Heads up: Suggest a Thai checks your immigration documents

[bkk6060]

Hey, I have been a positive supporter of Chonburi immigration.

The place is very busy and I think they are pretty efficient.

I went in earlier this week for my resident cert. for my 5 year license.

No problems, got thru in about 30 minutes.

But, when I went to Banglamung DMV, the certificate showed I was here on a 30 day exempt, not a Retirement Visa.

The problem for me was the document is all in Thai.  I did see the number 30 several paragraphs down, but did not think much about it.

 

First, I did not know a person here on a 30 day exempt could get a certificate.

Secondly, just a heads up have a reliable Thai person check your docs. This should apply I think any place where the document is all in Thai.

 

With all this, I had to go back to immigration and get a corrected cert.  

By the time I got back to DMV, I was lucky to get an afternoon appt.

So, it was an 8 1/2 hour day but I finally got my license ( lots of people failing the eye test).

 

 

[johng]

Thanks for the report...what form did you fill out to get the certificate...was it a online printed one from this forum or did they make you hand write a "new" version at the immigration office ?

When you say eye test, do you mean the color chart test or the depth perception one ? Or both ?

[Destiny1990]

Isn’t Jomtien soi 5 more nearbyfor u?

[dotpoom]

I was driving my wife's motorbike a few months back and got stopped outside Soi 9 police station Pattaya. As it turned out the Tax was out by 3 days....the policeman checked my insurance, it was fine, he said, had 4 months left on it. I got a "ticket".

The following day I went to the police station to pay the fine..."1000 Baht" said the lady behind the counter..I thought that was a bit steep so I didn't pay it. I took a photo of the ticket and sent it to "she who must be obeyed" and told her they asked for 1000 Bt.....She wrote back...."the ticket says you had no tax AND.insurance. I went back in and showed the lady my insurance was indeed up-to-date. ...The fine was dropped from 1000 to 400 Bt.

   Yes, good idea to have documents all in Thai checked by a Thai speaker.

[zaZa9]

The ignorant young a/hole at Patong Immigration demanded 1000 baht for a Proof of Residence Certificate last time I asked ( politely )  for one ...

[Kerryd]

Most of the Residence Certificates I've ever gotten where while I was on 30 Day stamps. I've bought motorcycles and opened bank accounts with only a 30 Day stamp in my passport.

Often, if I'm dealing with issues that require my passport, I will open it to the "face page" and have a marker (like my Departure Card) to show the latest "Extension of Stay" stamp and will (casually) show them so they know where to look. 
I've noted often that if I leave/enter the country, they will put those Exit/Entry stamps in the first space large enough in your passport, even if your current (Visa or Extension) is a couple pages further back. 

 

As for the license, I went to a different Transport office (in Chachoengsao) and they used a different light test (for colour vision). They had a "mini-Stoplight" with lights. Each of those lights could display green, yellow or red and they would show them in what I assume was a random order. So the first light could be the middle one and be green, the next could be the top light and be yellow, the next could be the bottom light and yellow again, then the middle light again but red this time (and so on).

I thought that was a much more realistic test as the colours were almost the same as real stop lights and, as you know (or should know), stop lights in Thailand can be Vertical or Horizontal (or both) ! So the idea with this test is that you can identify the colours regardless of their position.
 

[Suradit69]

15 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

 

Secondly, just a heads up have a reliable Thai person check your docs

Not sure what you mean by reliable.  Reading through posts on TV it seems many farang are clueless about immigrations terminology even though it's important for them personally. Very few Thais, with the possible exception of some wives of farang, have any familiarity with immigrations terms and what they would translate to in English.  Unless you want to ask a "reliable" visa agent to tag along with you, the person at DMV turned out to be a "reliable" Thai who checked the document for you. Not sure how many other reliable Thais  would know what a 30 day visa exempt entry implied or how to do a literal translation to English.

[DJ54]

2 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

Not sure what you mean by reliable.  Reading through posts on TV it seems many farang are clueless about immigrations terminology even though it's important for them personally. Very few Thais, with the possible exception of some wives of farang, have any familiarity with immigrations terms and what they would translate to in English.  Unless you want to ask a "reliable" visa agent to tag along with you, the person at DMV turned out to be a "reliable" Thai who checked the document for you. Not sure how many other reliable Thais  would know what a 30 day visa exempt entry implied or how to do a literal translation to English.

I think most Thai would be able to give some feedback as to the 30 that was on paper. Meaning 30 days not 90 etc. I don’t read any Thai but text in Thai and can somewhat tell if it applies to me or just advertising. And if in doubt ask the Queen Bee 

[WinterGael]

4 hours ago, dotpoom said:

I was driving my wife's motorbike a few months back and got stopped outside Soi 9 police station Pattaya. As it turned out the Tax was out by 3 days....the policeman checked my insurance, it was fine, he said, had 4 months left on it. I got a "ticket".

The following day I went to the police station to pay the fine..."1000 Baht" said the lady behind the counter..I thought that was a bit steep so I didn't pay it. I took a photo of the ticket and sent it to "she who must be obeyed" and told her they asked for 1000 Bt.....She wrote back...."the ticket says you had no tax AND.insurance. I went back in and showed the lady my insurance was indeed up-to-date. ...The fine was dropped from 1000 to 400 Bt.

   Yes, good idea to have documents all in Thai checked by a Thai speaker.

Why not Judy learn to read it yourself. It's not that hard. 

[KhunBENQ]

10 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Isn’t Jomtien soi 5 more nearbyfor u?

The official title of the Soi 5 immigration is "Chonburi Immigration (Pattaya)"

[bkk6060]

18 hours ago, johng said:

Thanks for the report...what form did you fill out to get the certificate...was it a online printed one from this forum or did they make you hand write a "new" version at the immigration office ?

When you say eye test, do you mean the color chart test or the depth perception one ? Or both ?

I just filled it out at immigration.

Yes, on the eye test.  The color one is fairly simple he just pointed at colors and you identify.  No pick a number from a circle.  The depth perception one you have to electronically manipulate 2 small sticks sitting about 10 feet away and line them up parallel.  Many people failed and were told to come back the next day.

The DMV was a total zoo as it was a Tues. morning after a 3 day weekend.   But if you go in the afternoon, sometimes they run out of queue  and you have to come back the next day anyway.

[johng]

1 minute ago, bkk6060 said:

I just filled it out at immigration.

Ahh ok,  I hate filling forms out by hand..sods law says I fill out one on my computer and they say its no good ☹️

 

2 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

The DMV was a total zoo

Yes its always been very busy every time I've been there too.

 

One time a foreign guy  was having trouble with the colour chart..the examiner told him if you say green again you go home..she pointed at the blue dot..he said green...everyone in the line behind laughed..she said ok you pass !!!!!!!!!!!

[alexlm]

The funny thing is that Thai people drive their motorbike there.
Whether or not they get their license, they leave and drive back anyway. ?

[LivinLOS]

On 8/17/2018 at 2:36 AM, Suradit69 said:

Not sure what you mean by reliable.  Reading through posts on TV it seems many farang are clueless about immigrations terminology even though it's important for them personally. Very few Thais, with the possible exception of some wives of farang, have any familiarity with immigrations terms and what they would translate to in English.  Unless you want to ask a "reliable" visa agent to tag along with you, the person at DMV turned out to be a "reliable" Thai who checked the document for you. Not sure how many other reliable Thais  would know what a 30 day visa exempt entry implied or how to do a literal translation to English.

Or you know.. learn basic reading and comprehension in the country you choose to live !!! 

 

No one (EDIT :: later there was !!) even comments how pathetic it is to constantly require assistance for such mundane day to day activities. God forbid they actually take control of thier own lives, issues and problems. 

[NanLaew]

On 8/17/2018 at 2:15 AM, Kerryd said:

As for the license, I went to a different Transport office (in Chachoengsao) and they used a different light test (for colour vision). They had a "mini-Stoplight" with lights. Each of those lights could display green, yellow or red and they would show them in what I assume was a random order. So the first light could be the middle one and be green, the next could be the top light and be yellow, the next could be the bottom light and yellow again, then the middle light again but red this time (and so on).

I thought that was a much more realistic test as the colours were almost the same as real stop lights and, as you know (or should know), stop lights in Thailand can be Vertical or Horizontal (or both) ! So the idea with this test is that you can identify the colours regardless of their position.

So all you colour blind bluffers take note. Do NOT renew your Thai DL at Chachoengsao, OK?

 

You know who you are... and they will too.

[johng]

This morning I went to get a residence certificate from Jomtien...they have a slightly different form handed out at the front desk but accepted my pre filled form downloaded from Thaivisa site.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/files/file/23-application-form-for-residence-certificate-in-thailand/

 

there is a photocopier next to the desk ( desk 9 ?  on the left)

3 baht per copy and of course she needed something else copied.

 

Cost 300 baht  come back in 20 mins... you certainly should check the  certificate...mine was wrong twice...once for surname spelled incorrectly ...corrected  new print out   check again  the passport number was missing a 0.....Imagine if I had to wait 3 weeks for  it !!!!  X 2

 

There is no mention of expiry date  and also no mention of  what the certificate is for...so it doesn't say to open a bank account or  buy a car  or get a driving licence  it just confirms that you entered Thailand on such and such a day,  your visa/extension is valid till   and that  you live at such and such  address.

 

[johng]

On 8/17/2018 at 7:13 PM, alexlm said:

Thai people drive their motorbike there.

I would say most foreigners do too..seems quite normal to drive your own car or bike to the test and drive it home again whether you get a licence or not.??

[alexlm]

21 hours ago, johng said:

I would say most foreigners do too..seems quite normal to drive your own car or bike to the test and drive it home again whether you get a licence or not.??

At least in my birth-country, you can't do it. You need to ask someone to drive for you and drive you back and wait a few days to get (or not) your license via mail. It would be crazy if someone drove himself to the exam...

[stud858]

OP. Great you are a supporter. If a proactive one, please let them know, there are a number of things that could be done to improve the immigration office.

Move to a bigger office.

Improve and add online services. Improve lineup and waiting areas. Improve ticketing. Update forms, Have better trained staff. Have better signage, offer scheduled appointments, anybody got other recommendations?

[Rimmer]

An inflammatory post has been removed:

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[bkk6060]

On 8/24/2018 at 9:26 AM, stud858 said:

OP. Great you are a supporter. If a proactive one, please let them know, there are a number of things that could be done to improve the immigration office.

Move to a bigger office.

Improve and add online services. Improve lineup and waiting areas. Improve ticketing. Update forms, Have better trained staff. Have better signage, offer scheduled appointments, anybody got other recommendations?

Most certainly things could be better.

Even in my home country I wish they had some of your suggestions.

I recommend you read the Chiang Mai immigration forums (people queue at 2 am) or some of the other provinces maybe you will see, Chonburi is not so bad.

 

 

[johng]

They could certainly do with a much bigger office...or  more offices   say  North, Central and South Pattaya + Jomtien..maybe even one over on "the darkside"   ?

Improvements could be made in  clear (er)  explanations of required documents, fillable online forms you can print out ( even better just fill them online and they already in the database )

Do away with 90 day reports..only require  to report if you change address.

Consistency in requirements,forms and procedures  between offices.