A question which I would love to know the answer to.

[johnnyk]

Sometimes a good idea to ask after their family and children, compare your kids and theirs etc. Maybe even proffer a colouring book as a gift for little Somlat.
The colour purple is a particular favourite of Somlat's.

[lomuamart]

He should see a good divorce lawyer Sarge!!

Seriously though its a sh!tty deal if you got refused by 50k Baht because of a serious currency fluctuation the week before.
Would they show some leniency and be decent enough (Buksi no need to reply ) to allow you a bank top-up of said amount even if not in your book for the 3 months ?
The obvious thing to do is to have some bunce in your bank but how far do you go, exchange rates can go mad.

They don't seem to increase the 800k in line with inflation every year either, which is a bit of help.

SJ

You can use a combination of income and savings in a Thai bank for the retirement extension.
Strictly speaking, if you go this route, the savings do not need to be in the bank for 3 months before application. That only applies if you're using the whole 800K.
So, theoretically you'd be fine putting the shortfall into a Thai bank a day before application. Whether the individual Imm Officer would like it is another matter.
http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2n ... p606EN.pdf
The relevant clause is 7.21 Look in the second column, point (5). No mention of 3 months, just application date.

[niggle]

I have no doubt that HH would refuse - not their problem if exchange rates go down the pan. I was OK this year but nobody knows about the future so I plan to keep some dosh in the bank (despite crappy rates) so it wont be a problem.

[buksida]

I have no doubt that HH would refuse - not their problem if exchange rates go down the pan.

I'd agree with that, HH seem to take pleasure in searching for ways to prevent an extension rather than helping to get one.

[sargeant]

The answer given to Mrs Sarge by the Imm officer was not specific just
dont worry, we can help, him been here a long time.

I actually think WL and Guess are correct, the Imm officers have quite a large discretion on Visas and take into account what the effects would be to Thais involved and length of time already in Thailand LEGALLY.

For instance if i was thrown out Mrs Sarge would be destitute Immediately, she would loose my pension after i snuff, it Master Sarge would have to stop school and They would be Homeless.
This is not me being arrogant that is unfortunately exactely how it would be however i would not utter a peep, i would leave Mrs Sarge to explain it but just throwing a farang out for a few baht does not seem to be how it would go.
(the guy in the question could well be gay and all applies to him same as me but CANNOT get married)

What i will say is going in and being arrogant, pedantic,rude, I know the rules, heres a tin of biscuits now help me you corrupt sob would almost certainly guarantee Buksis outcome.

as guess says I have never heard of anyone being thrown out of Thailand other than for Criminal activity
sorry i do know one but he was picked up and his PASSPORT had been expired for 9 years plus he had pissed his MIB mate off

Having said all that i would like to know the actual fact of it happening and how it worked out.

[lomuamart]

Sarge,
Remember that you don't get thrown out of the country just because you're no longer entitled to an extension. I was here for 10 years without one. There are always other ways to remain here, they just become more tiring and difficult to do the older you get - ie visa runs.

[buksida]

as guess says I have never heard of anyone being thrown out of Thailand other than for Criminal activity

There is a difference between getting physically kicked out and no longer qualifying for a visa you've had for 5 years because the goal posts have moved.

I only know one person that has been deported, and yes that was for criminal activity. But I do know many that have moved on because they can no longer get a visa to stay, granted its their own choice but they have been forced to make it.

An ideal immigration officer should look at the person before the book, sadly here they don't.

[sargeant]

Lomu i know there are ways round it and some of the postal routes are still open per duncs pies
The reason i asked is if the pound did drop badly or the dollar which it did i would expect a large number of people would fall foul and then there would be a rethink
I would agree that the rate of exchange for an initial applicant would mean no chance
I do think however that they would for a polite well mannered request with some history use all the discretion they could
Buksi Physically removed I dont expect that to happen more like forced due to circumstances
I dont know anyone that has left purely for a visa refusal
pissed of with 90 days or ranong runs yes i know a few but they never really qualified from day one
When i made my initial retirement application they used 65 to the quid the rate was actually 70 and on the same day they used 40 to the dollar and the actual rate was 38 work that out

[crazy88]

Might be a niave suggestion, as I have neither a retirement or marriage visa and am unlikely to for many years,but why would you not just change to a a non-o or a non-b temporarily until the situation could be resolved ? Doing a 3 monthly (real or on paper) visa run may be a pain for a while I admit ,but it can be a lot more fun than the experiences of checking in to immigration, with the same regularity, that we hear of sometimes .

Also a lot of the same people who complain how easy it is to move to the UK and "ruin the place"(the reason many do not want to be there) also complain how difficult it is to move here

Is the red tape involved taking your Thai partner to the UK any easier than a UK citizen coming here ? Can family visit as easily etc ?

Crazy 88

[buksida]

A lot of people also don't have the same ties to this country as most of us do so if the bureaucrats here want to make it difficult, they'll simply move on. The benefit in the long run (in the example of English teachers) will be to Viet, Khmer or Lao kids that get a firm grounding in English and a far better education and understanding of the world beyond than their Thai counterparts.

[Guess]

I only know one person that has been deported, and yes that was for criminal activity. But I do know many that have moved on because they can no longer get a visa to stay, granted its their own choice but they have been forced to make it.

If it the same person we are referring to it was a set up by another criminal who paid when this one didn't.

In the second instance, what choice did the people have if refused a visa. Does this mean they can revert to the Ranong, Ranong, Ranong, Penang, Soi102, Ranong formula for ever.

You can use a combination of income and savings in a Thai bank for the retirement extension.Strictly speaking, if you go this route, the savings do not need to be in the bank for 3 months before application. That only applies if you're using the whole 800K.

I responded to this yesterday but it's gone. The questions I have are:

Can the same lump sum be used every year or must it move out and back in again to be accepted?

Secondly, with regards to a visa based on marriage, can this amount remain in the bank or does it only have to be shown for the first application as I have been told (but doubt)?

[buksida]

If it the same person we are referring to it was a set up by another criminal who paid when this one didn't.

In the second instance, what choice did the people have if refused a visa. Does this mean they can revert to the Ranong, Ranong, Ranong, Penang, Soi102, Ranong formula for ever.

Unlikely it was about ten years ago.

Second instance when you have a family it is often easier to move to a more welcoming country and start again that piss about trying to jump through hoops that keep getting higher.

[Wanderlust]

I responded to this yesterday but it's gone. The questions I have are:

Can the same lump sum be used every year or must it move out and back in again to be accepted?

Secondly, with regards to a visa based on marriage, can this amount remain in the bank or does it only have to be shown for the first application as I have been told (but doubt)?

As far as i know, immigration want to see evidence that the lump sum has been used throughout the year and then topped up to the required level, otherwise there will be a suspicion that you have been working illegally in Thailand; however with new extensions since the rules changed a few years ago, lump sums in a bank are not applicable to those based on marriage, you have to show the monthly income of 40,000 baht or more, and only 'grandfathered' cases can still use the lump sum route, and I still think my first point applies to those.

[Super Joe]

Thailand is fine as long as you meet the critieria.

Places like Vietnam and Cambodia have a long way to go before they compare to Thailand in respects of foreigner friendly places to live.

SJ

[sargeant]

As i see it it is like this as a pecking order
1.... A person bringing money INTO the country ie pensioners
2.... A business exporting abroad and bringing money INTO the country
3.... A business making money here and not bringing money into the country
4.... People working here and not bringing money into the country