Hello everyone. Not really a rant since I'm at fault here, but just to let you all know that Chiang Mai immigration, in my case and the officer handling it, wouldn't budge on the 2 month seasoning period. Be careful. 

 

Just a little more detail to add in case you're wondering if they do a margin of appeal of sorts. Short answer, no.

 

Longer version: I always had this account I would keep the 400k plus. This acts as a savings account as well. I do channel some money I earn overseas into this account and later move it into my wife's banking account as our liquid funds. So, I always had more than 400k in that account and this goes WAY back. I literally always had at least 400k to show for in this account going back 5 years when i moved here before the 2 month seasoning rule was in effect. 

 

Then, one day in Bangkok I thought I needed some cash in hand so I made a large withdrawal before flying off to Bangkok. While there, my wife calls and needed to have some flight tickets booked urgently for a few relatives. No problem, so I thought. Later, before turning in for the night, I fired up the banking app and realised I fell just a few hundred bahts under the 400k. Since it was already close to midnight, I thought nothing of it seeing that my wife will probably have our relatives stump up the cash tomorrow which they did. Besides, it's just a few hundred bahts.

 

Come the day I went to do my extension (last Monday, actually), the officer took a look at my documents, grabbed a highlighter pen and immediately drew a line on the 1 day infraction. You short 400k, cannot! Okay, she counted forward and said I will have to come exactly on Thursday when my last extension would've expired. (Yea, I like living on the edge...)/.  

 

No problem, today I give you 60 day for visiting Thai wife, and then December you come and do extension again. Of course, it's 1,900 both times. Would she consider that I always had 400k and more in the account, documented since I update my bank book quite regularly? No, cannot. In fact, my 2 month count fell on a Wednesday so only on Thursday, she said, I would've technically seasoned the money enough. 

 

Live and learn. 2 months is 2 months. 

 

On a related note, after mentioning my trips to Bangkok and other places in Thailand, she perked up, took a lot at my TM30 history and said she doesn't see a lot of movement on my file. Fortunately, I've always reported when I came back from overseas but anywhere else around Thailand, I don't since CM immigration says it wasn't necessary. In addition, I might fall under a bit of a grey area: sometimes I do overnight trips on a bus, never really staying anywhere and heading home the same day or so. I do events, so sometimes rooms are booked under the company and I just move in. 

 

Likewise, I sometimes hang out with my wife's relatives out in the villages, nice for a night or two and who knows where's the nearest immigration office is? I wanted to mention all these but my wife elbowed me to keep quiet. 

 

On a more positive note, I just waltzed into the immigration at 11am with absolutely no hurry, got a ticket, was served almost immediately and turned down before lunchtime, so things are more efficient. 

 

Cheers!

 

Edit: grammar and tenses. 

 

Edited October 17, 20196 yr by ttkeric

sorry to hear this, 1,000 baht sorts it out at my office, have you tried?

Regarding your last paragraph.... I would hazard a guess it's not down to being more efficient  but down to the fact most people have left CM and no tourists  visiting.

With the 60-day extension available, there was no reason for the official you dealt with to ask her boss if they could waive the two month seasoning requirement. The official you were dealing with directly would not have had that power, and subordinates are very reluctant to involve their superiors in anything when not strictly necessary.

Regarding your last paragraph.... I would hazard a guess it's not down to being more efficient  but down to the fact most people have left CM and no tourists  visiting.

If so, thank goodness and long may it continue. I don’t hear any CM expats complaining [emoji4]


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57 minutes ago, ttkeric said:

Just a little more detail to add in case you're wondering if they do a margin of appeal of sorts. Short answer, no.

Sure they do appeals, costs 25k to a VISA agent, then you'll get your extension.

Probably won't need any cash in the bank or health insurance.

Bummer.

At least you owned up to it hope you get it sorted out.

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

but down to the fact most people have left CM and no tourists  visiting

Really!? So, why do we then hear same many reporting about their visit to Immigration in CM?

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

sorry to hear this, 1,000 baht sorts it out at my office, have you tried?

How do you go about it? Do you say something like, "I'd be happy to pay a fine if that can fix it."?

my wife elbowed me to keep quiet!

 

You could learn something from your wife...less talk at immigration is a good thing...????

43 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

How do you go about it? Do you say something like, "I'd be happy to pay a fine if that can fix it."?

Chinese women round the corner, mrs went with her and she just stuck 1k in the passport

48 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

How do you go about it? Do you say something like, "I'd be happy to pay a fine if that can fix it."?

If you do not have a really good understanding (and the official does not initiate a possible deal) stay away from offering bribes. Doing it the wrong way can lead to trouble. This is not like resolving a traffic stop. Any deviation from procedure is visible.

 

In summary, unless you can contact the senior official in the office directly, it is difficult. Flexibility in the criteria will come from the top down. The subordinates will do what the boss tells them to do. Unless a procedure for it already exists (in which case the junior official will likely initiate the exchange) these things are rarely arranged bottom up. That is why using agents is generally how it is done. The agent has the right relationship with the office boss, and protects both you and the boss from allegations of bribery and corruption.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Sure they do appeals, costs 25k to a VISA agent, then you'll get your extension.

Probably won't need any cash in the bank or health insurance.

Unlikely to find an agent in CM to do that!

2 hours ago, ttkeric said:

one day in Bangkok I thought I needed some cash in hand so I made a large withdrawal before flying off to Bangkok.

What airline do you book flying from Bangkok to Bangkok ? 5555  Must have been Chiang Mai 

 

2 hours ago, ttkeric said:

I went to do my extension (last Monday, actually),

Monday was a holiday, Immigration was closed.

 

 

I always use my VISA for booking flights. ( have done for friends also)

 You use direct bank transfer from your account?  

 "large withdrawal" of cash before flying to Bangkok. No ATM's in BKK?   

Former analyst am I

 

Interesting story / busy married life.

Looks like all will be sorted out in December.

Regards

15 minutes ago, BritTim said:

 The agent has the right relationship with the office boss, and protects both you and the boss from allegations of bribery and corruption.

But it remains bribery and corruption, I would never do it myself.

2 hours ago, baansgr said:

Regarding your last paragraph.... I would hazard a guess it's not down to being more efficient  but down to the fact most people have left CM and no tourists  visiting.

Try again went ot today a fair amount of people doing what ever, you have to remember , which many do here, there are more than a few other nationaalities other than English, Scot and other s of the Isles, as well as Europeans of many differnt countries. there are Chinese, japanese, Korean, Indian, iranian, and the beat goes on. They have inproved all aspects of the operation 90 day report there were two people ahead of me 10 min and on my way home

30 minutes ago, BritTim said:

If you do not have a really good understanding (and the official does not initiate a possible deal) stay away from offering bribes. Doing it the wrong way can lead to trouble.

Sounds like good advice to me.

I was 1 day short at Jomtien, they wouldn't budge even though my wife asked for leniency..no problem just came back a couple of days later with new bank letter

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

But it remains bribery and corruption, I would never do it myself.

Of course not, that's why you use an agent.

3 hours ago, baansgr said:

Regarding your last paragraph.... I would hazard a guess it's not down to being more efficient  but down to the fact most people have left CM and no tourists  visiting.

They have genuinely got a lot more efficient. I think it was Big Joke that fixed this, but they have kept it up. The issue in CM used be there was a limit on non-immigrant extensions per day, so people would have to queue up from like 2AM for certain visa categories (retirement, education) or use an agent. Tourist visas were always handled separately from non-immigrant and were never a problem. The problem they fixed was non-immigrant extensions, and they are A LOT better now.