Thai Counsalate Working Days In Penang

[reds]

I will visited penang to get tourist visa,

Could you please tell me the public holiday in penang in this month and next month.

as I must go there on the working days of thai counsalate.

I tried to search in google, but couldnt check.

[lopburi3]

They are closed on Saturday and Sunday and Thai holidays as well as local holidays.

http://www.journeymalaysia.com/calender2005.htm

[PeaceBlondie]

Does this mean they're only open for Monday and Wednesday next week? If so, they'll be busy on those days!

** Deepavali

Tuesday 1st November 2005

Tuesday 1st November 2005

** Eid Al-Fitr (Hari Raya Puasa)

Thursday 3rd November - Friday 4th November 2005

Thursday 3rd November 2005

[lopburi3]

That is what it means. And it also means a very busy week for hotels - during Eid Georgetown could well be full.

[PeaceBlondie]

Yeah, I just called them (Friday, noon) and the nice gentleman said they're only open on Mon & Wed. So, I leave Hua Hin Saturday afternoon and return Friday morning. He only indicated a three month O visa that could be extended in Thailand. What a krock of doodoo. The best consulate in Southeast Asia can only give me a three month visa? Two nights on the train, maybe 8000 baht in fees, train fares, and lodging, for three months and the extensions will probably run me 1,900 each? I think I paid US$15 per year in Mexico.

I guess the handwriting's on the wall: 90 days to get a retirement visa from Bangkok.

[PeaceBlondie]

Oops! I just went to the train station - no seats until Monday, so that cancels Plan A. Now I shall have to devise Plan B or C. Maybe I can get an extension of my tourist stamp.

Repeating: what a crock of doodoo. Instead of working at a full time job and enjoying one's spare time, or simply vegetating on the beach in retirement, many farang have to spend an inordinate amount of time and money to stay in a Third World country whose idea of 'development' doesn't include sane immigration policies.

[Khun Ngo]

So it looks like it's not possible to get a tourist visa on monday?

I mean aplying in the mornig and getting it in the eraly afternoon, through an agent of course.

Any ideas?

[ovenman]

I mean aplying in the mornig and getting it in the eraly afternoon, through an agent of course.

Even with an agent, Penang doesn't generally turn around visa applications on the same day, do they?

[ovenman]

Oops!  I just went to the train station - no seats until Monday, so that cancels Plan A.  Now I shall have to devise Plan B or C. Maybe I can get an extension of my tourist stamp.

There is both a Saturday evening and a Sunday morning flight from Bangkok to Penang on AirAsia. Barring that, you could always take a bus to Hat Yai from Hua Hin and avail yourself of one of the many van services from there to Penang.

[Khun Ngo]

I mean aplying in the mornig and getting it in the eraly afternoon, through an agent of course.

Even with an agent, Penang doesn't generally turn around visa applications on the same day, do they?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes they used to do that, at least I was once able to do so.

[PeaceBlondie]

Oops!  I just went to the train station - no seats until Monday, so that cancels Plan A.  Now I shall have to devise Plan B or C. Maybe I can get an extension of my tourist stamp.

There is both a Saturday evening and a Sunday morning flight from Bangkok to Penang on AirAsia. Barring that, you could always take a bus to Hat Yai from Hua Hin and avail yourself of one of the many van services from there to Penang.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, thank you kindly, really. But there are two more examples of Thai visa doodoo. It costs me 2,000 baht each way to get to Don Muang. A bus to Hat Yai? I've only been here a couple of months and haven't even found the first class bus station. Then how do I transfer at Hat Yai, where does it go, etc. And there being so much travel, maybe one or the other of the bus and van links will be too busy.

Anyway, I went to Immigration. The officer spent over five minutes staring at four pages on my two passports and finally gave me a stinkin' ten day extension for a mere 1,900 baht. I'll leave on 5 November, so I'm only using 4 or 5 days of

the extension, making it more expensive than overstay fines.

I can't convince my rich Thai landlady that Thailand is very unfriendly to farangs who want to stay here, especially English teachers who are fairly well qualified. She gave me a sob story about a Burmese doctor who's spent three years trying to get to the USA. I told her that a recent survey revealed that 28% of all practicing physicians in the USA are foreign born and foreign trained, so they can't be excluding many of them. It's more so the case for registered nurses.

I was doing just fine, spending about 100,000 baht per year for visa runs, until I temporarily lost my passport. Now I'm practically a persona non grata. And I don't know what I'll get when I get to Penang.

End of rant. Enjoy your drinks.

[lopburi3]

You are aware of the latest bombing of the Sungli Golok train? Seems four bombs were used but with luck only two exploded. This was used against a moving train. Although I know this is another rail line I would be making my trips by air these days if I had any choice.

[ovenman]

Although I know this is another rail line I would be making my trips by air these days if I had any choice.

If you catch a good fare on AirAsia, flying from Bangkok to Penang is not much more expensive than taking the train. Sometimes it's even cheaper to fly.

[Seen all,learnt nothing]

Lopburi 3,

I haven't a clue what peaceblondie is on about. Obviously you do so I am reassured that I am not losing my mind.

Thank god.

[PeaceBlondie]

Lopburi 3,

I haven't a clue what peaceblondie is on about. Obviously you do so I am reassured that I am not losing my mind.

Thank god.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lopburi has kindly followed by saga of woe since 16 July, losing my passport, the Immigration Police cancelling my one year visa, etc.

That doesn't mean you're not losing your mind.

[John K]

I will visited penang to get tourist visa,

Could you please tell me the public holiday in penang in this month and next month.

as I must go there on the working days of thai counsalate.

I tried to search in google, but couldnt check.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have found that Microsoft Outlook has all the holidays for each country. You can overlay Thailand with what ever country and see when they are open. Remember they are closed for Thai and host counrty holidays.

[h5n1]

WHY DONT YOU GO DOWN 2nd/3rd CLASS?! You'd rather your visa run out?! ...or pay Immigration mafia for lame extention? OR...you could take the train as far as possible - Surat and then bus to HY and then X the border. I am always amazed at the lack of travel knowledge -about visas no less at 'thaivisa.com'.

Ovenman: It is NEVER cheaper to fly. I can do the whole thing in reletive comfort (transp only) for 400+1100+450 (2nd cl fan sleeper which is very fine for me). Airport tax must = at least 1000.

If someone could verify - regarding the consulate WILL BE OPEN ON THE 2nd??? correct?

peace blondie notes:

Dvlli

Tuesday 1st November 2005

Eid

Thursday 3rd November - Friday 4th November 2005

thanks -

please send clue truck round to thai visa - peace out.

[ovenman]

Ovenman: It is NEVER cheaper to fly. I can do the whole thing in reletive comfort (transp only) for 400+1100+450 (2nd cl fan sleeper which is very fine for me). Airport tax must = at least 1000.

I just flew from Penang to Bangkok on AirAsia for a total fare of 104.99 ringgit: 49.99 for airfare, 55.00 for taxes. That's approximately 1130 baht in real money.

I just booked an AirAsia trip from Chiang Mai to Penang for next March, connecting via Kuala Lumpur. Total fare inclusive of taxes was 1639 baht. You can add to that an eventual 500 baht airport departure tax.

I'll match my ninety minute flight from Bangkok to Penang against your fan sleeper on the twenty-two hour train journey. I can handle the additional few hundred baht outlay for the flight. However, for those with nothing but time at their disposal, I hear that you can save even more money if you walk the distance.

[drummer]

Might be able to get a tuk tuk on the cheap ...