rideswings

Thanks again for all your help!

Ubonjoe, do you mean that if I get there tomorrow, I can get it the same day and not have to wait until Monday? That would be great.

You would have to stay in Vientiane until Monday afternoon if you applied tomorrow (Friday).

If you wanted to get the non-o in Vientiane it would be best to go back to immigration for the 7 day extension application and make the trip next week. You are building up a overstay fine of 500 baht a day now. You would have to pay 2400 baht for the extension and a one day of overstay. But if you went today you would probably would not have to pay overstay fine since they were closed yesterday.

Sorry if I am not making myself clear

I will probably go to Cambodia to get another 30 day stamp tomorrow and then convert that to a Non-O at Ladprao with 15 days. I can do that in one day right?

Ubonjoe, do you mean that if I get there tomorrow, I can get it the same day and not have to wait until Monday? That would be great.

You guys are great thanks for the help. I think its going to be Cambodia. Will I need to pay in Thai baht for entering Cambodia (or other currency), and then coming back into Thailand in addition to my overstay fee of probably 100 baht?

Ok thanks. Im looking into a VIP van ride to Ban Laem, Cambodia leaves 6:30am and returns at 16:45 the same day. Cost 1900 baht.

You can get a non-o in Vientiane without a problem.

Or if you are from a G7 country you could do a border run for a 30 day entry and then within 15 days of entering the country apply for a conversion to a non immigrant visa entry based upon being eligible for a retirement extension. You would need to meed the financial requirements for the extension but the money in the bank would not need to be there for 60 days.

Thanks UbonJoe. Yes Im from the USA, thus G7. Will the Non-O I get from Vientiane give me 90 days Non-O? That would be marvelous. Any idea the cost and would I have to spend the night?

Or better your second idea, a border run. Maybe that would nearer to me in BKK and cheaper. Where would you go for a border run from Bangkapi?

Any nearby Thai Embassy/Consulate will provide a single entry Non "O" visa providing you are 50+ years old.

Thanks for your response. Yes I am over 50, Which country would you to get one?

I had a Non-O issued 6 December 2013, Valid until 5 March 2014. I left the country 12 February 2014 before the Non-O expired and I did not get a reentry stamp.

I reetered the country 18 March on a 30 day stamp. Due to neglect, I let my 30 day Visa stamp expire yesterday. so I went to Lad Prao this morning and asked what they can do, and she told me I can get 7 days only. I asked her how I can get at least 30 more days, and she said LEAVE MY COUNTRY because she said I had a Non-O but I left without a reentry stamp so now all I could get was 7 days. Im not sure why she mentioned that because the Non-O would have expired anyway on the 5 of March and I reentered on the 18th.

My goal is to get my another Non-O that I will use for a retirement extension.

Im not sure what to do now, where to go, and how much it will cost. Laos? Cambodia? KL? Can someone give me the steps I might need to follow/

Thanks.

We will try to catch the 0800 boat from Bangrak if our flight is ahead of schedule. If we cant get on the 0800, then we will look for alternatives such as speedboat or Mae Nam boat.

Thanks again everyone and have a happy and safe Songkran!

Our lodging is on Nai Wok Beach, NW of Thongsala.

Thanks for all the excellent information.

Thanks Birdman. You make some excellent points, and Im not sure how bad the traffic will be that day, but Im sure alot slower than normal. I might start inquiring into speedboats since the taxi/van plus ferry will cost at least 1200 (if not more) for 2 people anyway as Samui Coconut mentioned.

I will have all my suitcases wrapped in plastic at swampy airport before we go, and not wear anything that is not waterproof.

13. is Songkran is traffic jams and chaos all the way to Nathon ~25 km. It will take much longer than usual and taxis may not go or may go, but for much more than 600. Also, if you step out somewhere public, e.g. Bangrak or at the street infront Nathon pier you can be soaked completely, so everything you have with you, luggage, cameras, mobile, watch etc. Where is your hotel on KPG?

Thanks Samui Coconut. I called the ferry from Bangrak and she told me that there will not be enough time for me to get from the airport (my flight arrives 0720) to the boat which leaves at 0800. I know it might only normally be a 15 minute ride, but she discouraged me from buying the ticket. She told me to take the later ferry that leaves from Nathon! I will start making inquiries into speedboats.

Thanks for your answers.

Tropicalevo, thanks for the songteaw and taxi info. It sure sounds like alot of money for a 40 minute drive, but I guess thats what it is.

Yorkie, we tried to find a boat to Phangan and only found ones that leave from Nathon and Mae Nam, but the Mae Nam one was booked already (a month ago). I will look today to see if we can find one that leaves from Bangrak, that would sure be much easier. I just talked to a lady at the boat company and she said Mae Nam is near the airport, and she said Mae Nam is the same as Bangrak? I dont think I understood her very well.

If you arrive 7.00am just take a taxi to Bangrak Pier, use Seatran ferry, leaves daily 8.00am and 13.30pm, I think Baht 300 per person for ferry.

Maenam and Bangrak are about 20 minutes apart by car, so not really close by.

You can also ask with any hotel that operates speedboats from Bangrak, i.e. Santhiya Resort, Panviman Resort, Buri Rasa Resort, Anantara Rasananda Resort (all located at Tong Nai Pan Beach on Phangan), more expensive than ferry, but if you are heading to that beach in Phangan anyway, may be even cheaper than taxi to Nathon, ferry ticket and then taxi from Thongsala Pier in Phangan to your resort. Resorts also usually pick you up at airport and take you straight to their pier. Price included in speedboat ticket. Good luck.

Thanks that's just the information I was looking for.

I misread what Tropic wrote, I thought (s)he said that it would be more than 1000. Although 600 is more reasonable, it's still twice or 3 times what it would be in Bangkok.

Thanks again for the info.

600 baht for 40 minutes in a taxi sounds like a lot of money? In a lot of destinations around the world it's a bargain.
I was 15 minutes in 1 the other night in my city and it was 900 baht.

Samui airport being a privately owned airport does not allow public taxi's to pick up passengers within it's confines.
If you want a private car out it will cost 800 baht from the airport to Nathon. That's per vehicle, it's 200 baht per person in shared mini van but you may have to wait around until the van has enough people to start the trip.

http://www.samuiairportonline.com/transportation

Samui has a controlled taxi service, if you can get it for 600 baht from outside the airport to Nathon then grab it.

Other options are companies who do island transport, try googling samui island explorers or mr samui, they may be of help.

Thanks for your answers.

Tropicalevo, thanks for the songteaw and taxi info. It sure sounds like alot of money for a 40 minute drive, but I guess thats what it is.

Yorkie, we tried to find a boat to Phangan and only found ones that leave from Nathon and Mae Nam, but the Mae Nam one was booked already (a month ago). I will look today to see if we can find one that leaves from Bangrak, that would sure be much easier. I just talked to a lady at the boat company and she said Mae Nam is near the airport, and she said Mae Nam is the same as Bangrak? I dont think I understood her very well.

Hi. My gf and I are flying in at 7am on the morning of the Sunday April 13th (I think its Songkran day) and we need to get to Nathon Pier to catch the ferry to Phangan which leaves at 1:45. My questions are this:

1. Whats the best way and price to get from the airport to Nathon Pier? I heard that a taxi could be 600 baht and that its a 40 minute ride. Can we take a songteaw?

2. Is there a beach near Nathon Pier that we could spend a few hours at? I would probably prefer to get near the pier as early as we can because it might be crazy traffic that day on the island. We could then spend a day near the pier at a beach.

Thanks!

Thanks for all the information.

Thanks, do you know if they have a hobby shop there as well?

Has anyone got some updates as to onroad and offroad tracks here in BKK as well as airplane and helicopter flying fields? I live not far from On Nut and will be here for a long time. Also looking for hobby shops for airplane and helicopter parts such as Trex as well as car and truck parts such as Traxxas and Associated Electronics (TC5, TC6).

Thanks for all the information and PM offerings!

Thanks for the info.

My rental condo has a bed that feels like a slab of granite, so Im looking to replace it with a more comfortable one. Has anyone bought a king sized mattress lately in Bangkok? If so where did you buy it and how much did it cost you? I prefer a softer mattress with a pillowtop.

Where?

I just got here and I will be here for 6 months on a retirement Visa. Im trying to decide where I want to stay. I would like to stay within a 10 minute walk or motorbike ride to a beach.

I have visited and would consider Cha Am, Phuket, or Koh Samui. I have been living in Bangkok since last year, and i really dont like it because rents are high and quality of life for me is not what I would like it to be and it doenst have a beach.

My considerations include:

Within 10 minutes commute to beach by motorbike

Rents lower than Bangkok for a 3 or 6 month lease

Within 10 minutes to Lotus or Big C

Can bring my own beach chair and not have to pay daily to rent one

Can anyone shed some light as to what its like to live in these places and if you are happy living there?

I have looked on the internet for condos for rent for 3 and 6 months in Samui and Cha AM but have not been able to find much.

Thank you so much for the help!