Proof Of Address From Suan Phlu

[Tyke]

A few days ago I went to immigration in Suan Phlu BKK to ask for a proof of address for getting a motorbike licence later. In room 203 (I think), where I got such a proof several years ago, they looked at my passport and told me that I should come back next time I report my 90 days and then they can provide a proof of address. I showed them a reel of recent utility bills, bank statements etc to see if they would give me one on that basis but they looked shocked and brushed them off, as if they were just complicating details which would involve them reading long words.

So the outcome is that they may provide a proof of address on the basis of unproven statements for my 90 days reporting. Why not now? The motorbike licencing office will also accept an (expensive) letter from my embassy which is also provided without proof of address. But actual proof though utility bills etc are considered horrific. TIT.

Last time I tried to get a proof of address, they told me that they only provide it once and so won't do it for me again. This time they did not mention that.

Anyone else had similar experiences?

[TerryLH]

The transportation office will also accept work permits as proof of address.

[Tod Daniels]

Strange you mention this exact thing, because I just the opposite experience with them.

I had to go back to Suan Plu to get another "proof of address in thailand" letter as the one I had was more than three months old. Despite the fact it had the exact same address as my old thai driver's license, the "proof of address letter" had evidently "expired". The driver's license place wouldn't accept it saying I needed a new one.

I went to Suan Plu, and the lady not only had one of the staff run my passport out to get the correct pages copied, but she filled out the form for me as well. A 100 baht fee and 4 days later my letter arrived at my door via EMS.

I've taken 20 or 30 people there to get that residence letter, as it is FAR cheaper than the US Embassy. When you go, IF you don't deal with the "main lady" who sits at the first desk as you enter the door, you're gonna get the run-around from the rest of the thai staff.

Believe me I am NO champion of "thai logic" (an oxymoron if ever there was one), and after 4+ years here I quit looking for logic where there is none. Sorry you had a bad experience. All I can say is try again..

[Marcati]

Strange you mention this exact thing, because I just the opposite experience with them.

I had to go back to Suan Plu to get another "proof of address in thailand" letter as the one I had was more than three months old. Despite the fact it had the exact same address as my old thai driver's license, the "proof of address letter" had evidently "expired". The driver's license place wouldn't accept it saying I needed a new one.

I went to Suan Plu, and the lady not only had one of the staff run my passport out to get the correct pages copied, but she filled out the form for me as well. A 100 baht fee and 4 days later my letter arrived at my door via EMS.

I've taken 20 or 30 people there to get that residence letter, as it is FAR cheaper than the US Embassy. When you go, IF you don't deal with the "main lady" who sits at the first desk as you enter the door, you're gonna get the run-around from the rest of the thai staff.

Believe me I am NO champion of "thai logic" (an oxymoron if ever there was one), and after 4+ years here I quit looking for logic where there is none. Sorry you had a bad experience. All I can say is try again..

What room in Suan Plu did you go to get this done? I need to get one as well so I can get my Thai DL.

Thanks!

[ignis]

All you need to do is get said letter from the Town/City Hall, the Junta will date it and put a big red seal stamp on it.......... Its FREE, and I use it for renewing my license, changing my cars etc..

[jaiyenyen]

I got mine free, apart from a small donation to the PG Tips fund, from the local police station.

The officer in charge just wrote everything down on one of the report forms. I've used it a few times without any trouble.

[phutoie2]

Room 206 first floor up from the info desk.

Besides the application form they wanted to see my 90 Day slip.

I gave them 100 Baht for EMS, when the letter arrived it had a 27 Baht postage and also took 3 weeks to come, the officer told me that they were very busy.

The licensing department also kept the letter so next time when required I will go and ask the BIB in our town.

[hhgz]

"But actual proof though utility bills etc are considered horrific."

I'm not sure that the word "horrific" means what you think it means.

I went to the police station just down the street from the Suan Plu immigration office. I spoke to an officer, who called my condo and spoke to the juristic person, who verified that I lived there. He had a letter typed, he signed it, and that was that. No "tea money", no tips, no bribes, no cost whatsoever.

[worldfun]

interesting with this 'proof of address letter' that now apart from embassy (ripoff), immigration (ems postage/tip 0-100bt) local police stations can also do it (free)

well the logic may be missing, but it's really useful to learn new/quicker ways to navigate the hoops et all!

cheers!

[Marcati]

interesting with this 'proof of address letter' that now apart from embassy (ripoff), immigration (ems postage/tip 0-100bt) local police stations can also do it (free)

well the logic may be missing, but it's really useful to learn new/quicker ways to navigate the hoops et all!

cheers!

I just saw on this topic that they will only accept proof of address letters from the Embassies and NOT Immigration, Police, etc.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Applying-1-a...html&st=375

Can anyone confirm this?

[ignis]

interesting with this 'proof of address letter' that now apart from embassy (ripoff), immigration (ems postage/tip 0-100bt) local police stations can also do it (free)

well the logic may be missing, but it's really useful to learn new/quicker ways to navigate the hoops et all!

cheers!

I just saw on this topic that they will only accept proof of address letters from the Embassies and NOT Immigration, Police, etc.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Applying-1-a...html&st=375

Can anyone confirm this?

They have never questioned my letter from the Town Hall signed + Red Seal stamped by the Junta. Used a new letter many time, over the past 5 years as I am on there Computer it is easy, they type my name up pop the old letter and the print it off with the new date, then I take it into the Junta and he/she signs it and put on the red seal, max time 10 mins and free,

[used this letter for exchanging the Truck for a new on last May, and again in September exchanging my car, used the same for the 1st Truck and the 1st Car + for my Thai drivers licenses x4]

Edit: maybe of interest... Used the same letter for my home phone/internet contract + mobile phone contract.. 1st contract was AIS, then True, now Hutch, NEVER a problem]

Edited March 12, 2009 by ignis

[Marcati]

They have never questioned my letter from the Town Hall signed + Red Seal stamped by the Junta. Used a new letter many time, over the past 5 years as I am on there Computer it is easy, they type my name up pop the old letter and the print it off with the new date, then I take it into the Junta and he/she signs it and put on the red seal, max time 10 mins and free,

[used this letter for exchanging the Truck for a new on last May, and again in September exchanging my car, used the same for the 1st Truck and the 1st Car + for my Thai drivers licenses x4]

Edit: maybe of interest... Used the same letter for my home phone/internet contract + mobile phone contract.. 1st contract was AIS, then True, now Hutch, NEVER a problem]

The only thing is this is my first trip to the Motor Vehicle Dept. to get my US license switched over to Thai.

[ignis]

The only thing is this is my first trip to the Motor Vehicle Dept. to get my US license switched over to Thai.

Makes no difference if 1st or 100th time.. You are registered at your Town/City Hall right ?

Of course if you have the money and want a trip to your Embassy then this is fine.

No idea with the US Embassy, but a friend got such a letter from the UK Embassy, he just said where he lived, paid something like 1,800 baht, and had to go back the next day to pick it up.. from where he lives [next Village to me] cost 500 baht each way by Taxi so that was x 4, total cost for 1x bit of paper 3,800 baht.. [cost to the Town Hall would have been 35baht each way + received the letter while he waited] or he could have gone to Suan Plu immigration office, would have cost about 1,000 baht Taxi fare + 100 baht EMS and then wait for something like 3 weeks for the bit of paper to arrive.

[Marcati]

The only thing is this is my first trip to the Motor Vehicle Dept. to get my US license switched over to Thai.

Makes no difference if 1st or 100th time.. You are registered at your Town/City Hall right ?

Of course if you have the money and want a trip to your Embassy then this is fine.

No idea with the US Embassy, but a friend got such a letter from the UK Embassy, he just said where he lived, paid something like 1,800 baht, and had to go back the next day to pick it up.. from where he lives [next Village to me] cost 500 baht each way by Taxi so that was x 4, total cost for 1x bit of paper 3,800 baht.. [cost to the Town Hall would have been 35baht each way + received the letter while he waited] or he could have gone to Suan Plu immigration office, would have cost about 1,000 baht Taxi fare + 100 baht EMS and then wait for something like 3 weeks for the bit of paper to arrive.

I don't know anything about being registered at Town/City Hall. Can you please give me more details about it. I am here on a Non-O Marriage Visa with a 1 year extension, no work permit.

[Mario2008]

I don't know anything about being registered at Town/City Hall. Can you please give me more details about it. I am here on a Non-O Marriage Visa with a 1 year extension, no work permit.

You will only be registered with the amphur if you own a condo or have permanent residency.

[photojourn]

I recently transferred the registration of a motorbike from another foreigner into my name at On Nut transportation office.

I had all the necessary government papers filled out as well as (1) a copy of the other foreigners passport, arrival stamp, departure card, (2) a letter from an office I do some work for confirming my address and stating that a work permit had been applied for, (3) copies of my passport and visa, departure card, etc., and (4) a rental bill for the past month.

They weren't interested in any of the passport pages apart from those with the current visa and stamps.

See what happens next year when I go to renew next year though

The whole embassy letter thing is a load of (expensive) crap and a nice revenue earner for providing a certified letter that is often backed by nothing other than the verbal or written submission of the person requesting it.

The best bet is to scan the original and churn out copies using any reasonable quality inkjet printer and submit those. The ones I submitted were accepted without question of being originals and if placed side by side with the original are almost identical anyway.

Edited March 16, 2009 by photojourn

[Marcati]

I don't know anything about being registered at Town/City Hall. Can you please give me more details about it. I am here on a Non-O Marriage Visa with a 1 year extension, no work permit.

You will only be registered with the amphur if you own a condo or have permanent residency.

No, and no, on both of those for the moment, so I guess I'm stuck going down to the US Embassy tomorrow !@#$$%$

Thanks for the info.

[ignis]

I don't know anything about being registered at Town/City Hall. Can you please give me more details about it. I am here on a Non-O Marriage Visa with a 1 year extension, no work permit.

You will only be registered with the amphur if you own a condo or have permanent residency.

Sorry that is incorrect info......

Anyone can go to see the amphur and registrar at the Town Hall.... It is very simple and you registrar ed at your address and on there computer = much easier for any documents you may need + save me having to drive over 100km to Suan Plu immigration office or the Embassy

[ignis]

I don't know anything about being registered at Town/City Hall. Can you please give me more details about it. I am here on a Non-O Marriage Visa with a 1 year extension, no work permit.

Very simple you take your wife and the blue house book + a copy of your passport and registrar..

I thought everyone did this ??

I am retired and on my 5th extension..... How do you go about getting a phone and mobile phone contract, electric and water meter without a letter from the Town Hall ?? + your licenses and cars etc?? all are in my name and got with a letter from the Town Hall

Edited March 17, 2009 by ignis

[siam2007]

Room 206 first floor up from the info desk.

Besides the application form they wanted to see my 90 Day slip.

what if you are here on a multiple-B with entries of 90 days each ?

[Marcati]

I don't know anything about being registered at Town/City Hall. Can you please give me more details about it. I am here on a Non-O Marriage Visa with a 1 year extension, no work permit.

Very simple you take your wife and the blue house book + a copy of your passport and registrar..

I thought everyone did this ??

I am retired and on my 5th extension..... How do you go about getting a phone and mobile phone contract, electric and water meter without a letter from the Town Hall ?? + your licenses and cars etc?? all are in my name and got with a letter from the Town Hall

Actually that won't work either because her blue book is registered in Kanchanaburi where her family lives. We are renting an apartment and have no registration here in BKK. Everything else was already in my wife's name before I ever knew her.

[bkkguy1970]

The whole embassy letter thing is a load of (expensive) crap and a nice revenue earner for providing a certified letter that is often backed by nothing other than the verbal or written submission of the person requesting it.

I don't know about other countries but at the Australian Embassy the document you complete, sign and have certified by the Consul is actually a Statutory Declaration governed by Australian law and there are significant penalties for making a false declaration regardless of where you are when you make the declaration. The Thai authorities assume you will be more worried about breaking your home country laws than local Thai ones, hence why they like this form of proof and why no supporting documentation is required!

bkkguy