On 9/1/2026 at 5:05 PM, SiSePuede419 said:

Visa agents help Farangs who are low income (<65K thb/m) or too poor (<800K thb available for deposit into Thai bank).

Nothing wrong with being low income and poor. 🌴

“Nothing wrong with being low income and poor. 🌴”

True. Unless one wants to upgrade out of their fan room.

36 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

They're creaming their pants just thinking about it.

Exactly.

And secretly hoping all guys using agents get deported.

2 hours ago, JerryM said:

Thai Immigration calls it a "gift" as in:

Where are you getting this from?

Your wife works for immigration?

You're working on your law degree?

Or what.

27 minutes ago, JerryM said:

I didn't say that.

You just did. JHC

3 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Where are you getting this from?

Your wife works for immigration?

You're working on your law degree?

Or what.

It is the Immigration Bureau's implementation of Section 128 of the Anti-Corruption Act of Thailand (2018).

1 minute ago, EVENKEEL said:

You just did. JHC

I said it was posted on a previous page but didn't say by me

1 hour ago, JerryM said:

They haven't changed since 2019.

Yes but the exact wording? you know, the wording to allow the workaround

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Yes but the exact wording? you know, the wording to allow the workaround

There is no workaround. IMM has the authority under Clause 5 of the Police Order to waive the 800k/65 requirement baht for the same 1900 baht as with the 2.22 section 800K/65K requirement in the Police Order as specified in Section 35 of the Immigration Act.

Anything in excess is a bribe /gift and the agent is subject to Section 143 of the Penal Code.

Edited September 7Sep 7 by JerryM

1 minute ago, JerryM said:

There is no workaround. IMM has the authority under Clause 5 of the Police Order to waive the 800k/65 requirement baht for the same 1900 baht as with 800K/65K requirement as specified in Section 35 of the Immigration Act.

Anything in excess is a bribe /gift and the agent is subject to Section 143 of the Penal Code.

How about you march down to nearest Immigration Office and share your views. I'm sure they'll appreciate your concerns.

3 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

How about you march down to nearest Immigration Office and share your views. I'm sure they'll appreciate your concerns.

They don't want to know.

besides, you're not even original. From an expert on the VISA forum:

"So why do you keep bother us with your drivel? Take your issues directly to the ministries, I'm sure they will be happy to hear you out and solve every problem you have for you."

And as I've said of the VISA forum, when they don't like what the law says, they just make up their own.

Edited September 7Sep 7 by JerryM

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

Where are you getting this from?

Your wife works for immigration?

You're working on your law degree?

Or what.

From the movie Heat (1995) Robert DeNiro as McCauley asking about plans for a bank robbery:

Neil McCauley: how do you get this information?

Kelso: It comes to you, this stuff just flies through the air, they send this information "beamed" out over the (f-expletive) place, you just got to know how to grab it, see, I know how to grab it.

On 9/6/2026 at 8:29 AM, JerryM said:

And as I noted over on the VISA forum (with the attendant disagrees and thumbs down) the agents are very careful and circumscribed as to what is said in those advertisements.

And as posted earlier this topic their August promo listed a flat rate retirement extension of 14,000 baht but this month they show a breakout 12,100 baht service fee and 1900 baht government fee.

I guess that's so folks don't think government is not getting anything out of it.

Edited September 8Sep 8 by JerryM

On 9/7/2026 at 1:05 PM, JerryM said:

There is no workaround. IMM has the authority under Clause 5 of the Police Order to waive the 800k/65 requirement baht for the same 1900 baht as with the 2.22 section 800K/65K requirement in the Police Order as specified in Section 35 of the Immigration Act.

Anything in excess is a bribe /gift and the agent is subject to Section 143 of the Penal Code.

So it looks like TVC has come to the same conclusion I noted above: Immigration can only charge the same 1900 baht for agent assisted "discretionary" retirement extension as they do for an 800K baht in the bank extension.

And any amount charged by TVC beyond the 1900 baht is an amorphous Service Fee with no suggestions that there are any additional monies flowing to the IMM folks. So what they are doing is somehow 'inducing' (in the verbiage of Section 143 Thai Penal Code) the IMM folks to have a "legitimate reason" to waive the 800K requirement

but that any kind of 'gift' isn't one of them.

Section 143 edited (an intermediary receives some benefit) in return for inducing or having induced an official ... by (the intermediary's) own influence, (for that official) to act or refrain from acting in his duties to the advantage or disadvantage of any person,

i.e. to exercise or not his DISCRETION

Edited September 8Sep 8 by JerryM

On 9/7/2026 at 1:08 PM, EVENKEEL said:

How about you march down to nearest Immigration Office and share your views. I'm sure they'll appreciate your concerns.

And for some of you who don't like all this legal mumbo-jumbo, there is always the Tooth Fairy version:

On 5/27/2025 at 10:36 AM, EVENKEEL said:

That extension in my passport is just as legit whether I do myself or an agent works his magic.

On 5/27/2025 at 8:43 AM, EVENKEEL said:

Everyone's situation is different. Agents will always be around. What you call corruption is simply a way of life here. Everyone gets a piece of the pie.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1361774-norway-halts-income-letters-at-thai-embassy-retirees-affected/

And as per the TVC poster above, one might ask: What pie?

Edited September 9Sep 9 by JerryM

3 hours ago, JerryM said:

And for some of you who don't like all this legal mumbo-jumbo, there is always the Tooth Fairy version:

On 5/27/2025 at 10:36 AM, EVENKEEL said:

That extension in my passport is just as legit whether I do myself or an agent works his magic.

On 5/27/2025 at 8:43 AM, EVENKEEL said:

Everyone's situation is different. Agents will always be around. What you call corruption is simply a way of life here. Everyone gets a piece of the pie.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1361774-norway-halts-income-letters-at-thai-embassy-retirees-affected/

And as per the TVC poster above, one might ask: What pie?

It's kind of flattering that you follow me so closely. I'm humbled. I understand you're jealous of those who would rather pay an agent for the ease of an extension.

You keep up the good fight. Maybe watch some utube idiot experts spew their doomsday rhetoric concerning agents.

3 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

It's kind of flattering that you follow me so closely. I'm humbled. I understand you're jealous of those who would rather pay an agent for the ease of an extension.

I don't follow you. I remember keywords in stupid remarks and then use the search function to go back and find out who said them.

And my recent remarks above are about the change in fee structure on TVC's poster or on what they like to call on the Insurance forum the FINE PRINT.

Edited September 10Sep 10 by JerryM

38 minutes ago, JerryM said:

I don't follow you. I remember keywords in stupid remarks and then use the search function to go back and find out who said them.

And my recent remarks above are about the change in fee structure on TVC's poster or on what they like to call on the Insurance forum the FINE PRINT.

Technically that split is correct, yes the government gets 1900 baht and the others including immigration staff share the 12,100, mostly immigration staff

9 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Technically that split is correct, yes the government gets 1900 baht and the others including immigration staff share the 12,100, mostly immigration staff

And what legal euphemism would you suggest for that 'sharing'?

One of the favorites over on the VISA forum is 'cover' as in 'the agent 'covers' your finances'.

Edited September 10Sep 10 by JerryM

Well those who like to say the agent facilitated retirement no-800k baht extension is here to stay because "There's too much money in it" got it wrong. The only money going to Immigration is 1900 baht.

Any visa agency who says they can get a waiver on the 800k baht in the bank is doing so by exercising their professional, financial and legal connections and no payments back-channel or otherwise are going to IMM. And any service charge is strictly for the forementioned.

And there is only one way to get the 800K baht waived in the current Ministerial Order.

Edited September 10Sep 10 by JerryM

Incidentally, TVC's have really plummeted. I remember it being B35K a few years ago.

For some reason now TVC has decided to put a disclaimer in the smallest legally allowed typeface that 1900 baht goes to government fee and 12,100 baht is a PROFESSIONAL SERVICE with the implication that it is SOLELY a professional service fee and that thee ฿12,100 price pays for private agency assistance rather than an official government tax or fee hike.

To get a waiver using the current Police Order Clause 5 1900 baht "legitimate reason' exception, one has to submit a formal petition to one's local immigration office. These petitions usually are based on some hardship or humanitarian provision that could not otherwise conformed to the listed exceptions in e.g. 2.26 In the case of litigation or court proceedings: OR 2.25 In the case of receiving medical treatment, attending rehabilitation, or taking care of a patient.

But how often do we read this: There are many expats I've met who have more than enough money, but prefer to leave it where it is, whether the reason be interest rates you wouldn't get here, convenience, whatever. OR I don't want to park 800K in a bank here. Back home that's 40K interest, pay agent 15K. good to go. OR I use an agent for a few reasons. One, I don't trust the Thai government, and I don't trust the Thai banks. Two, it's financially beneficial to use an agent.

How could a visa agency put together a 'legitimate' hardship petition when someone has no problem saying they have plenty of money they are just making the willful choice not to conform with the standard 2.22 retirement extension provisions.

Edited September 11Sep 11 by JerryM

19 hours ago, JerryM said:

Well those who like to say the agent facilitated retirement no-800k baht extension is here to stay because "There's too much money in it" got it wrong. The only money going to Immigration is 1900 baht.

Any visa agency who says they can get a waiver on the 800k baht in the bank is doing so by exercising their professional, financial and legal connections and no payments back-channel or otherwise are going to IMM. And any service charge is strictly for the forementioned.

And there is only one way to get the 800K baht waived in the current Ministerial Order.

Why are you so adamant on this, when you clearly do not have the correct information. Of course Immigration receive a large part of the fee that the agent is charging for first time, or extension services. Enuff said.

5 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

when you clearly do not have the correct information.

It comes from the TVC website

But maybe you can offer some reason why they put the

1900 baht government fee and 12,100 baht service fee on their September poster when it was only 14,000 baht total on their August poster.

Edited September 11Sep 11 by JerryM

As my algebra one teacher used to say: "How is 1 equal to 0?"

6 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

As my algebra one teacher used to say: "How is 1 equal to 0?"

Answer to your algebra teacher: You don't live in Thailand

Or as noted in Casablanca:

I'm shocked ... shocked to find gambling here!

Your winnings , Sir.

Oh, thank you.

Edited September 11Sep 11 by JerryM

TVC changed their adverting for retirement extension services from a blanket 14,000 baht in August to a 1900 baht government fee and a 12,100 baht service fee in September. Possibly this:

Consumer protection Act, B.E. 2522 (1979)

Section 22. An advertisement may not contain a statement which is unfair to consumers

or which may cause adverse effect to the society as a whole; that is, notwithstanding such

statement concerns with the origin, condition, quality or description of goods or services

as well as the delivery, procurement or use of goods or services.

The following statements shall be regarded as those which are unfair to consumers or

may cause adverse effect to the society as a whole:

(2) Statement which will cause misunderstanding in the essential elements concerning

goods or services, notwithstanding it is based on or refers to any technical report,

statistics or anything which is false or exaggerated;

(3) Statement which is directly or indirectly encouraging the commission of an unlawful

or immoral act, or which adversely affects the national culture;

21 hours ago, JerryM said:

Well those who like to say the agent facilitated retirement no-800k baht extension is here to stay because "There's too much money in it" got it wrong. The only money going to Immigration is 1900 baht.

Any visa agency who says they can get a waiver on the 800k baht in the bank is doing so by exercising their professional, financial and legal connections and no payments back-channel or otherwise are going to IMM. And any service charge is strictly for the forementioned.

And there is only one way to get the 800K baht waived in the current Ministerial Order.

Your ignorance and naivety about this is funny.

1 hour ago, JerryM said:

It comes from the TVC website

But maybe you can offer some reason why they put the

1900 baht government fee and 12,100 baht service fee on their September poster when it was only 14,000 baht total on their August poster.

It identifies that the Government fee is included in the price and that 12,100 + 1,900 = 14,000!!!!!

Edited September 11Sep 11 by scottiejohn

1 minute ago, scottiejohn said:

Maybe because 12,100 + 1,900 = 14,000!!!!!

Sure but there was no breakout. That could have meant 5000 for us and 9000 to Immigration. Now they aren't saying that.

Something happened to make it necessary for the to change their ad from August to September.

Edited September 11Sep 11 by JerryM

1 minute ago, JerryM said:

Sure but there was no breakout. That could have meant 5000 for us and 9000 to Immigration. Now they aren't saying that.

So now they'll have to pay taxes on 12100 baht income.