BUMMERJACK

5 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Just to clarify, the 7,000 baht was deposited into your account as opening balance or were you asked to pay that amount for insurance of some kind?

Out of the 7099 THB I was asked to pay if I wanted to open an account, 501 THB was deposited into my account. The rest was the "insurance" and some administrative fee since I am on "The Tourist Plan". 

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

How did you obtain residence certificate.

Just rock up to immigration.

That's not possible everywhere. 

I asked my landlord to register me online at the Immigration website, and then mail me the documents that proved my registration. She sent that, and one or two other things related, unsure of specifically what they contained seeing as all the text was in Thai.

I went with those, my passport and my E-Visa approval copy to Phuket Town Immigration. They have a little shop there that can scan, copy and take photos of you for a small penny. Took face photos and made copies of my passports ID and current visa pages. 

Then I went into Immigration and submitted everything together with 600 THB, had to wait around 30-40 mins and they sent me off with two copies of stamped residence certificates. The bank asked zero questions about anything when they saw the certificate.

On 9/7/2022 at 5:43 PM, skatewash said:

Try Krungsri Bank, Bangkok Bank, and Kasikorn Bank.  You can probably improve your odds if you obtain a residence certificate from Phuket Immigration.  They will ask 300 baht for the certificate.  The Bangkok Bank branch I would try is on Rat-U-Thit Road in Patong, on the left side, just before you arrive at Jungceylon.   There is a lot of discretion in opening an account for a foreigner especially one not on a long-term visa/extension.  Sometimes they will decide to open the account for you if you also purchase insurance from them at the same time.  PA 1st Accident Insurance (Smart or VIP policy) from Bangkok Bank is not a terrible deal as it covers accidents while on a motorcycle.

Finally, if after trying on your own unsuccessfully at a number of different branches you could consider using the services of an agent.

Went to the Rat-U-Thit Bangkok Bank in Patong today, instantly got an account with SETV and Residence Certificate only. The catch though was that they wanted somewhere just under 7000 THB to open one for me. Since it's very important for me to set an account up quickly to transfer funds from abroad, I bent over and feel no remorse.

So if you are ready to pay, it's a solid option for getting a Thai bank account while on SETV.

2 hours ago, steve2112 said:

did you fly or drive? 

I flew.

1 hour ago, pcholewska said:

 

I hope you're right, you're flying or by the ground?

My plan is to fly from Bangkok, thats the best option of travel I have found. Goes for around 1500-2100 THB.

Where did you read that the 14 day quarantine is mandatory? As far as I have understood it, one can enter Phuket as long as one can produce a negative PCR-test. I am planning to move from just Chonburi to Phuket in ten days or so bringing a less than 72h old PCR-test, so I hope I'm right. Otherwise I'm gonna lose some money and go through a lot of hassle.

Quote from The Thaiger:
"Entry to the island, by road or air, will remain restricted and anyone without proof of vaccination or a current PCR Covid test (within 72 hours) will have to do a full 14 day quarantine period (after May 15). The rapid Covid tests that were being conducted at the airport and Tha Chatchai Checkpoint are being stopped from this Saturday."
Source: https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/phuket-restrictions-and-bans-to-stay-in-place-until-end-of-may

Quote from The Phuket News:
“The Phuket Governor has set the goal to have zero cases of new infections within two weeks. We will do everything. No matter what it takes. We cannot be at risk like this anymore,” Vice Governor Piyapong said.

“From now to May 14, we will still conduct the rapid antigen test, but from May 15, all arrivals from any areas without a COVID-free certificate or vaccination certificate must face 14 days quarantine,” he said plainly."

Source: https://www.thephuketnews.com/no-rapid-tests-for-phuket-arrivals-from-may-15-quarantine-instead-79938.php

Actually, I am starting to think that I've misunderstood the whole covid amnesty visa extension completely. That the news articles that I have read more sound like that the extensions from March run out in the end of May, not that one can get extensions through May. Anyone that can shed some light on this? 

thank you ubonjoe!

Hello Thaivisa,

I am looking at getting an amnesty extension, since that would give me the extra time I need for my relocation until I get a longer term visa. Of what I've read, immigration does no longer require a letter from ones embassy. Is this correct? My own embassy, of Sweden, only presents a letter stating that they think this is for Thai Immigration themselves to decide, if the amnesty extension should be approved or not. 

Also, is the extension valid from the day you get it, or from the day your current visa expires? I read somewhere here on Thaivisa, I think, that the amnesty window is extended to 29th of May. My current visa expires 15th of June, so I would appreciate some input from people who have recieved the extension.

9 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

you can but you have to find a friendly bank, some may say no. Krungsri were good, Kasikorn only allowed 20k which is pretty low

Thank you very much scuba.

I've got a regular Mastercard, I don't think I have any special overseas rates.

So I can go into regular banks and withdraw without the ATM fee? That sounds handy.

Hello Thaivisa,

I came here little over a month ago and I need to withdraw some baht. I do not have a thai bank account yet, and won't be getting one within one-two months. And it's time to pay rent and other utilities. The conversation rate plus the 200 baht fee from the ATM isn't very favorable, but I don't really know the area or what the better way would be.

When I've lived in Phuket before, we used to visit currency exchange offices where one could buy THB with credit card, without an upper limit and get much better rates than the ATM. Is that still the better option for me? If so, any recommendations? Preferably in Jomtien seeing as it is where I reside. 

Grateful for any advice.

Once again guys, thanks. I didn't know I had another gas station close to the one that was out of fuel Monday. Just been living here just over a week and went to the closest one. 

Also, ty for the explanations about what gas I can use and not. I suspected it wouldn't matter, I just didn't wanna decide on my own to use another type when I got instructed otherwise by the rental guy. It's his bike, not mine. 

Thanks for the input guys. I asked my rental guy if it was ok that I used 91 as long as I couldn't get hold of 95, since he explicitly told me to use 95 when I got the keys. He said it was fine for now. 

But yeah, it's real strange that a gas station can be out of a certain gas type. Like a bank without money...

Hi there thaivisa people

Moved to Jomtien earlier this month and I rented motor bike. Running low on fuel now so for the last two days I've been trying to find some more. Been to five-six of these small shops where they just put bottles in stands, they're all out of 95. Then I found a machine on the side of the road where you put bills to get fuel, didn't work either, even though I know it worked a few days ago. Lastly I went to a bigger gas station today since I figured it can't be possible that they're also out. To my big despair tho they had blocked the pumps with 95 and told me that they don't have any. 

So from tomorrow I'm out of fuel. Is this normal around here or is it some temporary shortage? Am I missing something? Haven't encountered this in any other place I've been in Thailand. Thankful for any advice, walking everywhere is going to turn tedious real quick.

I got to my ASQ 24h ago, so I've done all of this. I booked a 60$ ticket from BKK to Malaysia, which I'm just gonna throw in the bin. However, some people do get flights where you can cancel for refund, or simply reschedule to a later date. All of them work, it's just a matter of what option you prefer.

The "just getting oneway tix saying ill leave in a month" will 100% not work under current circumstances.

OP is looking for 90 days though, and TR is 60 plus an extension of 30, if I remember correctly.

You need a booked flight to apply for TR visa, I got mine just a week ago so I got very recent experience. 

I have also gone through the entire process you listed, and as far as I can see you have gotten it all listed. Here in Sweden it only took me five days to get my visa, but I think I have read somewhere on this forum that people in LA area have been experiencing longer waiting times.

The most important thing about booking your flight is to not use these agency companies, since it is an enourmous hassle if anything with the flight is changed/cancelled, in my opinion. Also, fly with one of the big companies if you can, I am travelling from Europe and over here the small ones cancel flights left and right. The major airline companies though seem to keep their flights running regardless of having a plane with many passengers or not.

That said, I am just talking from my own research and European perspective, I do not know if all above would apply to US flights.

I got myself a one-way ticket from BKK to Malaysia that I'm planning just to throw in the bin after I get into Thailand, they approved both my visa and my CoE a few days ago using that. And being from northern Europe myself, it's quite clear that I do not intend going back home. So can confirm it still works.

However, I got an email today saying that my Malaysia flight is cancelled, how rigorously do they check my outbound flight at immigration at the airport in BKK? I already have all the other documents approved already so I'd rather not get a new outbound ticket.