TM 30 Confusion and Paranoia -- Specific Advice Sought

[Jingthing]

OK, here is my situation.

Condo owner.

Jomtien office. 

I have never filed a TM30.

Also it has never been asked for.

I have always included my phone bill showing address with my annual retirement extensions. 

Of course I do the 90 day address reports.

 

I am concerned about changes in enforcement for my next extension regarding the TM30.

 

At Jomtien, should I take any action proactively well before the extension?

 

Is this likely to cause a problem at extension time if I don't?

 

If there is a problem at extension time, is that fixable?

[elviajero]

Probably best to get a TM.30 filed before you apply for your next extension. If you wait until extension day they might fine you.

 

As long as it’s done before or when you apply for the extension they will issue the extension.

[jackdd]

Just submit a TM30 now and for the date when you arrived just put the date when you submit it or the day before.

If they ask you where you stayed before (probably they don't care and don't ask) just tell them "i stayed with a friend / girlfriend in [any other province than chonburi]", they won't start looking for this person.

Like this you should not be fined.

Edited July 28, 2019 by jackdd

[ubonjoe]

I have seen no reports for Jomtien that indicates that Jomtien has changed their policy for when TM30 reports.

[Jingthing]

35 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I have seen no reports for Jomtien that indicates that Jomtien has changed their policy for when TM30 reports.

Thanks but in the context of my request, if I have NEVER filed a TM30 in over ten years, have NEVER been asked for one, always had a phone bill accepted at extensions, and as you say NOTHING CHANGED, then what I conclude from what you're telling me is that I should take NO action at all. 

[Jingthing]

39 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Probably best to get a TM.30 filed before you apply for your next extension. If you wait until extension day they might fine you.

 

As long as it’s done before or when you apply for the extension they will issue the extension.

I think you're not getting the SPECIFICITY of my situation. It's specifically about people that OWN their own condos reporting at Jomtien.  Never required before.

 

It seems to me given the history it might be asked for trouble to start filing a TM30 now.

 

Of course I don't know. 

[Slip]

Go on a little trip somewhere nice, then file a TM30 when you return?

[Jingthing]

Just now, Slip said:

Go on a little trip somewhere nice, then file a TM30 when you return?

I thought of that but not planning on such a trip.

But even if I did that as I have never filed a TM30 before, why would I even want to start with that at all if it is not required given my specific situation (Jomtien, condo owner)?

As far as there being a problem at extension time, I can risk a fine but my concern is if the problem would be bigger than a fine, even ruining the extension. 

[moe666]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I thought of that but not planning on such a trip.

But even if I did that as I have never filed a TM30 before, why would I even want to start with that at all if it is not required given my specific situation (Jomtien, condo owner)?

As far as there being a problem at extension time, I can risk a fine but my concern is if the problem would be bigger than a fine, even ruining the extension. 

You are not going to get the answer to your question here because no one knows. Just fill out the paper work get all the files together and go to immigration and do the tm30. 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, moe666 said:

You are not going to get the answer to your question here because no one knows. Just fill out the paper work get all the files together and go to immigration and do the tm30. 

I don't agree with you that no one knows but I might not get the answer here. Jomtien is a very high volume office and it's been no secret that CONDO OWNERS at Jomtien haven't needed to file TM30s. So there are many people in the exact same situation. 

[ubonjoe]

A baiting post and a reply to it have been removed.

[DrJack54]

There has not been a report about tm30 at Jomtien. Do nothing. Worse case scenario would be a fine of most likely 800baht. 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

Is it not the responsibility of the Condo Manager to file the TM 30?

 

Quote

 

Officially and practically, the responsibility to report the stay of a foreigner rests with the host: the landlord of a property, the hotel or the service apartment. Untimely reporting of a foreigner can be penalized with THB 1,600 per person (normally the penalty does not exceed that amount , even if your landlord reports months too late).

 

However, if you are the guest or tenant, you can’t ignore TM30 either: many foreigners report that they need it when going to the Immigration office for a service, such as the 90-day reporting and sometimes even for visa extentions. It still depends on the officer in charge that you're facing, but at such moment that you may find out that your landlord did not report your stay and you will have to explain where you stayed all that time. There is also a risk that you as a tenant (or guest) may be fined instead of the landlord.
In some cases, Immigration enforces strictly and demands the return slip of the TM.30 form, in other cases they allow foreigners just to tell them their address and when it's in the system it's okay.

 

 

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Is it not the responsibility of the Condo Manager to file the TM 30?

 

 

No.

[IvorBiggun2]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

No.

Okay try this.

 

 

Quote

 

What to do when you discover you haven't been reported

Officially, you need to be reported for where you stay. But even the Immigration officers take a practical stance at the new rules.

So, a PRACTICAL APPROACH you could take as a foreigner (at your own risk) is to not bother about it too much if you know you don't have to go to Immigration during your stay in Thailand, and to only get more serious if you know you do.

If you already know you have to go to Immigration at some point, for example for your 90-day reporting, and you haven't been reported within 24 hours from the moment that you checked in at your accomodation address, then some foreigner just report from that moment stating that they stayed in hotels before which didn't report them. This has worked for some foreigners, because Immigration won't bother to call those hotels to tell them they didn't do their job.

 

 

[Jingthing]

Again, I do 90 day reports in person regularly and NEVER even word one about the need for a TM30, which again, I have never done even once. 

 

This is really about a specific class of people. 

 

Jomtien office.

Condo owners.

 

General info is not relevant. 

[ChouDoufu]

as owner of the condo, have you used the online/phone app to register your unit in the system?

[Peterw42]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Again, I do 90 day reports in person regularly and NEVER even word one about the need for a TM30, which again, I have never done even once. 

 

This is really about a specific class of people. 

 

Jomtien office.

Condo owners.

 

General info is not relevant. 

At the moment Jomtien does not ask for a TM30 receipt for long stay extensions, 90 day reports or resident certificates. so its unlikely you will be asked for one unless you change type of extension etc. Like you, I own and had never done a TM30 and was never asked until I switched to a marriage extension.

I just told them I did a report years ago when the TM30 room was the photocopy room. I had to go and get a new receipt but no fine. I have since done a new report after a re-entry, never been asked, and have now registered for the online system.

 

 

As others have said, just do one at your leisure one day next time you return from a trip. Keep it in passport.

Longer term, register for the online system

[GermanGuy]

@jingthing

 

Same situation ...

 

I went to Jomtien immigration to get a residence certificate last week. Since it was not busy, I thought, it would be a good idea to do a quick tm30 as well ... (I had to wait 3 minutes in room 10).

 

I was told, if you have a "retirement visa" and own a condo, you do not have to file a tm30 report. (But she stamped and returned the receipt anyway.)

 

My previous tm30 was in September 2018, when immigration told me exactly the same thing.

 

 

 

 

[balo]

I only rent, but I am in the same situation , never filled out a TM30 in my life.  I have been asked about my address when I visited immigration 6 months ago and they just checked on their computer screen that I had the same address for many years.  
At the same time I had been travelling both inside and outside of Thailand , and never been asked for TM30 .

So I have decided to just take my chances and if asked to pay a fine I am ready to pay 2000 baht or whatever it is. 



 

[Jingthing]

12 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

as owner of the condo, have you used the online/phone app to register your unit in the system?

No!

I don't know from TM30s.

 

[Slip]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I thought of that but not planning on such a trip.

But even if I did that as I have never filed a TM30 before, why would I even want to start with that at all if it is not required given my specific situation (Jomtien, condo owner)?

As far as there being a problem at extension time, I can risk a fine but my concern is if the problem would be bigger than a fine, even ruining the extension. 

In answer I give you a question, as poor form as that is.  Why would you move your chair up the beach as the tide came in? Look at it through the prism of your prior knowledge. As you yourself say, one day it could become a serious issue.

Edited July 28, 2019 by Slip

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

At the moment Jomtien does not ask for a TM30 receipt for long stay extensions, 90 day reports or resident certificates. so its unlikely you will be asked for one unless you change type of extension etc. Like you, I own and had never done a TM30 and was never asked until I switched to a marriage extension.

I just told them I did a report years ago when the TM30 room was the photocopy room. I had to go and get a new receipt but no fine. I have since done a new report after a re-entry, never been asked, and have now registered for the online system.

 

 

As others have said, just do one at your leisure one day next time you return from a trip. Keep it in passport.

Longer term, register for the online system

If it's not required for this class of people at Jomtien, why would you or anyone start to file them?!?

 

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, GermanGuy said:

@jingthing

 

Same situation ...

 

I went to Jomtien immigration to get a residence certificate last week. Since it was not busy, I thought, it would be a good idea to do a quick tm30 as well ... (I had to wait 3 minutes in room 10).

 

I was told, if you have a "retirement visa" and own a condo, you do not have to file a tm30 report. (But she stamped and returned the receipt anyway.)

 

My previous tm30 was in September 2018, when immigration told me exactly the same thing.

 

 

 

 

That seems to be the answer and the report is very recent. This is the information I have heard for a long time now. Owner of condo at Jomtien that you live in (yes also retirement extensions, thank you) TM30 filings NOT REQUIRED. But I had wondered has that changed but your recent report appears to say NO. 

 

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, Slip said:

In answer I give you a question, as poor form as that is.  Why would you move your chair up the beach as the tide came in? Look at it through the prism of your prior knowledge. As you yourself say, one day it could become a serious issue.

I get your point but in this case I don't find it persuasive. 

[Peterw42]

13 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If it's not required for this class of people at Jomtien, why would you or anyone start to file them?!?

 

As I said in earlier post, I was asked for one when I did a change to marriage extension so there may be a case where it is required in the future.

Not sure how they would know you are a condo owner or what proof they would require to be exempt from TM30s.

Edited July 28, 2019 by Peterw42

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Peterw42 said:

As I said in earlier post, I was asked for one when I did a change to marriage extension so there may be a case where it is required in the future.

I hear you but I won't be changing to marriage. That's interesting though because I might be changing to Elite in which case I would probably follow the advice of filing one after a trip. 

[metisdead]

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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I don't agree with you that no one knows but I might not get the answer here. Jomtien is a very high volume office and it's been no secret that CONDO OWNERS at Jomtien haven't needed to file TM30s. So there are many people in the exact same situation. 

 Everything I've heard from Jomtien has indicated they're not enforcing it against condo owner-occupants (unlike some other places like BKK).

 

But even if they were/did, the worst that would happen is you'd go for your extension, get referred to whoever there handles TM30s to fill one out, and perhaps be fined 800-2000 baht at most, and then sent back to resume applying for your extension.

 

[Max69xl]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Thanks but in the context of my request, if I have NEVER filed a TM30 in over ten years, have NEVER been asked for one, always had a phone bill accepted at extensions, and as you say NOTHING CHANGED, then what I conclude from what you're telling me is that I should take NO action at all. 

You must for some reason have fallen between the cracks. Everybody needs the Notification of Stay,someone has to fill in the TM30. It might be the condo manager,the former owner or yourself. You should not be able to do the 90-days report or an extension without the TM30 ever been filled in.This is because when you do the 90-days report, you admit staying at the same address as last time. The address they have at desk 4 at Jomtien Immigration normally comes from the TM30. So,how do you know that nobody reported your address years ago? The last 2 years Immigration in Jomtien has been very clear about the importance of the TM30.