Dropped off my passport renewal today at a local Canadian Government Office. It was a very convenient and efficient procedure. I spent about 15 minutes waiting for the 830am opening and then another 5 or so minutes inside with the gentleman who helped me and it was done! In 4 to 6 weeks I should have my new 10 year passport. The cost was $160 CAD, which is high but acceptable. The new passport as well as my old passport will be delivered to my home by September 1.
The next step is to get a visa from the local (Edmonton) Royal Thai Consulate. I am lucky because there is an Thai office in my city, which makes getting the visa fast and easy with no shipping costs or worries. The price for a 1 entry tourist visa is $40 CAD (cash). What I was surprised to learn last night is that you can get up to 3 re-entry tourist visa's at one time (I knew you could get 2 not 3). I will file that away as important information for a longer later Thai trip. For each tourist visa you get 60 days in country, so a 3 visas would allow me 6 months in Thailand without the need to visit a Thai embassy in Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia. I would still have to do a visa run across the border and back but it would save me the pain of spending a day getting a visa at an embassy, waiting in line with dozens and dozens of folks. I would have them ready to go in my passport! I think I could go across the border and then back into Thailand on the same day if I wanted to.
Next year if I leave my job to pursue making social documentary photographs full time I will probably get the Thai triple entry tourist visas. I could do something like 2 months in Thai, then 1 month in Cambodia, 2 more months in Thai, 2 weeks in Laos and a final 2 months in Thai. Both Laos and Cambodia allow you to get visas on entry, with the 3 Thai visas already in my passport, I would never have to visit an embassy.
The next step is to get a visa from the local (Edmonton) Royal Thai Consulate. I am lucky because there is an Thai office in my city, which makes getting the visa fast and easy with no shipping costs or worries. The price for a 1 entry tourist visa is $40 CAD (cash). What I was surprised to learn last night is that you can get up to 3 re-entry tourist visa's at one time (I knew you could get 2 not 3). I will file that away as important information for a longer later Thai trip. For each tourist visa you get 60 days in country, so a 3 visas would allow me 6 months in Thailand without the need to visit a Thai embassy in Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia. I would still have to do a visa run across the border and back but it would save me the pain of spending a day getting a visa at an embassy, waiting in line with dozens and dozens of folks. I would have them ready to go in my passport! I think I could go across the border and then back into Thailand on the same day if I wanted to.
Next year if I leave my job to pursue making social documentary photographs full time I will probably get the Thai triple entry tourist visas. I could do something like 2 months in Thai, then 1 month in Cambodia, 2 more months in Thai, 2 weeks in Laos and a final 2 months in Thai. Both Laos and Cambodia allow you to get visas on entry, with the 3 Thai visas already in my passport, I would never have to visit an embassy.
