Gaybutton Posted September 18, 2009 Posted September 18, 2009 The following appears in the CHIANG MAI MAIL: _____ Crackdown on Back-to-Back 60-day Tourist Visas CMM reporters A further crackdown on 60-day tourist visas by Immigration authorities has been announced through Thai Embassies and Consulates in neighbouring countries and will be effective immediately. Applicants will be subject to increased screening and may have their re-entry visa refused. The announcement reads as follows: Quote
Guest HeyGay Posted September 18, 2009 Posted September 18, 2009 I have friends in Laos today and phoned to say No problems there getting there 60 day visa, at the Thai Consulate, with over 8 back to backs. So I dont know where its happening and GT says he got one from Cambodia, with 10 back to backs, so any one been stopped getting a Visa yet we know of. Quote
Gaybutton Posted September 18, 2009 Author Posted September 18, 2009 I dont know where its happening That's the problem, isn't it? Nobody, including the immigration authorities, knows what's going on. That means whenever some official decides, apparently at whim, that you don't get to have another visa, then now you're up Shit Creek. Instead of knowing what to expect, with these rules you never know whether you'll be granted another visa or not. Another problem . . . even if you are granted a new visa, Immigration can still deny entry to Thailand upon arrival if they so choose. So, now you have two gauntlets to run, and unless you are eligible for a long term non-immigrant visa, those are gauntlets you'll have to run every 60 days. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted September 19, 2009 Posted September 19, 2009 I have a friend who has a residence in BKK and one in Pattaya. He usually renews his retirement visa in BKK, but this time he renewed it in Pattaya since he was stay here for a period of time. He uses the embassy letter for proof of financial solvency. In BKK he never has had to get a letter from his Thai bank so when he went to Pattaya office he didn't have the letter. The immigration officer told him he had to have it. Since the bank where he opened his account is in BKK, it would have meant he would have to go back to BKK to get the letter. After a lot of haggling and 3 trips to immigration, without having to go to BKK, he was finally able to get his renewal. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted September 19, 2009 Posted September 19, 2009 Again this letter seems to be a Pattaya thing! Here in Ubon, neither bank I deal with (Bangkok and Siam Comm.) know anything about any such letter, and I dealt with people that converse well in English. Last year the bank finnaly typed out a letter saying I had an account, but Immigration never read it or hardly looked at it....as if they had no idea why the letter was in my package. This time I will go with no letter (in December) and see what happens??? Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted September 19, 2009 Posted September 19, 2009 I would suggest having the letter just in case. Try to hand in your papers without giving it to them first and see what happens. Quote
Gaybutton Posted September 19, 2009 Author Posted September 19, 2009 In BKK he never has had to get a letter from his Thai bank so when he went to Pattaya office he didn't have the letter. The immigration officer told him he had to have it. I'm not surprised. This kind of inconsistency is so typical of just about everything in Thailand. Because I was always asked to produce the letter when I renew in Pattaya, until the above posts I assumed that it's a requirement at all immigration offices. I've never attempted to renew anywhere else. And since apparently only Pattaya requires it, the banks have managed to cash in. They all have the template for the letter in their computers. All they have to do is add your name and account information, and then print out the letter . . . for 200 baht. Quote
Guest lester1 Posted September 19, 2009 Posted September 19, 2009 There are two opposing viewpoints here. One is the annoyance showed by those who feel that they never get an absolute straight answer from any Thai authority about a matter important to them, be it visa, bank account or rules for owning a business. The other side of the coin is those who realise that with a little effort and willingness never to take no for an answer,that they can eventually find a way round their problem. They will find a back door entry into way of getting what they want. Numerous posts on this message board show that eventually a way round a law can be found. This means that there is a way of doing things, a uniquely Asian way. Its almost like a computer hack but in real time and with real people. So forget the western outlook and buy into the Thai way of doing things. They do. Quote
Gaybutton Posted September 20, 2009 Author Posted September 20, 2009 So forget the western outlook and buy into the Thai way of doing things. They do. I agree with you. There is one little problem, though; trying to figure out just what the Thai way is. Quote
Gaybutton Posted September 21, 2009 Author Posted September 21, 2009 Hmm, that's interesting. I renewed my 1 year to 5 year in May, and I had to be there for my photograph to be taken and put on the licence. Next time, so will Geezer. In the past you had to supply the photos yourself. Within the past couple years they installed a new system and now it's all done with computers, which means you need to be there. Geezer probably renewed his license prior to the new system. My own license is still one of the old types. Also, apparently they are also requiring a few physical tests, such as reaction time and that sort of thing. Quote
Guest frodo Posted September 22, 2009 Posted September 22, 2009 For my 1 to 5 year renewal, no tests of any kind were required - just paperwork. However, recently my friend renewed his 5 year licence, and he did have to do the various tests (colour blindness, reaction time and peripheral/depth vision). Also he sat down to watch a 45 minute video, but got away with that as it was not working. Quote
2lz2p Posted September 22, 2009 Posted September 22, 2009 The presentation at the August 23 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club was about getting and renewing a Thai driving license. The speakers were from the Land Transport Office. The following excerpts from the Club's Newsletter notes the speaker advised those in the audience that had a Thai driving license would find that things have changed when they go to renew. She (Emcee) then called upon our distinguished guest, Khun Kahorn Whangchit, Chief of the Banglamung Branch of the Chonburi Provincial Land Transport Office. Khun Kahorn thanked the Club for the invitation, but as he did not speak much English, he called on Khun Kanchana Sanamchai from their Rayong Land Transport branch office to give the presentation. Khun Kanchana then proceeded to explain how to obtain a Thai driving license for either a car or motorcycle (a separate license is needed for each). She called for a show of hands on how many in the audience had a Thai driving license and noted that there were many. She then said that because of recent changes, the procedure would not be the same as it was when most got their license. She mentioned that there were now three eye tests, one to test for depth perception, another to test for lateral vision, and a third to test for color blindness. The coordination test consists of a device that requires one to demonstrate how quickly they can hit the brake when signaled to do so. Quote
Guest HeyGay Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 The presentation at the August 23 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club was about getting and renewing a Thai driving license. The speakers were from the Land Transport Office. The following excerpts from the Club's Newsletter notes the speaker advised those in the audience that had a Thai driving license would find that things have changed when they go to renew. quote/) All very Interesting for another thread as those who would be interested in Driving Licenses, would not be looking on this post for it Quote
mahjongguy Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 Yes, there has been a change in policy regarding the issuance of 60-day tourist visas. Thai embassies and consulates worldwide will be checking applications to see if you have been living here on back-to-back tourist visas. If so, then you: - may be given a visa but with a red stamp warning that you may not get one next time - may be interviewed to determine if perhaps you are illegally employed here - may be required to provide address and contact info so that you can be investigated - may be denied a visa. The intention is to put the squeeze on those living here and working without a permit or proper visa. If you can prove that you have tons of funds then it may not be a problem, although they may still insist that you return to you your home country and get the appropriate Non-Immigrant visa (O, O-A, B, ED, etc.). If this issue affects you then you'd best follow it on ThaiVisa.Com where you will get facts and the b/s is filtered out by excellent moderators like "lopburi3". Quote
Gaybutton Posted September 23, 2009 Author Posted September 23, 2009 I have some new Information about 60 day visas, which could be quite alarming to some, a friend went to the Thai/Cambodia Border yesterday and was told they must give the correct address and phone number, as Immigration are going to come round a few random selected address, to see if you do live there and they want your correct phone number in Thailand to ascertain where your income is coming from and in some cases proof of this. Since when is having a phone number a requirement or a 60-day visa? I know of no tourist or non-immigrant visas that require a phone number. On some applications there is a space for a phone number, but if people don't have one they just leave the space blank. If they insist on a telephone number, if you don't have a phone of your own giving the number of a friend or your hotel is acceptable. I know of no requirement to even report a lost or stolen telephone. Also, if you give your own phone number, I know of no requirement to turn on the telephone at all if you do not wish to do so. Also, a 60-day visa is a tourist visa. They ask that an initial address be provided, but there is nothing that says a tourist can't travel around the country at will and there is no requirement for anyone to report an address change on a tourist visa. I do think, however, that immigration officials are going to be a lot tougher on people who enter the country on back-to-back tourist visas. Quote
Guest Patexpat Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 Also, a 60-day visa is a tourist visa. They ask that an initial address be provided, but there is nothing that says a tourist can't travel around the country at will and there is no requirement for anyone to report an address change on a tourist visa. Other than the hotel, guest house or individual providing accommodation for said person. The Immigration online reporting system includes visa id, visa type and TM number amongst other things .... Quote
Guest HeyGay Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 Yes I do agree with you GB I do not know how they can police if you Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 must be a back lash if they pursue this road I Quote
Gaybutton Posted September 23, 2009 Author Posted September 23, 2009 HeyGay is definitely right in that the whole point of what they are trying to do is crack down on those who try to use these visas as a means of getting around the long-term visa requirements. They want to get rid of as many scofflaws and deadbeats as they can, and with good reason. One thing is certain. Thailand does not play games with immigration and visa issues. While the average traffic cop might spend a good portion of his day trying to get, shall we say 'tips,' it is an entirely different matter when it comes to immigration. Something I have never understood is just why they set an age minimum of 50 as being eligible for the retirement visa. I don't understand what difference one's age makes if he can prove he can financially support himself, is not in Thailand committing crimes, and is trying to legitimately live in Thailand. Technically, anyone who has ever taken someone off from a bar has committed a crime in Thailand. If someone has the financial means to live in Thailand and wishes to do so even if he is only 25 years old, what difference should his age make as long as he can meet all the other requirements? A person could have made his fortune by then or could have inherited a lot of money. The minimum age requirement is on my "I Don't Get It" list. Quote
