9 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

As it stands now they believe Imm does nto require this letter. US Emb likely believes the same.

I have a screenshot that I took from Thai Immi website a couple of weeks ago. I can't find the English version on the website today.

No mention of embassy letter.

What is the difference between certifying a divorce agreement for the required freedom to marry cert' and certifying UK yearly tax records sent from UK if you have sent automatically every year from the UK pension company.

I get them every year whether I want them or not.

If I appeared at/wrote/e-mailed the Embassy stating I get xxxxxx a year without proof/official papers why would they just say OK and give me the letter saying it's genuine?

Edit.

Genuine question.

What do/did the BE actually ask to see before certifying an expats income?

I honestly don't know, never done it.

8 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Joe can you show a screenshot where this option appears on top right side. I cannot find it, Or alternately paste the full url with English.,

The Eng does is not appearing at this time. It should be between where the 2 arrows are here.

I am getting the site in English since I went on it early this morning.

 

 

1 hour ago, 007 RED said:

FYI…. Ms Stacey Adele Filer is the person who normally signs the BE letter confirming income.  When she signs the letter her designation is given as Pro Consul.

 

I think that she is fairly new to the post and was recruited earlier this year – see FOC job advert https://fco.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/appcentre-ext/brand-2/candidate/so/pm/4/pl/1/opp/3478-BK-Pro-Consul-A2-L/en-GB

 

It should be noted that her salary is just 37,102 Baht per month so I leave it to you to judge how far down the BE 'food chain' she is.

 

Please bear in mind that if the alleged meeting between Immigration and Embassy Officials took place in May, the above mentioned person would not have participated in this meeting.

Stacey (as Pro Consul) signed off my BE Income Letter of March 2018. So, could well have attended the alleged May meeting.

1 hour ago, 007 RED said:

FYI…. Ms Stacey Adele Filer is the person who normally signs the BE letter confirming income.  When she signs the letter her designation is given as Pro Consul.

 

I think that she is fairly new to the post and was recruited earlier this year – see FOC job advert https://fco.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/appcentre-ext/brand-2/candidate/so/pm/4/pl/1/opp/3478-BK-Pro-Consul-A2-L/en-GB

 

It should be noted that her salary is just 37,102 Baht per month so I leave it to you to judge how far down the BE 'food chain' she is.

 

Please bear in mind that if the alleged meeting between Immigration and Embassy Officials took place in May, the above mentioned person would not have participated in this meeting.

"I think that she is fairly new to the post and was recruited earlier this year – see FOC job advert https://fco.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/appcentre-ext/brand-2/candidate/so/pm/4/pl/1/opp/3478-BK-Pro-Consul-A2-L/en-GB

It should be noted that her salary is just 37,102 Baht per month so I leave it to you to judge how far down the BE 'food chain' she is."

 

 

37,102 bht salary p.m.?  As you say, "I leave it to you to judge how far down the BE 'food chain' she is"!

 

Incidentally, I particularly liked this part of the advert - "The British Embassy in Bangkok is part of a global network providing a full range of consular assistance to British people in Thailand" ????

I think the key to resolving this is to send a copy of official Imm site or document listing an Embassy letter as a requirement. Lacking this, they will continue to state it is not required.

 

 

 

 

43 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I think the key to resolving this is to send a copy of official Imm site or document listing an Embassy letter as a requirement. Lacking this, they will continue to state it is not required.

It could very well be that no one at the Embassy has ever read the Thai immigration Act of 1979; The Police Orders-most current 2014 or visited the Website.  You might consider sending them everything.  

Only one mention of this matter in Bangkok Post, so, it's not an issue that concerns most expats so why should embassies change their mind. 

53 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I think the key to resolving this is to send a copy of official Imm site or document listing an Embassy letter as a requirement. Lacking this, they will continue to state it is not required.

 

 

 

 

See Chickenlegs post  no.34 earlier.

1 hour ago, dick dasterdly said:

7,102 bht salary p.m.?  As you say, "I leave it to you to judge how far down the BE 'food chain' she is"!

 

Incidentally, I particularly liked this part of the advert - "The British Embassy in Bangkok is part of a global network providing a full range of consular assistance to British people in Thailand" ????

According to B E stats the letter brings in a little over 6 Million Baht per year- while the person signing makes near 500,000 per.  year.

I honestly believe there  is not many people if any at either the UK or US Embassy that have a complete understanding of how the Police Order works or is applied or has any real knowledge of the ramifications of their decisions.  Both Embassies need to be educated by its citizens on what this decision really means and ask for relief.

 

I tried to call the Us Embassy and speak to  someone about this- cannot get past the switchboard= they will only allow a call if one declares it is an emergency such as death or illness. I was provided an email address and informed to send my comments/concerns that way. 

9 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

According to B E stats the letter brings in a little over 6 Million Baht per year- while the person signing makes near 500,000 per.  year.

 

 

 

.. and some people STILL argue that this is a cost-cutting exercise................. ????????

3 hours ago, kannot said:

4 hours ago, Moonlover said:

sighting

 

3 hours ago, kannot said:

gosh does she really mean that? if  so standards at the BI are  really down..but expected

If that's the only criticism you can come with kannot, then I guess we're making some progress.

 

By the way there are no less than 5 grammatical mistakes in your response. That must be a record for one short sentence. Standards aren't so high on this forum either are they.

3 hours ago, cleverman said:

Only one mention of this matter in Bangkok Post, so, it's not an issue that concerns most expats so why should embassies change their mind. 

Here on Thai Visa you are only getting posts/views/opinios of ex-pats who are members. There must be 1000s more who, intelligently, do not spend too much time here. How the hell will THEY know about the new regulations due to come in soon. I did suggest thatto the BE that they send emails to ALL last years'applicants for letters of Income as  opposed to just their posting here on TV, or their interview on 103. Did I get a reply...........did f.....!

I would be interested to know Ubon Joe's response to this hypothetical:

I am not transferring 65,000 baht/month into a Thai bank account. Instead, I transfer a lump sum of 780,000 baht once a year. Does that still qualify as an income transfer?

The reason I ask is it's more economical in terms of fees to transfer as a one-off.

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I am not transferring 65,000 baht/month into a Thai bank account. Instead, I transfer a lump sum of 780,000 baht once a year. Does that still qualify as an income transfer?

I don't think that would be accepted.

You could add 20k baht to reach 800k baht and transfer it in 3 months before the date you expect to apply for your extension and then use it to live on for the year and then repeat it the next year.

8 hours ago, wgdanson said:

A link to that anyone please. This particular line I have quoted is missed out on my reply from Stacey, Deputising Vice Consul, at BE. How far down the line is that?

 

The writing is on the wall. 400k or 800k seasoned in a Thai account next year or your extension will be denied. That seems to be what is clearly coming. 

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I don't think that would be accepted.

You could add 20k baht to reach 800k baht and transfer it in 3 months before the date you expect to apply for your extension and then use it to live on for the year and then repeat it the next year.

This is somewhat annoying. If I am spending an average of 60K baht/month as a retiree, I'm contributing considerably more than the average Thai to the national economy. Yet I'm treated like a pariah, hedged by illogical rules.  Why?

6 hours ago, Sheryl said:

@UbonJoe can you show a screenshot where this option appears on top right side. I cannot find it, Or alternately paste the full url with English? 

 

This is quite important, if we can locate the Imm site that states Embassy letter is a requirement OP could email it back to Imm then at least they will understand what the issue is. A sit currently stands both Embassies believe Imm does not require an Embassy letter and never has.

I'm using Chrome...see where I circled the Thai Eng selection....I have English selected.

https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_22

I'm using Chrome...see where I circled the Thai Eng selection....I have English selected.
https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_22

Thanks
For some reason does not show on my computer. But unimportant since it makes no mention of Embassy letter.

So where exactly is the Embassy kwtter requirement written? I have sern posted papers listing it. Are these just something made up by individual Imm offices?

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

11 minutes ago, Pib said:

I'm using Chrome...see where I circled the Thai Eng selection....I have English selected.

https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_22

Strange, but now it IS showing Eng on mine too. (3) Must have evidence.......does not say what that evidence should consist of......bank or pension statements, Thai or foreign bank, or a letter from your Embassy. All very vague.

15 minutes ago, Pib said:

I'm using Chrome...see where I circled the Thai Eng selection....I have English selected.

I use Chrome and it stopped working this morning for a while and then the site went down. Tried again later and it was working.

9 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Thanks
For some reason does not show on my computer. But unimportant since it makes no mention of Embassy letter.

So where exactly is the Embassy kwtter requirement written? I have sern posted papers listing it. Are these just something made up by individual Imm offices?

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

I have looked back on the last 2 police orders issued on supporting documentation, neither mentions the income letter.

15 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

So where exactly is the Embassy kwtter requirement written? I have sern posted papers listing it. Are these just something made up by individual Imm offices?

In some very old directive or order. It has been a requirement for a couple of decades or more as far as I know.

2 comments I hope are useful:

(1) For those puzzled by the signer being 'Pro Consul', it's simply old-fashioned [British!] bureaucratese for 'for and on behalf of' - ie the occupant of the post of Consul has delegated (either informally and temporarily, or more likely formally & permanently) certain functions to a more junior officer;

(2) Reading the Thai Immigration document as mentioned above produces a nice example of the ambiguities involved if you're interested (as I potentially am) in the monthly income path. First the alien who goes that path "Must have evidence of having income of no less than Baht 65000 per month". No mention of it appearing in a Thai bank account - that's mentioned only in regard to the bank seasoning path. BUT: Under 'Documents to be submitted' it has "3. Evidence of income such as a retirement pension, interest or dividends; AND/OR 4. Account deposited (saving/fixed account) certificate issued by a bank in Thailand and a copy of a bankbook".

 

So the issue revolves around the AND/OR and how your/my particular office chooses to interpret or enforce it. Obviously, if there is no further helpful advice to be had from Thai Immigration, then the SAFE avenue would be to do the AND not the OR! You would be within your rights to do the OR [ie no funds in Thai account] but that just might not wash with Comrade Somchai down the road.

I do not think at one time there was an Embassy Letter- There has always been some type of  income requirement and I could swear that somewhere  a long time ago I was allowed to show the income from documentation and no letter. This is back at least 30-40 years. Don't forget eons ago we didn't have computers or download or anything we have today. Got everything by mail or carried the proof from America.  I do remember specifically I wanted to extend a 15 day exempt entry (max in those days) and Thai Imm wanted me to deposit  $1,000 in a Thai bank- cash money.  I declined- too much at that time. This was 1971.

It's just like most laws that a government agency is responsible for implementing that agency can fine tune the implementation with "internal policies/directives" which are considered necessary to effectively implement/enforce a law.   Just like how many immigration offices require a map, some still require that additional information form where they asked for all types of personal info like social media accounts, etc.