Covid Extensions deadline is a week away(24Aug). Has anyone applied recently and what was your experience?

[rahil627]

just wanted to update (from page 1), i opted for a trip to Malaysia for a visa-exempt thingy, more info if interested here:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1149321-pedang-besar-visa-run

 

i did this because i already wanted to leave (for a long time now..!), and just needed a little more time to pack up, sell stuff, 'n do some planning, and just not be rushed. 30 days is enough for me. Also because i wanted to take one last train ride to see the country once more before leaving.

 

Thailand is absolutely not for me, but it was a relatively peaceful exile during the covid pandemic, away from all the governments 'n people crazed by the pandemic. =]

 

Malaysia 90-day visa-exempt on the other hand was indeed super easy, professional, uncorrupt, and reminded me of how much of a pain it is worrying about visas here (in Thailand)! When the Malaysian immigration officer stamped me 90-days for free without question, it felt like a blessing! I thought, <deleted>, maybe i should have rode my motorcycle down to Malaysia long ago?

 

ah well, the pandemic nightmare is over (or normalized) now, time to move on.

[Adam219]

1 hour ago, rahil627 said:

Malaysia 90-day visa-exempt on the other hand was indeed super easy, professional, uncorrupt, and reminded me of how much of a pain it is worrying about visas here (in Thailand)

I just checked, it seems theres no covid vaccination requirements as of 1st August, this is great news, I can now go!

Edited August 26, 2022 by Adam219

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, rahil627 said:

just wanted to update (from page 1), i opted for a trip to Malaysia for a visa-exempt thingy, more info if interested here:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1149321-pedang-besar-visa-run

 

i did this because i already wanted to leave (for a long time now..!), and just needed a little more time to pack up, sell stuff, 'n do some planning, and just not be rushed. 30 days is enough for me. Also because i wanted to take one last train ride to see the country once more before leaving.

 

Thailand is absolutely not for me, but it was a relatively peaceful exile during the covid pandemic, away from all the governments 'n people crazed by the pandemic. =]

 

Malaysia 90-day visa-exempt on the other hand was indeed super easy, professional, uncorrupt, and reminded me of how much of a pain it is worrying about visas here (in Thailand)! When the Malaysian immigration officer stamped me 90-days for free without question, it felt like a blessing! I thought, <deleted>, maybe i should have rode my motorcycle down to Malaysia long ago?

 

ah well, the pandemic nightmare is over (or normalized) now, time to move on.

MM2H = Malaysia My Second Home

BYOB = Bring Your Own Bacon

YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary

 

The most peaceful and beautiful bits of peninsular Malaysia are the northern bits, nearer Thailand but where the northern states have integrated Sharia law and associated religious mandates, most of which foreigners struggle to accommodate.

 

Southern peninsular Malaysia is where their successive corrupt governments have invested in impressive highways and other infrastructure. Most savvy locals and foreigners chose to live in a condo as house burglaries and break-ins are worse than Thailand. If you think the RTP are lazy and only motivated by money, you aint seen nuthin' yet.

 

Over in Sarawak and Sabah, life is more laid back but the under-investment in infrastructure means terrible roads and messy cities with poor garbage and traffic management.

 

Oh yes, once you decide to settle down, only then is their jumbo sized immigration can of worms opened.

[aussiexpat]

On 8/25/2022 at 7:09 PM, MarcelV said:

I just did my extension today, on the 25th. No problem, guys. It's all been extended once again.

Should be banned for trolling false info

 

I'll come back now as it will be easy to get TM30 and visa exempt extension without having to line up behind the many covid extension Bogans ????

[Hellfire]

Jealousy is shameful

 

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Hellfire

[rahil627]

On 8/26/2022 at 6:55 PM, NanLaew said:

If you think the RTP are lazy and only motivated by money, you aint seen nuthin' yet.

dang, super interesting but unfortunate to hear that about yet another south east asian country: corrupt governments doing nothing with money, again? =[. I wonder how can one do worse than not have any sort of public water storm drainage system at all? (as the rivers around Ayuthaya begin to flood, as it does every year). The traditional house on stilts is legitimately a good private solution.

 

i think you're right though, i should cherish that during my stay (outside of Bangkok) i've felt very safe and nothing bad has ever happened, day and night (as a male). Thai people def don't bother others. A peaceful time. =]

 

(...except the Thai party music)

[rahil627]

On 8/26/2022 at 5:58 PM, Adam219 said:

I just checked, it seems theres no covid vaccination requirements as of 1st August, this is great news, I can now go!

in the post in the link i provided, just above your post, i mentioned this, but i'll elaborate here:

 

in my experience, i was able to go to malaysia, no problem, no vaccine check, BUT, on my way back, there was a vaccine check by a Thai health person (disease control center or whatever). I only had one vaccine just two weeks before (here in Thailand!!!), and i was just lucky to be able to get by that dousche-bag. You really need proof of two shots to get by that guy, doesn't matter when, even if it's just some kind of web-site thing from any country in any language (i saw other people just show their phones). Another worker somehow helped me go through, knocking some sense into that dude. (i likely have a higher effectiveness rate than that dude, since i just took it!)

 

this is just my experience at the pedang besar station

[Adam219]

/ on my way back, there was a vaccine check by a Thai health person (disease control center or whatever). I only had one vaccine just two weeks before (here in Thailand!!!) /

 

 

Sure, but as I'm no injected with the c19 therapeutic, I would need a c19 test instead, which is fine 

[NanLaew]

Last month, airlines headed for Malaysia were checking for proof of vaccination. Singapore is doing the same. The airline check-in staff look at if for flights to Malaysia. Singapore needs the vaccination information uploaded within 72-hours of flight departure. On arrival at Singapore, the immigration officer asked to see my proof of vaccination. My business partner flew in a few hours later and the online upload was sufficient as his immigration officer didn't ask to see it. He did arrive when the airport was a lot busier though so that may have been a factor.

 

Maybe land borders are more easy as they see that as only 'local' travel where any air travel involves a higher risk of mingling with other people traveling internationally in transit.

[NanLaew]

On 8/26/2022 at 7:28 AM, ChomDo said:

Well based on the details published it would be compatible for many of us, but yea again not designed for the best outcome.

What's ridiculous about the Elite is that you have to pay 600k up front for the 5 years ahead. Who knows if you want to leave after 1 year. I'd rather stick to TR visas and regular travel then.

Ridiculous how? You've been hesitant about getting an Elite visa for the best part of 15 years already yet admit to being tired of the immigration short-termism of your own indecision? Maybe if you had bitten the bullet and obtained that Elite earlier, you would already have decided it's not worth it and moved on and eliminated this 'who knows' exercise. There's only so much of this "kicking the can down the road" that can be attributed to waiting for Thai immigration rules to precisely meet your needs.

[NanLaew]

Back on topic.

 

So no announcements or publications in the Royal Gazette?

[JoseThailand]

29 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Back on topic.

 

So no announcements or publications in the Royal Gazette?

They will not do any announcement if the previous order naturally expired and there is no new extension.

[arithai12]

On 8/26/2022 at 4:40 PM, rahil627 said:

just wanted to update (from page 1), i opted for a trip to Malaysia for a visa-exempt thingy, more info if interested here:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1149321-pedang-besar-visa-run

 

i did this because i already wanted to leave (for a long time now..!), and just needed a little more time to pack up, sell stuff, 'n do some planning, and just not be rushed. 30 days is enough for me. Also because i wanted to take one last train ride to see the country once more before leaving.

 

Thailand is absolutely not for me, but it was a relatively peaceful exile during the covid pandemic, away from all the governments 'n people crazed by the pandemic. =]

 

Malaysia 90-day visa-exempt on the other hand was indeed super easy, professional, uncorrupt, and reminded me of how much of a pain it is worrying about visas here (in Thailand)! When the Malaysian immigration officer stamped me 90-days for free without question, it felt like a blessing! I thought, <deleted>, maybe i should have rode my motorcycle down to Malaysia long ago?

 

ah well, the pandemic nightmare is over (or normalized) now, time to move on.

Malaysia gives 90d visa exempt instead of 30d like Thailand? Simple: reciprocity. Malaysians are on a completely different league than Thais when they travel e.g. to Europe.

Ride down to Malaysia long time ago? Malaysia had very strict covid restrictions in place, borders sealed.

Super easy in Malaysia? Sure, try to move there long term. Like every place, the problems hit you only after you actually spend a good amount of time.

 

btw, if you wanted to leave for a long time, what was stopping you? Leaving Thailand for your home country has been easy since last year.

[rahil627]

dang, yeah, i believe everyone about long-term Malaysia being a pain... i just felt it was a relief to get a visa so easily, lol.

 

 

On 8/28/2022 at 3:00 AM, arithai12 said:

btw, if you wanted to leave for a long time, what was stopping you? Leaving Thailand for your home country has been easy since last year.

i normally live in Taiwan... and well, Taiwan seems to have imported the overly fearful and safety-oriented government from nearby Japan, and is probably one of the last countries to re-open (along with Japan). Even family couldn't go back for two years (very strange for being such a family-oriented culture...). the people are so different from the gov, barely caring about covid.

 

and now, the missile game with China... =[

 

in hindsight, maybe i could've done a big Latin America trip..?

[asia123]

if you extend covid visa too much, maybe 4 or 5 times, next time when you entry to thailand you will get problem.  I almost got denial. 

[audaciousnomad]

28 minutes ago, asia123 said:

if you extend covid visa too much, maybe 4 or 5 times, next time when you entry to thailand you will get problem.  I almost got denial. 

It's mostly a problem if re-entering via BKK or DMK.  Other entry points(CNX, HKT, KBV) have not been reported as being so strict and heavy-handed in interrogating the returning tourists.