As others said yes. I would hire an agent. I married a Thai and first tried in Chiang Mai but was super complicated so gave up. Hired an agent who drove us to chiang rai and got married.

If you are 48 I would get the tourist visa. Sign up for kick boxing if you want to get healthy or sign up for a year ED visa to learn Thai. Learning Thai will come in handy. That gives you 15 months. Do a couple border bounces until you turn 50. Once 50 just need 800,000 in the bank.

@Jenny *****

oh feed the giraffes and go to the aquarium at the zoo is great for the kids. I am not trying to advertise my YouTube channels but this video shows us exploring the city and how simple and easy it is to get around without a car. Other videos show the condo with gym we stay at. I have another channel that focuses on nature.

@Jenny *****

if you rent a condo they all should have gyms. I hate riding bikes and don’t own a car. Use the “grab” app for rides from 100-150 baht is average to get around the city and a ton of things to do. Elephant tours will pick you up and drop you off is the norm. Locals fish in the river in the city.

Sorry I meant to say west of Krabi not east. I stayed at “natural cafe Krabi” right on the water. She had a pool and arranged a lot. Such as got us a driver for the day for 1500 baht. The pier is 1km away and rented a boat for 5 hours for 1500 baht. Boat driver picked us up. Can get a great massage on location. I stayed a week and got bored. Also spent a few weeks on different islands but got bored. I love it but get bored after a week.

Chiang mai has amazing food, I have tons of places within a few blocks of me including the night market. Can be camping in the mountians in 30 minutes or stay at fancier places with beautiful Mountain View’s. I would even suggest renting a car for a week and visiting Doi Suthep to the west of the city. I have seen and swam at 50 waterfalls and eaten amazing food at some hill trip villages all around the city. Went to hill tribe growing coffee, another one strawberries, and it’s all amazing culture experience.

I live in Chiang Mai. “Chiang mai Eco Trekking” with Ping was by far the coolest adventure I have done in Thailand. We did the 3 days remote hill tribes, 6 hour bambo rafting, elephants, feeding, bathing. Unforgettable adventure. He takes families and stay with real hill tribes people.

Phuket was crowded and felt expensive and we didn’t make any cool memories there. East of Krabi was cheaper and stayed on the beach and rented a private boat driver to see all the islands was fun.

I have been in Thailand for 7 months on COVID extension and I asked Chiang Mai immigration if I need to do 90 day reporting. The woman laughed and said no.

@Robert ******

thank you 😊

@James *******

thank you. I lost my voice but fever is gone now. Such a weird sickness.

@Ellie ******

I was wondering that as well. I assume the Officer figured out I was going apply for a COVID extension looking at my previous stamps but being quarantined made it impossible. That is my guess.