AlongtheChaoPraya

I have a double-entry Tourist visa (60+30/60+30), and today receieved my first 30-day extension at the new (huge) Immigration facility in BKK. When I was leaving, the girl reminded me of the exact date my 30-day extension would be up.  I mentioned I was going to go to Cambodia.

She then informed me that to activate the second 60-day entry I cannot simply do a quick border run.  She said that I would have to go to the embassy in Phnom Penh.  If that is the case, I wouldn't want to do an over-land trip; I'd rather fly to Penang or somewhere.  Anybody have any experience on this (border run vs. embassy or consulate vs. flying) to activate the second 60-day entry?

A couple of observations:  I went in just before 10 a.m. and my number was called (and I got my business done) before the lunchbreak shut-down.
When I walked out, the queue just to get into the place to get a number was very long.  That means these people had to stand there all through the one-hour lunchbreak, and then wait most of the afternoon probably. So, going in late in the morning doesn't look like it would be a good idea if you want to minimise the hassel.

Also, the fact that my 60-day stamp had expired over the weekend (and I was 'late' to come in and request my 30-day extension) was not an issue (no over-stay fee).  So, it looks like they have a "Monday-Okay" rule, if your stay expires over the weekend, and you go in on the Monday following the weekend.  However, you don't gain anything by going in at the last moment, so it would of course be better to go earlier than later.

Here's a question I think someone could help me with:  My non-immigrant type-B was:

*  Issued on 09 Dec '09.
*  Had to be utilised before 08 Dec '10.
*  First entry was 22 Dec '09  (last year).
*  My last 90-day stamp expires 12 Dec '10 (this Sunday).

The exit-Thailand date was not an issue as I was going West for Christmas until I just found out I have to stay awhile longer here on emergency.  So, I have cancelled my flight.

Is it possible to get longer than two weeks if I do a border run (over-land) this weekend?  I believe that it is, but that I should have left the country with a few-day cushion.  Or do I have to take a plane this weekend to get longer than two weeks?

This might be a misunderstanding, but I am being told by a visa service that I use here that the key date is the 09 Dec 2009 date (not my first entry date, or any other date).  In other words, I cannot get an extension because we are now over one year since the visa was issued.

I would like to know if this is true, but when I asked hypothetically if I had waited a whole year to make my first entry (i.e., up until December of this year), the visa is still a year visa (good for stay in Thailand up until Dec 2011).  This received an astounding 'no'.  So, if you wait a few months to utilise your visa, it would only be good for stay in the Kingdom for the remaining part of the 12-month period?

Any help would be appreciated. Cheers.

We all know that unless Nicotine is taken in very large doses, it is harmless (other than being addictive).  Nicotine gum and the patches are great examples. In fact, it can increase brain function, hinder dementia and Parkinson's, stimulate the ADHD brain into action, etc.  The point is they have only found benefits of long-term use of gum use.  So why not put it into a harmless vapor?  Since so many of us want to quit smoking cigarettes - the equivalent of sticking your mouth on an exhaust pipe to breathe in harmful tar and chemicals - and do not really like the gum or the patches - the electronic cigarettes are becoming more popular and cheaper world-wide. The reputable suppliers in the West are selling out as fast as they can stock the stuff. Many of us have families that will suffer if we never are able to give up the fags.  So, it is time to stand up to the governments who want to ban e-cigs and fear of the loss of tax revenue on regular tobacco products at the great expense of premature illness and death of countless smokers.  It is time to stop letting threads die, preventing information from being shared and putting off what will sooner or later be an obvious healthy alternative to this terrible habit we got ourselves mixed up in.  Where can we find it???  What vendors are legit???