Police Patrol Surprise Visit

[Shoeless Joe]

I was visited at home (I live in Doi Saket), this afternoon by a Thai police motorbike patrol officer. He knew my name and I was asked by him to confirm that I lived at this address (which I did). He then took 2 photos of me and a photo of the house number. He was polite and cheerful and said he was collecting this information “for immigration” and showed me his phone which had a note on it asking me to confirm that I would be at home during the week.

I have no reason to doubt that this was a policeman carrying out his duty, but when I told my (Thai) wife what had happened she was concerned that it might have been a fake policeman. I wasn’t asked for money and I’m not even sure whether or not there might be a return visit.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Regards,

Joe

[KhunBENQ]

Could bet that I have read similar reports in the forum.

(not specific to Chiang Mai)

 

Some foreigners get a visit from immigration (reported repeatedly) but if they don't have the capacity or too far to travel they send local police.

Why some foreigners are visited and others not (7 years and not a trace of a uniform near the house)? I don't know.

 

And why you should get another visit? Also no idea.

Edited June 4, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[Trujillo]

Sounds very fishy to me. 

I've lived in various places over the past 13+ years and not only has no cop ever come to my house unannounced, I have never heard of anyone having this experience, including friends who have lived here for 30 years. 

 

I don't understand this note on his phone. Did you ask for his badge number and name? Or any ID? 

 

You could clear this up by going to immigration and asking them. If he's an imposter, they would be interested in knowing this, I'm sure. 

[mentalcolonization]

I was visited at my place of work . They took pictures and confirmed my house address.A month later the immigration called me to confirm that my documents are up to date 

[Carib]

Not uncommon, especially if you are on an extension of stay based on marriage. Several reports on Thaivisa of police/immigration making housecalls and even talking to neighbors asking them to confirm if the foreigner really lives there with his wife. I wouldn't worry about it.

[KhunBENQ]

29 minutes ago, Carib said:

extension of stay based on marriage

Plausible.

Unfortunately there are just too many foreigners on fictitious marriage.

No need to feel offended/uncomfortable.

Such is not limited to Thailand and was even inspiration for movies.

And please no surprise from the topic starter (not on marriage extension?)

Edited June 4, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[Shoeless Joe]

5 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Plausible.

Unfortunately there are just too many foreigners on fictitious marriage.

No need to feel offended/uncomfortable.

Such is not limited to Thailand and was even inspiration for movies.

And please no surprise from the topic starter (not on marriage extension?)

Thank you very much for your response(s) and kind words...I've been living in Thailand for 7 years now (retirement visa) and happily married for 5 years.

 

Regards,

 

Joe

 

 

 

[Denim]

Had one friend visited like this but as others mentioned he was on extension based on marriage.

 

Never heard it happen to visa runners, myself included.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

1 hour ago, Trujillo said:

Sounds very fishy to me. 

I've lived in various places over the past 13+ years and not only has no cop ever come to my house unannounced, I have never heard of anyone having this experience, including friends who have lived here for 30 years. 

 

I don't understand this note on his phone. Did you ask for his badge number and name? Or any ID? 

 

You could clear this up by going to immigration and asking them. If he's an imposter, they would be interested in knowing this, I'm sure. 

 

It has only been happening since forever. Nothing fishy about this, just because it didn't happen to you.

[Sheryl]

Seems to be standard procedure for extensions of stay based on marriage at least for the first extension.

 

A friend of mine just did such an extension and eas visited. They very kindly gave advance notice and the couple had to stay home from work that day.

 

There have been some recent cases of sham marriages /fake claims of marriage by people seeking to stay in Thailand. So the frequency of such visits may increase as imm offices have been asked to be more vigilant. Nothing to be concerned about, just a routine verification .

.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

[Shoeless Joe]

3 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Seems to be standard procedure for extensions of stay based on marriage at least for the first extension.

 

A friend of mine just did such an extension and eas visited. They very kindly gave advance notice and the couple had to stay home from work that day.

 

There have been some recent cases of sham marriages /fake claims of marriage by people seeking to stay in Thailand. So the frequency of such visits may increase as imm offices have been asked to be more vigilant. Nothing to be concerned about, just a routine verification .

.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

Thank you, but as I said earlier my extension of stay has always been on a retirement visa and I have been legally married for 5 years, so there's no "extension of stay based on marriage".

 

Regards,

 

Joe

[BarnicaleBob]

My advice to all when having encounters with police:  Take photos of the officer and the vehicle they arrived in before giving up any information to them.  In the event they should try to pull a scam, you will then have all you need to identify them to the police later on.

[chingmai331]

I like Bob's idea.  Put your arm around the 'cop', press your faces together and snap a  selfie.  Or better, have the wife snap the photo which includes the moto tag.

Just another reason to avoid marriage in T'land.

[peperobi]

I got in Samui twice the visit of the immigration.

[PoorSucker]

Got visited twice in ten years, no problem. 

First time by immigration police, last year by BiB, they were actually friends of mine. 

They were asked by immigration to take a photo of me and a police officer outside my house showing the number. I was not home so my wife took my place, no problems. 

Both times it was during my extension was under consideration. 

[NoshowJones]

Yes, twice, not long after the terrorist bombings at the Erawan Shrine.

[swissbie]

I think this is rather unusual, such a visit should have been preannounced. I have lived 10 years at the westside of BKK, dealt with Samut Songkharn and Nakorn Pathom IO's. Never got visited (extensions based on marriage, but changed this 2 years ago to retirement). Last year we moved to Songkhla province and this year had to extend in Hat Yei. Being under consideration i got visited by two IO's, but it was cleary announced and i even met them at the IO the other day. Never mind if IO's or ordinary police; it should be preannounced.

[holy cow cm]

He said he is on a retirement visa. Now a marriage visa has nothing to do with it. Odd? 

[Sheryl]

Less common, certainly, but IOs are being asked to be more vigilant. As far as I can tell the purpose of the visit was to verify his address, it served the purpose so all is well and no need to overthink it.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

He said he is on a retirement visa. Now a marriage visa has nothing to do with it. Odd? 

Yes. The assumption that it is only done for marriage extension is wrong (although I found it convincing).

After reassuring with a knowledgeable moderator it is clear:

 

Home visits are done by immigration.

Home visits are done by local police.

Home visits are done for foreigners on marriage extension.

Home visits are done for foreigners on retirement extension.

 

All cases possible.

 

What the pattern (by whom)/reason for visit or no visit is not clear.

But such a visit is no reason for concern, no scam or conspiracy.

Edited June 5, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[holy cow cm]

2 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Yes. The assumption that it is only done for marriage extension is wrong (although I found it convincing).

After reassuring with a knowledgeable moderator it is clear:

 

Home visits are done by immigration.

Home visits are done by local police.

Home visits are done for foreigners on marriage extension.

Home visits are done for foreigners on retirement extension.

 

All cases possible.

 

What the pattern (by whom)/reason for visit or no visit is not clear.

But such a visit is no reason for concern, no scam or conspiracy.

Yeah no concern on my part or most. The visit makes one feel inferior or uncomfortable though; as marriage and familiarity can be judged at the immigration application meeting. Hard to pull off a stable relationship if there is none and one needs proof to show them. I would much rather have the immigration boys n girls swing by if they ever did. 5-6 more years and I have to switch to marriage as my last kid will be finishing University just around then.

[Buzzboy05]

I'v been here 2 yrs on retirement. Live out of town a bit, every body knows every body for miles. The local police rang friends brother asking questions about me. Next day rang friend not visit, stated it was an enquiries requested for immigrations, that was three weeks ago, but no visit yet. I think they were just confirming that I was here. 

[Vacuum]

8 hours ago, chingmai331 said:

 

Just another reason to avoid marriage in T'land.

So, just because you could get a visit (meaning: you don't have to leave your home) from the Immigration police, would refrain yourself from getting married?

How do you cope with your 90-days reportings?

[Farma]

I've had 2 police visits in 10 years. Both times I was in country on 30 visa exempt and not home.

 

Police brother in law says nothing to worry about and they get instructions every now and then to keep a record of foreigners in their area. If you're not at home they ask the neighbours for info.

[Bangkok Barry]

A year or so ago I was visited by the local plod and my wife had to fill in a form about me. One of the plod was actually her brother, so that was fun. He brought along two colleagues, one is a cousin, and I posed with them. No chance of me being hassled, methinks ?

Edited June 5, 2018 by Bangkok Barry

[Thailand]

There were some home visits by "immigration" about 3 years ago just after the online appointment booking system went tits up. Turned out it was a service that was being offered to facilitate extensions- for a price.

[junglechef]

On 6/5/2018 at 6:15 AM, chingmai331 said:

I like Bob's idea.  Put your arm around the 'cop', press your faces together and snap a  selfie.  Or better, have the wife snap the photo which includes the moto tag.

Just another reason to avoid marriage in T'land.

Sounds like a reason from someone who has been avoided by potential Thai wives 

[cornishcarlos]

On 6/4/2018 at 9:47 PM, Shoeless Joe said:

she was concerned that it might have been a fake policeman. I wasn’t asked for money

 

Defo fake... Real RTP would have asked for money ?

[akirasan]

I just got visited by Immigration in Surin too, no problem, everything in order. 1 guy wearing immigration shirt, 1 police and no idea who the other guy was. Took some photos, checked out my last border crossing entry/exit stamps and left.

Edited June 6, 2018 by akirasan

[tryasimight]

On 6/5/2018 at 5:23 PM, holy cow cm said:

Yeah no concern on my part or most. The visit makes one feel inferior or uncomfortable though; as marriage and familiarity can be judged at the immigration application meeting. Hard to pull off a stable relationship if there is none and one needs proof to show them. I would much rather have the immigration boys n girls swing by if they ever did. 5-6 more years and I have to switch to marriage as my last kid will be finishing University just around then.

I'm confused...why do you have to switch to marriage visa when your last kid finishes Uni? What extension are you on now?