SURVEY: TM 30 -- How serious is it?

[wgdanson]

31 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

How would they know I stayed in a hotel, as far as I know there isn’t a central data base linking all the Offices is there ?

Yes

[Jumbo1968]

6 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Yes

You complete a TM6 on your arrival in Thailand with all your details so why do you have too repeat it at your local Immigration Office if your details are logged at the airport.

When I was ‘detained’ a couple of years ago at Jomtien re TM30 they informed me the Data Base was local only, there wasn’t National Data Base so basically completing a TM6 is pointless.

The UK have now abolished Landing Cards the UK equivalent of a TM6.

[wobalt]

As I have nothing to do at immigration, I ignore a TM30 as long as immigration publish a detailed process for every office


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[Thingamabob]

3 hours ago, HHTel said:

Recently had a holiday in Koh Samed and Pattaya.  I renewed my extension last week with no problems.  I've never filed a TM30 in 20 years and last week was no exception.  It was never mentioned and everything done in under 15 mins.

Me too. No problem whatsoever.

[Nielsk]

So many divergent opinions on the TM30 lately so I'm getting completely rundown. For me, I want to do as before. Make sure that the TM30 is sent with information about my permanent address during the period I stay in Thailand (Usually half a year), for me to the Immigration Office (Jomtien). When I take my annual trip to Koh Samet at approx. a week, I will do nothing. If someone comes after me which I do not expect, I just have to pay the fine, whatever it may be ????????????????????

[toho]

I feel treated in this country like a criminal with an electronic ankle band. 

Tried to register at the Immigration website. Most is in Thai, in some cases no English explanation leaving me in the blue. What to do? taking my laptop to Immigration and asking for explanation / assistance?

The system is not customer friendly. 

Based on the basic rules I should have to report every time I come back from another province or abroad. But last year I was told at Jomtien Immigartion that I did not have to do this TM30, because I have a so-called retirement visa; however I never have read this in official information.

It's not only all this red tape, but also traffic, accidents, pollution, complete lack of environmental moral, corruption. I regret that this combination gives me more and more reason to reconsider my position in Thailand, where I own a condo since many years. Some countries in Asia and Europe are more interesting.

[drbeach]

3 hours ago, jonclark said:

Honestly given that the Immigration Act from which this 'rule' was implemented was in 1979, it is useful to consider just how much the world & Thailand has changed in the past 40 years

 

1979 - No Internet, Asean pretty much was a talking shop with 5 members, migrant labour from ASEAN / neighbouring countries was much lower, visiting foreigners was about 1 million a year, with significantly fewer long stay expats.- Tourism accounted for 0.5-1.5% GDP Thailand was coming to the end of a communist insurgency, and Vietnam was invading Kampuchea.  

 

2019 - Well we know how the above has changed. 

 

So given the breadth of changes that have happened to Thailand and its socio-economic development into one of the hubs of SE Asia. One must really question why the Immigaration Act has not been adapted and adjusted to fit with those changes. A square peg in a round hole. 

Indeed, very well said.

 

One could also make the case that back then, given the turmoil that every one of Thailand's neighbors was experiencing, the immigration law made sense for that time, and there were probably greater security issues back then, then there are now. Millions of refugees fleeing wars in neighboring countries would have overburdened the country's infrastructure. While most were eventually resettled in third countries or voluntarily went back home, about 100,000 refugees from Myanmar continue to linger in refugee camps today.

 

I assume back in the day there were few long-term visas options available. The concept of a foreigner coming to Thailand to live on a voluntary basis didn't exist. Therefore, there were probably only tourist visas and the like available. However, these could generally be extended back to back without an issue.

 

I think the time has come to reform the immigration system and create one that is both friendly towards visitors and also keeps out the undesirables at the same time. I think Thailand should rather vet short-term visitors more, while giving long-termers more freedom and more options to make their stay permanent.

[dode57k]

1 hour ago, Jumbo1968 said:

I was told different at Jomtien, I have a Non O Multi Entry Visa lived at the same address for 3 years. Jomtien told I have too report every time I return too Thailand. 

If I had a Extension of Stay/Retirement Visa they said it wasn’t necessary too Report.

I've got the 5 year Elite but I'm sure he didn't even look at it when I went to report the first time. Ah well I'm going to carry on ignoring it for now.

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, billsmart said:

For me, it's just a minor annoyance. What I'd like to know, however, are the exact rules. There seems to be different interpretations of the rules as to who and when your wife (in my case) must file a TM.30. I have my answers from my local immigrations, and I'll go by them, but they are not as strict as many of the interpretations of the rules I've seen here. 

 

I just want to know what I (my wife) is expected to do, and then we'll do it.

I won't be sending my wife 60Ks to the IO, nor will I send a taxi as some deluded poster said I should, nor bother about the hassle of sending it online. I am a law abiding citizen ( when it suits me) and I won't be treated otherwise.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, phka said:

If you stayed in a hotel and had to show your passport they would know

But more than 90% of hotels don't require a passport, a driving licence suffices.

[Nielsk]

1 hour ago, Nielsk said:

So many divergent opinions on the TM30 lately so I'm getting completely rundown. For me, I want to do as before. Make sure that the TM30 is sent with information about my permanent address during the period I stay in Thailand (Usually half a year), for me to the Immigration Office (Jomtien). When I take my annual trip to Koh Samet at approx. a week, I will do nothing. If someone comes after me which I do not expect, I just have to pay the fine, whatever it may be. I have an  a Extension of Stay/Retirement Visa ????????????????????

 

[wgdanson]

12 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I won't be sending my wife 60Ks to the IO, nor will I send a taxi as some deluded poster said I should, nor bother about the hassle of sending it online. I am a law abiding citizen ( when it suits me) and I won't be treated otherwise.

There is no more hassle sending it online than posting on here. You will be treated as a NON law abiding citizen if or when Phitsanulok Immigration change their requirements and you possibly will be treated as such. 60km isn't that far. 

[gunderhill]

wheres  the "its  plain invasive"  option?

[NoshowJones]

24 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

There is no more hassle sending it online than posting on here. You will be treated as a NON law abiding citizen if or when Phitsanulok Immigration change their requirements and you possibly will be treated as such. 60km isn't that far. 

I will just break the law as I don't agree with it, besides, the TM30 is Mrs Possums responsibility, so the IO officer can travel the 60Ks from Phichit IO, not Phitsanulok, to my house to collect the 800Bt fine from Mrs Possum, and there will not be any travel expenses. ????

[Peterw42]

16 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I will just break the law as I don't agree with it, besides, the TM30 is Mrs Possums responsibility, so the IO officer can travel the 60Ks from Phichit IO, not Phitsanulok, to my house to collect the 800Bt fine from Mrs Possum, and there will not be any travel expenses. ????

He wont come to your house to get the 800bt, he will wait until you need to visit the office for a 90 day report, extension, COR. Then you will be required to do a TM30 and pay the fine.

 

[NoshowJones]

18 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

He wont come to your house to get the 800bt, he will wait until you need to visit the office for a 90 day report, extension, COR. Then you will be required to do a TM30 and pay the fine.

 

No, the TM30 is the house owners responsibility, they cannot just change the rules to suit themselves.

OH! Wait. This is Thailand.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

No, the TM30 is the house owners responsibility, they cannot just change the rules to suit themselves.

OH! Wait. This is Thailand.

Wrong. Meaning it is not house owner responsibility

Edited August 11, 2019 by DrJack54

[marcusarelus]

11 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

No, the TM30 is the house owners responsibility, they cannot just change the rules to suit themselves.

OH! Wait. This is Thailand.

Rooster has the response for you.

 

[IAMHERE]

I go to Immigration yearly, then quarterly, and now everytime I leave town. The TM30 may have been useful thirty years ago, now not so much. The 'authorities' track me by my phone movements and which ATM I use. They don't need a TM30 as often as they wish, I should not need to visit Immigration more than 5 times a year.

[NoshowJones]

1 minute ago, marcusarelus said:

Rooster has the response for you.

 

Does not apply to me, I don't drink, never ever sat on one.

[RBOP]

I was fined 3,000 baht when changing my visa from business to retirement. Charmjuree doesn't require TM30 yet. But when I retired last month my Retirement visa was processed at Chaengwattana. Even though I registered online a couple weeks before hand and still not got a password. I showed the IO my email acknowledgement from them but didn't matter as wasn't approved yet.  Fined 3,000 baht for no TM30 for not reporting myself, baby and wife. The agent with me said I have to report everytime I go somewhere (out of province or another country) within 24 hours. I said I will just not go anywhere (in front of IO who pretended to not understand English). Agent said no problem then just pay fine again next year. Haha.. smiles...

 

But I don't like to knowingly  break the law. I own 2 condos in Thailand in different provinces. If I want to visit my weekend condo every weekend I will have to fill out a TM30 report 104 times a year. That' ridiculous and a waste of my tax paid bahts.

 

To those that say their rules and we can't complain, that's a load of xxx. I pay taxes and have paid a lot over the past 25 years why can't I complain. I don't break any laws. 

 

Sign the petition. 

Edited August 11, 2019 by RBOP
Grammar and clarity

[NoshowJones]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Wrong. Meaning it is not house owner responsibility

Hotel owner, guesthouse owner, house owner, TM30 is not their responsibility??

It seems Thai immigration are not the only ones who make up their own rules. I have been reading all the time here on Thaivisa recently about how hotels etc, have to fill out TM30 whenever you stay there. This is Thailand right enough.

[dcnx]

Just pay the flipping fine and don’t worry about it. Your time, joy, and mental health are worth more than what this is doing to some of you.

[dcnx]

10 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Does not apply to me, I don't drink, never ever sat on one.

Got hooked by the woman who became your wife and taken to a short time room before you made it in?

 

???? 

 

 

[NoshowJones]

3 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Got hooked by the woman who became your wife and taken to a short time room before you made it in?

 

???? 

 

 

A handsome guy like me does not need to be involved with short time rooms. ????

[mrfaroukh]

I had been couple of times in Pattaya Immigration and I asked them if I have to fill form. I am on retirement visa. They asked me if I had changed my residence since I got the visa and I said no. They said then there is no need. I feel when you apply for retirement extension of visa the address you provide them is what it count. Now if you travel outside the country or anywhere else within the country and coming back to the same address you given at the time of application for extension of visa then there is no need to fill M30 form. When travelling within the country you usually stay at the hotel and that is there responsibility to fill up this form.

[Ddbanksy]

7 hours ago, billsmart said:

For me, it's just a minor annoyance. What I'd like to know, however, are the exact rules. There seems to be different interpretations of the rules as to who and when your wife (in my case) must file a TM.30. I have my answers from my local immigrations, and I'll go by them, but they are not as strict as many of the interpretations of the rules I've seen here. 

 

I just want to know what I (my wife) is expected to do, and then we'll do it.

Same as you mate,no problem,but what are the rules and I'll follow,to save any unnecessary crap later on,I'm planning on staying anyway

[Ddbanksy]

2 hours ago, dode57k said:

I've got the 5 year Elite but I'm sure he didn't even look at it when I went to report the first time. Ah well I'm going to carry on ignoring it for now.

I am on a non O multi entry also,they told my Wife of 20yrs "Just call us when he gets back home" no problem 

[Jumbo1968]

3 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Me too. No problem whatsoever.

As I said before Immigration would have no idea where you were not unless you left Thailand Then re entered with a stamp in your Passport.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

As I said before Immigration would have no idea where you were not unless you left Thailand Then re entered with a stamp in your Passport.

That is not completely correct. If you stay a hotel and they do the TM30 report online immigration would certainly know about it.

Immigration has used that info to fine people for not doing one when they returned home.