What are you doing right now..? (Threads Merged)

[Golfingboy]

What an ending in OT, Bills held to a field goal, close fumble call for Philly, then Hurts surprises them with a 12-yard draw for the win…..best game I’ve seen in a while

[boydeste]

Decided to visit immigration here in Hua Hin today, to see if they would allow me to extend my 60 day visa 6 weeks early. 

After a 2 hour wait, it was moderately busy, a very polite, chatty immigration lady stamped me up to 90 days.

Very easy and painless. 

Much better than the hustle and bustle of Jomtien or Patong. 

[Horizondave]

33 minutes ago, boydeste said:

Decided to visit immigration here in Hua Hin today, to see if they would allow me to extend my 60 day visa 6 weeks early. 

After a 2 hour wait, it was moderately busy, a very polite, chatty immigration lady stamped me up to 90 days.

Very easy and painless. 

Much better than the hustle and bustle of Jomtien or Patong. 

My mate who spends 90 days in Thailand a few times a year always tells me it is too hard to get a 60 day tourist visa. Seems he thinks the showing of financial statements is difficult. Maybe he is just lazy.

Did you find getting the visa an easy process?  I always tell my mate to get the 60 day visa, yet he never does and always goes in on a 30 day visa free entry and does a border run after getting the 30 days extended.

I also tell my mate to go the retirement visa route yet again he won't pay out thinking it is to hard to get yet I tell him to get to Pattaya to sort it out or find a decent agent in Hua Hin. He spends more on border runs or flights to nearby SE Asian cities than it would cost to just get the retirement extension.

[Trip]

17 minutes ago, Horizondave said:

My mate who spends 90 days in Thailand a few times a year always tells me it is too hard to get a 60 day tourist visa. Seems he thinks the showing of financial statements is difficult. Maybe he is just lazy.

Did you find getting the visa an easy process?  I always tell my mate to get the 60 day visa, yet he never does and always goes in on a 30 day visa free entry and does a border run after getting the 30 days extended.

I also tell my mate to go the retirement visa route yet again he won't pay out thinking it is to hard to get yet I tell him to get to Pattaya to sort it out or find a decent agent in Hua Hin. He spends more on border runs or flights to nearby SE Asian cities than it would cost to just get the retirement extension.

From the US the Thai electronic 60-day visa process is very easy now. They've simplified the cumbersome documents requirements. e.g., when started they mandated silly things like submit a photo of you holding your passport, didn't allow PDF files, reviews/approvals often took at least 3 weeks. At least now you don't have to go to a consulate or mail your passport somewhere like an embassy. It's all electronic.

Currently, the financial statement can be a simple PDF copy of a recent bank statement and reviews/approvals are usually within a week at most.

[Phantom51red]

Just to confirm,the phone in the rice works,last night couldn't charge phone,totally dead,moisture in port,same this morning,put it in a bowl with uncooked white rice 3 hours later charged up no probs.phew.

[Phantom51red]

1 hour ago, boydeste said:

Decided to visit immigration here in Hua Hin today, to see if they would allow me to extend my 60 day visa 6 weeks early. 

After a 2 hour wait, it was moderately busy, a very polite, chatty immigration lady stamped me up to 90 days.

Very easy and painless. 

Much better than the hustle and bustle of Jomtien or Patong. 

It's painless eh,twice I've used them for 30 days,didn't even need the photos ect I took ,just passport.

[boydeste]

1 hour ago, Horizondave said:

My mate who spends 90 days in Thailand a few times a year always tells me it is too hard to get a 60 day tourist visa. Seems he thinks the showing of financial statements is difficult. Maybe he is just lazy.

Did you find getting the visa an easy process?  I always tell my mate to get the 60 day visa, yet he never does and always goes in on a 30 day visa free entry and does a border run after getting the 30 days extended.

I also tell my mate to go the retirement visa route yet again he won't pay out thinking it is to hard to get yet I tell him to get to Pattaya to sort it out or find a decent agent in Hua Hin. He spends more on border runs or flights to nearby SE Asian cities than it would cost to just get the retirement extension.

You just need to be organised. 

Book the flight, book a hotel.

I just take a photo of the above email, my bank statement, house council tax letter for proof of address, passport, recent picture and upload them as required. 

30 quid and a week later a visa rocks up via email.

1900b to extend and all is good.

[boydeste]

20 minutes ago, Phantom51red said:

It's painless eh,twice I've used them for 30 days,didn't even need the photos ect I took ,just passport.

They made be provide a hard copy of my current hotel booking for some reason this time, also a copy of my passport pages including my entry stamp.

Got these just along from the office in Blueport at a phone shop. I took a picture along, but wasn't needed, she took my photo and printed it out on a new form.

 

[Stillearly]

1 hour ago, Horizondave said:

My mate who spends 90 days in Thailand a few times a year always tells me it is too hard to get a 60 day tourist visa. Seems he thinks the showing of financial statements is difficult. Maybe he is just lazy.

Did you find getting the visa an easy process?  I always tell my mate to get the 60 day visa, yet he never does and always goes in on a 30 day visa free entry and does a border run after getting the 30 days extended.

I also tell my mate to go the retirement visa route yet again he won't pay out thinking it is to hard to get yet I tell him to get to Pattaya to sort it out or find a decent agent in Hua Hin. He spends more on border runs or flights to nearby SE Asian cities than it would cost to just get the retirement extension.

I thought the 60 day visa was a pain in the arse ... they want to to upload loads of documents, many are repeated and ask stupid questions, like who invited you to visit Thailand? 🤷‍♂️ plus they wanted pictures of any stamps in your passport over the last 12 months ... I had five documents to upload , but it only accepts one 🤷‍♂️ it didn't matter anyway and was authorised .... 

I've opted to leave the country and then come back after a week instead of mucking about with the visa for my last two trips and also my next one 

[boydeste]

1 hour ago, Stillearly said:

I thought the 60 day visa was a pain in the arse ... they want to to upload loads of documents, many are repeated and ask stupid questions, like who invited you to visit Thailand? 🤷‍♂️ plus they wanted pictures of any stamps in your passport over the last 12 months 

I upload a picture of my passport again for the question of who invited you.  Lol

Also upload just a picture of my last entry to Thailand.  Like you I have loads from France,  but its never been a problem. 

It does require a bit of patience for sure!

It makes a difference if you want to stay 90 days, because they can get tetchy if you keep trying to enter on too many 30 exemptions. 

Edited November 27, 2023 by boydeste

[tko]

Enjoying Rayong riverside lit up down to the sea and along the seaside for Loi Kratong.

[Horizondave]

Who is Grace Dent?

As much as I read some of the stories on 'Daily Mail Online', I find it incredulous when the main headline is the one below: 

This is news, she is a 'Star'. Who the fcuk is she?

Do I care, absolutely not, but this is what's wrong with the world when this is the main news item. Obviously the Mail have decided this news matters to so many.

If it wasn't for my daughter's education I would be the person 'getting out of here'.

[Glasseye]

6 hours ago, boydeste said:

Decided to visit immigration here in Hua Hin today, to see if they would allow me to extend my 60 day visa 6 weeks early. 

After a 2 hour wait, it was moderately busy, a very polite, chatty immigration lady stamped me up to 90 days.

Very easy and painless. 

Much better than the hustle and bustle of Jomtien or Patong. 

Nice to know, as there may be a time in the future when I will be needing their services.

Also it helps that you know how to present yourself in such circumstances. In other words.... You're not some tatted up slouch, with a Chang wife beater shirt, some shit stained shorts, and three or four drinks under his belt.

[boydeste]

1 minute ago, Glasseye said:

Nice to know, as there may be a time in the future when I will be needing their services.

Also it helps that you know how to present yourself in such circumstances. In other words.... You're not some tatted up slouch, with a Chang wife beater shirt, some shit stained shorts, and three or four drinks under his belt.

Yes, I always attend wearing decent dress shorts and a shirt with a collar. 

A little respect goes a long way methinks. 

[Glasseye]

4 hours ago, boydeste said:

They made be provide a hard copy of my current hotel booking for some reason this time, also a copy of my passport pages including my entry stamp.

Got these just along from the office in Blueport at a phone shop. I took a picture along, but wasn't needed, she took my photo and printed it out on a new form.

 

 

3 minutes ago, Glasseye said:

Nice to know, as there may be a time in the future when I will be needing their services.

Also it helps that you know how to present yourself in such circumstances. In other words.... You're not some tatted up slouch, with a Chang wife beater shirt, some shit stained shorts, and three or four drinks under his belt.

 

 

This is one of those things I respect guys who do this kind of thing themsleves. I know I could sort through it and also deal with it myself.

But, when it comes to visa stuff I almost always use an agent. There are too many little things that can go wrong, and that is something I just don't need. 

The last extension I got in Jomtien. Me and another guy (he turned out to be a retired cop from England for Christ sake.... we talked together for about an hour before we even realized it) went down to Jom immigration with the agent. Sat down and had a cup of tea in the little place next door. Ten minutes later we were back in the car with the stamp and a shit eating grin on both of our faces.

[Phantom51red]

4 hours ago, boydeste said:

I upload a picture of my passport again for the question of who invited you.  Lol

Also upload just a picture of my last entry to Thailand.  Like you I have loads from France,  but its never been a problem. 

It does require a bit of patience for sure!

It makes a difference if you want to stay 90 days, because they can get tetchy if you keep trying to enter on too many 30 exemptions. 

On the 30 days exemption s ,I was told once it was the last time I could enter on one from a very sternfaced female officer,was the time the king died ,told her i going to pay my respect which i did,ex gf s fault,,the next trip back I had a multi entry for a year,always expect it coming soon again.

[tko]

1 hour ago, Glasseye said:

 

 

 

This is one of those things I respect guys who do this kind of thing themsleves. I know I could sort through it and also deal with it myself.

But, when it comes to visa stuff I almost always use an agent. There are too many little things that can go wrong, and that is something I just don't need. 

The last extension I got in Jomtien. Me and another guy (he turned out to be a retired cop from England for Christ sake.... we talked together for about an hour before we even realized it) went down to Jom immigration with the agent. Sat down and had a cup of tea in the little place next door. Ten minutes later we were back in the car with the stamp and a shit eating grin on both of our faces.

Having lived in Thailand for a while, and in that time using three different immigration offices, but never in a tourist area.  I don't think there are any agents outside the tourist areas.  Because immigration is simple and quick out here in non-tourist Thailand.

My theory:  Many people in the tourist areas want to circumvent the really simple immigration rules (simpler than the US for sure).  They're willing to pay to do that.  A whole industry grows up around corrupt foreigners wanting to expedite or not fulfill the rules of the process, and the IOs are happy to go corrupt and take their cut.  Now everyone in those areas needs to pay an agent.

Out in non-tourist Thailand you only need a bank letter, signed copies of passport pages and bank book pages, 1900 Baht, and less than 30 minutes once a year.

Edited November 27, 2023 by tko

[Glasseye]

28 minutes ago, tko said:

Having lived in Thailand for a while, and in that time using three different immigration offices, but never in a tourist area.  I don't think there are any agents outside the tourist areas.  Because immigration is simple and quick out here in non-tourist Thailand.

My theory:  Many people in the tourist areas want to circumvent the really simple immigration rules (simpler than the US for sure).  They're willing to pay to do that.  A whole industry grows up around corrupt foreigners wanting to expedite or not fulfill the rules of the process, and the IOs are happy to go corrupt and take their cut.  Now everyone in those areas needs to pay an agent.

Out in non-tourist Thailand you only need a bank letter, signed copies of passport pages and bank book pages, 1900 Baht, and less than 30 minutes once a year.

 

I am not sure if you've ever experienced a full day at the Jomtien Immigration office. It was not the most pleasant day I've ever experienced.

I believe that in time it will become something much easier.

I don't take offense to what you mentioned above, as I am sure there is  some degree (obviously) of what you referred to as true. But, there are certainly many, many folks who prefer to have some assistance in going through the legalities and processing for such an important document.

Some people don't hire lawyers when they probably sould have. And been much better off if they had. 

Stigmas can be stigmas, there's no getting around the fact that people can and will think what they are going to think. But, often stigmas are blown out of proportion or passed along through time. Often by people who don't always know what the fcuk they are talking about.

[Phantom51red]

What a great sunset tonight, the cloud formation made it dramatic.

 

[Glasseye]

8 hours ago, Phantom51red said:

Just to confirm,the phone in the rice works,last night couldn't charge phone,totally dead,moisture in port,same this morning,put it in a bowl with uncooked white rice 3 hours later charged up no probs.phew.

 

You're lucky mate. Doesn't always work out that way. 

I had the wet phone experience back in 2020. It turned into a horror story. The phone problem was the catalyst for a number of negatives that cascaded into a shitfest. It is also when I learned to hate Verizon and realized what a terrible company it is. 

If I ever meet you down in HH some day, I'll tell you the story. Unreal what these mother fcukers do.

[Glasseye]

12 minutes ago, Phantom51red said:

What a great sunset tonight, the cloud formation made it dramatic.

 

 

Friggen great pic mate !

[Binlid]

Just got home from work to a letter from the hospital. I will at long last be having a double arthroscopy on my knees on 21st of December, a temporary fix before an inevitable half or whole knee replacement in the future. Anybody any experience of this procedure and its outcome?

[KhunDon]

11 hours ago, boydeste said:

Decided to visit immigration here in Hua Hin today, to see if they would allow me to extend my 60 day visa 6 weeks early. 

After a 2 hour wait, it was moderately busy, a very polite, chatty immigration lady stamped me up to 90 days.

Very easy and painless. 

Much better than the hustle and bustle of Jomtien or Patong. 

Hua Hin Immigration Office has always been good IMHO even during the early days where they were constantly changing the site of the office. 
I used BKK Immigration office 2 times and it was a bloody nightmare, not to mention the journey to get there.
Luckily we only had to make the trip from Pathum Thani, having made a visit too the inlaws from HH the day before.
In the end, I did my early extensions by post which worked well, but still meant a yearly trip to the BKK office and of course the inevitable trip to China Town to buy fabric for my wife’s dresses and for my shirts to be made back in HH. 🤗

[Glasseye]

5 minutes ago, KhunDon said:

Hua Hin Immigration Office has always been good IMHO even during the early days where they were constantly changing the site of the office. 
I used BKK Immigration office 2 times and it was a bloody nightmare, not to mention the journey to get there.
Luckily we only had to make the trip from Pathum Thani, having made a visit too the inlaws from HH the day before.
In the end, I did my early extensions by post which worked well, but still meant a yearly trip to the BKK office and of course the inevitable trip to China Town to buy fabric for my wife’s dresses and for my shirts to be made back in HH. 🤗

 

Over all the years I went to Chinatown in BKK once. I swore that day I would never go back.

[maipenrai]

1 hour ago, Glasseye said:

 

I am not sure if you've ever experienced a full day at the Jomtien Immigration office. It was not the most pleasant day I've ever experienced.

I believe that in time it will become something much easier.

I don't take offense to what you mentioned above, as I am sure there is  some degree (obviously) of what you referred to as true. But, there are certainly many, many folks who prefer to have some assistance in going through the legalities and processing for such an important document.

Some people don't hire lawyers when they probably sould have. And been much better off if they had. 

Stigmas can be stigmas, there's no getting around the fact that people can and will think what they are going to think. But, often stigmas are blown out of proportion or passed along through time. Often by people who don't always know what the fcuk they are talking about.

A couple of trips ago - before Covid - I did the visa extension at the Jomtien office - I'd been by it a few times before to check out busy times and I think I went in mid-week early in the morning; I'd done my research and had all my paperwork right and I was out of there within an hour. Fast forward to last trip when I was contemplating the same thing - I was staying not far from the Immigration office and checked it out daily for a few days, and each day it was a madhouse no matter what the time - I finally just gave up on the idea and booked a flight to PP instead. This time around I will either use an agent if I want to stay in Pattaya, or I'll try the process in a smaller  centre while doing some travelling upcountry.