"Gratuity" request from immigration officer visiting home for marriage visa requirement

[Old Croc]

It's obviously not the law, silly question.

It's the culture, the tradition, the way of doing business in this country. 

Compare it to the US where you are expected (forced) to pay gratuities to wait staff so the establishment owner doesn't have to pay them a living wage.

We proffered 2000 baht to our Immigration guy for lunch money. It enabled him to quickly wrap up the visit and go on his way. It was probably a bit higher than most would pay, but for me it's just the cost of living in a country where nearly everything else is exceptionally cheap. 

Some examples to show where I gain in this country: Rats chewed the rubber fuel hoses on top of my vehicle's fuel tank. A mechanic came to us over 2 days and spent 3-4 hours under the car dropping the tank, repairing and replacing it.  He asked for 300 baht for the job! (I paid more)

A recent doctors visit and a short stay in a ward for bloodletting (a medical issue) cost 175 baht! (I self insure)

 

There are a lot of expats here who get up in arms over paying extra for some levels of service while completely forgetting about the exhorbitant ripoffs in the home country.

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Old Croc

[IvorBiggun2]

7 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

There are a lot of expats here who get up in arms over paying extra for some levels of service while completely forgetting about the exhorbitant ripoffs in the home country.

What a silly statement/comparison. 

[FritsSikkink]

22 hours ago, HuskerDo2 said:

"they'll see you as an easy target, forever".... maybe. It depends on how many more times you expect to see them. One quick payoff may be appropriate if there is little chance they are called to your residence again. Pay them and be a good boy so they don't have to return.

They get nothing and when they do come back, they can talk on the phone to another policeman who is way higher in rank 

[FritsSikkink]

21 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Not just him but all farang.

Not true

[connda]

23 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

My Thai wife and I are applying for a marriage visa for me and part of that is to have an officer from immigration visit the house, look around at the environment, and interview a neighbor... in doing so we have been requested to make a donation or gratuity by the officer... is this the law and if so what is the proper amount? 

Have them put that in writing and forward it on to Big Joke who seems to be the Serpico of the Thai police.  It's both illegal and amoral.

[connda]

22 hours ago, brianthainess said:

A lot of immigration offices visit every year, even a big payment would not work. There are forms to be signed by you, your wife, and your witness/neighbor + they take more photos. 

DON'T give em money ! 

They are government officials visiting you on government business.
They are asking for a B-R-I-B-E.  Don't!

[NoshowJones]

23 hours ago, poskat said:

"is this the law?"

 

no, its a shakedown

Do not give them anything, but be careful with your tone of voice, if they ask you nicely you refuse nicely.

[NoshowJones]

23 hours ago, HuskerDo2 said:

Bizarre story. Why do so many people move away from their homeland only to be met with more nonsense than if they just stayed home?

Compared with the UK, even with Thailand being ruled by an unelected soldier, the good in Thailand still outweighs the bad.

[VocalNeal]

28 minutes ago, connda said:

They are asking for a B-R-I-B-E.  Don't!

I think a bribe is given before the fact to guarantee a result. Tea money on the other hand is a gift.

The OP should leave such things to his wife. What is the point of being married to a local if they can't sort out local issues.

[hotchilli]

23 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

in doing so we have been requested to make a donation or gratuity by the officer... is this the law and if so what is the proper amount? 

Definitely not legal... 

[soalbundy]

23 hours ago, brianthainess said:

A lot of immigration offices visit every year, even a big payment would not work. There are forms to be signed by you, your wife, and your witness/neighbor + they take more photos. 

DON'T give em money ! 

I've only had one major visit in 17 years (ret. visa) photos, neighbours questioned, documents checked etc. 4 days after having received my yearly extension. 5 IO's in a van with laptop and printer, the full 9 yards. They even refused an offer of coffee and were most apologetic for the disturbance, a shrug of the shoulders and "Big boss wants everybody checked, it's not our fault".

[tandor]

On 3/24/2023 at 11:59 AM, FritsSikkink said:

No, that is not the law.  

..i was asked for 200 baht to reimburse the officer for fuel.

[tandor]

1 hour ago, VocalNeal said:

I think a bribe is given before the fact to guarantee a result. Tea money on the other hand is a gift.

The OP should leave such things to his wife. What is the point of being married to a local if they can't sort out local issues.

What a rediculous thing to say.  If you feel so strongly why not take a gift basket to the Immigration Office and present it to them openly.

[IvorBiggun2]

13 minutes ago, tandor said:

If you feel so strongly why not take a gift basket to the Immigration Office and present it to them openly.

I've actually seen that happen but it wasn't openly. A guy put a bag to the side desk he was sitting at and gently slid the bag over to the officer with his foot.

 

By the way. giving tea money is legal in Thailand should anyone ask.

 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40505-022-00231-5#:~:text=In developing countries%2C public servants,Indonesia%2C but legal in Thailand.

Edited March 25, 2023 by IvorBiggun2

[tandor]

5 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

I've actually seen that happen but it wasn't openly. A guy put a bag to the side desk he was sitting at and gently slid the bag over to the officer with his foot.

 

By the way. giving tea money is legal in Thailand should anyone ask.

 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40505-022-00231-5#:~:text=In developing countries%2C public servants,Indonesia%2C but legal in Thailand.

i don't agree at all. No Government officer should accept any gratuity. They are all paid a good wage and all their services have listed fees which are available for the public to view.

[Andrew Dwyer]

37 minutes ago, tandor said:

What a rediculous thing to say.  If you feel so strongly why not take a gift basket to the Immigration Office and present it to them openly.

Seen a guy present Immigration with a large pizza when applying for his extension, and yes he is on here!!

[transam]

5 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Get back to us if you ever hear of anyone being reprimanded over bad service or illegal practise.

Probably a long wait, but, I am sure the staff have been told of repercussions via complaints against them..... 

[jts-khorat]

On 3/24/2023 at 6:45 AM, Tarteso said:

I only had one visit a few years ago. Captain very polite and funny...had a nice meeting with them talking about mundane things...I gave them 500 for lunch or petrol.  grateful and happy faces I saw.

Solved nicely and properly, the way things should be. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do!"

 

I will never understand, why many foreigners, who are supposedly coming here for the "freer" life, then stress endlessly about little things like this.

 

I already calculate such costs into my overall cost for a happy stay, without hassle or worry. And those situations that stress me out personally -- double pricing at National parls is my pet peeve -- my wife handles them out of my sight. As it is also "her" money, she fights like a lion for it, so when double pricing really happens, I am sure that nothing would have prevented it otherwise.

 

Also, living upcountry, it really helps to integrate oneself in the local village (speaking Isaan and Thai does not hurt here, too). Whenever I come, the village head and his bunch of friends are of course invited first afternoon to the big family feast and I have besides the Lao Kao a bottle of not expensive but obviously foreign whisky. He and his friends sip a glass in front of everybody, which seemingly gives them big prestige, then they are quietly moving on to the Lao Kao which they all much prefer in reality. This tradition lives now for a good number of years.

 

For such little effort on my side, the village head has then been at all times I needed him at the Amphur or talked to immigration when they visited the village.

 

What I see here is "Farang think too mutt", even from supposedly old hands in Thailand.

Edited March 25, 2023 by jts-khorat

[richard_smith237]

On 3/24/2023 at 8:27 AM, HuskerDo2 said:

"they'll see you as an easy target, forever".... maybe. It depends on how many more times you expect to see them. One quick payoff may be appropriate if there is little chance they are called to your residence again. Pay them and be a good boy so they don't have to return.

Until next year... when the ‘Bribe’ is expected and they get upset when you dont want to pay!!!... 

 

HuskerDo2... People like you who bend over and take it are the reason such practices exist.  ???? ???? ????

[brianthainess]

On 3/24/2023 at 1:21 PM, billd766 said:

But before your documents go to the regional office they are inspected locally, and the IO can always find a problem or ask you for something that you don't have.

Normally that would happen only when you are applying and before they visit, why would they be sent to your house if you had a problem with your docs. That Never happens !

[brianthainess]

40 minutes ago, jts-khorat said:

Solved nicely and properly, the way things should be.

Rubbish. the way things should be, is paid officers, who no doubt get a lunch allowance for being away, and don't pay for their own fuel or any other expense out of their own pocket, is to get on with the job they get paid to do, and FO.

[fondue zoo]

 

On 3/24/2023 at 3:19 PM, phetphet said:

Give him a t-shirt with Big Joke's face printed on the front.

just be wearing those shirts when they arrive  "I Love Big Joke"

 

[connda]

5 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

I think a bribe is given before the fact to guarantee a result. Tea money on the other hand is a gift.

The OP should leave such things to his wife. What is the point of being married to a local if they can't sort out local issues.

They are coming to visit in order to establish that you are qualified for a marriage extension.  Their report goes back to wherever they process the extension approvals.  They could very well report that you are not qualified if you don't give them a B-R-I-B-E to guarantee a result.

[connda]

4 hours ago, soalbundy said:

I've only had one major visit in 17 years (ret. visa) photos, neighbours questioned, documents checked etc. 4 days after having received my yearly extension. 5 IO's in a van with laptop and printer, the full 9 yards. They even refused an offer of coffee and were most apologetic for the disturbance, a shrug of the shoulders and "Big boss wants everybody checked, it's not our fault".

I remember cops coming by twice.  Once must have been for the immigration extension based on marriage, and the other time was after the Erawan bombing in Bangkok when is was assumed that every farang in Thailand was a potential terrorist and needed to be vetted. 

My wife (and dogs) handled both.  They never came inside the fence (Arf Arf Grrrr).  I never talked to any of them.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Until next year... when the ‘Bribe’ is expected and they get upset when you dont want to pay!!!... 

 

HuskerDo2... People like you who bend over and take it are the reason such practices exist.  ???? ???? ????

Immigration have only been to our house once in 4 years for a marriage immigration check.

 

If you don't want to tip or help them, then nobody is forcing you to do so.

If other people wish to do so, it is up to them.

 

quote from your post.

 

"People like you who bend over and take it are the reason such practices exist."

 

If that is what you believe, it is up to you. In reality it does not happen to everybody everywhere.

 

[bunnydrops]

They have never asked for money, but wife will give them about a 100 each when they are leaving. The same we do will anyone that comes to work at the house. I'm sure they don't need it, and they sure as hell are not getting rich from it. Its a 3 hour  drive out here and back.

[CM Dad]

On 3/24/2023 at 12:08 PM, transam said:

With my visits is usually a gang of 4 in a BMW, money has never been mentioned.....Just offer them a drink, water, beer, Pepsi...????

Offer only water.

[transam]

Just now, CM Dad said:

Offer only water.

A wife would not appreciate a "cheapskate" approach when she has her rich farangy to show the authorities...................????

[billd766]

It is up to each poster and his wife if they want to give the Immigration staff anything or not, and it is of no concern to other posters.

 

When I go to Immigration it is an hours journey each way and 65km. It costs me the best part of 300 baht for the round trip.

 

So if I wish to give them something it is up to me and my wife.

 

It is nothing to do with any keyboard warrior and for those who tell me it is wrong and I shouldn't do it, I have one response.

 

You mind your own business and I will mind mine.

[Skallywag]

On 3/24/2023 at 11:57 AM, Skipalongcassidy said:

applying for a marriage visa for me

Get your own VISA, Non-Imm-O or OA if over 50 would be best IMO.

 

You already married her, do not let her be in control of you status here as well