snowy

Why do they not issue photographs of these guy's. We can all keep an eye out for them.

I am hoping to travel to Nan in the north last week in Sept by road. Anybody know if there would be a problem.

Isn't it obvious why they want to legalize it? It's because they want tax revenue from it.

I simply cannot support these plans to regulate vice.

Why would you even want to?

When Prohibition is doing such a great job at controlling it.

I think if you regulate the industry, that will result in people actually coming to Thailand purely for the sex industry!

Here Here,

Plus up would go the costs of bar fines, up would go the price the girls charge to cover tax and employment.

I am sure one of our resident experts will give the the exact rule but as I understand from previous posts the 800,000 baht has to be in the thai bank for three months on the first application only, subsequent renewals do not need to be seasoned and this has been reported by a number of tv members. Perhaps another visit to immigration with someone who speaks Thai and explain you are enquiring about renewing your retirement extension, not applying for your first one may clarify the situation for you.

I dont know which imigration office you use but but the last two times that i have renewed my retirement visa here in pattaya the funds (800,00) have only been in my account for 2 weeks.

I was told by imigration that the 3 month rule only applies to first applications and not renewals.

In fact i have just renewed my visa not 3 weeks ago, and the funds had been in my account for 16 days.

I cannot understand why some imigration offices interpret the rules differently.

Rather, it is about whether every hotel, apt., guesthouse, etc. becomes secondary immigration checkpoints, flipping thru the pages of foreigners' passports, checking to see if "your papers are in order", as if they were some kind of Thai Gestapo.

Have you stayed at a hotel in Thailand? They do in fact flip through your passport to check the visa and make photocopies as they're obliged to do under Thai law.

I regards to the original post, it's probably the local coppers leaning on condo owners in the area to ensure their paperwork is in order or get fined.

No reason to hide the passport unless, in fact, there's something to hide.

Here Here,

Whenever i have stayed in any hotel or condo in Los i have always had to produce my passport,

Los is not alone here, most countries have the same policy, and in most cases you are not surrendering your pp to the manager but to the check in clerk, refuse and there is no room.

Try as a foriegner to check into a hotel in london without producing your pp.

As a foriegner visiting your wonderful country called the US as in any other country try renting a car from Dollar or Alamo without surendering your pp to the clerk and see if you get a rental.

I really do not know what all the fuss is about.

I'm so happy some of you farangs don't have any power to vote, with your love for the nanny-state. Wasn't this what you moved from?

Here, here. I moved here because, like so many of us were fed up with too many rules being imposed.

Now we have the nanny state argument - a duty of government is to protect its citizens and with the knowledge of the health hazards of secondary smoking they are merely performing that duty. If it was a nanny state they would be doing something to help people with their nicotine addiction.

Cheers BB

If the goverment has duty to protect its citizens from health hazards, why not ban the following.

Harley's.....they create noice polution and damage our ears.

Alchohol....it damages your liver and kidney's.

Sex...... it gives you all those nasty diseases.

to name few.

I'm so happy some of you farangs don't have any power to vote, with your love for the nanny-state. Wasn't this what you moved from?

Here, here. I moved here because, like so many of us were fed up with too many rules being imposed.

I extended my retirement visa in Pattaya, on the 3 of August. And I used the combined method of money in bank and pension. I obtained a certificate of pension from my Consulate in Patttaya, no trip to MFA was required. Then I went to my bank, asked them to confirm my bank balance and wiring of money to Thailand. Took all of this and required copies of my passport and copies of the first and last updated page of my bankbook, no 3 month rule. Took all of this to immigration, presented them to the officer and 10 min later I was out of the office, my extension approved and was told to come back, and pick up my passport in the afternoon.

encouraging news - i also need to renew in Pattaya soon using the same criteria - my current retirement visa expires on October 4 - any idea on how soon i can apply for renewal? it sound like the longer i wait the more complicated it may be

This 3 mth rule has been around for sometime now, when i renewed my retirement visa last year (Oct) in Pattaya i asked the im officer about the the 3mth rule as my funds had only been in my acc for 1wk, he told me that it did not apply to me, only to fresh applicants not renewals.

Am i right to assume this has now changed as i have been living on my 800k and will need to top it up before my next renewal which is in Oct.

.....and if you didn't last time, show that you are now living and based in Thailand as that will be the 'reason to return' for your g/f. You should have no problem and do yourself, and your mother a favour, try to get there before it happens.

Cheers Scouse, will try.

Why don't you apply for the visa now, and then, when the worst happens, you and your g/f can immediately jump on a plane.

That your g/f has already had one visit visa and abided by its conditions will make the process second time around a lot easier. You may choose to include a letter from a relative offering you accommodation, but your bank balance should speak for itself. You may also wish to write a covering letter to the visa officer explaining that you have no definite plans, but that your mother may pass away at any minute, and that is why you are applying now.

The visa will permit travel to the UK within its six months' validity and, if your mother perks up a bit, it doesn't matter whether it goes unused.

Scouse.

Cheers Scouse, great advice, why i didnt think of that i dont know.

Head must be in more of a spin than i realised.

Why don't you apply for the visa now, and then, when the worst happens, you and your g/f can immediately jump on a plane.

That your g/f has already had one visit visa and abided by its conditions will make the process second time around a lot easier. You may choose to include a letter from a relative offering you accommodation, but your bank balance should speak for itself. You may also wish to write a covering letter to the visa officer explaining that you have no definite plans, but that your mother may pass away at any minute, and that is why you are applying now.

The visa will permit travel to the UK within its six months' validity and, if your mother perks up a bit, it doesn't matter whether it goes unused.

Scouse.

I wonder if someone could advise me, i live in LOS on a retirement visa and i took my tg back to the uk last year for three months whilst i disposed of my house there.

During her visit my mother and she became very close, which was a bit of a surprise to me as my mother has never reacted in the same way with my previos aquaitences.

Unfortunately my mother is now gravely ill and the end is fairly close and of course i am going to have to return to the uk when this happens.

What are the chances of getting a second visa for my girlfriend quickly as i will only have a couple of days to react as soon as i get the unfortunate news.

Our circumstances are the same as last year apart from the fact i now no longer have property in the uk but have an incredibly large bank account due to its sale.

Will i need some sort of invitation from my relatives, if so, will an email be sufficient as a letter will take too long.

Any advice would be very helpful.

Hi Guy's

Am looking for advice as to whether i should exchange my 12 month non-imigrant 'O' multi-entry visa which was issued on the 10th Feb 2005 when i arrive in Bangkok on the 6th April to a retirement visa, or should i let run, making border runs every 90 days until it is just about to expire and then apply for my retirement visa.

I have the funds available now.

The only problem i can see is that the police report which i have would have expired if i wait.

Secondly, once i have applied, and assuming that the retirement visa is granted, at what date would the new visa begin?

Any advice greatly apreciated.