Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[Dork]

Does anybody over here know about these approvals for 2006/2007 applicants:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Residency-t353760.html

- or is it just a rumour?

It isn't a rumour. There have definitely been at least a couple of approvals from 2006. Immigration will confirm that if you ask them directly. It seems that if you have some connection at the Interior ministry you can get your file pulled from the pile.

As for specifically 5 from 2006 and 2 from 2007 I have no idea but it wouldn't surprise me.

[aussiebebe]

Hi everyone,

I don't have RP, could anyone help explain some of the things I've read about it?

1) On this thread, one poster wrote that RP expires if you leave Thailand for more than a year? Is this true? I've read the english information on the immigration.go.th website - it just says 'never expires unless revoked' - does a year's absence revoke it?

2) On this thread, and other websites, it mentions that RP entitles the holder to buy a condo without transfering in the funds. Also, Bangkok Bank's website mentions this. Does RP status allow a foreigner to get a mortgage on a condo and buy one as a Thai would? If anyone has any experience of these two things, I'd love to hear - I'm just trying to find out.

Best regards

[skippybangkok]

If u can't demonstrate u have paid taxes on income in thailand, you can buy a condo . No need to bring in cash

[aussiebebe]

So, even if you apply for and recieve Resident Permit, you can lose it if you spend time out of Thailand? What happens if you leave Thailand and can't return? do they take it away from you or can you apply for extensions like in a Thai embassy or similar?

cheers

[tombkk]

So, even if you apply for and recieve Resident Permit, you can lose it if you spend time out of Thailand? What happens if you leave Thailand and can't return? do they take it away from you or can you apply for extensions like in a Thai embassy or similar?

cheers

Yes, you lose the PR if you don't reside here any more. You have to report once a year. (It's the same with the Green Card in the US, by the way.) Makes sense: If you do not reside here permanently, why would you consider yourself (or expect the government to consider you a "permanent resident"? I don't understand how you think a Thai embassy overseas can attest that you reside in Thailand and thus extend your PR.

However, this belongs in the thread about PR, not about Thai Citizenship Application.

[aussiebebe]

So, even if you apply for and recieve Resident Permit, you can lose it if you spend time out of Thailand? What happens if you leave Thailand and can't return? do they take it away from you or can you apply for extensions like in a Thai embassy or similar?

cheers

Yes, you lose the PR if you don't reside here any more. You have to report once a year. (It's the same with the Green Card in the US, by the way.) Makes sense: If you do not reside here permanently, why would you consider yourself (or expect the government to consider you a "permanent resident"? I don't understand how you think a Thai embassy overseas can attest that you reside in Thailand and thus extend your PR.

However, this belongs in the thread about PR, not about Thai Citizenship Application.

Hi, thanks for your replies, I was trying to understand the nature of the Resident permit. From reading the immigration website, I noted the requirements and cost, and from reading this forum I noted the length of time required when applying and the fact that you still need a work permit if working and re-entry permits if leaving Thailand.

These 're-entry permit' requirements led me to believe that RP was some form of permanent visa equivilant. For example I could hold a 'permit' to drive a certain vehicle, but not be obliged to drive it. I thought the RP would permit the holder to reside in Thailand in lieu of a visa, but not 'have' to. It's helpful to compare RP with the US Green Card which I wasn't aware of.

Thanks for clarifying, I'm glad I asked.

[skippybangkok]

So, even if you apply for and recieve Resident Permit, you can lose it if you spend time out of Thailand? What happens if you leave Thailand and can't return? do they take it away from you or can you apply for extensions like in a Thai embassy or similar?

cheers

Yes, you lose the PR if you don't reside here any more. You have to report once a year. (It's the same with the Green Card in the US, by the way.) Makes sense: If you do not reside here permanently, why would you consider yourself (or expect the government to consider you a "permanent resident"? I don't understand how you think a Thai embassy overseas can attest that you reside in Thailand and thus extend your PR.

However, this belongs in the thread about PR, not about Thai Citizenship Application.

Hi, thanks for your replies, I was trying to understand the nature of the Resident permit. From reading the immigration website, I noted the requirements and cost, and from reading this forum I noted the length of time required when applying and the fact that you still need a work permit if working and re-entry permits if leaving Thailand.

These 're-entry permit' requirements led me to believe that RP was some form of permanent visa equivilant. For example I could hold a 'permit' to drive a certain vehicle, but not be obliged to drive it. I thought the RP would permit the holder to reside in Thailand in lieu of a visa, but not 'have' to. It's helpful to compare RP with the US Green Card which I wasn't aware of.

Thanks for clarifying, I'm glad I asked.

If you have PR, you don't need a Visa to stay - you need a Visa to leave. I have this issue, i.e. banking asking for my Visa - they dont understand that PR holders don't need "Visa". Since i travel and as such need the re-entry visa, i just show them this "visa" which shuts em up.

If you dont travel abroad, you can stay for ever with no visa ( just the 5 year police dept reporting ).

Edited April 25, 2010 by skippybangkok

[Arkady]

Hi everyone,

I don't have RP, could anyone help explain some of the things I've read about it?

1) On this thread, one poster wrote that RP expires if you leave Thailand for more than a year? Is this true? I've read the english information on the immigration.go.th website - it just says 'never expires unless revoked' - does a year's absence revoke it?

2) On this thread, and other websites, it mentions that RP entitles the holder to buy a condo without transfering in the funds. Also, Bangkok Bank's website mentions this. Does RP status allow a foreigner to get a mortgage on a condo and buy one as a Thai would? If anyone has any experience of these two things, I'd love to hear - I'm just trying to find out.

Best regards

You can maintain PR, while effectively living overseas, as long as you come back at least once a year and re-endorse your Certificate of Residence at Immigration for another year before the old endorsement has expired. If you miss this deadline your PR will be cancelled automatically and they don't accept any excuses whatsoever. You need to renew your Alien Book every 5 years at your local cop shop but missing the renewal date on this one results only in a small fine, not cancellation of your PR status.

Buying a condo without evidence of transferring in funds or of earning the money in Thailand works smoothly, if you are a PR, as that is clear in the Bank of Thailand regulations. Mortgages are up to the banks' individual policies and I don't think any of them make an exception to their routine discrimination against foreigners for PRs. That is a pity because many PRs and other expats on non B visas are much better risks than than many of the Thais they gladly give away money to.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Arkady

[Arkady]

I am thinking of applying for PR in about 20 months or so. I have already 4 extensions of stay with tax receipts to proove this. Yes I am on a Non B visa. I have the Number 1 form and the number 91 forms from years gone by stored away for future use along with salary receipts too. I have a query. If I apply in December 2010 ( The usual period in which the applicants can apply) does this mean I will get an automatic 6 month extension after I pay 7600baht or will I get the extension after they approve my PR? This does not mean I will get the PR. It just means I have met the requirements because I know at the moment they are not approving Prs and I also know 1 hasnt been approved since the coup. Lets hope that the country is stable and the elections in 2011

go down without incident. Also has anyone heard of a teacher at a government school who earns 40k a month being accepted for PR. Incidentally I work for one of the most prestigious goverment schools in Thailand. It i s very famous in Thailand and has produced Prime Ministers before. Please help. I imagine they are generally interested in high earners like people who make about 300000 a month. I am married too to a professional who earns double I do. Legally by the way. Please advise. Do I stand any chance of being accepted? I dont speak Thai, but after I finish my MA in Education I am going to study. I am a fully licensed teacher by the way. That means I have a work permit , a 1 year visa and a teachers license. Please help.

The best way to find out is to go along to Immigration at Chaeng Wattana and ask the people in the section that handles PR applications, if you could qualify either under the business quota or for supporting (or being supported by) Thai dependants. They are usually willing to give polite visitors callers the benefit of their knowledge. Since you don't speak Thai, you shlould bring your Thai wife with you. Bear in mind that knowledge of the Thai language was made a condition of PR in about 2001, imposed by the Interior Ministry. It started of as a bit of a piss take by Immigration who set multiple choice tests that could be passed with hardly any knowledge of Thai but is now a bit more serious, including a panel interview where you may be asked questions such as, "Please describe your personal contribution to Thai society" - not too difficult but requires an intermediate level of spoken Thai. I have known some applicants who clearly failed the interview because they couldn't reply in Thai or even understand the questions. However, one was rejected for another reason and the other has left Thailand, so I can't say, if they could have got through in spite of poor marks in Thai language. The good news is that you are qualified to apply for Thai nationality, if you have been married to a Thai national for three years and have a salary of at least 40k a month with three years' of tax receipts. However, you would struggle to get the minimum 50 points required without PR and no knowledge of Thai and you are now required to declare your willingness to renounce your existing nationality. See other trheads on this topic, if you are interested.

[aaoaahq]

I wonder how many of those who applied for PR in 2006 and 2007 have already given up on the process or have moved abroad during this protracted delay in approvals. With the prospect of parliament being dissolved in November, the chances now of any PR approvals happening before then or for 6 months afterwards would seem highly unlikely. Even more frustrating is that applicants have nowhere to go in order to gain information. The immigration department does not know and gleaning information from the MoI is next to impossible.

Furthermore, many of the applicants from 2006 and 2007 with a Thai spouse would now be eligible to apply for Thai citizenship, however, it is apparent that one would gain more points in the application process if one had PR already. It is also unclear whether the PR application would be made invalid as soon as you applied for citizenship.

As the current PR application process is similar to that of the Thai citizenship application (excluding the actual application form, ability to sing the National and Royal anthem and cost), it is a pity that eligible PR applicants that have already been approved by the immigration committee and waiting for approval from the Minister are not given the choice to just convert the PR to a citizenship application. This would kill 2 birds with 1 stone for many PR applicants waiting for the Minister’s approval, but I know pigs would fly before that happens.

I also wonder whether the 2008 applicants have gone through the immigration committee yet and whether the 2009 applicants have any movement on their applications or has the whole process come to a grinding halt?

[THAIJAMES]

I was under the impression that for males, PR is a requirement and that an application for citizenship can only be undertaken if PR has already been obtained. Have the rules changed?

I wonder how many of those who applied for PR in 2006 and 2007 have already given up on the process or have moved abroad during this protracted delay in approvals. With the prospect of parliament being dissolved in November, the chances now of any PR approvals happening before then or for 6 months afterwards would seem highly unlikely. Even more frustrating is that applicants have nowhere to go in order to gain information. The immigration department does not know and gleaning information from the MoI is next to impossible.

Furthermore, many of the applicants from 2006 and 2007 with a Thai spouse would now be eligible to apply for Thai citizenship, however, it is apparent that one would gain more points in the application process if one had PR already. It is also unclear whether the PR application would be made invalid as soon as you applied for citizenship.

As the current PR application process is similar to that of the Thai citizenship application (excluding the actual application form, ability to sing the National and Royal anthem and cost), it is a pity that eligible PR applicants that have already been approved by the immigration committee and waiting for approval from the Minister are not given the choice to just convert the PR to a citizenship application. This would kill 2 birds with 1 stone for many PR applicants waiting for the Minister’s approval, but I know pigs would fly before that happens.

I also wonder whether the 2008 applicants have gone through the immigration committee yet and whether the 2009 applicants have any movement on their applications or has the whole process come to a grinding halt?

[tombkk]

I was under the impression that for males, PR is a requirement and that an application for citizenship can only be undertaken if PR has already been obtained. Have the rules changed?

There have indeed been some changes, but that's another thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Story-Thai-C...06#entry3463906

You do not need PR to apply for citizenship, but it helps.

[stbkk]

I wonder how many of those who applied for PR in 2006 and 2007 have already given up on the process or have moved abroad during this protracted delay in approvals. With the prospect of parliament being dissolved in November, the chances now of any PR approvals happening before then or for 6 months afterwards would seem highly unlikely. Even more frustrating is that applicants have nowhere to go in order to gain information. The immigration department does not know and gleaning information from the MoI is next to impossible.

Furthermore, many of the applicants from 2006 and 2007 with a Thai spouse would now be eligible to apply for Thai citizenship, however, it is apparent that one would gain more points in the application process if one had PR already. It is also unclear whether the PR application would be made invalid as soon as you applied for citizenship.

As the current PR application process is similar to that of the Thai citizenship application (excluding the actual application form, ability to sing the National and Royal anthem and cost), it is a pity that eligible PR applicants that have already been approved by the immigration committee and waiting for approval from the Minister are not given the choice to just convert the PR to a citizenship application. This would kill 2 birds with 1 stone for many PR applicants waiting for the Minister's approval, but I know pigs would fly before that happens.

I also wonder whether the 2008 applicants have gone through the immigration committee yet and whether the 2009 applicants have any movement on their applications or has the whole process come to a grinding halt?

I'm a 2006, and still waiting.

Any interest I had in citizenship vanished when they introduced the need for an applicant to sign a declaration renouncing their original citizenship on approval by Thailand. The UK is far from perfect, but looking around me in Thailand...!

I've also heard a rumour that the various minister of interiors since the coup have all be told by 'the army' specifically not to approve any pr applications.

Anybody else heard anything like that?

[Arkady]

I wonder how many of those who applied for PR in 2006 and 2007 have already given up on the process or have moved abroad during this protracted delay in approvals. With the prospect of parliament being dissolved in November, the chances now of any PR approvals happening before then or for 6 months afterwards would seem highly unlikely. Even more frustrating is that applicants have nowhere to go in order to gain information. The immigration department does not know and gleaning information from the MoI is next to impossible.

Furthermore, many of the applicants from 2006 and 2007 with a Thai spouse would now be eligible to apply for Thai citizenship, however, it is apparent that one would gain more points in the application process if one had PR already. It is also unclear whether the PR application would be made invalid as soon as you applied for citizenship.

As the current PR application process is similar to that of the Thai citizenship application (excluding the actual application form, ability to sing the National and Royal anthem and cost), it is a pity that eligible PR applicants that have already been approved by the immigration committee and waiting for approval from the Minister are not given the choice to just convert the PR to a citizenship application. This would kill 2 birds with 1 stone for many PR applicants waiting for the Minister's approval, but I know pigs would fly before that happens.

I also wonder whether the 2008 applicants have gone through the immigration committee yet and whether the 2009 applicants have any movement on their applications or has the whole process come to a grinding halt?

I'm a 2006, and still waiting.

Any interest I had in citizenship vanished when they introduced the need for an applicant to sign a declaration renouncing their original citizenship on approval by Thailand. The UK is far from perfect, but looking around me in Thailand...!

I've also heard a rumour that the various minister of interiors since the coup have all be told by 'the army' specifically not to approve any pr applications.

Anybody else heard anything like that?

It is hard to imagine that the army would care one way or another, whether 100 or so foreigners are approved for permanent residence annually or not. The applicants are nearly all businessmen and hardly a threat to the military. Most will stay here whether they are approved or not anyway.

Re citizenship, the declaration on intent has to be made at your embassy, after your application has been accepted by Special Branch on the basis your documents are in order and you have at least 50 points, not at the time the application for citizenship is approved. To proceed with renounciation after that you would need to fill in a special form at your embassy. It is an interesting point whether applications for permanent residence would be cancelled if the applicants applied for citizenship while waiting. Special Branch would see from their passports they have applied for PR but Immigration might not otherwise know they have applied for citizenship, unless Special Branch informed them. Any one interested should ask both Immigration and Special Branch which might have different opinions.

[stbkk]

I wonder how many of those who applied for PR in 2006 and 2007 have already given up on the process or have moved abroad during this protracted delay in approvals. With the prospect of parliament being dissolved in November, the chances now of any PR approvals happening before then or for 6 months afterwards would seem highly unlikely. Even more frustrating is that applicants have nowhere to go in order to gain information. The immigration department does not know and gleaning information from the MoI is next to impossible.

Furthermore, many of the applicants from 2006 and 2007 with a Thai spouse would now be eligible to apply for Thai citizenship, however, it is apparent that one would gain more points in the application process if one had PR already. It is also unclear whether the PR application would be made invalid as soon as you applied for citizenship.

As the current PR application process is similar to that of the Thai citizenship application (excluding the actual application form, ability to sing the National and Royal anthem and cost), it is a pity that eligible PR applicants that have already been approved by the immigration committee and waiting for approval from the Minister are not given the choice to just convert the PR to a citizenship application. This would kill 2 birds with 1 stone for many PR applicants waiting for the Minister's approval, but I know pigs would fly before that happens.

I also wonder whether the 2008 applicants have gone through the immigration committee yet and whether the 2009 applicants have any movement on their applications or has the whole process come to a grinding halt?

I'm a 2006, and still waiting.

Any interest I had in citizenship vanished when they introduced the need for an applicant to sign a declaration renouncing their original citizenship on approval by Thailand. The UK is far from perfect, but looking around me in Thailand...!

I've also heard a rumour that the various minister of interiors since the coup have all be told by 'the army' specifically not to approve any pr applications.

Anybody else heard anything like that?

It is hard to imagine that the army would care one way or another, whether 100 or so foreigners are approved for permanent residence annually or not. The applicants are nearly all businessmen and hardly a threat to the military. Most will stay here whether they are approved or not anyway.

Re citizenship, the declaration on intent has to be made at your embassy, after your application has been accepted by Special Branch on the basis your documents are in order and you have at least 50 points, not at the time the application for citizenship is approved. To proceed with renounciation after that you would need to fill in a special form at your embassy. It is an interesting point whether applications for permanent residence would be cancelled if the applicants applied for citizenship while waiting. Special Branch would see from their passports they have applied for PR but Immigration might not otherwise know they have applied for citizenship, unless Special Branch informed them. Any one interested should ask both Immigration and Special Branch which might have different opinions.

Logically I agree 100% about the non-effect of a few hundred PR applicants on the country. However, it does fit in with my own experience of a definite increase in anti-foreigner feeling in Thailand over the years.

As far as the procedural process of renouncing your previous citizenship, I yield to your much greater knowledge than mine. But I'm still not going to do it (even if the PR process ever unjams)!

[MikeyIdea]

How certain is this informaton about having to denounce your previous citizenship? Is there a confirmed process that you have to formally renounce your previous citizenship? Or is it declaration of intent that you will denounce previous citizenship once the Thai citizenship has been granted? Do the embassies in Thailand have a form for that... I don't think they do. How would this be done? You can't denounce until you have a new citizenship confirmed and can the Thai new citizenship be revoked again if you don't do it?

I'd like to know if anyone has confirmation that this process indeed exist and how it is done

[MikeyIdea]

How certain is this informaton about having to denounce your previous citizenship? Is there a confirmed process that you have to formally renounce your previous citizenship? Or is it declaration of intent that you will denounce previous citizenship once the Thai citizenship has been granted? Do the embassies in Thailand have a form for that... I don't think they do. How would this be done? You can't denounce until you have a new citizenship confirmed and can the Thai new citizenship be revoked again if you don't do it?

I'd like to know if anyone has confirmation that this process indeed exist and how it is done

OK, I found the other thread and very concise information. Mods, please delete above post if you want, I can't

[Arkady]

Logically I agree 100% about the non-effect of a few hundred PR applicants on the country. However, it does fit in with my own experience of a definite increase in anti-foreigner feeling in Thailand over the years.

In general there seems to be no let up in the creeping xenophobia that started to get bad after the IMF bailout and is now perhaps more of a reflection of Thai society's paranoic insecurity about the volatile changes it is going through that will probably persist for at least another 10 years and the need to take frustrations out on a convenient scapegoat group that has no votes.

We can only speculate on what has specifically happened to derail the PR process which used to be well controlled by Immigration who always cleared all applications before opening for new applications the following year. I suspect it is a combination of the scar inflicted by Purachai, who during his bried stint as Interior Minister accused Immigration of accepting bribes from PR applicants and rejected a whole block, and the political instability that has made officials reluctant to sign anything for fear of being accused of malfeasance. Who knows? I suspect that, if they were holding everything pending a major change in the rules, they would have announced it by now. I don't think changes to the Immigration Act are required for this. Most Immigration policies are legislated in National Police orders. The Interior Ministry probably spends most of its efforts in figuring out how to manipulate appointments of local officials to benefit whoever controls the ministry in the next elections and has no time to think about this sort of trivial stuff.

[farangfarang4]

Has anyone had their interview yet from Dec 2009 application? If so, how was it?

I applied for PR in Dec 2009. While waiting for my application to process, if I need to change jobs in the mean time, will the application still be valid?

[Bangel72]

Has anyone had their interview yet from Dec 2009 application? If so, how was it?

I applied for PR in Dec 2009. While waiting for my application to process, if I need to change jobs in the mean time, will the application still be valid?

I was due to have my interview today but as suspected my change in situation and no current work permit has negated my application. FYI Using PR as security for redundancy etc only works if you remain with a work permit and are paying tax until permit is granted. I'm not sure about changing jobs and maintaining work permit continously though. Having substantial funds and taking some time to set up own business seemed the sensible approach for me, unfortunatelly the break in paying tax negates my application. It could have been worse but allowed to continue on current visa until it runs out in October. Good luck with interview.

[farangfarang4]

thanks!

[tombkk]

Has anyone had their interview yet from Dec 2009 application? If so, how was it?

I applied for PR in Dec 2009. While waiting for my application to process, if I need to change jobs in the mean time, will the application still be valid?

I was due to have my interview today but as suspected my change in situation and no current work permit has negated my application. FYI Using PR as security for redundancy etc only works if you remain with a work permit and are paying tax until permit is granted. I'm not sure about changing jobs and maintaining work permit continously though. Having substantial funds and taking some time to set up own business seemed the sensible approach for me, unfortunatelly the break in paying tax negates my application. It could have been worse but allowed to continue on current visa until it runs out in October. Good luck with interview.

Here is what happened to me. After I went through all the procedures and my application was forwarded to the Minister, I changed jobs. My application is still valid, as the conditions were fulfilled by the time the Immigration Commission discussed it. The new job details apparently have no influence on the application itself, they said they only want to know how they can contact me.

Due to that new job, I got a work permit and visa for 2 years, and the PR application department subsequently also stamped an extension of stay for 2 years into my passport. This is like a duplication to the extension of stay I already got because of the WP. I understand (i.e. I hope) this stamp from the PR department will remain valid even if I lose my job (which I don't hope to).

[aussiebebe]

Has anyone had their interview yet from Dec 2009 application? If so, how was it?

I applied for PR in Dec 2009. While waiting for my application to process, if I need to change jobs in the mean time, will the application still be valid?

I was due to have my interview today but as suspected my change in situation and no current work permit has negated my application. FYI Using PR as security for redundancy etc only works if you remain with a work permit and are paying tax until permit is granted. I'm not sure about changing jobs and maintaining work permit continously though. Having substantial funds and taking some time to set up own business seemed the sensible approach for me, unfortunatelly the break in paying tax negates my application. It could have been worse but allowed to continue on current visa until it runs out in October. Good luck with interview.

I applied for PR at Immigration in December '09, still no interview. The only development was that the local police came to my house while I was at work, apparently to check whether my application was truthful. They took photos but seemed quite unaware of the PR when questioned by my wife, who was home at the time. I was wondering the same thing, what happens if I change job? I'm not holding my breath; the immigration official who accepted my application in December gave me her number; when I phoned, she informed me that she has since taken a new position and isn't involved in RP anymore! TIT.

Out of interest, what happens to the supporting documents for negated applications? The original documents such as certified copies of tax returns and certified copies of my degrees, aren't cheap or easily obtained (dam_n embassy). Will they be returned for later applications?

[farangfarang4]

Tommbkk, thanks for taking the time to reply.

[Peter8]

Hey There,

I have applied for my PR in 2007 and as many others have still not received the results. I am still working for the same company and my question would be what happens if I loose my job before my PR application has been approved. Would I need to leave the country or can I stay in the country until my PR application has been processed?

Any feedback would be highly appreciated.

[THAIJAMES]

They cannot revoke the 6 months stamp after it is given, so unless they ask you to provide proof of employment on your next extension, which is very unlikely, I think you don't have to worry about anything.

I would go so far as to say that it doesn't not really matter what you do after the application, the decision is based solely on the information before the application is made and anything afterward is not considered (unless they want to find something against you).

However this is Thailand, and anything can happen anytime.

Hey There,

I have applied for my PR in 2007 and as many others have still not received the results. I am still working for the same company and my question would be what happens if I loose my job before my PR application has been approved. Would I need to leave the country or can I stay in the country until my PR application has been processed?

Any feedback would be highly appreciated.

[Peter8]

They cannot revoke the 6 months stamp after it is given, so unless they ask you to provide proof of employment on your next extension, which is very unlikely, I think you don't have to worry about anything.

I would go so far as to say that it doesn't not really matter what you do after the application, the decision is based solely on the information before the application is made and anything afterward is not considered (unless they want to find something against you).

However this is Thailand, and anything can happen anytime.

Hey There,

I have applied for my PR in 2007 and as many others have still not received the results. I am still working for the same company and my question would be what happens if I loose my job before my PR application has been approved. Would I need to leave the country or can I stay in the country until my PR application has been processed?

Any feedback would be highly appreciated.

Thanks a lot. That would mean that I could continue to stay in Thailand even though my application for PR has yet to be processed/approved?

[dinga]

Have just added the following comment to the Nation's article concerning the need for Thailand to run a PR campaign - and which directly relates to this catgeory.

Agree that a proper and thoughtful PR campaign is needed - especially after the disgraceful international reporting. IMHO, the best folks to put the correct face to the Thailand situation are the farangs that have chosen to live here - and not the politicians. One obvious element could be for the Government to quickly process the PR applications for 2006, 2007 and 2008 - with attendant and widespread publicity.

Thoughts? And more importantly (if the idea has merit) how to advocate it!

[tombkk]

Have just added the following comment to the Nation's article concerning the need for Thailand to run a PR campaign - and which directly relates to this catgeory.

PR = Public Relations.

PR = Permanent Residence.

Agree that a proper and thoughtful PR campaign is needed - especially after the disgraceful international reporting. IMHO, the best folks to put the correct face to the Thailand situation are the farangs that have chosen to live here - and not the politicians. One obvious element could be for the Government to quickly process the PR applications for 2006, 2007 and 2008 - with attendant and widespread publicity.

Thoughts? And more importantly (if the idea has merit) how to advocate it!

Nice twitch. Are you for real?

[dinga]

Have just added the following comment to the Nation's article concerning the need for Thailand to run a PR campaign - and which directly relates to this catgeory.

PR = Public Relations.

PR = Permanent Residence.

Agree that a proper and thoughtful PR campaign is needed - especially after the disgraceful international reporting. IMHO, the best folks to put the correct face to the Thailand situation are the farangs that have chosen to live here - and not the politicians. One obvious element could be for the Government to quickly process the PR applications for 2006, 2007 and 2008 - with attendant and widespread publicity.

Thoughts? And more importantly (if the idea has merit) how to advocate it!

Nice twitch. Are you for real?

Yes - indeed I am. I am a 2008 PR applicant and am therefore also interested in looking for avenues to unblock the current impasse (no dount the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand will be looking for opportunities to support Thailand and am thinking this idea be a possible inclusion in any JFCCT submission to Government).