perax

You only need to convince Suan Plu immigration PR staff that you have sufficient credentials to be considered at the next level - immigration do not issue PR, this is a function of the government and its various departments plus tax, although important, is only one of the considerations along with numerous other points.

In your case, I think you might be better off doing things the other way around...

1 - take note of the name of the senior officers in charge of that section of immigration (hint: check the org charts on the 3rd floor, or the names on the big offices just right of the stairs)

2 - get one of your influential friends to drop these a call, discussing your situation

3 - these will likely redirect you to somebody in room 301, maybe setting up an appointment with that old gentleman sitting at the table on the left in room 301 (officier in charge, forgot his rank)

4 - he will happily discuss your status and suitability for 'special' processing, and point you to one of the staff to handle the formalities.

It's easier than discussing things the way up...

Thanks, Aurelius. I am aware of the tax implications, but wasn't sure how deductibles would be computed. Thanks again for clarifying.

On this crackdown... many of you find it funny, but I don't. Might be overly cynical, but to me it rings just as ground preparation for some swindle down the road, maybe with some Arab friend... nothing better than nipping possible opposition even before it materialize.. "you can't complain about foreign investment in farming, we have just checked and we didn't find anything"... and in the meantime, half of a province in Isaan is leased out for 30 years to a nice Bharani-backed organization. With little benefit for the rest of the farmers in Thailand, and some nicely lined pockets for the friendly politicians in the right seat.

Might be paranoid, but the ministry of inactive posts is not famous for doing things without payback.

hello all,

a quick query on LTF funds. Does anybody happens to know what I would be able to claim in a situation like the one described below? According to my bank (Citibank) I can deduct the gross amount, but it seems silly as I would be generating a significant tax deduction without actually spending any money. Seems a bit of a loophole.

I mean, I'm not complaining, but I'd not like to receive a nasty surprise come next April.

- Let's assume n 2004 I purchased 300,000 THB of an LTF fund. These quotes are now worth about 320,000 THB, and can be sold as per LTF regulations.

- Now suppose I sell these quotas today, then tomorrow I purchase 320,000 THB of the same (or other)LTF

- What can I use as tax deduction for 2009? The gross amount I purchased in 2009 (320,000), or the net LTF purchase (320,000-320,000), or something else?

Many thanks.

..

Secondly; I intend to apply under category C as I have a Thai wife and we have a son together. If RPs are like gold-dust and I'm wasting my time then, please, someone just tell me....because....

The RP requirements state that you need a DNA test if your 'marriage is incomplete for five years' and I will have been married to my wife for four years when I apply in December. I went to a government hospital last week to get the required DNA test only to be told that I needed a letter from immigration and police about getting the tests.

Hello aussiebebe,

from what I understand, it seems that during one of these famous meetings in May 2009 the immigration commission decided to request a DNA test for *all* these that applied under the 'supporting a Thai family' category, regardless of the length of the marriage. This was not a requirement when I applied in 2007.

I do not know if this requirement will be applied to 2008 or 2009 applicants.

We have also been told that the immigration department will formally notify us of the requirement (via letter), and that we have the option of not doing it. They said that the DNA test is worth 10 'points' for my application.

I'd be happy to know how this would matter, though. Is there a minimum threshold in 'points' for an application to be accepted, or is this used to rank applications? I cannot imagine more than 100 applicants of my nationality.

Thanks.

Don't something like 38k people die of the flu every year in the US? So what's the new here?

Maybe the problem is that this might further affect tourism to the city. If you remember SARS, the impact on the travel industry was very high, regardless of the "limited" number of lives lost. I remember traveling to Singapore in that period, and beign the only guest in the restaurant at the Regent in Orchard. Bad luck for Pattaya.

Just out of interest, has anyone who applied for PR (in 2006/2007) on the basis of supporting a Thai family been asked in the last few days to take a DNA test to determine the relationship between oneself, spouse and children?

Hello,

I applied under this category in 2007, and, so far, have not heard anything from immigration.

...and just today my wife received a call from Immigration informing us of the DNA test requirment... it was put down as if it were optional, "worth 10 points". They will send us a letter with detailed instructions. It should be done for 3 members of the family (me, wife, one of the kids).

Bye.

I'm sorry, but I think the information you've been given is wrong, at least for 2006 applicants. I believe the 2006 papers went to the Ministry in late 2007. My sources tell me they have waiting all this time for the "endorsement steps" AT the ministry.

You could well be right. I have been told that the 2006 and 2007 applications were waiting for the immigration commission to convene, these famous meetings that happened around May 20. Once approved by the commission, applications were then sent to the interior ministry for processing (13 signatures required there, I am told). The info comes from somebody in immigration, but is indirect in the sense that I do not personaly know this person. Al other information provided so far seems to be accurate, though, but our mileage migth vary. I'm not holding my breath either.

well, you know, I actually tried to be helpful... if the Chiang Rai airport makes the OP feel unsafe, he really just have to fly off from somewhere else.. Chiang Mai pops up as an alternative... he also now knows what channel to use to get more information, if he wishes so. It's not that shooting the crap out here is going to do anything to allay his fears about Chaing Rai airport.

May the spirit of baron Sacher-Masoch be with me. Cake and whip has always been a lovely combination. And Justine at the end.

Of course you do have that right, the same as frequently quoted {if you don't like it go somewhere else} a very constructive and intelligent argument indeed, perhaps if you are fed up with hearing it you unsubscribe to TV, the same logic applies.

I thought "constructiveness" and "intelligence" had departed from this thread a long while ago, just after the second post. I'm here only for the entertainment value, really.

Also why is it that if anyone on TV critizes then someone always seem to say "then go somewhere else"? This is my home and has been for a long time, surely I have the right to be concerned. My parents live about 7Km from Chiang Rai and I fly up about 1 a month with my family.

Because the post was purely speculative.. you *assume* the wires were not protected, from there you seem to *infer* the radar system might be at risk as welll, and then you wrap it out in a FUD way that sounds like "the airport might be unsafe". As I said, if you think this airport is too riskly, fly off from soemwhere else.

Hear more about this? In some countries the local FSA authority would prepare a report on this sort of incidents. If you're 'really concerned' you might write to the relevant Thai organization and ask if they are willing to share the results. Aeroports also need to be certified, and an incident like this will likely pop up in the periodic audits. These might or might not be public documents. I do not think Thailand has enacted a FOIA act you could use to try to get them to release the report. Or, since your parent live so near, try to befriend somebody working at the airport and get the scoop from them. Migth be easier, cheaper and simpler.

You have the rigth to be concerned. You have the right to post whatever crosses your mind. I have the option to tell you what I think about your posts. I'm feeling a bit fed up with all these 'every thing in Thailand is done to crap standards' type of messages that pop up everywhere.

Pax vobis.

Just came back from another extension from room 301 yesterday. Good news and bad news.

With reference to the above post, the info I'm getting via the usual contacts (as always, third-hand) is that both batches of documents (2006 and 2007) have already been sent to the interior ministry for processing.

"But" these documents need to go through a dozen of endorsement steps at the ministry alone, so it migth take a while indeed.

/.

Scares the hel_l out of me that they seem to have followed std Thai building practice of not putting wiring in platic tubing.

What other essential equipement will be next - the radar?

Even in civilized Europe I have seen rats (and often mice) to bite through standard electric plastic tubing, water PVC pipes, standard and 'outdoor' fiber casings, etc. Metallic tubing is nowadays commonly employed for electrical wiring in industrial settings also to prevent this sort of issues.

It does not take much damage to short a circuit and cause somethign to blow up. Let's not speculate about building practices with the little info at hand...

You always have the option to fly off somewhere else. There are plenty of places with good construction standards...

Hasta luego

Just out of interest, has anyone who applied for PR (in 2006/2007) on the basis of supporting a Thai family been asked in the last few days to take a DNA test to determine the relationship between oneself, spouse and children?

Hello,

I applied under this category in 2007, and, so far, have not heard anything from immigration.

Bye.

There are 2 limits..

- the number of bills an ATM machine can dispense (usually 20, but some machines go up to 30, for example @ Citibank in Sathorn)

- the withdrawal limit imposed by the bank that issued the ATM card.

I think the Army is around for an ASEAN meeting at the Dusit Thani, not for the Patpong crew... I'd also nto be surprised to see the raids stop once the ASEN people buzz off.

I just got an update from somebody knowing somebody in immigration (take with a pinch of salt)

- the meetign at the immigration department was held yesterday

- they processed 2006 and 2007 applications

- if there are no changes at the interior ministry, they expect the process to complete by May 20

Maybe soem of the well-connected ones on this thread can double-check if this quack with their info...

/.

This post seems a bit of a ranting troll competition...

yes, bank transfers cost money, they don't let yo use SWIFT for free... 300-500 THB are typical charges for local banks (SCB-300 THB, Kasikorn, 500, has been like that for ages)... plus what your bank in the US or Europe charges you...

ATM charges.. yes, uncommon, but last time I was in Europe I remember a charge on a withdrawal with my Thai ATM... if you're so concerned and come here often, open a local bank account in Pattaya and get a local ATM card. Or bring cash. Or T/C. or go to happy Vietnam and tell me how much they charge you there for each ATM withdrawal. Think it's free? Been to Saigon often?

Hotels... as a Thai resident, these offers are somewhat elusive indeed... seems they always try to ask for full price. The wife (Thai) gets the same treatment, though. And there are a lot of middle-class This taht use these 4-5stars hotels (have you ever bothered to notice the offers, written in Thai, on Thai newspapers, bank mailings, etc?)

On all these posts about Thai people being unskilled, incompetent, stupid, untrained, underpaid, not able to locate their own arse with a map, etc. etc. , I can just say that maybe it's high time you fsck off somewhere else. How can you live in a country you despise so much? Just fuc_k off to some other place and stop complaining about Thailand. I hear that Rhyad has some lovely Am ab Nuat, maybe you can find better chickens there.

Dhu.

D.M. was controlled by the Air Force, while it seems like Suvannaphum is army territory. Maybe the A.F. will find some other way to reinstate that source of income... we'll see how it goes when (or if) the estimable A.F. patrons will get higher up in the peckign order...

Do you remember that shootout a few years back between police and AF for the control of the taxi queues at D.M.?

Re: the Thai test, anybody here an 07 applicant?

I'm one of these.. Thai test was in 2 parts... first, introduce yourself to a camera in room 301.. name, occupation, years here, family, date of marriage, etc, etc. Same stuff as in the document they will read you just before taking the video. Just parrot it.

Second step, interview with a few big shots in Suanplu, in the office of the commander on the third floor.. .. a couple of generals, two lady colonels, some assistant. They pretty much follow the points in the evaluation card you'll be given... "health", "family", "salary", contribution to Thai society", etc.

My Thai is rather horrible, and my interview lasted 5 minutes or so. The card has a scorign system, but I'm not sure how important it is when there are so few applicants. About 240 in total in 2007 in Suanplu, across all nationalities. Maybe 5 form my country, against a quota of 100.

Just one point.. make sure you apply in the rigth category... being married by itself does not imply you will pay 97K bath instead than 195K, you also need to apply in the category for "supporting a Thai family". If you apply for another category, then the determination of how much you would need to pay is "at the discretion of the committee". A colleague of mine is in this exact situation, and does not yet know what her fee will be.

I originally applied under "workign in Thailand" and switched to "supportign Thai family" only upon advice from the immigration staff. The first is a bit easier on the paperwork, and does not require DNA tests for the kids (a possibilty in the latter case, partycularly if recently married).

Best wishes.

My wife called last friday (August 29)... spoke with the NCO that was handling my application. She told her that nothing had been signed, and that thay have slowed down the process for the 2008 applications because they're not sure what's goign to happen.

Guess we will need to wait until when Chalerm will be prime minister, and hope he picks a good one for the Interiors seat....

side note.. we asked if I shoudl get a new stamp on the passport indicating I applied for residency (changed passport book a few months ago)... the officer said that it was not necessary as I already had a different one-year extension of stay permit. In case I were to lose that, Immigration will give me an extension of stay while waiting for the residency procedure to complete.

Saluti

I applied in December 2007.. last week we met one of these colonels in immigration in Suanplu I know for other reasons, he told us that as of last week the applications submitted in 2006 had not yet been processed by the ministry. We're all waiting for Chalerm to get a move, good luck to us.

If I got it correctly, in 2007 about 240 people applied for residency to their offices in Suanplu.