AsienExpat

That sounds like Jomtien immigration

Yes it is.

I think i will try it next time also just with my passport and tm47. I can't see this time that anybody needed my copy's, i feel sorry for all that trees that have to die all the time for nothing.

Even i did already a lot of 90 day reports, i always confused with what i really need and what not. I made a report last year and the officer told me i don't need all these copys (copy from passport ID page, current visa page, current entry, arrival card, condo rental and untillity bill). Than i went to the immi the next time and (another) officer ask me where all the copys are, he need them - i told him last time the other officer told me i don`t need any copys at all. The friendly officer explained to me, only the other officer don't need them, cause she does the 90 day reports with the computer. That was right, the other officer did them with a computer and even the notice she pinned in looks different.

Anyway, cause i don`t know in advance to which counter my number will bring me, i did these time all the copys so that i was prepeared for everything. The number i got leads me to the counter with the officer without computer. Suprisingly, he not even inspected all my copys, they all just layed somewhere on his table where i placed them. Everything goes very fast so i don`t know if he later took my copys or if they just went straight to the rubbish bin. When i arrived at home, i saw that i forgot my utility and condo rental bill at all.

So that leads me to the question:

What copys are really needed for the 90 day report? I think i will next time try it again just with my passport and the tm47 form. What are your experience with that?

Geeze ... you guys, well, the OP anyway, are rich.

When I stay more then a day in the Hotel, I leave Bt20 on the pillow-case.

Always works for me.

The cleaner gets it.

IMHO ... Bt 1,000 is way OTT. But this being Thailand, each to their own.

20 baht?? cheap charlie...there really is some dour miserable greedy tight fisted sods go to Thailand... 1000 baht is basically only 20 quid... and if the cleaner is doing a grand job, polite and goes out of her way to make sure you have a pleasant stay , why not tip generously.. hard working people , long hours and get no thanks... make her day...

You know what the average salary per month is in Thailand? If you would know, you would also know, that 20 - 40 Baht Tip per customer and day is good of money for the cleaner. If she clean 10 Rooms a day (and this are often more) they earn already more from the tips than from their salary - if everybody just give 20 baht! If it's 40 Baht and 10 Rooms a day, it's already more than a worker in 7eleven earns a month - just from tips! And for 7 Eleven you need already some education, it's one of the "better" jobs to do...

So 20-40 Baht a Day as tip for a cleaner is absolutly ok. That has nothing to do with cheap charlie. Of course it's not much money for US, but for THEM. Tipping 1000 Baht lead to storys this topic is about. 1000 Baht is already very big money for tipping.

It's absolutly stupid if the customers giving way more tip than the monthly salary is for these people. If everybody act like you, their would be soon no police, no bank workers and no taxi drivers anymore, everybody would just try to get a job as room cleaner where stupid farangs throwing money around. Don't compare it with western prices, cause for them, 20 Baht means alreay a good hot meal - they not eat in the same expensive restaurant like we do - and they even don't want it. If you want to play santa claus, give it to the red cross and they bring it to the places where people really starving. In Thailand nobody starving today. They not earn much but like you can see, they are happy. Of course they are happy more about somebody is so stupid giving 1000 Baht for tip away. But believe me, they thinking exactly this way: What a stupid man.

I tip always in Thailand, everybody, in restaurants, taxis, and of course the hotels - but just a tip - not a weekly salary.

@ th OP: If you really want the right person get it, than give it directly or day by day. An amount of 1000 Baht leaving as tip at once will always lead to a story like you told it. Maybe their are 2 or 3 Cleaners, do you think they will share than, like brothers, if one of them found the 1000 Baht first? See the reality in this country - and don't do a mistake like this again if you don't want it. Nobody failed here exept you. You can write to the manager what you want, but you can't change the reality here. If you don't want things like this happend, don't act in a way that they can happen. It's easy like that.

If you need 40k for food in thailand you are probably obese.

I m at 4k for food with local food.

What the f... I will do with a big boat or cars? I can buy all these things anyway if I want, but I don't want bother with materialism, insurance, maintenance... I don't feel more happy when I have more things but I feel happy when my bank accounts are fully loaded.

Yes I keep my £ for my next life and I help people instead. for me money represent security.

I can travel wherever I want, I prefer to travel once a year and save money from this Elite card . I will stay with a tourist visa and go "home" once a year.

Some people prefer high class restaurants, fine wine dining and a little bit ambiente. If you consider sitting around on plastic chairs on the street in the middle of the traffic and eating a noddle soup, of course, than you dont need 40K a month for eating. Maybe you also not need some money for cloting, one singha t-shirt should be enough.

For me money represents also security and i can also travel around where i want. But sitting on a cheap plastic chair in the middle of the traffic makes me feel insecure. A lifestyle like a tramp doesn't make me feel safe. I prefer to have security and are able to travel but with dignity. If i have to choose my food after the price of it, if i wouldn't be able to choose quality, good tasting clean food, i would return to my homecountry and request social welfare, so that it would be possible again to live a normal life.

I can not even spend more than 20k, how guys can spend lot of money in thailand? I m rich, but I have hard time to spend money here. After spending for everything I need, I m barely at 15k bahts/month. My friend told me they need around 20k to be comfortable in Thailand.

Explain? Because it s impossible to spend 100k bahts a month here unless someone take (steal) your money like gogo or else. In this case you are a loser. Rich people are rich because they keep their cash... Do you think I will pay for an elite card...? When I can keep the money instead? Get real.

You can't be serious. Impossible to spent 100K? I think it's absolutly impossible to spend only 20K. That's the monthly room rate for a Condo or house, nothing more, not even a luxury one. If you go out eating many times a week or daily, and you are not want to eat only noddle soup on the street than you spent easily 1K for eating every day, especially if you are not alone. Not to mention a car or other transportation costs, buy some clothes and other things you need. Some imported cheese, wine or italian ham - i have really no idea how you can stay here and spent only 20K a month.

 

Q: "Why don't you work?"

A: "I have investments."

Q: (actually a statement) "You are too young to be not working."

A: "I have investments."

Q: "Why aren't you working?"

A: "I have investments. I am an investor."

 

 

Crazy. I never heard about that another country questioned somebody who obviously can stay on his own feets and not need any goverment money that way. Since when it is business of the immigration officers to decide if somebody is to young for "not working"? Cause in Thailand you can officially only retire if you are 50?

 

Some people never work all their life, their occupation is just to be son or daughter. Many families in the west are rich enough, some have inherited a fourtune in young years, other sold a startup below 25 - or just have investments around the world, real estate, stocks, or other assets generating a steadily passive cash flow. But exactly this kind of people want PRIVACY, and they are not used be questioned by somebody who behave like some kind of boss. If you accumulated some funds and are free enough to life everywhere in the world without work, you could become bugged by behaviors like this, that somebody quizzes you in and out like you are a clerk just cause u decide to stay 30 days longer in a country.

 

It's all not so good news, strange behavior. I hope Thailand get the turn before a lot of quality tourists they actually want become rid of this behavior.

 

I fail to see why being lucky enough for having enough money to live without working, should entitle you to the additional privilege of escaping common law and common hassles ...

 

 

 

Believe it or not, if you making a long term holiday in spain, southern france or cyprus and you have the correct visas (mean if you are not an EU passport holder) no immigration officer would tell you that you are to young for "not working" nor ask you any silly questions why you not work.

 

Common law is to work, even if you don't have to? Or reach a special age before you can retire? Enlight me what your statement wants to tell me. Take also in consideration that they ask him three time the same question, obviously not believing it, cause they maybe thought there is another farang talking one of this high paid Thai-Jobs away. I would feel a little bit upset, cause common-law and common hassle ok, but a little bit common sense would be perfect. Where are all this farangs taking thai-jobs away the immigration is searching for? I don't know anybody from a western country in this country, is acting like this. The only thing i know is farangs creating jobs over jobs with their money they bring in here, over and over.

 

So why they are so doubtfully and unbelieving if somebody just want to extend his visa for another 30 days? If they want to find people working illegal so this method is ineffectiv for the immigration and bothering for the longterm tourists. Why they not just drive to the places where people really working and check their if everybody has a workpermit?

 

 

Q: "Why don't you work?"

A: "I have investments."

Q: (actually a statement) "You are too young to be not working."

A: "I have investments."

Q: "Why aren't you working?"

A: "I have investments. I am an investor."

 

 

Crazy. I never heard about that another country questioned somebody who obviously can stay on his own feets and not need any goverment money that way. Since when it is business of the immigration officers to decide if somebody is to young for "not working"? Cause in Thailand you can officially only retire if you are 50?

 

Some people never work all their life, their occupation is just to be son or daughter. Many families in the west are rich enough, some have inherited a fourtune in young years, other sold a startup below 25 - or just have investments around the world, real estate, stocks, or other assets generating a steadily passive cash flow. But exactly this kind of people want PRIVACY, and they are not used be questioned by somebody who behave like some kind of boss. If you accumulated some funds and are free enough to life everywhere in the world without work, you could become bugged by behaviors like this, that somebody quizzes you in and out like you are a clerk just cause u decide to stay 30 days longer in a country.

 

It's all not so good news, strange behavior. I hope Thailand get the turn before a lot of quality tourists they actually want become rid of this behavior.

Thailand isn't interested in busting these digital gypos or whatever they are called. Selling fake designer stuff on ebay. Thailand just wants them to cough up the cash for a non-imm visa which they all seem very reluctant to do.

fake designer stuff on ebay, "professional" gambling on line, porn sites, these are some of the reason's why there will never be a "digital nomad" type visa/set up simply because it cant be controlled as what some one gets up to as regards running an on line "business"

Yeah you're right there SP most of these digital gypos are porn mongers. It's the small timers selling the fake stuff.

Guys, you have no clue about digital normads i think. First, selling stuff on ebay is not what usually is understood under this term, cause this is physical trading. This is not something what you can do completly just with your computer. Producing porn is completly illegal in Thailand.

I don't now why some people are so envy about people that are free enough to dont need to work for an fixed employer, that they consider this lifestyle only with derogatory descriptions and associations. Some digital normads earn very good money just from them pure brain work. That's what the typical digital normad does, working with the brain, not with physical things or forbidden things. Beeing envy is not a nice behavior, enviers and haters will neve become happy at all. If everything is perfect in the own life, their are no reasons to devalue the lifestyle of others and so show envy about this lifestyle.

Wow, what a great chaos. Now their is really the first embassy stating that the 5H/5D / Week rumour is true. I can't speak one word french but googletranslator proofed it: Their really stands it:

 

2. Apprendre le Thaï

 

La personne souhaitant prétendre à ce visa doit être inscrite dans un établissement scolaire reconnu par le Ministère de l’Education Thaïlandais. Le cours doit avoir lieu tous les jours de la semaine (5 jours/ semaine) et au moins 5 heures par jour

 

Actually you have to be approved first and takes 3 working days and that includes criminal and intepol checks. As for criminalty outside Thailand no country can do that either. 

 

They can't easily check, but they can require criminal records from citizenship country(translated and legalized), as well from any country where one has lived (e.g.) for more that 6 months. Thailand does that for "long stay" 1 year visa.

 

 

And do you think the UK wants a criminal record from an russian olligarch first, before he invest a big stack in London? I dont think so. If every country in the world would ask first for a CR before somebody is allowed to bring big money to a country, their would maybe much less money in places like St. Tropez, Antibes, Mallorca, Las Vegas, London or where ever. Look at New Zealand, Kim Schmitz. Money talks, yes of course. Everywhere in this world, the idea that this is something special to Thailand is really bias.
 

 

 

Correct. As opposed to the elder pensioner that has to show certified copies of everything to get a long stay visa oversea.

 

Money talks. This is Thailand.

Money talks everywhere. Money will get you long-term stays in places like USA and UK as well. It's not unique to Thailand at all. Funny how some people think it is. 

 

Pay attention... comment was related to the fact that in Thailand in this case, money saves one the criminal checks. Maybe not so in other countries. 

 

 

Sorry, but this is BS.

 

First: Money safe in this case not the CR as some Elitecard holders said they check here on TV.

 

Second: This is also true for other countrys. In many countrys, including the FirstWorld, for example UK (overseas territories) or Switzerland, the biggest dicators and most wanted criminals can hide their money without any problems. Countries like the US play worldpolice and do like they are the white angels, but in reality their money can buy even the president. The US supress swiss banks for tax reasons but the US is also known as perfect place to hind tax-money, when in comes to the state of delaware. The most money from mexican gangs to dicators lays in the safe haven USA - or why you think it's always so a big US weapon to freeze accounts from wanted people in the US? People can make over decades good business with the US but then suddenly when it comes to a showdown, we hear about "US sanctions freezing accounts in the US from Gadaffi or the influence people from iran" - its exactly the same think. The US knows all the time the money lays there, but they dont do anything cause its business as usual.

 

I think it's unfair to say only in Thailand money can save criminals a.ss or money. It's in the whole world the same and it was so 5000 years before and so it will be 5000 years later. The world is not utopia, even Thailand not. So money talks - everywhere in the world. The statement before was absolutly correct. It has nothing to do with Thailand, it's about human nature.

 

 

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Well, we don't accept it either when immigration rules are abused or exploited in our home countries, there's no reasons Thailand should be more lax.[/quote] 
speak for yourself I would like to see all immigration rules scrapped worldwide - that way populations could migrate to areas better able to support them - and it would level out the disparity of wealth between people in different countries.   I dont believe that any government should have the right to tell anyone where they can or cannot live - I would rather consider myself a citizen of the world[/quote]Absolutly. I demand also the free world. We live in times of globalisation, a smaller world were one can say something on the internet and the whole world can read and answer instantly. The internet is 2014, but the whole visa bs worldwide is absolutly stoneage. I hope we free and independent thinkers in the world win one day against the visa nazis.
 [/quote]
Love and peace bro
 [/quote]
 
Yes great guys then we would have all the 'western weathly nations ' populated with millions and millions of people who have nothing to offer and then the ' wealthy western nations ' would be your new third world, great system
 [/quote]

Not true. I not talked about that we have to give everybody who comes social welfare like it is today. I just talked about the right that everybody should be able to move easily without visa hassle everywhere in this world. If we wouldnt prohibited working for foreigners and considerm them as asylumseekers or illegals, we all would profit from this. No human can be illegal. Considering humans as illegal is perverted. How we could become poorer in the west if more workpower comes to our countrys? Not the foreigners make us poorer, the visa and asylum rules makes us poorer cause we not allow these people to work instead we support them with social welfare or make them illegal so that thay cant work in a normal taxed business.

Well, we don't accept it either when immigration rules are abused or exploited in our home countries, there's no reasons Thailand should be more lax.

 
speak for yourself I would like to see all immigration rules scrapped worldwide - that way populations could migrate to areas better able to support them - and it would level out the disparity of wealth between people in different countries.   I dont believe that any government should have the right to tell anyone where they can or cannot live - I would rather consider myself a citizen of the world

Absolutly. I demand also the free world. We live in times of globalisation, a smaller world were one can say something on the internet and the whole world can read and answer instantly. The internet is 2014, but the whole visa bs worldwide is absolutly stoneage. I hope we free and independent thinkers in the world win one day against the visa nazis.

Thanks for your responses.

Just wondering.. if I don't want to marry?

Normaly you can get a O-Visa also for having a thai baby and taking care the baby. You would need the birth certificate where is stated you are the mother and than apply for one.

I had a similar experience last week. Not in Phuket. If i hear your story it sounds exactly the same case and i never experienced something like this in Thailand before. I just made a normal copy of my condo-contract, but the officer said the contract has the wrong format. For him, my contract had to many pages and he wanted it print in a different style - yes this sounds so ridiculous that i would never posted it here if i not read this story with a similar case. The case was absolutely clear, he just tried everything to find something wrong - but what can i do if the exercise was "a copy of my rental contract" - exactly so i did it.

Since i leaving Thailand now soon first to make up my mind to find out if i really want to stay longer, the document is not important any more and i not want to visit this officer again cause i saw already i could do what i want, he just want to show his power over me. Nothing more. I'm always polite and so i just smiled and said ok i come back and bring the contract in the right format....this last visit on my local immigration gives me a break, i now thinking about what my future will be in here, if any.

I been through the progress of open a company, getting a WP and Business Visa in this country all by myself. I can tell you it's not a walk in the park.

How can Thailand be attractive for anyone to start a new life here or expanding your business if you are not a "big investor" or a high skilled engineer hired by an local/international company.

The options are limited. Maybe after all this is really just a holiday destination or retirement place. I don't know...

Thailand was long time a perfect holiday destination, cause everything was, like it was.... since they start to chance everything, the tourist figures drop. And still i can't see and end of all this stuff. I have the feeling their is much less smiling. The times of mai pen rai are maybe over. But if they are over, one of the reasons why many foreigners fall in love with this country disappears. Stern unsmilingly officialdom the most westeners have in their homecountrys enough. Every day the rules becomes tougher. Today i tried to open a bank account, even their are now new rules. A Non-Immi dont seems enough in this times, you need also a certificate of residence just to open it. No smile in the bank, just the words "New rules, you have to go to immigration first to get this document". Quo Vadis, thailand?

Ok, thanks so far...but the letter makes it not really clear, as it gives the same information what i found on their website. Has anybody of the TE holders tried the Limousine Service? The Statements under "Limousine transfer areas" is confusing - i understand it like they only transfer you from the airport inside the areas around the airport. So if you resident in a city 200 - 300km away from the airport, they not transfer you?

You are correct - they won't transfer you for 100's of KM.

It clearly states that it's available for transfers to / from these areas only :

Bangkok and outskirts

Chiang Mai City

Phuket Island

Samui Island

Ok, so that means this Limousine service is only useful for people living in these four areas. I was counting already that each transfer could be easily also worth a few thousand baht if it would be lets say from Trad to Bangkok, but just inside these areas one Transfer seldom would exeed 500 Baht.

But anyway, the visa still looks interesting, even it looks like i cannot use the limo-service regarding i dont live in one of these areas.

One Question about the Complimentary round-trip limousine.

Their stand:

- Complimentary round-trip limousine with 24 usages per calendar year

transferring from the airport to the residence or hotel (within Bangkok,

Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Samui) on international flights

What exacly does this mean?

They mail you a book after you've signed up and it has a page on this service. I scanned it in, here it is :

limo.jpg

It's for trips to / from the airport only. Perhaps you could use the same limo company for your other travel needs around the country but that would be between you and the limo company.

Ok, thanks so far...but the letter makes it not really clear, as it gives the same information what i found on their website. Has anybody of the TE holders tried the Limousine Service? The Statements under "Limousine transfer areas" is confusing - i understand it like they only transfer you from the airport inside the areas around the airport. So if you resident in a city 200 - 300km away from the airport, they not transfer you?

With the current visa clampdown turmoil and the resulting mass exodus, will we see a negative rate for July?

It will soon be revealed if, as suspected for many years, the tourist arrival numbers have included border runners.

Of Course. I can't imagine another way how they would count a tourist? I think every time somebody form outside enters the Kingdom, i counts as one Tourist who visits Thailand.

I'm also very curious about the newest numbers, espacially after august 12. I would guess if the situation keeps like it is, the numbers will drop for the end of the year by millions.

There is link right on the Thai government immigration department website. "Thai Elite."

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

found it, thanks.

In my case, I travel very often, so would likely use all 24 airport transfers (12 round trips, once per month). Since I normally use premium cars anyway, this alone would be worth around THB 144k (120 trips @1200/trip) -- maybe a bit less if discounts could be negotiated, so let's call it 125K or bt 25k/yr.

One Question about the Complimentary round-trip limousine.

Their stand:

- Complimentary round-trip limousine with 24 usages per calendar year

transferring from the airport to the residence or hotel (within Bangkok,

Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Samui) on international flights

What exacly does this mean?

1. You get a Complimentary round-trip limousine with driver and get picked up and brought back.

2. You get a Complimentary round-trip limousine for driving your own?

Second:

1. You get brought from your residence anywhere in Thailand to one of the above Airports

2. You get only brought to the Airport if your residence is in BKK; Phuket, Chiang Mai or Samui?

And last: The Complimentary round-trip limousine is only useable for Airport Transfer, not for normal travel inside the country, right?

" The visa privilege conditions, extension periods, and fees (THB 1,900) are subject to change by Royal Thai government policies and the Thai Immigration Bureau."

Interesting...copied from Thailand Elite Card website.

You really hate this card don't you, I mean really, really hate it. Why is that ?

If you don't want to use it then don't get it.

I know for sure you weren't burned in the past as every TE card issued even under the old scheme is still valid so what gives with all the hate ?

You should watch out just in case someone logs all your previous posts and reports you for slandering this powerful and very well connected Thai company.

I guess it's not hate it's pure envy. Many retired bargainers are envy about everyone below 50 who's able to stay so long in thailand. If the below 50s than even able to stay with so much visacomfort, thats too much for somebody.

I think I've said that a couple times. If one is not 50 or do not quality as an employed person or are studying in thailand or don't have relatives in thailand then this would be a way to legally stay in Thailand long-term. Of course, only a tiny portion of people would be able to plop down 500,000 for something as ephemeral as a visa for the right to reside in a country other than their own.

Everything is ephemeral in life. If you buy a new car you lost although in 5 Years half the value of the amount you bought it new.

The Visa is called ELITE. The word comes from latin "electus" and means per definition only a small, elected group. Nobody said this visa is for everybody or must be affordable for everybody. Anyway, i would also prefer a lite version of this visa for lets say 200 - 300K, but without any of the extra stuff like limousine service and so on. I think this price would be also still high enough to keep away all the bargain hunters but make it available to a bigger, but still elected group. I guess would be a win-win situation for Thailand and a slightly bigger group of semi-highroller foreigners.