kanook

Just don't. I lost a ton of money on an ED visa approved by one of the largest universities in Thailand.

After three months of a one-year contract, some sort of political pissing contest between Bangkok and Chiang Mai took place, and in a week or two my entire department was on the curb.

I lost all the money I put into the school, and then had to put up 20,000 baht at the end of the year because I had had no place to report my 90-day extensions.

Any visa is better than an ED visa.

That's basically what the kind people at Immigration told me when I reported in to sort out my mess.

Could you elaborate; "... and in a week or two my entire department was on the curb."

Exact same discussion was having with a couple of friends the other day for a mate in the position. Do you do the extension at Immigration, then get the second entry BEFORE August 12th, just to be on the safe side, even if it means you lose days from it?

He also doesn't want to book his return ticket until he knows exactly how long he has left here. I reckon just to be on the safe side, do the extension before August 12th, but that is just a suggestion, not based on any fact.

Interestingly, a Thai friend who has a relative in Immigration, said the target of this is not farang at all, just Burmese, Vietnamese and Cambodians, but hearing reports I can't believe this.

That is exactly what immigration officials at the Mae Sai border have been telling me since May and repeated it 2 days ago. ' We do not have a problem with Canadians, only some other countries.'

I still travel to the border every month for a 30 day visa exempt stamp. At the end of this month will be the 4th run in succession.

All I can say is that you better read up on recent happenings ... or you are likely be stranded in a place you do not want to be... If you get a 4th, successful run ... I will be amazed considering recent events...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/741503-south-thailand-border-crossings-reports-problems-to-enter-with-60-days-tourist-visas-tr60/

It will soon be happening at every border checkpoint... IMO

I was relaying real world border crossing information, not soliciting advice, in case anyone needs to make a border run. If anyone doubts my credibility you can send me a pm and I will meet you anywhere in muang CR and show you my passport stamps.

I still travel to the border every month for a 30 day visa exempt stamp. At the end of this month will be the 4th run in succession.

This is a great little boutique 3 star to 3.5 star hotel. Only 6 months old. Clean, modern & comfortable. Great staff - very friendly and eager to be helpful. While not luxurious and a bit spartan, it is of stylish modern contemporary design. Pool & fitness room are small but do the job. Free wifi works fine. Complimentary mini bar. I have a deluxe room which is roomy and well designed, with a nice balcony overlooking the pool. The breakfast eggs tasted like they came from a microwave but no complaints and overall I thought breakfast was quite satisfactory (the whole wheat bread was excellent).

Location is good - 5 minute walk to night market, 2 blocks from the clock tower and about 3 blocks from the 'farang nightlife' bar street.

Extra bonus points for the very comfortable mattress, and also the bathroom with large counter-top and large walk-in rain shower.

Overall a very solid choice and great value for the price. I normally stay at either the Wiang Inn, Dusit Island or Le Meridien and have had good stays at all three, though now there are 4 hotels I would be happy to stay at when in the area.

As it is new and small, most taxi drivers and even the taxi dispatch call line are not familiar with it.

I am surprised that you find this hotel "great value for the price". I am a restaurateur/hotelier, now retired and living in CR for the past 2 years. The NGO my gf works with has sought my advice on local hotels and because they do great work (TB, child protection, disaster relief etc) and I have a lot of free time on my hands I have personally rated over 100 local hotels and guest houses for them. Le Patta is a good centrally located relatively new hotel; I don't doubt that, but it is not good value for money when compared to other hotels in it's category.

Yes in fact I do often see single fishermen/women fishing in the Mae Kok with rod and reel...but i have never seen a single one of them actually catch anything.

I do remember taking a boat from Tha Ton to CR several years ago and there were some thai guys who had strung nets across the entire river which of course will quickly deplete all the breeding stock....it's a shame that the govt can't stock the mae kok and somehow prevent the netting of fish but i realize that isn't likely to happen in my lifetime

It is pretty obvious to me that there is limited wildlife around CR area as I can't recall ever seeing a single dead wild animal along the roadside hit by a car. Maybe it does happen but if so the carcas must be quickly gone. In many states in US it is very common to see all kinds of dead animals along the roads hit by cars....rabbits,deer, squirrels, possums, raccoons, snakes, dogs, cats.... you name it....and often the buzzards are cleaning it all up early every morning

Usually edible roadkill isn't around long enough for the scavengers. It will be on a local dinner table instead.

Great ideas boomerangutang.

Ellada!

If anyone is still expending energy (which I doubt) trying to locate a TV rental they can stop; I found one.

Phu Chi Fa, east of Chiang Rai... beautiful view from the top of the mountain when watching the sunrise... but was definitely cold in January.. and the "hotel" (better hut) had no heating, no hot water...

If I plan to stay overnight in Phu Chi Fa, I always bring a portable heater.

Does anyone know if it's possible to rent a TV in Chiang Rai?

Everyone in Thailand is now, officially a child under the age of 12, we have a curfew!

10pm curfew? I don't like my freedom restricted; time to leave ASAP!

Curfew??? Time to leave ASAP!

I don't know how reassuring that is Kanook.

It's one thing for them to have no problem stamping you out, but another thing entirely for them to stamp you back in.

Remember that they have no obligation whatsoever to let you back in.

If you are going to do it, make sure you research your options if turned away from the border coming back and that you have sufficient funds with you to either go somewhere else or get stamped in on a transit visa (I think they ask 20k cash

I was only relaying a real world situation at Mae Sai checkpoint. And if you read my initial post, Mae Sai checkpoint immigration had offered to stamp me out and back in again on May 13th.

After the reports of refusal to allow border crossings in Mae Sai, I decided to verify the situation personally. Monday morning I visited the immigration office in Chiang Rai city and I received the official line that I could only cross for tourist purposes, but was told to check at the border for a definitive answer. For the past year, Mae Sai border officials have been limiting the number of crossings to 4 in succession and then you must fly out. When you fly back in you can start the process (4 crossings) all over again. I have been doing this, because frankly, it is more convenient and cheaper (Chiang Rai) than obtaining a Visa. May 13th, I drove to the border to verify, if this, or something else similar was still possible. To my surprise they told me that I was still eligible for four border crossings in succession and since I had already made one at the end of April I could still do three more. They even marked my last border stamp with a number 1 to make it clear and reassure me. The only difference now is that after the 'the 4 runs' I need to come back with a visa (tourist is fine). They also mentioned after looking at my stamp filled passport, "Oh, Canada, no problem, we have a problem with other countries".

A 30 day visa exemption by land is still possible at Mae Sai. I visited the Mae Sai checkpoint on May 13th to ask if I could do a run when my 30 days expires at the end of May. Was told if I wanted to cross the border 'now' I could. I declined and confirmed that I could still do it a the end of the month. As stated in another thread, I was told that passport holders of certain countries are abusing their visa exemption. Border staff was very friendly and answered all my questions politely.