Seems to me the only thing that will stop the Thai Immigration service being so appalling incompetent and unpleasant during this horrible international disaster would be to 'shine the light' of international media on their disgraceful actions over the last few weeks and months. They really should be 'outed' so that the entire world knows exactly what these people are up to... time for them to be exposed.

Any exposure that any of us can contribute too with emails to media outlets etc., will be worth it... lets just hope someone in the press picks up the story and makes it BIG enough to embarass them for a long time to come. Buddah knows they deserve it!

5 minutes ago, artiz said:

Seems to me the only thing that will stop the Thai Immigration service being so appalling incompetent and unpleasant during this horrible international disaster would be to 'shine the light' of international media on their disgraceful actions over the last few weeks and months. They really should be 'outed' so that the entire world knows exactly what these people are up to... time for them to be exposed.

Any exposure that any of us can contribute too with emails to media outlets etc., will be worth it... lets just hope someone in the press picks up the story and makes it BIG enough to embarass them for a long time to come. Buddah knows they deserve it!

Bangkok Post has an editorial up. Search for "tourist paper chase".

1 minute ago, audaciousnomad said:

Bangkok Post has an editorial up. Search for "tourist paper chase".

It's a start... needs to be an 'international disgrace' though. We need our 'national' newspapers to get hold of it... 'extreme shame' is just about the only thing these people will react too.

1 minute ago, artiz said:

It's a start... needs to be an 'international disgrace' though. We need our 'national' newspapers to get hold of it... 'extreme shame' is just about the only thing these people will react too.

They are busy.....

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

They are busy.....

I have no idea what relevence your comment has but the important point here is that neighbouring countries have adopted sensible policies and so far Thailand has done the exact opposite. The situation here needs to change in accordance with at least some consideration for the very serious dangers of this pandemic. No, this is not my country and I am a guest but please respect my dignity and health when you are creating immigration policies which endanger my life.

33 minutes ago, artiz said:

I have no idea what relevence your comment has

The Newspapers in the UK, Italy Spain etc have a lot of domestic news to write of.

That is my point.

<removed>

I actually think Thailand will follow suit and make things easier for those to remain, although it may take elevated infections to get them to see the stupidity of forcing people to visit a government office.

If it`s just about the money, there would be a an easy solution for the tourists. They could pay the 1900 THB, as soon as they leave TH. Set up a station at the airports departure halls, get a payment slip, get stamped-out like usual. No bureaucratic sh**. 

For long-stay visa-types. Just waive and it can be done later.

Of course no one of those pea-brained officials would propose such an idea to the top. They argue their usual bullsh** reason about the "national safety". Just sad, that they continue to be the usual robots.

[email protected] replied saying:

"At this point, Canadian Embassy are not providing such a letter, however, please feel free to contact them yourself, their coordinates can be consulted on the following webpage."

 

Can this be used as evidence that it's not possible to get a letter from the canadian embassy. Would IO accept it?

3 hours ago, timoti said:

[email protected] replied saying:

"At this point, Canadian Embassy are not providing such a letter, however, please feel free to contact them yourself, their coordinates can be consulted on the following webpage."

 

Can this be used as evidence that it's not possible to get a letter from the canadian embassy. Would IO accept it?

Did you get a chance to speak with the embassy here yet.  Someone commented on the Facebook group mentioned here earlier. That the embassy said to him that they don't provide letters but will offer an affidavit.  They are saying that it may or may not work with immigration.

 

At this point I'm not sure if it's worthwhile to go all the way to Bangkok to get this form that may or may not work, seeing how Jomtien purposely making harder for us to stay.

I am British, my non immigrant O based 60 day visa extension expired on Friday. I am now on overstay and waiting for the embassy letter which I applied for on Wednesday. I hope it comes tomorrow.

 

My own situation aside, Thai immigration's response to the covid-19 pandemic has been truely appalling. They are behaving in a manner that is nothing short of profiteering!

They refuse pretty much everyone and charge 1,900baht for the 7 day get out of town notice. You go back with your letter and they give you 30 days, back dated to the date you first applied. So you just paid 1,900baht for absolutely nothing, it is cheaper to overstay if your letter is due to arrive imminently.

 

And immigrations stance as of right now is "have letter or you get nothing, conversation over".

 

I have always defended Thailand when people moan about things here but this behavior is indefensible!

I agree that the Ministry of Interior's "solution" to extensions of tourist visas is absurd and agonizing,

 

But

 

in reading 47 pages of tourist complaints I can't recall anything written about self-responsibility!

34 minutes ago, TamadeYao said:

Did you get a chance to speak with the embassy here yet.  Someone commented on the Facebook group mentioned here earlier. That the embassy said to him that they don't provide letters but will offer an affidavit.  They are saying that it may or may not work with immigration.

 

At this point I'm not sure if it's worthwhile to go all the way to Bangkok to get this form that may or may not work, seeing how Jomtien purposely making harder for us to stay.

No not yet, coz I couldn't wake up at 5 am ????

44 minutes ago, UdonRoy said:

 

 

And immigrations stance as of right now is "have letter or you get nothing, conversation over".

 

 

 I got the embassy letter clearly stating that I am unable to return to my country at the moment. IO barely looked at it. Instead she asked me for confirmation of my residence which must include the hotel manager’s personal guarantee of my stay. Can you imagine somebody who knows me for a couple of minutes taking the risk and giving me an official paper with the guarantee? I would not even try to ask for it.
 

That's good news according to "Richard Barrow in Thailand" .  Maybe it isn't a rumor this time. ????

Good news starting to emerge, hopefully all is true.. fingers crossed guys! 

 

It's in their best interest to announce it all before we flood the immigration offices this coming week, 5k visitors a day lol 

39 minutes ago, Mapguy said:

in reading 47 pages of tourist complaints I can't recall anything written about self-responsibility!

Well if only be had a crystal ball that they were going to actually make it *harder* (near impossible) to get an extension, while pretty much every other country is waiving requirements or making it easier. 

 

The next time we have a sniff of a pandemic, I suspect a great deal of people won't be coming anywhere near Thailand.

whats the news?

Just now, jacob29 said:

Well if only be had a crystal ball that they were going to actually make it *harder* (near impossible) to get an extension, while pretty much every other country is waiving requirements or making it easier. 

 

The next time we have a sniff of a pandemic, I suspect a great deal of people won't be coming anywhere near Thailand.

Yup, 

Next time anything like this happens... hopping somewhere with an automatic 3 month visa such as Malaysia or Vietnam. Go there and sit it out, and if an extension is needed i feel like it would be an easier process. 

3 minutes ago, samisaurus said:

Good news starting to emerge, hopefully all is true.. fingers crossed guys! 

 

It's in their best interest to announce it all before we flood the immigration offices this coming week, 5k visitors a day lol 

Just saw it on the Facebook group hope it's true this time and the Jomtien immigration follows suite

 

 

6 minutes ago, timoti said:

whats the news?

https://www.khaosod.co.th/breaking-news/news_3835225

4 minutes ago, TamadeYao said:

Just saw it on the Facebook group hope it's true this time and the Jomtien immigration follows suite

 

 

what is the news?

I take it they have waived the 30 day extension fee as people are forced to stay here or abandoned by their airline or tour operators.

then again I doubt it as parasites love to feast on one host as much as they can.

20 minutes ago, happy chappie said:

I take it they have waived the 30 day extension fee as people are forced to stay here or abandoned by their airline or tour operators.

then again I doubt it as parasites love to feast on one host as much as they can.

good news for the genuine people who cant leave, not so good for the overstayers who haven't attempted to leave, and have already exhausted their extension option, or havent attempted to apply for the embassy letter.

3 minutes ago, PST said:

what is the news?

They are looking into waiving the overstay fines because BKK immigration has been over capacity for the last few days. 

Can anyone translate the important part into English?

 

Do you think you will need an embassy letter for a waived fine?

3 minutes ago, finy said:

Can anyone translate the important part into English?

 

Do you think you will need an embassy letter for a waived fine?

I hope this isnt the silly solution they came up with... would be just as annoying still. Hopefully it's an automatic no fine/extension until a certain date. Gotta wait and see

 It is good news about the overstay fine but much more is needed. 

They need to stop charging for a visa extension that is supposedly granted on a humanitarian basis. 

Stop using Corvid-19 as a money making exercise or face the consequences to tourist industry when this is all over. Many people have long memories and will remember the disgusting treatment they received in Thailand. 

1 minute ago, samisaurus said:

I hope this isnt the silly solution they came up with... would be just as annoying still. Hopefully it's an automatic no fine/extension until a certain date. Gotta wait and see

I believe it only references overstay fines, the 27th being the date fines will not be charged after.

Letter still needed and visiting immigration offices still required!

1 hour ago, UdonRoy said:

I believe it only references overstay fines, the 27th being the date fines will not be charged after.

Letter still needed and visiting immigration offices still required!

That doesn't make any sense.

 

From what I could tell from Google translate they're trying to change things because the amount of people visiting immingation has shot up from 1000 to 5000.

 

Eliminating overstay fines wouldn't fix that.

So we have another official announcement/document released, yet we still can't be sure what the hell it means !  
Why does everything in Thailand seem this way?

Hopefully someone will figure it out and tell us what on earth this one actually means.