Not A Joke= Donating 10.000B For Brainstorming On Immigration

[uptheos]

You'll have the OP confused, he only wants money for a Thai immigration building and a plaque on the wall with his name on it.

[hellodolly]

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.

I feel that I gave you a fair idea in my earlier post. You seem more bent on money.

In my opinion the only thing the immigration would allow you to do with money is hire your own man or women who can speak and write fluently in Thai, English, Australian and well enough in Burmese and was knowledgeable of all the paper work needed to walk up and down the line checking that every one had the proper paper work and it was filled in properly before they got to the window, It would also help to have a smattering of a Nordic language.

[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.

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.

My friends girlfriend is a teacher and of course she had to pass their criteria. You just can't have airfare. The main thing the American Consulate seemed to be concerned with, if she had the funds to support herself in the US and was she going to return to Thailand. I thought she would receive a visa but was surprised they issued her a ten year visa. There was no 90 day reporting either, lol. It is much easier for a Thai to visit the US than it is to visit Europe.

[hellodolly]

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.

My friends girlfriend is a teacher and of course she had to pass their criteria. You just can't have airfare. The main thing the American Consulate seemed to be concerned with, if she had the funds to support herself in the US and was she going to return to Thailand. I thought she would receive a visa but was surprised they issued her a ten year visa. There was no 90 day reporting either, lol. It is much easier for a Thai to visit the US than it is to visit Europe.

As I suspected it was a bit more than your friend let on.

As for the 90 day yes it is I was going to say kind of useless but I changed my mind. It is useless but being a retiree with out having to be busy all the time I don't mind it The longest I ever had to wait was an hour and a half. Time in which I met an interesting person and had a nice chat. Then the wife and I go to a movie and maybe a little shopping. Sort of a holiday. For any one who is not retired and has to do a 90 day it would definatly be a downer. Old age has some advantages. The funny part is my wife gets all the paper work in order and If I wanted to be a slug I could just send her

[harryfrompattaya]

"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.

Great idea PM I will send you my money ASP

[luther]

My wife and I lived outside of Pattaya and Sri Racha for 15 years. We spent a lot of time in both immigration offices. The one in Sri Racha reminds me of Chiang Ma - not enough seats, not enough parking, and lots of uncertainty that goes with over-crowding and the lack of a multi-lingual maitre de.

Pattaya built a huge new office and it was a celebrated by everyone…employees, patrons, and all the small business owners
who opened restaurants and other services in the sois nearby. The new Pattaya office also features a couple of long time farang advisers who take a huge load off the Thai staff and cut quick to the chase for the semi-clueless tourist. (I have not idea if they are volunteers or not)

Find a bigger space (like right across the road), hire more people, and in the end, make more money to provide better
service. Sometimes a pipe dream, but sometimes not.

[jackr]

Sorry op, but it's a stupid idea. Though your intentions may be good, at the least you would belittle your hosts, and it requires no thinking outside the box to realise that one could spend half that amount and never have to go in there. I also don't go for this 'giving something back' line... I sink in a relatively huge amount into the economy year in, year out, thanks. My conscience is sound.

[tango]

^^ Luther said " Find a bigger space (like right across the road)...."

Great idea, Luther. Not sure if that huge building with the huge parking space is still operating as a restaurant; but when it was, there was little traffic.

[uptheos]

Sorry op, but it's a stupid idea. Though your intentions may be good, at the least you would belittle your hosts, and it requires no thinking outside the box to realise that one could spend half that amount and never have to go in there. I also don't go for this 'giving something back' line... I sink in a relatively huge amount into the economy year in, year out, thanks. My conscience is sound.

Couldn't agree more, give something back for what?

[chiangmaiman99]

I had dream. A dream where a man's visa status is determined by the content of his character and not the holdings in a Thai bank account or his reported monthly income or a combination of the two. I had a dream. A dream where a bike path leading from my front door and taking a scenic path winds though the city to the front door of the immigration office. I had a dream where an immigration office is full of happy smiling people lounging on large comfortable arm chairs. I had a dream where immigration office customer's are expeditiously serviced by happy, over paid, under worked employees who can fluently speak a multitude of languages and exude patients and loving kindness.I had a dream where the immigration office gives each customer a gift bag that includes a pencil (the same kind that used at Le Meridien hotel), a cold can of Budweiser, several small packets of Glucosamine, and a mosquito net. I had a dream...

[bobl]

I had dream. A dream where a man's visa status is determined by the content of his character and not the holdings in a Thai bank account or his reported monthly income or a combination of the two. I had a dream. A dream where a bike path leading from my front door and taking a scenic path winds though the city to the front door of the immigration office. I had a dream where an immigration office is full of happy smiling people lounging on large comfortable arm chairs. I had a dream where immigration office customer's are expeditiously serviced by happy, over paid, under worked employees who can fluently speak a multitude of languages and exude patients and loving kindness.I had a dream where the immigration office gives each customer a gift bag that includes a pencil (the same kind that used at Le Meridien hotel), a cold can of Budweiser, several small packets of Glucosamine, and a mosquito net. I had a dream...

I was with you, until it came to Budweiser. Then the dream turned into a nightmare.

[THAIPHUKET]

I want to thank you for your comments, even if critical. Actually, I had hoped that such pronounced negativism would provoke more than 1 constructive idea. As Luther said Dreams. Dreams are the work of the brain, totally unstructured with equally totally unpredictable and surprising results. No dream has ever been realized from wailing.

PS I asked Moderators to close the subject

[Throatwobbler]

I can only see bad coming of this. If you go in and tell them all how they should be doing their job it will not go down well. I could then see a problem arising next time you need your visa renewing.

[Tywais]

Topic Closed