junkofdavid2

Good for you if you are going to Manila to get your B Visa docs. I sincerely hope you get it. However, just to let you know in advance, it's quite difficult to get the B visa in Manila, unlike in Singapore where it's almost automatic as long as you have complete documents. In Manila, you may even be asked to show your employment contract, and then they sometimes even question the contents of the contract and say that "this and that" should be included in the contract, and "this and that" is an unfair provision of the contract (like "why doesn't your contract specify your holidays off?" or "your contract should include benefit like this or that"... In any case, since you'll be in manila for the holidays anyway, go ahead and try to do it there. I suggest you get TWO copies of the documents. First give one set of documents to Thai embassy Manila. If they deny your application, you can use the second set of documents to apply for one in Singapore where it's almost automatic. You can get a cheap Cebu pacific flight from Manila to Singapore, and then a cheap Tiger Airways or Air Asia or Jetstar from Singapore to BKK.

As for your comment that "Filipinos with lower salary doesn't mean they're less educated." Well, I agree. Nobody implied that to begin with. However, it's an issue of "

packaging" . The customers (Thai students) prefer to be taught English by White people (even those from "white" countries which don't speak much English), and therefore, they fetch a higher price even for the same service. Just like in the supermarket, where you can have 2 or 3 or more brands of ketchup which taste identical, but the consumer buys the one with the packaging which appeals to him/her. We can complain and wine all we want about how it's "unfair", but that is the reality of consumer behavior.

Oops, i meant "whine", not "wine"...

Good for you if you are going to Manila to get your B Visa docs. I sincerely hope you get it. However, just to let you know in advance, it's quite difficult to get the B visa in Manila, unlike in Singapore where it's almost automatic as long as you have complete documents. In Manila, you may even be asked to show your employment contract, and then they sometimes even question the contents of the contract and say that "this and that" should be included in the contract, and "this and that" is an unfair provision of the contract (like "why doesn't your contract specify your holidays off?" or "your contract should include benefit like this or that"... In any case, since you'll be in manila for the holidays anyway, go ahead and try to do it there. I suggest you get TWO copies of the documents. First give one set of documents to Thai embassy Manila. If they deny your application, you can use the second set of documents to apply for one in Singapore where it's almost automatic. You can get a cheap Cebu pacific flight from Manila to Singapore, and then a cheap Tiger Airways or Air Asia or Jetstar from Singapore to BKK.

As for your comment that "Filipinos with lower salary doesn't mean they're less educated." Well, I agree. Nobody implied that to begin with. However, it's an issue of "

packaging" . The customers (Thai students) prefer to be taught English by White people (even those from "white" countries which don't speak much English), and therefore, they fetch a higher price even for the same service. Just like in the supermarket, where you can have 2 or 3 or more brands of ketchup which taste identical, but the consumer buys the one with the packaging which appeals to him/her. We can complain and wine all we want about how it's "unfair", but that is the reality of consumer behavior.

i know im n big trouble.and they are deducting 15% off my salary for the tax, i said i should not be deducted because i dont have a work permit and the tax number am i correct?

Absolutely correct. Your boss is pocketing the 15%. Of course he is not submitting income tax withholding for an unregistered, illegal worker without a tax card.

BTW, I heard some rumors a couple of weeks ago about an enforcement of the labour law against illegal Phillipine English teachers working in Thailand. If that happens to be your case (and of course you don't have to confirm or deny that here!), you might want to seriously consider getting legal, or else look for another job where they will provide you with work permit and not steal from you by falsely telling you that they are withholding income tax that they are pocketing.

i will discuss about the taxt with my boss.the thing is some financial adviser is telling him that i should be deducted by tax.by the way is it possible to stay in thailand for 3 more months doing the border run (3 x 30 days) after i used up my m months valid tv?(60 + 30 days extension)is this possible? Please advise, because the way i see it you can go here without a visa and stay for 90 days and come back with a 3 months valid tv. Can i do it vice versa i have a visa then do the visa run?

Not sure about the visa issues, and the Sunbelt people would be best to advise on that.

The key issue is: you are working illegally on a tourist visa and without a work permit. You are risking arrest and detention at immigration prison if you are caught. Your boss knows that, and he is even taking money from you and calling it "tax withholding". I suppose he feels it is worth the risk, since he will have significant legal problems as well if he is discovered.

Yes, the financial advisor is correct that withholding must be done with employee's wages in Thailand, and that withholding must be sent to the Revenue Department each month, while specifying the employee's tax ID number. Social Security contribution must also be submitted. Your boss cannot possibly be doing that, since you do not have a work permit and you do not have a tax ID number. I seriously doubt he is sending in withholding to the Revenue Department with a note by your name (no tax ID number - illegal foreign worker).

If I were you, I would seriously consider the risks you are taking, added to the fact that your boss is deducting part of your salary and it is definitely not going towards tax withholding. If you are OK with gambling on time in immigration prison and deportation, then that of course would be your decision. Don't mean to be putting this too harshly, but you need to think carefully about the possible outcomes of this situation, particularly since there is apparently some sort of effort forthcoming on behalf of Immigration with some sort of "crackdown" on illegal Philippine workers. I know there are plenty here, as we recently advertised for office staff in the BKK Post and amazingly about ten percent of the CVs that came in were from Filipinos living in Thailand. This is sort of a recent occurrence, as we didn't see that nine months ago with the same newspaper advert.

Bubba,

9 months ago, those illegal filipinos were probably here already.

The reason they didn't apply to your advertisement at that time was because they were happy with their jobs even without work permit, because they could do border runs.

Now that there is a border run crackdown, they're trying to "leave" their current jobs (which have no work permits) and look for work in companies which give work permits, like yours (i hope).

Cheers,

junkofdavid2

i know im n big trouble.and they are deducting 15% off my salary for the tax, i said i should not be deducted because i dont have a work permit and the tax number am i correct?

Absolutely correct. Your boss is pocketing the 15%. Of course he is not submitting income tax withholding for an unregistered, illegal worker without a tax card.

BTW, I heard some rumors a couple of weeks ago about an enforcement of the labour law against illegal Phillipine English teachers working in Thailand. If that happens to be your case (and of course you don't have to confirm or deny that here!), you might want to seriously consider getting legal, or else look for another job where they will provide you with work permit and not steal from you by falsely telling you that they are withholding income tax that they are pocketing.

i will discuss about the taxt with my boss.the thing is some financial adviser is telling him that i should be deducted by tax.by the way is it possible to stay in thailand for 3 more months doing the border run (3 x 30 days) after i used up my m months valid tv?(60 + 30 days extension)is this possible? Please advise, because the way i see it you can go here without a visa and stay for 90 days and come back with a 3 months valid tv. Can i do it vice versa i have a visa then do the visa run?

I totally understand what kind of jerk employers you may have... and I also understand that at this point in time, you may not have any other choice but to work with them because of no other alternatives. The lesser evil, if you can afford it, is to volunteer to pay for the Work Permit yourself and not wait for your boss' 3 months before he forks out the money (assuming your boss' issue was just the expense). Assuming that your boss' company is "eligible" to employ foreign workers, the work permit and B-Visa from Singapore would cost about 30,000 baht if you do it thru Sunbelt Asia (that already includes the price of Air ticket and Hotel to Singapore to get your Type The Singapore ticket and hotel (I recommend Hotel 81 or Fragrance Hotel, cheap but clean and safe) will cost you about 15,000, the B visa in Thai embassy in Singapore would cost about 2500, Sunbelt's service fee to prepare Type B documents is 1000, Sunbelt's service fee for Work Permit is 6500, and govt fee 850. Plus add some for miscellaneous expenses (Example, Sunbelt charges 300 baht "travelling" fee per trip to go here and there to file your documents.

Unfortunately, even if you can pay for your own B Visa and Work permit, this all CANNOT be done if your boss' company wasn't registered properly. (Ex. it should have a registered capital of 2 Million Baht, it should be VAT registered, etc.) In this case, you'd have to first pay Sunbelt to "fix" the company registration so that it can employ foreign workers, and that will cost a lot too.

I'm speaking from experience here.

If you are on a 90 day permitted to stay entry you can stay until the date indicated - but if you are on an extension of stay from immigration you will have to leave after your work permit is canceled.

I have no idea what you are asking when you say "purchase an entry stamp". If you have a multi entry non immigrant B visa that is still valid you would be able to return using it if that is the question.

Got a question about this (still confused after reading a few posts related to this)..

I have accepted a new job that will commence next month.

I currently hold a Non-Imm B (1 year, multiple entry) with WP from current company. Once I sumbit my WP to my current employer, do I have only 7 days till I get the new WP with new co.? Do I need to leave TH? As I have the Non-Imm B Visa I do not wish to go out of the country, but wondering if that would still be valid.

From what I understand, according to Sunbelt and Lopburi in previous posts:

If you got the full one year from a Thai embassy abroad, then it's valid even if you lose your job, and you do not need to leave Thailand in 7 days.

HOWEVER, if you got a 90 day Non-B from a Thai Embassy abroad, and then you extended it to a 1-year multiple by going to Thai immigration inside thailand, then you will have to leave thailand in 7 days if you lose your job.

That's just what I understand, you may ask Sunbelt or Lopburi for clarification.

Cheers,

Junkofdavid2

I think the value of the western farang is about to be understood.

The value of the western farang who comes here to do legitimate business or has the financial resources to obtain a retirement visa or comes as a tourist is already understood and Thailand continues to welcome them.

The western farang who hasn't the resources to do anything other than scurry across the border every 30 days before returning to some work that generates minimal income but no foreign exchange is also understood, which is why they want them to go home.

From your post I see you must be a happy holder of a visa and or work permit. You probably have sufficent funds in your account and live life happily here in Thailand. By reading your words when you talk about people scurrying across borders makes me see your care and concern for the elderly living in this country. Possibly they wish to reside here as the weather, taxes and quality of life back home make it hard for them to have a good life. Maybe they have worked hard all their lives but weren't as fortunate as you? Maybe they have a pension less than the required amount necessary to get a visa.

Do they spend their pension checks here? Oh yes Do they help the Thai economy? More than you know!

Where is you compassion for these people? So many westerners here have such a bad attitude towards there fellow country men? Are the 30 day visa runners of lower statue in life because they fall through the cracks of the Immigrtion regultions? Not all 30 day visa runners are scum! Many are good people who just wish a better life!

Try compassion for your fellow fanang not contempt!

Yeah, all these elderly people who have worked so hard in their home countries for all their long life and have not been able to save 800,000 Baht before wishing to emmigrate to Thailand. What a pitty it is they had been poor little uneducated workers in their home country and how ununderstandable that Thailand doesn't want them.

Do you know the requirements if a Thai wants to visit Europe or US? They need a guarantee from someone there, they may need an invitation letter (even if the Thai is the MD of a 20 billion factory going for a business trip!).

People, if your home country's social security is so lousy that you can't meet the minimums required to live here then go back and fix your home country's government firs.

Brilliant observation, (although I don't believe in "revenging" on the ordinary citizens of farangland itself).

My mother is from a pretty wealthy Asian family (Yes, wealthy even by "western standards") and were invited to visit our French family friends in the south of France (and they were even some kind of nobility there, with a vineyard and the works) and despite this, the French embassy gave my sisters such a hard time, and they wanted not only an invitation letter from our French friends, but they also wanted a written letter from the freaking TOWN MAYOR that we would genuinely be staying with our French friends, and nowhere else. (Admittedly, it was just a small town, more like a village Mayor)

The consul advised us that it's better if we booked a hotel instead of accepted the hospitality invitation of our friends, because then the hotel could "guarantee" that we were there. But that if it wasn't a hotel, they'd need the signature of the TOWN MAYOR HIMSELF.

How crazy is that?

Can you imaging applying for a Thai visa in your home country, and then the Thai consul asking you for a letter from the Mayor of Bangkok (or even a small town you may be staying in)? That's ridiculous!

In the end, my sisters booked a hotel (and fully payed for it!) and then stayed with the family friends instead (and just explained the ridiculous thing to the hotel manager when they got there).

"We are all asking "how" the immigration officials at the border can add up the 90 days (instead of the number of stamps)."

"I think no one is denying that they can do it, it just seems absurd that they actually will. It's in no one's best interest to fully implement the new regulations."

Only time will tell.

Have an idea... whoever is the first one who is "caught" for having 90 days and thereby given a mere "last 7 days" to leave..

Let's host a despedida party for him! Free beer and all!

The visa uncertainty is certainly starting to dig in, at least in my neck of the woods in Pattaya.

The apartment block where I'm living was full last year, but this year it's almost empty. This is not cheap accommodation (30k and up per month), but there are no takers for 6 month leases now.

The upside to that is that those who are able to sort out their visas and stay will have much more bargaining power now against current landlords, and also access to so many nicer apartments at lower prices! Law of SUPPLY AND DEMAND!

THE POINT I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT IS: THAILAND MAKES IT INCREASINGLY AND INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR ANYBODY TO *STAY* LONG TERM.

WHATEVER your reasons for being here PERMANENTLY (AS A "NON IMMIGRANT", thus):

-Marriage

-Children

-Business

IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY AND INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

Everywhere in the West, the above reasons are usually VERY VALID for PERMANENT stay (or extended stay, at least).

NOT IN THAILAND.

The only category that is truly welcome here... yeah... you guessed it (if you read my other posts today)...

are the ABOVE 50 YEARS OLD!

IT REALLY SEEMS LIKE ALL THE REST OF THE "ALIEN" POPULATION WOULD GET THE BOOT IF THE AUTHORITIES HAD THEIR WAY.

Bottom line these days.

---

Back to original topic: Thailand WILL BE WELL EMBARASSED WITH ITS STRICT POLICIES ON TOURIST VISAS.

They made it so hard for ordinary Westerners (EVEN THE WEALTHY WESTERNERS, I MEAN) to stay here long term that MANY (MANY!) OF THEM -- FOR DECADES -- HAD TO USE THE RECOURSE OF TOURIST VISAS TO BECOME DE FACTO RESIDENTS.

Laws have to be FAIR to be respected (and enforced!). AND TO FULLFIL THEIR INTENT.

The Thai Immigration authorities always wanted the impossible: keep as many NON-TOURIST foreigners as possible OUT. And as many TOURISTS as possible IN.

NOW THEY HAVE A MESS.

See... It's quite ironic and and of course it's going to come back again and again to bite them in the b-tt.

Over the years, a lot of de facto full time residents were never integrated into the system.

Today, we are told the Thai autorities suddenly want to clear their act and boot illegal workers out (and others who fall into grey areas! The baby with the bathwater!) .

AND THEY CLEARLY RISK LOSING THEIR TOURISTS AND FINANCIALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT FARANGS who are, as things stand, LOST IN THE MIX UP (not to say: MESS).

If this really happens BIG TIME: Som Nam Na!

I agree with you... no argument there...

"Thailand NEEDS tourism income. Most Western countries DON'T"

Yup, I agree with you there. Unfortunately for most on this forum (including me before, until I got a 1-year multiple non-, it's their discretion on how and when to get that tourism income, as silly as it may seem

JOD2, out of interest - what asian country are you from?

Interesting question... interesting question indeed.

There is a very good reason why Thai people sometimes find it hard to get overseas visas.They tend to overstay a lot more than most nations.

While immigration can be very tough,they do have their reasons.

That's right. David, If you could get a visa to a first world country, you'd see that we got our undesirables over there too.

I agree with you. Following your logic, it would also be a "very good reason" for Thailand to make it hard for farangs to get visas, since just like many Asian tourists in America, many farangs find work illegally using the VOA with border runs.

I totally understand the "undesirable Asians" problem you have there, and I am admittedly embarassed when I travel to the US (or even just Singapore!) where I see my fellow countrymen (i'm not Singaporean) acting uncivilized and giving me a bad name... the same as decent farangs who get embarrassed when they see their fellow countrymen acting undesirable too.

ya know,i reakon I would get embarrassed if I had to talk to you for more than say...2 seconds.

Wow! You're so super witty man! I can't believe it! Whoo! You must have a PHD in debate or something...

There is a very good reason why Thai people sometimes find it hard to get overseas visas.They tend to overstay a lot more than most nations.

While immigration can be very tough,they do have their reasons.

That's right. David, If you could get a visa to a first world country, you'd see that we got our undesirables over there too.

I agree with you. Following your logic, it would also be a "very good reason" for Thailand to make it hard for farangs to get visas, since just like many Asian tourists in America, many farangs find work illegally using the VOA with border runs.

I totally understand the "undesirable Asians" problem you have there, and I am admittedly embarassed when I travel to the US (or even just Singapore!) where I see my fellow countrymen (i'm not Singaporean) acting uncivilized and giving me a bad name... the same as decent farangs who get embarrassed when they see their fellow countrymen acting undesirable too.

"We are all asking "how" the immigration officials at the border can add up the 90 days (instead of the number of stamps)."

"I think no one is denying that they can do it, it just seems absurd that they actually will. It's in no one's best interest to fully implement the new regulations."

Only time will tell.

Have an idea... whoever is the first one who is "caught" for having 90 days and thereby given a mere "last 7 days" to leave..

Let's host a despedida party for him! Free beer and all!

We are all asking "how" the immigration officials at the border can add up the 90 days (instead of the number of stamps).

I think no one is denying that they can do it, it just seems absurd that they actually will. It's in no one's best interest to fully implement the new regulations.

Only time will tell.

Have an idea... whoever is the first one who is "caught" for having 90 days and thereby given a mere "last 7 days" to leave..

Let's host a despedida party for him! Free beer and all!

We are all asking "how" the immigration officials at the border can add up the 90 days (instead of the number of stamps).

We are also asking "why" immigration officials are putting numbers on the stamps, which doesn't necessarily allow them to count the # of days.

This is my take on how it will "practically" be implemented starting January:

1) First they'll look at how many VOA stamps you have. If you have 3 stamps or more, then that raises a red flag, but you will not automatically be turned away.

2) Since you already have 3 stamps, the "lazy" border official will then make a "quick check" of your passport by quickly "browsing" thru your passport, seeing if your stay "seems" to be about 90 days.

3) If your passport "seems" to have 90 days and he's not feeling "lazy" that day, he will then add up all your days. If it's 90 days, you'll be given a 7 day stamp in order to pack your bags and go home.

This sounds crazy? Well, that's how customs officials do it.

You may ask "how" customs officials implement the "impossible" task of preventing smuggling 100%.

The answer is that they don't. They first look for something "suspicious", and if they find one, they probe deeper.

Immigration's case, they first look for the "suspicious" 3 or more VOA stamps. If they see that, they then "probe deeper" by counting the exact number of days. And just like customs officials, sometimes they'll just let you through without inspection, and sometimes they won't.

Good luck to you if you wana take the risk.

Actually, a lot of us are aware of how difficult it is for a Thai to get a visa. I had to get a US tourist visa for my wife a couple of years ago and had to submit a small mountain of paperwork!

Good for her. Likewise, there are "some" farangs who will be able to get a visa with a "small mountain of paperwork". Also likewise, many farangs will be denied, the same way many "legitimate" Asian tourists are denied by the US too.

Im sure the numbers or colored ink on the visa exempt stamps after Oct 1 will make it easier for the imm officials to identify the stamps they need to look at. By using the ink on only the visa exempt stamps (as some people would have a combination of visa exempt entries mixed with entries on a proper visa) it just makes it easier for the officers as they flick through the passport. Obviously an up to date computer system which links all immigration check point together would make it alot easier as all this information would be recorded electronically, but due to the lack of technology at some checkpoints, im sure the lines will get slower and slower because the officers will be busy trying to add up all the visa exempt days and in afew months, they will constantly be looking for entries in a 180 days period which would even take longer. Lets hope they will have caculators to use........................

"The lines will get longer and longer, and the inspection time will get longer and longer...," with all the visa runners "clogging up the system"

This will be the case IF WE ASSUME that all the current visa runners continue to STAY in Bangkok, and thus clog up the borders with their long inspection process.

HOWEVER, if majority of visa runners finally go home this December (and don't wana risk the January storm), then the borders will not be clogged at all... and the immigration officials will have a lot more time and freedom to do the "counting process".

hel_l, some border officials may even do it out of boredom because of much less work from less border runners... May even look at it as an opportunity to earn some "extra income". Since the line's short anyway, he'll have time to do it.

We are all asking "how" the immigration officials at the border can add up the 90 days (instead of the number of stamps).

We are also asking "why" immigration officials are putting numbers on the stamps, which doesn't necessarily allow them to count the # of days.

This is my take on how it will "practically" be implemented starting January:

1) First they'll look at how many VOA stamps you have. If you have 3 stamps or more, then that raises a red flag, but you will not automatically be turned away.

2) Since you already have 3 stamps, the "lazy" border official will then make a "quick check" of your passport by quickly "browsing" thru your passport, seeing if your stay "seems" to be about 90 days.

3) If your passport "seems" to have 90 days and he's not feeling "lazy" that day, he will then add up all your days. If it's 90 days, you'll be given a 7 day stamp in order to pack your bags and go home.

This sounds crazy? Well, that's how customs officials do it.

You may ask "how" customs officials implement the "impossible" task of preventing smuggling 100%.

The answer is that they don't. They first look for something "suspicious", and if they find one, they probe deeper.

Immigration's case, they first look for the "suspicious" 3 or more VOA stamps. If they see that, they then "probe deeper" by counting the exact number of days. And just like customs officials, sometimes they'll just let you through without inspection, and sometimes they won't.

Good luck you if you wana take the risk.

We are all asking "how" the immigration officials at the border can add up the 90 days (instead of the number of stamps).

We are also asking "why" immigration officials are putting numbers on the stamps, which doesn't necessarily allow them to count the # of days.

This is my take on how it will "practically" be implemented starting January:

1) First they'll look at how many VOA

Accepted as tourists.

Long term stay of spouses is much more difficult in Thailand than in the US. Obtaining green cards for the spouse of a US citizen is much easier than obtaining a visa and work permit for the spouse of a Thai. Obtaining citizenship is much easier for the spouse of a US citizen than for the spouse of a Thai.

I agree. I am talking about "tourists".

Yes, a lot of these "tourists" are not really tourists, and end up working... just like many farang "tourists" here.

Cheers,

David

Comment: Even for legitimate Asian tourists from rich Asian families, do you know how ###### hard it is for us to get a visa in "your" countries USA, Australia, Canada, NZ, etc???

180,000 Thais residing in Los Angeles alone...

How ###### hard is it?

180,000 sounds like a lot. Even more if you count the Filipinos (probably much more than the thais). However, it's small compared to the number who are denied outright in the US embassy, without any questions or explanations....

Hi!

I'm not here to say that this is some sort of "good revenge" on western people, as many of these farangs in this forum had nothing to do with their own country's visa rules applied towards Asians.

However, this is interesting:

Case: Farang complains that while he has lived here for years, he is "not" illegally working here, so Thai government ppl are imbacils by making it hard for ALL farangs to get visas.

Comment: Even for legitimate Asian tourists from rich Asian families, do you know how ###### hard it is for us to get a visa in "your" countries USA, Australia, Canada, NZ, etc???

Even with our "complete documents" and proof that we are only going to visit your countries, your embassies deny us outright. We just take it with a grain of salt, accept that it's "your" country's "right and prerogative", and accept and admit that many of our fellow Asians decide to overstay in your countries to find illegal work, ... and so we just accept the USA visa denial.

Despite this, I've never heard of Farangs complaining that legitimate Asian tourists have a hard time getting visas in the West.

Well, wake up, smell the coffee! It's the same thing here in Thailand. So many farangs working illegally, and so Thai government makes it hard for "all" farangs, including "legitimate" ones.

The "legitimate" farangs complain that the "hard" rules shouldn't be applied to them, and that it should only be applied to the "non-legitimate" farangs.

These "legitimate" want the Thai government to go through the "painstaking trouble" of "carefully" studying each and every case of each and every farang and to make sure that it's applied to only the "bad" ones.

Well I agree with them.

However, following that logic, shouldn't Western governments such as yours also extend the same courtesy, and also go through the "painstaking trouble" of carefully studying each and every case of each and every Asian tourist, and make sure that only the "bad" ones are singled out???

Instead of also (just like the current Thai government) giving a difficult set of "blanket" rules for all Southeast Asians ??? (except Singapore passport)

I'm not saying that the current difficult set of rules is correct, nor am I saying that Farangs "deserve" this revenge (As I said earlier, it's your government who is doing this to Asians, not necessarily you directly).

I'm just showing the big picture, and that this is a mirror of what your Asian friends go through when applying for visas in your "first world" countries.

Point to ponder.

To Webster 13b...

1) When you got your B visa in Malaysia last November 20 (and you already had a work permit), did they give you 90 days or 1 year?

2) What documents did you show aside from your work permit? Did you include Por Ngdor 01?

3) Did you go to KL or Penang?

I'll be getting my Work Permit this December 2nd week... just before my 90 day Type B expires. I wana know where I can go to get a ONE YEAR multiple in a nearby country with a work permit, but no Por Ngdor 01 yet (tax payment form), because my work permit will still be new.

Anyone can answer the last question.

Thanks!

Hi,

My brother is invited to teach her for 2 months next year... but shortly before coming here, he will be in Lithuania.

Does anyone know if he can get his Type-B Visa in Lithuania?

Any experience of it being difficult?

He'll be in the Philippines before that, but I understand it's tough to get a B-Visa in the Philippines, even with complete documents.

...Sunbelt? Lop? Anyone?

Thanks!

I opened a bank account this week with Thai Farmers Bank . All they required was my passport, they filled out the application form, gave me an ATM card and passbook and all done in 20 mins. Cost me 250 baht for the ATM card , that was it. They did not ask for a work permit or any other documentation.

Got mine in Kasikorn Bank Nana Branch... asked for a work permit but i just said i didn't have one "yet"...

After reading Mouse's post about paypal going to work with Thai bank accounts from September 14th onwards, I decided to register a seperate paypal account specificly for use in Thailand.

Went through all the fields giving all requested info and registered succesfully.

Then they ask to register a creditcard with them so they can verify your account, to lift the 100 US$ limit.

I got this brilliant idea to try my regular Be 1st Bangkok Bank Visa Electron Card.

Entered the 16 digit card number, card holder's name and address and then got baffled by the request for the 3 digit cvv code (normally found on the backside of a regular credit card).

Now under the first 4 digit block of the Be 1st Card's number is in smaller print another 4 digit number, in my case equal to the first 4 digits of the cards number...

I used the last 3 digits as the cvv number and behold, it got accepted!

They deduct 1.95 US$ from your card, and then ask you the expanded use number, which should appear on your monthly credit card statement. A statement you certainly do not receive in Thailand on a visa electron card... Bummer...

Two days later when updating my passbook there appeared indeed a withdrawal of 72.65 Baht. Which roughly equals the 1.95 US$ Paypal said it was going to deduct...

So now paypal got their 2 bucks, now I just have to get hold of that expanded use number.

Took my GF to my Bkk Bank branch after explaining what I was after and why (not easy ).

The clercks at the counter certainly had no clue either, and anyway have no way themselves to access the details of the use of your card.

They did put my GF in touch with BuaLuang (which manages Bkk Bank Be 1st cards) on their telephone, after which the BuaLuang staff asked my GF to punch in the complete card number, followed by the PIN number.

They then confirmed the 1.95 US$ charge by Paypal, and also gave my GF the 4 digit expanded use number...

Straight home, logged onto my paypal account and put in this number which was duly accepted by paypal's system...

Now my account status is indicated as verified, with no limits on transfers...

So I guess I'm now probably the first person in Thailand to succesfully use a Thai issued Visa Electron card for an on-line payment to an American Company

If indeed on September 14th actual moneytransfers between Thai banks and paypal get possible, I guess a lot of people are going to get pretty relieved.

Even with the drawbacks of paypal, discussed endlessly on boards everywhere, it still is a hugely convenient way to make and receive payments....

I hope this lengthy post somehow can be of use to other fellow ThaiVisa members...

Cheers,

Monty

Hi, how did you enter the billing address of your visa electron card? I tried but it doesn't work. In the Bank system, my Visa Electron address is written in Thai Characters. Paypal website doesn't accept Thai. So how did you get past that step? Help please!