Shakedown at CW

[Robbie63]

Hey Everyone just came back from CW went there to renew my Retirement Visa. Two years ago I had a problem with my Retirement Visa. I am from America and have been here 16 years now. This happened after the US embassy stopped with the notarized letter for income. I had opened an account at Bangkok Bank for the monthly transfers. The problem was I also listed my wife on the account that was a big no go for immigration. They gave me 7 days to get out of the country. I ended up doing a border run to Myanmar so I got a Visa on arrival. I extended for 60 more days and then I had to use a agent. I got a Non-O for 18,000 baht which gave me 90 days then I got my Retirement Visa for 14,000 baht for a 1 year Visa. In the mean time I had opened a new single name account and started my deposits. Then last year I decided to go ahead and use an agent and pay the 14,000 baht. I really did not want to go to CW because of Covid. Now my Retirement Visa was due to expire May 17,2022 so I went to Bangkok Bank and got a 1 year statement for 300 baht takes 5 days for a full 1 year printout. Also got the letter stating my account info and balance. The last year I have been doing my transfers around 100,000 baht a month. So off I go to CW to renew my Visa. When the agent renewed my Visa they did it up north in Issan and another area up north. Now I have a valid Retirement Visa along with my recently updated 90 day report. The Immigration officer took one look at my Passport and threw it back at me told me to go back to agent that my Visa was dirty because of the Northern Immigration Stamps end of discussion. I said I have all my bank reports and transfers so what is the problem?? The Immigration officer begins to talk to my Thai Wife and she is pleading for help please. The Officer now shows my wife her calculator with 12,000 baht on it up to us if we want them to clean up my Visa. Dirty Visa no good clean Visa good. What could I have done at that moment??? Well spoiler alert I paid the 12,000 baht plus 500 baht change of address. Let the comments begin Thank you in Advance.

[Lite Beer]

What did you expect?

Turning up with an ilegal extension stamp.

You gave them an excuse to sqeeze more money from you.

[richard_smith237]

Does that mean your original Visa or extensions of stay was fake ?

 

The Immigration officer at Chaeng Wattana spotted that the current visa you were holding was fake and thus extorted you by charging 12,000 baht to extend a fake visa and legitimise it ?

 

It definitely seems like extortion, but IF your original visa was obtained through illegal channels (i.e. a visa agent using a corrupt Immi officer and ’stamps from the north’)... then you may have got off lightly...

 

The alternative refusal or even being dealt with more seriously because you were holding an illegal visa is a far worse alternative. 

 

The officer who was prepared to ‘bend the rules’ in your favour for a fee may have done you a favour. 

 

As bitter as the taste this has left in your mouth, there may be a positive aspect from which to view this ’shakedown’.

 

 

[Caldera]

Frontline IOs basically find it offensive that you expect them to process your extension "for free" after you've previously paid a visa agent a nice little extra.

 

There really isn't anything else to it, "dirty" quickly becomes "clean" once you correct that perceived unfairness. As seen. 

[Guest truthman]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Does that mean your original Visa or extensions of stay was fake ?

 

The Immigration officer at Chaeng Wattana spotted that the current visa you were holding was fake and thus extorted you by charging 12,000 baht to extend a fake visa and legitimise it ?

 

It definitely seems like extortion, but IF your original visa was obtained through illegal channels (i.e. a visa agent using a corrupt Immi officer and ’stamps from the north’ (?)... then you may have got off lightweight (thats one way of looking at it at least).

 

 

The extension wasn't fake or illegal. If that had been the case they would have canceled it, charged him an overstay fine, and given him 7 days to leave the country. Rather, they refused to accept the stamp. I heard about that when talking with an agent who uses Chaeng Wattana. She said they won't accept stamps from certain places.

 

Notice the irony though: The IO  berates him for using an agent, advises him to use the agent again, and then demands a bribe to issue a new stamp. In a way, he got a good deal. If he had used an agent to get a Bangkok stamp, it would have cost him 25,000.

[The Hammer2021]

Does dirty mean smudged?

[Ohyesuare]

33 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Does dirty mean smudged?

No, as in he paid to bypass the requirements.

[userabcd]

You are lucky the imm officer fixed your problem for you and for a nominal fee.

 

It could have been a lot more expensive for you if they implemented the law.

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, Robbie63 said:

I had opened an account at Bangkok Bank for the monthly transfers. The problem was I also listed my wife on the account that was a big no go for immigration

After 16 years here, I would have thought you knew that a joint account is un-acceptable.

[mokwit]

I would guess a technically legit visa, but done outside the "system"

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Does that mean your original Visa or extensions of stay was fake ?

No it doesn't. It was legit but done in an area different to where he lives hence the 'dirty' remark.

 

They know the game and want in.

[skatewash]

The true cost of using an agent who gets your extension for you by sending your passport out of the province where you live is often deferred until the time you attempt to not use an agent and get the extension from your own immigration office according to the rules.  You may want to go straight but the gang won't let you.

[warrima]

3 minutes ago, skatewash said:

The true cost of using an agent who gets your extension for you by sending your passport out of the province where you live is often deferred until the time you attempt to not use an agent and get the extension from your own immigration office according to the rules.  You may want to go straight but the gang won't let you.

Summed up perfectly. Once your on the agent bandwagon you cant get off again. Immigration see it as a pay cut.

[RafPinto]

I renewed my O-A today as well.
In at 9.15

 

All papers ready. Affidavit from my embassy.
Lady didn't say 1 word.
Checked and checked again. Plenty of stamps on a few papers I gave her.
Took about 20 minutes.
Sit down, wait 40 minutes and off I went.

Gone very smoothly today.

Well done immigration.

 

 

[KannikaP]

15 minutes ago, ukrules said:

No it doesn't. It was legit but done in an area different to where he lives hence the 'dirty' remark.

 

They know the game and want in.

So YES, it was fake. The extension must be done in the province where you live, and have a TM30.

[KannikaP]

51 minutes ago, userabcd said:

You are lucky the imm officer fixed your problem for you and for a nominal fee.

 

It could have been a lot more expensive for you if they implemented the law.

But the IO will remember it for years to come.

[CharlieH]

I wouldnt say fake ! If that was accurate he would have been arrested. Unusual possibly. But it was valod and issued by the correct dept/persom.

 

I suggest "dirty" just means it was actually issued outside of province of residence.

Knowing that was a "paid for" variance, he seized on the opportunity to do the same.

Making it "clean" simply meant all the boxes were ticked and in line with residence office.

 

But of course that is all just speculation as we cannot " know" what the officer concerned was actually stating/meant.

[Boomer6969]

2 hours ago, Robbie63 said:

Well spoiler alert I paid the 12,000 baht plus 500 baht change of address. Let the comments begin Thank you in Advance.

IMHO you did the right thing. T.I.T

[Ohyesuare]

3 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

IMHO you did the right thing. T.I.T

Yeah no choice really. Better to just do things legit.

[proton]

1 hour ago, truthman said:

The extension wasn't fake or illegal. If that had been the case they would have canceled it, charged him an overstay fine, and given him 7 days to leave the country. Rather, they refused to accept the stamp. I heard about that when talking with an agent who uses Chaeng Wattana. She said they won't accept stamps from certain places.

 

Notice the irony though: The IO  berates him for using an agent, advises him to use the agent again, and then demands a bribe to issue a new stamp. In a way, he got a good deal. If he had used an agent to get a Bangkok stamp, it would have cost him 25,000.

It was an extension illegally obtained from an immigration office in another province. You have to get it where you live. Once you go with an agent you are stuck with them, or have to pay to clean up the corrupt mess

[EVENKEEL]

My TM-30 is Rayong province, used an agent and got extension in Jomtein. This year did it myself in Rayong, no problem. So, the argument about extension must come from your home province isn't accurate.

 

 

[proton]

4 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

My TM-30 is Rayong province, used an agent and got extension in Jomtein. This year did it myself in Rayong, no problem. So, the argument about extension must come from your home province isn't accurate.

 

 

It's the law though

[Mavideol]

and you have been here for 16 years  555 .... you should known how Thailand IMO works

[Mavideol]

27 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

But the IO will remember it for years to come.

let's see what they will do next year.... maybe another 12K  555

[Lemsta69]

4 minutes ago, proton said:

It's the law though

laws here are only for poor people to follow. 

[Lemsta69]

1 minute ago, Mavideol said:

let's see what they will do next year.... maybe another 12K  555

I'd be well happy with that price. what's the immi geezer's name?

[spidermike007]

There is always the option of going to a different immigration office.

 

They are all corrupt beyond the imagination. The money they are earning is staggering. 

[dddave]

22 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

I wouldnt say fake ! If that was accurate he would have been arrested. Unusual possibly. But it was valod and issued by the correct dept/persom.

 

I suggest "dirty" just means it was actually issued outside of province of residence.

Knowing that was a "paid for" variance, he seized on the opportunity to do the same.

Making it "clean" simply meant all the boxes were ticked and in line with residence office.

 

But of course that is all just speculation as we cannot " know" what the officer concerned was actually stating/meant.

Just the OP's luck.  His I.O. must have been in the toilet when the Head of Immigration visited last week and clearly declared there "would be no more bribes" as well as something about being polite.

[proton]

22 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

laws here are only for poor people to follow. 

Most going to agents are poor!

[Lemsta69]

27 minutes ago, proton said:

Most going to agents are poor!

but they're still wealthy in comparison to your average, factory working Thai. the top end of town don't follow the law so why should I or any other farang? it's only wrong here if you get caught.