Caldera

OP, just to clarify, the Thai consulate in Hong Kong will give you a tourist visa despite not being a resident?

7 hours ago, Stephen Zevon said:

Even made me drive back across town to show him my ticket out of Vietnam.

In fairness, they do list the ticket to Thailand as one of the requirements on their website. They're not known to compromise on their published requirements, but on the other hand, if you give them what they ask for, it's a relatively easy place to get a visa even with quite some history. I was happy with them last month.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/hanoi/th/services/1761

Apply in the morning and pick up in the afternoon of the following day. When I applied there for a SETV last month, the pick-up slot they wrote down on my receipt was quite late and quite short: 4pm to 5pm.

OP, I wouldn't bother to get a tourist visa in your case, for your next stay of 28 days.

Have your return flight booked before you enter Thailand, make sure to fill in the departure part of the arrival card accordingly and have the confirmation ready in case they question you again (I'd say it's unlikely, based on your history). Also have a hotel booking and the required "pocket money" in cash.

If she hadn't mentioned her Thai bank account at all and had only shown a bank statement from her home country right away, she would have avoided the extra scrutiny in all likelihood.

I've never shown or mentioned my Thai bank accounts when applying for a visa - I'm not surprised that a Thai consular officer cannot fathom why a tourist and prospective volunteer would have one.

If you have a monopoly and can make your customers suffer at will to maximize profits, it should be easy to excel in corporate governance and to please your investors.

I'd feel angered, too. It's disgusting.

The title almost makes it sound as if anyone has missed him. Let's just say I doubt that's the case.

I often use my Kasikorn Bank app (K-Plus) when I'm abroad. No issues whatsoever, no SMS required to send money or to make payments.

Using their regular "cyber banking" website, on the other hand, an OTP sent by SMS is required for most transactions.

It's so leading that I've never even heard of it. Alright.

At that rate and with a rapidly ageing population, Thailand will never be a developed country.

I don't see how this will help in the long run. They're clearly in the process of phasing in health insurance, so whatever applies to Non-OA visa now will soon apply to Non-O visa as well. A news report such as this one will just speed things up.

Ha. Haha. Do I see some cracks in the Donald-Prayuth bromance?

On 10/24/2019 at 4:12 PM, UKresonant said:

Any particular denomination of USD notes, (that are easy to use), or does it not matter...?

$100 notes are easily exchanged, just make sure they are in excellent condition - no tears, no marks, etc.

On 10/24/2019 at 2:02 PM, thecyclist said:

I would advise against using Thai debit cards in Vietnam:while the official fees are acceptable, the hidden charges in the form of currency conversion rates amounted to  a 7 % loss (compared to cash conversion at money changer), that at least was the case with my Krungthai debit card.

My latest withdrawal at a Sacombank ATM in HCMC early October cost me 4,215.22 THB for 3,000,000 VND, using my Kasikorn debit card (all in). That's about 3% more than I would have paid exchanging cash at SuperRich on the same day. Not brilliant, but not anywhere near 7% either - so for those who use several Thai banks, it would be a good idea to check which card works out the cheapest.

2 hours ago, SunsetT said:

Really! Since when? Thats news to me!

Since a few months. Apparently Savannakhet got too busy after Vientiane introduced their appointment system. Quite sad, really, Savannakhet used to be a very relaxed consulate before.

1 hour ago, MarkyM3 said:

OK thanks - I will withdraw that bit. I was sure I had read this on the forum recently from other posters attempting to get METVs from London when the system went electronic. 

What's no longer available in London since they moved to that atrocious online system is the multiple entry Non-O visa.

The METV is still available, but yes, they're stricter than other places as far as the requirements are concerned.

4 minutes ago, nakluapattaya said:

So entering once a year with a SETV from my country + 30 extension before going to Laos for a second SETV, and stay six months a year would still be possible right?

Not necessarily. If you enter on a SETV from your home country and extend it, the consulate in Savannakhet - as of now - will not issue another SETV because you've already spent 3 out of the last 6 months in Thailand. In Vientiane, it's less clear and might depend on how much "history" is visible in your passport. You might also be subjected to an interview.

Nigeria's population is growing rapidly. Yet another untapped market for the muppets from TAT.

1 hour ago, SpanishExpat said:

But indeed they are!! Try to charge your BTS Rabbit Card in BKK as a westerner. No Chance without a passport. Try this with an Asian look..they won`t even ask you and recharge your card. Tried it myself to test it, got denied..gave the card to a Taiwanese friend, went to another counter and she got what she wanted.

If you had walked to another counter, you might have succeeded as well. And I'm saying this, as a white guy, based on my very own experience. As with most other things in Thailand, there simply isn't any consistency.

58 minutes ago, Jimlim said:

I agree, the US won't even give you a tourist visa until you have $30,000 in the bank account. Some people just only have small knowledge, but not enough for truly understand how the world works.  If Thailand gives the US citizens free 30 days tourist visa, then the US should reciprocate,  right? Do we call that a dinosaur or prejudice? 

Neither this nor that. We call that economic inequality. A working class Thai who gets a lousy under-the-table job in the U.S. can earn much more than in Thailand. A working class American doing the same in Thailand would earn much less.

That's why a typical Thai has a harder time to prove that they won't overstay and work illegally than a typical American. It's really that simple.

2 minutes ago, chado said:

What do you mean? If one has stayed ever in his life 3 months in Thailand, in sum, he'll now never ever in his life be able to visit Thailand?

Savannakhet will not issue a tourist visa if you've spent 3 out of the last 6 months in Thailand. That's a local rule they have.

5 minutes ago, ExFarang said:

Hi. I appreciate the advice. I know you are trying to help so I sincerely thank you. But no way I am going to fly to another country to roll the dice with another Thai embassy. They simply are not reliable or professional. Plenty of other countries...

True, and I don't blame you for seeing it this way. Coincidentally, one reason why I toured Vietnam quite a bit this year (and obtained my last SETV in Hanoi while there) is that I also see the need to mix things up some more in the future (more time spent in other countries, less time spent in Thailand).