sunsetlover

16 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

He extended a 30 day visa exempt entry and Muang Thong Thani is where those are done.

Tourist visas are extended at CW.

Thanks Ubonjoe. And I just saw the affidavit we need that you posted on a thread from yesterday. So that takes care of the list, except for the last item, the possibility of an onward flight ticket.

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

They may do another one that early if you go shortly before March 25th. You would be applying about 22 days early.

There is a very good chance they will extend the order for them again before the 25th of March.

Ubonjoe, the OP and others, can we make a list of the paperwork needed for the Covid extension?

* TM7?

* Photo

* Copies of passport photo page, entry stamp, first extension, TM6 form

* TM30? (not needed if staying in a hotel, might be needed if staying at a private landlord's apt?

* What/where is the "Covid extension/application form"?

* And the big question mark, onward flight ticket? And if so, for when? for 60 days out from the application date (presuming you get the extension), or for any time before (and claiming it was cancelled/could not/did not want to get on a flight anywhere)?

Thanks!

Quote

The woman who received me at Muang Thong Thani

He means Chaeng Wattana?

Thanks for the detailed report Orient Express. A couple of questions:

a) Was an onward flight ticket (before the presumed expiration of the 30-day extension) requested, or perhaps informally asked for?

b) Was the TM30 asked for and submitted? I'm also staying in a hotel and we all know they (are supposed to) do that electronically with Immigration.

c) Only the main passport photo page and TM6 (last entry stamp) page need to be photocopied, or every page with a Thai entry/exit stamp?

Your report on the Red Line is appreciated. I thought it was running still on "trial" times, every half hour or 15 min during rush hour times. I plan to do the same, MRT to Bang Sue to Laksi.

A multiple entry O visa would be easy to get in Vientiane or Savannakhet?

Thanks for the input folks, whether constructive or otherwise. I just read that this is an ongoing problem here, someone posted a same story with an AEON ATM just yesterday.

Btw, for those who are not aware, Scottrade is like Schwab, a brokerage plus bank account.

Anyway, will see how my bank handles it.

I arrived Monday night. This morning Tuesday I went to use a Scottrade MC debit card to Central Lama 9 mall, on the 5th floor. Tried 3-4 ATMs in different banks, none of them would give me the cash. Tried different amounts, nothing. No slip, just "invalid transaction". I ended up using a different debit card.

I checked online tonight, 10,000 bht was recorded as withdrawn from my Scottrade account! After a couple of calls to Scottrade, I started the dispute process. To make matters worse, we don't know which of the 3-4 banks processed the phantom withdrawal. Scottrade only shows location. They claim they can get to the bottom of this after they start the dispute.

From past experience I know that every ATM keeps a log of cash coming in and out and any discrepancy proves the malfunction. If I knew which bank I could go with a Thai friend and ask them to produce the log. Or at the very least throw a brick at their ATM after hours.

Right now I'm out of 10,000 baht, plus a huge bad taste of BKK, as I suspect this only happens to foreign ATM cards.

I don't mind losing 10,000 baht, I don't mind giving 10,000 bht to someone, I don't even mind if someone steals 10,000 bht or equivalent from me....but not from a THAI BANK! Which by all accounts here are a big joke any way. Three years in China, of all places, nothing like this happened.

Any suggestions/ideas as far as anything I can do? On my first day in BKK I lost my appetite of being here, simple as that.

When arriving without a visa, you will get 30 days on arrival. But there is a catch, you must have a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of arrival. Immigration leaves the checking over to the airline, some don't check and others check very carefully and will deny you boarding if you don't have a ticket out within 30 days.

With a visa there is no need for a ticket out of Thailand.

But wait, to get the tourist visa in the first place, you need to show "Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)", as stated on the mfa and Consulates' sites.

So it's a catch 22, to be safe you need to have onward travel already booked, preferably one you can cancel.

Of course you could say at the Consulate/Embassy/Airport that after 29 days you plan to get the bus to Poipet, but I don't think that will "fly"...

Thanks Madgee,

So they didn't even consider a 90-day multiple entry? The only advantage of this visa it seems is that it allows you to extend it for an additional 9 months, total 1 year.

I think the O-A visa, IF one qualifies, is the way to go for something like a 1 year stay.

Thank you both.

Of course the more we dig into this, the more questions come up, so I apologize. In particular, the 800K baht (or equivalent?) has to be in Thailand? and it applies to a simple non-immigrant O visa ?

Also, assuming one goes the route of 3 tourist visas for a total of 6 months (no extensions), would a Consulate AND Immigration "frown" on seeing 2-3 visas back to back? certain countries don't care as long as you wanna spend money domestically (including the one where I am now, China).

Thanks Lopburi, I just saw your reply.

This tourist visa then is quite restrictive and expensive, about $125 for 3 months worth of stay.

On the Chinese Thai consulate site, about the Non-Immigrant O-A visa, it states "Applicant may submit their application at the Royal Thai embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the Office of the Immigration Bureau in Thailand located on Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Sathorn District, Bangkok 10120."

So this doesn't apply in practice?

Hello all,

I am in a simple situation, I'm coming to Thailand to relax and finish writing a book (not about Thailand). I'm planning to stay anywhere from 3 to 6 months, possibly longer. I have an American and EU passport. Obviously I don't need a visa, and I plan to visit other nearby countries during my stay, so I should be able to have a 30-day visa exemption at any time.

However, for times when I need more than the 30 days, I thought about a Tourist visa, which will give me 90 days visa validity, but only 60 days maximum duration of stay. I called the Thai Consulate in Shanghai and I couldn't get a clear answer on what happens to the rest of the visa validity, the 30 days. Also, can a Tourist visa be extended or renewed easily?

Btw, I also qualify for the Non Immigrant O-A Long Stay visa, which I understand I can apply for in BKK. Anyone has any experience with that, applying in BKK vs. home country?

Any advice is much appreciated!

Hey guys, thanks a lot! Sorry for the late reply.

I wonder if Villa Mkt or Emporium has pipe tobacco also.

The question also is, cabbies packing guns is legal, semi-legal, or no one (including police) cares?

Where can I find cigars in central BKK? Specific places around Asoke, Ekkamai, Petchburi, or Phaya Thai would be appreciated. Not looking for Cohibas, just regular panetelas.

I'm not even gonna ask about pipe tobacco. I've been to Tesco Lotuses, Big C, nothing. I hope the only place is not King Power DF.

Thanks!

Wild broad-brush predictions that make no allowances for the fact that Thailand has significant infrastructure which Vietnam does not. As for the Chinese tourist thing, why would you 'fear for Thailand' if more tourists are on their way ? Xenophobic, IMO.

Mr. Worldwide, can you name the places you have actually lived in? Presently, I live in China, for 3 years now, so can I speak about anything Chinese with more authority than you? you bet. If you actually need me to explain what I meant, then you don't know much about China. But you ask and I can inform.

Thats the way to keep the tourist away... With the Pound the Euro and the Dollar Exchange rate No one can afford to come to Thailand on Holiday. So many other countries the rate is Much better. Thailand is hurting it's self.... Wake the F&*% up!!!!!!!

Given who the majority of tourist are

maybe not really much of a concern ?

GBP just barely made the top 10

USD & EURO did not

tourism Thailand.jpg

Also This,

>A study of tourism 'leakage' in Thailand estimated that 70% of all money spent by tourists ended up leaving Thailand (via foreign-owned tour operators, airlines, hotels, imported drinks and food, etc.). Estimates for other Third World countries range from 80% in the Caribbean to 40% in India.

http://www.unep.org/resourceefficiency/Business/SectoralActivities/Tourism/FactsandFiguresaboutTourism/ImpactsofTourism/EconomicImpactsofTourism/NegativeEconomicImpactsofTourism/tabid/78784/Default.aspx

Notice the Chinese tourists went up by over a million from a year ago. I can attest to that, Chinese who have never been outside of China, you ask them "where you'd like to go?", "Thailand" is the answer. he he, I fear for the future of Thailand.

So it's a fact? It's better to go opening an account with a tourist visa on the passport, instead of just the 30-day stamp? Are EU and US passports treated equally btw?

I'm looking to open an account in BKK with the following criteria:

* Easy online banking with bill paying

* Low fees on incoming AND outgoing wire transfers to overseas banks (China, US and/or EU)

* Low or zero ATM fees

That's it, pretty straightforward.

Thanks!

IMHO, things are very simple. Outsourcing (mostly "dirty" manufacturing) jobs to Asia and Latin America brought huge profits to western corporations, but slowly the western mentality took over these markets. Asian workers who used to be satisfied with low paid jobs have now switched to the western consumer mentality - borrow money for a new car, new house, etc... People are not stupid, if the farang can have it all , why can't they? This simply can't go forever ... So the western bubble is now being inflated in SEA.

India and China were the first ones to jump on the outsourcing train, and now they are the first one to bear the consequences - China is trying to keep its currency artificially low hoping that investors won't flee the country, but still lots of corps are looking elsewhere. India's economy is also in bad shape. I've seen a trend now where jobs are being brought back from India and China. As corp profits from outsourcing fall due to higher labor cost, exchange rates, etc, they will look to outsource elsewhere.

The only problem - there is not much "elsewhere" left. Africa? I don't think so, the lack of adequate water resources will be an obstacle to any manufacturing process. Thus, corps start bringing jobs home. It's scary - the entire world will be made of consumers, but there will be nothing to consume!

The wheel is turning. SEA will eventually start paying the price of their "modernizing" economies...

China is already losing foreign investment to places like Vietnam and Indonesia. And pissing off Japan doesn't help either, JP is already moving plants to your, and mine soon, preferred destination.

Personally I see Vietnam as the biggest threat to Thailand, the dong is still at around 21000. It can compete easily (in the near future, not now) on tourism and exports.

I used to have a Happy SIM, but the number expired. Which provider offers cheap rate and the longest validity period on top ups?

It seems dtac has dropped their validity periods? I'm now checking AIS.

Thanks!

Hello all,

I'm planning to do BKK-Chiang Mai-Sukhothai-BKK in late July. 2 days in Chiang Mai, bus to Sukhothai, 1 day there, then flight from Phitsanulok back to BKK. Is this doable?

First time traveling to both places. Am I going to be hurried all the time? Is one day enough in Sukhothai? I understand it's vast ancient grounds in the old city. Are weekends to be avoided?

Thanks!

so the busiest stations are cut off...

Oops.

Perhaps this nation will NOT slide downwards past Burma and Korea as they had predicted with monotonous regularity over the last 12 months.

Surely you mean North Korea? Or perhaps a better definition of what " .. slide downwards past .." means.

Yes, that was a dream and he just woke up from it.....only in a dream would Thailand even try to compare with "South" Korea.

Financial benefits a really arguable here. Taxi cost about 350 thb door to door. For a single traveller, that could make it. For 2, that starts to be a little more difficult. 3 or 4 and it is definitely more expensive. How many travellers are travelling alone ???

Good point. For any location on east Sukhumvit, let's say Phrom Pong and above, the financial benefit is negligible, even for a single traveler. I took a taxi to Soi 41 from the airport 2 weeks ago, the meter was 180-190 bht, plus the 50 bht extra (the driver took an exit before toll), total 240 bht, and that was door to door.

Obviously one of those rare cases where the taxi driver didn't try to rip me off

the HYPOCRISY of Islam at its finest: some of the most hard-line Muslims (Iranians) smuggling drugs into another country, for a little sex tourism as well....that says it all!....in the country where they come from, they hang you for 1/10 of what they'd do in BKK....hang them high in Tehran I say...