Now there's some common sense. Two visas types ought to be enough.
At the moment, when applying for an online visa, there are so many options that it takes a while to find the correct one. Having similar visa names doesn't help either.
As for fees, Thailand is entitled to charge whatever it likes for visas. However, to retain trust, a country shouldn't be applying sudden and above inflation increases to long stay visas. So far, Thailand passes this test.
By Barry Kenyon
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Gaybutton
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Re: By Barry Kenyon
I agree. Thailand's annual retirement visa fee is 1900 baht. That works out to slightly less than 160 baht per month. Can't complain about that.
Re: By Barry Kenyon
What amazes (amuses) me the most is that Thailand continually tries to turn "Visa's" into a profit-making marketable product.
Sure, all countries have their visa rules and charge accordingly, but it's much different in Thailand. Just look at all of the Visa Schemes they've conjured up just in the past 5 or 6 years that they're trying to sell for mega bucks. I thought the Elite Visa was a total scam from the very beginning and my opinion hasn't budged.
As an expat I'm OK with the annual extension process and it's 1,900 baht fee. No problem there. But the fact that they don't offer expats a 5 year visa for 9,500 baht (5 X 1,900) is beyond me. This would significantly lower the burden on Immigration resources and make the expat community happy as well. But again, Immigration (and their agents) are totally focused on using "visa's" to make $$money$$...not to make expats happy.
Unless Thailand removes its corrupt underpinnings this nonsense will never stop.
Sure, all countries have their visa rules and charge accordingly, but it's much different in Thailand. Just look at all of the Visa Schemes they've conjured up just in the past 5 or 6 years that they're trying to sell for mega bucks. I thought the Elite Visa was a total scam from the very beginning and my opinion hasn't budged.
As an expat I'm OK with the annual extension process and it's 1,900 baht fee. No problem there. But the fact that they don't offer expats a 5 year visa for 9,500 baht (5 X 1,900) is beyond me. This would significantly lower the burden on Immigration resources and make the expat community happy as well. But again, Immigration (and their agents) are totally focused on using "visa's" to make $$money$$...not to make expats happy.
Unless Thailand removes its corrupt underpinnings this nonsense will never stop.
Re: By Barry Kenyon
During the covid pandemic, they denied holders of the Elite Visa entry to Thailand, at a time when Thai Citizens were allowed back into Thailand.
In my view, that has eroded trust in the Elite visa. Even after paying, it's clear Thailand can revoke the privileges for no good reason & has already done that once.
To be honest, even anyone with a valid long stay visa should have been permitted to return to Thailand at that time.
Re: By Barry Kenyon
It will be the same for this new Electronic travel Authority. Just as in Cambodia and Vietnam…they all charge.
They may have said it will be free …but just wait and see.
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Gaybutton
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Gaybutton
- Posts: 23444
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
- Has thanked: 3 times
- Been thanked: 1550 times
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Pattaya’s raunchy nightlife is still expanding
By Barry Kenyon
September 16, 2024
Pattaya doomsayers will tell you Sin City is all but finished. A combination of gentifrication (posh buildings replacing bars and clubs) and diversification (people now bring their kids on holiday here) has all but decimated the old Pattaya. The number of western expats, especially retirees, has dropped thanks to repatriation or liver disease. “Things are not what they used to be,” bewails a British pensioner sipping beer with his mates as they watch the traffic jams unfold on Soi Buakhao.
Yet the pessimism is by no means the whole picture. In a few days, according to Dave the Rave’s insider web page, the new Shark gogo club will be opening on Walking Street and will occupy most of Soi Diamond. It’s a three-storey facade, three shophouses long and five shophouses deep, with a downstairs floorspace of 230 sq meters. Over 100 young ladies will make sure the customers – who are just as likely to be South Koreans and Singaporeans as Americans or passport holders of the European Union – are comfortable and free of hassle. For example, if you take your time ogling the gogo dancers, you won’t be told to order another drink before you are ready.
Meanwhile, Pattaya’s leading Gentlemen’s Clubs operation is continuing its expansion. It’s a consortium of local bars and clubs offering visitors who join a retreat where they can relax in style and enjoy discounts such as cheap beer, menu choices and weekly pub crawls all announced on regular email newsletters. Gentlemen’s Clubs has recently announced that a 28-room, adult-themed resort with a club will be opening in Jomtien as early as January next year. Based 700 meters from Jomtien Beach, it will replace the current ISOL residential block and the facilities will include small kitchens in the rooms, an onsite restaurant, a coin-operated laundry and a large swimming pool.
Pattaya’s gay scene can’t compete with these macro developments. The two main venues remain the Jomtien Complex Super Town and Pattaya’s Boyztown in the center of the city. The main attractions in both districts are the very glitzy and professional cabaret shows, though the audiences remain stubbornly western and elderly in appearance. Where all the gay Russians, Chinese and Indians hang out remains a bit of a mystery according to local bar owners. But, in a break with tradition, a gay bar has opened in the staunchly heterosexual Walking Street. It’s Secrets in Soi 14, formerly a straight club. That’s certainly a first, at any rate for many years.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ing-472441
By Barry Kenyon
September 16, 2024
Pattaya doomsayers will tell you Sin City is all but finished. A combination of gentifrication (posh buildings replacing bars and clubs) and diversification (people now bring their kids on holiday here) has all but decimated the old Pattaya. The number of western expats, especially retirees, has dropped thanks to repatriation or liver disease. “Things are not what they used to be,” bewails a British pensioner sipping beer with his mates as they watch the traffic jams unfold on Soi Buakhao.
Yet the pessimism is by no means the whole picture. In a few days, according to Dave the Rave’s insider web page, the new Shark gogo club will be opening on Walking Street and will occupy most of Soi Diamond. It’s a three-storey facade, three shophouses long and five shophouses deep, with a downstairs floorspace of 230 sq meters. Over 100 young ladies will make sure the customers – who are just as likely to be South Koreans and Singaporeans as Americans or passport holders of the European Union – are comfortable and free of hassle. For example, if you take your time ogling the gogo dancers, you won’t be told to order another drink before you are ready.
Meanwhile, Pattaya’s leading Gentlemen’s Clubs operation is continuing its expansion. It’s a consortium of local bars and clubs offering visitors who join a retreat where they can relax in style and enjoy discounts such as cheap beer, menu choices and weekly pub crawls all announced on regular email newsletters. Gentlemen’s Clubs has recently announced that a 28-room, adult-themed resort with a club will be opening in Jomtien as early as January next year. Based 700 meters from Jomtien Beach, it will replace the current ISOL residential block and the facilities will include small kitchens in the rooms, an onsite restaurant, a coin-operated laundry and a large swimming pool.
Pattaya’s gay scene can’t compete with these macro developments. The two main venues remain the Jomtien Complex Super Town and Pattaya’s Boyztown in the center of the city. The main attractions in both districts are the very glitzy and professional cabaret shows, though the audiences remain stubbornly western and elderly in appearance. Where all the gay Russians, Chinese and Indians hang out remains a bit of a mystery according to local bar owners. But, in a break with tradition, a gay bar has opened in the staunchly heterosexual Walking Street. It’s Secrets in Soi 14, formerly a straight club. That’s certainly a first, at any rate for many years.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ing-472441
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Doesn't sound too bad to me - and things will certainly continue to improve once they legalize prostitution, gambling, and dope smoking... 
Always the optimist, I see a bright future ahead...plenty of gay bars and cute boys to go around - and enough sleaze to keep us all happy.
Always the optimist, I see a bright future ahead...plenty of gay bars and cute boys to go around - and enough sleaze to keep us all happy.
Re: By Barry Kenyon
1 Don't some gay and straight Chinese visit the Boyztown bars ? I've certainly seen Chinese guys offing lads from Toy Boys. Also, if a lot of the Chinese like to travel around and only spend a short time in Pattaya, when do they find the time to visit bars ?Barry Kenyon wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2024 4:28 pmWhere all the gay Russians, Chinese and Indians hang out remains a bit of a mystery according to local bar owners.
I remember a younger Chinese friend arranging an 8 day trip from the UK to other EU countries. He did Paris, Barcelona, Rome & Zurich. So flying every other day. After all the sightseeing and selfies, how much time is left ?
2 The last time I remember seeing an Indian in Boyztown was in Funny Boys. Stood there watching, sneering, refusing to buy a drink. Some of the Walking Street straight bars have signs more or less saying Indian customers are unwelcome, although I think they phrase it differently. If they behave like the Indian in Funny Boys, I fully understand.
There are quite a few businesses catering to Indian customers. If my observations are correct, they have an entry fee, which might solve the revenue collection problem.
If Indians continue going to businesses catering to Indians, that's fine with me.
3 As for the Russians, I have no idea. I think some are on the apps. At least one lad I know had a Russian boyfriend at one time. I suspect the average age of Russian tourists is lower, so perhaps they have different interests ?
Re: By Barry Kenyon
I wonder if fewer gay Russians and Chinese are visiting the gay venues in Pattaya - or are there just fewer gay Russians and Chinese coming here for holiday? I tend to believe it's the latter.
Young slim Russian twinks are just so HOT. There used to be a group of them who you would see about once a year mostly in the Sunee bars. I actually became friends with one (Ivan...a heart throb) who I met at Yaya bar. He was actually working the scene looking for farang to off him. I spent several nights enjoying his company, and he was hung like a race horse. They should have renamed YaYa's to YumYums...555.
Young slim Russian twinks are just so HOT. There used to be a group of them who you would see about once a year mostly in the Sunee bars. I actually became friends with one (Ivan...a heart throb) who I met at Yaya bar. He was actually working the scene looking for farang to off him. I spent several nights enjoying his company, and he was hung like a race horse. They should have renamed YaYa's to YumYums...555.