Thread: From Laos to Turkey - A Christmas story :)

Originally Posted by OhOh

No "miss-speaking" allowed, unlike some other countries.

They may not miss a beat off the auto cue / script but the content is often highly questionable.

Originally Posted by Switch

I meant the history of OhOh and his penchant for lengthy C&P posts,

So don't read them

Works for me when I see that S Landreth has last post in a thread.

Why would I open a thread with copied text, that I have no intention of reading ?


But there might very well be information appreciated by others, so...

Oh oh

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Oh oh

All the posts are rightfully credited. Any comments by me are mine.

Hey Simon, that is too bad about Myanmar being so slow with things. Going to Cambodia could be a nice change for you and be a safer situation as well.
I liked Cambodia when I visited for a month. I bet it has changed some since I was there in 2008. The Thai opportunity could be good as well. Do they want you to get a Non-Imm O visa then? Why do you not want to do this?

Originally Posted by MarilynMonroe

Hey Simon, that is too bad about Myanmar being so slow with things. Going to Cambodia could be a nice change for you and be a safer situation as well.
I liked Cambodia when I visited for a month. I bet it has changed some since I was there in 2008. The Thai opportunity could be good as well. Do they want you to get a Non-Imm O visa then? Why do you not want to do this?

Changing the visa is not a major issue, but it removes some 'control' that I currently have over my visa status. A non-immigrant visa means that someone else (the school) is effectively a decision-maker as to whether I have the right to stay in Thailand. If they kick me out of the job, then my visa is no longer valid. Yes, I can then apply again for a 'retirement' visa. But for decades, (long before I lived in Asia), I have always tried to be in control (as much as possible), of my own destiny, and not to have to rely on others. (If things get fcuked up, then I only have myself to blame).

I used to live in Phnom Penh between work contracts some 10-15 years ago. It had an easy-going atmosphere about it. Anyway, I'll see if there is any progress on the Myanmar front this week.

After checking past reviews of the school in Cambodia, I politely declined their job offer. I know that disgruntles former employers often post negative reviews, and one must take these with a pinch of salt. But I was unable to find a single even-marginally positive review.

That being said, I have yet another job offer from a Myanmar school, and they have shed light as to why the other schools have been dragging their feet in providing me with the required documents to get my business visa to re-enter Myanmar.

In mid-September, the business visa application process was changed for employers, such that in order to get government permission to employ a foreigner, the employer must prove that all their company documentation and tax payments are up to date. If it's a new employer (less than 1 year old), then no permission will be given either (one of my job offers is from a new school, and they couldn't get a visa for me). So this new requirement placed on the employer is a strong indication as to why some schools have offered me employment, then dragged their feet on providing the visa documents.


The school who offered me a job today HAS paid their tax etc, and will be sending me the documents so that I can apply for my e-visa. BTW, it's not me who is the problem! I hope that I have a squeaky clean reputation with the government/immigration department in Myanmar :

Good luck in all your endeavours, Simon. I hope you get your visa for Myanmar.

Originally Posted by katie23

Good luck in all your endeavours, Simon. I hope you get your visa for Myanmar.

Thanks Katie. This school let me into the 'secrets' of getting approval to employ a foreigner. To be fair, the military junta did change some of these rules in the middle of last month, which has left many schools scrambling around to meet the new requirements. Anyway, assuming that I get my visa approval AND assuming that my lungs hold up, I should be subjecting a class of 12 year olds to the joys of learning about how the British colonialists were wonderful people and the best of mates for the country of Burma in the 20th and 19th centuries.

Originally Posted by Simon43

I should be subjecting a class of 12 year olds to the joys of learning about how the British colonialists were wonderful people and the best of mates for the country of Burma in the 20th and 19th centuries.

Nothing wrong with a bit of fiction