TheRascal

Thanks Joe. Do you know if they will process the overstay fine and the extension in the same place at the same time?

Yep, I'm an idiot. Not sure how I got it confused but I'd noted down the day my extension of stay expired as tomorrow. Turns out it's today and it's now too late to go to Chaeng Watthana.

If I go tomorrow will I still get the extension (plus fine) or will it be refused?

Would I be better just flying out and coming back on a 30 day entry as I know I can extend that by 30 days. I plan to go back to my home country in 6 weeks anyway.

44,000 to 55,000 baht for a 12 inch , expensive.

i have to agree with the comment. For 43k you get 2.7GHz cpu speed, 8 gb Ram processor and 128gb memory. dam expensive

The newest models are not in thailand and they dont know when it will arrive. maybe November....

They are in iStudio in the new EmQuartier mall at Phrom Phong, not sure how many they have in stock but a friend picked one up last week, he hadn't been able to get one in any of the other iStudio branches.

Don't bother, I would say she's almost guaranteed to get the visa anyway.

My gf collected her passport on Monday, she was approved at the first attempt, the same as 89% of people who apply apparently.

She has a regular job for the past year, no property, 100k savings. I didn't sponsor her application.

What we did submit

- letter from me explaining why I wanted her to visit and what we plan to do while we are there

- letter from my parents as we will be staying with them while we are there

- proof of her funds

- letter from employer confirming she has a job, her salary and that she is able to take the time off work

- various photographs from different trips together

along with the application documents these were all arranged nicely in a folder so they were easy to browse through. It's an easy process and I don't know anyone who has had a problem with an application for a UK tourist visa, I'm sure it does happen but not for people from normal working backgrounds.

They should do for everyone, why to profile based on the color.

If race is motive, look like Thai police needs a color blind test first!

detaining 72 clearly guilty of having black skin for drug tests.

'coloured' people?

who writes this stuff? they are not a journalist that's for sure.

who edited this piece? no professional editor would allow this to print.

Racial profiling and racism is for the ignorant. This clearly shows just how racist Thai society is. How and why they ever signed the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights is beyond me.

Considering my work which is internet based there is without question a problem with Nigerians but certainly not every Nigerian on the planet and therefore to target these people is again a pure act of racism.

The news piece is playing up the stupid comments by the police and trying to make out that the police are simply arresting people for being black - this clearly isn't the case. Ignoring the idiotic racist comments by the police the reality is they are arresting them because they are clearly doing wrong.

For anyone who is claiming it's just picking on these nigerians then you've never spent time around there. Take a walk from Bamboo on Soi 3 down to the end of the soi, walk along sukhumvit, along soi 11 and between 11 and 15 on Sukhumvit road anytime after 8pm and make a note of how many times you get offered drugs and who offers them.

Racism is abhorrent but these guys are absolute pests and i'd say it's even worse for normal black guys who come over here for a holiday or work as Thais automatically think badly of them because of the number of black drug dealers plaguing lower sukhumvit.

Tip of the iceberg all this stuff. These rumours have been online for years and people said it was all conspiracy theories - the ones about Saville and others turned out to be true. Wonder how much more is as there's some really sick rumours.

Not if the new career is 'online pikey'.

New career is evening courses training as a plumber, electrician, surveyor ...........

I've never met anyone who ever made it online, seems a bit like hoping to win the lottery.

Just because you've never met someone doesn't mean they don't exist. I'd suggest there are two types of online worker - people who are doing it because they have very little other options and do anything they can to make money and people who have the freedom to do what they like because they are making money online. The first group are usually not as smart and they are doing something out of desperation and aren't generally successful as they are doing as they see it as the easy route. The second group see it like any job and put the hours in.

Do you actually understand the scope of online work and what it can entail?

Yes I do,

Nobody that even scrapes a living started as late as 46.

In this chaps case I don't think he will be able to - and it's uncommon to start late, however, I know a guy who started websites and online marketing at 47 and 9 years later he's running a successful agency with a number of international clients.

Also I know a number of online marketers who have started out in their 50s and are making great money, we're talking people who are driven and often have a background in sales and can see the opportunity.

To say no one does it is plain wrong, to say it's uncommon - especially among expats I would say is fair. Plus in your first post you made no mention of age - there are plenty of younger guys - in Thailand and elsewhere making very good money without being tied to any location or company.

Tourist visas are no longer a viable (easy) way to stay in Thailand and will be harder than a Ed visa after a year of back to backs.

Really? Cos they seem a hell of a lot easier than ED visas. For a guy I know here this is his 9th year on a tourist visa. He literally just got another one, he's never had a single issue. That said he flies back to his own country once a year or so for a month and picks up another triple entry.

Teacher at a large language school in central BKK (not one known for being a visa mill) said they were now losing a million baht a month due to the cost of their location and very few new students signing up and very few old students renewing.

I love reading Thai (I'm still learning) and can only agree with what's been said above. So many things are badly transliterated that you will get misunderstood if you stay here for any amount of time.

I started with a book called "Thai - Reading for Speaking" by Darryl Sweetland (it's thai flag coloured and you can pick it up in Kinokinuya in Siam Paragon) and it's a great intro. I then downloaded Anki and created a deck to learn the alphabet along with all the classes of the consonants. I've now also got a Thai tutor and we read kids books for a while every week.

Practising writing is really helping me remember vocab correctly too as I find I learn best that way.

Whatever, its their country.

Barring gay men from enteting the country and especially working with children +2.

Don't they have enough toilets and parks to pick up strangers and enough glory holes to visit at home? Why come here to exploit young men half and one third their age?

I needva shower...ugh.

But it's cool for straight men to come here and sleep with girls half and one third their age?

and in many(not all) cases thieves...

Kinda shows the areas where you spend your time.

Actually in Thailand two gay men or two lesbiens or indeed transgenders can walk the streets hand in hand and kissing and canoodling and nobody say's anything or thinks anything untwoards but the minute two heterosexuals start to kiss they all yell "not our culture! be polite ..show respect!" or things to that effect

How odd!

I call bullsh*t.

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2014/11/04/cultural-conservatives-humiliate-lesbian-couple-making-out-bts-video

I don't mind paying the 200THB non-metered rate to go from BTS Sala Daeng to BTS Saphan Taksin late at night as I figure it averages the same since I took the Skytrain one-way.

Now, if we could have the BTS Skytrain and Airport Link run until 3 a.m. or so, then we can show those dishonest cabbies who's boss!

200thb?! It's less than 15 minutes by car.

If I take a taxi on the meter to KS Road it takes almost an hour and still is only 150

I need to work on my negotiation skills at this late hour. Thanks for the info! I'll definitely seek a lower off-the-meter rate next time.

Genuinely I think 100 is more than fair - they will get a decent tip from that. Alternatively install grab taxi and you order a taxi to your location and enter your destination before they even accept the job (it sends it out to all the drivers in the area.

It helps to speak a little thai or be with someone who does as they will likely call to confirm your location. It's 25 on top of a regular taxi far but so far for me it's been great. Can order in advance too.

I don't mind paying the 200THB non-metered rate to go from BTS Sala Daeng to BTS Saphan Taksin late at night as I figure it averages the same since I took the Skytrain one-way.

Now, if we could have the BTS Skytrain and Airport Link run until 3 a.m. or so, then we can show those dishonest cabbies who's boss!

200thb?! It's less than 15 minutes by car.

If I take a taxi on the meter to KS Road it takes almost an hour and still is only 150

I think it's really hit and miss and depends on what side of Sukhumvit Road you're on.

I find it's best to be on the side of the road where they're already pointing in the right direction.

True - although my example it's actually the opposite direction, I'm taking a taxi to far sukhumvit so the most logical would be to get a taxi on the uneven numbered side as that's the way the car needs to go, however it's appallingly bad traffic at least to Asok and often as far as Thonglor. Getting a taxi on the other side allows them to turn down soi 2 and then back along Rama 4 road (which is generally almost deserted) and then pop back onto Sukhumvit around Ekamai or Prakanong.

I think it's really hit and miss and depends on what side of Sukhumvit Road you're on. About 2 months ago I left Soi 11 at around 3am and the taxis wouldn't take anyone western or Thai on the meter. I stopped 5 taxis myself and must have seen more than 20 taxis turn down fares. Crossed over the road and walked down to McDonald's on the other side and the second one I stopped took me.

I don't think they are as bad as some people make out but at certain times in certain locations you can have a nightmare.

I've started using the Grab Taxi app and it is proving to be a godsend - every time I've used it I've had a friendly driver with a clean car and no quibbles about turning on the meter as they have chosen the job via the app.

I'd get a kindle. They sell them in B2S. Then you've got an absolutely huge selection on Amazon and you don't need to worry about shipping anything anywhere.

I love the feel and smell of real books but with the amount I read it's just not feasible. I read around 55 books last year. Kindle can hold over 1000 books at a time and is smaller and lighter than a paperback.

Bangkok China Town and areas around Khaosan Road . Sukhimvit and most of Silom are dull.

Perfect for the timid soul and palate

Yeah cos you need to be a brave soul to eat around Yaowarat and Khaosan . For what the OP suggested Thonglor and other areas around Sukhumvit are perfect and well placed to travel easily. Stay around either of the locations you suggested and it's a pain in the arse to get anywhere easily and the selection of other types of food isn't great.

I can't think of one place I would choose to eat on Soi 11...bar maybe Limoncello.

I rate a couple of places on the back soi if you keep going past Cheap Charlie's. There's a mexican place called Charlie Brown's with decent food and friendly staff and a bit further down there's a nice little French Bistro.

OP there's also a lot of good cooking schools where you can spend a day learning to cook some of the more well known Thai dishes.

Somewhere close to Thonglor BTS. On the Thonglor road side (sukhumvit 55) there are restaurants and bars all along the road. Thai, japanese, italian, mexican, all sorts of stuff. On the other side of Sukhumvit road (suk 38), there's street stalls selling all different kinds of thai food and a burger van called Daniel Thaiger that sells some of the best burgers in Bangkok - they are usually sold out by 9pm at the latest though.

The people who have been to the immigration, can you guys please write down the questions they ask? I'll go to the immigration end of February for my first ever ED extension and I'm really worried. So I'd like to be fully prepared.

The questions I assume they ask are:

-What is your name/surname?

-Where are you from?

-How long have you been here?

-What is your job?

-How old are you?

-Where do you live?

Anything else?

Thanks a lot.

As others have already said, there's no set test - it's literally what they feel like asking, they might just chat with you, they might ask questions (reports of up to 10), they might ask you to write and they might not.

Totally depends on the officer's feeling towards you, your nationality, your school, their mood on the day plus goodness knows how many other factors you can't possibly guess.

I'm surprised that the Korean guy got his visa cancelled with how much Thai people love Koreans & go crazy for any Korean guy lol. Was he just not able to speak or read anything?

What about the people that brought their Thai gf with them? Did they get treated easier & get a 3 month easier too? It seems that way based on an earlier post by a post by a Thai girl with a Korean bf who didn't attend classes.

I didn't see what the Korean guy was asked. I believe from previous news reports that Korean's are a nationality that are scrutinised for illegally working so that could be it.

I didn't really see many guys with their gfs, I did see a few groups go in with a thai representative from their school but no idea if it helped or not.

Short hair?

Green tartan flannel shirt?

I saw a farang guy laughing with the older reddish hair officer with glasses.

I got 3 months too

No that wasn't me but I think if you get one in a good mood and have the luck of establishing a bit of rapport it definitely helps.

Congratulations on the 3 months!

Janek - that sucks, I wonder from stuff I've read previously if certain schools have worse relationships with immigration - total speculation but if rumours started that specific schools had issues with extensions to their students it would obviously be very damaging to their business.

Thanks, me too - I was stressing in the run up to it as there's pretty much no way to prepare effectively.

There really should be a set curriculum all ED visa schools teach from and then tests based on how long someone has studied so you have an idea of what might come up.

I'm from the UK.

No one that day that I spoke to had been asked to do that, however the Russian chap said a few folks from his school had been asked to do that previously. I can read but I've never learnt the alphabet in order so that's something I plan to box off before my next (and hopefully final) extension.

Went to Chaeng Wattana for my visa extension yesterday. Thought I'd share my experience here incase it benefits others.

Arrived at 8am, already big queue snaking round the complex, doors to immigration open as expected at 8:30, a fair bit of people trying to cut the queue etc and I eventually ended up getting 43. Not ideal but last time I got 104 and was done just after the lunch break so I guessed I would be out within a couple of hours.

Seems yesterday they had less officers doing the passport checks at the end, last time they had 3 I believe, this time they had 1 and 2 trainees. The trainee on the otherside also kept forgetting to call people in (where they get 10 people in at the time for document checking) so it ended up all over the place. By lunchtime it was only up to 37.

I eventually got sorted with my passport back by 3pm and then another hour for the 90 day report. I was tested but it was very simple:

- she asked me if I could speak thai

- I said (in thai) my conversation was ok, my reading was good and my writing was ok

- She asked me to write my name, I wrote "my name is..." this seemed to impress her

- She told me if I could write "I love Thai language" in thai she would give me 3 months. I did it, 3 months no problem.

For reference, this is my second extension of my second year long ED visa and I'm from the UK.

Other nationalities didn't seem to have it quite as easy. A Korean guy had his visa cancelled and got a 7 day stamp. A Russian chap who had only studied 3 months was given a 3 month extension and then when the next officer spoke to him quickly and he didn't understand she crossed it out and changed it to two. The same happened to a Filipino lady (from 2 months to 1 when she couldn't read something they presented after she had her stamp). Three other filipinos only got 2 months, from what they were saying they don't know of any Filipinos who get 3 months, it's always 2, 1 or at worst 7 days.

The test clearly isn't standardised at all, it seems to depend on your nationality, the mood of the officer (mine was in a great mood, laughing and joking with everyone) and whatever they decide to ask - realistically I could have been given a much harder time but it was really easy but others on their first extension ever are being presented with much more complex tasks and are failing them. For anyone I'd recommend learning basic conversation regarding names, where you're from, how long you've been here, your family etc. Alphabet and writing your own name is a must too I'd suggest - almost everyone was asked to write at least their name.

Hope this is of some help.