I am currently here on a NON B visa. Have sold my business and need a new visa.
What are your experiences doing this at the immigration office in U.T. ?
I am familiar with the paperwork just want to know if the office expects some "special compensation without receipt" for the procedure ?
In Krabi the fee was 15,000....

I wouldn't be posting on here about how u might expect to bypass the formal procedure of obtaining the correct visa .

Suggest u go to the Immigration and ask them, it might be easier than think, as your current visa might be reviewed favourably.

Recently, a few reports posted on here the Udon Immigration office are showing signs of customer service friendliness and I haven't of read of any complaints regarding "tea money" for services rendered, hopefully the trend continues.

I was there 4 months ago for my extension and was it painless, the immigration officer was quick and efficient. Paid the required fee, received change, a receipt and a polite smile. I believe if you have all the required documentation in hand you shouldn't have any problems.

You can always use the "PM" function....

If Udon office could not, for any reason, manage the switch from Business to Marriage then the easy solution is just to cross the bridge to the Thai Embassy. Get a single entry visa there based on marriage & then extend that in Udon near its' expiry.

Oh, I get it now.

In that case, female with eye glasses, 1st chair on the the right when you enter the office. This office appears to have cleaned up their act, however I don't believe the same can be said for "female with eye glasses".

Correct on that/her. Though we're talking 100 baht to 200 baht. Not sure that the 15,000 Krabi thing is, that probably was a tout scam?

No touts - been going on there for years - tea money in envelope direct to officer or the application will not be processed

You should promptly report this to higher authorities, how can it ever be better if you continue to pay tea money, I will call it bribery and it is an corrupt imm. officer, no doubt about that. I have never here in Udorn payed anything outside the normal fees announced on Imm. hp. and I will never do it. By paying you are onholding a corrupt system, let's hope NCPO can put an end to this too.

same thing happened on samui for many years. long stay expats caused enough of a stir that samui immigration was finally (we're talking years here) forced to post a sign indicating the correct fee for each visa. turns out some people had been paying upwards of 20k for a 1,900thb annual extension.

udonthani wrote:You should promptly report this to higher authorities, how can it ever be better if you continue to pay tea money, I will call it bribery and it is an corrupt imm. officer, no doubt about that. I have never here in Udorn payed anything outside the normal fees announced on Imm. hp. and I will never do it. By paying you are onholding a corrupt system, let's hope NCPO can put an end to this too.

exactly.

Last month I renewed my annual extension only this time , no longer needing a work permit waiver for my voluntary work, I switched back to a retirement one from the marriage one .I was quite surprised to be charged 500bht for this change. Needless to say I didn't get a receipt for this amount but commented, out loud to my wife, " Never mind they obviously need the money more than I do", as I walked out. Quite frankly, at my age I can't be bothered with the hassle, if they can't see they are the ones losing their owe so precious face, then up to them. :-"

They are not losing face. They feel they are owed this money. Remember they are part of the police which is notorious for shaking people down. This is no different then the teacher asking for 7-11 stamps for grades or the police officer who accepts money. Here is a website where you can post what happened to you http://bribespot.com/en/

Did my first 90 day report in Udon last week.

Noticed the ( asian but probably NOt thai) lady before me put 20b into a small cardboard box on desk.

I got 20b ready but the GF said "no"............then she proceeded to put 100b into the box . When I asked the GF what it was for she replied .................

"for the coffee".

Tea money / coffee money......................its still happening.

novo58 wrote:Did my first 90 day report in Udon last week.

Noticed the ( asian but probably NOt thai) lady before me put 20b into a small cardboard box on desk.

I got 20b ready but the GF said "no"............then she proceeded to put 100b into the box . When I asked the GF what it was for she replied .................

"for the coffee".

Tea money / coffee money......................its still happening.

Your not obliged to donate anything. It was your choice!

Saw a guy putting into that box 500 Baht the other week when I did my 90 day thing. Don't understand that, he was not late etc, and then some complain about 'having to pay''. Maybe our own fault when more and more tea money is expected? I have paid nothing so far, and see no reason why I should?