Latest developments and discussion of recent events in the Ukraine War

[guyfromtheweb2]

On 9/9/2024 at 9:10 PM, guyfromtheweb2 said:

Thanks for this timeline @zappalot.  I heard the 90-day queues at Chaengwattana in Bangkok are ridiculously long now since they are making everyone report in-person for the first 90-day report after leaving and returning to Thailand.  I decided to mail mines in through EMS as well.  It has been about a month since EMS tracking says it has been delivered and I still have not received my 90-day receipt yet.  I guess I will continue to wait.  I don't really care because I have the mail tracking receipt. 

 

I will add that I mailed it in about 12 days before my due date.  I tried to submit online 15 days before the due date and that is when I was rejected.  So after rejection, it was about 12-days out before I mailed it.  During Covid when I had issues with the older online system, I would mail in my 90-days as late 7 days before the due date and it was never an issue.  I'll update if/when I finally get my 90-day receipt back.

 

Update:  I finally received my receipt for my recent 90-day report.  It took about 11 weeks from the date I mailed it through EMS!  Just in time for my next 90-day report that is due in a few weeks.  😔

[TimBKK]

Anyone submit a online 90 day to Jomtien immigration recently?  Been in a pending status for 3 days, bit unusual in my experience.  

[Rob Browder]

4 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

Anyone submit a online 90 day to Jomtien immigration recently?  Been in a pending status for 3 days, bit unusual in my experience.  

In my experience, not unusual for a weekend.  I had one this year where the first day I could apply was Friday, and got my approval reply the following Monday afternoon.

[TimBKK]

2 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

In my experience, not unusual for a weekend.  I had one this year where the first day I could apply was Friday, and got my approval reply the following Monday afternoon.

good point, i appreciate the response.

[Daniel4]

First post here.  Thank you for the acceptance.

 

Looking for a little guidance and hopefully some knowledge of leniency shown by the Chonburi Immigration Office in Jomtien.  Regarding my 90 day reporting.  On Friday following online submission of my TM47 I later received a rejection email.  No reason was offered but I was told to attend in person to my local immigration office immediately, tomorrow being my first possible opportunity.   

 

I looked at my submitted form then realised I may have input the incorrect date of arrival in Thailand.  I entered the country in late October 2023 and quickly gained a Non O Immigrant and Multiple entry visa.   However my partner and I had a one week vacation in Vietnam returning mid May 2024 and it appears I should have input this date of arrival rather than the initial entry into Thailand last October.

 

I then submitted  another TM47 with the returning from Vietnam arrival date of May 2024.  I accessed the Thai Immigration website to check my TM47 progress and again seen it was rejected, an email soon followed once again telling me to attend local office in person.

 

Here's the problem.  When I accessed the website I noticed that my last TM47 submission in July (The first one I had ever applied for online) had also been rejected and I had no knowledge of this.  I never received a rejection email (checked back through my junk mail, nothing).  When I submitted the last one I just received screen notification of "Success" and I foolishly thought that everything had gone through correctly.  So as it sits, through my own lack of knowledge on how this crazy system works I find that I have lived in Thailand for the past 90 days unreported and I was entirely unaware the whole time.  Not through ignorance, just unfamiliarity with the online process.  

 

Now i'm assuming they want me to attend in person and to accept a fine.  How lenient are they with cases such as mine?  There must have been dozens of folks out there who have done something similar?

 

Any constructive guidance happily accepted.  Thank you for reading.

[rwilem]

9 hours ago, Daniel4 said:

 

Now i'm assuming they want me to attend in person and to accept a fine.  How lenient are they with cases such as mine?  There must have been dozens of folks out there who have done something similar?

 

Any constructive guidance happily accepted.  Thank you for reading.

Just go in immigration, submit the 90-day report for this cycle. They'll most likely catch that you didn't do the last one. The fine is 2000 baht. You're not going to be cut any slack on your explanation, but you can tell the story, at least explain why you missed it.

 

One issue going forward you need to understand when submitting online. After you have submitted the application, the 'Success' button and email does not mean you've completed the report. Just means they have accepted it for consideration. You will have to wait some time before you get either an 'approved' or 'rejected' email. If you don't receive the email, and it's getting to be several days after your 'successful' application, you can check the status of your application at the website. Sometimes the email doesn't get sent/received/sent to spam, so you can be proactive and check the status at the website.

Edited Sunday at 10:37 PM by rwilem

[Daniel4]

Thank you Rwilem.  Yes, you're description of the proces is correct, I know that now.  I was just green behind the ears/novice/unwise to Thai ways.

 

Seems i've also been a lucky sod, I visited today and got away with any fines, they never even mentioned them🤔. 

 

Finally, I felt the two members of staff I contended with were both horrible to the core.  Unhelpful, no humility and downright rude to many of the farangs.  A few older guys not knowing the the processes were shouted down at in front of hundreds of waiting customers.  A truly humiliating outcome for many.  As an ex occupation trainer in admin and customer service I found it all quite unsettling.

 

 

Edited Monday at 04:25 PM by Daniel4

[rwilem]

1 hour ago, Daniel4 said:

Seems i've also been a lucky sod, I visited today and got away with any fines, they never even mentioned them🤔. 

That's why I said 'most likely', and not 100 percent, because, you just never know. And who knows? Could be that last report you have questions about may be in their system as 'approved'?  Take the good outcome and move on.

 

Yes, the Jomtiem Immigration office seems to generate higher stress levels, for both some of the people working there and some of the foreigners attending it. (Though my own dealings with that office years ago were OK, no issues.) Just best to make sure you've got your 'duck's in a row' (prepared with docs, copies, etc.) whenever you have to do anything there, or at any immigration office for that matter. 

[Maestro]

23 hours ago, rwilem said:

...One issue going forward you need to understand when submitting online. After you have submitted the application, the 'Success' button and email does not mean you've completed the report. Just means they have accepted it for consideration. You will have to wait some time before you get either an 'approved' or 'rejected' email...

 

Wrong terminology. It is not an application. You are not applying for anything for immigration to approve or to reject, to grant or to refuse.

 

I'm not blaming you; I know it is immigration who started to call it an application.

 

If immigration feels that you have given wrong or incomplete information in your report, they should say so and tell you what corrected or additional information they require, but this is Thailand.

[OJAS]

13 hours ago, Maestro said:

If immigration feels that you have given wrong or incomplete information in your report, they should say so and tell you what corrected or additional information they require, but this is Thailand.

 

This is, indeed, Thailand, as you say. My latest online report was initially rejected by my local office (Rayong) on the vague grounds of insufficient information having been provided. This despite all mandatory asterisked fields having been completed! So I resubmitted it after completing all remaining fields, and, thankfully, it was approved the next day.

 

Edited 18 hours ago by OJAS

[jack343]

Could anyone please clarify if we need to do the 90-day reporting in person for the 1st time EVERY time we enter into Thailand, or only the very 1st time we enter into Thailand and can do the following reporting online, even temporarily leaving the country in between?  

 

Also, where should we do the reporting in person in Bangkok?  

 

Thanks!

Edited 16 hours ago by jack343

[rwilem]

3 hours ago, jack343 said:

Could anyone please clarify if we need to do the 90-day reporting in person for the 1st time EVERY time we enter into Thailand...

Seems to the case these days. Leave the country and return, you reset the 90-day clock and if you are still in-county at 90 days, that report has to be done in person. You could do it in person from day 75 to six days after the due date. People say seven days after, but as the due date generally counts as day 1 of the grace period in effect it's six, but YMMV.

 

In Bangkok, report at Chaengwattana Immigration, affectionately referred to as CW.

 

 

Edited 13 hours ago by rwilem

[jenniek]

8 hours ago, rwilem said:

Seems to the case these days. Leave the country and return, you reset the 90-day clock and if you are still in-county at 90 days, that report has to be done in person. You could do it in person from day 75 to six days after the due date. People say seven days after, but as the due date generally counts as day 1 of the grace period in effect it's six, but YMMV.

 

In Bangkok, report at Chaengwattana Immigration, affectionately referred to as CW.

 

 

In this case, it could end up with having to report in person for multiple times.... 

[Liquorice]

9 hours ago, rwilem said:

Seems to the case these days. Leave the country and return, you reset the 90-day clock and if you are still in-county at 90 days, that report has to be done in person.

Unless of course you are out of Country in-between a 90-day report, in which case you can still submit online within the due window.

[norbra]

29 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Unless of course you are out of Country in-between a 90-day report, in which case you can still submit online within the due window.

Sorry don't understand what you mean.

My next report date was 19th July 2024,I was in Malaysia for 3 days in June 2024,following my return I received reminder email to report..

I submitted report online,it was rejected for being outside report window.

[Enzian]

Can I do my 90 day report in person at CW on the same day I'm out there to do my Non-O extension (which is due Dec. 20)? The 90 day point from my recent return from Europe will be Sunday December 22 I believe; the 75 day point is Sat. 7th, so say Monday Dec. 9 or that week. Thanks.

[Liquorice]

1 hour ago, norbra said:

My next report date was 19th July 2024,I was in Malaysia for 3 days in June 2024,following my return I received reminder email to report..

I submitted report online,it was rejected for being outside report window.

Did you then try to report online 90 days after re-entering and how did that go.

 

A couple of friends and I attempted to make some sense of the online 90-day report system.
1 year extension, multi re-entry permits, fly in and out 3 times a year.

When they were out of Country between a due 90 day report, they were able to report as normal on the due date, even if that was 10 days after re-entry.
On the other hand if they were out of Country and missed a due report, then tried within the 90 day after re-entry it was always refused.

 

When I question Immigration why my 90 day report was refused in the latter case, I was advised it was because they couldn't find my previous report.
When I stated the obvious, that I was out of Country at the time, he logged into another system and confirmed the date I departed then re-entered.

According to him, so many miss the report, they don't check if the reason was because they were out of Country as it was too much trouble.

He further stated if I miss a report due to being out of Country, then the next report must be made in person, as I'm out of sync with the automated online system, and the due report date has to be manually reset by an IO.

[norbra]

Just now, Liquorice said:

Did you then try to report online 90 days after re-entering and how did that go.

 

A couple of friends and I attempted to make some sense of the online 90-day report system.
1 year extension, multi re-entry permits, fly in and out 3 times a year.

When they were out of Country between a due 90 day report, they were able to report as normal on the due date, even if that was 10 days after re-entry.
On the other hand if they were out of Country and missed a due report, then tried within the 90 day after re-entry it was always refused.

 

When I question Immigration why my 90 day report was refused in the latter case, I was advised it was because they couldn't find my previous report.
When I stated the obvious, that I was out of Country at the time, he logged into another system and confirmed the date I departed then re-entered.

According to him, so many miss the report, they don't check if the reason was because they were out of Country as it was too much trouble.

He further stated if I miss a report due to being out of Country, then the next report must be made in person, as I'm out of sync with the automated online system, and the due report date has to be manually reset by an IO.

I mailed my next report 75 days after my re-entry,it was approved on due date and receipt returned 1 month later.

[Liquorice]

4 minutes ago, Enzian said:

Can I do my 90 day report in person at CW on the same day I'm out there to do my Non-O extension (which is due Dec. 20)? The 90 day point from my recent return from Europe will be Sunday December 22 I believe; the 75 day point is Sat. 7th, so say Monday Dec. 9 or that week. Thanks.

Yes, you can submit both your extension application and submit your 90 day report anytime between 8th - 14th December.
 

[Liquorice]

7 minutes ago, norbra said:

I mailed my next report 75 days after my re-entry,it was approved on due date and receipt returned 1 month later.

I've concluded that whether successful or not 90 days after re-entering Thailand, depends on if the IO checks why your previous report was missed due to being out of Country and manually resets the new due date. My IO are obviously just too lazy to check, although they obviously can.

 

Mail in after re-entry may be the way forward, as @DrJack54 advised.

Edited 2 hours ago by Liquorice

[norbra]

23 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

I've concluded that whether successful or not 90 days after re-entering Thailand, depends on if the IO checks why your previous report was missed due to being out of Country and manually resets the new due date. My IO are obviously just too lazy to check, although they obviously can.

 

Mail in after re-entry may be the way forward, as @DrJack54 advised.

Mail in report is my preferred option,saves me a day at CW,saves 400thb taxi and 2 hours travel time.

[Liquorice]

Furthermore, regarding the online system.

4 of my last 6 online reports have been rejected and when I previously enquired as to the reason, I was fobbed off with 'system glitch'.

 

When I was rejected again earlier this month and had to report in person, I posed the question again.
Initially, the IO blew his top and claimed it was the system and not to blame him as it wasn't his fault.
I tried to calmly explain that the system always accepts my submission, but the option of refusal or acceptance is always performed manually by an IO.
I was just seeking answers, as the same info was entered for each submission.
Another IO heard his irate raised voice and came over to assist and calmed him down.

The office was now empty.

 

I'd printed my last 6 online submission and the emails of acceptance and refusals.
They were now being very co-operative and checking their database.

After a few minutes, one of the IO's informed me the reason for the refusals was due to me stating the wrong nationality.
In the past, they always informed me to use the drop-down boxes where applicable and choose British GBR.
I must confess previously I'd chosen British colonist, that being one of the only 2 options under 'B' for 'British'.

The IO printed a list of nationalities of in alphabetical order, which when getting to British stated 4 options.
British Colonist
British GBR

British HK
British Indian

British national (overseas) GBN

 

When they checked my previous 6 reports, they were stunned to find the 2 that were approved also stated my nationality as British colonist, and in fact on one of the approved reports I'd made the error of entering the house and village numbers in the wrong order.
These 2 wrongly approved reports were quickly explained away, by an admission it must have been a different IO and not himself!

 

They allowed me to log into the 90 day online system, and this was the first time they saw what we see as such.
Sure enough, in alphabetical order under 'B' for 'British', the only 2 options were British HK and British colonist (which given only those two options I chose 'colonist').

 

 

 

They were quite stunned by this, as it didn't match their alphabetical list.

At least I now knew the reason for my previous refusals, albeit 2 approved in error.

 

On returning home, I logged into the online system again and searched for British GBR, which in fact it listed under 'G' for GBR- British, along with GBN - British overseas.
You have to scroll down to 'I' to find IOT' British Indian.

 

The list, as they see it, is different to that displayed in the online list of nationalities.

 

Next report is due Jan, so now I'm aware of the error, I can correct and see if it's approved.

 

 

 

 

 

[norbra]

39 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Furthermore, regarding the online system.

4 of my last 6 online reports have been rejected and when I previously enquired as to the reason, I was fobbed off with 'system glitch'.

 

When I was rejected again earlier this month and had to report in person, I posed the question again.
Initially, the IO blew his top and claimed it was the system and not to blame him as it wasn't his fault.
I tried to calmly explain that the system always accepts my submission, but the option of refusal or acceptance is always performed manually by an IO.
I was just seeking answers, as the same info was entered for each submission.
Another IO heard his irate raised voice and came over to assist and calmed him down.

The office was now empty.

 

I'd printed my last 6 online submission and the emails of acceptance and refusals.
They were now being very co-operative and checking their database.

After a few minutes, one of the IO's informed me the reason for the refusals was due to me stating the wrong nationality.
In the past, they always informed me to use the drop-down boxes where applicable and choose British GBR.
I must confess previously I'd chosen British colonist, that being one of the only 2 options under 'B' for 'British'.

The IO printed a list of nationalities of in alphabetical order, which when getting to British stated 4 options.
British Colonist
British GBR

British HK
British Indian

British national (overseas) GBN

 

When they checked my previous 6 reports, they were stunned to find the 2 that were approved also stated my nationality as British colonist, and in fact on one of the approved reports I'd made the error of entering the house and village numbers in the wrong order.
These 2 wrongly approved reports were quickly explained away, by an admission it must have been a different IO and not himself!

 

They allowed me to log into the 90 day online system, and this was the first time they saw what we see as such.
Sure enough, in alphabetical order under 'B' for 'British', the only 2 options were British HK and British colonist (which given only those two options I chose 'colonist').

 

 

 

They were quite stunned by this, as it didn't match their alphabetical list.

At least I now knew the reason for my previous refusals, albeit 2 approved in error.

 

On returning home, I logged into the online system again and searched for British GBR, which in fact it listed under 'G' for GBR- British, along with GBN - British overseas.
You have to scroll down to 'I' to find IOT' British Indian.

 

The list, as they see it, is different to that displayed in the online list of nationalities.

 

Next report is due Jan, so now I'm aware of the error, I can correct and see if it's approved.

 

 

 

 

 

Geez no wonder there have been so many unexplained rejections