@Jamie *******

Yep, I bungled some stuff on my end but Derry went above & beyond and sent me some paperwork I had left in Chiangmai. If he can get ME through the process, he can help anyone get a muay thai visa.

@Andi **********

Yep, I was only going to take a look around but the gentleman who runs the place and the trainers were so unassumingly generous and welcoming, I ended up training for 1 session.

I still haven't trained a 2nd session, yet. The other gym goers seemed humble but were able to train hard.

The craziest thing is that the trainer I was working with turned out to be Mr Boonlai, 2 time Lumpini champion 🏆 🥇. I thought he looked familiar but didn't put 2 n 2 together until Derry told me. Boonlai is like the muay thai equivalent of Chris Eubank, in boxing, yet so humble and patient with the overweight likes of me. Lol.

Muay Thai Fever Gym and 'The Wall Fitness' both offer muay thai visas. I think that you would not have to necessarily train regularly if you trained at the wall fitness. It's on Huay Kaew Rd. You should go in and talk to them. Really nice people.

I think a cookery course would also provide you with an invaluable skill. I just feel the Muay Thai visa seems more future proof because it is a perishable skill that so obviously requires constant diligence and honing. So, the long-term stay would be more realistically justifiable.

Cooking might also be described in this way, I guess; just not my cooking skills.

@Andi **********

Thanks mate. Yep, even the security guards at the embassy were so polite.

Yes. Also, I received my DTV successfully a few days ago from the Thai embassy using Muay Thai Fever Gym in Chiang Mai. Derry (the gentleman who does the admin) turned out to be extraordinarily thorough in doing the paperwork; he provided everything necessary and the embassy only looked at a few of the documents. The gym also has champion 🏆 instructors, really really positive people and very good equipment. 👍 10 mind from Nimman Hemin Rd.

That's really good advice, Paul. Thankyou.

Do you need B10-20k baht in cash 💸 when entering the country on a DTV? I remember you needed it on a Tourist Visa.

Most of that technical stuff is a little over my head so I have to rely on just judging someone's integrity and competence face-to-face, which is probably why I can be a bit skeptical, lol, and why I probably make a few mistakes.

Anyway, I think you and the guys at the gym (& most of the other gyms, too) probably have overlapping goals wrt preventing fraud and promoting integrity.

Something tells me you'd all get on really well. Good luck with your idea 💡 👍😊, Stephen.

@Stephen *******

Empowering legitimate services and filtering out fraud sounds like a commendable mission statement for a useful service 👍.

@Stephen *******

I'm more inclined towards your goal now that you've explained it a bit more, though I reserve the right to still be a bit skeptical.

Concerning the Muay Thai Gym in question, the people there have only shown me a super positive attitude. They've also got excellent trainers and very good equipment.

I've been to quite a few gyms in Chiangmai.

I'm really just as impartial an observer as you're likely to get in this matter and my initial thoughts were that your business model came across as a bit extortionate. Now that I know what you're trying to do I can appreciate your perspective a bit more.

I would imagine that the people in the gym were trying to guard potential customers against any fraud or agencies trying to charge extra. Afterall, there are visa agencies out there who, rather than just point potential customers to the gym in question, charge a hefty sum for minimal haphazardly done paperwork.

You also didn't introduce yourself to them before, for the reasons you've now outlined. You can see where and how misunderstandings can occur.

Anyway, I suggest that you pop over to the gym and just have a chat over a cuppa. Great guys and great atmosphere there and you'll have more in-person knowledge of the place. Good luck with your efforts, sincerely.