PeCeDe

I feel the angst. Escalating problems in some countries may not always be the wise way forward.

 

3 minutes ago, IgboChief said:

And for that reason, nobody has any problem to explain the details and to show the visa and stamps when being asked kindly and professionally. (Which has been always the case with any airline staff I ever met in my life -- the skytrax ranking is a pretty good reflection of what to expect in my experience).

 

Immigration/Airport Security is a different kind of bunch though and I will have many more field days to explain to Nigerian officers, that they have no power to restrict me entering the KoT. Let's be all professional and the world would be a better place.

 

 

To be fair the agent at the airline ticket counter is under a lot of pressure to get things right, a mistake can be very costly and maybe cost them their job.

 

I used to travel a lot in the US with a multi entry one year professional visa, and one time travelling out of Fresno the counter agent asked for my passport, looked at the visa and immediately ripped it out of my PP putting it in a pile for US Imm., I protested and eventually had to call management, who thankfully sorted out the problem, turned out the girl mistook a single entry for my multi entry and she'd never seen one like mine before.

 

Lesson being, know what is supposed to happen at every single stage of your journey and make absolutely sure it does happen, if there's a problem don't be afraid to escalate immediately. It's very difficult to correct an error once it's made.

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

He needs good proof from the airline of the date he departed Thailand on one of their flights. That puts the onus on immigration since he was able to leave without clearing immigration.

The date is important to prove he was not an overstay which would be the primary reason a person might want to leave without clearing immigration.

That's not necessarily correct, the primary reason for skipping immigration and security screening could be (devils advocate, sorry OP) he was trying to smuggle something dangerous on board an international flight. I used to frequently fly out of small airports to large airports like San Bernadino to SFO or LAX, and then on to my final destination, it was always the small airports where the weak link was, sometimes you would have one guy, doing the baggage off loading, loading and handling the X Ray machine, hence the need in S.E. Asia anyway for secondary inspections in Beijing, Tokyo, Taipei etc. I think that's probably the worst scenario and I know it's now tightened up. With that in mind the OP will need to understand nobody's going to admit to this mistake, he owns it, and must have every single one of his ducks in a row. Hope the OP just slides through this situation with no problem, which of course is the best scenario and quite likely.

Happened to me once only in reverse, I was coming into Toronto Canada on an international flight and the airside staff opened the wrong door allowing me into domestic departures instead of international arrivals, fortunately for me I had checked baggage so had to go back through security and into the International arrivals to get my baggage, but it was a heck of a rigmarole and lots of explanations before I was allowed to go through Immigration and then clear my luggage. Good luck OP with that one, but it is something best faced now if you ever want to come back into Thailand without grief. Just take all the proof plus kitchen sink that you have saying you left Thailand on the date you say you did.

You're not alone with that one, it can be annoying. In my circles anyway if you don't use "Line" you're a dinosaur.

14 minutes ago, The Deerhunter said:

Mostly true. Jap companies' Thai branch sometimes reply.  Honda Power Equipment was helpful.  The people who made my UPS denied ever getting it .  I know they lied.  They told my wife when she rang things they didn't learn from her but were in the email.

 

Don't know why but I read the title to this thread as "Three STD's so far this year, need 4th in Vientiane, possible?" Sure is buddy!  Good luck with your STV.

I emphasize The following is a "what if" scenario only and hopefully cool heads will prevail. As has been said many times...  anything or nothing could happen, and is just one position from the darkside..

 

To go to the severe lesson NK is going to teach the US. I think we all know that, it's a POS statement by someone struggling to maintain power within his own beleaguered country, designed as much for internal consumption as external.

 

Bringing us to Trump and his latest "Fire and Fury" on NK statement, it reminded me a little too much of the Biblical "fire and brimstone" for my liking and is presumably a POS statement by someone struggling to maintain power within his country, designed as much for internal consumption as external.

 

But let's think like the Politicos and military, if the unthinkable happens, what does either side have to gain from a first strike?  Well here's a few thoughts.

 

Gains of a first strike from the US standpoint? 

1) Get's the NK monkey off it's back.

2) Internal approval ratings will soar with all the historic achievement rhetoric, blah blah. 

3) Donald will go down in History (to his base) as the President who stood firm like no other before him in it's darkest hour. Maybe he sees the Trump memorial right next to Lincolns, you know the one, it's within walking distance of the Vietnam wall.

4) NK is Trumps favorite type of target because it's small fry and has no way of defending itself effectively against such an overwhelming and aggressive force, even though it stridently claims otherwise.

5) Proves the US to once more be the fearful and formidable foe that will unhesitatingly respond to any provocation anywhere in the world with massive force.

 

Gains of a first strike from the NK standpoint?

1) Not much, a few thousand people die.

 

What do they both have to lose?

 

Losses of a first strike from the US standpoint?

1) If done carefully with precision, and the 38th parallel isn't crossed northwards with an occupying force, PERHAPS not many immediate threats. 

2) China, Russia and others will be very upset to put it mildly, and the US will have to keep it's wits about it for years to come... new Cold War perhaps?  

3) The rest of the free world will also be horrified.

4) US isolation with completely new power blocks forming to directly and militarily oppose the US,  this time unfortunately the Pacific and Atlantic won't be limiting factors.

5) Hundreds of thousands on the US side would die.

 

Losses from the Nk standpoint?

1) Everything!  

2) It would lose much of it's million man army.

3) Its Capital Pyongyang would disappear. 

4) Most or all of its much vaunted nuclear capability would be no more. 

5) If KJU somehow survives he will no longer have a country to terrorize, rape and plunder.

6) So much for his damnable luxury goods.

 

Therefore,  IF it comes down to it, who will strike first? Easy answer eh, the US of course, and I would look to the lessons we learned from Iraqs Saddam Hussein and the non existent WMD's after 9/11. We ain't so innocent and the premise will somehow be made up to suit the occasion, perhaps even we will see them emerging in the next few days, weeks or months. 

 

Am I making some kind of macabre sense? Because the thought scares the heck out of me, I see the world changing drastically, and not for the better. Call me a scaremonger if you will, I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

 

Perhaps cool heads will prevail, let's all wish so... 

1 hour ago, juice777 said:

 

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
 

 

 

Don't Assume the bum gun is working before you use the toilet 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

As an addition to your very valid comment, I would add, always take a small pack of Kleenex with you.

1 hour ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

get romantically involved with a thai girl, buy property start a business. broke 2 of these rules. anyone reading this should learn from my mistakes.

The first point requires too much self control for a normal male. You may think you've learned but just wait... You'll see. 

Never talk politics with your American ex pat friends, even if you are American.

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

Exercising caution is prudent. Poipet is known to be a sometimes troublesome border point. If you want a low hassle (but more expensive) alternative, there are visa run companies from Bangkok that use other Cambodia border points.

 

Cheapest, and probably best if traveling independently, is the aforemetioned Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing.

Thanks, I readily admit to being nervous to cross the border at this time. With all the stories of people being refused admittance back into Thailand despite having valid visas but missing one seemingly minor item, (of course these stories could be lacking complete honesty)  I think this means a degree of caution is required.

Fortunately, I learned today the visa company I use for transport to and from Cambodia has changed it's crossing point and no longer goes through Poipet, so I feel more comfortable.

 

 

You're correct "Perth" that I'm anxious, perhaps more than need be, but I've always liked things to be as certain as possible, and given the current situation, I think it's best to ask the questions.

Yes, I have carried the 20K before but never been asked to see it. Given the current climate is Poipet to be avoided?

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is the Ban Laem crossing to Cambodia.

The closest one to Bangkok is the Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing to Myanmar that is in Kanchanaburi province. No visa sticker there just a pay 500 baht for a border pass.

Thanks, wouldn't mind going to Myanmar, do you think Poipet isn't worth the risk, even though my Visa is as legal as it can be?

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

Surely you won't be targeted as unlikely to be working

Ha, that's true, I could just show the medication I have to stay alive.

Thanks "Perth" I am uncomfortable with Poipet, but for me it's easy to do and my preferred exit, in fact I don't know any other convenient entry/exit points close to Bangkok. The discomfort comes from other peoples experience, not mine. Seems to me the, "Good in, bad out" dragnet may be extending a bit too far. Perhaps I'm becoming a bit paranoid.

Hmm, all this current talk about Tourist Visas not being honoured by Thai IO's has me concerned. I'm 69 and have an METV granted in Canada on my Canadian passport, the Visa enter before date is August 23rd 2017, and to keep the METV current I've made 2 exit and enters at Poipet/Aranyaprathet so the leave to stay now coincides with the last date to enter, August 23rd. My Thai history is I've been in Thailand for just under 3 years now, on a Non Imm O, one 3 entry Visa, plus a couple of visa frees two years ago, all of those on my British passport, but I go back to either North America or Britain for at least three months per year, and my eventual aim is to settle in Canada where I have property, but not until I'm good and ready, I love it here.  One additional piece of info. is the IO on exiting Thailand last time looked pretty hard at the METV, and then proceeded to say "what do you do," I said Tourist, which I do believe I am, then in English and Thai said something else, but I was unsure what she said, my Thai isn't great.

Coming back in the IO wrote the numeral 2 next to the admittance stamp, but said nothing to me. 

 

My question is, do I attempt a third exit/entry from Poipet on my current METV, should I be looking for an exit/enter point other than Poipet, or do I do something else... Advice would be gratefully received.

I too went to the Poipet/Aranyaphratet border yesterday in order to get the second entry on an METV.  On exiting Thailand was told (I think) by the IO I may only get a one month entry on the way back, the IO's English was as incomplete as my Thai, so I think that's what she said. Anyway, coming back into Thailand, the IO gave me a 2 month stamp as I expected with no problems, however, in the Van I took for the round trip a lady was working as a Volunteer for an NGO, and only received a 1 month leave to stay stamp instead of the 2 months she expected, I don't know what visa she had.

12 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can only get a OA visa at an embassy or official consulate in your home country.

You can change an entry from a METV to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry and then apply for a one year extension of stay at a immigration office based upon retirement.

Thanks. 

I can tell the OP that my "non Imm O" obtained in Birmingham UK, (based on over 50 years old) expired sometime ago, and tried to renew while in Toronto, Canada, but to absolutely no avail, even though it states on their website that type of Visa is indeed available. Eventually came away with 6 month METV.

 

Question to those who know: Is an METV convertible to a Non Imm OA (retirement) in Thailand?

28 minutes ago, Khon Kaen Dave said:

I have a certain amount of sympathy for the OP.But knowing that he lived in China before coming here.I would have thought that he would have had a certain amount of Street 'Savvy' to know enough,not to be "defrauded out of house and savings" Surely living there would have given him some sort of 'nounce' in matters of home and dosh.Maybe he was just a trusting guy,god bless him.But,in any country,any thing that seems too good to be true,usually is, and the old saying,beware of geeks bearing gifts.But they also say,that you cant con an honest man.So i ask how did it happen?

Like your saying, "can't con an honest man," wise words. But  maybe not always so, I prefer  " It's difficult to conl an honest man." Let's hope the op gets satisfaction, somehow I doubt they will.

 

1 hour ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

You've forgotten to mention the knee-length socks and the sandals

Handkerchief affixed on head is another good sign of ne'er do wells, particularly if they're looking for a chippy!

The same can be said for the Birmingham Consulate, efficient, effective, and service oriented, however I hear it's now closed because the Consul (if that's the correct title) passed away.  More's the pity, but a drive to Cardiff isn't hard to take.

6 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

 

" ...  imposing their childish beliefs on the masses, as they do all over the world. "

 

Given the petulant, childish response by some of the "masses," they aren't in a position to claim the higher ground.

  One of the enlightened masses.

 

 

Haha, brings back memories, (not good ones).

There are numerous barstools with my name on them, but I loved one in particular, it was in Long Island right outside the rail station, all us "buddies" after work would watch the trains to Manhattan going by, and in unison say, "well I missed that one!"

Here's a reminder, and I never did get the ring back.

 

My guess is that most "long term stay Farangs" are non-drinkers, and the ban won't be a problem, after all that's what's kept them alive this long, and also of course they're able to enjoy their lives in Thailand. To the sensible ones who drink moderately, more power to you, and buy in advance.