I don't think you have to go through customs or immigration, you are just switching planes. your checked luggage will be checked to bkk when you check-in back in the US.

Also, since your flights are on the same ticket it is the airline's responsibility to get you to your destination so if, for example, your flight from the US to HK/Seoul/Tokyo or where ever is late they have to/will put you on another flight to BKK (or possibly you might have to spend a night in a hotel and fly to BKK the next day, on their dime of course).

Or the plane to BKK might even wait you, that happened to me once (though I was one of the people waiting on the plane when some flight from some european city was late to helsinki where we were waiting to fly to BKK).

In any case don't worry about that too much.

I don't know much about flying from the US to here but I have heard many flying via Seoul.

If you want to save a bit more money you can take a flight with a layover in mainland China on an airline with the word "China" in it. Do not do this unless there's nothing else in that price range.

I flew Korean Air, Chicago to Seoul to CM. Was by far the least expensive option, and one of the few that only had one stop. Korean Air is a nice airline... I also have flown Chicago to Tokyo to BKK on ANA and it was probably the nicest airline I've ever flown, they fed us like 6 times and drinks were free and unlimited!

What are you long term guys doing about visas? I've been here a few years now but it looks like immigration is going crazy and not wanting to give out tourist visas to long term people anymore. But the only visa that seems to make sense for me (under 50, no need to work in Thailand) is tourist.

Try an education visa. Search the thread or google for more details.

Can stay 14 months without leaving the country, easy to obtain. Just have to study thai language/boxing or know enough thai to blag your way through interview at immigration if they ask you questions.

Ya, but on the flip side, you have to stay for 14 months... Not the worst thing ever, but it's nice to have a multi entry so you can check some other stuff out.

You can leave the country on an ED visa, as many times as you like, all you need is a Re-entry permit.

I've got a guy who set up an EDU visa for me and a friend. We don't have to go to classes and when it's time to go to immigration he meets us and takes the papers in while we wait outside. That way there is no danger of getting a quiz from some hardass. So far everything has gone perfectly.

Seen a couple recommendations for the top floor of Jungceylon to buy electronics... didn't see any there yesterday, wtf. Are there several different mall buildings?

Also is there any alternative to taxi or motor bike for getting around town? I'd like to go around to some different stores but it's going to cost a fortune by taxi and I'm trying to avoid motor bikes for now, at least until the whole driving-on-the-left-side-of -the-road-thing stops freaking me out and I locate some decent insurance, which if anyone has a recommendation for I'd love to hear it.

If you are younger than 50, and dont work here in Thailand, getting long term visa can be a problem, because you dont fall into a specific category.

En education visa makes most sense for most long term stayers.
Most people sign up, but never go to classes, but if you stay here long term, why not try to learn something along the way? After all, its only like 2 hours two times a week or something.
Anyway, you dont even have to study Thai language. Some people get it for training muay thai, and in theory you can get it based on whatever you want to study.

@sterlinguini
It´s on the same floor as the cinema. Yes, there are two buildings.
Which electronics where you looking to buy?

Getting around in Patong is either by motorbike, taxi/tuktuk or walking.

i cant just get a 90 day tourist visa and keep extending it?

no

you can extend a tourist visa by 30 days only once, if its double entry you can extend it twice but you have to leave/enter the country after the first 90 days.

You can hire a car for 800-1200 baht per day.

thanks, I'll skip the beers before heading in today

I need a mobile 3g stick, a cell phone, and wanna check out laptops too as I'm worried about power outages and one of those Asus with crazy battery life sounds like the perfect back up plan.

thanks pokerspiv also for letting me know about hiring a car for a day. Will def come in handy while house hunting.

Was also wondering if anyone knew someone with a car who'd be willing to drive a few guys around to look at houses for a day for some not outrageous price.

He cannot go to immigration for you. They want the passport holder to show up, right?

TIT

so i cant just get a non-immigrant o-visa and leave the country every 90 days like mentioned in the sticky?

gayyyyyyyyyyyyy. going to embassy tuesday, giving them a call tomorrow hopefully theyre open on columbus day

unfortunately that visa is no longer available that easily. have to be married, have a child with a thai or retired etc..

shop around to get a good price for the 3G stick. there is a lot of air in the prices when you go to those booths at 3rd floor jungceylon and they might try to overprice stuff if you look clueless

and get an UPS for power outages. if you meant you need a laptop when the power goes out for hours then obv that is a good plan. though that doesnt happen that often

i got couple of numbers you can call to get a driver for the day. PM me to get them if you still need

k, so only option aside from edu visa is getting a multi-entry 60day visa and extending it twice?

i really have no interest in studying thai seriously.

you dont have to study thai, theres other stuff.

He has a guy. We don't go into the building or speak with any immigration employees.

Get USB stick at a large electronics store. Will be like half what they want in the booths.

Has anyone here actually gotten an educational visa for other stuff than studying thai? About anything would be more interesting than learning thai

^can do it at a muay thai kickboxing school, or scuba diving school

thai is a pretty fun language tho'