JohnJay

19 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

How would they know the date you moved? Even if you stated it correctly as 1 July, you are only a few days over. I think the chance of a fine for this is very low to nil. It is not my experience at Pattaya.

 

Where did you get 300 Baht per day from?

I was fined for that in jomtien awhile ago. I think it's 300 per day until it reaches a 2,000 baht fine. It will be within a few days but technically it needs to be done within 24 hours (?). I guess they can fine me for that if they feel like it.

I have moved on the first of this month but my landlord has not given me a rental contract yet so I've been unable to change my address. When my landlord gives me the contract tommorow and I report my change of address at jomtien immigration, are they going to fine me 300 baht per day from the first? 

Obviously the law is within 24 hours but do they grant any leeway for this? I will pass the fine onto my landlord as it's his fault.

I am about to apply for renewal of stay based on marriage at Jomtien immigration office. Has anyone done this recently and can give me an idea of how long the processing time is? I have read to allow 45 days, but how long is it taking them at the moment?

Also, can I apply for the renewal 2-3 months before it's due? I'm taking my friend around the country in the run up to this renewal and worried it will clash/ I'll be called back from Phuket to collect my passport.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you 

On 10/21/2017 at 11:25 AM, MrPatrickThai said:

Immigration are disgustingly corrupt. There are so many idiots that feel intimidated and are unwilling to stand up for their rights. I've been asked countless times for bribes or even if I wanted the change. Every time I refuse. I knew one guy who paid 2000 bhat every 90 days as they asked him to. 

Khon Kaen Office even had a tip box and I saw people actually putting money in it! 

I've had immigration officials lie to me and extort money a couple of times. Once the immigration officer called me to say there was a "big problem" with my visa application. I was very worried. I tipped a lady working in the same office, and had her phone number. I called her and she said there is no problem with your application, your visa is ready to collect. The chief that called me was looking for a "reward" for fixing a problem with my visa that didn't exist. 

That's just one example. It's good to know there is a 7 day grace period because they would never tell you this at the immigration office. 

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Is the 22nd the date your report is due or is it the 7th day after your report date that you can do it without being fined 2000 baht?

It is a immigration office not a visa office where you do the report.

Yes my report is due on the 22nd this Sunday. They told me at the immigration office I can do the report on the 24th and they won't fine me, but if I go on the 25th or later it's 500 baht per day fine. 

Update, the visa office is closed on Monday, I need to go on Tuesday and apparently I will not get a fine for that. 

I have very stupidly forgot to check the date of my 90 day report. I have just checked it and my deadline is the 22nd (this Sunday). I have driven to the visa office and I'm too late, it's closed. 

If I go to the visa office first thing Monday (23rd), am I in store for a fine? Or will it be OK? At the Pattaya/jomtien visa office 

11 hours ago, YetAnother said:

surprised she said that; pity, there isnt a process which we can use to try an address issues such as this; however i suppose such an effort would just further piss off the local corrupt offficials

It doesn't surprise me. If I didn't pay a bribe to the police ("for his gas") during their house inspection I would not even have a visa. And if I wanted it done faster, he could do that for 7,000 b. Actually he refused to take the money, he made me pay it to his 18 month grandson while he stood around smoking cigarettes.

The fake problem made me very worried at the time and only because I tipped a lady at the visa office did I discover the truth. To put icing on the cake,  they only gave me a marriage visa for 11 months. So yeah, I'll pay a fine for not doing something I was never told to do. They can take it from my cold rigamortised hands.

6 hours ago, dotpoom said:

"No one has ever told me I need to notify a change of address". 

I find that really surprising from the OP.

   I would have thought that was basic common knowledge and common sense, especially considering the umpteen time it's been disscussed on here.

I don't read the immigration section of this forum. I thought that was the whole point of 90 day reports, so they know where you're staying. 

5 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

 

 

If you permanently change address you must notify using form TM28.

The Housemaster must inform of your arrival using form TM30.

 

Bangkok do not enforce the housemaster filing a TM30.

Some Immigration offices insist a new TM30 is filed when leaving and re-entering Thailand.

I am not aware of any Immigration office that enforces the requirement to report if staying in another Province for more than 24 hours, although hotels and guesthouse will/should file a TM30 stating your arrival and departure.

 

Not every Immigration office enforces sections 37 and 38.

It would help if you stated which office you are now reporting too.

Sorry, I realize I'm asking many different questions. The man at the immigration office wouldn't even look at me or respond when I was asking him these questions, so I don't understand it.

I know for a fact the owner of this building did not notify them I live here, he doesn't even know my name. Can I get in trouble for that as well? They had my wife fill out the house master form. Is she the house master because she's not an alien? I pay for the room after all.

Yes, I just moved here when it was time to go for a 90 day report. My wife has lived here since the bill was paid, hence the discrepancy they tried to fine me for. If they ever ask me about this again this is what they will need to understand.

I suppose actually educating people about the law doesn't help them since they can't fine people who follow the law. I have greased so many palms to even get this visa. I had the police coming to check where I live, calling up and saying "This is a very far distance from the police station, it will take a lot of gas to get there. A lot of gas in my car.", then he turns up to my house with his wife, daughter, and grandson in the police car.

I had the immigration official calling me saying there's a problem with my visa, then I call a lady at the visa office that I had "tipped" and she says, there is no problem at all, I have the visa and can collect it, the boss is just fishing so you can reward him for ironing out a non-existent problem.

To be honest with you, if they want to fine me they can go whistle for that money. This visa system seems more like an extortion racket where you pay people to do their jobs that you've already paid for them to do. 

7 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Section 37 : An alien having received a temporary entry permit into the Kingdom must comply with the
following :
1. Shall not engage in the occupation or temporary or employment unless authorized by the
Director General. or competent official deputized by the Director General . If , in any case , there is a law
concerning alien employment provided hereafter , the granting of work privileges must comply with the
law concerned.
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.
3. Shall notify the police official of the local police station where such alien resides, within twenty
– four hours from the time of arrival. In the case of change in residence in which new residence is not
located the same area with the former police stations , such alien must notify the police official of the
police station for that area within twenty – four hours from the time of arrival.
4. If the alien travels to any province and will stay there longer than twenty – four hours , such
alien must notify the police official of the police station for that area within forty – eight hours from the time
of arrival.
5. If the alien stays in the Kingdom longer than ninety days, such alien must notify the
competent official at the Immigration Division , in writing , concerning his place of stay , as soon as
possible upon expiration of ninety days. The alien is required to do so every ninety days. Where there is
an Immigration Office , the alien may notify a competent Immigration Official of that office.
 

 

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.
 

Immigration Act BE 2522.pdf

 

You were fined under Section 38.

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 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.
 

Think yourself lucky, you could have been fined under both sections.

I didn't pay anything. Just to make clear, if I go somewhere for the weekend I need to notify the nearest police station? 

I went to do my first 90 day report today. I have been here 11 months but only 3 on a marriage visa. When I did this report, I was told that I need to pay a fine of 1,900 baht because I did not notify them when I moved from Isaan. 

I have never heard of this before. No one has ever told me I need to notify a change of address. 

They made my wife fill out a sheet that says "FOR THE HOUSEMASTER OF RESIDENTS WHERE ALIEN IS STAYING" even though I showed my receipt for renting a condo. And because that receipt shows I've lived there for 3 weeks without notifying them I need to pay a fine. 

If I go to phuket for a week, do I notify them? If I go to Isaan for a month, do I notify them? I asked the big police man this but he wouldn't even look at me and totally ignored me. So I have no idea about the rules as it was never explained anywhere.

Looks like a movie clip to me. This can't be real.

1 hour ago, thailand49 said:

Security?

If in Pattaya, go to Central Festival,  go through their security scanner?  Be careful, it's coming and it won't be from the Muslim?

I wish they would turn that damn thing off. I don't want to walk through a metal detector for no reason which will magnetize my mechanical watch. I just walk through the exit instead and nothing happens.

At central festival they have a guard at one entrance checking bags. Then all the other entrances are unguarded. What is the point of that? It's just stupid 

I have given up stocking our pond with anything now. Local guy comes around at night every few months with a car battery and clears all the ponds out.

8 minutes ago, SiamBeast said:

Just open the door, say Sawatdee Krap, sit at the back, close the door, then announce your destination. If they refuse, take a video, and tell them you'll report them. It's as easy as it gets.

Who would want to risk that kind of ordeal with a very pissed off taxi driver? You have to remember you're a farang, it's not an equal fight here. You will always be in the wrong because you're a foreigner privileged to be living in their glorious country. 

10 hours ago, howard ashoul said:

But you can't complain, that there isn't enough security guards in this country. Every car park, every everything has a guy in uniform (usuallly over 60 years old) whos's in charge. Never saw so many security guys in any other country.

Is their age something about respect? Thais have to respect elder men or something?

7 minutes ago, Monkeyrobot said:

Yes the slow start is a must in a country where trucks mini vans and buses speed with bad brakes on slippery roads, that slow start may one day save your life. Some traffic lights even have a count down.

Always make a habit of looking left and right as you drive through the green light. It's saved me from wiping out a couple of times.

12 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Why do you have to resist the temptation to honk at them?

 

Give them a good blast and waken them up.

I don't wanna get my head blown off. I've borrowed a few cars from my inlaws and I've seen the type of firepower Thais are driving around with. We are farangs, we are very very privileged to be living in their glorious country. Can you imagine trying to get the police to resolve road rage between a Thai and a farang? 

35 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

 

 

If too long, I give two short beep, beep and wai... I have not been shot at to date. 555

Ha. I've noticed that Thais don't tend to get angry behind the wheel. I've seen some stupid stuff, people doing a 10-point-turn and blocking traffic but no-one honks at them. I think there's a reason. Back hope I'd be going mad.

Don't try to apply logic when it comes to driving in Thailand, just try to get home alive! I have to resist the temptation to honk at cars that aren't moving when the light turns green, a lot of Thais are packing heat in the glove box or center console, you're best just going with the flow.

In Isaan, all my garbage ends up on the side of the road. It sucks but what can I do. Some of it will get burnt, some things like razor blades, metal tablet packaging, old screws, and etc will never biodegrade. I've seen light tubes on the side of the road, and energy saving bulbs, both of which contain mercury, very close to a water reservoir that feeds houses. This is very bad for the environment. Only glass/plastic bottles are recycled and the money I get for them is negligible (20 baht for hundreds of bottles).

Of course there is no main sewerage in Isaan either and so shower water filled with soap and shampoo usually gets piped into peoples gardens. I'm not a scientist, but surely, if you eat plants that have been watered with all sorts of chemicals, that can't be healthy?

Littering in Thailand is nothing. There is tons of garbage on the side of the road, literally everywhere, it's not frowned on like in the West. And sometimes I litter as well. If I take it home it goes on the side of the road, if I put it on the side of the road now then I don't have to move it again.

I remember once I was on a beautiful island that was barely developed. The water was crystal clear and the beach pristine white sands. A Thai man in front of me took his glass bottle of Coke and threw it off the pier into the water. There was a garbage can 3 feet away. Does he not realize if everyone did that we would be looking at a pile of garbage and not this lovely beach? I saw that years ago, but I can't forget it, just makes no sense to me.

There are a lot of sanitation problems in Thailand that should be addressed. They won't be. On the bright side at least Thailand now has 3 new submarines.

You might want to try posting this in the visa forum bud.