Tessellation

Hold on to power indefinitely? Ask Saddam and Gaddafi how well that worked out for them. You're only allowed to hold on to power indefinitely until those folks with drones, Tomahawk missiles, and advanced Electronic Warfare systems decide to upset the apple cart (or Somtom cart in this case).

I've no real opinion here, just a casual observer of events on the world stage.

Or ask Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI how well that worked out for them. Those folks with pitchforks and torches can have a substantial say in things as well, when they choose to.

Unfortunately, as time marches on, apathy and modern distractions (Facebook, Line, etc) tend to benefit the (seemingly) powerful and blind the (seemingly) powerless.

How many Thais will pay as much attention to what Prayuth says as they pay to their phones and pictures of their food?

Which is not to say only Thais are like this. Most modern nations have populations which are being kept by forces beyond their will, and this is largely due to their own disinterest and apathy.

The question isn't "when" Prayuth will be out of power, but "how". The best answer to this is a promising future in a society's self determination. The worst answer is a nightmare repeated time and time again.

The sheep may well deserve the shepherd...or the wolf if they choose.

OP - First of all, very sorry you're dealing with all of this, it sounds very difficult. Stay strong and don't let it get you down...you're not the first person this has happened to.

Listen to the advice people are giving you here. What is happening to you is very common, and they've heard it all before. Some have probably even gone through the same things, plenty of TV members have.

I can't speak from personal experience. I'm VERY lucky in my relationship here, but its generally agreed upon that my experience is rare. I've read plenty of accounts that sound exactly like yours. Its not your fault, but you need to keep your eyes open and read the experiences of others so you'll know what you can expect.

Keep your spirits up, protect yourself and your children however you can, and take the advice of TV members to heart. They may not always be right, but they're coming from a place of wisdom and compassion (even when they sound a bit negative). Whatever you do, don't assume that anything is what your wife and her family make it seem. All too often, these things are planned and intentional on the part of the Thai spouse.

I hope everything works out for the best.

There are lots of good resources here and other places online where you can get more detailed information, but here is the overview.

One option is to take a visa run service. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post referrals here, but if you google "thai visa run" you'll come up with a few companies. They are generally good, though you'll endure a longish bus ride to Vientiane. Most have packages available that include a bus ride, hotel, and help applying at the consulate. For someone new to all of this, it can be a rather good option.

Another option is to do it all yourself. This takes more planning, but it isn't terribly difficult. I'd recommend a train to Nong Khai from Bangkok (or your nearest train station). From Nong Khai, you'll take a taxi to the Friendship bridge and cross into Laos. You'll get a Laos visa on arrival, which costs around $35, at their entry point. Then take a bus service into Vientiane, get a hostel or hotel, and chill (unless you can get to the Thai Embassy in time to drop your application). The next day, take the required documents to the Thai Consulate, and submit your application and the visa fee there. If you're approved (practically guaranteed if you've only had 1 prior visa) then you'll pick it up the next day during pick-up hours. After that, you'll have the visa and you can stay in Vientiane at your leisure until you'd like to return to Thailand (you have 90 days to activate the new visa, so no need to hurry). You'll probably enjoy seeing Laos, and if its up your alley might want to take a trip outside of Vientiane to go float the river, explore, etc. This is the same basic process for any visa run to any neighboring country, although Vientiane is the ideal choice for getting a double entry tourist visa.

I have always done my nearby visa stuff in KL, Malaysia, which is nice because there is no visa needed for Americans so you'll save $35, but I'm not sure about getting a double entry visa there, so if you want double entry I'd highly recommend Vientiane.

Other options include taking a train to Penang Malaysia, which is a cool little town with great street food, but again, not sure how much they give out the double entry visa.

All in all, I'd recommend taking a visa run service to Vientiane. It will make it very easy for you, and you'll learn the process with someone from the agency there to help along the way. They will also advise you on the documentation needed, and help with photos and photocopies if you need them. Really a great option for beginners. In the future, if you decide to stay in Thailand longer, you'll know how it all works and make your own Visa run adventure then.

I'm really unsure about posting links that advocate companies here, so I'll send you a private message with the link to the service I've used in the past. Their website will list all of the costs and paperwork required (very little is needed for tourist visas). You can probably find reviews of the various visa run agencies somewhere on ThaiVisa, but they'll probably all be the same.

Check out the link I send you and feel free to get back to me with any more questions you have.

Cheers

If you've only used one double entry tourist visa, you have lots of options!

You can still go to Vientiane for another double entry tourist visa, and likely another one in 6 months after that...and quite likely more in the future, though perhaps you'll need to get them from a different location.

Depending on your nationality, you may qualify for visa exemptions which you will get by leaving the country and returning. These are good for up to 30 days (depending on your nationality) and can be extended for another 30 days in country at immigration offices for a fee.

ED Visas are certainly an option, but not the cheapest option unless you are really interested in learning Thai anyways.

If you're mostly interested in an extended tourism/vacation here, just go get another double-entry tourist visa. That's the most cost effective option.

What is your nationality? What are you hoping to do while you're here? The more information you can give, the better the TV community can advise you on your options.

The good news is I was right and I get to say "I told you so" yet again to all my Thai friends (that's all my friends, I still don't know any other expats here) who didn't believe me when I predicted this slow evolution into hard dictatorship BEFORE the coup actually happened. I'm actually surprised how right I was, and it makes me feels smart and important (that part is sarcasm).

The bad news is...I was right... :-/

My next prediction: IF Prayuth actually leaves and doesn't hold onto power indefinitely with an iron grip, he'll only leave once he's amassed hundreds of millions of US dollars like every other Thai leader who has come to power after a coup.

Look up the fortunes amassed by the leaders instilled by coups in the past. Mind blowing amounts of money. Leading coups in Thailand is apparently a good business model. (I'm not talking about people like Thaksin and Suthep who made fortunes outside of their political activities.)

I can only wonder if he'll go so far as to insert the Prime Minister position into the lese majeste laws so that he can punish any and all detractors with impunity. Unfortunately, it seems like a logical next step for him to consolidate power, and would be easy to pass with his hand selected parliament members.

In other news: "I for one welcome our new insect overlords!" - K Brockman

The rules for motorbikes are based on 125cc. Bigger bikes are relatively cheap and more available now. Live in a small non tourist place and saw two Ducati in an hour, second one ridden by a 15 year old school kid. Two school kids on a Ducati Monster, Thailand. The fine for being stopped is so low as is the chance of being stopped. Do not suggest breaking the law but what is the law.

Where are you from originally? Big bikes in Thailand cost about 3 times the price they would be in the USA. Yes, there are a few cheap-ish used ones, but they are generally ragged out and not something I'd want to purchase. I've seen 20+ year old Honda Bros 400s sold here for almost the same price as a brand new Honda CBR500R in the USA. I've seen used Thai Ducati's listed at 1.5X their new retail price in the USA. Ninja 300, old model, high kms, priced the same as a brand new on in the USA.

A Ducati is a nice enough bike, not my favorite but they're nice, but many of them in Thailand are Frankensteins from 10 different wrecked bikes with a cheap coat of paint on top, or have motors on the verge of collapse. New ones are highly overpriced and face extremely high taxes as well.

(Sorry, slightly off topic but relevant to the quoted post)

You can't technically get a visa on arrival.

You have 2 options:

A. If you're entering by air, you will be exempt from needing a visa for 30 days. Near the end of that 30 days, you can go to an immigration office and extend your exemption for another 30 days for a small fee. If you do this you will be covered for the duration of your stay.

OR

B. You CAN get a Thai tourist visa from another country in SEAsia before you arrive. You will have 90 days to activate this visa, so get it less than 90 days before you arrive. Its easy and simple, especially easy in Vientianne and Penang, but you can do it in any SEAsian country easy enough.

The price of the Tourist Visa is almost identical to the price of the exemption extension, so its your choice which you prefer.

For option A you will need to spend a few hours in Thailand getting the extension to add 30 more days at immigration.

For option B, you will need to spend a few hours going to the Thai Embassy (in whichever country) to apply for the tourist visa, and then picking it up the next day. You won't need to get an extension to cover your estimated time here, but you can get an extension if you like.

NOTE:

If you're entering by land, you will only be exempt for 15 days at first. I'm not sure how long you can extend a 15 day exemption, but even if it is for 30 more days you will be barely covering your planned visit duration. I do not recommend this option.

Having done ALL of these myself, I recommend getting a Tourist Visa from another SE Asian country during your travels. Its easy, there are many services that can help you do it if you want to make it even easier, and it will give you 60 days with the option for an additional 30 days extension, so if you decide to stay in Thailand another week or another month longer than you currently plan, you'll be covered.

spelling out the new conditions and penalties

Raising awareness of proposed new conditions and penalties that never went into effect

Raising awareness of established conditions and penalties that can go into effect any time they want to enforce it against an individual, for whatever reason they choose. Just because they haven't chosen to enforce it yet does not mean they aren't already enforceable. Just because they let people slide it doesn't mean the rule isn't legitimate. Exceptions do not imply exemption.

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Lol the clinic i went to checked my chest and that's it i remember seeing the list of what is to be checked which the doc signed 200 baht ty mr.

yes listened to my chest and took blood.

The time before I only sent the motorbike taxi to a doctor and he gave me the certificate.....

Was this in Bangkok? Recently? Can you recommend the clinic? I'd love to do it this cheap and easy, I'm just worried I will waste my time if Ministry of Labour says "no, must be hospital" or some such. If this has worked for you recently, that's good news for me.

Same thing happened to me when I came back from Seoul last summer, almost exactly as you describe, but I didn't get a red stamp. In my case, I had arrived the first day of the "crackdown", and the officer was trying to enforce the "new regulations" which came up then. Her superior officer decided that since I had a fresh double entry tourist visa from Seoul, she should just let me through. I had a fairly long overstay prior to that, which was a cause for her scrutiny. She asked me "what are you doing in Thailand" about 15 times in the 20 minutes it all took to get through. They clearly thought that my many tourist entries and the prior overstay looked like I was working illegally.

Its based on the total time you've spent in the country, not how many exemptions you've used (as there is no legal limit on the exemptions). Its part of weeding out the illegal workers and such, and some normal people get caught in the net. I'm not sure how often they actually refuse entry.

Now that I am planning to work here, I've recently gotten a non-b visa, and was passed right through immigration with no hassles.

Its all to do with suspicion that you're working illegally, and stems from changes made last summer (aka "the visa crackdown").

I still don't understand the significance of signing the acknowledgment of overstay... If you sign and overstay, are they going to find your signature and and be extra angry compared to someone who has been overstay since before this new law tried to squeeze in? No signature.. What does it mean!!

"You can't say we didn't tell you so" sums it up. Avoids bad publicity/PR, lawsuits, etc from indignant overstayers faced with a ban. Its the same at many jobs, you'll sign paperwork saying "I've read my employee handbook and understand all company rules, regulations, and what is expected of my job performance". Believe it or not, there are legal reasons for this in nuances of international law.

Bureaucracy: "Welcome to the machine."

Its not really a "new" policy, its been around for almost a year now. I was concerned about it when I payed an overstay fine last summer.

from what Ubonjoe says i believe he is right. It just shows you what no one is really running these places. Having people signing laws that dont exist - posting said laws on their website etc.

Its real cowboy stuff

I would say regulations/policies, not "laws" (yes they are often the same thing, but not always). I don't know about Phuket, but Cheang Wattana in BKK is very defined and consistent in my experience dealing with them over a broad range of topics.

I see correct? You have 1 day overstay and get caught by police and will be banned 5 years?

Only if you're "apprehended". If you turn yourself in at a border, it would be 90+ days overstay to get a 1 year ban.

Overstays have always had this distinction. If you turn yourself in you pay the fine, if they catch you before you get to the border it would likely mean jail. This "new" policy is being planned similarly.

Like many things in government policies (for many governments around the world) this might be a case of having the regulations in place IF they feel they need/want to enforce it in the future, or in specific scenarios.

Lucky for overstayers, they're erring on the side of non-enforcement, so there's not much to complain about. (Who is going to complain that they overstayed and DIDN'T get banned for 1+years??)

I think that if there were certain conditions, such as a particularly undesireable person that they didn't want back in the country after a long overstay, then they would use these regulations to have a legitimate reason to ban the person from Thailand for a period.

As another poster has said, Chaeng Wattana in BKK asks (at least some) people to sign a form acknowledging these regulations, and they have signs posted explaining them.

My experience is limited to BKK, but I can say I've personally never heard of it being enforced yet.

Lung X-Ray ? I have never been asked for one of those ?

Yeah, I thought it sounded odd, but it was on the list of testing reqs that the Ministry of Labour gave my employer when they asked what kind of checkup testing I needed. I've never heard of it anywhere else. I'm planning to avoid that bit unless absolutely necessary.

...then you read about the jabs....'Duh, why was he carrying so much cash around'.....

...bottom line is...most foreigners try to comply with all these rules and regulations....

...but when they are arbitrary....it makes it near the impossible....

The rules aren't arbitrary in most cases, only their enforcement is. If you prepare in compliance with the rules, you'll be prepared if they enforce them, it won't matter if they don't.

Nobody at immigration will ever ask you why you're carrying 20k baht or the equivalent on your when you pass through. They'll never check your wallet. In most nations I've visited, you only need to report cash if you're carrying $10,000 USD or more.

Bottom line is this:

The official requirement is that an individual is asked to carry 20k baht or equivalent currency with you as proof of funds to enter Thailand. They very rarely ask, but it does happen (I've seen it happen twice to others a few times over the last few years, never happened to me). If you have the money and they don't ask, you'll still get in and they won't know or care that you have that amount on you. If you don't have the money and they ask, you're likely to be turned away to an ATM machine. This can be problematic if you can't withdraw that much in one day (per your bank's limits) or if you're stuck in a transit zone between countries and there is no ATM available.

Check classified on Thai Visa, BahtSold, and...maybe craigslist? Many condo towers have rental listings on their own websites as well.

How "long term" are you looking for? 1-3 months? A year?

My condo tower has a lot of independently owned listings advertised on a bulletin board near the entrance, but you'd need to sign in with the door guards to find it.

Probably best to start searching closer to the time you're seriously ready to lease one. Anything you find now might be taken by the time you get here.

You can check the links here as well:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/715264-condos-for-sale-and-rent-in-bangkok-from-thaivisa/

This is clearly a troll post and youre all falling for it.

Its probably a troll post, but it is a real situation that a thousand dumb schmucks have found themselves in before, so there's no real way to know.

Kind of a brilliant troll in that regard...

No-one has yet given me the legal reason why this cannot be done.

When I go back to Europe I do not get any stamps to show that I have entered or exited Europe. Thailand has no problem with this. when I come back. They don't look for stamps in my passport.

So why would they suddenly start looking for stamps from Singapore, Hong Kong or KL?

The very fact that I would be arriving on an international flight (complete with my boarding pass matching the manifest) shows them that I have been outside of Thailand. Why would they want to know more than that?

The LEGAL reason is that it is the requirement of Thai Immigration. Thems the rules.

Could you get away with it in certain circumstances? Possibly.

If you show them a boarding pass from Singapore/HongKong/KL, and if you're not from that country, then they'll be looking for the stamp into/out of that country.

But I still wonder why you would bother with all this when you could just do it the right way in Malaysia. If you're going back to your own country, then you can explain. If not, then whats the big deal about stamping in/out before you turn around? Seems like much ado about nothing...

The official rules of Thai Immigration are that you have to enter another country before you can return. They do check, but you might be able to get away with it. It may be possible in some airports, but in many airports you won't get to the departure area without entering through the local immigration first.

"However, as there is no visa fee to be paid to enter Malaysia (or Singapore or Hong Kong), is there any legal reason why one cannot use these countries as a transit stop only for a visa run?"

If there is no visa fee for you, why are you opposed to going through Malaysian immigration and then turning around to return to Thailand the right way? Why try to beat the system for no reason?

If I were you I would fly to Penang, pass through Malay immigration, and then return on your flight back to Thailand. Alternatively, you could fly to Penang, enter through Malaysia, and then return to Thailand on a train from Butterworth.

"Going to Cambodia (Phnom Penh) to make the Tourist visa there. The question is, is there a difference in which country do i make a Tourist visa? Will they make it, or it will still be counted as the 4th consecutive visa and I will not receive it? If denied, then for how long i need to stay out of Thailand to be able to get Tourist visa?"

Vientiane and Penang are usually considered the easiest places to get visas.

When I lived in Phnom Penh I went with friends to the Thai embassy there and they were VERY rude and strict about giving out visas. I've heard the same thing from others as well.

If Vientiane is not giving you a visa, then I'm not sure Cambodia will be any nicer...it will be up to fate. Just my opinion.

Your best bet might be to go to Penang instead. It is a very busy location with many people making visa runs there, and in my experience the embassy staff are friendly. There are also MANY hostels in the Georgetown area (Chulia Street) that offer Thai Visa services. Maybe a visa service there will have more luck getting you a new tourist visa than you going alone? As far as I know, Russians don't need a visa to enter Malaysia, so no stress there. Trains to Penang (via Butterworth) run daily.

I've always heard 3-6 months is the time away from Thailand needed before they will consider you for tourist visas again, but like all things in Thailand this is up to the immigration officer you meet.

​Did they put a "red stamp" in your book when they told you it was your last entry? Any kind of mark in your passport noting that you won't be allowed back soon?

The last resort option is to get a new passport. This might be easier back in Russia, as passports are usually only replaced in foreign countries if they are damaged or lost ...which requires filing a basic police report or getting your damaged passport to your country's embassy. Be sure to research this carefully to ensure you make the right choice. I don't know the details for Russians, as I'm American.

So any of the Lao or Cambodia borders do not have this practice?

Please explain what you need to do? Visa entry activation, visa exempt, etc.

It doesn't matter the purpose. Immigration officials can ask for proof of funds from foreigners for ANY type of entry into Thailand at ANY border. Its never happened to me, but it does sometimes happen to people. Always better to be prepared.

As nzexpat said, you'll be fine on a visa exempt entry for 30 days. Just show up to the border and they'll let you through.

I've never been asked for the proof of funds, ever, in my many Thai border crossings, but its always better to have it just in case. Apparently the requirement is cash, not atm slips, not bank statements.

If you take a bus from PP, don't believe the bus reps if they tell you it costs money (though if you enter through Poipet it might be worth paying a few bucks if they can get you through the line faster. I've done it both ways, it was worth it to pay on one occasion, usually I don't. Only trust bus agents, and follow them with your passport, as many many scams abound in Poipet.)

If your bus routes you south through the Koh Kong border crossing, be extra careful of scams. Its a quiet border and very few westerners cross there. If you pay for something and need change made, its possible the person will disappear and you'll never get your change.

Be prepared for possibly extra long bus rides back to PP from BKK when you make your visits. BKK to PP took 20 hours once, much longer than PP to BKK takes. Not always, but it does happen.

A "visa exempt entry" allowing a stay of up to 30 days (extendable by another 30 days at a cost of 1900 Bht. at an immigration office) is available at no cost.

Is this new? I thought it was only 7 additional days that you could get?

Yes, kind of new (a few months ago).

Long time reader, first time posting. Hi.

I've read all the threads that I could find on this topic but all information is pretty old and very conflicting, so I have some questions and think an update to this subject might be helpful to others as well.

I need a medical exam for my work permit application. I am located in Bangkok.

I can confirm that currently the Ministry of Labour in BKK is asking for the following tests:

- Leprosy

- Tuberculosis

- Elephantiasis

- Lung X-Ray

- Addictive Substances

- Syphilis

3 questions:

1. Is it still possible to go to clinics for this checkup, or are hospitals mandatory now? (recent info for BKK please)

2. Can anyone recommend a clean, reputable, cheap place in Bangkok that will be accepted by the Ministry of Labour?

(I've been quoted 1200-1500 baht at the few hospitals I've called. I'm hoping for 350-600 baht, as I've read in older threads.)

3. Do clinics/hospitals actually perform Lung X-Rays in their checkups??

(I've never read of this requirement in past threads, I'm not a fan of getting x-rays I don't need...)

I'm not too picky as long as the place is sterile (fresh needles used) & can communicate in English, but it would be great to find a place near an MRT/BTS station & bonus points if it is in/near Chatuchak.

A private hospital for 600 baht would be ideal, but any recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any information or advice I receive!

I'll come back to this thread to report my experience after I get my checkup.