Leatherneck

Mark your calendars for July...2nd wave coming.

8 minutes ago, scorecard said:

You are correct, I have no doubt who will pay, but i wonder if foreigners arriving into LOS (tourists, farang work permit holders, permanent residents, retirement visas holders) will have any choice. Can I select a 2 start hotel or will I be forced to use a 4 or 5 start hotel, and what other chargs will be involved:

 

- Food, will it be as quoted on hotel menu or a special rate?

- Whilst staying st such hotel can I order from outside, can my family drop off food for me, and will there be extra charges on my hotel bill.

- In addition to the above will there be "Special Covid quarantine check-in / check-out charges?

- Will there be additional covid cleaning charges? Including a  dailycharge for daily hand cleaner, and extra charges for covid trained hotel staff? 

- Will there be automatic extra charges because I use a wheel chair? 

Yes I'm being cynical, but nothing would surprise me.

 

Being cynical, but you can bet everything listed (and quite a few other items) will have a COVID-19 surcharge in the final bill...guaranteed.

22 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

but but but how can this be!

 

all the farang tourists are gone. 

For once, we were not blamed for bad behavior. I'm still in shock.

Thai governments seem to love bureaucracy...and the more disconcerting and difficult they can make it, the better. Currently stranded in Bali (much worse places to be stranded, believe me) and unable to return to LOS. As the poster noted, the Indonesian and Bali government used some common sense after about 2,000 people showed up at immigration offices trying to extend their visas last week. Instead of increasing the likelihood of spreading the virus at immigration offices, they just announced automatic visa extensions with no need to come to their offices (actually saying don't come to our offices)....and NO charge for the extensions. Appears the extensions are valid for at least 60 days and possibly longer. I can't imagine a Thai government, especially immigration, ever being this common sensical and flexible...it's just not in their DNA 

22 hours ago, Bogbrush said:

Not sure how Bali fits into the scheme of things, but overall Indonesia is not doing terribly well...

4 cases with one death (an elderly foreigner) as of 2 days ago on Bali. I understand that most of the cases have been in Jakarta and on Java...so far.

Arrived in Bali on March 17th and entered with no problems. Bali has had 4 cases of COVID-19 with one death (an elderly foreigner). There are few foreigners here but life is presently quite normal and good here except gatherings and events for a big holiday next week have been cancelled. Suppose to leave on April 15th after my 30 days is up but if unable to return to Thailand, I'll head to Indo immigration for an extension. Figure I have enuf cash to stay 100 days. I'm not gonna worry about anything until then. The weather is great, food fantastic, people super, and the US dollar is really strong...feel alot better and safer here than I did back in Thailand with the virus situation there.

4 hours ago, uesnyc said:

I would have cut the Vietnamese women loose 

Exactly my thoughts...what a shame.

7 hours ago, orientfan said:

Thanks for interesting replies. Yes, it's a visa extension renewal based on retirement. And I have moved to Bangkok since last year's renewal. Renewal seems a straightforward from in Pattaya and CM but protracted and problematic at CW.
Any further thoughts or recommendations are welcome.

 

I think I've been very lucky. Been using an agent who works for herself since I retired in Chiang Mai more than 8 years ago and she's great! She has charged me 1,500-2,000 over the years (and I always tip her 500) to do all of my paperwork beforehand and have someone wait in line early in the morning so I was always #1 when I showed up later. She knows everyone at immigration and knows the ropes. Also, anytime I have a question or problem during the year, she's there to help me out...no charge. I could renew my extension myself but she's like a friend now and I enjoy helping her and her family out...and getting great service in return. I would definitely recommend her to you if you were renewing in CM. If you find a good agent at a decent price, I think it's worth every baht you pay.

FYI if I had to pay 10-20K like some others mentioned, I would do it myself.

2 hours ago, wgdanson said:

I would surmise that it was the fact that you had an Agent with you who possibly donated to the IO fund which got you the Extension. And too many uneducated guesses are flying around TVisa, you would be better keeping them to yourself. They will not be throwing anyone with 800k in the bank for 3 months with it there to live on after that. 

I have no doubt that my agent didn't give a donation to any fund...that's not her style. And I would surmise that I will be in and out of immigration here with my visa extension and MEP next October in less than 3 hours again...which is all that anyone on Thai Visa can hope for.

4 hours ago, wgdanson said:

How do you know it was 'the other documents' and not the affidavit, when the Immgration law requires the affidavit and not bank statements?

The immigration officer said so to my agent...while I was standing there. I would not have gotten my extension without the other documents. The affidavit was still required at that time but according to the officer was insufficient...and the other documents were. My uneducated guess is that if the embassies are no longer issuing the affidavits next year, immigration will have to use other documents (like the ones I provided which actually provide more proof that 1. I have a monthly govt pension of a sufficient amount and 2. it is deposited monthly into a Thai bank account)...,or they will be throwing most of us outta here next year.

16 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Very big deal indeed if Thai immigration won't accept that without an embassy letter. Why would you assume they would?

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

16 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

Oh, really?  Well, <removed>, my next door neighbor just happens to work at Chiang Mai Immigration, and according to him, I'm more than covered.  <removed>

Extended my visa in late October in Chiang Mai and provided similar documents described by Just1Voice, along with my income affidavit from the consulate. I had been informed prior to going in that immigration here required those documents because they were already not accepting the income affidavit as proof of income. I had no problems at all and clearly they were not interested in the income affidavit...it was the other documents that did the trick.

As I have stated in other posts, I extended my visa last week here in Chiang Mai. In addition to my income affidavit (which I had already been told was insufficient to verify my income to immigration), I provided a copy of a one-page document indicating my US government pension and monthly amount I receive. Also provided a copy of my Thai bank account passbook showing the monthly deposits made since January. I was in and out of immigration with my visa extension and MEP in about 2 hours. I recognize that not everyone has the same situation I have, but if they do I think this won't be a big deal.

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

Who told you it was no longer sufficient?  That would be the main crux of the post eh? 

Immigration told my agent who told me prior to going in...and which was confirmed at immigration when I extended my visa. Immigration still wanted an affidavit along with the other "verification" documents that I've never had to provide during my previous 7 years here. My own impression (right or wrong) was that the principal evidence that immigration wanted was the copies of the bank documents and that the affidavit was basically useless (so why continue to require it).

Good...that'll save me $50 each year.

Justast week I extended my visa here in Chiang Mai with a copy of the document verifying my monthly government pension back in the States...and a copy of my Thai bank passbook verifying my monthly direct deposits hete. I also had an income affidavit from the consulate here but had been told prior to going into immigration that it was no longer sufficient at immigration and I needed the other documents to really verify my income and deposit. At the time I thought "why do I need the affidavit then if it's not sufficient and the other documents suffice?"

58 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Chiang Mai?

Yep, CM.

My very competent and knowledgeable visa agent informed me last week that I will need to provide 2 items this year in addition to an income verification affidavit from the Consulate. One is a letter or other document showing that I receive my US government pension monthly and the amount (I have documents from OPM in that regard). Second is some type of documentation that an acceptable anount is deposited into my Thai bank account monthly (I made copies of my bank passbook showing that to be the case every month this year). My agent has reviewed the documents and told me that the documents will be sufficient...and we will find out for sure next week when we go to immigration to extend my visa. 

Thinking about buying a Xmax 300 but was quoted 13,300 ThB for 1st Class insurance for a year at my local Yamaha shop. Seemed quite high to me. Anyone heard of or have lower insurance costs for a XMax?