wpcoe

They weren't too please to find the place covered in feathers and duck sh1t and one very irate duck, still alive, sat on the freezer.

OMG, thanks for sharing that! I have a VERY VIVID visualization of that. How on earth did they deal with the "very irate duck" to get it out of there?

I laughed so hard when I read that, and am still chuckling as I write this.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think those folks who have had them returned were getting renewals of an expiring passport rather than replacements for a passport that hadn't expired.

I also had a damaged passport replaced with a new one -- at the Embassy in Bangkok -- and the old one was returned to me.

I was annoyed because the new one has "This passport is a replacement for a mutilated passport" typed on the inside back cover. I'm annoyed because to me, "mutilated" makes it sound like I intentionally inflicted damage on my passport. In fact, it was damaged in that the lamination on the front cover was de-laminating and I was getting lectures at immigration podiums.

Now, only four years into this new passport, the back page is tearing near the spine, and coming loose from the fabric cover. <sigh....>

There's a sign on Jomtien Beach Road somewhere past Soi Chaiypruek (heading south) that says "Pattaya City Limits". Or, at least there *used to* be one.

Can you please tell me the best way to get to and from jomtiem grand palace Hotel to main Pattaya City Centre, both during the day and at night - Thank you

In addition to the "baht bus" sawng thaew there is a queue of "taxi" sawng thaews right across the street from your hotel.

The difference, besides the price, is that a "taxi" will go non-stop to your destination not honking its horn at every farang in sight along the way. Depending where in the city center you are going, the fare would be B120-200. Ask at the hotel front desk for a recommended bidding price before you go out. Yes, it's often a negotiable fare. B200 should be the max, as that's what it is all the way to the bus terminal on North Pattaya Road. If it's just one person, you can sit in the air conditioned cab with the driver, too.

Okay, I surrender. How can I contact Will (apparently aka "Br1stol") at A1 Aircon?

There are quotes from him in above posts, but I cannot find the original post to click on his member name.

Searching for Br1stol on the search page comes up empty...

I realize that phone numbers cannot be posted, so can somebody PM me with his number, please?

I'm not sure if this is the same thing as you're describing, but I routinely (several times a day) getting the "Not Responding" message in the title bar of different programs, but it only lasts a few seconds. While that error message is in the title bar, usually (but not always) the entire system is unresponsive.

I have no idea the cause, but have learned to live with it. I've been beaten into submission by being repeatedly told that Vista is an improvement and works better and faster than XP.

I've been a TT&T MaxNet customer for over two years. Several months ago I renewed my B1000/mo contract by prepaying six months of 1024/512 service.

Last month (or was it the month before?) they automatically upgraded me to 2048/512 service.

I just now checked my router status, and am currently 2560/512, so apparently there was another automatic upgrade?

As far as I remember these particula housing estates are fifteen years old. There was no construction then.

I've seen references in posts to the fact that the airport is over 40 years in the planning. Would it have been known 15 years ago that an airport was a probability, or merely a slim possibility?

Was the A380 inside a hangar and being pushed out of it? (Meaning the wing clipped the hangar while exiting from the interior of the hangar.) That's what some of the news reports sound like.

Other reports sound like the A380 was out in the open, pushing back from someplace and the wing clipped a hangar from the outside.

Which was it? (Or, was it some other scenario?)

How would this come into play with corruption charges?

Wiping the slate clean

CIVIL SERVICE, CONVICTS :The cabinet will on Thursday propose to the National Legislative Assembly a bill to erase unfavourable records of government officials and state enterprise employees to mark His Majesty the King's 80th birthday.

Apart from clearing the bad track records of government and state enterprise officials found guilty of disciplinary violations before or on Dec 5 this year, the proposed bill will also clear the criminal records of ex-convicts. The bill, if passed, will take effect on Dec 5 this year.

source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/040907_News/04Sep2007_news14.php

What exactly are "disciplinary violations"? Do corruption charges fall under that category? If not, what exactly WOULD fall under that category?

What is meant by "clear[ing] criminal records of ex-convicts"? Only ex-cons who are government officials or state enterprise employees or ALL ex-convicts?

No foreign ministry "certification" of the embassy letter is required at this time.

"I attended the Ex Pats club and it was reported from the floor via Barry Kenyon that the requirement for your pension letter to be stamped (authenticated?)by the MFA due to commence on 1st October had been recinded after pressure from a number of embassy's."

Posted 2007-09-03 11:49:59

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=140594, post #7 by JohnC

If there isn't 90-day report receipt stapled into your passport and your last entry stamp indicates that you've been in Thailand for more than 90 days, the outbound immigration officer could ask why you haven't reported.

Ah. Sometimes the most obvious answer eludes me.

rainman: If those are the only two stamps she got, then she is definitely missing another one.

I did the same thing she did -- converted from a visa-waiver stamp to a Non-Immigrant O with retirement extension -- although I did it last year, and I got those same two stamps PLUS another one which was the one-year retirement extension.

Beyond that, regarding the left-hand stamp in your post (the smaller one) I have the same stamp but beneath it is a small rectangular stamp with only the word RETIREMENT in it. That same small rectangular stamp with RETIREMENT in it is also adjacent to third stamp that your mother seems to be missing.

(My scanner has a hit-or-miss relationship with Windows Vista, and right now it's "miss" so I can't post a scan of my stamps.)

["edited" because my fat fingers hit the <enter> key too early]

Just returned from the Immigration office in Jomtien, where I applied for my 4th Visa extension on the grounds of retirement.

I got to Immigration around 10am, and it was packed - I was 11th in line to see the officer about my retirement extension, so I had about an hours' wait. Everything went smoothly after that however.

I was there, same office, same date, same retirement extension, but arrived four hours later and I was first in line for desk #8. I wonder if it is usually like that in the early afternoon? I think all the desks were similar, as there were very few people seated in the waiting area.

This is a quote of what I posted in another thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=138104 (post #66, to put it in context) a few months ago:

I would like to incorporate to that suggestion, something that was suggested above: To be eligible for a longer-term visa, one must first demonstrate their dependability and desirability by first obtaining a one-year permission to stay.

Perhaps after a five-year permission to stay has expired, a longer (ten-year or lifetime?) option would be offered?

I also think the concept of "grandfathering" conditions of a visa/extension must be core to Thai Immigrations policy. e.g. If I qualify this year for a retirement extension with income of B800,000 at 50 years of age, but in a subsequent year those qualifications were increased (e.g. income of B1,000,000, age of 55 years), the an applicant who qualified on the earlier qualifications would continue to be granted the extension, provided future extensions are continuous, i.e. they do not let the visa/extension lapse.

Hi,

I have had a few extensions based on the 800k baht

This time I went with the embassy letter (dated of last August)

They required :

Application form x 1

ID foto x 1

Signed copies of passport pages (foto, visa, previous extensions and last entry stamp)

Signed copy of TM6 departure card

Signed COPY of the Embassy letter

Signed copies of the Tabien baan and ID card by and of the owner of the place where I live

1.900 baht

Nothing else, and this was my first time to extend in this office, very quick and friendly

Paid 2.000 baht got a reciept and a smile

Just to compare/contrast Kap Cheong with Pattaya: I extended yesterday at Pattaya, and the only difference was that he wanted (and took) the ORIGINAL of the Embassy letter, with a comment that I will need a new letter each year.

Also, no need for Tabien baan or ID card.

Please note that neither of us needed to draw a map to our residence, as had been previously reported as a new requirement for extensions.

Just back from Pattaya Immigration. Our last 90 day visit before we renew our Retirement Visa. The only comment from the officer was reminding us that we need to come back to renew our visa. (due end of October)No comment about ANY changes!

Watch this space...will keep you posted when we go to renew.

I just renewed my retirement extension in Pattaya yesterday (with a slight diversion of a two-day overstay, but that's covered in another thread). There was NOTHING new. No need to draw a map, used same forms, etc. The Immigrations fellow at desk #8 did make the comment that I will need a new bank letter each year from now on.

Please do post your experience, even if it is only to say "no changes from last year," begsaresponse.

[edited to add:] Yesterday, a Tuesday, I arrived at Pattaya Immigrations at around 1400, and I was first in line for desk #8. Even with the processing of the overstay, I was in and out in less than an hour, including time needed to go outside to get one additional copy of passport pages for the overstay processing. No guarantee that will happen for you, but maybe that's a good day/time to appear? All the other desks seemed to be rather not-busy, as well. Very few people seated waiting their turn.

Current consensus is that they are being more rigorous on enforcing 90 day reporting. If the officer at immigration notices (and there is a good chance that he/she won't), you will be referred to the table at the back and potentially fined THB 2,000. Make sure you have the cash on you just in case.

Unless the paper is still stapled to the passport page, how would they know? Is it computerized now?

The first time I did a 90-day report but departed Thailand before the date due, the Immigrations inspector at the airport removed the paper form from the passport.

Several times since then, the inspectors have totally ignored the paper stapled to the passport, so I now have a well out-of-date form stapled in my passport, showing a report due date of March 2007. Not a problem, as I can document via the entry/exit stamps that I never was in Thailand over 90 days.

My point is that some Immigrations inspectors can/will remove the paper form at the airport. If the form is not there, how would an inspector at the airport know when your last address report was?

I would never ever suggest you remove the form yourself, even if it benefited you by masking an overdue report.

Can they not get a second year out of the O-A visa, assuming that's what they have?

Since each entry on the O-A is stamped for a 12-month permission to stay, can't they obtain a re-entry permit to keep their final entry's permission to stay alive? That's the way I thought I understood it to work: That they can keep from bringing in funds to Thailand for (almost) two years from their original visa issue date.

i.e. Sometime between their final entry on the current O-A visa and the expiration date of that visa, pay B3800 for a multiple-entry reentry permit and effectively the original stays ineffect for another year.

My goodness, it was almost a non-event that I overstayed!

It's 1530 and I'm already back home from Immigrations, and along the way I had to get the bank letter, photo, and photocopies of all the documents.

The only difference from what a "normal" extension renewal was that I spent about 5 minutes at the overstay desk and paid B1,000 for two days. No lectures, just smiles and efficiency all around. What a country!

I go back tomorrow after 1000 and pick up my passport.

I had the bank letter and copies of the pages showing the past year's bank transactions and without really looking at them, he just stapled them to the bunch of papers. I still don't know if the bank letter was *necessary* but it was a B200 insurance policy "just in case."

I did notice a laminated notice glued to desk #8 (the retirement desk) "reminding" foreigners to dress appropriately and to not drink alcohol before contacting Immigrations officer. Sad that the notice is necessary, but I got a chuckle out of it.

Thanks for the advice, lopburi3. You calmed my nerves a bit. I was afraid if I went to Pattaya Immigrations on overstay they might slap on handcuffs and send me to the Suan Phlu detention center. I'm fairly confident I could do the exit-the-country routine with just paying the fine, but I wasn't sure what to expect at an Immigrations Office not at the border/airport.

I just got home from Bangkok at 1300, and I'm going to take a quick shower, go to the bank (which luckily is on the same soi as Immigrations) and see how this plays out. I'm prepared to take an 0650 flight tomorrow morning if needed.

Of all the anal-retentive folks on the planet, I should have been more careful. I misread my retirement extension stamp and now am on a two-day overstay. <sigh>

I converted a 30-day visa-waiver stamp on Sept 21, 2006 and of course the one-year period was backdated to start from my date of entry into Thailand which was Sept 3, 2006. Last month I took a quick look at the stamp and focused in on the Sept 21, 2006 and thought I had until Sept 20, 2007. Wrong. It was Sept 2, 2007. I even waited until Sept 1 to be in (what I thought was) the final 21 days.

Okay, that's my situation, so now here's my question:

Can I go to Pattaya Immigrations pay the overstay fine, and get another one-year retirement extension? Or, do I need to leave the country, re-enter, and start the process from the beginning again?

I even bolted up to Bangkok today (the 3rd) to get the Embassy certification letter for income. Today is a national (US) holiday, so I'm overnighting and plan to report as early as possible tomorrow morning to get the letter. When qualifying on the 65K income alone, I know the official Police Order documents don't even require a bank account, but it seems to be pretty uniform that the Immigrations Officers want to see a bank book with some activity, and I have no problem with that.

But that brings me to another question:

In such a case (qualifying solely on income) do I still need the official letter from the bank manager?

Carry the right change and the system just works.

Sorry to horn in on this thread, but how/where can you get a supply of say, B10 coins? I've gone to several banks trying to buy a thousand baht worth of B10 coins, and have yet to find one that has an adequate supply. They scurry from teller to teller to amass at most about B700 worth. If not at a bank, where can I get them?

I often see cashiers at Tesco and Carrefour replenish their cash register drawer with coins packaged either in plastic bags, or plastic-wrapped rolls. Where do they get them?

Since I'm not the marrying kind, I never really paid attention to the married-to-Thai-wife visa, but is it not correct that a farang married to a Thai only needs to show B40,000/month income?

But a farang-farang married retired couple now needs to show B130,000, even though they are probably without the expenses of raising a family?

B40,000 vs B130,000 each month???

They gave me an ATM card, and they charge 10 baht for any withdrawal at a branch other than Silom.

I thought you could do transactions at any other branch (or ATM) within the city/province without that service charge.

My bank accounts are with SCB in Bangkok and Pattaya. I can use my Bangkok account for transactions throughout Bangkok without service charge. I can use my Pattaya accounts for transactions throughout Cholburi province without service charge.

Before I decided on SCB (while I was living in Bangkok) I researched Bangkok Bank and thought they operated in the same manner.

BTW, both Bangkok Bank an SCB were able to open savings accounts for me with just a visa-waiver stamp in my passport. I do remember them both telling me on the telephone to go to their main branch to do it, though.