Legallity of visa agents

[moontang 1,411]

3 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

Have Immigration ever officially given that as the reason for the change in rules? I know that it is often given as the reason, and does seem logical, but if they really wanted to shutdown the agents, it would be much simpler to root-out the officials within their own department who are cooperating with the agents, which I'm sure they could very easily do. And if they don't really want to shut down the agents, why make the change at all?

 

I guess one reason could be that there was pressure from on-high to be seen to be doing something, so that is what they came up with.

They have thinned the ranks of poor expats, a little.  I looked at the origins of "holding the bag." 18th century England, but is precisely how things work here.  https://www.google.com/search?q=phrase+holding+the+bag&oq=phrase+holding&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l3.7193j1j7&client=ms-android-huawei&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

[BritManToo 23,913]

11 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

Have Immigration ever officially given that as the reason for the change in rules? I know that it is often given as the reason, and does seem logical, but if they really wanted to shutdown the agents, it would be much simpler to root-out the officials within their own department who are cooperating with the agents,

It's always the local head of immigration handling the agents, and they pass money up to the bosses in Bangkok.

Can't see the bosses sacking themselves.

 

This idea some posters have in their minds of minions with fake stamps is laughable.

Seems like you've never bought yourselves an extension.

Edited October 18 by BritManToo

[from the home of CC 6,464]

7 hours ago, tropo said:

"briber - bribee", what a load of crock. It's a service with a set and advertised fee, no one is bribing anyone. Do people wake up and forget they are in Thailand? "legal", "illegal"... best to save those words for your home country where they MAY have some meaning. Some expats are fearful of consequences when following a well established system? I would not be having any sleepless nights over this. If this would keep you up at night, deposit 800k and be done with it. It's your choice.

 

 

Yes I feel some would have trepidation using this "well established system" - yea, so's the cosa nostra - lol  you can't be serious! Agents used to prepare paperwork and submit applications is one thing, common in every country. But to pay someone to falsely represent that you're meeting the visa obligations regarding funds in a Thai bank is a fraudulent act. You fools that think this country is here for you to cheat and exploit will one day wake up and be very unpleasantly surprised, it's just a matter of time. 

[ThaiBunny 2,440]

4 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

You fools that think this country is here for you to cheat and exploit will one day wake up and be very unpleasantly surprised, it's just a matter of time. 

Any timescale you'd care to nominate?

[VocalNeal 4,862]

19 hours ago, The Cobra said:

I have know of instances where the person actually accompanies the agent into the Thai immigration office to have their photo taken etc and received the visa stamp in front of the issuing officer ! there isno way that can be deemed illegal, it is not the responsibility of the recipient to question or not the validity of the stamp/visa issued by the lawful authority.

That's what i always used to do and will do again when i apply for an extension.

[from the home of CC 6,464]

3 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

Any timescale you'd care to nominate?

about the time they've almost ran the majority of the scammers out, or the optics would be poor, what it will certainly do is seal the future..

[jacko45k 11,683]

6 hours ago, moontang said:

The rules were designed to make it much more difficult for a quick deposit, and a withdrawal right after the stamp... but it just created the need for more "services." 

Well that continues exactly as before! If anything, things got easier and facilitation got cheaper! And the old requirement of 3 months pre-seasoning should have taken care of that just as well! It could only have stopped a group of guys moving the same 800k around between them every 3 months. Forcing them to go to an agent! (Or get a 3 month loan!)

Had they wanted to stop this corner cutting, there were certainly more direct methods, now it just got more prevalent and blatant.... they would like that!

Edited October 18 by jacko45k

[jacko45k 11,683]

5 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

Why would the thai gov give a hoot about agents and rogue IOs? You know exactly who runs this country, why would they care? Like really what makes u guys believe these absurdities?

 

If you meant Thai Elite as an agent, the sole agent of thailand, then yes maybe.

The government want to kill off these methods and force everyone to buy the elite visa, otherwise they have zero interest in agents and rogue IOs earning money, all they want is to earn money themselves.

Don't agree.... that is an absurdity. 

 

[yodsak 350]

 Notice the blatant ad ?     No funds needed ฿17,000. inclusive.

 

Edited October 18 by yodsak

[BritManToo 23,913]

4 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

You fools that think this country is here for you to cheat and exploit will one day wake up and be very unpleasantly surprised, it's just a matter of time. 

You got things backwards,

It's the Thais that think we are here for them to cheat and exploit.

[Olmate 957]

15 minutes ago, yodsak said:

 Notice the blatant ad ?     No funds needed ฿17,000. inclusive.

 

Won,t be long till insurance is on offer,all part of the plan

[Tayaout 2,652]

20 minutes ago, yodsak said:

 Notice the blatant ad ?     No funds needed ฿17,000. inclusive.

 

It's against forum rules to promote illegal stuff. Using this logic it means it has to be legal. 

 

The way I understand Thailand it certainly is. 

[JeffreyTRax 36]

12 hours ago, balo said:

Listen , there are more than 10 000 retired expats right now only using agents and who do not have the 800k in the bank, and been doing so for many years, you would be surprised how many. But you need to stay in the Pattaya / Bangkok region.   
The stamps are legal because they are official!y stamped by an IO. 

If the agent will get in trouble later , that's not your problem. 
 

Which is more than 15% of the retirement population in Thailand (this % will only increase...).

I wouldn't worry... The retiree population is a low risk population in terms of the nations security.

 

Yes we are being squeezed, but I don't see anything that says that we will no longer be able to use agents.

 

It's business as usual. Everyone in this thread needs to stop acting like this will no longer be possible, I know people that have been using agents for over 15 years...

I'm sure people will be saying the same thing in 2040...

Edited October 18 by JeffreyTRax

[JeffreyTRax 36]

35 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Well that continues exactly as before! If anything, things got easier and facilitation got cheaper! And the old requirement of 3 months pre-seasoning should have taken care of that just as well! It could only have stopped a group of guys moving the same 800k around between them every 3 months. Forcing them to go to an agent! (Or get a 3 month loan!)

Had they wanted to stop this corner cutting, there were certainly more direct methods, now it just got more prevalent and blatant.... they would like that!

It stimulates the Thai economy 5555

[55Jay 7,539]

8 hours ago, mlkik said:

With the new requirements for keeping a minimum of 400000 baht in the Thai bank account all year round ,many of us thought it would be the end of agents.

However it seems to have affected the agents in such a way that they are now doing more business as more people prefer to use them than keep the money in a Thai bank.

Yup, that particular "crack down" effort fizzled out. 

 

My sense is/was the one's using agents for the fraudulent money in the bank procedure, were doing so previously.  Once the dust settled, they'll carry on as normal.

 

The new gains for the industry probably came from the folks who had been lying at certain embassies to get the (now discontinued) income affadavits.

 

Those who had the money in the bank for a long time already probably just carried on as normal.