Tourist Visa Running Out, And Now?

[coronadian]

Hi,

I'm currently in BKK and have been since Nov., with trips to Sing/Ind/Malaysia and then Cambodia every 60 days or so to get out of the country. I have (had) a 3-Entry Tourist Visa, the last Entry of which expires on June 5.

Now I plan to go to probably China for a months or so in June, but after that I'd like to come back to Thailand to stay another few months.

I was thinking about working in BKK too, but I don't know. I am a young IT guy (.NET/SAP ABAP Programming mostly...have prof experience...maybe someone has something? :-) pm me). I was looking at jobs.thaivisa a bit but seems sparse so I don't think I have a realistic chance? Maybe there are better sites? I don't know. I could use the money but don't absolutely need it.

So, assuming I do not get a job, can I get another Tourist Visa (3 entries seem rare, double entry maybe) while in China? Do they give out another one immediatly after I havve used my other one?

Can I get a 90 day visa on regards of visiting friends (as I have read sometimes)...how does that work? does one need an invitation letter from a thai person?

On the off chance someone does offer me a job....am I even allowed to look for a job while here on a tourist visa? Hmm, maybe stupid question. Anyway, u need a Non Immigrant visa to get a work permit or so I read....so basically I would find a job offer, take the letters to an embassy (i hope can be done in asia and not just homecountry?) and then once back in thailand get the work permit there...or do i need to leave the country again to go to another embassy?

I don't really understand why Thailand restricts us foreigners so much...one would assume they want us coming in with our money.....

Can anybody offer advice?

Thnx a ton

[ubonjoe]

Have you been getting 30 day extensions at immigration. If you had done that your would of gotten almost 9 months from a 3 entry tourist visa.

You can look for work with a tourist visa. Then if you find work your employer could apply for a work permit and then you would go out and get a non immigrant B visa.

You cannot get a 3 entry touris visa with 6 months validity at any nearby consulate. The most you can get is a 2 entry with 90 day validity. With extensions and one border run this would give you almost 6 months without getting a new visa.

The nearest consulate that will issue a non-o to visit friends is Perth.

[coronadian]

Thanks alot for your reply and answers.

Hmm, no extensions, but, well 9 Months, my Visa had to be used up by April 22, and I came back just before Songram for my last entry, so I gave up maybe 2 weeks. Spend about a month south of the border before so I don't think I actually lost much usable time by not getting extensions. At least thats how I understand it. I could get extensions now I guess to get another months and a half or so, but I want to meet a friend in China in June, so no biggie.

Perth seems a bit far, and mostly costly, so I guess that's not an option for now. Is the tourist visa a no-fuss process like last time or do they ask lots of questions when getting two in a row? Reason I ask is when I came back from Indonesia the border official at BKK, or so I felt, only reluctantly gave me my entry stamp after questioning me for a while how long I would stay this time, where I went and where I would stay, etc. On the other hand the land border crossing from Camb. was no fuss at all.

Perhaps go with a double entry Visa. I hear HK is not recommended, how about Bejing or Shanghai? Does Maccau have a consulate? Tipps greatly appreciated.

Bye and good night...don't know why I'm still up, 8:30 in the morning.....:-(

[ubonjoe]

The 9 months only works if you stay full time in Thailand.

They don't make a problem for back to back visas. The problem you run into with a lot of nearby consulates is that they don't issue anything but single entry visas and/or ask for tickets out of Thailand. Some that issue more than one entry even want a ticket for every entry. Hong Kong is one.

If you don't get one while you are in China you could get a 30 day visa exempt entry and then go to Vientiane. They don't ask questions or for tickets.

For a list of consulates and embassies see this werbpage most have websites just click if it has blue text.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/

[Absingjul]

I was thinking about working in BKK too, but I don't know. I am a young IT guy (.NET/SAP ABAP Programming mostly...have prof experience...maybe someone has something? :-) pm me). I was looking at jobs.thaivisa a bit but seems sparse so I don't think I have a realistic chance? Maybe there are better sites? I don't know. I could use the money but don't absolutely need it.

If you expect a western salary your best bet is to go through the company's main job portal. Plenty of tech firms are in BKK: IBM, EDS, HP, GE, etc. If they are offering a local salary they will usually mention Thai fluency as a qualification.

Just be aware that most companies will try to avoid hiring young western males who have not lived in the region very long. The turnover is just too high due to various... distractions