bangkokburning

Google the embassy. They have one to DL.

Ben: From the visa app link (which is official app)...

4 HOW TO APPLY FOR VISA

4.1 Complete and sign ONE application from.

4.2 Submit with the completed form

- Your passport/ travel document which should be valid for at least SIX MONTHS

from the date of application.

- A photo copy of your passport

- TWO recent color photographs

- Appropriate fee(See 5)

HAMMER: Think you are missing the point of what has been going down during the last 5-6 years. If your 'logic' held up then th evisas would be flowing like wine as in early days. Vientiane for whatever reason is exception not the rule.

I agree w/ the IT comments but I'd simply make a law stating that anyone employing a foreign national without the correct visa is subject to a massive fine.

The foreigner working gets a year in jail and has to come up with cash for ticket out. S/He is persona no-grata also for three years.

I have never worked a day in Thailand and I am lumped in with all the dodgy workers be it real estate dodgers or dive boat masters.

Problem solved.

PS: LazyG, this has been SOP forever, to mark up visa that manner.

Hey, can't thank you enough for the link. There are tens of sites and they are all such a mashup. I pulled a dozen apts of that site alone.

pm me in 30 days - I will have found something and there are two guys volunteered to help me a bit up/around soi 81.

PS...WOW, that site is so good. No hassle #'s, links that work - I bet the phone number is even current (THANKS)

=============

I had also been thinking of Bangkok instead, please PM if you find any decent links, leads.

A few on here.

http://www.thaiapartment.com/Apt_5K_10K_en.asp

I am on my way up to Bangkok today, I need to locate a GH (single/weekly rate) while I search for a flat (Soi 71/81/OnNut). < 500 on weekly. About 500 daily.

Pls see my earlier post in Real Estate if you think you might have knowledge of something. Basic Flat, secure room, Internet would be great as would a pool.My budget is 5-9k.

PLEASE NO AGENTS OR MIDDLEMEN

Thanks

Yes, Markland is overpriced. as i stated, ALL units are overpriced. Thought that was my initial point. I went on to state basically IF YOU MUST - that is where I would go. At the end of the day, unlike 98% of condos in Pattaya - it is waterfront and at end of day, that is of value. The rest of the condos are nothing more than fancy prison cells on tight little sois chock-a-block with traffic congestion, snatch and grab crimes and other nastiness such as flooding and streets smelling of garbage.

I am not a property master but I would challange my knowledge of Pattaya against anyone. I walked the streets for years. Becasue of that I am as of this very day headed to BKK to have a look at flats. I'm done with the meth problems, violent crime, thuggery and taking my life in my hands crossing the street.

Everything has its day....Rome, Brittish E India Trading Co, The US Dollar..... Pattaya has a huge set of problems that will never be sorted out.

How about the crxp glorified condos at 3mln! on soi Lenki/Sai Sam > those will stand forever!

I know Pattaya very well, too well. i would never buy anything there. Crime is so out of control is not even funny (violent). Traffic is pure anarchy. Quality of life is crap in central Pattaya. Id have a look at Ban Sare if I were you. I hear Rayong has been cleaned up as well.

Then there is the issue of units still being way overpriced, then there is the issue of a huge glut with building going non stop - still. Then there is the issue of smarmy agents.

MArkland is the only condo I would consider - EOS.

to your points:

- better prospects for capital growth > NO GROWTH/VALUE ONLY DOWNSIDE FOR YRS [HUGE GLUT!]

- easier to re-sell in future > JOKING RIGHT? PATTAYA/EASY TO SELL CONDO?

- stronger demand as a rental should i decide to move away from Pattaya? > HERES HOW IT USUALLY GOES.... you buy a condo for way too much. promises made about 'investments' and x% returns. Its all rubbish. There are catalogs full of empty condos. When you need to leave you will no way be able to get the cash you've been lead to believe. Lets say a modest 1.5mln condo divide by 15 years (+ interest for you??) - easy - 100k right. OK, that is roughly 8.5K month. Now go have a look what you can rent for that, pretty decent, esp in jomtien. So why would people want to buy that place you have for 2mln for? plus that bldg will be full of empty condos and competition for you.

DONT

I'm thinking of buying a condo in Pattaya within the next 3-6mths and want to know what people think is the best area around central Pattaya area (mods, please move to Pattaya forum if more appropriate).

My shortlist is:

1) something behind Carrefour in Soi Yumei -- specifically the Apus complex, or

2) Soi 15 behind The Avenue -- specifically The Avenue or The Urban or City Garden (not The Pride)

I am leaning towards Apus but with prices at around 60,000B m2 and still a year away from completion i have hesitations.

The Avenue has similar prices but is closer to completion.

Which areas or complexes do people think i will get:

- better prospects for capital growth

- easier to re-sell in future

- stronger demand as a rental should i decide to move away from Pattaya?

PS: SOi 15 - has absolutely massive amounts of condos (rooms). it will be a total nightmare if even the huge projects are half full (traffic wise). That is a tiny soi - plus, they are building even MORE between soi 15 and soi bukhao. You've been warned. As for Pride, I walked by today (About 5 cars). They are also renting - do you want to live with renters or in condo where the mgt is renting direct? Its just a hotel. All this for silly price of 2.2 milion - to start AND ...it is surrounded by heavy duty power polls. I think they are worth about 1.25

I really dislike the manner in which this ad is posted! I also do not care for all the complications and hidden fees and items for 'promotion'.

Basically, the cheap come on price doubles at years end.

I use DEET when traveling. Nothing works like poison!

Too bad I did not use it while living in Pattaya, got Dengue last year! 3 days hospital. 22L of saline.

These sorts of posts seem to go unanswered, but it can't hurt.

Looking for simple flat in general vicinity of Nana/Asoke (15min walk); Suk #13 Piammitr Language School

As cheap as possible, to 9k

Security

Quiet

Simply furnished

Balcony

Does not get full sun

Fridge

No A/C is fine (most flats have anyway)

Cable - not necc but good

Wifi - not necc but great

Proper utilities - 6B electric, water nominal

Small deposit

Will consider roommate situation. Please message me.

Thanks!

Hi -

I have experience with both LA and DC. Currently DC. I too have had issues and can attest that the women in both working consular services are no charmers. I had been contacted due to lack of ticket out (2008). In 2009, I gave them exactly what they wanted and more for my meager double TR. Took too long to process BUT - I was quite worried about the return of my visa by flight date. Called and they sorted it quickly and i had it next day. 2009.

In 2008 I had a very poor experience - the woman (DC) accused me of potentially being on a blacklist (read criminal) simply because without a double TR in hand, have no idea when I would need to leave. Maybe w/ extention it's 6mos??? What a waste of money, changing discount air tickets no?

So, I called (will you give me a double?) ...."why not, you blacklist?! (you a criminal?!). This was in my own native country and I was not at all pleased about being called a criminal by a foreigner in my own country. That was quite over the top.

Big thing is to just have all your ducks in a row prior and yes i too and 4mln thb liquid and yes I still needed ticket out and blah blah blah.

Go back to using LA, that's your region and while you can go in - just do the Express Mail w/ trackers. They don't want to see you anyway so why complicate?

Bear in mind that these women are underpaid, overworked persons in a foreign country. They have to deal with all sorts of people.

PS: its doubles all round so don't complicate your life and try for a triple.

For last 2 years I had had doubles but not even used the secind as I have gone off to travel hither and yon.

Thanks so much Prajak. Decided to train it back to BKK. There's always a good party in the canteen car :-))

Moving to BKK anyway. Guess sooner than later.

Here's official map, less detailed and I think more siomple to sort the roads out:

http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/vientiane...sy/embassy_map/

Q 4. Yes, there is a bus Nongkhai-Rayong several times per day. I think it is the 407. If you want dep times please let me know and I look at the bus station for you.

Thanks. One more quick one...

Do I need to provide financial information (bank accounts)?

What a location ?! Punishment? ;-)

Super thanks for that map. I guess if i start at talat sao @ 6:15am i will have it sorted and in the 'queue' by 8.

thanks. i called thong-lor and piammitr. i will call pro language as well. i have read some good things abt them. i think im going to go with the latter for six months - or if/until issues pop up. i might have a look at unity although i have read abt 'dated materials' - which seems to be universal complaint.

seems like every school has mentions of pros-cons and its really confusing.

also seems like staff is 100% female -"suay mak" ... ~ thanks but im looking for a teacher, not a date. worried about speaking like a woman (tones).

im here in pattaya but after last night, i think its time to move on. place has vastly changed and not for better. bkk does not have the ocean but i can deal. many things to do and cha-am is a few hours as pattaya.

Living in Pattaya a number of years my Thai has become embarrassingly poor. I would like to enroll in a serious course for study. Here are my criteria...

*I am a dabbler in languages - about four. It does not come easy, at my age.

1. I would like to stay in Pattaya (need the ocean) but will move up to BKK if need be.

2. I am -speaking wise, beyond beginner but nowhere close to intermediate.

3. Visa assistance would be nice, but I go back to states annually and can get a double there so I don't wish to spend stupid money for an ED visa.

4. I want to study for six months - Nov...and then start again in May/June 2010 for 10 months.

5. I am univ grad, good school, good grades and take learning seriously. I want a school/teacher that has this attitude.

6. I do not want to pay some silly sum of money for a years lessons advance - I have no idea where this school will be (or quality of staff) tomorrow. Monthly fees. Anything else is bordering scam. Like the Gym that signs you up for a year or three contract :-)

7. Prefer schools that have students sitting for govt exams. From what I have read and for whatever reason it appears that Walen has few or no students despite being most expensive. Small classes.

8. There is/was a school in BKK which some teachers from Union started (UNITY?).The Unity sitemap notes 2005 calendar!

9. What is the cost for a quality program +/-, daily or 3x weekly courses one hour or ninety mins?

10. Can any clever person, that has serious command of Thai language recommend Pro Language on Pattaya Klang?

11. Any private teachers that can take me from A-Z in academic/serious manner-method within central Pattaya?

12. How do leaves of absence usually work? Are you SOL or will some schools allow make up classes?

*My method for learning is purely phonetic. I would rather vocabulary, pronunciation, idioms...than learn to read. Given the atmosphere in Thailand these years, seems a big commitment. Having said that, if the school only teaches this way and is tops, I am OK with that.

Thank you. I will not ask any further questions unless I need clarification. I know much of this gets asked routinely.

Did this run 1x abt a year ago, been in India for a few months.... your assistance appreciated.

1. Doubles visas appear to still available at Thai Embassy, VNE. Is one provided gratis (till Mar 2010)? Is the cost for a TR 2mo tourist visa B1000 and payable in THB?

2. I had heard that there was to be a new location? Could someone provided good/detailed location-directions (walking) to the new location?

3. Mondays still most problematic, but I assume given goings-ons last year and being October, queue will not be as great. In on Monday AM out Tuesday PM??. Queue forms what time? Services start at what time?

4. Is there a direct bus from Nong Khai to Pattaya?

THANKS