Got Tagged For Not Reporting 90 Days Even Though I Had

[skooldaze]

I thought I'd relate what happened to me at immigration this week because it shows just how backward the whole 90-day check in rule is. I checked in on May 6 and I'd marked it on my calendar to check in again on Aug. 4. So I mosied on down to the hel_l hole at Soi Suan Ploo, got my number and when I was called the woman asked for the little slip of paper that showed I'd checked in on May 6. It was not in my passport ( I later found out that it had fallen out in the drawer at home that I keep my passport in).

So I was sent up to room 206 and told them my story. The woman in the room had a helper go to this massive mountain of papers in a corner and she fished out all the 90-day check ins from May 6 and brought them to me so that I could look through them myself to find the slip. It wasn't there!

I said, hmm okay maybe it was May 7 and she said I had one more chance or I'd have to pay the Bt2000 fine. Of course it was not there either. I had to pay the fine.

I've read other posts here that say the 90-day check in is not linked to immigration at the airport, but I'm here to tell you that there IS NO COMPUTER. It's all on paper.

NOW, DOES ANYONE KNOW IF I CAN GO BACK TO THIS IMMIGRATION OFFICER AND GET MY MONEY BACK BY BRINGIN IN THE PROOF THAT I ACTUALLY HAD CHECKED IN?

[ajarnmark]

What do you mean by "checked-in on May 6th"?

If you arrived Thailand on this date, you should have an immigration stamp on your passport.

If you just reported for 90 days then you should have some piece of paper showing that you actually reported on 90 days.

Keeping all documents with you is your responsibility and NOT the immigration depts's!

BTW, why did you go exactly on 90th day, I always reported 3-4 days in advance, as the rule says (?) you can report anytime after 83rd day.

[skooldaze]

What do you mean by "checked-in on May 6th"?

If you arrived Thailand on this date, you should have an immigration stamp on your passport.

If you just reported for 90 days then you should have some piece of paper showing that you actually reported on 90 days.

Keeping all documents with you is your responsibility and NOT the immigration depts's!

BTW, why did you go exactly on 90th day, I always reported 3-4 days in advance, as the rule says (?) you can report anytime after 83rd day.

May 6th was the 90-day check in date. I'd arrived in February. You miss the point. The point is they didn't have a record of my checking in and that it's not on computer. And I don't care for your cheeky remarks nor was I asking for a lecture on my responsibilities. Read the final sentence and if you don't know the answer then don't repost.

Edited August 8, 2008 by skooldaze

[Gumballl]

When I used to live in BKK, it took me nearly half a day, if not more than that, to go to Suan Plu to apply for a visa extension, and return home. I'm not rich by any means, but for 2000 baht, I would just take my losses. It is not worth it for that amount to spend money on taxi fare and sweat it out in Suan Plu... with the probable outcome being that the Thai official will say "no" to the refund request.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Gumballl

[skooldaze]

When I used to live in BKK, it took me nearly half a day, if not more than that, to go to Suan Plu to apply for a visa extension, and return home. I'm not rich by any means, but for 2000 baht, I would just take my losses. It is not worth it for that amount to spend money on taxi fare and sweat it out in Suan Plu... with the probable outcome being that the Thai official will say "no" to the refund request.

Yeah you're probably right, but I can almost walk there. For me it's just the prinipal of the matter and that they don't keep good records.

[Beacher]

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF I CAN GO BACK TO THIS IMMIGRATION OFFICER AND GET MY MONEY BACK BY BRINGIN IN THE PROOF THAT I ACTUALLY HAD CHECKED IN?

It sounds like you're in the best position to answer your own question. Why don't you just take the short trip there (as you stated that you're almost within walking distance) and let us know what happened. Go with your lost document and the receipt for the fine then post the results here for us.

I think its pretty rare for anybody to ever refund money here in LOS but what have you got to lose?

[mgjackson69]

Good luck with that...the tea money has been spent already.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I thought I'd relate what happened to me at immigration this week because it shows just how backward the whole 90-day check in rule is. I checked in on May 6 and I'd marked it on my calendar to check in again on Aug. 4. So I mosied on down to the hel_l hole at Soi Suan Ploo, got my number and when I was called the woman asked for the little slip of paper that showed I'd checked in on May 6. It was not in my passport ( I later found out that it had fallen out in the drawer at home that I keep my passport in).

So I was sent up to room 206 and told them my story. The woman in the room had a helper go to this massive mountain of papers in a corner and she fished out all the 90-day check ins from May 6 and brought them to me so that I could look through them myself to find the slip. It wasn't there!

I said, hmm okay maybe it was May 7 and she said I had one more chance or I'd have to pay the Bt2000 fine. Of course it was not there either. I had to pay the fine.

I've read other posts here that say the 90-day check in is not linked to immigration at the airport, but I'm here to tell you that there IS NO COMPUTER. It's all on paper.

NOW, DOES ANYONE KNOW IF I CAN GO BACK TO THIS IMMIGRATION OFFICER AND GET MY MONEY BACK BY BRINGIN IN THE PROOF THAT I ACTUALLY HAD CHECKED IN?

Got a scanner?  If not, get one, real handy to scan and save all those pesky documents from Suan Plu, and elsewhere, along with pages from your passport.  

And, if you mail in your report, send EMS and be sure to SAVE the ThaiPost receipt, hopefully that'd serve as semi proof of mailing.

Lastly, rather doubt you'd get anything back from them, sorry.

Mac

[roygsd]

When I used to live in BKK, it took me nearly half a day, if not more than that, to go to Suan Plu to apply for a visa extension, and return home. I'm not rich by any means, but for 2000 baht, I would just take my losses. It is not worth it for that amount to spend money on taxi fare and sweat it out in Suan Plu... with the probable outcome being that the Thai official will say "no" to the refund request.

Yeah you're probably right, but I can almost walk there. For me it's just the prinipal of the matter and that they don't keep good records.

Hi

If you dont feel like going back and waiting now, then why not wait until your next 90 day visit is due and simply sit there with the officer until you get your refund?

They will have a long queue to deal with and if you stand your ground and ask to see that particular officers senior then repat that with each officer who refuses your request it is possible the will pay up before their error is brought to the attention of those higher in the chain.

Ofcourse you could be wasting your time but as you are there anyway its worth a go I think.

2000 Baht would be better in your pocket than theirs, the question is did you get, and have you retained, a reciept for the 2000 Baht fee?

Roy gsd

Edited August 8, 2008 by roygsd

[KhaoNiaw]

To be fair, it sounds like they did their best to help you. You could have left and gone home to look for the slip, and they could have told you right away to get lost and pay the fine. As they did make the effort and the mistake was yours, I would just chalk it up to experience.

Edited August 8, 2008 by KhaoNiaw

[Murgatroyd]

I find myself in a similar position... I think... even though I reported to immigration just before my 90 days were up, and was issued a piece of paper, I've gone and lost the piece of paper... It could have been at the Thai foreign affairs ministry, where I went to get my affirmation of freedom to marry legalised, or it could have been at the post office, where they took my passport to check that I was entitled to pick up a parcel that I owed some duty on... but the fact remains... I've lost the piece of paper... Is there anything that can I do about it?

Murg

Edited August 8, 2008 by Murgatroyd

[opalhort]

Why is it so difficult to make a photo copy of the latest 90-days report slip?

Should the original get lost the copy will help you!!!!! but a copy won't work for reporting by mail, a visit to the Imm office is needed in this case.

Always staple the 90-days report and the departure card into your PP!

opalhort

[JetsetBkk]

To be fair, it sounds like they did their best to help you. You could have left and gone home to look for the slip, and they could have told you right away to get lost and pay the fine. As they did make the effort and the mistake was yours, I would just chalk it up to experience.

Yes, why didn't he go home and look for it? After all, he had 7 days to find it.

Perhaps Immigration should stamp all these slips: "This is worth 2,000 baht. Don't lose it".

Tricky stuff, paper.

[dutchrdam]

I only report my 90 days by post. It’s a good service from the Immigration Bureau. That they don’t have files in a computer system will not say that the system isn’t working well.

A few weeks ago I did place in TV a link to the program I did make for remember me and print the paper needed for 90 days report. It’s free to download from http://pro-teach.freesitespace.net/project/tm47/tm47.exe

Making papers lost is not the responsibility from the Immigration Office and I am sure if you would explain your problem they will grand you to go home and take your papers the next day. A refund, I think, is impossible.

Wit regards

[skooldaze]

I only report my 90 days by post. It's a good service from the Immigration Bureau. That they don't have files in a computer system will not say that the system isn't working well.

A few weeks ago I did place in TV a link to the program I did make for remember me and print the paper needed for 90 days report. It's free to download from http://pro-teach.freesitespace.net/project/tm47/tm47.exe

Making papers lost is not the responsibility from the Immigration Office and I am sure if you would explain your problem they will grand you to go home and take your papers the next day. A refund, I think, is impossible.

Wit regards

Thanks for all the useful suggestions and taking the time to write. I should note that the most frustrating thing was that I looked through the stack of all 90-day check ins for May 6 (the day I checked in last) and mine wasn't there. Yet when i came home and found the slip it was stamped May 6. So let this be a warning not to trust immigration to keep its own records straight.

[Briggsy]

I have just come off visa extensions. I did 10 annual visa extensions. Never once did I do my 90-day reporting and never once was I fined. Since it's all a chaotic system on little bits of paper, they rarely catch up with anybody except a) when you start doing it and then stop or when they have a 'crackdown'. I know it is not in accordance with the [pointless] law. I am just sharing my experience here.