Today I went to Bangkok immigration. It's nothing short of a disaster. Last year I arrived a little after one and I had done my retirement visa in 20 minutes. I was out the door at 1330.   This year was nothing like last year. I arrived today close to 2 o'clock. Most of the people waiting for the retirement extension, and the family extension, and the marriage extension L line told me they had been there since first thing in the morning. One gentleman told me that he was number nine. While I waited an hour and half for my number to queue up, I was told as soon as I got in that I needed the TM 30 from the landlord. First she referred to the 90 day report but then when I showed her my 90 day report she said that she needed the TM 30. As it was getting close to 1530, the lady quickly got me a number for the B line or Q, which I hadn't seen before and certainly had seen last year, bought it was set up so that everybody who didn't have a TM 30 could fill one out on themselves and very conveniently pay 800 baht for the penalty.   some people walking around with a lease, others were walking around with the ID cards of their landlords but you could tell that the whole thing was set up to collect 800 Baht bounty. Today they collected at least half a million baht in fines.

 

I had to run downstairs to get copies of pages in my passport that I didn't need for the extension but needed for the TM 30. They also told me to sign the line where the landlord would sign.   the entire time that I waited for the extension itself, no notice was given to anyone that they would be asking for this. I only had notice from the discussions with one of the older Americans there that they were also asking for a hand-drawn map. I may have gotten the last income letter from the US Embassy as I got it on December 31 and I was one of the few people at the end of the line. It was accepted without any comment. Once you get finished to be line they give you another queue so that you could pay the fine.   by the time I paid the fine it was close to 1630. The lady immigration officer who was very nice came looking for me from the L did the b  Q.

 

 These people have a sense of humor. I made a few jokes that they laughed at and had a fair amount of discussion with them I found them to be very personable. The process is now become much longer because the verification takes so much more time. Everybody's walking around with bank books including the immigration officers who were going from desk to desk getting approvals or answering questions. I managed to get out of there in three hours so one has to wonder why the people that got there first thing in the morning were still there.

 

Be warned,that they will ask you for things that are not spelled out in the regulations. Nobody should be asking me for a copy of what the landlord should file. I told him unabashedly, that I should not be responsible for what the landlord does or does not do. I told them that I follow their law as it applies to me, and I had complied with everything that they had written. And they greeted me that I shouldn't be involved in what the landlord is supposed to do. I reminded them the landlords Thai and she should know  the lawn her own country. I told them that although I paid the fine I would be taking it out of my rent, whichthey told me I should absolutely do because it's not right. Go figure out that one. They also asked me to sign for landlord.

 

 A a

Cheating rip off by the Gov of Thailand ...nothing new there !


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So in 50 words or less ....

Just now, madmen said:

So in 50 words or less ....

You owe me 46 more.

5 minutes ago, wreckingcountry said:

Cheating rip off by the Gov of Thailand ...nothing new there !


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

The drive toward agencies continues, while being officially denied, TIT.

13 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

Nobody should be asking me for a copy of what the landlord should file. I told him unabashedly, that I should not be responsible for what the landlord does or does not do.

Just send a letter to your embassy. If they get enough complaints from your fellow countrymen, maybe, just maybe the consul will bring it up with a Thai official.

 

Wishful thinking I know, but baby steps. ????

14 minutes ago, thequietman said:

Just send a letter to your embassy. If they get enough complaints from your fellow countrymen, maybe, just maybe the consul will bring it up with a Thai official.

 

Wishful thinking I know, but baby steps. ????

I like your thinking. Wouldn't it be lovely if there was a conduit between farang and Thai imm. I think there is some input groups but the frustrating thing is very difficult to voice an opinion here in los. I wonder what would be outcome of peaceful  quiet sit down protest at entry of CW re TM30 nonsense. Rhetorical question.

Do they want a TM 30 from a person who has not been out of Thailand for 10 years?

57 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

I was told as soon as I got in that I needed the TM 30 from the landlord.

Yeah we know this since a couple of years. Thanks for the heads up anyway.

1 hour ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

I may have gotten the last income letter from the US Embassy as I got it on December 31 and I was one of the few people at the end of the line. It was accepted without any comment.

 

When was your current/prior extension going to expire?

 

In other words, your visit today with the income affidavit was how far in advance of your extension's regular expiration date?

 

14 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Do they want a TM 30 from a person who has not been out of Thailand for 10 years?

It doesn't matter how many years, if you need a TM 30 you need it. The only difference when people leave the country is that they need to update it when coming back "within 24 hours".

(formally when changing temporarily your residence within Thailand too, but this seems to be requested differently in different provinces, not in CM for example).

 

23 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Do they want a TM 30 from a person who has not been out of Thailand for 10 years?

 

       Yes..

From the opening post of this topic:

Quote

...They also told me to sign the line where the landlord would sign...

 

4675636b596f75, is this the place on the TM.30 form where immigration made you sign?

Registered for tm30 online. After 3 weeks still checking. Im expecting to get reply after 3 months. All systems created to waste people time and benefit cronies.

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

Do they want a TM 30 from a person who has not been out of Thailand for 10 years?

If you had been here 10 yrs you would be well aware of laws to the strict interpretation.

Every time you are away from you residence for ONE night you need file tm30 upon return. That applies to travel within los. The fact that in most instances was never enforced is bit if side issue. Depends on imm office . eg CW now has become an issue for many if having need to attend imm. eg  extension. 

In addition (might be wrong) strictly speaking if you stay in another province think tm47 comes into play?. Like many I'm very unclear as having lived in bangkok for several years and this was never required previously we are all bit lost. My plan is to do a tm30 upon my last return to my residence prior to application for extension. Having stated that fully expect to be fined 800baht. Why? Because they can.

18 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

If you had been here 10 yrs you would be well aware of laws to the strict interpretation.

They only started doing this 3 years ago. Before they never bothered. 

Edited June 19, 20197 yr by aqua4

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

When was your current/prior extension going to expire?

 

In other words, your visit today with the income affidavit was how far in advance of your extension's regular expiration date?

 

July 15  I got the letter on the 31st, so I could have used it on the 30th of June.  

Edited June 19, 20197 yr by 4675636b596f75

54 minutes ago, Maestro said:

From the opening post of this topic:

 

4675636b596f75, is this the place on the TM.30 form where immigration made you sign?

Yes

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I like your thinking. Wouldn't it be lovely if there was a conduit between farang and Thai imm. I think there is some input groups but the frustrating thing is very difficult to voice an opinion here in los. I wonder what would be outcome of peaceful  quiet sit down protest at entry of CW re TM30 nonsense. Rhetorical question.

Lots o luck getting the Farangs to come together and protest. A sit down protest at immigration? I don't think they'd notice the difference! I would like to see a way we could band together and petition immigration to get rid of the TM30 and 90 day report.

I got confused. Take it out of your rent? It is your responsibility. Just because you do not like it does not mean it is not your responsibility. Maybe I understood something wrong. If you need something to stay legal in Thailand I would go get it or pay the fine. Taking it out of rent because you did not acquire it sounds illogical. 

Edited June 19, 20197 yr by meand

Happy I moved from BKK 2 years ago before this insanity started... Nakhon Sawan IO is a breeze, small office, nice and smiling girls, but the final sign-off from the arrogant lady head honcho is a pain, no smiles, just an attitude like: Get the f... outahere..

 

 

Send the wife, it's easier

Does anyone think there should be some kind of union to communicate with the government?

1 hour ago, meand said:

I got confused. Take it out of your rent? It is your responsibility. Just because you do not like it does not mean it is not your responsibility. Maybe I understood something wrong. If you need something to stay legal in Thailand I would go get it or pay the fine. Taking it out of rent because you did not acquire it sounds illogical. 

I am taking it out of my rent and the condo owner knows it.  How could it possibly be my responsibility?  I don't have her ownership info.  I cannot do this because I lack information.  I can only do this at immigration where they allow me to sign for the owner because they have me held captive and will withhold my extension.  I'm sure Thais could care less about doing this, and often become scofflaws.  They just figured out how to get their money.  The fact, that I had no documentation to make this report was overlooked.

 

800b.  Thank you.

51 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

How could it possibly be my responsibility? 

 

Based on the definition of House Master in section 4 of the Immigration Act, for a rented residence

House Master = tenant

Possessor = tenant

Owner = owner

 

I have seen many posts where immigration was satisfied with a copy of the rental agreement when copies of the owner's ID and house registration were not available.

 

 

I have never had to submit a TM 30. They have never asked me. I have been doing work visas both in Jomthien and Sri Ratcha. I dutifully do my 90 day report on time.

I was there the other day running the gauntlet as the OP, all true, but never mind that, i have seen the hopelessness and the tired look at the eyes of the poor ladies/girls officers who were drowning in paperwork and a cacophony of sounds from people all around them each with their own problem and a query  and lost as what is is all about, Thailand keeps dropping the ball dealing with foreigners, it seems that the general consensus is 'Let's make their lives as hard and complicated as possible, maybe they'll just give up and go back home'....

32 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Thailand keeps dropping the ball dealing with foreigners, it seems that the general consensus is 'Let's make their lives as hard and complicated as possible, maybe they'll just give up and go back home'....

Yes, but in the mean time, they are going to hit people with as many fines as they can...ca-ching!

8 hours ago, arithai12 said:

Yeah we know this since a couple of years. Thanks for the heads up anyway.

 

6 hours ago, aqua4 said:

They only started doing this 3 years ago. Before they never bothered. 

 

This has been enforced at Chaengwattana for less than two months. 

9 hours ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

it was set up so that everybody who didn't have a TM 30 could fill one out on themselves and very conveniently pay 800 baht for the penalty.   some people walking around with a lease, others were walking around with the ID cards of their landlords but you could tell that the whole thing was set up to collect 800 Baht bounty. Today they collected at least half a million baht in fines.

All this complaining about TM 30. It´s now wide spread knowledge that everybody have to do this, and when you need to do it again. There is also a fine connected to this, that you have to pay if you have not done your TM 30. Nothing strange with the. The place you go to have set it up, for proplr that do not do TM 30 to start follow the law.

Just get your papers in order instead, and you will not have to pay the fine. Very simple.

 

7 hours ago, Maestro said:

From the opening post of this topic:

 

4675636b596f75, is this the place on the TM.30 form where immigration made you sign?

If so, that is perfectly right. As far as I know, there is no other place to sign a TM 30 if you are not an Immigration Officer.