josephbloggs

Wahey, my favourite TVF cliche returns! So you expect them to tell people who are leaving the country about the rules should they decide to come back some time in the future? And people complain that immigration is slow! "Passport and boarding pass please". *Hands over*. *Stamp*. "Before you leave I just would like to tell you about all the options for when you next arrive in Thailand. You are entitled to 30 days visa exempt which can be extended by a further 30 days by visiting an immigration office and paying 1,900 baht. You can also apply for a tourist visa before you come for a 60 day visit and that can also be extended again by 30 days - just give me a call when you're coming and I can go in to more detail, here's my card". "Next please!" "Passport and boarding pass please". *Hands over*. *Stamp*. "Before you leave I just would like to tell you about all the options for when you next arrive in Thailand........" Or, you know, people arriving here should be able to check for themselves just like 99.9999999% of tourists do. But you expect to be told on the way out.........weird. Seeya! So being able to turn up with no visa and stay for a month (or up to two) is "jumping through hoops"? A bit of a drama queen??

Yes, my ICE could have done that. It swerved me out of the way of a motorbike flying past me from behind with no lights on one night as I was changing lanes - saved the motorbike's life without a doubt. This was not a very tricky incident to avoid. Not putting down the Tesla technology as it is indeed very impressive, I just don't find this example particularly noteworthy. (And I'm an EV fan - my next car will definitely be electric)

Yep, up to me. 13k is indeed chump change. But again, you didn't answer why the need to open threads about a subject you hate then post repeatedly saying how much you hate it? Seriously what is the motivation? I don't get it. If I see a subject I am not interested in (at least 90% of the threads on Asean Now) I don't click on them, simple. Or do you just have a lot of time on your hands and not much else going on so this gives you some kind of purpose to your day?

Enjoy your temple fairs and that screeching noise. Wow, you are soo Thai, well done. Give me some decent hip hop any day of the week. And 13k for a three day pass with 60+ artists is not bad at all, but think of all the money you are saving with your rural noise. If there was a morlam thread I would not even bother to click on it let alone open it up and post in there to tell people how much I don't like morlam (several times). So what brings you to post here constantly? I don't understand the motivation, I really don't.

You realise every single comment you have made so far are the worst old man comments I have seen for a long time.

Who said they need it to enjoy themselves? If you have a glass of wine with your dinner does that mean you need wine to enjoy yourself? No, it just means you fancied a glass of wine. Why is weed any different? Perfectly normally to have a joint in the evening, doesn't mean you need it to enjoy yourself. Silly thing to say really, very old fashioned.

Are you an old man?

I was surprised to hear it as I just assumed it would be fine as it is essentially a Thai national applying so not sure why they would even check, although as I am a Brit supporting the application and we have the same surname and I am his father I guess it would pretty obviously jump out and they would check. As a few people here expressly stated it is not possible and VFS themselves said it is not possible (as someone posted) I am inclined to believe that and can understand the logic behind it. As for vice versa honestly I have no idea.

That's good to hear, thanks. I'll report back on my application when it is returned - I applied on Monday. This doesn't bode well though: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/17/passport-office-workers-across-uk-to-strike-for-five-weeks-over-pay

I was wrong. I said I was considering doing a UK visa on their Thai passport if their UK passport renewal took too long but I have learned in this thread that that is not possible, so ignore what I said.

Not just lucky, I have had the same experience on several flights in and out post Covid. They are noticeably friendlier and quite pleasant..........maybe because I approach the desk with a smile. A little goes a long way and I think that is where the problem lies with most folk.

What an appalling post and an appalling view.

As chickenslegs said VFS are absolutely right: UK visa or UK Passport. The passport office is extremely backlogged right now. I just submitted a passport renewal for my son on Monday and they say to allow 11 weeks (it took a week to get the appointment, so 12 weeks). Also all the passport offices in England are going on a five week strike starting early April - I don't know if that is factored into the 11 weeks or not. I plan to visit the UK in the summer with my son but am considering doing a visa on his Thai passport just in case. Yes. Enter and leave UK on UK passport, enter and leave Thailand on Thai passport.

Which airline?

I can tell you why. Looking at pre-Covid, in 2019 Changi had about 34 million international arrivals. Suvarnabhumi had around 55 million international arrivals. Changi is spread over four terminals, BKK has one. So Singapore had about 9 million through one terminal as opposed to BKK's 55 million through one terminal. That's a huge difference. I travel to Singapore often and yes, the airport is good (better than Suvarnabhumi by a way), but I often have 15-20 minute waits at immigration and had 45 minutes 2-3 trips ago. I have never come close to that at BKK. I have timed the IO processing times at both - yes I am that kind of geek - and it is pretty much identical. They do both work to timetables and staff accordingly but BKK has a much higher volume of flights than SIN and all it takes is four 3-4 international flights to have unexpected delays and arrive simultaneously (which wasn't planned for) and it throws the schedule into chaos for a short period. In short, similar systems, similar processing times, completely different volumes, and completely different airport designs - and yes, having multiple smaller terminals can be more efficient than one giant one but there are downsides too. Most of the people who moan on here about "massive queues", "surly immigration" etc don't actually travel, they just live in their villages and moan about stuff they see other people moan about. People who travel regularly will say it's pretty average for a major international hub. Certainly much quicker than many places on arrival (Heathrow 10000% included) but it does have the occasion hiccup due to the aforementioned reasons. You need to compare apples with apples.

You are joking. Took me 90 minutes last time I was there - as a UK citizen and business class traveller. 90 minutes to clear immigration in my own country in the UK citizens lane. And when I took pictures of the horrendous queue I was shouted at and told to delete them by a security guard.

Wow, a story about a Thai waving a gun and someone turns it in to a farangs are victimised post. Get over yourself.

Ok then, she screamed at you. You are not ever egging this, it was a scream. Righty ho. I have been in an out several hundred times and never been treated discourteously, not once. Sorry I just don't believe they scream at people for no reason. What the Hell are you talking about?

Would love to know more about how and why you were screamed at for no reason when you were no doubt as nice as pie. Please tell.

Weird, never been screamed at at the airport in 27 years. Never had my passport throw at me either. Post Covid I have found the IOs to be genuinely friendly. Pre-Covid never found them unfriendly, just doing their job. Not sure what you are doing to get screamed at.

Same. I just had relatives over from the UK and they commented on how friendly and smiley everyone was. Give it out and you'll always get it back in Thailand - they are generally warm, friendly, and smiley. I don't see what the OP sees so it may have something to do with the attitude he projects. And seeing as how his post was rammed full of complaints about the country (and people - they believe something "fantastical" when they know they are not friendly / smiley) I am willing to bet I am right.

I was there at few months ago. No Covid test necessary (not needed anywhere in Thailand), snorkeling boats were running and we did a trip. But single port of entry was the rule. Not sure if it has changed since but it very much looked like a permanent set up to me.

I listened to the whole things several times. I do not understand how you come to the conclusion you come to. Even with the word "probably" it is still an outrageous claim. And who are all these legal scholars who can't believe what is happening? Anyone other than the lawyers he is paying? Any idea?

I don't see how that changes the perspective. It is just as crazy as ever. He actually believes what he is saying! How does that video change the perspective? He says he is the most innocent man in America and his friends tell him that.

Do you actually believe what you just wrote? Genuine question.