FlyingThai

Usually ~ 1.2M per year as most of my travel is overseas with this past year being an exception with lots of staycations in Bangkok and frequent trips to Samui and Phuket.

I don't follow the "visa through spend" argument though. Considering many if not most people don't tax their money in Thailand and get their money from overseas or by working remotely. In the worst case by illegal means and honestly I wouldn't want my government back home to give a visa/residence permit/passport based on their spend from unverified sources.

That being said for heavy spenders I'd simply get the 20Y Elite Visa for 1M and never have to deal with that craptola again. The expense pained me a few months but it felt increasingly better over the month/years.

Delusional clowns.

2 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

Thailand has hardly any tourist and yet they only give 45 days with a 30 days extension. What are they thinking?

For new arrivals they have been offering the STV that can be extended twice for 90 days each. This option is no longer listed on the website now so from what it seems this program has been discontinued.

However that isn't the issue on hand for those who were on the shady "agent visas". I'm sure these were useful to just stay in Thailand and not having to return to immigration all the time, however thinking to use it for frequent in and out was probably overly optimistic no matter what the scam agents told the customers.

1 minute ago, Don Chance said:

Are they not extending the 60 days visas any more?

I'm sure they do at least for those who have been here for a while.

They go by postage stamp date so don't worry too much for no reason.

It's very easy to find when you enter it into Grab should you decide to go after all:

Thai Immigration (Temporary VISA Extension Center at Muang Thong Tani)

I thought I share a few snippets of a situation regarding these "Volunteer" visas supplied by various visa agents.

When this whole Covid mess started and Immigration sent everyone into a frenzy demand for these visas pent up and the prices soared.

Many have been assured it's possible to leave Thailand and return as long as one procures a re-entry permit the regular way. That's just half true as you now require a COE like everyone else and for that embassies/consulates also ask for documents from the organization that sponsored said volunteer visa. This might include a work permit, registration and confirmation letter. Most if not all of these things will be impossible to procure from said organization where someone just got bribed by the agency that sold the visa.

I tried to help someone this week whose COE application was rejected pending submission of said documents. The only option for such people to leave Thailand and return would be to depart, invalidate the visa and apply for a COE returning as a tourist (plus a few other visa options if eligible).

Most of these visas should come to an end soon anyway but this might be an unpleasant surprise for some.

Haven't seen any of them for sale in a long long time.

Some of the 30Y ones have been listed on Bahtsold etc but the expectation of the owner was out of whack compared to the simple 20Y option for 1M THB that comes without any benefits.

It will take several weeks to get it back. Definitely more than 2-3 weeks.

On 3/12/2021 at 1:25 PM, digger70 said:

That's fine ,but you Pay More for their service, and some is Illegal. 

I do all my own By the Book (Legal).

If you have time to do all this on your own then sure why not, especially if you live close to an IO.

I did this in the past as well like 10+ years ago but I was in a different financial situation back then, being a student and all. I rather spent the 1000 Baht on a few beers. Nowadays I find it easier to just pay for what I need even if it includes an extra fee.

I wouldn't task an agent with doing anything illegal for me and we're on the topic of a residence certificate so I can't see what agents might be compelled to do illegally for that. Those are very straight forward things, it just saves me a boat load of time and inconvenience (in some cases even cost neutral considering Grab fees to get to the IO). Now, if people hire agents to get them visas they don't qualify for I'm with you that's a shaky situation.

16 hours ago, zzzzz said:

My gf needs go in person,  wont allow me to do it for her.  

Agent i know that deals with Burmese never pays to do 90 day reports for the workers/employer's that use her

 

The fee for these kind of tasks if packaged into the initial visa the agent processes for migrant workers. Just like most agents who offer the 55k THB Volunteer Visas advertised with "free 90 day report".

On 3/13/2021 at 10:29 AM, Andrew Dwyer said:

The guy two places in front of me kicked off about not paying ( maybe that was you ? ), the IO said “ okay “ gave him a receipt and said “ come back, 30 days “.

 The next guy enquired about getting it quickly, the IO said “ 500 baht “ and gave him one in 5 mins.

I weighed up my options and went with the latter .

Which is exactly the point. Some people don't value their time and trouble because they're retired, unemployed or simply love to argue with officials and sit around all day. Plus in many cases your taxi fee is higher than the requested tea money or an agent fee.

On 3/12/2021 at 6:52 AM, Yellowtail said:

The three thousand is an average, which would mean that if only a third of them are in the country, the one's that are here are spending nine thousand a day, which is really more realistic. That higher math does get a little rugged I know....

None of these amounts are realistic. Especially not the 9000 per day. No. Way. In. Hell. ????

21 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Ok.. so you’ve paid someone 500,000 baht to avoid 600 baht taxi fare and some hassle. 

 

Or, did you get the Thai Elite visa because you have no other visa options? in which case its not quite the same as paying an agent to avoid the hassles... Avoiding the hassles is a perk of paying a lot of money for a visa. 

 

I too am a Thai Elite member, so no criticism there - but I doubt there are many who would have chosen membership on the single basis of avoiding contact with government officials and half a days time saving.

TE is the only viable visa option for me. I'm in my late 30s and my company is abroad. I'd rather shoot myself than getting married here or open a business under the current rules. 1 Mio Baht for 20 years on the bare bones package seems like a good investment, by the time that runs out I can eye a retirement option or renew.

The only advantage TE offers me now is for the 90 day report. Haven't tried to use them for a residence certificate, not sure if they even offer that.

FWIW I received my last residence certificate for 200 Baht at Chaengwattana (2019) and did get a receipt as well. Unfortunately I had to go physically go myself to switch the visa the same day, no way around that.

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Paying someone else 1000 baht so they can bribe someone 300 Baht....  ?

 

 

Paying someone else amount X so I don't have to deal with the aggravation of wasting half a day going to the immigration office and dealing with corrupt officials. Given the distance between my residence and the nearest IO already means a minimum of 300 Baht taxi fare per way.

These days most of the formalities can be taken care of by TE and I didn't need such a certificate for years.

On 1/20/2021 at 8:54 AM, Peter Denis said:

>> By excluding the foreign insurance option when applying for the STV, it demonstrates that the Thai insurance lobby is becoming more brazen in their efforts to impose insurance-requirements on Visa applicants while at the same time excluding foreign insurers (thus forcing applicants to buy Thai insurance, even when they already have - often far superior - international insurance that meets all requirements, except for the fact that it is not Thai).  I sincerely hope that sooner or later their greed will be called out by international insurers as it is a clear violation of international trade-agreements).

Please cite the "international trade agreements" that are being infringed by this practice. Stop using phrases you know nothing about just to sound important.

This is a national matter of immigration policy and has no bearings on any kind of trade.

So less than a third (3,000 of the now 10,000 members) are actually in Thailand at the moment while holding a visa designed for a long term stay in the Kingdom. That's one way to not having to provide a service after receiving payment.

The value of THB 3000 THB per day each TE holder is supposed to spend is quite frankly pulled out of his rectum.

Quoting the loss as THB246 Million over such a long 18 year period sounds very small and inaccurate. Several years ago the loss was reportedly hundreds of millions higher. Maybe they were able to reduce the overall deficit since then? But considering their official sales numbers for 2019/2020 I'm surprised they still have any loss at all.

Obviously the Thailand Elite Visa Company is filled with people who are over grossly overpaid which largely contributes to the losses of the past. I guarantee you Somchai and his "board" don't work for pocket change.

4 hours ago, problemfarang said:

dont want to start an argument but i think its normal to have a fee for a service... and 300 is not that bad tbh

I have no problem with paying a fee for a service as long as there is a fee schedule and I get a receipt.

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Still the same address.

Thanks. Lets see how this goes. First report since March, stayed at hotels since July.

Is the address still the same or has it changed since they moved to MTT?

90 DAYS REGISTRATION,
IMMIGRATION DIVISION 1
Government Complex Building B
120 MOO 3, CHAENGWATTANA ROAD,SOI 7,
LAKSI, BANGKOK. 10210

3 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Too bad you didn't get here in 1999 like some of us.

Considering Thai construction quality, those buildings erected in 1999 are now a rotting pile of garbage.

8 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Son just bought a 3500sqft house on 5 acres in Montana for 560k

Let's not forget he also has to take care of these 5 acres and a use of 3500 sqft.

Annual (property) taxes, insurance, maintenance cost etc not even considered yet. Local cost of living, income tax, health insurance on top of it all.

It's comparing apples to oranges saying you can whatever kind of property for the same money in Australia, Europe or North America. There is usually a reason why someone want to leave his home country.

On 10/10/2020 at 2:44 PM, DrTuner said:

Muslim country. That is a deterrent to me, I like my bacon & beer and don't like people yelling from top of a tower, much less laws based on a religion.

Where did you get your doctorate, Khao San Road?

Bali ist Hindu, Babi Guling (Suckling Pig -> Pork) is a local specialty and I get bacon every morning at every single hotel.

The only region in Indonesia that has Sharia Law (to a limited degree) is Aceh. Indonesia is a rather free country with many religions, a substantial part of the country is of Christian fait, especially ethnic Chinese.

Get an education man!

10 minutes ago, rucker4012 said:

It'll never happen. Question: Who pays for and trains a Covid minder? This is what happens after a military coup where unqualified people are put in charge without supervision.

This proposal doesn't come from anyone associated with the military but nice try.