Agent advice needed

[proton]

34 minutes ago, Kenth said:

Nat at Overseas International Company tel +66 880697234 as far as I am concerned is the best in the business. Efficient and totally honest

 

None are totally honest, they are involved in paying bribes to immigration officers. Not all are on the take though just some offices leading to you getting an extension from another province, another dodgy situation to consider.

[Hellfire]

2 hours ago, proton said:

 

Yes via bribery and corruption!

This makes “the agency way” even more attractive in my eyes. Given everything else is equal - I myself will always prefer to go “via bribery and corruption”. 
 

Edited January 6 by Hellfire

[n00dle]

On 1/5/2024 at 11:49 AM, Swiss1960 said:

Every agency will take advantage of you, that is their business 

have you ever actually used an agent? 

[Seppius]

12 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

This makes “the agency way” even more attractive in my eyes. Given everything else is equal - I myself will always prefer to go “via bribery and corruption”. 
 

Plus leaving the 800,000 Baht in a bank in the west at around 5%, it will earn enough to pay for the agents to do it, plus around 10,000 thousand baht over to spend as a bonus

[proton]

2 hours ago, Hellfire said:

This makes “the agency way” even more attractive in my eyes. Given everything else is equal - I myself will always prefer to go “via bribery and corruption”. 
 

 

Some people immoral people will always favour corruption when it benefits them, just don't start crying and blaming others when it does not work, or somebody runs off with your money or passport!

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, proton said:

 

Some people immoral people will always favour corruption when it benefits them, just don't start crying and blaming others when it does not work, or somebody runs off with your money or passport!

 

Corruption is a way of life in Thailand - endemic in the culture.

 

No need for scaremongering if the OP sticks with an established, recommended agent like Maneerat.

[proton]

2 hours ago, Seppius said:

Plus leaving the 800,000 Baht in a bank in the west at around 5%, it will earn enough to pay for the agents to do it, plus around 10,000 thousand baht over to spend as a bonus

 

But it's not legal, despite what the system cheaters want you believe, and many don't have the 800.000 earning money abroad either. Thats often just wishful thinking

[proton]

1 minute ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Corruption is a way of life in Thailand - endemic in the culture.

 

No need for scaremongering if the OP sticks with an established, recommended agent like Maneerat.

 

Pointing out he could be involved in bribery is factual not scaremongering. Using agents is not all above board, legal and honest and as a recent agent disappeared with money and passports sometimes disastrous. Using one just to do the paper work is totally different from being tempted into bribery just to save 800k in the bank. The fact that bribery and corruption is endemic is no excuse for being as bad oneself.

[hotandsticky]

8 minutes ago, proton said:

 

Pointing out he could be involved in bribery is factual not scaremongering. Using agents is not all above board, legal and honest and as a recent agent disappeared with money and passports sometimes disastrous. Using one just to do the paper work is totally different from being tempted into bribery just to save 800k in the bank. The fact that bribery and corruption is endemic is no excuse for being as bad oneself.

 

Thousands use reputable agents every day.

 

To generalise us scaremongering. The OP should have no fears if he takes the recommendations made on here. 

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, proton said:

Pointing out he could be involved in bribery is factual not scaremongering

All your posts in this (and other) threads re use of agents is off topic.

 

The OP started a thread asking about recommendations for agents.

The thread is not a debate about the legality of agents.

 

 

[Mike Lister]

36 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Corruption is a way of life in Thailand - endemic in the culture.

 

No need for scaremongering if the OP sticks with an established, recommended agent like Maneerat.

There's that word culture again , you use that a lot. Corruption is cultural, prostitutions is cultural, whatever next, drunk driving is cultural perhaps?

[Hellfire]

1 hour ago, Mike Lister said:

There's that word culture again , you use that a lot. Corruption is cultural, prostitutions is cultural, whatever next, drunk driving is cultural perhaps?

 My guess, many laws and regulations in Thailand are already made with the bribery potential consideration attached to them. Denying those things is actually more “illegal”, in some ways, than just conforming to them.  We are guests here and should respect the local traditions (notwithstanding what we think about them from the depth of our own experience).

[Hellfire]

1 hour ago, Mike Lister said:

There's that word culture again , you use that a lot. Corruption is cultural, prostitutions is cultural, whatever next, drunk driving is cultural perhaps?

 Not only drunk driving, but drunk driving to death (especially on the bike) is actually quite a cultural thing here. At least, that is the conclusion I came to after witnessing dozens of those kind of deaths. Rare , very rare will you listen from a Thai person a speech condemning those stupid idiots (most of them quite young) for not taking care about their safety on the road.  Sounds weird? Yes, for me and you. Possibly, the Thais treat the death itself differently than you and me,  both, let me guess, hopeless atheists. But for millions of Thais it is probably one of the many ways to get a new identity and to be reborn again. Who knows? Not me. And I think not you too.

 

 

Edited January 6 by Hellfire

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

But for millions of Thais it is probably one of the many ways to get a new identity and to be reborn again.

Foolish statement imo.

You started a thread about agent for retirement process and have been given sound advice.

Why not stick to topic. 

[Hellfire]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Foolish statement imo.

You started a thread about agent for retirement process and have been given sound advice.

Why not stick to topic. 

The advice was appreciated. Thank you. 
And I have never really made what you called a “statement”. Hence the word “probably” that I used. My personal observations show that people can look at things differently. Very often, in a bizarre way.

https://www.bikesrepublic.com/english/archive/10-countries-with-the-highest-proportion-motorcycle-related-deaths/

 

[FritsSikkink]

On 1/5/2024 at 12:45 PM, Hellfire said:

I have a bank account but prefer not to put my 800 k into it. Will an agency help me with that?

Yu want to take advantage from an agent to bribe a government official so you can skip the legal financial requirement?

[thaibreaker]

OP, there is no way any agent will help you get an extension based on retirement before you are 50 years old. No way. They can help you with anything else, but not that. 50 years is the limit, even for agents.

 

I understand you have some time left before you pass that milestone. After that, you are good to go. Agents will do everything for you, for a price. All stamps are legal.

Edited January 7 by thaibreaker

[zzzzz]

just for thinking about

IF you use the 800,000 in the bank and ur single 
 Make 100% sure you have an iron tight will registered and in someone's hands you trust, ( or a lawyer)  where the 800,000 goes when you die
otherwise ur just giving it to the bank
a good reason to use an agent, even if you have the $$$   :-)

Edited January 8 by zzzzz

[Drumbuie]

On 1/6/2024 at 12:03 PM, proton said:

 

Yes via bribery and corruption!

Which is going to get considerably more problematic now that Immigration has a database and its officers are really learning how to use it. I obtained my original visa extension on the grounds of retirement myself and am about to renew it. It has been a steep learning curve but I know exactly where I stand.

A friend who lives in a Bangkok condo ( which she owns) used an agent and whatever he did, when she tried to renew it herself CW threw it out because he'd applied using an address outside Bangkok ( I didn't memorise the details but that was the gist), now she's stuck with using and paying the same agent.

Edited January 8 by Drumbuie
Punctuation

[The Fugitive]

5 minutes ago, Drumbuie said:

Which is going to get considerably more problematic now that Immigration has a database and its officers are really learning how to use it. I obtained my original visa extension on the grounds of retirement myself and am about to renew it. It has been a steep learning curve but I know exactly where I stand.

A friend who lives in a Bangkok condo ( which she owns) used an agent and whatever he did, when she tried to renew it herself CW threw it out because he'd applied using an address outside Bangkok ( I didn't memorise the details but that was the gist), now she's stuck with using and paying the same agent.

My visa agent told me she was doing the same for my conversion from Visa Exempt entry to non-o (retirement), 12 months extension and opening a Bangkok Bank savings account. She used the address of the apartments she owns because, at that time, I was living in a short-term rental from which I was shortly to move from. At my next address I notified the Immigration Office and have applied for Retirement Extensions myself ever since.

[The Fugitive]

On 1/6/2024 at 12:03 PM, proton said:

 

Yes via bribery and corruption!

Due to harshness of fate and/or circumstances people can fall upon hard times. What would you suggest they should do? Abandon what little they have and leave Thailand rather than use a visa agent?

[oldcpu]

6 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

Due to harshness of fate and/or circumstances people can fall upon hard times. What would you suggest they should do? Abandon what little they have and leave Thailand rather than use a visa agent?

It is sad if that happens.

 

But the simple fact is they are not Thai citizens,  they likely have not been paying Thai tax, and their presence here in Thailand is due to the grace of the Thai people and the Thai government.  

 

It's not uncommon for expats in Asia ( and not just in Thailand) who run into financial problems,  have no choice but to return home to the country of their citizenship.

 

As harsh as it may read, Thailand is not interested in those who don't follow Thai law. This is IMHO especially true when it comes to financial matters. Thailand puts in place financial requirements for foreigners to long term stay in Thailand to benefit Thai citizens  and not as a social benefit to foreigners having difficult financial times.

 

Maybe its sad but that is true for most countries and not just Thailand. 

Edited January 8 by oldcpu

[Hellfire]

10 hours ago, Drumbuie said:

Which is going to get considerably more problematic now that Immigration has a database and its officers are really learning how to use it. I obtained my original visa extension on the grounds of retirement myself and am about to renew it. It has been a steep learning curve but I know exactly where I stand.

A friend who lives in a Bangkok condo ( which she owns) used an agent and whatever he did, when she tried to renew it herself CW threw it out because he'd applied using an address outside Bangkok ( I didn't memorise the details but that was the gist), now she's stuck with using and paying the same agent.

What a disaster! 

[Hellfire]

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

It is sad if that happens.

 

But the simple fact is they are not Thai citizens,  they likely have not been paying Thai tax, and their presence here in Thailand is due to the grace of the Thai people and the Thai government.  

 

It's not uncommon for expats in Asia ( and not just in Thailand) who run into financial problems,  have no choice but to return home to the country of their citizenship.

 

As harsh as it may read, Thailand is not interested in those who don't follow Thai law. This is IMHO especially true when it comes to financial matters. Thailand puts in place financial requirements for foreigners to long term stay in Thailand to benefit Thai citizens  and not as a social benefit to foreigners having difficult financial times.

 

Maybe its sad but that is true for most countries and not just Thailand. 

Keep on posting. The posts like this one make my mood better for a couple of days, at least. Btw, what about the benefits that numerous Thai citizens involved in the “scheme” get? Why do you count them out?