Importance of income indication on TM6 Arrival Card

[moogradod]

Non residents have to indicate their yearly income on the arrival card when entering for tourist purposes. After retirement it may be that you do not get any income anymore (or only later) - but have substantial funds to finance your travel which may be shown (either some cash right away - much more than the famous 20KTHB) or a big bank statement) if necessary.

 

But if you indicate "no income" on the TM6 this might raise the question with the Immigration Officer how you finance (and if you do not intend to work etc.) your stay althought this might not be the slightest problem. How important is this indication anyway ? I  thought it was mainly used for statistics. I interpret this if one has really substantial funds, 60K$ yearly might be indicated for to withdraw this amount annually would pose no problem.

 

Any thoughts ?

 

 

[saakura]

"How important is this indication anyway ? I  thought it was mainly used for statistics."

 

Maybe the information is used for passing it on to the bar girls & extortion police?

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I leave all those blanks, blank, have never entered anything for the last 20++ years, no consequences, it seems.

 

Mac

[moana]

1 minute ago, Thanyaburi Mac said:

I leave all those blanks, blank, have never entered anything

Same here. No one ever complained.

[CeeGee]

I always tick at least three boxes,no one has ever asked anything,if they did I would just say my income was variable.As far as I am concerned they need to give me a solid reason as to why they need this information and what they intend to do with it before they can have this information.

[gk10002000]

I check some reasonable amount that indicates or one might assume I am not poor, but not rich.  If the data were used for routine tourist statistics, I would not mind.  But in this day and age, I can certainly imagine somebody scanning the forms, seeing 200k USD or whatever and thinking maybe the person would be a good target for extortion, kidnapping, etc.   Likely to happen?  No.  But I see no good reason to advertise one has a lot of money. 

[keithpa]

9 hours ago, CeeGee said:

I always tick at least three boxes,no one has ever asked anything,if they did I would just say my income was variable.As far as I am concerned they need to give me a solid reason as to why they need this information and what they intend to do with it before they can have this information.

"they need to give me a solid reason as to why they need this information and what they intend to do with". You are obviously new to Thailand. That sort of attitude will get you into a lot of trouble in the LOS.

[phuketrichard]

12 hours ago, Thanyaburi Mac said:

I leave all those blanks, blank, have never entered anything for the last 20++ years, no consequences, it seems.

 

Mac

yea, have never filled out the back....

[bluesofa]

4 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

yea, have never filled out the back....

Mind you, I've filled in the "occupation" question erroneously in previous years. A friend and I used to fly to Phnom Penh on a monthly basis.

When arriving back at Utapao we had various occupations: brain surgeon, goldfish inspector, cow impregnator, anything we could make up. No one ever read it anyway.

 

[KhunBENQ]

Leave it empty or fill out nonsense.

It's a complete waste of ink and effort.

Immigration officer never ever checks that.

I read it would be for the tourist organization

Do you really believe that TAT evaluates more than 20 million of these handwritten/-filled cards per year?

Laughable.

Edited April 24, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, CeeGee said:

I always tick at least three boxes,no one has ever asked anything,if they did I would just say my income was variable.As far as I am concerned they need to give me a solid reason as to why they need this information and what they intend to do with it before they can have this information.

I just go with my finger eeny meeny manny mo. and cross where my finger stops. None of their business.

[Bangkok Barry]

18 hours ago, CeeGee said:

I always tick at least three boxes,no one has ever asked anything,if they did I would just say my income was variable.As far as I am concerned they need to give me a solid reason as to why they need this information and what they intend to do with it before they can have this information.

 

Try demanding from them why you have to provide the info and see where it gets you. They have the uniform so they not only don't have to justify themselves to you or anyone else, they can do whatever they choose to do with you. Pays not to get lippy with a uniform in any country.

In answering the OP's question, I have always left it blank and have never been challenged. The IO doesn't care as it has nothing to do with his job of checking your immigration status but is for statistical purposes.

[scubascuba3]

I usually tick the $200,000+ box but i always make sure the person next to me is looking when i do it

[CeeGee]

Just to clarify, I would have no intention of demanding anything, I have been coming to LOS for long enough to know how it works.In any "confrontation" I would yes sir no sir etc but I am dammed if I am going to volunteer details about my financial affairs just because its asked for on a form.That is why I tick two or three boxes, then no one can say I refused to provide the information. 

[Jingthing]

21 hours ago, Thanyaburi Mac said:

I leave all those blanks, blank, have never entered anything for the last 20++ years, no consequences, it seems.

 

Mac

I've done the same. Always blank. Never any comment. 

[smotherb]

I usually rip it up in front of the immigration officer and spit in his face yelling it is none of your business.

[Swimman]

11 minutes ago, smotherb said:

I usually rip it up in front of the immigration officer and spit in his face yelling it is none of your business.

You do no such thing so why post this nonsense? 

[Monkeyrobot]

The should have a good guy / bad guy box next to the mental illness box , would make thinks  easier for the Tourist police. 

[smotherb]

5 minutes ago, Swimman said:

You do no such thing so why post this nonsense? 

Well, how do you know I am not posting this from Suan Phlu?

Edited April 24, 2018 by smotherb

[Swimman]

1 minute ago, smotherb said:

Well, how do you know I am not posting this from Suan Phlu?

If you are then your palatial accommodation is well deserved.

[Acemaker]

21 hours ago, moana said:

Same here. No one ever complained.

Its actually done for Market Research to Gauge the quality, spending power etc of Visitors it is not an Immigration requirement and has no bearing on whether you will be admitted or not, like one poster stated he has been coming here for 20 years and never filled it in and never had a problem, i have never filled it in either, Bloody Nosey Sods.  

[PerkinsCuthbert]

I just strike out the options and write 'excessive' in reply to the question.

[smotherb]

2 minutes ago, Swimman said:

If you are then your palatial accommodation is well deserved.

Lighten up Swimman, I'm just poking some fun at all the posters who claim they have no right to ask.

[NanLaew]

21 hours ago, saakura said:

"How important is this indication anyway ? I  thought it was mainly used for statistics."

 

Maybe the information is used for passing it on to the bar girls & extortion police?

Bugger!

 

I've been saying I am incredibly rich on each and every TM6 since I first fell off a banana boat in the Chaophaya.

 

I am now on my fifth Thai wife and the other four all got houses, cars, gold, hairdresser salons, farms, buffaloes, etc.. before we divorced.

 

I think you may be onto something!!!

[NanLaew]

15 minutes ago, Swimman said:

You do no such thing so why post this nonsense? 

[smotherb]

Don't you provide your passport particulars and sign the TM? Doesn't it even come to mind that falsifying such a document could be troublesome? Leaving the questions you prefer not to answer blank seems more sensible; if they want them filled in, you would probably be given the chance to do so.

[55Jay]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Try demanding from them why you have to provide the info and see where it gets you. They have the uniform so they not only don't have to justify themselves to you or anyone else, they can do whatever they choose to do with you. Pays not to get lippy with a uniform in any country.

In answering the OP's question, I have always left it blank and have never been challenged. The IO doesn't care as it has nothing to do with his job of checking your immigration status but is for statistical purposes.

If one of them orders you to drop and give him 15 push ups, will you comply immediately, no questions asked?  Do you salute the uniformed security guard in the car park?

[CGW]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

I've done the same. Always blank. Never any comment. 

I have never filled it out also, does it not say something about not being compulsory, sure it says something, but years since I even bothered turning one over to read it?

[Bluespunk]

I always lie.

 

Love to mess up the statistics.

[ballpoint]

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

I always lie.

 

Love to mess up the statistics.