richard_smith237

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Why not ask that company for support advice. 

As a member of Thailand Elite, they have failed me on two separate occasions to provide me with accurate visa information / advice under situations with which they are not familiar with on a daily basis - they also failed to respond to letters of complaint written to their management after I found myself in potentially costly situations as a result of their incorrect advice - I would advise members of Thailand Elite, not to trust the advice Thailand Elite Provides and source multiple sources of confirmation.

To answer the Ops question: 

I have been in this situation (holding a Thai Elite S.E. Visa and taking work an thus wanting to transfer to a Non-Imm B).

The Thai Elite Visa (S.E. and P.E. visa types) cannot be transfered or changed in-country to a Non-Imm B.

The Op will need to exit the country and re-enter on a Non-Immigrant Type B visa - having gone through the application process an a Neighbouring Embassy (such as Singapore - plenty of documentation required).

Regarding the longevity of existing Thai Elite Membership and Visa: 

That depends on the Ops membership duration - if the Op has a 5 year visa, and doesn't need the membership & visa, it may be possible to 'extend' or place a 'hiatus' on his Thai Elite Visa status and membership, particularly if on a 1 year renewable visa (with the 5 year membership) - that has to be discussed with Thai Elite and what they'll allow.

(I have lifetime membership - so this was never an issue for me).

Regarding having two open visas:

Yes, that can potentially cause issues and I have encountered just that. 

I had an Open Extension of Stay (based on work / work permit) and also an Open 5 year Thai Elite S.E. Visa (people have argued in the past that you can't have two open visa's - you can, I did).

While outside of Thailand the project I was working on was completed and I no longer needed to re-enter Thailand using my Extension of stay based on work (also the extension of stay was also only valid until the day after I returned so I definitely didn't want to use it !!).

The immigration officer wanted to stamp me in based on my 'extension of stay', thus giving me 1 day... I argued the ridiculousness of this, that he should stamp me in for either 90 days (conditions of my S.E. Visa) or Visa Exemption on arrival - both were valid options. 

His [the Immigration officers] opinion was that the extension of stay based on a Non-Immigrant visa superseded the Thai Elite Visa.

We disagreed and I wouldn't accept him stamping me in for one day, I'd have to fly out again the following day and then return again the same day to get my 90 day stamp, which was preposterous situation, but the Immi-officer was being particularly awkward.

I pressed the issue refusing to give in, two Immigration supervisors got involved one agreeing with the junior office, the senior immigration officer recognised the ridiculous of the situation, and I entered on my Thai Elite S.E. Visa (for 90 days), no further issues.

1 minute ago, Doc Undies said:

Yawn back at ya

Yup... that lack of education further highlighed with a 'nothing' comment.  Well done.

1 hour ago, kidneyw said:

8 hours ago, webfact said:

He asserted that the electrocution did not occur directly on the tagada ride but was instead caused by electricity leakage from a decorative light.

Cop out already. 

Indeed....     'he' may have been working out how to 'fit brake failure'....  'slippery roads due to rain'.... or 'lap-nai'.... in there....    

Obviously couldn't...  So blamed the lighting because the ride was working perfectly well !!!! 

In other news...  a Ferris wheel broke from the mountings and rolled down the hill killing all those riding....   the owner reported there was nothing wrong with the ride, it was working perfectly well but the bolts used to secure the ride are at fault for breaking...   (at this stage I have to point out the parody of the above comment just incase someone like LL wants me to quote a source)

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

That is not a drill

.....  This is a Drill...    

9 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I pretty much plan on carrying my passport any time I'm doing any transaction more than buying milk at 7/11. Better safe than sorry.

I carry my passport around with me as little as possible...   'better safe than sorry'...... 

... so it remains in the safe as soon as I get home, and comes out of the safe when I travel again usually within a month or so... (either out of province or internationally).

Not wanting to start another Pink ID debate, but this is where one comes in handy... Having opened accounts with the Pink ID (and yellow house book), this is all I've needed as proof of ID when going to the bank to execute a transaction, of course, I still need to get into my safe to take out my Bank Book - in which case I may as well get my passport at the same time, but then there is the slim chance I forget it in my car or drop it etc etc... not worth the potential hassle for me.

On 6/2/2024 at 8:52 AM, Robert Paulson said:

Honestly anyone who is reporting to care about kids, wake me up when we start restricting their use. This is seriosuly ridiculous. Anyone who honest with themselves knows these devices are ruining kids lives. 

Any responsible parent understands how to utilise these devices (tablets, etc.) as both excellent educational tools and sources of entertainment.

Your sweeping generalisation, based on the lowest common denominator of your imagination, is as flawed as most of your comments.

Moreover, these devices have become an essential part of the educational syllabus. Children now need to have a laptop, iPad, or similar device for some of their lessons.

5 hours ago, pedro01 said:

He promised his kid would have his devices taken away - but the kid was still on social media. The kid even sent social media messages saying "my mom is angry but my dad's ok".

We now have a clearer understanding of why this child believed he could escape the consequences of his actions: he has never received proper guidance or discipline from his parents.

It is commendable that the school is unequivocally conveying that such behavior is entirely unacceptable. However, it is concerning that the school appears to be suggesting that tuition-paying students may face less stringent consequences than scholarship students, which, in my opinion, is fundamentally unjust.

Regardless, this behavior demands an unwavering response. Your daughter should never have to encounter these boys again, and every other student at the school must be assured that they are in a safe environment.

All students need to know that such behavior will not be tolerated and that the repercussions will be swift and severe.

On 6/4/2024 at 12:56 PM, Presnock said:

students are  usually international too with some locals mixed in usually of a richer family 

The better international schools are able to 'pick and choose' based on national quotas so that there are not to many of one single nationality to generate cliques. 

In my Son's school I do not think there is any one dominant nationality - Thai's are capped at 20% if I'm not mistaken and there is a large waiting list of very powerful people trying to get in.....  the rest is a fair equal split of other nationalities...  at a guess, perhaps about 50% of kids from G8 nations and the rest split from other nations, Indian, Singaporean, South American etc... 

Some kids of teachers kids, but not all...   its a good healthy mix of nationalities and the standards of education and facilities are outstanding.

5 hours ago, steven100 said:

5 hours ago, Peterphuket said:

Anywhere there is standing water, such as ponds and the like, are breeding grounds for these pests.

there are some places like that near my soi ....   should I be concerned 

Depends how large the body of water is... 

If they are 'lotus plant pots' etc (without Fish in them to eat the larvae) then they are breeding grounds.

The issue then of course is convincing the locals of an unseen danger....   they don't wear helmets, how are you going to get them to add some chlorine to standing water or get rid of the lotus plant pots, and other area's of pooled water ?

This is the issue with living in a poor under educated community - these issue's are not a primary concern for people trying to make ends meet so they can eat.

------

Another point - as its hot most of the year, our doors / windows are always closed and the AC is always on when we are inside - this perhaps helps avoid getting bitten by these nasty creatures... 

And I use the word creatures not insects, as when I was on Koh Samet, we went down to one of the beaches and were attacked by 100's of these mini-dinosaurs ... (exaggeration, yes, but it felt like death by a 1000's bites at the time regardless of how much mozzie repellant we had on us).

34 minutes ago, Presnock said:

not if the water is sold in plastic bottles...read that plastic particles permeate that water.  almost as bad as ocean water nowadays...pretty soon we will be advised not to eat any seafood as the plastic exists throughout their system/skin/meat etc.

Those of cultured and refined tastes only use San Pellegrino or Voss water to make their Pizza Dough !!!       

3 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Can agree with that the 10M price om the house shown will most probably not be in Bangkok or very far outside the main city. However, it was about 18M the original news relates to. In that case, there will be several better options. Many of them are located around Phra kanong, both on the Watthana and the Klong Toei sides

Agreed, thought the article alludes to the properly being more appropriate for a business venture than the residential offerings in the area's you mention, and thats where the value of the land lies - specifically the location.

Had the very same building / space / condition been located in Khao Sarn Road or on Sukhumvit between Phrom Phong and Asoke and we'd see the value being at least double, IMO. 

Does any male here (except for GG) 'not' do the 'thing' when picking up a cordless drill ???

22 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

The first thing he did was laugh at me

Is that not the standard response to you ???   

45 minutes ago, Foexie said:

i see great helpfull answers ddduuuuuuhhhh

What question was asked ???   

39 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

How else can one take out a large sum of money these days, or do an overseas transfer to a French bank account in USD? (Twice a year in my case.)

How large is 'large' ???....     

I used DeeMoney to transfer about 500,000 baht back to the UK - that was just to get better rates, I've not actually tried transferring from my Bank in Thailand to my Bank in the UK directly - so I'm not sure if there is a limit. 

5 hours ago, connda said:

Lost my daughter 27 years ago.  The guy who killed her is completely unrepentant.

This is the first year where I "missed" the day she died.  That is progress in the grieving process.  Nope.  You don't get over it.  But you find ways to live with it. I wouldn't wish losing an only child on my worst enemy. 

Tough one... I'm truly sorry to learn of this. No one deserves such an evil twist of fate.

There is no emoji to suitably fit a response, so a left the 'heart' as the sad emoji is so often misused on this forum.

It is threads such as this which remind me to make the most of my family, to continue doing my best and make more time matter more. Every second really does count, your story is a heartbreaking and cutting reminder of this. 

Thank you for sharing. 

2 hours ago, kevozman1 said:

The c00f has already proven to me that most people's critical thinking is low, but I do like to try and get into the minds of some people to see if there is anything remaining that can be salvaged, or just the remnants of mind-crushed automatons.

+1 with that comment....

More than the subject itself - many comments, bias' and outright fluckwittery are of interest to some of us - it interesting from a psychological and sociological point of view to get an insight into the minds of some of those who post the more daft comments... 

For some I see no hope at all and just hope they can't afford a car, for being on the road at the same time of some of the idiots leaves cause for concern !!!... 

13 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

One just has to see the mess these Brit drunks create in Spain. Even the locals in Spain are fed up.

Specific areas of Spain that are specifically targeting British Tourists - with cheap accommodation, cheap booze, cheap 'pseudo-British food'...  (Benidorm, Mallorca etc) - despicable places to be avoided at all costs..  But, this is what the Spanish wanted, or rather, they wanted to attract these cheap tourists, concentrated them all in congested area's, but then complain when they get the accompanying cheap chavy behavior. 

Its exactly the same in Bali with Australians...    Its the Same in Cancun with those from the USA.

And now... we have the Japanese complaining about the hoards of Chinese and Thai Tourists.

Ultimately, anywhere there are a lot of tourists from a specific nation, some of those tourists are going to be behave diks and build a negative reputation....  In Japan now, even Thai's try and avoid other Thai's because they are embarrassed by their behavior....   In much the same way we (I) are often embarrassed by the behavior of other Westerners in Thailand and worry we will be tarred by the same brush....    

... But...  that doesn't mean there is a sweeping generalisation that fits the behavior of all from than nation. 

BUT....  this thread is about Visa's and overstating - not about behavior of tourists !!! 

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

Right.

An endemic of two negative Swiss men, one of who was obviously mentally unwell.

Waiting for the Swiss government to put out a statement now. 
 

Two, twice, a couple. 
Don’t look over here, look at the Swiss. 

Your observations underscore a discernible absence of critical thought, an dearth of intellectual balance, and a lamentable deficiency in education.

It incredibly easy to pinpoint three discrete instances involving the Swiss this year. However, this remains irrelevant to the discussion, as you persistently falter in understanding anyone else's comments.

1) This thread is about the British Foreign Office reiterating their advisory for British Nationals to adhere to Thailands visa stipulations. This thread became requisite subsequent to Thailand's proclamation that incoming individuals would be granted a 60-day stay, a policy not yet implemented.

2) The focal point herein does not revolve around inebriated British tourists or British individuals causing disturbances in Thailand. Those who disparage the British, much like yourself, have interjected such remarks into the conversation due to an inability to engage with the actual subject matter, instead fixating on a misleading headline.

3) Furthermore, you have failed to grasp the notion that individuals exhibiting misconduct hail from every nation, a reality readily discernible in media coverage.

4) Similarly, you have overlooked the concept that the transgressions of a select few do not serve as a representative benchmark for an entire nation.

I would be remiss to castigate the entirety of your nation as undereducated and bigoted based solely on the cognitive challenges you evidently face and example in this thread.

you like links... 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1321119-thai-woman-assaulted-by-swiss-man-in-phuket/

https://aseannow.com/topic/1321451-foreign-man-throws-glass-at-a-thai-woman-in-a-dog-cafe/

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2024/03/06/a-swiss-man-seriously-hurts-thai-woman-in-trang-supermarket/