Bsd

If you are all traveling together what Mattd says should be fine. 

If if there is a time when only one of you is traveling with the child then you may need a letter from your amphur saying that the other parent knows and allows that travel. 

On 3/22/2017 at 2:41 PM, PoorSucker said:

One question, does Samui immigration accept fixed deposit accounts for monetary requirement?

Unless the new IO has a different policy to Nok.  No they don't, they want a current account and have asked people to go to the bank and deposit 100 baht to show that the money is still there on that day.

4 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

ah yes and lest i forget : the quota system practiced in thailand regarding acquired citizenship; as i understand it , there is an annual quota by country;
each country is given a pro-rata share ; example if there are 1680 openings and 168 countries , then each get a share of 10;
that puts india, china, usa on the exact same footing as Grenada and The Maldives; that makes sense ? i understand it is administrative 
convenience but it lacks thought

My understanding is that there is a limit of 20/50 ,something like that, on each country for citizenship in a year but not a total quota.

In saying that they normally grant less that 100 applications each year.

17 hours ago, Crossy said:

That's the way to do it.

 

Rule one of multiple nationality is never, ever, ever show more than one passport to an official, it causes their brains to go into meltdown.

 

Check-in may ask how she's in the country (no stamps in the second passport) so you could then show them the Thai passport, but that's the only time both should be exposed to the air together.

 

I have never had an airline ask my wife how she is in the country when showing her second passport. 

Show own the airline the passport you need for the destination (so on the flight back show her Thai passport).  Only show the immigration officer the passport needed for that country (Thai for Thailand entering and exiting, the other passport for the rest).

it is the airline that checks if you are going to be allowed into a country at check in. The IOs only care that the name on the boarding pass matches. 

I had my extension of stay transferred to a new passport in Samui a couple a years ago.  So this is from my experience.

1.  There is no fee (not even on Samui)

2.  I did not have to provide photocopies of any pages of my passports, they may have taken some themselves but I was not charged if they did.

3.  I did provide a letter from my embassy confirming that I had changed passports and the details of the old and new passports (plus a copy of the letter), this is listed in the regulations.

4.  I did it at the same time as my 90 day report, no need to rush in once you get the new passport.

For the letter I just called my embassy to ask about it and sent them an e-mail with photos of the ID pages from both passports, they sent back a pdf of the letter the same day and the physical letter a couple of days later by post.  There was no charge for the letter but that depends on the embassy (I was using NZ).

All up it took about 30 minutes including the 90 day report, which was fast for the old Samui office.

2 minutes ago, khunPer said:

The so-called, to me always kind, "Birdman" did it 30-days early for me; but yes, Samui Immigration normally don't accept more than a week before.

And by the way, Samui Immigration officers are kind and organized, if you are well prepared – dress nice, be polite and smile; and they will do it for 1,900 baht within "normal" processing time – I've never been "overcharged" more than 100-baht, handing two 1000-baht notes and no change returned; and I don't ask for it either, and don't care about a receipt, as long as I get my extension to stay in the Kingdom for another year...

By the way, if you also apply for a multiple re-entry permission, you will pay in the area of 5,000 baht...

I have never had a problem with the ladies behind the front desk at Samui Immigration, "Birdman" never tried to over charge me and the longest it took for me to get an extension from was 4 hours because he wanted a new Kor Ror 22 and the amphur had a long queue.

His replacement, well after making me wait from 9am until 4pm to be seen, while she only met with 2 other people (one of whom arrived 5 hours after me), then asked how much I had paid "Birdman" for my extensions before agreeing to accept my 1,900 baht.  Being on a marriage extension, which takes 30 days to process, I never pay for the re-entry permit at the same time.

I always dress smartly, and other than asking every hour or so how much longer will it be when I can see the IO is doing nothing I am polite.  my 100 baht change has always been returned, sometimes with a receipt.

Marriage or retirement extension?

11 hours ago, michemiche said:

Just get my 90 day report online approved today.... 1st time in 2 years.
So glad to not need to go to Samui just for that (i live in Koh Pha Ngan)

I got mine approved online a couple of weeks ago.  It took about 4 days for the approval to come through for me.  I'm in (was on) the same boat as you.  Since all the early ferries go to Nathon it is nice not to have to visit Maenam for 5 minutes work.

Samui immigration will only allow you to apply for an extension within 7 days of expiry.  If you turn up before that they will tell you to return later.

I have never heard of them dragging an application out 30 days, they will just try and see how long you are prepared to wait (all day?, do you ask how much longer ever couple of hours?).  The 5000 baht is to get them to stop playing this game.  You can get your extension without paying just expect to wait for a day and be sent to get something else if you don't pay.

On 08/08/2016 at 8:52 AM, ubonjoe said:

You cannot pick and choose which immigration office you use. You have to be a resident of the area they are responsible for.

I way to change offices is to move to another province with an exception of those that have two offices.

Note that even if your province has multiple offices you still may not have a choice.  In Surat Thani any one on Samui, Phangan or Koh Tao must use the Samui Immigration office not the mainland one.

21 hours ago, Scotwight said:

A Kor Ror 22 for a Retirement Extension?  Are you sure you know what you are talking about?  What do you think a Kor Ror 22 is?

Certification that a marriage has been registered in Thailand.  I am on a marriage extension myself so I am very familiar with them.

This was a couple making 2 retirement extensions at the same time, each person showing their own income.  The IO decided that since they were married and applying at the same time she wanted proof that they were married, otherwise she wouldn't process their extension.

After 7 hours of waiting really it was asking for a brown envelope if you want your visa today.

I spoke to the couple after they left immigration (we were waiting for the same ferry home) and they confirmed that is what they had been asked for.

21 minutes ago, Ronuk said:

From the OP'S post. Then at the end he says 50,000 Baht which I assume is a typo meaning again 500,000 Baht

 

Today he was advised from Bangkok immigration that the income or combined income and bank balance required was now increased to

500,000 baht. He is given a day to show a bank account in his and his wife''s name showing a balance of 50,000 baht. Anyone else had the same experience?

I did my marriage extension at Samui 2 days ago, using 400k in the bank, seasoned.  That was accepted without any comment.

On 8 August 2016 at 9:24 AM, parallaxtech said:

Also happening in Koh Samui as last week went to SIO, sat outside for 8 hours only to be told either wait for several days or 5000B for the approval.  I have received ten extensions w/o having to pay more than 1900B.  I always have the correct documents.  Firstly, she said that I was not allowed interest on my SCB fixed account so I called the VP (friend) and he explained that my money and account were acceptable.  Secondly, she said that I had too many extensions and I asked her to show me a document citing a limitation.  What really irked me was when she said that 1900B would no longer be acceptable and that even with a pension letter (which I offered to get) the result would be the same.

 

By the way, last year I was in and out in one hour with my extension.  The boss even came out and talked to me.  I told him that over the years that office had been very corrupt and he laughed and said that there was a new sheriff in town and that it would never happen again.  He was transferred out.  Should I file a complaint or would it be a waste of time?

Samui Immigration yesterday (9/8) the wait for long term visas was 7 hours+.

2 people got sent home after 4 hours of waiting told they had come in too early (come back with 7 days of expiry).  Another person got sent home straight away even after asking the boss where in the regulations it says 7 days.

2 people waited 7 hours for retirement extensions only to be told they needed to get a Kor Ror 22.

On seeing that all my previous extensions had been done by Nok the officer asked me how much I had paid him before accepting my 1,900 baht.

At 2pm the staff at the counter started suggesting to people from Koh Phangan that maybe they should get a hotel for the night.

Number of long term extensions actually granted yesterday maybe 3.

The only time any of my previous extensions took more than an hour was when Nok sent me off to get another document at the amphur.  When that told 2.5 hours he apologised to me and worked through lunch to process my visa.

File a complaint, I am going to at least one of the other couples that was there yesterday is going to, if multiple complaints are received on the same issue it is more likely that something will happen.  One last piece of advice complain high up either 1111 or go to the army.

So what was the difference between today and any other day, Bangkok always has traffic chaos

Today we also had chaos on the BTS for those trying to avoid the roads. I got to Siam station at about 4:30pm and you could barely move with everyone who wanted to use the Silom line backed up outside the gates. There where no notices outside the station and inside you could barely hear the infrequent announcement over the loud speakers. Mostly it feel on one poor member of staff at the gate to tell people sorry no train for you go to the ticket office for a refund.

"Once the directive is announced, passengers who use all types of public transportation boats on the sea and river as well as long-tailed boats on the rivers will be required to wear life jackets or else the boats will not be allowed to leave piers, Nat said."

So once this is put in place, does that mean I would have to wear a lifejacket while sitting in the air-conditioned room on a 1000 ton vehicle ferry? I know that the ferry smokes and has rust on it but I am sure it is not likely to sink anytime soon (and anything that it hits will come off second best).

By my count this is the 3rd ban in the past year.

1st: Due to the curfew under martial law, lifted in time for the full moon party.

2nd: Banned by the police for security reasons in September I believe, lifted in time for high season in December.

3rd: Now this time just after high season ends.

Anyone want to takes bets on when this ban will be lifted?

Just an extra note for those that haven't done it before your connecting flight doesn't not have to be with Bangkok Air, they have a long list on this page http://www.bangkokair.com/pages/view/check-in-through of airlines they can check bags straight through and those they can issue boarding passes for.

I have done it many times with several different airlines without issue.

Assuming you have everything checked through at Samui they will stamp your domestic boarding pass with Gate 7 (International Departures) and give you a CIQ sticker. You will hen clear immigration in Samui at wait at gate 7 to board your domestic flight.

Once you land in Bangkok there will be someone with a CIQ sign (Identical to the sticker) who will direct you to the security check point to transfer into the internation departures area (just a regular security check point, no immigration control).

Well at least the locals are talking about it now, so that is a start..... if each household could just take pride in their own little space, it would be a good thing..

and if every household paid the garbage collection fee - the govt would have some money to do more.

The problem is that paying the fee for collection doesn't solve everything. Where I am everyone was paying the collection fee each month but the rubbish man decided that it was too hard to actually collect the rubbish, after 3 months of nothing being collected the Phuyaibaan decided that he would take over, for 200 baht more a month the rubbish is now being collected everyday.

Of course all that does is move the rubbish into one big heap (or 4 in the case of Samui) where nothing happens to it.

Collection is only the one step in waste disposal, the others have to be sorted as well.

It's more convenient to get your passport renewed in the UK, and use the same day service. Plus you can spend a day or two in a world class city. Visit art galleries and stock up on books from Foyles.

The current passport for expats in Thailand are renewed in the UK via the HMPO office in Liverpool, to suggest that it is convenient for applicants to travel to the UK for their passport renewal is not sensible.

In the past passport applications were done by the UK Embassy in Bangkok and applicants did not have to travel to Bangkok (as is the case now) they were able to use the local consulate offices and the consul did sent the application form with the passport to the UK Embassy in Bangkok and the new passport was then sent back to the consulate and the applicant collected it,

The current procedure as is known requires two visits to the Trendy office in Bangkok, the travel is expensive due to the frozen state pension income of the retired Brits.

Should the Labour party win the next general election in May 15. then it is possible that they might change the passport application procedure again to the F.C.O. (Foreign & Commonwealth Offices)

I am glad that there are some things that New Zealand didn't learn from the UK. This is how you renew a New Zealand passport in Thailand (or anywhere that isn't NZ, AU or UK).

1. Full in a form online

2. Upload the photo that you want on your passport

3. Pay the fee, which because the international courier charge is less than the tax you would have been charged in NZ, is actually cheaper than applying from New Zealand

4. Wait 10 days

5. Get handed new passport by local courier

The letter for Thai immigration to move the stamps over is even simpler, one phone call, an e-mail and a 2 day wait for Thaipost to deliver it, no charge.

Is the ICT Ministry going to help any of the others with basic standards/quality control? (I'm looking at you RTP Immigration division with your IE only forms and forms that suddenly break on a Sunday afternoon)

wheres the first tunnel?

Good question.

Searching a bit I found the below from August last year. somehow it seems to describe the same tunnel though. Puzzling. Do I miss something, or does the subway link consist of two tunnels next to each other, one for each direction ?

"The ‘Blue Line’ subway train route which will extend the existing line from Sanam Chai – Tha Phra is making progress with now a tunnel is being bored underneath the Chao Phraya river.

The tunnel will run under the Chao Phraya river for a distance of 200 meters. It is the first time that such a river tunneling has been undertaken in the country."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/755001-thailands-first-river-tunnel-below-chao-phraya-river-is-underway/

Two tunnels side by side, if you look at the picture in the original post you can see people standing to the side of the TBM, that gives you an idea of how big the tunnel is. You dig 2 tunnels for a couple of reasons, the second tunnel can be used as an escape tunnel if something goes wrong in the first and do reduce the total amount of earth that has to be removed (since your tunnel doesn't have to go as high). Just to give you an idea http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/waterviewconnection/ this page has pictures of the TBM required for a 3 lane motorway (so close to and 2 track rail line)

For those that don't want to go looking the figures for Phangan District are below...

District man woman sum home

Phangan 4,748 4,650 9,398 9,643

Koh phangan 1,985 2,094 4,079 2,937

Baan Tai 1,573 1,606 3,179 2,520

Koh Tao 1,190 950 2,140 4,186

http://stat.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statTDD/views/showZoneData.php?rcode=8405&statType=1&year=57

Which by my reading says that there are 2 homes in Koh Tao for each person, surely a mistake?

Of course thinking about it this is the registered population so doesn't include:

1. Thais who have their house registration somewhere else in the country

2. Migrant workers (Burmese, Lao, etc...)

3. Foreigners on "long term" visas (Retirement, Non-O)

4. Foreigners on short term visa who regularly run to the border

5. Tourists

Surely it is possible for immigration to give numbers for 2 and 3 since we have to register our address. It would give a more realistic idea of how many people are living here.

Still for Koh Tao I would have assumed that if there was no one registered as living at a property that it wouldn't be counted as a home, or is home just a bad translation of property (of any sort) and therefore includes offices and hotels as well.

For those that don't want to go looking the figures for Phangan District are below...

District man woman sum home
Phangan 4,748 4,650 9,398 9,643
Koh phangan 1,985 2,094 4,079 2,937
Baan Tai 1,573 1,606 3,179 2,520
Koh Tao 1,190 950 2,140 4,186

http://stat.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statTDD/views/showZoneData.php?rcode=8405&statType=1&year=57

Which by my reading says that there are 2 homes in Koh Tao for each person, surely a mistake?

Next question, where in Surat Thani? Currently the ships park way off Nathon in Koh Samui and use tenders to bring the passengers to shore. A terminal there would require a very large dredging project to be done to allow ships anywhere near the existing piers.

Or do they mean Surat Thani town where there is nothing for the tourists to do?