junkofdavid2

I am travelling to Poipet from Bangkok by train to get the stamp in my passport. My Visa is a 1yr multi-entry business type.

Can anyone advise if...

1. There are different sections for the Visa renewals/Tourist visas... and the simple re-entry?

2. What the costs are? i.e. $25 duty, plus ???

3. How long the turnaround time is.. the train arrives in Aranyaprathet at 11.20 and returns at 13:05 (don't want to miss the return trip)

4. I have heard if you are not stopping overnight in Cambodia, they charge more. Is this correct?

5. Do I also need to show my work permit?

Thanks.

MP

Yes, if you're only staying for a day, the cambodian guy will ask for 200 baht. He'll hold up his hand with a number 2 in sign language. Yeah, a few lucky people I know (like really old-looking people) are not asked for the grease money.

While Sandy says that there's "no need" to pay this (because it's true that this charge isn't "official") and there are a few who are not solicited from, would you really want to risk it?

Put it this way, if he get's pissed off and doesn't stamp you into Cambodia, your passport will not have a Cambodian stamp and you WILL NOT be allowed to go back into Thailand. (And you won't be in Cambodia either). You'll be stuck in "no man's land" with absolutely no way to go back to Thailand or any other country for that matter.

(Although there does seem to be some kind of river in between the 2 countries.. I dunno if it's legal to paddle your way back to your country using that route)

Some goodie two-shoes may say this is "immoral bribery", but it's not bribery at all. It's extortion and you are the victim. If you want, you can try taking it to some U.N. tribunal in the Netherlands or something.

I'm really pissed off to give 200 baht grease money and would prefer not to pay it.... but again, do you really want to risk it?

Up to you.

i started using TV a lot when i badly needed to get a B visa and work permit. I presumed that once I had those, I'd have no more use for TV.

Ironically, I now have a WP and a 12+3 month Type B multiple entry... yet i keep coming back to TV as an addict myself!

i plan to break this habit soon.

will try one step at a time. like one step tonight.

signing off now! bye! (i hope)

Best to book the Nana before you arrive. It is a very popular hotel, I'm not sure why. Many people rave about the fine dining!

They don't rave about the fine dining.

They rave about lots of dessert right outside....

[You're right on the money, Pete. All the restrooms in our university are wide open to view (students/faculty). The fact of the matter is that no one looks. I've had to totally retrain myself!

retrain yourself to what? to not look?

so you're the one we're all paranoid about...

If you are in the Rama 4 area and don't want to waits of a public hospital why not try http://www.saintlouis.or.th/main_page.php

I have not used for any medications but the one time I did a retirement physical everyone was most friendly and able to communicate in English. I expect they work on a much lower markup than the hospital you mentioned and even if you have to see a doctor there it would probably be worthwhile. I use Vejthani Hospital and drugs are sold at the normal drug store price so not all are as greedy as the chosen few.

Yup, that's a good suggestion. I'm not sure of the EXACT implications on drug prices, but Saint Louis Hospital is actually a "non-profit" hospital, which makes it less likely to make too big a mark up.

In Saint Louis Hospital, I got a doctor's consultation plus Influenza Vaccine (Vaxigrip) injection for less than 750 Baht All-In !

That's pretty cheap for a big private "english speaking" hospital if you ask me...

I have an associate looking for some Executive Office Space, the kind that is more short-term and already set up for business.

He would like to be in the Sukhumvit area close to a skytrain station.

Anybody know of any such space?

Thanks

Dr. B

Dr. B,

We have two locations near the Skytrain and Sukhumvit. The fee is 3,900 Baht per month which includes free access to high speed Internet and your own exclusive desk with your company name on the desk and the company register.

We provide the following features:

A co-share office with utilities and janitorial provided

Reception area with receptionist

Conference room

Personalized telephone screening

Incoming and outgoing mail handling

Coffee and food service on-site

High Speed Internet

Prestigious address on Sukhumvit Road.

Paperwork for you if needed to obtain your VAT certificate. We know the process so there is no need to wait two to three weeks for it to be processed. We give you the necessary paperwork when you lease your Executive Desk!

No. 16/23-24 Soi Sukhumvit 19 (Wattana) 5th, 6th and 7th floors

Klongtoey Nua Sub-District, Wattana District,

Bangkok 10110

Tel: 02-254-1750-3

Fax: 02-254-1754

http://www.thaiexecutiveoffice.com/photos_19.htm

No. 19/125 Sukhumvit Suite, Floor 13

Sukhumvit Soi 13, Sukhumvit Road.

Klongtun Nua, Wattana, Bangkok

Tel: 02 – 651-3193-5

Fax: 02 – 651-1994

http://www.thaiexecutiveoffice.com/photos_13c.htm

If your associate is interested, please contact Khun Mita at 089-792-7155

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Sunbelt,

I looked at the photos on each of the 2 separate locations and it's interesting.

I do however, find somethin fishy....

The people in the first office location look exactly like the people in the second office location!

I recently opened a new hotel/guesthouse with my Thai wife. The company structure is a ltd partnership, with her holding the majority of the shares. I am employed as hotel manager and am just getting my wp, based on a monthly salary of 100,000 baht.

The primary reason for this employment and relatively high salary(!) is so that I start paying tax and have a worthy employment - with a view to applying for PR in a few years from now.

However, my employment still gives me time to pursue other business interests in Phuket. I am looking to start another small venture that is based at my hotel premises, but is not related to the hotel business. (It is the printing and distribution of 'farang' newspapers for hotels etc - a business/franchise for which I have the relevant licences from the overseas parent company).

Do I need to form another Thai company to operate this 2nd business? Or could that be done within the existing (non-related) hotel business? If the latter, is it possible to operate a different trading name for the newspaper distribution business, and receive/bank cheques and other payments in that second business name?

And what about the WP? Or should I just add these new tasks to my job description at the hotel?

I don't want to form a second business entity if this can be avoided. But also, I don't want to operate this 2nd business using the existing entity if this is too restrictive/causes administrative/operating problems etc.

Any advice much appreciated

Simon

When you register a company, you register a list of company objectives as well. Unfortunately, your existing company does not have newsprint distribution as one of it's objectives. What I did was to simply ask Sunbelt to "add additional objective" to the current registered objectives and voila! It was okay.

Not sure if that would apply to your business, but you can ask. If I remember correctly, Sunbelt charged me between 6 to 8 thousand, already including the government fee.

You have full rights to severance.

By the way, as you are married, The company only needs one million Baht register capital for your work permit and for the visa, it could be obtained by having a extension of stay based on marriage as long as you have a wp and your wife and you get a salary of 40K per month.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Is it difficult to fire a Thai worker if the farang boss is willing to give full severance?

(Like what if boss is willing to give severance but the Thai employee still refuses to leave?)

Thanks for all the replies.

My post was about working on a tourist visa, and doing so is wrong and makes it harder on all of us who don’t break our visa restrictions

It was about a Philippine woman her family and friends and her attitude. How she did not think it was wrong to live and work here for 5 years on 30 day VOA’s.

I also said it was EQUALLY the responsibility of the schools to ensure all teachers had proper visa's i.e. give them legal status to work so they don’t break the law.

How the actions of people who go before us can influence how we are treated and perceived in the future. Hence the reason a visa is refused now to many Philippino’s in the Australian Consulate.

I also made it as an example of why immigration is getting stricter here in Thailand with tourist visas. It was about Philipino’s only because they were the ones who related their situation to me.

Its very simple; If working on a tourist visa is legal then I am wrong and so is Thai Immigration and dr pat Pong, Krystian, Thai narak and all those who wrote disparaging replies, have every right to call me a troll or what they like.

He who throws mud looses ground and credibility. So no matter what we all think or believe, it does not change the truth.

Working on a Tourist Visa is illegal and people who do so are making things harder for the rest of us who don’t break our visa restrictions.

I dont begrudge these people from going here to work and earn a living. I only question weather the ones who are here and still use 30 day voa's and 60 day tourist visa's care that they are making it harder for those who will follow. If they continue to disregard the situation they leave those that follow open to abuse and exploitation and they give all Philippino's a bad reputation. filipina_26 you should agree its those that do no wrong that often have to suffer for the few kababayan that have a bahalan na attitude to their fellow Pinoys.Alam mo ang Alamang Isip de ba.

nucopia, your topic "Replying to 60+30 Day Work Visa For Philippine English Teachers" (abuse of system 101) and it's content implies that you have singled out and incriminated these people for your difficulties of getting your visa in Thailand. We would not have replied blatanly if we have thought otherwise. Our desparaging replies would have made you felt like how these people will feel if they have a chance to read your post (I hope they won't because you might get kicked in the arse the next time you go to their consulate) but that is just our own opinion. Cheers!

Ey!

Common!

Give Nucopia a break!

His highly revised "clarification" (playing a clearly different tune as his OP) as some sudden "nice guy" is obviously an attempt to climb himself out of a hole like a poor little soul... don't you pity him?

I didnt know filipinos make 13k baht per month teaching? so they get what most thai teachers make? Isnt that kinda low though, I mean considering there a how many filipinos in thailand right now? The thai peolpe abuse them? in what way?

Yes, there are Filipinos who many who make only 13,000 per month.

There are also quite a few Filipinos who earn 1 MILLION baht a month as CEOs or top executives of Multi national companies like Unilever or Proctor (and they are Sunbelt clients to process their Nanny permit papers).

Some very qualified Filipino teachers also get around 50,000 per month or more. The 13K a month bunch usually had some very low job in the philippines and have a "degree" from some "diploma mill university" and then came to thailand.

Seems like you are missing the point - Filipinos speak poor english with a wierd accent.

I know some farang english teachers with weird accents. Can I therefore conclude that ALL do?

However, I agree that the Filipino teachers that usually go for 13,000 a month (as mentioned in OP) are usually the ones with weird accents.

The upper classed Filipinos tend to have very good "neutral" accents, but Filipinos from that social strata don't go for 13,000 a month.

The weird accented Filipinos are usually from the lower classed who try too hard to put on a fake american accent.

Ironically, many CEOs and top executives of Multi National Companies in Thailand like Unilever or Proctor and Gamble are Filipinos earning 1 Million Baht a month plus perks like free 4 bedroom apartments in Centrepoint or Emporium Suites plus big car with driver.

(Don't believe me? ask Sunbelt... these Filipino top executives go to Sunbelt to process the work permits of their Filipino nannies, and the incomes of these Filipino executives can be seen on their tax returns which is a requirement when guaranteeing their nannies.)

Anyway, talk to these top Filipino executives earning 1 million baht per month and I guarantee you, they will not have a "weird" accent.

I have a filipino colleague who earns as much or even more than farangs do. These highly skilled dudes just don't go for 100,000 Baht salary but for 3X more. We are working in a Telecom Industry. Anyway, just trying to point out that not all filipinos you see in Thailand are english teachers and some are even earning more than you do.

yeah not all filipinos here work as a teacher.I am not a teacher I work for a company here and earning better than most farang teachers.I agree that some has problems with the accent but you can't blame them that is not their native tongue, given a chance to study the correct one who knows maybe even better than most farangs.

"not their native tongue"

Many may be surprised to know that for many Filipinos (in the upper classed families), English is the FIRST language.

The first language of upper classed Filipinos is usually English, Spanish, or Fookien Chinese... afterwhich they learn the local Philippine language as a subject in school starting at grade 1.

Seems like you are missing the point - Filipinos speak poor english with a wierd accent.

I know some farang english teachers with weird accents. Can I therefore conclude that ALL do?

However, I agree that the Filipino teachers that usually go for 13,000 a month (as mentioned in OP) are usually the ones with weird accents.

The upper classed Filipinos tend to have very good "neutral" accents, but Filipinos from that social strata don't go for 13,000 a month.

The weird accented Filipinos are usually from the lower classed who try too hard to put on a fake american accent.

Ironically, many CEOs and top executives of Multi National Companies in Thailand like Unilever or Proctor and Gamble are Filipinos earning 1 Million Baht a month plus perks like free 4 bedroom apartments in Centrepoint or Emporium Suites plus big car with driver.

(Don't believe me? ask Sunbelt... these Filipino top executives go to Sunbelt to process the work permits of their Filipino nannies, and the incomes of these Filipino executives can be seen on their tax returns which is a requirement when guaranteeing their nannies.)

Anyway, talk to these top Filipino executives earning 1 million baht per month and I guarantee you, they will not have a "weird" accent.

TO OP:

Man, you're d_amn blind if you can't see that there are just as much farang (maybe even more!) working illegally here.

So going by your logic, Filipinos could just say the same,

"No wonder we Filipinos are having such a hard time getting visas! It's because of the ILLEGAL FARANGS!"

TO THE (illegal) FILIPINOS: (There are legal ones as well)

I actually agree with OP that poverty is not an excuse to do things illegally. You're taking a very big risk! Do not work illegally even if you see other filipinos and farangs doing it.

Even worse, you give the "legal Filipinos" a bad name, and make it harder for them to be legal.

"Illegal Filipinos" who had and have full knowledge that they are or would be illegal deserve to be sued by the legal Filipinos for ruining the Filipino reputation as a whole!!! Maybe the legal Filipinos should at least start secretly reporting on the illegal ones to they know to be sent to JAIL, because the illegal Filipinos make it hard for ALL Filipinos, even the legal ones.

I know many legal Filipinos who are planning to do this (report the illegal ones). YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED. GET LEGAL NOW or GET OUT OF THAILAND.

You can blame it on "complex" government rules all you want, but those are the rules here and you have to follow it because it's their land.

As for the "Filipinos 'should' be given same opportunites as farang..." There are so many "shoulds" in this world. The customer is king. If the customers want white teachers, you can't do anything about it except show that you're just as good a teacher and eventually (maybe in 50 years) the customers will like you instead. You're like a new Cola product in the market saying "My cola is just as good as Coke or even better. The consumers "should" buy us instead." How long will it take for that brand to build itself? Overnight because it "should"? Duh!

Get over it! And stop carrying that chip on your shoulder. It takes years, maybe a century to build a brand, and you are no different... so accept it!

Note: I only singled out illegal Filipinos who had full knowledge that they would be illegal. That's because many (just like farang) are swindled by employers into believing that the work permit will be processed, but then the employer goes back on his word once the worker is here in Thailand, and it's too late for the worker to back out because he already spent a lot of money on the move, or the employer pretends that the work permit is "just delayed" and is "being processed" and "will be out soon" even if it's not.

question is not clear.

From Thai police, or FBI?

Or is it from Thai police, to be sent to FBI?

Interest rates of government housing bank:

http://www.ghb.co.th/eng/rate/rate_deposit_eng.htm

Interest rates of most banks in Thailand:

http://www.bot.or.th/BOThomepage/databank/.../interest_e.asp

Having read over a number of pages of new immigaration and visa rules, i myself, a U.K. citizen, will be visiting for 2 months and as it is too late for me to get a thai visa and im wondering if it is still possible to do the day bkk to poi pet visa run and what the prices are these days? i would only need to do it once but am unsure after all these new laws if its still running.

thanks

LC

To go to poi pet for the day:

Go to Rama 4 Road between 4 to 6 am on any day (across lumpini park and HSBC building), there will be buses parked on the road getting ready to leave for the cambodia casinos in poi pet.

300 baht round trip for farang, 100 for Thais. Does not include visa fee which you have to pay to Cambodia immigration.

Yes, this particular service is still running well because it caters primarily to Thai gamblers and not really to farang border runners.

That is the main reason why it's cheaper for the Thais... because they're riding the bus to gamble and make the casinos rich, unlike farangs and Filipinos who mostly simply use it as a cheaper option than the 2,000 baht Visa Run companies, and do not gamble as much (if at all) as the Thai gambling addicts for whom these buses are originally created for.

sunbelt did mine in EXACTLY 10 working days, so that's 2 weeks including weekends.

That's very helpful, lop. Thanks.

He'll be a relieved man tonight.

However, make sure he is not confused with "false relief".

*If your friend initially got a 90 day B visa in the past, and then after getting his work permit, he went to the immigration office inside Thailand to extend the same B visa, then he must leave the country within 7 days if he loses his job.

*If your friend got a 90 day B visa, and that initial 90 days is not yet over, then he does not have to leave the country within 7 days of losing his job, but will have to leave the country when the initial 90 days are up.

*If your friend initially got a 90 day B visa, and then after getting his work permit, he went to a Thai embassy abroad and was given a 1 year multiple entry visa from that embassy abroad (and not from immigration inside Thailand), then he does not have to leave the country within 7 days of losing his job, and he can use his 1 year multiple entry to the fullest.

Be careful that he is not confused with these different scenarios!

Isn't this correct, Lopburi?

in HK for vacation, i stayed in a very clean and decent hotel, with very convenient location (although in "red light" district), near MRT station, and that station so happens to be right smack in between Central station (business district) and Causeway Bay station (shopping district).

It's called the Wharney Hotel on Lockhart Road.

At that time i paid 65 USD for an "extra" night (outside of my package) which is very cheap by HK standards... but is quite expensive by Thailand standards.

On www.asiarooms.com, it's about 3,400 THB per night now.

HK hotels, however, can be very cheap if you get a 3 day 2 night package (including airfare)... but in thailand you can usually only get that if you're 2 people. HK hotels and budget packages usually don't include breakfast.

Hope it helps!

I went there two weeks ago .... there were 3 people in front of me (9 in the morning). Far less than before ...

There are new facilities and buildings at both Poi Pet and Ban Laem. Seems our visa fees have been spent appropriately ......

Interesting. Anyone else? Like has anyone tried it this January?

When I still used to do visa runs, I remember the lines being long, but not so slow in Poi Pet.

But now with the new rules, has it changed?

1) Maybe the lines are "shorter" because many visa runners have already gone home instead?

2) Maybe the lines are "longer" because the remaining visa runners' passports are screened more thoroughly?

3) Maybe the lines are shorter (because of less visa runners), but take a "longer time" (because of more scrutiny and days calculation)?

Interesting question, yeah?

Anyone been there lately who also used to go last year? And could make a comparison?

Cheers.

Thanks. Believe that is the most recent report so should be of use to several current posters.

Question:

If that's how simple it is without proven income (to get the visa in an embassy instead of immigration), then why are so many people complaining that their families will be "torn apart"?

I don't mean to be insensitive to those families (i hope for the best for you), but I'm just wondering if I'm missing out on something???

If you're unsure of the process, maybe the option of farangsay is better... coz i presume they'd guide you???

but after you've been thru it once, i'd recommend the lumpini casino bus coz if cambodia visa is 1000 (?) and casino bus is 300, then you'd spend only1300 instead of 1900 and save 600 baht.

Ey! 600 Baht is at least 10 full meals in Bangkok!

My experience with Casino Bus:

Leaves 4am. New fee (for foreigners) is THB 300 roundtrip, THB 200 single. Thais go for 100 baht roundtrip. Only Thais are

allowed to get a breakfast if they register in the hotel (The Resort). But if you ask nicely, they provide also coupons for

foreigners. Bus arrives in Poi Pet 7:15 am. Leaves to Bangkok at noon.

The visa fee is US$20. This can be either paid:

THB 1,0000 for a direct visa

US$20 (there is a currency exchange) but I 've heard that they let you wait two hours (not confirmed, used only option 1).

Total fee for a visa run: THB 1,300. I see no need to use Jack Golf for 2,000 baht.

Where exactly do I catch this casino bus?

I need to do a border run for the first time in ages and I need to do it tomorrow(Sunday) if possible, I've completely forgotten what the process is, is it all self explanatory when I get there?

Nikkijah

On RAma 4 road, in between HSBC building and Lumpini park, between 4am to 6am.

Thank you very much indeed for all the assistance & advice offered to me re this request!

Having just found this forum & the wonders of the Internet in general (Bit of a technophobe actually)

I am amazed at the quality of this website & in particular the wealth of knowledge available here on this forum!

Once again thank you so much for all you folks that took the time out to help me out!

HAPPY NEW YEAR & TO EVERYONE1

Tower

Very welcome.

Just curious... where did you decide you'll stay?