Need Help Please

[TomTom55]

Greetings all.

I am in my mid 20s and I have lived in Thailand for nearly 3 years now, at first I was using a non im O visa until the rules changed (well according to my knowledge anyway). Then I started using a non im ED visa whilst learning Thai and now I have a very good understanding of the Thai language.

Now here is my issue. I no longer want to continue with my ED visa and am wondering what options are open to me? I understand how DIFFICULT it is for us farang to obtain work here (I have been angry for so long because I desire work so much, different story), and I am confused about the non O visa rules at the moment as they seem to change monthly hehe. What would I need to do to be able to have a non O visa? Travel where, how often etc.

If the non O is not an option, what else can I do? I have been applying for jobs in grapic design on a website daily for a longtime, all in BKK of course but I live south of there. It is still near enough impossible for me to get a job because firstly 99% of the time a Thai national will work for less and does not need a visa, but also 99% of the time they require at least 1 years work experience which I do not have as I left uni and came here basically.

I am really quite desperate and my visa runs out next month so I need to get something settled, so if anybody could offer so advice I would be much appreciative, thanks

[lopburi3]

You do not appear to qualify for any non immigrant visa. There are universities here that teach in English and might be a wise investment in your future if you can obtain a degree. Might also enhance your employment chances.

[TomTom55]

You do not appear to qualify for any non immigrant visa. There are universities here that teach in English and might be a wise investment in your future if you can obtain a degree. Might also enhance your employment chances.

Yes the rules of non im's keep changing and I am only in my 20s as I said, so I am not like 90% of the farang with their pensions and what not. That is a good idea though with regards to the university. I can speak Thai and have conversations but I have yet to learn much about reading and writing, so a university that teaches in English could be a good idea yes. I know google is an option but there is a lot of trash you need to sift through, do you have any links for such universities in and around Hua Hin by any chance? This is the first time I have heard of such universities.

If that is a no go then what about a triple entry visa over and over again? That seems unstable and would require a lot of going to and fro too often maybe.

[lopburi3]

You are very unlikely to obtain 3 entry tourist visas in the area and more than 4 visas may get more refused at some locations so yes it is not stable but there are people using it for many years.

[TomTom55]

You are very unlikely to obtain 3 entry tourist visas in the area and more than 4 visas may get more refused at some locations so yes it is not stable but there are people using it for many years.

It is not really a life I would like to live, it is a nice knowing that you are secure in the country you live in without the fear of getting the boot.

I did some research and the only university that is in Hua Hin is the webster university but it does not offer any courses that are anywhere near to what I would require.

[Colabamumbai]

The easiest thing for you to do is look for a teaching job. The school will do the paperwork for W.P. and visa.

[TomTom55]

The easiest thing for you to do is look for a teaching job. The school will do the paperwork for W.P. and visa.

I have no TEFL or related tutoring. I have thought about teaching but I am not sure if there are schools willing to take on an English guy with no TEFL or whatever, my friend tried for a while and ended up in Bangkok, he has returned home now because he could not find any work.

[TomTom55]

Reposting I know, but I have just come to a conclusion of sorts although I am not quite sure how to go about it exactly. If I were to leave Thailand around the time my visa expires at say Ranong or something, then return that would give me 3 months to think things through properly and sort out a job/career, is this possible?

[lopburi3]

You would have to go to a Thai Consulate in another country and obtain a tourist visa and return for 60 day stay - you would only get a 15 day stay for just crossing border and return.

[TomTom55]

You would have to go to a Thai Consulate in another country and obtain a tourist visa and return for 60 day stay - you would only get a 15 day stay for just crossing border and return.

O okay, thanks for clearing that one up for me, I was still confusing the situation with the time I had a non im O visa.

If I could find a school that would take me on to teach English without a TEFL around Hua Hin then I would jump at the chance, being able to speak Thai at a decent level is obviously a bonus.

[crille30]

But if i understand correct you can not write and read Thai? So even if you are mabey bored of school keep going.Thats you best option I think.

[TomTom55]

But if i understand correct you can not write and read Thai? So even if you are mabey bored of school keep going.Thats you best option I think.

It is not really the fact that I am bored of school, I just need income. I may even hop over to Cambodia as they give work visas on arrival at 25 dollars and do not shun farang anywhere near as much as they do here. Plus in the near future I see potential for a couple of quite bad situations that may come into being. One of them obvioiusly being the fact Bangkok is sinking and the deforestation north is ongoing, so the floods will keep coming each year. Once Bangkok is crippled so in Thailand. The other scenario I will not mention as I cannot speak about it due to laws etc. You know what I refer to most likely.

[techno]

But if i understand correct you can not write and read Thai? So even if you are mabey bored of school keep going.Thats you best option I think.

It is not really the fact that I am bored of school, I just need income. I may even hop over to Cambodia as they give work visas on arrival at 25 dollars and do not shun farang anywhere near as much as they do here. Plus in the near future I see potential for a couple of quite bad situations that may come into being. One of them obvioiusly being the fact Bangkok is sinking and the deforestation north is ongoing, so the floods will keep coming each year. Once Bangkok is crippled so in Thailand. The other scenario I will not mention as I cannot speak about it due to laws etc. You know what I refer to most likely.

I do not believe you can get a work permit on arrival in Cambodia for 25 USD as this is for a tourist Visa only. Once you have a tourist visa you can apply for a work visa which l believe costs 200 USD and is renewable every year, Thats as much as l know

[TomTom55]

But if i understand correct you can not write and read Thai? So even if you are mabey bored of school keep going.Thats you best option I think.

It is not really the fact that I am bored of school, I just need income. I may even hop over to Cambodia as they give work visas on arrival at 25 dollars and do not shun farang anywhere near as much as they do here. Plus in the near future I see potential for a couple of quite bad situations that may come into being. One of them obvioiusly being the fact Bangkok is sinking and the deforestation north is ongoing, so the floods will keep coming each year. Once Bangkok is crippled so in Thailand. The other scenario I will not mention as I cannot speak about it due to laws etc. You know what I refer to most likely.

I do not believe you can get a work permit on arrival in Cambodia for 25 USD as this is for a tourist Visa only. Once you have a tourist visa you can apply for a work visa which l believe costs 200 USD and is renewable every year, Thats as much as l know

THanks for this post, things chang with visas around here so fast, I swear no more than two months ago it was 20 dollars for a tourist visa on arrival and 25 for a business visa on arrival. I remember speaking to a Cambodian national and then looked it up on the Kingdom website. Anyway i just checked their site again and yes you are correct techno.

Thanks for the replies so far people, I have been really quite anxious, depressed and angry recentlty because of all this. I have recently just returned from visiting my GFs familiy in Surin, but not actually Surin itself just outside of Surin. They have made a kind of settlement years ago and it is reall reall rural. I loved it there and if I could I would just live there for a long long time, but that cannot be.

I have narrowed things down to three choices that seem logical, some more than others.

1. I stay here and continue learning Thai and borrowing money from my family ( )

2. I move to Cambodia and try to apply for a business visa.

3. I try to get a teaching job here in Thailand, mainly Hua Hin if possible.

Can I please ask this. Would I go to the consulate in Cambodia to apply for the bussiness visa yes? And it says that a tourist visa needs to be applied for 3 days in advance of arrival, how can this be? Can you not turn up at say Poi Pet and pay 25 dollars?

The other thing is Colabamumbai said that if I found a school here to teach that they would sort out all of the paper work etc. Well would they sort out a visa? What is this paper work?

Thanks for your help so far guys

[TomTom55]

Hello again, I have decided that I want to head over to Penang or KL, somwhere outside of Thailand and apply for a 60 day tourist visa at a consulate to give me some more time to save more money and gather our thoughts (me and my partner) on what exactly we want to do.

Can somebody please inform me on how long this process will take at the consulate? Is it something I will be easily granted, previously I have had two 1 year visa's, a non O and now an ED. Also how much does it cost for a tourist 60 day visa? DO I simply turn up at the consulate and explain I would like a 60 day tourist visa or do I need to somehow inform them in advance?

Thanks Tom

[lopburi3]

Cost is 1,000 baht in local currency and you apply in morning and receive next workday afternoon. Penang will normally not provide a tourist visa if you have previously extended such a stay so may be a problem with your long stay history - there are visa agents there that may be able to advise you by phone or email of your chances if you do a Google search.

[TomTom55]

Cost is 1,000 baht in local currency and you apply in morning and receive next workday afternoon. Penang will normally not provide a tourist visa if you have previously extended such a stay so may be a problem with your long stay history - there are visa agents there that may be able to advise you by phone or email of your chances if you do a Google search.

Yea I have been to Penang once before and that was to activate my ED visa before the rules were as they are now. I may hop over to Cambodia then instead. I live not too far south of BKK so it may be a good idea to get the plane to Phnom Penh. Or would there be a better country to apply for a tourist visa in? I would rather not go through the agencies and go to Penang to get rejected. Thanks for your post though lopburi3

[p_brownstone]

I realise this is not an answer to your original Post in any way - and I am fairly sure you do not want to hear it .

However ....

You are in your "mid-twenties", clearly have little formal education or work experience, have been scratching around in Thailand for at least 3 years and still have no firm career goals - or even aspirations.

In your "mid-twenties" I am sure you feel that the world is your oyster and that the future will provide for you by virtue of itself.

That will not happen - believe me.

Go home - wherever home is - and get some qualifications.

When you are young Thailand may seem a great place to relax and enjoy yourself - when you are 30 going on 40 with no qualifications and hoping that the next Border Run will grant you another Visa so you can continue to live here, hand to mouth, day by day ............ that's a truly desperate lifestyle.

When you are 50 going on 60 ..........

To repeat :

Go home - wherever home is - and get some qualifications.

Patrick

[lopburi3]

PP is a 2 or 4 day wait for visa issue so either Vientiane or Savannakhet might be better options as both are next workday. If flying from Bangkok Udon is the normal place to fly for Vientiane as only an hour away by land.

[TomTom55]

PP is a 2 or 4 day wait for visa issue so either Vientiane or Savannakhet might be better options as both are next workday. If flying from Bangkok Udon is the normal place to fly for Vientiane as only an hour away by land.

Savannakhet would be nice long trip, I recently went to visit family in Surin and back and that was quite annoying for 10 hours, what about KL in Malaysia?

[lopburi3]

Actually your could try Penang and if no go there continue on down to KL. Expect your likely to get in Malaysia.

[TomTom55]

Actually your could try Penang and if no go there continue on down to KL. Expect your likely to get in Malaysia.

Okay then, I guess it is off to Maylasia.

@Patrick I have a national Diploma in Graphic design and I could always study here for a degree if I wanted to later. I do have goals as I have decent skills within the design industry but as I have posted prior to this post, Thailand Mai Hii Phom Tam Gnag

Aside from that I have been a practicing Buddhist before I even stepped foot within Asia, I have had thoughts of ordaining before but I think I may intend on doing that when I am older and when the time is right. Everyone has their own path in life and most people live it to the text book, I am not one of those people. You are probably right, well no I know you are right in what you say about being in your 30-40s etc, but that is not the way I live. I am quite content living a very basic and low budhet life, in fact I cherish it. When I was in Surin I stayed with my partenrs family in a small village in a house without a shower. We had to wash out the back from a huge vase full of rain water. I would not trade that life for the city life any day.