koolbreez

There is a whole other side to what is going on, and what is being said, that most have no awareness of, when you actually look at what Thailand is doing concerning THC legalization, and the research. Thailand has let the free market work fully in the cannabis industry, just heavily requiring everyone involved be licensed, with licenses very easy to get, including export licenses. Last year was the first full year of data, including business tax payments, and particularly the total revenue those taxes represented. The tax filing deadline was March 31st. This particular date has plenty of significance concerning the April 1st. 2025 date mentioned. At that point there will be two full years of data, showing the actual monitory value of both domestic, and export, sales revenue. In a very passive comment, that was mentioned of bt1.2billion revenue last year. One thing that has been going on is countries in South East Asia that tourists come from visiting Thailand have been trying to pressure Thailand into ending recreational sales, as returnees are high, and a number of them smuggling back small amounts. Thailand puts out propaganda pieces, like statements from the last health Minister, mentioning the end of the year as closing recreational sales, as that was the end of the data collection year in other areas, like accidents, hospital admissions, and such. Now when that timeframe ended they changed ministers and set another date, in 2025, that just happens to be at the end of this tax year data. Now as far as Thaksin's involvement, and he's been involved longer than most think. Anutin doesn't make it to a deputy prime minister position without Thaksin's full approval. That indicates Anutin has a long association with Thaksin. To the point that when Anutin was minister of health Thaksin was consulted. This is a classic case study of free market enterprise. Shops aren't going anywhere, and other countries can look at Thai history of how many times they let outside countries influence what they do. Thailand always does what is in their best interest, and always have.

6 minutes ago, MrPancake said:

 

Bad for business.

You seem to think you are entitled to stay here long term because you are thinking you can use a loophole in what you think is the law. Any official reference concerning law that this that you find will also say at the discretion of immigration. When they decide you are trying to stay long term as a tourist then you experience exactly what you experienced. Immigration isn't stupid, and this has been going on for over a decade. It's not new. Also, when immigration decides you aren't entering they don't arrest you. You simply are refused entry and go back where you came from to get the correct visa.

On 1/12/2024 at 3:19 PM, ABCDBKK said:

We laugh, but BW is still heavily consumed throughout Thailand. 
 

I don't know why any grower would commit their resources to growing it though when they can grow high quality stuff and sell it for 10X the price. 
 

Presumably the growers of BW are just throwing seeds in the ground in an open area and are not putting any effort into cultivation...

 

Do not forget that before it became legal in Thailand, it was grown in Lao, and suggled in and distributed by the mafia. That did not go away just because it became legal in Thailand. Its still the brick weed it used to be, just cheaper.
 

Because of what happened last time this was done, the last government put the stipulation that the certificates of use could not be sold or transferred, preventing any foreclosure on the land for planting and growing loan default. Being poor they have very limited loan services available, and it takes money to raise a crop. A few major land owning corporations set up loan programs, then after a few years, when they defaulted on the loans, they foreclosed, and sharcropped the land back to them so they could continue to farm, but with a big slice taken out as the fees. This new titling of the agro land, with the right to transfer title is another setup to gain more government land by a few individual corporations, the same way they did it before. The poor farmers will be much worse off.

I have a type O Visa based on marriage, and I do not have to leave the country to extend it for another year. I am completely confused why you are going to all the trouble of leaving the country to extend this visa when you do not have to. Simply go to local immigration office with all your documents, and it is bt400k not bt200k, and get your extension for bt1900. You apply with all your documents,  then pick the extension up in 30 days at the same office. Been doing this for years. 

From my understanding crossing at a land border was only good for a 14 day visa exempt stamp, or is it 15 days, I can't remember. If you cross at say Vientaine to go get a tourist visa, you shouldn't be affected, if you qualify for the visa. If you are a backpacker crossing to go to another country more than two times on your trip then you are in trouble if you can not qualify financially for a tourist visa. I am not sure what the consequences will be if you have a plane ticket flying out of Bangkok, and you have crossed  the land borders more than two times. That one will be interesting, especially if they can not qualify for a tourist visa to get back in the country.

In the OP, and concerning Bangkok Bank, depositing through the NY exchange, you are all missing one very important factor to reduce fees. You must open a FCD (foreign currency deposit) account with Bangkok Bank, and a personal account. It costs more initial deposit (in the actual foreign currency you want to open the account in) to open the FCD account, $1000 in American dollars for an American dollar account, and there is a minimum balance requirement $250 (drop below this and there is a $10 monthly fee), but it saves all these currency exchange fees PayPal, or any other bank charges trying to send Thai baht when you use American dollars initially. Not all Bangkok Bank branches will set up an FCD, only the main branch in any area.

In my case I transfer American dollars into my Bangkok Bank FCD, with a charge of $5, or $10 transfer fee from the NY branch, and a bt200 minimum charge by my Thai branch, then when I want to withdraw Thai baht, I convert it in-bank online and transfer it to my personal account, with the current, up to the minute, TT exchange rate. Currently it is costing me $10.56 to get $1000, and Friday's exchange rate was bt35.97 to the dollar. The only other restriction is you can only do FCD transactions during regular business hours of the Thai bank.

When you send American dollars to your Bangkok Bank FCD account through the NY branch from PayPal, make a withdrawal from PayPal, there is no charge on PayPal's end.

Once you get your money into your FCD at Bangkok Bank, then you can change some into Thai baht and transfer it to any other bank account, at any other bank in Thailand for a bt50 fee. This is conciderably cheaper than WU, or Moneygram, costing only about $11 for $1000 transfer from the USA through Bangkok Bank with a FCD account.

With internet banking, everything can be done online once the account is set up, except, through the cell phone app you do not have access to your FCD, only your personnal account. You can only access your FCD account from a regular computer.

Bangkok Bank now uses the chip embedded ATM smart card, so at present it can only be used at Bangkok Bank ATM machines, as they are the only bank that has this feature in all their ATM machines.

Today, my taxi driver I got at the MBK taxi queue out the bottom floor door in the back, and one I've used many times in the past with no problems, immediately turned off the air conditioner, rolled up all the windows, and while driving said "air costs bt100 extra", referencing he would not turn on the airconditioner unless I paid him an extra bt100, and he had locked the windows so they couldn't be rolled down.

I was thinking this was just a rouge driver, but two hours later my Thai girlfriend had the same thing happen to her, so it isn't targeting just foreigners.

Both times there was no problem turning on the meter, but for the airco it was an extra bt100, and no rolling down the windows. Has anyone else had this taxi cab scam happen to them just recently anywhere else, as this is the first time I've heard or experienced it in the 12 years I've been here? They turn on the meter, but now want extra money, during this starting hot season, to turn on the AC. I called the complaint line, but they were at a loss as to what to do, because the driver did turn on the meter, and there were no threats, or anything done that would have been technically illegal.

Certificates of Residence should not be required for anyone who has a current 90-day report receipt in their passport. It's a waste of resources at immigration that could be devoted to more important functions like the processing of visas and extensions. The same applies to getting a driver's license. A utility bill or recent cable or internet bill should be sufficient to show where you live, just like in most countries.

That is exactly what the main drivers license office in Bangkok, across from ChatuChak market accepted from me, both this year when I renewed, and the year before when I first got my Thai drivers licenses, my True, and TOT bills, that clearly have my address on them, and that the bills get delivered to. They never once asked for a certificate of residence when I showed them those bills, on both occasions.

You lead us to believe you plan on making Thailand your home. To do that effectively, you should know the language, both speaking, and possibly writing, to about the 6th grade level. It opens up the whole world around you, that you are choosing to live in, and gives you endless possibilities on where you can be comfortable living. It is easier living in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Pattaya, without knowing that much Thai, but venturing out of these tourist based cities to live become a challenge without knowing the langauge.

For this reason, I suggest you spend at least your first year going to language school, to seriously learn the language, and not as a scam to just get a long stay visa, although you do get an ED visa extendable for about a year and a half the first time. The long term benefits in doing this, and even up to the point that you can pass the grade 6 exams in both speaking and writing, are exponential in your job choices, and wages, given you have an advanced degree.

The best teaching jobs are in the universities, and getting a teaching certificate in Canada before you come here, instead of a TEFL certificate, opens up those chances, depending on your degree field. Thailand wants foreign teachers, working in their career field, and pays good for those meeting the teaching requirements. You say you already have an advanced degree, so getting a teaching certificate only involves less than a year, and it can mean the difference of working where you want, making good wages, or being stuck in a dump making peanuts, illegally, depending on a heavy tutoring load to meet bills.

It is no secret that most men that move here, or even consider moving here permanently, do so because of the ease in finding compatible companionship, no matter what your age, or preferences, it is all here. Pattaya is a trap in that respect, as it feeds, and corruptly lives on those needs. By learning the language, and getting out of the tourist areas, you get away from those traps, and find those truly looking for honest loving long term companionship. I use the working "companionship", instead of marriage, as your needs aren't known to us, but getting out of the corrupted tourist areas can truly open your eyes to what is really available in Thailand, long term, without those around you always trying to rip you off.

There are a few free websites, and then social media, that cater to single individuals of all ages finding companionship. A lot of Thais don't have time for, or like, the traditional bars, and other meeting places to find companionship, so they turn whole heartedly to the internet.

Just some things to think about in your planned move here. It is a great place to live, if you can do it legally.

With the new foreign worker laws in place, and the long grace period they gave those regional immigrants to comply, they have in deed actively pursued overstay by foreign workers. What is surprising is that they never imposed the new reentry restrictions on you, that have been in place for almost a year, with big signage posted at all immigration offices frequented by foreigners. With a one year overstay you should have been barred from entry for 10 years. This new overstay restriction starts at 90 days of overstay being barred for 1 year, and progresses up to the max of a 10 year ban at one year or more overstay.

Someone read the reason for me it says insufficient funds. But the officer really got angry when i couldnt read thai. I had 9k baht on me a business world mastercard fully loaded and a kasikorn atm. I believe only cash counts. If i had enough cash i believe he would have said something else.

I find it highly suspicious that after a previous poster mentioned the insufficient funds stamp placed in his passport, that turned up as your stamp. That stamp does not bar a person from future entry. Also after having gone to a similar caliber language school myself when I first got here (as most real language school students do), it is highly suspicious the OP couldn't have at least read, and spoken most of the names of the Thai letters shown to him after 6 months in school, and spoken some (formal, not bar) Thai to the agent, that a person learns in school. I doubt the immigration agent expected the OP to be fluent, just show him enough basic formal school Thai fluency that a question of actually going to school was erased.

I think there is more going on here to make the immigration agent suspicious of long term stay on improper visas than is being reported by the OP. He has a car, and a Thai bank account after-all? How long has he actually been in Thailand before he went to Thai language school? He says he speaks Thai, so why go to school to learn to speak Thai, and not learn the basics of reading and writing Thai, that he doesn't understand?

I am confused about one thing when he exited Thailand. He states that he never went to school because he already spoke Thai, so he seemed to not be aware he had to extend the visa every 90 days, with paperwork from the school saying he was attending, and in fact the visa had been expired for quite some time after 7 months, and no 90 day extensions. With no extensions the agent seems correct in denying him entry under that visa, and given his length of stay, refused him entry on an exemption stamp. What I'm confused about is why he never was charged overstay fees when he left for HK, as his visa had been expired for about 4 months at that point. It might have been a costly oversight by immigration, but hard to believe.

What address did you use on your last 90 day? That will be the most recent one they have in their computer system, and anything different could raise questions.

Listen to the agency. Whether you get an exemption stamp at the border is all up to the immigration person handling you at the time of entry. If he suspects you are living permanently in Thailand on tourist visas, and exemption stamps, he will refuse you entry. It is all a gamble by how the immigration agent feels about you by the history in your passport, and by the questions he might ask you. With your history the visa run agency isn't willing to take a chance with you being able to return with them to Thailand without a trip to a Thai embassy to get a real tourist visa.

Firstly, as you are a foreigner, no Thai minimum wage law applies to you. Foreign workers are exempt from the new Thai wage laws.

Secondly, unless you are going to major in English, or another in demand foreign language, there is no degree from a Thai university that would qualify you to work in Thailand as a new graduate, as every Thai that graduates with you in your field of study will be more qualified than you, unless a foreign language you speak, and write fluently is also required for the job. As a foreigner graduating from a Thai university, you are at the bottom of the list for hiring, no matter how well you do in school.

Lastly, Chances are unless you graduate from one of the top Thai universities, your degree won't be accepted outside of Thailand, requiring you to go back to school if you plan on working in your field of study in the EU. Your best alternative is to get your degree at a recognized European university, work at least 10 years in your field, then try to transfer to Thailand with the company you work for, or get hired by a European company that also has offices in Thailand, then transfer here.

There are no negative consequences by having a Thai tax ID card, and not filing taxes, as there is a minimum income base, after exemptions, before any tax is paid. Last year in my income category bt100,000 was the base, with anything above that requiring a tax payment. There is a move by immigration with work permit renewals to require seeing your income tax receipt that is issued when you turn in your tax return, whether you have to pay, or not, but that is the only thing I've heard that is changing that would require a tax ID card. There was never a request to see my tax ID card when I bought my motorbike, and there isn't anyplace on the title for that number. There was also no request when I renewed the tags either.

There is the possibility that a Thai tax ID card will be accepted as proof of residency when buying movable property though. That might have changed, as you do need to be a resident to get liability insurance in Thailand.

It doesn't require a work permit, but it could require paying Thai income tax, if you stay legal. Money made in Thailand is taxable, be it interest, profit from a sale, etc. I believe stock broker is one of the restricted professions, reserved for Thais only, but you wouldn't be selling to other private parties so that wouldn't apply. Form PIT 90 does have a box to report interest, share of profits, and dividends, so you might want to get a taxpayer identification number and file taxes to stay legal.

If you are going into the food business, it might be necessary to buy an existing business simply to get the location you want. I'm sure you are aware that not having a good location in the food business can be an immediate downfall. It can also save money in getting all the necessary permits, and licenses by buying an existing restaurant, if that is your food business objective. Any existing brick and mortar restaurant can be funded and incorporated, so you can get your visa, as long as it is already a legal business, and it can be much cheaper than setting up the business from scratch. It is easier to simply change a menu, and incorporate, than start from scratch incorporating first.

For the ED visa you have to take at least 160 hours of study a year, which works out to about 4 hours a week. Most do a 2 day a week program 2 hours a day, with night or day classes offered. I took my classes in Bangkok, so not up on schools in Pattaya, but shouldn't be too hard to find out. You only get 90 day extensions costing bt1800 every three months for a year, or longer depending on the school's program, with paperwork supplied by the school for each 90 day extension. Most one year programs with visa cost around US$1000, or a little less, and this does not include the extension costs.

From my understanding you can now only get 3 years of this type of ED visa from independent language schools, as opposed to actually studying at a Thai university, which if you can do it is a better option.

Basically if you did not get a reentry permit before you left Thailand, your whole visa and work permit situation will have to be started over from the beginning, with just a 30 day visa exemption stamp valid in your passport. I just hope your new boss doesn't get upset with having to do your visa and work permit paperwork over again. Having just a visa exempt stamp I believe your work permit would also be immediately voided, as you can not legally work on just a tourist visa or visa exempt stamp, no matter what your intentions are.