unbiasbob

I think the snake's budget might be a tad high but better to be on the safe side. Hats off to you snakie

Safe to say that 30- day walking is not a solution to any visa problem

Bob, I see these comments of yours ever so often in this forum. May I once more remind you of the fact, that there are some people around in Thailand who are under 50 Years, not married with Thai, not working and not wanting to invest 80 000 $ in the Mickey-Mouse currency locally known as Baht?

For these there are two Options: Tourist Visa and 30 Days.

Please remember this next time you comment on these lowlifes.

Sunny

I wish I had invested in that mickey mouse baht a year and a half ago when the buck was at 45. 80k usd of those would have yielded a cool 10%. I'll take that return

an onward ticket purchase prior to 30 day expiring is an EZ solution to this problema amigo

In case it hasn't been reported, This weeks Visa rule at the Thai Embassy in Laos: You can have up to 4 stamps for the 60 day tourist visa in your passport. The Embassy will not issue a fifth. Not to worry tho you can still cross back to Nong Khai on the 30 day non visa entry. Go figure L

Safe to say that 30- day walking is not a solution to any visa problem

never heard of it. is it in thailand? does anyone go there?

bob, it's in the Sangkhlaburi area of Kanchanaburi. Nice area and well worth a visit for a day or two. The 3 pagodas themselves are bit of a let down and look huge in some photos. So don't be surprised when you ask where they are and they're pointed out to you, that you may in fact be standing right next to them.

thank you for that info Gazz

Hi..

(sorry if this has been covered in the last 10 pages.. but..........

If I arrive at Don Muang from the USA expecting an immediate 30-day Visa Stamp in my passport, but only have 2000baht and my credit cards... am I going to be refused entry...?

ChrisP

Are you sure that will cover your taxi ride from the airport?

The 30-day visa land border hoppers are an odd breed anyhow. They deal with the hassle of every 29 day border trips. The only reason they don't like this law being enforced is because they have to take a month's living expenses with them. How tragic

Odd breed they may be but retired under 50's not married to a Thai have very limited visa options.. No chance of an O or B and only 30 day or 60 day tourist visas available.

Personally I have no problem with the rule (Nong Khai have stated this would be coming at all land borders before the year end, due to a new computer system being installed) as long as the sensible course of proving via a bank book that you are bringing money into Thailand. The cash only part of the interpretation is the only objectionable thing.

Don't worry, Livin', I know the plight of the under 50 and unmarried too well. I wasn't referring to people like you. I was more referring to the individuals that the Doctor mentioned

and the crackdown is aimed at the penniless, visaless lowlives anyway.

Do you mean the illegal English teachers?

I agree.

All those of that opinion say AYE.

AYE AYE AYE

Does anyone know if I can get a new visa to Thailand at Three Pagodas Pass on a day trip to Burma? Guide books give me different answers and when I tried to call immigration office in Bangkok they said it's not their responsibility. Anyone recently went there or knows where to get the accurate answer? Any info appreciated.

never heard of it. is it in thailand? does anyone go there?

I asked this question in all seriousness as i have not had to apply for a 30 day exstension for some 3+ years and the rules may have changed.

I always went to bkk and never had a problem. even if I went 4 days prior to expiry I always got the extra 30 days.

I went to pattaya immi on wednesday and they told me 'of course you get the full 30 days if you come here on the friday before.'

I went on friday and ,sure enough ,my extension was 30 days from the expiry date[sunday].

I believe we are now getting clever farangs who get their kicks out of life by worrying people like myself who are unsure of the new rules and ask questions expecting a serious reply.

I do not believe anyone has lost days on a 30 day extension where the visa expires on a thai holiday,providing they go before the visa expires.

we have enough problems as it is without our own people having fun at our expense.

ok dude, well dont sweat it man. the people here were taking your dates at face value and responding because they didn't make sense and not to make fun. at least you found out the deal and it is no problem. you can always go in early to imm and have extension start from the expiry date of your visa stamp. I have done this a number of times but not longer than 5 days before

It's been my experience several times that when I extended my visa on a Friday because the end date landed on a weekend, that I lost those days and the new date entered starts from the Friday date I extended it on. Just learned to grin and bear it.

is that so....I've never seen it happen. something like that could screw up monthly budgeting

hokay i am a newby and this is my first post here at the forums but i am not a troll! Now you all believe me i will continue. I have first hand experience of cracking down syndrome. I Returned from Loas yesterday after renewing my 60 day tourist visa, i have been a regular in Thailand for the last 15 years wintering here 4-5 months every year and the tourist visa has been all i have ever needed. I returned here in August 03 with a healthier bank account till present day and have been doing much the same thing, a multi 60 dayer from penang and singles from Loas. I do not have the funds to meet the non imm. requirements and my local office in Kanchanaburi whom i have known very well for many years and have always been most helpful were quite sure that as long as i was not working, which they know to be true i could keep on a tourist visa indef. This i checked very recently as i had heard rumours. Upon applying for a visa this trip i was informed that they would allow me this one but would not supply me with any more. I offered them atm reciepts, i offered to bring in bank statements from my Uk bank. I have ample funds to support myself under the tourist visa time frame and will have for a while yet. All of the above offerings were rejected, i was told i would have to apply for a non imm. I can't as i dont meet the rquirements and i will be buggered if i am marrying to make it easier, not the right reasons in my books! I have been here just over a year, and when the funds dry i will return to UK but i would have to assume that cracking down IS happening. Any other non troll info appriciated.

I agree with you on the marriage trip. Are you 50 or older?

Lebuh Chulia has no good hotels IMHO. Stay on Penang at Hotel Continental or one of the other real hotels if you want more than basic guest house accommodations. It is only a five minute walk or less. Cititel and Merchant Court should also be good hotels on Penang around the 1,000 baht mark and close to Chulia.

The Cititel was decent. It cost me around 1400 baht last Jan. It is very clean and cockroach free. I don't think you can say that about anything along Chulia St. It looked downright filthy and sleazy gazing at the accomodations along that lovely road

Waiting for Poipet to go that route... with the busses, mini-vans, pick-ups, cars and other miscellaneous forms of transport heading there with loads of visa runners. The added step adding to the long lines at check-in, not to mention the hundreds of thousands (millions perhaps on a real busy day?) of cash flashing around.

The 30-day visa land border hoppers are an odd breed anyhow. They deal with the hassle of every 29 day border trips. The only reason they don't like this law being enforced is because they have to take a month's living expenses with them. How tragic

What about if people went as a group. One went out, came back showed the 10-20K. Then gave it to the next bloke who does the same, and repeat?

Poverty packers always ( try ) to find a way. We are talking peanuts in foreign currency.

It is remarkable how creative they get.

yeah they are fine

Are there different “cash export” laws at different exit points out of the Kingdom?  Why do you folks say 10,000THB is the maximum that can be carried out, when the sign in Don Muang clearly says 50,000 THB is the max Thai currency that can be carried out of the Kingdom??

You are right. 50k is Thai currency is the max amount that can be freely taken out by a tourist.

I was always bewildered by that one. I mean why on earth would anyone want to take mucho thai baht out of here anyhow? What good will thai currency be anywhere outside bordering countries other than to exchange? They can keep their baht here when I'm leaving. I'll take USD thanks

I'd feel safe pulling out the cash at the airport. 

Mr Bob

Have you ever been to Mae Sai / Tachilek?

No sorry, I sure have not

How to I travel from Chiang Mai to Mae Sot?

You can go by bus. It is a lot further than Mae Sai. Maybe stay overnight in what the guidebooks call a "wild west town".

A friend hired a jeep and went there and back in a day.

You are free to go wherever you please but rules are rules.

As i said before immigration at Bangkok airport have the right to ask the same thing.

Interesting the poster above was told 'next time".

how will they remember?

Ct

I'd feel safe pulling out the cash at the airport.

I go along with that thinking. I don't carry around excess cash either. no need

If the Immigration Guys say you can not get the Visa without showing 10K then you can not class it as "excess cash".

It would be necessary cash.

At the end of the day the rules are there whatever you think??

Everyone agrees it sounds crazy and hopes they go away soon but until then suggest you go with a friend if you are concerned?

I don't use land borders myself, or at least never have

Ah well, going through the last couple of pages, it seems people are worried.

Even in Bangkok, btw, I rarely have more than 1-2000 Baht on me, cash.

I go along with that thinking. I don't carry around excess cash either. no need

Never been to Mae Sai, but is there an ATM-machine?

If so this would obviously solve the problem, draw the cash, show it and deposit it again.

I don't know about that one Axel, that would be a huge target. there would need to be an armed guard there at all times I would think

I need advice on what my best option is if I want to get a double-entry tourist visa.

I am looking for an embassy/consulate near Chiangmai (my current location) that I could take a bus to/from. Any advice on Burma or Laos?

I'm currently overstaying my 30day stamp by about 5 days. I was planning to go to Malaysia but decided to go cheaper at the last minute.

Thanks!

You can do as Thaiflyer recommends (good advice) or head over to Vientiene. One thing is for certain, you better get off your ass and get out of the country w/o delay

I think the obvious solution to this problem is to use another border crossing

This thread started with a guy wanting to know what the average costs would be for an ex-pat, not how the cheap charlies can save an extra fifty cents.

I would think that to be truly informed, he would want to know both sides of the coin. I believe that this thread has shown that, although it seems to frequently denigrate into an essay on class warfare. The same as he may scoff at the idea of staying in a very inexpensive apartment, he may just the same scoff at people that, "spend 4,000 baht and didn't buy anything really". Knowledge is power and I would hope that the point of the thread is impart as much knowledge as possible. Is one life-style inherently "better" than the other? No.

To summarize, one can spend as little as 10,000 baht a month or as much as 1,000,000 baht a month. The choice is so poetically, "up to you".

Hey listen, I'm the guy who spent 4k on nothing last week. And I mean I went out, bought a few beers, had dinner and not much else. I am not a free wheeled spender, I am a keen yow supreme. You gotta realize that cash can fly out of your hands here and these cheap charlie budgets are not realistic. I would view some of lop's postings on this subject. He is very clearly a realist. The cheapos cannot expect to waste away over here on their 20k budgets forever. They will fall into an abyss