OZJAY

1 hour ago, Time Traveller said:

the comments on this topic are mostly just ridiculous speculation. The only way to find out what the issue was (and i doubt there was one as he was let into the country after answering some typical questions) is to ask the immigration officers themselves. Which he didn't. So it seems silly to then come on here and ask strangers who have no clue what the issue was.

Remember, immigration officers are not there to be friendly. They are trained to make people feel uncomfortable to see how they react. Random people get selected and even told they can't stay in Thailand.  This happened to me once, even before they looked at my passport and work permit! Seems crazy, but everyone has the power to ask them questions. 

The speculation by some posters here that immigration suspected he was working makes no sense. How can anyone prove they are not working? You can't.

Thank you mate, you're spot on! The intention of the post was not to look for answers, but more so to give a heads up to anyone else in a similar situation who might assume they are doing everything by the books with regards to their ED visa.

I totally get the fact that immigration have a job to do, but one would think that when it came to people on an ED visa, in my case, 3rd ED visa here to study Thai, the primary subject of any screening process would be your ability to converse in Thai. 

I honestly don't believe that anyone that is using the ED visa to work illegally in Thailand takes their thai language study seriously, I might be wrong, but I doubt it.

Why didn't they even ask me for proof that I had an e-commerce business, that is registered in Australia and pays tax in Australia?

3 minutes ago, Cletus said:

Threads's title is misleading. You're on your 3rd ED visa and cannot show the source of the income that allows you to live in Thailand without working. The fact you can speak good thai is irrelevant in your case, they want to be sure you're not working illegally.

They let you in this time and I think you've been lucky.

The title should have been no more ED visa for me!

For the last 2 years I have never been asked to show proof of income, as I believe it's not a requirement if you are in Thailand on ED Visa/extension.

When I mentioned I have savings and also had an online business, they had the opportunity to ask for proof there and then, which they did not.

They couldn't use my lack of Thai language skills, the basis of why I am here in the first place, so in the end they had nothing!

I think it was a case of "many tattoo" = farang criminal, not the first time and won't be the last.

All things aside, we plan to stay in Thailand long term and will probably go the Thai company/work permit route in the near future.

12 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

 

 

I'm heavily tattooed including my neck, so I am sure I was initially singled out because of this. But why after speaking "almost" fluent Thai, was that not enough to satisfy the imm officers that I was indeed a student in Thailand?

 

   I also let him know, I live with my partner who is Russian, and we have an 18 month old baby who was born here in Thailand.

 

     They were not concerned about your Thai speaking skills. 

 

     

My point exactly!

30 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Whilst the income may be earned from sources outside Thailand, your work is conducted in Thailand.

None of the work is conducted in Thailand, it's an Aussie website where Aussies buy products. The website was set-up in Australia, is hosted in Australia and is managed from Australia. 

5 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Is there a Visa available for parents of non Thai ,Thai born  Thai school going children ?

 

I think ubonjoe answered this already - the answers is yes, once the child is going to school, but they only give the visa to one of the parents.. Not sure of the logic there or who came up with that idea lol

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

I was under the impression that ED visas now require proof of funds or income for the term of the visa.

Nothing to stop you having income  from Oz transferred to Thailand.

 

I have never been asked to prove funds or show proof of an income source for the previous 2 years of ED visa's.

I think the problem is that they can't get their head around the fact that some people can live in Thailand & study Thai whilst deriving an income from sources outside of Thailand.

And the fact that we are both farangs and have a child that was born here, threw them right off.

So does immigration expect that everyone who is in Thailand studying Thai for 3 years, must have saved enough money to see them through the entire 3 years?

No incoming funds are allowed from any investments or businesses that are either based in another country or any from of e-commerce business?

Currently on 3rd ED visa, went back to Australia for 5 days to see sick mother. This morning I'm coming back through Suvarnabhumi immigration with a single re-entry permit and the imm officer closed his booth and asked me to follow him. I was taken to another section in the airport and handed over to another imm officer, he opened up my passport and started flicking through the pages. I then struck up a conversation with him in Thai and gave him the run down on where I study etc.. I also let him know, I live with my partner who is Russian, and we have an 18 month old baby who was born here in Thailand.. Within seconds of hearing all this, he turned and said to me "today you go home". I replied "yes, I can't wait to get in a taxi and go home to see my son". Then he said "NO", you go home to Australia, you not stay Thailand anymore.

For the next 45 minutes I was asked about what I did for work and how I got my money to stay in Thailand.

I told him we lived off a mix of my savings and revenue from an e-commerce business.

Anyway this went on for another 30 minutes and the conversation was never based on my ability to speak to Thai, and that yes I really was a student in Thailand who is studying the Thai language. It was all about, how I made my money whilst studying Thai in Thailand.

They then asked for a copy of my son's passport which states he was born in Thailand, so I showed them that as well as his birth cert which is in Thai. They then said we will let you in but this is the last time and they also said they were leaving some notes against my name on the system.. This all went down at 2am this morning, so as soon as I heard they were letting me in, I gave "wai's" all round, grabbed my passport and got the hell outta there..

I'm heavily tattooed including my neck, so I am sure I was initially singled out because of this. But why after speaking "almost" fluent Thai, was that not enough to satisfy the imm officers that I was indeed a student in Thailand?

Am I missing something here or is it really the end of the ED Visa, even for those who actually want to study Thai?