007 RED

1 minute ago, Aditi Sharma said:

Why hasn't Thailand signed the United Nations charter on refugees. It could be for something as silly as that a Thai translation was not available.

 

So you are saying, arent you, that there have been people in the past who have come and claimed asylum or refugee status, refused and taken away to the immigration detention centre. 

 

Thanks, 007 Red, I cant thank you enough, I will go with the best Thai translation possible. 

No idea why they haven't signed up to any of the UN charters, but I'm sure that it has nothing to do with translation... more likely the Thai Governemnt just don't want a big influx of refugees coming into Thailand from neighbouring countries.

IDC in Bangkok is overflowing with people who are claiming asylum or refugee status.

8 minutes ago, Aditi Sharma said:

....... I wonder
if it is possible for somebody from the USA to come to Thailand and 
work as an economic refugee because he could not get a job 
back home.

Not a cat in hells chance.  If you want to come to Thailand for work you will need the appropriate visa and work permit.  Without these, if you are caught working you will end up fined and or put in prison and then deported.

The simple answer is no.  Thailand has never signed up to any of the United Nations charters on refugees.

Anyone coming to Thailand and claiming asylum or refugee status will be considered to have entered Thailand illegally, or as a visa over stayer and, therefore, very quickly find themselves in the immigration detention centre in Bangkok.  They will stay there until a third country will accept them which can be for a very long time.

Maybe another point that you will need to raise with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs when you have your meeting with them. 

Q.1.  Yes you will need to complete your affirmation and make an appointment with the UK embassy.   Please be aware that there are recently published guidelines for people wanting to get married in Thailand and this now includes specific intormation for people who a) Have never been married: Have been divorced; c) widowed.   You need to complete the appropriate affirmation form and take the necessary document with you.

See details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-for-british-nationals-intending-to-marry-in-thailand

Q.2.   You will need to take your passport and in the case of divorce/widowed the original decree absolute/death certificate, plus the fee.

Q.3.   There are a number of translations service shops close to the embassy.  They charge about 400 Baht per page and takes a couple of hours.  Some will arrange to get it certified at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) for an additional fee.  Alternatively you can go to the MFA yourself and get it translated there – there is a shop on the 2nd floor run by translators who work in the MFA.  Cost is also about 400 Baht per page and takes about 1 hour as they have standard templates.  The bonus is that if there is any problem they will fix it straight away at no extra cost.

Q.4.  To get the translated affirmation certified by the MFA it can be done in a day.  Present documents before 09:00am and collect after 2:00pm same day.  Cost 400 Baht pre document.

Alternatively you can deposit the document at any time up to 3:30pm and collect 2 days later, cost 200 Baht per document, or you can ask them to post it back to you (EMS) post for a small fee (I think it 60 Baht).

Regarding your new wife changing her surname… can be done at the same Ampher that you get married at… in fact they may well ask you do you want it changing at the time you register to get married.  She will also need to get her Thai ID card changed and her housebook and passport if she has one… No real issues with any.

Hope this helps…  Been there and got the tee shirt.... feel free to PM me if you need more info.

Good luck

2 hours ago, MrPatrickThai said:

Don't ask, keep it quiet. No. 1 thing in Thailand find yourself a "poo yai" to work for.

Over 2 hours and she hasn't asked what is a "poo yai"..... WOW.... she's slipping

1 hour ago, Aditi Sharma said:

Your nationality does not matter, does it? For an Indian it does. I guess you are from the UK.

In your expert opinion... what is different for an Indian?

1 hour ago, Aditi Sharma said:

I fear that one is being sucked in by the bureaucracy. The LOS was never meant to be about it. Not to put too fine a point on it, where did you farangs go wrong?

In the eyes of Thais, all foreigners are Farangs.... so where did you go wrong? 

OP... if your mom wants to buy a simple gold bracelet, as already suggested, buy from one of the main gold shops located in Chinatown in BKK, of failing that from any large gold shop often located in big shopping malls.

As also has been mentioned you pay for the item by weight (Baht = 15.16 grams) and there is only a marginal mark-up for craft work so as a piece of jewellery it could be considered reasonable value.

Gold here in Thailand is 96.5% pure gold, so your mom should be aware that it is soft and therefore subject to wearing down fairly rapidly and subject to denting if knocked.

You should also bear in mind that if you/your mom return to your home country you/she may have to pay import duty and VAT if you/she has more that the prescribed duty free allowance in her bags.

44 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

In Thailand all gold sold in gold shops is 24 ct.. and, yes.. it is stamped...

24 ct gold = 99.999% pure.  Thai gold is 96.5% pure equating to approximately 22/23 ct.  And not all gold sold in Thailand is stamped.

47 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is no exemption for being on a visa or extension of stay based upon retirement. That was eliminated several years ago. You would have to be working to get the exemption now.

If married to a Thai they can do the shipment and claim the exemption.

 

Joe… Just to clarify the situation regarding a Thai spouse claiming the exemption…. The Thai spouse can only claim the duty free exemption on second hand household goods shipped back to Thailand if they have been working or studying abroad for a period of at least 1 year.  The exemption cannot be claimed if they are a tourist or visiting relatives.

9 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

And I was under the impression that both, the 23rd and the 26th were public holidays... 

25 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Indeed they are. Ubonjoe's post #5 is all anyone needs to know on this topic, not hearsay from people's wives!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Perhaps a misunderstanding. The 23rd is a regular holiday and immigration will certainly be closed.

I stand corrected and apologies to all.... 23rd and 26th are both public holidays.... Wife's friend text this early this morning to say that she had forgotten the 23rd was a normal public holiday.

OP......  My wife and I have just returned home from having a meal with a long-time friend of my wife (they went to university together).  My wife’s friend is a very senior officer in immigration HQ, and during our conversation she confirmed that as per the Government directive immigration will not be working on the 26th Oct. – the day of the late King’s cremation which has been designated as a public holiday. 

She confirmed that immigration offices will be open as normal on the 23rd, 24th, 25th and 27th.

1 hour ago, oldwelshman said:

The following info can also be found on the ministry of affiars site, though it is a few pages down. Your friend was ripped off for sure. The MAF site also says what can be shipped. All second hand used items, no new items, have to be from house hold use, ie not 6 TV's etc.

http://www.legal-thailand.com/moving-to-thailand-household-goods.html

 

I would agree with you on the point that my friends were ripped off, but that is water long passed under the bridge and lessons learned.

Regarding the link that you provided… it is from a private law firm and not MFA… it is also 4 years old so could be way beyond its sell by date.

If you go to the Customs website, which gives a wealth of information regarding duty on importing goods you will find a page which does provide information on importing used/secondhand household effects.

http://en.customs.go.th/content.php?ini_content=individuals_151007_02&lang=en&left_menu=menu_individuals_151007_02

If you read the section headed REQUIREMENTS FOR CHANGING RESIDENCE it specifies who qualifies for duty free import of such goods.  Unfortunately it does not make mention of those who are moving to Thailand for retirement purposes.  Most of wish that it did.

43 minutes ago, thedi said:

There was a statement, that shopping centers, business etc. will close only one day: the 25. Oct. I can not remember if government offices where listed too.

Regards

Thedi

Not sure why shopping centers, business etc. will close only one day: the 25th Oct. 

The Royal Cremation is on the 26th Oct and this day has been designated a public holiday, so all Government offices will be closed on that day.  Normally shops etc. open on public holidays but given the significance of the day I would expect that many will also close on the 26th as a mark of respect.

OP.... You can definitely expect immigration offices to be closed on the 26th Oct.

FYI - Thai public holiday list = http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/thailand/index.php

5 hours ago, Sri Thanonchai said:

With respect to your enquiry, it would be advisable for you to arrive and report to the Abbott of your Wat who will then register you with Immigration who will then issue you with a Religious Visa for a duration specified by the Abbott and confirmed by the Religious Affairs Dept.  Satu 

According to Wikipedia.... Satu is a popular female name in Finland, meaning Fairy Tale  which is just about right.

18 hours ago, Sri Thanonchai said:

As I posted previously we use Gemini, I use it every day and an App on my phone allows me to view all incoming visitors 

Do you also have access to Turus and Sagittarius on your smartphone App?   Personally I prefer Crystal Ball or Tarot Cards much more accurate information .

1 hour ago, Mattd said:

System or software?

By System it suggests that the information is shared, i.e. USA would see details of passengers travelling to Thailand and vice versa?

FYI - it is a 'system' with servers at airports that are linked to airlines, immigration, customs and various law enforcement agencies.

When the airline sends a potentially departing passenger's data to their local APIS server it includes details of flight and departure and destination codes (e.g.  EK1234<BHX<BKK).  That data is then sent to the local law enforcement agency ( to check if the person is banned from leaving the departure country) and the destination (BKK) server which in turn then links the data to the local immigration/customs/law enforcement.

The departing passenger data is not sent to all the other airport servers throughout the world (as much as the USA would like to have it).

14 minutes ago, Sri Thanonchai said:

Insufficient information Ubonjoe he will be apprehend, taken to IDC and deported to his home country 

If the OP attempted to make a crossing at any land post the moment the IO scans his passport theOP's history will be displayed on the IO's screen.  The IO will see that he has been banned for 5 years and the reason(s) why.   As technically the OP has not entered Thailand, the IO would just refuse him entry on the grounds that he is a person who is banned and send him back from where he came.

6 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

AFAIK Thailand is not a subscriber to the APIS system which was established by the US Customs & Border Protection.

FYI - APIS was designed and implemented as a joint venture between the USA and the UK following 911.   Currently 16 countries, including Thailand, use the APIS.  Thailand started operating the system about 2 years ago and has gradually phasing in the international airlines.

6 hours ago, Mattd said:

Thailand do have their own version now.

http://www.thai-apps.com/en/

FYI - APIS and APPS are one and the same system.... its just that the Airport Authority of Thailand chose to use their own title for the system.   If they were different systems every international airline flying into, and out of, Thailand would require a separate system just for Thailand and that isn't going to happen.

Personally, I wouldn’t get your hopes up to high that the ban will be rescinded no matter what your lawyer says.  As was indicated in your previous post (Court case over but black listed) it is going to be an extremely expensive of action in terms of lawyer’s fees and disbursements. Removal of entry bans are extremely rare.

If, and when, the ban has either been terminated, or finished, it is unlikely that immigration will provide you with a letter confirming that the ban has been lifted. Again this is something that they normally will not do.

Please also bear in mind that even if the ban is lifted/finished and you obtain a visa, there is no guarantee that you will be allowed to enter the country.  Entry is at the discretion of the IO at the 'port of entry'.  The moment the IO scans your passport, your history will appear on their screen and if the IO has got out of the wrong side of the bed that morning they could refuse you entry for any one of several reasons.

Best of luck

I know that some people will tell you that you can import your personal possessions into Thailand when you retire and not incur, or only incur minimal, customs duty.  I am not in a position to disprove any of those claims, but I can give you a few words of warning based upon the experience of a good friend of mine, and his wife, who retired in the UK and decided to come to live in Thailand about 4 years ago.

He wanted to bring most of their household goods and personal possessions to Thailand.  They employed a reputable shipping agent who told them that there would be no problems with import duty as the item were second hand and as they were retiring to Thailand they would be allowed to ship a one-off consignment duty free provided that it was done within a limited period of their arrival in Thailand.

The shipping agent arranged for the items to be packed and an inventory made which included an estimated value of each item.  Total estimated second hand value = £3K.  Their possessions filled a small container.

When the container arrived in Thailand the local shipping agent contacted my friend and arranged to meet him at the port to finalise the customs clearance.  When he met the agent he was informed that it may be necessary for some disbursements to be made in order to facilitate prompt release of the container, but he (the agent) would handle the matter.

The upshot of the story being that my friend was presented with a bill for import duty and VAT by customs amounting to £4001.  The bill comprised:

1)  30% import duty = £3.3K, where customs estimated the value of the items (as new) to be £9K plus shipping and insurance costs of £2K making the consignment value = £11K.

2)  VAT @ 7% on  consignment value plus import duty (£11K + £3.3K) = £1001.

3(  Total payable (import duty plus VAT) = £4001.

According to customs he was not entitled to bring his personal possessions into Thailand duty free when he retired here.  He was informed that customs do not work on a second hand value, they only work on as new ‘book’ value of the items.

Apparently the local agent tried to negotiate a disbursement in order to lower the duty payable but he was only able to get it lowered by about £1K.

My friend decided to cut his losses and walk away.

My friend was subsequently informed by the agent that customs officers receive a percentage bonus of the amount of duty that they collect, so they are reluctant to reduce the duty amount by very much.  He was also informed that if he did not pay the duty the goods would be auctioned off after a month.  My friend enquired if he could attend the auction so that maybe he could recover some of the items at a lower cost.  He was informed that only a few people are ever informed as to when the auctions take place and only those invited can attend.

My friend is still battling for compensation from the shipping company, with the help of his then local trading standards office, on the basis of misrepresentation.  Very difficult when it’s one person’s word against another.

If you think that is bad, recently there was a lot of news about a large number high value cars which were imported into Thailand apparently having circumvented the 300% import duty.  Imagine having to pay 300% import duty on a £100K Lambo .

You may be lucky, but on the other hand you could be in for a shock.  Think carefully.

29 minutes ago, Mattd said:

So, what you are saying is that it is possible for the APIS system to issue a deny boarding code and the airline somehow still allow the passenger to board and fly?

So the system isn't automated then?

A mere mortal like me would have thought that the whole process would be automated, i.e. if a deny boarding code is in the system, then it would not be possible (or at least simple) for the system to issue a boarding pass. 

The APIS is automatic.... l cannot speak for the airlines systems.  I agree that if the airline recieve a deny boarding feedback code their system (and l include the humans) should not allow the passenger to board the flight, but it does occassionaly happen for whatever reason hence the heavy penalty and cost of repatriation.

5 minutes ago, Mattd said:

This cannot be right by default, if the airline received a 'refuse boarding code', then surely that is exactly what they would do?

In reality, the airline has to carry out due diligence of all boarding passengers, i.e. visa or no visa, if no visa, onward ticket, etc. etc. and if Thai immigration can show that the airline did not carry this out with diligence, then they would make them liable to fly the person back.

I agree the airline should show due diligence but check in clerks are human beinings and subject to making miistakes. Hence if the airline or one of its employees or agents allows the passenger to fly when they have recieved a deny boarding code, the airline is responsible.

22 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

In what circumstances might a passenger be subject to a "Refuse Boarding Code" alert (apart from the obvious one of being on the USA No-Fly list, for example)?

 

In practice, those intending to seek entry into Thailand for the standard 30 days on the basis of a 1-way ticket are (to the best of my knowledge based on various reports on here) only denied permission to board when checking-in at the airport of origin if they are not in possession of a valid onward flight ticket out of Thailand within the 30-day period. But this would presumably not in itself flag up a "Refuse Boarding Code" alert, would it not (or would it)?

 

That said, as an alternative to an onward flight ticket out of Thailand, though, I have heard on here of instances of an airline requiring a passenger to sign a disclaimer form with the effect of washing the airline's hands of all responsibility in the event of the passenger being refused entry into Thailand.

FYI - The USA is not the only country to use the APIS. There are currently 16 others including Thailand.

The airline is required to submit basic passenger details (passport data) prior to the passenger boarding. Normally this is sent 24 hours before departure but can be as little as 1 hour.

The APIS submits the data to the immigration database which checks if anything untoward is known about the passenger, for example banned. If there is a ban the system sends a code back to the airline indicating deny boarding. If nothing known the feedback code indicates clear to board.  Feedback is normally given within a few seconds as the system is automatic.

Airlines will not allow a passenger to board (even if they sign a so called disclaimer) because they will be held responsible for the cost of returning the passenger plus they will incur a very heavy fine.

In addition to APIS feeding passenger data to the immigeation database, it also feeds that information to customs and various law enforcement agencies, any of whom can aalso feedback a deny boarding code.

30 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

No it does not. You cannot be deported if you if you have not entered the country.

 

Edit: Entering the country is under chapter 2.

 

If you have not entered the country,  how is the competent official going to give you written notice to leave the Kingdom under Section 22?