Just for info guys, I can look after myself but thought this info would useful to some.

 

I re entered at bkk airport flying from London Gatwick,

I had been out of country for three weeks and was visiting my own country. Normally these two things cut you some slack, not today.

 

Passport History

2012 - 2019, work history with wp, all legal, two different companies at different times

2019, education visa with lots of COVID extensions

 

The education stamp was a real issue, they tried to test my Thai language skills, , obviously none existence.

 

I had the full works, plenty of cash, hotel bookings, flight out, insurance.

 

They held me for over two hours, a solution was found after talking to someone else and facilitating a admin fee, this was not easy as they require a level of subtilty now.

 

Lots of other farangs held but mainly twatpackers and younger types. A suspicious amount of farang females being held , probably eventually allowed through.

 

Hope it's useful to some

 

Did you get stamped in or did you get rejected and sent home ?

care to elaborate on the solution / admin fee?

 

like "pay this amount and you can come in" or?

Very subtle done

 

Payment was made to a agent I have used for years and she will pass it on to them.

 

It was not easy , you can see that they much more careful about being seen to accept admin fees.

I offered to pay in cash there and then but it was not accepted.

 

Guess it's time for a marriage of convienents

 

 

OMG, they are running low to tourists and still engaged in pre-covid  shenanigans. 

Tourist visas and Visa exempts are meant for tourists .

People who have been in Thailand for many years are not tourists and that's why they were questioned  .

  People just need to get the correct visa for the purpose of their visit 

still none the wiser on what entry stamp if any the op was given

19 minutes ago, steve187 said:

still none the wiser on what entry stamp if any the op was given

It was a 30 day visa exempt arrival stamp.

2 hours ago, JFHuaHin said:

Very subtle done

 

Payment was made to a agent I have used for years and she will pass it on to them.

I'm interested in the mechanics of that. How did using that agent come up, did you ask to call her or did an IO hint at it?

 

At face value, involving an additional 3rd party instead of leading you to a dark corner for a cash payment seems to increase the risk of attracting attention to their shenanigans. 

3 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

OMG, they are running low to tourists and still engaged in pre-covid  shenanigans. 

Why is it immigrations fault when somebody stays here on a visa to study, which he then doesn't do and find it pretty normal to do so? He should be locked up and deported when he offered cash to get in to the country.

So would the OP be happy for a visa-less Thai national claiming to be visiting his own country to be cheerfully waved through immigration controls by UK Border Force at Gatwick Airport with no questions asked? Somehow I doubt it!

 

46 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

He should be locked up and deported when he offered cash to get in to the country.

Just as a Thai national attempting to enter the UK in similar circumstances to his would, of course.

 

I've heard this story for  Volunteer visas, they also told me same for ED visas, but that made no sense to me.
How can an ED visa be "illegal". 

Being a lousy student doesn't mean you didin't pay to go to class and were illegal.  

If so, lots of parents want their money back for their drop out kids haha

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

I'm interested in the mechanics of that. How did using that agent come up, did you ask to call her or did an IO hint at it?

 

At face value, involving an additional 3rd party instead of leading you to a dark corner for a cash payment seems to increase the risk of attracting attention to their shenanigans. 

No, it would be highly irregular and potentially problematic if an I.O was accepting money in a brown envelope to stamp tourist into Thailand upon arrival and people may suspect the I.O criminal activity . 

   So the agent steps in and processes the application , receives the payment and the I.O gets his share with no comebacks and no allegations of corruptions  

8 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

I've heard this story for  Volunteer visas, they also told me same for ED visas, but that made no sense to me.
How can an ED visa be "illegal". 

Being a lousy student doesn't mean you didin't pay to go to class and were illegal.  

If so, lots of parents want their money back for their drop out kids haha

If people spent 1 year learning Thai and they couldn't speak Thai, Immigration think people just paid for an education visa without attending classes 

3 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

If people spent 1 year learning Thai and they couldn't speak Thai, Immigration think people just paid for an education visa without attending classes 

Correct.  But that wouldn't make the visa itself illegal.  Or is there a by-law stating that you must pass the classes specifically?

7 hours ago, JFHuaHin said:

2012 - 2019, work history with wp, all legal, two different companies at different times

2019, education visa with lots of COVID extensions

So you worked in the country for 7 years, then found a way of staying on with an Ed visa which you abused then covid extensions - and here you are back again after 3 weeks away. I'm not surprised they held you up, they must have wondered what you're really doing in Thailand, you're not here on holiday, are you?

13 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

No, it would be highly irregular and potentially problematic if an I.O was accepting money in a brown envelope to stamp tourist into Thailand upon arrival and people may suspect the I.O criminal activity . 

   So the agent steps in and processes the application , receives the payment and the I.O gets his share with no comebacks and no allegations of corruptions  

Exactly, imagine it would be posted and spread all over social media and the internet like wildfire.

6 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

Correct.  But that wouldn't make the visa itself illegal.  Or is there a by-law stating that you must pass the classes specifically?

There used to be a requirement to attend classes. No idea if that is still the case.

5 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

Correct.  But that wouldn't make the visa itself illegal.  Or is there a by-law stating that you must pass the classes specifically?

There are laws stating that you must attend classes and if you dont attend classes, the visa gets revoked 

7 hours ago, JFHuaHin said:

Passport History

2012 - 2019, work history with wp, all legal, two different companies at different times

2019, education visa with lots of COVID extensions

 

The education stamp was a real issue, they tried to test my Thai language skills, , obviously none existence.

Are you saying you lived in Thailand for 10 years but know not a word of Thai?

I think the main issue is that there is non long stay visa for people under 50 who want to stay long term here with their own means. 

 

Yes, there is Elite. But paying a minimum of 600K Baht to stay doesn't suit most (rightfully so). 

 

That's why many people have to resort to dodgy Volunteer, ED, Medical visas etc. 

 

I don't see any reason for not extending the same retirement requirements for people under 50. They show they have enough money, either lump sum or income methods and they can stay. They contribute to the local economy and everyone is happy.

22 minutes ago, BKKTRAVELER said:

They show they have enough money, either lump sum or income methods and they can stay.

How much is "enough" for people who might live, say, another 40 years? The Elite visa exists for the well-heeled, how many others who haven't qualified for pensions have really got enough to support themselves?

2 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

I'm not surprised they held you up, they must have wondered what you're really doing in Thailand, you're not here on holiday, are you?

Many people enter on tourist visa who are not on holiday, with full knowledge of immigration.

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Are you saying you lived in Thailand for 10 years but know not a word of Thai?

I've lived here 17 years and can barely say a word. It's not unusual.

9 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I've lived here 17 years and can barely say a word. It's not unusual.

I would say it is pretty unusual not to be able to speak at least basic Thai after 17 years

11 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

I would say it is pretty unusual not to be able to speak at least basic Thai after 17 years

For starters what is the definition of "basic Thai".........

I know many people who have been here for more than 8 years and cannot put more than a few "basic" phrases together. They certainly cannot carry on a conversation. I doubt they will suddenly decide to learn basic thai in the next 10 years or ever.....

Just now, topt said:

For starters what is the definition of "basic Thai".........

I know many people who have been here for more than 8 years and cannot put more than a few "basic" phrases together. They certainly cannot carry on a conversation. I doubt they will suddenly decide to learn basic thai in the next 10 years or ever.....

As was stated he knows no Thai. Basic would be general greetings and the like. Obviously the people you mention are not good with languages but can say some Thai I am sure even if just general greetings, thank you etc.. After 1 year of supposed studying you should be able to put a sentence or two together.

"get the correct visa", "don't abuse the system", "deport him" blah blah blah

 

such responses are old and tired and were done to death pre-Covid. time to get some new material boys.

34 minutes ago, topt said:

For starters what is the definition of "basic Thai".........

I know many people who have been here for more than 8 years and cannot put more than a few "basic" phrases together. They certainly cannot carry on a conversation. I doubt they will suddenly decide to learn basic thai in the next 10 years or ever.....

Very true. I regret not studying the language and the written alphabet when I first arrived. Too late now, but I manage to order food and give taxi drivers directions.