Liquorice

There are also flights to Narathivat-perhaps closer by as HYai, but only 1/day.

Dont bother with train+Bus combo-ask van from airport to drop you at the van-stand in HYai for the Betong van.

Busy? Not that much with the Thai-and anyway that area is mostly muslim, but the visiting Malays-assuming they still come to there with all the bombings, do have their hols. But book flites asap. There is also the direct Udorn-HYai flite on AirAsia-maybe better choice.

Hat Yai is an International airport so no problem with car hire.

It's the Betong van trip that I'm trying to avoid. I feel far safer driving myself.

Thanks for the advice though.

I'll give you an example.

A Thai friend of mine set up a small café shop 3 years ago.

She wanted a small induction type pot to cook meats etc but was a bit strapped for cash.

The local loan shark provided her with the pot at an agreed repayment of 200BHt per month.

It recently broke and she asked me if it could be repaired....it couldn't.

Now armed with a little more cash she purchased a new one....cost 1,800BHT.

She is still paying for the old pot and it was only when I did the maths on her repayments that she questioned it.

So far she has paid 6,000BHT for a pot that cost 1,800BHT.

She asked to settle the debt and was told 500BHT, which she paid. Total cost 6,500BHT.

She also borrowed some cash from the same loan shark to purchase a second hand car.

The car was 5 years old, 300,000 baht.

She is paying 10,000BHT a month, so has already repaid 360,000BHT.

She has no idea what period the loan is over and what her total repayments will be.

Sorry, but Thais are stupid, illogical and ignorant when it comes to borrowing money.

They give no forethought to the future and how this debt will affect them or their family.

Sounds like a loan from the village 'loan shark' at those rates.

Many Thais work cash in hand, self employed, small businesses and don't earn enough to pay income tax, or for that matter earn enough to open a Bank account.

They have no credit rating history and therefore cannot get loans from a Bank.

If they can't secure loans from the family, local 'shark loans' are the only alternative left.

These unscrupulous money lenders use threats and violence in the event of default on payments and the interest just compounds.

The lender usually has no idea of what the total repayments will be, the collector just keeps calling every month.

...and what if a retired person wished to live in a hotel? What if they lived with their spouse and didn't have a contract? Worthless immigration <deleted>.

That form you showed looks to be directed at condo owners and hoteliers on filing TM-6 and does not seem to have anything to do with providing documents to help their tenants get extensions of stay.

and what if a retired person wished to live in a hotel?

A receipt from the hotel should be sufficient.

What if they lived with their spouse and didn't have a contract?

Then a copy of the title deeds should be sufficient.

Thanks dabhand, sounds like you know the area pretty well.

Yes Avis and Budget have offices at Hat Yai airport.

Slightly off topic but amusing, I read the terms and documents required for car hire.

It appears a UK licence is accepted or alternatively a foreign licence with an IDP.

So does that mean they don't accept a Thai driving licence to drive in Thailand.

Think about it, would you hold an IDP to drive in your own Country.

Another, different, option would be travelling to Betong via Malaysia.

Flight to Penang, by taxi to Pengkalan Hulu (about two hours on good roads) then over the border to Betong.

I considered that but I'd have to get a multi entry re-entry permit to keep my extension alive.

I don't live anywhere near an Immigration office and can't be bothered with the hassle at the airport.

Betong is a pretty remote area, so I'm told.

Hiring a car from Hat Yai airport then travelling down at my own pace appeals to me at the moment.

I'll have my own local transport then as well.

I travelled Yala - Betong in about 1998. I took a shared taxi which seemed to be a common mode of transportation in Yala at that time. Surely your sister-in-law can advise of local options.

The sister advised we take coaches and mini buses.

That took her 36 hours..............no thanks!

An O/A visa is a completely different animal ! Which is, in fact, a "long stay visa"

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22O-A%22-(Long-Stay).html

Sorry it's not a completely different animal. You need to be over 50 and not work. Hmm. Sounds a lot like retired to me. And it's advertised on many Thai embassy/consulate Web sites as a Retirement visa.

How many of the population of your country of origin "retire" at 50?

The MFA is the source of accurate descriptions of Thai visas.

One is not required not to work whilst holding an O/A visa.

Work can be undertaken outside Thailand .

555 well I retired at 54. And its not a requirement to be 50, just over 50.

And a Long-Stay visa ain't much use if you're working back home is it. It's a Retirement Visa.

It's people like you that make it even harder and more confusing for the normal TV member, by criticising certain members that have a better knowledge and understanding of Visas, extensions, and Immigration matters, who try to help by sharing there knowledge.

Perhaps you'd like to give us an example of where exactly on a Non Imm O-A Visa it states 'Retirement Visa'.

It may be the best choice of Visa for someone who intends to retire in Thailand, as it has the potential to remain in Thailand for a longer period than other Visa options (long stay) with the advantage of reporting every 90 days without leaving the Country.

Thailand does not offer Settlement, Marriage or Retirement Visas, because permission to stay in Thailand is restricted to 90 days at a time.

A Non Imm O Visa is also used by many for other purposes other than retirement that use Thailand as a hub for visiting other Asian Countries.

Some of them working not retired.

Sorry but I have not criticised anyone. But you have now. I'm not the one who said it was "a completely different animal". You are. And again you post incorrect information - "because permission to stay in Thailand is restricted to 90 days at a time". O-As give 1 year permission to stay

Anyway enough said. Believe who you like. As other people have posted in this thread, O-As are generally known as Retirement visas.

Sorry, your now posting quotes from both oncearugge and myself in the same reply box.

I did not say it was 'a completely different animal'.

But to quote what I did say and your reply;

And again you post incorrect information - "because permission to stay in Thailand is restricted to 90 days at a time". O-As give 1 year permission to stay

Certain Countries offer a Retirement Visa to Immigrants.

What do you think Non Imm means on a Visa for Thailand? Non Immigrant status. In other words Thailand does not allow a foreigner to permanently live in their Country. They offer no such Visa. Your stay is always subject to and limited to the law under certain conditions.

Section 35 of the Thai Immigration Act states;

Section 35 : The Director General or the competent official deputized by the Director General shall have the authority to permit the alien , who entered to stay temporarily in the Kingdom under Section 34 , to remain in the Kingdom under any prescribed conditions. The periods of time which one is authorized to stay in the Kingdom are as Follows :

1. Not exceeding 30 days for a case under Section 34 (4) , (8) and ( 9 )

2. Not exceeding 90 days for a case under Section 34 (3)

3. Not exceeding one year for a case under Section 34 (5) , (10), (11) , (12), (13) , (14) and (15)

4. Not exceeding two years for a case under Section 34 (6)

5. As deemed necessary for a case under Section 34 (1) and (2)

6. As deemed appropriate by the Commission of Investment Promotion , for a case under Section 34 (7) If it is deemed necessary that the aliens have to stay in the Kingdom Longer than the period of time prescribed in the paragraphs (1) (2) (3) and (4) the Director General shall consider granting the aliens extension of stay for a period not exceeding one year for each time. After granting permission , the Director General shall report to the Commission for their information , with the reason , within seven days from the date of granting. Each time when applying for an extension of temporary stay in the Kingdom , the alien shall submit an application and pay the fees as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations. While waiting for directives the alien may be permitted to stay.

As far as Thailand is concerned all types of Non Imm O Visas are for the purpose of Tourists under section 34 (3)

Section 34 : aliens entering into the kingdom for a temporary stay may enter for the below listed activities ;

1. Diplomatic or Consular Missions.

2. Performance of official duties.

3. Touring

4. Sporting

5. Business

6. Investing under the concurrence of the Ministries and Departments concerned.

7. Investing or other activities relating to investing subject to the provisions of the law on investment promotion.

8. Transit journey.

9. Being the person in charge of the crew of a conveyance coming to port, station , or area in the Kingdom.

10. Study or observation.

11. Mass media.

12. Missionary work under the concurrence of the Ministries and departments concerned.

13. Scientific research or training or teach in a Research Institute in the Kingdom.

14. The practice of skilled handicraft or as a specialist

15. Other activities as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations

If you didn't take my statement out of context and read my earlier post, I stated 'permission to stay in Thailand is restricted to 90 days at a time........you then either report to a local Immigration office or leave and re-enter Thailand to reset the next 90 day permission to stay.

Usually I find it's not the foreigner who brags about his wealth, but the Thai g/f or wife .

They measure there importance in society by 'face' and the bigger the wealth, the more 'face' they gain (or so they think)

My g/f hates these types of Thai women. She has the sense to see straight through their false charade of love.

An O/A visa is a completely different animal ! Which is, in fact, a "long stay visa"

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22O-A%22-(Long-Stay).html

Sorry it's not a completely different animal. You need to be over 50 and not work. Hmm. Sounds a lot like retired to me. And it's advertised on many Thai embassy/consulate Web sites as a Retirement visa.

How many of the population of your country of origin "retire" at 50?

The MFA is the source of accurate descriptions of Thai visas.

One is not required not to work whilst holding an O/A visa.

Work can be undertaken outside Thailand .

555 well I retired at 54. And its not a requirement to be 50, just over 50.

And a Long-Stay visa ain't much use if you're working back home is it. It's a Retirement Visa.

It's people like you that make it even harder and more confusing for the normal TV member, by criticising certain members that have a better knowledge and understanding of Visas, extensions, and Immigration matters, who try to help by sharing there knowledge.

Perhaps you'd like to give us an example of where exactly on a Non Imm O-A Visa it states 'Retirement Visa'.

It may be the best choice of Visa for someone who intends to retire in Thailand, as it has the potential to remain in Thailand for a longer period than other Visa options (long stay) with the advantage of reporting every 90 days without leaving the Country.

Thailand does not offer Settlement, Marriage or Retirement Visas, because permission to stay in Thailand is restricted to 90 days at a time.

A Non Imm O Visa is also used by many for other purposes other than retirement that use Thailand as a hub for visiting other Asian Countries.

Some of them working not retired.

Hat Yai isn't Thailand's southernmost Airport. Narathiwat is

Thank you. I'll look into that as an option.

It makes no difference if you marry a Thai women in the UK or Thailand, under bilateral agreements it is a legal marriage and recognised by both Countries.

Under UK law assets are divided 50/50 regardless of the circumstances.

Under Thai law I believe only the assets acquired during marriage are divided 50/50.

I know a foreigner who lived in Thailand and married a Thai woman here, just months before he passed away.

He made a Will in the UK leaving his house and assets in the UK to his sole daughter.

He made a Will in Thailand leaving his Thai assets to his wife.

After he passed away she went through his things and contacted a UK lawyer with some of his details to see if she was entitled to more.

Under UK law she was entitled to half his UK assets by virtue of being his wife.

His daughter fought the claim through the Courts and lost.

As a result his bank a/c was frozen and his house is currently being sold.

A UK lawyer was appointed as an executor of the Will by the Court.

His Thai wife is just waiting for her half after deduction of legal fees.

She has never set foot in the UK.

The g/f has a sister in Betong. She and her husband have a rubber tree plantation business there.

I believe Yala is a beautiful province.

Unfortunately circumstance dictate when we can travel.

I know it's one of the worst times to drive but no alternatives.

I'm looking at a trip to Betong, Yala from Roi Et, Issan and need some advice.

I'll be travelling between 27/12 to 2/1 and I believe this can be a busy period so best to book travel in advance.

So far my intended route is;

Fly Roi Et to Don Muang Bangkok.

Fly Don Muang to Hat Yai (the most southern airport)

Train to Yala city.

From there the trail goes cold. It appears a taxi, coach or mini bus are my only options to Betong.

Another option was to hire a car in Yala for a few days.

(Car hire from Hat Yai would be another option)

Does anyone know if car hire rental is available in Hat Yai or Yala city, or any suggestions on alternative travel routes are appreciated.

There is no such thing as a Marriage or Retirement Visa.

I'll attempt to give basic explanation.

Visas are issued to match the purpose of the visit.

Yes, many government departments refer to a particular Visa type as a Marriage or Retirement Visa, but in my opinion that is only to make the choice of the correct Visa obvious for the visitor.

Visas are only issued by Embassies/Consulates outside Thailand borders.

What is the purpose of your visit?

I am married to a Thai and want to visit, live in Thailand.

Then you need a Non Imm O visa, single or multi entry. (Often referred to as a Marriage Visa) to match the purpose of your visit.

What is the purpose of your visit?

I want to spend some time in Thailand or possibly retire there.

Then you need the Non Imm O-A multi entry Visa. (Often referred to as a Long Stay or Retirement Visa) to match the purpose of your visit.

Foreigners are only allowed a stay of 90 days in Thailand. You must either leave Thailand or report to a local Immigration office. The conditions of the Visa will dictate which you should do.

After entering Thailand on a particular type of Visa, the local Immigration can extend the permission to stay that your Visa allowed.

A Visa has an expiry date, it cannot be extended. Only the permission to stay can be extended.

Most expats living in Thailand either extend their permission to stay by virtue of either being married to a Thai or Retirement.

An extension of stay based on Marriage.

An extension of stay based on Retirement.

You can only get these types of extension if you originally held a Non Imm O type Visa.

If you held a multiple entry Visa, then when that Visa expires, so to the right to multiple entry.

Once you get an extension of permission to stay, if you intend to leave Thailand during that period of stay, you must get a re-entry 'permit' otherwise that extension ends if you exit Thailand. Single and multi entry permits are available.

Sometimes a foreigner may enter Thailand on a Visa exempt or Tourist Visa, then decide he wants to stay longer or retire here.

It is possible to do a Visa conversion in Bangkok for this purpose (provided you meet the financial requirements).

Your current Visa is converted to a single Non Imm O and subsequently an extension, giving a total of 15 months permission to stay and 90 day reports must be made to Immigration. This is the procedure the OP undertook.

It is the exception to the rule of Visas being issued only outside of Thailand and is only done to convert a Visa type that otherwise wouldn't qualify for an extension of stay based on Marriage or Retirement.

Some foreigners enter Thailand on the wrong type of Visa and it doesn't match the purpose for their visit.

Because many find the conversion procedure complicated they quite often employ an legal agent to perform the process.

The typical cost is between 40,000 - 50,000 baht.

It is important to therefore try to understand the difference between a Visa and an Extension and the different conditions and criteria, also to try and use the correct terminology when seeking advice from others on TV.

If you don't know the cards your holding in your hand, how do you expect others to help you play the game!

Not really. A tourist is a tourist and has booked his ticket with return flights, has a valid medical insurance (Travel Insurance). A student that is going to study in the UK has also paid in advance for housing, the school including tuition fees, a valid medical insurance.

Even during my time in Thailand (None-O-M) due to my 3y old Thai boy, I have a valid medical insurance, a liability insurance and on top a Travel Insurance and it costs me 400 Euros monthly just to be on the save side.

I was referring of the 50000 Thai living and working in the UK, these are 72% women working in bars, restaurants, massage parlors and sex industry. How did they get there? They have zero qualification and certainly did not entered UK with a proper valid working visa but certainly with a TOURIST or student visa.

If they entered on a toursit visa or student visa, and overstayed and are working illegally they will not get recourse to public funds or benefits...

in the case of students under tier 4 studies, they can legally work upto 10 hours a week during the term, and during term holidays 20 hours a week, but they still have no recourse to public funds or services

So give it a rest will you...the fact is persons on a toursit visa to the UK are not entitled to any public funded services or benefits as you said originally

Don"t be silly: you know very well they later on get proper paperwork, because Europe is so generous with migrants.

The things is, it's never reciprocated when Europeans go abroad

Your off topic and talking absolute nonsense.

There are 5 year and 10 year routes to obtaining permanent residency in the UK.

They have no recourse to public funds even though many have the right to work and pay taxes.

Wives are supported by there husband as sponsors, that's the condition.

Only after a certain period of time, working and paying taxes can they even claim job seekers allowance.

They are not even entitled to child benefits.

By the time they have ILR and may be entitled to some small benefit they have contributed thousands into the system.

Given the bureaucratic minefield Thai immigration is, even a stickler for detail like me is going to go astray at times. Visas, extensions, permits, yada yada. The bottom line in this particular instance, is if the stamp was a Thai Government ISSUED multiple-entry stamp/visa/permit/whatever and NOT a foreign stamp then he was good to go! Or come back, for that matter.

And perhaps not at his whim, but every 90 days -minimum, there is no stated maximum. However that was not the question. He asked if he needed a re-entry permit, he doesn't.

Brilliant!

That makes it as clear as mud for everyone then.

Have you considered becoming a politician?

I think the OP probably arrived in Thailand on a Visa exempt.

Went to an agent who got him a 90 day Non Imm O Visa and an extension of stay based on retirement.

15 months total.

Immigration officials, Embassies and agents often refer to anything other than a Tourist Visa as a Retirement Visa or Marriage Visa.

Not being native English speakers, it's easier than saying 'an extension of stay based on............'

The American Embassy website is one of the culprits.

They offer Retirement and Marriage Visas. Then we deal with the aftermath after the

....., i just give it to the wife to read .

I suppose that's one reason to get married.

Well there was sex as well

Was....being the operative word?

At least you still getting tit bits from Big C.

No, no, please don't reply, to much information already.

Ok, ok,I'm going, enjoy your coffee.

Aah! I think I know what your referring to Sandy.

The top section is your details, the bottom section are the landlords details.

No, both sections can be completed by the same person, but you must have your landlords details, just as the landlord would need yours if they were completing it.

It can be completed and signed by the House master, owner, or possessor of residence.

In the case of more than one foreigner at the residence, man and wife for example, then you would enter 2 in the Totals (just above the signature) then list both foreigners details on the Names List of the second page of the TM30.

Where you see the word 'LINE' it means telephone number.

I have only ever filed two TM30's. One for each of the residences I have rented.

The TM30 has 2 sections, one for the person doing the reporting and one for the person being reported. Did you put your own name in both sections?

I have 2 TM30 slips in my passport and I did not do either. When they put in the second, they did not remove the first, just stapled it closed.

When I took up my first residence I only filed a TM30 (as the tenant).

I had already reporting my address by advising on the TM6 Entry/Departure Card.

When I moved to new rented accommodation, I completed a TM28 (change of address) and stapled the tear off strip of the notification in my passport.

At the same time I completed a TM30 (notification of aliens residence) and stapled the tear off strip of the notification in my passport, replacing the previous older notification slip.

I think those may be the forms you are referring to Sandy.

It seems that it was after the Erawan Shrine bombing that immigration officers started to fall over each other rushing to get these details of foreigners updated and completed, but as with many other rules not all officers go about it the same way. Anyway, that's the reason why I am trying to figure out how this is supposed to help locate and arrest future foreign criminals (not the b-word this time ☺)

To be fair.

Immigration started updating their database long before any Bangkok bangs.

To my certain knowledge Phuket were requiring TM30's as long ago as last February.

I'd say it was from the end of last year that Immigration started to enforce the rules and update information on foreigners by order of the Gen.

The aim was to flush out and remove certain 'undesirables' as he referred to them.

The load has increased on Immigration to update their records, more paperwork, more home visits and more confusion.

I wonder what his TV user name is ?

Canarysun ?

Aha! Weeding out "ghost" leases, in case a foreigner rents a place but in fact lives somewhere else to build his bombs.

I wish you'd stop using that word 'bombs' Maestro, your making me nervous.

I'm shortly going on a trip to Betong in Yala and those things can and do go off down there.

That begins to make some sense now: a contact in Thailand for the foreigner, for record purposes, unrelated to the legal requirement of submitting the form TM.30. Nonetheless, if an immigration officer insists on getting the details (copy of ID card and house registration book) of a Thai owner living, for example, in the United States, it begs the question of how useful a contact this is. In such case, if it is a rented condo, the Juristic Person Manager would certainly be a better candidate for a useful contact person.

I can only speak from my own experience, how they may use these details.

My landlady doesn't live overseas but does live in a different area of Thailand.

She tells me that each time I renew my extension they telephone her to confirm I'm still living there.