Thailand based blogger Richard Barrow reveals difficulties in renewing extension of stay

[lkv]

47 minutes ago, madmen said:

you're profile says you live in Germany and Thailand so your no expat !!

You quickly came to that conclusion, as if people modify their location on their ThaiVisa profiles every time they move around.

 

Mine probably states i live in Bangkok, and I've been in Europe for 3 months. Not bothered to edit.

Edited August 11, 2019 by lkv

[Traubert]

16 hours ago, ukrules said:

Nobody gives a crap about their 'loss of face', what a joke that something like this is even considered.

 

Can you imagine the complete and utter uproar that acquiescence to a petition from over-entitled foreigners by the Thai government would cause?

 

Really, take a step back. Thai's get what they're given, foreigners get what they ask for/want. Because 3500 asked.

 

An awful lot of people here are not very close to reality. Immigration is a very tender subject in a lot of places in the world these days.

 

I just read a post that said 'the hell they put us through.' I mean, stap me vitals, did Satan forget to put a free photocopier in Hades, or several, with instructions in various different languages? The utter bast**d. How will he cope when all 120,000 of you get there pretty soon.

 

Or is turning up now and again with a handful of paper now officially 'hell?'

[mngmn]

On 8/10/2019 at 7:28 PM, MeggaF said:

I am on a non B visa as I work for a large, foreign owned corporation here in Thailand. We employ several hundred Thais and have between 2 and 4 expats here at any one time in senior management. This year's work permit extensions went through easily. 2 years for each of us. But the visa extensions went on for 12 weeks, although all paperwork was correct and accepted at first submission. No reason for the delay was given, apart from "we have not heard back from Bangkok". This resulted in 3 temporary extensions which used up a complete page of my passport for each one. On returning from my last business trip during these mini extensions (the last extension was for 6 days!) I was given a hard time at BKK immigration and had to answer a lot of questions about what I was doing in Thailand. I have managed various industrial companies in SEA and have always been treated very well, as in other countries companys who bring inward investment are highly prized. The treatment this year of myself and my colleagues has caused the owners of the company to draw up contingency plans to move the operation to another country in the region. 

Good!

[lamyai3]

7 hours ago, drbeach said:

I don't think Mr. Head ever talked about TM30 or even cared about the issues everyday westerners living here are facing.

 

[Happystance]

This thread got me laughing. About how naive people can be...

 

Falang come to a Junta-led 3rd world country with no due process and try to mix in the politics?

An online petition! ????

Screaming "Me! Me! Me!"

And expect what?

 

Falang who follow all the rules and cause zero problems are barely tolerated as it is.

Those who stir things up and poke the hornet's nest, well, are behaving rather ignorantly if they expect to not get stung.

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Happystance
No need to call those behaving like fools what they are behaving like...

[Happystance]

6 hours ago, joecoolfrog said:

Maybe so but look at the alternative. Just keep quiet and shrug it all off , mai pen rai !

How has that worked out recently for the average Thai or indeed the average expat ?

It's worked out great for those who don't stir stuff up and don't then get targeted.

[gamesgplayemail]

is he still whining ?

Good as he is to gloss people's b.... I am sure that he will succeed !

 

 

[garyk]

IMHO if a foreigner and being a political activist in another country, you are asking for it.

If you don't like the rules you can complain, but not loud. 

 

Anyone making waves in the current political environment is going to be booted plain and simple. I hope he does not get booted, but he is playing with fire if promoting anything against powerful people here.

 

I love Thailand, my only gripe is the expat retirement rules. I think it is ridiculous, but I am not going to start a petition and launch a website. 

Edited August 11, 2019 by garyk

[metisdead]

10 hours ago, CNXexpat said:

I am afraid that my mail don´t reach them or is lost in the office and I´ll have to pay the fine  when I´ll do my next 90 days report. 

 

 

It is recommended that you use EMS registered mail to send in your 90 day report by mail.  Include a self addressed envelope with a stamp on it for them to send the 90 day report acknowledgement back to you. 

 

http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/base.php?page=90days

 

 

[lamyai3]

3 hours ago, metisdead said:

It is recommended that you use EMS registered mail to send in your 90 day report by mail.  Include a self addressed envelope with a stamp on it for them to send the 90 day report acknowledgement back to you.

I always pay EMS both ways for peace of mind.

[Orton Rd]

Last time I did a post 90 day at CW was in 2010, even though it was all EMS it never got returned. Had to report lost document at the local cop shop and almost got fined when doing the next one, never trusted it since. Barrows office does not even do postal.

Edited August 12, 2019 by Orton Rd

[rabas]

1 hour ago, lamyai3 said:

5 hours ago, metisdead said:

It is recommended that you use EMS registered mail to send in your 90 day report by mail.  Include a self addressed envelope with a stamp on it for them to send the 90 day report acknowledgement back to you.

I always pay EMS both ways for peace of mind.

 

How long does the return receipt generally take? I mailed mine by registered post on July 29 with stamped return envelope. My scheduled report day is Aug 15. Now I worry because I can't find the ThaiPost receipt.  Maybe I too will get a visit.

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

 
How long does the return receipt generally take? I mailed mine by registered post on July 29 with stamped return envelope. My scheduled report day is Aug 15. Now I worry because I can't find the ThaiPost receipt.  Maybe I too will get a visit.
 
 

It can take up to a month.

Sent from my SM-A500F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[metisdead]

14 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

How long does the return receipt generally take? I mailed mine by registered post on July 29 with stamped return envelope. My scheduled report day is Aug 15. Now I worry because I can't find the ThaiPost receipt.  Maybe I too will get a visit.

 

 

 

 

I usually get my return receipt before the actual due date of the 90 day report. 

[zydeco]

On 8/11/2019 at 2:02 AM, South said:

As an aside, can you imagine 'foreign immigrants' in your home country trying to change 'your home countries' immigration laws?'

In my home country, they are actually given a platform and invited to testify before congressional committees. And at least one political party is advocating they be given immediate residency, green cards, and the right to vote--even if they aren't citizens.

[DrTuner]

1 minute ago, zydeco said:

In my home country, they are actually given a platform and invited to testify before congressional committees. And at least one political party is advocating they be given immediate residency, green cards, and the right to vote--even if they aren't citizens.

Thailand does do something right. That said, they are losing out by not giving PR on investment. Put the bar to 30M baht.

[lamyai3]

3 hours ago, rabas said:

 

How long does the return receipt generally take? I mailed mine by registered post on July 29 with stamped return envelope. My scheduled report day is Aug 15. Now I worry because I can't find the ThaiPost receipt.  Maybe I too will get a visit.

Mine came back slow this time, about three weeks, EMS both ways. Just got the regular receipt from CW, no mention of the TM30. 

[zydeco]

On 8/11/2019 at 7:05 AM, Fex Bluse said:

in a singlet

every time I hear that word, I think of Fred Flintstone.

[dragula]

6 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

Mine came back slow this time, about three weeks, EMS both ways. Just got the regular receipt from CW, no mention of the TM30. 

The TM30 is a form that landlords which provide accommodation to foreigners must submit to the authorities within 24 hours of the arrival of their tenants.

By law, landlords must submit the form to authorities every time their tenants return to the country.

Long-term foreign residents are also required to report their whereabouts if they spend more than 24 hours at places other than their 90-day report registered addresses.

[Artisi]

On 8/10/2019 at 12:25 PM, stevenl said:

I don't know what kind of extension he is on.

 

For an extension based on marriage, it always takes one month to be approved, and a bit longer is no exception. A bit early IMO to jump to conclusions.

After 20 years, it would seem fairly obvious as to why / what is going on, wouldn't you say? 

[Artisi]

13 minutes ago, dragula said:

The TM30 is a form that landlords which provide accommodation to foreigners must submit to the authorities within 24 hours of the arrival of their tenants.

By law, landlords must submit the form to authorities every time their tenants return to the country.

Long-term foreign residents are also required to report their whereabouts if they spend more than 24 hours at places other than their 90-day report registered addresses.

Thank you for that, you seem to be under the impression that the majority of people posting here on TVF are completely unaware of the role of TM30 among other do's and don'ts.  

Edited August 12, 2019 by Artisi

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, Tagged said:

And how did Richard brake this rule? And for this he need to be deported? 

he didn't, only trucks and busses have brake problems ???? 

[overherebc]

Attributed to Kipling but I'm not sure about that fact.

 

It is not wise for the christian white

to hassle the asian brown

for the christian riles while the asian smiles

and wears the christian down.

At the end of the fight is a 

tombstone white with the name of the late deceased,

and the epitaph drear

a fool lies here who tried to

hurry the east.

[dragula]

Posting on social media – When other countries are lenient on your social media activities, the Thai authority has taken a further step. Since 2017, Thai police has been closely monitoring social media posts that display logos or brands of alcoholic products as such action would encourage people to consume alcohol directly or indirectly. For a single selfie with a bottle of Chang!   Richard posted a Leo on facebook and bar pictures with spirits in the back ground. see this got a target, there so many ways for him to get deported.

[drbeach]

16 hours ago, mike787 said:

NOW he did it...challenged the face of the status quo...In Thailand NOT good unless you are powerful ie, Red Bull boy.  We already know what the issues are here, to put them front and center on a public forum to see...Thai retribution with consequences cometh!  Oh well.  Not my problem. 

Nah. Don't overdo it. He is threatening the status quo of an outdated and unjust system not of a particular individual. He also has many important connections in immigration so he'll be fine. Can't see the relationship with "Redbull boy".

 

You can choose to live under the Thai boot if you wish, but Thai officials KNOW that this law is problematic and that it is causing a loss of investor confidence, tourists aren't coming (so they are now counting Thai travelers as tourists to bring the figures up) and expats are leaving or not arriving in the first place. At the end of the day, this decision is going to cost the country big bucks, unless they change in the meantime. They can choose whatever method they wish to "save face" whatever that means, but in the end, that's what will likely be forced to happen. How or when that will happen, I can't say.

 

Not very many foreigners will stay put and accept being discriminated against - if nothing is done, they will simply leave the country and never come back. Maybe you will, but it's not part of our culture to just accept unjust things and agree to being enslaved.

[DrTuner]

6 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Attributed to Kipling but I'm not sure about that fact.

 

It is not wise for the christian white

to hassle the asian brown

for the christian riles while the asian smiles

and wears the christian down.

At the end of the fight is a 

tombstone white with the name of the late deceased,

and the epitaph drear

a fool lies here who tried to

hurry the east.

That's the sound of been there done that. A battle you can't win, Don Quijote was an amateur in comparison to trying to reason with Thais.

[drbeach]

20 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Do you know Jonathan then?  He is a true reporter - he's not afraid to report the facts no matter how precarious that may make his visa situation.  Read his reports on the new constitution and how the Thai's were stitched up by it. We live in a global world where diaspora are common place. No matter how much Thailand tries to resist that, they know very well they can't ignore it and survive - that's why people like Jonathan Head are still in Thailand and still reporting the facts.

 

Its normal in today's world - there are foreign reporters in most countries and only the most authoritarian deport them for reporting issues that may not be to their liking. Its interesting to note that the very same countries are increasingly isolated - both economically and politically. I think Thailand knows that and therefore tolerates people like Jonathan Head.  The defamation case he faced was probably their way of trying to scare him and I can tell you it did for a while.

 

I'm sure Jonathan will be amused to read your comments.

Johnathan reports what he is told to report. He is biased as is his employer. Only people who have no ability to think critically and believe whatever the news tells them say otherwise. I'm pretty sure you'll find out quickly who Johnathan supports, it's the red shirts and Thaksin.

 

Also, I'm not saying everything he reports is wrong. He's right in some cases. However, you need to be able to read between the lines and not take every word someone says as Gospel.

 

I agree that both Thailand and Cambodia (the latter in particular) are trying to censor voices they don't want heard and Head was affected by this. This is not a good sign, but as long as Thailand is not censoring ALL voices and throwing them in jail, then things are not as bad as some people make them out to be. Cambodia's situation is far worse, local journalists who formerly worked for VOA and other western funded media outlets are being imprisoned now. Hun Sen doesn't care, because he has already sold himself out to the Chinese and wants to implement Chinese style censorship. Hun Sen absolutely hates the west - which could mean potential trouble for western expats and tourists in that country.

 

At least Thailand hasn't descended down to that level. Head still being here proves this.

[Artisi]

6 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

That's the sound of been there done that. A battle you can't win, Don Quijote was an amateur in comparison to trying to reason with Thais.

against the Thai juggernaut, windmills are a pushover.  

[Tagged]

15 minutes ago, drbeach said:

 

 

Not very many foreigners will stay put and accept being discriminated against - if nothing is done, they will simply leave the country and never come back. Maybe you will, but it's not part of our culture to just accept unjust things and agree to being enslaved.

We will see what future brings, and it can not be said often enough, do not cut ties to your orign country, or invest more than you can loose. 

[Artisi]

18 minutes ago, drbeach said:

Nah. Don't overdo it. He is threatening the status quo of an outdated and unjust system not of a particular individual. He also has many important connections in immigration so he'll be fine. Can't see the relationship with "Redbull boy".

 

You can choose to live under the Thai boot if you wish, but Thai officials KNOW that this law is problematic and that it is causing a loss of investor confidence, tourists aren't coming (so they are now counting Thai travelers as tourists to bring the figures up) and expats are leaving or not arriving in the first place. At the end of the day, this decision is going to cost the country big bucks, unless they change in the meantime. They can choose whatever method they wish to "save face" whatever that means, but in the end, that's what will likely be forced to happen. How or when that will happen, I can't say.

 

Not very many foreigners will stay put and accept being discriminated against - if nothing is done, they will simply leave the country and never come back. Maybe you will, but it's not part of our culture to just accept unjust things and agree to being enslaved.

are you staying , that's assuming you are actually here?