Jesus Mark, saying "I had no problem" when opening a bank account................years ago, is pretty pointless. Surely you are, as I and most are, aware that opening a bank account (post covid, but not relating to) on a tourist visa is much more difficult than it used to be. Got any more nuggets of wisdom, or are you walking around semi unconscious with your head in the clouds ?
not saying anything about you. I believe what you say. I'm saying that anything involving thai immigration is no guarantee, or proof of anything, given that we should all now know that thai immigration is one of the most blatant corrupt government bodies outside of the third world, on a petty scale with their 300-500 baht imaginary charges, or to turn a blind eye to something or someone, upto the mass movement, at lunchtimes, of people that should or shouldn't be allowed through border points under scrutinisation, and of course don't forget the developing industry of Visa Agents, with close ties with immigration itself. Surely you've seen the envelopes passed around, and they ain't writing letters to each other. Therefore a proven criminals word, is pretty much worthless. Agents are just the English speaking cashiers that collect money and pass it on to which ever immigration Officer, at suitable, sensible, safe and secure time and place, usually a carpark to hand over single payment, covering hundreds or thousands of moody immigration services, a preferred alternative to fumbling disorganised idiot tourists dropping cash, notes and coins everywhere while trying to covertly slip the IO his 2000 baht 'fee'.
"legally through immigration" that itself is a major f#cking contradiction. There is little else more questionable than ANYTHING involving thai immigration. Like saying your tax accounts are legit, signed off by a Finance Officer from Uganda.
in my experience/opinion, it's not so much that 'healthy' food is so readily available (that which i was used to eating in the west), if so at great expense or effort to source. Anything imported is heavily taxed. Nuts and seeds, non tropical fruits, and of course fresh quality meat and fish etc. And within the local cuisine you have to chose carefully to eat healthily, as much food is fried (most don't have ovens) and they add sugar to everything. I see and hear people travelling across cities to pick up whatever latest craze of health foods are. And I see newly arrived couples in a supermarket picking out supplies for their 5-7 days meal plans like they are superior to the locals, and I'm thinking, thats gonna cost so much more than buying in local restaurants. Also, I didn't come Thailand to eat overnight oats, so I've given up caring for now. Pattongkho (deep fried doughnut sticks dipped in sweet milk, deep fried battered chicken and sticky rice, washed down with coke-cola. For breakfast. And for laundry, I dress differently here. I don't buy expensive clothes any more. Nothing that needs an iron. All dark clothing. So for 50-70 ? baht per kilo, I drop mine in a local shop, and saveยน my time for other things.
I would argue that most DONT have washing machines. Maybe 20,000 baht/month rentals and up, will start to include a washing machine. But those in smaller/cheaper rental homes and single room dwellings won't have machines. There is usually a machine or group of, under a covered roof for residents and non residents to use. On koh samui it seems like at least 75% of thais live in these kind of homes, maybe 85-95%. And for the OP, it's not a case of 'eating out' but cooked meals are bought at meal times, like a take-away. The staple meals like khao kah moo, khao man gai, bamee moo daeng and all forms of noodles/soups, bbq meats, fried chicken, khanom, its all readily available, tasting great and dirt cheap, and there's no piles of dirty pots and pans, so no washing
Up. Its a different world here. A different life. Foreigner's that come here and cook ??? Now that shit is weird. I haven't even put a slice of bread in the toaster in 5 years. The kitchen in my villa, still the headquarters of the whole house, but nothing gets cooked. It's a 'show kitchen' - it is just for show.
you don't get it do you Bill ? What is your experience of thai visas ? Do you live in Thailand ? Have you ever had or wanted a multi entry tourist visa ? Did you read any other comments before you replied incorrectly ? As that would have shown you that what you think is wrong, and maybe stopped you replying incorrectly or even at all. Even when I have told you that you are wrong, and what the correct answer is, AND where you can go to see why/how this is the correct answer, and that you are wrong, you still tell me to 'look on the document'. It is clearly not that simple. I don't even need to look at the document to know and to tell you the maximum possible time in country, and how to achieve it. Perhaps not an area of expertise for you. If your going to offer answers, at least go where directed to learn the correct answer. ๐
you speak more languages than I do, but I can see where you went wrong, and hopefully we can prevent it happening again. So yes, anything less than one year, including your 3 month visa - no reporting required. And if you get a 12 month extension of stay, then that WILL require 90 day reporting, continously, for as long as you are on that visa. Do it no less than 14 days in advance online/post, or upto 7 days after in person, or 2000 baht fine.