Dart12

Who is charging 70K?

3 Different sources.  2 Agents.

I've been quoted 55k for 12 month, and 65k to 77k for 15 month.

Told there is no 3, 6, or 15 by first agent.  Says big boss retiring in one year and will only do 12.

1 seemed too unreliable.  I won't deal with her.  I don't do business with people I don't get along with.  

Last is "inside". 

With their money window closing, I just got an offer to do a 90 day volunteer for 25k.

Not great, but a little softer.

 

10 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

There are some overpriced agents who have always charged that. Nothing has changed but if you want a volunteer visa you might have to get a 30 day extension or medical visa first. It's probably better to wait it out and see what comes of this long-term tourist visa proposal first. There will always be a way of extending your stay in Thailand through an agent if it comes to nothing.

Being a relatively new international traveler, I hate to bank on that "always a way".  I've met SOME connections.  But no godfathers.

I've got an hour to make a decision.

14 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

When you apply for an extension based on an Embassy letter , you initially get 20 days for consideration and then you have to go back to get the extra 10 days .

   Immigration may not process the volunteer visa with the 20 day consideration allowance .

If you are applying for a normal 30 day visa extension, that 20 day consideration issue shouldn't be a problem (As you would get the full 30 days )

Well, I still have a 30 day extension from when I first arrived.  **But I have no idea if they are even honoring those after the amnesty.

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Anyone banking on using the 30-day embassy letter extension followed by applying for a Non O (conversion) visa at Immigration, beware!

 

The embassy letter extension is taken under consideration, with a report back date that does not leave you the 15 days needed to apply for the visa.

can you elaborate?  how does the embassy letter change valid dates to apply next month?

yes, but the border is not open.  So goodluck.  That would require 2 miracles to happen.  

3 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Those volunteer  visas take 15 days to process , so today is the last day to apply .

If you can get a 30 day visa extension, that should give you enough time to apply for a volunteer visa.

The talk of a 270 day tourist visa is just talk at the moment and it would probably only be available from Embassys abroad . 

   You could wait until September 24 th and then apply for a 30 day visa extension and then apply for a volunteer visa 

Yeah. Not banking on the 270 day visa materializing either.

But taking another 30 day extension or "Covid" visa makes sense to me before applying for volunteer.  Was shocked at their price gouge during this.  All 4 are playing the card, "we don't know if they'll allow these next month" to me.

70k is some decent pocket change.

 

Does anyone know if this is true?  Agents are asking near 70k to acquire a 12-15 month volunteer visa (depending upon agent).

Their big scarcity tactic  is, you have to apply to get one before today is over.

Then their is talk of 270 day tourist visas coming out next week.

Then a SMALL chance of further amnesty (yes, there is a chance still.  Not one I'm banking on though)

I can easily get another 30 day extension right now.

But of course, all I'm being told is that I will no longer qualify for a volunteer after today.

Any truth to this?  I can't see any reason why I wouldn't qualify next month either.  It just makes fiscal sense to wait and see if this other tourist visa gets enacted that is a mere 2-8000 baht if I can still get a volunteer visa next month.

Any insider peeps lurking here knowledgeable about long term volunteer visas?

13 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Just let anyone staying here already get 90 days extension at immigration for 2000baht.  Tourists, married, retired, anyone.  No bank account requirements, no fannying around, just a 90 day stamp for 2 grand.  Keep it simple...

I'd pay 6k for that easy for that simplicity.

3 minutes ago, djuiiy said:

for 3 weeks now i've been saying November is the reopening of Thailand. I'm still sticking with it. I've seen nothing to suggest Thailand will be closed in November.

Highly doubt it.  The entire world's governments have fear-mongered the death out of covid.  Their is about to be a 2nd wave (media created I'm sure).  

Side effect of that fear creation, is a country like thailand can't suddenly pretend it's nothing.  They made their bed and have to lie in it.  You have seen the hysteria over just a person or two getting it, and the entire town going empty for a week after.

And they don't mind, it just makes prime property for the wealthy to buy at pennies.  Wealthy are getting wealthier right now.  Look at stock markets climbing to verify that.

Anyone have an agent charging less than 65k for a 15 month volunteer visa?

Agents making a nice penny charging 75,000 to land volunteer visas right now.  feeling a butt hurt over that.

Anyone know someone reliable for cheaper?

It's really hard for me to discern if you (TVF) love?  or hate?  dating Thai women lol.

@hobz, where are you getting your stats from?  do you have a source link?

As long as they leave everything open with no lockdowns, i'm good with pretending it doesn't exist but for a fluke here and there.

7 minutes ago, YorkshireTyke said:

It has a US/Canada section which includes for live TV ESPN, NHL but I can't see much else and I'm not sure about catchup for other countries.

 

You can email them and ask for a free trial for 1-3 days, they are usually quite good at that.

which one are you referring to?  several are mentioned above.

I'll need like NFL pass or regular stations like ABC, CBS, FOX though to catch American Football.  I think ESPN only gets one game a week.

I've thought about even paying a bar here to record it and let me watch it at like 6pm next day.  A good thing about very little business in pattaya during this juncture...striking deals.

Is there anything similar for USA sporting events?

This man was trying to keep women thin.  he's a saint.  Time to start a go fund me page to free him!

was her real one broke? Not exactly like it's got a counter on it ???? 

"start". and "operate"....two different criteria that should be considered together, not separately.


 

Gentrification happens everywhere that it's desirable real estate.   Just time to move to another part of town if you don't like the neighborhood changing.  this happens everywhere in the world.

1 hour ago, Eindhoven said:

 

Are there beachfront villas here? I usually stay beachfront. But there isn't really much beachfront in Central Pattaya. 

Unless you count living across the road from the beach as beachfront.

Unless I can hear the sea and feel the sea breeze, it isn't beachfront, but sea view.

 

The only beachfront in Central Pattaya is at either end. From Dusit going north and from Walking Street going south.

That being said, I have stayed in large low rise apartments(150 to 200 sq.m.) on the beach road. High rise is nonsense, as it's just a sea view, not beachfront.

 

 

yeah. I don't know of any villas on the beach. I was talking about deals that were offered to me when we were looking for a place to stay.

 I was liberal with the term beach front, as the road is between us and the beach in Central Pattaya.  So seaview would be more apt.

Where were those size apartments?  and were they newer?  I saw nothing like that in my searches for furnished condos/villas.

45k/mn instead of 135k/mn

Also had options for places that were 80k a month that dropped to 10k.  Brand new condos.  villas that were over 120k HUGE, at around 40k offered. 

 

I ended up buyong a DTAC package for 200baht/mn with unlimited 10mbs data and Dtac to dtac free calls.  3 month paid upfront. good for one year. (found on Lazada).