Phuket Immigration Does It Again!

[McChuch]

My friend who is fluent in the Thai language, very quiet-spoken and mild-mannered, went today to extend his retirement visa for the 16th year. He showed a deposit of B400,000, which was the grandfathered financial requirement from 1998. He has had the funds deposited for three months and the funds have come from over-seas. Today he was told the requirement was now B800,000. Even though he had the funds in another bank account, he didn't want to cave and asked to see the next higher up. The next higher up came in the afternoon so my friend went off to get another letter from the bank (just in case) and waited. The higher up guy was very polite and co-operative, checked all of my friend's papers, double-checked in his own reference library and AGREED with my friend. He was able to just show the B400,000 requirement and went on his merry way.

This begs the question......what is going on with those guys? It was the short, skinny guy in the back who demanded the B800,000. Even when I was there with my husband, who was extending his retirement visa a few weeks back....I was being grilled was to why MY visa was extended at a different time? The officer was rude.....I was made to feel like a criminal since my visa was extended 6 months previously and not at the same time as my husband. And then we get the mantra...."my country, my rules"......well, in my friend's case, the 'rule' was wrong and I am glad that he requested to see someone further up.

So, if you feel that you are being jerked around.....it doesn't hurt to ask to see the superior officer.

[Jingthing]

My guess is that the priggish one thinks the Grandpa guys are getting away with something.

[Lite Beer]

I am happy I do not live in Phuket

Must be a nightmare

[Felt 35]

Phuket Immigration Does It Again!, Tampering with grandfathered retirement extension rules

Great to see they keep up their good reputation.

[ignoramus]

I am happy I do not live in Phuket

Must be a nightmare

[ignoramus]

Was interested to see that you live in Kon Kaen. I am thinking of retiring to Thailand, but like to swim, and Phuket is nice for that. Would you be kind enough to tell me if swimming is possible there -is there a river or municipal pool? I think I have met (in Australia) someone who lives up your way, but only know his first name. Met a girl a few years back from K.K. (in Si Racha), and wouldn't mind seeing her again, as she was very good to me (I let her down I think).

[Dupont]

Phuket Immigration Does It Again!, Tampering with grandfathered retirement extension rules

Great to see they keep up their good reputation.

I distinctly remember that they had been cured of their rudness last year by some boss from Bangkok. It was in the Phuket Gazette so must be true.

They are the only people I can think of in Phuket who are more ignorant, un-educated, sloppy, rude, lazy and unhelpful than the tuk-tuk drivers. That said, they have two women in there who must be excluded from this statement. I hope they are the way forward in that office and look forward to seeing the guys cleaning out roadside ditches once one of em (the women(See, I am not sexist after all!!!!)) gets above the other dolts.

They have mis-informed me every time I have been in. One oaf saw a bank book in my pocket (I declare 50K income so don't need the 400K) snatched it out and shouted photo copy, photo-copy, big money, you have big money. It was a new account I had opened that day to receive money into and it had 500baht in it. Didn't put him off though and to save loosing his ugly face, made me copy it at great expense (2 baht I think).

Ah well, at least no one need ever feel inferior intelectually when they go in there!

[McChuch]

I forgot to mention that my friend's B400,00 bank deposit had already been approved by officer#1. It was the jerk in the back who demanded the B800,000.

I agree with you, Dupont. Last year you were greeted at the door, they were serving coffee, if it was raining someone would escort you to your car with an umbrella. Even the guy whose current mantra is "my country, my rules" didn't get pissy when I presented colour copies of my passport...he quietly went off to make black and white copies on the office photocopier. Now if I had done that he would be waving my papers around, shouting NO GOOD, NO GOOD! MAKE NEW COPIES!

I don't understand why they have to be such jerks. There has to be something that can be done. We just ask for a bit of human decency. It is just getting worse. Everyone I know who has gone in there has been treated with disdain and these are people who follow the law and are well-mannered. On the other hand, I have seen guys come in, shabbily dressed, looking like they had been on a bender the night before, who are practically high-fived by some of the officers. What gives?

[digitalchromakey]

What gives? - This is just my opinion.

I forgot to mention that my friend's B400,00 bank deposit had already been approved by officer#1. It was the jerk in the back who demanded the B800,000.

I agree with you, Dupont. Last year you were greeted at the door, they were serving coffee, if it was raining someone would escort you to your car with an umbrella. Even the guy whose current mantra is "my country, my rules" didn't get pissy when I presented colour copies of my passport...he quietly went off to make black and white copies on the office photocopier. Now if I had done that he would be waving my papers around, shouting NO GOOD, NO GOOD! MAKE NEW COPIES!

I don't understand why they have to be such jerks. There has to be something that can be done. We just ask for a bit of human decency. It is just getting worse. Everyone I know who has gone in there has been treated with disdain and these are people who follow the law and are well-mannered. On the other hand, I have seen guys come in, shabbily dressed, looking like they had been on a bender the night before, who are practically high-fived by some of the officers. What gives?

A significant number people (and their friends) who I know use Phuket Immigration, tell me that they have been asked for and/or have paid significant bribes to officers there. The highest figure I heard mentioned was 20,000 THB

I wonder if this encourages certain officers to be very 'careful' in checking new paperwork - just in case there is a problem of detail that could lead to disscussion of a refusal and the possible 'solutions'.

[baabaabobo]

Reading between the lines - Making it more and more difficult to extend a visa based on marriage to a Thai citizen by adding to, changing and reinventing the rules whilst being rude and unhelpful I would say we are not wanted in this country any more and a major weeding out is occurring. Those who pay bribes get what would pass as normal procedure.

Many are leaving and many will leave.

[Sir Burr]

And for every two that leave, there are another four that will make Thailand their new home.

[h5n1]

wow...im so shocked .......... again

arbitrary and capricious

corruption

people that go for the O visa are in no better situation than the runners. i simply cherish how much they spend and the hassle and insults they put up with to live in 'paradise' those that think otherwise tis at their own folly.

sirburr - what you say may be correct but does not negate the fact of what thailand is or has become. only confirms they lack of intelligence on the newbies part. or as pt barnam stated - a sucker born every day. thailand is WELL past its sell by date.

[mike_rad]

And for every two that leave, there are another four that will make Thailand their new home.

You got a reputable source to back that up?

[Khun Jack]

For years I had trouble to get my one year extension at the Immigration Phuket, unfriendly and rude and create their own rules and always problems with documents, zillions copies, and the next time something else was suddenly wrong.

I did manage to get a few times my 1Y extension, only after letting me come six times back for 30 days consideration stamps, it was so unpleasant there that I preferred to go to Penang for a multiple entry , buy some good movies and do the boat trips in Ranong.

Last year things changed so ok lets do Phuket again, yes that same mantra guy, refused even to look in the new police order, its was so clear that they have their own agenda.

Went to Bangkok and got my second one year visa without hassle.

[maprao]

wow...im so shocked .......... again

arbitrary and capricious

corruption

people that go for the O visa are in no better situation than the runners. i simply cherish how much they spend and the hassle and insults they put up with to live in 'paradise' those that think otherwise tis at their own folly.

sirburr - what you say may be correct but does not negate the fact of what thailand is or has become. only confirms they lack of intelligence on the newbies part. or as pt barnam stated - a sucker born every day. thailand is WELL past its sell by date.

Perhaps you could name a few countries that are easier to settle in and get visas. Or even require less than the financial requirements for Thailand...... Perhaps the PI with its much higher crime rate.... Cambodia with its much widespread perceived corruption........

Edited October 14, 2007 by maprao

[moskito]

My friend who is fluent in the Thai language, very quiet-spoken and mild-mannered, went today to extend his retirement visa for the 16th year. He showed a deposit of B400,000, which was the grandfathered financial requirement from 1998. He has had the funds deposited for three months and the funds have come from over-seas. Today he was told the requirement was now B800,000. Even though he had the funds in another bank account, he didn't want to cave and asked to see the next higher up. The next higher up came in the afternoon so my friend went off to get another letter from the bank (just in case) and waited. The higher up guy was very polite and co-operative, checked all of my friend's papers, double-checked in his own reference library and AGREED with my friend. He was able to just show the B400,000 requirement and went on his merry way.

This begs the question......what is going on with those guys? It was the short, skinny guy in the back who demanded the B800,000. Even when I was there with my husband, who was extending his retirement visa a few weeks back....I was being grilled was to why MY visa was extended at a different time? The officer was rude.....I was made to feel like a criminal since my visa was extended 6 months previously and not at the same time as my husband. And then we get the mantra...."my country, my rules"......well, in my friend's case, the 'rule' was wrong and I am glad that he requested to see someone further up.

So, if you feel that you are being jerked around.....it doesn't hurt to ask to see the superior officer.

if we can belive in one of the moderators here WE ARE ALL LIARS..... Phuket Immigration works perfectly and they are very nice and friendly to their "customers"

In my case I dont ask for a Superior Officer anymore, I go to see someone of the Bangkok Immigration instead.

The guys in Phuket following their own rules (like the immigration in Pattaya I heard)

The official Police Order from BKK says if one has granted a marriage visa before and showed the 400k before he is grandfathered and they have to give him or her the Visa like before...... just in Phuket it seems they doenst read the

orders from Bkk or they are not intrested in it.....

Most of the Immigration guys and girls at Phuket are nice, but there are some .....sorry cant find a word right now

have a nice one

[moskito]

sry, me again ((-:

If anyone here likes to send an Email to the head immigration office at Bangkok about the Phuket branch here is the

homepage

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php

may be it makes things better in the future

there are also a lot of usefull informations about all kinds of Visas on the page