We all know how immigration can be!, while things went very smoothly last year, the previous year when i transferred my visa to a new passport it was 5 hour nightmare, a simple 10 min job became an ordeal.

So when i mentioned this to Thai friends, they said why did you not take a gift? i laughed but they were serious, so you think i should take a fruit basket this time trying to imagine myself in immiigration with a massive fruit basket, mmmm we meant a small gift like a pen will help.

Any way i am still mulling it over, but in a few months if you see someone sitting in immigration with a fruit basket you know who it is.

That would be embarrassing for everyone else in there

2 hours ago, howerde said:

We all know how immigration can be!, while things went very smoothly last year, the previous year when i transferred my visa to a new passport it was 5 hour nightmare, a simple 10 min job became an ordeal.

So when i mentioned this to Thai friends, they said why did you not take a gift? i laughed but they were serious, so you think i should take a fruit basket this time trying to imagine myself in immiigration with a massive fruit basket, mmmm we meant a small gift like a pen will help.

Any way i am still mulling it over, but in a few months if you see someone sitting in immigration with a fruit basket you know who it is.

Let us know how it went

A big fat 1000B folded into your passport will beat any basket of fruit.

No good deed goes unpunished.

If I did that, people would remark on two fruit baskets sitting side by side.

2 hours ago, howerde said:

We all know how immigration can be!, while things went very smoothly last year, the previous year when i transferred my visa to a new passport it was 5 hour nightmare, a simple 10 min job became an ordeal.

So when i mentioned this to Thai friends, they said why did you not take a gift? i laughed but they were serious, so you think i should take a fruit basket this time trying to imagine myself in immiigration with a massive fruit basket, mmmm we meant a small gift like a pen will help.

Any way i am still mulling it over, but in a few months if you see someone sitting in immigration with a fruit basket you know who it is.

There are so many taking fruit baskets to my local IO, that there would be no advantage.

27 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

A big fat 1000B folded into your passport will beat any basket of fruit.

20 minutes ago, phetphet said:

There are so many taking fruit baskets to my local IO, that there would be no advantage.

Seriously, anyone done any of these things at immigration? Or know anyone doing it?

My officer constantly asking If I found any falang for her yet @save the frogs

I would advise against bribery as they could extort a lot more to get you out of a jail cell. While your case is very different from mine, I gave a box of Thai desserts to the officer who approved my permanent residence AFTER the job was done. Smiles all round and no handcuffs.

When our local IO was open plan and officers were accessible behind a desk or counter, and there was only a few officers dealing with annual extensions, my wife would sometimes take a punnet of fruit (for example, strawberries, grapes) or tin of biscuits) to give to the officer serving us, as thanks. It's a thai thing, and we have seen other thais doing similar.

When the IO was rebuilt and now officers are not accessible behind glass screens, it is hard to interact with the officer, so she no longer bothers.

On 2/11/2026 at 12:46 PM, howerde said:

We all know how immigration can be!, while things went very smoothly last year, the previous year when i transferred my visa to a new passport it was 5 hour nightmare, a simple 10 min job became an ordeal.

So when i mentioned this to Thai friends, they said why did you not take a gift? i laughed but they were serious, so you think i should take a fruit basket this time trying to imagine myself in immiigration with a massive fruit basket, mmmm we meant a small gift like a pen will help.

Any way i am still mulling it over, but in a few months if you see someone sitting in immigration with a fruit basket you know who it is.

I would be very careful. Pathum Thani has a large sign stating that gifts are not allowed and could be used as a reason to deny an extension.

Remember this country just fellin the CPI, so they will be looking for reasons to hang staff and others.

Remember, you were talking to THAI friends, they live in a different world.

On 2/11/2026 at 3:40 PM, Purdey said:

I would advise against bribery as they could extort a lot more to get you out of a jail cell. While your case is very different from mine, I gave a box of Thai desserts to the officer who approved my permanent residence AFTER the job was done. Smiles all round and no handcuffs.

How did that work?

PR is not approved at one sitting and is not approved ont he moment with the applicant sitting at an officers' desk.

PR is ultimael approved by a committee and the successful applicants are advsed they have eeen approved by an official letter.

i know, i got the 'PR appoved' letter 28 years ago.

Any time I go I always bring them a box of 12 doughnuts. They are always very pleasant and make everything very easy for me to do . Doesn't cost much and brightens their day instead of seeing the same paperwork over and over and people angry because they didn't bring the right paperwork.

A chunky brown enveloppe will be more then enough. No need for the costly fruit basket 😗

On 2/11/2026 at 3:27 PM, Hummin said:

Seriously, anyone done any of these things at immigration? Or know anyone doing it?

My officer constantly asking If I found any falang for her yet @save the frogs

My wife became friendly with our local IO during a visit over unrelated common interest. She’d thereafter advise us over Line. We stop at Amazon on every visit for her favorite drink. Not sure offering a gift in an open environment to someone you don’t know will go down well. I recommend money (discretely) but be careful to not make it look like a bride (if you don’t know each other). Rather say you’re in a hurry and appreciate a quick response and THIS is a compensation for a quicker delivery. Let a Thai person do the talking if possible.

On 2/11/2026 at 3:27 PM, Hummin said:

Seriously, anyone done any of these things at immigration? Or know anyone doing it?

My officer constantly asking If I found any falang for her yet @save the frogs

I used to get that, they think we pull foreigners to marry off the trees.

1 hour ago, AustinRacing said:

Not sure offering a gift in an open environment to someone you don’t know will go down well. I recommend money (discretely) but be careful to not make it look like a bride (if you don’t know each other).

Can you make it look like a groom instead, then?...😁

When I went to the Amphur to get a Yellow Book several years ago, I was herded in to see the supervisor. He looked like he was going to be very difficult to deal with, and after just a few minutes he reminded me that it as his lunch hour and I should return after lunch. I quickly noticed that he had a wired mouse plugged into his laptop, and the wire was always getting into his way on his crowded desk. During lunch I went to an IT shop and bought him a wireless mouse for about 199 Baht and presented it to him when I returned to his office before we got down to business. It made all the difference in the world, and I had my Yellow Book in no time for a total of 80 Baht. In this case, he had his own private office away from the rest of the workers, so I wouldn't advice giving a gift, which looks like a bribe, when there are others looking on.

Corruption is bad. It harms the country and it must be stopped! *

*except when I do it

3 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

My wife became friendly with our local IO during a visit over unrelated common interest. She’d thereafter advise us over Line. We stop at Amazon on every visit for her favorite drink. Not sure offering a gift in an open environment to someone you don’t know will go down well. I recommend money (discretely) but be careful to not make it look like a bride (if you don’t know each other). Rather say you’re in a hurry and appreciate a quick response and THIS is a compensation for a quicker delivery. Let a Thai person do the talking if possible.

We do not need to bribe anyone at our office, the only problem I had lately, I tried to renew/extend my stay same day I registered I came home. Can not

On 2/11/2026 at 6:46 AM, howerde said:

We all know how immigration can be!, while things went very smoothly last year, the previous year when i transferred my visa to a new passport it was 5 hour nightmare, a simple 10 min job became an ordeal.

So when i mentioned this to Thai friends, they said why did you not take a gift? i laughed but they were serious, so you think i should take a fruit basket this time trying to imagine myself in immiigration with a massive fruit basket, mmmm we meant a small gift like a pen will help.

Any way i am still mulling it over, but in a few months if you see someone sitting in immigration with a fruit basket you know who it is.

In the immigration office I use, I don't bring fruit basket or other gifts. Instead, the 100 baht change for a 1,900 baht extension helps – they even take it themselves, saving me both to offer it and waiting for them to issue a receipt – it relly seems like it helps for permission to yet another year in Land-of-Smiles...😉

Just use an agent. They make money, the IO's get their cut, and you don't have to worry. Everyone's a winner!

They probably would not accept it. You can actually be arrested for trying to bribe them if they are so inclined.

On 2/11/2026 at 12:46 PM, howerde said:

We all know how immigration can be!, while things went very smoothly last year, the previous year when i transferred my visa to a new passport it was 5 hour nightmare, a simple 10 min job became an ordeal.

So when i mentioned this to Thai friends, they said why did you not take a gift? i laughed but they were serious, so you think i should take a fruit basket this time trying to imagine myself in immiigration with a massive fruit basket, mmmm we meant a small gift like a pen will help.

Any way i am still mulling it over, but in a few months if you see someone sitting in immigration with a fruit basket you know who it is.

I think dressing properly and using a high standard of courtesy will get you better results than a fruit basket.

o've never had a problem in 25 odds years, get your paperwork in order, dress smart, be patient, calm and polite. oh yea, and from what i see, don't take the thai wife/gf, it's embarrassing watching the petty squabbles in pidgin english...

6 hours ago, scorecard said:

How did that work?

PR is not approved at one sitting and is not approved ont he moment with the applicant sitting at an officers' desk.

PR is ultimael approved by a committee and the successful applicants are advsed they have eeen approved by an official letter.

i know, i got the 'PR appoved' letter 28 years ago.

Oh stop putting a negative on a good story !

I remember a few years ago talking to a farang who was a volunteer tourist police officer on Pattaya

He told me , actually there was a group of us , that every afternoon on his shift parcels of fruit , alcohol etc would arrive from farang bar owners and no one ever recorded exactly WHO sent them , so they just opened them without even taking notes that "such n such " bar sent it

He used to open the box ,have a quick glance who sent it , take the bottles or fruit or whatever they sent out ...then discard the box .

No one cares who sent it so don't think you are giving yourself kudos and the police remember you sent a bottle of red wine back in June last year

On 2/11/2026 at 12:46 PM, howerde said:

We all know how immigration can be!, while things went very smoothly last year, the previous year when i transferred my visa to a new passport it was 5 hour nightmare, a simple 10 min job became an ordeal.

So when i mentioned this to Thai friends, they said why did you not take a gift? i laughed but they were serious, so you think i should take a fruit basket this time trying to imagine myself in immiigration with a massive fruit basket, mmmm we meant a small gift like a pen will help.

Any way i am still mulling it over, but in a few months if you see someone sitting in immigration with a fruit basket you know who it is.

That is a red flag! I go with my usual Chinese red envelope must smaller!🤑

7 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

but be careful to not make it look like a bride (if you don’t know each other)

Surely you must know someone if you are going to make them your Bride.

7 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

My wife became friendly with our local IO during a visit over unrelated common interest. She’d thereafter advise us over Line. We stop at Amazon on every visit for her favorite drink. Not sure offering a gift in an open environment to someone you don’t know will go down well. I recommend money (discretely) but be careful to not make it look like a bride (if you don’t know each other). Rather say you’re in a hurry and appreciate a quick response and THIS is a compensation for a quicker delivery. Let a Thai person do the talking if possible.

Similar. I have a neigbour 2 houses away, American guy, his wife is a retired Thai accountant,

Six months ago I visited them, AIM: just casual visit hello and coffee and bye.

When I got there I discoved there was another Thai lady there, 29 yrs old, speaks good English, never been outside of Thailand. I'm 81. She started quickly:

• Moved her chair so it was rubbing on my chair, her hands all over me.

• Where do you come from?

• when will you go home? I am home; Chiang Mai,I live with my Thai son, his Thai wife and 4 kids.

• She responds 'but you cannot stay forever, not allowed. I said 'I have PR lifetime PR'.

• No such thing, Thailand doesn't allow foreigners to have PR or Thai passport.

• Thai lady from the house I was visiting worked for a law company in BKK for 25 years, speaks very advanced English. She mentioned 'foreigners can have Thai PR and can get Thai citizenship.

• Younger lay responds 'you have to prove to me that you have Thai PR. She then stated that she was looking for a foreign husband and needed to see all of my persoal documents. She then 'instructed' me to go home (by this time she was aware that my house was 5 minutes away). She continued that she wanted to all my bank records.

• I said NO, I will go home when I'm ready and I will never show you any of my documents and I'm not inerested at all in having a new wife.

• She respdodedn boldly 'by Thai law you have to have a Thai wife, and I can take care of you.'

• The Thai lady accountant intejected and said 'He has PR, I've seen his PR bok, and he's just told you he doesn't want a new wife, never'.

• Junior Thai lady now says 'why is everybody trying to stop me from having a foreigner husband and having a nice house and a Benz?

• American now speaks up and says to his wife in haste 'We need to leave the house very soon, so I'm not late for my accupunture session' and he stands up and his wife also stands up and say's 'I've got the car keys, lets' go'.

• Junior Thai lady then asks if she can now come to my house. I respond No, My Thai son would not like that, so best you go home. I then quickly said bye bye to my neighbors and disappeard out their gate and walked away quickly.

• Junior Thai lady tries to follow me sayin 'I want your mobile number', I ignore her and keep walking.