Lancelot

Same same but different. Thailand has better infastructure; the Filipinos (mostly) speak goodhe PI english and IMHO the PI is a bit more western orientated. Don't listen to those who say seven years is too soon to plan.

Go for it man

I flew here four years ago on NW with a one-way ticket, no visa. no problem whatsoever.

Last week I tried to fly (one way) BKK to Manila on Cebu Pacific, no dice.

One way tickets give maximum flexability with respect to return dates, but it is a crap shoot if the airlines will let you board or not.

The airlines are financially responsible to return you if you are denied entry at your destination (with a hefty fine on top of that in some countries). The CP employee was acting responsibly and you weren't, so stop playing the victim. You tried to take a short cut and paid the price.

Victim? Where in my post did I say that? Short cut? Low cost carriers make it difficult to change return dates, so one way tickets are prefferable.

I have flown to Thailand on a one way ticket- never a problem. Immigration never asks about the (return/onward) ticket. Air Aisa has never made it an issue.

Anyway, my post was for informational purposes.

I have traveled BKK-Philippines several times on Air Asia (BKK-KL-Clark/MNL) using one way tickets. I like the flexibility of one way tickets so that I can adjust my return date to my schedule. The seven hour BKK-KL layover is a bit long, so I decided to book with Cebu Pacific.

I have flown CP many times domestically in the PI and I felt that their service was a cut about some of the other low cost carriers. I thought I would try CP, since they had a direct BKK-MNL flight, saving me the seven hour layover at KL

No more!

Last night when I attempted to check in at the Q10 CP desk at Suvanabhumi, the agent asked for my return/onward ticket. I just smiled and said that my travel plans were ongoign and that I would purchase another oneway ticket back to BKK or go onwards via ship to Malaysia or Indonesia.

No deal.

I appealed as far as I could go (at the airport) but CP was not interested. They did not even have any refund forms available, so now I have to trudge down to their Silom office to request a refund to my credit card, less THB1,200 service fee.

Yes, their fine print states onward tickets are required by PI Immigration, but they have never, ever asked me for onward tickets at Clark.

So, a word to the wise, if you fly BKK-MNL, do have proof of a return or onward ticket!

FWIW, I am a US citizen, have a Thai retirement visa and many PI entrance/exit stamps in my passport.

Lance

I flew from Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Mai today on AirAsia. When passing from the departure hall to the outbound immigrations queue, an AirAsia agent was weighing everybody's hand luggage with a manual scale. He made every passenger with a bag exceeding the 7 kilogram limit go back and check that bag. I've flown with AirAsia a lot since 2004 (almost one hundred flights) and I have never encountered this enforcement of the weight limit for hand luggage. Not sure if this is a new policy of consistently enforcing this weight limit, just a random enforcement of the limit, or something that only pertains to ground operations at KLIA.

Anybody else with similar recent experience...?

Don't think that is a new rule. The 7kg limit has always been there. Read the fine print in Air Asia's T&C.

As for consistently enforcing the hand luggage weight limit, again this is not so based on my experiences flying Air Asia out of KL, Bangkok, Hanoi, Phnom Penh and Chiangmai.

This manual weighing of luggage at the check-in counter is most probably random and when it is done, the experience could be rather unsettling. It has happened to me in Hanoi once in October but the next time 3 weeks ago, it was not repeated.

It appears that this random enforcement of the hand luggage weight limit (7kg) is down to your luck. One way out of any possible hassle is (if travelling with others) to ensure your hand luggage does not exceed 7kg (find a weighing machine somewhere!) and shove the rest of your stuff into your checkin luggage and to do a group checkin of all you and your friends' luggage.

Last Aug I flew to Clark in the Philippines from BKK. I had a large backpack and was one kilo over the checked baggage limit. My carry on was anpother small backpack, but under the limit. The Air Asia ticket counter lady just smiled and said watch your carrry on weight because you are a little heavy. I passed through KL's Low Cost Terminal with no problems.

I also flew around the Philippines on Cebu Air (the best low cost carrier in SE Asia IMHO) again no problems at all.

Returning to BKK in October, I flew on Tiger Airways via Singapore. No check in problems at Clark. When I departed Singapore, the Tiger Airways representative at check in told me I was one kilo over and made me pay the outrageous rate of 30 SG$ per kilo for excess baggage charge. While boarding the airplane, I noticed many Chinese tourists with HUGE carry on bags, certainly exceeding th 7 kilo limit.

Had I been thinking, I would have refused the charges, grabbed a large poly bag from a shop and stuffed one kilo of checked luggage in to it.

Low cost carriers can save you money, but they will ding you with extra "Fees" at evey opportunity.

Lance

thanks for that

what about health certificate?

My first Retirement Visa application was in 2003 at Suan Plu Immigration in BKK. They never asked for a medical certificate. The Immigration officer was only concerned with me having 800k THB in a Thai bank.

Maybe I was lucky but I've never been asked for or provided a medical certificate.

But they always keep my original "Affidavit of Income" from the US Embassy, causing me another trip to Wireless Road and $30 USD for the notarised form.

I'd rather keep the original affidavit and provide Immigration with a B50 "Medical Certificate"

Lance

It is my understanding that if you go the 800,000 bhat route you do not need the letter from the embassy showing a monthly income. In other words it's either 800,000 bhat in the bank or a monthly income of 65,000.

Why did you get the letter from the embassy if you showed you already had 800,000 bhat?

Because I do not have 800K Thai baht in a Thai bank

thanks for that

what about health certificate?

My first Retirement Visa application was in 2003 at Suan Plu Immigration in BKK. They never asked for a medical certificate. The Immigration officer was only concerned with me having 800k THB in a Thai bank.

Maybe I was lucky but I've never been asked for or provided a medical certificate.

But they always keep my original "Affidavit of Income" from the US Embassy, causing me another trip to Wireless Road and $30 USD for the notarised form.

I'd rather keep the original affidavit and provide Immigration with a B50 "Medical Certificate"

Lance

Any body's thoughts and experiences and advice are appreciated as 2 recent visits to immigration here in BKK has left me confused so would be grateful for any feedback.

Currently I am here on a multi entry O VISA as I have wife and little child who are Thai living in our Condo we bought 5 years ago from funds remitted from the UK. My idea was to get extension to this ( rather than returning to UK as previously and getting a new one ) as ultimately I wish to have sufficient extensions to apply for residancy. As I still would like multi-entry facility without hassle of getting re-entry permit etc. Immigration yesterday say that for this extension the 400k in Thai bank is no longer accepted for an extension. Must show income of 40k per month. So first questions are:

1) Has anybody had a statement of income notarised at the British Embassy in BKK and what proof is needed ( I am aware the US Embassy only needs a sworn statement of income)

2) Given this proof of income will the extension, if granted, still be multi-entry ?

Alternativly the very nice man (not ) at Suan Plu advised that I should get a Retirement VISA as for this I only need to show 800k in Thai bank OR an income of 65k per month or a combination thereof. He repeated twice that I do not need a medical certificate. So questions here are:-

1) Reading other topics it appears that the monthly income requirement varies with age! i.e. 50 years it needs to be 65k/month - 55 yrs - 50k and for over 60 it is only 20k per month. Anybody advise the facts please especially is this to be net or gross figures paid in UK.

2) Is medical certificate required or not?

3) How easy is it to get re-entry permit and how much and with what hassle ?

4) Money has to be in my Bank or can it be a combination of mine and my wifes bank accounts and her shares in Thai companies?

5) Given a medical certificate is required, anybody suggest best place in BKK for getting this and what does it entail

And finally why is it that the authorities deem that I need 40k per month for O VISA to apparently to live on whereas if I was retired I need 65K ( or perhaps 50 if over 55 ? Do retired people need to spend more on imported Santogen or Viagra perhaps? I guess by 60 they assume what ever it is you are needing or doing you can't remember anyway so over 60's only need 20K per month to pay for the full-time 18 year-old nurse !!!

Dave

Hi Dave,

I am American and 54.

1) I have always reported a pension =/> 65,000 THB

2) I've never presented or been asked for a medical certificate (or police check for that matter)

3) Re-entry permits are easy to get at Suan Plu, just pay the fee and wait

4) I am single, don't know about combining assets.

5) Not required

Hope this helps,

Lance

Nice update. Thanx.

Couple questions:

You mention that the Embassy uses an exchange rate... So, is the Affidavit of Income reported in both dollars and baht (using, in this case, the 38-to-1 ratio you mentioned)? And, presumably, the US Embassy still doesn't require supporting documentation(?).

Your experience apparently is that you need a new Affidavit of Income every year? Did you also have a copy of the Affidavit -- but they insisted on the original?

Did Immigration want to see any supporting documentation in reference to the Affidavit?

Cheers.

1) Actually, the Embassy gave me a blank form, which I completed (I entered my pension in $USD) then returned to them for notarization.

2) Yes, new form every year. Yes, I had a copy Ugh!

3) No, immigration accepts the Affidavit with out supporting docs.

Lance

I suspect the poster is talking about the exchange rate used at Embassy when paying for the notary service is 38 baht.

Correct

Sawasdee krap!

Today, January 25, I renewed my retirement visa for the fifth time, and this year was the smoothest -and fastest- ever!

This morning at 10:00 am I arriveded at the US Embassy to get my "Affidavit of Income." This year I had to wait one hour and 10 minutes just to get the form notarised. They're not too concerned with customer service down there The Embassy is calculating baht at B38 = $1 USD.

Next I went to Bangkok Bank's main office on Silom and 5 minutes later I walked out with the form certifying my bank balance. In the past BKK bank always charged me B200 for the letter printed on a green stationary. This year they only charged me B100 and printed it on blue stationary, using the exact same format. Not sure why I received a discount, but I'm not complaining

I walked down Soi Convent, crossed the main road (forget the name) and hailed a motorcycle taxi to the Suan Plu Immigration office. The taxi driver charged me B20; a rip off but I was tired of walking...

Arrived at immigration at 1240 and got my que number. I filled out the forms while I was waiting at the US Embassy so it saved me a few minutes. My que ticket said there were 16 people before me, so I dashed off to the 90 day reporting section and took care of that task in about five minutes.

Back to the visa section (desks 12 to 22 if I remember correctly) and at 1300 some immigration officers were returning from lunch and the pace quickened. My number was called and I presented my docs; every thing in order and the clerk calculated my US pension (in baht) using B36 per $USD. My bank balance was B115k; and she had no problem with that. I asked to keep the original of my US Embassy "Affidavit of Income" but she refused. Worth a try anyway

Her supervisor checked my documents, smiled her approval and I dashed off, picked up a que ticket for my reentry permit. (I should have asked the supervisor if I could substitute a copy of the original pension affidavit, but I didn't.)

Paid B1,000 for a single re-entry stamp and collected my passport about 10 minutes later.

At 1400 I was walking out the door; one hour and twenty minutes for retirement renewal; 90 day reporting and a re-entry stamp.

Not bad

Lance

Why would a slim, lean and fit healthy Thai vendor need the aid of a knuckle duster, to smash the face of an elderley, frail, mild-mannered American tourist?

Because the Thai vendor was a coward. He could easily have called for the police to help him collect payment for the damaged goods...

I had a neighbour that constantly complained about the noise in my flat above his. One time he came bashing at the door at some ridiculous time in the morning and woke us up, so no noise in my place, invited him in to check for the party.

As I went back to bed, I did notice that there was some regular bumping noise coming from the wall. I guessed the sound travelled diagonally as well as horizontally.

Funny thing was the bloke would complain about my noise to the neighbor with the vibrating wall. Neighbour was confused as he knew I was away during the week when I was supposed to be making most of the noise. Complainer moved out to a house soon after, he decided he was not meant to live in a flat.

Exactly! The neighbor above me sometimes makes a racket and I think that is what Lek is hearing. My gf tried to explain that to her (Lek) but she wouldn't listen.

I think a full moon brings out the best in Lek....

Anyway, no outbursts since we spoke to the owner, but it's probably just luck

Why dont you just ask your girlfriend to ask her what the problem is?

I can borrow my wife for that. She is from the deep south and half chinese, if she opens the mouth there is burned land.

Still remember when the thai airlines complained that she has to much handlaguages.......

First she told her that she is not in the position to start speaking with her.

the end was a wai like only doing for the oldest monk and she could have uploaded a tank and a submarine and noone would notice that it is overweight seems their is a kind of cast system.

Other way is to keep a speaking knocking CD in the player when you leave for holidays and let your gf telling stories about ghosts in the room.

Can your wife be my advocate? LOL!

Perhaps, next time she comes banging on your door you open up with a video camera. This you then tell her you plan on showing to the police when you file a formal complaint against her.

Since your girlfriend is unwilling to deal with her then police is probably the best answer.

Too all,

Thanks for your ideas, I think video documentation is the best strategy. Lek isn't stupid and videoing her behavior would probably make her back off a bit. The first time she knocked on our door we were caught off guard with her behaviour. The next time we will be prepared.

Lance

I agree with SBK, I doubt she would pull this crap on a thai man & as she likes to abuse you in english in very low english words suggests she is doing it becuase you are a farang. If my husband is pissed with me he bitches about me in thai, thinking I don't understand My point it, why does she shout abuse in English, it isn't her first language so is doing it to make effect IMO.

I agree with making a shit load of noise route & start stomping around the flat & scraping furniture accross the floor. The when she comes knocking just open the door & shout at her to piss of & stop stalking you. If need be get your gf to call the police with a harrassment complaint. That'll shit her up.

She abuses us in Thai too, screaming out Ee dok tong! so my gf would hear. I was hoping my gf would slap her, but she (gf) isn't the violent type.

The building owner mentioned filing a police report too. Maybe that is the best way to go...

Lance

May be she has been watching too many thai soaps and thought for some weird way this is one way of making herself noticeable to you. I think she might got some “hot” for you but afraid to be hmm…too direct. You know how most asian drama go, many leading couples do not get along at first, but after much of the yelling & screaming at each other thoughout the story, at the end he finally found his true love with her and ended up dumping his ex. Ahh...happy ending isn't it?

Unless you got some “hot” for her too and don't mind chasing another chick,.......Otherwise best just ignore the bitch!...or give her Prozac!

Opinion of just another thai girl ka

Thanks Teacup, but I really don't think that she has the hots for me even if she did, after her outbursts I could never think of her romantically

But I agree that ignoring the bitch is good advise

Lance

I've got a feeling that Lek isn't getting any 'hot dog', if she was she wouldn't be so bothered about what you're getting up to.

Yeah, she's pretty in the outside, but not much inner beauty in that gal. She's easy to talk to, just say hi, then sit back and listen for 45minutes. As in "I did, I went, I think....) Leks 99% self absorbed.

Even with her good looks, she manages to scare away the guys...

After living in Thailand for over four years, the Thais are still a mystery to me...

Long story short, for the past three years, I've lived in a condo building with about 60% Thais and 40% farang and other asian nationalities. Last October I changed rooms and that's when the troubles began.

The day after I changed rooms, "Lek" the resident pool princess, stomped ever to my poolside table, and in front of three other people, started complaining about me making noise. It seems that my room is directly about hers and the racket is unbearable. She stomped off before I could ask her some questions, such as "what exactly am I doing to annoy you Lek?" Since I was moving in, maybe I did make some noise, but I certainly was not trying to annoy her in any way.

Anyway my Thai gf and I tried to be more quiet but we don't have parties, play loud music or wear shoes in the room so other than breathing, we were not sure how to accommodate Lek.

Lek is 28, doesn't work and just lounges at the pool all day; my gf is 33 and works at a bank. Maybe Lek's family is rich; if she's on the game, she is discreet about it.

In the past, my gf and I have known Lek well enough to say hi and even loan each other DVDs to watch. Never a cross word. Man, how things can change...

Sometimes when we are just relaxing (reading) in the room Lek has screamed F*** you! or ######!, but we've just ignored her. A few nights ago, some one was pounding on our door (we were wathing tv) I opened the door and Lek starts complaiing. She won't tell me what the specific problem is, so I politely closed the door on her. She stood outside and screamd F*** YOU! for about 5 minutes, then stomped off.

After that I spoke to the apartment owner alone and together with my gf. The owner was attentive, empathetic and said many "soothing" words, but didn't offer any real solution, just a real Oprah moment.

For a while I thought Lek was bi polar and off her medication, but now I think she is just a spoiled brat and used to intimidating/bullying people. I don't need this crap and I think I'll vote with my feet and switch buildings.

I've asked my gf how a Thai guy would respond to Lek's outbursts and she says most Thai men would only argue with Lek. I say most Thai guys would tell her to F*** off and slap her silly is she persisted.

So what do you think? How would a Thai guy respond to Lek? Anyone else ever have a nutty neighbor like Lek?

Lance

Went to Homepro to see if there were any alternatives to the 50W halogen spots all over my condo. Found none. Lingling; where have you seen those? In another country? (not talking normal energy saving bulbs).

Cheers!

Hey Man,

Can you run your Air Cons on alternative power like "Beer Chang"?

Just kidding...

Those 50W halogen lamps may be adding up... Try to determine your "base load" for a 24 hour period when not using your air con. (read you meter before and after.) Then do the same thing for a 24 hour period while using the air. Subtract the difference, then solve your problem.

According to MEA, http://www.mea.or.th/english/service-3.html you are paying less than 3 baht / kWh, a very good rate.

Also a lot of risk since it doesn't look like the gold in Asia. Probably better pawning it back home where they'll know it is gold.

Yep, the color of my ring -more brassy looking- is definately different from Thai gold.

Help!

I have a men's gold wedding ring, purchased in the USA (around 14k). I have been to several Bangkok gold shops, asking if they wanted to buy it, but they simply aren't interested.

I know that the ring is not "pure" like most Thai gold, but don't they melt some jewelry and extract the gold?

With gold reaching ever higher prices, I thought that this would be a good time to sell. Has anyone had any success in selling (non Thai/Asian) gold jewelry in Bagkok?

Thanks,

Lance

Time for a top tip I think. When you use the atm, withdraw 900 baht rather than 1000 or 3900 etc. Artful eh

The man is right. I always get B1,900 or 3,900, etc.

Just press "Withdrawl" Select "Savings" or "Current" account, then enter your desired amount in multiples of B100.

The Sky Train is also a good place to get change. And it is always a good idea to say "nung pan baht" (one thousand baht) when presenting a 1,000 baht note for payment.

Lance

Doesn't Immigration keep the original? If they do, then this means a copy must me used. Does Immigration accept a copy when extending?

jb

I just renewed my Retirement Visa at Bangkok and Immigration has always kept the original of my "Pension" letter from the US Embassy. I only had 250k in my Thai savings account (and have not topped it up or added to the balance since 2003) and no problems what so ever.

In my experience, Immigration is the most interested in seeing my (new) Pension letter from the US Embassy. I've never been asked for a medical certificate either.

Lance

I retired early, currently I am 53 and this is my third year in Bangkok. Drinking (I like beer) is an easy habit to fall into, so on January 1, I joined the local gym. Working out five times a week is a good antidote to drinking-I don't want to drink too much the night before because I am looking forward to my next trip to the gym.

I also love to read, chat with some friends, fellow retirees, at the condo pool and travel. Usually I'm never bored, but if I do feel a bit blah, I just hop on a train or bus and explore Thailand.

Studying a language is also a good way to keep focused and "moving forward."

I'm also considering splitting my time up a bit, say six months in Thailand (asia) and six in South America. But then I'm single and love to travel so maybe that's not an option for everyone.

Lance