90 Day Reporting - Thai Visa

[thaibkk]

Thai Visa, the biggest expat forum in Thailand

with links to big legal company

why don't you organize something for expats as a pressure group

to get rid of the rediculous 90 day reporting annoyance

or offer immigration a FREE THAI/English good website to finally do this online for us Expats ?

just my 2 cents....

[Mario2008]

We are not a presure group, only a forum where people can share information. If you want to start a pressure group, you will have to do so without Thaivisa. I would like to think that if you want an organisation to represent your interest towards the government, you would set a policy together as a group and elect persons to represent you in meetings, etc.

[Jonathanpattaya]

First of all, the 90 Day Report requirement for foreigners on a visa extension is the law here in Thailand.

Secondly, a question, why do you find it so inconvenient?

[puyaidon]

Most foreigners don't like the requirement for various reasons, some undertstandable, some not.

I think the main reason why the powers to be don't want to change it as it was put in place years ago and to change it or eliminate it will give the impression that the authors of the requirement did not know what they were talking about.

Both here and in the US, I know there are still laws on the books that people either don't want changed, don't care about or other reasons. To cite an example, Communism is a dead form of government with only two countries in the world using the original form, but there are over 400 books that are banned here in Thailand on the subject. Will the ban ever get lifted, probably not but that is the way it is.

In the US, there are laws that say you can't take a shower on Sunday because God will see you naked.

Like someone said before, it is the nature of the beast and if you don't like it, leave. For me, yes a pain, but a nice pleasant drive to an office that is very efficient and friendly. Maybe as Immigration gets more computerized, it may change but for now we have to live with it. I have my form on the computer already made out for May and ready for printing. Sign it and I am off for a twenty minute drive for two minutes of stamps and staples. But it at least beats going to Soi Suan Plu now.

[tartempion]

Stupid rules are here to stay:

The "'you can't buy alcoholic drinks from midnight to 11am" is a good one: I am an early buyer and when I run out of beer every 6 months or so I get stopped by the cashier at 9am because you can't get drunk that early in the morning, it's no use telling them I will not open a bottle before 5pm.

I would like to see a Guinness Book record for the country with the most stupid rules. Seems the USA and Thailand will be top candidates.

Awaiting that, you will have to live with the 90 days reporting excursion and many other stupid rules

[kiwiaussie]

Agree that it is slightly time consuming. Do what we've done a few times. Pay a courier or a motorcycle guy a couple of red ones to run out to immigration to do it for you. Or, do it by post.

[Somrak]

I woud sign to this pressure group.

This 90 days reporting makes absolutly no sence. I live now 10 years here and did not report the first 5-6 years. Now i do it, but i dont know what it helps when i tell them every 90 days that i still live at the same place as all time .

[antony77]

First of all, the 90 Day Report requirement for foreigners on a visa extension is the law here in Thailand.

Secondly, a question, why do you find it so inconvenient?

I do not find it inconvenient. But it is ridiculous for those of us who have tambien baan (house books) Our names are registered with the amphur . if we changed adress we would have to go to the amphur and inform them.

Also is seems really stupid to have the tell the immigration every three months that we are still living on our own property

[Guest]

Can't see what the fuss is about. Once in three months is no big deal. The government would take no heed of any "pressure" group of farangs and it could be counter-productive, bringing the organisers under scrutiny.

[DTiger]

Can't see what the fuss is about. Once in three months is no big deal. The government would take no heed of any "pressure" group of farangs and it could be counter-productive, bringing the organisers under scrutiny.

You will have to remember also that - for how big ThaiVisa is - farang and foreigners are different in Thailand. There is "tons" of other kind of foreigner here who has to follow the rules whatever they are!

Edited February 5, 2010 by DTiger

[tonititan]

Don't other countries keep tabs on foreigners living there? I mean, I kinda feel like Thailand has a right to know who is living here. (Important disclaimer: I don't have to worry about the 90 day reports because my job automatically does it for me...I admit that I might be singing a different tune if I had to worry about it myself. ) Someone mentioned an online system. That sound pretty great, since it's not like you have to appear in person anyway.

[haltes]

Only sex offenders in my country have to report their place of residence and that's only when they move!

It's a dumb requirement, is highly inconvenient and serves no useful purpose.

[harrry]

The 90 day reporting is not unreasonable. What is unreasonable is that it has to be at the one location. As a retiree I have free time. I may wish to spend a few months at my home in Chiangmai and then go to Suratani for a couple of months then go to Bangkok. Having to work around a 90 day period to be in Chiang Mai is unreasonable.

[walrus]

What is unreasonable is individual immigration offices (or more likely, officers) making up their own rules about what documentation is required to accompany a 90 day report. Beware one of the officers at Samut Prakarn now demands a copy of your accommodation lease agreement in addition to the usual passport pages. When questioned about it he replied that they needed it to ensure that landlords were properly declaring their income. Since when did the immigration office cooperate with the Revenue dept?? Scrap this law, or allow us to register our whereabouts online using a standard procedure that is universally and transparently applied.

[phetaroi]

Stupid rules are here to stay:

The "'you can't buy alcoholic drinks from midnight to 11am" is a good one: I am an early buyer and when I run out of beer every 6 months or so I get stopped by the cashier at 9am because you can't get drunk that early in the morning, it's no use telling them I will not open a bottle before 5pm.

And what I find funny is that several times they have tried to prevent me from buying root beer!

[Moonrakers]

Stupid rules are here to stay:

The "'you can't buy alcoholic drinks from midnight to 11am" is a good one: I am an early buyer and when I run out of beer every 6 months or so I get stopped by the cashier at 9am because you can't get drunk that early in the morning, it's no use telling them I will not open a bottle before 5pm.

And what I find funny is that several times they have tried to prevent me from buying root beer!

Ha, now that is funny.

I am going to try that myself the next time I get a chance and I don't even like root beer.