59 minutes ago, opalred said:

i heard  they are building a lockup  at airport

for people that don't have a tm30 form

Some people actually come to this thread to provide information or to ask relevant questions about happenings and procedures at Promenada Immigration......although lately they have to wade through a lot of irrelevant gibberish such as this (or comments about CEC, Nancy, etc., etc.).   I know I'm wasting my breath here but please play elsewhere.

Anyone used G4T  for marriage extension? Do you need to book them or just turn up?

14 minutes ago, DavidOxon said:

Anyone used G4T  for marriage extension? Do you need to book them or just turn up?

from my experiences early january ,sure you can lob in, and take it from there,E/S did a hatrick of work to get my house in order,inside a hour from memory,and came back a couple days later  to pick up my passport all done perfectly and when picking up my passport ,had my ret visa all prepared with in 15mins.which is  due in a couple weeks time, now its just a matter of returning on my appointment day and time, to get a saloon passage for that stamp plus a re-entry stamp too,

excellent service so far, at very good rates compared to other visa agencys,and all done at Promenada, so no shuttle transport as my former visa agency had to provide,and so mutch easier all round for E/S , to go direct to Promenada G4T visa agency,these days

a  Ricky Nelson  good evening to all

 

8 hours ago, evenstevens said:

from my experiences early january ,sure you can lob in, and take it from there,E/S did a hatrick of work to get my house in order,inside a hour from memory,and came back a couple days later  to pick up my passport all done perfectly and when picking up my passport ,had my ret visa all prepared with in 15mins.which is  due in a couple weeks time, now its just a matter of returning on my appointment day and time, to get a saloon passage for that stamp plus a re-entry stamp too,

excellent service so far, at very good rates compared to other visa agencys,and all done at Promenada, so no shuttle transport as my former visa agency had to provide,and so mutch easier all round for E/S , to go direct to Promenada G4T visa agency,these days

a  Ricky Nelson  good evening to all

 

So you have to go to G4T at least 6 times a year if they are doing your extension of stay and 4 ninety day reports?

1 hour ago, Thailand said:

So you have to go to G4T at least 6 times a year if they are doing your extension of stay and 4 ninety day reports?

no way at all

the G4T retirement visa fee  of 3000 Baht does not include 90day reports

 this old champ will do his 90 day report, the sensible way by mail

therefore one less punter or in my previous cases one less visa agent, queing   at rhe 90day report desk at Promenada Immgr Dept ,

and E/S  saves  2100 baht from my previous fee of  my former  visa agent who included the 90 day reports in their fee, just,makes a lot of sense for  E/S to do it this way,we will see how it goes

and another major plus factor which weighed heavily in my changing  to  G4T visa agency,which i have previously posted on the board,is that for E/S, my trip to Promenada Immgr Dept is so mutch easier to drive to, from Maerim district , i  cross under 4 underpasses to reach it,and with luck do not stop at all

throw in the ample parking facilities,plus do a little shopping at Rimping , its a very nice ride to Promenada Immgr Dept,then before

 

its a Horses For Courses very good morning to all

2 minutes ago, evenstevens said:

no way at all

the G4T retirement visa fee  of 3000 Baht does not include 90day reports

 this old champ will do his 90 day report, the sensible way by mail

therefore one less punter or in my previous cases one less visa agent, queing   at rhe 90day report desk at Promenada Immgr Dept ,

and E/S  saves  2100 baht from my previous fee of  my former  visa agent who included the 90 day reports in their fee, just,makes a lot of sense for  E/S to do it this way,we will see how it goes

and another major plus factor which weighed heavily in my changing  to  G4T visa agency,which i have previously posted on the board,is that for E/S, my trip to Promenada Immgr Dept is so mutch easier to drive to, from Maerim district , i  cross under 4 underpasses to reach it,and with luck do not stop at all

throw in the ample parking facilities,plus do a little shopping at Rimping , its a very nice ride to Promenada Immgr Dept,then before

 

its a Horses For Courses very good morning to all

So now you are sending 90 days by post. 

 

Soon  be doing you extension of stay yourself when you realise how easy it is and how much money you save, but that was not a concern in the past but now you just keep telling us how much you save compared to when you were using the super dooper agent. 

Be interesting to see if G4T are afforded the same facilities when immigration returns to the old address.

56 minutes ago, Thailand said:

 

Be interesting to see if G4T are afforded the same facilities when immigration returns to the old address.

I'm guessing most of us will have popped our clogs before that day ever happens!

7 hours ago, Thailand said:

 

 

Soon  be doing you extension of stay yourself when you realise how easy it is and how much money you save, but that was not a concern in the past but now you just keep telling us

 doing  my future extension  retirement  visa,s  myself , at Promenada Immgr Dept, is always another option ,provided a  better    service  is    given

 

as for posting how much money , E/S is saving etc etc, just giving a Fair Dinkum heads up  on that matter, for members or guests  to take into consideration

 

if it is, so   easy as you   have   posted    above, to extend retirement visa,s  at the Prom Immgr Dept,   may E/S asked why you  hired a  line sitter to beat the rank and file punters  there a short time ago, how about it???

its a  very nice afternoon to all

The last two retirement extensions I've done -- in January, at the height of the "high season", I've been pleasantly surprised to amble in at 8:45 am, join a queue that was already having documents being examined and received a queue number for that day.  Here I expected to be turned away, but no such luck.  Never more than 20 in the queue both years.

 

Admittedly, I received a high queue number and was seen later in the afternoon, but it gave me a good reason to sit around Immigration all day and observe "the happiest place in Chiang Mai" in full operation.  The second year, actually I didn't do that the entire time because there was a movie I wanted to see at the cinema.  La La Land wasn't as good as the reviews.  I think I would have liked the drama in the Imm. office better.  But, the hot turkey sandwich, the day's special at Ragu Restaurant was very good.  Great way to use the turkey that remained on the carcasses after the Duke's Christmas feasts.

 

Let's see, big decision:  so-so movie and great meal at Ragu, with glass of wine, all for less than 500 baht or turn over 3000 baht to people in that strange office on the second floor of the mall -- you know, the one where you take documents you've already prepared into a store that has no clue as to the nature of their business and they tell you to come back a few hours later, or the next day for a quick run into the Imm. office for a photo.  Doesn't it make you wonder just how legit a business is when they don't advertise what it is they're selling with signs in or around their store?  To me, the answer is clear.

8 minutes ago, evenstevens said:

 doing  my future extension  retirement  visa,s  myself , at Promenada Immgr Dept, is always another option ,provided a  better    service  is    given

 

as for posting how much money , E/S is saving etc etc, just giving a Fair Dinkum heads up  on that matter, for members or guests  to take into consideration

 

if it is, so   easy as you   have   posted    above, to extend retirement visa,s  at the Prom Immgr Dept,   may E/S asked why you  hired a  line sitter to beat the rank and file punters  there a short time ago, how about it???

its a  very nice afternoon to all

I believe Thailand  used his brains

Got someone for a low cost to do the early bird sit

Good on you for forward thinking

Plus as NancyL said

It depends on the day

cm bob  is life that depressing cannot handle a little humor 

then to say don't say anything about your cec mate  

and to stick with immigration  news 

its free speech  not what you want

then post 969 your friend wants to promote

people that give money to her group

dukes restaurant and a rimping movie house on the site

and fits in la la land  

6 minutes ago, opalred said:

cm bob  is life that depressing cannot handle a little humor 

then to say don't say anything about your cec mate  

and to stick with immigration  news 

its free speech  not what you want

then post 969 your friend wants to promote

people that give money to her group

dukes restaurant and a rimping movie house on the site

and fits in la la land  

You know, I'm no longer on the Board of CEC.  I'm just a "private citizen" reporting on a nice day out at Promenada.  And I think I was clear that I didn't like La La Land.

 

Edit:  to remove the personal insult about how opalred belongs in La La Land. The movie did have its charms.

 

Nancy, are you really leaving us for Malaysia? I hope not -- but if so, I hope it's just because you and hubby want to broaden your horizons in your twilight years -- and not because of the cretins on this forum who don't appreciate your efforts made in their behalf. You have a thick skin, probably because you're comfortable within it. It's been fun to see you fan off the buzzing lesser life. 

 

Anyway, after all your hard efforts to learn the Thai language and the culture -- do you really think Malaysia will be a step up? Please reconsider -- and remain *the* stalwart amongst us farangs.

 

But, best of luck in whatever you and hubby decide.

4 hours ago, NancyL said:

:  so-so movie and great meal at Ragu, with glass of wine, all for less than 500 baht or turn over 3000 baht to people in that strange office on the second floor of the mall -- you know, the one where you take documents you've already prepared into a store that has no clue as to the nature of their business and they tell you to come back a few hours later, or the next day for a quick run into the Imm. office for a photo.  Doesn't it make you wonder just how legit a business is when they don't advertise what it is they're selling with signs in or around their store?  To me, the answer is clear.

 

The problem is that there are many first-timers who don't know the exact procedures and they have nobody to turn to except the agents.

 

The printed broken English doesn't help and the English skills of the interns need to be vastly improved.

 

So there is a need for the agents but jumping queues would still be considered illegal if money were taken by the officers without going to the government bank account first.

 

8 minutes ago, JimGant said:

 

 

Anyway, after all your hard efforts to learn the Thai language and the culture -- do you really think Malaysia will be a step up? Please reconsider -- and remain *the* stalwart amongst us farangs.

 

But, best of luck in whatever you and hubby decide.

 

I applaud Nancy for trying to learn Thai language and culture. I've been here only a few months and have seen many rude American retirees who are obnoxiously rude, loud, demanding and intolerant.

 

They still want to cling on their American culture and they forget that they are in a different country with different religion and culture.

 

Thai people look down on people who are hot-tempered and like to shout when their demands are not met.

 

5 minutes ago, EricTh said:

....many rude American retirees ....

Here we go again...those ugly Americans.

1 hour ago, JimGant said:

Nancy, are you really leaving us for Malaysia? I hope not -- but if so, I hope it's just because you and hubby want to broaden your horizons in your twilight years -- and not because of the cretins on this forum who don't appreciate your efforts made in their behalf. You have a thick skin, probably because you're comfortable within it. It's been fun to see you fan off the buzzing lesser life. 

 

Anyway, after all your hard efforts to learn the Thai language and the culture -- do you really think Malaysia will be a step up? Please reconsider -- and remain *the* stalwart amongst us farangs.

 

But, best of luck in whatever you and hubby decide.

 

Thank you Jim for your kind email.  No we're not leaving because of the cretins on this forum.  Actually, as you said, it's kind of fun swatting at them.   And stirring up the snakes in the pit with a sharp stick.  They won't crawl out from behind their keyboards to do any harm, after all.  I doubt any of them will show up at the alleged CM ThaiVisa gathering on Feb. 22 anyway.  

 

But, I've met my match with Chiang Mai Immigration.  Or rather, the lack of will of anyone in authority to change what's going on there.  Once I documented that the problem wasn't one of simple incompetence or lack of manpower or resources, but documented (to the Consular Corp) what it really was and how much money it brought in each month, our very own embassies and consulates lost interest in addressing the real reason the expat elderly are being exploited here.  It became a "cultural situation" that they couldn't address.  They said "we can't impose our cultural norms on Thailand"   I can't be totally blunt here, perhaps I may be when I leave, but I suspect I'll simply loose interest.  I've typed W-A-Y more on this post that I've already deleted, but by the time I get to Kota Kinabalu, I probably won't care.  

 

The foreign consular corp has bought into the latest shiny bauble that the head of CM Imm. dangles in from of them, time after time.  For a while, they had meeting after meeting about a new Chiang Mai-specific on-line appointment queue.  Such a program was developed but killed at the last minute, by CM Imm., at no cost to them?  Why?  Hmm?  Something about how Imm. couldn't accept "favors" from the private sector.  OK.  

 

Next shiny bauble:   "Fast Track for the Elderly".  Great concept.  Can you find anything about it on their website?  Any clue about how to access it?  If you're over age 70 and show up at 5 am does anyone show up to escort you to the special office on the 2nd floor of Prom.  Nope.  Actually this "Fast Track" program is indeed alive if you insist.

 

Anyone gone to a private hospital recently and needed visa assistance?  Probably not, but I'm still doing Lanna Care Net stuff, although lord knows why.  Anyway, the private hospitals used to provide visa-related assistance for their patients for free, but not anymore.  They're all charging fees that EXACTLY mirror the fees of that the unnamed, unlabeled business on the second floor of Promenada mall.  When I asked one of the private hospital customer service reps about this, he said they can no longer go into Imm. without sitting in the queues at 5 am.  It used to be that the hospitals had special access as a humanization service.  No longer.  They all have to use that second floor unnamed business that  charge the same fees as the retail customers.  They can't even use the "Priority Lane" for elderly patients.  That's just for customers who create good photo ops.  That "Priority Lane" is only offered when someone insists or when a Big Cheese is around who wants to get his photo taken with a nice looking elderly person to send to the consular corp via Line.

 

And I've attended too many conferences, fairs and events funded by various Thai gov't and non-govt groups intended to promote "Long Stay Thailand" where various Thai well-educated people, including some as high as cabinet level drone on in well-educated Thai that I can understand thanks to my YMCA training about how important we foreigner retirees are to the Thai economy.  And they run thru boring Power Point presentations about how they're standardizing spa treatments and massage schools, all to make Chiang Mai more attractive for foreign retirees (huh?).  They invite Immigration and Labor dept people to these seminars and somehow the people listed on the agenda always have pressing business and send underlings instead.  Underlings who don't speak English and read from nonsensical prepared statements where they spend 20 minutes thanking the organizers of the conference (and anyone else within hearing) for the opportunity to attend.  Seriously.  Highly educated Thai language is spoken very slowly with very high-flaunting vocabulary.  Conferences like these are the place to show that you know how to use it.  This is the type of Thai that I studied with a private tutor.  I spent years learning how to understand Thai bull-shit, I guess.

 

If you talk with the cabinet-level officials and conference organizers about what needs to be changed -- they all know.  It's all about Having retirement visas that longer than one year, (like 5 or 10 years), with more rock-solid financial requirements, including medical insurance, permitting ownership of primary home AND land, and permitting a retiree to work (maybe a limited number of hours per week) or do volunteer work, without the need for a work permit.  Eliminate need for constant reporting of the same information -- TM6. TM47, TM30  all the same redundant info.  All just create work for Imm. dept. justifying their employment and creating disincentives for retirement.  And above all eliminating the --- well, I'll just say it now, even before I leave Thailand.  Eliminate the corruption.  Corruption at the expense of the elderly.  Only in Chiang Mai.  I've had enough.

 

19 minutes ago, NancyL said:

 

Thank you Jim for your kind email.  No we're not leaving because of the cretins on this forum.  Actually, as you said, it's kind of fun swatting at them.   And stirring up the snakes in the pit with a sharp stick.  They won't crawl out from behind their keyboards to do any harm, after all.  I doubt any of them will show up at the alleged CM ThaiVisa gathering on Feb. 22 anyway.  

 

 

NancyL I would like to thank you for what you have tried to do.  You and I may have clashed a few times here but I know you have done a lot to help people in this community and it is not just your need to be a focus point. (sorry but it is honestly how I have seen you.)  I know from what you have tried to do that you are a nice person and I am sure you will be missed by many in Chiangmai (but not by Immigration).

I wish you the best of luck in your second home and remind you that you can always make a third home in Chiangrai.

52 minutes ago, harrry said:

NancyL I would like to thank you for what you have tried to do.  You and I may have clashed a few times here but I know you have done a lot to help people in this community and it is not just your need to be a focus point. (sorry but it is honestly how I have seen you.)  I know from what you have tried to do that you are a nice person and I am sure you will be missed by many in Chiangmai (but not by Immigration).

I wish you the best of luck in your second home and remind you that you can always make a third home in Chiangrai.

Wow, this was a surprise.  When I came back into ThaiVisa and saw that you had posted, I figured that "my fan club" had started to throw bricks already.  As I said to Jim Gant, you and your ilk are not the reason I'm leaving.  It is the "lack of will" on the part of people really in a position to make a positive change to do what they know is in their power to do.  And, also so many expats who also "lack will" to contribute to their community.  And by that I don't just mean the Thai community, but just simply the expat community.

 

I can't even find someone willing to take over organizing the Expat Ladies Lunches, yet 35 - 45 ladies show up twice a month.  How difficult a job can that be?

 

So many "takers" and so few "givers".

well, I'm going to saunter down for my yearly (family) extension about 7 in the morning.......will I strike it lucky and get a show in?

Will find out soon enough, but if not, i will adjust thursdays saunter to a little earlier.....

16 hours ago, evenstevens said:

 doing  my future extension  retirement  visa,s  myself , at Promenada Immgr Dept, is always another option ,provided a  better    service  is    given

 

as for posting how much money , E/S is saving etc etc, just giving a Fair Dinkum heads up  on that matter, for members or guests  to take into consideration

 

if it is, so   easy as you   have   posted    above, to extend retirement visa,s  at the Prom Immgr Dept,   may E/S asked why you  hired a  line sitter to beat the rank and file punters  there a short time ago, how about it???

its a  very nice afternoon to all

Scary response, is that what you've got?

 

 

You are reasonably smart, you can work it out?

10 hours ago, NancyL said:

 

Thank you Jim for your kind email.  No we're not leaving because of the cretins on this forum.  Actually, as you said, it's kind of fun swatting at them.   And stirring up the snakes in the pit with a sharp stick.  They won't crawl out from behind their keyboards to do any harm, after all.  I doubt any of them will show up at the alleged CM ThaiVisa gathering on Feb. 22 anyway.  

 

But, I've met my match with Chiang Mai Immigration.  Or rather, the lack of will of anyone in authority to change what's going on there.  Once I documented that the problem wasn't one of simple incompetence or lack of manpower or resources, but documented (to the Consular Corp) what it really was and how much money it brought in each month, our very own embassies and consulates lost interest in addressing the real reason the expat elderly are being exploited here.  It became a "cultural situation" that they couldn't address.  They said "we can't impose our cultural norms on Thailand"   I can't be totally blunt here, perhaps I may be when I leave, but I suspect I'll simply loose interest.  I've typed W-A-Y more on this post that I've already deleted, but by the time I get to Kota Kinabalu, I probably won't care.  

 

The foreign consular corp has bought into the latest shiny bauble that the head of CM Imm. dangles in from of them, time after time.  For a while, they had meeting after meeting about a new Chiang Mai-specific on-line appointment queue.  Such a program was developed but killed at the last minute, by CM Imm., at no cost to them?  Why?  Hmm?  Something about how Imm. couldn't accept "favors" from the private sector.  OK.  

 

Next shiny bauble:   "Fast Track for the Elderly".  Great concept.  Can you find anything about it on their website?  Any clue about how to access it?  If you're over age 70 and show up at 5 am does anyone show up to escort you to the special office on the 2nd floor of Prom.  Nope.  Actually this "Fast Track" program is indeed alive if you insist.

 

Anyone gone to a private hospital recently and needed visa assistance?  Probably not, but I'm still doing Lanna Care Net stuff, although lord knows why.  Anyway, the private hospitals used to provide visa-related assistance for their patients for free, but not anymore.  They're all charging fees that EXACTLY mirror the fees of that the unnamed, unlabeled business on the second floor of Promenada mall.  When I asked one of the private hospital customer service reps about this, he said they can no longer go into Imm. without sitting in the queues at 5 am.  It used to be that the hospitals had special access as a humanization service.  No longer.  They all have to use that second floor unnamed business that  charge the same fees as the retail customers.  They can't even use the "Priority Lane" for elderly patients.  That's just for customers who create good photo ops.  That "Priority Lane" is only offered when someone insists or when a Big Cheese is around who wants to get his photo taken with a nice looking elderly person to send to the consular corp via Line.

 

And I've attended too many conferences, fairs and events funded by various Thai gov't and non-govt groups intended to promote "Long Stay Thailand" where various Thai well-educated people, including some as high as cabinet level drone on in well-educated Thai that I can understand thanks to my YMCA training about how important we foreigner retirees are to the Thai economy.  And they run thru boring Power Point presentations about how they're standardizing spa treatments and massage schools, all to make Chiang Mai more attractive for foreign retirees (huh?).  They invite Immigration and Labor dept people to these seminars and somehow the people listed on the agenda always have pressing business and send underlings instead.  Underlings who don't speak English and read from nonsensical prepared statements where they spend 20 minutes thanking the organizers of the conference (and anyone else within hearing) for the opportunity to attend.  Seriously.  Highly educated Thai language is spoken very slowly with very high-flaunting vocabulary.  Conferences like these are the place to show that you know how to use it.  This is the type of Thai that I studied with a private tutor.  I spent years learning how to understand Thai bull-shit, I guess.

 

If you talk with the cabinet-level officials and conference organizers about what needs to be changed -- they all know.  It's all about Having retirement visas that longer than one year, (like 5 or 10 years), with more rock-solid financial requirements, including medical insurance, permitting ownership of primary home AND land, and permitting a retiree to work (maybe a limited number of hours per week) or do volunteer work, without the need for a work permit.  Eliminate need for constant reporting of the same information -- TM6. TM47, TM30  all the same redundant info.  All just create work for Imm. dept. justifying their employment and creating disincentives for retirement.  And above all eliminating the --- well, I'll just say it now, even before I leave Thailand.  Eliminate the corruption.  Corruption at the expense of the elderly.  Only in Chiang Mai.  I've had enough.

 

Good luck Nancy, we still prefer here to the many other places we have lived and considered.

 

T money is endemic here not going to change, you can see how a small venture less than 2 years ago (remember a couple of pm's I sent you ?) has proliferated in to a cash cow and apparently has now spread it's wings. 

 

It's the way it is and lip service is likely to be the best we can expect. 

 

And no, I don't think any 70 pluses have yet utilised the priority lane appointment system to take advantage of the new 5/10 year extension of stay schemes. 

11 hours ago, NancyL said:

But, I've met my match with Chiang Mai Immigration.  Or rather, the lack of will of anyone in authority to change what's going on there.  Once I documented that the problem wasn't one of simple incompetence or lack of manpower or resources, but documented (to the Consular Corp) what it really was and how much money it brought in each month, our very own embassies and consulates lost interest in addressing the real reason the expat elderly are being exploited here.  It became a "cultural situation" that they couldn't address.  They said "we can't impose our cultural norms on Thailand"   I can't be totally blunt here, perhaps I may be when I leave

This says it all Nancy: "..the problem wasn't one of simple incompetence or lack of manpower or resources, but documented (to the Consular Corp) what it really was and how much money it brought in each month..".

 

Thanks for all your efforts.

for the life of me, whats all the hassle about  Promenada Immgr Dept and G4T visa agency, plus Consular Corps  being  this??? and that ??? all speculation and moaning  from the usual disgruntled C/mai expats

in E/S case ,  my up and coming   retirement  extension visa will cost a total of 4,900 baht(3000 baht,G4T visa agent.. 1900 baht immgr dept) with  a small canter here and there

 honestly it does,nt come any easier then that, and a mere  4,900 baht price tag for a  express run,which will  give E/S another full  year to  enjoy my retirement ,how can one beat that for value

over many years ,have not encountered  any  major  problems  with C/mai Immgr Dept, perhaps a small hiccup here and there,but E/S,  just adjusted accordingly as my journey, retiring here in C/mai unfolded, so i have no axe to grind with  C/mai immgr dept at all, they have treated E/S with respect at all times,and i have always done the same

instead of mud raking C/mai Immgr Dept and G4T visa agency  plus Consular Corps  etc etc for this and that ,which  has been  posted on this thread over the last day or so, give it a break ,and be nice , it goes a hell of a long way here in Thailand, as in my very early days  E/S,  found that out. the hard way

its a  John Fogerty good morning to all

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, evenstevens said:

for the life of me, whats all the hassle about  Promenada Immgr Dept and G4T visa agency, plus Consular Corps  being  this??? and that ??? all speculation and moaning  from the usual disgruntled C/mai expats

in E/S case ,  my up and coming   retirement  extension visa will cost a total of 4,900 baht(3000 baht,G4T visa agent.. 1900 baht immgr dept) with  a small canter here and there

 honestly it does,nt come any easier then that, and a mere  4,900 baht price tag for a  express run,which will  give E/S another full  year to  enjoy my retirement ,how can one beat that for value

over many years ,have not encountered  any  major  problems  with C/mai Immgr Dept, perhaps a small hiccup here and there,but E/S,  just adjusted accordingly as my journey, retiring here in C/mai unfolded, so i have no axe to grind with  C/mai immgr dept at all, they have treated E/S with respect at all times,and i have always done the same

instead of mud raking C/mai Immgr Dept and G4T visa agency  plus Consular Corps  etc etc for this and that ,which  has been  posted on this thread over the last day or so, give it a break ,and be nice , it goes a hell of a long way here in Thailand, as in my very early days  E/S,  found that out. the hard way

its a  John Fogerty good morning to all

 

 

 

 

Speculation?

1 hour ago, evenstevens said:

for the life of me, whats all the hassle about  Promenada Immgr Dept and G4T visa agency, plus Consular Corps  being  this??? and that ??? all speculation and moaning  from the usual disgruntled C/mai expats

in E/S case ,  my up and coming   retirement  extension visa will cost a total of 4,900 baht(3000 baht,G4T visa agent.. 1900 baht immgr dept) with  a small canter here and there

 honestly it does,nt come any easier then that, and a mere  4,900 baht price tag for a  express run,which will  give E/S another full  year to  enjoy my retirement ,how can one beat that for value

over many years ,have not encountered  any  major  problems  with C/mai Immgr Dept, perhaps a small hiccup here and there,but E/S,  just adjusted accordingly as my journey, retiring here in C/mai unfolded, so i have no axe to grind with  C/mai immgr dept at all, they have treated E/S with respect at all times,and i have always done the same

instead of mud raking C/mai Immgr Dept and G4T visa agency  plus Consular Corps  etc etc for this and that ,which  has been  posted on this thread over the last day or so, give it a break ,and be nice , it goes a hell of a long way here in Thailand, as in my very early days  E/S,  found that out. the hard way

its a  John Fogerty good morning to all

 

 

 

 

By your own admission, E/S, you had all your documents in order when you elected to visit that business on the second floor of Prom. mall and paid them 3000 above the standard gov't fee for what, exactly?  The privilege of jumping the queue?  Not having to get up early in the morning?  Knowing you'd receive your extension that day and wouldn't be told to come back tomorrow.  What exactly did you get for your 3000 baht?  And is this service advertised or promoted anywhere on their premises?

 

More importantly, do foreign retirees in other provinces who are as switched on as you feel the need to pay 3000 baht to obtain the same level of service from their local immigration offices?  No.  

 

Visa agents do serve a valuable function for people who are clueless, need hand-holding, first-timers, etc.  But, why E/S, would someone who has it together like you claim to be ever need the services of a visa agent?  Any why only in Chiang Mai province?

E/S, Sorry your statement about the  Consular Corps is incorrect

Who was complaining about this?

Nancyl was asked to find information for them, she was just advising people about this

Because you well all know No Embassy Or Consulate can not visit Immigration without Prior warning

NancyL has tried her best to help everyone

It may not happen now but things could already be in motion

That is unless someone has a magical crystal ball to tell us!

Maybe if you were at the CEC AGM in January 2016 we were advised about these things what the  Consular Corps  were doing

Plus also at the long Stay Seminar

So i have seen at first hand what has been going on

Not guessing or 2nd or whatever hand it has been reported

I attended as i wanted to see for myself what is actually going on

We all have choices, but there are many who are on a fixed pension here for many year too

I am lucky i do not have to skimp and scrape each month too

Chiang Mai Immigration do have a lot to answer for but nothing will change unless the 2 officers in charge change their ways or get replaced IMHO

Well folks, I had a fairly smooth run this morning doing my annual family support extension.

I arrived at 7 AM and was 13th in the queue. 
An Imm lady handed out tickets at around 8:15/8:20, was expecting an after noon slot but grabbed what turned out to be the last morning interview. Finished at 11:45 and that's it for another year other than to pick up the stamp in about 6 weeks.
I think if I had of arrived 2 hours earlier I wouldn't of saved much time. The people in the line after me got the afternoon slots, so one could of turned up at about 8 and got a ticket for the afternoon. I talked to an older thai guy who was 1st in line......he got there at 9PM last night! he was basically holding the place for a young couple who I think were also on a family/spouse extension. They got out of there around 10AM.
Obviously each day will be different, so getting there at 7AM like I did may not assure you of a morning slot, and getting there at opening may not assure you of getting seen that day, but I'd say there's absolutely no need to arrive at ridiculous o'clock unless it's the last day you can apply or you like that sort of thing!

 

Some observations:
The retirement visa queue was HUGE,  some had been there since the wee hours. The tourist line was much the same.
All the staff I dealt with and observed were friendly and doing their jobs which has mostly always what I have observed over the last 11 years in CM.
The Work Experience uni interns, at least at the station in front of room 2&3 spoke quite good English, as opposed to what I had read here....just my observation.
I noticed he guy who runs the little thai kitchen was helping a lot of people out with what queue to go in etc prior to Imm opening.....nice of him, the food wasn't too bad either....I had a pad grapow moo!
Also I did notice that down this end of immigration the speaker system was quite clear....unfortunately all the people it's intended to be for are sitting where it isn't so clear. I'd say the repositioning or fitting of some extra speakers should help that.

Cheers everyone and may I just add that'll I'll be having a couple of icy cold frothy amber drinks later on to celebrate the start of another year in the kingdom.

The Blood Cat
 

bloody tiger

Thanks for sharing you detailed experience for today

Yes the Retirement extension visa and Tourist visa extension line will be busy for a while this time of the year

2 hours ago, NancyL said:

Visa agents do serve a valuable function for people who are clueless, need hand-holding, first-timers, etc.

I am sorry Nancy L. I normally respect and like what you do but I, and am sure a few others,  take exception to your remarks that we must be clueless, need hand holding or are a first timer to use an agent. You and others might be quite happy getting up at stupid times of the day, wandering around shopping Malls, watching, films and eating overpriced crap at your favourite restaurant, but I do not. Nor do I wish to get up at that stupid time in the morning to go and sit on a plastic seat for God knows how long when I can get the same thing done a different way by getting up at a reasonable hour of the day (after 10AM at the earliest!) paying some money and get driven out to the ‘zoo’, when necessary, for all of a max of 20 mins and back in the local for lunch. To me that is the ‘no brainer’.  Not the act of a clueless etc person. Each to their own.