TallGuyJohninBKK

At BKK CW, no DLT request form asking that Immigration issue you an RC is required.... though I know that oddball practice does occur at some DLT/Immigration locales.

From what I've been reading here lately, your area down there seems to have an Immigration operation that tends to go a bit rogue on this kinds of matters, compared to most other Immigration offices. In other words, I don't think your experience on this, because of your locale, should necessarily be taken as the actual norm on TM30 matters.

I think the ONLY person who likely says "it's just a few bad apples" is probably the national police chief and his spokespeople. Not that he or they actually believe it, but that's what they're gonna say. Everyone else knows better. PS - Each of the convicted should have been fully named in the forum news article. No mention in the forum article of if any of the defendants have been, or will be, actually in custody or jailed as yet, as a result of the verdicts. NONE of these guys are likely to serve actual LIFE prison sentences.... Based on past history, either their sentences will eventually be either overturned or reduced on appeal and/or they'll end up being released early due to purported medical problems and/or as a result of Dept of Corrections or royal commuting of their sentences. That's the way such things typically go here. And actually, the Thai Rath original article seems to make clear that the primary 6 defendants originally were given life sentences, but then had those knocked down by the same court to the 33 year, 4 month terms mentioned in the article. Also from the original Thai Rath article via Google Translate: "At 9:00 a.m. on March 30, 2023 at the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct. The court read the black criminal verdict No. 96, 131/2564 between the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) as the plaintiff. Pol. Lt. Gen. Teerayut Kitiwat, Pol. Maj. Gen. Sajja Khahiran, Pol. Maj. Gen. Saman Sudchai, Pol. Pol. Lt. Col. Jirawut Chanpeng, Pol. Lt. Col. Sitthiphaiboon Khamnil, Pol. Lt. Col. and Construction Co., Ltd. is the 1-9 defendant." Also: "After the verdict, all 8 defendants filed a petition with securities for temporary release pending appeal. The court considered and allowed the temporary release of the 7th, 8th defendants, while the 1st and 6th defendants were pending consideration by the Court of Appeal. After the expiration of the period, the correctional officers took the accused 1-6 to the Bangkok Remand Prison. to wait for the Court of Appeal's insurance consideration order."

I've made numerous overnight / hotel stay domestic travel trips in Thailand in the last couple years (as well as international ones) on my retirement extension, and never have gotten a new TM30 after those... Still working from the one and only TM30 I ever did in Bangkok, my home, some years back. Today, I went to BKK CW Immigration to apply for a new residence certificate, and presented them with a copy of my years old TM30... no problem. Also renewed my retirement extension in BKK the past couple years, no problem.

What Immigration office handles your area? And what's your stay status -- short term or annual extension, etc?

Blast from the past -- 2019 Hua Hin: "I went all the way to Bluport immigration in Hua Hin but they told me they don't do it. I ended up going to a police station, the one right near Pranburi department of Land and Transport and got one there for 200 baht." 2017 Khon Kaen: https://aseannow.com/topic/980309-how-much-do-you-pay-to-get-a-thai-residence-certificate/?do=findComment&comment=11832678 2014:

On my visit today, the end station in the B section has some sign up on the divider saying something about Thailand Elite... It looked like that woman/officer was handling some business of that sort from people who just walked up, and when she didn't have anyone of that type, was calling regular queue numbers for the RC queue... Separate from that, in the early going, I was keenly watching the couple of the other officers in the B section who had been handling the same single applicant for 10-15 minutes... And at least for one of them, at the conclusion, it "looked" like the officer tore off the bottom of an A4 sheet and handed it back to the applicant. Now there's nothing about the RC process that involves a tear-off bottom slip AFAIK.... But the 90-day report sheet does have that kind of bottom tear off sheet. As I said, I too have no idea why they were taking so long with just a couple of folks.

One more curious thing on the RC subject... There were posts here in the distant past of people claiming they were able to get some kind of RC from their local police station for free...and that was acceptable for DL application purposes... But.. two things on that score: 1. I've never tried going that route myself. And 2... I can't recall reading many/any reports here any time recently of people reporting have successfully gone the police station route for getting an RC. Anyone with any further info on that issue?

Are you saying the folks at MTT on your visit did NOT even want the basic copies of your passport pages... that they only wanted the RC form and the TM 47? Did they kick back your passport photocopy pages to you? When you next go to BKK CW for the RC, if you want to be adventurous, you could also go in with a "light" package of paperwork... and see what if any other things they insist on... For me, I tend to go with what I believe they want based on research of posts here, and I'll continue to provide those things unless they kick back some pages to me, or other posters make it clear in their reports that the IOs aren't asking for this or that anymore.

I've only done the TM30 once in 15 years here... and that was only because a couple years ago they refused to do my annual retirement extension until I did one... And that was the only time. BTW, in one of the threads on this subject, I much appreciated you posting a link back to a thread on the TM30 policy being updated some years back, wherein they clarified several things... including: 1. that people living here on extensions and re-entry permits who return to their reported Thailand home after an international trip are NOT required to do another TM30 because of having been temporarily away from home. And 2. likewise, that people living here on annual extensions who have a reported home residence also are NOT required to do a new TM30 report just because they have done some domestic travel where they've stayed in a hotel or such in some other Thai city/province before returning to their regular home. Found those clarifications/guidance very helpful and reassuring.

When you went 2 years ago to MTT for the RC, other than the TM30, did you leave out any of the other photocopies that I listed above?

They didn't have to ask me for anything, nor did they kick back anything I provided. So I'm assuming I was right in the groove. I based my list of documents/photocopies above on common sense past experience with BKK CW and having reviewed all the recent posts/reports I could find on people doing their RC applications at BKK CW. I specifically asked about the TM30 form photocopy, figuring you'd be interested in the issue as always, and reported above exactly what the IO lady told me, that YES they do want the TM 30 photocopy. But no, I didn't try to leave it out of my package and then see what they'd do in that instance. PS - in my case, because I have a new passport as of last year, my last entry stamp and reference to my long ago last visa are now combined together on a series of stamps on the two passport pages just after my photo page... So I gave them a copy of that, since my new passport doesn't have separate pages/stamps for those two items. In looking over recent posts on the RC subject, I believe it was you who had been repeatedly advising people, very correctly, that they're very keen on getting a copy of the applicant's most recent 90-day reporting slip, which they were. I had a 90-day reporting deadline coming up in mid-April, and figured it would be better to wait to do my RC app until I had a new/more recent 90-day receipt...although it probably wouldn't have mattered. But I did my 90-day online Monday, and got the receipt in my email last night. When the male officer was shuffling thru my papers, he specifically looked at the 90-day receipt, saw that it had only been issued yesterday, smiles and made a comment on that, and gave me a "thumb's up" sign.... ????

Residence Certificate Trip Report -- BKK CW Immigration Went out to BKK CW Immigration today to apply for a residence certificate for purposes of later applying for a Thai DL. First time I had applied for a RC there in probably more than 5 years. Here's the current lay of the land: Arrived just at the end of the lunch break period at 1 pm. Lined up and got inside to the front queue tickets counter shortly thereafter. Figured I could get a RC queue ticket from any of the officers there, but NO... tried that and instead was told they now have a special queue line and document checking window just for RCs one window from the end at the far right end of the queue tickets counter. They have an A4 printout piece of paper taped to the divider window there saying document check for RCs. So I moved over to that queue line, and shortly thereafter the guy behind the counter looked over my RC application form and supporting documents, gave his approval, and stapled them together and handed them back to me along with my queue ticket for the actual RC counter, which these days is the B section, a little area they have carved out along the wall between the front queue tickets counter and the A section 90-day reporting area in the far corner. Today, there were only 2 or 3 officers handling business there at any given time. I don't know what was going on there, and whether they were also doing some other kind of applications in the B section, but for the first 15 minutes or so I was waiting there, the 2 or 3 working officers (mostly the civilian young woman types as opposed to the uniformed police types) spent the entire time with the same single applicant each. I had no idea what they were doing and why things were taking so long for what ought to be a simple piece of business. I started out about a dozen numbers down in the queue, and they finally got around to calling my queue number about 1:50 pm, or after I had been waiting 45 minutes for 2 or 3 officers to make their way thru a dozen applicants. Sat down with a middle-aged male police officer who had stepped in to relieve one of the original women there. The police guy seemed friendly and cheerful enough, asked me a couple questions to make sure why I needed the RC and for what kind of license. Quickly shuffled thru my paperwork, said OK, and told me "200 baht," which I quickly handed over. He then handed me off to another woman sitting next to him who handling the mailout details and the EMS mailing/tracking receipt that I was given, with the advice I should get the mailed RC in 1 to 2 weeks. All in all, from the time I walked to their counter until I was finished, not much more than 5 minutes total. Which made me really wonder what was going on with the earlier folks in the queue. My documents set, which they accepted without question or comment, consisted of: --my original passport --The completed residence certificate application form 2023 Residence Certificate application (simple).pdf Photocopies of: --the front photo page of my passport --the prior history page of my new passport with the details of my last entry stamp into Thailand and my now ancient last actual visa. --my current extension of stay stamp --my TM6 arrival/departure card --my latest 90-day reporting slip --and my last TM30 residency filing receipt. The lady officer who handled my EMS receipt and final details spoke very good English. So given the amount of discussion here on the topic, I decided to ask her about my inclusion of the TM30 residence receipt, and whether they really needed or wanted a copy of that as part of an RC application. And she clearly replied that, yes, she said they DO want that included as part of one's RC application paperwork. YMMV. Lastly, BKK CW doesn't use an RC application form that has any place for any photos, and they don't request photos as part of the RC process, unlike apparently some other Immigration offices. Also, just to be on the safe side, as always, I had brought with me originals of things like my house rental lease and various utility bills showing my name and address on them. None of that they asked for, though good to have them just in case. So I was out the door by about 2 pm. Until the next time!

It's hard to know what to think when other folks post here their experience, but don't mention what Immigration office they're dealing with. In my case, like you, I filed mine online Monday night to BKK CW, and got my confirmation received back by email on Thursday night... almost exactly three days, 72 hours later.

I did my 90-day report online to BKK CW this past Monday evening without incident. Got the emailed confirmation back around dinner time tonight, so just short of a full 3-day/72 hour turnound time. At least it saves me a half-day trip out to BKK CW.

Bangkok Bank is going to be the best for what you need. Apart from Wise, they have their own in-house relatively inexpensive method of handling US to TH money transfers. They do well in handling U.S. Social Security deposits. Their phone customer service staff tend to be pretty good. And their headquarters branch in BKK also is very versed in handling expat banking issues. They also have a branch located in the BKK CW Immigration building, along with various other TH bank companies, which makes it convenient when you need to do an annual marriage or retirement extension there.

So as best as I can tell from the OP news report, despite supposedly being "charged" in the case, the policeman in question doesn't appear to have been actually arrested or taken into custody. If he had been, then presumably, the article wouldn't have included the following comment: "The policeman concerned will have to report to the station as part of conditions." I must say, the Thai police are being extremely accommodating to a charged rape suspect. It's certainly yet another reason to call into question their judgment and (lack of) professionalism.

The BBC's wording kinda makes it sound like someone threw a gun at the officer.... Not sure why they couldn't have simply said "shot" and/or "killed" or "fatal shooting."

That's just a sad hoax, of course. The current Republican Party instead is more about imposing THEIR social mores and religious beliefs on every one else around them. They today have absolutely nothing to do with personal freedom or small government. But it has been a popular and effective ruse for too long.

Just noticing... the download link for the regular Residence Certificate application form appears to be broken/non-working on the national Immigration documents website (item #24 on the third page of their documents list): https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?page_id=3202 Just curious, can anyone explain what the difference is between the regular residence certificate application form that Kidney posted above vs. the TM 18 and TM20 "Application for Substitute of Certificate of Residence forms? Which oddly, unlike the basic form, both have spots for pasting in a photo. ------------------- Though I see BKK Immigration on their own separate website do have a link to a residence certificate application form, item #22 on their list. Microsoft Word doc... No TM number assigned. And no space for a photo on that form. https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/downloads_en/

Ya, I don't believe photos are required as part of Immigration's Certificate of Residence certificate process... Though they are required later when a person actually applies for a DL at the Department of Land Transport.

Just How Do Deaths Due to COVID-19 Stack Up? Despite a likely undercount in many places, COVID is among the leading causes of death in most countries ... "It can be helpful to consider how COVID-19 ranks as a cause of death around the world, and the factors driving those trends. Looking at official statistics alone, COVID-19 was the fifth leading cause of death globally, accounting for nearly one in twenty deaths worldwide since the beginning of 2020. After accounting for unreported deaths, the total toll could be as high as the third leading cause of death, responsible for an estimated 17.9 million deaths, or one out of every ten deaths." https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/just-how-do-deaths-due-covid-19-stack The above analysis also notes regarding COVID and the United States: more people in the United States died cumulatively of COVID-19 than died of seasonal influenza in the last ten years (2010-2020).

That's correct... And as noted by another poster above, that skywalk entrance-exit to Central Embassy is right where the PAUL bakery-restaurant is located inside. The skywalk between Ploenchit BTS and Central Embassy also includes a connection enroute to the HomePro store located nearby.

Despite the presumably intentionally vague headline written here by the Daily Mail, the UK study they're writing about did NOT find any meaningful increased risk from the mRNA COVID vaccines. Instead, most of the study's findings relating to cardiac risk for young women relate to those who had primarily received the AstraZeneca (non-mRNA) vaccine, which, as the study notes: "The subgroup who received non-mRNA vaccines are more likely to be clinically vulnerable. The ChAdOx1 Oxford Astra-Zeneca vaccine was withdrawn for people aged under 30 on 7 April 202119, and until 8 June 2021 vaccination in this age group was limited to health care workers and people who were clinically extremely vulnerable. People who were clinically extremely vulnerable may be at greater risk of adverse events following vaccination than the general population." https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36494-0 And the Mail article alluded to the same complicating factor, with the following excerpt: "Researchers said young women given non-mRNA jabs in the period studied tended to be classified as clinically vulnerable, hence why they were prioritized for jabs. This factor may have explained their increased risk of death, the team suggested."

Yes, but there has been much research done on the volume of "excess deaths" related to COVID -- those above and beyond what would be normal in any year. And the volume of those excess deaths is at least double the official COVID death count. So your comment above about normal deaths is just a predictable attempted deflection attempting to minimize the true death toll from COVID. 14.9 million excess deaths associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 "New estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that the full death toll associated directly or indirectly with the COVID-19 pandemic (described as “excess mortality”) between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021 was approximately 14.9 million (range 13.3 million to 16.6 million). “These sobering data not only point to the impact of the pandemic but also to the need for all countries to invest in more resilient health systems that can sustain essential health services during crises, including stronger health information systems,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General." "Excess mortality is calculated as the difference between the number of deaths that have occurred and the number that would be expected in the absence of the pandemic based on data from earlier years. " https://www.who.int/news/item/05-05-2022-14.9-million-excess-deaths-were-associated-with-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-2020-and-2021