When I and my Thai wife visited our local migration office in a suburb to Bangkok for the annual renewal of my visa, the lady migration officer suddenly asked my wife:
 

"Does he want to volunteer ? "

 

Now, this wasn't pertaining to the renewal of the visa as we were just about finishing up, but she did ask me while I was yet to receive my new sticker and stamp so obviously I'm interested in keeping myself in their good books.

This is the local office so its the same staff each time.  My Mrs insisted it would be rude to decline so she said we'd be thrilled.

That was 6 months ago so I thought they probably got someone else.

 

But now they just called me today to lock us in and ofcourse my Mrs assured them we're still available.

I tried to ask again and again volunteer FOR WHAT? 

But there's not even a hint.  I tried to ask if it might have something to do with they're needing people who speak English for...speaking..to ...kids? But I received no information.
Then I just learned after my Mrs got off the phone 'IT WONT TAKE MORE THAN A DAY' .  

Has anyone else been asked to volunteer ?!   I mean , gee , what are we talking here, scraping chewing gum off the tollway in the burning sun or what?
Of course I don't want to volunteer if I don't know what it is, we only said yes out of fear getting in their bad books. Doubt anything would've changed if we said no, but now I'm on the hook.

not a big drama just kinda odd.

 

This is so Thailand btw haha

 

Any other volunteers out there?
 

 

 

 

Fear is a great motivator!  Embrace the moment...????

Have you ever heard of the IDC?  It is full of people, who volunteered for "Migration," usually for not being in compliance.

So why didn't you ask for what while you where there?

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

So why didn't you ask for what while you where there?

Yep, I tried asking them again and again both while I was in their office and when they called yesterday but the officer didn't know either. 
She was only the one rounding up the volunteers.

42 minutes ago, WhereIsMyRyeBread said:

Yep, I tried asking them again and again both while I was in their office and when they called yesterday but the officer didn't know either. 
She was only the one rounding up the volunteers.

Probably wanted to give you a special offer on a health insurance policy.

52 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

Probably wanted to give you a special offer on a health insurance policy.

yea who knows. I'm starting to think they need extras for playing the farang villain in one of those migration videos showing what to do or not to do when entering Thailand or whatnot.  As per my profile image, my looks can be true burden sometimes.

21 hours ago, WhereIsMyRyeBread said:

When I and my Thai wife visited our local migration office in a suburb to Bangkok for the annual renewal of my visa, the lady migration officer suddenly asked my wife:
 

"Does he want to volunteer ? "

Which "suburb to Bangkok" was this?  Presumably you mean Chaeng Wattana Immigration office which is the Bangkok IB's office, yes?

1 hour ago, Bob A Kneale said:

Which "suburb to Bangkok" was this?  Presumably you mean Chaeng Wattana Immigration office which is the Bangkok IB's office, yes?

Pathumthani

2 hours ago, WhereIsMyRyeBread said:

Pathumthani

I'd be careful. Volunteering requires a work permit and is not allowed with a Non O retirement visa, she could be feeling you out. This is apparently enforce by the immigration dept. If they want you to volunteer get it in writing that it's approved. 

If your on a Non O marriage it is possible with a work permit. 

When I was teaching out in the provinces, I eventually became acquainted with the Tourist Police, who asked if I might be able to pop into the station on a weekend, to go over some essential English vocab and phrases. I thought sure, why not, and agreed. This was followed by a lot of smiling, pats on the back, and salutes.

 

I never did get that call, however. You should definitely make the gesture to put yourself in good graces. But rest assured, the chances of you having to follow through with it are slim. It's like this with many things in Thailand, like paperwork that's never really checked, and "Big Cleaning Days" where there's hardly any cleaning. It's simply the gesture that counts.

14 hours ago, checkered flag said:

I'd be careful. Volunteering requires a work permit and is not allowed with a Non O retirement visa, she could be feeling you out. This is apparently enforce by the immigration dept. If they want you to volunteer get it in writing that it's approved. 

If your on a Non O marriage it is possible with a work permit. 

What a load of nonsense.... Yeah sure the IO is wasting her time feeling him out...

Let me get my tinfoil hat.

I hope i have missed the sarcasm in your post..

On 6/16/2020 at 4:52 PM, WhereIsMyRyeBread said:

I tried to ask again and again volunteer FOR WHAT? 

Volunteer for migration, you should be asking where to.

On 6/18/2020 at 10:26 AM, userabcd said:

Volunteer for migration, you should be asking where to.

Apparently to the Palace.????

I'm told I need to go there to pick up one blue hat.

I kid you not. Another TIT moment. 

Volunteering is a big royal project.  Blue cap, yellow shirt and some networking. 

 

I believe that government departments all have quotas for volunteering that they have to meet.  I wouldn't be surprised if one Farang counts for 2 Thais!  ????

Yes I was approached by immigration in Mukdahan to see if I would interested volunteering.  I said yes and they asked me to fill out a form.  The form had a number of activity types which you ticked if you wanted to do.  Things like driving some older people around, cleaning, English language etc.

 

They calked a few weeks later to set up some days for me to help, unfortunately I had to get to Bangkok for a few weeks and I could not make the dates.

 

Craighj

On 7/11/2020 at 4:59 PM, craighj said:

 The form had a number of activity types which you ticked if you wanted to do.  Things like driving some older people around, cleaning, English language etc.

yea exactly, same form. The form even had scuba diving on there (!) 

On 7/11/2020 at 11:06 AM, otherstuff1957 said:

Volunteering is a big royal project.  Blue cap, yellow shirt and some networking. 

 

I believe that government departments all have quotas for volunteering that they have to meet.  I wouldn't be surprised if one Farang counts for 2 Thais!  ????

I indeed think that this is for the Royal Volunteer project as they are also starting to ask foreigners in Phuket to join this project.

Last week i was also asked to join for this project.

Looks like that they are trying to expand this project to other provinces.

It has nothing to do with immigration itself.