Could sham marriages in Thailand be enabling foreign criminals?

[mosan]

A friend pointed out a farang to me the other day and told me he's....wait for it .......28 yrs overstay yes 28...he only speaks fluent Thai and is black from working in the fields all day and the only thing that gives him away is his nose.i thought to myself if he's on the run it must be more serious than 28 yrs hard labour and living on rice.

I'd like to chime in on this and say that you probably haven't been paying close enough attention. If you live in Thailand, you should have noticed by now that Black people (of African decent) and most Thais have the same type of noses...meaning flat and wide. And, sometimes really round nostrils. I doubt that a nose would give a person's ancestry away.

On the other hand, many people here are living in denial that their hosts, friends, girlfriends and wives have traits more common with Africans than Caucasians.

Now if you had said the only thing that gives him away is his curly (kinky) hair, then I would have been with you 100 percent!

And I won't elaborate on that "he's on the run" jab you took...but at least you let us know how you think.

[55Jay]

A friend pointed out a farang to me the other day and told me he's....wait for it .......28 yrs overstay yes 28...he only speaks fluent Thai and is black from working in the fields all day and the only thing that gives him away is his nose.i thought to myself if he's on the run it must be more serious than 28 yrs hard labour and living on rice.

I'd like to chime in on this and say that you probably haven't been paying close enough attention. If you live in Thailand, you should have noticed by now that Black people (of African decent) and most Thais have the same type of noses...meaning flat and wide. And, sometimes really round nostrils. I doubt that a nose would give a person's ancestry away.

On the other hand, many people here are living in denial that their hosts, friends, girlfriends and wives have traits more common with Africans than Caucasians.

Now if you had said the only thing that gives him away is his curly (kinky) hair, then I would have been with you 100 percent!

And I won't elaborate on that "he's on the run" jab you took...but at least you let us know how you think.

I'm so assimilated, I saw a Jingly riding a bike on my soi near the village market. Stopped me dead in my tracks. I stared at him and for a brief moment, had the urge to point and say, "Farang! Farang!".

[Felt 35]

If this is about legality why do not make it mandatory for foreigners to apply for any kind of Visa, settlement and family reunion at the respective Thai embassies in their home countries?

[jerico2017]

If this is about legality why do not make it mandatory for foreigners to apply for any kind of Visa, settlement and family reunion at the respective Thai embassies in their home countries?

They do.

You must start off with a NON-IMM visa issued from a Thai Consulate abroad. When it gets close to expiring you apply for a 1 year- extension of stay.

Good luck with that.

Look into it. It is quite clear your (all of us) not wanted here, but your money is. Take my word for it, or learn the lesson yourself.

[GOLDBUGGY]

So what next? I mean besides all the paper work now and proof of funds, proof of your marriage with photos, interviews, witnesses and even home visits from the police to get more information about you to get your yearly extension, even after several years of marriage to the same person, can we now expect to have to provide a Criminal Records Check from our Home Countries, which is very difficult to get from here?

[dutchisaan]

Here is one definition of Thainess:

When a immigration officers accepts bribes (look it up on wikipedia for source), and as a result some bombings happen is to blame sham marriages. All extension of stay applicants must now get a home interview.

Ask the interviewer: Why home visit?: Answer: Because of the shrine bombings, oh, by the way I need some money because me and my pals used my personal vehicle to come interview you today.

You just can't make this stuff up. End one corruption scheme, and more will spring up to take its place. LOL

I am sure glad I left.

Well, I'm happy you left to, but one question.

Why do you still post on this form???

[dcnx]

Dont you have to proof your marriage with photos, interviews, witnesses and even home visits to get a year extension?

Yes, if they went by the book. However, a lot of corruption and laziness on the officials are to blame for their inaction in following all of the rules. So they will just take it out on the foreigners. When I applied for my visa they came to the house and talked with neighbors and spoke to the family and looked around. It's not hard to see if a foreigner lives there. We accumulate much more valuable things than a Thai would and have many conveniences that Thais don't care about.

Really? My neighbour owns 4 Porsches, 2 Ferraris and a Lamborghini. How many do you own?

So you live next to a Thai criminal or someone deeply involved in corruption.

[Felt 35]

If this is about legality why do not make it mandatory for foreigners to apply for any kind of Visa, settlement and family reunion at the respective Thai embassies in their home countries?

They do.

You must start off with a NON-IMM visa issued from a Thai Consulate abroad. When it gets close to expiring you apply for a 1 year- extension of stay.

Good luck with that.

Look into it. It is quite clear your (all of us) not wanted here, but your money is. Take my word for it, or learn the lesson yourself.

I meant to include " go through the same screening as a Thai when she / he apply for visa, settlement or family reunion to the West"

[Gary A]

The worst career criminals I know of were/are on legal visas and live in Pattaya. They should start on them. As for myself, I'm legally married and have never had a support visa. A retirement visa is much easier.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Gary A

[OMGImInPattaya]

Maybe Overstayers looking for protection from immigration

How would getting married fix an overstay? And considering a main reason for overstays is a lack of funds for a visa run or to return home,how would talking on the obligations of married life (or stumping up for a sham marriage) help their situation?

[NCFC]

Here comes the crackdown on married folks. The criminal element is just a smokescreen

[Tomtomtom69]

An Immigration officer told me at the beginning of March that he had already arrested about 20 people living in sham marriages. Racist bit coming up: he mentioned Uganda, Nigeria and a couple of other countries in that region. Buriram province.

Nothing racist about mentioning that. And little surprise really.

In the same way it's not racist to mention that having a white face in Thailand often invites overcharging - the practice may be racist but acknowledging it occurs is just plain fact.

[Tomtomtom69]

By marrying Thai nationals, they are entitled to stay here long term with minimal oversight from immigration authorities – just a visa renewal once a year, according to the Bangkok Post.

...and report your address every 90 days and report to Thai Immigration via a TM28 every time you leave your residence for longer than 24 hours. Hate to inform the BP, but we are all treated exactly like criminals - all of us foreign men married to Thai women. Thai convicts on parole have less stringent reporting requirements. This article simple adds fuel to the fires of xenophobia.

Nobody bothers with the TM28 report, most immigration officers haven't even heard of it. Why start bothering with it in the first place.

OK, 90 day reporting is a given, but writing down your address on the immigration arrivals form you receive when you enter the country is enough. No need to state it again, and again. Once upon arrival is enough and that's all I've ever done and all I'll ever do.

[Tomtomtom69]

Dont you have to proof your marriage with photos, interviews, witnesses and even home visits to get a year extension?

No you don't. Three photographs with your wife are fine. No interviews, no witnesses and never had a home visit.

That's good to know because the reports I've heard of immigration coming past to question neighbors you don't even know is seriously creepy. I don't know my neighbors as they don't seem to want to get to know anyone else, so the thought of them talking about me, given they don't even know my name (nor do I know theirs), what they do, or who they are is seriously off putting.

Also, what if all your neighbors are westerners? Are they going to interview all those people too? Or will they not be game enough because they can't speak enough English? Many of my immediate neighbors happen to be westerners.

[Ireland32]

Maybe Overstayers looking for protection from immigration

How would getting married fix an overstay? And considering a main reason for overstays is a lack of funds for a visa run or to return home,how would talking on the obligations of married life (or stumping up for a sham marriage) help their situation?

. Instead of Overstay, They are Marrying

[55Jay]

There was one guy in the threads a couple weeks ago, leaving his job after 1 year here. Among several darts thrown at the dart board, one was seeking a "kind hearted" preferably non-drinking TVF member as an investor in his latest business idea. A few days later, he came back asking about how marriage extensions worked/requirements, etc. At the end of all the advice he got, "Thanks guys!", said he had decided to marry his 50 year old Thai girlfriend.

Looked him up on LinkedIn, he's a 20 something y/o Indian national. Don't know what he ended up doing but it seemed rather obvious that getting married was just a means to an end.

[JAG]

There was one guy in the threads a couple weeks ago, leaving his job after 1 year here. Among several darts thrown at the dart board, one was seeking a "kind hearted" preferably non-drinking TVF member as an investor in his latest business idea. A few days later, he came back asking about how marriage extensions worked/requirements, etc. At the end of all the advice he got, "Thanks guys!", said he had decided to marry his 50 year old Thai girlfriend.

Looked him up on LinkedIn, he's a 20 something y/o Indian national. Don't know what he ended up doing but it seemed rather obvious that getting married was just a means to an end.

Somehow I suspect that this is aimed rather more at the 20 odd year old Indian nationals marrying a 50 year old Thai "girlfriend" than it is aimed at those of us married for some time with children. There now, if that is racist ( I don't think it is) so be it.

[55Jay]

There was one guy in the threads a couple weeks ago, leaving his job after 1 year here. Among several darts thrown at the dart board, one was seeking a "kind hearted" preferably non-drinking TVF member as an investor in his latest business idea. A few days later, he came back asking about how marriage extensions worked/requirements, etc. At the end of all the advice he got, "Thanks guys!", said he had decided to marry his 50 year old Thai girlfriend.

Looked him up on LinkedIn, he's a 20 something y/o Indian national. Don't know what he ended up doing but it seemed rather obvious that getting married was just a means to an end.

Somehow I suspect that this is aimed rather more at the 20 odd year old Indian nationals marrying a 50 year old Thai "girlfriend" than it is aimed at those of us married for some time with children. There now, if that is racist ( I don't think it is) so be it.

Agreed. If Immi wants to hump 100 kliks out to my basha and back, they are more than welcome to. They haven't yet. Up to them.

[drgoon]

What's it likely to cost for a Thai wife......

[klikster]

Why 62 ?

It used to be 55, but 62 is a strange number ?

I guess you are in your early 60's ?

When I first moved here it was 60.

Edited April 15, 2016 by klikster

[SABloke]

Dont you have to proof your marriage with photos, interviews, witnesses and even home visits to get a year extension?

Yes, if they went by the book. However, a lot of corruption and laziness on the officials are to blame for their inaction in following all of the rules. So they will just take it out on the foreigners. When I applied for my visa they came to the house and talked with neighbors and spoke to the family and looked around. It's not hard to see if a foreigner lives there. We accumulate much more valuable things than a Thai would and have many conveniences that Thais don't care about.

Really? My neighbour owns 4 Porsches, 2 Ferraris and a Lamborghini. How many do you own?

So you live next to a Thai criminal or someone deeply involved in corruption.

No, I just live in Bangkok