Jump to content

Extension after warning at BKK immigration


Recommended Posts

10 minutes ago, treetops said:

That sounds a bit backwards and I'm guessing covers the USA.  I think I started on 5 weeks, could earn another week and could buy a week, plus 8 public days, and I think these UK figures are more typical than yours.  Shift work also gave me a 1 week break every 8 weeks without using any annual leave so easy to rack up the visits and fall foul of immigration despite being a genuine tourist here on his legitimate time off from gainful employment.

 

I suspect I'm not the only one.

Very true. In OZ apart from most countries Australia has VERY generous annual leave along with many others that can be racked up. Also thing called "long service leave". Another called sabbatical where you work for 80% of pay for 4 years and can take one year off (only some jobs).

However the point is you should then visit Los on something like an METV and not VE etc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, treetops said:

That sounds a bit backwards and I'm guessing covers the USA.  I think I started on 5 weeks, could earn another week and could buy a week, plus 8 public days, and I think these UK figures are more typical than yours.  Shift work also gave me a 1 week break every 8 weeks without using any annual leave so easy to rack up the visits and fall foul of immigration despite being a genuine tourist here on his legitimate time off from gainful employment.

 

I suspect I'm not the only one.

Yes. I am American. I started with 10 days per year and eventually made it up to 4 weeks per year (after 20 years with the same employer) but since I was in middle management I never felt I could take that much time off. Too busy. The first time I traveled for a much as 30 days was my first trip to Thailand and that was 4 years after I retired.

Edited by Martyp
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Kammie said:

 

Yes thanks guys, I went to Chaeng Watthana with hesitation but to my surprise I could get a 30 extension on top of my 30 stamp so all is well. Weird posts indeed, I'm apparently a dumb blond that doesn't know all the rules and therefore should be hanged!? If at any point someone from the border control or immigration would have told me that I could get in trouble at a later point for doing extensions or border runs I wouldn't have done it at all. 

When you went for the extension did they check/require TM30 ?

interested in current practise on this for visa exempt/setv cases at chaengwattana immigration ...

 

amazing why hassle at airport so bad but hand out the 30 day extensions with little evidence or questioning !

To me when you asking for extension it the proper time to be asking more questions and wanting finance proof and further proof of planned travel etc .

They really need implement better visa options for longer duration leisure tourism and tidy up on implementation of the rules .

A lot of those who spend 2 to 6 months leisure & tourism spend hell of a lot of money ...  When I came on long leisure breaks I spent a lot including dental medical care and picking up a suitcase of new clothes over the months, also spent money on some language courses, cooking, sport activities, new notebook and hdd and sd cards as some good deals and choices can be found here when had few months shop around .

 

The chunk that working illegally doing call centre work or seo work are so easy profile and pick out, most are close to broke so more stringent fund proof for a setv and double entry setv would give more genuine longer tourists better visa and finances already checked and approved. Nobody brings huge amounts cash it just silly have 20K cash when so easy have fee free atm cards with mastercard daily exchange rate from banks like starling or bring money in via app on you phone like transferwise, they need wise up and make the visa options and supporting docs work appropriately and actually hit illegal workers working not just by over zealous  assumptions at couple airports ...

Edited by BuckBee
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, BuckBee said:

 

The chunk that working illegally doing call centre work or seo work are so easy profile and pick out, most are close to broke so more stringent fund proof for a setv and double entry setv would give more genuine longer tourists better visa and finances already checked and approved.

While I agree with most of your post, I'd like to correct you on 1 point.

I know many foreigners who work at call centers, mostly Filipinas, and they all have a work permit, and make a more than decent income.

I also know 2 guys, who are "digital nomads" as they are called.

1 does SEO for companies in France, independently, and literally makes millions.

The other makes websites, and makes more than millions...

So "close to broke" for both groups is surely a misconception.

 

That being said, I do think that frequent visits or "raids" at schools and language centers might be productive in rooting out illegal workers, especially foreign "teachers".

I think that is the main group of foreigners trying to stay long time in Thailand on Visa exempts or TV's.

 

For drug dealers, or other "under the table jobs" it is more difficult,

Therefor they are checking bank statements and visa histories which show a way too long stay in the country, abnormally.

 

For digital nomads, I don't think they should be barred from being here.

They have a job, take care of themselves and could basically live anywhere in the world.

Unless they are occupied with a Thai business. That's a different story.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Martyp said:

Most regular working people don't get more than 2-3 weeks of vacation each year, if that. And they spend some of it doing other things. In my entire adult and working life I never traveled longer than 3 weeks.

 

Most of the jobs I've had over my career, if the boss could do without you for over 3 weeks in a row, they often figured they didn't need you at all...     It's a US thing.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MarcB said:

While I agree with most of your post, I'd like to correct you on 1 point.

I know many foreigners who work at call centers, mostly Filipinas, and they all have a work permit, and make a more than decent income.

I also know 2 guys, who are "digital nomads" as they are called.

1 does SEO for companies in France, independently, and literally makes millions.

The other makes websites, and makes more than millions...

So "close to broke" for both groups is surely a misconception.

 

That being said, I do think that frequent visits or "raids" at schools and language centers might be productive in rooting out illegal workers, especially foreign "teachers".

I think that is the main group of foreigners trying to stay long time in Thailand on Visa exempts or TV's.

 

For drug dealers, or other "under the table jobs" it is more difficult,

Therefor they are checking bank statements and visa histories which show a way too long stay in the country, abnormally.

 

For digital nomads, I don't think they should be barred from being here.

They have a job, take care of themselves and could basically live anywhere in the world.

Unless they are occupied with a Thai business. That's a different story.

 

when working illegally in these sectors most I crossed paths with either at consulates, immi queues or travelling were close to broke .

A lot work in scam call centres or seo outbound leads and hooked on commissions that never happen,  you find most of them on the usual popular visa run services as want half a day turn around as working the next day so immigration police could catch them nicely packed  in a van if put some thought into it .

Numbers have dropped massively on westerners illegally working. filipinos get work visas far easier than westerners in many fields ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BuckBee said:

when working illegally in these sectors most I crossed paths with either at consulates, immi queues or travelling were close to broke .

A lot work in scam call centres or seo outbound leads and hooked on commissions that never happen,  you find most of them on the usual popular visa run services as want half a day turn around as working the next day so immigration police could catch them nicely packed  in a van if put some thought into it .

Numbers have dropped massively on westerners illegally working. filipinos get work visas far easier than westerners in many fields ...

I agree on the Filipino part. I have never met one without a work permit honestly.

But then again, I have never met one without a degree, like so many other "teachers" I have spoken to.

 

I think it all depends on the mindset of the SEO nomads too.

People I talk with tend to have a goal.

Maybe some others just like to travel around and do some easy job online, not really caring.

I can't speak for that.

Still, if they are not involved in any Thai business, regardless the salary they make, there should be a visa option for them.

After all, the world is getting more and more online anyway, so why not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/8/2019 at 9:19 PM, cheynewalk said:

Thailand is not discriminating against genuine tourists.  Genuine tourists vome to thailand for mybe 2 to 3 weeks and go home.  They don't use 30 day visa exempts to stay long term in the country.  Please get it right before criticising!

Nonsense: travellers and tourists travel as long as they can afford to. You are talking about short term 'holiday makers'. Only a fool would travel 12 hours on a plane just to stay for a few days to fall in line with an artificially created definition of tourist. The early Victorian tourists often stayed for months in foreign countries.  It was only with the advent of mass tourism in Europe that two week holidays were invented. Please get it right before commenting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Most of the jobs I've had over my career, if the boss could do without you for over 3 weeks in a row, they often figured they didn't need you at all...     It's a US thing.

 

Yeah. 6 day weeks, cr@p holidays, jobs linked to medical insurance, wage slavery...Yeah an American thing. France has a thirty seven hour, five day week and plenty of holidays. Even the UK has 21 days minium plus public holidays.  I have taken a whole year off more than once just to travel then just got another job. My last job gave me 75 days paid holiday. I am saddened (and a little bit amused) by the fearful,  orthodoxy in which most Americans live.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, BuckBee said:

When you went for the extension did they check/require TM30 ?

interested in current practise on this for visa exempt/setv cases at chaengwattana immigration ...

 

amazing why hassle at airport so bad but hand out the 30 day extensions with little evidence or questioning !

To me when you asking for extension it the proper time to be asking more questions and wanting finance proof and further proof of planned travel etc .

They really need implement better visa options for longer duration leisure tourism and tidy up on implementation of the rules .

 

They didn't ask anything at all, except current hotel and Thai phone number. It was very busy, had to wait around 3 hours. They stop giving cue numbers at 16:30. As far as I could tell everyone there got their extension while I was there. I did hear from a friend that coincidentally yesterday a high official had told the immigration to go easy on tourists because they need them and their money. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd go to CW get an extension. If that doesn't work try somewhere off the wall and touristy like Kanchanaburi or Rayong. Hat Yai.  Maybe Hua Hin on the way. Easier to remain country than try and get back in.

 

 

 

Edited by Number 6
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well  said  Sunnyboy2018!  I  have  always  believed  and  done  the  same.  Travel  as  long  and  as  often  as  you  are  able.  

No  one  is  mentioning  the  retired  folks  who  travel  long  term.  These  are  the  people  who  have  the  time  and  the  cash  to  do  so.  

12  hours  was  only  one  of  my  three  flights,  plus  two  half  days  of  road  travel  before  beginning  the  air  travel. 

Sorry  Kammie  that  everyone  keeps  referring  to  you  with  male  pronouns.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not asking this to be hostile.  I'm genuinely curious.  How many European countries allow foreigners unlimited entries on tourist visas with consecutive extensions or renewals without any restrictions as to how many days in a given 12 month period.  

I know it can't be done in the USA or Canada.  Where in Europe are they as lenient as in Thailand ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/9/2019 at 5:05 PM, PingRoundTheWorld said:

You don't need TM30 for a 30 day extension. They don't ask.

That's not correct; when I went for an extension the immigration officer called the hotel and told them to put in my data and once they did I got the extension, Sri Racha Immigration May 2019.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/10/2019 at 8:27 PM, dddave said:

I'm not asking this to be hostile.  I'm genuinely curious.  How many European countries allow foreigners unlimited entries on tourist visas

I know it can't be done in the USA or Canada.  Where in Europe are they as lenient as in Thailand ?

IF you mean by EUR the schengen area, then its either:

visafree entry, does not apply to Thai, but does to certain other ASEAN countries and JPN etc. Should be limited to 6 monthes in a year, not necessarily in 1 go, but this is hardly checked. Does of course not apply to other EU-citizens, so UK will be out of that when that brexit is there. For that purpose schengen is just seen as 1 country so moving from 1 to 2 whithin is fruitless.

WITH visa and in that case its all in the hands of those that issue the visa. After several succesfull and done to the rules stays one can get an unlimited entry for 5 years-again still limited to max 6 in 12 month stay. Applies also to Thai etc. And of course, they being Thai thus do work here and there and of course in the professions the Thai excel in. Thats just pretty common black-market work and it varies enormously per country how or even if they deal with that.

NON-EU european countries can be very lenient about what are effectively long-time stays, but noone would want to stay there that long. Think of Albania or Moldova. Norway, Iceland and Switserland stick to EU-ruling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/9/2019 at 8:55 PM, possum1931 said:

So what if they are, why should it be so hard for under 50's to stay in Thailand long term?

There's a list of countries I'd love to go and stay "long term" but their damned Immigration laws say that I can't. How dare they (where's the foot-stamping emoji?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And back to OP: I bet it was in Don Muang-they seem to think of themselves as being the guarding border against all things evil as seen in the eyes of Thai.

Yes, entry rules are hard for those as OP spending up to 8 out of 12 monthes here in TH, as many (early) pensioners are or try to do. The Thai simply cannot even understand how people can live like that without a job. Its completely beyond their petty self-set way of thinking.

Funny also that those TV-diehards always swarm with how much money they seem to spend-eating at streetstalls for 40 bt, if not 35, keeping longtime mia-mia beyond their prime for lower cost, staying in cheap guesthss for 250/N.  or rather in faraway isany ban noks for less.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/11/2019 at 12:43 AM, orchis said:

That's not correct; when I went for an extension the immigration officer called the hotel and told them to put in my data and once they did I got the extension, Sri Racha Immigration May 2019.

As a matter of interest do they only check that there's current hotel information? If someone stayed in their most recent hotel for a couple of nights, but there's nothing else in the system, Immigration doesn't ask "Where's the other 20 or so nights?" and fine the person for not having the right paperwork?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

As a matter of interest do they only check that there's current hotel information? If someone stayed in their most recent hotel for a couple of nights, but there's nothing else in the system, Immigration doesn't ask "Where's the other 20 or so nights?" and fine the person for not having the right paperwork?

If and when they check IO will ONLY look whether a current TM30 has been filed from the place where the applicant is staying.  The reason is simple: when the applicant did stay in another province and the TM30 of him staying there has been submitted  by mail or in person, these TM30s are not inputted in the IO TM30 database.

So unless they ask the applicant where he stayed and then contact the other provincial IO to check whether a TM30 has been filed manually or by mail, they will not know.  And so they do not bother, and only check whether a current TM30 has been filed.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...