Rob Browder

Every so often, the news reports on laws "still on the books" in the USA - regarding things like where it is "legal" to "park" a horse. This is in that category. No Thai benefits if a remote-worker crosses into Laos or Cambodia, to continue working there, instead of spending their earnings in Thailand.

Those who do will have no problem if they use known corruption-free entry points, or pay the agent-fees at the corrupt ones. I haven't used a tourist-type entry IN MANY YEARS. But, attacking me personally is a way to avoid the fact that every Westerner coming in to spend more money in Thailand benefits Thai people - employees and business-owners. I do not understand why some people hate more opportunity for poorer-background Thais so much, but it is clear they do. This is not at all similar to "Western" countries, because those coming in often come to work illegally, because they get paid many times more as an illegal worker in the West, than a legal worker at home. Apples vs Oranges.

Either that - OR, by allowing them to use the auto-gates, it will free them from Immigration's "agent fee to enter hassle free", if "too many times" corruption. Time will tell. It all depends on the attitude of the ministry(ies) responsible for how it ultimately operates. Are they in the "Help Thais get more jobs by letting in foreign money" crowd, who pushed through the 60-day exempt and DTV? Or, are they in the "Keep the poor Thais poor in the sticks" crowd? Or, the "I don't care - I just want my brown envelopes" crowd? Look at the political dynamic - both historically and current. Jobs in manufacturing and tourism reduce the pressure for socialist handout-policies and political volatility, by offering young people employment. If stability is the goal, it's a no-brainer.

She knew what she was marrying. Trump had already destroyed two relationships with philandering when she chose to be #3. If he was younger, she would already have been replaced with a "younger model" - and might still be. And, yes, selling out his supporters on everything he promised to do in 2016 - hiring the same infamous "swamp" people he derided - was truly awful. But then, Obama did the same thing - hiring the banksters / wall-st types he had correctly derided on the campaign-trail, while promising accountability for the 2008 financial crash.

That depends on the role in the organization, of course. Marketing products and value-adding - there are permitted roles.

I second this - and having that Non-O on-entry saves TWO trips to Immigration (at least), since the version applied for at immigration is not issued on the day applied. It also has more scrutiny / hassle than a 1-year retirement-based extension - so always best to avoid this step, when possible.

It is sad Jomtien is still violating the rules with this request. I know from personal experience how much that office HATES Thai/Farang relationships - are vicious to your wife, and rude/insulting to you. No where in the order does it say you need to keep 400K in the bank other than 2 months "prior to application." For a few years, even CW was breaking their own rules, to try to wreck families they don't "approve of" with this stunt; but, thankfully they stopped, per more recent reports.

If you have the Chanote, I do not see how they could reject it.

You cannot do it at some entry points, where an agent-service is required to pay the corrupt. I am not seeing rejected-entry at any of the known "safe" entry points. Of course, this can always change - and by that, I mean that the "agent fee" needed, and what entry-points are corrupted can change, as we saw happen at Poipet/Aranyaprathet, some years ago.

I would BEGIN with asking the amphoe what they want. They may vary wildly. You may have to "amphoe shop" to find one who is accommodating. The only time I ever used an "agent," was to get an amphoe to marry my wife, because every amphoe we visited was hostile.

If you don't include these, they may send you away to go get them, to avoid the work. They likely scowl, because you were prepared. I had a small piece of luggage with wheels on it, with everything they could possibly request, when I was doing marriage-based extensions.

THIS. Go out and get a Non-O there, instead of coming back on a Tourist entry. For 5K Baht + proof of 400K for 2 months, can get the 1-year multiple-entry version, then have plenty of time, in case the wife is absent longer than expected, to stay with the new baby.

They need to offer the METV at nearby consulates - not "fly 1/2 way across the world to get one," and then it will be viable for many more people.

Those being locations where millions of Thais from other parts of the country travel to live and get better employment opportunities. With exports / manufacturing slowing - another sector where rural Thais have historically sought a higher standard of living - the authorities are relaxing the rules, to allow more foreigners to stay / spend money here, to make up the lost opportunities in other sectors. That said, I am a huge fan of King IX's work to make self-sustaining lives possible in rural areas. It is a beautiful thing to see people able to preserve their livelihoods in their local communities. I hope development in this area is increased, to provide another option for rural Thai people. In this effort, Farangs are also often contributing partners - providing experience in agricultural / livestock sciences and marketing, together with local Thai partners.

There is no reason those doing visa runs should not be encouraged to stay and keep spending money in Thailand. They are violating no law by doing so. This Stockholm Syndrome thinking is pathetic. The IOs at those borders want "tribute" payments, through their agent-partners, from those who stay in Thailand a considerable period of time, and their bosses allow this behavior. That is ALL this is about - the same as with changing the requirements/hassles for extensions of stay in the country.

Most higher-end property agencies tend to focus on Bangkok / Pattaya / Phukhet and similar. You can check this site for provincial rentals - though quality varies widely: https://www.renthub.in.th/en/apartment/roi-et Also, regarding the TM-30 - even if the landlord will not report for you, if they will supply signed copies of their ID, the Housebook for the property, and Chanote for the property, you should be able to file the TM-30 yourself. This can be verified with your local Immigration Office, to be sure that is all they want. You were wise to inquire on the TM-30 issues with the landlord in-advance of signing a lease.

I don't use the service - just going by posts here. Which one were you referring to below? ... Though I recall another report from a Russian who reported more like 3K, which he found out about via a border-run agent / company.

I would agree with this sentiment, in many cases - but not this case. There was an international ruling on China's made-up "dash line" claims - which extend far beyond any reasonable territorial limits. The PI is in the right, on this one. The USA engaging in bad foreign-policy in other cases, does not make the PI the bad guy, in this case.

No hard-limit on either, any more - but you may need to use Immigration's "agent service," to pay tribute / keep them happy, if doing this repeatedly.

No, you receive a permitted stay of 180 days "per-entry" ongoing for 5 years - so can border-bounce for another 180-day permitted stay. You might have to stay out a night before returning, between 180-day permitted-stays.

Last report I see is May of last year - but may still be available. That guy used a pension-letter - though I don't see why a bank-book + bank-letter + statement would not work - IF they still offer the 1-Year ME based on Retirement, at all.

See also the Chinese w/ "Thai nominees" inland-transport / trucking companies. I doubt folks from the West are doing illegal-driving gigs - but whoever they are, should be busted, deported, and banned - with those who hired them doing prison-time.

There is no "law" - but some IOs want to see a 1-year lease. They consider "retired" to mean glued to one spot, basically. Though, if you use their "agents," they will not create these obstructions. Best option is to file early - before you leave - as others have suggested. If that is not possible, I would go back "home" to file the annual extension. In either case, when you get back to CM, be sure to re-report your TM-30, since some hotel(s) elsewhere may have "updated it" to a different address.

MOST Americans cannot find $1K USD (~35K Baht) cash in an emergency - much less the homeless - so won't have 500K Baht worth of savings to show. The same is true, at a higher %, for other, poorer countries.

Impossible to know Thai Visa policy that far in advance. At best, one can hope to be "grandfathered" on an unbroken-series extensions-of-stay, as that happened in the past, in some (not all) cases.