raysunshineray

Thanks for all the useful insights. One thing stands out - I haven't seen a single 2.4L petrol Pajero Sport advertised (and I've browsed daily for almost a year)..... so I think that must be a later model at a higher price point. I filter my search using price lowest to highest, and stop when I get to around 450,000 baht. Will take a look anyway, to see what comes up in a slightly higher price bracket. Despite my love of my Toyota V6 (which has to go, owing to old age), it's undoubtedly best to avoid 'uncommon' vehicle engines because of parts issues - even if Mitsubishi know how to service it properly. Just to add - my dislike of diesels has been a lifelong aversion to the clattering racket they make, and the emissions. But recent fairly extensive internet research has unanimously stated that in order to meet emissions regulations, modern diesels are more complex mechanically, with more to go wrong - especially the turbos. This results in the necessity of more maintenance than a petrol counterpart, and more cost / anxiety. Thanks again to all those who offered some advice.

I've been looking at the main used car websites in Thailand for a very long time and with considerable diligence – Taladrod in particular – and have noticed certain things concerning used Pajero 3.0L V6. Can't seem to come up with anything when researching this less common Pajero. I really don't like diesels, so the most common 2.5L GT is out. I have a 2004 Ranger with a Toyota 1JZ-FE inline 6, and even though I'm aware that this engine is widely considered to be “legendary” and one of the best engines Toyota ever made, and should therefore not be compared with other 6 cylinder engines, I still have an irrational inclination towards the smoothness of these engines. The Pajero V6 is for sale in very small (insignificant) numbers compared to the 2,5L diesels. The asking prices are very considerably lower for a V6 than their 2.5L equivalent (year/mileage etc.) The V6 Pajero only seems to be available from around 2012 to 2014, and nothing on sale later than that. The questions raised are: Were they discontinued (seems obvious they were, but a rough history might be helpful) Since there are so few of them, perhaps they're all imports???? (which would be a reason to avoid) Is there a specific reputational reason for their unpopularity in the Thai market? – selling cheaper and taking longer to sell. So I'm just wondering if anyone here has owned one, or has any inside knowledge about this Pajero model? It's not unknown for certain models to have been found to have some critical flaws which make them best avoided – even Toyota has had one or two such 'problematic' engineering design flaws over the years. I'm also concerned that parts and maintenance might be something of a problem. Reliability and durability are number one priorities for me, and I need to avoid being lumbered with a money pit. A Fortuner would be a safer option, but they hold their value to such an extent that legitimate doubts can be raised as to whether they are true value for money, or just a matter of higher pricing relating purely to market demand. Pajeros are certainly very good value in comparison. My price limit is around 400,000 baht (up to a maximum of 460,000 if pushed.) However, a well maintained, low mileage 2014 Pajero V6 can be had for much less – around 310,000 to 360,000 baht, whereas a 2014 Fortuner 2.7L will swallow all that budget, and can even go up to 500,000 and over. Lastly, resale value is of no concern, as I'm 71 years old and I want this car to outlast me! Helpful and knowledgeable responses very much appreciated. Off-topic offerings will be ignored, as time is valuable to all of us and surely not to be wasted. Many thanks Ray

I'm currently on a Non-O One-Year Multi-Entry 'wife/family-visit' visa obtained from Savannakhet. Needless to say, I'll not be getting another one when this one expires, - not now that they've introduced the money in the bank requirement. The actual visa expires on 28th March, and my current 90-day entry conveniently expires on 26th March. My plan is to convert this Non-O family visit visa to a retirement extension. I've already had a chat with Maneerat Travel in Soi 13, and they said yes they could do it, no problem – they gave me all the costing. But there was something I failed to ask about – and now I'm back in Ubon for a few months, so I can't go into their office and ask them. This is my query, and I'm hoping that someone might have direct experience with this, and not offer guesswork – my guess is as good as anybody's! If I do my usual border hop at Chong Mek on 26th March, that would give me around another 90 days beyond the one-year visa expiry date on 28th March. So, if I were to apply for a retirement conversion from this Non-O during the 90 days after the visa itself has expired, would that be an obstacle to getting the retirement extension? Just to be clear – the one-year non-o visa has an expiry date of 28th March. I would leave Thailand and re-enter before that date and get another 90 days. At that point – during the next 90 days after the visa has 'expired', - my visa status remains Non-O, even though the visa itself has an expiry date that's already passed. Is there a possibility that in order to convert from this Non-O to a retirement visa, one has to do it within the limits of the visa duration – in my case 28th March, and not during the 90 days beyond that, or would that not matter? I'm imagining a possible scenario where the agent recognises that I'm in Thailand with Non-O status, but cannot process a conversion to retirement because the actual duration date of the visa has already expired. This confusion only arises because with this multi-entry, one is given 90 days on each and every entry up until the date of expiry of the visa, enabling one to be in the country for another 90 days beyond the duration date of the visa itself. Anyone already been in this situation? It's early days, since it's not been that long since Savannakhet in effect made the Non-O multi-entry route pretty much redundant – and I imagine many more on this non-o visa will decide to convert to retirement when their Non-O expires. Thanks in advance for any relevant information or experience of this situation.

I've just been into Maneerat Travel – the often recommended agency on Soi 13. (I'll only be doing any kind of extension through an agent, as I won't be able to meet the financial requirements if doing it alone.... therefore please keep comments/suggestions relevant to that situation.) I first asked the question of whether this particular type of non-o could be extended (by them obviously) and the answer was an unequivocal yes. Before I could even ask the question regarding whether the extension could be for retirement rather than for marriage, I was told “We can give you retirement extension from this non-o visa”. (No misunderstandings - she had the passport page open with the non-o multi-entry visa stamp in front of her.) I had not even got round to asking that, so I just got her to clarify and confirm what she'd said. I was even told that there was no need to wait, “can do it now” and takes 3 or 4 days. The only unwelcome surprise was regarding the cost. Although the basic service is 12,500 – as I expected – it costs 4,700 to open the bank account, which is listed as follows - on the printed costing slips they hand out: 500 baht “back to your account” (?) 700 baht for ATM card 3,500 baht for accident insurance (?) (Plus 500 baht for residence certificate) There's also a 4,000 baht charge to make it a multi-entry, or 1,000 baht for single entry. I think that means one doesn't need a re-entry permit whenever one leaves Thailand, but 4,000 baht seems pretty steep – how much do they charge at immigration for a re-entry permit? Cancel that, - I've just googled it and found the answer – those are the fees, so it all depends on how often – if at all – you plan or may have to leave Thailand. Having a multi-entry will save trips to immigration, or the hassle at airports – where “fees may be higher”. The final fee is for 90 day reports – 100 baht each – but they said I have to come to the office (I don't live in Pattaya) so they can take my passport to immigration and do it – can't they do it online? Still, I'm not so concerned about 100 baht, but the optional 4,000 baht 'multiple-entry' can only represent value for money if one intends to go out of Thailand a lot. So, in summary, Maneerat says they can convert from this non-o multi-entry based on marriage to an extension based on retirement, - in fact they suggested that before I could even get round to mentioning it. And those are the latest fees – in print!

I want to do the same when my non-imm o multi-entry from Savannakhet expires next March. (For obvious reasons, considering the recent changes to financial requirements at Savannakhet.) My question is – would it be possible to do a retirement extension from this non-o (which is based on wife/family visit)? That would appear to be changing the reason for extension – from a non-o imm based on marriage to an extension based on retirement. Would that be allowed? Why would I want to do this? Well, because even though I'd be using an agent to do everything, I don't know whether the agent can bypass all those extra hassles that come with a marriage extension application. I'm referring to the photos, the witness neighbour, the hand-drawn map, the enabling of immigration officers to come to your house and check on you! I don't know whether those things are still necessary when going via an agent? I imagine that those things can't be bypassed by the agent ????? That's why the retirement route seems the better option. But this may not be allowed as one is changing the reasons for holding the non-o to a different reason for applying for an extension. Any ideas... preferably hard facts? Thanks in advance.

I think you're saying that the Lao visa-on-arrival was 2,000 baht. That's what it was when I crossed over in June - $40 or 2,000baht is the visa fee. (It was 1,8000 baht at Savannakhet.) That visa fee would apply whether you stayed a while in Lao - as I did last time - or did a straight turn-around. Visa fees are visa fees - they're not a negotiable item. It's not like when - for instance - you have to pay 300 baht to do a turn-around when crossing into Cambodia.... that's really more like kind of 'tea money' and might, just might mind you, therefore be negotiable (though still doubtful.)

Cheers.... that might have to be at Chong Mek itself - when I say I live in the sticks, I mean really remote... and the route up to Chong Mek, round the back of the vast Sirindhorn reservoir is deep countryside, with little more than hamlets on the way. But you're right - and Chong Mek, being on the border, should have somewhere.

I have no doubt you're right.... I wonder why they were making such a big thing of it on this forum when the supposed rule changes came about? Advising everyone not to try going there independently - perhaps some people have nothing better to do than create dramas on forums!

Yes good advice - it's not easy / not possible? to get hold of dollars from here - this is an absolute backwater.... I'll have another go though. The thing is that the Lao border at Chong Mek are taking 2,000 baht for the visa on arrival, as opposed to 1,800 baht at Savannakhet, which is already pretty steep.

Yes it is... last time re-entering there, not only was the officer not in the usual militaristic uniform, but he was practically in a party mood, laughing and joking with me in a really friendly way - I could hardly believe it... seeing as a kind of grim menacing scowl is what we have all come to expect from border immigration officers.

Brit Tim, - yes I did just that once before, and just ended up having to pay the 300 baht. I just thought that since then there's been new rules introduced preventing turn arounds, except via agents doing minibus runs, where copies of one's passport have to be forwarded in advance to the Cambodian immigration authorities. And it was this situation I was concerned about.

I'm on a One-Year Multiple-Entry Visa based on marriage (from Savannakhet), and need to do a border-hop (out and back in again same day) on or before 3rd October. As I currently live in a village south of Det Udom, which is south of Ubon Ratchathani, I'm going to do what I did last time and go to the nearest border which is at Chong Mek, just over an hour's drive away. Last time I did this, my wife and I actually stayed in Lao for a break – at Si Phan Don ('Four Thousand Islands'.) Not this time, as the season has started, and accommodation rates have rocketed. As I'm about to move semi-permanently to Pattaya straight after the border-run, it's just got to be an out and straight back in affair. (Otherwise nearest place to stay a night would be Pakse, which we found to be something of a a characterless dump frankly.) So... simple question: Has anyone gone out and straight back in again at the Chong Mek border? And by that I mean crossing into Lao and coming back – it can't be done otherwise obviously. Please bear in mind that I have a valid one-year multiple-entry visa so there'll be no issue on that score. Just a question of whether there's any objection to not staying in Lao. OK, so while I'm here... another question. When I need to do my next border-hop it'll be from Pattaya. Last time I did this – when I was doing visa exempt – I drove to Ban Phak Kad / Phsar Prum Pailin, parked up and went out and back in, paying the 300baht (?) for the privilege of doing a turn around and not staying in Cambodia. As the Cambodia border is the nearest to Pattaya, I'd want to do the same route, but I'm not up-to-date on the current situation. Is it still the case that you cannot currently do this border-hop independently, unless you stay a few days (?) in Cambodia while they supposedly do ID checks on you? Is it still the case that you can now only do the 'out-in' via an agency, whereby you book the minibus run in advance whilst the agent forwards your passport details to the Cambodian immigration authorities? And if so, does this apply to all Thai-Cambodia land borders? I suspect that this ridiculous situation is still ongoing, a big hassle for people such as me, who like to do things independently, and not pay agents or sit in cramped minibuses for hours! If I have no other choice than to do it via an agency, - is Maneerat Travel on Soi 13 a reliable option? Or any other you've used and can recommend? Advice based on experience / knowledge rather than fact-free opinion appreciated. Thanks.

Why am I not surprised!

By saying that 17 months can be squeezed out of that visa - which I have - you are suggesting that on re-entering Thailand just before the one-year expiry date and getting another 90 days (which is unquestionably possible) one can also apply for and receive another wife-visit 60 days on that final 90-day entry. Could you confirm that that is indeed the case? I've always been a little unsure about whether that final 90-day entry that extends beyond the one-year visa validity can also be followed by yet another 60-day wife-visit extension. Rationally speaking yes it should be possible, but one shouldn't rely on what's logical when it comes to immigration rules.

I'll do that.... I like the idea about them pointing me in the right direction if there's something they can't do. I've been asking people (mechanics/workshops) here to do that and all I get is blank face - very frustrating because one would expect them to know at least where to go!