pjthefey

I've never been there to know what it's like with it's dark, but I've got to say with the lights on it's not living up to its name.

Seriously? He gets violent and arrested over six bucks?

This isn’t much of a reveal, it’s been around a long time in various incarnations.   I saw one where a guy flipped a switch to turn on a secondary Fan behind the passengers that also made the meter run faster.  Got out of that cab as soon as I noticed. I was on a familiar route and knew the expected fare.

On a side note, getting two passports isn't too difficult. 

Book two trips to countries that require visas at the same time, with a near travel date.  Go to the US Embassy or passport office in your home country, tell them that you need to apply for multiple visas at the same time, or that you need to travel with your passport while a visa application will be processing.  They'll issue a second passport, valid for 4 years without cancelling the old one. 

In my case, I was applying for a METV in Chicago, but I had to leave for Seattle in a few days.   My return ticket to Thailand was Seattle => Chicago (overnight) => Tokyo => Bangkok, and I told them "I've gotta apply for my visa tomorrow, I'm going to Seattle in 3 days, and I'm not sure if they'll let me board the plane in Seattle since the first leg of the trip from SEA to ORD is part of an international ticket. The Embassy website says it can take up four or five days to process the visa so I may not have my passport back in time for my trip."  They were happy to oblige.      

46 minutes ago, kimmywest1568 said:

I realize the risk of having to send our passports to the US to obtain the necessary visas, assuming this is even possible.

 

But what about if we send our passports to DC, ask for visa stamps inside the US (via US mail, which from what I've read is acceptable), and ultimately have them sent to my US address, which would be stamped with a US entry?  Would this route help pave the way for obtaining a 6 to 12 month tourist visa if the new US visa stamp is done in DC, for example; and we obtain the newly stamped passports via our US address, sent to our Thailand address?

 

 

It could work if you have 2 passports. I do, I was going to do something like this if I didn't decide to leave Thailand (I'm moving this month).   

If you don't have two, don't bother trying unless you plan to leave Thailand for a while first.    You'll send your passport, they'll see an entry stamp and no exit stamp, and give your application the hairy eyeball.  Furthermore they won't send it back to Thailand.  You have to have a middleman in the USA to receive your passport, and ship it to you here.   I dunno how closely they'd look at other stamps since they don't really want people applying from overseas. To be safe, I'd go to a country that doesn't stamp your passport on entry.  Hong Kong, for example, doesn't....  I think there are others. 

If you are leaving Thailand for a while, you can send your passport to a friend in the USA with the prepared application documents,  they can go to the Embassy, or mail the application with the return address to their home, and then they can ship it to you in whatever country you'll be in while you're waiting to get your documents back. 

To get a METV  you have to leave Thailand, go to a country you have citizenship or legal residence in, and apply there with all the documents they require.    I got mine at the Chicago embassy,  they aren't too good about answering questions via email and phone,  but they are pretty relaxed regarding the documentation compared to some other places I've read about. 

It wasn’t his fault, she was touching his butt.

How long until we see falong express lanes at immigration.

On 12/12/2018 at 11:18 PM, KhunProletariat said:

Anyone else feel like there must be better places to live than LOS? It's like A Fist Full of Dollars out there!

LoS....

Starting to wonder if the real meaning is:

Land of Smiles

Land of Sin

or Land of Savagery

Ive already booked my flights out of here. 4-5 years is long enough.

On 11/27/2018 at 4:11 AM, atecom said:

 

 

(Off topic but does anyone know how to get rid of those annoying people who follow you on the footpath on motorbikes, and don't accept no for an answer? Only way I have had success is to pay them off with 20KVND , which I know I am not supposed to do, but they just refuse to go away otherwise)

I just shook my head, said "No, have Grab." and looked at my phone.   No one tried to follow me.    I'd not pay anyone to stop offering a taxi/motorbike service.  

Maybe they didn’t know that Hong Kong reverted to China in 1997 (now considered a special economic zone) and someone said “No! We must protect Chinese tourism!”

32 minutes ago, mogandave said:

 

While it may hurt expat plans, I don’t see how it would have any significant impact on tourism.

Thailand (apparently) wants to get a handle on the undesirables that seem to be popping up, and I support that effort.

 

I understand them wanting to get rid of the criminal element. 

It'd be nice if they could come out with an official position on digital nomads (articles a few months ago seemed to indicate that they are open to us by not requiring a work permit), while also creating a long term visa to accommodate it.  I don't mind a bunch of questions and showing a bunch of documentation to get before a long term visa as long as the questions and hassles stop once it's been issued. 

What I don't like is being questioned about stealing jobs from Thais every time I go to an immigration related office or pass through a checkpoint.  I mean... If I have a valid visa, they should know that I already provided documentation to the embassy/consulate that issued it.   It's so tiresome.   This is the only country I've been hassled so much in upon entering and leaving, and no this is not the first place in Asia I've stayed long term. 

Usually people at the airport look at your passport, see you have a visa and say  "Welcome," or nothing at all before stamping you in. 

6 hours ago, dbrenn said:

Never invite strangers to visit you at home. That's what hotels are for. 

Live and learn.   

I guess I'd been living here so long without any problems I came to feel safe in my surroundings.   I'm in Samut Prakan so I'm not exactly in the heart of Bangkok, and this neighborhood is pretty quiet.  I was told in the chat that the girl lived just a few KM away, so... yeah.   Too trusting. 

I won't be doing this again.   

I just love that he happened to have a sword on hand. 

20 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

Happened to me in Cm years ago...was a newbie and got a freelancer---she decided to revisit me and bring a LB with her....they refused to leave my room...I got a thai buddy to evict them..always good to have a wing.

  

No more of that for me....was a bit scary also....thats what the boom boom rooms are for....

Hopefully they don't get any ideas about returning.  I don't want any part of that. 

13 minutes ago, Gulfsailor said:

Could it have been a mix up?

some other dude in your condo having ordered the two LB's. Then they think you were him. That certainly explains their behavior. Have you talked to the Vietnam lease girl since? She may have arrived later and was waiting for you... 

I blocked her and deleted her from my contact list as soon as they were gone.  

11 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Is it on CCTV ?

I assume so.    No idea if they are actually recording or just monitoring.   I don't think they have audio.  There are, however cameras or what look like Cameras in the halls and elevators.    

Perhaps one of em noticed the camera and that's why they just snatched the money, said "OK" and left?   One of them abruptly said "Just go" after about 5 minutes when I thought this might drag on on for 20.

The security here is so useless... They sleep at the desk, and sit beside the door that needs a keycard with it either standing wide open,  or  just watch as people stand beside it and catch it before it closes when a resident enters. 

IN this case I went through the door, thought it was over, then at the last minute I was joined in the elevator by these 'guests.' 

???   

I think I'm missing some pieces of the puzzle. 

I'd be very skeptical of a roomba clone that's only 1k.   I mean... I've eaten at buffets that cost more than that. Mind you, it was a damn good buffet... but still..    I guess you could try it,  but  I think this is going to be along the lines of you get what you pay for. 

I've felt a lot less welcome here in the last 6-9 months compared to 2-4 years ago.  When I apply for visas, and even extensions I'm given the third degree (applying a couple of weeks ago in Hanoi being the exception), and even when I last left Thailand departing immigration hassled me.... when I was LEAVING the country.

I haven't noticed any issues with non-government Thai citizens, but I do feel less welcome.  I've actually made the decision to relocated to Hanoi in December-January.  I have friends there that are helping me negotiate a condo which is less money for 2-5x the size of what I have now in the same quality building (Swimming pools, work out rooms, etc.).  

I don't like the feeling that next visa run might be the time when I'm unable to get back to my condo and belongings, so yeah.. relocating to a country that gives my nationality 1 year tourist visas without the hassle.  I can't speak for other countries in the region, but VN seems to actually want my kind there. 

Yesterday and today  at my condo have been what the Japanese call "Kuso astuii"  or  "F**king hot."   

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

I was only posting what the website states for the visa section.

But it is apparently correct since you stated the entrance is around the corner from the main entrance for the embassy.

Fair enough.   There was one address I saw online that was 5-6 minutes away by taxi. and that'd take you to a completely different location.  If they are in the same basic spot,  either one will work since it's all of 1 minute walk to get to the other entrance if that.