Rob Browder

Translation: "Responding to concerns about cigarette tax-revenue - and who cares if they cause millions of cancer-cases to get that money?" Treating cancer is profitable for certain companies, after all. The solution for eCigs / Vaping is the same as for weed - make strict penalties for providing it to minors, ban it it public (and cigarettes), but otherwise, leave adults alone if they do it in private - not bothering anyone else. I don't want ANY kind of smoke/vapor blowing in my face when I am out-and-about - but who cares what my neighbor does, which isn't bothering me?

Yes - this is a problem with the eVisa system. But, so far with the DTV, reports are they respond with requests for additional information. At Vientiane, they generally have not accepted your application, unless you will get the visa. I was once even refunded there for a TV application, when it was not given due to an "applies often" note from a different consulate; I was told to get a new passport from my embassy, and come back (which I did). Phnom Penh became the first nearby consulate to begin putting tourist-visas with "VOID" stamps on them, and keeping the money - following on VPS in India.

In almost all cases, AGENTS handle the envelope-money collection, to hide what is happening. But, there are exceptions, such as the infamous 15K extortion for a 90-Day Non-O stamp in Jomtien, where that service is handled in a private office - reported here repeatedly for many years. Nowadays, they seem to have moved the "additional landlord docs" to the TM-30 stage, itself, in order to force people to use agents to get the TM-30 filed, when they do not have access to documents unrelated to their immigration-status. This isn't happening due to some rare, rogue, corrupt official - it is the PURPOSE of the process. Don't fall for the Orwellian double-think propaganda. Once one understands the nature of the system, dealing with it is much easier / less-stressful. In this case, be aware that Immigration has a TRAP SET for TM-30 submissions, to generate Agent-Money, and the "workaround" is requiring your landlord to provide their private ownership documents, or you cannot sign a lease.

If Thailand wanted to create a limit, they could. The rule/law is, there is no limit on "time in country as a tourist." There is no "staying in Thailand too much/long" reason in the law, allowing Immigration to deny entry. That is why Immigration will stamp "doesn't have money" in victim's passports - though the victim DID have the money to show. Immigration will SAY there is some limit (they make up), in order to funnel people into "agent assisted entry," which lines their pockets - but never put a stamp in a passport which would expose their criminal behavior (denying entry on false-premises). Each of these "denied entry for being in Thailand too much" cases costs the country billions of Baht in lost revenue over time, due to the bad-press across social-media - expats warning others NOT to go to Thailand - discouraging those who would otherwise come here to SPEND THEIR MONEY. They don't care. They only care about their own selfish grifing. THEY are the Grifters - not those coming here, whose spending is all upside in terms of VAT taxes, Thai-Jobs, Thai-Businesses, etc.

As long as it is incorporated as a "condominium" - then yes, it falls under the law allowing freehold / chanote title. Also, you don't have to worry about the foreign-quota - you may be the only non-Thai owner. Note that some condos are occupied by Non-Thais from certain 3rd World countries, so have changed to resemble the conditions where those people originated. By contrast, Thais are generally good neighbors. It will be easy to tell from appearances whether it is a well-managed, clean, Thai-occupied building or not.

Yes - see recent pages of the pinned running-thread on this topic:

Probably not if using an agent - only as punishment for doing your application honestly / in-person, as with most other extension-applicant requirements. But what about when attempting to exit the country, if you have been here over 180 days? Without that step, I don't see how this new tax-rule is enforce-able for those on Tourist-type entries, DTV, etc.

There is nothing in DTV legal language about tax exemption, so 180+ days = income is taxable. See your dual-tax treaty to know if it will affect you and/or how much.

Just use soft-power, if you have been living in Thailand while doing "online work" - to avoid any potential problems.

Agree on the call - they will do extensions w/o agents there - going through every step and piece of paperwork to do it. But, the last time I was there, agents were running in with their clients, messaged an IO on their phone, jumped in between those with que-numbers, took a quick-pic and out the door - while I had to go through the rigamorole with the IO to get my extension. Has this changed recently? Agent service costs more there than some other offices, but they did quite the business.

Ok - that is as I remembered - why I always did it at immigration, back in my visa-run days. Next, check Manareet Visa Agency or Cambodia Inter Tour & Travel, and see if there is a "fee" option to get it done. Those are two of the better-priced and long-time agents in town. They both have Line and Phone with English speakers.

Both processes are Immigration matters. You provide the owner's ID and your contract with them = done. They can check with the owner if they don't believe you "really live there" - or come and see for themselves, if they want. If it's all fake, you could fake all the documents. This is only a problem for HONEST people - as designed - they HATE honest people, who don't chip into their "fund." Everything they do makes this crystal-clear.

Or, do it from Laos, Cambodia, or the PI - where they never cared about "online work." They don't really care in Thailand either - but rubbing it in their faces is not recommended, as a few have found out.

If you are on an extension-of-stay based on retirement, and leave without a re-entry permit, then your extension ends when you leave. You could then apply for a visa at a consulate abroad. The downsides I see are: 1) You might not get grandfathered-in to the current "money in the bank" requirements, if they make them higher in the future. 2) The MFA guy said changes to other extensions are in-progress / will come later this year. Also, would need to do it using "Soft Power" category - otherwise would be saying you were working illegally on a retirement-based extension until now. Personally, I won't be making the switch from my retirement-extension, as it is easy / convenient and 1900 Baht / year, and I don't know what may change next. But, I do regret having 800K sitting there, on which I could be getting a decent ROI. Over 5 years, with border-run costs, though? Is it worth it? If you travel out regularly regardless, then the border-runs aren't an issue - but I don't.

Please report back on what they say / what happens when you do it.

The landlord-documents would be easy, given your wife is the "landlord" - so can provide the house book and chanote copies. They would call to arrange a time to visit - if they decide to visit - and you would let them in the building. Generally, a witness must be a non-family-member - could be a neighbor, or maybe even someone who works the front desk - who knows you both live there together.

Until we get a good quantity of reports from the airports, I would not try flying in for the visa-exempt 60-days - or, even with a Tourist Visa, if one has spent more than scant-time in Thailand recently. There was a rumor they were not being (expletive-deleteds) any more, but I would not risk problems on a bet. There are many reports at the Cambodian entry-points with the Visa-Run companies - no more "2 times per year" limit is being applied now. No. That is only needed for the 1-year Multiple-Entry Non-O available at Savan. The problem you may have is getting an appointment at Savannakhet or Vientiane in time. A single-entry 90-day Non-O is possible at either consulate.

I had passport-stamps transferred more than once in-Thailand while on Tourist-Visa entries in the past - but maybe it is different on a Visa-Exempt - or this is a new policy? Either that, or they are fishing for folks to use an agent to do it. I would check with an agent to see if they can do it and at what cost. I do recall hearing folks having problems doing stamp-transfers to a new passport at land-borders - unable to leave without going to an immigration office for the stamp-transfer, first. The last report I recall, several years back, they had to travel to the immigration office in Nong Khai to move the stamps, before crossing into Laos. It is possible that this office could also refuse, and tell you to go back to the office where the extension was issued. If an agent cannot get it done, I would fly out to Cambodia or Laos and re-enter by land (not using Poipet to re-enter, of course).

I would assume agents would provide a valid bank-statement, provided by the bank and showing an accurate balance at the time it is created, as they do with their in-country extension-of-stay assistance.

If the bill becomes law as written, tourists would only be able to extend their stays for TWO years in the country before flying out and back, vs THREE years, as-is now. Note that this is only a bill for now, but provides insight into the thinking of the current government - they don't want to "crack down" on Tourists.

Most marriage don't use agents, because it is MUCH more expensive than retirement-based, to cover the signature of the District sign-off. Recently, a poster reported ~35K, vs 12.5K for retirement. Most agents won't do this, as they lack connections at the district-level. OTOH, retirement is packed with agent-applications, and they figure sooner or later most will miss "topping up to 800K" by 1-day, or miss one monthly-transfer in-time, and they will get them into the agent-pipeline - even if their money/income totals are well above what is required.

What does that have to do with immigration? What the law requires is: "I am married to this Thai person and our marriage is de-facto (KR-3 and KR-2), our marriage is de-jure (they can come visit), and we live here (rental contract + owner's ID), and I have the required 400K (bank-records). As far as requiring the owner's House-Book, and Chanote (likely, unless he lives with you), yes - one must do this, or Immigration will force you to their "agent" - which is the only reason they ask for these in the first place / not part of the legal-requirements.

For newbies, a border-van is the best option - or if one is in a big rush - or if getting up at 4AM for a 5AM departure is something one enjoys doing. I haven't read reports of denied return-entry at any of those entry-points - maybe you have new info, though. One definitely must pay the Cambodian side their cut if coming back the same day - or spend overnight on the Cambodian side, which I always found a nice diversion. A nice bus with plenty of leg-room and a bathroom in it is nice to Chanthaburi, in my experience. Sometimes I would do an overnight there, on the way or back, just to make the trip more enjoyable. Why not, and see something different?

Probably trying for a 90-day Non-O in Jomtien. That person/office has been doing that for over a decade - reported multiple times as demanding 15K Baht cash for her to follow the written law / rules - or you don't get it. I had this experience, also, and went to get a Non-O from Laos, to get around it. After that, the Marriage-Extension people were furious I had done this (I guess they get a cut), so kept adding "new requirements" on every visit/attempt, and abusing my wife with insults, until I gave up, went back to Laos, and got a Non-O-ME. I have always known the true nature of "Thailand Immigration" after that experience. Once you know what they really are, you can be properly prepared to deal with them. Retirement and Tourist extensions in Jomtien are easy / by-the-book, however. They make a fortune on agent-business for those, so happy to process some "in person applications" by the book.

But, that would prevent roping people into paying income-tax. Also, I heard India were not enforcing "180 day max / year" on those visas for Americans any more?