Just Back From Penang, Good And Bad News

[joe84330]

veteran of too many trips to penang, used same "rasta" agent as always and was able to get my non imm B without having applied for the WP3. the guy that rode down with me was able to get his non imm O based only on an income verification letter from embassy, no bank book.

so that's the good news, bad news for any remaining repetitive tourist visa people in penang though as the same agent is telling one and all in advance, do not come to penang if you received a 1 month extension in samui.

[Lite Beer]

do not come to penang if you received a 1 month extension in samui.

Would that be only Samui or any Immigration Office?

[joe84330]

do not come to penang if you received a 1 month extension in samui.

Would that be only Samui or any Immigration Office?

my guess would be any but as there were several of us samuians and KP'ers at the table, he named samui specifically.

[thaiphoon]

do not come to penang if you received a 1 month extension in samui.

Penang has been a problem for anyone with an extension(s) in their passport (not just from Samui).

[bow]

The way I understand this post is that people with a 1 month extension of their turist visa from immigration in Thailand, can't get a new 60 days turist visa in Penang on top of that.

I am not surprised. Penang is bad news for people with turist visas.

[joe84330]

The way I understand this post is that people with a 1 month extension of their turist visa from immigration in Thailand, can't get a new 60 days turist visa in Penang on top of that.

I am not surprised. Penang is bad news for people with turist visas.

yes well we've known for a long time that penang is bad news for tourist visa types, what is somewhat nice and new and refreshing however is the granting of a non imm b without first applying for the work permit, and granting a non imm o based only on the income verification letter.

perhaps the trip was fortuitously timed to coincide with the consular officers' return from a night at the dan nok entertainment complex near the sadao border, only time will tell...

[lopburi3]

Poster does not say on what basis the non immigrant B visa was issued and that makes a difference from my understanding - no work permit application required for teachers but required for normal business persons.

[My Friend Same]

I went to Penang 2 months ago with a non-o + 2 back to back tourist visas in passport (and a 30 day extension on most recent tourist visa). I also had 6 years consecutive in my prior passport of 30 day stamps + tourist visas in my prior passport. I was warned by NJ Books that I would not get a visa (I had already given passport to hotel guy for TV). I got the TV anyway that time. This time I'm going back without an extension on most recent visa. Don't know what's gonna happen but I'm giving it a shot

[joe84330]

this was for a "normal" non imm b and certainly not for teaching.

i was in communication with the agent by phone and email prior to leaving for penang and he was quite clear that all i needed was the intro letter, company docs and rules and regs and he would take care of the rest in the absence of the WP3. the company would have provided the WP3 for me had they enough time, however they were of the impression that it wasn't required for their purposes and I had to show them several instances where it was required to convince them otherwise, by that time my visa run was imminent and I wasn't about to pay 2,000 baht or thereabouts for a simple two week VOA. actually my other option of attempting to obtain it without the WP3 by using kota baru (which has numerous reports of leniency in these matters) was less appealing than a 2,000 baht two week VOA so I called up my agent in penang and we got it done with no hassle, and no WP3.