extending 30 day tourist visa/visa free

[Sri Shina]

I  am  hoping  to  extend  my  30  day  tourist  visa  at  Chanthaburi,  the  closest  immigration  office  to  where  I  am  staying.  Recently  a  couple  with  60  day  visas  they  obtained  in  their  home  country  went  there  for  just  such  a  renewal  and  luckily  had  an  employee  from  the  hotel  where  we  are  staying  because  along  with  the  other  required  documents  the  employee  had  to  complete  a  very  detailed,  lengthy  form  for  the  hotel  and  signed  in  the  presence  of  immigration  officials.  I  got  a  copy  of  this  form  (it  is  unclear  as  to  whether  it  came  from  the  hotel  or  from  immigration)  and  asked  the  hotel  manager  to  complete  it  for  me  but  instead  she  sent  me  to  their  sister  hotel  where  the  owner  has  a  better  command  of  English.  She  told  me  that  she  would  have  to  accompany  me  to  immigration  but  is  very  busy.  This  round  trip  plus  time  at  immigration  would  take  at  least  three  hours.  The  whole  ordeal  seems  improbable  as  if  this  were  truly  the  case  how  many  people  would  actually  get  their  visas  extended?  With  thousands  of  hotels  in  Bangkok  I  cannot  imagine  this  would  be  achievable.  Or  would  this  rule  vary  from  city  to  city?

Thanks  for  any  help.

[AAArdvark]

What was the "lengthy" document that they filled out?  Was it a TM-30, that the hotel was supposed to fill out when you checked in?

[Sri Shina]

Yes,  I  believe  so.   There  is  small  Thai  script  at  the  top  left  of  the  form  and  the  owner  did  say  TM-30  I  think.  She  was  supposed  to  call  immigration  but  I  have  not  heard  back.

Thanks.

[AAArdvark]

Just guessing, the hotel was supposed to fill it out in the first place.  They are offering the help to protect themselves.  My understanding is that you could fill it out yourself but normally the hotel should provide you with a copy of the one they they were supposed to do.

[ubonjoe]

Most hotels are setup to do the reports to immigration online.

It seems the hotel where you are staying are making it more difficult than it needs to be.

[Sri Shina]

Well,  finally  something  that  makes  sense.

They  offer  a  good  monthly  rate  and  last  year  I  think  they  were  busted  for  charging  double,  or  more,  the  legal  rate  for  power  and  water.

Thanks  again.

[Sri Shina]

So,  should  I  just  show  up  at  immigration  and  hope  for  the  best?  With  or  without  the  completed  TM-30?

[jacko45k]

20 minutes ago, Sri Shina said:

So,  should  I  just  show  up  at  immigration  and  hope  for  the  best?  With  or  without  the  completed  TM-30?

If you have  problem, you should take a short trip to Pattaya, stay a couple of days and extend the tourist visa exempt there!

[JackThompson]

5 hours ago, Sri Shina said:

Well,  finally  something  that  makes  sense.

They  offer  a  good  monthly  rate  and  last  year  I  think  they  were  busted  for  charging  double,  or  more,  the  legal  rate  for  power  and  water.

Thanks  again.

Overcharging (2x or more) for electric is not unusual here, where you don't pay your own bill.  This is why condos are not as expensive as they seem, when compared to "cheaper room" rentals - many allow you to pay your electric direct, for 1/3 to 1/2 of what an apartment will charge.

 

Agree that the solution is to stay somewhere else for a couple nights, and extend while there.  A larger hotel will report you online. 

[MuuKondiao]

7 hours ago, jacko45k said:

If you have  problem, you should take a short trip to Pattaya, stay a couple of days and extend the tourist visa exempt there!

Now you have gotten me more confused.

I will have to make the attempt to extend my 30-day visa-exempt soon.

Are you saying that it is easier to do so in Pattaya - as opposed to in C.M. where I am? I would make the trip there if that were the case.

[MuuKondiao]

7 hours ago, jacko45k said:

If you have  problem, you should take a short trip to Pattaya, stay a couple of days and extend the tourist visa exempt there!

Just as an aside - a BTW - I have been thinking about going with the ED visa, applying to one of the language schools. I lived in LOS a few years ago and now am back on just a 30-day exempt and I would in any case be paying friends or college students to tutor me and study with youtube so what the hay? In a year I would be somewhat fluent in the language and hep to the situation and have a chance to get my money - disability allowance from my Uncle Sam - transferred into a Thai bank every month for a year, et cetera....

BUT, I don't want to stay in Chiang Mai - it is not the C.M. I remember and the beaches down in Cha Am appeal to me. 

They tell me if I enrole in school in C.M. I have to stay in C.M. I have to do 90-day reports in C.M. and prove residence here during the term of the visa.

If I move to the South, PKK province, instead and enroll in school there in Hua Hin ? then I am stuck there. 

 I don't know about medical facilities there for a man as old as me - old enough to be a Vietnam veteran.

So, does anyone have any advice (sensible advice), experiences to share about this?

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, MuuKondiao said:

Now you have gotten me more confused.

I will have to make the attempt to extend my 30-day visa-exempt soon.

Are you saying that it is easier to do so in Pattaya - as opposed to in C.M. where I am? I would make the trip there if that were the case.

Sorry, I quoted a different poster with different circumstances.