Issues With Registering In Amphur

[chonabot]

Hi all

Currently we are having an issue with my wife wishing to register at her local Amphur - Kammuang.

We have lived in the UK for circa 14/15 years - wife has UK citizenship.

We lived in India for part of this year and came to Thailand just over a week ago from Bangalore.

My wife's Thai passport expired in 2007 - originally in 2001 and had a 5 year extension from Thai Embassy UK.

We entered the kingdom with UK passports - 30 days stamp on arrival.

Last week we went to the local Amphur in order to register as living in our Village ( have house and land here, my wife was born here also)

The chap in the Amphur offices was very thourough and gave us pretty bad news.

As my wife did not enter Thailand on her Thai passport he said she would have to contact the Thai Embassy in UK for confirmation/proof that she is from Thailand.

I find this absurd - he even suggested she return to the UK and enter Thailand again on her Thai passport.

(I understand she can travel to Thailand on an expired Passport)

She has all of her original documents including Birth certificate and Thai ID card.

I understand a few laws may have changed - and that she may have to surrender her UK passport - but surely there is an easier way forward here?

We are calling the UK Embassy later today - but I wonder if anyone has any help on this issue.

I'm sure I am not getting the whole story here - as usual

Thanks in advance to Lopburi who has already been most helpful

[Mario2008]

She is Thai, regardless of the passport she entered on. But as she entered on the foreign paspsort, she must get extensions of stay just like you. Her Thai ID is enough to get them, until she leaves Thailand on her UK passport and re-enteres on a valid Thai passport. (Although indeed she can re-enter on an expired Thai passport). She can just go to a neighbouring country and comeback. No need to go the UK.

This might in all be the easiest solution to both amphur and immigration problem.

The amphur is wrong, she is Thai regardless of the passport she entered on. Her Thai ID-card is even enough. You could contact www.dopa.go.th , the department of provincial administration that relegates the amphurs regarding these kind of issues.

She does not have to surrender her UK passport. There is no problem with having duo nationality. The problem here is the amphur not following the rules. Maybe take an influantual person with you.

[chonabot]

Thanks Mario - I will contact the dopa as advised - will let you know the outcome

[chonabot]

This is getting a tad frustrating to say the least

We are trying to attain an entry to Thailand on my wife's Thai passport - albeit expired - in order to show her as being in Thailand - for the Amphur issue.

She entered Thailand on her UK passport - Thai Passport expired.

I called the Thai embassy in London who suggested my wife leave Thailand via Nong Kai and then go to the Vientiane Thai Embassy.

There she could apply for a Certificate of Identity - providing she has her Birth certificate etc - she then enters Thailand and therefter applies to register at the Amphur - and then applies for a new Thai Passport.

So we called the Vientiane Thai embassy and were told that she could not get a Certificate of Identity at all - and she could not enter Thailand on an expired Thai passport - despite us being told that she can on Thai Visa.

Their only advice was to go back to Uk and get a new Thai Passport and then come to Thailand - this is ridiculous IMO.

It seems that the 2 embassies have a different version of the rules.

as always any advice is gratefully anticipated.

[Mario2008]

A Thai can return on an expired Thai passport:

The IATA database states:

National Thailand (TH) Residence Lao People's Dem. Rep. (LA) Destination Thailand (TH)

Thailand (TH)

Passport required. - Expired passports issued to nationals of Thailand are

accepted. Passport Exemptions:

- Holders of a Certificate of Identity issued to nationlas of

Thailand. VISA NOT REQUIRED.

An embassy issues visas, but is not immigration and often have a bit of misunderstanding of the immigration rules.

[chonabot]

Thanks Mario - will refer them to this