Pension/bank Combo For Retirement Extension Rejected By Phibun

[elwood]

Elwood,

I am glad that you got your extension.

The Thai Wife extension usually takes an hour or so sitting with officer. Same every year. Also the interview with your wife (How long ago, where, when did u meet & marry, etc.) again and again.

I guess it must be a nightmare for officer too.

Did you go direct for this one or try again for retirement extension.

Did you bring a copy of the Police Order 777/2551 dated Nov 25, 2008 etc.?

Did you bring an Income Statement from your Embassy?

PO: "...It was suggested that next year, if having say 550-600,000 in a Thai bank for 3 months or so plus outside income, then the combo may well be accepted..."

IMHO This is absurd.

In fact they say you can apply for retirement extension with combined income and bank deposit. 600K is never regulated.

It looks like they running in circles trying to save face not willing to admit having made mistake.

ALWAYS ASK FOR CONFIRMATION IN WRITTEN REGULATIONS.

If you can't speak/read enough Thai you loose respect. Getting many smiles in common leads nowhere!

P.S.When I did combination 241,889.32บ. at bank + pension in €uro (confirmed by Dutch Embassy) added up little more than 800K was accepted.

I went straight for the marriage visa, only discussed retirement extension after completing that procedure, although I did take along all relevant documents for retirement extension. When applying for visas in Thailand it pays to take along just about any piece of paper that may be asked for!

I can read/speak Thai, but as my wife pointed out - no matter that we present copies of the regulations and point out the relevant part in Thai and English (we did take copies along), at the end of the day it is still up to the Phibun officer whether or not to allow the extension, and is it worth getting into such an argument with the officer who will endorse and send my marriage visa application?

Remember I have to deal with this officer in the future, well, until there's another rotation! I'm afraid that this old codger is too old and battered by 35 years of dealing with visa situations, half my life; I am not interested in trying to win this battle when I will certainly lose the war. They won't allow retirement but grant marriage? OK, whatever - next year I'll just try again and hope that whoever I deal with sees things differently.

Many thanks to you for your comments and ideas over this matter.