Jump to content

atecom

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    67

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by atecom

    Driver's License Procedures Chiang Mai

    in Chiang Mai

    Posted

    3 hours ago, ThaiBrian said:

    Will I be rejected a health certificate if I have high blood pressure? I don't want to take pills, I want to live on the edge. 

     

    Some of you are saying they won't accept a Certificate from a clinic? So go to an actual hospital and pay ~200 THB? What's the test consist of at the hospitals? Will they cup you between the legs and have you cough? 

    I got my license despite my blood pressure readings being high. Didn't seem to cause any issues, though that was early last year.

    Incorrect entry expire date

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    Hi,

     

    I recently realised that when Passing through Padang Besar near the end of October on a METV, they accidentally stamped my entry expiry as being in December 2020 instead of 2019. I wish to extend my entry at Chiang Mai by 30 days later this month, will I run into any issues due to this mistake? Or will they just correct it when I apply for the extension?

     

    Regards

    ~Eamon

    Max no extensions a year?

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    I was at CM Immigration getting my TV extended, when I caught part of a conversation between a guy next to me and an IO. I didn't hear all of what was said, or what type of entry this guy was on, but i heard something along the lines of 'So if i get this extended, I can go out, come back again and get it extended again?' to Which the IO said 'Yes max 2 times per year'. Has anyone heard of a max 2 per year policy for tourist visa extensions?

     

    Regards

    ~Eamon Delaney

    What does this stamp mean?

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    Im not sure what the stamp says, but it looks like the standard denied entry stamp, and by the sounds of it he breached the max 2 visa exempt entries at land borders per calendar year rule. I think thats a 9 written on the stamp, which references 2.9 of the immigration act, which I think is incorrect or no visa. Should be fine to fly in if they have no long stay history in Thailand.

    Better return option from Penang, DMK or Padang Besar?

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    It just so happened that I had one. Because I didn't want to be worried about schedules, in case of train delays, potential missing flight from Hat Yai... etc, I had booked to stay in Hat Yai for a couple of nights. I had it printed out just in case, and they accepted it when they asked me to show a hotel booking. Didn't seem to be an issue that it didn't cover the entire proposed stay length.

    • Popular Post
    • Popular Post

    Pedang Besar border update

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    I know some people like to know how the various entry points are operating, so I will write about my recent experience at the Pedang Bsar border entry, entering from Malaysia into Thialand. Most of this information is probably already known, but I will just provide an up to date statement, in case there are people who are unaware.

     

    Took the train up from Butterworth, I have an METV issued in Sydney, I have never had issues entering at Chiang Mai Airport, but thought I would give Pedang Besar a try to see what it was like.

     

    Upon arriving at Pedang Besar station in Malaysia, there seemed to be an area for Thai immigration, but it seemed closed. I met a fellow traveller who was attempting the Pedang Besar entry also on the train up from Butterworth and he enquired to a local where we had to go. From what we could make out, we had to go upstairs, cross a pedestrian bridge and go to the road checkpoint right next to the station. Stamping out of Malaysia was easy enough, just had to do it at one of the booths next to the road. Walking to the Thai border was a easy walk, about 1/2 km, I had a massive wheel case and backpack and managed it without issues. When arriving at the Thai checkpoint I followed a sign which pointed to the left which mentioned arrivals. Over the left side of the road was the arrivals building.

     

    When going in, I had to ask at the booth at the left for the arrival card, which they gave me. After filling it in, I found out that the main queue in the centre is only for Malaysians, all other people have to wait on the left where you are ushered into a room on by one. The servers were down so this took a while. The woman who seemed to have an office in the room would come out, check out passports, ask for flight out, and hotel bookings, then one by one would take us into her office to continue the interview. Be warned, each single immigration processing took around 20 minutes. I was only second in line, and it ended up taking about an hour, due to the careful screening of each person and the servers being down. She carefully went through my passport, made sure I had the previously mentioned documentation. Interestingly, she didn't seem to concerned about my long stay history, more that everything was in order for this entry. She was confused that my Malaysia entry stamp was after the METV issuance date, because she had assumed I got the visa in Malaysia, but resolved that by pointing out the visa was from Sydney. The guy who I met on the train up from Penang was denied entry. I was in the office at the time, and he was still in line for the initial document check, so I couldn't hear exactly why, but I think he may have been trying to enter visa exempt, and didn't have the documentation (Flight out, hotel booking) in order. I wasn't asked to show any money, although I expect that some people would still be expected to, The hotel booking i had was just for the few days I would spend in Hat Yai, it didn't bother her that it didn't cover my entire stay. In the end I was let in. I walked to the left to the Pedang Besar train station on the Thai side which was just under 1KM from the border crossing, still a reasonably straightforward walk despite the amount of baggage I had, and continue on to Hat Yai.

     

    So in short, not sure how I feel about the Pedang Besar crossing, I think its still a friendly crossing if you have your documents in order (Flight out, hotel, money) but strict if you don't, Make sure you get there with plenty of time if you are catching an on wards train cause it seems only 1 person is handling foreigners with enough vetting to last 20 mins per person, so if there are a lot of people, you could expect to spend a long time at this border.

     

    Regards

    ~Atecom

    • Like 7
    • Thanks 2

    Security check upon landing at Changi

    in Singapore General Chat

    Posted

    Arrived in Singapore yesterday, and upon disembarking from the plane, we all had to go through a security checkpoint similar to how you normally would when going to the gates from the front entrance. Had to pass bags through, take laptops out.. etc How long have they been doing this? I have never had to do this at any other airport. Don't be like that, Singapore.

    The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Topic (METV)

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    Just got back from Sydney consulate, they have accepted the proof of balance letter, which just shows the balance from the day I printed it last month, at least for the time being. May have to wait to see if it causes any issues during the application process. Even though the website states that it should be a statement, their leaflets with the list of required documents that I picked up at the embassy said Proof of Balance letter was okay, so I think it may be fine also.

    recent Hanoi experiences?

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    2 hours ago, BritTim said:

    I suspect you have not applied at many embassies/consulates if you think a reluctance by Hanoi to print the documents needed to support your application was being "unfriendly". Almost no consulates would have done that at all. They would have insisted that you go away and get all the required documents before allowing you to apply.

    I on the other hand found Hanoi quite lenient. For me, when I was missing an incoming flight booking which had my name on it (My printout had no name) They used their phone to take a photo of the incoming flight booking confirmation email on my phone.

    Australian passport washed and ruined Need advice

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    My situation was a little different, but I did go through something similar.

     

    Back in June I had to return to Australia for 1 week for a work conference, this was mandatory, so I couldn't miss it on account of being in Thailand, however my company covered the cost of airfares. The weekend before I decided to motorbike out from Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon. Turns out I chose a bad time, as with the rainy season it was monsooning like crazy. Me paying more attention to the roads and little attention to what was in my pockets didn't really think much, until I returned back to the condo. My pocket contents were soaked, including the passport, with just a week before I had to return to Australia for a week. I tried to dry out the passport, but there was clear water damage. Monday was a public holiday, so I couldn't do much, but I flew down to Bangkok on the Monday night, so that on the Tuesday I could seek advice from the Australian consulate there.

     

    I showed the consulate the Australian passport, they said it was still in an okay enough state to return to Australia, as the chip was still fine but they had no idea if it could get me back into Thailand. I got back to Australia, no troubles, and had to organise an emergency passport. As it was replacement for the old, damaged passport, I couldn't use the online application, and I had to use the long passport application which people applying for one for the first time have to use (Requiring Birth certificates and everything). However as I was able to show my old damaged passport, there was no further penalty and its expiration date was 10 years from when I got it replaced. As I had an METV, I jsut brought my old passport along with my new when I entered Thailand, and had no further issues.

     

    Sadly, I don't think I have much info that can help in your specific situation, but I do know how frustrating that situation can be in nonetheless.

     

    Regards

    ~Atecom.

    • Like 2

    Thai 60 day tourist visa in Vietnam any recent experiences ?

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted

    Yep, did mine in Hanoi 2 weeks ago. Quite a simple experience. Booked a hotel next to the train station and was 5 minutes walk from the embassy. Was the only person there when it opened at 9AM.

     

    Be aware that they did write a note on the tourist visa that my exit flight was greater than 60 days, but I had no problems at all getting in at Chiang Mai Airport.

     

    Regards

    ~Eamon Delaney

    • Like 1

    Blue text on tourist visa

    in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits

    Posted · Edited by atecom

    8 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

    @atecom I hope you either have very little time in Thailand in the past 2 years, or are planning to return via a safe land-border.  The wrong IO at a Bangkok airport could make an issue out of that.

    Chiang Mai airport (not via any of the Bangkok ones), with quite a bit of time in Thailand recently, So I guess we will have to see how that goes.

     

    I have had one entry with an outgoing flight greater then 60 days before, where I had put a number greater than 60 in proposed length of stay on the Arrival TM6, that didn't seem to bother them at Chiang Mai immigration before, however nothing was written on the VIsa itself, and they probably don't bother fully reading the TM6. Hopefully worst case scenario, they just make me change my flight back to Australia to within 60 days if they do take issue, guess Ill just have to see.

×
×
  • Create New...