Hotel booking to avoid TM-30

[FritzB]

Someone I know needs to extend their 30-day visa exempt stamp by another 30 days at immigration.

A TM-30 would be difficult to procure due to unspecified circumstances should Immigration require it. (They are staying at a house owned by Thais who feel providing a TM-30 is too much hassle.)

Could the matter be avoided by making a shortish hotel booking around the time of the extension, say 1-2 nights beginning on the day of the extension?

Exiting and re-entering the country is obviously another option, but they would prefer extension if possible.

Edited December 13, 2015 by FritzB

[Maestro]

Could the matter be avoided by making a shortish hotel booking around the time of the extension, say 1-2 nights beginning on the day of the extension?

Yes.

[ubonjoe]

If they checked into a hotel that does reporting online that would work. Checking in the day before would be best.

[Colabamumbai]

Under Thai law the homeowner must report foreign guests within 24 hours.

[ChaangNoi]

Under Thai law the homeowner must report foreign guests within 24 hours.

Yup, fine is 800 Baht (we paid it) but the lady told me the Thai not filing could go to jail. I find that hard to believe but whatever.

[MJCM]

If they checked into a hotel that does reporting online that would work. Checking in the day before would be best.

Joe, question if I may. How do you know / can tell that a Hotel does their reporting online?

I think if you go and ask the front desk, I think you will be met with or

Maybe when asked for a copy of your passport it would be good chance they do, but how to make certain before you (the OP) makes his way to Immigration and the Hotel

Edited December 13, 2015 by MJCM

[ubonjoe]

If they checked into a hotel that does reporting online that would work. Checking in the day before would be best.

Joe, question if I may. How do you know / can tell that a Hotel does their reporting online?

I think if you go and ask the front desk, I think you will be met with or

Maybe when asked for a copy of your passport it would be good chance they do, but how to make certain before you (the OP) makes his way to Immigration

I think you could go by the size and class of the hotel. A small hotel with just a few rooms might not do it. A good indication would be if they asked for your passport before doing the registration.

[FritzB]

The owners say if they must do the reporting then they'd rather not let their house. Too short notice to find anything else this time of the year...

[FritzB]

If they checked into a hotel that does reporting online that would work. Checking in the day before would be best.

If they extend, say, on day 25 of their visa exempt stamp, would they need to provide a hotel receipt for the next 5-6 days? Extending on the very last day can be a bit tricky.

Do you think it would be enough if they only stay at a hotel the night before?

[DanceAllNight]

ive extended a tourist visa twice and never had to use a TM 30...

[IMA_FARANG]

Yes, depends if it is worth the cost or not for the hotel.

Many hotels or residences will copy your passport on check-in and report your arrival on-line.

Common practice.

[FritzB]

ive extended a tourist visa twice and never had to use a TM 30...

They used not to care but many immigration offices are requesting it now. I had to do it a month ago.

[konying]

I can guarantee with certainty that immigration does NOT run a cross check and hardly ever access the database unless orders from the top.

I use to do reporting on line, then it stopped to work for unknown reason . Called to immigration , no one had any clues, finally got through to someone who had some idea.

He said system was changed so need to register again, which is really silly considering years of reporting.

From my end system did not change, just says to contact immigration.

Have not done a single report in few years, not a single word from immigration.

Have a few people staying long term, never reported them, every year give them receipt and they use it to extend the visa.

No questions asked, no calls received , nothing at all

[tinat]

"A TM-30 would be difficult to procure due to unspecified circumstances should Immigration require it. (They are staying at a house owned by Thais who feel providing a TM-30 is too much hassle.)"

Not unspecified, the fact is there, the Thai owners don't want to report the alien.

Aliens who don't want reporting have a reason for it, and the biggest one I can think of is "to do bad things", why do your Thai friends and your friend have such a problem reporting an address ?

[FritzB]

"A TM-30 would be difficult to procure due to unspecified circumstances should Immigration require it. (They are staying at a house owned by Thais who feel providing a TM-30 is too much hassle.)"

Not unspecified, the fact is there, the Thai owners don't want to report the alien.

Aliens who don't want reporting have a reason for it, and the biggest one I can think of is "to do bad things", why do your Thai friends and your friend have such a problem reporting an address ?

The Thais are not my friends and I don't know for sure. I suspect the owners are a sickly and elderly couple who live in Bangkok and let their holiday home in Rayong when they aren't using it. All communication is handled by their daughter as she speaks English, but she's a flight stewardess not based in Thailand so not often here.

I think they feel it's simply too much work, but I don't know for sure. It's too short notice to find anything else this time of the year, hopefully the hotel thing will help.

My friends have no problem with reporting their address. They didn't know they need to and were surprised to find out that the owners don't want to. They were offered their money back but can't find any other decent accommodation this time of the year so don't want to cancel.

Edited December 14, 2015 by FritzB

[ubonjoe]

If they checked into a hotel that does reporting online that would work. Checking in the day before would be best.

If they extend, say, on day 25 of their visa exempt stamp, would they need to provide a hotel receipt for the next 5-6 days? Extending on the very last day can be a bit tricky.

Do you think it would be enough if they only stay at a hotel the night before?

They only want to see where you are staying on the date you apply. For a tourist there is no need for proof of where you are staying for the remainder of your stay.