Doza Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Ok, since I finished my contract April/May this year and my work permit expired I have been holidaying in Thailand and the region doeen doing some travel and whatever. I have been getting 30 day visa exempt stamps at the borders when I come in. I now have a new passport (old one full) which shows entry on visa exempt x 1 before October. Since October, I have come in twice on visa exempt, and each time given 30 days and a '1' and '2' written above the stamps (first around 5 October - then around 3 November). 30 days was running out so went this time to Penang and applied for a 2 month tourist visa. No problems. Got it and came in yesterday and was stamped to 31 January. So it seems possible to stay longer than 90 days on a combination of visa exempt stamps and tourist visas. This might answer some questions for many. Got the Air Asia morning flight down, on time, landed bang on 10 am and used an agent to collect me. Went straight to agents office, filled in form, they got it in on time and I picked visa up next day. Stayed a few extra days and got the Air Asia afternoon flight out which was also on time. No complaints and a nice stay in Georgetown and Batu Feringgi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSnake Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Ok, since I finished my contract April/May this year and my work permit expired I have been holidaying in Thailand and the region doeen doing some travel and whatever. I have been getting 30 day visa exempt stamps at the borders when I come in. I now have a new passport (old one full) which shows entry on visa exempt x 1 before October.Since October, I have come in twice on visa exempt, and each time given 30 days and a '1' and '2' written above the stamps (first around 5 October - then around 3 November). 30 days was running out so went this time to Penang and applied for a 2 month tourist visa. No problems. Got it and came in yesterday and was stamped to 31 January. So it seems possible to stay longer than 90 days on a combination of visa exempt stamps and tourist visas. This might answer some questions for many. Got the Air Asia morning flight down, on time, landed bang on 10 am and used an agent to collect me. Went straight to agents office, filled in form, they got it in on time and I picked visa up next day. Stayed a few extra days and got the Air Asia afternoon flight out which was also on time. No complaints and a nice stay in Georgetown and Batu Feringgi. Hmmm!! lucky you. Will it work for others???? Over to others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 The question is what will you do when your Tourist Visa runs out. Will you go back to a 30 day visa run or head back down to Penang for another Tourist Visa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nam Kao Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Thanks for the report -nam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doza Posted December 4, 2006 Author Share Posted December 4, 2006 I will be either in a new job here with another work permit and non-imm visa or working elsewhere. At least now we know that it is possible to stay 60 days in a row with tourist visas and 30 day stamps for tourists. It is still unclear if I would be granted another tourist visa or 30 day stamp if I was to try again. This is the old 'time will tell' scenario eveyone has been talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h5n1 Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 good report although it raises one issue i think important. you came in by plane - i dont think persons will be as scrutinized returning by plane as by land . doza - 2 stamps = 60 was never in question unless you have a string of 30s prior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 doza - 2 stamps = 60 was never in question unless you have a string of 30s prior. There's never been any question of this regardless of having a string of 30s prior or not. The questions will start after Dec 29, the 90th day from Oct 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainman Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 the thing is, now that you told everybody, more and more people will start doing it and they will end up clamping down again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doza Posted December 5, 2006 Author Share Posted December 5, 2006 Just trying to be helpful. Many people have helped me so thought I should dothe same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digitalbanana Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 the thing is, now that you told everybody, more and more people will start doing it and they will end up clamping down again. Well isn't that the point of a web site like this? I do not understand what you are suggesting? Censorship? My thanks to the OP for the update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Dodger Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Thanks for that report Doza, old buddy. I can say pretty much the same thing... after a couple nice border runs - the last of which ended in a pair of soiled trousers and minor scuffle on the bus - i took the show down to Penang for one of them TVs and i gotta say i say i had a great time... Lovely guest Houses there in Georgetown, friendly faces, i got wrecked on that nice beer down there and had a terrific two days walking around the Komtar. Anyhoo, they welcomed me back with a big Sawasdeekrap. Which i returned with a thoughtful Wai. Now i'm good for another 2 months! I say we've got NOTHING to worry about. We'll all be right as rain. Alot of you are sweating over nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaigene2 Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 doza - 2 stamps = 60 was never in question unless you have a string of 30s prior. There's never been any question of this regardless of having a string of 30s prior or not. The questions will start after Dec 29, the 90th day from Oct 1. Yup - that's my understanding too. Don't think this is blowing over guys. In fact, it hasn't actually started yet. Wonder what the vacancy rates will be like in Pattaya come January? Still hi-season too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Dodger Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 "The end is nigh! The END is NIGH!!!!" That's frog droppings! Decent folks will always be welcome in the Land of Smile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 ...to Penang for one of them TVs ...good for another 2 months! ... And in case you don't know it yet -- but you probably do -- you can get a 30-day extension at any immigration office in Thailand for 1,900 Baht. -- Maestro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Dodger Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 ...to Penang for one of them TVs ...good for another 2 months! ... And in case you don't know it yet -- but you probably do -- you can get a 30-day extension at any immigration office in Thailand for 1,900 Baht. -- Maestro Well, YEE-HAW!! At this rate I'm NEVER gonna leave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 the thing is, now that you told everybody, more and more people will start doing it and they will end up clamping down again. Rainman, in case you haven't been keeping up of late, the Penang visa run is the most touted, talked about tourist visa run bar none. An extra story or two will make no difference at all. I would seriously recommend anyone that requires a TV in early January to go right now, a month early. It might be impossible to get a cheap flight to Penang in January, and the occupancy rates at the hotels there will be through the roof as even without visa runners it's peak season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsglsg51 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Nice to hear about Penang, one question, the cost abot the trip? fly visa hotel taxi thanks a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doza Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 Flights were a bit over 3K, airport p/u, visa and agents services were 150RM in total, hotel was about 1600 baht, taxis depend on where you goin. All prices can vary depending on your won arrangements, except the visa cost and p/u with NJ Bookstore on Chulia st whihc is 150RM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k1w1 Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 It cost me about B9000 to do the trip last month. Does anyone know if it works the other way around. ie after a 3 month TV you do a daytrip to the border for a VOA and... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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