Caspersfriend

14 minutes ago, Incobart said:

I bought my 2  dogs 10 year ago, many companies asked between 100.000 and 200.000 B, cheapest 1 i find was budget air iran 50.000 boxes 10.000, when i arrived in bkk, they forced 40.000 imort tax on me, or i would not get them, so total cist 100.000 B

Really can be a bummer when you bring a dog that has to go cargo. Less than 32KG can go as excess baggage and rarely gets picked up for import duties; apparently. Over 32KG goes cargo and usually does. Most medium to large dogs, when you add in the [air grade] carry boxes exceed that limit. IMO a ridiculous application of the Health & Safety regs which limit what one person can lift at 32 KG .. dog carriers are always handled by two persons. 

My dog was from the rescue pound and 'cost' only a voluntary contribution. Import duty to Thailand is charged on cost of purchasing animal + air transport charges + cost of insurance = total assumed import value. From memory the first tax level is import duty on that total at 30% [?] plus, plus, plus. Mine worked out at 20,000Baht --- when you see your friend traumatised from a long flight, with all the loud noises in the cargo hold, you just pay up. It's scandalous that we should be charged import duty on flight and insurance costs but what can you do?

Yes, good on you for bringing your friend along for the ride. I brought my 'mixer' over with me in 2007 and she is still going [relativity] well; despite the climate and her approaching her 13th birthday. Cost a small fortune as I got tagged for import duty --- yes it does exist --- but would have brought her even if I had known the overall cost up front.

Feedback for the benefit of those who are concerned about 90-day reporting currently:

No doubt the New Year holidays will have an effect on those reporting soon.

However, I sent my report to the airport address as previously. Sent by EMS and recorded as being received on the 22nd. Just now received my 'Receipt of Notification'. As there was a weekend in between I would say [from my      experience] this service is working well. Only changes from my previous receipt was a 'Notice Box' containing three comments - 1.This is not and extension of stay. 2. Please check expiry date in your passport. 3. The fine for overdue notification is not exceeding 5000 Bath; yes it does read Bath. No comment regarding TM30 or Foreigners Info Sheet; or whatever it's called.

FWIW ... I was out of the country in Sept/Oct and therefore my report was due 90-days from my re-entry; therefore no previous receipt required.

So many on here ridicule those who run the country.

Many of those underestimate the capabilities of the regime that currently run the country.

There will always be a place here for the "Good Guys".

I missed the post that confirmed http://www.khaosodenglish.com/ as being the official spokes-media for the governing regime.

At 250+ posts-in their circulation has certainly benefited. 

They have been x-raying all checked baggage off international flights for at least two years at Chiang Mai. No red or green lane anymore, every checked bag goes through the machine before you can leave. No idea what they were looking for when I returned last month, I had food products and electrical appliances but wasn't stopped. Previous time they appeared to be singling out women bringing wholesale volumes of cosmetics and such.  

I prefer to have the money transferred in GBP to my FCD account as I can then convert to Thai Baht as and when I choose. At least you have some control over the rate used. If the fund transfer is related to Immigration matters, they accept it being in an FCD account - at least in CM they do.

Assuming you already have a Bangkok Bank account in Thailand:

If you go into the branch where you opened that account they can set up an arrangement, to enable you to deposit from a UK-based account as a domestic transfer into the London branch. They provide you with the account details to use and issue a unique code ensuring it arrives in your Thai branch. I had no problems [Chiang Mai] and the money you deposit through London is available quickly in Thailand. I usually transfer 3K each time and the fee is 20GBP. There may be cheaper ways to transfer money but this way couldn't be simpler once it has been set up

As with many other areas here my experience does not guarantee yours will be the same.

Edit for typo

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"

Unfortunately a Guinness by the same name is another matter.

Having enjoyed Guinness in Dublin, and many other places in the World, I would agree that it doesn't travel well; and when brewed under licence it generally is even less well. It is claimed that the water from the River Liffey that Guinness use makes the difference - all I can say is that three pints in an English pub gave me a headache the next morning --- ten pints [seriously] in Dublin gave me a mild hangover. It's all to do with the 'additives' used for export or under-licence brewing. 

1 minute ago, bkkbill said:

Could anyone comment on whether the resident visa agent at Promenada does marriage visa extensions.

 

Seems the Thai’s have learned a new way to cash in on this as getting there at 4:20 AM does not guarantee being served that day unless you have someone pre book a stool.

095 6958999

Also speak English

48 minutes ago, george said:

You can ignore that false positive, it's safe to click on the link.

I do but why does it occur?

Sporadically [maybe 1 in 5] I get the response "ACCESS DENIED" - see attachment:

Update: today maybe 1 in 3

More importantly perhaps: What percentage are the "good guys" who deserve to be in and the "bad guys" who deserve to be out?

I have a trip booked soon to visit my homeland. Upon return I will be arriving at swampy [Eva Air] and transferring to Thai to end destination CM. Being Star Alliance my baggage will [hopefully] go straight through. I recall some time ago in a post someone described a way of escaping the chaos  at BKK Immigration. Is there an 'In Transit' international > domestic? Is it the same route as the international > international?

Informed comments would be much appreciated.

5 hours ago, al007 said:

The current exchange rate as we all know has been aggravated by the UK choice to leave the UK

 

Before deciding to live in Thailand a financial evaluation should have been done, and if a 25% movement in exchange  was critical then maybe not come, an emergency fund of £20/30,000 also needs to be available especially if one has no medical insurance

 

There are many expats here who can not really afford to be here, they are very fortunate if they go back to the UK they will drop back into the social security system, they are also fortunate they have has some time here

 

There are many on retirement and marriage extensions who use different methods to comply but really do not have the money, in all honesty they van not afford to be here and should go home

 

Remember in the Uk many run out of money in retirement as well the only difference being the UK picks up the basic costs if necessary

 

Fortunately I switched most of my retirement assets into US dollars a few years ago

 

However I believe if the exit from Europe is successful the pound will recover it may however take 4/5 yrs

 

In passing I use a VPN most of the time, so nothing is censored or blocked

You play your 'game' and others play theirs. Without doubt there are some here who are on 'wing and a prayer'. However I know of many who appear to be so, but are simply measuring exactly how much of their assets they should 'invest' in Thailand; given all the 'problems' that are mentioned daily on here and in the news. For myself I play my cards close to my chest, I have several sources of income I can bring into play if necessary.

What might happen with any currency in those 4/5 years you mentioned?  Nobody knows. Recent history shows that the vast majority of those who are supposed to know got it wrong with the 2007-9  and Brexit hiccup; doubt the few that appeared to get it right would stand up to scrutiny. Every currency in the world is currently sitting on a knife edge - no links required. 

I got one of them there porches on the front of my abode.

On 18/07/2016 at 1:26 PM, Deepinthailand said:

Had a chatwith village head man last evening. Mainly about the mrs buying some land from him. Conversation got round to yellow book which he helped me get and ID card. Anyway a couple of his mates came round as well one I thought I had seen before. Indeed I had an immigration officer. They asked to see Id card showed it them now when they stoped laughing. (At my picture). Immigration officer said good you have both now things changing!!!!!. End of conversation on that subject did try and probe a bit deeper to no avail. Anyone heard any whispers? ????

Deja vu? This [pink] ID card for 'foreigner' discussion has similarities to the previous discussions regarding the 'foreigner' medical card. Will it have the same outcome? 

" Students aged 21 or over "

All this talk of puberty? Girls apparently get there earlier these days. Do guys get there later?

Just about every election in every [so-called] Democracy in the world is 'rigged'; in one way or another.

On your own private land the government probably wouldn't take interest in what you do.

Oh yes they do! My mate had a major paper trail, over many months, just to clear some young trees that could damage his house if a storm took them out. They were going to a new construction - therefore recycling. Managed forestry would be most beneficial to Thailand [in my humble opinion] rather than deifying 'Teak' due to sins of the past when satisfying Western demand.

Many of us don't rely on the state pension alone but with forethought and damned hard work there are also people with second and 3rd pensions.

I am one of them.

It has nothing to do with 'damned hard work'. Some of us were lucky enough to enjoy good company pensions, and were able to take advantage of that once we hit 55.

I too am lucky enough to be entitled to a good widow's pension plus an AVC. Once I'm 60 I can claim another company pension.

In short, we were just lucky to have worked during the period when there were good company pensions.

Hard work can be a contributing factor, but agree that company pensions can outweigh even that. 'We' are possibly the last generation to benefit from them, the current and next generation will need to rely on their own plans and take any Government pensions that still exist as merely a bonus.

'Luck' or 'forethought'? Bad marriages and corrupt business partners/owners - these can also have considerable effect however hard you plan and work; and often 20/20 vision only occurs in the rear view mirror.

Although the GBP/USD rate is steadily creeping it's way upwards, as I write this the GBP/THB is on a rollercoaster; maybe due to Asian market activity as the West is still sleeping/just stirring..

If Immigration do indeed base their calculations on some arbitrary 'current' rate on the day you apply for an extension, many Brits will be concerned. We should always make allowances for the exchange rate changing, but if you started your three months a month ago [when the rate was 50+] you might well base what you needed on 45/GBP. The way things are going it could be 40- when ----------they go for your extension as, even if there is a bounce-back, it is unlikely that would happen before the UK has a new PM and stable government; plus some convincing plan for the Brexit.

Time for some to say "If you are sailing that close to the wind you should not be here".

"If Immigration do indeed base their calculations on some arbitrary 'current' rate on the day you apply..."

Not sure why you would call it "arbitrary ." They would use the rate posted by one of the major banks. No more arbitrary than it would be to use some arbitrarily chosen rate from a previous, more favorable time, and possibly more realistic than assuming it will suddenly improve or worsen.

Correct usage of the word 'arbitrary' appears to be of most concern in my post; to yourself.

To those affected by the volatility of GBP/THB exchange rates, to the extent that their application for an extension may not comply, I would suggest that the rate used on the day of application is of most concern. Whatever rate Immigration apply, the fact that [due to unforeseen circumstances] this rate might be at very considerable variance to the rate that applied when the 'seasoning' period commenced is of more concern. Due to personal circumstances/preferences many retain investments/property elsewhere, and I am sure that many Brits would not have anticipated the immediate affects of Brexit that have occurred to GBP/THB exchange rates.

If Immigration do indeed base their calculations on some arbitrary 'current' rate on the day you apply for an extension, many Brits will be concerned. We should always make allowances for the exchange rate changing, but if you started your three months a month ago [when the rate was 50+] you might well base what you needed on 45/GBP. The way things are going it could be 40- when ----------they go for your extension as, even if there is a bounce-back, it is unlikely that would happen before the UK has a new PM and stable government; plus some convincing plan for the Brexit.

Time for some to say "If you are sailing that close to the wind you should not be here".

Has been working for me for over a year.

loving it.

Last report was last month.

Happy to hear that, I would have said the same six months ago. When it comes to being one of the good guys ["Good guys in, bad guys out"] I make sure that I am squeaky-clean in all my dealings with Immigration; however the exception sometimes proves the rule. My previous posts were simply to make newbies [especially] aware that sometimes, doing what you understand as being correct does not always get the result you expect. Unless you are a 'bad guy' there is no need to panic.

I have no problem handling my changed circumstances as there are other options; which for us based in Chiang Mai should not require attending at the immigration office at an unreasonable hour.

Having worked in very stressful environments, I don't get easily phased by the ever-fluid requirements for maintaining my existence here.

The current administration have many priorities for change, and I doubt that the ease with which us [average] foreigners can remain here [irrespective of how much we contribute financially] will appear on that list in the foreseeable future.

I have had two successful reports online but the last application [April] was rejected, even though my circumstances have not changed and the application was identical to the previous successful ones. My local off is Chiang Mai but the rejection had Sub-division 3 on the header, whereas the previous approvals had Chiang Mai office. When I reported in person it was approved without question. The I/O had no idea why it was rejected.

On Monday [14 days before due date] I submitted for the current period and once again it has been rejected by Sub-division 3.

Would Ubonjoe [or anyone else who is in the know] be able to through any light on this?

As it's not due until the 18th I will try again by post.

The application is sent to the office based upon the district and province you select on the 2nd page you complete. Are you sure you selected those correctly.

Thanks Ubonjoe that was my understanding also.

I am 100% sure that my information was correct; making sure that all input was via the drop down menus where appropriate. On this occasion [as recommended in another post] I only filled in the mandatory [red asterisk] entries. Before I submitted I checked again that the correct information was being submitted. By nature I am meticulous about this sort of thing. Back in April I submitted for a second time when the first one was rejected, in case it was a simple error in allocation to the appropriate office. Rejected by sub-div 3 again.

I vaguely recall someone posting [on this or another thread] that Bangkok sub-division 3 is an investigation unit. I see no reason why my application should be directed there, unless they do this randomly. With all my ducks in a row [as confirmed when I went to the office to do the 90-day manually] why would they reject a correct submission instead of re-directing it to the correct office? Not just twice in April but now doing the same again.

All details inputted exactly as with previously approved submissions.

Not left the country since approved submissions.

Same passport - valid until 2021

Yes I can do by post or walk-in, however it would be of general interest I suggest to know why this has happened.

Edit to include header detail Sub-Division3 Tell : 0 2209 1100 ต่อ 1016 E-mail : [email protected]