phuketjock

There is no such thing as a retirement VISA.........................

15 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

 

That's quite a magnificent bit of "sprucing up"!

 

 

Thank you I will pass it on, yes she is quite good at what she does.   

Maybe if you posted what you wish to use these tubes for people might be able to

come up with an alternative item, and thereby source, to do the job??

Just a thought.

1 hour ago, maoro2013 said:

I don't want to draw this out with useless exchanges. 

 

My daughter now has a non Imm Ed visa and Kap Cheong have already told me this can then made into a proper ed visa year with the usual 90 day stuff.

 

We will need to wear this visa down to less than 45 says before they will issue the actual ed visa.

 

Mate, I don't understand enough about all this but I believe we have worked our way through this expensive, and time wasting nightmare.

 

I will post again if further problems arise.

 

Your intelligent and knowledgeable posts I am sure have helped many members, keep up the good work.

 

One thing that might go some way to help you understand a bit better is that there is no such

thing as a marriage or retirement VISA they are extensions of permission to stay not VISAs.

6 hours ago, GiantFan said:

Before the Tesco Express?

after

I don't wish to be a wet blanket but I tried to do this a few years ago at Phuket office

and I was told I would have to leave the country to obtain a new non "O" visa to enable

me to convert my retirement extension to a marriage extension.

I can't recall exactly the reason by think it was something to do with the fact that I had

obtained  the 90 day non "O" visa for my original retirement extension  on the basis of

conversion from a visa exempt entry. Not exactly sure on that.

On 31/08/2016 at 5:27 PM, Psimbo said:

Wow, you really seem to have a chip on your shoulder about the Volunteers. Unlike you I find them to be extremely helpful in dealing with the people who turn up ill-prepared to deal with the Immigration Officers. Without them we would be in there for hours, whilst others kept getting bounced back. imagine the mood of an IO when you finally got to him as well- they act as a filter and I think they contribute far more than the police volunteers, who do seem to attract the wrong sort. 

 

The form takes an entire 30 seconds of one's life to complete and as informed by these 'wannabes' , copies are acceptable for the future.

 

Both the 'wannabes' and the 'reall-ybes' are as hacked off by these forms as the general public (see my post above) but its hardly a major drama is it? 

 

You are incorrect I have no "chip on my shoulder" about anyone or anything but when I

and others have been doing and renewing extensions for considerable years the wanabees,

or if you prefer, volunteers are just another unnecessary brick in the already substantive

wall we all have to climb at every visit to immigration. I am sure they may be of some

assistance to those who require it but when you don't require assistance they are a veritable

pain in the rear end. When I did my aforementioned 90 day report when I entered the office

there were two "volunteers' in attendance and the queue was out the door because one of the "volunteers" was dealing with three French people, I assume they were French because that

was the language they were using. I also assume the "volunteer' was French as he was

speaking the same language, bald chap oldish grey fuzz on top, I had to wait about 5 to 10

minutes to see the other "volunteer" as the French chap was actually filling in forms for the

three french people, didn't realise I could get a volunteer to do the paperwork for me???

When I did eventually get to see the other "volunteer", who was picking up all the non french

persons I was informed about the new need for Passport copy and foreign national info

form which I took away and duly completed and proceeded to the copy office and returned

to the "volunteers" desk and lo and behold the first "volunteer" was still in deep conversation

with the french delegation, same three, while the queue was now was even further out the

door, so further 10 or so minutes passed until the first "volunteer" finally finished with the

three french people and another 15 minutes before I was given the all clear from the second

"volunteer" to go ahead and do my 90 day report.

I have no doubt that the French delegation found the "volunteers" help great but lets face it

he was of absolutely no help whatsoever to every other person in that long queue, and he

caused all the others in the queue nothing but a long and unnecessary delay. 

So 40/45 minutes waiting just to see the IO to do a 2/3 minute 90 day report. IMHO they

should be available to assist when requested to do so they should not, ever,  under any

circumstances be installed as a link in the immigration chain.I suggest that the so called

"volunteers" unvolunteer and then the immigration officers will have to actually do the job

they are being paid to do, it worked very well before the "volunteers" came on the scene

and I am sure it would work again without them.

It has been my personal experience that many of the "volunteers" actually have little

knowledge of immigration rules and regulations!!  

Incidentally I posted the forms to try to assist anyone who needed them not bash the

wanabees or anyone else.      

I too did a 90 day report about 10 days ago and was also informed by the wanabee that I

would need a completed foreign national info form now and for every future visit, the

rational behind this being that the new Immigration boss in Phuket also happens to be the

big boss for immigration in all Thailand. I have no notion of the validity of this statement

but I completed the form and persuaded the wanabrr to give me a rather old and faded copy

of same for future use.

The same wanabee informed me that a photo was not required and that it was only necessary

to complete sections 2.1, 2.3, 2.7, 2.7.1, and 2.7.2 and sign.

Below is the sad copy provided by the wanabee and also a copy of the same form, in the

same format but spruced up by a good friend of mine. please feel free to use either with the 

proviso that you take self responsibility for any use.

Cheers. 

 

Sorry looks like they came out the wrong way round, never mind they are both there.

 

FOREIGN NATIONAL.docx

18 hours ago, BudRight said:

 

I'm so tired of Googling shit for people. Toshiba doesn't even make TVs anymore, let alone panels. It's 2016 dude.

 

https://andreweverard.com/2015/01/29/toshibas-tv-making-pull-out-is-bad-news-not-good-for-japans-surviving-manufacturers/

 

Irrelevant to your statement what about Sony and Panasonic??

18 hours ago, BudRight said:

As was stated elsewhere, only Samsung and LG make panels. The rest buy their panels from them. 

 

I am sorry Budright I cannot accept a sweeping statement like that without some kind of proof,

Toshiba, Sony and Panasonic were at the forefront of colour TV development long before LG or

Samsung had there first factories so highly likely that they would be sourcing their parts from the

pioneers of colour TV not the other way round!!       

2 hours ago, Old Croc said:

For many of us, your opinions on the always changing retirement extension procedures, at the Phuket Immigration Office, are of little value knowing you sail through the country on an Elite card. Correct me if I'm wrong, but all Immigration paperwork and reporting is handled for you. You don't actually front Immigration yourself.

 

A bit of background:  Phuket Immigration Offices generally used to charge for the "free" proof of residence documents, keep the 100 baht change from the retirement application, and they set up a little money earner at the airport by charging for a fast processing lane. (something you get with your Elite card!)  Extensions then were always processed with little fuss.

 

A few years ago a small, but very vocal, group of westerners started to complain about these little perks. Their complaints to media, the ombudsman, and others had the effect of getting a number of Officers transferred off the Island, and a crackdown on processing and money collection procedures which made it impossible for them to benefit from their rorts. 

 

It seems they have reacted by making life difficult for their clients. Every time you go there it seems a different piece of paper or requirement is asked for. I've seen elderly retirees, who have lived here for 30+ years nearly in tears after being sent for more and more paperwork, from their banks and others, resulting in four trips to Immigration before being granted their extension..

It's generally believed the officers want as many as possible to use agents who pay commissions.

This not about a brave group of front line officers fighting to rid the country of "Bad Guys" and tax cheats. It's about a group of office workers behind a desk wearing uniforms and boasting titles and powers that are totally inappropriate for the tasks they are supposed to be doing, who are pissed off at losing their little piece of the corrupt system.

I just wish the whingers, who thought it was their job to fight greed and corruption wherever they find it, had a look around at all the good things here, and left their PC values back where they came from! 

 

 

 

 

 

I went to Phuket immigration a week past last Thursday and as I have done for the last couple of times for my

90 day report and fronted up with only my passport which was all that I needed recently.

I arrived at the wanabees desk passport in hand and was promptly informed that from now on I would need

a copy of my passport ID page and a completed Foreign national information form every visit for whatever

reason. The rational behind this I was informed, by the wanabee, was that the new Phuket immigration boss

is coincidentally the big immigration boss for all of Thailand. I, of course, have no idea of the validity of this

info but it could possibly account for the changes being voiced on this thread????

I did my last retirement extension last Feb and never encountered any such request.

I also have had a Samsung TV and two, yes two, Samsung aircons go bad on me

and they were not cheap....

I have a Toshiba smart TV in my room and my wife has a Sony smart TV in her laundry 

business, they both seem to perform as advertised.

The Toshiba has a separate remote for the smart side of things and I also use a cordless

mouse with it, when you use the search on the TV a key board comes up on screen similar

to a smart phone, and that is the extent of my smart TV knowledge.

good luck.

My wife's Sony had a vertical black line appear on the screen a few months after purchase

on a reduced price deal.

Took it to the sony service centre here in Phuket, no forms to fill in, no questions ask. just her

ID card and fault fixed in less than a week, did not even need the purchase receipt, excellent

service.

As you may guess I would definitely not recommend the purchase of anything made

by Samsung!!!!

The Islander Restaurant just off Bangla road do a very reasonably priced traditional

Xmas dinner every year.

 

10 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

In my experience, I would not touch any Samsung electrical goods, though fine for smartphones, tablets etc.

 +1 have had several Samsung products fail and the service from Samsung Thailand was abysmal.

Agree wifes phone seems to suit her.

1 hour ago, Wilsonandson said:

 

 

Another missed opportunity to watch free premiership football. Damn!

Seriously thinking over the true deal? Anyone know the exact price for football on True visions? Do I need a box, dish and wifi?

Depends on what you want, ranges between 2,155.15 per month for platinum through to 1568.12 for gold, 899 for super family, 590 for sports family, 

490 for smart family, 299 for happy family. I don't think you can just get the football alone you have to take one of the packages then pay extra for

the epl. You will need a box, dish but not wifi.

I just signed up for Gold + Sport with EPL and came in at just under 2000, not cheap but not much choice available now that CTH defunked.

Free installation and 1000 baht deposit for box, installers due tomorrow.

I fail to see why the headline proclaims this a "Phuket Disgrace" ????

or are we to believe that "Phuket" is entirely responsible for all the pollution

alluded to in this article? Please, no more sensationalist headline writings.

Repeat reports are easier at Patong Immi if near there (Beach Road near Loma Park).

Not anymore unfortunately baz, it used to be the case but last 90 day i did at Phuket

immigration. Walked in with passport, no tm47 required, no copies required in and out 5 minutes.

Patong office still require tm47 and umpteen copies and not so speedy service.

At least the last time I did my 90 day there ( one before last ).

i live in Patong but I would rather drive to Phuket immigration for my 90 day, and no I can't do it

on line, unless things have changed, as I last arrived in Thailand Jan 2011.

Not so happy for your neighbours then, how uneighbourly of you, to be expected from a septic I suppose.

....................................

Where is Paklok??

Did my first 90 day for my current extension today at Phuket immigration

what a difference from previous 90 days, zero paperwork in and out 6 mins,

perhaps this op was worth making all that time ago.

Now all we need is Patong office to follow suit, they were the first to do 90

day checks without the need for all the unnecessary paper??? where did

it go wrong??

Why don't you do the 90 day notification on line ? Bit of a hassle as the Thai Immigration app is not very user friendly, have to use Explorer 7 or 8. I've made my 90 day report online over the past 2 years.

https://extranet.immigration.go.th/fn90online

Just ignore the certificate error warning. Crapy app.

Much the same as old croc i have tried many times without success, presumably

because I last came in Jan 2011 by air. I think, but am not sure, that if I take a trip

out and back I will be able to do online 90 day reports???

Did my first 90 day for my current extension today at Phuket immigration

what a difference from previous 90 days, zero paperwork in and out 6 mins,

perhaps this op was worth making all that time ago.

Now all we need is Patong office to follow suit, they were the first to do 90

day checks without the need for all the unnecessary paper??? where did

it go wrong??

It might help if you told us where and what type of accommodation you

are looking for?? My wife has 2 studio condos available for long term rental

in Patong beach, pm me if you are interested.

I don't know the answer to your op Simon but vaguely recall passing a roadside sign

advertising big bikes for hire at 1200 Baht per day so you would probably be cheaper

,and safer, hiring a car for your needs, up to you as the saying goes here.

Actually the O-A was originally the normal O visa with "A" meaning a one year extension for retirement has been approved and required submission to immigration in Thailand for approval prior to issue. As time passed MFA was allowed to issue without the formal approval. And it is quite common to call it a retirement visa.

The official name is long stay as I stated; but it is used for entry and extended stay and it is common to call it a retirement visa as that is to whom it is normally issued. What should not be called a retirement visa is the extension of current stay provided by immigration in Thailand.

You have contradicted yourself in your first sentence,

"A" meaning a one year extension for retirement has been approved and required submission to immigration in Thailand for approval prior to issue.

The only accurate statement in the above is that an application for an extension of stay has to be submitted to Thai immigration because they, and

only they, can approve and issue an extension of stay on the grounds of retirement so despite all your semantics there is still no such thing as a

retirement visa and saying that it is common to call an O-A visa such does not make it so and is nothing more than muddying the waters and grossly

misleading people unnecessarily.

I say again " THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A RETIREMENT VISA "

Actually there is a visa issued for retirement - it is called the long stay O-A visa and it indeed is a visa.

Nowhere on a long stay O-A visa does it indicate or hint or even mention that it is a retirement visa

because no such thing exists period. The only existing way to remain in Thailand long term on the

grounds of retirement is to obtain an extension of permit to stay on the grounds of retirement no

exceptions and no such thing as a retirement visa of any kind...........................