soi3eddie

I need to do retirement extension in next 45 days at CW Bangkok. I hope to go before Friday. Anyone know how bad the queues a L counters have been recently? I'm worried that immigration will be shut sometime soon. 

17 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

In addition to all this they dont lockdown things but close it; the closure of the non-existing nightlife of Bangkok, Pattaya etc. will result in tens of thousands of "service workers" to travel back home, in crowded buses waiting at crowded stations. This will do wonders in distribution of the virus, if you ask me.

Once home they will realize that due to no irrigation water there is no agricultural work nor revenue. No work, no money, go home = same same but different. 
 

Not just service workers but general workers too. We drove up from Bangkok to Phlapphla Chai, Buri Ram province last Sunday. I was surprised to see quite a few pick-up trucks heading away from the city loaded with possesions, fridges, M/Cs etc. same as the annual exodus for Songkran (although 1 month early). Here in the village it's dry as a chip. No real rain since last October. Ponds empty and ground rock hard. Some of the farmers have readied rice fields and levees ready for the rains - still about 2 months away!

There's a real opportunity here for the Thai government to offer some goodwill to visitors and expats who cannot comply with leaving before permitted stay expires. If border runs, visa runs and return to home countries is not possible then a 30 day grace period on all permitted stays could be offered with no financial or blacklist penalty. I was stuck here for 3 days over permitted stay due to the Iceland volcanic Ash cloud closing European airspace in 2010 and no penalty was applied for overstay. 

A trip to the British embassy will be of no help at all. You won't even get in without an appointment and even then the opening hours are very limited. 

Thanks. That's a comprehensive report on HH. I heard that Market Village is open reduced hours (10:30am to 8pm I think). Not sure about Bluport. 

13 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Was his police record in the UK checked before he was let into Thailand? 

 

If Thailand really wanted to keep the "bad guys" out, they would do same as USA with info sharing. If you're a western criminal and try go to the USA you're unlikely to even be let on the plane without an ESTA travel pre-clearance. The Yanks even pulled me aside about 12 years ago for what finally turned out to be questions regarding a passport I had lost in the UK and replaced. If Thailand did the same checks to bar entry, they would miss out on money raising revenues and fines for overstayers.  

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

it is so pathetic and predictable. 

what is it going to take?

Due to a shortage of N95 or Surgical masks, from his profile picture, it looks like NCC1701A has now taken to wearing ladies knickers on his face... 

13 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I flew to Saigon couple weeks back. We were handed out stupid form on plane.

Lame questions. Upon arrival no one collected it. 

I'm and flying again to Saigon this Fri. I assume it will be same lame form.

It's just yes/no X box form. 

Fever Y N

Cough Y N

etc.

Nonsense

I arrived back from South Korea last night. We were given the T8 quarantine questionnaire form on the plane. On disembarking, Thais were being processed by workers in full hazmat suits. Foreign passport holders were waved on to the health control kiosk to have temperature taken and stamp on TM6 arrival card. Without that stamp no entry to Thailand. Check the list of countries in case Vietnam gets added. It could only be a matter of time before there's a global lockdon and grounding of flights. From 8pm to midnight there were only 9 flights out of Seoul last night! There were more staff than passengers in the terminal. As airlines are losing trade they are grounding flights so your return may get cancelled while overseas. I feel more relaxed now back in Thailand.

On 3/9/2020 at 8:36 AM, Grumpy John said:

For the Thai people this is not a good thing.   Makro and Lotus against Big C and Tops is almost an oligopoly...or maybe it is if you dig into it.  My concern is collusion.  And denial of entry for a new player.  I've said before Thailand needs the ALDI chain to "keep the bust-rds honest...now more than ever! 

Barriers to entry and costs are likely high. Suspect that new (or low cost) competition unlikely.

Does anyone know what profit/loss Tesco made or declared on their SE Asian venture?

I first noticed Tesco/Lotus in 2000 when in southern Thailand. Never knew until then that they had any overseas investments/joint ventures. I don't care for Tesco/Lotus or Big C but do like the offering at Tops. Actually preferred Carrefour back in the day until Big C took over.

9 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

Been backwards and forwards from Swampy and Don Muang with my daughter last 10 days with both international and domestic flights.

Returned from DM to Khon Kaen this morning.  The departures board at DM at 9.30am showing flights until 12.30 (lunch ), out of 60 flights 23 had been cancelled across all airlines, screen changing very often with more departures cancelled.
My flight was 50% empty, only one person in the front rows.

 

Nice positive asessment "50% empty". Most would have said 50% full. Where's my glass?

Good to hear that your daughter was able to travel.

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

No way to know, and it would change anyway.

 

I might not choose to board at LHR if OZ cannot guarantee passage through ICN on to BKK. Otherwise you'll get stuck at ICN, with no bags potentially. Delay the return while trying to get an acceptable "certificate".

 

Or maybe opt to join the Thai airlift ex-Korea, and plan a 14-day quarantine in a potentially uncomfortable location (tent under the stands at Chang Stadium in Buriram).

 

 

After much concern it looks like I may just make it back to Bangkok intime (I'm on my scheduled flight below)...  

[Asiana Airlines]
(Correction notice) Regarding the reinforced immigration regulation of Thailand, required documents of health certificate and traveler's insurance document has been exempted only for OZ743/11MAR. Sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you.

3 minutes ago, zydeco said:

"This feller is A-OK Number One health!"

 

Signed,

 

Dr. David Livingstone.

Already done. Printed off form and filled it in by "The London Clinic" from "Dr. J Smith". What are the chances they will try to check?

6 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

does this include those that transit, ( say flying from the us to Thailand) via Seoul or HK?

20 minutes ago I received an email from Asiana Airlines stating medical cert needed. In just 8 hours time (must check-in within next 6 hours), I'm flying from London to Seoul and then connecting on to Bangkok. How are we supposed to get a medical certificate in such little time? As I'm only transiting the airport do the same restrictions apply. Very unclear. I guess I'll find out once at the airport.  

3 hours ago, SteveK said:

What about the hordes of Lao people who cross the border for a few hours to go to Makro? Or the hordes of Malaysians who cross the border to get drunk and engage with local ladies in Hat Yai then go back the next day? Are these all counted as tourists?

It would appear so. 

22 hours ago, Ventenio said:

This is all pre-corona.  

 

Can you imagine if it was a Brit, American, etc... who brought the Corona.  We would be finished. 

 

But now........we are in demand, again.... except we have a brain, so supply is lower than a bottomless pit.  

 

 

You are correct when you say "except we have a brain". Most westerners tend to think but most asians tend to follow. Follow the herd, keep up with the tour guide's flag, on the bus, off the bus, gem store, overcrowded island, crappy restauarant. Everything done for them. Westerners are prepared to research and ask questions. Maybe that's why so many are avoiding Thailand... 

1 hour ago, mick220675 said:

Many years ago our local police visited me at home and finger printed me. When I asked why they said many Thai woman are bad and kill foreigner, so we need your finger prints.

 

It made me think about my wife, could she be a killer?

But that's only useful if or when they find your body, the hands are still attached!

18 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Bogus police some years ago in Phuket my wife <deleted> them off and she took photo's of them and their truck, 

In the UK now there seems to be a lot of cop baiting going on with people filming their "interactions" with police and posting on YouTube (Crimebodge etc.). If real cops doing a proper job then I see no problem. How do the cops in Thailand take to being filmed at stops or interactions? Legality and issues in doing so? Anyone have any experience?

I'm currently at Swampy waiting for a flight to Europe transiting via Seoul, South Korea and hope to be able to return same way next week. The check-in lady was leafing through every page of my passport so I asked her what she was looking for. She told me it was to see if I had been to China recently (No). I asked her if there was a problem and she said "all ok, but you may not be able to come back". I asked why and she told me "everyone coming from 9 countries will have to quarantine - and that's if flights are not blocked". Fxxxxxg great! I reckon she must be a follower of Cxxx Anutin's Facebook. 

12 hours ago, smedly said:

All the medical expenses incurred will be borne by the individuals themselves

 

It takes "Medical Tourism" to a whole new level

 

I feel sorry for people that have planned a holiday here in the next 2 months - they will have lost everything

Maybe there'll be a new visa type for these medical tourists... "Quarantine on Arrival" Can be extended for 14 days no cost.

I use "retired managing director" and never been questioned on it. I'm 52 and still have businesses in the UK but are Thai Immigration (or other offices) bothered about it so long as one has the correct visa/extension and meet the criteria? 

On 2/26/2020 at 12:54 AM, Muhendis said:

I have been waiting since Christmas for cards and letters that I know were sent from UK. This year is worse than "normal" whatever that is.

Letters and cards sent from me in the UK to Khlong Sam, Pathum Thani never ever arrived despite clear and easy addressing. In the end gave up sending or would snap pictures before posting and then send the pictures if card had not arrived. Can only assume that postal workers reckoned on there being cash inside the envelopes.

I tried to do TM30 a couple of weeks ago using latest Chrome on Win10 (all updated). There kept coming back some errors despite everything input correctly. I then tried Edge with same result. Even tried a different PC and got same errors. Finally I remembered a few years ago having to use Internet Explorer (IE). There is an IE tab extension that can be added to Chrome. Did that, logged into TM30, entered all the info and it worked perefect. IE was good for me and can be fount at ietab.net

On 2/27/2020 at 10:25 AM, carabaothai said:

The worse here is not sex, it is

a hotel in Ao Nang, Krabi called immigration after spotting that two of their guests were on overstay.

 

 

What is the name of this friendly hotel?

 

I think they have been paid for the room so... overstay is not their business! 

The hotels get paid a "bounty" or some other benefits. How do I know this? In 2005 after being out of Thailand for 4 years, my ex and I checked in to a hotel in Songkhla and within 30 minutes she got a phone call from debt collectors chasing her. She had only just bought a new sim and number so the only way they could have got her number was from hotel front desk staff!