Kathiejs

If you can't produce the required paperwork in NZ for an METV you should still be able to get a 60 day SETV there. If you enter on a 30 day waiver you will only be able to extend it by 30 days giving you 60 days in all. If you get a SETV you can extend that by 30 days giving you 90 days.

But do I have to do a TM28 as well? And if so, can I do it at the airport office or is that completely gone now?

Just out of curiosity, if I ran into problems because the landlady hadn't done the TM30, would checking into a guesthouse for a day re-set whatever system they have?

I'm trying to get my head around the requirement to report address change (T28? T30?). I'm on a 60 day tourist visa, currently in a guesthouse - I know the guesthouse is responsible for reporting that. But on Saturday I'm moving into an apartment on a short lease - do I need to report it? If so, how?

I will be applying for a 30 day visa extension in due course, and don't want to get to Feb and find I should have done something in Dec! Or have problems because my landlady should have done something.

Wasn't sure how pics would work. And selecting and copying large chunks of text is a bit tedious on a smartphone. If I remember, I'll do it when I can prise husband away from the laptop.

I was concerned about applying in KL because of stories here, but I got one today with no problems. UK citizen with previous Thai visas/entries and extensions, but the last one was 6 months ago. Only had to provide evidence of flight into (yes INTO!) Thailand. Full report here http://www.vintagevagabonds.net/thai-tourist-visa-in-kuala-lumpur/

Have you considered contacting a medical school and offering to mentor 2 or 3 students who are hoping to practise in an English speaking country? A better use of your skills and more interesting than run of the mill classroom stuff I'd have thought. Not sure how or if a work permit would need to fit into this though.

I don't know why everybody makes such a big deal out of getting to the consulate - it's not difficult at all. 1. Make yourself a little sketch map of the route from the Thai Buddhist temple on Jalan Kelawei to the consulate (from Google maps). 2. Catch bus 101 from ferry terminal/Chulia St/Komtar and ask to be let off at aforementioned temple. Fare is 1.40 ringgit. 3. Walk 15-20 mins to consulate making a mental note of Jalan Burma, the first big road that you will cross. 4. After visiting consulate walk back to Jalan Burma and catch bus 101 back into town. The stop is in front of a tyre place near the police station.

If you don't want to go back into town between visits you can get back on a westward bound 101 and go anywhere on the north coast - it goes all the way out to the national park. When returning to consulate, get off in Jalan Burma.

I'm concerned that our travel plans might involve too many visa exempt entries - not sure if they will be viewed as back-to-back? We had a 60 day tourist visa, extended by 30 days July-Sept this year. We will fly into Bangkok late Dec, fly to Myanmar 10 days later, back to Bangkok 3 weeks after that, and to KL next day for a wedding in Langkawi. Potentially we might then meander back to Bangkok via Koh Lipe and Krabi (3 weeks) then go to Laos. Stay in Laos 3-4 weeks then back to Thailand to stay maybe 4 weeks before heading to Japan in April.

I would have thought it's pretty obvious that we are genuine tourists, but I'm not sure how much logic counts any more?!

We can make sure I've always got onward flights booked before each entry, but our only opportunity to get a visa would be in Delhi in November, or in Laos just for the last stay before Japan.

I'm just wondering if we should maybe cut one entry by flying straight to Laos from KL?

I thought the whole point of getting a visa was that you then didn't need to have a flight out already booked (as you do for the visa waiver entry). Sounds like Air Asia are demanding more than Thailand immigration actually requires?

A quote from Rabbi Lionel Blue (British, so you probably never heard of him, but never mind):- "Love is not an emotion, it's a comittment". You decided to enter a relationship and create 2 children - are you now going to bail out and deprive them of one of their parents just because you are vaguely disatissfied because you feel that 'love' is lacking? What do you imagine happens in ALL long marriages? The crazy "in love" stage is a temporary emotional imbalance - when it fades you are left with genuine love, IF you work at it. They say that if you are feeling sad, smile - it will cheer you up. Same applies to love - act in a loving way and you will feel love grow. Act coldly, and you will feel cold. If you don't get real you are doomed to spend your life drifting from one relationship to another looking for the exciting illusion of being "in love" - and the price is paid by your children (concern for whose happiness doesn't feature in your post at all!)

Posts discussing and criticizing grammar have been removed. It is off-topic and continuing to do it will result in a formal warning. The OP did not ask for advice on grammar.

Funny - I read the OP's post

"Point out the errors I made please.

I've been waiting half an hour now. Point them out."

as a fairly unambiguous request (or demand!) for advice on his grammar. For which he gave thanks when I obliged. You've deleted something for which he would normally have had to pay....

Look. I asked about the TEFL course. I got some delusional replies from individuals who think they are a god given to Thailand. So, I got a bit excited.

From the replies I got it seems that TEFL courses do not teach grammar, although I had a different impression.

In any case I might then just take it for the "classroom experience".

Thanks

TEFL courses do teach grammar (or at least, CELTA does), but it won't be anything that you as a fluent learner don't already know - it just addresses the issues with native speakers that I outline in my previous post. CELTA (and I assume other TEFL courses) also covers things like lesson planning, communication, educational psychology and classroom management. You should pick up lots of ideas for teaching methods using exercises, games, tapes, videos, role plays, props... - anything rather than lecturing from the blackboard. I loved doing it, even though it was really hard work (I did it 2 days a week for 13 weeks - the 4 week full time option must be absolutely brutal).

You are correct in saying that you need refresher training in English before you teach it. Even the small amount that you've written in this thread is full of small errors that make it apparent to a native speaker that that you are not one (misuse or omission of the definite article, slight misuse of idiomatic phrases/phrasal verbs).

I'm not sure that any off-the-shelf course that is available to you is going to meet your needs. You might consider private conversation lessons with a native speaker with an emphasis on error correction - but it needs to be with an EFL teacher who can explain WHY your usage is incorrect (99% of untrained native speakers won't be able to explain the reason because their own language usage is just instinctive - they've never even thought about the 'rules').

Hua Hin beach is not backed by trees, it's backed by high rise hotels and condo blocks. So it's never going to look like photos #2 and, and there is no shade unless you have an umbrella. Beach umbrellas are not easily transported by tourists arriving for a 2 week holiday from Europe, Russia etc. I hope a few of the operators are able to hang around and rent out umbrellas at least, otherwise the beach will become unusable in a lot of tourist's minds - then it won't only be the beach operators who suffer, but also any hotel or guesthouse which lacks its own pool and sunbeds.

How do people define "backpackers" anyway. We're travelling around Asia for 18 months. We use backpacks because they are an ergonomically efficient way of transporting a load, and we don't want to be reliant on trollies, porters etc as these might not always be available. We are on a budget, so use cheap guesthouses etc (but always private bathrooms and definitely no dorms. We wash our clothes and shower regularly (3 times so far today). We drink a little, don't smoke, don't do drugs, don't work illegally, don't overstay visas.

So are we "backpackers"?

Oh, and we're retired.

Went on 23rd June and this report was really useful, thanks - just a few points to add:-

1) there was a notice saying that applications submitted on Friday mornings would not be ready until Monday afternoon. 2) bus 101 goes from the ferry jetty and Komtar along Jalan Kalawei - get off at the Thai buddhist temple. To return to town, get the bus in Jalan Burma. Fare is 1.40 ringgits, no change given. 3) "Collect 15:30 -16:00" actually means "We will open the window at some point between 15:30 and 16:00. Or maybe at 16:15." 5) no dress code applies - one girl didn't even have shoes! 6) we (British) had no problems but an American we met at the bus stop said that they were giving an African guy a really hard time. It was noticable that all the Africans waiting there were very smartly dressed - obviously expecting discrimination :-(

I don't see how just going to Malaysia and flying back in is going to help, since the OP is still going to be applying for a 3rd consecutive visa waiver, which is precisely what is no longer allowed. Either he needs to get a visa while in Malaysia (KL or Penang), or get the extension and do the 3 day overstay - the announcement said that only those who overstayed > 90 days would be blacklisted, and even then only for a year unless they overstay > 1 year. Just don't get blind drunk or drive a rented vehicle in your last 3 days and your chances of being picked up by the police are very remote.