jamie2009

44 minutes ago, Thailand J said:

He did not report on time when he moved 3 years ago to Pattaya, and apparently the owner did not report neither. No wonder he  was questioned , can't blame the immigration office.

It’s not publicised by Immigration about reporting, they should be giving flyers out when they give you the Arrival/Departure Card to complete on the flight. 

What I am asking as I have not reported since then will I be fined when I do my 90 Day Report or my renewal of my Extenstion of Stay ?

Because people were going to Jomtien and were told they didn’t have too, yes I should have gone and checked, can’t disagree.

I moved into a rented property in Pattaya coming up for nearly 3 years,  I went to Immigration at Jomtien to report my change off address when I moved in. I was unaware I should have reported the change within 24 hours, I was ‘detained’ for over 2 hours and threatened with a 3500 baht fine. After much deliberation they stapled the paper in my passport and said I have a ‘bad’ owner, I didn’t get fined.

I called the owner, she was unaware about TM30 reporting,I had tried to contact her when I was there but she didn’t answer her phone and told her she needed to go to Immigration. She called me the following day and wanted me to go with her, nope I have my paper, not sure if she went.

i do 4 return trips too the UK never spending more than 90 days in Thailand, I use an agent for my Extension of Stay renewal and my Re Entry Permit. Lazy yes and no, it’s down to my experience with the TM 28 where I was treated like a criminal and quizzed for over 2 hours.

My next stay in Pattaya will be more than 90 days so I will have to do a 90 Report, will I get pulled for not informing Immigration of my comings and goings in the previous 2 years, I always return too the same address.

The owner is unaware of my comings and goings, this is her only property and she spends most of her time abroad so I have no contact with her.

8 hours ago, st11x said:

I was thinking of getting it to replace those plug in ones that run off the liquid insecticides. Doesn't seem to be very effective anymore.

 

Matt

 

 

The fan is too keep the electronics cool, I disconnected one because of the noise of the fan and it started to overheat. The noise of the fan is enough too scare the mossies away, it killed other insects but not mossies.

i bought 2, waste of space, stick with plug ins, both of mine back in the boxes in the cupboard.

6 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

How?

My Thai G.F. had to complete a Landing Card this year prior to entering the UK, all Non EU citizens have too.

10 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

I wish my country (USA) was as diligent in tracking foreigners as Thailand - or even more so.  This would have saved many lives in the last 20 years - and tens of millions of our citizen's livelihoods and families.  "Our" government have no problem spying on we citizens (who are treated like the enemy, to the extent we object to the "globalization" efforts of the transnational corporations) but let the foreigners - even illegal ones - wreck citizen-lives with impunity.

 

That said, Thailand could modernize its system considerably - such as tying in the TM-6 system with the TM-30 system with the 90-day system. 

 

They should also provide advance-notice to people entering the country, so they are aware of what is required in-advance.  Hitting people up with fines for laws they were not aware of is something one would expect from a low-class country - not what Thailand wants to project as its image.

Why complete an Arrival Card, do they actually input the info, they have no way of checking you are actually staying at that address.pThe I.O. doesn’t when passing through Immigration, is there a big office where people sit all day and inputting the Info of thousands of Arrival Cards ?

For me complete one when you arrive at your Hotel, if you are staying in rented accommodation the owner to provided the Form, all to be forwarded to Immigration ?

2 minutes ago, andre47 said:

If you travel into another country and you stay in a hotel or similar you don't have to report to the immigration because the hotel does it for you. If you stay in a private residence you must report. As far as I know you have to report your stay in every country, not just in Thailand. Most countries does not enforce it or in most cases the authorities don't know about your residence.

The only reporting my G.F did was at Border Contol at Heathrow, she was staying at my house. The address was not on her Visa and they never asked where she was staying.

It might have been entered on a central Data Base from the information she provided on her application but they don’t physically check she was staying there.

I am on a ‘Retirement Visa’ living in a rented house, my owner lives abroad.

i never stay longer than 90 Days at a time so no reporting required.

My owner is unaware that I leave Thailand every couple of months.

For me the TM28 is for change of address, I did one when I moved in last year.

Therefore should the owner be filing a TM30 every time I return albeit as I said she isn’t aware when I leave and return ?

I have colleagues who come here for 6 week trips every few month, they obtain their Visa in the UK.

One owns a Condo, he never needs to go Jomtien as he is never staying longer than 90 Days and doesn’t do a TM30 so how could he be fined ?

So in effect if you never have go to Jomtien you won’t be fined.

If you plead ignorance they say it’s the law but surely some form of literature should be handed out on arrival at the airport or by the Carrier ?

How many people research the laws of a popular Tourist destination before deciding too travel there. I bet that if potential tourists did for Thailand they would be looking elsewhere due the archaic laws.

My Thai G.F. was in the UK for 3 months this year on a Visitor Visa, we arrived at Heathrow, very friendly I.O. fella, few questions then that was it.

We left 3 months later, no visits too any Immigration Offices, 90 Day Report etc, just an email a few weeks before the expiry date of her Visa reminding her it was due too expire.

i have the impression that foreigners are a ‘cash cow’ for Immigration.

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

AFAIK, owning a condo is not an immigration status.

 

So no, it's incomplete information. There's no reference to his actual immigration status beyond 'I extended my visa.' What sort of visa? Was it a visa or was it an extension. It's well known how being imprecise with this important definition leads to incorrect advice and information.

 

He claims to have been fined 1600 baht for not reporting his return to immigration. That's an odd amount. I don't recall 1600 baht as an amount being mentioned by those being fined elsewhere either.

When I had the ‘run in’ with Immigration earlier on in the year they wanted to fine me 3500 baht eventually letting me off.

They told me the owner would be fined 1600 Baht when she went to Immigration, She went the following day and I was unaware what appertained, she does not own multiple properties, she only has my place. She was probably unaware of TM28/30 scenario till I contacted her.

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

My understanding.

( 1 )

TM 30.

To be submitted by Owner, Landlord, Your wife if it's her house/condo, Hotel you stay at for your holiday.

 

( 2 )

TM 28.

If you leave the place where you stay full time ( as noted above ) and stay away for a few days on return you submit TM 28 within 24 hours. 

 

( 3 )

The place you stay at for your break should submit the TM 30 within 24 hours of your arrival.

 

Question on ( 3 ).

Should you also submit the TM 28 within 24 hours of arrival to the local office in that area?

To me as I have said before the owner of my house should submit a TM 30, if they do that why do I have to submit a TM28 as Immigration already have the info from the owner ?

If every resident with a long term visa went to Jomtien to complete a TM28 the queue would stretch to Beach Road.

2 minutes ago, juice777 said:

 

 

You can only go to the border 2 times a year as I sure you know because you are on Thaivisa.com. And why would I even go there when I could walk down to Jomtien apart from today I am normally in and out in 10mins.

"But I never declared any address anywhere because I am to smart to talk to any guy in uniform, understand now ?"

So how do you even get in the country?

You are talking nonsense I suppect you had a beer or 2.



Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
 

 

When I was there earlier on in the year the people dealing with me all woman were not wearing I.O uniforms, no idea who they were.

There was an armed Policeman outside the office which was upstairs at the time albeit he was asleep initially then woke up walked into the office shouting not at me but to some staff.

Can one of the Expat Organisations not approach Immigration at Jomtien and clarify the position on TM28/30 reporting and also enquire why it is only Jomtien enforcing this.

50 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Nothing grey about it.

 

Section 37.(2). Shall stay at the place as indicated to the competent official. Where there is proper reason
that he cannot stay at the place as indicated to the competent official, he shall notify the competent official
of the change in residence , within 24 hours from the time of removing to said place. (TM28).

Section 76 : Any alien, alien, who fails to comply with the provisions of Section 37(2),(3),(4)or(5) shall be
punished with a fine not exceeding 5,000 Baht and with and additional fine not exceeding 200 Baht for
each day which passes until the law is complied with.

 

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. If there is no Immigration Office
located in that area , the local police official for that area must be notified.

Section 77 : Whoever fails to comply with the provision of Section 38, shall be punished with a fine not
exceeding 2,000 Baht. If said person is a hotel manager, he shall be punished with a fine from 2,000 Baht
to 10,000 Baht.

Nothing in there too say when you leave Thailand return too the same address about completing a TM28/30 which currently Jomtien are doing.

One of my colleagues who has stayed in the same Condo with his GF and child for years was asked to sign a form by the owner the other day on his return to Thailand ?

4 minutes ago, PhonThong said:

Why are you being fined? It is the responsibility of the landlord. Or are you the owner?

It’s a grey area, I changed address, rental to new rental, so I should have informed Immigration likewise the owner according to Jomtien.

As I have mentioned many times, my experience in Jomtien, 3500 Baht for TM28 and owner 1600 Baht, not tea money either.

3 minutes ago, opporna said:

Wow. Sounds like quite the hassle. So it's impossible to change addresses now? What the hell are they doing?

If you don’t volunteer they won’t know, if every person went to Jomtien they couldn’t cope, how many Farang come and go every week/month.

3 minutes ago, opporna said:

 

17 minutes ago, opporna said:

I'm about to go in for my annual extension of stay at Jomtien--this will be my third one from retirement, previously many years were for work permits. I own my own condo have reported every 90 days dutifully, but I'm worried that I can never recall having done a tm30, though when I bought my condo years ago I informed them that I had moved. If I go in now, am I in danger of being flagged for this? I've read many reports of people being flagged, but I'm not sure about my specific case.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

I have done a few Extensions, a 90 Day Report and Re Entry Permits, the only reason I got pulled I voluntarily went to notify Immigration of a change of address, initially a 3500 Baht fine but they let me off after 2/3 hours of questioning.

I rent a house in Pattaya, in my humble opinion it is the owner who is required to complete a TM30, if the onus was put on tourists every time they visit Pattaya to complete a TM28 Immigration would be overwhelmed.

i would say if I owned the property the onus would be on me to complete a TM30 ?

2 hours ago, juice777 said:

"If you haven't changed address since you started filing extension, then IMHO there's no need to submit a TM30."

 

So I think I see it the same way as you. I shouldn't rock the boat worst case scenario I get a 2000THB fine is that correct you think?

 

But I haven't stayed in a hotel in Thailand since all the this malarkey started. If I stay in a hotel should I report in then you think?

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

The hotel is supposed to do a TM30 but how many Guest Houses/Rooms do ?

My previous owner did it online.

Its a 3500 Baht fine for a foreigner for not doing a TM28 and 1600 Baht fine for the owner not doing a TM30.

I in my ignorance reported too Jomtien about my change of address when I moved too a house over a year ago. I wasn’t aware of the 24 hour rule. After 2/3 hours of deliberation, initially they were going to fine me 3500 baht they let me off with it.

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

Access to the Internet does not help (except to get some guidance here). Neither does attempting to apply logic to the situation. You can read up on the law if you like, but it is pointless. Even the Thai authorities understand that the law as written is totally impractical and unenforceable. What you have instead is partial enforcement of some of the sections of the Immigration Law, varying greatly from area to area.

 

The post by JackThompson gave you the best information available for those in Pattaya. That is important, as every office is different. Unfortunately, according to Jack, there are various interpretations of the law and its enforcement dependent on the immigration official. I suggest you follow his advice to report each time you return to Thailand until an official advises you otherwise.

I keep going back too the point, how do Immigration know if I or owner hadn’t filed a TM28/30 

i have done loads of Re Entry Permits, Extensions of Stay and possibly one 90 Day Report in 4 Years ?

They only know if you turned up voluntarily at Immigration and complete a TM28/30 Form ?

3 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

The TM-6 form you fill out upon arrival does not "count" as reporting, as relates to the TM-30 system.  Worst case, it could be used against you, to prove you "should have" reported a TM-30.

 

The TM-30 was designed to be a report for landlords, but has now been changed into a mixed-up thing (often printed with cut-paste from the TM-28 law-language) which now affects non-landlords. 

 

Since you mentioned Jomtien - reports here of their requirements have varied from "Every time you leave your residence for more than 24 hours," to "Every time you leave the country," to "Only if out of the country for more than 3 days or more...," and variations of these. 

 

My personal experience is reporting every single time I leave the country - even if only gone 2 days - and getting a new TM-30 slip added to my passport each time.  I've never been told "not to bother," so I keep reporting to avoid any future potential fine.

 

It's you call as to whether you think the best strategy is to try to fly "under the radar" - since returning to the same residence - or to report every single time, until they tell you not to do so any more (as has been reported by others who showed up ever month or so after trips).

I am not changing addresses irrespective how many times I enter or leave Thailand, I have a Rental Agreement indicating where I stay.

i can understand if you leave and return too a different address in which case for me it’s up too the owner to notify Immigration.

They don’t provide literature anywhere about this rule not that I have see so how is a new y supposed to find out, not every one has access to the internet.

I have read through all the posts and many others relating too TM28 and TM30 Reporting and to be honest still I am not certain where I stand on the Reporting

I have lived in a rented house in Pattaya for over a year, I have the form from Immigration stapled in my Passport which confirms I live there.

i am on a ‘Retirement Visa/Extension of Stay’, I leave and enter Thailand 3/4 times a year always returning to the same residence, the Rental Agreement is in my name. I am never in Thailand more than 90 Days so don’t need to do a report. I do a Re Entry Permit when I leave.

I complete an Arrival Card like all Farangs stating where I am going to be staying in Thailand, same place every time, does this not get registered on a central Data Base so Immigration must know where I am residing ?

The bottom line is, I am entering and leaving Thailand going back too the same address so why do I need too a report as I am not changing address,  I am already registered there, the paper stapled in my Passport confirms this. f I didn’t report they would never know I was coming or going ?

I had heard all the stories about passing through Heathrow  Immigration, we arrived, went too Immigration, only question do you have the travel intenery, yes showed him it, he read it, ok enjoy your stay, only took a couple minutes too get through.

I thought I had sorted the problem but TV come on then went off.

I called the company who installed the Dish, they sent a Technician out, he changed the receiver on the zdish, he said it had been struck by lightening.

He then said I needed a new box, I produced the guarantee, he then called the office and he followed instructions over the phone to reset the system. I went out left him as it was reloading. On my return my G.F. said he had too change the box, no charge. 

Total cost 400 baht Labour, 300 baht for Satellite Receiver, all good now, thanks for all the info.