Freespirit

There is no such law as kidnapping your own child in Thailand. So what are you worried about?

On 1/29/2017 at 7:04 AM, FritsSikkink said:

It is only confusing because you for a reason you don't know your self (haha), you don't' get the Thai registration fixed.

He told you already, his Thai wife is not co operating. She has to co sign documents.

Yeah been reading some posts about Chaing Khong too. I did go there last year but I was using the old style multi entry tourist visa so no problems. Some people have been questioned over too many visits to Thailand apparently but the staff are said to be nicer and more friendly than Mae Sai.

The new law about visa exempts just came in to effect in January, So I'm assuming by a calendar year they mean January to December as per the calendar.  Anyone  can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes they did seem they were looking for an excuse to make trouble. It was on a Monday morning too with the  new rule just started. Perhaps they weren't very happy about the new workload. They've had it so easy for so long.The IMO in the booth got  excited  and went to the office and called another female officer out, then another, then he called his boss. Overreacting I thought. They have obviously had it quiet with the no in and out 's allowed for a long time, and were hostile to me in the past when the in and outs were stopped. One time I was prevented from returning! so got stuck there with my daughter that time too, they eventually relented. They do for what? Show power? I've been all over Thailand and crossed many borders, only this one gives me trouble. So seemed out to get us and make a big thing of it. Very unerving and intimidating. A softer more friendly approach would have been better. After they gave us the out stamps and let us go, and we got the return in stamps no problem But it seemed they were trying to show power.

Hopefully they will have settled down a bit , but a little politeness wouldn't go amiss. Mynamar are nice, polite and friendly. What happened to Land of Smiles.

If you have used up your 60 days on your tourist visa you can get a 30 day extension at your local immigration office for 1,900 baht, or if you want to go  Mai Sai, you can get a 30 day visa exempt stamp. You can go out and come back in the same day. It will cost you $10 US dollars  or 500 baht  to enter Mynamar on the other side.  Dollars will be cheaper as it's about 350 baht for $10 at the money changer on the left hand side before you get to the police station. Make sure you go out of Thailand on or before the last day of your tourist visa. Mai Sai immigration are very hostile when it comes to overstay. Even though if you are already at the border they can only make you pay overstay at 500 baht a day, and put an overstay stamp in your passports as long as it's less than 90 days. They held me and my daughter for 2 hours and were aggressive and intimidating. Not pleasant. So watch your dates and you should be alright.

About overstay I think it was just Mai Sai immigration kicking up and trying to show power. I went to Chiang Rai immigration the next day to report to the boss as I was told to do, and they said no need. I asked again, they repeated the answer "no need". Just get ED visa. I presented my daughters expired Thai passport and Thai birth certificate and asked this helps or not? They said she is Alien! Mai Sai staff said I can't send my kid to school on a Tourist Visa, So I stopped sending her this week as they were intimidating and it scared me. Which is what they were trying to do. If I was the big boss I'd send then for some attitude adjustment! The school rang me and asked why I didn't send her. I told them my story. The school said Mai Sai were wrong, all kids have to go school by Thai law, and the UNESCO agreement Thailand signed up to says every kid of every nationality in any country has the right to an education even if they don't have papers or ID. They said send her to school next week. They will help me try to get her Thai ID because they specialise in helping kids with no parents or no ID,  They even quoted the Princess of Thailand's efforts to get this by making a new law last September. So the quest goes on, but its not easy. Maybe I should write to the their Majesties at the palace for help? It's not easy. When is a Thai kid not a Thai kid? Answer; When Thai authorities and officials make if difficult to give them their rights, just because they don't fit in the box, and there's no guidelines for this that help the kids.

If his ex tThai  wife has left and is not co operating it's not as easy as you think Frits. The mother has to be present to get Thai ID and Thai passport. Thats what I was told. Now I've got Thai welfare and the school trying to get that for me. They think they can do it, but a farang on his own will find they put up more barriers and dont want to help. If you haven't gone through it you cant comment. They make life as difficult as they can for a half Thai kid. It's sad but true.

They are allowing  30 day visa exempt crossings at Mai Sai again. I just wanted to pass that on in case any one has doubts. The staff there told me it  is the new rule. But limited to 2 land crossings per calendar year for a visa exempt. You are allowed 2 x in and outs from Jan 1 to Dec 31, then it resets. Not sure how they will look on t if they see lots of past stamps. I went through a lot of hassle because my daughter had 29 days overstay. They were quite nasty about that. See story at beginning of thread. But even then they had to let us in and out and give her the small overstay stamp. So we did it. They told me the visa exempts had just started again, which I had read about on here so wanted to test it. So would like everyone to know Yes they are doing them. But I don't like their agressive attitude if there's something they don't like. Also tried to make me pay 14,500 baht when my kid goes free bcos she's under 15, so not aware of their own rules. I corrected them  But yeah if your passport has no issues, should be no problem. if you are worried about many stamps go to the friendship bridge at Chiang Kong, I always found the staff there more friendly, but you'll have to pay for a full page Lao visa in US dollars. About 1,300 baht I think. But have to do it at the exchange booth before you get stamped out. 

Like Joe says easier to do a 30 day extension at Chiang Mai Immigration for 1,900 baht. If you do decided to go to Mai Sai for a 30 day visa exempt there is no need for an overnight stay in Mynamar. Just walk over the bridge for an in and out stamp and back again, unless you want to go shopping in the market down the steps on the right hand side after Mynamar immigration . They will ask you if you want go shopping or just U turn and go back. A quick in and out stamp only takes 5 or 10 minutes. Then walk back to the Thai side. Mynamar charge $10 US dollars (350 baht at the money changer shop) or 500 baht for the entry. The day trip from CM and Mynamar fee may cost you slightly less. But doing an extension in CM will save you time.

Everyone I know that's had  a Ford has had problems with it. Even a Thai Ford sales guy that lives near me has had cutting out problems. Personally I recommend Honda. I've been driving my CRV for nearly 13 years with no problems. The best car I ever had. driven all over Thailand. I think Thai 's like to buy Ford's because they think a farang brand is better. But not in my book. This is a wake up call for them. Ford is just making it worse for themselves, buy ignoring their customers, head in the sand as usual. The negative publicity will affect future sales for sure,  especially with TV news coverage. problem is if Ford doesn't buy them back, the customers will have a hard time selling them used. Word of mouth will get round. For every one dissatisfied customer he will tell at least ten others. I was a Ford owner once, also  had a BMW later. Both were rubbish. Happy with Honda. I don't work for Honda but 100,000 trouble free miles (160,000 kms), Has made me love my car so much and feel sad for the Ford customers. I hope they get their money back and have the last laugh in this case. Obviously the dual clutch design wasn't tested properly before launch. But to me Ford's reliabilty is questionable. Just my experience.

8 hours ago, Clown Fish said:

Hi, As the boarder seems to accept 30 day extensions, Is anyone looking to share the cost of transport to the boarder. I found out a mini van costs 3900 bath for a full van or 3500 for 1 person. I need to go on the before the 29th. Let me know if anyone is interested.

Where are you travelling from?

The fee at Mynamar is $10 US dollars or 500 baht. A good tip for you is go to the money changer shop and exchange 350 baht for $10 US dollars and save yourself 150 baht per person. The money changer shop looks like a bank with Chinese writing above it. Its on the left hand side of the road as you drive in. It's on the corner before you get to the police station. a good landmark to look out for is the Siam bank (purple sign) on the other right hand side of the road opposite. 

If you are driving a car,, another tip is to drive up to the border and take the last U turn gap in the central reservation. After you have made the turn there is a small street goes down to a hotel car park in the back, where you pay 50baht for parking, payable when you return. Then a short walk to the border building, or turn left and walk a few hundred meters to the SCB bank and walk across the road to the money changer shop. I hope that helps.

We did see other farangs in the que going out, but not too many only about 6. 

I just remembered I did ask Joe this question before in relation to another posters thread. Thanks Joe for confirming again. The big question is do you then get a problem if you want to take your kid out of Thailand without a Thai passport?  Because your British passport will not have any current entry stamps.

We originally did a  passport swap at the Malaysian border at Thai immigration from UK to Thai passport when she was  2 or 3 years old.

But I forget what happened when we returned to UK. I think we left on her Thai passport while it was still valid then switched to the UK passport on arrival  at London. airport. Of course with the Thai passport now long expired how would we do this?

I just want to confirm you can go out and back in at Mai Sai for a visa exempt stamp. We did it yesterday and got 30 days. Just they kicked off because the overstay. they made a big issue of it. Just warning everybody.

Sorry i mean CR immigration.

Another point I shall bring up at Mai Sai immigration this afternoon

Good question

In the end it was easier to travel on her Briish passport which only needs one parent to sign. But she should still be entitled to a Thai ID and passport as she has a Thai birth certificate. .

Truth revealer,, my daughters Thai mother walked away when she was 1 year old, saying she didn't want a baby and couldn't cope. I have bought my daughter up alone for the last 12 years as a single dad. I think I do a good job and have been commended by the Thai welfare.

I first brought her into Thailand on her original Thai passport. This expired after 5 years. I went to the passport office in BKK to renew it, and they said  no, the original mother must come sign, so it was refused. So you see a single farang Dad with a Thai child has to encounter lots of beurocracy in Thailand, often with head in the sand "sorry cannot" attitude. Right now Thai welfare and the school are trying to get a Thai ID card for my daughter, with welfare saying the last resort will be to go to the Thai courts and get them to authorise it. It makes me want to write to Mr Prayut and say help all these half farang kids who are also Thai's to get their ID  and passports. What happened to Thai Rak Thai.?

Thanks Ubon Joe,. I thought surely they cant stop her going to school.

I plan to go  CR Immigration head office this afternoon as I was told to do by the boss at Mai Sai. he said ask to see the boss there. I will tell my story exactly as it happened and even have copies of my posts here. I will also be in touch with "other" Thai authorities in BKK. While I cannot find anything that says a Thai/Farang child cannot go school while waiting for an ED visa, I need this cleared up as my daughter cannot go school. due to this new development. Does anyone know the rules on this, as I have never heard of any problems regarding this before. Or is it something just created by Mai Sai immigration? Thai welfare tell me she has to go school,  Mai Sai immigration say no. How many frarang children go school without an ED visa? For your info it's an International school recognised by Thai authorities.

Yes it's true Mai Sai are now allowing visa exempt 30 day entries. But word of warning, make sure you or

anyone with you do not have any overstay!  I went yesterday with my teenage daughter. We were detained

for 2 hours at the booth because my daughter had 29 days overstay, and they wouldn't let us exit. They

said it was serious. They asked why she had overstay. I said she had school tests last time her extension was

due. I thought no harm she's under 15 years so no fine, no problem. I'll just tell them on my next trip out

and clear her overstay. It's just a small stamp in her passport. NO!  first they wanted me to pay 14,500

baht fine for her. I said no she's under 15 years it doesn't apply. So he asked how old she was, I replied

13 years (Sip Sam bee). He then asked the same question 3 more times. My daughter's quite smart so

then said  "dad why he keeps asking because he has my passport open and it it says how old I am in

there right?" I said yes. Anyway then he tells us step aside and wait. After serving everyone else until

the que has gone (about 15 minutes), he goes and gets a female officer to come talk . She says you

can't send your daughter to school on a tourist visa. Oh I said, I didn't know that. Then they say say

they must call their boss. He comes and says it's serious and he must call his boss. None of them

speak English so it's difficult talking. So I ask what happens now. He says he will help me this time

by giving my daughter the small overstay stamp and the exit stamps to go over the bridge to Mynamar,

so we can get the 30 day exempt stamps on return. But I must go Chiang Rai immigration next day

and report to his boss. He  asked me why I didn't go to CR immigration before because they can give

my daughter an  ED visa there! I know this is not true, I have applied at the school and even the Thai

immigration website says you must get documents from the school and letters from government

agencies and then apply for the visa at the Thai consulate in Laos. i know this because  I have started

the process already but they didn't believe me.  Before going through to Mynamar I was then told do not

let you daughter overstay more than 90 days or she will be barred from Thailand for 10 years! But on the

poster it says this does not apply to kids under 15! Staff trying to show power maybe? Anyway the point I

am trying to make here is we were made to feel like criminals and it was a bad experience. They are very strict

at Mai Sai so I advise not to go there if you have any overstay.  My daughter is half Thai, with a Thai birth certificate and an expired Thai passport, but still they give her a hard time! Although it's good news they will now allow 2 visa exempt stamps per calendar year at this crossing,  my experiences here have always been bad ones. On the other hand Mynamar immigration were very friendly, polite and pleasant to deal with. On coming back through  we were stamped back and the girl didn't even talk

We were not made to feel welcome. I hope you have a better experience.

Sorry another further thing they said. The boss asked why I didn't get an ED visa now. I said it takes time. he said no. You can get it today at Chiang Rai immigration, just go! This is another case of bad training/poor knowledge. I have researched it on the Thai immigration website and it doesn't work that way! Can't sleep and still have the bad feeling. If you want my advice steer clear of Mai Sai immigration! The immigration staff in the booth and the boss could not speak English, I thought this was a requirement to work in immigration, maybe I'm wrong. What happened to Thai Rak Thai, my Thai daughter is having such a hard time.

Sorry for my typo, it should say the visa exempt is 2 times only not 92!  My keyboard is sticking. Also just to mention we had already asked the school to get the ED visa papers for us last month but it seems to be taking a long time. Mai Sai immigation staff did not seem to believe me so I gave them her teachers phone number. As i said the whole thing was a very bad experience. i was even accused of sending her to school in Thailand for 8 years already, when she has only just started there. Why don't they think first before talking and making up stories.