richard_smith237

Take is easy... she hasn’t argued with the ‘experts’... . She’s asked for advice and provided as much information as she knows...

I don’t know much about the coffee at 7-11.... I agree.... Is it made from instant or fresh-ground beans ??? Coffee is like wine - there’s a huge amount to know and what I know I’ve hardly scratched the surface of... But if you’re saying instant is 90% as good as freshly ground beans, the conversation is already a non-starter....

Its better to be prepared and have a copy.... Some people worry too much... others tell others they worry too much based on their individual experience. Here’s more anecdote: I have been stopped a couple of times and asked for my Passport. Held up DL... not accepted... had to rely on my ‘phone a friend’ option to get the corrupt BiB off my back... That said - getting stopped is rare, but it has happened to the vast majority of my friends and I. I guess it depends where you are, where you are walking / travelling around and at what time etc. There’s a higher probability at night, especially in the Asoke to Thonglor area (which used to be notorious for this). It doesn’t hurt to carry a copy of your passport if it makes you feel better... Its certainly better than the ‘implication’ presented by comments such as ‘I’ve never been stopped’...

I think your comment below nullifies the validity of any comments you may have regarding the taste and quality of instant vs freshly ground roast beans...

And 96.57% of stats are made up on the spot !! I do agree to a point though, there’s some pretentious and over marketed stuff out there... but excellent coffee doesn’t need to be pretentious at all. Taste is subjective, some people have decent taste, some do - if you are saying instant is a good as fresh (even 90%) then you’re way off... I’ve tried lots of instant coffees, some rated highly.... but they are still not comparable to good coffee made from fresh-ground beans... The closest I get to instant.... is to grind a medium-dark roast Arabica extremely fine (finer than espresso), boil that and drink without filtering (the sludge sinks to the bottom) - Turkish style.

Agreed... the probability of losing a passport if carrying it around daily compared to the probability of being stopped by the BiB is higher... Taking that idea a step further, the probability of being stopped by the BiB who don’t accept a driving licence or photo copy of your passport is extremely low... Risk of passport loss is much higher and simply not worth the risk to carry your passport at all given the time and difficult involved with renewal of a passport here.

Many will carry a copy on their phone (Photo of ID page and entry stamp / visa etc). Thus will appease most Police if you are stopped (if acting politely etc)... But, there may always be the awkward officer who wants something more physical. A Driving Licence will commonly suffice as Photo ID in most circumstances with the BiB, unless the request is made by a a particularly difficult Policeman. Pink ID (within Province) takes this a step further and may work where the DL may not, but that would be a rare situation. There are plenty of ‘print shops’ around where you could get a Laminated copy made and then just have the entry stamps on your phone etc.

I’ve also pretty much given up on Bolt... Or rather, I attempt to use them about 4 times per month, but never secure a ride...

I’m a coffee addict - I travel with my own coffee. Only ever in the morning though (before noon on regular day). I can’t ever imagine giving it up - I’m not aware of any health benefits of giving up coffee. I’m aware of potential health risks of ’too much caffeine’... but that is a different conversation from the moderate two strong cups of coffee before lunch-time. I’ve had the discussion on Coffee vs Booze... I love my booze - I love craft beer, I love wine and I love whisky... I even love a nice G&T late afternoon on the beach when on holiday.... But... I’d if forced into a choice I’d happily give up booze over ‘good’ coffee.... I’d also rather have no coffee at all than instant.

In Thailand ??..... Do any of the clubs, restaurants, bars or even major shopping malls, or any public places have any of this ? He, or us (foreign readers)... He (owner) seems to know everything he needs to to circumnavigate laws and get illegal business running again... Its us who haven’t learned anything if we expect anything else. This will be an exercise of wash and repeat.... Raid... pay off the BiB, re-open... stay open for a few months, raid, pay off the BiB... and so-on... If its profitable, then it works - its only about the bottom line.

I'm not so sure about that... as Enoon posted...

Waiting for the ‘typical’..... ‘I don’t care about football’ comments that have filled every WC thread on this forum so far....

This hard apparently (below) - which is why she’s forced to ask the question on here !!!

You deliberately overstayed to get black-listed to force you to stay out of Thailand ??? - kind of like going ‘cold-turkey’ ???......

Perhaps change Names, DOB and Nationality too... In short - when we enter Thailand on a different passport, because our Name and DOB is the same our data still pops up on the Immigration screen. Thus, when entering with a New Passport, all your data is still in the system (going back to 2012)... even when the passport number is different and the nationality is different... the Name and DOB are key identifiers. There may be others who coincidentally have the same name and DOB in the Immigration system, if so, the officer can also cross check the photo. So no... a new passport will not make a difference.

If its going to cost too much to bring it over, is it not possible to purchase one locally ? Perhaps worth contacting this guy.... i.e. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1239783270116096/?hoisted=false&ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A9231b218-761e-4c49-9163-6cd7b3ed96a9

Of course he was.... And I’m sure 'Tommy the Tanker' had to google Airport Codes to find out what airport SUV was so that he could provide a facetious and deliberately obtuse !

So you haven’t been to Thailand for nearly 3 years.... It would be extremely strange of Immigration to refuse your entry, even with a Visa exempt. As UJ and others mentioned, getting a Tourist Visa makes things a little more ‘proper’ (if that makes sense). Going back it seems that Immigration in Phuket were being total d!cks to refuse your entry, unless you have back to back Visa Exempt entries i.e. (more than 3 in a row over the previous 6 months or something similar) - Immigration have gone through spells of that. Additionally, some Imm-Officers can be downright difficult... (most are not thought). IF you are really concerned, perhaps plan your trip to fly into Suvarnabumi where the officers are more ‘by the book’ and less likely to play the rules by their own bias or judgement.

Arrive at the Airport 5 hours early ??? - then what ??

Every country makes it difficult to game the immigration rules... Thailand has in fact made it extremely easy by offering Covid extensions well beyond the period travel was restricted due to Covid-19.

Doesn't his current Covid exemption stamp expire on 22-Nov ?? What would be transferred into his new passport ? - the same stamp expiring on 22nd Nov and a 7 day extensions on top of that ? And then fly out to either his home country or a neighbouring country and secure a ‘real’ visa on which to enter Thailand ? (i.e. A Tourist Visa)

Same issue with WhatsApp - it works on one ‘mobile’ device only... (note: it does work with a Mobile + LapTop). Lite App seems to be the way to go for Line - if running an iPhone, as this app is not on the Appstore its going to take a little ‘jiggery pokery’ to download it onto your phone.

It seems she (Cecile I assume is a females name) was not deported, but refused entry at the Malaysian land border. The main question is.... How long has Cecile been outside of Thailand ?... i.e. a few weeks or a year or more ? I think the best recommendation for Cecile is to get the correct Visa... in this case, if not working etc... that would be a Tourist Visa. I can’t see why she should be rejected if she has not been in Thailand for a year or so - unless of course there is something else not being told.

I may be mistaken... You don’t have ‘visas’ you have exemptions based on Covid-19... (and have had these for approx 3 years you mention / I think you mean about 2.5 years from mid 2020 ?). As Immigration no longer issue Covid exemptions I suspend that they are telling you IF you leave you may not be permitted to return as you have ‘too many visas’.... (exemptions). I’m not sure IF a covid extension can be transferred into a new passport - but your expires anyway... so there is no point transferring that. Also, I’m don’t think you can do a ‘passport swap’ at a land border. i.e. Exit on one passport (your full one), enter Cambodia on your new passport, then exit and re-enter Thailand on your new passport. If I’m not mistaken is a 'passport swap’ is only permitted when travelling by air. I think what Immigration have suggested is that you go to Immigration and Apply for a new 7 day extensions to get your affairs in order (so you don’t end up on overstay) and then find another way to remain in Thailand... i.e. Non Imm Visa (if you have that option available to you), or obtain a Tourist Visa in a neighbouring country (if they’ll issue one to you), or Tourist Visa in your home country etc... As you specifically wrote to UbonJoe, I’m sure he’ll be here with better advice - but from what you have mentioned it seems Immigration have ‘protected you’ from being ’stuck’ outside of Thailand with them not permitting your return on a visa exempt based on too many Covid extensions (and not proper visa’s).

The obvious one is the beach... Quite pleasant to walk along and you can walk as far as you can... Plenty going on around you in the evenings... especially at the weekends... If you go a bit too far and feel too tied to walk back up the beach, hire a horse !