21 hours ago, Felton Jarvis said:

That’s bizarre. We didn’t talk to a single soul at IO. Just took a photo and left. All the other paperwork was done at the bank branch. Just another layer of useless bureaucracy.

I did my own extension of stay at Jomtien on 8 September. The immigration officer took my photo on his mobile, as another IO did last year & the year before that. So it's not new but I don't know what it's for.

53 minutes ago, BenStark said:

How strange that I never have an issue, extending my permission to stay without using an agent for 14 years now.

 

Even during Covid it was not a problem.

 

Make an appointment online, complete all the documents on my PC, which takes minutes, as they are all saved already and have to change also a few details.

 

Get the document from the bank on the day of the application, or get it up to a week upfront, and just do a small withdrawal or deposit on the day.

 

Then go to the immigration office with my appointment printed, and pass the entire queue.

 

Maybe I also should start an agent business and collect 10K for an hour work

I do all my own paperwork and submissions at the Immigration office in the province where I now reside.  The difference between this office and Chiang Mai back when I left CM was that Chiang Mai Immigration resembled a 19th Century Chicago Stock Yard back in Wild Bill Hickhock's days.

1 hour ago, connda said:

Odd new protocol at Jomtien IO for Extension of stay.

Give it time.  Soon you'll be required to juggle a coconut, a banana, and a durian while hopping up-and-down on one foot and singing Chaat Thai in proper Bangkok Thai while the bank manager unicycles around you with a monkey on his shoulder holding a copy of today's newspaper  - all filmed in front of the sign on the front of the bank, of course 
????????

Love the sarcasm, but don't give then ideas?????

57 minutes ago, BenStark said:

How strange that I never have an issue, extending my permission to stay without using an agent for 14 years now.

 

Even during Covid it was not a problem.

 

Make an appointment online, complete all the documents on my PC, which takes minutes, as they are all saved already and have to change also a few details.

 

Get the document from the bank on the day of the application, or get it up to a week upfront, and just do a small withdrawal or deposit on the day.

 

Then go to the immigration office with my appointment printed, and pass the entire queue.

 

Maybe I also should start an agent business and collect 10K for an hour work

I am going out on a limb here, but you need to be Thai? I am guessing you are not?

2 hours ago, Expat68 said:

In our immigration office we have always needed both of these

Hit and miss at PT.  That's the main reason I take my immigration file with everything in it as well as 2 copies of everything.

Same on my last extension at JI. 

Agent took a photo of me in the  car in immigration  car park as my wheelchair  is broken and gave to officer 

6 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

What a ludicrous comment!????

Yes, theres no such thing as a free lunch.????

8 hours ago, Henryford said:

If you had to go to the IO anyway why not just do the extension yourself. Last time took me all of 15 minutes.

Last time I did my extension myself 2 years ago, I had to join the queue which stretched all the way to the beach! It took 6 hours to get inside, standing in blazing sunshine and was then told to come back the next day! So, yes, I use an agent now!

3 hours ago, Terry2905 said:

Last time I did my extension myself 2 years ago, I had to join the queue which stretched all the way to the beach! It took 6 hours to get inside, standing in blazing sunshine and was then told to come back the next day! So, yes, I use an agent now!

What a load of bs that queue reached the beach. Either way that's no longer the case as new air-con building in car park means no queues at all anymore. But you keep living the dream that agents are only way to go ????

4 hours ago, Felton Jarvis said:

Simple…I do not have 800 thousand baht. The agent deposits that amount and then withdraws it. It's not an “easy” task if you lack the required funds.

There are some of us who don't just have 800k to hand.  Quite funny really cuz there seems to be just as many falangs as thais that think all falangs are loaded.  No doubt someone will now comment that 800k isn't a lot.  Well in my world it is. 

4 minutes ago, paulikens said:

There are some of us who don't just have 800k to hand.  Quite funny really cuz there seems to be just as many falangs as thais that think all falangs are loaded.  No doubt someone will now comment that 800k isn't a lot.  Well in my world it is. 

Yeah but if you don't meet those requirements, it could be argued that you don't qualify and should retire elsewhere. 

4 hours ago, Terry2905 said:

Last time I did my extension myself 2 years ago, I had to join the queue which stretched all the way to the beach! It took 6 hours to get inside, standing in blazing sunshine and was then told to come back the next day! So, yes, I use an agent now!

You could have made an online appointment, like i do,  then you pass the whole queue

Just now, Caldera said:

Yeah but if you don't meet those requirements, it could be argued that you don't qualify and should retire elsewhere. 

That may be true but my point was the amount of falangs that are surprised that some falangs don't have 800k.  We aren't all loaded, contrary to what the Thais might say.   

36 minutes ago, paulikens said:

That may be true but my point was the amount of falangs that are surprised that some falangs don't have 800k.  We aren't all loaded, contrary to what the Thais might say.   

Yes (I realize that's true), but the question remains, why should the Thais allow someone who isn't "loaded" (by their standards anyway) to retire in their country? Those minimum requirements were put in place for a reason. 

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

Yeah but if you don't meet those requirements, it could be argued that you don't qualify and should retire elsewhere. 

Yes, and it could ALSO be argued that you should mind your own damn business. Cheeky bugger.

Smokey and the Bandit is wrong.  I have done 13 years of Extensions the proper way myself and never encountered a problem.  It was not a stupid question at all.

On 9/15/2023 at 3:12 AM, Henryford said:

If you had to go to the IO anyway why not just do the extension yourself. Last time took me all of 15 minutes.

 

At what immigration office was this?

On 9/15/2023 at 3:31 AM, Expat68 said:

In our immigration office we have always needed both of these

At what immigration office is this?

On 9/15/2023 at 5:58 AM, kingstonkid said:

Hit and miss at PT.  That's the main reason I take my immigration file with everything in it as well as 2 copies of everything.

Where is PT?

2 hours ago, Maestro said:

Where is PT?

Almost certainly, this is Phatum Thani. However, it really would be best when posting if people do not use abbreviations that are not universally recognised.

From what I read here... it is bad to use an agent for something that you can do yourself... must be a miserable life not having enough money to spend on luxury items.

2 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

must be a miserable life not having enough money to spend on luxury items.

In many cases has nothing to do with insufficient funds.

However if it floats your boat to post boring opinion then by all means continue..

On 9/14/2023 at 12:33 PM, Felton Jarvis said:

Did my extension of stay today in Jomtien. After a trip to the bank, my agent took me to Jomtien IO where he photographed me standing

in front of the sign at the building entrance. Is this another manifestation of the Big Joke era at RTP??   What possible function could this

serve?

He thought you were handsum man and wanted your photo for some "after-evening" activities when he was all alone.

Happened with me too a couple of years running when Darren at Key Visa was handling my retirement ext. A Thai from Jomtien Imm came to Darren's office to get me in his car, took me to the Imm office, took my photo, then drove me back to Darren's office. 

They should have made a fake immigration sign by now to take your photo against, save the petrol to drive you to immigration ????

 

I’ve been using the same agent for three years and the IO photo was not part of the process the previous year. Usually, there are small changes in the procedure every year.  I think IO just likes to play “cat and mouse” games with farang.

On 9/17/2023 at 1:14 AM, Maestro said:

At what immigration office is this?

Loei

On 9/17/2023 at 1:18 AM, Maestro said:

Where is PT?

 

On 9/17/2023 at 4:03 AM, BritTim said:

Almost certainly, this is Phatum Thani. However, it really would be best when posting if people do not use abbreviations that are not universally recognised.

My mistake I am sorry yes it is Pathum Thani