-noodles-

Thanks guys, what a great bunch you all are

I have to go back to Australia to get another non-O visa on January 6th -- so yes, i will get the 30 day stamp when i return from the P.I. on December 3rd.

Unfortunately it will be 34 days before i fly out again so i will get an extension at Immigration rather than pay the overstay fine for those 4-5 days.

Thanks for the replies

I will be flying in and out so the 15 day stamp going via a land border won't affect me.

Get a re-entry permit at immigration the cost will be 1000 baht. This will keep your entry valid until Dec.21 st.

ubonjoe, at what point do I need to get this re-entry permit from immigration?

I'm guessing i should get it AFTER i return from Hong Kong and BEFORE i go to Malaysia?

I also forgot to mention that i have to go to the Philippines from Nov 24th to Dec 3rd.

I hope the re-entry permit will still be valid until Dec 21st for when i return to Bangkok on Dec 3rd? Or will they give me a 30 day stamp at this point when i come back?

Thanks again

I am on an Aussie passport, under 50 years old and have a 12mth non-imm O visa that expires October 15th.

I have to go to Hong Kong on Sept 17th and return to the LOS on Sept 22nd.

I understand that i will get another 90 days from this date, taking me through to Dec 21st.

However I have to go to Malaysia on Oct 13th and come back to the LOS on Oct 27th.

When i come back into the LOS on Oct 27th, will I still be on another 90 days or will I just get the 30 day visa exempt stamp on arrival?

I'm guessing that I will be back on the 30 day stamps as my O visa has now expired?

Or will they still let me stay until Dec 21st?

Thanks for any feedback

I've also had this problem today but looks like they've fixed it in the last 15 minutes.

Thanks for the interesting reading material.

You sound just like a mate of mine (in a good way).

I hope everything works out well for you.

Any chance of mentioning which province this happened in?

Cheers transit, thank you for being understanding but due to the popularity of this site and the sensitive nature of my post I would like to keep my location secret. Sorry old bean

it was worth a try

something else i forgot to mention... when you asked how much and they said up to you, this sounds like an invitation for some cheap fun but i guess they got greedy. Definitely a lesson in agreeing to a price up front if not anything else.

Gee, i'd have thought that 1000 baht each is a pretty good earner for a LB.... i'd pay that to a top shelf girl and because they are fake women, you should be entitled to a discount

Thanks for the interesting reading material.

You sound just like a mate of mine (in a good way).

I hope everything works out well for you.

Any chance of mentioning which province this happened in?

Traffic heading into Jomtien from Sth Pattaya is a mess with roadblocks everywhere. My office is in Pratumnak hill and i had to turn around and go home because i couldn't get access. A cop told me tomorrow will be worse as the ASEAN summit begins. Best to steer clear of this area for the next few days.

WANTED: Honda Wave 125cc in any condition. Will pay up to 20,000 baht. The cheaper, the better. Doesn't matter if it looks old, battered and scratched up. I live at Pattaya Klang and can view at anytime. Please call me anytime on 0811 607 764 or send me a PM.

hi all, for those that teach english or work in Thailand, did you guys bring your original qualifications with you or did you leave these at home in ferangland for safekeeping and only bring certified copies?

I'm just wondering whether i should pack the originals or leave them here as i'd hate to lose them.

I thought the schools would be ok with a certified copy? I'm talking about RSA/Cambridge qualification and nursing degree.

thanks for any info

i have had a few Thai girls tell me that the southern Thais are jai ron (hot heart).

I'm not sure exactly what bike i will get but it will be either a 150cc scooter or perhaps a CBR400 as i'd like to do some longer rides.

I currently ride a CBR900RR Fireblade and have plenty of experience on the roads as well as in Thailand. I always get a monthly rental on a bike when i visit and have ridden around areas like Samui, Phuket, Ko Phang Nan, Chiang Mai, Pattaya with lots of traffic & tourists.

But i agree with the comment that a lot of accidents happen when you are near your home, in fact i think the statistic is something like 'most accidents happen within 2km of your home when you're feeling complacent and not paying as much attention'.

the matte black colour is growing on me

just found these interesting looking open face helmets from AGV for US$112

thanks for the tips, it sounds like i might need to bring 2 helmets with me as i hope to do some longer rides. A mate who brought his full face over said it was amazing how much extra things he could stuff into it and it wasn't really wasting much extra luggage space.

I agree that the full face is much safer but it's difficult to talk through and takes longer to take on and off than an open face.

Hi all, i have decided not to bring my AGV full face road helmet with me to LOS because it's not very practical especially when taking it on and off regularly. I think i will get an open faced helmet like this one. I'm thinking of getting the camo colour.

Silly question, but do you think i'd have any problems with it in LOS or would it draw unnecessary attention to me?

Would the locals think i'm trying to parade around as someone from the military and take offence?

If it sound slike a bad idea, i'll go for the matte black one

Thanks for any advice.

Here's a review i read on it. It costs US$108.

"This is a great open face helmet. The quick release strap is priceless, the flip down visor is perfect for blocking out wind and sun while letting you feel open and smell the air. I recommend having a full face also for longer trips, but this one is perfect for a commuter. All the military bikers I've come across love the camo."

AGV Dragon Helmet is for Street and Cruiser enthusiast. All-around plush-finish helmet with luxurious velour interior. Lift-up, double radius, clear scratch-resistant face shield (additional 80% tinted shield in box). Features a retention system with quick-release buckle and assisted ejection. DOT certified.

http://www.bikebandit.com/product/6819

Don't forget to budget for Electric & Water monthly bills,

UBC sattelite TV is 1500 - 2000bt per month + installation and deposit another 6000bt.

Internet is about 1000bt per month incl phone line rental.

Then you need to budget for food and social life costs which depend on your appetite.

It's not worth shipping a container over, too costly, just bring your essentials and buy everything you need over here.

You probably still have to leave and re-enter Thailand every 90 days at a cost of about 2000bt each time if your near a border like Cambodia otherwise the cost is higher.

I would say 40-50,000bt per month should cover your expenses.

excellent info, thanks for that. I am hoping to have an average budget of about 1,500-2,000 baht a day which would include visa runs.

Get Skype for your long distance phone calls. Better to buy phone or headphone in Oz so's you get what you want.

Porn? I would trash it. But up to you.

I was hoping to get myself sorted out with a VOIP service once i have my internet connected so won't require a skype phone, just a normal one.... just kidding about the porn -- it was said tongue in cheek

Internet 2mb about 1000 per month so you are spending 24,000 on a mobile.Private medical about 15,0000 baht for a year of decent cover.10,000 per month rent seems ok but maybe a bit low depending what you want.If you go for a fully furnished then maybe you will save the 30,000 baht too.Betetr be like you than no money.

thanks for the info, i wasn't too sure of internet costs or health insurance.

It looks like i can cut down on phone costs as i'd probably spend about 1-2,000 a month on mobile calls.

Cheers for the advice saorsa. Yes i have a 'multisocket on a cable' (we call them power boards here in Oz ) on my list of stuff to bring but i think i'll now bring more than one along as suggested by sweetchariot. You've both also helped convince me to not ship any stuff over and just rely on my 35kg allowance to bring essentials.

Thanks for the link JSixpack, the only thing i would probably bring is a jar of vegemite but i'm sure it can be found in LOS -- although i won't be bringing marmite, oxo cubes or tea bags!

My flight is with Air Asia from Australia to KL and then on to Bangkok. I have paid a little more and requested the max baggage amount of 35kg. I will bring my backpack, a suitcase and for carry on, one of those hard case mini suitcases.

Thanks PattayaParent, yes i will bring my new laptop with me and have transferred all my data over. I will also have an external USB powered HDD with my porn collection and mp3's. I'm in 2 minds about bringing my bike helmet as its a good quality AGV full face helmet more suited to road riding. I would like a decent helmet though and may bring an off road moto-cross style helmet instead.

sorry just realised this should be in ex-pats

Hi all, i am planning to move to Thailand later this year on a 12mth non-imm O visa.

I am trying to get organised and thinking about what i will need to take with me and what i can get once i'm there.

I think the main things i will take are my laptop, motorbike helmet, camera, electrical adaptors and formal qualifications.

Do any ex-pats here send a lot of their stuff over with them by container or do you do it light and only take over your 35kg of check in luggage and then buy your stuff over there?

Is there anything important i've forgotten to pack?

I have all my internet banking stuff sorted out and will get my mail diverted.

Is my budget for initially getting set up realistic?

40,000 buy a bike

60,000 rent for 6 mths

30,000 furniture, homewares

? health insurance for 6 mths

30,000 mobile phone & internet connection for 6 mths

Are there any other costs i should factor in?

Thanks for any advice. I know there's a lot of threads on the cost of living in Thailand but i'm more interested in the costs of getting set up when you first arrive with the intention to stay for at least 12 mths.

According to the list below there are 373 User(s) are reading this topic (233 Guests and 2 Anonymous Users)

I must say I don't recognise a heck of a lot of the names - wonder if it is the lure of the free food Nahhhh too cynical

the reason might be because everyone was sent an email about this with a link to this topic