spacemand

Just saw this in the news section Don't forget that Thai Immigration will be closed on Friday & Monday

I planned on a trip to Savannakhet on Monday to the consulate and it seems like they are closed so I guess a 4 day weekend.

Forgot to mention that there was a police checkpoint just prior to Mukdahan, and an officer check everybody's id. I have done over 50 visa/border runs and this is the first time this has happened - thought it was an urban myth. Could just be coincidence that it happened with the new rules on overstay coming into effect, but if your passport is not in good order, i would go to the airport.

Would be interesting to hear about the continuing or sporadic presence of these checkpoints near road borders around the country, for .... reasons.

Yes, it would be interesting to know if it is happening at other borders and related to the crackdown. I occasionally hear stories about visa run buses getting stopped, but never any first-hand stories, so thought it was just to scare overstayers. Normally, police checkpoints usually stops cars and motorcycles to get on the spot fines, and check traffic in both directions, so was surprised when they stopped a bus load of people. This time it appeared they were only stopping traffic to Mukdahan, because they had barriers with neon lights on just one side. The officer asked everyone to get ids out, but ignored the people with id cards, and only checked passports.

Been stopped once ona bus on the way to Mukdahan and everyone had to show ID card but no me, no need for Farang.

Going to the border in Surin or Sisaket by car its more normal than not I have been stopped by police or military and asked where I came from and where I am going. Usually stopped both going to the border and returning.

If you have your previous bills it should show the previous meter reading and your current reading.

My electric from PEA shows the previous reading the current and the use.

My water bill the same.

I ran 2 old aircons 24/7 and the bill were around 6K with 7 people in the house and the water were around 800.

Now I live aloneits about a quater of that.

There are lots of people who work online and choose Thailand as their base of operations. Now that immigration seems to be against people staying longer than a few months, is it even possible for a freelancer to live in Thailand now?

In Chiang Mai a couple of years ago they had an event at the hotel run by immigration where the commanding officer was asked about people who work online but their work has no connection to Thailand whatsoever, and his answer was it was fine to work online as long as you're not doing any sort of work that deals with Thailand.

So at this point what are the options for someone who has been living here for years already and has built a life here?

I'm going to go get another tourist visa in Cambodia and hopefully that will be alright for the short term. But after that what is there? ED visa?

Their intention is to stop people working illegally in Thailand in jobs such as tour guides and such where Thais could potentially have a job, but in this case it's individuals supporting themselves in a situation that only adds money to the Thai economy and does not take away any jobs at all.

Are they just going to start telling me 'no you can't come back' since I've been living here a long time already?

There are lots and lots of people just like me who aren't doing anything wrong and contribute to the Thai economy by living here. It doesn't sound like we're not welcome, but we're being painted with the same brush as others and it's going to affect a very large amount of people.

I don't see the problem. Start a company, pay tax and social security for you and 4 Thais and get a work permit and extension of stay based on employment. Then you contribute more than buying subsidized rice, eating subsidized food, fueling your car/motorbike with subsidized fuel and using subsidized electricity.

Yes I know that 80% of Thai people also don't pay much tax, but it is their country. Thailand expects foreigners to contribute at least 100,000 baht annually in order to be welcome. Be that via taxes or a PE elite visa they don't care.

That's fine if that's the case. 500,000 baht up front for 5 years of the elite card works out to a somewhat reasonable amount like you mentioned but having to pay 5 years in advance is quite the commitment when that money could be put to other uses.

If the official stance is everyone must either start a company or get the elite card then like I said that's fine if they feel that is the best course of action. But the rhetoric over the years and what they say publically now doesn't make it sound like they don't want the average person making a decent wage working for themselves or a foreign company online, it sounds like they don't want people taking reserved jobs for Thais.

As nice as Thailand is 2 million baht reserved capital and 4 salaried Thais doing what would amount to nothing but being names on an application is a pretty steep price to pay for someone who can just go and live in another country. I just don't think that is their intention with these changes, but I could be wrong of course and like you said they want everyone to start a company.

Paying tax would not be a problem and having a way to pay tax and get a legitimate visa would be nice. If they wanted to set a limit of 100,000 baht contributed via taxes that would fine too. Anything would be better than the current gap in the visa system for the large amount of tourists and long term stayers who make a living via the internet(it's just going to be a larger and larger number as time goes on as well).

I am in the same situation and you and no, there is no way to stay as a under 50, working online without being married, father a child or open a company.

There are lots of people who work online and choose Thailand as their base of operations. Now that immigration seems to be against people staying longer than a few months, is it even possible for a freelancer to live in Thailand now?

In Chiang Mai a couple of years ago they had an event at the hotel run by immigration where the commanding officer was asked about people who work online but their work has no connection to Thailand whatsoever, and his answer was it was fine to work online as long as you're not doing any sort of work that deals with Thailand.

So at this point what are the options for someone who has been living here for years already and has built a life here?

I'm going to go get another tourist visa in Cambodia and hopefully that will be alright for the short term. But after that what is there? ED visa?

Their intention is to stop people working illegally in Thailand in jobs such as tour guides and such where Thais could potentially have a job, but in this case it's individuals supporting themselves in a situation that only adds money to the Thai economy and does not take away any jobs at all.

Are they just going to start telling me 'no you can't come back' since I've been living here a long time already?

There are lots and lots of people just like me who aren't doing anything wrong and contribute to the Thai economy by living here. It doesn't sound like we're not welcome, but we're being painted with the same brush as others and it's going to affect a very large amount of people.

I don't see the problem. Start a company, pay tax and social security for you and 4 Thais and get a work permit and extension of stay based on employment. Then you contribute more than buying subsidized rice, eating subsidized food, fueling your car/motorbike with subsidized fuel and using subsidized electricity.

Yes I know that 80% of Thai people also don't pay much tax, but it is their country. Thailand expects foreigners to contribute at least 100,000 baht annually in order to be welcome. Be that via taxes or a PE elite visa they don't care.

I used to be married, live here 5 years based on that and have brought in between 1.5 and 2 million a year putting it into the local economy trying to use local labour and the mom and pop shop when possible, I have never taken a job from a Thai.

I have the oppurtunity to work for a online company from my home and make around the previous mentioned amount but since I am unmarried and under 50 the only way I can stay is opening a sham business where I employ 4 people that do nothing or a ED Visa that would be another scam.

I would be happy to pay taxes of the potentional income and I would not take a job from a Thai I just want to do it legally but its not possible for me, so I have no other choice than to move on.

Out of curiousti what Visa are you on?

I recently got divorced and my ex claim I am the father to a one month old child.

I were told by immigration that I could extend my tourist visa based on it for 60 days and I could get a one year visa.

For the 60 days I would need.

Birth certificate with my name on it.

Blue book for my ex

Copy of my ex ID card.

For the one year Non-O I would need the documents above and a bank book showing 400K.

The immigration officer knows I am divorced and do not live with the child and suggested both options for me to extend my stay here.

There were no talk about 2 months in the bank or me living with the child.

Just my very very recent experience but the we have a good immigration office where I live and things can be different in other parts of the country.

 

Can't current wife sue GF?
Can't it effect the divorce proceedings?
 
I know my GF refused to play hide the salami until she knew my divorce were final and were worried my ex knew about me seeing her.
 

It could of course affect it,but IMHO only if you have a fightin' divorce. The Ex could of course dislike the fact that you already have a "a new love of your life", while she is still miserable. And why your GF doesn't want to play the game "hide the ....." Is something that you have ask her and not members on TV


Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

 

When I had the papers in hand things changed 3 times a day

Seriously she would have nothing serious between us until it were finallized and were worried about my ex knowing and I know there is a law about a man can sure a wifes lover but the info I have been able to find about suing a mistress is a bit hazy.

Can't current wife sue GF?

Can't it effect the divorce proceedings?

I know my GF refused to play hide the salami until she knew my divorce were final and were worried my ex knew about me seeing her.

I was married, she got pregnant, claims its mine divorce less than 10 months after child is born.

DNA test is pending but looks like its mine.

I am under 50 and want to stay in Thailand, went to the local immigration office they will extend my visa for 60 days with birth certificate with my name, blue book, and mothers ID card.

The kicker is that they will give me a Non-O for a year with 400K in the bank with the same documents as above, did not think it was possible but I asked twice.

Problem is that there are no fathers name on the birth certificate and my ex is saying its a big problem to do so and blah blah blah.

Anyone know the process of this?

We were married and got divorced 3 months before the child were born, there is no fathers name on the birth certificate.

I know its an old post but just for information for someone looking for this.

First van from Sisaket to Ubon and then on to Mukdahan

Depart Sisaket 6am

Arrive Ubon 7am

Depart Ubon 7:20am

Arrive Mukdahan 9:20am

Then tuk tuk to the border and depending on your luck you can catch a bus to the Laos side leaving at 10am.

Arrive Savannakhet 10:15

Then do the Laos visa min. 15 minutes. grab a van to the consulate and it might be possible to make it at around 10:50

Its possible to do but everything have to click just right and it never does, in theory its possible.

Give me a 1 year visa and I will show.

1) I have income from abroad only and can support myself.

2) Clean criminal record in Thailand and my home country.

3) Pretty much anything else, I got nothing to hide.

Just give me a chance to stay here.

What's stopping you getting a 1 year visa now ?

Single and under 50.

The ED Visa is just another abuse of the system, we have someone in this thread promoting it and people who have been here more than a week, how many real ED visas do you think there are? Or does people just use them for an easy 1 year visa? I live in the country side and I know of a few doing this, how many in Pattaya, Bangkok or Phuket?

Just another crackdown coming hurting the people who want to be here on a legit basis

This is exactly my situation, and I couldn't agree more. I'm in no way taking jobs from Thai people, and all of my clients are foreigners. Every penny I make comes from a foreign country and is spent in Thailand, shouldn't this be exactly what the governments wants? Yet as I'm far too young for a retirement visa and not interested in getting married anytime soon I have to resort to questionably legal means to obtain visas on an annual basis.

Regardless of where your money comes from, when you're in Thailand, you're using the roads, you're putting wear and tear on the infrastructure, you're flushing the toilet, and you're being protected from bad guys by the police, from epidemics by the health care agencies, from mosquitoes by the mosquito spraying agencies, and from Commies by the military. That all costs public money.

It's very straightforward to get a proper visa. Register a business, invest the appropriate amount of capital and hire some local people to pump money into the economy, and follow the rules. Will it cost you money? Possibly- but I doubt Ford or GE or Yamaha are in Thailand to spend more money than they make here. Will it cost time? Hire the right Thai employees and they'll spend their time.

You can be a victim of increased enforcement of existing rules, or you can take some action to make sure you're not the next subgroup to be scrutinized. If I wanted to stay here, I'd be taking some action.

It's probably only going to get worse...

NO

Why open a business and hire people which do not do any work? Its a sham and its an scam.

I have no problems opening a company hiring the GF, her mother and a few others BUT Its a sham. Its just for show and probably illegal.

Yes there are ways around the rules but for people wanting to live by the law it is not possible.

Same as you can buy a house setting up a company but you know that can bite you in the butt at any time.

This is the twenty first century. Many people are now making their living on the internet, making their money from other countries and living in Thailand spending their money. These people have no legal means of living in Thailand. Even if they are on a non immigrant O visa, they are still breaking the law, because they don't have a work permit. Thailand should welcome these people. They are not taking jobs from Thais. Most of them make a lot of money and thus spend a lot of money in Thailand helping the economy. Quite a few live in rural areas where their contribution to the economy is well appreciated. Thailand should change their immigration procedures welcoming these people. They should issue work permits for working on the internet and issue non immigrant B visas for this purpose. If the individuals can show proof that they have brought an appropriate amount of money into the country they should get an extension of stay visa. Thailand should also offer an extension of stay visa for the purpose of retirement to any age level if they meet the financial requirements. Many people are inheriting large sums of money from their parents and are retiring early. These people want to live in warm country and many choose Thailand, but have no way of getting a legal visa.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Those who are working online without permits, meaning they are also not paying tax or legally employing Thai staff, are of no benefit to the country whatsoever. In fact these illegal workers are benefiting by living in Thailand cheaper than in their own countries, plus bypassing all the encumbrances of registering and running companies in the West.

Reading the OP I gather that the exploits of the eternal tourists are now going to be under more scrutiny and whether these people are given extended visas or not is going to be under the discretion of the Immigration officers.

I have nothing against the Westerners that are working and living here legally, but those who are not have no entitlements to be in Thailand. Many Westerners under 50 years old can legally live and work in Thailand, providing they meet the imposed conditions as imposed by the Immigration department, for example skilled engineers, fully qualified teachers and so on. Otherwise it`s a case of being here under false pretences. Hoping that eventually all these people will be weeded out, they are not wanted here.

I have lived here for 6 years, I have a clean criminal record, beside a minor traffic incident I have never been in contact with Thai police.

I spend over 100K a month living here, doing my best to support the mom and pop shops and not the big chains.

I were married for almost 5 years to a Thai why I was able to stay for so long. I am a model citizen, I wear my helmet on the bike, my seat belt in the car and I follow the law and traditions of the country where I am pleased to live as a guest.

Please enlighten me on how to live in this country legally having a one man online business without breaking the law because I have tried to find out for years.

And if you look back on this thread one of the issues raised is that people want to live here and pay their taxes but its not possible.

I am not working in Thailand but I spend about 1.5 million a year living here, all income from abroad.

I just got divorced from a Thai previously on a Non-O, currently on a 60 day tourist visa, I am not 50 so retirement visa not an option.

While I love it here the whole Visa issue for someone like me make me look for other options.

My response to all of this is go to Burma or Cambodia if you don't have roots here, the time has come to move on to better pastures.

Yeah and its probably going to be whats going to happen. There are some personal issues and I would prefer to stay here but its just to difficult and really not worth the hassle.

I love Thailand and I would love to stay here but I can not see a way where its possible long term.

And I think they also forget to pay income tax in Thailand.

Your not too smart are you

Since they cant get a Work Permit how can they pay tax

I am sure they would love to get legal and pay taxes

Sorry Mr King. Mr h90 maybe on to something....

There is no link between Work Permit and ability/requirement to pay tax to Revenue Department.... please provide proof.

Just as an example, I was issued with an Individual Tax Number years ago. If I turned up at the Revenue every six months as required, because for some reason the ITN is not in a category for internet filing, declare my income within the Kingdom and smile sweetly, "Bob's your uncle".... because I am often out of the Kingdom at filing time, I pay a fine of 100 baht to 200 baht depending how late I am at reporting in person, not forgetting to smile more sweetly.

Furthermore, as far as I am aware, in most Tax jurisdictions... as far back as Al Capone... you pay your taxes irrespective of the "legality" of your income. That is one reason Revenue Inspectors sit in most Criminal Courtrooms, particularly fraud, prfostitution and drug trials......

I might be ignorant but if you do not work in Thailand why pay tax in Thailand?

My company is registered in my native country and I pay my taxes there and work when I am there, when I am in Thailand I am not legally allowed to work because I do not have a work permit and there is no way for me to get one without going into a grey zone with the law setting up a company and hiring Thais that only work on paper because I have no real job for them.

I consider myself a guest in this country and I follow the laws, like I would expect anyone coming to my country would do. What I am saying is Thailand is missing out on an income. I would happily pay 200K a year or what ever the rate is here in exchange for a yearly visa as long as I can show my work does not take a Thai job and I make for example more than 800K a year.

I am 40 I make about 2 mill a year but there are no way for me to legally live and work in Thailand. I could set up a company and hire 4 Thais but it would be a sham because those 4 would not actually have anything to do.

This is why we have all these crack downs on visas because some abuse the system because its out dated. I understand that Thailand do not want someone taking a Thai job but I bring in over 1.5 mill a year in foreign currency been doing that for 6 years and there are thousands like me and no way to stay and work here legally?

The tax money Thailand could make 200k x 2000 = a lot of money towards paying farmers for their rice

I'm not aware of any Thai law or banking regulation that requires Thai banks to reimburse account/cardholders in these kinds of situations.

However, where there's an established hacking incident at a or some group of ATMs, I believe the Thai banks will tend to reimburse in those situations...where there's a group of victims.

That's a different situation, apparently, from where you alone as an individual have some problem, and they try to go to the bank. That's where we hear the repeated reports of customers getting ignored or dismissed or given the run-around.

That said, it would be interesting to know/hear if these victims really do get ALL their stolen funds back, and how long it takes. Normally, there's little if any media follow-up on these kinds of episodes.

Likewise, I also view with a grain of salt anytime I hear news reports talking about government agencies and corporations here being "responsible" for something, because rarely do they seem to actually take responsibility for what they're responsible for.

Look into Visa/MC rules regarding this there might not be a Thai law but the licensing from Visa/MC might

Link?

Thailand is obviously not ready for a democracy as we know it in the West, maybe in 40-50 years.

If we can not get it our way we try to shut down the country and cry like babies, is what both sides do.

Maybe a coup is not the worst that could happen with the country run by the armed forces and police together. Probably would be the most peaceful time in Thailand for years.