sbaker8688

I'm arriving in Bangkok soon and need a month to month room, can't do contracts of 3+ months. I would prefer something in the 5000-7000B/mo. range. My preference is for something reasonably close to a bts or subway also.

If anyone has any hints or tips, please post here. Thanks so much.

I'm currently in my own country, and already have a ticket booked to Thailand (leaving soon). Unfortunately, I just got diagnosed with an overactive Thyroid today. There isn't enough time to do all the tests (ultrasound etc) necessary to give me treatment, because I'm leaving in a few days. So I will have to get treatment in Thailand.

Can you please recommend a good (hopefully the best) endocrinologist or thyroid guy? I can do either Bangkok or Chiangmai.

Thanks for any advice.

I have to go to the airport in a few days. Noticed a "rail link" on the map while riding the BTS. My guess is it goes to Suvanabhumi (don't know how to spell it)?

Assuming it is complete and operational, how do I use it? Can anyone fill me in?

Thanks.

"I would like to bring euros with me to Thailand. It appears that my bank will issue me a check in euros. My question is whether SCB will accept this to fund my account?"

what is the purpose of this curious procedure? of course SCB will take a cheque made out in any freely convertible currency and of course it will take ages till the cheque is cleared and of course there will be charges. why not wiring/swifting €URos to fund your account?

My idea was 1) I am guaranteed to get the onshore conversion rate if I bring a check, and 2) the charges for a check may be less than wiring it (wiring it from here runs $30-$50).

Does anyone know what the general charge for handling a check would be?

Also, I don't have a checking account, just a savings account. Does this matter, i.e. can I still deposit a check into a savings account?

Thanks.

Hello, was just looking over the options for wiring money into my Thai bank account (SCB). I saw an option for my American bank called "Foreign Currency Draft Request." This allows me to "Request a check from my account in a foreign currency."

To explain, my American bank allows me to hold money in a variety of currencies. I currently own euros and several other currencies. I would like to bring euros with me to Thailand. It appears that my bank will issue me a check in euros. My question is whether SCB will accept this to fund my account?

Has anyone ever done it this way before? If so, any disadvantages?

Thanks.

Hello, stayed in BKK a few months last year. Ended up at a hotel which also had apartments, one of which I rented for between 7000-8000 baht a month.

Anyway, I'm coming back to BKK soon. I can pay whatever, but considering that I stayed in Chiangmai for years for 5000 baht a month (which included TV, refrigerator, bedding/towels, etc. - the BKK room had none of these things), I consider 7000-8000 a little pricey.

My 2 main criteria are 1) air conditioning and 2) quiet. I can't stay in one of these rooms Thais stay in with traffic noise from outside, screaming people, doors slamming, etc. That would be a nightmare.

Beyond that, I would like some proximity to the subway or the skytrain - the closer the better.

Something cheaper than 7 grand a month would be good.

Lastly, I've been hit with these places before which really rip farangs off on electricity (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about?). None of those joints, please.

Thanks for any help.

Hope this is the right place to post this.

I have been going to Thailand for many years. Previously I only dealt in dollars as far as wiring money to my bank account in Thailand. However, this year I have a lot of Euros in a western bank account which I would like to use.

I would be wiring to SCB. My question is about the various conversions that would take place when I wire. Do I have the option to keep Euros as Euros when they hit my account? Or will they be converted into Bahts? Or will they be converted into Dollars first, and then Bahts? My preference would probably be to keep them as Euros, and then change them into Bahts small bits at a time as necessary, but I don't know if this is possible.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any help as far as how to conduct this transaction in the best way. I seem to remember a box I could check when wiring Dollars which somehow saved me money on converting it to Bahts (if I didn't check that box, I got charged extra?). But I can't remember the details.

Thanks.

Need to travel home for a while. Would like to ship my suitcase back home to avoid the hassle of all the Homeland "Security" BS, the getting charged for checking a bag, blah blah.

At any rate, what would be the best option? FedEx? Standard Thai mail? Also, a good location in BKK to do it?

Thanks.

I'm a recent transplant to Bangkok after spending 5 years in Chiangmai. I'm looking for a good (i.e. "real") pharmacy. I mean, what is it with all the pharmacies here? All these places like Boots and Watson's you see in the malls - they're jokes. They mostly sell cosmetics, and I can never find what I need, whether it is blood pressure medicine, or an antibiotic that isn't one of the 2 or 3 most common ones. The other day I got into a taxi and went to literally 17 pharmacies by just asking the taxi driver to drive around until I saw one. No pharmacy had what I wanted. Today I went to 6 on foot - no pharmacy had what I wanted.

Please direct me to a "real" pharmacy. By that, I mean something that would have most anything I would need. Something that stocks "real" medicine, whether it be hardcore painkillers (no - I'm not after those), hardcore antibiotics, various blood pressure medicines, etc. Something that would have almost anything that has been prescribed in the western world.

I live in the Lat Phrao area, so prefer a place around there, but I'll go anywhere. Also, any place near a sky train or subway would be easier for me to get to as well, but again I'll go anywhere.

I prefer non-hospital pharmacies, as I've been asked for prescriptions at those places before (for things like blood pressure medicine, strangely enough), even though I shouldn't need a prescription in Thailand (unless it's a controlled substance, of course).

Thanks.

If you have a multiple non-B and have to leave the country every 90 days you can even get an extra 90 days by just leaving and re-entering just before the visa expires.

Wow, are you sure? Yes, it's multiple non-B/90 days.

That's what I'll do then. Thanks.

Hi, I've been here almost a year on a non-Imm B. Is it possible for me to leave right after the visa expires, then come right back and get another 30 days on a VOA? I ask because I know they've cracked down in recent years on living here on VOAs, and I want to make sure they don't force me to go back and make a new visa before coming in again?

Thanks.

Okay, just made some phone calls to some people who know all the parties involved, and who were there when the excrement hit the fan.

First off, go here and watch the video:

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000009718

That dude is Andrew, the Canadian. I've only ever seen him wear that shit - never a different shirt. Met him many times.

It was like I suspected - Greg's name and identity (the American) was mixed up in all this by the cops. Greg is still in trouble and under arrest, but not because of the drugs. Because he has passport issues. He is apparently in jail, awaiting deportation. I knew he had passport issues last year, but he was trying to get it all straightened out, to the best of my knowledge. Apparently, he didn't.

There is either a lot of sloppy reporting done in Thailand, or sloppy police work, or both.

I sat down to eat food at a restaurant, and read the Sunday newspaper. Then my jaw drops and food falls out of my mouth. I have known Greg S. Warner for years. In fact, I even saw him recently. Just talked on the phone the other day.

There are some weird things in this article. First off, Andrew isn't Greg's alias. I know that guy too. Canadian. Seems to be rich as hel_l. Seems to own a lot of shit. About 5 Harley Davidsons and a new truck parked in his driveway (quite a nice driveway I might add, with quite a nice house attached), apartment complexes, etc. Always wondered where the guy got his money - he told me he had a lot of business "outside of Thailand." I suppose I know where he gets his money now, or at least some of it.

I wonder how they mixed up Greg and this guy Andrew's identity? What I'm wondering is if Greg was there partying in the guy's house or something when the raid went down, and got swept up and mixed up in the whole thing? Then the cops mixed up their names when they talked to the newspaper? Sounds very sloppy. The other article doesn't even mention Greg's name, just Andrew's, but Greg's phone is turned off (and it is never turned off) so I know the cops have him too. What's going on?

Does anyone know the procedure or protocol for me to find out more about this? How does one find out if his buddy is in jail? How does one go about contacting someone in jail? Etc?

Any advice?

Thanks.

Without work/full company paperwork do not believe you will get anywhere in the local area. You did not mention on what basis you were obtaining. If for business and using just a company letter suspect you will have to return to US.

Company letter.

Can anyone else confirm whether this would be enough or not?

I've been getting a non-immigrant B multiple entry for the last few years. Once the visa has expired I get on a plane and go back to the USA, procure another non-immigrant B, and go back to Thailand. Rinse, repeat.

I am now in the USA procuring another visa. However, I've wondered how feasible (easy, cheap, etc) it would be to try to get such a visa next time without going all the way back to the USA? The answer to this will affect whether I will buy a round trip ticket, as I normally do, or a one-way. If someone tells me it is relatively cheap, quick, and painless to get a multiple entry visa in the "general area" (Singapore, Malaysia, whatever) I'll buy a one-way. If someone tells me there is a fair amount of hassle and expense involved, it may behoove me to simply keep doing what I've been doing, i.e. buy another round trip ticket and keep returning to the USA.

Any thoughts or advice?

Asuming you have your teminology correct your Visa would have expired when you left unless you had a Re Enry Permit.

Whatever, if you still have a valid Visa it will be cancelled if you apply for a new one.

Perhaps I don't have the correct terminology, but my visa did not expire upon leaving, and yes I have multiple entries good for a year (that year is almost up). Nevertheless, it appears you answered my question - I can apply for a brand new visa, cancelling the old one.

Thanks!

I have a non-immigrant B visa which will expire in about 2 months. Unfortunately, I had to return to my home country recently to take care of some issues which popped up. The situation is that I'd like to return to Thailand now, however I don't have much time left on my current visa, and would be forced to leave Thailand and seek a new one relatively shortly.

One solution is to simply sit where I am for the next few months, let my current visa expire, get a new one, and then go to Thailand. However, I don't want to sit around that long.

Question1: Can I simply apply and get another visa now, even though my other one has not expired?

Question2: Can I somehow "cancel" my current visa?

Thanks.

Just got a non immigrant B for the first time. It is a multiple entry. I used to have a non immigrant O, and know how that works (had to leave every 3 months and get a visa stamp). I have no idea how this non imm B works.

How often do I have to leave, if at all?

Should I carry anything with me, such as invitation letter from a business, etc?

Anything else I should know?

Thanks.

Non-Imm Os are harder to get now than they used to be, so I am probably going to try a "business visa" (I think the lady at the consulate called it that) because all they need is a letter from a business in Thailand requesting that I be allowed one.

Before I do this, I just want to know if there are any pitfalls. For instance, will anyone on the Thai side need any documentation once I arrive in Thailand? What about when I leave the country and come back to get another stamp?

From my understanding, all they will need at the consulate is a letter (well, plus money, passport, etc). To my knowledge, I won't ever need anything else (a work permit, etc) - in fact I don't actually plan to be working, I just need a decent visa.

Please comment. Thanks.

I'd try Houston first. They're very easy to work with ('tho I've always had marriage as a reason.) Julie Richardson is the Vice Consul and her assistant is Michelle Aguilera. They can be reached at: 713-229-0636 Ext. 1101

Will try everything suggested. Thank you very much.

Was there any reasons given for not letting you have a Non-Im O ? Which Consulate was that in the US ?

The reason was that "they" (Thailand) are "cracking down." They said that non-immigrant Os are now only issued to people who are married to a Thai, or people who are going to school in Thailand. It was the consulate in Denver, Colorado.

Thanks.

You do not say what nationality you are, or where you are applying for the Non Imm O visa.

Back in your home country you may have better luck?

I am in my home country right now (USA). They will not give me a non-immigrant O.

If I get a 6 month tourist visa in the US, where outside of Thailand would I go to get another one? I know some city is listed in a post above - "Vientiane" - but I have no idea where it is, or and how much of a hassle it is? Where is Vientiane?

Is this the recommended approach? Two back-to-back 6 month tourist visas?

Thanks.

Who is refusing you a visa and on what basis are you asking for the visa?

A tourist visa is for a 30 or 60 day entry and can be extended for 30 days. Currently Vientiane will issue up to a two entry which would cover almost six months with one exit and two extensions if you are allowed 60 days on a tourist visa entry.

The only firm restrictions are those of 90 days in a six month period for visa exempt entry. There is no general limitation on visas issued by Consulates as to number or period of stay - but some Consulates may have there own rules.

The consulate is refusing me the non-immigrant O. I wasn't asking on any basis other than I wanted a long stay visa in Thailand - this was the only basis I ever needed before. Going in and out of the country every month never cut it for me - I always preferred having a long stay visa, because it is much less hassle. Now they tell me I need to either be married to a Thai girl, or going to school in Thailand, before I can have the non-immigrant O.

Not sure what "visa exempt entry" is, but if you are saying I don't have to worry about anything as long as I get a tourist visa, it sounds like I may have my answer (get 2 six month tourist visas back to back). Thing is, I really don't want to fool with the hassle of this tourist visa thing.

Thanks.

I spent the entire last year in Thailand on a non-immigrant O, but now they are refusing me a new one. Is it possible to get a 6 month tourist visa, and then get another one somewhere near Thailand (Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, etc)?

I know Thailand has been changing the rules about coming and going from the country - something about X numbers of entries within Y amount of time. Is it possible for me to simply get 2 consecutive 6 month tourist visas? Is this what people are doing?

Thanks.

Hello,

I am American. Last year I got a non-immigrant O from the Denver, Colorado Thai consulate. I stayed in Thailand 1 year, and now I am back in the US to visit family and obtain another visa. I applied for another non-immigrant O, but now they tell me they will not issue me one. They say I must either be married to a Thai girl, or getting an education in Thailand, otherwise all I qualify for is a tourist visa.

I thought I might ask around to see if there is another consulate I might try? A regular old tourist visa is not going to do me any good.

Any help appreciated - thanks.