Rob Browder

I never heard of this, either - may be be specific to CW - certainly not written-down anywhere I have seen. Given their attitude, I would go out to Laos - Vientiane - and apply for the Non-O via eVisa online. I just saw a report it was delivered by email the next-day: Otherwise, you could do a border-bounce for a visa-exempt entry, using an agent-van to avoid the risks of that - then do the Non-O, with your "seasoned" marriage.

They won't take bribes directly (in reports I've seen) - likely because there are cameras watching. Such must be pre-arranged through their agents.

Do This, if you don't want the nauseating 5AM Van ride (I don't blame you). Just call them and make arrangements. Then, go the day before, using your chosen transport, and stay at a hotel near the border. The next morning, you get up at a normal time, meet the van near the border - pre-arranged with them - likely a nearby restaurant, where you can wait with your coffee. Do the crossing and return, then make your way back via your own chosen-transport. Win-Win outcome.

I have never heard that before. I HAVE heard that if married to a Thai, they insist on using the marriage-based option, vs the child. Also, that if an unmarried couple is separated, the child must THEN be living with the applicant - where your scenario applies. I also recall joint-custody cases being accepted, though, in divorce situations. That said, I would not be surprised if some IOs / offices have insisted on what you describe, simply as a way to avoid doing the extension ("too much work"). If I were you @farangzy I would bring bank-records showing the 400K is seasoned 2+ months, just so that isn't an issue. The mother and child should attend with you. Also, be prepared they may also try to make you leave the country for a Non-O Visa, first - though there is no legal reason for this.

"Legit" in Thailand? No such thing here - but "Normal" would fit. Covering any required bank-balance is a standard part of Immigration's agent-partners.

Few agents will touch a marriage-based extension, and those who do ask for a PILE of money - because Marriage-based extensions must get district-approval, who want their fat-cut of the "action," for that sign-off. It's all "in house" at CW, but still goes to a higher-up.

Is he from India, or a similarly poor country, where "working illegally in Thailand" would be a step-up? Otherwise, why would the IO factor in something like this? If he was a "marriage scammer," what difference would 2 months wait make? What is the worst that could happen, from the IO's POV? He gets divorced, his permit-to-stay is immediately invalidated, and ... or, worst case, he stays in Thailand and spends money into the economy a bit longer, until the extension expires? As this was the initial 90-day Non-O step, he will be back submitting the phone-book of paperwork again, in 90-days, for the 1-year extension. This report matches a long-standing pattern of harassment and abuse of those extending by reason of marriage at some offices. Immigration HATE doing marriage-visas, and generally hate the Thais who marry us. Granted, the IOs in Issan, tend to be at least "civil" about it, in my experience.

The flu makes little children / babies sick. This didn't. And, the flu-tests were coming up negative, world-wide. No one who did a few minutes of research believed the "Just the flu" meme. Some morons even fell for the "viruses don't exist" meme. These were to put out there to tar anyone who questioned the "official story" as "lunatics," of course. Folks who can read and comprehend research papers did not believe what was coming out of the MSM and govt, either - which was also clearly a pack of lies. Yet, the "left" believed all that. Their cartoonish buffoonery was unparalleled, as they tried to strong-arm all of us into acting-along with their MSM-induced delusions - even telling us we "must" inject a potentially-deadly experimental formulation of a type never before used widely, "or else" - even as we watched young and healthy people around us injured and/or killed with it. Now THAT was truly insane.

Both sides trying to avoid the fact that this was a lab-modified virus, work on which they had worked jointly. Moderna patented the "gain of function" spike-protein in 2016 (exact genomic-match). So, was the bug that leaked the result of combining that spike with a bat-virus in the Wuhan lab, or the Rocky-Mountain Lab, or the UNC Lab? That is the only question. But, it's clear why Trump kept saying "China Virus" - to deflect from the US-Govt / contractor involvement in this dangerous / insane "gain of function" research.

The "mass deportations" are as FAKE as everything else he "talks" about. Americans are held in "hand to mouth" poverty by ~50-Million Illegal aliens, and tens-of-millions more "legal" foreigners - almost all from dirt-poor countries - all more than willing to undercut Americans on wages, because it is "less bad" than what their ancestors created for them at home. Trump is doing NOTHING about that. In fact - it gets worse. Now, he proposes a Shamnesty, where he provides them with a taxpayer-funded "stipend" to fly home, then come back "legally" to continue occupying American's former jobs - making sure he and his friends NEVER have to pay 1st World Wages to Americans, EVER Again. As far as Alcatraz,,the "pope" pic, etc - just more bread and circuses to get his base morons and their blue-haired evil-twin morons to fight over Exactly NOTHING which will impact their lives in any meaningful way, ... such as, say, enforcing the existing felony prohibiting employing Illegal Aliens, which would ensure the Illegals lost their jobs, and had no reason to stay any more - so that 1/2 of the American people could return to the middle-class.

I always do it 30-days in advance - probably due to experience with more troublesome-type extensions in the past (marriage-based), where they may ask for unexpected things. No days are lost doing it early - but no penalty up to the last day, if you have everything they want.

He doesn't seem to know much of anything. I guess his "staff" won't break the news to him about the Constitution? It's not that long of a read, but he hasn't bothered? Then, his fans excuse his betrayals as "they tricked him." This was just another distraction, as he breaks all his promises to his supporters - again, just like he did the last time. See also, "Alcatraz." It's a big circus show, to get the blue-haired left-morons and the equally-clueless "still support Trump" morons to fight.

He supported the Ukraine War, also. The "Hoover Institution" might as well be an official DOD (MIC) sub-agency.

I always carried a copy of my marriage-cert (both KR types) with me when traveling on a Non-O / married visa, and receipt for payment of the visa. I never needed them, but it gave me peace of mind. No need for bank-books, as was not required for that type of visa (or extension) post-issuance (2 mo before, only). I could see them trying a "check your money" on "retirement" based, at some point in the future - unless you pay for "safe entry," of course. They are "checking the money is up to date" to transfer your stamps at CW, now, unless you pay an agent to do the stamp-transfer.

You need to stay out at least one day. You will need a stamp in/out of the neighboring country.

You would only need to show the 800K for two months before - without the full previous year's compliance - IF you are NOT now on a 1-year retirement-extension. If you are on one now, they will want to 'check compliance" with the terms for the previous extension.

Why are you arguing with a straw-man you just invented? Immigration PREFER (my word) agent-submitted applications - clearly. They skip the queue, and "requirements" are removed for them, so this conclusion is obvious. Since I have been here, the rules significantly changed for marriage/family based, retirement, and ED extensions. And, no, I don't just mean page-formatting. These changes increased agent-use and/or cost. They could change again, at any time, at their whim.

Its 800K 2 months prior to THIS application, 800K maintained for 3 months after your LAST extension, and 400K minimum the rest of the year. This is demonstrated with a 12-month bank-statement. Most offices allow a fixed-deposit account, provided the type of account allows removing the money at any time, with only a loss of interest. I would ask at your imm-office about this - may vary. Others may have better info on that question at the specific office you intend to use.

Yes, Pedang Besar went from the best crossings to a bad one - surpassing Sadao in hassle-factor. But really, any report more than a month or so old isn't worth much. It might not be bad, now - just stay out 1 or 2 nights, or similar. If doing this, I'd go with the crossing mentioned above, where there is a "pay for same day return" service available - similar to how the Myanmar crossing near Kanchanaburi formerly worked. Remember the "batman" stamp they'd put on your TM-6, to indicate you paid the piper? Good old days - and no nauseating, 5AM van-ride, either.

No - they just use the agent - which IOs clearly prefer. Every crackdown and rule-change has increased their agent-revenue stream. They demonstrate with their actions that they don't really care if "requirements" are met or not. Their "agents" can even publicly advertise what they do. Therefore, there is no reason to believe these "rules" exist for any other reason, than to line their pockets. Lucky you. I am far from the only one to have had this experience. Two separate offices were abusive. A proper response in defense of one's wife is well-deserved, but you are outnumbered by criminal scum, masquerading as govt-agency personnel, with the force of the state at their disposal. My experiences in the boonies weren't bad in that way - though, out there, it took going over every paper in the thick stack with 3 separate IOs, every year - literally all day, with a lunch-break. On the contrary - what I have said is based on the historical record of changes to "the rules" for various types of visas / permitted-stays, and reading thousands of posts, here and elsewhere, regarding experiences with Thai Immigration.

Qualifications and cost aside, having to fly yourself 1/2 way across the world to deliver paperwork is stupid, and is an awful experience. Why not just ask 5K every 90-days or whatever at immigration. Oh, wait, that would be with receipt, so wouldn't serve immigration's primary goal with all this. See how DTVers are being hit with "extra" fees to border bounce. https://aseannow.com/topic/1359398-dtv-border-bounce-from-pattaya-via-van-5700-baht-why-are-dtv-border-bounces-more-costly/ How long until legit "1 day out and return" with the DTV starts getting randomly-blocked, when Immigration decides they aren't making "enough" from agent-van money? They have denied entry to those on ED Visas with re-entry permits, so anything is possible. There is no semblance of rules or fair-play one can count-on - just the last "reports" we see here, to gauge what to expect.

As to cost, Reports indicate between ~2K to 5K per-entry unlimited visa-exempt by air or agent-van to a border. It's 12.5K to 15K baht per-year for retirement-based - only need a passport showing you are over 50. Add to your list, those who choose to invest their 800K where it generates a decent return, or not send far more money here every month than they need. This may more than cover the agent-cost. If I had that Australian "super" fund option, I'd likely be doing that. If I wasn't married to a Thai, I would have been forced to use agents until I turned 50 - no DTV back then, On the married / family type, it is a nightmare dealing with that every year, in my own and other's experiences. This is why I previously used Non-O-ME Visas (no longer available) - not because of the 400K, but to protect my wife from Immigration's abuse. Many likely use the DTV now, or switch to retirement (as I did), or even border-bounce with agents, just to avoid that experience. Immigration could change the rules any time, when they desire a "raise" in agent-sourced envelope-money - like they did with changing the retirement-money rules w/o grandfathering the last time. Or, maybe they start adding hoops and/or being abusive to retirees, like family-extensions? I could be using an agent next year, depending on things over which I have no control at all. But, while on one hand, it sucks being forced to deal with a mafia, one also knows that crooks can always be bought. Glass half-full / half-empty scenario.

If you enter on a Non-O 90-Day visa based on marriage, your first 1-year extension would need to be based on "married to a Thai" - so need 400K Baht in the bank for 2 months prior to application, plus the other required documents, pictures, etc. In subsequent years, if you wish to change to a retirement-based extension, you will need to show 12 months of bank-statements of minimum 65K Baht/mo (every month - no missed/late transfers) - OR - 800K Baht in the bank for 2 months prior to application, leave it there 3 months after, and no less than 400K Baht in the bank the rest of the year.

Where the "rule" is - pay through their agent-partners, and make all the visa-exempt entries you want - no problem. They make a joke of their system with inconsistency / "crackdowns" and paperwork / "requirements" change-ups - all designed only to line their pockets. All is done right out in the open, with agents advertising their services. And yet, some farangs defend what they are doing as "enforcing the rules"? Life is easier here after accepting that things here are not the same here as in our passport-countries. Corruption rules the roost, and everything done is to preserve that corruption. I'm doing it "legit" on retirement for as long as I can - but always fully prepared I may have to pay an agent the next year, if they "change" something to force this.

You want me to do the google-search on this site for you? Choose to believe what you want - I've been reading such reports here for years - since before the name of the site changed. And, no, as in the victim tried to present the stated requirements for entry (20K Baht, hotel-booking, flight-out), and the IO literally waived it away - as in waived their hand "shoo shooo." Then, they told the person they were not allowing them to enter, because they "come too much" - and then, stamped a different reason (lie) in their passport as the "official" reason for denying entry - "not having money" - after refusing to look at / count the money presented.