Onerak

U-tapao to Hat Yai, stay one night at Hat Yai. Take a mini bus the following day from hotel to Penang and then after a few days take the train to cross Thai border and then to Hat Yai and a flight to U-tapao. This was my favorite route when I used to do visa run to Penang while staying at Pattaya. Those were the days.

I don't know what agent you are talking about. I did it personally twice (20 and 21). Gave my passport and money. They took me to the immigration office and took pics, forms were ready and filled up. I singed the form and they took me back immediately Ito my condo. May be 10 minutes in immigration office. No need for anything else. Of course, I had my TM30 attached in my passport already that I got once earlier longtime ago. Collected my passport the following day. I was extending a Non-O so I did not need a conversion. Total cost 15K each each time. No money, no Chanute, no bank letter, nothing.

No wonder baht is has remained strong against dollar after declining for a few months.

How can you se his face? I can't.

Wrong. Only fools spend their retirement years printing bank books, going to banks for bank letter, filling up forms, asking moronic question in this forum about document requirements, making copies and taking pics running around in scorching heat, waiting in immigration lines for hours and kowtowing to IOs if they demand something else and repeat the process, and then keep their 800K tied up in a low interest paying banks and all these for claiming their biggest achievement in life of getting a retirement visa. OMG, what a scene these old proud retirees printing their bank books every month in front of bank machines. In contrast, a wise person uses an agent and handover his passport and 15K to an agent and sit in the beach drinking pinna colada while his 800K is earning at least 5% interest in a high yield investment back home. The 40K he gets pays for his pina colada and and his agent fees and also it helps agent families and IOs who are unfortunate not be born in a Western country.

I have not tried InDrive yet. Will give it a try next time I visit Pattaya for my 6-month sojourn in starting in March. Is InDrive as popular as Bolt and available promptly? Have not used Grab for a longtime since I discovered Bolt.

I generally apply one week in advance in Pattaya. I take my passport to the office next door to immigration. They take pics, fill up the forms, make necessary copies, etc. for 200 baht. I take the bundle, get a ticket and wait in line - Sometimes 10 minutes and sometimes 2 hours. Get the stamp and get it over with. I don't need to know what documents and how many copies I need.

I don't think speaking English is a requirements for most jobs.

I like Jomtien. Drive my motor bike in back alleys only and then park at Rompho market parking lot. Cross the road and walk soi 7 to the beach. Do my evening stroll on the beach road. From beach road I used to take Songtaw to anywhere in Pattaya but now that I have discovered bolt, I hail it from my condo. No roads from my condo to Jomtien beach roads are flooded. I can go anywhere in Pattaya now for 80 baht max using Bolt, including Soi Buakhao, if desired. I don't like Walking street or going to bars every day. When I do desire may be once a few weeks, I take a bolt to Soi Buakhao. May be once a few months visit a gogo. Now that my sugar babaies are all gone, I need to find a new one when I visit next year for my 6-month sojourn. I think it all depends on the life style you want. Condos are plenty and you can rent in lots of places, from high ends sea view condos to moderate rent one bed room 10K/month condo. I Bet there will be cheaper condos also but I have not pursued those. Pattaya gets flooded in most places including Sukhumvit road. Just stay put in your place when heavy rain is forecast. Buy a used motor cycle to drive in back alleys only for errands to 7/11 etc. Use bolts for every thing else. My maximum bolt charge was 6K/month and 2K/month was minimum. You can go to any grocery store, malls, etc. for a max of 80 baht from anywhere in Pattaya.

Sin sod for bar girls? Never heard of.

OMG quality tourist freaking out about vaping.

Ability to obtain a wife when rejected by females of own kind is definitely free.

OMG Australian. I understand an American advancing self defense.

Call your boss and take two more weeks holiday claiming you're sick with nasty Thai virus and enjoy Thailand while you wait for your new passport to arrive. Think of it as a blessing in disguise. ????

How can it be negligence? I think it's deliberate and and a colonial attitude of privilege as if they own the country. If it's economic reasons I understand.