cacruden

Is it single entry or multi entry. If you have a single entry visa then it ends when you leave.

I have always got my best deals on agoda for hotels.

On the day of departure if it is later in the day - you can always leave your luggage at the hotel for storage - so you don't need to stay near the airport for that. MRT prettywell covers the city for the most part. I don't travel with much luggage so most times I just take the MRT downtown (although my guess is you will have more luggage than me). The efficiency at the airport is amazing, I don't usually worry about giving myself a huge buffer..... not to mention if I am closer to the flight if there is a lineup I get to bypass it. From the time I land til I am out the door averages between 15 and 20 minutes (and I am usually using discount airlines that are some distance from immigration). The food ranges from restaurant all the way down to a good selection of Hawker stands which are a good value.

Just tell them you became a monk and you are totally committed to the life now.....

Was posting for the original post and did not read the update.

400K is nothing for a breakup of a marriage, it is probably cheaper than the legal fees in the west

Look forward, not back and you will do well. I would not be surprised if you had a call from your (ex-)wife before the year is out. She was looking for more status, but likely will suffer because of it.

Really, it is up to you to decide what is right for you in respect with your relationship.... so don't listen to the peanut gallery. Unfaithfulness can only be judged in the context of what is the common agreement about the rules of your relationship. I assume that you have a problem with it because of the posting.... but that is what you will have to decide. I have to respect the fact that she is being honest with you (not sure if she sees you the same way and is just trading up). For each their own.

Canada [had/has] an entertainers permit that allowed performers (entertainers of all types) to work in Canada if they were sponsored which was used to be used by "dancers" (aka strippers) to work in Canada. The Philippines were the most vociferous about Canada allowing that. For a long time Canada just ignored it, but then blocked its use for Philippines and Thailand specifically. They use to pat down anyone suspected of leaving to work in Canada in non-approved jobs and tear up the documentation. The girls would then travel up to HK as a tourist then pick up the paperwork and continue onto Canada. I suspect they are just trying to plug all the holes and have turned the country into a prison of sorts for the "wrong people" who might embarrass the country. Unfortunately your girlfriend was just assumed to be one of "those girls" and was blocked (I am assuming she was over the age where she needed parental permission to travel).

Wait!!! There's another story brewing. Do you see the cop looking at the money.

The cop should arrest him for theft of services, but let it slide if he is willing to pay and instant fine

It came to my attention that a Falung was picked up by the cops in a bar raid about ten days ago.

One of the other guys picked up was on overstay and grassed on him that he was working.

He was "fined" 1.4M Baht and deported at his expense and blacklisted from ever entering Thailand again.

The moral of the story is.....

The moral of the story is that those that live in glass houses should not throw stones..... but most people don't live in glass houses

^ They have not been approved yet, but I thought the immigration officials had wide discretion and could blacklist you on pretty much any grounds if they saw fit? Many countries (including US and Canada) can refuse entry which would block further entry until/unless you chose to appeal it to the immigration department higher up.

Yes there is a big difference between canada and Thailand - and many other countries !

Some - or many nations defending their Country and soi,

because they for ever own it, and worrie someone might .......................

Did you, or Americans, Aussies ever owned your country ?

or did you buy it ?

or you just killed and took it ??

( dont come now with you made the country what it is - otherwise -

otherwise it could be still a paradise -

like was Koh Tao before farongs were coming !!

Ha, brainwashed. In the past land was taken by force - there were no "democratic" governments. Empires fought other countries for territory.... you either won land or you lost it..... but you typically did not buy it. You had feudal systems where the elite were given land (that was won in war) and were given a patent and then charged peons for them to reside on it. If you look at the map of the world, the borders that are now are very young indeed - they moved, disappeared (conquered). A common way of clearing land was through genocide (if they refused to submit or leave) (Genghis Khan was a fine example of that). A fine paradise it was hundreds of years ago.... bring out your dead - the plague is here.

There are probably 1 million illegals in Canda, 12 to 20 million in the US. The dirty little secret is that illegal labour tends to be tolerated for slave level wages - politicians rail about it in public, but then don't crack down on it (i.e. make it prohibitively expensive in fines for hiring illegal workers). Lots of farm labour that is in the US are illegals - which keeps the cost of food down.

BTW, Isan is basically conquered Laos territory..... The largely Laosian people living in Isan did not immigrate, they were conquered

I think its correct way of a good citicen to announce such wrongdoers;

Assuming you're not a Thai pretending to be in a visa situation, you are not a citizen and you likely never will be because the Thais that control the system do not want you. You will always be a guest at most, and possibly an unwanted one even with the correct visa.

You think we are stupid as we take care for correct visas,

and to be a correct guest in this country;

The correct visa is all about giving you the peace of mind. If I were an employer I would not hire someone that was not legal, but having dealt with immigration departments in 4 countries (sometimes as an employer and sometimes as a worker), it is typically all a game. Bureaucrats tend to try and break things down into titles and short descriptions where you fit nicely into a category. Working in the IT industry, the DOT title description typically has little to do with reality (it might have been that way 40 years ago, but with the diversity of functions it does not work that way anymore). It has become a game of trying to fit the description to match a description in the government documentation so that someone that does not understand the industry will not reject the visa request based on a very narrow definition. In my home country (Canada) the only thing I really think are important about an immigrant is - are you being paid more than the prevailing wage for a local employee.... if yes -- then some employer thinks you are an asset to their company which tells me you are likely going to be an asset as a worker.

Any who cheat the visa system,

cheats also all people living with correct documents in this country;

Employment is never a zero-sum game. It is a very unscientific way to view things. Each employee, whether legal or illegal, is beneficial to the overall economy. A country has every right to determine who they want to work / be in the country. Remember a few months ago when the government had people running to the border (Cambodia) because they were afraid of the crackdown? How all of a sudden there was a panic about how it would damage the economy and they had to fix the situation? The lenience of dealing with "illegals" has been part of the way the system works here in Thailand. The focus should be to get rid of those that are involved in criminal activity (scams, fraud, etc.) -- but just because you are "legal" does not make you a virtuous individual. The quality of the average westerner is lower here - and there are plenty of legally documented people that are part of this problem.

Well sick people are everywhere. I would report a person if he deals with drugs or other kind of illegal activities that harm another person or a country in a big way, but not if the person has some kind of small jobs and work on tourist visa trying to survive few more months in the land of smile.

As I seen many people think it is not fare that they pay huge tax, well if you are paying huge tax it also means you really have a very good job. It is not Europe, Australia, Canada or other countries that you feel jealous that why I pay tax and others get social benefit not working or working black. Neither of you are getting any benefits. So relax and let the immigration do their jobs and stop people on these kind of visa's on their own. At least let show them that we are not standing against each other. And yes if you really feel they are real criminal carry on and report them.

By the way would you report a police getting money from people living in Thailand on work visa, have a decent business, bar, restaurant etc and all the time they have to pay monthly to some police just to let them be alone and do their business?

So which laws do you need to break to become a "real" criminal?

I think it is about your own moral code. There are laws I don't agree with and if I see someone breaking that law then I would not report them but if my moral code told me what someone was doing is wrong then I would act. Everyone has their own moral compass and we all have different opinions on what is right and wrong.

From personal (Canadian) experience - very few people will obey the letter and the spirit of every law that exists. People generally do that only when they are more afraid of the punishment than the perceived gain. Of all the "law abiding" people that I know, if they travel abroad and come back into the country -- everyone I ever asked has said that they declare the real purchase price of everything they bought and brought back into the country.

How many people download tv shows online (torrent).

Usually people class certain laws into groups of laws. Some most people would never violate; others people will get away with what they can (tax evasion; smuggling; pirating)

Just entered the formula into the spreadsheet to figure out what the "real" tax rate is approximately. I figure that it works out to about

24% tax if you make 4million/annum

22% tax if you make 3million/annum

18% tax if you make 2million/annum

11.5% tax if you make 1million/annum

5.5% tax if you make 500k/annum

Not actually that bad overall.

I figure your excel spreadsheet is wrong and then add all your "stealth taxes" VAT fuel levies etc...

tax tables.JPG

http://www.rd.go.th/publish/6045.0.html

Spreadsheet more representative than what you just posted. That table is used to calculate your tax but it is not the actual percentage you pay. If you make 4,000,000 baht you pay the sum of:

= 150k at 0%

+ 150k at 5%

+ 200k at 10%

+ 250k at 15%

+ 250k at 20%

+ 1000k at 25%

+ 2000k at 30%

which works out to a real taxation (blended rate) of 24% (not including standard deductions/allowances). Most countries have VAT/GST + income tax + + just the same. In Ontario Canada I think the GST is around 13% (federal + provincial), then you have federal and provincial income tax. This is actually quite a bit better than most European countries. If you're in low tax US states though you might have lower taxes overall.

Tax tables to say what you are paying can be quite deceptive when it comes to saying what your actual tax rate is. You might have just edged into a higher tax bracket but stating the highest tax bracket percentage is meaningless you could be paying that on as little as $1 worth of income.

Just entered the formula into the spreadsheet to figure out what the "real" tax rate is approximately. I figure that it works out to about

24% tax if you make 4million/annum

22% tax if you make 3million/annum

18% tax if you make 2million/annum

11.5% tax if you make 1million/annum

5.5% tax if you make 500k/annum

Not actually that bad overall.

Ok...thanks....having an account open at your Thai bank appears to be the key for those Thai banks that do offer such products. I was really interested if a person could open a Thai bank account at bank XYZ purely online if he didn't already have an account there as things do change. Thanks again.

I believe the answer to that one is no. This will be for KYC/AML check control reasons.

The closest I have seen to that is TMB's ME account - almost there but not quite.

It is only available to Thais. You can fill in all the forms online, based on your ID card, and as long as you have an account with any other bank (doesn't have to be TMB) my wife used her Stan Chart bank account details. All the forms and instructions of course are in Thai. You select internet ID and password etc as well. It takes about 5-10 mins. You get an sms to say congratulations on completing the registration, but as a final step to complete the account opening you still have to go into a ME branch of TMB (there are 5 such branches) if you are not an existing customer of TMB.

Here's the link to the website:

https://www.mebytmb.com/home

and here's the link where after clicking on open a bank acc (in Thai) requirement number 2 says an account at any bank (in Thai lang)

https://secure.mebytmb.com/efs/servlet/efs/th_TH/jsp-ns/open-account-intro-to-open-account.jsp

Amazing really how they link into all your Thai details via your Thai ID number and then link into your other bank. So almost there

BTW When my wife did hers she asked "what are all these questions about Americans for? Why are they asking me this? Yes... even an annoying FATCA form online

BTW2 One of the best rates on the market at the moment: 2.75% and 3% in first month

If you're married to a Thai worth considering.

Didn't bother posting it originally to OP as it won't be applicable as a foreigner. But as you asked if you could open purely online... not quite:

- Yes if already have an account at some banks

- Yes but only to registration stage at ME by TMB if you're Thai and have at least one other Thai bank somewhere else

Cheers

Fletch

Had to add all the tax reporting to a Canadian system a few years back for all US citizens. It usually breaks down into two groups - some institutions will not open an account for you if you are American (too much hassle) and others will if you give them a social insurance number and they will do the tax remittance / reporting to the IRS just as any other American bank would.

If a police officer stops you - chances are they will ask for your passport and you will be expected to produce it. I have a friend (Chinese) who was stopped in the street and asked for it, he said it was back at his place which was around the corner - they refused to go to his place and he must produce it. Luckily another friend from out of town was with him at that point and he was able to go back and get the passport for him. (2+ years ago).

It is still clear as mud, you don't need to carry it with you except when a police officer asks for it

They should just start issuing entrance receipts which the officer could scan and get back entrance information.

Fair enough ,but are you a grass?

If tourist police comes in to the shop, checks my papers and asks for violators, sure I will help them.

With a friend like you......who needs enemies ?

Who said they were his friends.... If you are actually working illegally for a Thai company in Thailand -- you have to expect someone somewhere will take offense to it and report you.

If they were really serious about cracking down, all it takes is to make the employers risks too high to take a chance (i.e. massive fines; corporate termination; etc.). Going after the workers but not targeting the companies does not make sense.

Just thought as thai visa are sales reps for the cards they might do a little extra for there members and save me a trip.

As far as I know Thai Visa forum is not a sales rep for Thai Elite.

I'd be interested in a definitive answer. After TV started emailing newsletter subscribers TE adverts, I started a thread asking if TV are sales reps. It was instantly deleted.

It should be disclosed if they are as then members can be aware that posts on these boards may have affiliate bias.

Why should they disclose it. This is just really an online forum.... I would not be surprised if they have them as a paid advertiser - makes sense on both sides..... each person has to evaluate the option and figure out if it is worth it for them. I have decided it is worth it for me and will probably purchase it next month (just started a new contract).

I do agree with you though that they probably should do this visa directly and not through a "related" company. Drop all the extras and just have immigration issue the PE visa for 5 years -- no company.... just the special immigration line and a limo would make it worthwhile. Again, not sure why such a scheme would lose money.

As much as people like to point it out it it's hardly relevant that the TE card 'only' averages $3k/year, or 273 Baht 'less than minimum' wage' per day or whatever it is. It's paid as a $15k lump sum.

In anything, paying in instalments is much easier than paying up front, you are still earning while paying, no huge sunk cost. It's the whole basis of the credit card industry. No one wants to buy a $15k visa, or rather not a visa but an agreement between a private company founded by Thaksin and immigration to let you live in this politically unstable country.

The TE card used to be much maligned on these forums, now everyone's singing its praises. May have something to do with it giving commissions to affiliates (including ThaiVisa) that refer customers.

I am not an employee, I don't receive commissions etc. I also believe the original maligned visa did not include the "low cost" PE beginner visa. It is 15k upfront, not a small amount upfront (also not transferrable) but as an individual that works remotely. The annual expense works out to what I would spend at a food court in a major city in a given year of working at the office. I save on many other things than just that....

If you don't like this politically unstable country, then yes by all means the expense is not worth it. I save more than 15k per year working from here than living in a major western city. (not to mention the added bonus of not having to freeze my a** off 6 months of the year).

where does it say 500.000?

as i have always known and it show on the website as well it is 2.000.000 baht

"It is legit. It will cost you 500k baht for the the 5 year plan."

That's where it says 500,000..

500k is short for 500,000

i dont see 500k anywhere on the official website http://www.thailandelite.com/index.php

it show 2 million baht

It's 2 Million THB PLUS VAT for a 20 year membership. Plus you will have to pay an extra 20,000 THB plus VAT annual fee.

The 500,000 THB plus VAT is the fee for 5 years membership. There is NO annual extra fee.

armed with a calculator, the 5 year option is clearly the cheapest. And if you die before 20 years have passed, the investment is lost. I would always prefer the 5 years option towards the 20 year's one.

Reading helps.

If I die before 20 years have past, I don't think I am overly worried about the investment being lost. Not to mention unlike the 5 year one, the 20 year one is transferrable (I believe I read that somewhere). If you have the money -- 20 years buys you the knowledge that it will not disappear during your 5 year stay. There also seems to be an addon in respect to property purchase - but not sure how that works. Since I don't have the money sitting around though, it is out of my budget at this point

The elite card is hardly specially designed for them, how did you come to the conclusion that a PRODUCT for the wealthy is an appropriate avenue for the discussed demographic. Or is this a case of money talks and therefore the ability to stay at length is reserved for high liquidity individuals.

However more to the point, it would be extremely poor policy to have such a taxpayers burden as the elite card make up a component of the visa system. Now outside that single product which is not apart of the regular visa system, what options are available?

How does one go about obtaining a visa for extended long stay, that will avoid doing u-turns, so that one may not risk being tarnished being around the have nots??

The elite card works out to an average of 100,000 or $3,100 / year. That is not "a product for the wealthy", but easily attainable for those that work online/remotely. For a wealthy person that $3,100 is equivalent to a few days stay in a posh hotel suite. If it were designed for the wealthy it would cost a lot more and include a lot more.

Immigration does not care about people working remotely - they are not taking work from locals. It has been stated by senior immigration officials that working online/remote is not an issue with them.... you just have to make sure you get a visa to allow you to stay here.

For someone that is working online/remotely $3,100 per year is worth it. You make it back easily just in the cost of living (assuming you don't spend each night out at a farang oriented bar). It might not have been "designed" for that purpose, but it definitely fits the bill.

500,000 for 5 years is actually not that bad. That works out to 100,000 per year (about $3,100USD). When I was doing in/out to the cheapest air destination (Singapore) I was making 12 - 13 flights per year (average between 5,000 - 6,000 baht per trip). Of course I was visiting a friend -- sometimes staying overnight in a hotel, or just the costs of the standard present (bottle of something) - which can add up to 1,000 baht. Or paying and going to school. For people that are working remotely (have income), or just have some extra cash it is a reasonable fee to save your sanity. I just cannot figure out why it is losing money - there must be some bad deal in it for the government if they are.... because there can't much in the way of costs....... I hear a lot of people online talking about working offshore and living here, and there should be a visa for it... well there is... and it is this one.

There seems to be a link missing, between your employees stealing or not doing their job and the E.C. which is alleged by many, not till now not formally charged with any, that is.

BTW this was not a holiday, an information gathering trip, although as with many trips officials make one may argue about the usefulness.

They won't be charged - the right people can do no wrong. That is one of the biggest problems with Thailand - corruption is ok as long as the money goes into the right pockets.... I am afraid you're delusional if you really believe this junket was funded for the purposes of gathering information -- what do you think they are suppose to get out of it? Corruption does not begin and end with bribes. When you are trying to tackle out of control problems you have to take a zero-tolerance approach to all abuses -- and punish all those that try to skirt by.

So much to do and so little time.

To Prioritarise is difficult with so many issues. Some decisions may already get an ad-hoc flavour to them.

If the NCPO dismissed the E.C. they would be condemned for interfering in part of the 'election process' and some here would say "see, they don't want elections". If they appointed a new E.C. they would be seen as dictatorial and some here would say they only made sure that elections would be fixed. Doesn't leave many acceptable options, now does it?

Apparently right now taxis, vendor stands in Phuket, jet skis are all high priority than a corrupt EC

Allegedly corrupt E.C. Mind you if no side sees the E.C. as positive maybe they are doing their job correctly ?

I agree cleanup Phuket was of high priority, it would seem a previous Dept. PM tasked to do the job, only said to need 90 days and is still writing the "mission accomplished" report after two years.

The E.C. is of no importance at the moment as we'll first get reforms including the regulations governing the E.C. followed by needing an E.C. to organise an election. Let's hope 'election reforms' is high on the list of one of the NRC committees and that enough input comes to make a proposal acceptable by most Thais. We'd really dislike having to ask the NCPO to stay on a bit longer while things get sorted out, now don't we ?

If I had employees using corporate money for personal junkets.... I would fire them.... because they are corrupt. If I have employees that fail to do their job and just give me a bunch of excuses - they would be fired too. I see things very simply - if you cannot do the job that you are suppose to do and you use taxpayer money for your own personal holidays .... you are not worth the money you are being paid. You are right, the EC is of no importance right now.... so why pay them to take holidays?