Andrew Dwyer

No criticism on my part , only reporting the situation as I see it. I’m not sticking my neck out to be the “ only falang in the village “.

Masks seems to be location based, here in Ayutthaya 100% still wearing masks except for the odd foreign tourist. Not too many foreigners around due to the rain but the odd group I see all seem to be “ mask exempt “, Thais and occasional foreign husband/boyfriend all seem to be “ mask compliant “. Maybe if the foreign tourists return in plentiful numbers then the tide will turn but at present it is like Ayutthaya didn’t get the mask mandate memo .

Here in Ayutthaya I see plenty of flooded residences near the river and residents outside filling sandbags this morning so not a good sign. Ayutthaya has the honour of rivers Chao Praya and Prasak converging ( the scene of the tug boat sinking around a year ago ) before heading down @Crossy’s direction and ultimately Bangkok, plenty of rubbish/trash mixed in with the weeds heading down to bung up the khlongs and add to the flooding. Here’s a video of the point of convergence of the two rivers and you can see the emergency flood barrier in preparation for lifting. IMG_9056.MOV

Only 8 episodes in season 1 and, as far as I know, no announcement for season 2 yet.

Op, any doubts you may be asked for an onward flight within the 60 days then use the above site , book a flight the day before you travel from the US, book Bangkok to Phnom Penh for day 58 or 59 , costing US$14.

I imagine they are polite and helpful !, they received 10k from you alone !! Probably not so polite and helpful to those who dispute the charges ………. as they rightly should.

Not correct, I entered visa exempt on Sept 2nd, applied for an O visa on Sept 6th it was issued on Sept 16th and valid until Dec 14th. A friend also did the same and a few others have posted on here of successfully receiving an O visa after entering visa exempt.

Unusual report, I did the same ( entry on 30 day visa exempt and apply for O visa )this month and the cost is 2,000 baht. No bank statement required only the bank letter . I wonder if the 800k baht wasn’t in the bank on this day so the 8,000 baht “ service “ money was to cover that ?

Created a , some would say , “ wordy “ topic on my experience.

Firstly, apologies for the lengthy post as I have included OA to O visa and a U.K. trip report together . This is a report of my experience in killing my retirement extension from an original OA visa with a view to obtaining an O visa with future retirement extensions. Like many who obtained the OA visa some years ago originally it was a good deal, despite the additional medical certificate, police check and only being applied for in home country ( or country of residence ) ,it offered a Multi Entry visa for 1 year with an additional 1 year permission to stay if timed right ( with re-entry permit ) and the added bonus that financial requirements could be met from your home/offshore bank etc meaning better interest rates. Many returning to their home country every 2 years for a new OA. I obtained my OA in London in Oct 2016 after staying here previously on a non imm B and a couple of tourist visas. Life was good until an announcement mid 2019 that mandatory health insurance was required for new OA visas and retirement extensions thereof ( extensions on basis of marriage being exempt ). The insurance started October 2019 and i planned a U.K. visit in Mar 2020 with a visit to Hull Consulate for a 90 day O visa, all was planned ( flights, rental car docs for visa) but Covid reared its ugly head so plans put on the back burner. Choosing the cheapest LMG insurance, 6k for 2020 and 7.7k for 2021 , I paid the premiums as an additional extension payment and not satisfactory insurance. This year, shortly before my extension due date, Sept 25th and the impending rise to 3 million baht coverage on Sept 1st ( which would increase my premium to 26,800 baht with the highest deductible ) I booked a U.K. visit. My trip was two fold, to kill the OA and a family visit, a border run would be sufficient to kill the OA. Leaving Thailand mid August with no re-entry permit meant my retirement extension would become void, the IO at BKK departure immigration kindly pointed this out to me. As the U.K. consulates were closed when Covid hit I chose to return visa exempt ( 30 days ) , an option of applying for an O visa online at Thai Embassy London exists but seems to be confusing to some so I avoided + I believe insurance is required going that route ?? Checking in at Manchester on Qatar Airways Sept 1st i had obtained a throwaway ticket ( onwardticket.com ) the day previously for $14 , it was not requested. Arrival in BKK was relatively quick and painless, the IO making sure I was aware i was getting only 30 days stay, presumably from seeing my previous extension stamps, I had 20k baht but not requested. Arriving home Fri, I visited my IO Mon to get the requirements for an O visa and returned Tues, while only 15 days remaining, of my exempt stay, are required I preferred to go early in case of problems. Required docs for an O at Ayutthaya IO are : ( your IO could vary ) Passport and copies Updated bank book and copies Bank letter ( no statement ) 2 x passport photos Docs pertaining to TM30 , (wife/gf/landlord id and Tabian Baan copies etc ) TM87 form Various other docs provided by IO, overstay acceptance etc. A map of my home address. All docs/copies to be in duplicate, creating 2 x large piles of paperwork. ( Your IO may request varying requirements, i.e. a friend in Sisaket IO didn’t require a home hand drawn map but was asked his religion and full name of his parents ). Paid 2,000 baht and the receipt stapled into passport and stamped with a return date of Sept 23rd. Returned on Sept 23rd with only passport to get O visa stamp . O visa issued Sept 16th ( expires Dec 14th ), 10 days after applying which seems to be common from posts here. IO explained I could return 45 days ( some Immigration offices are only 30 ) before expiry date for extension and would need 800k in bank for 2 months previously if applying for retirement extension. All in all relatively easy process and will return to IO early Nov for extension. Some reports that 800K in bank has to be proven to come from overseas although if in bank for many years usually overlooked, will see what happens on the day at Ayutthaya IO.

As stated above the re-entry permit allows you to enter Thailand and maintain your permission to stay ( retirement extension or extension based on marriage etc ) alive. Without it you will be stamped in visa exempt ( if eligible ). I recently left Thailand without a re-entry permit ( on purpose to kill my retirement extension from an OA visa ) and entered visa exempt.

Stopped reading this tosh about 2 years ago, the above post attracted me to read it today. Seems like the same old rehashed garbage from 2 years ago …… only worse !!

Book a flight with onwardticket.com the day before you travel, make the flight from Bangkok to Phnom Penh ( for example ) and the booking date 28 days in advance ( another example ). It will cost you US$14 and using the 48 hours option will lose validity 2 days later so you don’t have to cancel booking. It is a bona fide booking on a bona fide flight and can be checked by airline staff, you can print out details if you want. As stated earlier it is the airline at check in who might request the onward flight details and not immigration in BKK.

Took a quick visit to the “ sticks “ last week, gf and her brother decided to buy a bucket of crabs from a nearby farm/friend, our share was put in a plastic receptacle with a screw lid , 2 bottles of some foul smelling sauce added and now takes up most of the room in the fridge. We snacked on coconut while waiting the crab shenanigans to finish. The dogs loved the coconut and formed an orderly queue !! Never knew dogs liked coconut, but then again there’s not much they won’t eat !!

I did the same, arriving on Sept 2nd from the U.K. I visited IO on Sept 6th and given a return date of Sept 23rd, so best to visit your IO shortly after visa exempt entry. 2 x copies and passport photos required, Bank letter and updated passbook also, was required to do a TM30 so docs relating to your location required, homeowners id and Tabian Baan etc. A friend is doing the exact same in another IO and we compared our experiences: I required a hand drawn map to my home and he was requested for his parents full name and his religion . As usual your IO may make different requests.

See my post above, but in my experience Fully Vaccinated is the initial 2 x doses.

The vague requirements as to what is classified as “ fully vaccinated “ concerned me a little as I traveled to the U.K. in August, returning Sept 2nd. But my 2 x Pfizer vax , over a year old , were accepted by Qatar Airlines on check in at Manchester airport. Some different reports from others though: another poster reported Emirates didn’t request any vaccination information from the same airport ( Manchester ) a day earlier yet a friend of mine travelling from Belgium , with Emirates, was specifically asked for vaccination info ( unvaccinated, he had a negative antibody test ). So, my advice would be, prepare to be asked for vaccination proof on check in but the original 2 x vaccinations are sufficient irrespective of date or any boosters. Also, I saw no random testing or any requests for vaccination proof on arrival in Thailand although I had prepared by carrying an ATK test with me.

Have to admit its been nearly 3 years since I last went but as it was always in demand i expected it to have weathered the pandemic ……. guess not !! Shame, will search for similar.

The Galare Guesthouse is our usual go to place when visiting Chiang Mai and we are planning on a visit 6th - 10th October . It appears to be temporarily closed, from the internet, does anyone know if it’s for refurbishment or is it more permanently closed ?

I was in the U.K., returning to Thailand visa exempt and booked a onwardticket.com flight from Bangkok to Phnom Penh for , roughly, 28 days after my arrival, cost US$14. Booked it the day before flying, it has a validity of 48 hours so no need to cancel. It is an actual booking on an actual flight and can be verified by check in staff if necessary. Worth the peace of mind.

Quite possibly the best tv series to come out of the U.K. in recent years imho. Watched it for the second time in its entirety recently. On a recent trip to the U.K. I tried to encourage my daughter to watch it, she gave me the same look I gave my parents when they were laughing at Last of the Summer Wine !! Oh my god , I’ve turned into my parents !!

I get this on Safari:

Freelancer Walking Street Long Time

The husband claimed to have talked to the victim on Monday evening, her body was found Tuesday morning, and yet : ”Investigators initially estimated that the woman, with light skin and long black hair whose body appeared to be in a good condition, had been dead for approximately three days and identified several distinctive star tattoos on both her legs. ”