Bellacissa

I know in the states, movie theater companies have contractual obligations with the production companies with regards to what films are shown and when. For instance, Universal Studios might have a contract with Cinemark to show certain films in exchange for advertising and promotional money.

This being Thailand, I'm not sure if that's true or not. But, if it is, then multiple contracts will be broken by not showing the film.

Ugh. The one movie that my son has been waiting for. He's a Fast and Furious fanatic. We had a whole day planned around going to see it on the first.

Of course, that's still 5 days away, so who knows what will happen in the mean time. There's still hope. TiT.

I pay 100 baht to go from past the railroad tracks on SSCC to Soi 6. And I pay 200 baht to get back home again. I don't argue. It's $3 - $6 USD for a 10 - 15 minute ride and well worth it to get home in one piece on a Friday night.

My 13 year old son rides behind me . He wears a US Department of Transportation approved helmet that we bought in the states. He's also 6' 1" and outweighs me. In addition, I have a motorcycle endorsement on my license, so I'm a trained, fully legal driver.

But, if he was younger than 10, we would not have gone the motorbike route. He's old enough now to know how to be a responsible passenger. I still won't let him drive solo until he's old enough to get a proper license.

I do feel for the Thais that don't have a choice about their kids being on the bike. I live on the dark side of Pattaya, and the public transport options (outside of motorbike taxis) are non-existent. Helmets should definitely be required for the kids, though.

I am currently here on a single entry ED visa and my son is on a dependent visa. Our first extensions of stay will be at the first of April. Yes, I understand that he doesn't technically need one because he is under 15, but I'm not taking any chances and I'm getting him one anyway. Shortly thereafter (about a week or so later) we will be leaving for the US so that he can spend time with his dad for a couple of months.

I will be returning to Thailand in one week, and I've already cleared the trip with my school, so I'm not worried about me. I know that I just get a re-entry permit for each of us at immigration before we leave. However, he will be in the states for 2 - 3 months. So, my question is, is there a particular length of time that his re-entry permit is valid for? Or would it be easier just to get him a new dependent visa while we're in the states? Does it make a difference if he's still there when I do my next extension of stay?

SSCC is now one way all the way from Sukhumvit to the railroad tracks. They restriped it in white at some point in the last day or two.

At the tracks you're forced to turn left and go down to the next intersection to cross the tracks and come back up to SSCC. Of course, no working traffic light or officer at the intersection where you have to u turn, so traffic is backed up forever. Is this all part of the same plan? I can't fathom how this is going to help traffic at all.

And they closed it off at SSCC just 4 days before the LPGA tournament on... you guessed it... SSCC. Left hand, meet right hand. You've clearly never been introduced before.

I was at Lotus South about two hours ago. It was packed. And getting back to SSCC means going all the way down to nearly Bangkok hospital before you can turn around and come back to it. Time to start looking for alternate routes. And maybe a new condo closer to town.

This is probably a stupid question, but will the traffic on SSCC be a nightmare during the event? I mean, a bigger nightmare than it already is, of course. Those two intersections near the railroad tracks are crazy.

We just moved here in January, so this will be my first experience with a major event. Just wondering if I should plan on staying local (in walking distance) instead of trying to head into town during that time.

Is there a way to check the status of our TOT service area for a general outage online? Our service is down, but I'd like to see if it's a general outage before I wade through talking to customer service. I'm in east Pattaya if it matters.

Google is failing me, so I thought I'd check with the tech savvy people here.

A girl can live off the local market and Mini Big C, right? No... no I can't, actually. I'm not quite willing to go that far with my local living. Traffic it is. Sigh.

I just moved here and live right off of SSCC. I guess I should start looking for new ways to get to town. Or new ways to avoid going to town.

I dropped my passport off at my school along with 5000 baht last Wednesday for my 90 day extension. I went today to immigration to pick my passport up. I took all of about 10 minutes. Didn't get a queue number as instructed by front desk. Went straight to station 5 who took me after they where finished with the people currently seated since I was only there to pick up my passport. They took my pic gave me my passport and I was out the door. Sure it sucks that it costs an extra 5000 baht but only being at immigration 10 minutes almost makes it worth it.

Does this take care of your 90 day address reporting as well? I'll be having the school handle my first extension in early April, but I'm not sure if I have to do something extra to report my address.

It spit on us for about three seconds here on the darkside. Or maybe it was just a passing flock of birds.

That's fair. I'll talk to the school.

If we consider that the new Pattaya immigration rules hold (yeah, I get that it's not officially confirmed, but right now it IS the process at my school) and I pay the 5000 baht for the school to handle the paperwork for my first extension, I have a few spinoff questions:

Does the paperwork that the school takes to immigration cover both my extension of stay and my 90 day address reporting? In other words, do I need to make a separate trip to immigration outside of picking up my passport the day after my school gets my extension processed? If not, is there any additional paperwork that I need to provide the school to complete the address reporting? Perhaps a copy of my rental agreement with a copy of the owner's ID card? Or am I wrong and 90 day extension of stay and 90 day address reporting are not actually two separate things?

Also, my son is here on a dependent visa based on my ED visa. Will I need to make a separate trip for his 90 day extension? Does he need to be with me or can I do it without him? Can I send his passport with the school and have them do it all at once? That last might just be a question for the school, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

I'm not all that outraged, honestly. Is it really any different than paying an agent to go to immigration for you? Or going out of Swampy instead of a land border to be sure that you get your 90 days on return? It's just one of those things. Their ball field, their rules. And we're not being forced. We do have a choice. Especially if getting 15 days and then the remainder thereafter for 1900 baht is an option.

Personally, I've reached the point in my life where I don't mind paying a little extra for someone else to handle stuff like this for me. That's just me, though. I can see where many would be irritated by this.

You do realize this is pure greed and if they get away with that type of day-light robbery, if people agree to that, there will be more schools doing it and soon they will ask for even more money? You think you are paying for peace of mind now but are actually encouraging extortion.

I was born and raised in the states. Texas to be precise. I'm well aware of what greed is. Ever heard of Rick Perry?

I'm also aware that these are not my rules and I don't get a say in how they're changed. If it gets extreme, I'll get the TE card and be done with it. For now, I'm willing to put up with what they're doing. Everyone has a breaking point. This is not mine.

That is just shameful plain extortion !

Which school is that?

Libel rules being what they are around here, I'd rather not say. But it's a large, well known school here in Pattaya. And I don't think it's just my school. There have been reports of other major schools saying the same.

You are not shaming you're just reporting what you experience and if every school does it,they should not be ashamed of it.

What is going on? How are reacting the other students? Has anyone complained?

May be try to get the media involved, showing how bad corruption had become here,surely this is out of order

I'm not all that outraged, honestly. Is it really any different than paying an agent to go to immigration for you? Or going out of Swampy instead of a land border to be sure that you get your 90 days on return? It's just one of those things. Their ball field, their rules. And we're not being forced. We do have a choice. Especially if getting 15 days and then the remainder thereafter for 1900 baht is an option.

Personally, I've reached the point in my life where I don't mind paying a little extra for someone else to handle stuff like this for me. That's just me, though. I can see where many would be irritated by this.

That is just shameful plain extortion !

Which school is that?

Libel rules being what they are around here, I'd rather not say. But it's a large, well known school here in Pattaya. And I don't think it's just my school. There have been reports of other major schools saying the same.

So is the VIP service 3000 or 5000 baht?

1900 for the extension, 3100 for the VIP service. 5000 baht total.

I talked to my school (in Pattaya) and this is how I understand the new rules. Your mileage may vary based on your location and your school. This IS Thailand after all...

If you pay 5000 baht (this includes 1900 for the extension and 3100 for the VIP service) every ninety days, the school will take all of your paperwork to immigration and get everything done for you. You just show up the next morning, get your picture taken and pick up your passport. 90 day extension is automatic in this case. No language testing by immigration. No change in the amount of hours you spend in class each week.

If you choose to go on your own to do the paperwork (no VIP service) you will receive a 15 day extension for 1900 baht. During that 15 day extension, immigration officials will come to your school to check your paperwork and attendance, and will come to your home to check your address and to be sure that you are not working illegally. You have to return to immigration every 15 days and pay 1900 baht each time for the remainder of your time on the ED visa extensions. I don't know how often the school and home are checked for each subsequent extension after the first one. You will also be required to attend class 4 days per week if you choose to do it on your own and you will be subject to language testing by the immigration officials each time you extend.

What I am unclear about is whether going the VIP route allows you to extend for up to a year or whether the 6 month restriction comes into play. I'll try to find out when I go back next week.

Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just relaying information. And yes, I saw immigration officials at my school today talking to the staff as they were putting the rules in writing, so I'm thinking this might be the real deal. For now anyway. Beyond today? Who knows...

Yep, just went and paid my donation. I was told that if i wanted to do it on my own, it would be 1900 baht every 2 weeks. I was shown photos of stamps for only 15 day extensions from people who went on their own last week, they waited about 3-1/2 hours i was told. I said for 3000 baht extra "VIP" service, i would go on my own and wait, but my quick math suggest its cheaper to be a VIP.

Been going to school twice a week sense October, never seen an immigration official do a spot-check yet.

Immigration officials were at my school today.

And I'll be paying for the... ahem...VIP service when my time comes up as well. Assuming it hasn't all changed by then, of course.

I arrived three weeks ago on my first ED visa. Yes, I attend classes. No, I don't work. No, not even as a digital nomad.

I honestly don't care about an increase in price or the politics behind it. I'd just like some consistency. Yes, I know TiT and I knew I was coming into an ever changing series of proclamations. A girl can still dream, right?

Every week (sometimes every day) I log in here and see some new extension story. I know that nothing official has come out and that everything we've heard here so far are second-hand stories, but there is obviously a lot of uncertainty. I'll inquire at my school tomorrow as to what the current deal is, but that certainly doesn't mean it will be the same by the time I go for my extension in April. Sigh...

I remember that you had asked and meticulously prepared your move well in advance. Unfortunately as you noted yourself, the way this is handled in country is far from fair or sensed. Right now who insist getting route of extensions is being shamelessly hassled and exploited. I hope you had obtained a multiple-entry visa as suggested at the time, because that will exempt you from dealing with immigration at all.

I'm flattered that you remember me.

It wouldn't have changed anything for me, though. My whole plan was to completely avoid dragging my son on border runs, so I would have had to go to immigration no matter which one I chose. I know that's not the popular choice, but it's easiest for us.

I arrived three weeks ago on my first ED visa. Yes, I attend classes. No, I don't work. No, not even as a digital nomad.

I honestly don't care about an increase in price or the politics behind it. I'd just like some consistency. Yes, I know TiT and I knew I was coming into an ever changing series of proclamations. A girl can still dream, right?

Every week (sometimes every day) I log in here and see some new extension story. I know that nothing official has come out and that everything we've heard here so far are second-hand stories, but there is obviously a lot of uncertainty. I'll inquire at my school tomorrow as to what the current deal is, but that certainly doesn't mean it will be the same by the time I go for my extension in April. Sigh...

I've been pulled over on my scooter so often now, and as much as 4 times in one day, it's got to the point now where, as I stop, many of the policemen recognise me, give me a smile and wave me on without checking my documents, because, I always have them and they know it! Stay within the law and carry all the required docuents and you'll be on your way after a quick check.

Exactly what documents do I need to carry on the bike? I'm moving there in January and I'd like to have it all in order before I get stopped for the first time.

I do have my motorcycle license and IDP from my home country. Other than that, I've got no clue what I should have on me when I ride.

I see. Yeah, we'll probably bring a lot more in cash than we normally would to pay the first and last month's rent on the condo we're renting. Maybe I'll bring a couple of months worth of living money as well. My husband will be traveling with me, so we can split it between us for traveling purposes.

Anyone know what the going exchange rate is in country? Or point me to a good link to use to find it? We usually get a decent rate through Amex, but I'm curious to see how it compares to the money changers in Pattaya.