Thai Embassy in Vientiane issues warning to visa runners

[Loomis]

I was there on the 19th and 20th and they didn’t ask for anything when I submitted the application, and I didn’t see the sign posted anywhere outside or inside the building.

[Hawkman]

37 minutes ago, sanook 1 said:

Would be great If you could update and also check If the notice published here is still there? I was there on the 7 th dec and didnt see anything outside the gate or inside the counsulate. 

 I didn't see that notice at all, but I did get rejected because I had an old Tourist Visa from there with the dreaded stamp, but have four years of non-B through work since (I ended up getting Visa on arrival for 30 days).

 

What I will say is that it was very busy (I handed in my passport on Thursday 20th), DO NOT listen to the "agents" outside; I know someone recently said they paid an agent out there to do it for them, while they enjoyed a Laos beer, but you certainly can't do that now or on busy days. They say they can line up for you when its busy, but you need to get a queue number first. There is NO lining up for queue number. You line up, hand in your passport, then pick up a queue number for the next day. The queue just for that took about 2-3 hours.

 

Lots of warning signs that say No Agents etc.

 

One tip I will say, for your Queue number the next day, you are likely to be called roughly during these times (well what I noticed anyway):
0-80 - 1.30pm to 2.00pm
80-170 - 2.00pm to 2.30pm
170-250 - 2.00pm to 3.00pm
And anything above 250 fro 3pm onwards.

[4raiKohChang]

I'm not sure if the people complaining in this thread are simply afraid of work? It appears to me that if you wish to open a company in Thailand and then issue yourself a work permit that is not too complicated.  Following the rules and taking good advice, of course, is key.   There is also this article speaking to the relaxation of work permits for legal applicants.   https://www.tilleke.com/resources/relaxation-work-permit-requirements-thailand

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, 4raiKohChang said:

I'm not sure if the people complaining in this thread are simply afraid of work? It appears to me that if you wish to open a company in Thailand and then issue yourself a work permit that is not too complicated.  Following the rules and taking good advice, of course, is key.   There is also this article speaking to the relaxation of work permits for legal applicants.   https://www.tilleke.com/resources/relaxation-work-permit-requirements-thailand

Are you speaking from experience? When I found the needed Thai partners, opened a Thai company, and sourced the necessary 4+ Thai employees before I could apply for a work permit for myself, it was a good deal more costly and complicated than you suggest. To open a company without Thai partners (BOI sponsored) is even more difficult. It is virtually impossible for a small businessman.

[FritsSikkink]

58 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Are you speaking from experience? When I found the needed Thai partners, opened a Thai company, and sourced the necessary 4+ Thai employees before I could apply for a work permit for myself, it was a good deal more costly and complicated than you suggest. To open a company without Thai partners (BOI sponsored) is even more difficult. It is virtually impossible for a small businessman.

If you can't afford to pay 4 Thai salaries at the minimum wage, you are not worth the title of businessman and better get a job. 

[dcnx]

On 12/17/2018 at 1:31 PM, vinegarbase said:

I tried to tell people. Every time there is a crackdown on illegal immigration it always comes hand in hand with making legal immigration more difficult and screwing over those just trying to follow the rules. 

 

Thailand is not going back to the Thailand of 5-10 years ago. They are paying tribute to the new emperors in China. "Farang go home" is the new Thai slogan. Good news is that you can free yourselves of the Thailand chains. Go get your Panama permanent residency in about 2 months and enjoy your freedom. You can own land, guns, get permanent residency and enjoy your freedom they way you are supposed to. Forget all this Thai immigration madness.  These are the guys to go through and don't wait before it's too late to make your backup plan. https://www.joyful-feet.com

 

It’s going to be interesting over the next few years to see all the people who finally realize what a huge mistake they’ve made by trying to put down roots here. Some will be ok, but a lot of them will be sent packing for one reason or another.

[farangx]

If you don't see the warning when you are there then good for you, if it is there then consider yourself warned.  Would you have prefer to be turned back and then start a screaming thread here .... So, I really can't see what the fuss and upset is all about. 

 

[farangx]

16 minutes ago, dcnx said:

It’s going to be interesting over the next few years to see all the people who finally realize what a huge mistake they’ve made by trying to put down roots here. Some will be ok, but a lot of them will be sent packing for one reason or another.

I really don't see it as a huge mistake, or even a mistake living here long term.  But some had falsified their information extending their stay.  So understandably if they are caught they should be quite upset about it.  I can only see more coming here.

 

[sanemax]

2 hours ago, 4raiKohChang said:

I'm not sure if the people complaining in this thread are simply afraid of work? It appears to me that if you wish to open a company in Thailand and then issue yourself a work permit that is not too complicated.  Following the rules and taking good advice, of course, is key.   There is also this article speaking to the relaxation of work permits for legal applicants.   https://www.tilleke.com/resources/relaxation-work-permit-requirements-thailand

Just need to employ four Thais paying 50 000 Baht per month wages , make a profit , pay taxes on that profit , get all the other necessary licences to run the business .

  All you have to do is to make a business turning over 70 000 Baht a month and apply for a visa , simple

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Just need to employ four Thais paying 50 000 Baht per month wages , make a profit , pay taxes on that profit , get all the other necessary licences to run the business .

  All you have to do is to make a business turning over 70 000 Baht a month and apply for a visa , simple

It is not quite that simple. Remember that you can only own 49% of the business yourself. The first step is to find a Thai partner.

 

Of course, a reasonable alternative might be a Thailand Elite visa costing about 4,000 to 7,000 baht a month, depending on the option taken.

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

It is not quite that simple. Remember that you can only own 49% of the business yourself. The first step is to find a Thai partner.

 

Of course, a reasonable alternative might be a Thailand Elite visa costing about 4,000 to 7,000 baht a month, depending on the option taken.

As much as I think the Elite is a raw-deal, it is certainly a "less bad" deal than the overhead-costs of a business opened strictly "for a visa" or even the "work through us" companies.

[SheungWan]

On 12/19/2018 at 5:15 PM, balo said:

So what do you do in Thailand ? 23 years old , not married . What is the point in living here?  

Does everybody need a point?

Edited December 22, 2018 by SheungWan

[Enki]

21 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

If you can't afford to pay 4 Thai salaries at the minimum wage, you are not worth the title of businessman and better get a job. 

Minimum wage is somewhere around 350 Bath per day. Considering 20 work days, that is 7000 Bath per worker, aka 28,000 Bath for 4 workers. As I'm planning to found a martial arts school, and the typical monthly fee is below 500 Bath, I would need roughly 50 students instantly to generate enough cash to pay the 4 workers. And: what work would they do? Cleaning the floor? All 4 together? Getting me a beer from the fridge after a class has finished?

There are plenty of work, where I either don't get instantly enough money, but have to calculate a year or two ahead, or where simply is no space for a worker, regardless how cheap he is.

As you can comfortably live a month or two from the mentioned 28,000 Baht above, it makes even less sense.

Hint: a martial arts school with 50 students is already considered a VERY BIG SCHOOL. Making it big enough to earn some money, it would need to be about 100 Students. That is an illusion ...

Edited December 23, 2018 by Enki

[FritsSikkink]

25 minutes ago, Enki said:

Minimum wage is somewhere around 350 Bath per day. Considering 20 work days, that is 7000 Bath per worker, aka 28,000 Bath for 4 workers. As I'm planning to found a martial arts school, and the typical monthly fee is below 500 Bath, I would need roughly 50 students instantly to generate enough cash to pay the 4 workers. And: what work would they do? Cleaning the floor? All 4 together? Getting me a beer from the fridge after a class has finished?

There are plenty of work, where I either don't get instantly enough money, but have to calculate a year or two ahead, or where simply is no space for a worker, regardless how cheap he is.

As you can comfortably live a month or two from the mentioned 28,000 Baht above, it makes even less sense.

Hint: a martial arts school with 50 students is already considered a VERY BIG SCHOOL. Making it big enough to earn some money, it would need to be about 100 Students. That is an illusion ...

The typical monthly fee for a good school is way higher:

https://www.tigermuaythai.com/prices

Live comfortable 2 months of 28K THB? That is a joke.

You need to be a better fighter / trainer than the existing schools to make a good living. Being very cheap won't work. 

 

Your business plan is crooked, like I said better get a job.

Edited December 23, 2018 by FritsSikkink

[yamplaadukfuu]

Just came from the embassy. Looks like that notice has been removed. 

[WyrldTraveler]

On 12/17/2018 at 1:31 AM, vinegarbase said:

I tried to tell people. Every time there is a crackdown on illegal immigration it always comes hand in hand with making legal immigration more difficult and screwing over those just trying to follow the rules. 

 

Thailand is not going back to the Thailand of 5-10 years ago. They are paying tribute to the new emperors in China. "Farang go home" is the new Thai slogan. Good news is that you can free yourselves of the Thailand chains. Go get your Panama permanent residency in about 2 months and enjoy your freedom. You can own land, guns, get permanent residency and enjoy your freedom they way you are supposed to. Forget all this Thai immigration madness.  These are the guys to go through and don't wait before it's too late to make your backup plan. https://www.joyful-feet.com

 

Fourteen years of dealing with Panama Immigration has educated me that Panama is having the same problems of the rest of the world.  Workers in the various ministries are being pushed hard to comply with poorly-written rules/guidelines/policy and they are often terrified of losing their jobs.  Many get hours of verbal abuse from both their co-workers and the public.  How would you feel?

 

Permanent residency is not always easy.  Owning guns is legal, if you can find and afford a 'legal' firearm AND pass their tests.  Not every nationality qualifies for every program.  You are expected to speak Spanish.  Some locals have the attitude of "Gringo Go Home!"

 

I lurk on forums and listen to the horror stories of being abused by immigration officials of the Royal Thai Police.  The truth is always a mystery, because to listen to people, they are always right and others are purposefully trying to ruin their day. 

 

My experience has not always been pleasant, but at least when I was doing the 'Right Thing' (and they were 'Wrong'), somebody apologized to my face, in person.  I was denied boarding by the airline due to my passport having 178 days of validity for my onward travel.  As a result, I could not enter a non-Thai country or the passport-issuing country due to the lack of non-stop flights.  It would take 6 days minimum to acquire a replacement passport.  I went directly to Immigration to explain my situation and request their guidance as I was now illegal.  Some low-level functionary decided to 'punish the Farang' and make him wait.  I waited patiently; I wasn't going anywhere until this was resolved anyhow.

 

  And then I was called up by a Captain.  And then a Major.  It only took them four more hours to find the Colonel in command to make a decision and he apologized for the poor treatment I received, as the lower ranking staff assumed that I was a rude Farang.  A solution was found that allowed the situation to be 'fixed' according to the law with the minimum fine permitted by law for the overstay (THB 4k) I had to make a trip to Burma to the free-trade zone for a re-entry stamp (while not actually entering Myanmar) before the new passport arrived.

 

  The situation was resolved.  I have had no further issues with Thai Immigration other than some unwarranted questioning about my personal opinions about internal Thai politics, of which I have none.  I really feel for the King, as he will have a mess to clean up if the government doesn't get it's collective act together, but it is on par with most of the other governments of the world.

 

  The person who recommends Panama as the ideal place to go is unaware of the 'new' requirement for all permanent resident business to be done in the capital, regardless of your home address.  This is to prevent corruption, not only to inconvenience the Gringos and other foreigners.  Panama has it's problems, like anywhere else. Yes, it is inconvenient and sometimes relatively costly.  It's still cheaper than London or New York.

 

I've lived all over the world.  Most people are just trying to get by and go home.  You will find your occasional power-mad functionary who deflates after they don't get a reaction from you, or their co-workers try to make it right when they aren't looking.  Try being a decent person (in their eyes) for once.  See what happens.

 

It's your attitude.  Own it.