Sri Racha Immigration

[Randy99]

I wrote last week to warn readers that attempting to secure a one yr. extension for Non Imm O-A visa my application was rejected because the supervisor of the section that processes these applications rejected my Insurance Certificate from LMG.  That was on June 24.  My ins. agent coughed up a new certificate that was accepted today, June 28.  However, she found a new angle to reject my application for a second time.  The problem today was that I didn't bring along a bank statement for the last year.  I've done 4 previous extensions with no bank statement, but rather I just photocopied my bank book, signed each page and they were accepted.  My bank balance has never dipped below 1,000,000B for the 5 years I've been in Thailand.  There were two bank books this time but the continuity was perfect, seamless.  

So, I had to get a second letter from the bank today, confirmimg my balance and now a third letter will be required at 100B a pop.  I live in Phan Thong  so throw in 6 hours of driving back and forth.  

Also, there was another farang doing the same as I, visa extension.  I noted that he submitted copies of his bank book which were accepted without question.

What is going on here is a supervisor doesn't like me for some reason and is going to make sure I understand that she's the boss.  If my third attempt is rebuffed I will ask to see the big boss, after which I'll go home and pack my bags for Vietnam, then write a long detailed letter to the King, the Prime Minister the head of Thai Immigration and anyone else that comes to mind.

I would have thought that a country just coming out of a tourist drought would be especially welcoming to foreigners, but apparently that's not the case in Sri Racha.  Thailand as a whole will not miss the 800,000B that I spend annually but the guesthouses and hotels, restaurants, bars, food stores et al, they certainly will.

[ubonjoe]

Was your bank book or books updated on a regular basis?  If not that may the reason they want a bank statement.

[grain]

I went to Sri Racha Imm once, about 5 years ago when I was living at Bang Saen. Was a horrible experience, all I wanted was a residency certificate, I left there (without the certificate) in a state of shock. Horrible nasty official, shouting and threatening me (not same lady OP mentions, this was a male). Would never go anywhere near that office again. (And before anybody starts tearing into me accusing me of being an unwashed scruffy farang with a bad attitude, that is not the case. I always dress smartly for any dealings with gov/officials, and I've lived in Thailand many years and know how to conduct myself with officials) 

[Randy99]

Hi Ubonjoe.  Yes, with all the bank machines with BB update I'd say about every six weeks.

[Randy99]

Hi Grain.  Your comments are heartfelt and shared.  I didn't want to come off as being an ungrateful cad but I of course do my 90 day reports there and am always treated with determined indifference or worse.  This supervisor that I am dealing with takes the cake though.  From her I get mild hostility at best.  She just waves off my questions with a sneer and goes back to her desk in the back row.  Pathetic behaviour.  

[treetops]

17 minutes ago, Randy99 said:

Hi Ubonjoe.  Yes, with all the bank machines with BB update I'd say about every six weeks.

If bankbook entries were consolidated at 6 week intervals it may be that no data shows for a period and if that's the case they would need a full statement.

[Randy99]

Ubonjoe.  I forgot to mention that her specific issue with the bank books was that the very last entry in my old bank book must appear as line one in my new bank book.  Nonsense!  I just went through my old bank books.  None of them carry forward with the last entry from old bank book.

Cheers

[Randy99]

Hey Treetops.  Thanks for your reply.  Just went through the last 13 months of entries.  No entries were omitted.  Continuity is letter perfect.

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, Randy99 said:

Hi Ubonjoe.  Yes, with all the bank machines with BB update I'd say about every six weeks.

At 6 weeks that should be a standard update. Much longer and it could be a consolidated update that does not always show the correct balance.

 

12 hours ago, Randy99 said:

Ubonjoe.  I forgot to mention that her specific issue with the bank books was that the very last entry in my old bank book must appear as line one in my new bank book.  Nonsense!  I just went through my old bank books.  None of them carry forward with the last entry from old bank book.

Cheers

Not sure how a update could be done on page one unless the bank book is completely empty.

If you are using the Bangkok Bank mobile app you can request a bank statement that is sent by email. You would select accounts on the first page and select a account on that page. After selecting it you can can click the 3 dots in the top right corner to request a bank statement.

 

[French mate]

Im actualy  out of thailand for a little while, but Sriracha is the place where i did my familly o visa for 6 consecutives years.

First i can confirm that they started to ask me for a bank satement on top of the bank book since 2020.

Second, everytime i did come to make my extention they found something different ( always a new unexpected demand) for reject my first attempt. Its range from a garante letter from at least two neigbours saying that their know me and i realy live there, to another set of photo wearing different clothes to make it like they have come to my house for check...

At first they was really unfriendly and dismissive, over the years they ended to know me and my wife and their behavior become more of a neutral one.  Funny last time i have come there (in february), i was only on a short trip and just wanted a 30 days extention of my entrance stamp (no visa). They looked desapointed and asked me why i was not asking for a non-o visa as im in right to do it ????

[sandyf]

21 hours ago, Randy99 said:

The problem today was that I didn't bring along a bank statement for the last year.  I've done 4 previous extensions with no bank statement, but rather I just photocopied my bank book, signed each page and they were accepted. 

I have been using Sri Ratcha  for about 10 years and never in that time have they ever asked to see a bankbook.

I wouldn't think about going without a bank statement.

[Randy99]

Well that brings up two points.  Firstly, last year that same office accepted photocopies of my bank book.  Secondly, if they now only accept bank statements, why didn't they tell me that on my first visit on June 24???   I presented the full package in the 24th.  No bank statement, just photocopies of BB.  It appears to me that in my case a predetermined amount of gas money, car wear and tear, patience and perhaps a bit of humiliation must be expended on my part to be deserving of cosideration for a visa extention.  

[Randy99]

Hi French Mate.  I welcome your views.

Before retirement, I was  Civil Aviation Safety Inspector.  In effect I was an aircraft maintenance cop making sure, on the Canadian Governments behalf, that Airlines, flight schools and private owners maintained their aircraft in accordance with regulation.  The fact is that you can show me any aircraft and I will find half a dozen defects that need addressing.  Therefore, given that I had the authority to park aircraft that were loaded with 300 people waiting to take off, the inspectorate were required to use good judgement and recognize that there are defects that don't compromise flight safety and can safely be deferred.

Aviation would come to a standstill were it otherwise.

What in my opinion is thugish behavior at the immigration dep't, isn't doing anybody any favors.  It's just wrong and should be weeded out.  These Immigration employees should be taught to use some judgement and to exercise discretion.  Believe me, everyone would be better off.

[French mate]

On 6/29/2022 at 12:07 PM, Randy99 said:

What in my opinion is thugish behavior at the immigration dep't, isn't doing anybody any favors.  It's just wrong and should be weeded out.  These Immigration employees should be taught to use some judgement and to exercise discretion.  Believe me, everyone would be better off.

Hi Randy,

For the familly visa, its get decided at bangkok so in my case they arent the final judge.
But if im not mistake for the O-A visa, its in their office its decided to say yes or no, and they do have officialy a discretionary power on this, unfortunatly in Sriracha their seem to use it almost exclusively for complicate thing...