Hello,

 

Yesterday I went to the Hua Hin Immigtation to extend my stay based on retirement.
As usual, it was fast (10 min wait for my turn, 5 min with the officer and 5 min waiting for passport) and without any problem (all documents and photocopies by hand).
Yesterday for the first time, the officer asked me to draw a road plan to show where I live. I asked him if the next time he would accept a printed GoogleMap plan and he agreed.

So guys, if you have to go to Hua Hin Immigration, don't forget to print a plan!

I have provided this for the last 3 years at HHI. 

When I made the same suggestion, I got told 'paper map not good - please draw'. Of course by now they have a stack of different maps all of different standards pointing to the same apartment complex LOL. And in a year or so, tens of thousands of badly drawn maps of Hua Hin and its surroundings.

 

When I asked what it was for, I was told it was 'to locate you if you overstay'. Kind of assumes that I would just casually overstay and wait around for a knock on the door. Sounds like some-ones clever idea, having had difficulties locating a remote property, to get everyone to do it without examining the consequences. Pointless exercise.

I have never been asked for a map but always attach a copy of my hand-drawn version to my application for extension based on retirement.

 

Any update on when they are relocating to the vaunted new building?

As if you would not move if you overstayed.   Thai mentality at work here.

But they are entitled to ask

Was told once that all this map drawing requirement is based on the amazing, to me anyway, system of allocating house numbers.

If someome has a large piece of land and splits it into say 200 or 300 plots that get sold off the first plot sold gets the number 1 the second plot sold 2 etc and it might be on the other end of the block of plots.

The system carries on until all the plots are sold. All might have the same 2 or 3 digit number to indentify the whole block followed / and the house number. My neighbours number is 20 different to mine .

A map means they don't have to drive around every road in the area looking at each number in turn to find the right one.

So it's really just a hang on from that at Imm'

2 hours ago, phartley58 said:

I have provided this for the last 3 years at HHI. 

This was the first time out of 5 that they asked me a map.
A mate has to give a map every time but he has an extension of stay based on marriage. Mine is (and always was) based on retirement.

52 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Was told once that all this map drawing requirement is based on the amazing, to me anyway, system of allocating house numbers.

If someome has a large piece of land and splits it into say 200 or 300 plots that get sold off the first plot sold gets the number 1 the second plot sold 2 etc and it might be on the other end of the block of plots.

The system carries on until all the plots are sold. All might have the same 2 or 3 digit number to indentify the whole block followed / and the house number. My neighbours number is 20 different to mine .

A map means they don't have to drive around every road in the area looking at each number in turn to find the right one.

So it's really just a hang on from that at Imm'

Of course, that made sense 30 years ago. Since the invention of GPS, it would make a lot more sense just to ask for the GPS coordinates of where you live, perhaps with a supporting Google Map anchored on those coordinates as a crude confirmation that the GPS coordinates are reasonably accurate. Thailand's Land Registry has been switching to accurate GPS measurement of property boundaries for decades. The Thai Labor Department and Thai Immigration will hopefully change over some time within the next millennium.

I have supplied a map for some years now but I use MS PowerPoint to draw my own. I put various small pictures on the map (such as a Temple, Army Barracks etc.) and never had a problem with that.

Have only been asked once, for a map, from Surin Immigration.

It's not a new requirement  at HH Immi however it does seem to depend on which officer you deal with

If you happen to have a yellow book they accept a copy of that also.

Asking for a map is nothing new,they have done that for years.

3 hours ago, natway09 said:

 As if you would not move if you overstayed.Thai mentality at work here.

 

I don't see asking for an address/directions to your home as being particularly Thai and, since it was requested in conjunction with annual extensions of stay, that there would be any immediate prospect of the applicant being on overstay.

 

Rather a desperate, not very well thought-out attempt at Thai bashing that says more about the "mentality" of the basher than the bashee.

 

 

Edited November 24, 20178 yr by Suradit69

Not a new document.  The immigration bible lists a "Hand drawn map".

 

However, I have submitted a google map print, on which I have put-in 7/11s, temple and petrol station.  Last renewal, my 5th for a spousal extension, was pushed-back at me, and I was told to submit a hand-drawn map.  I also had to come back with a Thai friend (First time since my initial application) who must bring their house book, and I had to submit photos of myself, wife and friend at our house.  On top of this, my yellow book is pushed-back to me every year; biggest waste of official document in Thailand.

 

Like always, the rules change on an adhoc basis.  The immigration website does not list any changes, so it's "Wait and see time" on every annual application.  But, as we all know, different immigration offices have different rules, even offices in the same province.

 

Is it too much to ask that all immigration offices can sing from the same hymn sheet?  Yes!

 

Meanwhile I'll start getting the paperwork together, ready for my next stressful visit/visits to Jomtien.

 

 

I would rather just draw the map in their presence.  Like we learned how to do before Google became part of our life.  Don't forget your compass points.  Cheers!

7 hours ago, korkenzieher said:

When I made the same suggestion, I got told 'paper map not good - please draw'. Of course by now they have a stack of different maps all of different standards pointing to the same apartment complex LOL. And in a year or so, tens of thousands of badly drawn maps of Hua Hin and its surroundings.

 

When I asked what it was for, I was told it was 'to locate you if you overstay'. Kind of assumes that I would just casually overstay and wait around for a knock on the door. Sounds like some-ones clever idea, having had difficulties locating a remote property, to get everyone to do it without examining the consequences. Pointless exercise.

Same here, they rejected a perfectly good printout from Google of a map showing where we lived and insisted and preferred a shitty hand drawn piece of scrawl on a piece of A4 with a biro with no Thai names, only a road number or two, crazy really, but who knows what is going on in their heads? They once accepted a photocopy of an ordinance survey map I had, I copied the wrong page by mistake and I simply put an X on where my home was, despite it being about 30KM from the correct location. There really is no explanation for stupidity and incompetence.

Edited November 24, 20178 yr by Formaleins

5 hours ago, Jedsada3 said:

This was the first time out of 5 that they asked me a map.
A mate has to give a map every time but he has an extension of stay based on marriage. Mine is (and always was) based on retirement.

Both "her indoors" and myself have always provided a map for our extensions based on retirement.

4 hours ago, darrendsd said:

It's not a new requirement  at HH Immi however it does seem to depend on which officer you deal with

Correct darrendsd, both me and "her indoors" have always provided a map. Plus, we have NEVER had to do a hand drawn one, just a printed one.

Tbh, when I hear some of the horror stories regards other Imm Offices around the country, I think we may have one of the better ones here in HH. Did my renewal in October and from walking in to walking out took me it 18 minutes.

Edited November 24, 20178 yr by phartley58

In bkk my missus has been asked for the last 3 times to draw the map. Every time she asks if she can print a google map, every time they say no. 

 

Last time we went the immigration lady was being rude ‘cos she could be. Missus got annoyed with her. When she went off, my misses asked me, “why a hand drawn map? Is this the government 4.0?”. I told her to say nothing. 

 

Is immigration asking you to do a hand drawn map stupid? Absolutely. 

If that is the only trick I have to do next week at CM; I will be buying lady drinks for all.

6 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

I don't see asking for an address/directions to your home as being particularly Thai and, since it was requested in conjunction with annual extensions of stay, that there would be any immediate prospect of the applicant being on overstay.

 

Rather a desperate, not very well thought-out attempt at Thai bashing that says more about the "mentality" of the basher than the bashee.

 

 

Calling a spade a spade is not bashing an entire population. You're too sensitive. Asking for hand-drawn maps in an electronic age of Google maps and GPS coordinates certainly puts the mentality of anyone asking for them into serious question. I'd call it asinine. That's only bashing one person. i.e. the person in charge who started this nonsense. I'd think the same if he was Greek, Russian or any other nationality.

 

I used to include printed Google map directions to my house for retirement applications at Jomtien, but this has become unnecessary in recent years. If people were trying to evade capture for overstaying, what good would a map do anyway? It's just more unnecessary paperwork for honest people to provide. If the post office can find you, why can't the police?

4 hours ago, tropo said:

If the post office can find you, why can't the police?

I agree entirely with the main thrust of your post. However, I am not sure this is the best argument. Based on my experience, all too often the Thai post office does not find you!

15 hours ago, phartley58 said:

Correct darrendsd, both me and "her indoors" have always provided a map. Plus, we have NEVER had to do a hand drawn one, just a printed one.

Tbh, when I hear some of the horror stories regards other Imm Offices around the country, I think we may have one of the better ones here in HH. Did my renewal in October and from walking in to walking out took me it 18 minutes.

Got to agree, the main Immi Office in Hua Hin is great, the new one at Bluport is even better, in and out in a few minutes with friendly helpful service also

On 24/11/2017 at 2:58 PM, Jedsada3 said:

This was the first time out of 5 that they asked me a map.
A mate has to give a map every time but he has an extension of stay based on marriage. Mine is (and always was) based on retirement.

Yes. House visits by Imm Police were a 'norm' for marriage visas, basically to check that the marriage was real and that you were living together. My own visa, like yours, is retiree, and this  renewal (17 Nov) is the first time I have been asked to produce one.

On 11/25/2017 at 4:37 AM, BritTim said:

I agree entirely with the main thrust of your post. However, I am not sure this is the best argument. Based on my experience, all too often the Thai post office does not find you!

If you were wanted for a serious crime, I'll bet they would find your house really quickly. Enough of this hand-drawn maps already - it's ridiculous. Perhaps they should consider running a course on cartography for expats or make it a requirement for expats to have completed a course.

 

Maybe I've been lucky, but the only times I missed out on mail was when my (nasty) Thai neighbour took it and kept it, out of spite LOL. 2 eBay items turned up under my gate 2 years late. I now use a mailbox service, which saves a lot of trips to the post office for carded items, and no one can get near my mail. 

Edited November 27, 20178 yr by tropo