Chiang Mai, Thai Immigration

[CMNightRider]

3 hours ago, CMBob said:

Went to CM Immigration this morning to update my TM30 Receipt of Notification (having arrived back from a short trip out of country on Saturday).  Walked up to the third floor, was handed a queue number at exactly 11:00AM as I walked in the TM30 office and was finished at exactly 11:03AM.  Not bad and even several minutes shorter than when I last updated this past October. 

Well, that's great Bob.  Good for you ????

[CMNightRider]

2 hours ago, EricTh said:

The condition is going to get worse as the tourist population increases.

 

Seriously, immigration should reopen Promenada branch for those who don't need higher officer approval like 90 day, TM30 check-in, 30 day tourist visa extension etc. That should cut the queue length considerably.

 

BTW, 90 days report can be done on the internet, I don't know why people still want to add to the imm. crowd for this.

 

I prefer to do my TM30 check-in online if I knew how.

Have you ever wondered why we are required to do 90 day reports or TM30's in the first place?  I haven't met one immigration officer who was able to give an intelligent response to this question.  

 

It doesn't seem to bother the Chinese, since they come from a communist country, and are used to being under the watchful eye of government officials.  It's hard to imagine any westerner who wouldn't question this.

 

 

[EricTh]

16 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

Have you ever wondered why we are required to do 90 day reports or TM30's in the first place?  I haven't met one immigration officer who was able to give an intelligent response to this question.  

 

It doesn't seem to bother the Chinese, since they come from a communist country, and are used to being under the watchful eye of government officials.  It's hard to imagine any westerner who wouldn't question this.

What I understand was the law was implemented when there was an influx of Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees fleeing the war into Thailand in 1979.

 

The Thai government wanted to keep track of their whereabouts but this was expanded later to include all foreigners.

 

The purpose is to keep track of foreigners so that immigration can nab overstayers and/or criminals.

 

[CMoldie]

15 hours ago, CMNightRider said:

Have you ever wondered why we are required to do 90 day reports or TM30's in the first place?  I haven't met one immigration officer who was able to give an intelligent response to this question.

It's an unfair question to ask them. They are not makers of policy - only implementers.

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, CMoldie said:

It's an unfair question to ask them. They are not makers of policy - only implementers.

You're wrong, every immigration office has almost complete independence over their procedures.

Chiang Mai immigration chooses to make it as hard as possible for independent foreigners visiting them.

If you pay an agent, there are never any problems.

Edited January 28, 2020 by BritManToo

[CMNightRider]

3 hours ago, CMoldie said:

It's an unfair question to ask them. They are not makers of policy - only implementers.

Gee Moldie, since you expressed your concern over asking immigration staff the reason for 90 day reports and TM30s, what questions do you believe would be more appropriate to inquire about?  You apologists are always a source of amusement.  Thanks for sharing.

[CMNightRider]

19 hours ago, EricTh said:

What I understand was the law was implemented when there was an influx of Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees fleeing the war into Thailand in 1979.

 

The Thai government wanted to keep track of their whereabouts but this was expanded later to include all foreigners.

 

The purpose is to keep track of foreigners so that immigration can nab overstayers and/or criminals.

 

I think you are right about this as I have heard this explanation before.  If one were to give this explanation a little thought, it is even more idiotic to require foreigners who finanicaly qualify to live in Thailand, marry Thais, support Thai families, or just comfortably live out their retirement years, to be hassled with yearly extensions, 90 day reporting, and TM30's.

 

As far as arresting people who overstay their visas or God forbid participate in some sort of nefarious behavior, only people with low cognitive abilities would believe these individuals would ever participate in 90 day reporting, yearly visa extensions, or TM30s.    

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

As far as arresting people who overstay their visas or God forbid participate in some sort of nefarious behavior, only people with low cognitive abilities would believe these individuals would ever participate in 90 day reporting, yearly visa extensions, or TM30s.    

You're right, I don't do any of them, not that any officials have ever asked me to.

Edited January 28, 2020 by BritManToo

[LomSak27]

21 hours ago, EricTh said:

What I understand was the law was implemented when there was an influx of Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees fleeing the war into Thailand in 1979.

 

Quote

The law governing the TM30 form was introduced a long time ago alongside the Hotel Act of 2005, but has since expanded beyond hotels to cover landlords owning properties or units that are not classified as hotels.

 

I worked in Thailand in the 80's, never heard of 90 day notices or TM30 forms. And I don't believe our company was taking care of them without our knowledge.

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by LomSak27

[EricTh]

2 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

 

 

I worked in Thailand in the 80's, never heard of 90 day notices or TM30 forms. And I don't believe our company was taking care of them without our knowledge.

 

Like what I said, it was first implemented in the 1970s for Vietnamese refugees. 

 

Then immigration re-enacted and modified it for all foreigners in 2005. The purpose is to track all foreigners.

[CMNightRider]

14 hours ago, EricTh said:

Like what I said, it was first implemented in the 1970s for Vietnamese refugees. 

 

Then immigration re-enacted and modified it for all foreigners in 2005. The purpose is to track all foreigners.

Please give your last sentence a little thought.  I think the only country in the world who tracks all foreigners in their country is North Korea.  It seems like something is wrong with this picture.  Maybe the fact immigration is doing all they can to discourage westerners from living here is a blessing.  ????   

[deej]

14 hours ago, EricTh said:

Like what I said, it was first implemented in the 1970s for Vietnamese refugees. 

 

Then immigration re-enacted and modified it for all foreigners in 2005. The purpose is to track all foreigners.

From memory 2005 was the beginning of the Farang Invasion  here in Cmai.

Very small bridges to cross compared to other countrys requirements.

Best Advice. get on with it

or get out

[jonwilly]

"Best Advice. get on with it or get out"

 

Yep must agree, Please go and leave Thailand to those of us who appreciate it.

 

john

[cnxnicho]

Too much nonsence posted here from 2 posters in particular !  Quite simply if the requirements to stay here cannot be met or you disagree with them, you have a choice and I suggest rather than make comments that you cannot justify, just leave. Some of us are happy here or we would not be in CM or Thailand. Get a life and not post thousands of comments here !!

[EricTh]

5 hours ago, CMNightRider said:

Please give your last sentence a little thought.  I think the only country in the world who tracks all foreigners in their country is North Korea.  It seems like something is wrong with this picture.  Maybe the fact immigration is doing all they can to discourage westerners from living here is a blessing.  ????   

I think every country in the world would like to know where any foreigner is staying.

 

Otherwise, how on earth are they going to nab overstayers etc?  You need to show tenancy agreement or condo ownership to prove that you are actually staying there. That's the purpose of the TM30.

 

It's just that it shouldn't be as frequent as 90 days and every time you come back to the country.

Edited January 29, 2020 by EricTh

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, EricTh said:

I think every country in the world would like to know where any foreigner is staying.

Is that based on your opinion or hard facts?

[deej]

3 hours ago, jonwilly said:

"Best Advice. get on with it or get out"

 

Yep must agree, Please go and leave Thailand to those of us who appreciate it.

 

john

 Luckily the whingers and moaners are a small percentage of the happily

Epats residing here in Cmai

but 

do like to vent their poor opinions of Cmai Immgr Dept here on TV

and usually the same suspects appear

For small amount of Baht a reputable Cmai Visa Agent can  take care of any speed bumps which may arise at Cmai Immgr Dept but

the usual Whingers and Moaners  come up with the same Tommy Rot  that is corrupt line of business taken. and .that the Visa Agent are holding our hand

My view is that any reputable Visa Agent operating in Cmai  give a fine service and a saloon passage for  any  Expat who may wish to  to take .But

 each to their own

 

[jonwilly]

4 hours ago, deej said:

the Visa Agent are holding our hand

Yes pleased to say there is someone to help me.

What I could do all night is now something I need all night for.

 

john

[Trujillo]

So I just did my one-year extension. There is one big problem happening currently. Let me explain: 

 

Those who come early get numbered, orange paper tickets that say you need to come back at 8:30am sharp. 

So I arrived at just before 7am. I got number 54. The man who had number 1 told me he arrived at 5:30am. 

I saw another person later who had a number in the low 80s. 

So as it came close to 8:30am, one of the immigration officials came to the front and told people not to stand in line until exactly 8:30am, and that people with numbered orange cards would be lined up first. As new people arrived (without cards), there was a general sense of confusion about who could get in line and who had to wait. Add in the various people who could not speak English and the whole thing was a slow train wreck. 

So the officer started herding those with numbers to line up in about 4 lines at the front desk to check everyone's documents. Anyone without an "early arrival" ticket was not allowed in line until about the number 30, at which point the officer wandered off. After that, people without tickets (who had just arrived) starting crowding the lines. More problematic was that the people checking documents didn't care if a person had a number card or not. So the people who had come early, after number 30, thereabouts, were not allowed to take advantage of having come early, and those who had just sauntered in were served immediately and got a "real number."

It was totally unfair and chaotic. 

 

Why give out "early tickets" if you don't follow the order? 

[CMNightRider]

15 hours ago, Trujillo said:

So I just did my one-year extension. There is one big problem happening currently. Let me explain: 

 

Those who come early get numbered, orange paper tickets that say you need to come back at 8:30am sharp. 

So I arrived at just before 7am. I got number 54. The man who had number 1 told me he arrived at 5:30am. 

I saw another person later who had a number in the low 80s. 

So as it came close to 8:30am, one of the immigration officials came to the front and told people not to stand in line until exactly 8:30am, and that people with numbered orange cards would be lined up first. As new people arrived (without cards), there was a general sense of confusion about who could get in line and who had to wait. Add in the various people who could not speak English and the whole thing was a slow train wreck. 

So the officer started herding those with numbers to line up in about 4 lines at the front desk to check everyone's documents. Anyone without an "early arrival" ticket was not allowed in line until about the number 30, at which point the officer wandered off. After that, people without tickets (who had just arrived) starting crowding the lines. More problematic was that the people checking documents didn't care if a person had a number card or not. So the people who had come early, after number 30, thereabouts, were not allowed to take advantage of having come early, and those who had just sauntered in were served immediately and got a "real number."

It was totally unfair and chaotic. 

 

Why give out "early tickets" if you don't follow the order? 

I experienced the same thing.  I tried to show up during normal business hours and after standing in a line that extended out into the parking lot, I just gave up.  I then showed up at 0600 hours and experienced the same confusion over the early arrival ticket holders and those who cut in front of them when the immigration staff member walked away.

 

The ring leader of this circus should be replaced with an immigration officer with leadership skills.  Unfortunately, immigration like other Thai government organisations are corrupt to the bone.  It is common to buy your promotions which further hamper these organizations from being run professionally.    

[Thailand]

30 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

I experienced the same thing.  I tried to show up during normal business hours and after standing in a line that extended out into the parking lot, I just gave up.  I then showed up at 0600 hours and experienced the same confusion over the early arrival ticket holders and those who cut in front of them when the immigration staff member walked away.

 

The ring leader of this circus should be replaced with an immigration officer with leadership skills.  Unfortunately, immigration like other Thai government organisations are corrupt to the bone.  It is common to buy your promotions which further hamper these organizations from being run professionally.    

Shades of pre BJ starting to surface?

[HullyGully]

I assume 4 lines would be for

 

RETIREMENT

90 DAY REPORTING

TOURIST 

MARRIAGE / OTHER

If that is the case the large number of people are probably TOURIST OR 90 DAY, therefore retirement extension would not be much more than 20+

 

[Trujillo]

No. The lines are random. The officer, while he was directing numbers traffic, put people in random lines so that they filled up evenly. The people behind the desk were checking all documents, regardless of whether for tourist or retirement.