90-day report at Phuket Town Immigration drive-through

[iforget]

I'm on a one-year stay in Thailand on Non-O retirement basis. My wife and I have two homes, one in Srisaket and one in Phuket. 

 

Until today, I thought I knew the drill:

 

1. Apply at Immigratiuon (TM) in person to renew one-year stay, supported by bank book and bank statements.

2. At the same time, TM starts the clock for 90 days, and staples a 90-day reminder in the passport.

3. This stipulates that, at the end of the 90 days, I have to visit TM again, with passport and bank book.

4. 90 days and 180 days after that, I can do the 90-day reports online. (It's always worked fine for me.)

But. But...

 

Back in Phuket, I went today to Phuket Town TM with passport and updated bank book. Using the drive-through lane the procedure was very quick - about 3 mins. Excellent.

But the officer was not at all interested in my bank book. He took only my passport.

 

So does this mean I could have done my 90-day report online and saved myself 2 hours of Phuket traffic pain?

 

I'd be interested to hear from others who've had this experience, as well as others who have successfully done an online report at the end of the first 90 days after renewal of stay. Is it just Phuket? Or other places too?

 

I have seen stories that Immi is keen to get people to use the online system to unclog their offices, especially when it comes to free services. So maybe this revision of the rules is aimed at achieving that? 

 

But please, let's not make a big thing of this, in case it results in the rules/procedures being rolled back.   

 

 

 

[stoner]

never had to show my bankbook for a 90 day reporting. 

[zzzzz]

never shown bank book at drive thru

[oldcpu]

I am on an LTR visa now, but when I was on a Type-OA and later on a Type-O, I never had to show my bank book for a 90-day reporting drive through at Phuket immigration.

[paahlman]

Report online only.. and if the drive through.. No bankbook.

Edited January 24 by paahlman

[Lamphen]

Never shown bankbook for 90 day report in Buriram before. Now I report online.

[arick]

Good online but you should have saw the letters today that I was supposed to send in. Can you see the numbers? 

[arick]

More people talking s*** Bank books b******* you never have to give a bank book for a 90-day report

[arick]

What when you leave the country and you come back into the country you have to show a bank book

[arick]

Report the immigration officer there's no such thing

[arick]

Maybe they don't trust you and they already have you down on The blacklist

[verticalift]

I always use the Phuket drive thru, showing up 1 week before my 90 day is due, just in case I can’t make it on the exact due date and am delayed.

I’ve lived in Phuket since 1998 and have seen great improvement with Phuket Immigration over the years.

 

Issued with a 10 year “O-X” Retirement  Visa in 2019 by the Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi,  the 90 day Ck takes all of 2-3 minutes when using the drive thru. Passport, along with the 90 day notification from your previous visit is all that’s required.
 

 

[Old Croc]

Phuket drive-through only want the passport so they can quickly process the 90-day report through the computer, print the new slip and get to the next car.

They have no interest in any other processing, if there is an address or TM30 problem, they will tell you to go inside the office to sort it.

My next report date slips have never said anything about bank passbooks. Are you sure yours does?

 

I wouldn't know if you could have just used the on-line method. You should have tried it first, do so next time.

[Lamphen]

Can you see the numbers? The letters are; AECUXJ

[iforget]

On 1/25/2024 at 11:26 AM, arick said:

More people talking s*** Bank books b******* you never have to give a bank book for a 90-day report

Arick, how long have you been in Thailand? Where do you do your extension of stay? 

 

I've lived in Thailand for 25 years and you're wrong. I'm not talking <deleted> or <deleted>. The rules often change. And the rules can vary from one province to another.

 

When I first came here no-one in Phuket was required to do 90-day reports. Then the rules changed. Immigration first introduced the bank book requirement a few years after that as a way of rooting out farang khee nok, who had less than the required minimum B800k in the bank.

Some people got around this by borrowing B800k the day before the 90 report, then paying it back (with interest) the next day, after reporting.

 

Immigration got wise to this fairly quickly and demanded proof of B800k two months before extension of stay and 3 months after.

 

So when you go to extend your one-year, you have to get statements from your bank, covering the 2 months before, showing you have B800k+ right through that period.

 

They also usually required you to go to the Immi office in person to do your next 90 day report and show them the bank book, updated on the day, to prove you still had a record of B800k+ over the 5 months. That stopped people borrowing, as the interest would be too much of a burden.

 
That's what happened the past three times that I went to Srisaket Immi office to renew my stay.

 

In my original post I was trying to find out whether the "no bank book required" applied countrywide or just in Phuket. I suspect the new "no bank book" requirement in Phuket is an attempt for them to unclog their office. But I don't know.

 

But so far no one has responded with their location, so their answers are not useful. They're particularly useless when delivered with insults.

 

So if you want to contribute to this conversation, please state where you do your extension of stay. That would be useful to other people. And behave like an adult.
 

[flexomike]

32 minutes ago, iforget said:

Arick, how long have you been in Thailand? Where do you do your extension of stay? 

 

I've lived in Thailand for 25 years and you're wrong. I'm not talking <deleted> or <deleted>. The rules often change. And the rules can vary from one province to another.

 

When I first came here no-one in Phuket was required to do 90-day reports. Then the rules changed. Immigration first introduced the bank book requirement a few years after that as a way of rooting out farang khee nok, who had less than the required minimum B800k in the bank.

Some people got around this by borrowing B800k the day before the 90 report, then paying it back (with interest) the next day, after reporting.

 

Immigration got wise to this fairly quickly and demanded proof of B800k two months before extension of stay and 3 months after.

 

So when you go to extend your one-year, you have to get statements from your bank, covering the 2 months before, showing you have B800k+ right through that period.

 

They also usually required you to go to the Immi office in person to do your next 90 day report and show them the bank book, updated on the day, to prove you still had a record of B800k+ over the 5 months. That stopped people borrowing, as the interest would be too much of a burden.

 
That's what happened the past three times that I went to Srisaket Immi office to renew my stay.

 

In my original post I was trying to find out whether the "no bank book required" applied countrywide or just in Phuket. I suspect the new "no bank book" requirement in Phuket is an attempt for them to unclog their office. But I don't know.

 

But so far no one has responded with their location, so their answers are not useful. They're particularly useless when delivered with insults.

 

So if you want to contribute to this conversation, please state where you do your extension of stay. That would be useful to other people. And behave like an adult.
 

Rayong - no bank book

[arick]

On 2/11/2024 at 2:19 PM, iforget said:

Arick, how long have you been in Thailand? Where do you do your extension of stay? 

 

I've lived in Thailand for 25 years and you're wrong. I'm not talking <deleted> or <deleted>. The rules often change. And the rules can vary from one province to another.

 

When I first came here no-one in Phuket was required to do 90-day reports. Then the rules changed. Immigration first introduced the bank book requirement a few years after that as a way of rooting out farang khee nok, who had less than the required minimum B800k in the bank.

Some people got around this by borrowing B800k the day before the 90 report, then paying it back (with interest) the next day, after reporting.

 

Immigration got wise to this fairly quickly and demanded proof of B800k two months before extension of stay and 3 months after.

 

So when you go to extend your one-year, you have to get statements from your bank, covering the 2 months before, showing you have B800k+ right through that period.

 

They also usually required you to go to the Immi office in person to do your next 90 day report and show them the bank book, updated on the day, to prove you still had a record of B800k+ over the 5 months. That stopped people borrowing, as the interest would be too much of a burden.

 
That's what happened the past three times that I went to Srisaket Immi office to renew my stay.

 

In my original post I was trying to find out whether the "no bank book required" applied countrywide or just in Phuket. I suspect the new "no bank book" requirement in Phuket is an attempt for them to unclog their office. But I don't know.

 

But so far no one has responded with their location, so their answers are not useful. They're particularly useless when delivered with insults.

 

So if you want to contribute to this conversation, please state where you do your extension of stay. That would be useful to other people. And behave like an adult.
 

I am not in a 800,000 in the bank for retirement! Poor you 

[arick]

Just now, arick said:

I am not in a 800,000 in the bank for retirement! Poor you 

Bank book is not required country wide!

[arick]

1 minute ago, arick said:

I am not in a 800,000 in the bank for retirement! Poor you 

Maybe it's time to leave some government wants to keep checking your bank account every 90 days I suggest maybe you leave and go to another country

[paahlman]

On 1/25/2024 at 11:27 AM, arick said:

What when you leave the country and you come back into the country you have to show a bank book

Never heard about that. and i have never shown one. I might be wrong if rules have changed of course.. Let me be specific. Not all go by the 800 000 rule. Some show papers guaranteeing pension for example. However. they can not possibly know why you are permittet to stay in the drive through or can they? Anyway.. Personally i have never in many years or ever been asked a bankbook. I can see they could do that if you sit down in immigration office somewhere. If i remember correctly you have to show no less than 400k after you are approved(possibly then by showing bangkbook on first 90 day report).. and 800 again from minimum 2 or 3(depending on first or second excemption) months before re applying.

Edited February 27 by paahlman

[arick]

On 2/11/2024 at 2:19 PM, iforget said:

Arick, how long have you been in Thailand? Where do you do your extension of stay? 

 

I've lived in Thailand for 25 years and you're wrong. I'm not talking <deleted> or <deleted>. The rules often change. And the rules can vary from one province to another.

 

When I first came here no-one in Phuket was required to do 90-day reports. Then the rules changed. Immigration first introduced the bank book requirement a few years after that as a way of rooting out farang khee nok, who had less than the required minimum B800k in the bank.

Some people got around this by borrowing B800k the day before the 90 report, then paying it back (with interest) the next day, after reporting.

 

Immigration got wise to this fairly quickly and demanded proof of B800k two months before extension of stay and 3 months after.

 

So when you go to extend your one-year, you have to get statements from your bank, covering the 2 months before, showing you have B800k+ right through that period.

 

They also usually required you to go to the Immi office in person to do your next 90 day report and show them the bank book, updated on the day, to prove you still had a record of B800k+ over the 5 months. That stopped people borrowing, as the interest would be too much of a burden.

 
That's what happened the past three times that I went to Srisaket Immi office to renew my stay.

 

In my original post I was trying to find out whether the "no bank book required" applied countrywide or just in Phuket. I suspect the new "no bank book" requirement in Phuket is an attempt for them to unclog their office. But I don't know.

 

But so far no one has responded with their location, so their answers are not useful. They're particularly useless when delivered with insults.

 

So if you want to contribute to this conversation, please state where you do your extension of stay. That would be useful to other people. And behave like an adult.
 

Shut up 

[oldcpu]

On 1/24/2024 at 5:21 PM, oldcpu said:

I am on an LTR visa now, but when I was on a Type-OA and later on a Type-O, I never had to show my bank book for a 90-day reporting drive through at Phuket immigration.

 

Further to this, I should note the first time (or was it the first couple of times ? ) for my 90-day report in Phuket, I had my wife drop me off at immigration, ... and I went into the office to do my 90-day. This meant getting inline to talk to one of the Phuket volunteers, get a queue number' and wait for one's number to be called.  This could take as long as 30-to-45 minutes.   Then I had to wait for my wife to come and pick me up.

 

But the last occasion I went into the office (to do the 90-day report)  Phuket Volunteer shook his head at me, and advised me if I wished to do it quicker, I would simply use the drive through. Less than 5 minutes if NO cars in front of one.

 

Having typed that, on my very last 90-day report in Phuket, before I switched to an LTR visa, there were a very large # of cars in the drive through, and that took just under an hour ... as people who didn't have a car, were on occasion cutting the car line, and at risk to their health standing in line between the cars, so to do their 90-day reports BEFORE the car (and not do the report in the office building).  It was a total zoo on that day.  I had to make sure I didn't run anyone over.

 

I am now happy on the LTR visa, no more 90-day reports ... although every now and then I wake up in the morning, ask myself when is my 90-day report ?  ... and then I remember I am on an LTR visa.     😄