Spoonman

A tourist Visa is your only option and get a different lawyer.

You cannot have a work permit without a visa so the 15/30 day border runs tells me that they are working illegally without a work permit.

Yesterday I saw a bmw with UK plates on it front and back.

Meh.

What is the Job Title on the work permit going to be ?

On Suk road just south of the Klang traffic lights. they sell parts and repair scoots and have a few there for sale.

A minimum salary is needed to get the extension. I would think someone at a BKK university is on a salary that would meet the requirement though.

If a minimum salary is needed depends on the job. For a teacher for instance there is no minimum income requirement, that includes teachers at a university.

Interesting.

A close relative of mine was (he went home last year) teaching English at a government school for 30k per month. Had the work permit and a non B visa (multi). he could not get an extension as the salary was deemed to be not satisfactory to meet the requirement so he was doing a border run every 90 days for a new stamp. this was not a burden though as the border was close by and there was a golf course on the way.

Customs here are like women, you will never understand them.

2 years ago I bout some Combat Boots from the USA (They make for awesome work boots) and got raped hardcore with import duties.

Roll on 2 years and I needed to buy another pair so braced myself for the same. this pair came through unscathed.... go figure.

You are incorrect. Teachers at Bangkok University in recent times, have been required to make 15/30 land crossings, despite legitimate employment at established universities.

That is nonsense.

If they are working with work permits they can easily get extensions of stay.

The only ones making border runs are working illegally.

A minimum salary is needed to get the extension. I would think someone at a BKK university is on a salary that would meet the requirement though.

I just finished a teachign contract and my one year visa ended March 25th. I went out and got 30 days (G7) and came back overland. My new tourist visa expires May 24th. I have afligth going out of Thailand on June 2.

What can I do between tourist visa expiration (May 24th) and my flight out (June 2).

As you have a tourist visa you can get an extension from immigration.

He says he did 30 days under G7, so I don't think he has a tourist visa. His post isn't clear. But if he doesn't have a tourist visa, under the new rule, his only option would be to overstay, or pay hundreds of dollars and go to Laos and apply for a tourist visa.

You don't seem to understand or care, but this new rule would make life extremely difficult for foreign teachers like him who work at government schools. Their work permits are often only for when school is in session, so if they change schools and don't extend at their old one, they have a couple months where they have no visa and are waiting until they have a new contract with a new school, so they can apply for a new non B visa and work permit. They can go apply for a tourist visa, but as I'm sure you're aware (and probably laugh about) they don't make much, and they aren't being paid during the school break either. For a Filipino teacher going to Lao for a tourist visa could be half a month salary, while border runs were free for them because of ASEAN.

He says his tourist visa expires on the 24th of may.

As to the rest of your post it is exactly that why this clamp down is needed as the people you describe are clearly not tourists so they should organize a visa to allow them to stay.

The other day, I experienced Thai bureaucracy, as described:

Making things difficult, and then withholding crucial info:

I needed to renew my drivers license. It requires 'tabian ban' (proof of residence). I have a yellow 'tabian ban' which has worked for two prior renewals and several other things. Lady at the desk said 'can't use it.' I protested. She turned away, and none of the other workers (heaven forbid) did or said anything to assist me. I had her talk to my Thai attorney on the phone. She didn't budge. Made a 2nd phone call. She didn't budge. The 3rd phone call, she mentioned an option: I could go to the Imm. office and get a signed piece of paper from them. WHY HADN'T SHE OR ANYONE ELSE IN THAT OFFICE MENTIONED THAT OPTION PRIOR?!?! It's a window on to Thai bureaucracy: THEY WANT TO MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT FOR FARANG.

I got the signed paper, and then was charged 400 baht more than Thais, because I have hairy arms and a prominent nose.

I don't see the relevance to this thread with your post but I must ask. the 400b extra you were charged. was this for the licence or the residency certificate ?

I just finished a teachign contract and my one year visa ended March 25th. I went out and got 30 days (G7) and came back overland. My new tourist visa expires May 24th. I have afligth going out of Thailand on June 2.

What can I do between tourist visa expiration (May 24th) and my flight out (June 2).

As you have a tourist visa you can get an extension from immigration.

I'm a brit and even I know drag racing involves a 400m sprint with parachutes, and enough jet fuel to launch the rocket.

Sounds to me like kids donutting and making as much noise as possible.

I can't think of a worse way of spending a lovely sunday afternoon.

Not all drag vehicles use a parachute and even less use jet fuel.

I wish I was up there.

Anyone ever here of any drag events near Pattaya ?

your location would help as there are some area specific sites.

tell the to update their website as it says nothing about a 9 seat minivan.

Making the 12 hour bus ride to Vientiane from Chiang Mai, crossing the bridge by bus and obtaining a proper tourist, single entry visa from the Thai embassy in Vientiane; is that still possible? Or, are they saying now, you must 'fly' into Vientiane to obtain a 30 day single entry visa? Can anybody clarify this for me please?

What is a 30 day single entry visa ?

I don't like this new policy. Even though it won't affect me now, it would have adversely affected me in years prior, as it would have been stone drag for many posters here (years ago), who now (that they've got annual visas) are callous toward younger crowd.

This new law will make things difficult for younger folks. It will turn them and their dollars/euros over to Laos and other more decent destinations. Already, most backpackers only come through Thailand quickly and prefer to spend the lion's share of their time in neighboring countries. I know, because I meet hundreds of backpackers each year - who use Thailand as a stepping stone to better destinations.

Thai officialdom and ThaiVisa old fogies probably think; "So what. They're grubby, they don't spend much, they dress badly, etc." Well, besides being our sons and daughters, they are spending every day. An average backpacker might spend $1,000/month (or twice that, if plane tickets are included). So if Thailand turns away 500,000 backpackers, that's $5 to $10 billion spent elsewhere, outside of Thailand.

More important: Today's backpackers are tomorrow's middle class and rich folks. If they have a good memory of Thailand, it's likely they'll come back to visit when they've got more spending money, and they might bring their kids with them.

TAT is always going to favor big spending tourists, and TAT spends billions of baht each year to cater to them, via golf courses, promotions, publications, etc. It's like Thaksin's Elite Card. For every dollar they spend to promote it, they might make 50 cents.

You do know this new enforcement of the existing laws is not actually targeting legitimate visitors to Thailand don't you.

Myself, I would not consider a backpacker that is using Thailand as a stepping stone to better destinations (your words) to be an actual legitimate tourist in Thailand. not sure why you do to be honest.

Well go and get a 60 day tourist visa then if you plan to stay whilst waiting on paperwork. you can extend that whilst in country if you need more time. not rocket science is it.

You say that with all the unctuousness of someone who is unaffected by the situation and has no sympathy for genuine travellers whose plans will be seriously disrupted by this move.

My wife and I will be travelling to Thailand in December. The plan is to stay 8-10 weeks, as she has to have an operation which she wishes to have done in a Thai clinic. So how do I extend my stay beyond 30 days now? We will be in Ubon Ratchathani, and the plan was to pop over to Pakse once or twice, which is an easy trip. Now I will have to fly to Viengchang or Penang or Phnom Penh (two flights each way) with no idea how long it will take me to get a tourist visa when I get there. With the changes in the situation, I would imagine it will be bedlam at those embassies, with hordes of visa applicants.

"Oh", I hear you say, "get a tourist visa before you leave".

Well I live on a Greek island, and to get a visa from the Thai Embassy in Athens will entail a flight to Athens, plus at least one night in a hotel there, plus other expenses (local transport, eating etc) of being away in a city. I wouldn't see much (if any) change out of 500 just to get a tourist visa. And that's if I went to Athens on my own and left my wife at home.

not rocket science is it

I'm sure your attitude would be somewhat different if you were in my shoes...

You and your wife are not genuine tourists as your sole intention is to come to Thailand to take advantage of the cheaper medical procedures than can be had here.

Get the visa or do not come. not rocket science is it. It might cost you 500 more to do so but how much are you saving by coming to Thailand for the medical procedure ?

They should pay us to be here spending money.

They really are short sighted.

And how much do you spend per year ?

"its was going to happen one day that immigration would get fed up with people taking the P*ss of the system ..."

And openly bragging about it on Thai Visa and other forums.

There seems to be this belief that people from Immigrations aren't aware of those who go on and on about doing border runs and not doing 90 day reports for years and years. Maybe some day people will realize that broadcasting how they game the system and exploit loopholes will come back to bite them (and a lot of others) in the butt.

I'm somewhat sympathetic to those who felt secure in doing these border runs. This will undoubtedly come as a shock, but the blame belongs with those who abuse the system and openly crow about how clever they are.

Just today in another thread about visa runs we had some moron bragging how he does not even leave his bar stool but instead flick a visa run company Bt.8000 to take his passport for a drive and get a frsh stamp for him.

How does one from Visa exempt countries can extend their stay legally?

A legitimate tourist planning on spending more than 30 days in country would have done the research and found that they will need a TOURIST visa.

Not hard is it.

Looks like visa on arrival could soon be history.

People have to get a visa which makes more money for the bent officials.

Does anyone know how much a visa is these days?

Why would the Visa On Arrival be in jeopardy ?

The Visa Exempt Arrival on the other hand.................