Ginkas

There's also Adopt Meow -

https://adoptmeowchiangmai.com/

and

Kitten Rescue and Adoption Chiang Mai -

  on Facebook

I thought the reason Thailand allowed foreigners to work here was because it provides employment for Thais.

Foreigners can open companies, with Thai partners, and get their work permits and extensions for every four Thais employed.

Giving work permits to digital (nomads?) workers isn't providing any direct employment for Thai people.

Just tried the link, works fine.

I think the new requirement for retirement extension retirees to keep 400,000 baht in their bank account for the following 12 months lets immigration cover the need for insurance - even if it's not officially stated.

You used the term "probably confused", which you do seem to be.

There is no 30 day tourist visa.

There is a 30 day Visa Exempt Entry, which can be extended by 30 days, or

there is a 60 day Tourist Visa, which can also be extended by 30 days.

Choose which one suits you best.

Non ED is shorthand for:

Non-Immigrant Education Visa;

Non O and Non B are Non-Immigrant Ordinary and Non-Immigrant Business Visas.

As I understand it the requirement for medical insurance of 400,000 baht was for the O-A Visa.

For the Retirement Extension this is now met by having to keep 400,000 baht in the bank all year.

I think Thailand is fed up with the number of elderly farang who need urgent hospital treatment and then don't have the money to pay for it!

Whether 400,000 will cover that remains to be seen, but at least it's a start.

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

 quote "Isn't the primary mission of an Embassy to provide support of their citizens living in a foreign country or am I missing something?" 

 

No, it isn't and never has been.

The primary function of an embassy is to represent their country's government in the host country, and provide a link from the host country's government to the embassy's government.

Supporting their citizens was never their function, but over the last century or so they have taken on some of this work (or been "lumbered" with it, as they would say).

It used to be that if you chose to be in a foreign country it was up to you to look after yourself, nothing to do with 'your' embassy or government.

It seems that many countries are now trying to get back to this original state of affairs.

I learnt all this (and more) in discussions with a Foreign Office official when I worked for a different government department - was a bit of an eye-opener as to what can reasonably be expected.

The officers said that they were not satisfied that the intentions of the arrival were the same as stated at the time they applied for the visa.

Sometimes just questioning was enough, or a search would turn up offers of a job, or they were carrying tools of their trade, or they did not have access to sufficient funds for their stay.

I wasn't working directly with immigration, and was only at Heathrow for a short time before moving on to another port of entry, but travellers from West Africa and South and South East Asia were often refused; I did see two young Americans refused entry (and they didn't need visas), they were back to the USA on the next flight out.

17 hours ago, Media1 said:

Rubbish only in Thailand do you hear such rubbish

Also the UK, the USA and most other countries.

I worked at Heathrow for a while and saw Immigration turn many people away each day, even though they had valid visas - I've seen it happen to Thais as well as other nationalities.

A visa gives the right to travel to the country, it does not guarantee entry.

I'm in Chiangmai and had the same problem last month.

Been using the online system since it started, and successfully used it for the past year.

This time I completed both pages and got a long notice in Thai which said they were unable to complete the process.

Waited a couple of days and tried again, completed the first page, entered the captcha and got the English notification.

So, it's not just me, nor you.

5 minutes ago, Metapod said:

 

Huh? Wow. What do employees do then? Not sure my boss is going to give me 20% of the company lol.

They get a single entry Non-Immigrant 'B' visa and then a one year extension in Thailand - provided they and the employer meets the requirements.

If both companies are in the same province his employment with you can be added to the existing Work Permit, with the agreement of the first company.

Some years ago I was told that, after visiting Thailand, Saudis go to Malaysia, lose their passport, get a replacement and then return home.

Their passport then only shows entry and exit from Malaysia, no mention of Thailand.

Of course, they don't use a land crossing!

15 day extension after a 30 day extension -

That was in the good old days, about 20 years ago, I remember them well!

1. Used to apply for and get a 30 day extension,

2. then apply for and get a 15 day extension,

3. then apply for and get a 7 day extension,

4. then apply for and get refused another extension but given 7 days to leave the country!!

A friend and I used to do it every year, and when he was over 70 the immigration officer, at step 2.,

said "you are too old" and gave him 30 days and said to come back if he wanted another 30 days!!

Those were the days.

A qualified chef, working for a hotel, restaurant, etc.,

is a bit different to someone opening their own business and/or just being a cook.

Ubonjoe is correct.

Having a work permit with job description as "General Manager" does NOT entitle a foreigner "to do anything concerned with his business and operation".

"Serving customers" - definitely not allowed.

"Taking Cash" - from customers not allowed.

"Cooking" - definitely not allowed.

"Deliver to customers" - definitely not allowed.

"To do catering" - definitely not allowed.

From my time in Thailand and over a number of years I have known four people in catering who have done one or more of the above;

all was fine until a sudden visit from Immigration.

All four closed their businesses shortly afterwards as it became too much of a hassle.

As Blackcab says, knowing what is actually entered in the work permit would let us know what he is allowed to do; not much, I suspect , except manage the business not actually work the business (i.e. supervise).

Also did my 90 day report at Promenada yesterday (Tuesday).

As they gave me my queue number I heard it being called.

Was out in less than five minutes, it would have been less than 1 minute but it took two of the staff 4 minutes to explain to an American that he didn't have to do a 90 day report as he had entered on a visa exempt and had a 30 day extension! He had all the forms and photocopies but seemed to have problems understanding that 60 days is less than 90 days!!

Think it was quick because not so many people there at that time. 

You're not applying for the visa, your partner is.

If you're filling in the form for your partner make sure they know exactly what is put there.

Note an earlier post:

"UK visitor visa for Thai GF resfusal - need help" posted by pr2017 on 4th May!

on this forum.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/981606-uk-visitor-visa-for-thai-gf-resfusal-need-help/

46 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

But without your expired non o visa being in your passport you would not get an extension of stay. You have to regardless of how you say it/word it/dress it up without a visa in your passport expired or not you would not get an extension of stay. So the right terminology is a matter of conjecture yes!

I haven't had a visa since 1997 which expired two passports ago.

Still get annual extensions.

People with visa exempt (i.e. no visa at all) still get an extension.

Visas and Permits to Stay are two different things, it's the latter which is extended.

If it's just a matter of semantics then a motor car and a motor bike are exactly the same thing.

evadgib

Being an ex-government employee who used to deal with similar matters I 'faked' a couple of documents and got away with it.

Don't think I can do it again this year.

Been in touch with the house owner who phoned CM immigration and the head office in Bangkok and got the reply that she should report any arrival at the house directly to CM immigration.

The fact that she was in the US made no difference. She was not amused.

Still trying to sort out something with her son in Bangkok and her ex-husband somewhere in Thailand. 

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Yes. Every 90 days. If you fail to do so and do not exit the country you will be on overstay.

Nonsense.

You cannot be on "overstay" for failing to do a 90 day report.

You're on overstay if you stay longer than your 'permission to stay' date.

You can be fined for not doing the 90 day report but that is usually 2,000 baht.

9 hours ago, evadgib said:

I'll believe that when I see or hear a first-hand account from someone who was otherwise legal.

I also get my Retirement Extension from Chiang Mai Immigration and have done for the last 15 years.

Last October they refused to process the extension because the house owner had not submitted a TM30.

They said it was my responsibility to get the form submitted, and as the owner had married an American and moved to the USA it became a major headache.

Everything else was in order, just the TM30 missing.

Even a statement from a Government employee that I lived at that address was not accepted.

Today, 1st May, Government Offices are OPEN.

Labour Day is not a holiday for government employees, so says my friend who works at the Ministry of Justice and has gone into work today.