lostpacket

One big thing to do is to go to a store and handle both cameras. The ergonomics on Nikon and Canon are totally different. Personally, I can't stand Nikon button layouts and controls. You may or may not be the same, that's why you need to handle both.

As for the 550D (t2i), it's a great little camera. It has the same sensor as the much higher priced 7D and even the 60D. I wouldn't worry about the AF like someone noted as it's up to what glass you use. A fast L lense with an Ultrasonic Motor (USM) will have blazing fast AF on a 550D.

Another thing you must consider is the glass. You are buying into a "system" and that includes the lens lineup. Although Canon and Nikon both make excellent lenses, the Canon line is a bit cheaper for all price ranges and in some cases much cheaper.

Also, the used market is much more robust with Canon, so if you want to sell your body or buy used glass later, it is much easier with Canon.

I'm very happy with mine and have taken great shots over the past 1.5 years. I'm going with a 5D mkIII when it's available here in Thailand (maybe a 1-2 weeks) so I would give you a hell of a deal on a 550D in excellent shape. If interested, send me a PM.

I just checked Fotofile on the 1st floor of MBK and they have 5 used 5D mkII's for 52,900B, 53,900B, and 54,900B. (I only saw the price on 3)

The new price of the 5D2 will not go down soon, especially in Thailand. However, you should find used ones cheaper and on the market (which is rare for Thailand).

The reason they are cheaper and only giving an in shop warranty is because it is a "grey market" camera. This means it was purchased outside of Thailand, probably Hong Kong, hense the limited warranty. It's not used, just a grey market camera.

Have you checked places like Fotofile (on 1st, 3rd and 5th floors of MBK) or Big Camera? They have the lowest prices of reputable shops and offer an in Thailand warranty.

What model camera are you buying? If it is a Canon point and shoot, you can usually tell the market it came from by the naming convention.

According to the thread below, a Non-imm O visa requires 400k in the bank for 2 months.

When I look at the sticky, it looks like they must be talking about an O-A, not O. It also states you must have 800k in the bank.

which is right?

Are they strict with the 50 year age requirement if we are talking about an O-A? (I'm 46)

I just realized I have over 400k in a Thai bank for almost a year and was wondering if I can get a Non-im visa. I'm not married to a Thai national.

I'm not going to chance it. My next visa app trip is going to be with a known visa service that goes to Cambodia. Hopefully I will have no problems getting a dual entry TV.

The Thai Consulate in Phnom Penh is offering back-to-back double entry tourist visas to applicants through agents.

Sorry to jump in, but what is a back to back double entry? Does that mean 2 double entry visas?

Who is a good visa agent?

Wow, you guys are good!

Learn something new each day.

Thanks for the post Lansuan Man, very informative.

The exact same guy wrote back saying it was indeed illegal.

Hi,

If you are currently in Thailand, I strongly recommend you to :

1. extend your visa at the Immigration in Thailand (with out leaving the country)

2. you may apply for the new Visa at the neighbor country nearby Thailand; such as, Malaysia, Lao, Burma etc. we have a Thai Embassy their to provide you a new visa.

In order to get a "Visa" it must be done out side of Thailand, likewise Visa can be extend inside the country.

mailing personal passport crossing the country is illegal. <br style=""> <br style="">

thanks guys, you saved my bacon

now to decide where to go since Vientiane is being strange. I guess Malaysia it is.....how hard are they on paper work?

Do not even think about trying this. Before I came here I talked to Nick in Chicago's RTE about getting a visa while visiting family in Tennessee and he said no problem, 2/3 day turnaround, etc Before I put my passport in the mail, I double checked and called them again. This time I talked to a female who said I would have to send my application to the RTE in DC as Chicago does not process visa's from TN. . .

That makes no sense. I don't think there is any restrictions on the state you are from. I got my visa from Chicago and I was in Indiana at the time.

However, I do agree with you about talking to various people. There were some that just gave me wrong info. One lady (maybe who you spoke with) really saved my butt and gave me the proper info without rushing me. If not, I wouldn't have sent in everything I needed (I forget what it was at the time).

Primarily because a visa only becomes valid when you use it to enter a country from a foreign destination

How are you going to get it validated, think about it for a minute, do a border run and leave on one visa and then enter on a visa issued in Chicago, do you really think that the border guards are that clueless that they won't wonder how the hell you got from Chicago to whatever border crossing you use ?

No, I don't think they are clueless. What I was thinking is that it is the same as what I do now. When I leave Thailand I'm on one visa, and when I return (if the end of that visa) I'm on another visa that I got from that country. It seemed pretty close to what I was doing, only that I had a visa in my possession before hand. I didn't think that I had to show that I went to X country and had a visa acquired from X country to return, just that I had a visa.

When you mention that a visa is valid only when you enter from a foreign destination, I would still be doing that, I just would already have a visa.

Sorry guys, I wasn't trying to fraud the system, I just thought it was a valid option, hence why I asked the Thai consulate before hand just to be sure.

It is not only required for the Consulate to issue the visa the visa would not be valid or accepted by immigration if issued. I would be very surprised if that Consulate would make such a mistake but if they did it is likely immigration would catch it either on your way out or on your return (when you try to use it).

That's the part that confuses me. Wouldn't my current visa be the only factor? When leaving, would they not just mark it as used up and not worry about the other one until I come back?

Don't get me wrong, I trust you guys more than most others, I'm just a bit confused.

I think I will email them back with my concerns and see what they say.

A week ago I sent this email to the Thai consulate.

I'm a US citizen staying in Bangkok. Would it be possible for me to express mail my US passport to the Thai Consulate in Chicago to obtain a double entry Thai Visa? I would provide a return envelope with postage as well as all the proper paper work and fees. If possible, do you accept Thai baht as a form of payment?

They replied with:

Hi,

You may submit by mail + return envelope + pay in dollars only

Sincerely,

Songsak (Nick) Yamkleeb

Royal Thai Consulate-Chicago

Is it really a requirement to have an exit stamp for a visa? It seems that it wouldn't be any different than me applying for my first visa in the US.

I wanted to bounce an idea off you guys to see if it works. I was thinking about just express mailing my passport (with proper forms of course) to the Thai Consulate in the US. My reasoning for this is that I don't have to wait in line and stay somewhere for 2 days while it is processed. I would still need to make a border run, but I could simply just return, no waiting.

1. send passport to family in US via express mail (3-5 days)

2. family gets a post paid express envelope addressed to my Thai address

3. send everything to Thai consulate via express mail (1-2 day delivery + max 5 days process)

4. Thai consulate sends everything back to my address in Thai via express post paid envelope. (3-5 days)

#2 is necessary as the US Post Office will not accept Thai postage from within the US, hence why I can't buy an express envelope here. The time frame seems very much within the 30 day period ( I will do this on the day of my 30 day extension) especially if I use express mail.

Does anyone see a problem with this?

I'm also a bit worried about this being my 3rd double entry visa. Do you think the Thai Consulate in Chicago would be a worse bet than say going to KL? However, I really like the idea of not having to fight with others at immigration and only needing to leave the country and return.

Well scrap Penang. Looks like they only issue single entry visas and have a 3 times back to back limit.

So what is the safest bet for those with back to back TV's?

My original double TV a little less than year ago was from the Thai Consulate in Chicago. The next double was from Vientiane. I have to leave at the end of next month for another double entry.

I was think KL or Penang would be the best bet.

I was looking around at SAwasdeee Transport service and the first listing of a Cambodia run seems too good to be true. Only 2,000 baht and a 4 hour drive; I could stomach that (no pun intended). How could they provide same day service when Phnom Pehn and Vientiane both require over night stays? Maybe you don't get a 30 or 60 day visa?

ah, thanks all for the info

The consulate noted that this was a required document:

"Cash or traveler's check equivalent to 10,000 baht per person or 20,000 baht per family"

Do you think I could just show them my bankbook, or is it necessary to carry 10,000 baht cash?

I have read about visa services, but all of them seemed to be bus services. I have a bit of vertigo so I tend to stay away from buses. Would any of these services utilize air travel? If so, where would I look for legit places?

edit: typo, it should be Udon

I hate to bring up an old thread, but I have a question.

It looks like I'm going to Laos to get the visa. Actually, I planned on flying to Ubon, crossing the border, then going to the Thai Consulate. I planned on getting a double entry visa (60 days, 2 entries)

However, I read this:

1. A tourist visa will enable the passport holder to stay in Thailand no longer than 60 days. However, there are certain nationalities that could travel to Thailand with visa exemption and could stay in the kingdom no longer than 30 days. Please see the list of countries with visa exemption below (the period of stay will be reduced to 15 days when arriving through land border checkpoints between Thailand and the Lao PDR, Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar).

So if I go by my plan, they will only give me a 15 day visa?

I would fly directly there, but when I checked Air Aisa, there are no flights to Vientiane. Thai airways is ridiculously expensive.

I read the pinned thread, but the train was not appealing so I didn't consider it.

It says I can go to the Friendship Bridge, and also talked about the Mekong Ferry. So I can fly to Udon, take a taxi to the border. From there it said something about a 10 baht bus trip across. I assume I can take the bus or the ferry across the border then a taxi to the Thai Embassy. Does that sound right?

I'm glad to hear the visa's are free as that saves me 3,000 baht or so.

Will I need to convert my money to Laos or will Thai baht work?

The pinned sticky says 2 business days, but the other poster said 1...best to just count on staying 2 days to be safe or is 1 day a sure thing (as long as I arrive early enough).

Sorry for so many questions, I just like to fully understand everything, especially before ordering my flight.

Thanks for the replies.

Laos is not confusing, in Vientiane you will get a double entry tourist visa for free

You mean the visa to go to Laos right?

So if I fly to Vientiane I can just take a taxi to the Thai consulate?

My fiance thought Laos accepts Thai currency. Is that true or should I just convert at the airport?<br>

I'm thinking about making my border run to Malaysia. I have been there before, but it was for the 2nd part of a double entry so I just landed and took a plane back to Bangkok.

My questions are:

1. Is it easy to get a double entry visa in Malaysia?(US citizen) I read you need to have good paper work, so I assume that just means filling out the forms and having copies of passport and photo.

2. Is it a one day process, meaning I go to the Thai consulate the day I arrive, and pick up my visa the next day

2b, If one day, would it be ready early the next day? (just to get a feel of when to schedule my flight

3. how far is the Thai consulate from the airport?

4. Any guess to costs? I figure I would just bring 5-6,000 baht and convert it at the airport

5. Taxi driver speak English enough to get me to the Thai consulate?

I have considered Laos, but it seems confusing. Not sure about Cambodia.

Singapore seems really easy, but the sticky says it is expensive. If I can get a flight there close to what I would pay for Malaysia, where would the added expense come from? Do the give out double entry visa's easily?

If you guys have a better selection, I'm open for suggestions.

I'd rather fly somewhere then mess with a 5 hour bus ride, unless there is a really good visa service I'm missing

I need a double entry visa

The less confusing, the better

Sorry about so many questions. I just can't find all the answers through the stickies on the front page and searching the forums.

wow, I never thought about the plane waiting. Thanks for the info and confirming that a dumb idea is indeed a really dumb idea.

This is a dumb question, but I have to ask. I have a double entry visa and just used my first entry (plus extension) so I will leave the country and come back to start the second entry.

I bought a ticket to fly to Malaysia and will return to Thailand the same day. My question is, could it be possible to go through the gates, but not take a flight and check in through immigration as if I just landed? I will be missing the little card you fill out for immigration. I'm sure people have thought of this before, so my guess is that it is a bad decision and will fail. My questions is, could it work and what exactly does immigration check for a return flight?

Yes, I will go by myself, especially since it such a simple run this time.

on a side note, any idea why I keep getting html tags in my replies? I looked for "disable html" but I don't see it.