beach

The fact he isn't a Brit makes a refreshing change.

Didn't know the fact that Brit's do have enough cash to be eligible to carry a credit card

Some years ago somebody posted a great solution whose details I can't remember precisely but no doubt an electrician here will elucidate.

It involved puncturing the wires with a tiny pin and shorting them out. The puncture and pin would be nearly invisible and so difficult to find that the gov't hacks wouldn't be able to discover the source of the problem. They'd assume the speakers were defective or need to replace the entire wire, not perceiving sabotage at all. If they didn't give up the first time around, eventually they would.

A trick I learn in the Finnish army.

Just go up to the wires/speaker, connect a 230V cable to + and - from the speaker and connect to an outlet in your house for a sec or two. Remove the cable immediately after that action.

If you are a good guy you'd disconnect the speaker cable first to protect all other speakers / amplifier, if you are a smart guy you won't

Thanks everyone for the replies. Great - and understood on all counts.

Does anyone know if being employed locally on a salary greater than 40,000 Baht would meet the income requirement for the 1 year extension of stay (for being married to a Thai national). If it does then I'm assuming proof of income would come from my employer, and not from my Embassy or anyone else. Correct?

Yes correct Waters, you don't need to change from Non-B to Non-O only because you are married, just apply for a 1 year "internal" extension at your immigration office (locally) But if you want to change your status (from Non-B to Non-O) you have to leave the country and apply abroad for this kind of visa.

To get all the correct paperwork together just pass by your local immigration office and ask for the list of required documentation, they'll hand it over to you.

btw, I'm always wondering why most of you guys ask these questions in this forum and don't bother to ask the immigration office?

Living here for more than 20 years I can tell you only about my own experience:

a) next time you've to apply for a new visa (abroad Thai Embassy) do it under Non-O (Money in the bank of course, as you stated, family papers etc).

Enter to Thailand, stay here and then apply for a 1-year visa at the immigration office before your current (the new Non-O) is expiring (at least 3 weeks before)

c) Once you've got it, that's it, don't have to leave the country, if you have to on other reasons, don't forget to get your Re-Entry permit (single or multiple) before leaving Thailand

d) Do the renewal at your immigration office for 3+ consecutive years without any interruption and apply then for Residency

It's not difficult at all, generally spoken.

To have a Non-O visa is much better than a Non-B visa because it's reason to stay is different (family, child) and you still get a work permit in case you work again, absolutely no problem.

Cheers and good luck

yes you can extend your non-b visa in case you are treated in a hospital and not able to move, that's the only way. But for sure this is not your case. You most likely have to fly/move out to get another visa from KL, SIN, HKG and come back. The validity of your (once issued) work permit corresponds with your Non-B visa, therefore make sure to inform the Labour department of your situation (Visa renewal). Everything works here, but you have to follow the rules of course. Good luck.

don't expect more than 35,000 to 50,000 THB per month. Cheers and good luck

Since the mother was never married the full custody of the child belongs to her, no need to get any signatures etc. from the father.

You wrote that the daughter already has a passport. To be able to apply for a passport you need the person with full custody (or both in case of shared custody) to sign all papers and documents, which explains it all anyway.

And your quote: Life is a gamble but if you don't play you don't win ... might be true ... but you certainly don't lose!

ha55ha,, got one iPhone4s last week, ordered online on Thai-Apple website (delivery from Singapore), price like indicated on website, 20,900 THB delivered, all included, no extras.. iphone 4s, 16Gb, that's it

I have a friend, ahem, who hasn't done a 90 day report in 3 years. Multiple entry non-B visa renewal every year no problems, no worries

Just to be clear for others here, B business visas typically don't require 90 day reports. The visa itself is valid for a year, but the holder is required to exit Thailand by land or air every 90 days...hence the reason for no 90 day reporting.

That's in contrast to retirement extensions, where the holder doesn't have to exit Thailand anytime during the year, but does have to do 90 day reports.

That's correct TallGuy,, i was confused too reading about the 90 day reporting. BTW why do most of the "B" or "O" Visatype holder NOT apply for a 1year extension once here and working? That keeps you away from doing visa runs or exits (in case of a multiple entry)? Paperwork to do that is nearly just as much doing a work permit extension. And then after 3 continuous years you apply for your residency, all in all a simple procedure.

I've got my residency and of course do cue up in the Thai-Line, easy and fast and sometimes funny

This is a hilarious explanation for why they might want to see the marriage cert or the actual wife but entirely credible. There must be committees of Immigration Police generals who do nothing all day but dream up new regulations that serve no purpose whatsoever but make Thailand seem as xenophobic as possible.

I like the word xenophobic,, went to Immigration in BKK 4 years ago to get another Re-Entry Permit in my residence book. Was told, "Sir, your previous Re-Entry Permit" hasn't been used and you need to cancel it first!" I replied: "But it's expired since 4 months and the year before I was not able to travel due to our projects here, so I couldn't use it, but anyway it's expired. Normally it takes 3 days of procedure to cancel an unused and expired Re-Entry Permit. With my flight to leave Thailand the next day she kindly sped up the procedure down to 3 hours with consulting her seniors which was a nice and thankful experience. Even it's completely incomprehensible to have a payed but unused Re-Entry Permit cancelled I deeply appreciated her effort to get me a new one the same day.

it's xxxxxxx@fttxhome

cheers & good luck

How long is your contract valid for?

I am employed by my own company

Never heard on this one before, just got my work permit back this week for another year without any problems. In your case I would go back to the labour departement and ask for the reason, they will ("must") have an explanation for that. Otherwise they just gave you the work permit for the time your visa is valid (in case you don't have a 1year visa).

ugh, what if Im in another city now? Do I really have to apply for a re-entry from the other city?

No, you don't have to go to the same place. Just go to the immigration office in Bangkok with your papers/books (Passport, work permit) they'll do it for you, takes approx. 3 hours.

And be aware that once you've got a re-entry permit you HAVE to use it otherwise you are requested to cancel it after it expired before applying for a new one. The cancellation takes approx. 3 days.

It's weird but it's like that.

-B-

Hi Paul, in fact you can work with clients outside your office if it's described in your work permit. It's very complicated where you can work or not, I'm struggling with that for more than 14 years and since it's up to the executive officer at the labour department I don't care anymore since many years. I'm trying to be compliant as much as I can but that's it. They change to their gusto the rules as they want and if you have a specific question they can't give you an answer. Therefore I don't care

seems ok to me, westrern economires in a very bad way, exchange rate poor ans other destinations offering better value for the money. have not noticed to many bars closing, they are usually reopened straight away.

must admit i have been ex pat for 10 years but like many others thinking of relocating else where in Asia where i feel my money would be better appreciated, and not have all the hassle of visa's and farang cannot do this and cannot do that. they killed the goose that laid the golden egg

NaRak,, being an expat here for 23++ years I can only say, your money is appreciated but you don't have any, that's the way I see you. And I'm going to be sick of all "farangs" like you who moan about .. killing the goose that laid the golden egg... grow up man and do your thing and don't complain, because first of all, this is Thailand meaning Thai peoples country and not yours, they make their own rules and not rules you are looking for, it's just ridiculous what 90% of you guys are complaining about instead making up their own life here...

Anyone else have a sense of deja vu?

How would you spell deja vu in plural? deja vues?

Let's look at it mathematically,,, checking out ownership of 1 Billion rai at a rate of 100 per day with (let's be generous on Thai Official work effort) 300 working days per year, it will take 33,333 years to get it done.

<deleted> is going on here??? can't you guys just get a proper visa and earn some money or have enough money in your bank account??? Get some style here and don't complain about some laughable 65k or what ever it is. You have money and that's it, you don't have it, leave, good night.

I can see the result coming,, therefore GOOD NIGHT THAILAND,,, see you tomorrow

Does anyone know of a place where you can go to meet some Russian woman? I mean any singles bars that they frequent etc?

hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa try Moskow and don't forget your coat and wallet haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

One would think that with a case involving 2.8 Billion Baht, that something would have be written about it previously, but not a peep found anywhere.

Of course, the proverbial misspelling of names in local articles is a likely cause.

Not a peep indeed! Google his name. Not much comes up. Is this story for real?

>>>link please

It's probably this one, maybe

http://www.madisonrecord.com/news/217909-600k-foreign-judgment-filed-in-madison-county

One would think that with a case involving 2.8 Billion Baht, that something would have be written about it previously, but not a peep found anywhere.

Of course, the proverbial misspelling of names in local articles is a likely cause.

Not a peep indeed! Google his name. Not much comes up. Is this story for real?

>>>link please

It's probably this one, maybe

Finally for me the most stupid people are all the tourists who rent jet skies first place. I haven't met anybody in the last 23+years which I'm living here didn't complain about jet-skies, but many of those rent them out. Scam or not, nobody rents them, no scam.

Came here 23+ years ago I've never cared thinking of overstaying,,, just went out to get the appropriate visa on time and therefore never ever had any problems what so ever. People overstaying will do go to jail if caught, actually I would appreciate a THB 2,000 fine per day overstaying and at least a 2 weeks lock-up in a Thai jail for these kind of "visitors" even on the way leaving the country.