Not A Joke= Donating 10.000B For Brainstorming On Immigration

[THAIPHUKET]

Only 2 rules to apply

1. No talk about changes to rules like 90 day reporting. Rules are rules.

2. It must be done the Thai way, no bashing but gentle.

How?

I am sure that some people can jump start the brainstorming,

Speaking for myself, if the brainstorming shows a need to spend money I would be willing to increase my donation. Why not? I assume we do find 2-300 permanent CM-Farangs who can afford to donate 20.000b and have your names inscribed in stone on the entrance of a bigger building. Others may want to donate whatever makes life for ourselves and those who serve us easier.

Like temple donations. After all, Immigration is our temple several times a year.

Those who can relate to this approach, please reply to this post.

And please, try to keep the bashing to a minimum, no need to point out= Why us? BKK should do it.

Be constructive, try to get something done!

[habfan]

If guaranteed appointments and approval (having met the requirements) are one of the donation privileges, I'm all in.

[hellodolly]

How about every one write to their Embassy and ask them to speak as a unit (all countries together) to the powers that be in Bangkok.

Mention the size of the building and the fact that they have already approved the money for hiring more staff. It is just that Bangkok won't do it. If allowed the Chiang Mai office would do the hiring.

[uptheos]

"donate 20.000b and have your names inscribed in stone on the entrance of a bigger building".

Terrible idea, at least have a statue so people can wai you on their way in.

[limegreenpatato]

why would they ever do anything. You are forced to go no matter what....why make it any easier and spend money when they won't lose customers.

[THAIPHUKET]

If guaranteed appointments and approval (having met the requirements) are one of the donation privileges, I'm all in.

I´m sure you will notice a difference once working conditions are improved.

[THAIPHUKET]

why would they ever do anything. You are forced to go no matter what....why make it any easier and spend money when they won't lose customers.

Let the bashing continue.

[joeaverage]

call me thick, but i don't understand the premise at all.

what are these donations for?

[Salapoo]

10,000 baht huh.

Just keep double that amount in cash and and never visit immigration again.

When you decide to leave just hand it over.

[THAIPHUKET]

call me thick, but i don't understand the premise at all.

what are these donations for?

Brainstorming means even the weirdest thought can be spelled out.

MY abstract thoughts

- there must be some Farang who have done organizational re-organizations

- Farang with excellent Thai language

- have a small and therefore efficient team to communicate with Immigration.

Goal is to understand their view point, problems.

We are only bemoaning ourselves. Ask yourself= given the working conditions is the rate of errors not amazingly low? The mood not surprisingly relaxed?

Take it from there, ask what can be done to make the conditions, not the process, more pleasant?

And if you don´t relish sitting for hours in a totally overcrowded room, do something.

Donate some cash for a bigger building. That is the real problem. Before those who always bemoan all and everything on ThaiVisa don´t forget = in a brainstorming There no unthinkable thoughts.

PS Mr. UpTheos= I will personally wai you if you play along

[uptheos]

call me thick, but i don't understand the premise at all.

what are these donations for?

Brainstorming means even the weirdest thought can be spelled out.

MY abstract thoughts

- there must be some Farang who have done organizational re-organizations

- Farang with excellent Thai language

- have a small and therefore efficient team to communicate with Immigration.

Goal is to understand their view point, problems.

We are only bemoaning ourselves. Ask yourself= given the working conditions is the rate of errors not amazingly low? The mood not surprisingly relaxed?

Take it from there, ask what can be done to make the conditions, not the process, more pleasant?

And if you don´t relish sitting for hours in a totally overcrowded room, do something.

Donate some cash for a bigger building. That is the real problem. Before those who always bemoan all and everything on ThaiVisa don´t forget = in a brainstorming There no unthinkable thoughts.

PS Mr. UpTheos= I will personally wai you if you play along

Sorry mate but I think you're having a brainstorm of epic proportions and I hope it gets better.

[poooket]

"donate 20.000b and have your names inscribed in stone on the entrance of a bigger building".

Terrible idea, at least have a statue so people can wai you on their way in.

Is the guy trying to build a house with

al TV members name on it ?

[uptheos]

"donate 20.000b and have your names inscribed in stone on the entrance of a bigger building".

Terrible idea, at least have a statue so people can wai you on their way in.

Is the guy trying to build a house with

al TV members name on it ?

I think he's trying to get the A team together, so they can waltz into immigration and tell them how it's done, they'll really appreciate that!

Seriously, he must be on something and it's a bad time post.

[Dancealot]

"donate 20.000b and have your names inscribed in stone on the entrance of a bigger building".

Terrible idea, at least have a statue so people can wai you on their way in.

Worse idea. You know what happened with people that made statues out of themselves...

[joeaverage]

call me thick, but i don't understand the premise at all.

what are these donations for?

Brainstorming means even the weirdest thought can be spelled out.

MY abstract thoughts

- there must be some Farang who have done organizational re-organizations

- Farang with excellent Thai language

- have a small and therefore efficient team to communicate with Immigration.

Goal is to understand their view point, problems.

We are only bemoaning ourselves. Ask yourself= given the working conditions is the rate of errors not amazingly low? The mood not surprisingly relaxed?

Take it from there, ask what can be done to make the conditions, not the process, more pleasant?

And if you don´t relish sitting for hours in a totally overcrowded room, do something.

Donate some cash for a bigger building. That is the real problem. Before those who always bemoan all and everything on ThaiVisa don´t forget = in a brainstorming There no unthinkable thoughts.

PS Mr. UpTheos= I will personally wai you if you play along

i'm well up on the concept of brainstorming, in this case i just don't see to what end, nor do i understand the purpose of the donation mentioned.

what kind of madness would encourage one to build (or worse donate money to build) the thai government a building or even buy them a sofa?

that money is just as well spent insulating yourself from the process by paying someone to expedite all your immigration needs.

[THAIPHUKET]

Donation can be just symbolic for something that a person contributes=

- concept how to improve work flow

- a PC program and we buy it, get it done

- how to enlarge the waiting area , make it more pleasant. Toilets , leg breaking locations. We have creative people amongst us, don´t we? I guess some cosmetic ideas can make a difference, for little money.

- perhaps, once we Farang start off BKK jumps in too.

Stop thinking monotonously = Government, Government. Often I am hearing = We want to give something back. Here you have a chance plus alleviating yourself...perhaps.. of one major source of complaint. And if only the wait becomes more pleasant.

Anyone with constructive comments?

[jbrain]

Donation can be just symbolic for something that a person contributes=

- concept how to improve work flow

- a PC program and we buy it, get it done

- how to enlarge the waiting area , make it more pleasant. Toilets , leg breaking locations. We have creative people amongst us, don´t we? I guess some cosmetic ideas can make a difference, for little money.

- perhaps, once we Farang start off BKK jumps in too.

Stop thinking monotonously = Government, Government. Often I am hearing = We want to give something back. Here you have a chance plus alleviating yourself...perhaps.. of one major source of complaint. And if only the wait becomes more pleasant.

Anyone with constructive comments?

Ok, given the fact that you get your brainstorming working, what makes you think that immigration would even listen to what you have to say, let stand implementing any of your suggestions ?

[THAIPHUKET]

Slightly unexpected this question from a farang :-). I keep preaching my Thai wife=

If you don´t try, you don´t know!

But now less patronizing= my experience is that unimposing and constructive idea/help is almost always appreciated. At least it will be listened to. Implementation is another issue, not different in the Western world.

Absolutely mandatory is a Thai as communicator, fluent in English but also sensitive to the Thai cross currents. Perhaps that is where I would see my 10.000b spent first.

( Here you can see the brainstorming process working= this last thought and first really relevant idea came up in me only after all these exchanges, stew needs stewing time.)

So, please , let it stew.

[sustento]

I wonder what the INS in LA would say if a bunch of Thai pitched up and started telling them how to do their job?

[joeaverage]

i still can't see what you hope to achieve.

first off, it would need to be approached at the very highest of levels, and that is presupposing that there is an interest in improving YOUR visa experience.

for many, visas are actually a simple formality, for others they are hard fought, but generally only because they lack key prerequisites.

the other side of the coin is reciprocal visa requirements -- the struggle thais can have simply visiting some of our countries.

We are able to rock up to thailand and stay a month, no questions asked.

however to simply visit my county the average thai need suffer a significant amount of inconvenience and indignity before they even board the plane, providing proof of employment, proof of finances or anything to demonstrate they will return to thailand.

I wanted to take my professionally employed girlfriend (i know)of 5 years back to my home for 12 days, and I had to write letters of intent and provide bank statements on top of all the crap she needed to provide from her employer, a multinational in thailand.

thankfully her credentials and my balance were significant enough that they rubber stamped her in, one visit, one follow up to provide the documentation they asked for, and one to pick up the visa.

i think that all things considered, thai visa processes are not such a hardship.

the key difference is that we are not vetted coming in, and may stay indefinitely but rarely achieve PR or citizenship.

they are heavily vetted, but are much more likely to achieve citizenship or residency should they meet the criteria once they get in.

perhaps had you had to jump through the hoops a thai must jump through to visit your country, you would not be struggling with the sense of entitlement you seem to have

[PoodMaiDai]

2. It must be done the Thai way

I'll bring the whiskey and homemade machetes.

[hellodolly]

i still can't see what you hope to achieve.

first off, it would need to be approached at the very highest of levels, and that is presupposing that there is an interest in improving YOUR visa experience.

for many, visas are actually a simple formality, for others they are hard fought, but generally only because they lack key prerequisites.

the other side of the coin is reciprocal visa requirements -- the struggle thais can have simply visiting some of our countries.

We are able to rock up to thailand and stay a month, no questions asked.

however to simply visit my county the average thai need suffer a significant amount of inconvenience and indignity before they even board the plane, providing proof of employment, proof of finances or anything to demonstrate they will return to thailand.

I wanted to take my professionally employed girlfriend (i know)of 5 years back to my home for 12 days, and I had to write letters of intent and provide bank statements on top of all the crap she needed to provide from her employer, a multinational in thailand.

thankfully her credentials and my balance were significant enough that they rubber stamped her in, one visit, one follow up to provide the documentation they asked for, and one to pick up the visa.

i think that all things considered, thai visa processes are not such a hardship.

the key difference is that we are not vetted coming in, and may stay indefinitely but rarely achieve PR or citizenship.

they are heavily vetted, but are much more likely to achieve citizenship or residency should they meet the criteria once they get in.

perhaps had you had to jump through the hoops a thai must jump through to visit your country, you would not be struggling with the sense of entitlement you seem to have

There is more to this kind of story. In addition to all the inconvenience to get the Visa, Having a Visa before you go does not mean that the immigration in the States will let you in. A friend of mine was on a plane that had a Lao women sent back home even though she had a visa.

Before we complain to much ask are self's would I go through all the effort to get a Visa to come to Thailand that a Thai has to go through for many countries. Many of them have to go for a interview at the Embassy's. I come from the west coast of North America I would not have even bothered if I had to go to the Thai Embassy in Washington DC. Fortunately to visit America a Thai can go to the closest consulate. Most Countries require the visit to the Embassy. That is just part of the process. I would not have been excepted because I was retired and didn't own a house I had sold it.

[uptheos]

THAIPHUKET you sound like a nice person and when you wake up, I'm hopeful that whatever you were on has worn off.

[bobl]

Sorry. I can't agree with rule #1 so I guess I'm out.

"Rules are rules"... Where are we, school? Rules change all the time. The only rules that never change are ones that no-one questions.

[THAIPHUKET]

Sorry. I can't agree with rule #1 so I guess I'm out.

"Rules are rules"... Where are we, school? Rules change all the time. The only rules that never change are ones that no-one questions.

So be it, stay out. If you think an ordinary farang can tell BKK how to change the rules, it is better to stay out. I guess that our ambassadors may have tried that before. Little things can make a difference, positive for CM farangs and Immigration officials likewise. Don´t try to rock the boat.

[THAIPHUKET]

I received 2 constructive Personal Notes. Because just any idea is being trashed on this forum, I will not pass them on. Perhaps more will speak up. I wrote back=

------- Very helpful indeed. I wish someone will step forward who has had dealings with Immigration / local authorities before.-...E.g. If I were ThaiVisa moderator I would see this as my function, not only policing some obnoxious postings. Try to facilitate living in Chiang Mai.------------------------------------------------------

[CMNightRider]

i still can't see what you hope to achieve.

first off, it would need to be approached at the very highest of levels, and that is presupposing that there is an interest in improving YOUR visa experience.

for many, visas are actually a simple formality, for others they are hard fought, but generally only because they lack key prerequisites.

the other side of the coin is reciprocal visa requirements -- the struggle thais can have simply visiting some of our countries.

We are able to rock up to thailand and stay a month, no questions asked.

however to simply visit my county the average thai need suffer a significant amount of inconvenience and indignity before they even board the plane, providing proof of employment, proof of finances or anything to demonstrate they will return to thailand.

I wanted to take my professionally employed girlfriend (i know)of 5 years back to my home for 12 days, and I had to write letters of intent and provide bank statements on top of all the crap she needed to provide from her employer, a multinational in thailand.

thankfully her credentials and my balance were significant enough that they rubber stamped her in, one visit, one follow up to provide the documentation they asked for, and one to pick up the visa.

i think that all things considered, thai visa processes are not such a hardship.

the key difference is that we are not vetted coming in, and may stay indefinitely but rarely achieve PR or citizenship.

they are heavily vetted, but are much more likely to achieve citizenship or residency should they meet the criteria once they get in.

perhaps had you had to jump through the hoops a thai must jump through to visit your country, you would not be struggling with the sense of entitlement you seem to have

There is more to this kind of story. In addition to all the inconvenience to get the Visa, Having a Visa before you go does not mean that the immigration in the States will let you in. A friend of mine was on a plane that had a Lao women sent back home even though she had a visa.

Before we complain to much ask are self's would I go through all the effort to get a Visa to come to Thailand that a Thai has to go through for many countries. Many of them have to go for a interview at the Embassy's. I come from the west coast of North America I would not have even bothered if I had to go to the Thai Embassy in Washington DC. Fortunately to visit America a Thai can go to the closest consulate. Most Countries require the visit to the Embassy. That is just part of the process. I would not have been excepted because I was retired and didn't own a house I had sold it.

A friend of mine was in the states recently and asked his Thai girlfriend, here in CM to fill out the online application for a tourist visa for the US. She completed the form and E-mailed it to the American Consulate. The consulate replied with a time to report to the consulate with her appropriate documents. After her short interview she was granted a ten year tourist visa for the US. My friend sent her an airline ticket and she flew to the states to meet up with him. She is allowed to visit the states for up to six months once a year. She said the whole process was painless.

[Tywais]

I received 2 constructive Personal Notes. Because just any idea is being trashed on this forum, I will not pass them on.

Good call as it would be against forum rules anyway.

[THAIPHUKET]

@Taiwys no names would have been cited but thanks for hint anyhow.

@CMNightrider I agree with you, I personally find the process as such totally ok only the processing and the waiting times / facilities need some positive touches. Not much more.

My interest? No name tag on the door, no honorary mention anywhere. My wife handles most of it anyhow, so no annoyances. My motivation? At least give it a shot and try to turn this never ending bickering into some positive action. If nothing comes of it, if no one picks up on it, no sweat for me, .

[hellodolly]

i still can't see what you hope to achieve.

first off, it would need to be approached at the very highest of levels, and that is presupposing that there is an interest in improving YOUR visa experience.

for many, visas are actually a simple formality, for others they are hard fought, but generally only because they lack key prerequisites.

the other side of the coin is reciprocal visa requirements -- the struggle thais can have simply visiting some of our countries.

We are able to rock up to thailand and stay a month, no questions asked.

however to simply visit my county the average thai need suffer a significant amount of inconvenience and indignity before they even board the plane, providing proof of employment, proof of finances or anything to demonstrate they will return to thailand.

I wanted to take my professionally employed girlfriend (i know)of 5 years back to my home for 12 days, and I had to write letters of intent and provide bank statements on top of all the crap she needed to provide from her employer, a multinational in thailand.

thankfully her credentials and my balance were significant enough that they rubber stamped her in, one visit, one follow up to provide the documentation they asked for, and one to pick up the visa.

i think that all things considered, thai visa processes are not such a hardship.

the key difference is that we are not vetted coming in, and may stay indefinitely but rarely achieve PR or citizenship.

they are heavily vetted, but are much more likely to achieve citizenship or residency should they meet the criteria once they get in.

perhaps had you had to jump through the hoops a thai must jump through to visit your country, you would not be struggling with the sense of entitlement you seem to have

There is more to this kind of story. In addition to all the inconvenience to get the Visa, Having a Visa before you go does not mean that the immigration in the States will let you in. A friend of mine was on a plane that had a Lao women sent back home even though she had a visa.

Before we complain to much ask are self's would I go through all the effort to get a Visa to come to Thailand that a Thai has to go through for many countries. Many of them have to go for a interview at the Embassy's. I come from the west coast of North America I would not have even bothered if I had to go to the Thai Embassy in Washington DC. Fortunately to visit America a Thai can go to the closest consulate. Most Countries require the visit to the Embassy. That is just part of the process. I would not have been excepted because I was retired and didn't own a house I had sold it.

A friend of mine was in the states recently and asked his Thai girlfriend, here in CM to fill out the online application for a tourist visa for the US. She completed the form and E-mailed it to the American Consulate. The consulate replied with a time to report to the consulate with her appropriate documents. After her short interview she was granted a ten year tourist visa for the US. My friend sent her an airline ticket and she flew to the states to meet up with him. She is allowed to visit the states for up to six months once a year. She said the whole process was painless.

She had to pass certain criteria which your friend did not mention to you.

He makes it sound like any body can e mail for an application go in to the consulate and talk to them and viola no problem.

It does not work that way they must show proof of having some thing here in Thailand to come back to so they will not stay.

I have a friend who tried the same thing. His Girl Friend went in and said she had children here they denied her a Visa. I have another friend who's Girl Friend was accepted same visa as your friends Girl Friend.. She owned a home and worked for a NGO that had her in and out of the U S consulate. She was well known when she went in to apply. In all fairness to the states it is easier there than Canada. Canada you have to go to the Embassy in Bangkok.

I have been told that if they have a valuable position in a big company that works in their favor. One other rumor I heard was that if they have 200,000 baht in the bank that might do it.

Your friend makes it sound like any one with the price of air fare qualifies. Not so. But as he said once she got it it was good for 10 years with the stipulation she could only spend 6 months a year there.