Yet more confusion over the removal of Income Certification Letter for British expats

[billd766]

3 hours ago, Moonlover said:

 

@HHTel is quite correct there have been plenty of successful renewals, both married and retirement.

 

And as a testimonial of that, I'm one of them. I used the income method in support of my married application and received the approval just last week.

 

What are your chances @thongplay? They're as good as the income evidence that you present.

I converted my retirement extension to a married extension on income only and I had to supply piles of paperwork in duplicate up here in Khampaeng Phet. one set for KPP and a second set for CM.

 

She threw about 60% of it away and that left about 25 documents doubled.

 

I printed out 2 copies from my Garmin map which gave details of distances, turns, villages etc which she tossed out in favour of a hand drawn map from my wife, using of course their paperwork written in Thai. She did the same for the photos which had some Thai writing on it.

 

Next year will be easier as I have done the hard work now.

 

[Moonlover]

12 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I converted my retirement extension to a married extension on income only and I had to supply piles of paperwork in duplicate up here in Khampaeng Phet. one set for KPP and a second set for CM.

 

She threw about 60% of it away and that left about 25 documents doubled.

 

I printed out 2 copies from my Garmin map which gave details of distances, turns, villages etc which she tossed out in favour of a hand drawn map from my wife, using of course their paperwork written in Thai. She did the same for the photos which had some Thai writing on it.

 

Next year will be easier as I have done the hard work now.

 

Sounds like a fairly typical experience. ???? 

 

During the days of the embassy income letter, my proof of income was 1 sheet of paper. When I presented the 'post letter era' version it morphed into 37 sheets!

 

Like you say, we've done the hard work now and I have figured out how to reduce it to around 20 sheets for next year and make it simpler for them to understand. But if they continue to insist on 'month by month' I can't get it any less than that.

 

Yes, we had the same experience as you regarding the map. My well presented Google maps were rejected in favour of my wife's crappy hand drawn version and the IO got lost deep in rural Issan!

 

Hey Ho. Their country, their rules. What the heck!

 

 

[billd766]

17 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Sounds like a fairly typical experience. ???? 

 

During the days of the embassy income letter, my proof of income was 1 sheet of paper. When I presented the 'post letter era' version it morphed into 37 sheets!

 

Like you say, we've done the hard work now and I have figured out how to reduce it to around 20 sheets for next year and make it simpler for them to understand. But if they continue to insist on 'month by month' I can't get it any less than that.

 

Yes, we had the same experience as you regarding the map. My well presented Google maps were rejected in favour of my wife's crappy hand drawn version and the IO got lost deep in rural Issan!

 

Hey Ho. Their country, their rules. What the heck!

 

 

The IO team, 4 of them came 3 days after I did the extension and didn't get lost. It would have been difficult to do so.

 

Out of the office,straight round the roundabout, over the bridge and take the route 1 southbound. 5 km down the road do a U turn at Kong MeLai to the route 1117 and stay on that for 51.7 Km and we are on the right.

[Gweiloman]

The IO team, 4 of them came 3 days after I did the extension and didn't get lost. It would have been difficult to do so.
 
Out of the office,straight round the roundabout, over the bridge and take the route 1 southbound. 5 km down the road do a U turn at Kong MeLai to the route 1117 and stay on that for 51.7 Km and we are on the right.

I would have gotten lost at the first turn. Left or right out of the office? Just joking


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[KhunFred]

On 10/15/2019 at 2:04 PM, HHTel said:

There are many people who have got their extension since the withdrawal of the UK embassy letter.

Now you have to show proof of income into a Thai bank.  There are literally hundreds of posts on here with details and experiences.

I got my extension at Pattaya IO using only the income received into my American bank account. It cost me

14 thousand baht. It CAN be done, but be prepared to pass a brown envelope.

[champers]

3 minutes ago, KhunFred said:

I got my extension at Pattaya IO using only the income received into my American bank account. It cost me

14 thousand baht. It CAN be done, but be prepared to pass a brown envelope.

Room 7, I presume.

[KhunFred]

3 minutes ago, champers said:

Room 7, I presume.

No, Overstay Desk, though I had not overstayed. Told to pick up my passport in three days. A different officer was at the desk when I came in, but my passport was among a stack of them on the desk. Took about five minutes from the time I walked in the door.

[billd766]

12 minutes ago, KhunFred said:

I got my extension at Pattaya IO using only the income received into my American bank account. It cost me

14 thousand baht. It CAN be done, but be prepared to pass a brown envelope.

I got my extension at Khampaeng Phet changed from retirement to marriage showing only income from my UK pensions into my Bangkok Bank account back in August,

 

It only cost me 1,900 baht paid to Immigration.

 

There don't seem to be any agents up here.

 

Depending on the Immigration Office it can be done with a bit of sweat and blood.

[bizboi]

On 10/17/2019 at 5:43 PM, KhunFred said:

No, Overstay Desk, though I had not overstayed. Told to pick up my passport in three days. A different officer was at the desk when I came in, but my passport was among a stack of them on the desk. Took about five minutes from the time I walked in the door.

…and you are saying you paid a 14,000 baht bribe??

[KhunFred]

On 10/23/2019 at 4:20 PM, bizboi said:

…and you are saying you paid a 14,000 baht bribe??

"Opportunity Cost" . The word "bribe" is a western concept which has no validity in Thailand.

[sambum]

16 hours ago, KhunFred said:

"Opportunity Cost" . The word "bribe" is a western concept which has no validity in Thailand.

Took a month to think of that one?

 

And I would have thought that more than a YEAR (October 2018!) would have been long enough to get over the confusion? Sorry - I forgot - TIT!!!

Edited November 22, 2019 by sambum

[bizboi]

18 hours ago, KhunFred said:

"Opportunity Cost" . The word "bribe" is a western concept which has no validity in Thailand.

So what your saying is Thailand doesnt know the difference between right and wrong?

 

[luckyluke]

5 hours ago, bizboi said:

So what your saying is Thailand doesnt know the difference between right and wrong?

 

After 19 years Thailand, and the same number of years living with a Thai lady, I know that everything is relative. 

 

My Thai wife still have to regularly tell me :

 

"Why do you think that your approach of things is the only right one?

 

Why do you think your understanding of common sense is the only right one?

 

It may be the case in Western countries, not necessarily in Thailand". 

 

I have to admit she is right, however I still can not understand her approach to many things. 

 

I suppose when one not understand, one would consider it easely as being wrong. 

 

 

 

 

[sambum]

1 hour ago, luckyluke said:

After 19 years Thailand, and the same number of years living with a Thai lady, I know that everything is relative. 

 

My Thai wife still have to regularly tell me :

 

"Why do you think that your approach of things is the only right one?

 

Why do you think your understanding of common sense is the only right one?

 

It may be the case in Western countries, not necessarily in Thailand". 

 

I have to admit she is right, however I still can not understand her approach to many things. 

 

I suppose when one not understand, one would consider it easely as being wrong. 

 

 

 

 

Nice post! It sounds like your Thai wife is quite wise!

 

We all make the mistake of thinking that we are right at the time, but some of us will listen to the other side of the discussion/argument before making an "informed" opinion.

 

Slightly off topic, but it reminds me of something that was said to me many years ago when dealing with "The Taxman".  In my case, I had been making a little bit of money "on the side" and not declaring it to the Inland Revenue (USA - IRS) They found out, and I was sent an "estimate" of what they thought I was making. which of course was FAR in excess of  the true amount! I had to acquire the services of an accountant (who was also a personal friend of mine) He said that the "estimate" was in actual fact,  a "guesstimate" and was intended to be a "frightener", as if I did not reply with in 30 days I would have to pay the full amount demanded. However, if I appealed against the amount, and sent in some figures of receipts and expenses (which didn't have to be 100% accurate because of the nature of the income) then "The Taxman" would be inclined to be a bit more lenient. He said:-

 

"Always try to put yourself in the position of the person at the other side of the desk".

 

His logic was that the guy (person?)  at the other side of the desk had a superior who had heard that I had been making income and not declaring it, so instructed him to follow it up. He did so, and he could now turn round to his boss and say "I have been  in touch with "Mr White",  and he has given me some records of income and expenses - I have rejected one or two items as unacceptable, but by and large the amounts seem reasonable, so I suggest that we accept the figures"

 

This did actually happen to me, and the amount that I had to pay was app 5% of the original "guesstimate". The lesson to be learned is that if you make the "person at the other side of the desk" happy, then he in turn will try to make his boss happy, so all parties are happy:- 

 

 "Let's move on - next case please!". 

 

 

 

[sunnyboy2018]

On 10/23/2019 at 10:20 AM, bizboi said:

…and you are saying you paid a 14,000 baht bribe??

A crass lack of nuance from a virtue signaller.

[sunnyboy2018]

9 hours ago, bizboi said:

So what your saying is Thailand doesnt know the difference between right and wrong?

 

Where are you from? Tell me and I will find plenty of wrong things with your country. Grow up.

[sunnyboy2018]

9 hours ago, bizboi said:

So what your saying is Thailand doesnt know the difference between right and wrong?

 

No. You dont.

[wayned]

On 10/17/2019 at 4:49 PM, billd766 said:

I got my extension at Khampaeng Phet changed from retirement to marriage showing only income from my UK pensions into my Bangkok Bank account back in August,

 

It only cost me 1,900 baht paid to Immigration.

 

There don't seem to be any agents up here.

 

Depending on the Immigration Office it can be done with a bit of sweat and blood.

I got mine on the 17th of October in Nakhon Sawan.  The extension cost me 1900 baht.  I got a "official" bank statement from BBL showing my FFT deposits for the last 12 months ,cost 200 baht, but had to allows 4-5 business days  since it comes from Bangkok and also had to get a letter from BBl showing the balance in the account that day, cost 100 baht.  Went relatively painless other than I didn't have the second latter and got it at the branch near the big market at the end of Sawanvittee road near immigration.  Also got a residence certificate for DL renewal, cost 500 baht.  I actually miss the yearly trip to Bangkok to get the letter which I used to "stock" up on goodies not available here in the boonies.  I also asked if the combo method was still available since I will be in trouble next year fif the baht drops below 28 to the dollar and they confirmed that it was.

[bizboi]

11 hours ago, luckyluke said:

After 19 years Thailand, and the same number of years living with a Thai lady, I know that everything is relative. 

 

My Thai wife still have to regularly tell me :

 

"Why do you think that your approach of things is the only right one?

 

Why do you think your understanding of common sense is the only right one?

 

It may be the case in Western countries, not necessarily in Thailand". 

 

I have to admit she is right, however I still can not understand her approach to many things. 

 

I suppose when one not understand, one would consider it easely as being wrong. 

 

 

 

 

 

7 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

A crass lack of nuance from a virtue signaller.

An att

 

7 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

No. You dont.

An attempt to gain the moral high ground from a poster with nothing really to say… next … move on!!

 

[bizboi]

11 hours ago, luckyluke said:

After 19 years Thailand, and the same number of years living with a Thai lady, I know that everything is relative. 

 

My Thai wife still have to regularly tell me :

 

"Why do you think that your approach of things is the only right one?

 

Why do you think your understanding of common sense is the only right one?

 

It may be the case in Western countries, not necessarily in Thailand". 

 

I have to admit she is right, however I still can not understand her approach to many things. 

 

I suppose when one not understand, one would consider it easely as being wrong. 

 

 

 

 

In most situations theres right and theres wrong only those desperate to cling on to life in the LOS would consider that white may be black!! 

[newatthis]

26 minutes ago, bizboi said:

In most situations theres right and theres wrong only those desperate to cling on to life in the LOS would consider that white may be black!! 

And then there's grey.

[soalbundy]

On 11/22/2019 at 4:00 PM, bizboi said:

So what your saying is Thailand doesnt know the difference between right and wrong?

 

right ?  wrong ?  surely there is a middle word. If bribery isn't considered wrong in the society you currently live in then then it isn't wrong, just different to what happens where you come from

[superal]

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

right ?  wrong ?  surely there is a middle word. If bribery isn't considered wrong in the society you currently live in then then it isn't wrong, just different to what happens where you come from

Agree ,  don't fight it , go with the flow and put your Thai hat on