mareo

Thanks for the answers guys!

Do you need any documents (forms, photos, passport copies, money...) in order to do the border bounce?

How much would it cost to do the border run there through Nong Khai? Between flights/trains, vans, fees if there are...

1 minute ago, JayClay said:

Border bounce is leaving the country and entering again on visa exempt.

 

Visa run means going to a consulate town and getting an actual visa for entry.

Fantastic, thanks a lot.

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Think you mean border bounce for visa exempt entry. Yes 45 day stamp given. 

 

From Bangkok one option would be flight to Udon Thani and one hour mini van to Nong Khai. 

 

Cheers, yes I don't know the difference between border bounce and visa run. Is that option a same day thing? or would you have to stay in Laos for a night?

Hi!

I need to start planning on a visa run for next month, and I'll be departing from Bangkok. Which options do you guys think are the best as of right now? Trying to find a nice balance between time and money spent. If I understand correctly they give you 45 days now compared to 30 before right?

Thank you in advance!

6 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

I'm not sure this is a valid assumption. If you know what you want - say from an internet search - they will get it for you, unless it involves killing an endangered species.

 

Do you have samples of the pants and shirts you want made? And what type of fabrics are you looking for?

 

 

It took me close to two days to find fabric for pants (GAP Khaki copies) and shirts (Jos. Banks copies, but short-sleeve) in Pahurat. I wore the pants and shirt on my second day, which helped, a lot. I knew how much fabric to buy. Job shop made one copy each, which I approved, then a total of 12 shirts (3 different colors, same fabric) and 6 pants, all khaki. Interesting project, but I'd just go to a reliable tailor now. Pahurat is (or was) a mad-house.

 

 

For sure going straight to a tailor is going to be much easier, but I'm looking for that mad-house experience. I already have plenty of shirts and pants, I'm just looking for a new way to do it, even if it's a hassle.

Thanks everyone for your responses,

It seems like all the tailors (for tourists, not high end) have a "limited" selection of fabrics and then they just take your measurements and they all bring the fabric selected to the same sewing shop.

So I'd rather buy my own fabric because I know I'm going to have a much broader selection and then I'll bring it to a sewing shop/tailor. I reckon the price will be around the same, but I wanna do it more for the experience than for the price.

The thing now is finding the place to bring the fabrics to.

Hello there,

I'm looking for places/stores that have a bigger selection of fabrics than they usually have in the normal tailor shops. The idea is to buy the fabrics by the meter and bring them to a tailor to get some shirts/pants made.

Do you have any experience doing this? any advice on shops/areas or even tailors that might accept outside fabrics?

I've heard there's a bunch of places in Chinatown, around old siam shopping plaza, but i've never been around.

Thanks!

This is Key Visa Pattaya:

a volunteer visa 15 months is 57,000 baht

we need a passport and 2 x photos and thge fee

it takes 2 weeks and must be done before 10/09

2 hours ago, Sambotte said:

I forgot (busy day) to mention the agent i saw told me it was NOT possible to get this extension. Not sure he lied because anyway after 30 days i would have the same need of him...

 

So still wondering if people have successfully obtained this normal extension recently...

It supposed to be ok (nothing official saying "no"), but well... I will have to go ask local immigration tomorrow.

Please let us know what you find out.

8 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

I pm'd you an agent offering 15 months for 55k.

Thanks!!

1 minute ago, JackThompson said:

If going to Pattaya, check the agents on Soi Bukow Rd, just north of South Pattaya Rd - past the market and the curve in the road headed North.  The best deals were on the right-hand side of the road a couple years ago - not sure now (I don't live there any more).

Thanks for the info!

3 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

It could be that the woman who the OP spoke to was trying to be helpful but actually didn't know what she was talking about because she was working at the marriage visa desk or something.

Not really, the room was exclusively dedicated to TR60 tourist visas, and I believe she was one the people handling visas on the desks. My impression though.

Just now, DrJack54 said:

Mateo, since your in Bangkok you could also check out places such as Thai Visa Centre. 

Both places could outline your options.

Good luck.

Thai Visa centre gave me the 60k quote. Thank you so much.

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Stop being an #ss. Ring Key Visa yourself.

I have already given the contact details to help 3 people that sent me PM.

 

Just texted them on LINE, I'll report back.

My embassy just confirmed they're not gonna give me any letter.

1 minute ago, edwardandtubs said:

I haven't seen anything cheaper in Bangkok. You can get it for 55k in Pattaya if you pay the whole lot upfront.

Any more details? I'm going to Pattaya this weekend. Maybe I can do it there. Thanks.

1 minute ago, edwardandtubs said:

There's no such thing as a 12-month volunteering visa. It sounds like your friend already had a non immigrant visa and got a 12-month extension. Actually he overpaid for that because the standard price is 40,000. What the OP is talking about is the initial visa (20,000) + the extension (40,000) for a total of 15 months.

You are right. Do you think it's a fair price? or should I look for something cheaper?

Thanks!

5 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

Can you give some more details on the process that led to your refusal? Did you fill in the form? What did you write in the reason for extension? Did you pay the 1900 baht?

I had everything in my hands: passport, copies of the passport, picture of myself, the form already filled and the money.

They were taking a break from 12.00 to 13.00, so I was waiting outside the room. (the whole building was pretty empty).

A police woman came out of that room, saw me sitting and asked me if I was waiting for something. I showed her the documents and she told me I needed a letter from my embassy, otherwise they don't give extensions anymore. After explaining a bit the situation and seeing that it was gonna get me nowhere, got out of there without paying.

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, your age? 50+

Nope, 30+

3 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

OP> When you did not already apply for such a regular 30-day extension earlier, there should be NO reason for rejecting your application.

You are eligible to such extension when you entered Thailand Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa and did not already use it earlier.

There is a well-documented report from someone successfully doing exactly same thing you tried.  And with his 30-day extension of stay approved at MTT, he then went to CW to successfully apply for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa, from which during the last month he can then apply for a 1-year extension of stay based on that Non Imm O Visa.

 

The point is also that you could indeed apply with an Embassy letter for the 'special extension of stay'.  But that special extension of stay is NOT meant to be used as a spring-board for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa or other long-stay option you want to do later, as it is only provided as a temporary legitimate permission to stay when you are not able to leave the country.

So unless IO confirms that they would be willing to accept your application for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa from such Embassy letter supported special extension of stay, it would not help and maybe even hinder your plans for long-stay.

 

Since you are on a Visa Exempt / Tourist Visa you could in principle apply at ANY IO in Thailand for the 30-days extension of stay. So it is just a matter of finding an IO that would be willing to accept your application for the 30-days extension of stay your Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa entry entitles you to.  After having received the 'valid' permission to stay from that IO, you can then apply at CW for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa from that valid permission to stay (you would of course have to meet the requirements for such application).

Note: It is possible that the IO where you would apply for your regular 30-day extension of stay, might want your address.  In that case - if they are willing to do it, but insist on the address - it would be simply a matter of checking in at a Hotel the night before and ask Hotel-staff for the TM-30 notification they are supposed to make when a foreigner is staying at their premisses. 

 

Thank you, I appreciate the info.

2 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Tell me why you want to stay and we can talk about options.

Don't wanna go through 3 airports, 2 planes and a train and risk infecting my family. The situation with covid in my country is one of the worst. Plus, I have friends here and I'd like to stay more time. I would do a visa run, but as we already know, it's not possible.

Just now, JacksSmirkingRevenge said:

Had you extended your visa before or was this your first time?

Nope, plain and simple Tourist visa, no extension stamps yet.