ED 90 Day Exstension Report

[monk213]

I am a student who has been learning Thai at the same school now into my 4th year of schooling, this was my first extension on my current visa. This is what happened.

It was a Monday so I knew there would be a lot of people so I got there nice and early and found there wasn't many people, when I left however at around 9am there was a lot more. I live in Hua Hin and my school told me that here the immigration has yet to start doing any form of testing on ED students, one TV poster pointed out that I should not rely on my schools word but I debated that because I know my school, the staff and I understand that they know the score.

I got my number and sat down and waited, I didn't have to wait too long and after filling out the form I was called up to present my passport and documents. I said 'sa wa dee krap' as you do and he responded likewise. He then started to look at my passport and then in English pointed to my documents and said 'what is this' to which I replied in Thai that it is my documents for my school, I am a student. He was very thorough with looking through the documents and my passport for that matter but he was a nice chap as far as immigration officers go. The first Thai exchange we had was the only Thai words he spoke for the rest of the situation. Everything he said to me was in English and I spoke mostly in Thai.

Now I had no arrival card in my passport as I have lost it, he didn't even mention it or bring it up whatsoever. Also, I had forgot to mention I had changed my place of residence and he simply told me to rewrite it down on a form in English, so I did. He didn't complain or make an issue of it at all.

He kept looking through the documents and as I said he was very thorough but not stern or anything like that, quite monotone to be honest. After some time He stamped me 3 months, yes that's right folks 3 months so I have until the 20th of April until I have to go back, which by then my school says that I probably will have tests at the immigration office.

I handed over 2,000 baht and sat myself down and waited for the last phase where they take the 1,900, give a receipt and your passport back. Always check the date of the stamp to make sure that they have got it correct.

So that was my immigration visit today, all in all it went very very well considering I am a 4 year student, there is all this talk of people getting 1 - 2 month extensions and people getting grilled and tested on their Thai abilities. Have a good day all and if you are a student I wish you all the best of luck. It seems the places not to be studying are Pattaya and Bangkok, 2 places I dislike in general anyway.

Edited January 12, 2015 by monk213

[monk213]

Just in case anybody thinks that I am making up the whole 3 months given to me then here is proof. Also I went looking like I do in the picture because of my 3 broken teeth, maybe the mask helped him not want to converse in some way, so maybe try wearing a mask next time you guys an gals go

[ubonjoe]

No reason to doubt you.

Bangkok is the only office that is a giving 60 day extensions. I have not seen a report of any other office doing it.

[monk213]

No reason to doubt you.

Bangkok is the only office that is a giving 60 day extensions. I have not seen a report of any other office doing it.

Why is it only happening in Bangkok? I swear that I read somebody from Pattaya stating it also. My school also is still going with 2 days of lessons a week amounting to 4 hours, none of this 8 hour business being talked about, then again it could be different from place to place.

I am just so surprised that at being a 4 year student I was not even quizzed a single bit on my Thai, he just spoke English to me the entire time.

I am sure you don't doubt me but there will be some out there who will, for whatever reason there are some people who bash and automatically dislike someone if they are on an ED, I don't know why..

Edited January 12, 2015 by monk213

[bbi1]

No reason to doubt you.

Bangkok is the only office that is a giving 60 day extensions. I have not seen a report of any other office doing it.

Why is it only happening in Bangkok? I swear that I read somebody from Pattaya stating it also. My school also is still going with 2 days of lessons a week amounting to 4 hours, none of this 8 hour business being talked about, then again it could be different from place to place.

Did the documents your school prepare say you were only studying 4hrs a week?

[monk213]

No reason to doubt you.

Bangkok is the only office that is a giving 60 day extensions. I have not seen a report of any other office doing it.

Why is it only happening in Bangkok? I swear that I read somebody from Pattaya stating it also. My school also is still going with 2 days of lessons a week amounting to 4 hours, none of this 8 hour business being talked about, then again it could be different from place to place.

Did the documents your school prepare say you were only studying 4hrs a week?

I have no idea, there are so many pages and after 4 years I trust them to be competent enough to sort it out fine enough that I only have to sign where needed and take the documents with me.

[ebonykap]

No reason to doubt you.

Bangkok is the only office that is a giving 60 day extensions. I have not seen a report of any other office doing it.

Why is it only happening in Bangkok? I swear that I read somebody from Pattaya stating it also. My school also is still going with 2 days of lessons a week amounting to 4 hours, none of this 8 hour business being talked about, then again it could be different from place to place.

I am just so surprised that at being a 4 year student I was not even quizzed a single bit on my Thai, he just spoke English to me the entire time.

I am sure you don't doubt me but there will be some out there who will, for whatever reason there are some people who bash and automatically dislike someone if they are on an ED, I don't know why..

Hi monk, glad it was plain sailing for you. I had the same experiences with 3 years of ED extensions.

You are right about the bashing. I got fed up with some posters who would say ALL people on ED visas MUST be rorting the system (admittedly SOME are). My plan originally was to come to Thailand and study Thai for 1 year while I decided whether I wanted to stay. I found the language difficult, so I ended up doing 3 years. On a long-stay (retirement) extension now and couldn't be happier. I would readily admit I used the system, but I didn't abuse it....there is a difference.

Anyway, ignore the "holier than thous" as I do, they probably can't speak Thai and are envious. Ignore them and they WILL go away.....as soon as you exit the site!

Cheers!

[monk213]

No reason to doubt you.

Bangkok is the only office that is a giving 60 day extensions. I have not seen a report of any other office doing it.

Why is it only happening in Bangkok? I swear that I read somebody from Pattaya stating it also. My school also is still going with 2 days of lessons a week amounting to 4 hours, none of this 8 hour business being talked about, then again it could be different from place to place.

I am just so surprised that at being a 4 year student I was not even quizzed a single bit on my Thai, he just spoke English to me the entire time.

I am sure you don't doubt me but there will be some out there who will, for whatever reason there are some people who bash and automatically dislike someone if they are on an ED, I don't know why..

Hi monk, glad it was plain sailing for you. I had the same experiences with 3 years of ED extensions.

You are right about the bashing. I got fed up with some posters who would say ALL people on ED visas MUST be rorting the system (admittedly SOME are). My plan originally was to come to Thailand and study Thai for 1 year while I decided whether I wanted to stay. I found the language difficult, so I ended up doing 3 years. On a long-stay (retirement) extension now and couldn't be happier. I would readily admit I used the system, but I didn't abuse it....there is a difference.

Anyway, ignore the "holier than thous" as I do, they probably can't speak Thai and are envious. Ignore them and they WILL go away.....as soon as you exit the site!

Cheers!

You had an easy extension day as well did you, good to hear. Where in Thailand are you residing by the way if you don't mind me asking?

Two things have helped me A LOT with the language outside of the classroom, one is having a girlfriend who barely speaks English so we converse in Thai every day and whenever we talk, the second is simply mingling with Thai locals. I used to, and still do at times head to the beach at night with a few beers and approach a group of Thais who are drinking. There are always groups of them with a guitar or whatever having a good time, and I introduce myself in Thai and politely ask if I can sit and drink with them. I can only remember them saying no once in the 3 or so years I have been doing this. Hua Hin is pretty safe though so I am not worried about a Koh Tao incident.

Those posters who bash ED applicants, they don't annoy me as such, it's just ignorant and comes across as being bitter.It is mainly the retired guys I have found, they will probably be gone in a decade or two, literally.

[Issangeorge]

Monk213, it sounds to me like the immigration officer was asking you questions in English, but you were answering in Thai, and perhaps he realized you knew a lot of Thai, so must have been going to school. Personally being an old retired guy, who can qualify for a non o, and extend it based on either retirement or marriage, I just feel happy I can stay here completely legally and don't have to worry about my visa. I have no problems with anyone who is on any kind of Visa, legitimate or not. If you are truly here on a non o ED, and using it for its proper purpose, I think that's great, if you are using it just so you can stay in the country, I have no problem with that either. I think the Thai government should make it easier for people to live here and contribute. This is the 21st century and more and more jobs are going to have no fixed address, so why not attract those people to live in Thailand, and if they are not actually doing work that affects Thailand, let them be. Maybe call it a non o, and them give them an extension based on having a home here, with the same income requirements as for a retirement extension.

[louse1953]

Did ya get your 100 baht change?

[csabo]

What does it mean when you speak Thai and he speaks English? Is that not a subtle way of the IO saying "Your embarrassing yourself, just speak English"?

[monk213]

What does it mean when you speak Thai and he speaks English? Is that not a subtle way of the IO saying "Your embarrassing yourself, just speak English"?

I wasn't embarrassed, quite the opposite in fact. I only spoke when I was spoken to and he didn't speak much anyway. What would it look like as a 4 year student to sit there and not speak a word of Thai, I obviously didn't do anything wrong because I got the best treatment and let off of at least 2 faults without even a hint at being in the wrong. But no I didn't get embarrassed or feel as if they could make fun of me because my ego is not that big, maybe you have this problem?