tabarin

Just now, DumbFalang said:

Anyhoo....just found out that the Vietnamese eVisa takes 3 full working days to process, so it's a bit tight as my current visa expires on the 6th of September.

 

Going to research a trip to Laos - I know there's a good thread on here about it....

You can get a Vietnam visa within 24 hours if you really want to get it. Nothing complicated about that, still more than enough time to do that as well.

@DumbFalang

I am in the same boat here, I am also business owner and my payments do not come from my home country but UK etc.
Basically have well over 40K a month but can not proof this the way they want it (embassy only proofs income from Netherlands, not elsewhere).

Which basically means I am forced to put all my income trough Netherlands, for no reason, as well have additional costs + having to fly there to set-up a new company. Then still, it will take at least 12 months before I can get the actual proof. 

I tried to explain and get information at many sources in CM but without result, they do not even seem to understand it is possible to have a business abroad.
Basically have done a tourist visa + tourist extension + non-o extension (they do that in CM), 2x Mae Sai and now on a single entry Non-o from Vientiane (he said next time they will need income proof there too, unsure what this means).

Looking at the next nightmare at December 15th, to close this year and have 2x land borders again.
Considering a lawyer in Pattaya, taking care for all of it at around 30K baht (+ me having to fly there twice too), or setting up a Thai company with lawyer CM.

Somehow hoped to see positive changes with all the time I bought already, but it seems to only get worse hehe.
If I didn't have a son and wife here, i'd be long gone by now. 

Hope it isn't the same guy who thought to get away with it by losing his/her PP lol. Will only add on the trouble and costs.

Well, you can't buy or own a house, so that would be a interesting situation? Or does it also count if you buy it for your wife / someone else?

So one is safe from the Cannabis tests with a permit then too? That sounds great, ADHD is on the list.

I have seen it in Thailand, at the very end of the bridge. It also happened to me once in Paris, also at the end of the bridge, I was just asked my passport and they asked where I was going, he didn't use any system to check my info either, said Holland with the train and then they let me walk. Formal immigration took only seconds. 

Aside of this story being true or not, I notice them everywhere nowadays, it feels uncomfortable even you know to be legit.
Same with the dodgy check points in BKK at night nowadays, always passed trough but seen farangs stripping down to underwear on the street at 3AM.

Western investment leaving would be death penalty for Thailand, western tourists / westerners not so much for Thailand as a country, the elite and middle class.
But I am sure it would hurt many of the lower income people, SME focused on tourism (let's say a good couple of million people) / many are affected already. 

Many people say it is just 13% but that does not include indirect transfers (payments for girls / families etc). 
Let's say we could make it 15-20% in total and it is actually a significant loss for any economy (if that worst case scenario plays out).

7 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

I first came here in about 2005, the exchange rate was great and to be honest the girls were really beautiful, I took more than a few out of places like Angelwitch and Secrets back in the day and other places, all of them were slim and attractive, no tramp stamps

It is a freaking nightmare, today I had to witness 3 new old and fat girls joining a bar, that doesn't have any good looking girls, none under 30 years old even.
Only reason I still visit is the good pool table and owner. It felt so miserable that I rang the bell to feel nice during my short stay, playing a game.

13 minutes ago, jastheace said:

interesting, I won't ask what tho. I've made a new enemy by looks of it and have been told to go, obviously I must obey... so bye

Could be anything, doesn't have to be domestic. But one never asks that question to a business directly, most obviously.
How do you think all those Chinese and Korean businesses run, most are just for the sake of a visa.

2 minutes ago, jastheace said:

adverts were on sophon cable tv for years, 55 B breakfast, all food cheap (and edible if not the best quality) chang beer 35 all day, but i'd never seen it busy.( except on party nights with free chilli and shots). dunno how it kept going for as long as it did.

Usually it is called a place to do laundry (run break-even, make profit with 3rd party activities).

Many of my favs have closed already, others are trying to keep up since a few years,
I am pretty sure the coming 'high season' will be deciding their future (closing). 

Seeing the ones that did not really been bothered / suffered before,
to start suffering now too, still unsure to say anything about that (seems it is even worse than I thought).

This is based about reports from CM (BKK places I know seem to be fine but they never really rely on tourists either).

Not to mention all the money saved on visa and forced insurance costs.. That will save quite a bit too I assume.

Actually, most DNs do travel around and over the world, there are quite some who just come for 1-2 months only and join coworking spaces.

Those who live here for the longer term, hate to be called a DN and do not identify themselves as one either.
They are simply freelancers / overseas business owners who can work Online, for customers abroad. 

I can recall that even some hi-so owner of a co-working space in BKK tried to lobby for visa solutions years ago, so far with no progress or results.
Is really a shame actually as many are now in Indonesia and Vietnam instead. It would be of huge value to Thailand, when wanting to get to a 4.0 economy.

If denied entry the Laos side will just cancel your exit stamp (if you are liked at no cost). 

Laos side is not happy about it too as it costs them tourists, they should be happy to get you back for a few more days.

1 hour ago, xvend said:

Just to clarify something here, this exact same story is in a facebook group where the person affected has a facebook profile saying that they "live in Bangkok" SO.................

What is strange about that, the post here is also made by a friend, who most likely lives in Thailand and so reporting it here to other expats / long stayers.

Anyway, I think his origin passport not really helped him. Wonder how he dressed up like too / shaved or not / hair style etc.
They are careful with those countries, often people with little to no money gives a potential red flag upfront.

Regardless I think it is disgusting if the story is true, he been away for months and this is only the second METV, they lost their brains at immigration.
I really hate-love that we have a good running start-up here, otherwise it been easier to divert to Vietnam, not trusting the direction this stuff is going at all.

Makes me feel unwelcome entirely, even I am welcome under my own visa etc. arrangements (for now).

A few weeks ago I bought a cheeseburger at mc donalds, it still looks the same. Guess that is about the best I bought.

I been trying to contact them previously too but never got answers (few months ago and before that too).
If you want a visa service for retirement, the easiest would be with The Colonel across immigration. 

3 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

Sounds good to me. Expatland.

We could generate plenty of money, certainly if doing a bit more, like 50 euro a month.
A dream that will never happen I guess hehe, too much greed on the way to destroy trust.

Sounds like we got the same landlord, I told mine it will be the last time I do it myself, else I move out.

My landlord always has excuses to not do it as well, already paid a fine previously as I would otherwise waste my time on the extension. 
Pretty done with it, my resolution is moving out after I found a nice place, lot's of choice for little nowadays anyway.

My previous topic was closed due to some trolls but I made it back without problems, many rejections on my day too though.
And visa fee is always paid on pick-up day.

Update; he said something between the lines of that non-o would become 6 months valid minimum in return.
Not sure how reliable this is but it came from the consulair employee, not the students.