My quest for a Visa

[goji]

My Covid test with a cotton swab in the nose was not at all unpleasant. How did you fare?

The swab test causes minor discomfort,but nothing to worry about. As the nurse said when I was having the UK test, when she sees your face screwed up, she knows it's gone in far enough.

[Oliver2]

I did it myself in front of a mirror as instructed, as part of a London NHS sample. Didn't encounter any discomfort at all. We Londoners endured the Blitz; we are tough cookies.

[gerefan2]

Unlike my test in the UK, today’s test was conducted by a nurse behind a complex screen with an opening,opposite which I was positioned.

Her contortions trying to get the swab stick through the hole and up my nostrils was unsuccessful and resulted in her lunging at me with force.

I hit the fcuking roof.

[Nirish guy]

Her contortions trying to get the swab stick through the hole and up my nostrils was unsuccessful .

Just consider yourself lucky things didn't end up the other way round and she went through your nostrils and UP your hole otherwise you really MIGHT have hit the roof !

[latintopxxx]

oliver if you didint encounter any discomfort then you were doing it wrong...or are you the type that has dull senses as in no gsag reflex...not tickliish at all

[christianpfc]

What was your reason for not eating food? Just curious.

I wanted to try fasting for a long time, but there was never a good opportunity with all the travel and boys. I gained some weight (10 kg in 10 years) that I wanted to lose (even though fasting is not primarily for weight loss). And the hotel would have charged 10 USD per meal for food of uncertain taste and quality (others reported delays in delivery and cold food), means I saved 450 USD on food!

My two nose swabs (in addition to throat swabs) in Cambodia were no problem. In Germany only throat swabs, no problem either.

[goji]

Test result this morning. OK.
This is good, as a pass means I'm allowed out of my cell to the rooftop exercise yard for 45 minutes each day. A fail means being carted off to hospital.

Almost 4 hours later, the Bangkok Post website reports 20 new imported cases, including these:

From the UK, a British man, 60, British girl, 17, and a Thai woman, 36.
The three cases from Switzerland are a Dutchman, 75, and two Thai women, 50 and 73

If the information flow & reporting is particularly efficient, it's possible these were sharing our flights.

[Jellybean]

Test result this morning. OK. This is good, as a pass means I'm allowed out of my cell to the rooftop exercise yard for 45 minutes each day. A fail means being carted off to hospital . . .

On reading your comments quoted above, goji, the first image that popped into my head was that of you (and gerefan2) being dressed in prison issue uniforms (see photo below), being locked up in your ‘cells’ for 23 hours 15 minutes each day and, as a concession for good behaviour, being allowed out in the exercise yard for a short 45 minutes. Hopefully, your sentences will be commuted very soon.

HMP.jpg

[Dodger]

I wanted to try fasting for a long time, but there was never a good opportunity

Glad to hear you survived your endeavor - hopefully a few pounds lighter with plenty of energy in reserve for those Cambo Boys. Hope you can cross the border soon.

Cheers

[gerefan2]

My visa runs out soon, so like a good boy, I went to Immigrtaion in Jomtien last week in an attempt to extend it.

A helpful girl helped me with the forms , pictures and photocopies.

I had the choice of extending it for 30 (the normal 1 off extension) or 60 days (the covid extension). Both the same price.

It seemed logical to apply for the 60 days, even though I will probably only stay for an extra 30 days or so.

So after compiling something like10 pages of documents ( why the hell do they require a photocopy copy of the existing visa which they themselves issued??) pictures (why, when they take one themselves), a copy of the actual passport (when they scanned it at the airport) and a copy of the Condo owners passport....ffs.

Anyway with the help of the lady I presented all this and was told that it couldn’t be processed as the existing visa had more than a week to run. Come back next week.

So as instructed I returned today with all the documents and paid the money. After an hour I was called forward and guess what....they extended my visa for a whole fuc*ing 9 days. The logic (such as it is was) is a 15 day extension from today. The current visa has 6 days to run which I have now lost.

Why I asked? Same same for everyone the clerk said.

A helpful Farang told me you get this 15 days then another 45 when you go back. My passport was stamped “extension under consideration”...so nothing guaranteed.

Another visit (will be the third)...another day wasted ....6 lost visa days,...and more bureaucracy,

It seems that had I applied last week for the standard 30 days they would have granted it there and then and with no lost days.

TIT. How on Earth do expats put up with all this sh1t?

Rant over.