Visa Agents in Pattaya.

[NoshowJones]

On 3/14/2023 at 5:13 AM, BritTim said:

Maneerat is a good, reliable agent. Apart from the cash and a Bangkok Bank bank book (which I think needs to be from a Pattaya branch) as I recall, they want a photo. Give them your passport on the morning of one day, receive the passport back with the extension two working days later in the afternoon.

The annual fee of 12,500bt is correct, but I stand to be corrected here, don't you first pay 26,000bt for 15 months then go on to the annual fee of 12,500bt for every year after that?

[NONG CHOK]

6 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

The annual fee of 12,500bt is correct, but I stand to be corrected here, don't you first pay 26,000bt for 15 months then go on to the annual fee of 12,500bt for every year after that?

If that's the case I'll be sticking to my current visa agent where I pay 14,000 baht and 200 baht for every 90 days report.

[MPoll]

14 hours ago, DudleySquat said:

I know this will be embarrassing for you:

 

 

 

I extended an OA visa for 6 years at Chaengwattana in Bangkok. The financial requirements for a 1 year extension are the same for an O visa. The banked money requirement is 800,000 baht in your Thai bank account 2 months before you apply for a 1 year extension, 3 months after you apply and no less than 400,000 baht for the rest of the year. This was a change implemented 3-4 years ago. I needed the bank letter (good for 7 days at CW) affirming that I had a bank account and the balance, at the time of the letter, was recorded. I also needed a 1 year bank statement to show that I had met the yearlong requirements stated above, and I needed an updated bank book with a same day transaction.

[brianburi]

14 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Enough time for them to send it upcountry.

Complete rubbish...... they use Jomtien IO....

Incidentally they have a German speaking Thai in the office. They have hundreds of German customers....

[Seppius]

14 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Their business is by desperate people who can't live in Thailand legally, they are willing to do anything. 

My £20,000 (money needed in a Thai bank) now earns £750 a year in The Leeds Building Society at 3.75%, no-brainer to pay an agent here £350 plus not having all the hassle of Jomtien Immigration queues

 

https://www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk/savings/compare-our-savings-accounts/

[Lemsta69]

1 hour ago, NONG CHOK said:

If that's the case I'll be sticking to my current visa agent where I pay 14,000 baht and 200 baht for every 90 days report.

Nah mate, the higher fee that the other fella quoted is for those like me who arrived visa exempt or on a tourist visa. in those cases you pay 26k for conversion to 90 day non-O PLUS your first 12 month extension.

 

Ongoing renewal is only 12.5k and as I said I just did this last week. Hit 'em up on LINE, Fon will answer any further questions you have.

[Lemsta69]

1 hour ago, NoshowJones said:

The annual fee of 12,500bt is correct, but I stand to be corrected here, don't you first pay 26,000bt for 15 months then go on to the annual fee of 12,500bt for every year after that?

26k is only if you arrive visa exempt or on a tourist visa and includes conversion to 90 day non-O plus first one-year extension. If you come in on a non-O from a consulate, or you're doing your 2nd or subsequent extension then it's 12.5k baht.

[NoshowJones]

6 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

26k is only if you arrive visa exempt or on a tourist visa and includes conversion to 90 day non-O plus first one-year extension. If you come in on a non-O from a consulate, or you're doing your 2nd or subsequent extension then it's 12.5k baht.

So that means that me, already being on retirement extensions, can go to Manareet when my present ext'ns finish and start paying 12,000Bt annually plus 1,600Bt bank charge from the beginning?

[JimmyJ]

9 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

So that means that me, already being on retirement extensions, can go to Manareet when my present ext'ns finish and start paying 12,000Bt annually plus 1,600Bt bank charge from the beginning?

What is the 1600 bank charge?

To help you open a Pattaya bank account?

[Lemsta69]

11 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

So that means that me, already being on retirement extensions, can go to Manareet when my present ext'ns finish and start paying 12,000Bt annually plus 1,600Bt bank charge from the beginning?

Yes. 12,5000 baht plus 100 baht for a 90 day report should you choose not to do it online.

 

But they're busy so you'd need to go a few weeks before the extension expires.

 

Not sure what you mean about 1,600 baht bank charge though. Are you referring to opening a Bangkok Bank account, if so that's gone up to 4,700 baht. However if you're here already on extensions then a residence certificate should get you a Bangkok Bank account at a friendly BBL branch without having to pay anything.

[NoshowJones]

4 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

What is the 1600 bank charge?

To help you open a Pattaya bank account?

This is a new scam, probably by the bank, it is now paid at every renewal over and above your normal fee, all the agents are doing it now including Mannareet. 

[NoshowJones]

12 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

Yes. 12,5000 baht plus 100 baht for a 90 day report should you choose not to do it online.

 

But they're busy so you'd need to go a few weeks before the extension expires.

 

Not sure what you mean about 1,600 baht bank charge though. Are you referring to opening a Bangkok Bank account, if so that's gone up to 4,700 baht. However if you're here already on extensions then a residence certificate should get you a Bangkok Bank account at a friendly BBL branch without having to pay anything.

No, not opening a bank account, I already have one in my own province, when I renewed the agent asked me for it at the bank, so I checked with another agent and they confirmed it.

I suppose I may have misunderstood and it is only a one off thing. I hope so.

[Lemsta69]

6 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

No, not opening a bank account, I already have one in my own province, when I renewed the agent asked me for it at the bank, so I checked with another agent and they confirmed it.

I suppose I may have misunderstood and it is only a one off thing. I hope so.

I just checked with them, it's an annual "tax" because the bank account is from a "different city". If you have an account from any Pattaya branch than there is no additional charge.

 

So if you live in Patts then you can get a residence certificate and try to open an account for free at a local branch. Just not the one on Beach Rd near Royal Garden Plaza as they're used to forcing the useless insurance policy on the old fellas that use agents ????

[NoshowJones]

1 minute ago, Lemsta69 said:

I just checked with them, it's an annual "tax" because the bank account is from a "different city". If you have an account from any Pattaya branch than there is no additional charge.

 

So if you live in Patts then you can get a residence certificate and try to open an account for free at a local branch. Just not the one on Beach Rd near Royal Garden Plaza as they're used to forcing the useless insurance policy on the old fellas that use agents ????

Yes, it looks like another way for the banks to make money from you, it never ends.

[NONG CHOK]

11 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Yes, it looks like another way for the banks to make money from you, it never ends.

When I do a renewal with my agent I'm taken to the Bangkok Bank in Pattaya Klang. It's after passing BIG C  travelling to Sukhumvit Road.

[NoshowJones]

17 minutes ago, NONG CHOK said:

When I do a renewal with my agent I'm taken to the Bangkok Bank in Pattaya Klang. It's after passing BIG C  travelling to Sukhumvit Road.

I know where you are, my agent takes me to a Bangkok Bank on the road to Jomtien, I think it is Second Road. The different agents will use different branches of the Bangkok Bank and probably other banks too.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

This is a new scam, probably by the bank, it is now paid at every renewal over and above your normal fee, all the agents are doing it now including Mannareet. 

Are you sure the 1,600 baht fee is needed if you have a Bangkok Bank account at a Pattaya branch? My suspicion is that the 1,600 baht is an extra fee required if you have a Bangkok Bank account but the account is out of province.

[Lemsta69]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

Are you sure the 1,600 baht fee is needed if you have a Bangkok Bank account at a Pattaya branch? My suspicion is that the 1,600 baht is an extra fee required if you have a Bangkok Bank account but the account is out of province.

Maneerat told me today that it was a "tax" because the account is from a different city. If branch is from within Pattaya then no extra fee. I took that info at face value, didn't think to ask what if branch was from say, Si Racha.

[hotandsticky]

5 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

Maneerat told me today that it was a "tax" because the account is from a different city. If branch is from within Pattaya then no extra fee. I took that info at face value, didn't think to ask what if branch was from say, Si Racha.

 

 

Si Racha is in Chonburi. So OK.

[Lemsta69]

15 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Si Racha is in Chonburi. So OK.

You know for sure the 1,600 baht fee is for out-of-province bank accounts,  not outside Pattaya ones?

[hotandsticky]

Just now, Lemsta69 said:

You know for sure the 1,600 baht fee is for out-of-province bank accounts,  not outside Pattaya ones?

No.

 

But I know what 'out of province' means.

[Lemsta69]

1 minute ago, hotandsticky said:

No.

 

But I know what 'out of province' means.

So do I. But my agent specifically said that the 1,600 baht fee was for bank accounts from outside Pattaya. BTW I know that Si Racha is in Chonburi province.

[hotandsticky]

50 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

So do I. But my agent specifically said that the 1,600 baht fee was for bank accounts from outside Pattaya. BTW I know that Si Racha is in Chonburi province.

If it is Maneerat I am sure they are right. 'Out of province' seems to be a feature of Thai banks - and a reason to charge (ATM withdrawals, paying in, visa money)

 

Sorry, I thought you asked about a Si Racha branch?

[glegolo18]

On 3/14/2023 at 5:28 AM, Lemsta69 said:

Just used them last Wednesday, price was still B12,500. They needed passport, two (2) photos and Bangkok Bank bank book. 

 

Their business card is attached, maybe hit them up on LINE to sort out the finer points. And no I'm not getting comission from them ????. They were recommended by a trusted friend who has lived here 20+ years.

 

So when I have given them my bankbook, they fill that book up with their money, pretending it is my money, and then I can get fraudly my extension right?????

Is that the way you guys do it????

[Lemsta69]

23 minutes ago, glegolo18 said:

So when I have given them my bankbook, they fill that book up with their money, pretending it is my money, and then I can get fraudly my extension right?????

Is that the way you guys do it????

I don't know ser, I just give my passport to the agent and two working days later I get my extension. 

[JimmyJ]

40 minutes ago, glegolo18 said:

So when I have given them my bankbook, they fill that book up with their money, pretending it is my money, and then I can get fraudly my extension right?????

Is that the way you guys do it????

There are countless threads on this topic.

Do a search, read them, stop wasting people's time here.

 

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, BritTim said:

Are you sure the 1,600 baht fee is needed if you have a Bangkok Bank account at a Pattaya branch? My suspicion is that the 1,600 baht is an extra fee required if you have a Bangkok Bank account but the account is out of province.

Yes I think you are right, my bank is up country. If it is true then there is no limit to how banks in this country steal from us.

Taking 1,600 is nothing more than theft.

[Neeranam]

10 hours ago, glegolo18 said:

So when I have given them my bankbook, they fill that book up with their money, pretending it is my money, and then I can get fraudly my extension right?????

Is that the way you guys do it????

That is one of the crimes these agents, and the customer commit. 

They also bribe their officer to prevent you from being deported if you are on overstay, and other things. 

My friend uses an agent, who takes him to the bank, where a rogue immigration officer sits. 

I wonder if this bank branch has CCTV? 

 

 

[BritManToo]

11 hours ago, glegolo18 said:

So when I have given them my bankbook, they fill that book up with their money, pretending it is my money, and then I can get fraudly my extension right?????

Is that the way you guys do it????

Normally the IO uses his 'discretion' to wave the need for money in a bank account.

No laws are broken.

 

If you've found one pretending you have money, I'd find another agent as that's illegal.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Normally the IO uses his 'discretion' to wave the need for money in a bank account.

Half right, according to my understanding. A fairly senior official has the power to waive funds seasoning. Only an official of an extremely high rank is allowed to ignore finances altogether.