Visa Agents Days Are Numbered?

[Kerryd]

I don't think they are at all concerned with "line-sitters". It's the agents that use illegal means in order to get Visas/Extensions for people that don't actually qualify for them.

 

For example, the people who get an agent to "fudge" the 800k (with the agent arranging for the bank letter by using a dummy account or however they do it). I don't know how they do it but they have a way (and apparently charge a pretty penny for it).

 

And the agents who show up just before the Immigration Desks open, skip the line-ups and drop 15-20+ passports on the IO's desk(s). I've seen that a few times in Jomtien. Really annoying when you are holding the first queue number and suddenly an agent walks up to the desk a minute before they are supposed to start, drops a stack of passports on it and the IO decides to process those first instead of dealing with the people who've been patiently waiting. 

It wouldn't be as much of a bother if they dealt with the customers in front of them first and then worked on the "agent's" passports during the lulls that usually come after the initial rush.

[sfokevin]

5 minutes ago, johnoko said:

Did my yearly renewal 2 days ago. Was there at 6 am got my ticket at 6.15 and got processed at 7am. Didn't notice any cue sitters. Must say it was by all as pleasant as it can get I would say. Great work by mister big Joke I would say. 

One still should not have to show up at 6am to get a queue ticket!

 

Big Joke is only half way there....

 

If he wants to get rid of agents and queue sitters he needs to get rid of the queues...

Edited October 28, 2018 by sfokevin

[NancyL]

Hubby did his retirement visa extension a few days ago using the services of OS Thai Visa, so the services of the main-stream visa agents are still very viable.  They obtained a queue ticket for him with a POA form and took him and a couple other clients out to Immigration around 3 pm in the afternoon.  Hubby never did see the I/O review his documents; they were given to the OS Thai Visa people who reviewed them with the I/O.  He did include proof of income in the form of his income tax 1099 forms.  His only interaction with immigration at the new office was to have his photo taken, both for his extension and his multiple re-entry permit.  Total time at the new immigration office was less than one hour and his passport was returned with the next extension and re-entry stamps.

 

Was it worth the price paid to OS Thai Visa?  Well yes, if you're the sort of person who doesn't like to arrive at 6 am to receive a queue ticket.  By all accounts, now you don't have to arrive any earlier.  But, when Hubby first started to gather his documents and planning his application, things were still in turmoil at Imm. and he didn't want to queue at 3 am.  Also, he didn't know if his 1099 forms would be sufficient proof of income.  One of his pensions isn't deposited in Thailand, but rather in a U.S. bank account where we use it to pay off our Visa card each month for purchases mostly made in Thailand.  So, he was going to have a problem if he had to show 65,000 actually being deposited into a Thai bank each month.

[sfokevin]

^^^ NancyL...

Is that you & hubby featured on OS Thai Visa website!...

 

Edited October 28, 2018 by sfokevin

[Dante99]

11 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

One still should not have to show up at 6am to get a queue ticket!

 

 

Nothing I have read indicates that is required.  Why do you think it is?

[sfokevin]

4 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

Nothing I have read indicates that is required.  Why do you think it is?

I was reply to Johnoko experience....

Can you confirm that one can show up at 8-9am and get a queue ticket?...

Have the queue line disappeared?

Edited October 28, 2018 by sfokevin

[elgenon]

20 hours ago, worgeordie said:

I hope so,BUT will it last,there were so many opportunities for easy

money,when things were made difficult,if Big Joke does not keep

an eye on Chiang Mai,things could quickly revert to what they were.

A level playing field was what was needed,even if you have to get

up a 5,it's only one day a year,is that really a hardship ?.

regards Worgeordie

Yes it is. And it is totally unnecessary if The Joker makes the system work efficiently.

[1337markus]

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

 

Getting a line-sitter isn't difficult, you just ask the Thai people or your friends around your neighbourhood to queue for you for a fee. 

 

Whats next? Line sitters for banks, check in at airports, supermarket cashiers, petrol stations? 

My perspective, 13 years ago CNX Immigration was tolerable, now its the complete opposite and only 1 person can fix that, joke? Readers here have to think about later in life when you are not so mobile. An American down the road is not well off financially, so no agents, he is 83 years old walks very slowly with a cane, asking him to get up at 4 am and go and line up is madness. His wife does it to get his ticket, then gets a neighbor to drive him to that place we love to hate.

 

[Dante99]

21 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

I was reply to Johnoko experience....

Can you confirm that one can show up at 8-9am and get a queue ticket?...

Have the queue line disappeared?

There is a lot of other experience posted which is different from Johnoko's and indicates that there are other alternatives, not requiring 6am arrival.

 

Also Johnoko did not say anything about it not being possible to arrive at 8-9 for a ticket, he just reported what he did.  You created the rest with your imagination all by yourself.

Edited October 28, 2018 by Dante99

[sfokevin]

6 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

There is a lot of other experience posted which is different from Johnoko's and indicates that there are other alternatives, not requiring 6am arrival.

 

Also Johnoko did not say anything about it not being possible to arrive at 8-9 for a ticket, he just reported what he did.

But we have yet to hear from ONE Individual who has not used an agent and shown up at a normal business hour of after 8am and been given a queue ticket to process a visa renewal!...

 

One should be be able to show up at 8-10am and be given an appointment to process their visa renewal later that day... until that happens visa agents will flourish... 

Edited October 28, 2018 by sfokevin

[The Deerhunter]

13 hours ago, rebo said:

The agencies will never become extinct since many of them belong to current or retired high level IOs/relatives. Some of them even have "private" access to the computer system.
Know it first hand ...

You are one of the few mentioning that aspect on this thread but that used to be one of the loudest complaints.  Many posters in the past claimed that was the case and not very long ago at that!!!!  Have times really changed for all agencies or just the small fry with no connections?   There apparently used to be a simpler but more expensive way to get documents onto an I. O.'s desk than queuing from 4am.    Sure hope that has changed.    It was one of the reasons I used to say why I would never move to C.M.

Edited October 28, 2018 by The Deerhunter

[rebo]

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

If we expose them to Big Joke, they will be out of their jobs.

And we'll be out of this country ...

[Dante99]

6 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

But we have yet to hear from ONE Individual who has not used an agent and shown up at a normal business hour of after 8am and been given a queue ticket to process a visa renewal!...

 

I have not heard of one individual going swimming at Phuket this morning either.

[Thailand]

52 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

I was reply to Johnoko experience....

Can you confirm that one can show up at 8-9am and get a queue ticket?...

Have the queue line disappeared?

7.45am ticket obtained by one members assistant, is that close enough?

[Vacuum]

1 hour ago, johnoko said:

Did my yearly renewal 2 days ago. Was there at 6 am got my ticket at 6.15 and got processed at 7am. Didn't notice any cue sitters. Must say it was by all as pleasant as it can get I would say. Great work by mister big Joke I would say. 

 Have they changed their opening hours? Last time I was there, they opened the doors 8.30, a couple of khanoms and 3in-one coffee and they started working around 9AM.

[Thailand]

3 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

 Have they changed their opening hours? Last time I was there, they opened the doors 8.30, a couple of khanoms and 3in-one coffee and they started working around 9AM.

6am to 8pm I believe.

[sfokevin]

26 minutes ago, Thailand said:

7.45am ticket obtained by one members assistant, is that close enough?

No.. As I said before one should reliably be able to show up (without the aid of an Thai “assistant”) from 8-10am (normal business hours) and be given an appointment for later that day to process a visa renewal...

 

Until this happens visa agents will flourish... 

Edited October 28, 2018 by sfokevin

[Thailand]

14 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

No.. As I said before one should reliably be able to show up (without the aid of an Thai “assistant”) from 8-10am (normal business hours) and be given an appointment for later that day to process a visa renewal...

 

Until this happens visa agents will flourish... 

What is the difference between him or his assistant turning up,only one of them doing the actual application?

The member could have have gone himself but decided on a more sensible approach.

[JanPeder]

This is the worse IO in Thailand and during my ten years here I havent seen anything that have been changed for the better. Too bad but that is the fact. So I am skeptical even when the built the new house, it is to small compere to the big touristarea. Why? Maybe Bangkok administration dont give them enough money.....they dont like the north? Or maybe the office are korrupt. I really dont know. But I know that is not normal service you give to people. It is terrible.

 

Also, If they were interested in doing a good service job, they should open 8.00 and close 21.00. And skip the lunch hour. But of course they need more people. Well, I hope still I can give my neighbur 500 bath for sit in the queue. Dont tell me they stop that?

[Bill97]

No.. As I said before one should reliably be able to show up (without the aid of an Thai “assistant”) from 8-10am (normal business hours) and be given an appointment for later that day to process a visa renewal...
 

There is no information saying you can not go in at 10 or 2 and in the past reports tell it was done without problem. You have created a fantasy and are trying to sell it as reality.



Sent from my iPod touch using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Rimmer]

Two off topic posts and one reply have been removed, this is the Chiang Mai forum, not Chonburi or Pattaya forum  

[NancyL]

49 minutes ago, JanPeder said:

This is the worse IO in Thailand and during my ten years here I havent seen anything that have been changed for the better. Too bad but that is the fact. So I am skeptical even when the built the new house, it is to small compere to the big touristarea. Why? Maybe Bangkok administration dont give them enough money.....they dont like the north? Or maybe the office are korrupt. I really dont know. But I know that is not normal service you give to people. It is terrible.

 

Also, If they were interested in doing a good service job, they should open 8.00 and close 21.00. And skip the lunch hour. But of course they need more people. Well, I hope still I can give my neighbur 500 bath for sit in the queue. Dont tell me they stop that?

There have been multiple posts that the CM Imm. office is now open from 6 am to 8 pm and are working through the lunch hour.  There is no need to give your neighbor 500 baht to sit in the queue, because they start to pass out queue tickets for retirement extensions at 6 am and by many reports are still distributing them at 8 am.  

[Jumbo1968]

What’s Big Joke actually done up to now, rounded up a few black persons, easy targets. If he was serious he would be visiting the Immigration/Agents Offices known to be issuing Visas to people with false documents,  re money in the bank for 3 months.

 

Has he paid a visit to any Banks who issue the letter stating The money has been in the Bank for 3 months when it goes in and out on the same day ?

 

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

Which agents have 'depositing money' service? What are the terms and conditions?

I can't tell you, because I've never used them. Several impecunious retirees in my condo have. They have told me the fee for that service is 25K t0 30K baht.

[CharlieH]

Reported posts removed

[sfokevin]

1 hour ago, Bill97 said:

 

There is no information saying you can not go in at 10 or 2 and in the past reports tell it was done without problem. You have created a fantasy and are trying to sell it as reality.



Sent from my iPod touch using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

Harding creating a fantasy... Just reiterating recent past... (just a few weeks ago a fight broke out in the linesitters in the wee hours of the morning there)... I will be the first to say well done if Immigration gets their act together and I can stroll in after lunch to complete my visa renewal... But until I hear a few more confirmed happy endings I will keep my visa agent as a favorite on my iPhone... 

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1061081-chinese-mob-at-cm-immigration/?tab=comments#comment-13437613

Edited October 28, 2018 by sfokevin

[Thailand]

4 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

Harding creating a fantasy... Just reiterating recent past... (just a few weeks ago a fight broke out in the linesitters in the wee hours of the morning there)... I will be the first to say well done if Immigration gets their act together and I can stroll in after lunch to complete my visa renewal... But until I hear a few more confirmed happy endings I will keep my visa agent as a favorite on my iPhone... 

Sorry, I thought you had posted  on the ChiangMai massage parlor thread by mistake. ????

[johnoko]

4 hours ago, Vacuum said:

 Have they changed their opening hours? Last time I was there, they opened the doors 8.30, a couple of khanoms and 3in-one coffee and they started working around 9AM.

Big Joke got them working earlier as to get more people processed in one day. They started handing out tickets shortly after 6 am and started processing people straight away. It almost looked like a well oiled machine. One number after another was called it felt like being in a parallel universe. But this has been my most painless renewal in 10 years 

Edited October 28, 2018 by johnoko

[NoshowJones]

On 10/27/2018 at 2:57 PM, NCC1701A said:

Big Joke made a big point of specifically saying agents were abusing the system and had to be stopped. so not hard to believe.

 

up to you if you believe things will go back to "normal". 

 

 

But these agents are all lining very important pockets and the people who have these important

pockets are not going to allow part of their income stream to drop. We are not just talking about

ordinary Thais here, all these high ranking people have a lot of say in what happens with cracking down on this and cracking down on that.

[thailand49]

I look at it this way, I see it when I believe it?  Maybe in CM, but elsewhere particularly Jomtien. Big Jokes isn't running the Tourist police any longer he is now in the fast lane playing with the big boys unless his family in government has his back no matter what.  As soon as the people getting hurt finds the right ear that is willing to listen to their plead it is bye bye. 

Edited October 28, 2018 by thailand49