Thai Immigration boss warns of fake extension stamps

[SymS]

Hey! That's my old passport in the article!

[Time Traveller]

1. You choose to be here;

2. there are requirements to do so;

3. what a bunch of negative whiners and whingers you are.....

Paying an agent is sheer laziness - it's not onerous to 'go it alone'..... but then some of you must be so hop soaked, it's understandable you can barely get off the stool....

Maybe it's time to return to your country of origin - just sayin'

So you think you're one of the "good" foreigners do you?

Well maybe some people value their time more than spending an entire day travelling to immigration to be told you need to come back another day with another /document/thai person as witness/contract/etc

[moe666]

Going to immigration and feeling like a criminal every 90 days is drag but it has to be done so just do it

and better to be safe than sorry.

Why would you feel like a criminal doing a 90 day report. I find it hard to understand why anyone would continue to do something they hate so much

[moe666]

Seriously, I was around 90% confident about leaving this place before this, after all that has transpired over the post couple of months, but this has topped it off. Thailand, kor hai mung chok dee. You are going to need it, So many people I know back home are really questioning their once paradise, you are screwed.

let us know when you leave and we will lock the door

[Caspersfriend]

Some posters don't appear to be clear:

Extension once a year and must [should] be done in person - Immigration fee 1900฿

Ninety day report every 90 days and can be done by anyone you trust with your passport - Immigration fee 0฿

[RamblingSam]

Probably isn't going to happen in anyone's life time, but opening regional passport/Visa offices wiould help. as for ...

'OK got your point, but 1 time a year isn't that hard to swallow compared to the same lot (you are referring to) sitting next to you in an overcrowded bar now is isn't it?' ... maybe if these offices also had a bar, Falangs would be more enthusiastic about visiting? LOL!

[VINCENT2012]

we are in 2014....!

if the stamp was from this year or last year ...ok perhaps credible .....but the extension stamp is from 2012....

since then i guess the farang had to ask for another extension to stay in thailand don't you think people?

so what kind of news is that?

thai immigration boss should perhaps organize all the immigration department with a new style and new modern stamp.

these actual look honestly a bit old fashion,..., easy to fake to me ....and i love to see when an agent make a deletion with the pen on a stamp and write other things.i have many like this in my passport....!mistakes from immigration officers and other things....and when i renew ....looks like a novel book.
to me a very bad organisation and lots of waist of time for a simple thing....! when i see they need 4 people to scheck 1 document 4 times and at the end they make a mistake, i get creasy.

[andygunther]

Second page on TM7 (extension form)

"APPLICATION MUST BE MADE IN PERSON."

But if you pay a little bit more, they don't care who apply.

As you know money is talking...

[Benmart]

I can't understand why people would use an agency for so valuable and important a matter.....

Because it sucks waiting in an over crowded immigration room, surrounded by whining old guy's .

I don't know what constitutes "old", but bad manners and uncivil behavior seems to cover all age groups from my experience.

My visits to immigration tend to be later in the day when it less crowded.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Benmart

[smotherb]

Please be careful when applying through a visa extension agent, that the agent shows you an official receipt of 1,900 from Immigration, for your extension.”

hmmm, so what if the "official" receipt is also fake?

I once spent three years in a row in the Philippines and each reporting period I went to my agent and turned-in my passport and received a bill and passport stamp extending my visa. Upon buying my ticket for departure, the travel agent said the visa stamps looked out of date. She showed me the current visa stamps, sure enough mine were not like that. I went back to my agent's office, but it was closed and he was gone. I called a Filipino friend who had a classmate at Immigration. The three of us went to dinner, the immigration official confirmed they were old stamps and obvious forgeries. He simply initialed all of the visa stamps and gave me his card and contact numbers to use if I had a problem with departure. The immigration officer at the airport questioned the stamps, then I showed him the card and initials; everything was good to go. It's good to have connections.

[stiggy]

B131 all over again.

Good luck to any that have been using agents, last time like this, cost many a small fortune to put right

[Jingthing]

Elephant in the room.

What about the REAL extension stamps for annual retirement extensions (800K method) obtained without seasoned bank accounts via visa fixing agencies?

[andygunther]

1. You choose to be here;

2. there are requirements to do so;

3. what a bunch of negative whiners and whingers you are.....

Paying an agent is sheer laziness - it's not onerous to 'go it alone'..... but then some of you must be so hop soaked, it's understandable you can barely get off the stool....

Maybe it's time to return to your country of origin - just sayin'

So you think you're one of the "good" foreigners do you?

Well maybe some people value their time more than spending an entire day travelling to immigration to be told you need to come back another day with another /document/thai person as witness/contract/etc

It has never happened to me, and normally it takes no more than 1-1.5 hours ....

[Benmart]

Seriously, I was around 90% confident about leaving this place before this, after all that has transpired over the post couple of months, but this has topped it off. Thailand, kor hai mung chok dee. You are going to need it, So many people I know back home are really questioning their once paradise, you are screwed.

Freedom and choice are wonder things. Tolerance, acceptance and understanding are also good traits.

I prefer to let others decide and speak for themselves and not judge the why, the who or the when.

[InTransit]

I can't understand why people would use an agency for so valuable and important a matter.....

Because it sucks waiting in an over crowded immigration room, surrounded by whining old guy's .

You think you are some young and special person that should have a different set of rules to everybody else.I am am sure you have plenty of time on your hands to go to immigration with the old guys you complain about.

You seem to be supporting fake immigration stamps so maybe hopefully some one from the government will pick up your OP and have you deported otherwise if its too much of a bother then suggest you get the hell out of here and park your pathetic young body in another country.

Steady on Howzat, you'll give your self a heart attack old chap. Is it medication time???

[uptheos]

Some posters don't appear to be clear:

Extension once a year and must [should] be done in person - Immigration fee 1900฿

Ninety day report every 90 days and can be done by anyone you trust with your passport - Immigration fee 0฿

Or you can mail it in, without your passport.

[off road pat]

I did all the border crossings from Thailand with neighboring country's several times, Malaysia, Laos , Cambodia, Myanmar...just for a feel of adventure like in my backpacking days. And sometimes it was a real adventure....and I still enjoy it now together with my wife.....

But I could stay put and have a cheating Visa agent do it for me....where's the adventure in this...????

I enjoy every day of my life and always chose the adventurous side of things....and I met great interesting people on my visa trips......

[Tchooptip]

"Please be careful when applying through a visa extension agent, that the agent shows you an official receipt of 1,900 from Immigration, for your extension.

And how to do if the officer have charge you 5000 baths instead of 1900 and refuse to give you a receip ????

In Koh Samui recently for a 1 year retirement extension ... A classic here !

Me too 5,000Baht for a one year extension no receipt (Nathon, probably same officer)

[DerekMarshall]

Second page on TM7 (extension form)

"APPLICATION MUST BE MADE IN PERSON."

Unless I am mistaken. Legal power of attorney can process your extension for you.

[MediaWatcher]

kalbo123, on 03 Oct 2014 - 17:04, said:

RottingCorpse, on 03 Oct 2014 - 16:57, said:

I can't understand why people would use an agency for so valuable and important a matter.....

Because it sucks waiting in an over crowded immigration room, surrounded by whining old guy's .

Seems like you're one of the whiners.

[Pii Kate]

I can't understand why people would use an agency for so valuable and important a matter.....

Because it sucks waiting in an over crowded immigration room, surrounded by whining old guy's .

And because there are also coughing, sick people around, sitting with them for hours is no good for my health. I just can't seem to get my dates straight and have been over twice before I got an agent.

[silent]

Please be careful when applying through a visa extension agent, that the agent shows you an official receipt of 1,900 from Immigration, for your extension.”

hmmm, so what if the "official" receipt is also fake?

and we are supposed to be experts on official stamps and receipts now?

just an idea, how about clamping down on the agents?

Never point in Thailand unless Thai

[michemiche]

"Please be careful when applying through a visa extension agent, that the agent shows you an official receipt of 1,900 from Immigration, for your extension.

And how to do if the officer have charge you 5000 baths instead of 1900 and refuse to give you a receip ????

In Koh Samui recently for a 1 year retirement extension ... A classic here !

Me too 5,000Baht for a one year extension no receipt (Nathon, probably same officer)

Of course the same, and he have make me waiting all day until 4 pm, knowing i needed to go back to koh tao with the last boat. So a lot of stress all day and he win.

I hate this guy.

[n210mp]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Going to immigration and feeling like a criminal every 90 days is drag but it has to be done so just do it

and better to be safe than sorry.

Why would you feel like a criminal doing a 90 day report. I find it hard to understand why anyone would continue to do something they hate so much

Seriously, I was around 90% confident about leaving this place before this, after all that has transpired over the post couple of months, but this has topped it off. Thailand, kor hai mung chok dee. You are going to need it, So many people I know back home are really questioning their once paradise, you are screwed.

let us know when you leave and we will lock the door

You know Moe you are beginning to sound like a real jobsworth!

[n210mp]

Elephant in the room.elephant-in-the-room.jpg

What about the REAL extension stamps for annual retirement extensions (800K method) obtained without seasoned bank accounts via visa fixing agencies?

SSSSSHHHH you are not supposed to tell the truth!

[silent]

Some posters don't appear to be clear:

Extension once a year and must [should] be done in person - Immigration fee 1900฿

Ninety day report every 90 days and can be done by anyone you trust with your passport - Immigration fee 0฿

Another of the many experts in the land of assumption?

[Gandtee]

I can't understand why people would use an agency for so valuable and important a matter.....

Because it sucks waiting in an over crowded immigration room, surrounded by whining old guy's .

Why whining old guys? Old age will come to you sooner than expected. You now seem to be a whiner.

[Konini]

"Please be careful when applying through a visa extension agent, that the agent shows you an official receipt of 1,900 from Immigration, for your extension.

And how to do if the officer have charge you 5000 baths instead of 1900 and refuse to give you a receip ????

In Koh Samui recently for a 1 year retirement extension ... A classic here !

Me too 5,000Baht for a one year extension no receipt (Nathon, probably same officer)

Of course the same, and he have make me waiting all day until 4 pm, knowing i needed to go back to koh tao with the last boat. So a lot of stress all day and he win.

I hate this guy.

So instead of moaning about it, what about doing something about it? There is a department that looks into bribery allegations, and they are serious about it. They have a hotline, email etc. I'm sure you could find the link to them by searching on ThaiVisa or even google.

If everyone goes along with it, it will never change. It's only when people make a stand that it does. We were crossing into Cambodia once in Poipet. In Cambodia, entry by land and air Is a two part procedure'; you fill in the forms and pay at one counter, window or office then go to another counter, window or office, show them the receipt for the money you've just paid and they stamp your passport. It was our first time going through Poipet but I knew the procedure from other boarder crossings. As you arrive through no man's land, you have to walk through a kind of alleyway to get to the actual immigration office. A Cambodian immigration officer was funnelling everyone through this alleyway, although there was space for you to walk around. The charges were plain for everyone to see, in huge writing behind the officers. $20 for tourist visa $25 for business visal. An official, in uniform (there were several of them) was telling people it was $20 plus 200 baht. I questioned this, pointing to the sign that said $20. He said $20 plus 200 baht. Again I refused to pay and pointed to the sign. Again he said $20 plus 200 baht. There was a big queue starting to build up behind me, and he tried to get people to come up and bypass me. Because I was questioning it a lot of people behind me weren't pushing to get past, they were watching and nodding their heads. It only took a few people going through to realise that he was taking the 200 baht, giving them an arrival card and pointing them to the office to pay the $20 in US dollars. I stood my ground, my husband signed and sat down knowing we could be in for (another) long wait. One last time I said $20 and he said $20 plus 200 baht. By this stage nobody was going past me, they were all just watching and waiting. I said 'Is $20 for the arrival card?' He said yes. Gotcha. I said arrival card is free, they are in the office over there'. He waved me through mumbling away to himself. He backpackers behind me also walked through, and several others after them. Pretty much everyone who had stopped and were close enough to see or hear the exchange. I looked back as I got to the office, and he was back to it - $20 plus 200 baht. Several of the people who walked though without paying came up to me and thanked me, mostly backpackers, but a few expats presumably on border runs so they must have known the routine - one of them said 'They always do that, I hate it' Yeah, he hated it all right. He hated it so much that he usually paid it.

TLDR or the moral of the story, if everyone continues to pay bribes it will never end. Bribery takes 2 people. In Australia the person who gives the bribe is punished equally to the person receiving the bribe. It's easy. If you want to stop corruption, then stop contributing to it and do something about it. I reported the matter to a high ranking officer (going by the stars on the shoulder and medal ribbons) who spoke perfect English until he realised what I was saying and then 'No speaka de Inglis'. A second highly ranked officer did exactly the same. Of course they did, they're all in on it and all get a cut at the end of the day. I looked online for a department that I could report to, couldn't find one, so email bombed the Prime Minister, Immigration Minister, Foreign Affairs department, Justice department, police department, and several others - 28 emails in all. 2 bounced, I got no reply from any of the others. I knew I wouldn't. But at least I didn't just whinge about it, I actually made a stand both at the bribery attempt and followed it up by reporting to officers there then emailing 26 recipients that the email actually got through to.

Either stop complaining about it or do something about it. From little things, big things grow.

[dotpoom]

I can't understand why people would use an agency for so valuable and important a matter.....

Because it sucks waiting in an over crowded immigration room, surrounded by whining old guy's .

Am 12 years going to Immigration and strangely enough I never heard a "whining old guy....what does it sound like.....you perhaps?

[evadgib]

"Please be careful when applying through a visa extension agent, that the agent shows you an official receipt of 1,900 from Immigration, for your extension.

And how to do if the officer have charge you 5000 baths instead of 1900 and refuse to give you a receip ????

In Koh Samui recently for a 1 year retirement extension ... A classic here !

Me too 5,000Baht for a one year extension no receipt (Nathon, probably same officer)

Of course the same, and he have make me waiting all day until 4 pm, knowing i needed to go back to koh tao with the last boat. So a lot of stress all day and he win.

I hate this guy.

Anyone paying 5k for an extn costing 1900 since the sign went up @ that office only has themselves to blame.