dluek

On my 6th year with a Non-Imm. M visa and I last re-entered Thailand from abroad 3 months ago. I live w/ my Thai girlfriend in Bangkok. Her name is on the condo lease, not mine, so I gather that she is the one responsible for filing the TM.30 rather the landlord, even though he knows I live here. 

Tomorrow I'm hitting Immigration at the Chamchuri Tower center to do my 90-day report. Can I also file the TM.30 if my girlfriend fills it out and signs it, but does not accompany me? (She won't be available during immigration hours all week if not longer, and I can't wait on the 90-day report.) If so, will there be a fine since we're filing TM.30 three months after I last entered the country? It will be my first-ever TM.30. Thanks. 

7 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

It is not a fact. People who want to cheat you don't like it, this is more common in the red light area's. In the "normal" world they like it.

I'd say you're right for the most part, but there are some xenophobic nationalist types who see foreigners speaking Thai as some kind of threat, like we're trying to climb over the invisible walls protecting their "tribe." But I think this is beside the point that the OP is getting at. 

We may interpret being ignored as simply rude because we can communicate in Thai, but I've found that there's more to the timidness than some foreigners may realize.

Some Thais are embarrassed by their own poor English skills, considering that they take this subject throughout their school years. The way they look at it, speaking Thai with a foreigner puts their lack of English ability on display. All Thais are sensitive about losing face, even in tiny ways, so many of those who can't speak English try to avoid any interaction with foreigners at all. Hence they look straight to the foreigner's Thai partner or even child. It used to annoy me, but once I considered it from a Thai perspective, I accepted it as just another quirk of a cross-cultural life. A foreigner should never expect to be treated the same as a Thai.  

This is why, I've found, most foreigners who speak fluent Thai tend hold it back and use English for simple exchanges, at least when the Thai shows that they have some basic English ability. Successfully completing the interaction in English will make the Thai feel self-assured, whereas they'll lose face if their English breaks down to the point that we're forced to switch languages. Thus, Thai ability becomes a sort of "secret weapon" rather than a blanket necessity for all interactions, as English would be for a Thai living in the US, for example. 

This decision could have broader implications regarding the grey area of digital nomads and whether or not they could get in trouble. The decision makes it pretty clear that doing anything online which results in any kind of payment is deemed "work" by the authorities. 

If she can't get family or friends back in Russia to help her out, she should go to the Russian embassy. Begging on the street with a baby in a poor country is rock bottom. You have to wonder about her mental state. 

Well since I just added up my spending for last month I'll put it out there:

Rent: 10,000 B (have a 2 bedroom 60 square meter place near Bang Wa BTS - yes it's far but great value, though I did furnish it myself a few years back)

Bills: 3,933 B (Electric, internet, water, phone)

Out of pocket: 27,049 B (Groceries; eating out; coffee; a few nights out; BTS/MRT/taxis; other random expenses; and a 2 day trip for fun to Phetchaburi staying at pretty cheap accommodation)

Total: 40,982 B

Pretty average month for me. Guess I could save on out of pocket stuff but I'm also not living too extravagantly - not going out too much, moderate drinking, no massages, mostly cooking at home with a few splurges on Western food, plus one short weekend trip with the girlfriend. It'd be hard for me to spend much less than this. 

Didn't include health insurance or visa and work permit costs since my employer covers all of that. Also didn't include student loan payments or the cost of a yearly trip back to the States -- if you add those the number jumps quite a bit. 

I wouldn't go so far as to say "chaos," but this caused major problems across the BTS system. By 5:30 Siam Station was so packed that people arriving on the Silom line couldn't even get off the train - there was no space left on the platform - so the Silom line was delayed as well. It was a situation where, if they didn't have the barriers between tracks and platform, people probably would have been falling on to the track due to overcrowding. Total mess. I managed to fight my way on to a train for National Stadium and switched to a canal boat then river boat to Saphan Taksin to cross the river and head home (with an impromptu beer in the Khao San neighborhood on the way; sometimes you've got to let these situations work to your advantage.)

I believe the policy was changed last year so that Australians (and not just G7 citizens) once again receive a 30-day visa-exempt stay if arriving by land at a border crossing, and not just by air as it had been before. However an Australian friend rang a Thai consulate there and a staffer told him:

"Don't believe everything you read on the internet. I have been working here for five years and it has always been 15 days when you enter by land."

Can anyone clear this up please? I could have sworn there was a Thai government announcement changing it to 30 days if by land for most Western nationalities, but now I can't find it. Thanks. 

17 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

How many ranking sites exist?

How many list Emirates and Qantas in the top 10? Many.

Does this site? No.

 

About the airport list: they must have used a quite small selection.

Manila not being in the worst list?

No central Asian/Russian/African/South American airports worse than Suy.?

 

Incheon, Seoul not on the top 10?

etc.etc.

 

Laughable.

If you compare the "worst airport" lists you will find that they all use quite arbitrary selections.

 

I dump this ranking list/site.

 

I agree. Another example: what is Cincinnati doing at #6 best airport in the world? I've flown through there and it's like any other small and boring US airport. 

Ko Tao certainly better for snorkeling, but otherwise Ko Phangan a much better place to spend a month in my opinion. Tao gets really crowded -- it's not a very big island -- and not great for exploring by motorbike. In contrast, Phangan is a big island with some great newly sealed roads and there's loads to explore; in a month you might not even see every beach unless you're up for some boat rides and/or hikes. Phangan also has a decent selection of food, with cheap Thai restaurants readily available in many places, and some good bars without the sometimes-pretentious diving nightlife scene that you get on Tao. Yes prices go up a ton during full moon party, at least at Haad Rin and the south-coast beaches, but for the rest of the month Phangan is really laid-back and those bungalow places and hotels that rake in money during FMP time tend to offer great-value rooms at other times of month. Certainly doable on 35,000 THB a month if you don't need a really nice room. In general Tao is more expensive with a much smaller selection of accommodation. I'm not into the FMP so I'd either hide out along the northwest coast or just leave the island -- Tao and Samui are both pretty quiet during FMP b/c so many people go to Phangan just for the party. 

2 hours ago, petermik said:

The left hand doesn,t know what the right one,s doing

normal here

Oh they know what they're doing. Walk around most of Bangkok these days and you see none of the old street vendors -- that's what the BMA wants. But while imposing that strategy on most of the city, they pull PR crap like this to keep the press from turning the "Bangkok is getting rid of street food" story from going viral again. 

I'd wait until there was enough space and time to safely cross the road. Here in Bangkok and many other parts of Thailand (including Chiang Mai from time to time) I walk a ton and have been doing so for years, and sometimes I have to wait quite a long while to cross safely. It can seem like the river of traffic will never cease, but it always does eventually, you have to be real patient. In the rare case that a wide enough gap doesn't open, I'll walk down the road and look for a safer place to cross, preferably a "saphan loi" pedestrian bridge. In rare cases I've walked 20 minutes in the wrong direction to find a place to cross safely. If you waded into oncoming traffic the way a lot of Thais do and just hoped that drivers would slow down for you, which is how you've described it, then it sounds like you just weren't crossing safely. That's not to deflect blame away from whoever hit you -- they should have stopped -- but it also sounds like you put yourself in a dangerous situation. When in the jungle you have to adapt the animal kingdom, or you'll get eaten. 

I'd wait until there was enough space and time to safe

If the government is serious about cleaning up Thailand's image then it needs to figure out how to provide opportunities in the long term for the thousands of women who have few if any other options, as #136 makes clear. A badly failing education system in rural areas, deeply ingrained social class hierarchy that dictates dark-skinned people should be poor, institutionalized wealth inequality, and institutionalized corruption -- these are the roots of most of Thailand's problems, including prostitution. Perhaps the current government has taken some steps to fight corruption, but as for the rest, few Thais in positions of power will even admit these problems exist. Everyone in the world can clearly see Thailand's true face, except for Thailand itself. 

Thanks. Any official line on this from Thai immigration? I realize "official lines" are often worthless in Thailand but usually they do exist in one way or another. There must be an official rule on how early you can apply for a tourist visa extension.... 

A friend (Canadian) entered Thailand on 10 January on a regular two-month tourist visa. He would like to apply for a 30-day extension at Krabi immigration on 15 February (I guess he plans to hit remote islands for a while and doesn't want to have to hit an immigration office after the 15th). But he's unsure whether or not that date is too soon to apply for an extension. My gut says that SETVs can be extended at any time once you're in the country, but I'm not sure because I've always had Non-Imm visas and this is the first I've known someone looking to extend a tourist visa so far in advance. He says someone told him that he couldn't apply for the 30-day extension until at least 7 days before the visa expiration date. Is this true? Any clarifications appreciated. 

Her Gofundme campaign has raised over A $50,000 as of this moment, so it looks like she'll be okay after some negotiation with the hospital. I sympathize with her in this case. My guess is that most people who post on Thaivisa know several foreigners who ride / have ridden motorbikes in Thailand without a license, or done so themselves, while having insurance. I've also seen some exceptionally reckless driving among locals on Ko Lanta, which is obviously saying something in the context of Thailand in general. 

I thought Sisaket was pretty boring, but I thought the same about Buriram (in both cases I'm talking about the provincial capital towns; both provinces have interesting Khmer ruins and stuff). 

Some of the towns and cities along the Mekong River are great. Khong Chiam in Ubon province is a relaxing little town and you can day trip to Pha Taem NP and some waterfalls from there. It's where the Mekong meets the Moon River so you get some great river views. I also like Ubon city the best out of Isaan's four major cities, friendly folks there, good food, some lively bars and interesting temples to check out. The Outside Inn is a great place to stay there. 

Further up the Mekong, Mukdahan is a lively city with a long riverside promenade and markets. Although I'd go further north still to That Phanom, which has one of Thailand's most sacred Buddhist sites and some really friendly locals. That's in Nakhon Phanom province, and Nakhon Phanom town is another one of my favorites, also very relaxing with old French-Indochinese architecture and great views across the Mekong to the limestone cliffs of Tha Khaek. Nong Khai is also a fun river town with more of an expat/traveler scene than you'll find anywhere in Isaan, other than Udon; I'm not a big fan of Udon city but Udon province has lots to see. 

I also like Phimai as a low-key small town with some good Khmer ruins. That's in northern Khorat province and pretty easy to reach from Bangkok (you could take the train to Khorat and transfer to a bus). 

Also Loei province has a lot going for it. The provincial capital is rather boring but beautiful scenery around Chiang Khan and also some good national parks in Phu Kradueng and Phu Ruea. 

Only a couple of these places (Ubon, Nong Khai) can be reached directly by train but Nok Air flies to most of the provincial capitals. 

Good advice above by dorayme -- I agree that any of those neighbourhoods around Lumpini Park (Ratchadamri, Phloen Chit, Asok, Sathorn, Sala Daeng) are the places to look given that you can probably afford them. Commuting in Bangkok REALLY SUCKS, even if you're not going very far. At rush hours, going by metro (BTS/MRT) means being sardined on to trains that are packed to the brim and often you have to wait for two or more trains to pass by until you can finally push your way on to one. Going by road means having to deal with bumper-to-bumper traffic in a city that is consistently cited as one of the world's two or three worst when it comes to traffic. This is why so many people use motorbike taxis in the mornings, they're the only way to get somewhere fast since they can pierce through the traffic jams. Bangkok's "outskirts" are not what you might imagine -- it's mostly ugly highways with gated communities that are often soul-less, depressing, isolating and surprisingly expensive given the inconvenient locations. And this is not a good city for cycling; there are some interesting lanes alongside canals and such, but cycling on the main roads and even the sois is dangerous and not fun IMO. With all of that in mind, I'd look for a place within easy walking distance of your office, which will also put you close to Lumpini Park and Benjakiti Park, both of which are conducive to cycling for pleasure (especially Benjakiti, which has a dedicated bike lane). In a city as tightly packed and crowded as Bangkok,  being close to those central green spaces and generally avoiding traveling longer distances at rush hour really improves quality of life IMO. Being in central Bangkok also makes getting to good restaurants, malls, markets, bars, movie theaters, etc., that much easier. Don't get me wrong: Bangkok is a fascinating and invigorating city with loads to offer, but living here can wear on people who aren't set up in a reasonably convenient situation.

Thanks y'all for the replies, appreciated.

Trying to flush out info on the METV and hoping someone can save me from having to sift through the 82-page thread about it. (I was looking for the static single-page explanations of the different visa types but looks like those are no longer available on this website?)

Questions:

1. Is it true that some embassies are issuing METV's with a validity period of 6 months, while others are issuing them with validity of 12 months?

2. If valid for 12 months, can the alloted 6 months of time in Thailand be used at any point over the course of a year (say, go to Thailand for Jan.-Feb. then leave for 2 months, return for May-June, leave for 3 months, return for Oct.-Nov., all on the same visa), or does it all have to be used within 6 months of the first entry date?

3. Is it true that some embassies require proof of employment as part of the METV application, while others do not?

4. Is it fair to say that the METV has the most variant application requirements, depending on issuing embassy, of any Thai visa type in history!?

Thanks very much to anyone who can help.

It will make problems for some legitimate travelers if strictly enforced as worded. It's not uncommon for backpacker types to fly in/out of Bangkok and use Thailand as a central hub with overland side trips to various countries. For ex., in the past you could easily hop to Malaysia from Ko Lipe just for Langkawi and Penang, then back to Thailand, then hop to Burma via Ranong for a bit, and later hop to Laos for a week to hit Luang Prabang. Now I guess you'd have to fly back from one of those, which would be inconvenient if you prefer overland travel; airports with reasonably priced flights are more limited than border crossings for most neighboring countries. Not everyone wants to spend a day or two getting to Yangon just so they can fly into Thailand. It's easily conceivable to spend no more than 2-3 weeks in Thailand while re-entering the country 3 times overland. 

I also think it's presumptuous to say that "2 months" (or whatever length of time you like) is "enough for tourism purposes." I was recently on Ko Phayam and little Ko Chang in Ranong province, and both of those islands draw lots of honest long-term tourists who return every year, often to the very same bungalow, for long periods of relaxation. Lots of Germans doing this in particular. 

Borommaratchachonanee Soi 43 -- speculation here but sounds like she may have just arrived at the Southern Bus Terminal. Otherwise I'd assume she was taken there against her will; can't think of any reason for a foreign traveler to go out there other than to catch a bus. Hope they nab the culprits.

In my opinion a child should never be punished for things that are completely beyond their control. It's pretty simple really. I understand that the Japanese rigidly follow laws that are in place, and I respect that -- it would be a different story if the kid was still living with the illegal mother. But according to the article he has a Japanese guardian and was basically abandoned by the mother.

Any law that punishes a blameless child in such a harsh way is a law that should be amended, and it wouldn't necessarily set a precedent. This case straddles the line between immigration law and family law, and family law must be flexible -- up to judges' discretions -- so as to serve the best interests of children on a case by case basis. Regardless of comments from expats who have lived in Japan, this verdict makes the Japanese appear heartless to the world. 

2 hours ago, geminiman said:

 

 I have wondered whether they were just making up stories. Last year it was because of the bombings at the Earwan Shrine. They said immigration was scrutinizing all application and asking for additional paperwork. The type and amount of additional paperwork was case by case, so no advance preparation, hence the extra trips back to immigration.

It sounds to me like they're being crafty and threading some stories together to make it seem like it's this huge deal to justify the outrageous rates just to get an extension, which costs only 1,900 THB. A lot of what you said in previous posts supports this -- it sounds like you're really in the dark about how all of this really works. From my experience, it's pretty straightforward: you fill out a bunch of forms and at times you have to track down some info and come back, but I don't see why you need someone to do all of that for you, at least not someone charging such huge amounts of cash. I have a Non-Imm M and have extended it myself three years running at the One Stop Center for Visas and Work Permits next to Sam Yan MRT Station in Bangkok. It's very predictable -- they've never asked for any extra paperwork or "tea money." I realize that Non-Imm B extensions are a little different but the form is the same; it's all in English and it's not rocket science. The tax info is the one thing that could be a pain, but if you can't ask your accountant for that info without paying 50,000 THB, then you might need to find a new accountant. Of course, I don't know the specifics of your situation but that amount of money sounds very fishy for an extension unless you're not legally eligable for one and the law firm is using their infuence to somehow bend the rules.