FYI - U.S. Consulate Chiang Mai town hall meeting November 20th Chiang Mai University

[tstcman]

For those that were asking about the ending of the income verification letter for the US citizens . 

I just got an email saying that the US Consulate in Chiang Mai on November 20th at Chiang Mai University is holding a town hall meeting and the main topic is the income verification letter and they're having to officials from the consulate there to answer questions. 100 seats available.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There should be a Bangkok session offered by the U.S. Embassy folks as well...

 

And if they can't or won't do that for some reason, at least make available a full transcript or audio recording of the CM session and send out the links via the ACS email notification system.

 

Or better yet, webcast it live.  But that may be a tech step too far for the Embassy folks.

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[The Theory]

They just want to let you know that it is over. Don’t expect to hear more than this or any change. 

[Benmart]

2 minutes ago, The Theory said:

They just want to let you know that it is over. Don’t expect to hear more than this or any change. 

Your source please.

[Rama]

Instead of a hotel with easy parking and easy to find, let's have the meeting at a place that will be difficult to find...and difficult parking...and limited seating. Way to discourage participation. Your consular services hard at work for you. <removed> 

Edited November 10, 2018 by ubonjoe
political comment removed

[CMPaulie]

I plan to attend and have a couple of questions. Like if you can't validate income with supporting documents like tax returns, social security statements, etc, how can you validate any Thai government document that requires a sworn oath, signature and notary stamp? Were I to be disingenuous with a financial affidavit then I could could be disingenuous about anything.  What quickly comes to mind, the 1 swore on oath to that I didn't have another wife and was free to marry my lovely 50yo Thai bride of 4 years. What would have been the consequences to the United States of America if someone did embellish their income? How has the Thai government been burdened by someone committing fraud by purposely overstating their income? Just sounds like a case that the US diplomatic mission here not wanting to be bothered.

I have attended a Q & A with Ms Harhigh at La Meridien Hotel sponsored by Chiang Mai Expat Club, and to say it was a waste of time would be a waste of time. So why attend? Love to been there when someone takes a leak on my leg and tells me it's raining.

[Lovethailandelite]

3 hours ago, The Theory said:

They just want to let you know that it is over. Don’t expect to hear more than this or any change. 

If you notice the itinerary, it is only a 1 hour workshop 14.30-15.30. I doubt there will be time for many questions.

[sqwakvfr]

Update:

 

UPDATE: The location of the town hall meeting has moved from the Faikham Room to the Intanin Room at Uniserv Chiang Mai University. The room capacity has increased to 200 seats. All seats will be available on a first-come first-served basis. 

 

200 Seats?  Big Crowd?  Angry Crowd?  

[Thaidream]

18 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

200 Seats?  Big Crowd?  Angry Crowd?  

"Truth is on the March and nothing will stop it.'       Emile Zola

 

Step by step, a little bit at a time- we will eventually know how it all went down. Let's hope the right questions are asked and a definite answer demanded.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

For the many whom I suspect cannot attend for various reasons, including location, I'd suggest you write emails to BKK or CM ACS in the next couple days asking them....

 

--can they live video or audio stream the meeting?

 

--failing that, can they provide a full transcript of the session after-the-fact via their website?

 

--also, what if anything are they doing to get Thai Immigration HQ to come forward with a public announcement of just what they will and won't accept for financial proof/monthly income documentation for 2019 and beyond?

 

 

[BoBoTheClown]

On 11/10/2018 at 2:13 PM, Rama said:

Instead of a hotel with easy parking and easy to find, let's have the meeting at a place that will be difficult to find...and difficult parking...and limited seating. Way to discourage participation. Your consular services hard at work for you. <removed> 

Nimmanheamin Road is easy to the and the area where the meeting going to be held has plenty of parking. 

[JTXR]

For those attending, I would recommend asking consulate staff about this statement in the recent fact sheet published by the embassy:

 

"Fact: The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General will work closely with Thai immigration officials during the transition period to minimize any confusion."

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/factsheet-income-affidavit.pdf

Ask them exactly what they will try to do to "minimize confusion" and how U.S. citizens will be able to find clear official guidance on what evidence of income will be accepted by Thai immigration in future.

[thailand49]

On 11/9/2018 at 11:05 PM, Benmart said:

Your source please.

Your answer is politics the two-step! but I give them credit for having a meeting?

[a977]

At least the  U.S. Embassy is trying to do something, still waiting to hear back from the Australian Embassy to whom I sent a email on 14/11/2018. Whoops silly me it's the weekend must be getting old, <deleted> beaurecrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chicowoodduck]

Might have to take a pass on this....pissing into the wind would have a better result.....lol....????

[CALSinCM]

On 11/10/2018 at 2:02 PM, The Theory said:

They just want to let you know that it is over. Don’t expect to hear more than this or any change. 

Exactly.  I'd expect that all they will do is reiterate what they, the UK embassy, and other embassies that are ending 'income verification' have published online.  You'll just be able to vent in front of a human who will offer their apologies and shrugs.  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

41 minutes ago, CALSinCM said:

Exactly.  I'd expect that all they will do is reiterate what they, the UK embassy, and other embassies that are ending 'income verification' have published online.

 

The main problem with that is -- thus far, Immigration has done absolutely NOTHING in the public domain to give any credence to what the U.S. and UK told their citizens -- that Immigration would accept monthly income deposits into a Thai bank account.

 

Maybe that will end up being true, but right now, all we've had is weeks of silence from Immigration since the embassies' announcements and sporadic and inconsistent explanations/supposed rules reported to be coming from local immigration officers.

 

The embassies need to be called on the carpet for that, and pressed to get Immigration to start telling US whatever they apparently told the embassies privately in their meetings.

 

Expats here deserve some certainty of what the new policy/policies are going to be.

 

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[JTXR]

Because many of the people affected are retired and many of them receive U.S. Social Security benefits, it would be a positive step if the U.S. embassy could at least get Thai immigration to formally acknowledge it will accept SSA benefits letters as evidence of income.

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by JTXR

[rumak]

On 11/10/2018 at 2:05 PM, Benmart said:

On 11/10/2018 at 2:02 PM, The Theory said:

They just want to let you know that it is over. Don’t expect to hear more than this or any change. 

Your source please.

life experience....... 

[DJ54]

Working on an email to send now...the attached refers to first year

nothing about subsequent years?

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

Working on an email to send now...the attached refers to first year

nothing about subsequent years?

That only refers to the amount of time the 800k baht has to be in the bank. It is 60 days for the first year and then 3 months after that.

[Suradit69]

14 hours ago, chicowoodduck said:

Might have to take a pass on this....pissing into the wind would have a better result.....lol....????

And judging by some of the comments in this and other threads, it will just be a bunch of angry people accusing this and demanding that.

 

If they had some solid information, they could just email it out. If they had something specific they were currently negotiating they could just announce it by email. 

 

Dispensing their collective wisdom to 200 people who will then rush to share their misinterpretation of what was said will simply feed confusion and frustration. 

 

If if and when Thai immigration reaches some definitive decision about future income verification, it will only be valid if it is announced by them anyway. 

 

I hope I'm wrong and this meeting brings clarity and concrete information, but, as you say, pissing in the wind seems a more profitable approach.

[Suradit69]

12 hours ago, JTXR said:

Because many of the people affected are retired and many of them receive U.S. Social Security benefits, it would be a positive step if the U.S. embassy could at least get Thai immigration to formally acknowledge it will accept SSA benefits letters as evidence of income.

 

And in so doing disallow every other form of retirement income.

 

Even some people who do receive SS payments would need to use the combination method to reach Baht 65,000 a month and the requirements for that would need to be set out. 

 

Anyway State Dept regulations prohibit consular staff from guaranteeing the contents of any document. They will only notarized your signature and/or that you swore, to the best of your knowledge, that the contents of the submitted document is correct. They may certify that something is a true copy , as in the case of your passport ID page but that still doesn't rise to the verification of the original document.

 

 

[bkk6060]

I guarantee it will be a waste of time if you are looking for a true update as to what will be happening in the future.  They will just be telling you the letters will stop and they have made some suggestions to TI.

The embassies have put the ball entirely in the TI court and they have not yet come up with a plan.

[JLCrab]

14 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

The embassies have put the ball entirely in the TI court and they have not yet come up with a plan.

It is not even one month since the US Embassy Bangkok Black Friday OCT 26 announcement. So you need an answer from Thai IMM today?

[bkk6060]

4 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

It is not even one month since the US Embassy Bangkok Black Friday OCT 26 announcement. So you need an answer from Thai IMM today?

Uh no, that is my point......

[JLCrab]

8 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Uh no, that is my point......

My apologies I didn't know you had a point.

[kalidescopemind]

This was always a fishy requirement, as the embassy can't adequately determine real bank statements from fraudulent ones.  The move will force Thailand to come up with a new idea for their proof of income requirements.   You could get a notarized letter from the Bank, but that won't prove there is any money in the account by the time it is submitted for review.   The Thai banks know what your balance is when you make a withdrawal, so they will probably go in that direction if they think it is really important, and knowing Thais, I bet they will.  Some wealthy criminals may be dissuaded and they don't really want that either.  Decisions decisions!  lol! 

Edited November 18, 2018 by kalidescopemind
add a sentence

[Kurtf]

This is great. Now the consulate (the US gov’t) won’t be able to rip us off for $50 just to have them stamp a piece of paper. And what will this town hall accomplish other than to give them a chance to make more excuses of why they can’t provide some service but only this time face to face. The US consulate Whois supposed to help US citizens is a farce that only helps the US gov’t. JMHO

[Morty T]

On 11/10/2018 at 2:13 PM, Rama said:

Instead of a hotel with easy parking and easy to find, let's have the meeting at a place that will be difficult to find...and difficult parking...and limited seating. Way to discourage participation. Your consular services hard at work for you. <removed> 

Plenty of seating, plenty of parking, easy access, comfortable seats and air conditioning. If you're referring to the fact that there isnt any coffee being served. Then I agree.