Caldera

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Some offices just don't follow the rules.

Sad but true. On the other hand, have you seen any reports of anyone getting that "regular" extension since the "grace period" kicked in on August 1st? If so, from where? I'm tempted to give it a shot at Chaeng Watthana.

1 hour ago, pavierre said:

He didn't get the stamp at immigration, it was stamped for him at another immigration office and then mailed back to him

Which immigration office was that?

10 hours ago, 363885 said:

It won't expire till next March, since I renewed just before going to Laos.  But I'm still anxious to get back, as I'm still paying rent and most of my personal belongings are in Thailand. 

I'm a bit surprised to hear that. I, too, visited Laos from Thailand in March, but the writing was on the wall that the borders were about to close at short notice. I needed a border bounce, so I just kept my trip shorter than I had planned. As you had just renewed for another year in Thailand, I'm surprised that you took the chance to travel to Laos at that time.

Out of curiosity, what's the situation like in Laos now? Is everything open? How about your visa there, do they still offer paid extensions for 30 days a time?

I hope you can return to Thailand soon, but as others I suspect they'll keep the borders closed for some more time. Quite a mess.

It's hard to tell at this point. Will there be horrific reports of adverse effects? Will a vaccination be required to travel? Etc. etc., many aspects to consider.

That said, I'm leaning towards yes, provided it's both safe and effective. So that's what I voted for. I won't be in a hurry until that will be known with a high degree of certainty.

2 hours ago, darrendsd said:

Yes it is possible - I have done that myself but as I live in Hua Hin I can't recommend a a school in BKK 

Can you recommend a school in Hua Hin? I might be interested depending on how things develop.

55 minutes ago, sallecc said:

What happened with her husband Bob Marley?

I'd guess his medical research is still suspended.

I don't think Bangkok immigration does that. Only for regular schools and universities. I've seen that kind of offer in Hua Hin, Chiang Mai and possibly Pattaya though.

Slim to none, would be my guess.

They only mention having a letter from either your embassy or a hospital. I think that will be the only options.

Well one requirement would be that you can actually travel to Savannakhet, and then back to Thailand. I wouldn't bank on it!

Border openings have been planned (or dreamed up by interested parties) a number of times already, and look where we are...

Oh well at least they got a nice photo op and a bit of news coverage out of it.

That's an idiotic decision. Hopefully foreigners will take note and boycott the event in the coming years. Running a marathon in Bangkok's toxic air cannot be too healthy anyway.

“Thailand and Vietnam - two places that I like their leaders very much.”

One is a putsch general and the other one a Communist. Strange how he holds most of his democratically elected fellow leaders in contempt, on the other hand. What a muppet.

40 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

No agent crack down is going to happen.  In fact, I bet just the opposite.

Yet there's a story running in the Bangkok News Forum...

5 hours ago, Sundown said:

If you are waiting for elite worst case scenario you will overstay a bit max 20000 fine up to to 3 months and you will be fine no need to pay 65k.

I think the worst case scenario is that immigration will refuse to put the Elite visa in your passport if you are on overstay. They might be sympathetic in this particular situation, but do you really want to take the chance?

As soon as quite possibly never then. There's no guarantee that the coronavirus will be eradicated completely anytime soon (or ever).

2 hours ago, jonga80 said:

Thai Visa Centre

Did they tell you if they will keep your passport the entire time the visa is being processed (several weeks)? A friend of mine asked an agent in Pattaya and that's what they told him.

That would be a no-go for me in Thailand, being without my passport for weeks. I had always thought you get an under consideration stamp and then come back to have your visa or extension stamped into your passport.

53 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I just edited the OP to change the translation of the ministerial notice to one done by a translation service.

That translation service just degraded the PM to the rank of Major General. I hope the rest of the translation is more accurate.

As you're self-employed, do you do any kind of accounting? Or do you have a business bank account with statements to show?

If you have a high amount of savings (much higher than the minimum requirement), you might also be able to convince them that you're having a sabbatical living off your savings. No idea if that would fly with London in particular, but other Thai embassies have been reported to accept just savings.

4 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Paying 25,000 baht is much easier than putting 800k in a Thai bank or take a one year Thai course.

 

But the real question is, is this workable and that easy to get a one-year visa?

From reading similar offers, 25,000 baht seems to be the price of the initial Non-O visa issued by immigration, for someone who entered Thailand as a tourist. Good for 3 months only, can be extended but that costs extra.

31 minutes ago, kd2000 said:

With all due respect it sounds to good to be true.

 

With all trouble given to get hold of any kind of extensions you would be sorted out so easily for a 15k / month for up to 3 months without a 1 year entry ban.

 

Are you 100% sure?

You do risk being found on overstay before leaving. In that case (arrested and prosecuted), you'd face a 5 years ban right away - technically from day #1. If you make it to the airport, on the other hand, there's no ban unless you overstay 90 days or longer.

They keep the borders shut to tourists and kick out those foreign tourists who still happen to be in Thailand at the end of September. Big surprise that income will be way down!

Now that PM Thaksin has been dealt with (time and again), will the judiciary find some time to go after criminals close to the current government as well?