Leaving Thailand: Cambodia, Lao?

[Tenchu]

Hey,

I've viewed this forum a lot and read some pretty scary things. I don't know if some of you guys are professional terrorists out to stop me from sleeping at night, or if you're just accidentally that way, but you sure do a good job.

Anyway, I've lived in Thailand for over 2 years now. I had my 21st birthday here, and just celebrated my 23rd. I've got a pregnant wife, a Rottweiler, a motorbike, a really cool computer, a small house, a Muay Thai gym... you know, all the stuff us foreigners like to buy. I'm not particularily stressed about "losing my stuff" if I can't renew my visa, because of my wife and unborn child, I need to leave them stuff to support them if I have to leave anyway. And she likes the dog, so he'll keep the bad Thai men away and be the man of the house in my absence. However, whilst I've set my wife up a bit, the thought has been crossing my mind, what about me?

I mean, I've no education or decent work experience. If I went back to the land of fuzzy sheep or the land of jumping marsupials, <deleted> would I do? The only decent thing I know is Muay Thai, and it's much harder to make enough money from that back "home" than it is in Thailand.

So it got me thinking, just what would Tenchu-san do if Thailand wanted to be an ass to me?

First question; do many of you actually think marriage visas ever get rejected (when you have all the proper paper work, of course)? I mean, is the mean immigration lady really going to tell me, "No, you can't go back home and stay with your wife anymore!"???

Second question; I imagine a few of you can relate, but perhaps not as much as me. Although others will have been in Thailand longer, few others will have been here at 20 years of age. Most of you would have had lives back in Ukraine, as well, right? So, when someone asks me where I'm from, why not say "Nakhon Si Thammarat"? Given it's where my home and family is. I am Australian born and bred, but believe it or not, I don't have Aussie citizenship. My parents are Kiwi, and I need to get a visa to stay in Aus. So I need to get a visa to go "Home". But people will still try and tell me that the Thai home, which I also need a visa for, is not my real home. And my real home, aparently, is some country I've never even been to. Enough BS, the question is; I'm in Asia now, and don't ever intend on heading south again. If Thailand does want to be an ass, I'll be looking straight at Cambodia and Lao. I've been to both of these countries, but am no guru. I heard Cambodia actually likes foreigners and treats them with a bit of respect. Is this true? How easy are visas there? Different visa types; marriage, laziness, so on? Or is this an illusion from dodgey foreigners?

Also, does Lao have a supermarket? The street food was great, but I like to cook my own. Though, the place is not very capitalist, hey?

Edited January 8, 2010 by Tenchu

[Nio]

Why would you bring a child into this world when you are just a kid yourself and have no way to financially support yourself.

How in the world will you qualify for a marriage visa? Can you meet the financial requirements?

The maximum fine for overstay is 20,000 THB

Go fight some more and put 20,000 away

Stay here forever with no visa and never leave the country

If you ever get caught, pain the fine and they will deport you and allow you to come right back with a new visa

If you dont get caught, that is your karma working miracles for you

Please take care of your child.

No matter what, be a parent because love is free and at least give your child a fighting chance in this world

[Tenchu]

How was any of that based on anything I wrote?

[gregchambers]

because you are married or because you have a kid (either will do) the worst case scenario is that you will have to exit the country and get a one year multi-entry visa (you have to go out and come back every three months) which if you time it right will last for 15 months - depending on where you go to get the visa (most likely Oz or NZ in your case) you should get away with the marriage/birth cert. Getting the one year marriage visa in Thailand is a case of having enough income, not sure if you can avoid that because you have a kid.

sounds like you have a great life for a 23 year-old

[Tenchu]

It seems people are somehow confused as to the topic of this thread.

I know how to get visas. That's not the topic. I said I've been here for over 2 years, mostly on a marriage visa. I have now year long marriage visa that does not require me to exit the country. I only have to do interviews every 3 months to confirm my address and sanity.

I can take care of my children (when they're born). I don't know where the idea came into it that I was broke, given I own a house here and a small business...

I don't really appreciate the "kid" remark, either. I know I'm young, but I am a man. I'm sure it was honest arrogance, however; no harm done.

Actually, the subject of this thread was supposed to be the "What if?" in my questions. I'll say it again; what if Thailand refuses to give me a visa, even if I have all the required stuff for it, and I am forced to move to Cambodia or Lao? Are these countries nicer than Thailand? And I wanted to know hwo easy they are to stay in?

[rott]

How was any of that based on anything I wrote?

This being Thai Visa that counts as a positive and friendly response. I've seen some right maulings for less.

[Nio]

It seems people are somehow confused as to the topic of this thread.

I know how to get visas. That's not the topic. I said I've been here for over 2 years, mostly on a marriage visa. I have now year long marriage visa that does not require me to exit the country. I only have to do interviews every 3 months to confirm my address and sanity.

I can take care of my children (when they're born). I don't know where the idea came into it that I was broke, given I own a house here and a small business...

I don't really appreciate the "kid" remark, either. I know I'm young, but I am a man. I'm sure it was honest arrogance, however; no harm done.

Actually, the subject of this thread was supposed to be the "What if?" in my questions. I'll say it again; what if Thailand refuses to give me a visa, even if I have all the required stuff for it, and I am forced to move to Cambodia or Lao? Are these countries nicer than Thailand? And I wanted to know hwo easy they are to stay in?

If you have all this under control, you are a legal business owner, legally married why do you have a question at all?

You have been here 2 years already

SO WHY NOT TELL US EXACTLY WHY YOU FEAR YOU WONT GET ANOTHER VISA

So far you have mentioned nothing except you are 100% legal

Why in the world, if you have been here 2 years legally on VISA, would you be here "what if" this time a visa is coming up and so concerned you might move to

Cambodia?

There must be a reason you are not stating?

People that are here for 2 years legally married, legal business owner, legal visa would be the last people to be suspect not to get another visa approved

So why dont you man up and tell us the real reason for your concern?

[Nio]

PS an Australian living in Cambodia with his GF of 2 years was just brutally beaten to death by some construction workers

He had 45 cents in his pocket

So if that is Cambodia respect for foreigners I will have to pass on that one

[Tenchu]

PS an Australian living in Cambodia with his GF of 2 years was just brutally beaten to death by some construction workers

He had 45 cents in his pocket

So if that is Cambodia respect for foreigners I will have to pass on that one

There are the same stories in Thailand. However, in Thailand, it's more likely to be your wife killing you than some strange men.

But yes, that's interesting to note. But that's not entirely what I meant; Thailand views (in my opinion) foreigners as a means to an end. They're seen as culturally inferior and with less moral standard (but this is a paradox; they only attract so many of these poor characters of foreigner because there are so many Thai sluts willing to sell themselves). The standard tourist will be lured into tourists hotspots and overcharged and milked like an ATM. I'm talking about this kind of thing.

A lot of it comes from propaganda (the cultural superiority) and the rest from basic greed and lack of fortitude, and above all, this in no way reflects what is possibly the larger portion of average Thai people who I've found to be very respectful and open to listening to my views on basically not doing all this stupid stuff. But it becomes a problem because the government exploits it and most tourists end up in these isolated places which are designed to milk them like a pregnant cow. Of course, there's also the "means to an end" attitude; what happens when the prostitutes are weighed down by so much gold chains that they can no longer haul theirselves to the brothel and thus the sex industry in Thailand dies and foreigner money is no longer wanted? What kind of country will it become then? Given the level of self saturation/propaganda pushed in the yellow T-shirt media and through government schools, it is a bit of a worry how far they'll go.

I was not exposed to this in Cambodia and Lao, however, when on my visa runs. Of course, there was the average tuk tuk homeless dude trying to get some cash, but only because he seriously needed some food. Nothing like the capitalization the Thai people have made on "being poor", which they no longer are but still pretend to be so thus they can discover just what sort of luxurious end this means can take them unto.

This is what I was talking about with respect for foreigners. The reason I mention this here is because it's an attitude that could be used/exploited which is detremental to the ability of foreigners to live in Thailand.

Edited January 8, 2010 by Tenchu

[Tenchu]

If you have all this under control, you are a legal business owner, legally married why do you have a question at all?

You have been here 2 years already

SO WHY NOT TELL US EXACTLY WHY YOU FEAR YOU WONT GET ANOTHER VISA

So far you have mentioned nothing except you are 100% legal

Why in the world, if you have been here 2 years legally on VISA, would you be here "what if" this time a visa is coming up and so concerned you might move to

Cambodia?

There must be a reason you are not stating?

People that are here for 2 years legally married, legal business owner, legal visa would be the last people to be suspect not to get another visa approved

So why dont you man up and tell us the real reason for your concern?

I ask this question because of the reason I stated in the original post which you obviously did not read: I've read a lot of negative things on this forum about the tightening of Thai immigration laws and how people believe it will only get tougher. Since my life revolves around Thailand, these posters make me a little worried. Thus, I wanted to discuss it.

As for "legal business owner"; there's little registration in Muay Thai. You do not have to get a work permit to fight in a Boxing ring in Thailand, regardless of the sums you make. I heard gyms have to be registered, but I don't own a gym in that fashion; I own a small Thai style set up that's a private, family thing and is not open to the uninvited and does not charge to learn there (money is made from taking massive portions of the fighters fight money in exchange for the free training you give them; the money, again, being tax free and so on). So it's not a registered business, and if asked about it I can just say there's nothing wrong with teaching my family in laws Muay Thai (which there isn't).

As for your general attitude, you're not very nice person. I made this thread in jest, pondering about the future possibilities since so many others on here have already. I just wanted to know some stuff about Cambodia and Lao, that's all...

[gotlost]

Have to hand it to you Tencgu you give better than you took. Stick around this form. Thaivisa needs more posters like you.

[dumball]

Please allow me to give you the straight forward answer you seem to be looking for . it is free , no charge , just like your Muay-Thai family .

To enter and live practicaly hastle free in Cambodia where being wacked in the head for no apparant reason , is on a very low percentile , cross the border and pay $25.00 for a buisiness visa . Set up your home etc , pay your bills , make no problems with the laid back , visitor friendly people who are more inclined to help you than harm you , walk into a friendly travel agent , pay the fee for a new visa up to one year and get on with your life .

There , that was not so difficult was it ?

[Tenchu]

Sorry, I can't tell if I've pissed you off and you're being sarcastic or if you're being serious.

Can you really live in Cambodia on basically a tourist visa or such (i.e. no ed visa or marriage visa or anything) without having to do visa runs?

[Spoonman]

Thai sluts

brothel

sex industry

You got burnt by a Thai lass didnt ya...........

[7by7]

From the OP onward this topic is confusing and meandering all over the place.

Tenchu, I suggest that you get your thoughts in order and decide what exactly it is you want to ask and then post in the relevant forum. That way you are far more likely to receive helpful and relevant replies.

If it's a question about a Cambodian visa post it here, but see first Cambodia Visa, Links to Visa Information

If it's a question about a Thai visa, post it Thai visas, residency and work permits.

If it's a question about life in Cambodia then post it in Southeast Asia Forum (Cambodia visa questions may receive a better response there, too.)

If it's just observations on life in general, then try the General topics.

I'm closing this topic.