Anyone else notice how Powell’s rate cut talk gave non-tech stocks like JPM, XOM, and CAT a nice boost? Kind of funny since tech usually steals the spotlight. Got me thinking how shifts like this affect where we put our money while living in Thailand on the DTV, especially when we’re all trying to stretch our baht a little further. Do you guys invest back home while enjoying life here, or just keep it simple and focus on Thailand life?

Hey, everyone! I’m a solo female cyclist from the Philippines who’s currently cycling across Thailand.🚴🏽‍♀️❤️

I’m almost at the end of my visa in Thailand. I got a 60-day visa exemption + 30 day visa extension from the immigration office.

I kinda expected to be done with my route for Thailand, finishing at Ubon Ratchathani to cross into Pakse and do the Boloven Plateau by bicycle, but since I’m cycling during rainy season, the weather’s quite unpredictable and sometimes heavy rainfall and storms take away precious cycling time. ⛈️

I’ve also realized my body’s tired from this nearly 5-month cycling trip and I need to slow down a bit on the bike.

I was thinking of going into Laos for a border run to get another 60-day visa exemption. Ideally, I would like to cross from Nong Khai because of the train services there that can take my bicycle. For other borders, I need to cycle and I have until August 28 to leave Thailand, but I’ve also heard so many notorious things about Nong Khai visa runs. 🚲

This will be my first border bounce. I’m not opposed to staying in Laos for a day or even a week / few weeks then head back to Thailand to complete my ride.

However, I’ve entered Thailand by land twice this year already.

First, during March just before Songkran via Nong Khai land border. Second, during May via Ban Phakkad just before they closed the Cambodian border.

For my first entry, I stayed 60 days in Thailand. My boyfriend came to visit so we traveled together, then I used the remaining 2 weeks to cycle to Cambodia.

I spent 3 weeks cycling in Cambodia before coming back to Thailand again (second land border entry) to recover because I was hit by a drunk driver, so it wasn’t really a border run but a cycling loop. (Thailand - Cambodia - Thailand)

My question is:

1️⃣ Will I be allowed reentry to Thailand given the circumstances and situation?

2️⃣ Will I get a higher chance of getting back to Thailand if I take my bicycle with me and show it to the border / IO? (proof I’m really traveling in Thailand)

Or will it be better to leave the bike with a friend who lives close to the border?

3️⃣ Will I get a better chance of getting back to Thailand if I go with a visa run agency or if I take a flight and come back to the country? This means I have to leave the bike, regardless.

4️⃣ What’s the best course of action? Should I take the chance for the border bounce or just move forward to the next country and abandon the loop?

If it helps, I understand my Philippine passport is weak, I have extensive travel history (7+ years of full-time travel, 35+ countries), so my passport has plenty of proof I’ve traveled to different places.

When the immigration officer asked for my return flight for the visa extension, I told them I was cycling and came to the immigration office with my bicycle. They were very friendly and even went to check out my bike at the parking lot. They thought the trip was actually cool. ☺️ They were even worried I was doing it solo as a woman.

This helped me dodge the return flight requirement, since I wasn’t really planning on staying in Thailand, and since I really came here to cycle. I still had to book a hotel, but that can be done if the officers inquire at the border. Bank statements won’t be an issue, but since I’m traveling by bike and solo, also camping outdoors and in national parks, I prefer not to carry the 20,000 THB they might ask to show at the border.

My experience with Thai immigration, police, and other officials while cycling has been lovely, and all of them have understood what I’m trying to accomplish with the trip. 🙏🏽

It’s my first time doing a “border bounce”, so I would appreciate any guidance towards the less riskiest option. ☺️

Thank you for your help and safe travels! ❤️

[ I originally didn’t want to post a photo of me with the bike due to privacy reasons and not drawing attention.., but apparently some people think this fake?? 🤣 Like seriously??

So yes, here you go, here’s the bike, she’s actually a cute, strong, unassuming little trike, and yes, I’m a real person, an actual tourist cycling in Ayutthaya ]

I have an interview, do I need to bring pictures of myself as one of the documents they want me to bring?

Other than that I will bring bank statements, the softpower documents, cover letter and passport.

Is there anything else needed?

Just a heads up to people who signed up for those "year long ED visa/extensions" where you don't go to school. <- Those are the ED visas from visa mill schools and agents that get you the visa/extension for a fee..

The gov't made a change in the way private schools report attendance and many MANY people found out that because they didn't attend class (or even log in for the online learning from the school) their extension was cancelled by immigrations.

More than a few people found out about this AFTER they went to either apply for another year of an ED visa via an agent/agency, when they went to get documentation to cancel their extension from their school or when they went to exit the country.

It sure caught a lot of people off guard leaving the country when passport control at the airport told them that their extension had been cancelled MONTHS ago, they owed 20K baht in overstay fines AND (if their cancellation was done more than 90 days before they were also banned from thailand for a year :O )

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up. If you're on one of those year long ED visas thru a private school (or a private school running under a uni name) CHECK with your school that things are okay.

Last thing you want/need is to find out your ED visa/extension was cancelled without you knowing it and you're on overstay facing a possible ban of re-entering thailand

Let me share my latest experience. I spent 4 days in Vietnam and returned to Bangkok yesterday. Upon entry, I showed the DTV visa on my phone, which they compared with the data on their computer. I received a new 6-month stamp without a word, nobody asked me any questions, and the whole process took about 2 minutes.

Bank account opened on medical grounds, while on medical DTV. Poke the bear or not.

Ive had a Bangkok Bank account for about a year now. Getting a bit anxious with all the issues now.

While I am on DTV, my account was opened based on “paying medical treatment with treatment above 3 months” It was internal clause a thai friend found for me. And account opened at first branch i tried. 1 year ago. I am under ongoing long term treatment.

I am tempted to go to my Branch with my new condo lease, AIS verification, treatment plan from hospital, Thai Driver License, Passport with visa and stamps.

BUT am I better NOT poking the bear while things are working? So far no issues, recently bought a new car for 1m, about to make another large expense.

Thing is I will leave Thailand for about 6 weeks soon, and I have around 1m in emergency funds on this account. I keep slowly taking out cash just in case. And I do have other backups payment methods and funds.

Poke the bear or leave it sleeping?

Edit: Thanks all. Definitely letting the beat sleep

Anyone DTV holders with locked Bangkok bank accounts have any updates, week of Aug 25?

Wishing all of you good luck that there will be some good news on Monday and not just “account closed, wait 10 days for withdrawal”

Hey guys!

First off, thanks for all the info you guys share on this group, it’s been super helpful. This might be sorta long, but bare with me because I kinda have to add context to make it make sense lol

I’ve been in the process of applying for the DTV as a freelancer from Chennai, India. I wasn’t sure of exactly how to fill in my name in the application so I had emailed the Thai consulate here for clarification. They responded back telling me to fill in my entire “given name”(first and middle name) from the passport in the “first name” field, leave the “middle name” field blank and add a -(hyphen) symbol in the “last name” field since the surname field in my passport is blank.

So I followed their advice and filled it that way and submitted the application. I’m supposed to go make the payment physically at the consulate since there’s no online payment option here, which basically means my application is on “pending payment” and will be removed if I don’t pay within 14 days.

I was planning on doing the payment today, but I just came across a “Common Mistakes in applying for a Thai E-Visa” page on the ministry of foreign affairs Thailand website while I was looking for something on google. One of the “Don’ts” literally says “DON’T use - or N/A or X or anything to indicate that you do not have that part of the name. Just leave that field blank. But if it is a REQUIRED field, please put - (dash)”

Now as far as I can tell, the last name field on the DTV visa isn’t mandatory or REQUIRED. So, this has now confused the heck out of me lol my full name in the final submitted application shows up as my given name followed by a -

Should I be leaving the last name field blank as well since it’s not a mandatory/required field even though the mail response I received from the consulate in Chennai asked me to add a hyphen for the last name? Wondering if I should submit a new application with the middle and last name left blank and make the payment for that application and let this current one get removed/expire or should I go ahead and make the payment for this one that I’ve already submitted?

It would be a shame to get rejected for something as trivial as this but I’m super confused because of the conflicting information. Thanks in advance, I appreciate you guys 🫡

Doing my 2nd 30 day visa extension today,after my 1st border run.

Now do I need to take new passport size photos even though they have them from the first visit?

Thanks in advance.

Hi all after some advice. UK citizens who spend approx 6mths past 3 years in Thailand - although visited most years previously for shorter periods. We usually come in visa exempt and extend / border bounce / occasionally visit another country. Both got hassled separately at BKK customs last time and told too many visas - so wondering if it will be the same if we apply for the METV in UK before we leave? We'll still have to extend / border bounce to stay 6months so will still be getting more visas. We don't want to live in Thailand full time. Thanks for any helpful advice. I did search and know it was possible previously but seems customs are getting harsher 😉