The new extension rules, designed to stop people obtaining illegal extensions, has created various threads on Thai Visa in the last few weeks, running to a few thousand posts in total, most of which are negative ones by what appears to be a lot of unhappy expats.

 

Some expats, using false affidavits to declare income and using agents to falsify the money in the bank system, were not only illegal, they became a major problem that Immigration felt they needed to address.

 

Given that Thailand has rules for people staying here in the longer term, they are at least trying to ensure that everybody abides by those rules and attempting to get rid of the liars and cheats.

 

So, if you don’t agree with Immigration's methods, what would you do to stop all the illegal extension applications, both income based and money in the bank options???

Maybe disband the current immigration work force.

and start again.

Any illegal extension can only be issue by them , so thats the real problem. 

 

 

It's very simple. Make the deposit a permanent requirement and remove the possibility for Immigration staff to bend the rules.

 

If Immigration never accepted bribes the agencies wouldn't bother offering them.

Maybe put a few high flyer IMM officers on temporary inactive duty.

Have you not noticed the shake up locally? We have a new immigration chief in khon Kaen.

 

 

Maybe immigration could do a deal with the banks and introduce specific expat visa bank accounts. No problems opening them as they are expat accounts, immigration could access the accounts via their system. No need for ATM cards or books etc, account must have a minimum balance/deposits.

The banks would get the extra business/funds, maybe even offer a couple of satang better ex rate etc, insurance options etc.

 

44 minutes ago, sumrit said:

So, if you don’t agree with Immigration's methods, what would you do to stop all the illegal extension applications, both income based and money in the bank options???

Actually illegal extension is the act of fraud. So, detect fraud is police related task. Spot checks and imprisonment can discourage the wish to participate in fraud. But yes it is required a lot of work immigration bureau and police. However, current situation shows that IMM officers just want to make easy money.

Simple really, grant 5 year temporary settlement visas in the home country, not here in LOS.  Require all the financials/police checks etc on application (by post and  if necessary interview.) Scrap the difference between a visa based on marriage or retirement, but allow application for a work permit from those with the new TSV.  Scrap 90 day reporting in favour of annual reporting. 

 

BJ, if you are reading this, I can offer consultancy at reasonable rates. 

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

Scrap the difference between a visa based on marriage or retirement

Wow really? I guess family support and retirement are not the same at all.

2 minutes ago, Dmitry2222 said:

 

Actually illegal extension is the act of fraud. So, detect fraud is police related task. Spot checks and imprisonment can discourage the wish to participate in fraud. But yes it is required a lot of work immigration bureau and police. However, current situation shows that IMM officers just want to make easy money.

The extensions are not always fraud, a high level immigration officer can approve an extension without funds or seasoning, "legally".

Access to the high level officer, via an agent, is corruption etc but its still a legal extension if the officer is empowered.

 

Just now, Dmitry2222 said:

Wow really? I guess family support and retirement are not the same at all.

They can be, as they are in my case.  I am married to a Thai, but my extension of stay is based upon retirement. . 

No matter what rules are developed, agents can circumvent them - but only if corrupt IOs and/or bank staff cooperate.

 

The solution is not hard to understand, there is just no political will to implement it.

 

1. Outlaw Visa agents and enforce this.

 

2. Dismiss corrupt IOs.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Access to the high level officer, via an agent, is corruption etc but its still a legal extension if the officer is empowered.

It's can be legal while corruption will not be proved. In such paradigm current changes will not help to avoid illegal extensions (because of corruption). Police should work and understanding of punishment inevitability will give the result.

Remove all the ambiguity. This lack of clarity is precisely why they are having problems now.

 

Have a clear route to follow listing paperwork and requirements without any deviations.

 

Do Not leave it up to the IO's discretion to ask for anything additional.

 

If the applicant does not have what is required, decline the application and invite them to come back when they have all that is necessary.

 

Having clear rules like this ( like in any 1st world country) allows the retiree or tourist to make an informed decision as to if they want to settle in the country. If not, they move on to a country that they can meet the requirements.

 

The opportunity for 'tea money' is the problem for all immigration's ills but they deliberately set out to do this from the very beginning. If they can't earn from it, then they don't see the point. ????

Arrest the agents and their IO hommy.

They are easy to spot, you know.. The guy that Waltzes up to the officer and drops 20 passports on the desk followed by rapport building chatter like.. Congratulations on your new Mercedes, you hard worker and deserve it.

21 minutes ago, Dmitry2222 said:

 

Actually illegal extension is the act of fraud. So, detect fraud is police related task. Spot checks and imprisonment can discourage the wish to participate in fraud. But yes it is required a lot of work immigration bureau and police. However, current situation shows that IMM officers just want to make easy money.

Immigration Officers are police officers.

23 minutes ago, Dmitry2222 said:

 

Actually illegal extension is the act of fraud. So, detect fraud is police related task. Spot checks and imprisonment can discourage the wish to participate in fraud. But yes it is required a lot of work immigration bureau and police. However, current situation shows that IMM officers just want to make easy money.

There's no such thing as the 'immigration bureau' and the Immigration Police are a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Royal Thai Police. There's no way they're going to suddenly stop the fox looking after the chickens investigate themselves.

7 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

No matter what rules are developed, agents can circumvent them - but only if corrupt IOs and/or bank staff cooperate.

 

The solution is not hard to understand, there is just no political will to implement it.

 

1. Outlaw Visa agents and enforce this.

 

2. Dismiss corrupt IOs.

 

 

I like both of these suggestions.  #2 would be an order of magnitude more difficult to do, but doing #1 would help a bit with #2.

4 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Immigration Officers are police officers.

There are IMM police division and criminal police. Also i guess there is own security department.

There is no paper trials for any body to check the bank account paperwork after a extension is given. The requirement is a copy of the front page and the page the 3 months is shown but there is nothing to show the page for the 3 months is the same book as the front page with the name on (can just issue a book with the name on it and copy any bodies 3 month page) so it is not easy to do a check at a later date

 

The way round this would be a requirement of bank statements with the name and account number on it and signed off by the bank

Get out of Dodge.....

 

Solves all  your problems.

 

 

27 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Access to the high level officer, via an agent, is corruption etc but its still a legal extension if the officer is empowered.

It is only a legal extension if per the Immigration Act the IMM officer receives no more than 2000 baht for his/her efforts.

Revoke the financial requirements for long term expatvisas


Gesendet von iPhone mit Thaivisa Connect

a flat rate of 25k removes all opportunities to extort,

-corruption ended

41 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

There's no such thing as the 'immigration bureau'  //

Sure... https://www.immigration.go.th/index   

 

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

Simple really, grant 5 year temporary settlement visas in the home country, not here in LOS.  Require all the financials/police checks etc on application (by post and  if necessary interview.) Scrap the difference between a visa based on marriage or retirement,  //

So in short you want remove O-A and Extensions, and force everyone to Elite Visa …? 

23 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

a flat rate of 25k removes all opportunities to extort,

-corruption ended

1,900 baht  sounds better to me.

and get people to do there jobs,  they are paid to do.

 

Seemed like the often quoted fee for an agent is 15,000 baht. I say now give him 20,000 baht, he earned it.

 

8 minutes ago, stanleycoin said:

1,900 baht  sounds better to me.

and get people to do there jobs,  they are paid to do.

 

they will continue to flee victims for as long as they possibly can, a flat rate with no other commitments will close chance to extort.

and make it so applicants can seek extension in any immigration without fuss

11 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Sure... https://www.immigration.go.th/index   

 

So in short you want remove O-A and Extensions, and force everyone to Elite Visa …? 

I didn't say that. I didn't mention any payment , bar a normal ,  reasonable visa fee.

49 minutes ago, offset said:

There is no paper trials for any body to check the bank account paperwork after a extension is given. The requirement is a copy of the front page and the page the 3 months is shown but there is nothing to show the page for the 3 months is the same book as the front page with the name on (can just issue a book with the name on it and copy any bodies 3 month page) so it is not easy to do a check at a later date

 

The way round this would be a requirement of bank statements with the name and account number on it and signed off by the bank

Every Imm office i have ever used - a total of 4 different ones over the years - has physically examined the original bank book as well as asking for a copy.