Corruption or not corruption

[4MyEgo 5,705]

I have been living here 3 years now after travelling to Thailand since 2006, that's when I fell in love with Thailand.

 

My extension of is stay based on marriage and is ending alter this month, and my 90 days expires around the same time, so I decided to get them both done Friday after dropping the kids off at school as the provincial immigration office is an hour drive further from the kids school.

 

The day before we went to the bank after dropping the kids to school so that we could get the letter saying I have the funds in the bank, well, don't ask me what happened, but we were thinking if we got there at 8.30am and being first cab off the rank we would be out in 10-15 minutes tops, nope, even though we were 1st cab off the rank it took a whole hour and 5 minutes, yep, I kid you not, there we were sitting at the desk with the staff member paper shuffling and finally with the assistance of another, we left an hour and 5 minutes later FMD, then went and got the usual photos to stick on the application, 30 minutes later.

 

Next day we drove to the province that the immigration office is at, make a small withdrawal in town and update the bank passbook and then stop and get two photocopies of the up to date bank passbook to add to the 51 or so papers for the immigration office, plus another set (copy), I do feel sorry for all those trees being cut down

 

In we went at around 9.45am, no one there, you beauty, 45 minutes later and some more forms to fill in and we were asked for the photos of us outside and inside the house, oops, I looked at the wife and she said, can't you use the ones on file, nope was the reply, she then asked if she could email them to the IO, nope was the reply again, so as opposed to coming back on Monday, i.e. doing the 2 hour 40 minute round trip, the immigration officer said look to my wife; if you want to contribute 500 baht to our New Years party fund I can give you my LINE number and when you get home take a few photos and send them to me and I will get them developed and put them with your application form on Monday.

 

The above said is one supposed to get upset over 500 baht based on principal, I mean the guy could have flatly said, take your papers and come back Monday, (this has happened to me in my home country), so I consider he did us a favor, not a free favor, but a favor for payment of course, I suppose I am grateful because it's Saturday and I am still in my PJ's at 3pm and have been doing the things I have been wanting to do, even though it pi$$ed off the Mrs who wanted to go back Monday with the developed photos, for what I said, you won't save anything by the time you pay to develop the photos, say 100 baht, and take the cost of petrol into consideration, say 400 baht....lol, sometimes you have to weigh it all up, add pollution ware and tear to the vehicle 

 

The above said new photos went this morning to the IO's LINE number and were acceptable as was his reply, so I hope they have a few drinks and a feed on me when and if they have the New Years party and of course hope no one chokes, so I can't say that I see this as corruption although would be interested to hear others point of views. 

 

All of the above said, I couldn't believe it when I slipped him the 500 baht, with him saying he has given me a 90 day extension and said in future when you re-enter the country, you MUST come here within 24 hours to notify us that you have returned, with me saying, but isn't my passport being stamped at the point of return notice that I am back, maybe in your country was his reply, but here in Thailand, we are not linked up <deleted>, so we don't know what your movements are until we see your passport stamps, so be careful or you can be fined, with my reply being, ok, but what happens when I come into a port that is a long way from you and I am staying there for a week until I get home, the you go to a police station and they will give you a paper which you will give to us when you return home FMD, has anyone heard of this rule ?

[ubonjoe 27,695]

I would can it a paid favor. If he had to to pay to have the photos printed it would of been covered with what you gave him.

I the 24 hours after arrival at your residence is to report your presence at your residence using the TM30 for and has nothing to to with 90 day reporting. If you stayed in hotels before arriving at your residence they should do the report online and would be responsible for it not being done. You could show hotel receipts to prove you had not returned home yet.

[BritManToo 8,819]

Photos printed from a camera or USB stick normally cost 5bht each in Chiang Mai.

[cleopatra2 217]

38 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I would can it a paid favor. If he had to to pay to have the photos printed it would of been covered with what you gave him.

I the 24 hours after arrival at your residence is to report your presence at your residence using the TM30 for and has nothing to to with 90 day reporting. If you stayed in hotels before arriving at your residence they should do the report online and would be responsible for it not being done. You could show hotel receipts to prove you had not returned home yet.

It is not clear from the OP if he received the 'under consideration stamp' before leaving immigration, assuming applying for 1 year extension

[jackdd 2,363]

Depends on your definition of corruption

Imho this is one type of corruption, you got a favor from somebody in an official position for giving this person a personal benefit.

[cleopatra2 217]

7 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Depends on your definition of corruption

Imho this is one type of corruption, you got a favor from somebody in an official position for giving this person a personal benefit.

Every IO I have attended requires photos supplied by the applicant to be self certified by the applicant

[Lacessit 3,834]

Maybe it is corrupt; however, consider the alternative. Being screwed around for hours or days until the ducks are all in a neat row.

I finished up having to pay an Australian migration agent $1200 (AUD) to get a tourist visa for my Thai GF to go to Australia on holiday. Everything was legal, but it was also much more expensive than anything I've paid in Thailand.

[ExpatDraco 122]

I would have said: here's 1000, can I come to the party also? :-D

[4MyEgo 5,705]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

I would can it a paid favor. If he had to to pay to have the photos printed it would of been covered with what you gave him.

I the 24 hours after arrival at your residence is to report your presence at your residence using the TM30 for and has nothing to to with 90 day reporting. If you stayed in hotels before arriving at your residence they should do the report online and would be responsible for it not being done. You could show hotel receipts to prove you had not returned home yet.

Agreed, a favor.

 

I might have ballsed the 90 day thing up, meaning he said when I re-enter the country on a re-entry visa, I have to notify them 24 hours after I arrive. So, ok, that's 24 hours after I get home, and take receipts of hotel, that's good to know, thanks Joe.

Edited January 12 by 4MyEgo

[4MyEgo 5,705]

1 hour ago, cleopatra2 said:

It is not clear from the OP if he received the 'under consideration stamp' before leaving immigration, assuming applying for 1 year extension

No stamp in my passport, just another 90 day white piece of paper stapled into my passport, although I have been advised to return on the 1st March, assuming for the extension stamp.

[ubonjoe 27,695]

11 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

No stamp in my passport, just another 90 day white piece of paper stapled into my passport, although I have been advised to return on the 1st March, assuming for the extension stamp.

You should of gotten the under consideration stamp with a report back date on it.

Did you pay the 1900 fee for the extension? When does your current extension end?

[cleopatra2 217]

28 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Agreed, a favor.

 

I might have ballsed the 90 day thing up, meaning he said when I re-enter the country on a re-entry visa, I have to notify them 24 hours after I arrive. So, ok, that's 24 hours after I get home, and take receipts of hotel, that's good to know, thanks Joe.

There is a ' No Tip ' policy in operation 

 

Edited January 12 by cleopatra2

[4MyEgo 5,705]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You should of gotten the under consideration stamp with a report back date on it.

Did you pay the 1900 fee for the extension? When does your current extension end?

Your on the ball Joe, just checked the passport with my wife for a 3rd time, and we found it, it was towards the back, away from all the other stamped pages.

 

I did pay 1,900 baht and received a receipt.

 

The current extension ends 31 January, and he has dated my old 90 slip which expired 18 November 2018 with a yellow highlighter at the top and put 1 March on it and some writing in Thai, translated by my wife advising me that it says, "waiting for the result".

 

I re-entered the country on 27 October 2018, so I suppose that I have till 1 March and don't need a white slip ? 

[fruitman 4,683]

But you do feel welcome in Thailand, don't you?  (thai smile)...

[JackThompson 4,525]

That's "tea money" for a favor - fee for service, since those photos completed a legit application.

"Corruption" usually involves payments of 15K Baht or more - usually via an agent (though not always) - and is often in one of two contexts:

• You have everything required, and they make up bs-reasons to deny your application
• You literally don't qualify, and they take payment to let you have an extension, anyway.

Edited January 12 by JackThompson