StayinThailand2much

Thank you. My current extension will have expired by the time I return to Thailand.

I am about to get a new passport. My current permission of stay is a Non-O Retirement extension. I'm planning to leave the country. Do I need to transfer the visa extension to my new passport, or can I just present both passports on the way out?

Many years ago I exchanged Dutch guilders at an exchange booth in Bangkok. Staff didn't know them, even though they were on the display, so they looked the currency up in a booklet.

Well, doing actual police work is not every Thai cop's priority anyway...

Yes, this will solve the problem of air pollution... LOL - Seems, unlike others, the incense, candle and firecracker makers have not much of a lobby with government politicians. They must have forgotten to deliver brown envelopes...

I doubt that they thought this out for even 3 seconds...

My bet is that the economy (and people's incomes) aren't doing as well as is proclaimed every other day, so this is the simplest solution to keep the masses happy...

"Immigration Bureau Boosts Staff for New Year Rush" Better late than never... LOL (Yes, I get it; it's about Chinese New Year.)

Golden Boy back in Thailand...

You'd be in transfer on a stopover, so no problem as long as you don't need to check in again at Don Muang. I'd happily pay the 30 bucks more to avoid a 12-hour bus ride, unless, of course, you want to see the countryside from the bus window.

Almost zero immigration, and less migrant workers, while birth rates have been way down for a while...

Yes, as the (relatively) high costs of transportation in Bangkok don't help. If they need to take both, the BTS and the MRT, plus motorbike taxis, etc., then a day's earnings are almost used up already.

People in Cambodia are much poorer than people in Thailand, but they actually smile...

Which is stupid, as many study the Thai language at a school in order to qualify for the ED visa. With a retirement extension, no need to spend money on Thai language courses, meaning loss of income for schools, and tax for Thailand... LOL

First I mentioned a 'Visa Free Entry'. Then I mentioned "valid visas" like SETV and METV recently being scrutinised (see reports here in this forum), so I mentioned two different things, one after another.

How about the other water festivals in SE Asia? I wonder, why the one in Thailand is special compared to the ones in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Yunnan, and NE India. Maybe its about the water guns. Perhaps UNESCO will next certify "rice as humanity's food staple grown in Thailand"... LOL

I saved the life of an almost drowned Thai guy last year who had floated for, at least, 20 minutes in the sea 'head under' without anyone on the beach or in the water nearby caring. - Did I do this for merit, or for being advantaged in a future life? No, it was just the 'normal' thing to do.

Then there should be a possibility to appeal against incompetent or unfair decisions, and I mean within hours rather than weeks(?) to the minister. Why is there no 'Immigration Ombudsman' or something similar at important border entry points? (And no, supervisors who are in cahoots with rogue IOs, and/or change their decisions when bribed are no alternative to this.)

Would be interesting to know, if Russians enter, say, 3x like that, they will face scrutiny too. After all, together with the Chinese they seem to be the preferred tourists these days. Also, first it was tourists repeatedly arriving on VFEs, but now they are already targeting tourists with single and multiple tourist visas. What's next; expats with Non-Immigrant visas being quizzed at the border, and possibly denied?

Well, to be fair to the OP, I think, most border denials do not make it as reports into this forum. Also, it is not really clear what the agenda, or orders are that IOs at certain borders (e.g. both Bangkok airports, Phuket Airport, etc.) follow, particularly in recent times, denying travellers, because 'they have too many visa extensions, Covid extensions', etc., etc. The TAT and tourism industry, as well as inland immigration offices seem to have no problem with tourists staying for extended times (or why would they extend any VFE or tourist visa), or travelling often to Thailand. Most countries have clear rules on how often and how long someone can travel there in a calendar year. Not so Thailand, where everything in regards to immigration matters seems to be 'in a grey area' on purpose. One could almost think that there is not one, but two Immigration divisions, or that things are done as if there were two different bureaucracies in one country...

Makes sense from the driver's viewpoint. Not being a regular taxi, he'd have to be so lucky as to get a ride via the app for a similar 3-4 hour return-trip... Would be better if, for long journeys, they knew what they're signing up for.

That confirms my suspicion that they are getting stricter by the hour. - Personally, I had never a problem entering Thailand until late 2019, when, suddenly, they 'made a face' when I entered with my METV. Then, after it had expired, I entered with a VFE, and was quizzed at Don Muang. I didn't think much of it at the time, but got the same treatment months later at Suvarnabhumi... Seems, they are now targeting visitors with valid visas too. So far for: "We want tourists to stay longer, and come back", and: "You'll be fine as long as you have a visa"...

So, I guess: "If your over 50 years of age you can't get a ED visa to study Thai, Thai immigration changed the rules in Nov/2022. Before that there was no age limit. I applied for an ED visa in October/2022 was approved by the Ministry of Ed, when I went to immigration with the school to start the visa process I was not approved." (Google result from YouTube comment) is false information.

Yes, it doesn't make sense. IOs at the two Bangkok airports were even out to deny people at the beginning of the pandemic when tourist numbers started to decline. Perhaps, every tourist who was declined should write a protest letter to the TAT. After a hundred, or so, perhaps the IOs will, at least, have to give a valid reason for this.

Fair enough. I never heard of a METV questioned either, so maybe just rogue IOs at Don Muang. Suvarnabhumi may let it go, but who knows...