chefseph

thanks sir!

Have a look on the Australian Immigration website some visa sub-categories (including visitor visas) can now be applied for online.

Otherwise you best bet would probably be a trip to the main postoffice in Surat Thani, they will check your documents and application form, take the payment for the visa and send everything to VFS for you. I did this for the MIL last month and it took about 15 minutes (plus the trip to and from Surat).

Going to the post office there is no mug shot or interview (but be careful printing out the forms from the immigration website, the write so close to the margin that most printers cut off half of the top line and VFS complained that they didn't know which question the answer was to).

thanks for that - very helpful and good to know!

The post office seems to be a great option! Did you need to send the actual passport? how long did it take for the visa to be approved? do they send everything back by EMS?

Sorry for the questions and many thanks for taking the time to reply!

hi so is this office still open or not as cannot seem to find any details on google?

thanks

thanks for all replies! i will check out the guy near orgasmic.

i just got a quotation from a visa agent in bangkok who want to charge 14500 service fees on top of the 4000 application fee. almost as much as the plane ticket <deleted>!

i'm eligible for an e visa and i applied yesterday at 11am. one hour later i received confirmation that the visa is granted and all for free!

Hi all,

Need a visitor visa for my Thai wife for Australia. I would like to know if there is anyone on Samui offering this service to avoid going to bangkok or applying by mail. i normally would do everything myself but am too wrapped up with work commitments at the moment and i simply do not have the time.

we will be going to visit my wife's sister and her family who live in Australia. We already have a signed and verified formal invitation by them, all their passport copies etc etc etc which they sent.

i need a reputable agent who would ask me for all documents and forms required and take care of everything at a fee and i cannot seem to find any on Samui.

Anyone have any ideas?

cheers for the input

Counting sheep in known to work for some people...perhaps you could count the birds....Oh sorry....I see you've done that already. (555).

I have not seen any sheep in Thailand either.

Then you haven't been to Ratchaburi. Plenty of sheep there.

Apart from that, is the OP sure they are birds? I mean usually birds are quiet at night.

Pm me and I'll do my best to help

Just tried the new Chang now and it tastes sour to me. They are truly going for a skunky Heineken flavor as far as I can tell. I am moving on to Leo as there seems to be nothing else to love in my poor wretched life.

Let's be honest people. The old classic was famous for its hangovers. I liked the taste, but not the feeling I had the next day. I had to abstain from Chang Classic because of it.

At the moment trying the new stuff (green bottles) I would agree it became heinekish, but way better because it still has 5.5% alcohol and has a better flavour. I was really impressed with the new product because it didn't give me a hangover the next day even after 4 large bottles.

I think the new Chang is up to par to premium beers. You get the same feeling when you wake up the next day after drinking premium beers.

Well done. This is the best Chang ever so far! Way better than Leo in my opinion when it comes to quality and price range. Let's see how the beer market changes in a few months. I can see that Thai Bev worked hard over the new Chang.

I predict this beer will do well in the near future.

I totally agree. I also predict after a while they will reintroduce more products based on the new image.

And for all the whingers moaning about the size, it's 10 mls <deleted> not even a tablespoon!!!

Hi all,

I am Maltese, working and living in Thailand with my Thai wife. My passport is expiring early next year and i cannot renew it in Thailand as there is no embassy, My nearest option is to fly to Beijing but i'd rather go to Australia. I will fly to Sydney and renew my passport there.

I am wondering what type of visa I need for myself (Maltese passport) and also for my wife who holds a Thai passport. My wife's sister is married to an Aussie and has been living there for the last 6 years so this is our main reason for choosing Australia to visit them whilst applying for passport renewal.

Would we need any letter of invitation from my wife' sister? Where would we apply for the visa? We're based on Samui.

Many thanks for all input! Much appreciated!

Cheers Joe thanks a million!

i am gathering all documents needed for renewing my extension based on marriage and immigration told me i need an updated ko ror 22 (last 3 months).

my question is if we registered our marriage in my wife's local amphur in Korat and are now living on Samui how can i get my hands on this?

If i sent someone from my wife's family to the amphur would they give it to them?

thanks for your input

hi guys thanks all for your replies, Ubonjoe you are bang on as usual.

I checked - they will issue the extension until the expiry date of the passport.

Renewing my passport is going to be a headache. after contacting the Maltese MFA, they replied that as they are now issuing only biometric passports, I have to apply in person. so it has to be done either in Malta or at the nearest embassy, which for me is Beijing!!!

I have read now that in Pattaya to renew any type of extension you passport has to be valid for at least 6 months. http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com/expats/docs/ExtendingStay.pdf

Not sure if this is nationwide or not. If so, seems I'm screwed.

Lopburi thanks for making the point about having to be in possession of passport. I've made it clear in my email to the MFA. Travelling to Malta just for the passport isn't really an option due to work responsibilities.

Thanks for the swift replies.

Britdog I'm Maltese sorry for not mentioning before.

Thanks jing thing that confirmed what I thought. Ideally I should renew passport before extension to avoid having to renew extension again in jan. I'm not bothered paying 1900 again, it's the whole hassle! I'm not sure I have enough time to renew passport especially as the consul just told me there's nothing they can do. He said post my passport to the MFA in Malta. I'm sending them an email now to see what I really have to do.

Thanks again guys.

Hi guys,

My first extension of stay based on marriage will expire 25 august 15.

My passport will expire in january16 so should I renew passport before applying for extension?

How can I renew my passport from thailand? I just called the consulate in bangkok, they said they cannot renew passport, I have to send it to the foreign affair ministry of my home country?!

It's this time of the year again!!!!!!!!!

Hi all, after some clarification please.

I started work on the 24th of March. Our payday is on the last day of every month. 31st March I didn't get paid and I was informed that the company has payroll cut off on the 20th of each month.

I was under the impression that I would then on the 30th of April (one month later) i'd get one month full wage plus the extra week I worked in March. However when we got paid yesterday I only received one full month's pay.

When I asked my manager about this he said that basically I would get paid for that week's work when I left the company. So if i stayed 3 years with said company and then resigned i would then get the first week's wage. He also said that this is not the company's doing but as per labor law of Koh Samui, and that it is the same for him and everyone else in the company.

If i'd knew i'd have started work on the first of the month! Or is this normal?

If anyone has experience and advice most welcome to comment.

Always comes an error message when I click on it

Is it needed from day 1 you start work?

Thanks all for replying.

I also called 1111 this morning and they said the same thing. Spoke excellent english.

Called samui immigration after and they asked me to get the owner of the house I'm renting to call them. I think to fill in tm30. So I should be ok to report here once I fill in tm28 and take both forms to samui immigration, I hope!

Will update on how it pans out.

Thanks once again.

That would shaft me well and good. I cannot go to Korat every 90 days. If samui do not accept, what are my options?

1) get a re entry permit and exit/re-enter thailand

2) is it possible to send passport copies and Tm47 filled in with EMS to my thai brother in law for him to go in person?? Or does it have to be original passport?

And I wonder what will happen with the EMS packet I sent if it did get rejected, isn't it supposed to be sent back to sender? My slip of notification is in it and I do not have a copy.

I tried reporting online before I sent by post but it still wasn't working.

Frustrated.

Yes I tried. Cannot click. I tracked another EMS I sent home and status says successful and has a link which shows who signed for it. So I think it has been rejected otherwise it wouldn't be sitting in the post office for 6 days.

I guess my best bet is that I will try to go in person to samui immigration and try change address to here maybe they accept.

Thanks to both of you.

I have just tracked it now. Last 2 entries it says on the 12 March it was out for delivery chok chai 11.15 am,

Then 12 March 12.00-16.29, delivery status, licensed post office.

Does that mean it was rejected??

I have an extension of stay issues in Korat based on marriage.

Am currently on Samui and my 90 day report is due on the 20th of March.

I had called Koh Samui immigration to see if I can report here and they said to send by post to Korat as the extension was issued there. They told me if I plan to stay on samui I should apply for the next extension (August 15) on samui and then I could do reports here.

I sent the correct documents to Korat immigration with the return envelope addressed to my registered address in Korat but still haven't received anything. This was 11 days ago.

Just phoned Korat now to check (something's up with their phone, call get cancelled without ringing). Anyway got thru and was told very rudely if stay in samui have to report in samui and hung up on!!

Trying to get thru again to get my wife to speak with them.

Any advice?

Is there a ferry from chumpon?

Or only from donsak? Which in your experience is the best ferry company? Cost not really a factor, I just want the easiest, safest way.

Thanks

What did u do in the end?