that changed from last year?  Anyone geting mutiple entries in Penang?

(3)  Finally,  I'm single. I have always gotten "B" visas, but I hear that "O" is easier and accomplishes my long-stay goals just as well.  What are some of the considerations for "B" vs. "O" ?

Thanks for the help.

Aloha,

Rex

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Guys, you need to look further a field, the world is not as big as it may seem !

Return flight to Sydney, 19,000 baht ! Thai consulate in an excellent location (right next to the Sydney Harbour), the most friendly Thai consulate staff you will EVER see, no falang tramps holding up the queue (in fact there is no queue), 12 month multiple entry B visa done in 24 hours, no questions asked !!! KL, Sing, Penang... Er, no thanks !

Sydney gets the nod for me !!!

I have a question though, can you still apply for a WP on an "O" visa ? Just asking on behalf of someone I know.

Well, I can tell you for certain that we have had a client who was fined for working at a second location of his company (IT company) - company and work permit said Bangkok, but he was working for months at a time in Phuket.

How much was the fine?

I would, and do tell all my friends not to bother, as the Thais don't really care.

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Thanks guys. My guess is that I will need 2 work permits. The only thing that concerns me is that I have only one Non immigrant B visa, now im assuming that you wouldnt be required to have 2 visas but doesn’t my B visa only qualify for me to apply for a work permit for the company that was on the initial application ?

In other words can a B visa be used for any company and not necessarily the company it was intended for ?

Look, there are some stated prices like at Big C/Lotus... A month or so all the Tukies parked on Bangla to protest closing off of the street.  Well since I cannot reach my final piont of have to walk to either end of Bangla shouldn't  pay less...

Yep, and I got the price too. 

Spat back in thai...cqan make the price lower, I don't want.  80 baht?   

OK was the response everytime.  I have had many a TG tell the driver for thai price but he points to the Farang...oops

If everybody will justy ask for a cheaper price it will go down....

If the price to Big C is 200 Baht from Patong why pay 100 Baht from Bangla to Sea Pearl?????   

Don't Pay

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This is possible to do and if everybody played there part im confident that we would get there, or at least see a reduction ! Firstly when after you ask for a price purposly make it obvious that you prefer a motorbike Taxi, let the driver actually see you as you walk over to a motorbike ! Of cousre be suttle, dont walk away sticking 2 fingers up at him !! People say well what is the alternative, simple MOTORBIKES !!! Do you really need a Tuk tuk from Bangla to Seaparl ? Why cant you walk ?

Everybody should go out of there way to tarnish them as much as possible, I dont mean walk down rath-u-thit road waving banners, just by simply spreading the word. Every tourist you speak to tell them, educate them !

Just say no !!

I suppose the mafia also tells them to beat the crap out of any tourist that gives them a problem?

Sorry for them my ars.e! Yes, you ARE the only one feeling sorry for them, mainly from ignorance I think.

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Dont exaggerate Sir ! I have been here 3 years now and have not heard of one story yet about tourists being beaten up. Yeah a little bit of back chat and hand bags but nothing more than that.

If the tuk tuk does ever resort to such violence (which must be condemned no matter what) this merely confirms the enormous pressure he is under from the Mafia owner ! The only ignorance that exists out there are are the sheer ammounts of people not looking beneath the surface. The driver is not the root of the problem, its the Mafia controlling them and we need the authorities to stand up to them !... Dont shoot the messenger !!

Personally I think they are an eyesore and should be band, I was on holiday when the Tsunami happened and how disappointed was I to see that the tuk tuks were still there ! Instead they repaint the damaged ones blue, yellow and even orange ! Someone tell me, what is that all about ???

Maybe a bit off topic .... but this lawlessness in Phuket is surprising and disappointing to me.

There are no taxis to be found without an appointment. The reason according to a friend who lives there is that a taxi that drives into Phuket will be physically battered by the tuktuk drivers. Thye literally strong arm the competition out of town. The govt even offered low/no cost loans to taxi owners to encourage the competition and no takers due to fear; everyone knows where you live.

Do I have this story straight ??

Is this irrationa level of lawlessness really tolerated in Thailand/Phuket ?

Why is everyone afraid of the tuktuk constituency ??

I had trouble getting back to the airport last time I was there. This is ridiculous.

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I have a theory (which I have has been strongly backed up) on the Tuk Tuk issue. Although unfair to call these drivers "mafia" it wouldnt be far off, these Tuk Tuks are however supplied by the mafia ! They set the prices, not the driver ! This is not an unusual thing and happens not only in Thailand, for example when someone has a taxi in say England or the USA they are required to "hire" the radio ? Your paying someone for the privilege of being able to operate, its no different to that in Phuket !

Now ask yourself, when a driver says "100 baht" and you say "No, 50 baht" why does he drive off ? Surely it is better to take the 50 baht rather than spend another 20 baht in gasoline looking for the next sucker ? The answer to that is simple, hes been TOLD he must charge that, he hasnt chosen that option himself ! What kind of trouble would he be in if they found out that he was setting the wrong president ? A great deal i'd say !!

Im probably the only person who can actually say I feel sorry for them, imagine your boss told you that you had to sell something for $100 and you were turning down $50, day after day, 5, 6 7, times a day knowing that there was still a huge profit to be made ? How pi**ed off would you be ?

At the end of the day the tourist is to blame, once that 1st person pays the asked price that’s it ! Phuket is the most expensive tourist spot in Thailand and it all down to the visitor ! They charge what the last person paid (and more), its as simple as that !!!

Well I wasnt actually looking to "add" a 2nd job to an existing work permit, firstly I didnt know you could do this, secondly I dont have one that I can add to !!

What I was planning on doing is applying for 2 work permits for 2 seperate companies, one in Phuket & one in Bangkok to be more precise.

So what your saying is I can have 2 jobs on one work permit ? Does this mean I simply apply for the 1st one and then simply "add on" the other job ?

Your right however, the question is would this be something the Thai Immigration would look for ? Have any Thai immigration laws been broken ?

It goes without saying that there is no better way of doing it than the right way, the right way is by physically having your passport in hand !!... however....

What if (this is a big if) you vacated Thailand with an official stamp out, put your feet up in a hotel in Cambodia (for example) and send the passport to "wherever" to apply for the visa, requesting with your friend that the visa be sent back to your hotel ?

Ok although this still means you have to let go of your passport but at least the issues of having the stamps out/in has been resolved ?

You could also argue that the visa will say "issued at Wherever (i.e. not Cambodia)" but would the Thai immigration care about this ? Are you actually breaking Thai immigration law ? Thai immigration law stipulates that "a non immigrant visa must be applied for outside of Thailand".... ??

Im no lawyer or expert in the field so please feel free to tell me im wrong !!!

Could anyone tell me, is it possible for a falang to have 2 work permits ? i.e. work for 2 companies ?

Thanks all !