Thai Embassy Penang

[Phil Clark]

I am planning to go to Penang to apply for Non-Immigrant 'O' visa this month with the intention of applying for a Retirement Visa in Pattaya 90 days later.

My current Tourist visa extension runs out on 23 Dec 2003 and so was planning to fly on 21 Dec 2003 to make the application the following morning the 22nd.

My first concern is obviously if my application is likely to be successful (I will have all the necessary documents) and also the processing time given the proximity to Xmas. I therefore also need to know if the Embassy will be closed over the Xmas period.

I cannot go earlier because I will not be 50 years of age until 21 Dec and have been told I will not be granted a Non-Imm 'O' until then.

If the above is feasible (and the information I have been given is correct), I would also appreciate any recommendations on hotel accommodation.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance,

Phil

[JonnieB]

phil,

i doubt the THAI embassy will be closed in celebration of Christian Christmas holidays...expecially as it is in an officially Muslim state. If there are no Buddhist or Islamic holidays during the days you plan to make your application, you should be alright. I believe the thai foreign ministry site has a page with the official thai holidays on it and the days when embassies/counselates will be closed. Check with any Islamic friends you may have for muslim holidays that week.

Actually, I don't really think you need many papers to get an O visa in Penang for the purposes of getting the retirement extension later. You might want to take, however, bank statements and/or pension receipts/stubs if you have them to document your income. Also, copies of any apt/condo/house rental contract you have in Pattaya and an official address guarantee letter from immigraion onj soi 8 to substantiate your claims to want to live in Pattaya for retirement.

When I did this for a friends a couple months ago, I recall just stating in the application you want an O visa for retirement and then of course your passport demonstrating you are 50 years old or older is sufficient to get the visa. See also my post of about 3-4 weeks ago about the whole process of obtaining the retirement extension from Pattaya immigration. If you have your docs in order, it will be a piece of cake.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thailand holidays for December are 05, 10, and 31.

[lopburi3]

Thailand holidays for December are 05, 10, and 31

But believe this year 31 December is not a holiday and January 2, 2004 is. Unless newspapers have lied to me again. Long weekend that way.

[Phil Clark]

I thought I would give a brief report of how things went on my visa run to Penang for a Non-Immigrant 'O' visa for the benefit of those who were kind enough to give me advice, and of course for anyone else who may be contemplating doing likewise.

I flew out from Don Muang on Monday 22nd of December in the evening.

I met a fellow visa runner on the plane and so we shared a taxi, paying the standard RM 28 (I think) fare between us.

I changed some Thai Baht at the airport and I was to later find that the rate was in line with the Money Changers in Georgetown. My new friend had been recommended the Cathay Hotel in the street parallel to Penang Road (I forget the name of the street), a couple of minutes walk away from Chulia Street.

The hotel was basic, to say the least, and run down but as it was approaching midnight I was not too concerned. The room rate was RM 66 (oddly itemised as RM60 plus 10% 'Service Charge'). The room had a working aircon and TV plus tiny bathroom. I was singularly unimpressed with the bed linen as there were no sheets, just a frayed towel that you could see through.

Checked out at 8.30 am and took a taxi straight to the Consulate at a cost of RM 10.

We were there within fifteen minutes and there was quite a crowd there already. At 9.00 am the window opened and I was given a form to complete.

I was armed to the teeth with bank books, copies, bank letter, TT3's to show the funds came from overseas, etc but all the official wanted was the completed form, two photographs, passport and copy plus the original letter from my Thai Bank showing funds in excess of 800,000 Baht. He asked me if I wanted a single or multiple entry and so I opted for the single as that was all I needed. Single entry cost RM 200, multiple would have cost RM 500.

I was then told to return the following day at 2.00 pm.

I decided to try The Continental Hotel on Penang Road as I had read good reports on this board. I had a look at the rooms and was happy with the standard. Good aircon, Sat TV (although only one channel barely worth watching), decent bathroom, kettle with tea and coffee satchets plus a fridge containing some beers, soft drinks and water. The room rate was RM 98 for the 23rd Dec but would be RM 138 on the 24th "because it is Xmas"!

I booked for two nights anyway.

As I wanted to pay in cash, they demanded a deposit of more than the full cost of the two nights stay. I had now depleted my RM cash and I was not prepared to change money at their rate (93 v 95/6 from the Money Changers). They were happy to accept 3,000 baht and agreed that I could settle the final bill in RM and my Thai Baht deposit would be returned.

I went for a wander and eventually found an Internet Café some five minutes or less walk away from the hotel. Cost was RM 3 per hour (just over 31 Baht).

On the way back, I decided to check out The Merchant Hotel on Penang Road. It looked OK, so I asked if they had any vacancies and what the room rate was. They did and the room rate was RM 78. I asked to see a room and they casually gave me a key for me to check for myself. The standard was on a par with The Continental and so I asked if they had vacancies for the 24th. They did and so I deliberately asked if the rate would still be RM 78. The Chinese-looking lady confirmed the rate and so I told her I would be back the following day (it seemed worth changing hotels for a saving of over 600 Baht).

I checked out from The Continental just before noon the following day. There were no dramas concerning the fact I had booked for two nights and so I settled my bill in RM and my 3,000 Baht was returned. Btw, the room rate included a complimentary breakfast in their Coffee Shop and a free English newspaper, the Straits Times I think.

Walked the fifty or so yards down the road to The Merchant and began to check in. The Receptionist then told me the room rate was RM 98. I hastily pointed out that the lady had told me the rate would be RM 78, not RM 98 and got the " Because it's Xmas" line again. I firmly pointed out that I had specifically asked about the rate for that day. The girl could obviously see I was not happy with this surcharge and she amazingly told me that her mother must have forgotten it was Xmas and so she would honour her word. You could have knocked me down with a feather. Thank you 'Shirley'!

I was given a room with a sea view so felt quite pleased.

Took a taxi to the Consulate at 1.30 pm that I had booked earlier, arriving in ten minutes. There was quite a crowd of people there already. The taxi driver whispered for me to sit on the steps which I duly did. This of course put me and my fellow visa runner at the front of the queue when they opened the gate. I just handed over my receipt and was given back my passport. Much to my relief, they had given me the Non-Immigrant 'O' 90 day.

Btw, the Consulate was CLOSED on Xmas Day and Boxing Day.

Taxi back to the hotel and said farewell to my new friend as he was off to Hat Yai by Minibus and then on to Phuket. I seem to recall that he paid RM 350 via The Continental hotel although that seems a bit pricey when I now think about it. Perhaps it was RM 35 and I was thinking in Baht? I say that because my return flight from Don Muang was 8,300 Baht. I am sure someone on the board will straighten that out.

I went down Chulia Street one evening and was singularly unimpressed. I checked out the Swiss Hotel that so many people recommend just out of curiosity, and can only say I would not let my dog stay there.

Different strokes, I guess…

I found a decent bar on Penang Road, just across the road from The Continental, called Soho. It is obviously modelled on a London pub and serves more than acceptable typical English pub food including, Fish 'n' Chips, Bangers and Mash, Shepherd's Pie plus burgers and so on at reasonable prices. They also have an extensive selection of draught beers including Guinness, Heineken, Carlsberg, Heineken, Kilkenny's and more. In the evening they have a DJ and the music played was largely 80's and 90's and the volume was not ridiculous.

There were some Freelancers operating there but most were pig ugly. The going rate for horizontal entertainment according to the bellboy at the hotel was RM 90 but some of these creatures were asking RM 250. You could not help but notice the abundance of 'Mat Seh' i.e. Katoeys and poofter waiters. It was also noticeable that there were rather too many male 'orang pootay' (i.e farang) being rather affectionate to one another, but they kept themselves to themselves so it was not a problem.

Penang was a pleasant enough place but IMHO I can think of no earthly reason of going there other than for a visa run.

[cm boy]

Excellent post Phil. I'm just about to embark on the same trip for the same reasons, so the info was much appreciated.

A couple of points:

1. I was surprised to read they wanted to see the 800k in the bank statement this time around is this really a requirement? I thought only for the retirement visa later.

2. What airline did you travel with for 8,300 Bt. Thai are charging 12,705 Bt.

Thanks again.

cm boy

[Sick Boy]

Superb post Phil, well appreciated. I'm off to Penang this evening to do my visa and will check out The Merchant myself. I paid 7,750 Baht with Malaysia Airlines returning on Thai Airways on Thursday. Bought my ticket from a little travel agent at the top of soi 22 opposite Flyers on the corner. The only drawback is that the flights leave Bkk in the evening and return only in the mornings so you're stuck in Penang for an extra night. Still, Penang seems to be the least hassles to get one's visa. Thanks again for the report.

Later.

SB.

[lopburi3]

1. I was surprised to read they wanted to see the 800k in the bank statement this time around is this really a requirement? I thought only for the retirement visa later.

2. What airline did you travel with for 8,300 Bt. Thai are charging 12,705 Bt.

Thanks again.

Agree reports such as this are very helpful and thank Phil for taking the time to share with us.

1. If you apply in your home country for retirement visa you will also have to show funds available (in your home country). So don't see any reason you would not have to offer some proof in Penang. If married it is marriage certificate - if retirement it is money.

2. Phil seems to be from Pattaya so expect he would be flying from Bangkok and Thai price is 8,255 baht with tax for that r/t flight to Penang.

[bartender100]

Be careful if you are going in Jan 22/23 chinese new year,all hotels jack up the price.i will be there 19till23 if anyone whants meet up for a beer

[cm boy]

Yep got that re. the 800k v Retirement visa, but Phil's request was for a Non-imm. O. Is this because he declared his reason for the Non-imm O was to apply for a Retirement visa later? What if he gave another reason for the O visa?

BTW I looked at the Merchant Hotel web site (http://www.penang-hotels.com/merchant) and it appears they are fully booked throughout January, and the price for the lowest price room ? Superior is RM 85. Maybe it's different for walk-ins.

Would liked to have had that beer but won't be there until 26-29.

Thanks all again for the info.

cm boy

[Phil Clark]

A couple of points:

1. I was surprised to read they wanted to see the 800k in the bank statement this time around is this really a requirement? I thought only for the retirement visa later.

2. What airline did you travel with for 8,300 Bt. Thai are charging 12,705 Bt.

Thanks again.

cm boy

When I gave the chap my application form etc, he asked me why I wanted an 'O' Visa. I told him it was for Retirement and then handed him the letter from the bank showing funds in excess of 800k.

He did not actually ask for it but readily accepted it, so I do not know if they would have given me the 'O' visa without it. I somehow suspect not, but cannot say for sure.

Just for info, my fellow visa runner was applying for a Non-Imm 'B' for the first time. He was confident that he had all the necessary documents although was quite anxious at the time and repeatedly asked the Official as to whether he had all the required papers. No reply came the answer, so do not expect too much of a chat with the staff. Suffice it to say, he was given the Non-Imm 'B', no problem.

I flew Thai Airways. I bought the ticket from All Seasons Travel in Pattaya, opposite Friendship supermarket on Pattaya Tai.

Other quotes around town were as high as 8,800. By flying Thai I did have to spend an extra night there because of the flight schedules, but I had little choice because all other airlines were fully booked for direct flights. Again, just for info, the All Seasons staff asked me if I had a Thai Airways card. I did not and so as it was free I accepted their offer to arrange one for me. There are several supposed advantages but the one that appealed to me was the potential to get free upgrades.

No, I was not upgraded but I could have been! You also get an additional luggage allowance etc. Check out: http://www.thaiair.com/flying/rop.htm if you are interested.

As I say, it's free so why not?

[Phil Clark]

I'm off to Penang this evening to do my visa

Later.

SB.

Best of luck and please let us know how you got on.

Phil