21 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Yes, I stopped bunging the speeding ticket shake down cop a couple of red notes decades ago because I just didn't feel good with myself for feeding their corruption.

 

... my driving licence has expired, I just drive...

So, you've got a sliding scale for illegal acts?  🙂  🙂

1 hour ago, proton said:

Yaba dealing, does not affect me that does not mean it's wrong.

Do you not mean that it is OK to deal Yaba because you are not affected

1 hour ago, proton said:

3 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Next stop, work on getting rid of foreigners using agents to hide their "misuse" of non-immigrant 'O' Visas, shutdown the agents as well.

It will happen and probably sooner than people think

And as the oft repeated maxim on here as regards Alphonse Capone:

 

How will we get 'em? TAXES

The Immigration Bureau (IB) has cancelled nearly 10,000 temporary stay permits for foreign nationals due to non-compliance with visa regulations, according to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI). The decision forms part of efforts to crack down on the misuse of student visas by those seeking illegal employment in Thailand.

 

This was the topic, but it manage to morph into retirement visa's through Agents.  First I will say I have a legitimate marriage license on monthly income, but before that i had no choice but use an agent and go through the back door. I couldn't even open a bank account even with the 800. I know many that can pay the 800 but do the same thing because of the restrictions involved, not to mention the loss revenue in interest, invested properly and the agents costs can be covered. but the point here is complain all you want the back door will never close, i remember my agent telling me that he only received 5,000 baht out of 38,000 first time visa.  that money gets dived up, down the line. multiplied by how many visas per year, illegal or not,  this is big business and it's never going away.

18 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Sounds like a good time to me. Maybe you're jealous.

 

Don't get me wrong. It is a good time. A good day out watching life go by. When it becomes a perch and all you know is a dire little soi it's time to move on.

 

I always enjoyed my time living in Pattaya 20++ years ago. I enjoy getting down to Sukhumvit and watch tragic humanity ebb and flow. It's a day or evening out not a lifestyle.  

10 minutes ago, KhaoHom said:

 

Don't get me wrong. It is a good time. A good day out watching life go by. When it becomes a perch and all you know is a dire little soi it's time to move on.

 

I always enjoyed my time living in Pattaya 20++ years ago. I enjoy getting down to Sukhumvit and watch tragic humanity ebb and flow. It's a day or evening out not a lifestyle.  

In all seriousness having drinking in the bars become part of your life is an easy trap for many. I have a kid here, but many times wonder how my days would go if I didn't.

Cancelled 10K Visa’s or Permission to Stay stamps.  So will there be 10,000 overstays when they show up to extend their Visa’s??   Can’t see how this will work out, anymore information on this?, Let’s say I have an extension to stay a year on my O visa, and they cancel it, I am not informed, I show up to extend it - will I be arrested??

 

Me thinks this will be an enormous 'cluster you know what’ for the local immigration offices. 

What's wrong with wanting to spend a year in Thailand studying the language (because maybe you want to live here in the future) or learning thai boxing?

Same thing, what's wrong with wanting to be a tourist for 6 or 12 months?

I don't see any problem in that.

The problems start when you abuse the system, going on that way for many years, maybe with the help of an agent.

13 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

In all seriousness having drinking in the bars become part of your life is an easy trap for many. I have a kid here, but many times wonder how my days would go if I didn't.

 

Agreed. Some of the guys I see on lower Sukhumvit have nothing but drink. You can see it in them and every time you pass the pub there they are. They are so maladjusted and gross no woman in her right mind has the least attraction. Im thinking of one drunk in particular. Kicked out of pub/s bringing in his own alcohol. Saw him last week around 6pm utterly red, shi+faced drunk

 

The one good thing about living up country is you can have hobbies.

 

For me it's exercise routine, cooking a bit, houseplants, reading, podcasts, reading news, going to the malls / eye candy. I shop daily for food and have lunch out. It's a simple life, but I like the free time. 1x a week beer out. 

For years, I have been one of these (apparently) 'low-life farangs', paying an agent to bribe the bank and immigration officials so that I can obtain an annual 'retirement' visa extension. I don't have $25,000 and even if I did, common sense tells me that I could make better use of it than sticking into a visa account for no other purpose.

 

Over the years (23 to be precise), I have flitted between Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar).  In the early days it was easy to get a 'B' visa when I had a visa for my hotel business in Phuket, Elite visa when I had too much money, or simply back-to-back tourist visas.  Thailand suited me as a 'base' between my work. But visa rules (and banking rules) change.

 

Next month, my retirement extension expires, and with the recent issues about Bangkok Bank, I'm not extending it this time.  To be honest, especially as I get older, I'm not happy to use the 'bribe-the-IO' agent route.  

 

Apart from my previous hotel businesses, I've never worked as a teacher in Thailand.  I'm too old (they say), but apparently not too old to teach in Laos or Burma, and apparently good enough as an educator to be paid a six-figure (THB) monthly salary.  Ho-hom

 

So over the last 2 weeks, I've moved myself and my ham radio gear back to Luang Prabang in Laos, where I used to be the director of the international school.  My annual visa in Laos needed no money in the bank, no documents, just my passport and photos.  I've drained my Bangkok Bank account to a minimum and now send my monthly pension and teaching income (since I'm starting a new in-class teaching job in Burma, my monthly income sources will total more than $5,000, not bad for a cheap-Charlie!), from Wise to my Lao bank account.

 

I like Thailand very much, as I like the other countries, but times change, rules change and so each must do what he/she thinks fit to have a happy and affordable life.

10 minutes ago, pub2022 said:

What's wrong with wanting to spend a year in Thailand studying the language (because maybe you want to live here in the future) or learning thai boxing?

Same thing, what's wrong with wanting to be a tourist for 6 or 12 months?

I don't see any problem in that.

The problems start when you abuse the system, going on that way for many years, maybe with the help of an agent.

 

You can see what Thailand has to offer .. all of it in 3-6 weeks. After that's it's just all RnR. 

 

Learning Thai. Why? It will never do you a lick of good. A monumental effort for a country you grub visas for annually. These days add all the indirect business restrictions that just make us all the more unwanted. 

 

And when you leave what good is it? 

 

Most of the people are quite simple. I don't expect to have any sort of deep conversation with anyone. 

 

Of course, you should know enough Thai to get about your day. That goes without saying 

43 minutes ago, Peabody said:

So, you've got a sliding scale for illegal acts?  🙂  🙂

 

He drives slow ok. sheez.

 

I love when people expose themselves as total hypocrites.

2 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

The visa if approved is not 'dodgy' its the application, the visas are valid!

Disagree.

If a benefit is obtained fraudulently it could be considered "fruits of a crime" and therefore illicit.

The fact that the benefit was granted by an authorised officer, even if he was unaware of the crime, doesn't make it legitimite.

If the officer was complicient, he is also guily of the crime.

 

1 hour ago, KhaoHom said:

 

All true. It's simply no longer worth the effort and probably never was.

 

Or you could not live in a silly, dirty village, marry a woman with no education. Live on a dumpy farm. Grow rice ffs

 

No doubt all that will help you get on up country. The question is why the F would anyone live upcountry and doubly especially anywhere near parents in law? 

Lord Fauntleroy has spoken....................🤥

 

Yet you moved to Thailand, that is o funny..........😂

 

Oh, how's the rice crop doing.....?  

9 minutes ago, simon43 said:

For years, I have been one of these (apparently) 'low-life farangs', paying an agent to bribe the bank and immigration officials so that I can obtain an annual 'retirement' visa extension. I don't have $25,000 and even if I did, common sense tells me that I could make better use of it than sticking into a visa account for no other purpose.

 

Over the years (23 to be precise), I have flitted between Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar).  In the early days it was easy to get a 'B' visa when I had a visa for my hotel business in Phuket, Elite visa when I had too much money, or simply back-to-back tourist visas.  Thailand suited me as a 'base' between my work. But visa rules (and banking rules) change.

 

Next month, my retirement extension expires, and with the recent issues about Bangkok Bank, I'm not extending it this time.  To be honest, especially as I get older, I'm not happy to use the 'bribe-the-IO' agent route.  

 

Apart from my previous hotel businesses, I've never worked as a teacher in Thailand.  I'm too old (they say), but apparently not too old to teach in Laos or Burma, and apparently good enough as an educator to be paid a six-figure (THB) monthly salary.  Ho-hom

 

So over the last 2 weeks, I've moved myself and my ham radio gear back to Luang Prabang in Laos, where I used to be the director of the international school.  My annual visa in Laos needed no money in the bank, no documents, just my passport and photos.  I've drained my Bangkok Bank account to a minimum and now send my monthly pension and teaching income (since I'm starting a new in-class teaching job in Burma, my monthly income sources will total more than $5,000, not bad for a cheap-Charlie!), from Wise to my Lao bank account.

 

I like Thailand very much, as I like the other countries, but times change, rules change and so each must do what he/she thinks fit to have a happy and affordable life.

 

At least you are honest about it, but you have been paying into private health care but no funds for a legitimate extension, wrong priorities. $5000 a month but cant afford the 800k baht for an extension? You will be back as you can't seem to settle anywhere for long.

3 minutes ago, simon43 said:

common sense tells me that I could make better use of it than sticking into a visa account for no other purpose.

 

Well, you start off telling us you're a brokie.

 

It costs about one US dollar a day to keep the money in Thai bank as opposed to better rates outside. But...you don't worry about that bc you're broke.

 

Definitely ok to live outside your home country on the cheap. It's the corruption I'm against. You are the problem 

4 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Next stop, work on getting rid of foreigners using agents to hide their "misuse" of non-immigrant 'O' Visas, shutdown the agents as well.

"...shutdown the agents as well".

Why when using agents is perfectly legal?

1 minute ago, transam said:

Lord Fauntleroy has spoken....................🤥

 

Yet you moved to Thailand, that is o funny..........😂

 

Oh, how's the rice crop doing.....?  

 

 

Hit too close to home I imagine. 

 

How is that rice doing??

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...shutdown the agents as well".

Why when using agents is perfectly legal?

 

Agents loaning you money you don't have for a visa you don't qualify for isn't legal at all. C'mon you know better 

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

"...shutdown the agents as well".

Why when using agents is perfectly legal?

Yes, the stamps are legal too....🤗

2 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

You seem to be suggesting that some immigration officers, who are part of the police are corrupt????

The visa if approved is not 'dodgy' its the application, the visas are valid!

 

If they only ever issue an extension with no real funds in the bank  when they are bribed to, how is the NOT corruption? They are certainly NOT valid when issued this way from a province the applicant does not live in

2 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

The visa if approved is not 'dodgy' its the application, the visas are valid!

...and, just as police officers have the discretion to issue or not issue tickets or charge for offences, IOs have the discretion to issue visas/extensions as they see fit.

4 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Next stop, work on getting rid of foreigners using agents to hide their "misuse" of non-immigrant 'O' Visas, shutdown the agents as well.

This will never happen !  Agents provide a reliable service for retirees living in Thailand.

When I see posters on here applauding these crackdowns I'm always wondering how they can ignore that those schemes will continue without much of a delay.

 

A tiny little adjustment to the "academic" program descriptions here, a slightly increased payout there, and just like that, they are back in business in no time whatsoever...

1 minute ago, KhaoHom said:

 

 

Hit too close to home I imagine. 

 

How is that rice doing??

...........Naaah, it's probably you that's tucked up in a shed watching the rice swaying in the wind.......😂

 

It's your nosey, nasty attitude to other members that I find disappointing.....🤥

 

But, you are not alone, a few like you crawl out of the woodwork to spew muck on these threads, the "I'm alright Brigade".......Eh........😉

5 minutes ago, KhaoHom said:

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...shutdown the agents as well".

Why when using agents is perfectly legal?

 

Agents loaning you money you don't have for a visa you don't qualify for isn't legal at all. C'mon you know better 

The use of an agent is 100% legal, the agents use of IOs discretion is also perfectly legal.  What goes on between an agent and an IO is up to the IO.  You should know better.

It's fair to allow visas for non-degree courses for up to three months or so but it is also fair to be quite demanding asking for evidence, if someone wants to stay longer than that learning Thai or boxing etc.  If they are not of retirement age, they are likely to be supporting themselves through illegal work or criminal activities.  If they have skills and qualifications that Thailand needs, let them get WPs and contribute to society by training Thais and paying taxes.  If they have legit money, let them apply for LTR visas.  If none of the above, why should Thailand keep fake students?

8 minutes ago, KhaoHom said:

Agents loaning you money you don't have for a visa you don't qualify for isn't legal at all.

"... isn't legal at all".

Are you sure about that?  Which section of the Criminal Code codifies the funds in the bank "law" that you seem to think exists?

50 minutes ago, folkstone said:

The Immigration Bureau (IB) has cancelled nearly 10,000 temporary stay permits for foreign nationals due to non-compliance with visa regulations, according to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI). The decision forms part of efforts to crack down on the misuse of student visas by those seeking illegal employment in Thailand.

 

This was the topic, but it manage to morph into retirement visa's through Agents

Yes. It was perhaps inevitable though; but just look at the most vocal, as so often scenting a wonderful opportunity to revel in another's misfortune!

1 hour ago, Peabody said:

So, you've got a sliding scale for illegal acts?  🙂  🙂

Yes, it's the inverse of how things actually work here when it comes to legality.