Quite frankly few of the comments are abslutely correct and I find it difficult to understand the objections raised. Following:

1) After 13 years in Thailand, one should be able to speak some Thai, although there are exception....

2) As far as Thai Airways not using Thai on theit Boarding Cards is concerned, they are just following the normal international standards by using only English. Are the Korean, Japanes, Israeli and other airlines use non Latin letters on their Boarding Cards?

3) Although English is not the most spoken language as a first language, most certainly it is the most used language as a second one. I therefore take it that in addition to the native language, most countries use the English language (that is what I have experienced in my frequent travels). Most certainly, if the majority of the tourists to a country use another language as a second one (like the Chinese tourists to Thailand, as I understand), then special forms in that language should be used in addition. If one travels to the US from some European countries (Germany, France and others) some forms are in that language.

What does this have to do with the topic?

I know! It's the answer to another post about the lack of English skills at the immigration offices in Thailand. The poster has probably written the comment offline and than copied, pasted and posted it in the wrong place. The moderators might just move this answer...

Similar things happen at all Immigration offices in Thailand so don't feel like you've been unlucky, it's simply business as usual.

I gotta say that I believe CM Imm to be an exception to the rule as I have been dealing with them for near 20 years

w/o ever feeling I'd been scammed/cheated or even unduly compromised. I tip my hat to the CM staff that bust their

bu*ts and do (IMO) their best with the HUGE situation that confronts them daily.

I've got to agree, but point out that CM Immigration is also very "by the book" in their direct dealings with their customers. The situation the OP described was someone trying to bend the rules.

I've known of people in CM who also wanted to "bend the rules", i.e. get a visa extension after their previous one expired without leaving the country, use funds that were a little short of being aged appropriately to justify a retirement extension, get a medical extension when they're already on overstay, etc. In these cases, they were denied when they asked in person at CM Immigration, but somehow a visa agent was able to get the job done, at the same office, for a fee, of course. Makes one wonder if they're the staff is really as clean as they appear, or maybe the visa agents just know the immigration officers who will bend the rules.

Edited June 3, 201313 yr by NancyL