Questioned when extending tourist visa

[Briggsy]

Today I extended my tourist visa from by 30 days from 60 days to 90 days. I was invited to see a more senior officer. The questioning went along the lines of,

Q: "You extend your visas every time, I suppose?" [This was despite the fact that my passport was in the officer's hand and I have never extended a tourist visa previously ever.]

A: "No, I have never extended, I go to a neighbouring country for a few days [ to activate the second or third entries]."

Q: "And then you get another visa, I suppose?"

A: "No, I am going back to the UK next month. I have my flight ticket here"

Q: "And then you come straight back, I suppose?"

A: "No I spend about a month in the UK."

Q: "Why don't you work?"

A: "I have investments."

Q: (actually a statement) "You are too young to be not working."

A: "I have investments."

Q: "Why can you speak Thai?"

A: "I used to work in Thailand [legally with a work permit]."

Q: "Why aren't you working?"

A: "I have investments. I am an investor."

Q: "Hmm, I see."

 

All done politely with the clear focus being on the continuous nature of my staying in Thailand.

 

This was just for a 30-day tourist visa extension. The future is not looking good for us under-50 TR visa users. We will see.

 

This is just to share experiences. No doubt TV's grumpy pensioners are going to come along and try me in their kangaroo court before an internet lynching.

[charlie42]

what office, i extended my 60 at phatum thani on monday

I almost every time extend my 60 day to 90 day

The scrutinized  my passport at the information desk and was plane sailing from their.

saying that i do leave for 6-8 weeks before i return.

 

Charlie

[Bernard Flint]

No way will this grumpy, rich pensioner critsise you, but i will commend the thai authority for checking you out.Obviously they do not pick out everybody,and i have been picked out for various things during my travelling, nothing wrong with this,happens to us all.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

I don't understand "I spend about a month in uk". You mean you do come back? Maybe that's why the confusion.

[AsienExpat]

Q: "Why don't you work?"

A: "I have investments."

Q: (actually a statement) "You are too young to be not working."

A: "I have investments."

Q: "Why aren't you working?"

A: "I have investments. I am an investor."

 

 

Crazy. I never heard about that another country questioned somebody who obviously can stay on his own feets and not need any goverment money that way. Since when it is business of the immigration officers to decide if somebody is to young for "not working"? Cause in Thailand you can officially only retire if you are 50?

 

Some people never work all their life, their occupation is just to be son or daughter. Many families in the west are rich enough, some have inherited a fourtune in young years, other sold a startup below 25 - or just have investments around the world, real estate, stocks, or other assets generating a steadily passive cash flow. But exactly this kind of people want PRIVACY, and they are not used be questioned by somebody who behave like some kind of boss. If you accumulated some funds and are free enough to life everywhere in the world without work, you could become bugged by behaviors like this, that somebody quizzes you in and out like you are a clerk just cause u decide to stay 30 days longer in a country.

 

It's all not so good news, strange behavior. I hope Thailand get the turn before a lot of quality tourists they actually want become rid of this behavior.

[mrtoad]

Bangkok immigration Briggsy?

[Briggsy]

Bangkok immigration Briggsy?

 

Sri Racha

[kriswillems]

Strange, on my last 90 report the officer asked me where I teach.

I said I don't teach.

So, he asked me how it's possible that my Thai is so good.

I said him that I studied Thai.

So, he asked where I work, I said I don't work, I have investments...

He asked me where those investments where. I said in Europe.

He was friendly, I didn't think about it. I thought it was just an informal friendly chat.

 

This was also in Sri Racha (a male immigration officer).

Edited August 7, 2014 by kriswillems

[llz]

Q: "Why don't you work?"

A: "I have investments."

Q: (actually a statement) "You are too young to be not working."

A: "I have investments."

Q: "Why aren't you working?"

A: "I have investments. I am an investor."

 

 

Crazy. I never heard about that another country questioned somebody who obviously can stay on his own feets and not need any goverment money that way. Since when it is business of the immigration officers to decide if somebody is to young for "not working"? Cause in Thailand you can officially only retire if you are 50?

 

Some people never work all their life, their occupation is just to be son or daughter. Many families in the west are rich enough, some have inherited a fourtune in young years, other sold a startup below 25 - or just have investments around the world, real estate, stocks, or other assets generating a steadily passive cash flow. But exactly this kind of people want PRIVACY, and they are not used be questioned by somebody who behave like some kind of boss. If you accumulated some funds and are free enough to life everywhere in the world without work, you could become bugged by behaviors like this, that somebody quizzes you in and out like you are a clerk just cause u decide to stay 30 days longer in a country.

 

It's all not so good news, strange behavior. I hope Thailand get the turn before a lot of quality tourists they actually want become rid of this behavior.

 

I fail to see why being lucky enough for having enough money to live without working, should entitle you to the additional privilege of escaping common law and common hassles ...

 

[JDGRUEN]

I don't understand "I spend about a month in uk". You mean you do come back? Maybe that's why the confusion.

 

And that does he actually 'comes back' means that there is something illegal, immoral or deserves questioning - basically interrogation by an IO - based on dodgy criteria?   Your concern is misplaced ... the OP was being excessively profiled on what logical basis?  The fact that he was able to come visit Thailand again and that he evidently has disposable income to do so? All done LEGALLY and to do what is ALLOWED under Thai Immigration law?   Is that your concern ?  

[AsienExpat]

 

Q: "Why don't you work?"

A: "I have investments."

Q: (actually a statement) "You are too young to be not working."

A: "I have investments."

Q: "Why aren't you working?"

A: "I have investments. I am an investor."

 

 

Crazy. I never heard about that another country questioned somebody who obviously can stay on his own feets and not need any goverment money that way. Since when it is business of the immigration officers to decide if somebody is to young for "not working"? Cause in Thailand you can officially only retire if you are 50?

 

Some people never work all their life, their occupation is just to be son or daughter. Many families in the west are rich enough, some have inherited a fourtune in young years, other sold a startup below 25 - or just have investments around the world, real estate, stocks, or other assets generating a steadily passive cash flow. But exactly this kind of people want PRIVACY, and they are not used be questioned by somebody who behave like some kind of boss. If you accumulated some funds and are free enough to life everywhere in the world without work, you could become bugged by behaviors like this, that somebody quizzes you in and out like you are a clerk just cause u decide to stay 30 days longer in a country.

 

It's all not so good news, strange behavior. I hope Thailand get the turn before a lot of quality tourists they actually want become rid of this behavior.

 

I fail to see why being lucky enough for having enough money to live without working, should entitle you to the additional privilege of escaping common law and common hassles ...

 

 

 

Believe it or not, if you making a long term holiday in spain, southern france or cyprus and you have the correct visas (mean if you are not an EU passport holder) no immigration officer would tell you that you are to young for "not working" nor ask you any silly questions why you not work.

 

Common law is to work, even if you don't have to? Or reach a special age before you can retire? Enlight me what your statement wants to tell me. Take also in consideration that they ask him three time the same question, obviously not believing it, cause they maybe thought there is another farang talking one of this high paid Thai-Jobs away. I would feel a little bit upset, cause common-law and common hassle ok, but a little bit common sense would be perfect. Where are all this farangs taking thai-jobs away the immigration is searching for? I don't know anybody from a western country in this country, is acting like this. The only thing i know is farangs creating jobs over jobs with their money they bring in here, over and over.

 

So why they are so doubtfully and unbelieving if somebody just want to extend his visa for another 30 days? If they want to find people working illegal so this method is ineffectiv for the immigration and bothering for the longterm tourists. Why they not just drive to the places where people really working and check their if everybody has a workpermit?

 

 

Edited August 7, 2014 by AsienExpat

[llz]

 

 

Q: "Why don't you work?"

A: "I have investments."

Q: (actually a statement) "You are too young to be not working."

A: "I have investments."

Q: "Why aren't you working?"

A: "I have investments. I am an investor."

 

 

Crazy. I never heard about that another country questioned somebody who obviously can stay on his own feets and not need any goverment money that way. Since when it is business of the immigration officers to decide if somebody is to young for "not working"? Cause in Thailand you can officially only retire if you are 50?

 

Some people never work all their life, their occupation is just to be son or daughter. Many families in the west are rich enough, some have inherited a fourtune in young years, other sold a startup below 25 - or just have investments around the world, real estate, stocks, or other assets generating a steadily passive cash flow. But exactly this kind of people want PRIVACY, and they are not used be questioned by somebody who behave like some kind of boss. If you accumulated some funds and are free enough to life everywhere in the world without work, you could become bugged by behaviors like this, that somebody quizzes you in and out like you are a clerk just cause u decide to stay 30 days longer in a country.

 

It's all not so good news, strange behavior. I hope Thailand get the turn before a lot of quality tourists they actually want become rid of this behavior.

 

I fail to see why being lucky enough for having enough money to live without working, should entitle you to the additional privilege of escaping common law and common hassles ...
 

 

 Enlight me what your statement wants to tell me.

...

So why they are so doubtfully and unbelieving if somebody just want to extend his visa for another 30 days? If they want to find people working illegal so this method is ineffectiv for the immigration and bothering for the longterm tourists. Why they not just drive to the places where people really working and check their if everybody has a workpermit?

 

 

Sure this officer was quite awkward but his job is to see to it that noone works in Thailand without the proper visa. He has every power to act the way he wants because its his own country, like it or not (and I do not like this attitude too)

 

I just wanted to point out that everyone, not only the rich, "wants PRIVACY", and does not like to "be questioned by somebody who behave like some kind of boss". Everyone, not only the rich, would become "bugged by behaviors like this".

 

This said, I fully agree with you that it would be effective too to find illegal workers - and even more real criminals - where they are supposed to be, which does not seem to be a priority for the time being.

 

 

[WhamBam]

On the other hand the IO was simply doing his job and making sure the OP is not working. After all, that is what the recent clampdown is supposed to be about, especially if the OP seems quite young.

The IO could have been a lot more difficult if he had wanted to be.

Yes it is a bit of a hassle but at least everything seemed to go quite smoothly and you have your extra 30 days.