15 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

...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.

as with the old kids' game: What is wrong with this picture?

(click on get a bigger shot)

...

You can learn all the Thai you want but outside of Thailand it's of absolutely no use what's so ever, Some years ago in Dubai and my daughter said speak Thai to them Dad, I said I prefer not to, dont let them know I can speak Thai, I'll listen to what they say as they are a right bunch of gossips,

Many years ago in Manchester a few Thai restaurants opened but the staff were Vietnamese, apparently they couldn't get visa's for Thai's. 

One place in Dubai the staff were from the Philippines, all they knew was Sawat Dii Ka when you walked in,  

24 minutes ago, bondjames007 said:

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

 

There, fixed it for you ----> Agents provide a dodgy and corrupt service path for retirees living in Thailand.

2 hours ago, zepplin said:

Why? Does it affect you ?  A lot of retirees use agents , as they live on a pension, but they still spend all their money in Thailand, which is good for the economy and their families- here, but you the <deleted> has decided that’s not proper! Take a long walk of a pier…!

The arbitrary nature of the financial requirements is the problem here. Ostensibly it is to provide evidence of the self sufficiency of the visa applicant so that there is no burden on the state of that person is unable to cope with the cost of existence. Why not merely insist on evidence of a return ticket to the home country to ease the burden? This "dog in a manger" attitude from the elitish bores who voice their selfish opinion on this forum does not help one iota.

45 minutes ago, KhaoHom said:

 

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 

What is the problem.?

18 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

 

There, fixed it for you ----> Agents provide a dodgy and corrupt service path for retirees living in Thailand.

Now let me see, how about, a farangy has been married to a Thai for 30 years using marriage extensions. He is in his late seventies, she dies, he cannot do an extension because he hasn't got the extra 10,000 quid.

 

What does he do.......?   🤗

44 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

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.

Yes, of course it's legal. It's a part of doing business in Thailand. The ones who cry foul the loudest must be to broke to afford the valuable services of an agent. I do my own extensions but I'm seriously considering an agent for the next one.

[quote]

...

$5000 a month but cant afford the 800k baht for an extension? 

...

[/quote]

 

You misread my post.  Of course I can afford the 800k 🙂  (I used to have an Elite visa).  It's a case of "I have the money but I do not agree to place it in a Thai bank account".

 

Basically, (and some might not understand my motives etc), I like to have as little as possible to do with officialdom, banks, paperwork etc.  I'm not a criminal, I simply believe that there is not one government on this Earth that is not full of crooks, jobsworths and so on.  I like to live my life my way, without providing photos, rental contracts and other such documents to anyone, unless I absolutely have to.

 

I can think of no more enjoyable passtime than riding my offrode motorbike in the Lao hills, or swimming in a mountain stream in Shan State, without some official butting his/ner nose into my private life.

 

Every country 'improves' over the years by introducing technology to catch scammers or to  know who you are and where you are..... I don't like to be part of that 🙂 Many years ago I lived in Andorra, with its banking secrecy laws and I followed the 5-flags theory which stood me well for decades.  As I grow older, I prefer to retreat from government 'spying', and Laos (yes communist Laos) and Burma suit me fine for that purpose.

 

 

 

 

13 minutes ago, proton said:

They are certainly NOT valid when issued this way from a province the applicant does not live in

Says who?   Any visa/extension issued by an IO at an Immigration office is valid.

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Says who?   Any visa/extension issued by an IO at an Immigration office is valid.

 

NOT if it's issued from a province you do not live in or an address you are not resident at, that's fraud and illegal

4 hours ago, KhaoHom said:

 

Because they are all just riffraff and bring nothing to the quality of life of Thais, Thailand or foreigners. Can go home and be a brokie. Here,  they can't even afford the price of admission. 

 

Gone are the days of adventurers and gentlemen rouges. Here in Thailand for RnR before heading out to most remote parts of SEA still left. This lot sits on soi Bukhow/ lower Sukhumvit drinking their lives away. Living on Khao pad, Khao man gai and BBQ sticks. That's their entire world. 

Besides spending all they do have to help the economy of Thailand, and making more than the average Thai who seems to get by on an average of 14K a month. The rifff raff are those who have a lot of money and spend most of it on hookers, beer and drugs. Who can truly cast the first stone after looking at how they themselves live?

2 hours ago, proton said:

 

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

I'm thinking the majority of the corruption here doesn't involve foreigners.

Now that all these visas have been cancelled, we can expect a flurry of immigration officers visiting the homes and workplaces of these 10,000 "illegals" and fast-tracking them to airport departures.

IMO it's just another copied political trait from the US

Trump administration is reviewing all 55 million foreigners with US visas for any violations

 

Felt

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

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?

 

After my collective 33 years in Thailand, variously single, married, divorced or working, the only advice that I can offer those individuals that are still besotted with Thailand but are either unable to work here, or are stranded between their bachelorhood and retirement, is to go try some other countries. There are better choices out there. Who knows, the saffron-tinted scales may fall from the eyes.

46 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

I'm thinking the majority of the corruption here doesn't involve foreigners.

 

Correct, but the perpetual low-hanging fruit of the foreigner and the comparatively minute amount of corruption that can be linked to them is just too easy for them. Goes along with what I worked out a long time ago that if you offer a local 100 baht today, or if they wait till tomorrow, they can have 1000 baht, they'll take the 100 today.

 

Then come back tomorrow and ask for the 1000.

5 hours ago, proton said:

 

Yaba dealing, does not affect me that does not mean it's wrong. Corrupt extensions is something they will crack down on in the end, will you be affected? Spending money here is no excuse for bribing officials.

so small, so meaningless, like a chancre that never goes away - you

1 hour ago, proton said:

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Says who?   Any visa/extension issued by an IO at an Immigration office is valid.

 

NOT if it's issued from a province you do not live in or an address you are not resident at, that's fraud and illegal

Who says that it is "fraud and illegal" if issued by a legitimate IO at a legitimate Immigration Office?  

23 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Correct, but the perpetual low-hanging fruit of the foreigner and the comparatively minute amount of corruption that can be linked to them is just too easy for them. Goes along with what I worked out a long time ago that if you offer a local 100 baht today, or if they wait till tomorrow, they can have 1000 baht, they'll take the 100 today.

Doesn't 'go along' with your bizarre "analogy" at all.  

It would be very interesting to know the nationalities of the 10,000 visa holders.

 

There may well have been a visa mill churning out visa applications and supporting documents for those who had other reasons to be in Thailand. This reason is often economic.

5 hours ago, KhaoHom said:

 

Because they are all just riffraff and bring nothing to the quality of life of Thais, Thailand or foreigners. Can go home and be a brokie. Here,  they can't even afford the price of admission. 

 

Gone are the days of adventurers and gentlemen rouges. Here in Thailand for RnR before heading out to most remote parts of SEA still left. This lot sits on soi Bukhow/ lower Sukhumvit drinking their lives away. Living on Khao pad, Khao man gai and BBQ sticks. That's their entire world. 

You sound a really unlikeable guy.

I’d much rather associate with the riff raff than Mr Superiors like you.

 

5 hours ago, David T Pike said:

I wonder if they got some tips from Trump... 😁

Yeah the ones cheering it here oppose it there.

24 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Who says that it is "fraud and illegal" if issued by a legitimate IO at a legitimate Immigration Office?  

 

I tell you what, go into your immigration and ask them if they will give you an extension with not enough money in the bank, lets us know what they say.

1 hour ago, proton said:

 

NOT if it's issued from a province you do not live in or an address you are not resident at, that's fraud and illegal

I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think it is either.

5 hours ago, KhaoHom said:

 

Because they are all just riffraff and bring nothing to the quality of life of Thais, Thailand or foreigners. Can go home and be a brokie. Here,  they can't even afford the price of admission. 

 

Gone are the days of adventurers and gentlemen rouges. Here in Thailand for RnR before heading out to most remote parts of SEA still left. This lot sits on soi Bukhow/ lower Sukhumvit drinking their lives away. Living on Khao pad, Khao man gai and BBQ sticks. That's their entire world. 

I think what we're seeing - between the recent banking fiascos and account closures involving foreigners and the general immigration tightening - is both a response to the mule accounts by scammers, but also a move on the so-called foreign riff-raff. Throwing down the welcome mat to a foreigner who wants to stay long time but isn't bringing any fiscal impact isn't worth the country's time and effort (immigration, services, health care in government hospitals). I know many (like on this particular thread) say they can live like a Thai and live on a similar budget. Bear in mind a university educated Thai is lucky to be making 40k a month. And in any case, why would Thailand want to go out of its way to welcome in someone who is only going to spend the same amount as a Thai on 20-40k a month? It's just an unneeded hassle that doesn't generate any extra income - a few thousand foreigners eating 5 baht khao nieow and 10 baht moo daeng daily - and the odd Leo dishwater - like many of the 70 million Thais is a zero-sum gain. They (Thailand) don't want more poor people. They have lots already.

6 minutes ago, proton said:

32 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Who says that it is "fraud and illegal" if issued by a legitimate IO at a legitimate Immigration Office?  

 

I tell you what, go into your immigration and ask them if they will give you an extension with not enough money in the bank, lets us know what they say.

"I tell you what", how about answering my question that you cannot answer?...

"Who says that it is "fraud and illegal" if issued by a legitimate IO at a legitimate Immigration Office"?  

 

Did I say that Immigration will give an extension with not enough money in the bank?  No, I didn't.

Just now, proton said:

 

I tell you what, go into your immigration and ask them if they will give you an extension with not enough money in the bank, lets us know what they say.

A few years ago I ended up in hospital for quite a while - initially in ICU, then on a ward for several weeks. For much of that time I was quite heavily sedated. My Visa was about to lapse, and the hospital Bill meant I did not have enough to renew it. 

 

I went to my immigration office. Several IOs "coffee shopped" the problem, then told me to nip into Laos for a 30 day entry, extend it for a further 30 days, and then go and see an agent. They even gave me the contact details for a couple.

 

 

6 hours ago, fanof3d said:

You obviously don't know how this country operates. It has nothing to do with education but decent people they want to keep in the country that contribute far more than those that stash money in the bank and sit on their ass all day and do nothing. Agents and those "officers" that have been approved can actually help even if it's not 100% legit. Worry more about the drug dealers and human traffickers that are here without any regulation.

 

Worry more about the drug dealers and human traffickers  .. what is the diff between a drug dealer ( BIB ? )

 or a trafficker  ( oh !!  the agent has an air conditioned office )

  even if it's not 100% legit.  SO DOING THINGS "ILLEGAL IS OK IN YOUR BOOK ?

Find the illegally gotten villas, especially on Phuket and the other islands, and there they will find the dodgy visas.