4 hours ago, Stocky said:

Nope.

I tried that approach in the Hat Yai Immigration Office, I was told very plainly "this is Songkhla".

 

So you had printed out the regulation (in Thai) issued by the national Thai government and handed it to them? 

 

The last time I looked at a map, Songkhla - close as it may be to Malaysia - is still in Thailand.

 

Doesn't mean they won't ignore the law of course. 

3 hours ago, fulhamster said:

I had exactly the same problem when I obtained a new passport.

The TM30 data includes your passport details,

 

That's a different situation. You DO need to do a new TM30 in your next entry with the new passport. Immigration will even advise you of this when transferring your visa and extension to the new passport.

 

At least, CW advised me of this. 

2 hours ago, Liquorice said:

The TM30 form does not request your passport number, only the secondary attachment form which only hotels and guest houses are required to complete requests a passport number.
When you apply to transfer stamps to a new passport, your new passport number is recorded and updated in the system.

 

The form doesn't, but the passport information is entered either online or in person. If via mail, either a photocopy of passport is required, or the 2nd page with passport info is required, don't know which.  (A previous landlord had their filing by mail rejected because they didn't include my passport information.) 

3 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

I suggest you download the official regulation (in my previous reply) and bring it with you next time........brave....555

 

It doesn't require bravery. It just requires a lack of cowardice. 

27 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

 

The form doesn't, but the passport information is entered either online or in person. If via mail, either a photocopy of passport is required, or the 2nd page with passport info is required, don't know which.  (A previous landlord had their filing by mail rejected because they didn't include my passport information.) 

Well, my receipt of notification (TM30) clearly shows my passport number and the country of origin. I made the TM30 in person (with my wife) at Hat Yai IO, and as Stocky already wrote, it's their regulation and confronting them with copies of official regulations is not very smart.

42 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

 

Doesn't mean they won't ignore the law of course. 

 

I think it's called 'a local interpretation', no I didn't print the regulations out and wave it at them, I just quoted it. The response "this is Songkhla" simply highlights the fact that there is a mention of Bangkok Metropolis, which Hat Yai obviously isn't part of, it sits in Songkhla Province.

 

42 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

 

It doesn't require bravery. It just requires a lack of cowardice. 

 

You're wel'ard

43 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

It doesn't require bravery. It just requires a lack of cowardice. 

Won't bother to correct all your posts. Too much work. 

 

16 minutes ago, Stocky said:

I think it's called 'a local interpretation', no I didn't print the regulations out and wave it at them, I just quoted it. The response "this is Songkhla" simply highlights the fact that there is a mention of Bangkok Metropolis, which Hat Yai obviously isn't part of, it sits in Songkhla Province.

 

As I wrote in reply to another person who said they gave an IO the regulation, but later clarified (as you now do) that they simply quoted it.... 

 

On 7/22/2025 at 7:46 PM, asiacurious said:

Oh, ok.  So a totally different situation.  When it's your word against hers, she can interpret the regulation any way she wants because....

 

"You don't know the regulation."

"Oh, you misunderstand the regulation."

"I'm the IO and I know the regulation."

It simply doesn't matter and the IO will always - always! - win when it's a verbal disagreement like that.  And I agree with you that challenging her further like that would not have been productive.  But when you pull out a hard copy of the Thai government's regulation in Thai - with the section in question highlighted no less - there's really no interpretation left to be had.

 

This is exactly what happened to me.  They insisted I needed a TM30.  I handed them the official regulation (in Thai and highlighted) and they stopped insisting and processed my extension.

 

Dealing with IO can be intimidating.  It's built into the process - they have something that you want, and you don't want to get on their wrong side.  Arguing certainly isn't productive.  Never argue.

 

But if you're respectful and can offer clear documentation in support of the law, they'll generally accept it.

I'm not saying a printed copy is going to magically change the IOs position.  But neither will it cause them to cancel your visa. 

 

When I faced this issue, I didn't start by quoting the regulation.  They'll just say I'm wrong, that's not the regulation. All I would have succeeded in doing is to set up a situation where if I respond, it might be viewed as being argumentative or confrontational.  That's starting out on the wrong foot. 

 

Instead, I just gave them a copy and said something like, I was following this, or I thought this is what I was supposed to do.  They'll either accept it or reject it. They're free to correct me and tell me to go do the TM30.  I'm not going to argue with them. 

 

But.... Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Won't bother to correct all your posts. Too much work. 

 

Thanks for sharing that! As the current foremost expert on visa related things, should people take that bit of snark to mean all of my posts are wrong? (BTW, I gave you a hearty 😂 for that!).

 

Obviously, people shouldn't rely on the advice they find on random sites or forums, whether from experts or novices (I include myself in the latter).  Everything with a grain of salt.

 

As a wise man once said elsewhere on these forums... In some "guides" you may read.... Ignore that.

 

I agree.  Better to look for offices sources....

 

https://dl.parliament.go.th/handle/20.500.13072/563662

 

But to each their own.

5 hours ago, Liquorice said:

The TM30 form does not request your passport number, only the secondary attachment form which only hotels and guest houses are required to complete requests a passport number.
When you apply to transfer stamps to a new passport, your new passport number is recorded and updated in the system.

My TM30 has my passport number on it (the form says "Informed" with a green checkmark at the top). I started doing my own after the landlord gave me the user/password (I rent a condo). It only takes a few minutes to do - so IMO, whether or not a new one is 'officially' needed, I find it's just easier to do a new one when I come back from abroad (3 times a year usually is max for me). I can see it might be a hassle for those traveling a lot more though. I haven't updated the TM30 when returning from a hotel somewhere else in Thailand though.

On 7/22/2025 at 10:47 AM, Jumbo1968 said:

Yes I know this has been discussed before many times, when theTM6 was in force a TM30 was never required at Jomtien providing you were returning to the same address and on a Retirement Visa. When they temporarily stopped it, it was. 
With the introduction of the Digital Arrival Card is a TM30  still required ?

in my current rental property the owner for some reason has never added her name to the Tabien Baan, the name is of the previous owner who died.

Tax??? 

@asiacurious

 

I returned to desk 10 of Jomthien Immigration, the TM30 desk, and pointed out the latest entry used the same visa and same address. The only difference was that I had been in and out. And therefore a fine was not appropriate.

 

Their clarification was that the fine was correct because the "visa" (Did they mean visa, permission to stay or extension of permission to stay or, in fact, all 3!) was not issued by Chonburi Immigration. If it had been, then there is no requirement to report each entry. 

 

In my case :-

My DTV was issued by the MFA (London Embassy)

My permission to stay was granted by Bangkok Immigration (Suwannaphum Airport)

and I have not extended that permission to stay.

 

So, Jomthien Immigration's take is the fine stands and every "visa" not issued by them requires a TM30 for each and every entry.

20 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

So, Jomthien Immigration's take is the fine stands and every "visa" not issued by them requires a TM30 for each and every entry.

Literally makes no sense.  They're just saying what they need to say to get your money.

On 7/29/2025 at 10:17 AM, Briggsy said:

@asiacurious

 

I returned to desk 10 of Jomthien Immigration, the TM30 desk, and pointed out the latest entry used the same visa and same address. The only difference was that I had been in and out. And therefore a fine was not appropriate.

 

Their clarification was that the fine was correct because the "visa" (Did they mean visa, permission to stay or extension of permission to stay or, in fact, all 3!) was not issued by Chonburi Immigration. If it had been, then there is no requirement to report each entry. 

 

In my case :-

My DTV was issued by the MFA (London Embassy)

My permission to stay was granted by Bangkok Immigration (Suwannaphum Airport)

and I have not extended that permission to stay.

 

So, Jomthien Immigration's take is the fine stands and every "visa" not issued by them requires a TM30 for each and every entry.

 

  

On 7/29/2025 at 10:37 AM, BrandonJT said:

Literally makes no sense.  They're just saying what they need to say to get your money.

 

Thanks for sharing this Briggsy.  They've seemingly created an "exception" to the rule that lets them collect fines, and I think BrandonJT is right.  Sorry you've faced what is truly a bizarre situation.

 

I will add that their clarification that if your visa had been issued by Chonburi Immigration then they wouldn't require a new TM30 after each entry also supports the general rule that most people don't need to do a new TM30 each time.

 

Since you're now living in an area serviced by Jomthien Immigration, when you apply for an extension will that be done there?  If it is, I wonder if they'll accept a single new TM30 after the extension is done and stop requiring future TM30s, or if they'll say you're stuck doing TM30s indefinitely.

 

Anyway, I do appreciate the information.  Thanks! 

 

 

6 hours ago, asiacurious said:

Since you're now living in an area serviced by Jomthien Immigration, when you apply for an extension will that be done there?

I will not be applying for an extension as I am on a DTV, a 5-year multiple-entry visa. I visit the UK at least twice a year.