magpie3

Thanks for the above info guys.

All very informative and eye opening.

It looks like written Thai regulatory requirements can be either 'flexible' or potentially, ignored.  

Fortunately for me opening the account is not urgent. If it was I   would probably be grateful for the opportunity to bend the written rules.  As things stand, I can follow up in the UK where the illusion of control feels more tangible. ????

Married in England Ubon, and thanks for cutting through the fog, once again. 

I was feeling I should make an effort to sort it out here and now in LOS, but am secretly pleased to be given a reason [excuse] to shelve the project until spring in the UK.  

It is interesting however that the door is opened in the Embassy's text to check for potential local updates on what it defines the recognised procedure.  I suspect there may be a 'man who knows a man who can'  somewhere in the metropolis...

But I'll settle for following recommended procedure and an excursion before the 90 day deadline ... I reckon that could be funded by the unexpected surplus in Mrs. Magpie's account...

said Zeberdee ...

hopefully.

A little background:

This year, after the covid break, Mrs Magpie and myself, thought it might be a good idea to open an SCB bank account in my name.

She has one at a local branch in Ladkrabang and I also now need one to deposit 400K baht as part of the 90 day visa extension system - my first attempt at doing this.  I can't plead poverty because the UK embassy have seen my bank balance and despite the international nature of banking today, and easy transfer (at a cost)  they want my money here, in Thailand.  Hey ho, in for a penny in for £10,000.

Previously, over many of the last 40 years,  we have stayed 6 months of the year away from the uk (Oct -March), with me using an 'O' class Non imm. visa.

We usually had a trip away before the 90 day report, returning by air, as it seemed a more enjoyable way to spend time than shuffling through Bangkok traffic and queuing to be grilled by stern faced, braided officers - no criticism of the 'customer service' intended, just personal experience colouring my judgement, and others will say things have changed... or not. 

The following is my (tenuous) understanding of what is required by the bank to open an account and I would appreciate knowledge based corrections.

So, first we have to go to the British Embassy in person, by appointment, to have the MC certified - there and then..?

Then we take the document to the translation service and leave it with them to perform their magic.

The translator sends their translated documents (original and translation) to the 'Gongsun' [Consul?] for 'certification' and when it is certified they will return the document to us, by post.

We then take it to the local Amphur where it is 'registered/ratified'?

Right so far?? 

..... If you have skipped 3 paragraphs to get here, I totally accept your attention deficit... I've has 3 coffee breaks so far ..

.

We then get various papers (including a K2 form/document? and/or K3) and supply one/all of them to the bank branch, who transfer them to head office.

Head office respond to allow (or not) a bank account to be opened in my sole name to deposit the funds, which are in Mrs Magpie's account, at the same branch.

Any knowledge based corrections appreciated.

 Q.  Do the Thai embassy in London provide the translation authentication service and if so is it more expensive - MORE complicated - and can it all be done by registered post or is attendance in person required? 

PS - I am aware of online appointments and reporting in Thailand but have not yet attempted either as the bank account and therefore marriage certificate seems a primary requirement.

Thanks, and best regards to the community.

I await a flood of replies,  LOL

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There can be several reasons for doing a border run.

Getting a new entry for a multiple entry non immigrant visa (IE non-o visa) or a multiple entry tourist visa.

A change of plans and needing some additional time in the country which could be gained by getting a new visa exempt entry.

I'm out of touch/date with visa run allowances and wondered if the land border re-entry would provide only 30 day (or is it now 45 day) extensions for a non immigrant 'O' 1 year marriage visa holder?  [Shame Kanchanaburi is closed 'cos that used to be a pleasant run from Bangkok]

3 months would suit better but i suspect it's still only available for returning by air...?

Getting paperwork to open an SCB bank account for the 400k deposit is growing in complexity and I want to have a backstop position ready to go.

I'll post more on my SCB position but maybe better under a new heading.

On 7/25/2021 at 2:34 PM, richard_smith237 said:

The solution is simple. 
 

Check in for the flight using the UK Passport (if Thai Passport is expired) - you may need to show the airline a return ticket doing it this way. 
 

Use Thai Passport numbers for CoE. 

 

Or, check in using the Expired Thai Passport (that’s still permissible) 

 

There is no immigration union exit from the UK at airport. 
 

Enter Thailand on the expired Thai Passport (which is permitted). 
Thai citizens are permitted entry into Thailand with expired passports, they are still Thai. 
 

Renew Thai Passport in Thailand. 

Interesting.

I never considered that she could use an expired passport ?!

Would the outbound airline not require a valid passport for booking a return flight - for the duration of the trip ?  Or would they be aware that expired Thai passports are a non-issue if inbound to Thailand and leave it up to her to ensure she had a valid passport to re-enter the uk?

Maybe that's a question I should direct to the airline - unless you happen to know?

Her Thai passport, which we usually use to book the return flight, is in her Thai maiden name.   

Truth be told, she usually shows her British passport with her married name when coming back through UK customs????.

Never had a problem with that?!

My Thai wife needs to renew her passport if she is to enter Thailand as a Thai and avoid all visa requirements.

Her passport runs out mid October and it's unlikely we will be traveling before then.

The renewal procedure in the uk, involving a trip to London, would be much more complicated and expensive than doing it in Thailand, so I wanted to see if there are any options involving traveling on her British passport to enter Thailand and getting the renewal done there - within the 30 day visa on arrival/exemption period.

I imagined we might need to use a side trip or two during our 6 month stay, to let immigration see the Brit passport had left Thailand within 30 days then re-entered before finally flying back to the uk.

All speculation, and I really need to know if there is a effective and simplified way to organise this and not fall foul of the most recent regulations.

Any sage advice would be much appreciated.

????

Thanks.

Thanks for the timely reply Ubon,

Think we will use it as a backstop because discussions with the tour operator have confirmed airport screening checks and the hotels awareness of the issues. 

Personal hygiene is the most important issue, and we are more or less in control of that, so just keeping a level head should limit the risk significantly.

????

An unforeseen event.

Re - the preceding triumphal conclusions...

My final 30 days staying in Thailand this year were due to be covered by a short trip to Vietnam (Ba Na Hills) and a visa exemption on arrival back at Swampy.

With the trip paid for, half of the accompanying Thai family has cancelled and due to the Covid virus scare.

My wife is aware and uncomfortable about the risk.

I Sympathise.

We could cancel too, but I am only 48 hours away from needing another stamp in the passport to allow me to stay until the flight back to UK.

Recap - I had a 3 month (non imm O) visa followed by a 2 month follow on. Immigration said I had to leave the country by air to return and collect a visa exemption on arrival.

The question is... could I achieve the same 30 days by doing my normal rapid turnaround at the Kanchanaburi border crossing.  2x 30 days are allowed per year, but are these adversely influenced by my previous recent entries into Thailand??

Again, the lack of trust in what the immigration personnel say is evident here.

Any info would be gratefully received.

Many thanks  Tanoshi and Ubonjoe.

Clarity at last.

Real people with direct experience, relevant answers, no language barriers and no ambiguity.

Not sure how long it would have taken at Thai immigration or the London Embassy (or sifting through online resources) to reach the current conclusion!

Quote

 

 

On 1/30/2020 at 2:49 AM, Tanoshi said:

You'll never need to apply for another Non O Visa from London or elsewhere, provided you apply for a new extension and a re-entry permit each year from your local Immigration office. 

In the long run it will save considerable time and effort to stay several months per year in Thailand.

 

Impressive. A very efficient solution! - perhaps founded on personal experience ...?  

I would only wonder whether the much criticised Thai Health Insurance requirement could become an issue? (if not now, then when they find revenues slipping through their fingers). Payment for that would come from "my cold dead hand" - to coin a phrase.

Having 10,000 quid hanging around in a Thai bank account would not be the end of the world I suppose - I am guessing this would require topping up at some stage, perhaps 2 months before submitting the request for the 12 month extension?  

Hmm.. may yet find cause for a smug smile at immigration in Bangkok ????

Another thought born of ignorance - do re-entry permits require declared leaving or re-entry dates?

Thanks to all for the responses so far.

Apologies for going missing - been a bit unwell.

Interesting to read the responses above - and the extensive details in the PM from Peter Denis.

She and I  have been taken under the wing of my extended family and booked on a 3 day trip to Vietnam at the critical time when my visa is running out.  Despite the family's favourite travel agent's assurances, I am slightly apprehensive about the re-entry into Thailand on a 30 day tourist visa waiver/exemption thingy.

Am I risking a neckdeepinbrownstuff experience?  

I will take ALL paperwork they could possibly want with me,  but in the twilight zone that is Thai immigration is my 30 day allowance as a tourist valid after the 90 day visa with 60 day extension??

I would take enough cash to persuade them I am of independent means - how much would anyone suggest?  Not including the tea money of course.

Hope someone is still following this post after my disappearance.????

Hi fellow seekers.

I have previously settled on using a  1 year, multi entry, Non 'O' (marriage) visa to stay 179/180 days (+) in Thailand as the simplest way to cover all my bases for on my annual visit. 40 years married, 15 years on 6 month stopovers in Thailand with wife.

I won't rant (too much) about how the new 'system' has thrown our lives into chaos - though i really, really want to.

This year, I fortunately found out in time that major changes were afoot and called the Thai Embassy (London) whose traditionally (allegedly) rude and irritable staff recommended a 90 day Non O visa which could be extended in Thailand - they did not say for how long.

... Cut to 5 hour Chaeng Watthana ordeal without description of procedure to amass all documents ...

They would only give me a 60 day extension (leaving me 30 days short) and recommended doing a border run via an airport to get a 30 day visa on arrival upon my return. Another money pit.

 Gnashing of teeth. ????

The questions arising ...

1. Am I likely to have difficulties requesting a 30 day stamp/visa on arrival (at Swampy international) if I do as the Immigration officer suggests (after 90 day visa + 60 day extension) ? - Any experience/es anyone?

2. Would a land border run (at say , Kanchanaburi) be less likely to be successful? 

3. Assuming I do not want to be involved with bank deposits and health insurances in the future, am I stuck with this regime or perhaps going abroad after 90 days to get another 90 day Non 'O' (or other) visa at a thai embassy?

4. The Multiple entry option was not available when I applied online - despite the button showing on the screen - is this likely to be a permanent feature of non 'O' visas?

I might be flying to Vietnam or Penang at the end of February so I'll report back. 

Would appreciate some feedback in advance tho'.????

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Hi guys,

A rare post from me I know, but this is personal and almost confessional in it's nature,

- a personal experience :

About 4/5 years ago I had a Non Immigrant class O visa (from memory 6 months duration). Left Thailand for the UK before the visa expiry having forgotten to do the 90 day report and not been out of the country at all.

Airline staff (Thai Airways?) at check-in commented on the lack of a current stamp in the passport regarding permission to stay. My only defence (of no real validity) was that the departure card was stapled tightly over the stamp that indicated the permission to stay date, so even when I opened the passport there was nothing to remind me of the duration of my tenure in Thailand. Yeah, I know what you're thinking and I'm pretty annoyed with myself for being so complacent about the paperwork.

Here's the rub -

Dragged to immigration and told to pay £400 (can't remember the exchange rate) calculated on a daily rate/maximum value -I guess I had almost 90 days of fines as the arrival stamp would have given me 90 days.

I argued my visa was valid to no avail. So I guessed I was being fined for not doing the 90 day report. (£400 ??!!!!)

Credit card - ? Oh no. Nothing do simple.

Cash only ---!? in Baht---?!

At the time my UK bank only allowed me £200 per day - do not know if the machine would have given me £400 but my wife used her card for the other £200. Who knows what would have happened to anyone without the cash - I almost missed the flight as it was with an atm available close by.

So there's my cautionary tale.

You can cut it up any way you want, and I did carry out numerous post mortems on the beast (seething as i went through it all in my mind, LOL) but I NEVER underestimated the importance or necessity of that report again.

Depends what "visa" you had !

Airline staff did not cause any problem and they did not "drag you" to immigration !

Most likely you did indeed overstay your "permitted to stay" date and were fined correctly the 20,000Bht(£400) for an overstay equaling or exceeding 40 days which was discovered by immigration as you attempted to exit .

This was nothing to do with 90 day reports and if you care to check your passport there is a stamp detailing the overstay and the fine paid.

You will also have been given a receipt for the fine paid.

What purpose is served by your post ?

About as much purpose as your post considering Ubon already - politely - clarified what must have happened.

Has the cat you normally kick gone out mousing?

Thanks for making that clear Ubon.

So do you know off-hand if a UK national married to a Thai can have a visa that does not require them to leave the country every 90 days or go to get a new stamp at immigration in BKK?

I'm only in Thailand 6 months of the year (and usually travel in and out) but may want to extend that to a more permanent stay in the future.

Seems from other posts that extending every 3 months is normal or mandatory.

Hi guys,

A rare post from me I know, but this is personal and almost confessional in it's nature,

- a personal experience :

About 4/5 years ago I had a Non Immigrant class O visa (from memory 6 months duration). Left Thailand for the UK before the visa expiry having forgotten to do the 90 day report and not been out of the country at all.

Airline staff (Thai Airways?) at check-in commented on the lack of a current stamp in the passport regarding permission to stay. My only defence (of no real validity) was that the departure card was stapled tightly over the stamp that indicated the permission to stay date, so even when I opened the passport there was nothing to remind me of the duration of my tenure in Thailand. Yeah, I know what you're thinking and I'm pretty annoyed with myself for being so complacent about the paperwork.

Here's the rub -

Dragged to immigration and told to pay £400 (can't remember the exchange rate) calculated on a daily rate/maximum value -I guess I had almost 90 days of fines as the arrival stamp would have given me 90 days.

I argued my visa was valid to no avail. So I guessed I was being fined for not doing the 90 day report. (£400 ??!!!!)

Credit card - ? Oh no. Nothing do simple.

Cash only ---!? in Baht---?!

At the time my UK bank only allowed me £200 per day - do not know if the machine would have given me £400 but my wife used her card for the other £200. Who knows what would have happened to anyone without the cash - I almost missed the flight as it was with an atm available close by.

So there's my cautionary tale.

You can cut it up any way you want, and I did carry out numerous post mortems on the beast (seething as i went through it all in my mind, LOL) but I NEVER underestimated the importance or necessity of that report again.

Updated info.

Even after 25 years I keep having the same old experiences here in Thailand.

I sent an e-mail to a senior figure at the company mentioned in my first posting above and received this reply:

Please visit http://www.factoryoutletshop.net and kindly call 086-305-8648. They sell lava stone Baht 250/kg.

This gives us a 2,500 baht price tag on the original 10,000 baht quote for a 10kg bag.

The same old same old . . .

Can't say much really, as the guy who gave me the information did me some sort of favour. Unlike the original contact at the company who would not reply when I queried the price.

So perhaps I should have (once again) involved my Thai wife in the purchasing enquiry - or learned to type Thai - in order to avoid discrimination/victimisation - call it what you will, that can of worms I do NOT want to open a discussion on!

Many thanks to all, particularly HeijoshinCool and Craig 3365, I think between us we have provided some useful pointers for those who follow.

Hi

I built a nice cook place/bbq outside he house for 'smellies' and found no-one wanted to go to the trouble of setting up charchoal fires.

I see the point when it's hot enough already and most food is available already cooked and at reasonable pices.

Still, I want to perservere and finish the project, leaving it operational and user friendly for anyone who may want to try their hand at some home cooking.

Google pointed me to Somerville Siam - who gave me the above price

At (google again) 800kg/cu m I guess I want 1 or 2 kg, but it still seems expensive for something I've seen advertised in the uk at 10 or 15 gbp per bag - size of bag unknown but thought to be 4 litres - is that about 3kg? (I guess it all depends on how much air there is in the stone and the bag!)

So I'm just looking for any pointers from anyone with a similar experience: where to purchase, how much to use and how much should it cost?

Any advice welcome.

Top lyrics...pity there's no sound!

Just imagine it with a Country or Bluegrass beat mate.

Yes there does seem to be a lot of grumpy old men here like Buzzards sitting on a fence waiting for some one to post something that they can swoop down on and start picking the carcass to pieces.

It's just a song guys......wake up. Did you really think that I was standing beside some blind kid whose dad was planting rice and just buggered off to drink lao khao and left the kid there? ..............hmmmmmmm maybe I was. lol

I mean to come onto a web forum and pick away over analyzing a song or poem someone made......wow some people. Can just imagine what you guys say about Dylan.

Even if I was "Gone" does this mean I cannot post on TV any more? Half of you are not even IN Thailand so.......

Some people just have no sense of humor. Maybe I will write a song about the characters here next.

Too much time on their hands?

Maybe you touched a nerve. The spectre of poverty looming large as the world economy screeches to a halt.

(allow me some poetic licence - no analytical posts about the validity of the screeching bit please).

Or perhaps the critics are just too poor to get pissed - now that would really wind them up.

Line 3 of the first verse - nicely done.

As Baloo said in Jungle book - 'Gone man, solid Gone!'

I remember when I frst went into Carrefour Minburi and saw Lurpak butter, fresh baked French style bread and baguettes and a selection of cheeses and and hams - all in one place!

This is a significant step forward I thought.

I'm pretty disappointed to see the one thing that binds those culinary delights together - the Lurpack butter - was downgraded first to the spreadable version and then it disappeared off the shelves completely a month or so ago.

Tesco Bang Phli also seem to have stopped selling it and my next port of call is Paradise shopping mall on Srinakarin Road where they were selling it at about 5 or 6 GBP per (small) portion when they opened.

Funny how some tastes or textures just can't be substituted.

There's a few butters/spreads that get close but still give a disappointing aftertaste.

What you were brought up with probably has a lot to do with taste preferences.

Still, it's not so bad. Sooooo much else to enjoy eh?!

Believe the Tesco Lotus below RamIntera expressway in Latphao had Lurpack for sale last week (but I was looking for Orchard which seems to have disappeared everywhere).

http://maps.google.c...ailand&t=m&z=15

Many Thanks for that and the map. I will endeavour to check it out but may have to stockpile a little as I am too mean to throw away the Flora Original I was persuaded to buy by my wife - Apparrently it stopped me whinging !

I remember when I frst went into Carrefour Minburi and saw Lurpak butter, fresh baked French style bread and baguettes and a selection of cheeses and and hams - all in one place!

This is a significant step forward I thought.

I'm pretty disappointed to see the one thing that binds those culinary delights together - the Lurpack butter - was downgraded first to the spreadable version and then it disappeared off the shelves completely a month or so ago.

Tesco Bang Phli also seem to have stopped selling it and my next port of call is Paradise shopping mall on Srinakarin Road where they were selling it at about 5 or 6 GBP per (small) portion when they opened.

Funny how some tastes or textures just can't be substituted.

There's a few butters/spreads that get close but still give a disappointing aftertaste.

What you were brought up with probably has a lot to do with taste preferences.

Still, it's not so bad. Sooooo much else to enjoy eh?!

PS

Kawasaki

Thanks for the link - useful!

So it's a CV joint then?

If so, 16K + time sounds horribly expensive for a VIOS, but you should do both sides even if it's only one side playing up now.

And if the CV's are gone in 120K with just 109HP, it would appear you've been giving it some beans

Neglect or thrashing does em in.

This may help but for prices shop around is the onlt thing one can do.

http://www.aa1car.co...ry/cvjoint2.htm

Thanks for the replies.

I agree - 120k seems a short lifespan and I'm planning a second mechanics opinion since getting your feedback. Not sure about neglect - can the cv joints be greased on the vios?

I can't say I tootle along, unless I'm in the mass traffic jams, but some of the roads may have had an impact - it can be like driving in a quarry sometimes. As we are in LOS for 6 months per year we share the car with my sister-in-law but I never had her down as a leadboot race freak - although not the opposite either.

For some reason she now wants to opt out of our "you maintain it and we'll buy it" arrangement.

I had a fan belt go the other day and was lucky to find a shop/garage to replace it within 15 minutes of driving and after stopping the car once immediately after the overheat indicator showed. Cost 700 baht.

This prompted me to get the car checked because I had heard a clicking noise for a few weeks which I attributed to something near the offside wheel. I was lazy and didn't consider the possible causes as it;s been a while since I was doing my own repairs and I just reported the noise along with the fanbelt incident and asked them to check the car and service it for the 120000 km it has done.

They diagnosed a rubber bush in the "wing" - which is what I would call the wishbone (rightly or wrongly) - and recommended cleaning the aircon and replacing the battery and oil. They also said the water marks under the car meant the water pump was leaking and needed replacing.

I queried the battery as the car was starting ok and they used their meter and tested the fluid to show at least one cell was marginal - and I accepted that and chose to accept the aircon clean and oil.

However, I was not about to accept that one of the 5 or six bushes (which he tried unsuccessfully to convince and show me was split) was the cause of the knocking noise and I reminded them that the car had overheated a week earlier - my reasoning that the water was most likely from the pressure releif valve. Embarrased faces all round - me included for having to explain all this to a major garage's mechanics who were adamant that the bush was "cracking" - although it was impossible to see when on the ramp.

I took one guy for a spin and he immediately diagnosed a driveshaft problem

Here is the kicker - they want 16000 baht materials to repair each side plus labour which could be the best part of £800 in my money.

Does anyone have any experience of the costs of this repair and whether this is reasonable?

I'm not comfortable with the idea of dealing with them now but may not have any option as it's the devil I know.

Any feedback on the quote they gave would be appreciated

Hi

It may not be exactly the information you are after but - I had a very pleasant suprise after questioning the teller at the forex counter at Siam Commercial Bank.

On Tuesday I was in The Paseo (shopping court) on Onut Road (about 5k west of the north entrance to Swampy airport) and gave her a horrified look when she offered me a rate in the 47 point something range for £1000 of bank notes. She kindly directed me 50m away to a small kiosk offering exchanges and I was given more or less an extra baht per £ at 48.86 - no paperwork frenzy, no fee on top, no photocopying of all (exaggeration) the bank notes and an extra 1000 baht into pocket. Not certain it would beat 'Superich' (sp?) that I have heard will more or less be the best or thereabouts, but that is way down the road in Bkk for me and this is my local.

There was also a guy in there exchanging sackfulls of Singapore dollars and he seemed made up too!

So good luck with the search hope this info helps you or A.N. Other.

In purely practical terms, it occured to me that the feeding of the 26,000 convicts

(those who had ACTUALLY served their time in some sweaty hole and not luxuriating with their ill gotten gains all around the world)

would be some serious issue too. I suspect many would be destitute and a burden to the family or support network they would return to - therefore likely to have little option for work at the moment - other than to re-offend perhaps

Releasing them piecemeal would seem less likely to inflict a tsunami of potential re-offenders on the nation.

I suspect the real reason is the cost of incarceration, or perhaps the need to redecorate their rooms for the next batch.

Or perhaps some noble benefactor is looking for an army for an urgent mission?

An efficient way to recruit don't you think? And positive discrimination for pensioners - and ....

Sorry - just testing the relief valve - it's been a while.