gawguy

I want to stay until June 20..that is when I have booked my flight back to US. So could I go to a nearby country and get a Single Entry Tourist Visa (60 days plus 30 extension)?? That would work for me and it would only take a couple of days according to: http://www.travelfish.org/visas/thailand Single Entry Tourist Visa If the above options aren't going to work for you, then you need to get a Thai tourist visa. The traditional type of tourist visa is valid for 60 days and can be extended for a further 30 days once you are in-country, giving you a 90-day stay all up. It costs around US$30 and is a single-entry visa. It's valid from date of entry, so the 60-day clock starts ticking on the day you enter Thailand. The visa becomes void if you do not enter Thailand within 90 days from the date of issue. Single-entry tourist visas can be applied for at virtually any Thai embassy or consulate worldwide; options within Southeast Asia include: Vientiane, Savannakhet, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kelantan, Singapore, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Yangon, Jakarta, Denpasar (Bali), Manila and Cebu City. It generally takes two business days to apply for and receive a single-entry tourist visa.

I had a hopeful sign yesterday that my visa extension issue might be resolved, but I'm still not sure. I see that visa runs are no longer allowed. I assume that is still true. What if I hit the worst case scenario? My visa extension runs out on 9 April and I will need to do something by that time and there will be a lot to do between now and then. What can I do? I have to figure this out quick. What I really want is to go to a nearby country and get a visa for Thailand. A country that has visa on arrival or doesn't require visa for US citizens. If I leave the country for a week or so can I get back in for 30 days? I bet not. It seems that I remember going to Vietnam a few years ago and I think I had to stay for 15 days to get back into TLand for 30 days. Does that sound right? So... Where is the best place for an American to get a proper visa for Thailand in SE Asia?? Phenom Pen? Saigon? Manila? Other? I've never been to the Phillipines so that would be interesting, but I don't want to stay in Manila very long. What would you do if you were in my position?? I will do some searches too, but the time is short. If I can hear some definitive answers it would be most helpful. * * * * * This is from The Nation in 2014 after the current government took over: "From August 13, 2014 people will not be able to re-enter the country, regardless of their choice of transport. Those on a visa run who are allowed back in will find an "O-I" (Out-In) mark next to their latest stamp marking entry. From August 13, nobody with an O-I sign on their passport will be allowed to re-enter Thailand if they cannot produce a proper visa." Is this all in effect at this time? Thanks...Gaw Guy

BTW: It does update Windows Defender virus definitions directly through Windows Defender.

I probably posted about this before. And I have searched a lot. At home I upgraded to Win 10 and really like it. I'm in Pattaya right now and don't want to take a chance on the installation going wrong - this T61 runs W7 beautifully and is all set up. Also don't have as much speed to do the download and I have to pay for data. Problem is it doesn't download updates. I have 34 "important" updates listed in the Windows Update box, but it won't download them. For some reason though, when I went to shut down yesterday I saw that the Shutdown button had the message "Shut down and install updates." It installed one W7 Security Update. Huh!? What!? Why? That happened on another laptop at home. What is going on? And yes, Mr. Let-me-google-that-for-you, I have googled it. If your secretary can google it better, I welcome her input. I even took one T61 to my local tech shop at home and the techie couldn't do anything and didn't seem to have heard about the problem. I know this guy and he knows everything. It's strange because I've had the problem on a bunch of laptops - maybe four of them. Anyone else encounter such? Thank you.. Gaw Guy

TIT. Every time someone speak me I hear something not same before. Chai mai? And it ain't over til the fat lady sings - I hope she is warming up back stage. At this point the prize for best answer seems go to Coss who wrote: "Good luck." Got all my papers together and went to Jomtien prepared to come away with Extension of Stay for one year. Uh-uh! Was told, "First must transfer visa to new passport. Do you have letter from Embassy?" Today is Friday so Monday I go to BKK. On Tuesday I hope to hear the fat lady sing. Still and all, I always really appreciate the responses. Gaw Guy

Now I have found info on "Thai Visa" website that you don't have to transfer the visa at all. You can use both passports. "Immigration no longer provides this service (transfer from old pp to new pp) at office locations unless on an extension of stay or perhaps lost passport. If a simple visa entry you just present both passports at border when you leave and any notation will be made then. This was not an announced change but from all reporting I have seen in recent months is effective everywhere...If here on an extension of stay (like many of us) you continue to do upon receipt of new passport at your local immigration office." "I've had my stamps transferred from cancelled passport to valid passport a number of times at immigration. No fee required." So I'll go see. GG

That was a blind side, that's for sure. I arrived yesterday and got stamped through at immi by a guy who had no time to answer questions. But I spotted another immi officer walking along and he was willing to talk. He looked at the visa I have been using for extensions for a number of years. It is from Thai Consulate, Los Angeles and dated 2011. He said it's too old and I have to immigration office. This was just an officer walking by so I don't know how knowledgeable he is. I don't even know if there is one, official right answer, or it just depends who you talk to at immi. TIT. This never occurred to me and I haven't seen anything about age of visa and transferring it from one passport book to another. No one hinted at it in any responses to similar thread. So I'm in the dark and will be heading to Jomtien in the morning. My current Non O-A extension runs out in 8 days which is why I come back at just this time every year. Has anyone encountered this and can anyone tell me or take a guess at what my options will be? I want to stay for about 80 days. When I go back to US I can get another visa, although I would prefer to wrap it all up here and now. (I suppose it might have been better to not have used my visa and extension when I entered and just taken a 30 day stamp and then dealt with the next steps. But I was expecting to go to US Embassy, get letter and then to Jomtien to transfer from one book to the other. Since i didn't do it at the time it is probably too late for a 30 day, yes?) Thanks, GG

I know there used to issues accessing iTunes in LOS and other parts of Asia because of piracy concerns. I haven't looked into that in years. Back then there was some kind of a work around. Do you still have to do that? I can ask this another way: If I bring a laptop from the USA that is set up with iTunes and downloads free podcasts, will it work in LOS? Thanks, GG

OK. Thank you.

Curious.. Looking at Google map directions from Ekamai to US Embassy, it recommends BTS to Chit Lom. Why is that when Phloen Chit BTS appears to be a lot closer to Witthayu Rd. I just want to walk from BTS if it is not a problem. ??? Thanks, GG

I'm filling out this form at home with a PDF mark up program. At the bottom there are questions about my current visa. The actual visa is at this time in my old passport and I will hopefully have it (or some kind of an equivalent) transferred into my new passport when I turn in this form. The form asks for details: Previous Visa Issued at:_______ Date: _______ The original visa they have been working off to give extensions and re-entry permits was issued by Thai Consulate in Los Angeles in 2011. Is that what goes on the form or Jomtien and the date they last issued extension or re-entry. Thanks..GG

BTW: What happens when I go to the US Embassy? I tell them I want to have my visa transferred into my new passport and ??? Do they need anything else from me? Then they just give me a standard form they fill in? Do they want to see other documentation? If I take a bus from Pattaya what is my destination bus station in BKK? Any other tips for getting in and out? Thanks a lot. Gaw Guy

I stay in Pattaya. I don't want to go to US Embassy in BKK to get a note or whatever to take back to Jomtien Immigration to have them do the transfer. I haven't been to BKK since 2010. I bring three suitcases which I will have to take to Pattaya before I go to BKK.

I asked someone I know who works at a foreign consulate in Thailand for suggestions about transferring my current Visa from my old passport to the new passport I will be carrying when I arrive in a few weeks. It was suggested that this could or might be done by Immigration at the airport. That makes good sense, but then again TIT. Do you think it is possible? Thanks, GG

So you are saying that I will have to go to the US Embassy in BKK to get some paperwork. I will not be able to have my Visa transferred in Jomtien without going to BKK first? Very inconvenient and I haven't been t BKK in 10 yrs. Can a Thai consulate in the USA do that when I get my new passport? I have a couple of months before I go to LOS. Thanks, GG

I came across this from Pattaya City Expats Club:Passport (original) withat least 6 months remaining validity. The maximum extension allowedcan be up to one year; but in no case beyond the expiration date of the passport. My passport expires Feb 2, 2017 and that will not work for me as a yearly extension date. April 9 is perfect. Question: To achieve that I would 1) Get a new passport before I go to LOS April 1. 2) Take my cancelled passport with my O-A Visa, current Visa extension until April 9 2016 and current multiple entry stamp. 3) Go to Jomtien and get my O-A Visa transferred into my new passport. 4) Get 1 yr extension and multiple entry stamps. ??? Will that work ??? Transferring things into the new passport doesn't normally require a request by the US Embassy BKK does it? As cavanami had to do ?? GG

My current 1 year O-A visa extension expires April 9, 2016. AnnualIy I go to Jomtien to renew. However my passport expires Feb 2, 2017. Will they give me another year extension, or do I have to get a new passport? If I get a new passport now, my current visa extension and multiple entry stamp will be in my cancelled passport. I assume they are still good, yes or no? Thanks, GG

Young lady had to change her phone number because she could not register her sim. I think that's what she meant. Then she said the reason: เลยโอนตัดเบอร์ What does that last bit mean? I can translate the words but I don't get the meaning. Thanks.. Gawguy

In my original post that started this topic I wrote, "I know it is not practical for someone (meaning foreigners) living in LOS to do so (invest in gold) because of restrictions, so this is not really a Thailand question." Now I see that that probably is not true. I was told by a friend of mine here who owns gold and keeps it other countries that one cannot take gold out of LOS. He said it could be seized. So now I've gotten other feedback and I've looked on line and I see quite the opposite, as in this ThaiVisa post: Posted 2010-11-25 16:30:52 from MoFA website: http://www.mfa.go.th/web/169.php Gold -- Residents may hold and trade domestically in gold jewelery, gold coins and gold bullion. The import and export of gold other than jewelery has recently been deregulated. I am baffled as to what my friend is concerned about. He's not available just now for me to ask him. He's a very knowledgeable person and has lived in LOS part time for 25 yrs or so. Maybe he hasn't gotten the new information.

If there is a way to get any kind of info about a phone number in LOS I don't know what it is. I did come across a note: "No reverse phone numbers in TLand for the moment." I have a missed call from this number and generally I wouldn't care, but I got here recently and one of my favorite friends has gone missing / changed her phone number. I think she may have retired from doing what she used to be doing. She was special in that she wasn't a "professional" at all and when I left I was the only guy she was seeing. I'm trying to find out some info about this number on the off chance that it could be her from some land line. It looks familiar in that I think I may have gotten spam calls from similar before. I don't want to just call it back because then I'll be inviting more solicitation. Thanks, Gaw Guy

Thanks for the insight. This is pretty much the track I'm on and I intend to proceed. I'm not buying gold as an investment, I'm in the category of "insurance against currency fluctuations" - or I'd prefer "hedge against collapse of stock market and currency." One comment: You say you "sold 30% at 1850$ per ounce." Even though I'm not buying as an investment I don't want to be the buy who bought at $1850. The current price $1100 - $1200 seems reasonable by comparison I guess. So I'll buy some, wait and see, and buy some more. Thanks, GG

Do you mean - Do not put it in a safe deposit box at a US bank ?? That's interesting. What is the concern? What is the alternative? "There is a lot to say about gold." Yes indeed! I'm listening... I'm all ears. Thanks, GG

I am thinking of / planning to buy some gold in the form of coins and put it into a safe deposit box in the USA. I am only talking about the value of the metal, not coins with numismatic value. I know it is not practical for someone living in LOS to do so because of restrictions, so this is not really a Thailand question. However we have sophisticated investors on this board with all kinds of experience around the world and in Asia where average people buy and keep a lot of gold. I know expats who keep gold in Singapore and HK. I think stocks and mutual funds are total crap for the average person and all the investment advice and advisors and analysts are bull shit. Throwing darts at a list of stocks or funds gives as good a result as they put out. So what do you think about investing in gold?? Thanks, GG

OK! That's what I call timely advice. Last night home. Read your email, got out of my chair, went to the closet, pulled out a good, light rain jacket and put it in my suitcase. (Otherwise I just have one of those plastic things over there.) Thanks, GG