Do immigration police make it up as the go along.....

[KannikaP]

Just now, transam said:

You had to go for a photo shoot for the card, and answer their questions though....😉

A few questions to me and the Mrs, nothing too serious, or money related. Photo done there and then.

Off topic. Why do the photos on these ID cards and Driving Licences show most of the shirt you are wearing as opposed to just head and shoulders.

[Will B Good]

2 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

What is a very young lady? 

No idea....haven"t met her....wife is 40...so under 40 I guess.

[transam]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

A few questions to me and the Mrs, nothing too serious, or money related. Photo done there and then.

Off topic. Why do the photos on these ID cards and Driving Licences show most of the shirt you are wearing as opposed to just head and shoulders.

They want to show if you are a slob or not...........🤗

Think yourself lucky they don't show farangy's footwear............😂

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, transam said:

They want to show if you are a slob or not...........🤗

Think yourself lucky they don't show farangy's footwear............😂

Its the same on Thai's ID and DLs.

[NONG CHOK]

3 minutes ago, NONG CHOK said:

I think most believe that they run the show even though they are total nobodies in the Immigration chain of command. As for the paper work they would need reams of it for the $hit they go on with. The thing that gets me is the Immigration rules are set in stone and these same nobodies appear to give themselves the right to make changes as they see fit.

About 15 years ago I was in Bangkok and I had to renew my one year visa. So the day before I had all the documents required and I went to an ATM got an update and put it with all my other documents. So off the the Bangkok Immigration , waited for probably 2 hours before my number came up. So I sat down and the let the Immigration guy take over. Everything was in order until he seen the update from the ATM to make sure the 400,000 baht was in my account right now. He knocked me back stating that he wouldn't accept the ATM update as it was yesterday. So down the stairs I got another update from an ATM, got a copy at the copy shop and he was satisfied then. So I asked him when I updated today what if I transferred the money to where ever before returning to you. He couldn't answer as he was in total shock. It's something I've never forgotten about the Thai mindset.

[transam]

2 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Its the same on Thai's ID and DLs.

Same, same...............😁

[ningnong]

41 minutes ago, NONG CHOK said:

Everything was in order until he seen the update from the ATM to make sure the 400,000 baht was in my account right now. He knocked me back stating that he wouldn't accept the ATM update as it was yesterday. So down the stairs I got another update from an ATM, got a copy at the copy shop and he was satisfied then. So I asked him when I updated today what if I transferred the money to where ever before returning to you. He couldn't answer as he was in total shock.

After a comment like that if I was the IO I would have told you to come back the next day with fresh confirmation the 400K was still in the account just to be sure.

[NONG CHOK]

1 minute ago, ningnong said:

After a comment like that if I was the IO I would have told you to come back the next day with fresh confirmation the 400K was still in the account just to be sure.

After your comment I think you are lacking in common sense the same problem with the Immigration officer. Anyway I fixed that problem I always wanted a holiday home so I bought a condo in Pattaya. So even though I own my house in Bangkok I use my Pattaya address when I making a one year visa. So after 8 years using the same agent I've eliminated all that $hit that I used to have to put up with.

[soi3eddie]

2 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Why are you surprised? Every time I have been issued a COR, which I used to be able get from Us Consulate Chiang Mai at around $50 per pop it was single use and valid for 30 days/ 4 weeks/ one month (whatever). Now I have a Yellow book which took years to get because of a certain amphur of Chiang Mai and Pink ID card. These are supposedly "useless " according to those farnungs who will not bother to try and get them  So now in theory I can buy a vehicle or renew a driving license or open a bank account without a COR, unless the Transport office or dealer or bank refuses to accept the Yellow.

 

Even though I've been on Non-O retirement extension for 5 years, I've only ever done 90 day reports 3 times (during Covid) and now always travelling. This means I cannot get COR now. Also, the British Consulate no longer offers "affirmation of residence" certificate. My nearest Department of Land Transport office will not accept Yellow Book/Pink ID for DL renewal so today I went to a different DLT to renew and they accepted Yellow Book/Pink ID for residence proof. Definitely very useful to have! Same when I purchased a vehicle - the yellow book/Pink ID made registration in my name easy. Worth the effort in my experience. Others opinions will differ.

 

[Captain Monday]

27 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Even though I've been on Non-O retirement extension for 5 years, I've only ever done 90 day reports 3 times (during Covid) and now always travelling. This means I cannot get COR now. Also, the British Consulate no longer offers "affirmation of residence" certificate. My nearest Department of Land Transport office will not accept Yellow Book/Pink ID for DL renewal so today I went to a different DLT to renew and they accepted Yellow Book/Pink ID for residence proof. Definitely very useful to have! Same when I purchased a vehicle - the yellow book/Pink ID made registration in my name easy. Worth the effort in my experience. Others opinions will differ.

 

I was told by this amphur that my parents have to come from the US as witnesses, to what I do not know, affirm my existence?  I  explained they are elderly no way they are coming to Thailand. This cow then with a straight face said  OK "you bring me death certificate when they die" At that point I gave up realizing I was in a Kafkaesque quandary. We waited until she retired and I finally got the Yellow book after some years of my first attempt. Last year an agent in Chiang Mai said it is "impossible" again surprised I had one ( a yellow book).

 

US consul does not do COR anymore either but you can get from agents or CM immigration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 4 by Captain Monday

[NoDisplayName]

3 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Cheers...wife has been to the Amphur....we need my passport validating in BKK, then it has have an MFA translation......I really am not fussed about doing this.....not sure why she has a bee in her bonnet about it.

 

Do you have the passport translation and MFA legalization you used for your marriage certificate?

 

Yellow book took 20 minutes, no charge, issue pink ID also took 20 minutes, 60 baht.

[it is what it is]

 

that's the ex-pat/traveler life sometimes, i got the real run around applying for a visa to iran in the 1990s, worth the effort though, a great place to visit. and getting a work visa in china was very complex until a rich friend of a friend greased the appropriate wheels.

[ningnong]

1 hour ago, NONG CHOK said:

After your comment I think you are lacking in common sense the same problem with the Immigration officer. Anyway I fixed that problem I always wanted a holiday home so I bought a condo in Pattaya. So even though I own my house in Bangkok I use my Pattaya address when I making a one year visa. So after 8 years using the same agent I've eliminated all that $hit that I used to have to put up with.

Haha, and making an unnecessary comment to the IO about the money in the bank was using commonsense?

Anyway glad its worked out for you in the end.

[BigStar]

3 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Cheers...wife has been to the Amphur....we need my passport validating in BKK, then it has have an MFA translation......I really am not fussed about doing this.....not sure why she has a bee in her bonnet about it.

 

You get the copy of the passport validated and then find a translator either in or around the MFA or elsewhere (mine was in Pattaya) to handle the MFA's blessing and mail it to you. 

 

One gotcha is that you need to be sure the spelling of the name on the translation is exactly the same as the translation that appears on any previous official document, such as marriage certificate or land deed. Otherwise you'll need to get another translation or change the spelling on the other document. Thais are known for being consistently inconsistent in their transliterations, and so idea is that at last your name should have ONE official spelling.

[gearbox]

2 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Even though I've been on Non-O retirement extension for 5 years, I've only ever done 90 day reports 3 times (during Covid) and now always travelling. This means I cannot get COR now. Also, the British Consulate no longer offers "affirmation of residence" certificate. My nearest Department of Land Transport office will not accept Yellow Book/Pink ID for DL renewal so today I went to a different DLT to renew and they accepted Yellow Book/Pink ID for residence proof. Definitely very useful to have! Same when I purchased a vehicle - the yellow book/Pink ID made registration in my name easy. Worth the effort in my experience. Others opinions will differ.

 

TIT...a feudal system where each province invent their own rules. I was able to renew my driving licence with my yellow book instead of COR. With national parks 3 out of 6 parks gave me Thai rates, the other 3 refused and had to pay foreigner rate.

[lordgrinz]

3 hours ago, transam said:

They want to show if you are a slob or not...........🤗

Think yourself lucky they don't show farangy's footwear............😂

 

I wonder what they would say if we had our pictures taken wearing one of those nifty government employee outfits with all the badges on them 🤪

[scoutman360]

Reading through all this, I am wondering if us foreigners don't understand the tipping process in Thailand. Reading all these stories just makes me think this way. 

[sikishrory]

13 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Three hour round trip........had to go to Chaiyaphum to request a Certificate of Residence.

 

IO: Sorry that"s not something we do.....????

Wife: Well we"ve had three before, all from this office

IO: Why do you want one?

Wife: I want to put my husband"s name in my blue book

IO: Why?

Wife: So he can get a pink card.

IO: Leans over and gets the form to request a certificate of residence....????.....Fill that in.

 

Handed it in to the IO.....wrong form. You need this one instead.

 

Fill that one in.

 

He checks everything and goes off somewhere.

 

IO: There's a problem. Your name is not in your tabian baan.....???

Wife: Yes it is.....that"s my name.

IO: There"s another problem. You had a different address four years ago.....???

Wife: Yes, we moved to our new address four years ago and we have completed a TM30 four times.

 

Two hours later........two ******* hours....... we get the certificate.....only valid for four weeks......no use whatsoever to us.

 

I am sick of this.

It doesn't happen often but yeh. It's total BS.  This is the country we choose to live in though.

Blanket policies and rules applied the same at every government office and bank would be great. 

[HuaHinNew]

They problem you have many IOs at IMM offices that are just cowboy and cowgirls.

 

Dubious intellect levels, and they just love to exert what little authority they have over you

 

If the head of IMM wants to clean up the IMM and raise the profile of the IMM organization, he would mandate all IOs in all Provinces must follow and implement the IMM policies exactly as gazetted.

 

No foreigner has any issues with providing the required paperwork and doing all the legwork collection information as required by the IMM Website.

 

But the BS encountered by many foreigners at IMM processing just demonstrates that many officers are out of control.

 

 

 

.

 

 

[Gandtee]

14 hours ago, Will B Good said:

If I catch her in a good mood....and I'm feeling brave.....I'll point that out.

Of course she knows best. About everything.😉

[Thingamabob]

Waste of time trying to go the blue book route. Simply not possible under current regulations. Get a yellow book, and thereafter a pink card. Latter worth having. Can be useful at times.

[jesimps]

When I applied for C of R at Chonburi for opening a bank account, they said I had to get from my embassy. They only issued them for driving licence.

[transam]

10 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

 

I wonder what they would say if we had our pictures taken wearing one of those nifty government employee outfits with all the badges on them 🤪

Probably...."You're under arrest"...............😝

[sandyf]

14 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Think I"ll stick with the yellow book....if I end up doing anything.

The number from the tabian baan is used on the ID card. By default pink cards are for foreigners so you need a foreigner tabian baan number, the first digit would be a 6.

 

The Thai ID card is done according to a law related to the Thai ID Card adopted in Buddhist year 2526.

The first digit of the Thai ID Card has the following meaning:

Number 1- means a Thai national born from January 1, 1984 onwards whose parents registered their birth within 15 days

Number 2- means a Thai national, born from January 1, 1984 onwards whose parents registered their birth late

Number 3- means a Thai national and aliens with identification cards whose names appeared in the census before May 31, 1984

Number 4- means the same group of people (as #3) who previously didn’t have an ID number

Number 5- means a Thai nationals whose names was added to the census later due to error

Number 6- is used for those who entered the country unlawfully or those who entered lawfully with intent to stay in the country on temporary basis. So if you have a yellow ta bian ban, you probably have a Thai ID number starting with 6.

Number 7- is for children of number 6

Number 8- is for formers aliens whose original nationality was converted to Thai after May 1, 1984 (And permanent residents to what I know).

https://isaanlawyers.com/pink-id-card-for-foreigners-in-thailand/

[Rampant Rabbit]

16 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Early? I see 3 empty cans by my desk

Poor  effort Im on the floor and buried in mine.....and I dont even drink

[sandyf]

14 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Why do the photos on these ID cards and Driving Licences show most of the shirt you are wearing as opposed to just head and shoulders.

The photos are not the same. My DL photo is very much like a passport photo with the head taking up most of the photo.

The ID card however is quite different with height markers from the shoulders up.

My wife's has very little shoulders showing with white space and marker above the head, on mine the top of the head is close to top of the photo.

[mancub]

15 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Just asked SWMBO.....and apparently in addition to all the hoops mentioned, we have to take the head of our village to the Amphur....???

Did all that. then got sent to MFA who then insisted I got my passport verified as genuine at BKK embassy. Pointless timewasting exercise in my case !

[Jaxxper]

I think there is some degree of making it up as they go along. We went for a residency certificate and handed over the form and required documents, and the lady asked for the chanote of the property. I’m sure she only asked for it because she saw it in a plastic wallet under my wife’s arm. Never asked for on previous occasions……. No biggy, but expect the unexpected at immigration. Immigration 101 !!! 😂😂

[KannikaP]

30 minutes ago, sandyf said:

The photos are not the same. My DL photo is very much like a passport photo with the head taking up most of the photo.

The ID card however is quite different with height markers from the shoulders up.

My wife's has very little shoulders showing with white space and marker above the head, on mine the top of the head is close to top of the photo.

If mine were like yours, I would not have asked the question.

[DUNROAMIN]

Absolutely.