Obviously there is nothing fundamentally wrong with using an agent, it’s a legally permitted service many feel worth paying for.

However, if an individual is using an agent to circumvent legal requirements of their visa which they are unable to comply with, then that’s clearly an issue, though getting caught is probably the least of their problems.

13 minutes ago, SamSpade said:

My #1 priority for what I spend my money on is to make my life easier.

I pay my agent 6,100 THB (It's 8,000 THB with the immigration fee) to do my Extensions for me, here's a few of the times where it's been more than worth the money...

1. 2nd extension, CW Bangkok, my Bankbook had consolidated entries in it, I'd never have known but my agent spotted it, walked me to a Bangkok Bank branch and explained exactly the statements I needed.

2. 4th extension, CW Bangkok, I wanted to do my extension 45 days early but I didn't know that at that time (Covid), they were only accepting extensions upto 3 days before the date it was due. No problem using an agent.

3. Last extension (couple of weeks back) I did it 56 days early (you can do upto 90 days early when you use an Agent) 2 days later I decided to do 3 months in Malayisa & 1 month in Vietnam (Tax reasons) at best I would have had to wait another 11-12 days before being able travel which would put my return too close to Christmas for my liking. Plus when I went to Jomtien Immigration the place was mobbed, probably a 2+ hour wait time, but I walked in, had my photo taken at the counter & walked out (< 30 seconds)... Wongamat - Bank - Agent - Terminal 21 took me 2 hours & 15 minutes (a large part of that was taking the Baht bus from Jomtien to T21).

It works out at 508.50 THB per month, I know guys who spend twice that on cigarettes per week & you think I'm mad!

Another variable is whether you're married and have a built in translator who has been negotiating Thai officialdom all her life.

Some of the guys I know would starve to death if their wife didn't look after them, never mind getting all the documents together for their extension.

IMO there is a good chance that these "bypass the [lenient] Thai visa rules" agents are next on Anutin's list, not far behind the "nominees". I'd be really worried if I had bribed TI officers to stay another year in Thailand.

Attitudes towards immigration are shifting worldwide.

Those that contend that using an agent to circumvent visa financial requirements is legal are taking a huge risk in Thailand's current political climate.

Not having to park funds in a low interest paying Thai bank account is no doubt beneficial, but that benefit has to be weighed against the potential risk of jeopardizing your visa by circumventing the financial requirements. Were you to abruptly discover one day that your visa had been cancelled due to non-compliance with its terms, any savings you've realized over the years by avoiding deposit requirements would pale in comparison to the costs of having to suddenly leave Thailand.

On the risk analysis front, I personally believe that senior police officials are well aware of the shenanigans played by visa agents and how they are used to circumvent visa financial requirements. I personally believe that the only reason this hasn't been systemically shut down long ago is because (1) it is too lucrative for immigration officials, (2) the resulting scandal and loss of face for the RTP would be considerable, and (3) the unflattering publicity would have a dampening effect on both tourism and the real estate markets. These negative consequences may prevent any crackdown from ever being implemented, but given Thailand's shifting attitudes towards immigration, the risk is simply not worth taking.

Edited August 20Aug 20 by Gecko123

Penal Code Section 143 as verbatim in the OP -- even though written in year 1957 -- describes to a 'T' what a 'reputable' visa extension agent does on a daily basis. I've never heard from anyone on here, official or otherwise, why it doesn't.

2 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

These negative consequences may prevent any crackdown from ever being implemented,

A crackdown could come from some rigorous investigation. But many times, a crackdown occurs in situations as this from sheer happenstance: Too many involved persons doing too many involved things and something by chance goes wrong.

Edited August 20Aug 20 by JerryM