Our Extension Day At Thali In The Hills

[fishhooks]

The day started with the small 20 seater bus ride from Loei taking just over an hour to do the 47K trip. We are from Chaiyaphum and had a few day stay in Loei. Bus's very frequent.

Quaint little office, can't miss it as it is right in the centre of town in the Police & Fire Station complex.

Warmly greeted into the small air-conditioned office and sat down at a table with a cool bottle of water and clean glasses suplied, thus this office is not just a hole in the wall which had been reported earlier on the Isaan Forum.

Two other customers before us, but I'd say all up less than an hour to do the whole thing, with a friendly female officer.

Was a help to have Thai Wife with me as I don't think the english was fluent on the other side, but I think I would have got through okay myself as everything required was ready and correct.

On leaving, when we walked outside, the senior officer followed us to the gate and pointed the way to catch the bus back to Loei.

Observations:

When we arrived, one of the officers checked carefully on his wall calender, that we were within a 30 day envelope of expiry so it looks as though they like the 30 day rule.

It would be a good idea to check in advance if you wanted to renew earlier.

One couple ahead of us had not correctly seasoned their minimum bank balance and they were turned away, needing "I think" to do a border run or similar to let the required seasoning time complete. I'm really not sure of what they were told to do but I definitely heard that they need to go to Lao, and the foreign guy was yelling at his T.W. that she had co..ed something up, sounded very British.

They did ask my wife for the Tabian Baan, but were not too fussed that we didn't have it and simply photocopied her I.D. I think they like to have a Thai person on your file as a form of contact, even though not a Marriage Visa situation!

Something I would like info on please:

I only got a Single Entry Re-entry Visa, as last time I got a Multiple and only used the facility once.

The female Immigration Lady said that if I needed more Entry's that I would need to GO BACK TO THALI to process a new TM8 each time. I didn't ever think that you needed to go to your local office, just for TM8's. Has this always been the case or is this part of the new requirements?

I understand that 90 Day Reports have to go that way, but Re-Entry?

All in all, a very good day and similar to Korat type of treatment.

[Lite Beer]

I only got a Single Entry Re-entry Visa, as last time I got a Multiple and only used the facility once.

The female Immigration Lady said that if I needed more Entry's that I would need to GO BACK TO THALI to process a new TM8 each time. I didn't ever think that you needed to go to your local office, just for TM8's. Has this always been the case or is this part of the new requirements?

I understand that 90 Day Reports have to go that way, but Re-Entry?

It appears to be part of the new rules. No one is really 100% sure yet.

[fishhooks]

LB: I hope it is not part of the 'new rules' as where it may have been in some way reasonable for them to change the zoning and to have us send 90 day reports there to keep everything in the one place, I feel that it is most unreasonable and draconion to have to return each time one wishes or needs to leave and return the Kingdom.

There I'm sure would be many situations where a person would without much notice, need to leave here, perhaps for family come urgent reasons and would not have anticipated at extension time the need to do this.

One has to cop on the chin the new rules and travel long distances and in my case extra accommodation, but to be virtually "locked-in" unless you go through unreasonable measures similar to the 1 year renewal time, surely needs to be looked at.

I've often wondered since noting our new association with the "Nation" that when the dust settles on these new rules, if there may be a chance of some well thought out publicity to improve things.

I'm not speaking of jumping the gun on everything that upsets the Expat here, but some of the points that are raised time and time again as being unfair in the visa arena.

[fishhooks]

Another aspect which interested me yesterday at Thali, was that previous advice indicated that your file from your original office would be moved to the new office as per the changes.

My extension yesterday was done completely with all of the docs I supplied yesterday, I sighted no other docs or file whatsoever that 'may' have come from Korat.