Blablaat

Yup, something fishy goes on at CM immigration. In Bangkok the spouse category is there, AND time slots are available for next month. Here in CM, they removed it without explanation and everything is filled up. It was not like that in 2022. Also VFS's e-extension does not handle the most common ones... retirement and spouse ("Only for family member of foreigner (not Thai nationality) who has residence certificate and alien registration certificate of the alien granted residence permit in Thailand."). It is all half baked. I also do not like the tent they started using since one or two years. Now you have two wait 2 queues. It can all be done so much more efficient. Digital and all that stuff and do something about the endless copies (of copies) same same yearly... at the very least a decent appointment system.

It is a joke. They removed categories like Family Purpose and there is not one spot available at all for the next few months... Seems they do not want to improve efficiency. Also, both e-mail addresses on their homepage don't work. One gives mailbox full (maybe just ignored the whole time it existed), and another personal one does not exist. The direct phone number just cuts of after a minute or 2. Btw Bangkok has the spouse option available and time slots available and uses a different appointment system.. reinvent the wheel syndrome.

Just found out... it is/was a good website. Good transliteration, good deconstruction of sentences. Very helpful for batch transliteration. Any chance to share that Windows program to me? Never saw it... sounds helpful. edit: found the trial, and downloaded and installed. Works fine. You can even register it by entering any license key (I used all 1's). It will say registered. Didn't expect that. Nice of them to make it available to all after going web-only or maybe fallback when website unavailable 🙂

Maybe be creative with the bank copies. I guess... Because immigration here mostly never heard of following 'the spirit/intend of the law' and follow it black/white. So how did it end?

I have a question for you. Is there any advance in having a Guardian based extension vs one based on marriage or any disadvantages (more paperwork?)? Does a guardian extension come with multi-entry permission? Or you also need to get a reentry permit every time you leave Thailand? Just wondering.

just an update note... The Malaysians do have common sense in regard to window tinting: "The regulation on the use of tinted windows based on the percentage of permissible visible light transmission (VLT) is 70 per cent for the front windscreen, 50 per cent for front side windows and 30 per cent for rear side windows and rear screen." they recently warned drivers again to comply or risk a fine of max. 15000 baht or max half year jail for first conviction and double that for next. Thais use 40/60/80 percentages (how much light gets blocked) opposite to VLT (how much light gets through); what you actually will get seems variable. Thai 40: VLT 40-80 Thai 60: VLT 20-40 Thai 80: VLT 5-20 indeed, the Malay law seems just VERY common sense and would certainly prevent a lot of accidents at night. Heck people with Thai 80% here already have problems navigating a dim parking garage...

The crap fest starts somewhere in January and can last until somewhere in May while it gradually gets worse and worse till deep toxic purple values. Depending when the weather gods relief us, after which everyone Thai forgets about it again. and the amount of silly talk every year and the lack of creating national awareness. The gov loves ignorance. btw current issues are Indonesian fires, but the wind is ok now. Singapore suffers most of those an is most vocal about it too. Nothing to do with cars and what not. Unless you live right next to a super busy road. Not to say they should finally get rid of those ridiculous old public buses from the '60's, but that is another topic. meanwhile Europe is talking peanuts and making everyone live more expensive, while ignoring what is the biggest issue on the other side of the world. Not in my backyard attitude. Sigh.

The system is silly, so just go with the flow. If you never filled in a tm30 before you are a criminal already. Well, technically your wife. But the tm30 mess is all put on the foreigner, while the law states he/she has nothing to do with it. It is a responsibility for the property owner. So the owner should be fined and what else not. But hey, this is Thailand. Common sense is again somewhere on holiday. ps you cannot search far back too. So be sure to make that screenshot right away.

Haha NO One time they still send you back to get the printout and tell you to take a screenshot with you so you do not need to fill in other documents... pfff . Do they ever think things through? At least they made the check-out date optional. It was first mandatory in the new system.

A brand new system... and still no way to print out a receipt to put into your passport. Something immigration loves and wants.

It seems CM immigration as of now indeed accepts documents that are less than 7 days old, including the bank papers (But for how long? Maybe the finally figured out that all these shopping mall banks only open at 11:00). However, they still find nonsense hoops for you. Like, oo i do not see a transaction in the month September. How do I know your money was still there at the time? Duh.. it's not deducted is it? So what was there, still is there. But hey, they want you to go to the bank to get some other statement. So bank manager just wrote something herself. It is so nonsensical. Or some comment like your efficient copying did not leave space for my huge stamp. How about having a clear website that mentions exactly what one needs for what and how including a completed dummy example. I think they do not even want that. The prefer the personalized flexible treatment.. in a negative way that is. Efficiency is not their priority, if it is even on the list. It is also a massive sheep farm there. A new building, not build to specs. Or their process is not to specs ; Lalala

Krung Thai gives foreigners 0% while Thais get 1.5% for the same product. Is that even legal? Discrimination for sure. Nothing new for Thailand.

Heck even if you have successfully applied for residency, you still need a re-entry permit. And waiting queue takes forever. Makes you do a multi reentry just to skip the lines next time.

Yep they want you to fill in all paperwork and attach photos, then they enter it in their system, then they make a photo of you, then they print out the exact form you first handed in and no idea why all the double work and need of a physical photo and of course they want your TM30 and 90 day report even if the instructions say they do not need. Also they want your e-mail and phone and wife's phone on the age old forms that they could easily make available as digital fill-in PDF forms so it is readable for anyone and can be processed much faster. Also they could get rid of the huge amount of redundant copies they already got last time and are in their system anyway. Do I need punctuation? Yes. It is still an inefficient bureaucratic paper mess with flexible requirements depending on officer and location. TiT. Btw official handbook description: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/5Public-Handbook.pdf No mention of TM30 or 90day. But ofcourse that won't help you argue at CM imm.

About bank passbook copies being up to max 7 days old... I believe it has to be updated on the the day you apply for the extension. Which is an inconvenience because banks open at ie 1100 and it doesn't add anything anyway (make sure to do a ATM transaction before so there is actually something to show on the passbook) . It also says so in official documentation. 7.2 A letter of guarantee in Thai language from the commercial bank in Thailand (Attention: Immigration Commissioner) and copy of all entries of the applicant’s passbook showing that the applicant has a saving or fixed deposit account of not less than Baht 400,000 ** (Documents under 7.1 and 7.2 must be issued and updated to be the same date of the Application and all documents must be in the Applicant’s name.