Just got a 30 day Thai Visa Extension in Chiang Mai - Easy as pie

Before coming to Thailand, I got a triple entry Tourist Visa from the U.S. which are good for 3 months at a time.  However, after 60 days you must report into the Thai Immigration office to get a 30 day extension.  I had thought about just making a border run to Mae Sai in Burma and unlocking my next 60 day visa but I decided that I'd rather not sit in a van for 11 hours even though it would have ended up costing me a bit less money.  Booking a mini van (bus) to Mae Sai, which is the closest border crossing to Chiang Mai costs between 500 baht to 650 baht ($17-$22US) then you have to pay another 500 baht at the border crossing to enter Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma.

60 day from now I plan on doing the border run trip, as I'll have to leave the country but I'm going to do it my way and make a mini vacation out of it instead of a hellish 11 hour cramped mini bus ride.  

My plan is to take a public VIP or First Class bus from Chiang Mai's bus station, with the company Green Bus to Chiang Rai which is a quite city along the way to the border.  Chiang Rai is known for it's famous White Temple, and as the lesser known Black Temple both which I've heard are the most amazing temples in all of Thailand.  Once in Chiang Rai (3-4hours) I would rent a motorbike (200 baht per day ($6.66US) and visit the two temples and explore the city.  The following morning I plan on taking a nice ride though the mountains and fields of the north from Chiang Rai to Mae Sai (1.5hours) get my Visa stamped, head back to Chaing Rai, return the bike and take a bus back to Chiang Mai.

However, this time the trip was just down to the local immigration office in Chiang Mai which is on the street connecting the Airport and Central Airport Plaza Mall, it's really easy to find and is on the same side as both the mall and the airport.

I rode my bicycle from KC Muay Thai and got there in around 25 minutes.  I arrived right when they opened at 8am and was all finished by 10:30am which wasn't too bad at all, considering it was a Friday.  The office is closed on weekends and holidays so plan ahead.  You can go a few days before you Visa is up and you'll still get 30 days from the day it expires not the day you go which is nice.  Also, you can go on the actual day it expires but there's no reason to push your luck.

When you arrive at 8am you get in line, at the front of the line you get a blue plastic tab with a number on it.  I also wrote my name on a blank white piece of paper, which was useless.  Just wait in line, get your plastic number and wait to your number is called.  While waiting, you can go next door and get everything you need done, all you really need to bring is your passport, a pen and some cash.  They will photo copy 3 pages or so of your passport (6 baht) and you can take your passport photos there.  You get 4 passport photos instantly for 100 baht ($3.33US)  Inside the office there are also blank application forms that you need to fill out, front and back.  You need your address in Thailand, which I just wrote KC Muay Thai Gym, Chiang Mai and it was fine.  Also you need to write your email address on the back page, even though they don't ask for it.  Also just in case, sign every single piece of paper, including your three photocopies.

When they call your number, you'll go up to the center counter where they'll briefly look at your paperwork and then give you another number which is a computer print out.  There used to be a computer in the back corner that would give you this number but now they're doing with the plastic tabs, I'm assuming so they can look at your paperwork briefly first.  This is all subject to change by the way, as this is Thailand.  Then you wait again, this time you look for your number on the read out on the wall. You'll get to hang out with some random ass people there as well, luckily this is Chiang Mai and not Phuket or Pattaya and you'll see mostly normal people as opposed to being in a room with sleezy old sex tourist men.  

While waiting for my number to be called, I met a couple from Holland, a Swiss French girl, a Monk from Laos, and an English guy.  There were also a couple creepy guys that I bumped into but chose not to associate with.  I also had some breakfast at the Thai restaurant next door while waiting, it's all connected so you can hear your number being called from anywhere which is nice.  When I got to the counter, the immigration officer was really polite and friendly, maybe because I was dressed modestly (black north face t-shirt as opposed to a Singha Beer Tanktop) and I said Happy New Year to him in Thai.  Either way, he goes through everything carefully, makes some corrections, such as port of entry wasn't Bangkok but instead the name of the airport Suvarnabhumi.  Stamped everything and collected 1,900 baht.  It looked like it was all finished, but I guess someone else needs to either verify it or put it in the system, so he asked me to take a seat and wait for my name to be called.  About 30 minutes later, I hear

 "Johnny from USA" 

I walk up, collect my passport, and a receipt with my 100 baht in change stapled to it and wah-la.  I'm good for another 30 days on top of the 2 days I had remaining.  

Then I was chased away by a tiger.  j/k.  I rode my bicycle home, paid 10 baht (33cents) along the way at a Motorcycle repair shop to top of my tire pressure and I'm back just in time for lunch and quick rest and 4pm afternoon Muay Thai training.  It is indeed a good day and a great life.

On a separate note: Got back to training yesterday and set a PB (personal best) in my lap around the gym yesterday (2miles/3.2km) and finally got it down to around the 10 minute per mile mark which is really good for me considering a month ago it took me closer to 15 minutes a mile.  But anyway, I'm not trying to a world class runner I'm just doing it as a warm up for Muay Thai.

I sparred 5 rounds yesterday with shin guards and gloves with the tall skinny Thai kid, still don't know his name.  He's gotten a lot more confident within the last few weeks and I quite enjoy sparring with him as he has great kicks.  Aside from that we did the usual jump rope, shadow boxing, bag work, and this time we did tons of knees.  100 in the ring before class and 300 on the bags after class, plus an intense session of partner sit ups.  The funnest part is when the Jay Z song came on, "Niggas in Paris" as Mirkko the Estonian guy doesn't know that "Niggers in Paris" has a totally different meaning.  

Warm Regards,

Johnny @ My Fight Camp