edwardflory

TIME: It all depends on the LOCAL OFFICE traffic. I have done a TM-30 several times this year - will do one in a few days due to hotel stay. The shortest wait IN a line has been 4 minutes, the longest 17 minutes - so far. For the TM-47 it's usually 2 to 4 minutes and DONE. once was 14 minutes 2 years ago. I live 15 minutes from the immigration office, I hit the 7-11 on the way home, 2 birds 1 stone. KORAT IO has their together, VERY SERVICE ORIENTED and NORMALLY SPEEDY.

"""would add that I only spend between 4 to 6 months each year in Thailand""" "ONLY" 4 to 6 MONTHS ""EACH"" YEAR is NOT a tourist trip, You are part time residing here, part time somewhere else - maybe your home or other country. Immigration sees you as someone trying to "work" the system and you are using Thailand as your 2nd home WITHOUT a proper visa or stay extension.

""Oh please have a heart These poor people need help and we should embrace them with open arms"" Arms so open that the taxpayer pays for the ILLEGALS 1) housing , 2 food, 3) medical care, 4) cell phone, 5) air transport ( many without any ID.) MY Great Grandfather came in legally. He was on the list for 12 years BEFORE he was allowed entry. No free housing, medical, food or transport. His 1st job was street sweeping for pennies a day.

"""That's why I still have 5 yr old TM6 on my passport too""" Mine is 12 years old.

My opinion: LOCATION Have a older Thai condo in BKK area, mortgage & fees ( 16 years and still paying ) total 2050bt a month. around 3000 people as neighbors in 8 buildings of 5 stories Have house in wife's home village, old, on stilts, and village in the middle of nowhere - 1 hour to a major shopping area the OTHER side of the mountain. LIVING in KORAT, 2 BR house with indoor kitchen, fenced yard, veggie garden, gated community. 4 MAJOR stores within 10 minutes, with Immigration 15 minutes away, can't count mom & pop stores and 7-11 under 10 minutes. Fishing lake 2 minutes -20 minutes from center city Korat. 4500bt a month.

"""Some folk say terminology not important. This thread shows it is.""" I have been saying the above for years and TOTALLY agree how important. All to often, I hear or see something posted about " my retirement / marriage visa", especially about renewing my retirement / marriage "VISA", AFTER the person has been here several years. To compound matters I have been told, IN THE PAST, when visiting a PAST IO ( after living and renewing my "extension of stay" based on retirement 3 times at that office ) "I had 1 ( or 2 ) months left on my """retirement visa""" by a Immigration Officer ( assuming being a helpful reminder ) usually while doing one of the TM's I love terminology!

""He doesn’t say the average price, he said what he paid. Egg prices are different all over."" I went for groceries, November '23, when I visited at the SAME store. when I lived in US. Gravy mix was 4 for $1, when I visited $1 each. Bologna ..16.. ounces was $.99, when I visited ..14.. ounces $2.49. To add to the OVERALL craziness, I remember my mother's MORTAGE PAYMENT for a 4BR HOUSE ..In 1964.. was $63 a month. My X 1 BR apartment now rents for over $1000 What a great economy!

"""As I'd stayed in Thailand 1 year and 7 months they said I'm not a tourist so he's refusing the visa waiver.""" Now the POSSIBILITY: Just because you have a VISA - doesn't matter WHAT kind, you CAN be REFUSED entry into Thailand by a Immigration Officer based on 1) Your history on the computer OR 2) any reason thought of by the IO. It happened to a friend of mine who was really WORKING the system for 2+ years in every possible way. He got bounced ( see next paragraph ) on his appeal. If this happens, tell the IO you want a IMMEDIATE APPEAL to your entry refusal, a process unknown to most people. Good Luck.

""15 hours awake is nothing much"" My flight TRAVEL TIME to USA run between 28 to 34 hours. I manage to get sleep in tourist class because the last LONG legs are over the Atlantic to Chicago OR over the Pacific to Chicago and then a short hop to Cincinnati.

I have had AIS since my first VISIT to Thailand 12 years ago. It also worked fine when I went back to the US ( roaming ) for 3 months before I came back. At that time I was buying expensive top up via the net. Ubpn returning and staying in Th, I changed to a contract ( BEFORE retirement extension ) with the following: WE have 3 sims - mobile's were upgraded to 5G, fiber WiFi ( 5G) and cable TV - basically unlimited service ( I have never received extra or over charges ) my cost NEVER being OVER 1620bt monthly - including 2 weeks roaming in USA. My payments are made via AIS APK.

I came to Thailand on a 28 day "retirement trip" 1st. As usual, found a lady by chance. Went back to US and work for 2 months. ( I had given 3 months notice that I had decided to retire effective 31st Dec of the year. Had 2 weeks vacation pay left and collected with final pay check at retirement exit and received my Social Security. So back to Thailand in Jan to see the GF and etc. All good with the girl I met so decided to do the retirement extension - original thought was for only 2 years then back to US. FORWARD - original GF did not work out after 6 months. Lived in Pattaya 2 years, BKK 3 years, moved to KORAT. Have been in Korat 7 years. I live in a 2BR house, indoor kitchen, yard, veggie garden and etc in a gated community. Rent averages $128USD ( due to exchange rate ) a month. ( My US 1 BR large apartment when I left was $350 a month - now is OVER $1000 a month.) I am 15 minutes from Immigration Office, 10 minutes from 4 major chain stores, can't count the mom & pop stores and street food stands / restaurant's within a few minutes of my door. Bonus..A fishing lake 2 minutes from front door. The downside is I am 20 minutes from center city, ( $6.00 taxii round trip usually 2 times a month ) but also a upside - no city noise. Having mentioned what my former US apartment NOW rents for, housing, including WIFE'S mortgage payment in ( married after 10 years ) for BKK condo, and ALL Korat housing utilities - including 2 mobile's, WiFi and cable TV, run UNDER $600 a month. Food is not included. Have a SUPER landlord, no rent increase in 3 years. GREAT reasons to live here

If you hit a brick wall, see if you can change to retirement extension of stay - it's legal to do. Plan NOW! ( Less RENEW paperwork AFTER the 1st extension issued and usually done in 1 day, no home visit - ALL DEPENDING on LOCAL IO POLICY.) IMPORTANT: You BOTH must GO to immigration and SHE MUST AGREE for you to change to a retirement extension ... IF you are OVER 50, and have 800,000bt in the bank or PROOF of monthly income from abroad, you should be able to do.

We got 2 in Thai and 2 in English.

ALMOST EVERY office has THEIR policy on almost ALL paperwork. In Pattaya ( 1 in 2 years ) hotel did my TM-30 In BKK ( 1 in 3 years ) my girlfriend had to do a TM -30 when I moved into her condo In Korat I do my own TM-30 ( 5 this year so far ) verbally saying to the office lady, "returning home". hand my passport, under 2 minutes I have a new TM-30 slip in my passport and I am out the door. OPINION Almost EVERY OFFICE IS DIFFERENT, find out YOUR LOCAL OFFICE POLICY on ...ALL... paperwork.

If the US economy is so good, WHY: 1) My former apartment now rents for over $1000USD a month, I paid $350. 3 out of 8 are vacant. 2) Dozen eggs at $3.59USD, I paid $1.19 3) when I visited for 2 weeks, a SMALL Hamburger, French Fries, Cola cost me $9.29USD ( Here I get 2 large chicken sandwiches, medium french fry and cola, under $7.00USD.)

"""Neither prostitution, nor soliciting the services of a prostitute, is illegal in Thailand""" WRONG. But some reform of the laws has been under consideration

" I do have a registered address, with yellow tabien baan, so not sure if that makes a difference " I also have a YELLOW HOUSE BOOK, and am still REQUIRED to have a CURRENT TM-30 and TM-47 Having delt with Jontiem for 2+ years in the past - based on WHAT I had to provide, I find it EXTREMELY hard to believe, that a TM-30 is not REQUIRED paperwork for processing ANY "extension of stay", "COR" or "TM-47" Read the IMMIGRATION ACT and revisions, pay particular attention to sections 4 and 38. AND AS ALWAYS. EVERYTHING, depends on LOCAL IO POLICY Having said the above, many a wife ( mine included when she was a GF and I moved into her condo ) GF, and some Landlords have NO clue WHAT a TM-30 is OR that they should file one for you.

Almost EVERY Immigration Office has the OWN policy and way on almost all paperwork. Yes, I have read and understand th English version of 4 & 38 of the Immigration Act and revised. I have done my own TM-30's, as needed ( 5 years now ) as House-Master at my local office ( 10 minutes from my front door) - 5 so far this year due to hotels filing a TM-30 where I have stayed on holiday and overseas trip. I also do a TM-30 for visitors staying at my house, usually the 1st piece of paperwork they need for what they plan to do. My local office also require a new TM-30 returning from overseas trips - I found out the hard way when I went to do a TM-47, they required a new TM-30. Thankfully the officers said since I had a perfect immigration record ( 12 years ) at that point, they were only going give me a verbal warning - no paperwork or etc. Living In BKK, I was NOT permitted to do a TM-30. Quit Bit¢hing, find out what YOUR LOCAL OFFICE POLICY IS for ANY paperwork and follow THEIR POLICY.

Having lived in Thailand 12 years, having taught English to office girls ( yep some were ladyboys ), then having been a FTPA member, I have run into many "working " ladyboys I have found that MANY "working" ladyboys do NOT advise " clients" of their actual gender, the "client" finds out when getting ready to do "the various deeds". SOME ladyboys have very very minimal signs of their actual gender - mostly do to advanced surgery. Some of the honest "working" ladyboys WILL disclose gender, the ones that don't, do SO by design.

...dont think any of the middle class lower class new what they were voting for and the upper class just wanted to keep their money... Let's see, Ms Harris spent over 1 BILLION USD ( if the UPPER CLASS didn't support her who did ) and still in debt according to reports, 20 MILLION USD When Democrats CROSSED OVER ( didn't new what they were voting for ??? ) and Independents voted, it ALL helped to cement Trump's win.

Food for thought. The contested Pennsylvania Senate race barrels towards a $1 million recount, DEMOCRATIC officials in a few blue counties are openly ADMITTING to COUNTING DISQUALIFIED ballots IN DEFIANCE of STATE LAW and COURT ORDERS. I see a MASSIVE lawsuits / maybe CRIMINAL CHARGES ( IN DEFIANCE of STATE LAW and COURT ORDERS ) in the future Tell me more about honest Democratic election officials!

Here is ANOTHER way. ( Free US Phone service and number ) I have been using 2 years. Download the TEXTNOW.COM APK Use the inbound / outbound service FREE over WiFi or WILL work if away from WiFi using your phone data at local ( Thailand provider ) data cost. Have made / received FREE calls in BKK, Korat - anywhere in ThIland, over WiFi connection. BE CAREFUL YOU ARE NOT ON DATA ROAMING WHILE TRAVELING OUT OF COUNTRY!!! Traveling, HK, Dubai, Japan, NYC, Chicago, Cincinnati and etc via airport WiFi connection ... probably will work on airplane WiFi. NOTE: You must USE the FREE service reguraly or you LOOSE the service ==> I make 16 outbound calls monthly. Also free SIM service in USA and also have paid plans - READ THE WEBSITE for plan that suits you best. You can also port your US number to the service. On SOME phones and tablets APK will NOT work. Works on my Mobile and 1 of my 2 tablets.

Just a quick note of confirmation. ALL foreigners, regardless of visa or extension of stay are REQUIRED to have a TM-30 ON FILE per sections 4 & 38 of the IMMIGRATION ACT. ( Usually done by a landlord for rented property or ""sometimes"" by a HOME OWNER ) Section 38 : The house – master, the owner or the possessor of the residence, or the hotel manager where the alien , receiving permission to stay temporary in the Kingdom has stayed , must notify the competent official of the Immigration Office located in the same area with that hours, dwelling place or hotel, within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the alien concerned.

""The country is unaffordable now. I dont need to click your link to know that you dont live in the US"" My X-apartment in USA, ALONE ( large 1BR in a apartment complex ) is now rented @ $1050.00USD a month. My cost in Thailand ( 2BR, Yard, Garden including all Utilities and 2 Mobiles in a gated community ( also my cost for a storage unit has DOUBLED in past 2 years ) is UNDER $1000US. I live here, ONE of the reasons, is value for monies.

IF the US economy is so "GOOD", answer me why so many NATIONAL COMPANIES - companies with stores in many states / many locations IN state, are CLOSING and filing for bankruptcy protection.