bunnydrops

I don't want to give them any help, but since Thailand only counts the ones that die at the accident, make sure they are not "dead" until they get to the hospital.

My wife has been rejected two times but I won't go into that except to say that the last time was because she did not have MY passport with her. It really came down to proving that I had reason to return to Thailand after the trip. Their thinking as best as I could tell is that if I didn't come back, neither would she. My passport would have shown that I have been living heremost of the time in the last 5years with multable extensions but she was not allowed to go outside to get mine.

I think it is a good idea to look up a hotel online and use that name. When you enter Thailand, they ask that question on the form they give you on the plane also. Not sure what they would say about just the City as to where you are staying, but I am sure many don't relly know where they will be staying when they first come to Thailand.

why not just to change its name from beer garden to national garden ?

With 10 fold dual pricing for farangs?

I kind of like "Bring Happiness Back to Thailand Garden"

A BIT OFF TOPIC

One advantage to leaving your money in the US (at least this year) is that with the exchange rate for the dollar has increased 9% this year to date (35.78 today, 32.8 a year ago). Even if you are only making 1% on that year old money in the US, you still made 10% against the baht. If it is true what the guy from Kbank said that the exchange rate will go to 38 baht to the dollar--- you can only lose money keeping 800,000 baht in a Thai bank.

Thanks--That is what I thought. Yes, I do have an under consideration stamp.

Here in the back woods, the farmers build smokey fires at night to keep the mossies off their cows

I came into the country on a 90 day non-imm O and have a departure date of Oct 20. I went in for a one year extension Oct 6 and told to report back Nov 19 for extension confirmation . Am I required to make an appearance before the Oct 20th departure date for a 90 day report? In the past I never had to, but some of the posts I have read here has gotten me to wonder.

The immigration officers will need to visit you at home with your wife. You will also have to have two responsible people to verify that you are married and living together at the house. I had the village headman and one of the girls who works in the Amphur office. The visit lasts about an hour or so and they will enter more information into a laptop including scanned copies of the responsible persons ID's. This information will be faxed off to Bangkok where it will be checked before you are granted your extension. They will try to get it all done ready for your next due visit to the immigration office. You will be given a Bangkok phone number to call so that you can check progress. If your application is not processed in time then you will get another thirty day stamp in your passport when your first stamp expires.

Your documents are checked at Bangkok to make sure there are no errors. The information you gave to the immigration officer was already found to be ok before it is sent off to Bangkok. As soon as the immigration office receives the go ahead from Bangkok you can go there and get your one year stamp.

Thanks for the information. Should I expect a phone call prior to the visit or will they show up in a random day?

I was told that the visits are randomly done, you may not get visited at all. I was also given a phone number to call two days before the required office visit in case there were further paper work needed. This is in Korat.

OK, I have TRIED to report this, but the only phone number I can find for the Immigration Main office to ASK about this fee 02287310110 does not work. I called 1111 several times but just after speaking to the English speaking operator and tell her in general what the problem is about, she says she will connect me with the appropriate office-- then the line goes dead. I called several times over the last two days. I am going to give up. A little wiser for my trouble but next time be prepared.

FOR MEATMAN

I am not sure how you know you will be meeting with this same officer. He was not there 1 1/2 years ago when I was last in that office. The man who sat in that chair at that time was older, maybe 50 whom was the one I had mostly dealt with in the past, This new guy is in his 30s I think

reply to Shady

There are many more people in this country that could use the 3000bt than some guy who is having problems paying his monthly payment on the SUV he drove to work in.

Gees- sorry for the confusion, I lived here 4 years on a marriage extensions, Had to leave and came back on an 90 day non-imm O visa. I was at the office for a one year marriage extension. On a more constructive note---- I do live quite a ways from the office, it takes me 2 hours to drive north to get my bank letter and then south to Immigration. I have been told by the bank that many people are returned because the Immigration will not except day before letters. While at Immigration I asked two officers about this (including the one in question) and was told "Only for retirement extensions are the same day bank letter required. Marriage extensions have seven days before."

Back on topic. Because of all the news about bombers getting into the country without visas, and hearing that more and more people are getting house visits now, made me think that this fee was possible true. It was after I had giving him the money and he wrote the receipt for 1900bt did I question him and asked for a receipt for the added 3000. That is when he said there would not be one. Then I asked him to sign a paper saying I gave him the money for the "investigation fee" and he refused. At this point he had my money and as I said earlier, I didn't want there to be a "special problem" with my extension.

I was also charged 2,900 Baht. The regular 1,900 for a new visa and also since I had a new passport, when I went in, they also charged me another 1,000 Baht to transfer my old visa to my new passport. Even though it would only be good for a couple more weeks at best and until me new one is ready.

Since you left the country and came back on a 90 day, perhaps this was your extra charge to? To move your one year extension on to your passport while waiting for your new one? I don't know.

But before you start a fire in that immigration office I would be 100% sure of your facts first. As far as I can tell I have never been cheated by Immigration ever.

BTW, for my New Canadian Passport it cost me about 7,100 Baht ($260 CAD). If you want to talk about Highway Robbery then this is a far better example of that.

This was just an extension to my 90 day visa. My last year extension ran out while I was away. For those that don't understand, you can't get a exit permit and then return after your extension has run out on that return permit.

Nicked for 3000 yesterday at Korat, Fee for first year marriage extension investigation? Would not give me receipt or sign paper that I gave him the money. The younger man, last number on his badge 017

Gees- sorry for the confusion, I lived here 4 years on a marriage extensions, Had to leave and came back on an 90 day non-imm O visa. I was at the office for a one year marriage extension. On a more constructive note---- I do live quite a ways from the office, it takes me 2 hours to drive north to get my bank letter and then south to Immigration. I have been told by the bank that many people are returned because the Immigration will not except day before letters. While at Immigration I asked two officers about this (including the one in question) and was told "Only for retirement extensions are the same day bank letter required. Marriage extensions have seven days before."

Back on topic. Because of all the news about bombers getting into the country without visas, and hearing that more and more people are getting house visits now, made me think that this fee was possible true. It was after I had giving him the money and he wrote the receipt for 1900bt did I question him and asked for a receipt for the added 3000. That is when he said there would not be one. Then I asked him to sign a paper saying I gave him the money for the "investigation fee" and he refused. At this point he had my money and as I said earlier, I didn't want there to be a "special problem" with my extension.

I too have never had a problem there and felt that this was one of the good offices. The woman that has run the place for at least a couple of years was there and so was the woman that usually sits at the far left counter, This was a younger man, never seen him before. I know I will never see my money but again I would like to give a headsup to a higher power if this guy is playing games. If I had known the number of the head office in Bangkok, I would have called them as I sat there. My wife of course is worried that he could make trouble with my getting an attention.

I just got back from applying for non im O at the Korat office. I have had two before but since I had to go back the my home country before the end of my last and was not going to be able to return before the time to renew, I had to started from the beginning. Had all my paper work in order and when it came time to pay I was told that I had to pay a new "first time fee" of an extra 3000bt. When he wrote the receipt, he put 1900bt. I asked for a receipt for the extra 3000 but was told that there would not be one for that since it was a "investigation" fee and said he would not process my app without it. I said I would write a note saying I gave him the 3000 but he said he would not sign. I am sure this is not right but what could I do? I have the number from his uniform. Is there a number I can call to ask about this "fee" and report him, or is this just another case of Thainess.

Also the 5 years does not have to be continuous. I have a friend who moved back with his wife to finish her last year. They have been living back and forth for the last 7 years.

I got one for my wife when I was still working there. They only wanted her passport and the form, no proof of marriage at all. Since I did not have her TIN number when I did my taxes, I put "applied for" in the space and added a copy of the stamped request form. The next year after I received the number, I tried to use an online service to do my taxes, but the first ( I don't remember which one, but believe it was Intuit)) would not except the TIN number and ended up mailing. The year after that I used an online service (again, don't remember off hand) without any problems. As for it being legal to write off your Thai wife living in Thailand as a dependent, I also had heard that you can not do that anymore--- but I have been doing it for a number of years.

Here is how bad it can be. My wife went in 4 months ago. She had land and house papers, proof of car ownership, Bank account, itinerary of where and when she would be for a 2 week trip with names and phone numbers. She is self employed doing piece work for several dress shops in the city (names and phone numbers included). Has traveled out of the country to Laos and China for the company she worked for previously (11 years) several times. I am retired living here for 5 years.

She was asked 3 questions by the farang interviewer, the first in Thai.

How do you spend money?

My wife replied that she did not understand the question, He makes a mark on some paper.

Why does your husband like living in Thailand?

She answers the question as best she could since she is not me. (How would your wife answer?)

Next, he wanted to see my passport. She had copies of all important pages, but that was not good enough. I was out on the street in front of the embassy with my passport (as required by Thai law) but would not let her go get it and I can not come in.

Refused'

LTFaWG has a free app for Android.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.learnthaifromawhiteguy.free&hl=en

maybe for Iphone.

I think it is important to learn how to read (meaning to know where words in sentences begin and end and sound out roughly how they sound)Thai early on even if you know few words. If for no other reason so you can read the stop, don't, warning, forbidden and please signs when you drive.

I'm 68, and believe me learning a new language at this age is not easy. I put in an hr every day. When I first started to learn the language I thought I would have a good understanding in a years time remembering how easy it was for me to learn German and Spanish---- that was 5 years ago. I still feel very much a beginner. Damn short term memory loss.

Does this place have a name? Also interested in seeing the video

I wonder about the free part. Someone I know had to go to ICU at the government hospital. After he was moved to a standard "room", he was not allowed to check out until his bill was paid, which was over 200,000 and growing daily.

I'm not sure but you sound a little confused. Its either 400,000 baht in Thai bank OR an income. You do not have to take any of the money out of the 400,000 and you do not have to show other income.

Mine is sent to a US bank. My Thai residence is registered with SS. I put down that I had a US contact address. They have never send anything to my Thai address and never sent me a yearly form to fill out. I know they do it randomly in the US.

As said before, I send to my Bangkok Bank account through the NY branch every 3 months. My back charges $3, Bangkok bank 5 and then there is a small fee to send it to your local bank.