GuyDow

they've just moved 50 metres across the road to Wave Place, just over the footbridge. Same building as Home Pro plus

Some of them (including the one I use) have moved into the aircon building next to the buildingsite between Wireless and Soi Ruam Rudi. The building is directly opposite the up escalator to Ploenchit BTS and used to be the King Power duty free.

For an extension based on marriage, immigration now even seems to demand you register the marriage and you are advised to ask for the Khor Por 2 form.

Is Khor Por 2 an immigration related form? The reason I ask is that I have been extending via the "retirement" route, and I plan to continue to do so. I want to register the marriage for reasons that are nothing to do with visa extensions.

My wife and I were married overseas. I have never bothered to get the marriage registered here in Thailand, there seemed little point.

However it now seems a good time to do this. I know I have to get the marriage certificate translated and the translation certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Apart from this and my passport/visa, are there any other documents that the Amphur will want to see? I expect my wife will have to produce various things (ID card, house registration, etc.) but anything else from my side?

Also are there any pitfalls that I need to be aware of? For example, we both kept our own family names on marriage. This has never been a problem either here in Thailand or elsewhere. Would the Amphur try to make my wife change her name to my family name? This would not be welcome as my wife would then have to change all of her ID related documentation.

I'd really welcome comments from those who have experience of registering their foreign marriage with their amphur.

Re-extended my retirement visa at the new Nakorn Pathom office this week and it could not have been easier.

Arrived about 1.30pm and, after a five minute wait for my turn, sat down opposite one of the two female officers who were manning the desks. Told her I wanted to extend my visa again and handed her the completed application form with photo attached. She asked for my bank book, I gave her the letter I got from the British Consulate the previous week which confirmed my monthly income. She asked her colleague how much the monthly income requirement was, and I confirmed the letter was an original and not a copy. Handed over my passport and copy of same, then she set to work with the stamps and the log books.

Couldn't have been simpler and I was on my way out before 2pm. Very pleasant and helpful officer.

One thing, the two officers on the front desks that day did not seem to speak much English. The few exchanges we had were all in Thai. If I had to do something complicated I'd consider taking someone fluent in Thai with me. As it was, my (rudimentary) Thai was up to the task.

A massive improvement over the trip I used to do to Soi Suan Zoo. In my experience the officials in Bangkok were always on the ball but the working environment there left a great deal to be desired.

Just back from doing my 90 day report at the new Nakorn Pathom office. Very easy to find thanks to the OPs very helpful information. Couple of things worth adding.

The Soi numbers on Sai 6 are in Thai script. The numbering sequence is in increasing order from the Phet Kasem end with the even numbered sois on the right. Soi 12 junction has traffic lights over it (not in operation today). There is a sign for the immigration office on the left hand side of the road just before Soi 14. Soi 14 is quite small and next to a large official looking complex of buildings.

The office has a large sign by the gate. Drive all the way to the end to the unmade carpark. The office is in a two storey building with quite a few cars parked in front.

The sign on the door says "Visa Extensions" but it seems to handle everything. Aircon inside, no queue numbers but quiet enough that they are (probably) not needed.

The official who took my report was pleasant enough and the matter was processed in a couple of minutes after waiting around 10 minutes for my turn.

On the way back I decided to drive down Sai 6 to Borom Ratchachonni instead of going back to Phet Kasem and making a u-turn by the Rose Garden. Big mistake, I won't be doing that again. It's a long and winding road full of Thais performing unusual manoeuvres in a wide range of motorised conveyances.

Overall a big improvement over having to slog down to Krungthep. However 90 day reports are the easiest thing I ever have to do with immigration. I hope I still feel positive about the change after I apply for my next extension.

I went to Amnat Charoen Immigration today for a one-year Retirment extension based on monthly income from abroad, and they are making me get that letter translated into Thai by an Authorized Translator.

Was your embassy's letter in English or some other language (other than Thai that is)?

^^^ yeah, I must have been on Sai 6...... do you know where the Police HQ is?

Sorry, I only ever go down Sai 6 to go to Wat Rai King. I wouldn't know the Police HQ if I tripped over it.

I was there 2 weeks ago (1st time) filing a burglary report and recall seeing the Wat on Phet Kasem nr the Rose Garden.

You can't see Wat Rai King from Phetkasem. It's about 2.5km into Tanon Song Kanon (Highway 3316). The map is not to scale but it does show relative locations, i.e you pass Wat Rai King and turn right, etc.

Does anyone know of a good martial arts supplies shop in Bangkok? I really want to buy a sword to practise Tai Chi with but there is some other stuff (like shoes) I could make use of.

It's stated monthly as sterling

In my last two letters the Consulate converted the monthly sterling amounts to Baht using a rate we agreed at the time. The letters only quoted a monthly Baht amount.

but the bank (in Holland) does not want to transfer money to my Thai bank (used to work in TH, so still have a SCB account).

Over the years I have made wire transfers to Thailand from bank accounts in the UK, in France, in Belgium, in the Channel Islands and in the Isle of Man. The only time I have had a problem was when the institution was not really a bank; e.g. some building societies in England perform many banking functions but do not offer the full range of banking services.

As already said, you need to get your bank into line or get another bank.

You need to go to the Belgian embassy in Bangkok with a copy of your marriage certificate, and get a certified affidated and then get everything translated to Thai. Then take all of this to your local ampur to register your marriage. Your embassy will give you a list of translators they recommend, I suggest you use one your embassy lists.

The Belgian Embassy will give you a list of approved translators. I know because I had to get my Belgian marriage certificate translated a while ago.

When I went to get a re-entry visa (1 have a retirement visa) I was told I had to come back and report within 48 hours of my return to Thailand.

Somebody is having a laugh with you. You report your address to immigration on the entry card when you arrive back in Thailand. Thereafter you have to report to immigration every 90 days until you leave again.

If there is any time left on your old passport, IPS will add it to your new passport, in whole months, up to nine months. IPS cannot carry over more than nine months from your old passport to your new one.

I've been in contact this week with the British Embassy about exactly this point. They have advised me that it is no longer possible to carry over unexpired time to new passports. New passports are for 10 years only and that's it.

Are they mistaken or is there something I am missing here?

Nakhon Pathom immigration office is not on that list. In fact, Nakhon Pathom province is listed in the service area of the Samut Sakhon immigration office.

There is, as far as I can establish, no immigration office in Nakhon Pathom.

Nakhon Pathom province is indeed listed as in the service area of Samut Sakhon office. However Suan Phlu (Room 507) has been accepting my 90-day reports even though the list of provinces outside of Room 507 does not include Nakhon Pathom.

though he did also say that processing them had caused a strain on their resources

Since all you need to issue a re-entry permit is a rubber stamp and a cash box to put the fee in, their resources must be pretty thin on the ground.

They could sub-contract this routine administrative task to King Power who could open a booth and take commission on each passport stamped. This would be a lot more convenient for many people.

Yes, I am joking. But not by much!

The visa rules say that photo's for the form TM7 have to be no older than 6 months old. I still have a lot from last year I could use, do they get the old form out and actually check the photo's when applying for another extension?

I did get away with using ones from 2 years previously at Suan Phlu but I don't think I'll be trying that again. Not worth the hassle if you get caught out.

I think that Nakorn Pathom is included in those that can use room 507.

On my experience this would seem to be the case. I would say, however, it is a very well kept secret.

They only process people who live in the following provinces: Pathumthani, Nonthaburi, Saraburi, Chainat, Lopburi, Ang Thong, Singburi, and Ayuthaya. And they appear to be very strict about this.

You are completely sure this list is correct? I really want Nakorn Pathom to be in there as well!

Samut Sakhon.

My 90 day report was due last week. Despite indications to the contrary I decided to try Suan Phlu since I go to Bangkok most weeks and I have never been to Samut Sakorn.

Went to Room 507, fully expecting to get the bum's rush, and handed in my form and passport. Five minutes later the official emerged and, instead of giving me a b*ll*cking for wasting her time, handed me back my passport with the completed acknowledgement slip from the bottom of the form.

Will it will be the same story when I go back for another 90 day report in August, or at the end of the year to renew my extension? Your guess is as good as mine!

That is the current web site - they are working on a new one.

....... And while they are doing this they have stopped updating the addresses on the current site. Meanwhile both old and new sites are accessible.

I am not going to say anything more on this. I wouldn't like this country so much if it was organised, it would be boring - like Singapore.

Thanks for all your help, I am confident I can find the place now.

Thats the old address on the website they moved 2 years ago!

So why didn't they put up a redirect to stop people like me picking up the old website from search engines? Don't bother to answer, it's a rhetorical question.

Thanks for the info, that's most helpful. I don't have GPS but I guess the coordinates might be useful to others.

Thanks once again.

The immigration website (http://www.imm.police.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=central) gives the following address:

1092/100 Akechai road, Amphoe Muang,

Changwat Samut Sakhon 74000

Phone: 0-3482-0739

1092/100 ถ.เอกชัย

ต.มหาชัย อ.เมือง

For "Akechai", read "Ekachai", which is Highway No. 3242. Google Maps does not give the house number and it's a long road. If you can later give me the exact location I would like to put it on the ThaiVisa map.

--

Maestro

That's bizarre. When I go to the immigration website

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...hp?page=central

I get a different address and phone number. I can see the URLs are different and yours, presumably, is the correct site.

I think I'll get my wife to phone both numbers before I get in the car.

I will tell you where it is if I eventually find it, as I am sure I will eventually.

Does anyone know where the Samut Sakhon immigration office is? Apparently I have to start going there instead of Suan Phlu.

I have an address from the Immigration Department website (Tapong Rd, Samut Sakhon) but it does not seem to be on the Google Maps of immigration offices. Any additional information would be appreciated.

But occasionaly helping at an orphanage or something similar you would probably be safe.

Even if someone is out to make trouble for you? The prospect of deportation and never being able to come back is a big deterrent.

I think the very pleasant lady who dealt with me was a little new, she spent some time reading my British Embassy letter and then needed to confirm what GBP was, maybe the British Embassy should us £UK in their letters. She then went and thummed through pages of a newspaper many times, after about five minutes of watching I walked over and quietly said fifty baht to one GBP is ok for me...almost a big smile.

This was a retirement extension, right?

The British Embassy usually (the last two occasions) puts my income in Thai Baht in the letter, GBP are not mentioned. I've also found them amenable to using any exchange rate you can reasonably justify. I like this because it removes one point of discussion from the visit to immigration.