Minimum hours for a genuine volunteer visa?

[G950]

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

It is 99.99% certain that you would never have a problem. The only time you would (very unlikely) be in any danger is in the event of a power struggle involving one of the key officials who signed off on your visa/extension. You could then become collateral damage.

The entire post was excellent in explaining how corruption is part of Thailand and most developing countries. 

 

I lived in Brazil for 10 years and would see a very high profile house of ill repute get shut down every couple of years for about a week or so. Then would open up again as if nothing had happened. 

 

The locals would explain that senior officials were essentially manouvering over what share of the weekly bribe they would receive. All went well when power was in balance.

[padthaininja]

insight

9 hours ago, BritTim said:

I shall try to get across the nuances of what is going on here, but you are probably not going to have a clear feel without fairly extensive prior history of dealing with Thai officialdom.

 

A visa and extension of stay as a volunteer implies that you will be assisting an NGO (or similar) with charity work. In this case, what is happening, is that the agent has a relationship with a registered NGO that has very influential contacts able to approve any "volunteer" put forward by the NGO. Several senior officials in different offices are involved in getting all the approvals.

 

Whatever the agent may say (and you should be able to work this out for yourself) you are not going to be spending any time assisting the charity that has taken you on a a volunteer. Indeed, you very likely will not even know which charity you are "helping". However, these kinds of arrangements are endemic in Thailand. With several senior officials involved, the paperwork and stamps will be sufficient to get past any kind of cursory examination. It is 99.99% certain that you would never have a problem. The only time you would (very unlikely) be in any danger is in the event of a power struggle involving one of the key officials who signed off on your visa/extension. You could then become collateral damage.

Ah I see.. great insight. Thank you.

[brianp0803]

I think to summarize; it is a real visa obtained by bribing officials to certify that you’re a volunteer for an NGO when you really are not helping anybody. 
The risk is if the official receiving the bride is not sharing his bribes with the correct people and is caught and his stamps are investigated. 

[JackThompson]

14 hours ago, brianp0803 said:

I think to summarize; it is a real visa obtained by bribing officials to certify that you’re a volunteer for an NGO when you really are not helping anybody. 
The risk is if the official receiving the bride is not sharing his bribes with the correct people and is caught and his stamps are investigated. 

Even if you really are doing volunteer-work, the same agent-laundered bribe scheme is followed.  The non-profit, their agent/lawyer, and immigration cash-in on you, either way.  You must "pay the fees" to volunteer, here, in all cases I have read about - though I would guess there are some exceptions for the very high-connected non-profits.

[DrJack54]

Asking question for 3rd party, who has been offered 12 month volunteer visa for 49k. (well know agency) Pattaya. He lives bkk.

So price seems fair? 

 

[Sundown]

27 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Asking question for 3rd party, who has been offered 12 month volunteer visa for 49k. (well know agency) Pattaya. He lives bkk.

So price seems fair? 

 

Pattaya and Phuket agents have the sheer nerve to ask even 65000 for a volunteer visa. BKK / Chiang Mai will be under 40k. Why he needs to ask agency in Pattaya when he lives in BKK..

[dblh]

1 hour ago, Sundown said:

Pattaya and Phuket agents have the sheer nerve to ask even 65000 for a volunteer visa. BKK / Chiang Mai will be under 40k. Why he needs to ask agency in Pattaya when he lives in BKK..

What's the good agent in Bangkok? Any recommendations.

Asking for a friend...

[G950]

11 minutes ago, dblh said:

What's the good agent in Bangkok? Any recommendations.

Asking for a friend...

I am also asking for friend that lives in BKK ????.  If anybody has any good recommendations for a half decent agency that is offering the procurement of said Volunteer visa please let me know as well. 

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Asking question for 3rd party, who has been offered 12 month volunteer visa for 49k. (well know agency) Pattaya. He lives bkk.

So price seems fair? 

The price seems about right. My guestimate (not having tried myself) would be around 45,000 for 12 months.

[FritsSikkink]

On ‎8‎/‎23‎/‎2020 at 3:05 PM, edwardandtubs said:

I know what you mean but there are actually charities that welcome people who just want to do a few hours a week and certainly don't charge any money.

Why should they give you a visa for a couple of hours a week?

[meherbaba]

On 8/23/2020 at 12:31 PM, ubonjoe said:

I have not seen anything in writing about a minimum number of hours.

Itn is possible to apply for a change of visa status to get a 90 day nonimmigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration but it requires getting a letter from a government department to do it. See: https://bangkokimmigration.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/09.pdf

 

Does anybody know about this letter?

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, meherbaba said:

Does anybody know about this letter?

Only what is written in the rules.

"(3) Must have been confirmed and requested by the head of a government agency equivalent to or higher than the departmental level or by the head of a state enterprise or by the head of another government agency relating to the organization."

Ask the foundation or organization you are working with about getting it.

 

[edwardandtubs]

6 hours ago, BritTim said:

The price seems about right. My guestimate (not having tried myself) would be around 45,000 for 12 months.

Actually the standard price in Pattaya is 40,000 for the 12 months if you already have a non-immigrant visa or 55,000 for 15 months if not. Several agents are offering this.

 

The cheapest I've seen in Bangkok is 60,000 for 15 months.

[meherbaba]

Today I called the IO and they said I must leave the country to apply for this visa... @ubonjoe

 

Sould I assume the person that replied was not well informed?

 

Has there been any report of someone successful in changing visa from visa exemption within the country (without and agent)?

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, meherbaba said:

Today I called the IO and they said I must leave the country to apply for this visa... @ubonjoe

Should I assume the person that replied was not well informed?

Has there been any report of someone successful in changing visa from visa exemption within the country (without and agent)?

Normally the person asking about getting the volunteer visa would be from the organization or foundation supporting it.

It could be the person did not really know anything about it.

People and their sponsor have been able to get them before.