bjhabal

A friend of mine with a wife (over 55) and 2 children (under 15) asked me about the bank deposit for a retirement visa, I knew that he has to deposit 800K in the bank for his visa, but what about the wife and children,? Dose he has to deposit 800k for each of them too? or 800k for the whole family.

Well, if you post a question and found an answer from Lopburi3, just follow his instruction and you will never get lost. His messages always clear, short and 99.9% correct, (I could not guarantee 100% because he is a human being)

Let's try to keep things civil. Negotiating through Thai bureaucracy is far from easy. Also, how things are implemented in one region may be vastly different from another region. The other point is that most farangs teaching English are not taking jobs from Thais. It's a niche that is filled by farang teachers.

Most teachers, at least when they begin teaching, are technically illegal. They start work and the WP comes later, this is technically illegal. I don't exactly think working on a retirement visa and smuggling heroin are quite in the same category.

So...there but for the grace of God...

The one thing I could not understand here is why it is a niche that is filled with farang teachers? Teaching English or any other languages is not teaching pronunciation only, it means teaching grammars, words,verbs and phrases. When it comes to pronunciation, can you tell me which accent is the right one? The English, American or Australian and what about the Scottish or Irish? When you pronounce the words correctly, and everybody understand you then this what's really matters. These folks are learning English for their business, communications and pleasure, they are not planning to immigrate to your native country.

Thai people who studied English literature either in Thailand or abroad are much more qualified to teach English than most of the farang teaching English in Thailand and in this case the answer is yes faranf are taking some of Thai people jobs.

The case here that a person who is in a retirement visa and without a teaching license has broken 3 laws:

1. Retired means someone who is not working anymore.

2. Retirement visa means someone who has enough income and he is here to spend his retiring time.

3. without a license means someone who is not qualified to do a job that he is intended to do.

This honorably profession suddenly became a source of income to some people who are not qualified to do any other jobs and it is just because they born as a native of an English speaking country.

Let's face it..

I am sorry if i have offended some people but the truth has to come out, whether we liked it or not; and believe me not all Thai people can teach Thai language in USA or England even if they have been allowed to.

It is easy, simple and fast, however you may need an onward airline ticket, and/or giving evidence to your financial status. The last time I applied in Singapore was on April this year, and the they asked for an airline ticket, which I did not have, but instead of turning me down they just asked me to show ten thousand Baht in cash.

Dress nicely, speak softly, smile and hope for the best. The passport picking up is always the same every where, next day.

Still there are many people applying for a visa in Vientiane, on Monday there were about 155 and Tuesday 140, however comparing to the past the numbers seems to have been dropped dramatically from 250-300 per day. The processing of the visa also become much faster, therefore you do not see many people around.

Actually they have to pay much more than that to get a Canadian visa, that if they can get it at all. However Canadian economy is not depended on tourism, but I can't see what else Laos can depend on.

What visa are you talking about?

Thailand has a standard rate for everybody.

please be specific when you want to inform others of new changes.

However I suspect that you are talking about Laos visa, which the Canadian has to pay the highest rate? Is it?

You said that you have done you research well, then can you please check the Thai Embassy web in KL:

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/1321.php?depid=220

and if you do not have the time: it stated the following:

For Visa contact :[email protected] Office Hours: Monday-Friday:09.30-13.00 & 14.30-17.00 hrs.

Consular : 09.30-11.30 hrs. (Visa Application) : 14.30-16.30 hrs. (Visa Collection)

I am sorry if I offended you meanwhile you are trying to remind the other of the situation, however, this timing was on for at least the past 2 years and my last visa from KL (In which most of them too for the past 20 years) was in January this year.

Again, I am glad that you could make it with least damage as you said (some slight difference on the airline ticket) and

have a nice day

Bishop

Singapore will check your passport, and ask for returning airline ticket and/or showing your financial status, but the service is fast and well organized.

KL may or may not ask for the returning ticket depending on your nationality and appearance.

Penang is very moody place to apply, avoid it if you can.

Good luck

Just do not worry, the immigration officers in Aranyaphratet border are very nice and helpful, they will warn you if there is any new rules before you exit, for example, when they applied the rules of having airline tickets for those on border runs, they used to check the tickets before you exit, and send you back to buy one if you do not have it, they simply try not let you struggle between the two borders.

Good luck

Nothing new here, this has been going on for at least the past 2 years, and was mentioned in this forum many times, you just simply did not do your research very well. However I am glad that you could make it with least damage.

No one knows exactly how this works, but it used to be 4 times according to one member, however I have been in Aranyaphretet border last week and met a guy (Singaporean, in his late 50s) who claimed that he lives in Aranyphratet city and he has been doing 15 days visa run for the past 4 years without any complain. Usually if they do not want you to do it anymore, they will tell you that this will be the last one, and next time you may be denied entry unless you obtain a visa, so just try again and see if they tell you anything.

One thing I remember, that when they started the 15 days rules I asked the immigration officer about the numbers of times I can do it and he politely replied unlimited.

Good luck

No direct bus from V.M but you can take Bus no.510 (Air Con) or 29 (all kinds: Red, Blue, Yellow), drop at Miracle Grand Hotel and take bus No. 52 to soi 7 then take the free shuttle bus to the Immigration office.

If you take bus 510 you still have to get down at Miracle Grand Hotel and take bus 52. Bus 510 and 29 will continue to Rangsit but not to the immigration office.

Recommend the aircon #510 bus. Pay a bit more, suffer a bit less... up to you!

Now that the government have extended the free tourist visa till 2011, those who were expecting the isues of visas to be eased after March 4,2010 is no longer valid, so be prepared for another year of hassle.

Any seats between 13-26 will be ok for the elect. outlet, and yes you can ask for a specific seat if you apply early.

Bishop

Take the the train to ampang Park station and walk down the street passing both Spanish and French Embassise; or take bus No. 28 and drop one bus stop after Ampang Park.

Bishop

Take the train from BKK to Butterworth, (Sleeping/Down seat) and at the train/bus station, take a a bus to KL.

Though there is train from Butterworth to KL, it is not recommended as,while you arrive at around 2.00 pm. the train leaves to KL at 9.00 pm and arrives Kl 5.00 am.

The bus is cheaper and more comfortable; just make sure to take the 24 passengers bus, which have 2 and 1 seats on each row.

It cost about 30 MR (B.300) and takes about 4 hours to arrive.

When you get out of the train station, turn left and walk about 100m straight to the bus station.

There are buses every 30 minutes till midnight,so take your time and choose the bus you like.

Good luck

Bishop

You need one full page for the visa and another for the stamps in and out.

Unless you are thinking of extending your visa in Thailand, the 3 pages you have is more than enough and does not neet to be consecutive.

Good luck

Bishop

If you have your onward airline ticket, then Singapore is a faster place to get it (fewer people applying), otherwise, try to get it from KL. Both will give you a single entry tourist visa valid for 3 month with 60 days stay.

Bishop

<br />habal: what kind of visa did you apply for/get?<br /><br /><br />

Tourist Visa (Single Entry)

Bishop

Yes, Grand Diamond has a separate hotel (Inn) located in the small soi behind the hotel (Between the hotel and the check in immigration office). I have forgot it's name but I stayed there once when all the hotels were fully booked for a holiday season; it was B.400, with clean medium size room furnished with fridge, cable TV and hot shower. You have to check in at the main reception in the Grand Diamond hotel. Check it out if you want and just ask for the "Inn".

Bishop

This is what I have wrote anyway:

spending the holidays in Kuala Lumpur, I went to the Thai embassy in the first day they opened after the holidays (4th January) to apply for a tourist visa and noticed the following:

1. People applying for any kind of visa have been reduced significantly from any of my previous visits.

2. There were a notice on the guard's window, where people register their names and collect the application forms, stating that repeatedly departing and re-entering Thailand is considered as a concealment of the real purpose of stay and such person WILL not be issued a tourist visa (not:"MAY not be issued").

I decided to proceed anyhow regardless whether they will accept my application or not? As 46 of my 48 pages passport were completely filled with regional countries' visas including seven (7) of Thai tourist visas, two extensions and few border runs.

The person in charge checked my passport page by page, smiled, wrote down my name on a receipt and told me to collect my passport next day, without a single question asked.

Bishop

Check out the topic (Red Stamps Vientiane, Cambodia) in this page, I just wrote about my tourist visa experience in KL.

Bishop