mokwit

What about the criminals who come in on a VE/VOA and stay long term by overstaying? They are after all criminals, so they can't be relied on to follow the law. That is what fake stamps are about - they are not in the computer but they will stand an on the street inspection by ordinary RTP - maybe even IB as they seem not to be able to access their own data via the internet when out and about.

Surely not - years ago criminal convictions were in a central database and the form generated was called a "Form 609". I can't imagine they have decentralised it. Are you thinking about civil "county court" judgements?

I think that is pretty much the same thing as "cancelled". People who use agents are not affected. It is those of us who do it ourselves above board who get inconvenienced. Perhaps they want us to pay to avoid this. I have no desire to be subjected to the onerous requirements of the OA and don't understand why anyone would while the much simpler O extension is available - no aligning insurance cover dates with extension dates etc.

So what visa are you on that you want everybody else's cancelled and everyone subjected to onerous requirements? All these people demanding stricter visa requirements without thinking the rising tide will reach them because they are the "good" farangs. Again, , all these people who think the rules should be tightened to keep out others - General Prem isn't looking down from the heavens on you thinking, ahh yes, this is the type of good falang who are welcome in Thailand. The Thai elite are really actually only interested in the type of Foreigner they would like to be photographed with, or who they think can arrange a prestigious school or university place for their children with a quiet word on their behalf.

This is the problem they make first entry on VE/VoA easy for everybody and many come here with the intention of going underground and overstaying. Some don't even file a TM30 and 90 day report!. Their solution is to make it difficult for people on long stay visas that require proof of funds.

I don't want changes to the Immigration laws because they are far more likely to affect me negatively rather than positively, despite my vast wealth and assimilation into HiSo Thai society and understanding of Thai culture. A bit of sarcasm in the above.

Yes it was this, the Embassy would effectively be the entity responsible for the veracity of statement under Thai law. Somehow, countries other than US, AUS & UK were prepared/able to do that for their citizens.

Probably.

So that makes them deadbeats? Everyone below your financial level is a "deadbeat"? Take care that they don't up things to the level where you are a "deadbeat", despite your vast wealth. I assume you have no problem with Bt3m in a Thai bank, coz my guess is that is what is coming - or the monthly income requirements/$500k/$250k investment of the LTR visas. I could, but don't want to put $250k or even Bt3m in a Thai bank and some don't want to put Bt400k in a Thai bank.

What kind of check and with who is this? I seem to remember it is for Thailand/Interpol notices not for criminal record from your home country? I don't think they get the non criminal record confirmation from an applicants country. It will be up to us to get hard copy of this, not for the IB to get it.

Don't get where you are coming from from this - if you mean extension of Non O it is for one year, if you mean 3 month non O I don't get what you mean unless you mean anyone on a Multi O can't afford the 400k - but don't they have to show proof of that to get multi O?

OK thanks, I remeber now that they do, but it is for Thailand/Interpol notices not for criminal record from your home country? I don't. I don't want to have to arrange another document, yet alone one with a date that has to coincide. Why do you like the idea of limiting O applications to one a year, because you won't be affected but others will. Be careful what you wish for, a lot of people "safe" with their retirement extension who were gloating at visa tightenings for others such as "border hoppers" and who thought everyone but them should be horsewhipped and deported got their comeuppance when an extra 400k/proof of remittance of 65k was introduced. be careful what you wish for, the rising tide might reach you. Seriously, all these people who think the rules should be tightened to keep out others - General Prem isn't looking down from the heavens on you thinking, ahh yes, this is the type of good falang who are welcome in Thailand. There are types who come to Thailand that I am not keen on, but any tightening on them will likely affect me also in some way.

I don't think he is capable of understanding what distress his actions caused. I am sure he wouldn't care if he did, but I don't think he can.

At it's best it can mean we will do what we can with the resources available, or you can get a special effort from us if you make us happy. CW is so hassle free that there is no real reason to use an agent, other offices I hear are so difficult that people do as with an agent things suddenly aren't an issue anymore. As for conspiracy theory: The first one year extension for work required me to make multiple visits to Immigration in person. The HR people told me they are making it difficult so that we pay to expediate things, but we know you tick all the boxes and they can't ultimately refuse, so we are doing it this way rather than pay.

Make things so difficult they opt into "the system". That's how it works here.

all right all right, if you want to be over pedantic, but few kept 800k all year previous to that - i didn't, but now do. I used to draw down the 800k but had to make a one time addition of 400k. I think the above is likely what most did. I would have thought it was self evident that those using an agent didn't have to.

You expect them to think things through to that extent? The wording of the police order won't be "unless not been out of the country/criminal record check from 3 months before your last entry into Thailand". It will be criminal record check with each renewal same as marriage visa people have to supply the same things every renewal, including the same marriage certificate, you would think maybe they will accept a criminal record check from 3 months before your last entry into Thailand, but don't count on it - more likely 3 months before application ate every year.

These two are mutually exclusive.

I am jumping to conclusions based on living here 25+ years and seeing the visa changes including those brought in by Hapkarn when he was IB head not deputy chief. A complete overhaul of the law requires Parliament passing it but everything suggested here can go through on a police order alone - Criminal record check can be requested under the part of the law that says 'anything else deemed necessary by the Competent Official' The key to whether it goes through or not is how much it affects the vested interest of "the system".

Let's hope they don't ask for it dated 1 month prior to application (I think 3 months would be most likely, within one year unlikely). It will be required every year with current 1 year retirement extension IMO, perhaps not with 5 year visa. It's the date juggling with any changes that concern me just as much - all the problems people had with OA visas and lining up the insurance dates to exactly coincide with extension (check holidays people). As someone said, they just pull things out of their *** without care or consideration for the difficulty with complying. I'm gonna be outta here anyway, but maybe sooner than later.

There was no grandfathering for the additional 400k year 'round requirement - Hapkarn even went as far as to say there had been no changes to the 800k requirement. Fact is everybody had to bring in an additional 400k.

The biggest destruction of trust is changes to retirement extension requirements. I think most of those retired here are more scared of this than outlaw biker gangs.

What the article misses is that major changes can be made by police order without need for a new Immigration act. All the changes/new requirement have been done this way. They can change the financial requirements, ask for additional documents such as criminal record history, they can even drop clauses in the law (TM28). Did they increase the amount required for the old Bt 3m investment Visa (to 10m?) or drop it all together? Maybe they can drop the current retirement extension. All kinds of new visa classes have been offered (by TE BoI MOFA), all but the Elite have onerous requirements such as criminal record checks. The OX aimed at high GDP per capita country applicants requires you to take the time and money to have a blood test to show you don't have Elephantiasis, leprosy and TB. these are very rare in these countries and you are far more likely to catch them here. The below requirements are for issuance of the OX extension once you are in country. BTW, you have to go to Imm and reqaulify EVERY year. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwidscHpqMSAAxX_7TgGHcTPDNYQFnoECAsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbangkok.immigration.go.th%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022C1_20.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1E5oyJ1ln4_6Y8nF6AyfR7&opi=89978449

No I am "suggesting" that the Thai authorities should adopt the same heavy handed group punishment strategy that they applied to retirement extensions (e.g. 400k year 'round to stop agents) and seem to be planning for the future because of an outlaw biker on a retirement extension murdering another foreigner. Surely the solution is to place additional restrictions on VE/VOA used by millions to deal with a handful of wayward bike riders? Maybe a certificate from your home country vehicle registration/licensing authorities confirming you have never owned a large motorcycle/do not hold a motorcycle license. Or put another way, no, not "seriously", but then again, this is not beyond fantasy with all the high quality appointees since 2014.

Obviously they need to find out what visa these outlaw bikers are on and bring in restrictions on it - say no VE/VOA without whatever they are planning for retirement extensions e.g Criminal record check presented on entry or no VE/VOA. What's that you say? It's easier to pick on old men?