sjbrownderby

DHL will also make a 'handling charge' if they have to collect VAT and import charges on behalf of the government. The handling charge is also subject to VAT. So, it is in the interest of DHL to find a way to make charges applicable. The last (and only time) I received a package through DHL the handling charge was 200 THB + 14 THB VAT. I do not know if the handling charge is fixed or based on a sliding scale.

I am currently doing some research for a project I am working on. This year being the 60th anniversary year of The Beatles I decided to build a guitar based on a cushion cover I found at a factory sale in Korat. All will be revealed in good time. The guitar is to be donated to raise money for charity. I didn't feel that I could build the guitar without doing research and learning a lot that I didn't know. What was behind the music? I am still learning but in a few months I have collected a lot of information and some pieces of memorabilia, which I will also donate. Even though I lived through the era when The Beatles gained national recognition in the UK I never looked beyond the music. What has surprised me is that there are many fans among generations who were not even born when The Beatles were together. 

Other options are available and to find out it is best to make discreet inquiries at your local immigration office. 

I suspect this has a lot to do with Covid-19. In the past month I have had three orders cancelled by Lazada, one of which was COD. I did have some problems getting my money back because Lazada returns money to your Lazada Wallet even though a foreigner can not use this feature now, so I have to go through another procedure to get a bank refund or credit and it all takes time. One order was cancelled after the last entry on the order schedule said that the order had been handed over to a courier. I waited and waited but no update transpired. Lazada took it upon themselves to cancel the order and I opted for a credit and spent the credit on something else. Without any warning the original order turned up. There was nothing to pay to the driver and in the interest of honesty I informed Lazada, in case there were any repercussions later. Lazada told me to keep the order for free even though I told them I was willing to pay. Different vendors use different couriers but definitely the best is Kerry. I think that the pandemic is having some effect on Lazada shipping standards but mostly this is beyond the control of the company. 

I am in the same situation. My 60 day extension expires on May 22nd and so I contacted Korat immigration by Messenger through Facebook. I explained my situation, in English, and the following morning there was a reply. The reply was timed at 23:32 the evening before. This is their exact reply: "Yes, you can stay in Thailand until Jul31'20 too" This reply is accessible for future reference from my mobile phone and I could also print it out so I have a hard copy of our communications. You should be able to to the same if you can find the Facebook page of your local immigration office.

Always be suspicious when there are no actual quotes from the subjects of the article. Looks almost like some second rate journalist was trying to provoke reactions from 'readers' of Thai Visa rather than report something factually complete. 

I was in a similar situation. I could not do a border run on the day I attempted to do it last month so on the following day I went to Korat Immigration to secure a 60 day extension (by payment). That extension is valid until May 22nd. I was also curious if the amnesty covered my particular circumstance because some were saying that it only applied to those stuck here on a tourist visa, mine is a multi entry Non-O based on marriage. I have some time and thought it might be best to enquire at the same office where I got my 60 day extension just to make sure. My original intention was to actually go there but then I found out they have a FaceBook page and it was possible for me to message the office with my question. Briefly outlining my circumstances yesterday, I checked FB this morning and found their reply which was "Yes, you can stay in Thailand until JUL 31'20 too" Great thing about this is that I have been able to print out our exchange of messages and there is also a record which can be accessed in the future at any time from my mobile phone. 

4 minutes ago, NotYourBusiness said:

Does anyone have any reliable information on when the Thai/Cambodia land borders are scheduled to open? Last I heard it was April 18 but then the flights ban was extended so now it's a bit unclear on land borders.

BritManToo is apparently the expert on this. Ask him.

57 minutes ago, PaoloR said:

Because he has an ability to read and take cognisance of what is happening in the world around him!

Another expert!..........but surely he doesn't need a mouthpiece.

The original wording was clearly a Freudian slip.

I am in a similar situation. I tried to do a border run recently without success so on the following day I went to my local immigration office to get a 60 day extension. I have to say that it was more difficult to get the 60 day extension than it was to get the 1 year visa in Savvanakhet. Also whilst I was at my local immigration office I was offered a non-standard extension of stay based on retirement for a period of 1 year. I will not go into details but something similar may be offered at your own immigration office. My friend decided to take this option whilst I just took the 60 day extension. I have been invited to take up the option of the 1 year extension (not-standard) and I may have to consider this seriously. 

14 minutes ago, justin case said:

crazy question about 60 days for visit child ... can you do 60 days for child nr1 and then again 60 days for child nr 2,3,4 .... I guess not ...

If you had four different children by four different women in four different provinces then maybe you might be in luck with that one. Not currently aware of anyone who has done it...........maybe you could be the first. 

8 minutes ago, faraday said:

Thought it was Isopropyl alcohol.

Yes and no. Many distilleries are also producing hand sanitiser from the methanol which would normally be a by-product. 

10 hours ago, fforest1 said:

I fully support and honor these farang and bar owners.....They are all true war heros...They were doing their best to fight the Coronavirus for all of us...They were killing the virus with alcohol one beer at a time...

The alcohol component of much of the commercially available hand sanitiser contains methanol which is distilled in the process of making potable alcohol. It distils at a lower temperature than ethanol, it's drinkable partner in crime.......and is usually separated in the distilling process. Because beer and wine are not distilled they contain both methanol and ethanol, methanol in a much smaller proportion than ethanol. Methanol is a poison but is considered harmless in the small quantities consumed in a bottle of beer. It is yet to be determined whether the methanol present in wine and beer has any effect on sanitising the internal organs of the human body and so I salute anyone who is out there on the front line trying to prove the worth of beer as a foil to the coronavirus. Perhaps the worth of Pattaya could be proven as a world class resort ought to be judged by it's continuing attempts to ascertain whether alcoholic beverages (non-distilled) are the way forward in these troubled times. Don't forget that hundreds of years ago beer was considered to be more pure than the drinking water available at the time. I must point out at this juncture that most distilled spirits will not contain methanol so are no substitute for wine and beer as a means of internal sanitising..........PATTAYA..we're rooting for you!

6 hours ago, davehowden said:

I think the Thai government should sue the Daily Mail for fake news.

The Thai government would be at the back of a very long queue. 

19 hours ago, CNXexpat said:

Casinos and hotels at the border? I guess you mean in the next city at the Myanmar side.

Border crossings into Cambodia have casinos as soon as you cross into the country so why should Myanmar be different? I know of one border crossing in Buriram, that can only be used by Thais and Cambodians, where there is a big resort and casino on the Cambodian side. There is no town, let alone a city anywhere near this border crossing.

On 1/31/2020 at 5:50 PM, IvorLott said:

The only true power of 'Black Magic' is the power to scare those thick enough to believe in it; regardless of geographic location, culture or creed.

 

That is not quite true. You do not have to believe in it to be affected by it in some way. You don't have to be thick to be poisoned by someone who may believe in Black Magic. Not believing is no protection!

21 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can stay out of the country for as long as you want to.

.........providing you re-enter while the visa is still valid or apply for another while you are outside of Thailand.

This is an inevitable consequence of the Thai government's softening attitude towards cannabis. Soon Thais will be able to grow it legally (for processing into medicine) and earn money so keeping someone in jail who had earned money legally from cannabis would not look good. Clinics will also be opening up around Thailand to treat people who can benefit from cannabis therapy. Unfortunately it has been treated as an illegal drug for such a long time that there is a lack of expertise in it's medical use. That is about to change.

Something similar happened to a friend at Korat immigration. They found a way to issue the extension after telling him that they could not issue the extension of stay based on documents he submitted. It did cost him a bit extra though. 

7 hours ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Yeah, But Don't You need to Show Sufficient Funds in the Bank ie;400k ??

No. No financial information needed at all. 

What I am getting is that the hand written notes, although they are something new, seem to be innocuous.