Thailand raises retirement age to 65 for all sectors

[Speedhump]

I've been asked for tea money only once by immigration; to transfer my visa stamp to a new passport. I gave the money and said I require the proper pink receipt. The money was returned to me inside my completed passport.

 

I've had my OA visa renewed yearly for 10 years without having any questions about not having a TM30 despite my obvious passport stamps showing Thailand exits and entries.

 

Maybe I have the right face? 😇

[Caldera]

11 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

Is the immigration office in Koh Chang equipped to accept payment via QR code?

 

Of course not, but isn't the whole point that the payment does NOT go to the immigration office, but to the immigration officer?

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, JimTripper said:

9 hours ago, Will27 said:

wouldn't be pissing off Immigration over a 100 Baht.

Each to their own though.

Maybe he saw an opportunity and took advantage of it.

Well it was me they pissed  off so by refusing their extortion 'fee', if that pissed them off you can hardly blame me, tit for tat init. I don't like anybody trying to extort money from me, so why should I put up with them doing so, Police or not. 

[NedR69]

Maybe do what the Golden Geese are doing…leave for a better place to live.  Plenty of options.  Maybe do what some car manufacturers and other biz has done…leave for better options.  

[Liquorice]

4 hours ago, Speedhump said:

I've had my OA visa renewed yearly for 10 years

You must be privileged.
Is that the TM77 form. Application of temporary visa renewal in Thailand.

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

You must be privileged.
Is that the TM77 form. Application of temporary visa renewal in Thailand.

Why correct the obvious.

The guy you quoted meant renew annual extensions from a non O-A 

 

[Liquorice]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Why correct the obvious.

The guy you quoted meant renew annual extensions from a non O-A 

 

Yes, I was being sarcastic, Jack.

If only they read the forms they complete, the TM7 and STM2 it would be obvious what they're applying for.

Alas, until the masses can be educated, we'll have to put up with renewing Retirement and Marriage visa, although renewing an O-A visa is original.   😉

[brianthainess]

Well an UPDATE, Yesterday the original Immigration Officer here, went to my wife's shop, and told her that, he can take care of my marriage extension for 2,400 baht ! 

 Of course the fee is 1,900 baht and you can bet that is what the receipt would show.

He also went on to tell her about the 100b service fee for the 90 day report, is because they now they have 6 staff and the office has A/C, how laughable these people are, oh and it's always had A/C, so now they want to charge us for their Air Conditioning........

 

[Caldera]

8 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Well an UPDATE, Yesterday the original Immigration Officer here, went to my wife's shop, and told her that, he can take care of my marriage extension for 2,400 baht ! 

 Of course the fee is 1,900 baht and you can bet that is what the receipt would show.

He also went on to tell her about the 100b service fee for the 90 day report, is because they now they have 6 staff and the office has A/C, how laughable these people are, oh and it's always had A/C, so now they want to charge us for their Air Conditioning........

 

 

Why put "Thainess" in your handle when it's this alien to you? None of what you've been reporting in this thread should have come as a surprise to anyone who has lived here for at least a few years.

[brianthainess]

5 minutes ago, Caldera said:

 

Why put "Thainess" in your handle when it's this alien to you? None of what you've been reporting in this thread should have come as a surprise to anyone who has lived here for at least a few years.

I have lived here on Koh Chang for 20 yrs, and it did come of a surprise, if you can state of any person in those 20 yrs that has had to pay a service fee for a 90 day report pray tell, and I don't mean paying an agent to do it, even they don't pay any money to immigration.

[brianthainess]

On 10/25/2024 at 9:14 AM, Liquorice said:

So where do you draw the line before you complain, or do you just support and condone the scam and corruption.

May IO's already charging for a COR, now 90 day in person reports, what next 1,000 BHT service fee for an extension?

Well that is not exactly what has been asked for they have asked 500b if you read my 2nd to last post.

Edited yesterday at 02:18 AM by brianthainess

[transam]

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

 

Why put "Thainess" in your handle when it's this alien to you? None of what you've been reporting in this thread should have come as a surprise to anyone who has lived here for at least a few years.

Rubbish....

[brianthainess]

On 10/25/2024 at 7:48 AM, Pattaya57 said:

Yep, he made a huge scene in the immigration office and annoyed the immigration officers that will soon conduct a house visit on him. All over 100 baht

 

He should have just done the 90 day report online

 

It was a bit late for that as they didn't ask for the money until after it had been stapled, into my Passport. 

[brianthainess]

On 10/25/2024 at 7:58 PM, NedR69 said:

Maybe do what the Golden Geese are doing…leave for a better place to live.  Plenty of options.  Maybe do what some car manufacturers and other biz has done…leave for better options.  

At 73 married to a Thai, with 'our' own house and land, not many options left for me, to avoid a corrupt immigration office, I'd rather pay the ferryman. I'd still like to hear of ANY ex-pat that has had to pay for a 90 day report or 2,400 baht for an extension ! so that would be 2,700-2,800 a year. 

 

[Rob Browder]

On 10/26/2024 at 8:46 AM, brianthainess said:

Well an UPDATE, Yesterday the original Immigration Officer here, went to my wife's shop, and told her that, he can take care of my marriage extension for 2,400 baht ! 

 Of course the fee is 1,900 baht and you can bet that is what the receipt would show.

He also went on to tell her about the 100b service fee for the 90 day report, is because they now they have 6 staff and the office has A/C, how laughable these people are, oh and it's always had A/C, so now they want to charge us for their Air Conditioning........

 

That's a bargain for the Marriage-based extension, compared to the crap you and your wife can be put through otherwise.   I'm not saying this is "good or right," of course.  Someone married to a Thai being put through the wringer or extorted, for a meager "1 more year," to live with your wife is disgusting.

[Presnock]

On 10/24/2024 at 3:45 PM, DaRoadrunner said:

You dialed 1178 and they actually picked up the phone!

Been here retired just over 20 years.  I have had a couple of negatives - usually brought about due to lack of knowledge .  First time just after getting my retirement O, at the 90-day mark I went to the immigration  office Ban Suan Plu - guess that is where the immigration office was then and an IO looked at my p/p and said oh, if you come today it is overstay so you must go out of the country and then right back in - which I did so not problem there and they could have fined me but didn't; then my daughter in the US was having a doctors appointment, thinking maybe cancer and wanted me there so I zoomed back without getting a reintry permit.  Upon my return, the IO at the airport said oh you didn't get a return permit so, you can come in but go to immigration and they will explain to you how to get backi nto the Retirement O  game, which I did with no problems at all and IO's all along were very helpful.  SInce I received that visa, a lot of changes have occured, moved to CM and many changes there.  Only had to get a COR once for my driver's license  there.  There was not TM30 bit until just fairly recently.  Did the TM28 once and the IO said that was not needed and threw it into the trash bin.  I have waited with many other farangs in queue lines in order to get a queue number to get into the immigration office that same day, sometimes had to wait one day.  Some folks said they even had to get in the queue line at midnight in order to guarantee a queue number for that very day.  the immigration offices have been  updated,  while we had to go to Promenada  Mall for the temporary office, but now the tent outside checking of documents, etc with the TM30 office open just behind even a few minutes before the main office plus the walk-in 90-day office made it really easy.  The past couple of years I spent less than 2 hours ever in getting my yearly extension, once just over an hour.  I have had 2 new passports with stamps transferred, never had to pay and the IO's have always treated my respectfully.  I so speak Thai and maybe that is why I haven't had any unusual problems  nor been asked to pay for anything.  Now the LTR requires even less  documentation and everything needed can be done here at home on my computer so life seems to be getting easier rather than more  difficult.  But now I notice that Thailand is to join BRICS next year and I am begining to wonder how that will impact the visa picture if at all but  if they change to non-USD used for payments, etc then I might have to depart.  Anyone lived in a BRICS country have any stories to tell if life is really any different for the average foreigner?

 

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, Rob Browder said:

compared to the crap you and your wife can be put through otherwise.

I not sure what you mean by more crap, I presume if I go over to Trat IO it will still be 1,900b as it has always been, they are using the price of the ferry to somehow justify their extra 'fees' . It makes no difference to me going to Trat as That is where I must go for my bank now anyway, since they closed their branch on KC. What can they do anyway if I refuse the extorsion charge anyway, yes they may make life difficult, but they could hardly arrest me, what would the charge be, failing to pay an extra charge without getting a receipt ?