ChaiyaTH

Funny, I already said the border is open, and then we get 5 nonsense comments following. The point is just about wether Mae Sai now also take additional 'fees' aka corruption, just like most southern borders do. Last report as I said, they asked that person 1500.

Budddha statue

Try living with them on the islands down south.

Might as well spend that money to have the new type of drones that automatically fly routes and return, land into a charging unit, and repeat.

I notice the same in many places in Thailand, hotels and roads are all full and busy, but in many restaurants or for girl bars, little interest. But to be real, the girls messed up before, many people stopped going before covid. For myself, and many expat friends I know here, somehow the 3 year covid just made us change routine too long too, we now rarely still go to the gogo bars, or if we do, just for a few drinks. We figured we can get proper drinks and food in high end places, for the same we otherwise waste on additional girl drinks, who think 3-5K short time is normal.

Had a russian who entered legal and had 2 year visa (education) so far, came to do the border run with our visa run trip down south too, the guy said he didn't exist in the database and next thing I knew he was arrested and gone. 700 day overstay. Turned out to be a <deleted> up mistake on immi side, at the time of his extensions. But you should see him look like a white ghost in seconds, he didn't even had belongings with him.

The same luxury payments can be made in many western countries, and are also way out of touch with minimum wages. To live alone and rent on a minimum wage in for example Netherlands, is even almost impossible. At most a student room or social renting after waiting 10 years on a list first. Also just a minority of girls is doing this in Thailand, if looking at the population.

Anyway yeah it's 45 days and you leave and return with the passport you have your stamp on now. Or you would likely need to show both passports as of knowing you have the Exit stamp on myanmar side, before re-entering. Easier to just use the same if you ask me.

Same, I have even dozens of visa pictures with different background colors and sizes. Then a folder with 5-10 copies of every document, I usually just have to make the copies of the most recent visa page or stamp etc only. I basically have copies of anything that could be interesting for multiple countries, but it is mainly for Thailand. These unexpected copies always set you back hours + dozens of queue numbers, and usually it is many who need it, making my extensions faster lol. When in Rome do as the Romans do. They like papers, I bring papers.

2. I heard from the most recent that they charged 1500, unlike it being totally normal and easy before covid. So following to know.

I am here because I have a family and the weather and the cost of living, most of the options. But wait, no I change my mind, I'm here for the hooter girl, the second one right.

Borders are interesting lately, the south is similar, they make huge issues if you go alone but with a minivan agent service they don't even look more than 10 seconds to your history. As long you been checked out and in again. What sucks the most is that those minivan trips are super long and uncomfortable, while I enjoyed traveling there on my own and making it a 2 day trip. Never gonna do that one again, back on yearly extension soon. So much for my travel plans after years of covid, its easier to stay inside Thailand lol. I'll travel domestic.

With other words: the majority who never even stays here over 3 years or longer, or the minority exception. A bit like the very few girls who do manage to walk away with a mercedes and 10M baht capital of a then divorced retiree fool.

Thats like 65k baht and with a happy wife at 250gbp more than reasonable, you know as well could do it on even less if necessary. But then again, how about retirement etc, its easy to mention this budget if on retirement or semi secured already. its different when 30-40 year old, then one should want to save at least 600-900 a month on top if being realistic. I guess this makes topics with the replies and opinions so confusing, many only consider basic <deleted> like room and food, others think of retirement and other factors too. This aside of social spending level differences amongst people.

This is true but also a very disciplined specific lifestyle that cuts out anything else, which IMHO you should do regular, if moving a continent away in the first place. its peanuts for me to even survive on 15k with a decade up knowledge, but im 1000% sure its more fun on 60k. id rather leave and earn good money abroad to spent a few months here properly than to try and “survive” as a thai.

What you describe is not ordinary at all, we just got used to it being normal. but yeah lets say rent decent for 20-25k incl bills, spend 30k a month living ordinary, 5k insurance and small bills, 5k for entertainment and 20k savings, the total is 80-85k already. A cheap wife and child would easily add 20-30k more costs to school or other fees too. But these are choices and luxuries.

Thats normal anyway for a night out in such areas and places, with girls. I usually lose 4-5k on a bit longer night out. But i only do that 1x per month nowadays, other days i drink at restaurants or local places. Even 6 beers and thai food in a beach place usually set me back 500-600 only.

With such salary you can actually enjoy to socialize, eat out in 200-300 meal places more often, rent nice and still save decent too.

You should aim for at least 50-60k baht per month income, if you do as you describe you can even save some of this too, which you will need to do anyway. Aside of this a bigger budget to go wild and have fun the first 1-3 months.

More and more money being sucked out of us. And in 3 years the fee need to be higher again.

Makes it very easy to setup people in a horrible way aside of the fact that a real junkie would always need 2 or more, unless dealers are always available and nearby.

Maybe that is why the girls ask 4-5K short time nowadays, as they know it's never 1 indian at the time lol.

On my first trip to Hanoi I told the driver to go to my hotel, while my battery was nearly dying, ended up at 1AM in the middle of nowhere at some random shop that turned out having the same name. Ended up sleeping at some dodgy short time hotel near KTV bars.

Murders are usually done by someone close or known to them too.

Cry me a river dude, you would participate so many more times just living daily life here.