RikDao

I've been here three months and I'm still happy as a bug in a rug and I'll cry all over you if you have the temerity to suggest otherwise! (Still working on being less sarcastic, however).

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I really don't know why anybody would pay the 100 baht to have 5 minutes of paperwork filled out.

I know the answer(s) you seek, so I'm gonna give it (them) to you, in no particular order:

1) 100 baht just isn't "really" that much money, especially for a BM* like me.

2) I'm lazy.

3) I wanted to help the local economy.

4) I saw a line of farangs at the table so I just got in line before someone else got in line before me.

5) And finally, I was too nervous to fill it out by myself, after reading all these visa run horror stories on TV.

So now you "really" know why...

*Baht Millionaire.

300km in 3 hours on a bus?

Thats an average of over 60mph. Pretty fast for a bus.

The real figure is 10 hours by VIP bus and 11 for the non-VIP......

OUCH! I meant 11 hours, not 3! See, I still haven't fully recovered from that ordeal! Yah, it took 11 hours but it felt like... oh never mind!

(I'm surprised I didn't put "1100 kms in 3 hrs.")

He got 2 entry visa valid for 3 months that with 30 day extensions of each 60 day entry can give a total of about180 days without needing a new visa.

Umm, just to clarify further, I got one 90-day visa, which has the dual-entry aspect, meaning I can enter Thailand twice in 90 days. Not 180 days in my case. In other words, I just came back to Thailand today, using the first entry, will return to the US for a few weeks in January, and then come back to Thailand before the 90 days are up, thereby utilizing my second entry. When these 90 days are up, I'll pop over to Vientiane again for a rerun.

Essentially is this a two month and then pay 1900 Baht at your local Immigration office for the last 30 days?

With the recent changes for G7 countries you can get 30 days by land crossing for free (well 10USD in Ranong on the Myanmar side) How long is the Visa valid until is it three months or six months, if the latter you can stay 9 months. Please let me know I was thinking of doing the same.

Yo, sorry I didn't make that clear, since this post is really aimed at newbies. Yes, I got a dual-entry tourist visa that is good for 60 days, which I will extend for another 30 days at an immigration office here in Thailand, making it roughly three months in total.

That is for those on one year extensions or early on an extension that they want to return and continue. You will be near the end of your extension it appears (60/30) so would serve no purpose and defeat the reason for your exit/return on a new tourist visa entry allowing a new 60/30. So no re-entry permit - just get the visa for Laos at border and visit Consulate for new Thai tourist visa (a two entry would likely be available if you want to stay longer). When you return you use that new visa for entry (putting the information on your arrival card and checking you get a 60 day stamp).

Hey lopburi3!

Thanks a million (baht, not dollars) for the speedy reply! What you say makes perfect sense, and yep, I was making it too complicated, I guess.

RikDao

Hello All - Forgive me if my questions sound TOO remedial.

I am planning on going to Vientiane soon to get my second three-month (60/30) tourist visa for Thailand. I got the first one in the USA before I arrived in Thailand, and it will expire on Dec 6, 2013. Obviously I will be going to Vientiane before that, so I have a couple of related questions:

1) do I need a re-entry permit in order to come back to Thailand (before Dec 6) on my original visa (that is, the one which expires on Dec 6), or will the new three-month visa I hope to get take care of that? and 2) if I need a re-entry visa to get back into Thailand, will they just give me that at the Thai Embassy in Vientiane?

Maybe I'm making it more complicated than it really is, huh? I just wanna be sure.

The reason I'm asking is I just saw this little bit from the TV visa information section:

"If you have an extension of stay and would like to travel outside of Thailand for a short period then an re-entry permit will be needed.

A re-entry permit must be obtained at the immigration office designated for your area. While it states that in an emergency it can be obtained at the airport no member has yet reported whether or not it is possible.

When applying for a re-entry permit you will need to submit the following -

* A completed TM-8 form
* The correct fee
* A 2? photo
* Photocopy of passport (main page, visa page and latest entry stamp)

Current fees for re-entry permit

* 1,000 Baht for single
* 3,800 Baht for multiple"


Thanks.

This thread is funny, but serious, too. I might end up retiring here; I've been here three months and I love the place, and if I stay here I'll definitely be getting a car.

So far, I haven't driven, but I've traveled around plenty with my wife's family, with her brother driving. First off, he drives like a bleeding idiot, and doesn't know how (make that WHEN) to shift (due to not understanding the RPM concept, I suppose), thinks it's fine to pass on a curve on a two lane blacktop (after all, he didn't see anyone coming around the curve, did he?), etc etc etc. Couple this with the fact that he doesn't slow down for dogs, and... I think you get the picture.

But I saw a post in this thread that said Thailand is the third most dangerous country in the world for driving, and I found that hard to believe, so I did a little research. What did I find??? Well, Thailand IS one of the most dangerous countries in the world to drive in, with something like 37 deaths per 100,000 anually. Yeah, boring old England has about 3.5 (I'm American but I love England), which is surprising because they drive on the wrong side of the road there, too. (Hahahah all you English, you make fun of us all the time, so I'm just giving you some of your own medicine). But it turns out that fully 75% of Thai driving deaths are on motorcycles! Like, duh? No way I'd ride on one of them anyplace, not just Thailand (or the bloody UK).

So, my main challenge is going to be figuring out how to avoid all these 12 year old kids jetting around on scooters, know what I'm saying? I know I'll survive, it's them I'm worried about.

LOL. Your words seem to agree with me, but your tone implies otherwise. Had to read this a couple of times to figure that out. Happy Chilling!

I'm new in Thailand, and married to a wonderful Thai woman. We live in her family home in Northern Thailand, on the edge of a pleasant village. Next door is a small chicken farm, and the man who owns it is very friendly to me, as are the people who work with him. (I'm not hung up on the "farang" thing, BTW, knowing full well I'll never be one of them, and while I've heard that word uttered quite a few times, I've never sensed any rancor behind it).

Recently, the man next door went to the hospital, where he remains, unable to walk, due to some problems with his hip bones. Neither my wife nor her family seem to know what's happening with him, and if they do, they're not talking. Frankly, it's none of my business anyway. I wish him well and hope to see him back soon.

I can see right down into his place through the window next to my desk, and today noticed a larger than usual number of scooters down there. I asked my wife what was going on, and she said they're going to kill a pig. Needless to say, I wondered why, it being 9am, Wednesday morning, all that. At first, my wife was reticent about explaining, which naturally made me more curious. Finally, she said the people think that demons living in the area caused the owner to get sick, so they're going to kill the pig as an offering to the demons, I suppose in hopes that they'll back off the man will recover.

OK, natch, I was a little bit shocked, but then started to think about it. First, the pig was going to get slaughtered sooner or later, and the people planned to cook him and eat him. Then I thought, Hmmm, is that any crazier than, say, chemotherapy which, along with radiation, killed my mother? From a shamanistic point of view, the pig thing might even work, if enough people think it will. Right?

I'm curious what people on here think.

Good points, thanks for the respectful reply.

I can feel she loves me, and I can see it in her eyes and actions. Plus, I'm a Scorpio, so I know! (LOL, right? I don't know anything...)

What do I have? Well, I am much older, educated, financially stable, healthy (and getting healthier on a Thai diet), have a great sense of humour (make that "humor,") and am willing to admit that I'm not perfect. Who is? Also, I couldn't give a toss what Thai people here or Americans back in the States think. I'm not in junior high school. Speaking of which, I enjoy the term "farang," it has a pleasant ring to it... Seems almost like a term of endearment. I mean, shucks, we've all been called much worse things.

I met my wife online, BTW, and got to know her basic personality a long time before I came over here, visiting her three times, meeting her family, etc, before we decided to get married. Love Skype!

Pretty funny. So do I like a challenge.

I'm noo in Thailand, from the good ol' USA, and recently married a Thai woman much younger than myself. Why? Well, lots of reasons, but mainly because I love her and she loves me.

I know, I know; I'm getting conned, right? Maybe, maybe not. She has a degree, is financially stable, healthy and optimistic, and, like me, doesn't drink. What's more, she has a great sense of humor, meaning she laughs at most of my jokes (once I explain them to her; God, please never let her be as jaded and cynical as I am). Future both looks and feels good; sometimes I have to pinch myself.

Will it last? I'm old enough to know (and accept) that nothing lasts forever: bad, good, indifferent, whatever. I mean Dang! Lou Reed just died! But I plan on letting it last as long as my karma will allow. In the meantime, my mind is open to new possibilities and experiences, and so are my eyes and ears.

You love her, fair enough, but you can't assume she loves you.

She is much younger, educated, financially stable, healthy, great sense of humour ......... But stop a moment, what do you have?

Most married Thai ladies don't drink, ever, it's a cultural thing.

Enjoy today, forget about the future.

I like a challenge

Pretty funny. So do I like a challenge.

I'm noo in Thailand, from the good ol' USA, and recently married a Thai woman much younger than myself. Why? Well, lots of reasons, but mainly because I love her and she loves me.

I know, I know; I'm getting conned, right? Maybe, maybe not. She has a degree, is financially stable, healthy and optimistic, and, like me, doesn't drink. What's more, she has a great sense of humor, meaning she laughs at most of my jokes (once I explain them to her; God, please never let her be as jaded and cynical as I am). Future both looks and feels good; sometimes I have to pinch myself.

Will it last? I'm old enough to know (and accept) that nothing lasts forever: bad, good, indifferent, whatever. I mean Dang! Lou Reed just died! But I plan on letting it last as long as my karma will allow. In the meantime, my mind is open to new possibilities and experiences, and so are my eyes and ears.

Me noob, but I think I can spot a joke post, and that's what this has gotta be. I apologize if someone's already pointed this out; don't have time read all the replies.

Sent from my SM-T211 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I have listened to the anti-colonialism view before and never been convinced.To be controvercial,I see nothing wrong with an intelligent organised country going to a disorganised unintelligent country where people live in utter poverty, seeming to prefer lying in the sun all day, to the colonialists who show drive,initiative and work hard to improve the standard of living.

OK the colonialists want something out of it for themselves. But dont all companies and agencies want something out of it themselves? Arent we all 10%ers?

I think these brave British people who went to these countries deserve to be honoured.

Just to clarify: I'm American, with 50% English blood, and like 99.8% of Americans, I love England, no question about it. I love Shakespeare, Byron, Churchill, Julie Christie, Mick Jagger, Bono, and a whole bunch of others. But the English did murder a lot of people in their colonies, regardless of how many railroads they built, and they stole a lot of things.

And please, I know, I KNOW the Americans are guilty of a lot of crimes, too, some of them ongoing as we speak.

(Chill out, the Bono thing was a joke).

I don't take social housing,healthcare,state handouts,from Thailand.

Unlike the ever increasing amount of migrants to the UK, some legal,many alleged asylum seekers.

They bring nothing with them and abuse every avenue available to them to gain financially.

They are slowly bringing the country to its knees.

Yeah, at least the British brought "civilization" with them when they colonized (plundered?) these countries...

I recall telling my family I never understood what it was like to be a black man in the USA during the 50's until I lived in Bkk during the 90's

Hahahahahahah! LLLLLLLLLoLLLLLLLLL!

Puh-Leeeeeeze!

We're all a little narcissistic, I guess, but this comment is just WAY up there. Sorry.

Thaikisses

I'm new here, new in Thailand, obviously don't speak Thai.

Honestly, all the noise in this post about "face" this and that sounds so petty and unimportant. I guess I hear a lot about this sort of thing, but I hope I never bother to care what some bored teenager says about me. There are bored kids like that all over the world.

But posts like this are good for me as a new resident, because they help me concentrate on what's important in my life. What other people say about me, especially when they don't know me from Adam, doesn't matter at all.

Nex time your in there say hi just me the stupid falang.

That's one option, although I think under the rules you would actually lose face (and give face to them) by saying that, because they've already been embarrassed about it and technically lost face and apologised.

A better option is to "forget" that it happened and be polite, even smarmily polite. Then under the rules of engagement, they have to be even more nice to you to make amends (give face) for their original misdemeanour and the fact that you aren't trying to take away their face directly by mentioning the original incident. In a round-a-bout sort of way, you're making them lose face by them being compelled to give you face.

She will know she's being screwed, but will have to play by the rules....provided YOU play by the rules. This can go on forever, until she outdoes you and gives you super-big face in some way, and then it's technically even - or you may find that she manages to put you in a situation where you have to repay face to her.

The Rugby rules are a piece of cake compared to the Face rules.