Was told to buy plane ticket today for covid extension at Laksi

[Phoenixsun28]

Went to Laksi today for a covid extension, and I get the lady a lot of you all are always talking about here. Long story short, she says I've been here too long and she won't give me a covid stamp (I've been here since the beginning of the amnesty period and the covid extensions). I tried to politely state I would prefer not to travel at this time, then she said she will give me a 7 day extension which I did not want, so she starts being dismissive of me and tells me now I have to go see the supervisor.

 

So the supervisor wants to know what do I do in Thailand and I told her my partner works here, she asks if my girlfriend is Thai, and I answered Filipino, but looking back I wonder if I would've answered Thai if that would've been sufficient for her... So then she tells me that I should fly to the Philippines, to which I asked why would I do that if my partner is here? After some discussion I get the hint that if I can just show any flight ticket they will give the extension, so I just asked can I buy a flight right now on my phone and would that be enough for her to give me the extension, to which she says yes. I briefly considered my options of going to Pattaya or another office, but then considering my whole day there plus time and travel to try this again on another day, vs the cost of a ticket to saigon which was 1600thb, and I just decided to buy the thing and get it over with, and 30 minutes later I was out of there with my under consideration stamp. 

 

Anyways, I'm not here to complain, as actually the supervisor seemed like a very polite and even caring person, and ultimately I got what I came for. I just thought I'd share as a heads up for others, that denying covid extensions at Laksi is definitely something the officers are doing there. Buying a flight ticket seems to satisfy them, but YMMV...

 

[digbeth]

you could've got a 'confirmed booking' on many of the sites that's not good for travelling on for around 2-300 baht 

[JCP108]

I thought Covid extensions ended a long time ago.

[DrJack54]

6 hours ago, Phoenixsun28 said:

....and I just decided to buy the thing and get it over with, and 30 minutes later I was out of there with my under consideration stamp.

First up thanks for detailed report. 

It's very disappointing that immigration played games with you.

Covid extensions have been provided by the government and there is no reason for various rogue offices to play these games.

FWIW ....I would have done the same as you and just paid the 1600baht for throw away ticket.

If this is the norm at Laski then folk could consider the purchase of "rent a flight" from the net with such companies as 'onwardflight' for about $15usd. 

 

[itsari]

5 hours ago, JCP108 said:

I thought Covid extensions ended a long time ago.

Thought thought wrong

[FriendlyFarang]

45 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

COVID extensions were always intended to assist people stuck here who couldn't easily travel out of Thailand

Says who? You?

[ArtVandelay]

Thanks for the information.  I'm in a similar situation.   Can I ask what the next step is now that you have the "under consideration" stamp?    Did you have to pay the 1900 Baht for example?   

[DrJack54]

14 minutes ago, ArtVandelay said:

Thanks for the information.  I'm in a similar situation.   Can I ask what the next step is now that you have the "under consideration" stamp?    Did you have to pay the 1900 Baht for example?   

You should have already paid the 1900baht at the time they give you the under consideration stamp. 

When you return on date directed you will just be given a stamp. 

That's it

[brotherother]

1 hour ago, lordblackader said:

Living here on them, as op appears to have been doing, is exploiting COVID extensions for a purpose they were never meant for. Hopefully the government doesn't extend their availability beyond this month. 

Perhaps, just perhaps, covid extensions have in part been made available as a means to subsidies the income from the lack of tourists that Thailand is currently suffering from.

 

Did you ever think of that?

[JoseThailand]

2 hours ago, lordblackader said:

Hopefully the government doesn't extend their availability beyond this month. 

They will. The Emergency Decree is already extended until the end of September. Covid extensions will follow.

[JoseThailand]

12 hours ago, Phoenixsun28 said:

I wonder if I would've answered Thai if that would've been sufficient for her

No, she would've said - you need to get a marriage visa.

[NoshowJones]

YMMV???? You are on a forum. Not texting on your phone.

[MrJ2U]

14 hours ago, Phoenixsun28 said:

ticket to saigon

The City is great fun and be a fun break if you can manage it.

 

Immigration lady sounds like a witch.  Unfortunately immigrants employees are hit and miss.

 

Lousy job. 

[DJ54]

OP thanks for the feedback it’s useful for others in similar situations. Good that you were persistent and it worked out.
 

I’d say ignore the ignorable but then I wouldn’t be playing nicely in the sandbox… 

[ChaiyaTH]

I got nothing against visa runners at all, I been one for many years too. However, why would you even state your purpose is because your girlfriend is here, while she is also a Filipino. You should just have said to own a business and taking a longer break, and considering to start a new one here over time too. Business owners always are most likely to get a break; lower taxes, exemptions, visa's & ''they have money assumption'' - always worked for me.

 

What is your history in Thailand and visa wise so far? New timer that have just stayed on covid extensions so far? Leave and get a new tourist visa. You have to mix them around, not always do the same. Seems many people who did covid extensions are now told to leave, as they 9/10 got that chance since months.

[ChaiyaTH]

Not sure what the funny part of it is @DrJack54. Ten thousands of people have been doing this for the past 20 years, who equal tens of millions of 1 month backpackers in spendings, over all the years.

[DrJack54]

36 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Not sure what the funny part of it is

The thread is about covid extensions.

Absolutely nothing to do with your tangent about visa runs and border bounce.

Covid extensions are in place till July 25.

The fact that some immigration offices play games is irrelevant.

Some of the same will happily issue a CE for 5k 

Hua Hin being one example

[NativeBob]

I miss Immigration at Sathorn ))) I think IOs were friendlier there than nowadays + detention were just a few steps nearby 

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, NativeBob said:

I miss Immigration at Sathorn ))) I think IOs were friendlier there than nowadays + detention were just a few steps nearby 

I wish they still used the Immigration office in Sathorn right next to the Tungmahamek RTP station as I only live across Sathorn Thai Rd.  Instead its the trip to CW for everything including the COR.  One day maybe Things may change with an LTR visa, but then it is only a question of will it be created for those that qualify.  If not back to CW for the Annual extension of stay...........

[Maestro]

Is the attached Memorandum Number 0029.161/Wor 916 dated 18 March 2020 of the Immigration Police Office the basis for the so-called Covid-19 extension which has been extended repeatedly, most recently apparently until 25 July 2022?

 

Covid-19 - Memorandum 0029.161_W 916 Covid-19 extensions - en.pdf

[ThailandRyan]

36 minutes ago, Caldera said:

And those foreigners up in Isaan seem to have other delusions, too, such as being the King of Isaan.

 

Say no more. 

Some of the foreigners up in Issan never had a visa problem because some of them forgot to re-do them every year and were on massive overstays.  I remember some that were on few year up to 5 or 6 years of overstays when they were caught.  Additionally Big Joke took the privilege of showing a few of the overstayers when he cracked down on the visa scofflaws.  I do remember a Hungarian lady was caught on Koh Samui after a 10 year overstay.

[ubonjoe]

This topic just got a lot shorter after I cleaned out several posts for, bickering, flaming, trolling and etc. 

[dj230]

Actually when I first went in June or so they said the same, was the nice male IO at Laksi, said just come back in 2 weeks with a plane ticket and they'll do the extension, got a plane ticket (I am due for a trip back anyways, and it has free ticket changes). I think they are more inclined to asked for this if you have been staying way beyond your welcome, i.e I've been here for about 1 year now.

 

I went again in July and oddly the regular IO's weren't there, it was just the regular employees that usually check your forms at the beginning, who were doing the applications. They didn't ask me for a plane ticket and actually was the quickest visa extension I had got, they pretty much just looked at the papers for about 20 seconds and said ok just wait outside and 10 minutes later they gave back my passport with the under consideration stamp.

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, dj230 said:

they pretty much just looked at the papers for about 20 seconds and said ok just wait outside and 10 minutes later they gave back my passport with the under consideration stamp.

Exactly as it should be.

Flight ticket out is a made up nonsense.

 

In reality CW were pulling this stunt months ago and seemed in the main down to one unpleasant female io. 

It subsequently stopped (plane ticket)

Sad that Laski has now picked up the game. 

[timoti]

Are covid extensions available to people who just come in July? I thought it's only possible if the person didn't break the covid streak, i.e. never left Thailand since the amnesty started. But once you leave, you can't use CE anymore.

 

Any ideas?

[daveAustin]

Just use onwardticket in that scenario. You'll have the booking (with pnr) within couple minutes, $10-12.

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, timoti said:

Are covid extensions available to people who just come in July? I thought it's only possible if the person didn't break the covid streak, i.e. never left Thailand since the amnesty started. But once you leave, you can't use CE anymore.

 

Any ideas?

Available to anyone that entered on visa exempt or tourist visa.

Note you need to obtain the standard 30 day extension prior to any covid extension 

[timoti]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Available to anyone that entered on visa exempt or tourist visa.

Note you need to obtain the standard 30 day extension prior to any covid extension 

Thanks a lot! But now no need to get embassy letters or other documents? Last time I did it was hard and the last one I got was quite easy, just show up and get 60 day extension using this method.

 

I assume this is 30 days now?

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, timoti said:

I assume this is 30 days now?

Just to clarify. 

Under what basis did you enter Thailand....visa exempt? Or...

Have you obtained the 30 day standard extension?

Covid extensions are 60 days.

Currently due to stop July 25.

That may be extended.

Will have clarification soon

[timoti]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Just to clarify. 

Under what basis did you enter Thailand....visa exempt? Or...

Have you obtained the 30 day standard extension?

Covid extensions are 60 days.

Currently due to stop July 25.

That may be extended.

Will have clarification soon

Oh yes visa exempt. I didnt get the 30 day extension yet. I will do that first next month as you recommended.

So I guess I will know more about if CE still exist after my 30 day extension ends. Should be Sep 7 or so for me.