Just did my extension of stay last week at jomtien immigration all went well but I noticed how quick it was and how quite it was at the retirement desk all together went there three times same every time 

 

Yes, it's dead now. Many people are leaving this country for other places. Much less hassle in other places.

Maybe Songkran being on the horizon has something to do with it! ????

was in hua hin 2 weeks ago (doing a TM28) and all the long-stay IO's were standing in the center of the room having a conversation together.

 

it was 9.45am and the office was empty apart from me

 

i know its low season here but i have never seen it that low

51 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Yes, it's dead now. Many people are leaving this country for other places. Much less hassle in other places.

Only a hassle of your retiring in a shoestring.

 

18 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

was in hua hin 2 weeks ago (doing a TM28) and all the long-stay IO's were standing in the center of the room having a conversation together.

 

it was 9.45am and the office was empty apart from me

 

i know its low season here but i have never seen it that low

With Ta Yang servicing Cha am area and the office in Blueport plus HH moving, could add to it being quite

It's low season now, nothing else. Like every year.

I went to Nonthaburi this afternoon for extension ...it was packed out ...as I still have one month left IO suggested to come back after Songram ...which I happily agreed to...

41 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Only a hassle of your retiring in a shoestring.

 

Not having the funds caused people to try to circumvent Thai Immigration regulations which in turn caused and is causing problems for those who are following the regulations (nothing new in that). People have blamed embassies for their problems while I'm of the view these embassies were complicit with misrepresentation but choked when having to own up to it. 

29 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

People have blamed embassies for their problems while I'm of the view these embassies were complicit with misrepresentation but choked when having to own up to it. 

Actually some people had the required income but did not need all of it here and were not transferring all of it into the country and now are having problems transferring all of it into the country. Also some people had obligations in their home country that required some of the funds be kept there to pay for them.

 

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

Yes, it's dead now. Many people are leaving this country for other places. Much less hassle in other places.

Given the rule-changes on bank-funds and the loss of embassy-letters, a much larger percentage of applications are likely now being processed in the "back room" in bulk - delivered by agents - so fewer applicants will be present at the front-desk.  That was the purpose of those changes, after all.

 

30 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

Not having the funds caused people to try to circumvent Thai Immigration regulations which in turn caused and is causing problems for those who are following the regulations (nothing new in that). People have blamed embassies for their problems while I'm of the view these embassies were complicit with misrepresentation but choked when having to own up to it. 

The prior-rule was 65K gross income.  The new-rule, for those w/o embassy-letters any more, is 65K "transferred to Thailand" income.  UJ addressed the effect of this, above.

 

Anyone lying about their gross-income on an embassy-letter for the USA or AU (not sure for UK) was committing a felony, which could result in being blacklisted from Thailand plus prosecution and loss of their passport.  Any lying was "on them" - not on the embassy, who merely witnessed a sworn statement.  Thai immigration could have referred cases for prosecution, if they believed the letters were fraudulent.  If they had, I am sure it would have been headline "bad farang" news - but doesn't seem they ever did.

 

The rule changes will make many IOs a lot of money in agent-fees.  That seems much more likely as a motivating factor, than worry about retirees spending less than 65K/mo in "free money" into the Thai economy (where no "welfare" for foreigners exists) or borrowing 800K for 3 months, when immigration's agent-partners offer a cheaper solution that only requires a 1-hour loan.  There was no point in increasing the seasoning, which is ignored for agent-applications anyway, except to force more honest-applicants to immigration's agent-partners.

Couldn't believe how quickly I got my 30 day extension....in and out inside 35 mins..

18 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Given the rule-changes on bank-funds and the loss of embassy-letters, a much larger percentage of applications are likely now being processed in the "back room" in bulk - delivered by agents - so fewer applicants will be present at the front-desk.  That was the purpose of those changes, after all.

 

The prior-rule was 65K gross income.  The new-rule, for those w/o embassy-letters any more, is 65K "transferred to Thailand" income.  UJ addressed the effect of this, above.

 

Anyone lying about their gross-income on an embassy-letter for the USA or AU (not sure for UK) was committing a felony, which could result in being blacklisted from Thailand plus prosecution and loss of their passport.  Any lying was "on them" - not on the embassy, who merely witnessed a sworn statement.  Thai immigration could have referred cases for prosecution, if they believed the letters were fraudulent.  If they had, I am sure it would have been headline "bad farang" news - but doesn't seem they ever did.

 

The rule changes will make many IOs a lot of money in agent-fees.  That seems much more likely as a motivating factor, than worry about retirees spending less than 65K/mo in "free money" into the Thai economy (where no "welfare" for foreigners exists) or borrowing 800K for 3 months, when immigration's agent-partners offer a cheaper solution that only requires a 1-hour loan.  There was no point in increasing the seasoning, which is ignored for agent-applications anyway, except to force more honest-applicants to immigration's agent-partners.

Any idea what the agents are asking for their "services?" 

11 minutes ago, Thailand Outcast said:

Any idea what the agents are asking for their "services?" 

15,000 - 25,000

47 minutes ago, Dave98 said:

15,000 - 25,000

. . . . and about how much for a 90 day stamp ??

42 minutes ago, kwan said:

and about how much for a 90 day stamp ??

What kind of 90 day stamp?

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

What kind of 90 day stamp?

90 day reporting - showing 800 (????)

29 minutes ago, kwan said:

90 day reporting - showing 800 (????)

That is not required at the majority of immigration offices.

And definitely not needed a Jomtien.

90 day reporting - showing 800 (????)

It's still 15k to 20k in Pattaya for a 1 year visa based on retirement. If you ask the agent they will tell you business as usual. But we'll see what will happen when you need to report 800k with your 90 days.

18 hours ago, kwan said:

90 day reporting - showing 800 (????)

Jomtien is giving out letters with new extensions "come back and show your bank book" stamped with a date 90-days in the future. 

 

Someone asked at CW-Bangkok about this, and was told they weren't doing it there, but each office can make up whatever enforcement-regime for post-application seasoning it wants.

 

18 hours ago, balo said:

18 hours ago, kwan said:

90 day reporting - showing 800 (????)

It's still 15k to 20k in Pattaya for a 1 year visa based on retirement. If you ask the agent they will tell you business as usual. But we'll see what will happen when you need to report 800k with your 90 days.

One report said an agent was only going to charge 500 Baht for these - but it is also possible they just don't schedule appointments for agent-applications - same as they don't look at the pre-application seasoning.

3 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Jomtien is giving out letters with new extensions "come back and show your bank book" stamped with a date 90-days in the future. 

 

Someone asked at CW-Bangkok about this, and was told they weren't doing it there, but each office can make up whatever enforcement-regime for post-application seasoning it wants.

 

One report said an agent was only going to charge 500 Baht for these - but it is also possible they just don't schedule appointments for agent-applications - same as they don't look at the pre-application seasoning.

So, not only is there now "boarder shopping" for entering, there will probably be "immigration office shopping" for remaining here, and I don't meant just for a shorter queue.  ????