Jump to content

ExpatPH

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    366

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by ExpatPH

    Philippines 2019 for new expats

    in Philippines General Chat

    Posted

    18 hours ago, cerox said:

    I have a few questions.

     

    1. What happens with the ACR card when you leave? Do you have to start all over again like with your visa every time you leave? Or do you keep the card until a defined expiry date?

     

    2. I read before that an English driving license is ok, the Thai license is in English too and it is part of the ASEAN agreement, where the countries agreed to accept each others licenses. I already suspected the police will not care. Would you suggest using taxis until we have an ACR card and convert to a Filipino driving license? I have no motorbike license from my home country (only car) so IDP is not an option.

     

    3. A few months ago I found out what you wrote in this topic too. Motorbikes are cheaper than in Thailand. But I am more interested in renting first - websites like book2wheel.com quote a 30day rental price of 9500 PHP which is almost 5800 THB and twice as expensive as Thailand. Can you shed some light on this? I just do not understand why motorbikes (buying) are so much cheaper but renting at the same time is super-expensive. Maybe I use the wrong websites; I am happy for advice.

     

    4. Carry passport when driving was mentioned here. Photocopy ok? (Scan on smartphone etc.)

     

    It seems to me driving is complicated - I mean renting is expensive and I need a local license first, so it might be better to just use Taxis/Grab. Also keeps me more flexible.

     

     

     

    1.  You keep your ACR-I card to expire date, valid 1 year. When you return to PH, Immigration ask for it.  If its expired already, they tell you to apply for a new one, something thats done automatically when one apply for extension at office (not at airport).

     

    2. If IDL is not a option, use taxi, or motorcycle taxi called habal habal. 

    Can't and shouldn't attempt to bribe a police officer.  I would not drive without IDL + DL from country of origin.

     

    3. Renting motorbike is indeed expensive here, 9000 peso or more is normal for a 125cc bike here.  All places I visited quoted 9k up for a month. Why it's so expensive here? Good question. Not many motorbike for rent here, not same as in Thailand. Less availability = higher demand mostly from richer tourists, higher prices.

    Buying a 300-600cc here is often 1000US$ cheaper than in Thailand. 

     

    4. Carry real passport when driving with IDL + DL from home country. No photo copy.

     

    As always in Asia, depends of the officer who stop you. To be safe, carry real Passport as required, when driving. They love to impound motorbikes here.

     

    While traffic culture here is slower than in Thailand, without IDL one should await ACR-I card, before driving.

     

    • Like 1
    • Popular Post
    • Popular Post

    Thailand sees rare but significant drop in tourist arrivals

    in Thailand News

    Posted

    Strong baht.

    Stricter visa regulations.

    90 days report tm-30.

    Fine 2000 for late report.

    Online reporting that didnt work for most.

    Nonsense tm-30.

    Nonsense report within 24 hrs.

    Fine foreigners for unit owners lack to report foreigner who moved in.

    Nonsense money in local bank requirement.

    Denied at entry airport.

    Denied retirement renewal.

    What other country in south east asia is so strict?

     

    Los kicked out many tourist and long stayers.

    We choosed Thailand for easy visa, and fun.

     

    No more easy visa, way too many regulations, add on hate crime, increased living cost, and weekly reports of denied entry or renewal.

     

    In my dream,

    Visa regulations as 10 years ago

    Devaluate baht, let it float to 40 to the dollar.

    And drop all other restrictions directed at longstayers and expats.

    Tourist and expats might return.

     

    I'm happy to read less tourist arrivals than previous years. Yes happy.

    Can only kick 'dog farang' for so long time. We have alternatives, easier visa, no 90 day tm 30, no 800k, etc etc.

     

    Left Thailand long ago, and not returning until easy visa again, same pre-2010.

     

    • Like 12
    • Popular Post
    • Popular Post

    SE Asia options for expats/ex Thailand.

    in Vietnam General Chat

    Posted

    2 hours ago, mokwit said:

    Yes, but a major drawback is that you would have to live in Cambodia or PI.

     

     

    Do you prefer to return back home?

    Thailand kick out expats weekly now, so Plan B is a must have.

    And wait to new imm chief come with new requirements.

    Suddenly Cambodia, Vietnam and Philippines don't soumd so bad after all.

     

    • Like 4
    • Sad 1
    • Popular Post
    • Popular Post

    Philippines 2019 for new expats

    in Philippines General Chat

    Posted

    If you are age 60+ your possibilities are limited on the Thai online dating market (lack of response and interest). Of the few replies I received, most was high maintenance. Also approached people at work, left me with the feeling that I was 'over expiration date', even before age 50. Can't imagine today.

     

    Did a comparison on two online dating websites, thaifriendly and pinalove.

    On thaifriendly I received almost no messages, and replies. Sent many messages, still lack of response.

    On pinalove, messages flooded in even I hadn't written them earlier, and those where I had initiated contact, replies to my messages was 80%+

    Filipinocupid, pinalove, dateinasia, badoo, tinder.

    For those on the temporary market, these sites are also helpful, and one can just register and sit back and wait for messages and offers of any kind.

     

    In early days I went for looks and aimed at a 9 or 10. Most of these was lazy, unemployed, players and high maintenance.

    Learned my lesson and aimed only at people who had a job. Even she was a single parent as most are here, a employed person have the drive to take care of herself, and her responsebilities. Mostly also low maintenance.

    Seasoned expats told me to approach a person at work and ask if she's single. That worked for me. One will not be alone here, unless one want to.

     

    A single westerner living in province, will be approached on a daily basis.

     

    Regards

    ExpatPH

     

    • Like 3
    • Sad 1

    Pattaya Songkran: Hotel bookings well down as tourists stay away

    in Pattaya News

    Posted

    Also the huge increase of arrivals that TOT claim year on year, that many of us dispute and doubt, should be a factor.

    If these numbers was to be believed

    (and was actually for real),

    it should be a market for new hotels and restaurants. So why isn't it?

     

    Songkran has outplayed its role as attraction, since it became mayhem years ago.

    Common knowledge also about problems at airports point of entry, it isn't a surprise that hotel bookings are way down.

    • Popular Post
    • Popular Post

    Philippines 2019 for new expats

    in Philippines General Chat

    Posted

    Foreigners choose to live in Philippines because we enjoy to be around polite and courteous people, who treat us with respect and a real genuine smile.

     

    We choose to live in Philippines, because we want to be surronded by english speaking natives.

     

    We choose to live in Philippines, because we feel welcome here!

     

    We choose to live in Philippines, a country that does not have highly inflated exchange rates.

     

    Those who in 2019 defend los, live in the past, when it was easy visa. Keyword: Was.

     

    Defenders deny the fact that tourists and expats has been forced out for years, and the trend has been intensified in 2019.

     

    Thailand 2019 is less westerners, mostly left with chinese tour groups and indians.

     

    2019 will be the year where tourists, longstayers and expats choose other destinations, who welcome us with less restrictions, less limitations and requirements.

     

    • Like 5
    • Sad 1
    • Haha 1

    Has anyone been denied entry with a valid tourist visa?

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    8 hours ago, Selatan said:

     

    I find it rather funny to hear some of you farangs claiming to be contributing a lot to the economy of Thailand. Maybe some of you have not seen this chart before:

     

    Image result for top tourists to thailand

     

    Because farang expats and tourist do contribute.

    17,7 per cent of GDP

     

    Quote:

    Tourism is a major economic contributor to the Kingdom of Thailand. Estimates of tourism revenue directly contributing to the Thai GDP of 12 trillion baht range from one trillion baht (2013) 2.53 trillion baht (2016), the equivalent of 9 per cent to 17.7 per cent of GDP.[1][2] 

     

    When including indirect travel and tourism receipts, the 2014 total is estimated to be the equivalent of 19.3 percent (2.3 trillion baht) of Thailand's GDP.

     

    Tourism is a major economic contributor to the Kingdom of Thailand.

     

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Thailand

     

    • Like 1
    • Popular Post
    • Popular Post

    Pattaya Songkran: Hotel bookings well down as tourists stay away

    in Pattaya News

    Posted

    While most tourist countries would beautify tourist area with parks, maintain old trees, limit public traffic on the beach - Thailand cut valuable old trees, pave concrete every inch they can, and build a 3 lane 'highway' very next to the beach.

    Family friendly destination?

     

    Then get rid of long stayers and expats, and even genuine tourists get denied entry at airports.

     

    Overinflated currency.

     

    No sane people would be surprised that hotel bookings are way down.

    Remain of the year will never see previous years higher occupancy rates.

     

    Later this year, a true headline should be

    'Hotel bookings well down all 2019 as tourists stay away'

     

     

    • Like 3

    Philippines 2019 for new expats

    in Philippines General Chat

    Posted

    1 more retired expat in Thailand did not get his renewal.

     

    Quote:

    Yesterday I was denied what would have been my 9th retirement extension as I have not kept 800k in a Thai bank for the required time.  I accept that I will probably have to return to Australia and start the process again. End quote.

     

     

     

    • Like 1
    • Confused 1
    • Sad 2
×
×
  • Create New...