Dude, this is not Taiwan/Japan/Korea. In these 3rd world SEA countries you can get basically anything you want, if you have the cash to back it up. Probably mirrions of peeps have used volunteer visa, education visa and what not and not done any of that stuff. Same as you can easily get a business visa without doing any business in Cambo and so forth, just a matter of cash...

Just be careful if you ever plan on getting an Elite Visa in the future. If you've had a volunteer or education visa then they probably won't accept you. Not a big deal for most, but worth noting.

The new Elite Visa prices have really narrowed the target audience down to the rich though. I got in at the buzzer at the old prices, but would definitely no longer be interested at the new price points.

I'll be heading Chiang Mai to live for a few months. Anyone know of grinders who live there or other poker players? It'll be my first time in the city keen to meet any other poker guys.

The agent said I have to do 12 days of volunteering, but only 2-3 hours a day. At some point in the first 3 months. Haven't done any yet. Then the 3 month initial visa gets extended another year for 15 months.

They gave me the invitation letter, a signed copy of the ID of the people that run the foundation, etc., and some other bits. Took it to the Thai consulate in Laos with a bank statement showing over 20k baht and it worked. I renewed my passport for a new one beforehand so it was fresh with no long visa history in thailand full of overstay stamps etc. The agency also has an immigration officer that drives you through the Thai/Laos border both ways in a car, stands with you in the queue etc. so no questions asked there either.

Yeah, they don't accept people with past overstay as well so that rules me out anyway, and agreed on it being overpriced.

Am I seeing this correctly, it's ~$400 a month to live in a country for basically as long as you want and you guys are complaining? That's dirt cheap, you likely still save a bunch of money month over month compared to European countries even with that.

This is not for rich people only, you guys are just exceptionally broke.

It's a fancy tourist visa or temporary visa it is not a permanent residential visa... for people who want to avoid visa running and perpetual travel etc.

It's not being broke but being smart with your money.

But it's also wise by Thai authorities to raise the price if there are more than 2/5 takers though

And you are just exceptionally awkward and unfamiliar with the real world it seems. Of course you are rich if you can spend 5k a year just like that without much thought before any other expenses. And at least BKK, Phuket and a few other areas ain't that cheap, some things are cheaper, some things are actually more expensive than in your average western city. And there is also the question of competitiveness. You can stay for much less in nearby countries so there are certain considerations like that also.

Yah, wasn't the stat that 60% of Americans don't even have the savings to cover a $500 (or was it $1000) emergency? And that's one of the wealthier countries.

Maybe 1 in 10 even have $25k in savings, much less are in a position where they wouldn't mind paying it to live in Thailand.

If the option were live in the West or Thailand, then it might make some financial sense, but there are plenty of places just as cheap or cheaper than Thailand that could be options.

Mexico, Argentina, and others in LatAm are fairly simple to live in even without residency. Colombia has a super easy digital nomad visa (only requires like $900/month in earnings I think). In E. Europe/W. Asia you have Albania, Georgia, Armenia, which offer 6 months to a year tourist visas for certain nationalities, and then in SEA, I'm not too well versed on the options, but it seems at least Philippines is relatively easy for 3+ years.

All correct, I think it was $1k. As for visas I know Cambo is also still easy, you can just renew your business visa every year, costs some money but much less than the elite visa. I don't know the latest on the other countries but given the hordes of Russians and Ukrainians reportedly there, Vietnam and Indonesia can't be that difficult either. Not sure Malaysia, Laos. Singapore is not easy.

Talking of Russians, I did a border run to Cambodia and the visa run agency said on their website to avoid Sunday cuz it's more busy because of some nationalities compared to any other day. Like a girl here told me once, 'don't listen to people, you have ears and eyes, believe only what you see and ear yourself!'.

Sunday was my last day for my visa so I remembered her 10/10 life advice and I chose to go see by myself how bad or not it is to to do a border run there on a Sunday.. Man, the visa run agency didn't lie! 5hours waiting time at the border, easily 2x more wasted time compared to any other day. And Russians/Ukrainians EVERYWHERE! Like 95% of white people there were all Russians or Ukrainians, I am dead serious, I never saw that, mind blown. Also Russians can border run to infinity, no limit, mind fkn blown again.

Yo Gonzo post some more TRs

Since I posted the last degenning TR, I calmed down, man. I started to date a girl from central Thailand who is living now in Bangkok, non working girl, mid twenties hot girl (7.5/10). I dumped her a few weeks ago while we were in Nana together for the lulz, after that moment, that night, penor me found happiness from a 'not so wife material' girl found in the Nana area of Bangkok.

Post a TR here and I post mine here with pics after your post

Wow thanks for that detailed explanation. I went to Thailand back in July and absolutely loved it, thinking about possibly moving there in the next couple of months so been doing a lot of research. Getting a visa for a long-term stay is one of the issues I've been concerned about. You applied for this visa while in Thailand?

So you only have to do 12 days of volunteering for the entire 15months?? And what kinda charity/volunteer work is it exactly?

Curious about this too, my ED visa finishes in april and at school they told me you can't do 3 years of ED no more, only at universities, so I'm looking for alternative visas in BKK as I wanna move there.

Alternative is to change your passport and to start again. (No sure about your country but the process is easy just say it's damaged, you'll have to go to Bangkok tho).


Most of the volunteer visa are dodgy and immigration are really looking into them this time

I've done that before, this current passport is quite fresh with one ED visa and one METV so it feels too soon to fly back home and get a new one (don't have an embassy of my country in BKK and need a visa to enter Thailand each time as we don't have visa exemption).

Damn dude, thought you were Chiang Mai 4 life.

I'm trying to find some info about this but didn't see anything online. Not questioning you but just wondering why this is?

I'm someone that genuinely has an interest in getting better at Thai and was wanting to actually go about the right way, find a reputable, good school to sponsor my visa for a year before I fork over the 1m baht for elite.

Does anyone know why this is the case? Seems weird and backwards for the thai gov't to turn down a foreigner that wants to spend the money that previously spent a year learning thai.

So did my friends, they still don't believe I'm leaving and are sure that I'll be back after a few months or whatever.

I already know CNX is the best place to live but gotta move for a while just cuz it's been 7+ years of living basically in the same neigborhood, this is not what I came to Asia for.

Join the Facebook group "Thailand Elite Visa Members Group" for the best info.

Yah, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Even if someone did abuse visas in the past, if they're willing to shell out the money for Elite, then who cares?

https://www.thaienquirer.com/50744/t...5cKzafC2BteHJ4


gg

^Well good thing I didn't go for the last minute 20y 1m elite lol. Yeah Thai govt is just too unpredictable. It could be like in Indonesia where theoretically you have to pay, in practice nobody enforces anything, but uncertain obv.

Seems like this won't affect Americans? I'm already paying to the IRS and it says they'll honor the double tax treaties.

"The program will begin January 1, 2024 and apply only to tax residents in Thailand meaning tourists and short term workers will be exempt."

Where does this leave students and volunteers?

But yea, knowing how things work here it could end up being nothing. Also wouldn't be surprised if it's a rule designed to target certain nationality that might be "abusing" the system, but not sure which one as China for example (1st one that came to mind) is in the double tax arrangement list.

Reportedly the target are mainly rich/middle class Thais using foreign banks and company constructs to evade their contributions. But just hearsay. Remains to be seen how it works out.