tabarin

I would say, get a one year multi entry visa in Vietnam for around 500 euro and try that out mostly.
Then you can easily obtain tourist visa's for Thailand and also do some more time there. 

You might like Vietnam as much or more and it is simply cheaper and easier to get 1 year visa's there at this time.

2 hours ago, Martyp said:

I totally agree. Many but not most. There were 38 million tourists in 2018. They all aren't working at sea or as consultants on short jobs.

Actually they count each entry while some of us make 5-6 a year already. That aside, the common tourists with the 2-3 weeks a year as you describe have no problems. Amsterdam has like 35 million in that way too, making Thailand not that impressive by numbers as it sounds.

+ as it is all about the money, I am pretty sure the average long stayer outspends most tourists yearly, certainly with the Chinese now dominating in numbers.
Kind of weird to then attack that group of people, longstayers / frequent visitors, as they are the least trouble and easiest ongoing money flow.
Is like you are selling western breakfasts, then kick out your 10 year returning customer to make place for a Chinese.

5 minutes ago, rabang said:

Thailand is so far away for most visitors that a two or three week stay doesn't make sense to me. I know most people can't stay longer than that but personally I find it a really short time. Adjusting after arrival already takes a few days.

I agree but used to know some people that were in love with TH and would work as many hours as they could, not spend anything back home,
to then come for 10 days at the time and enjoy the beer and girls in PTY, for them it was worth it. Those would be flagged by IO's now too I guess. 

7 minutes ago, kingdong said:

So what's his alternative?sounds like he,s busting his balls and she's sitting there scratching herself and whingeing,was in a similar situation myself in the uk so have been there done it and got the tee shirt.sounds like a lot of "advice"he's getting is other people giving it large at his expense,this mis quote from Samuel colt when he put his colt .45 on the market---- fear no man what err his size,just go on line and equalise.sums it up.

There is no alternative, he just have to suck it up or change his plans and pay off less fast, guess that takes off some pressure in hours.
Unless he wants to send her packing and let the parents take care of the daughter in TH (if that is even possible).

Kind of something one could expect even more when moving to a new country and then getting a baby right after, no friends, cold weather etc etc.

If not really having anyone to help out taking care of the baby, other than both you and wife, the first 1-2 years after birth are basically gone. You lose at least 50% productivity and have to somehow accept that. Wanting to work very hard now and pay off debts ASAP is maybe not the best timing and idea.

Mine is nearly a year old now and I have not been able to get serious things done at all since he was born, the first few months were still quite easy though.
I just accepted it for what it is and hoping for a better balance next year. 

If it can be called a cultural difference, not being organised and doing things without much logic,
is the biggest factor for issues with a newborn baby + you having a busy job at odd hours / many hours.

My mother could easily do a parttime job, the household and raise me + brother and sister. My wife can't even do 25% of that comparison (or it takes ages).

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

Probably panic set in when he realised he probably didn't have enough time to go to an airport, buy an expensive same-day ticket, or go to another border crossing. Can't blame him for just paying up instead of wasting a lot more than 1500 on transport.

Agree for that but at least it could be considered a incidental report, not as much as a hard rule that now also changed (hopefully).
1-2K baht is always worth it for a hassle free passage.

But yeah, who knows what is next. They are making it very complicated for me while having a wife and child too. Will have to find out again the 15-18th myself.

I would not know why anyone can be stopped or refused to leave or re-enter if holding a multiple entry non-o visa. 
Must been a cheesy extortion the OP accepted too fast. 

1x tourist visa + extension + border run + extension = 5 months. Repeat that and you should be fine + make the 10 months.
Will limit your possibilities if it comes to going in and out the country whenever you like though. 

So 500,000 baht for elite visa, marriage or less frequent and long stays.

P.S. Perhaps the double entry tourist visa will really come back, that would make it a bit easier again too.

If you are looking for a solution, marrying would be best. Continue on ED visa is a gamble, you can go learn Thai on a spouse visa too anyway.

On 11/28/2019 at 1:18 PM, cerox said:

They offered me a non-b visa for 25k (3 months) and 35k for 1y extension. I asked them to provide details as to how that is possible because they claim it is not a business visa but some kind of "foundation". I also asked about details on what reason they 1y extension of stay is based on to stay in the country. 

They did not answer anything - just some vague one sentence reply.

I know about a lawyer in the north offering the same, believe a company set-up with the paperwork to obtain a 90 day non-b at 30k and 15-20k for the 1 year extension.
In theory not impossible, cost wise too. As at the end you could have a sleeping company, it is only the optional working permit complicating things further.

Even it is personal reasons, ''friends'' or a girl, you better cut that off now as it is senseless for the long run anyway. 
Basically you are delaying execution this way.

And if you are really one of the few that is willing to do all to live here, better to go back home and start saving up a fat buffer.
The sooner you are loaded, the sooner you have a fair chance on coming back + staying X years.

I know only a few who are still under 30 like me, and living here for 7+ years, it ain't easy, certainly not as a newbie / today.

I am sure you can easily find your way with some luck, new year grants you 2x border runs again as well, you could get a TV from another country too (instead of Laos).
Question is why you would want to run around, waste a lot of time and money for just 30-60 days more each time, without a real reason to be in Thailand.

If you have nothing that keeps you here, you are better off spending some time elsewhere instead. Why make it so difficult? Just spend some time in Bali or Vietnam.
You do not have a future in Thailand on the long run anyway, unless you marry or buy the elite visa (I would advice neither). Get real.

4 minutes ago, impulse said:

My upscale neighborhood in China was 100% sold but less than 50% occupied for over 10 years.  

Same in Phnom Penh, 1 BR apartments for 100K USD, some Chinese own entire floors and don't bother to rent it cheap. 
Would not be surprised if they also have a fair amount in BKK, however, that China house buying boom also seems to be ending (soon).

But yet also unique that in Kuala Lumpur the rent of 2 and even 3 bedroom condo's is really cheap.

Really find it insane that one needs to show 400K baht just to get a single entry abroad. Too bad, wouldn't mind doing a trip to Indonesia otherwise.

Happy, after many different places in TH, I did do my research before renting (visiting at night to check too, few days). 
Now living in a super quiet village, if there is anything going on it will never last longer than 10-11PM on average. 

Just some dogs barking casually, but not many and never too long. I hate noise, living outside of town and around old people on purpose. 

22 minutes ago, Elzear said:

This is a recent approval for a 10yr 800k Elite Visa, for your information 

Approval_Letter_APP1910-0142.pdf 637.69 kB · 7 downloads

Next time you have to blur a bit longer, you can still read all ???? Guess you had brightness low on your screen.

26 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

No one is saying under 50s can't survive- but what are they doing to do when they are  60 or 65 and have no government pensions as they never paid into the system; have no superannuation fund as they never paid into the system.  

A pension does not have to depend on the classic ways, in fact, I would say the classic ways are risky. One can also have a mortgage house back home, rented out and paid for, which will be a asset before pension age. Add on a paid off home in Thailand + savings on your own, perhaps a small inheritance over time. 

Pretty simple, newbies can make it work and stretch for first 1-2 years without issues. After that, under current ways, you are done.
Thailand does no longer want or allow us to be here for the entire year, unless work permit / non-o / elite etc. 

Seems people still live in denial and think this is only a ghost story,
specially people who do have a yearly visa (many never check the news as they have no concerns yet), sadly it is the truth.

Having said that, can't wait for my visa horror days again half way next month.
Hanoi is fine for a single non-o without financial proof too? @Britmantoo 

30 minutes ago, Langkawee said:

White men will tell you they are living in paradise. It is the town of choice for the mentally ill. After all who woukd choose to live in a sh%tehole that will make them prematurely die. 

Wonder what town you talk about as the pollution is as bad in Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, basically everywhere except in the south. 
Only difference for the north (CM and CR etc too) is the extreme peak measurements. All year round average BKK and Khon Kaen are still worse.