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Meatywsg
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We're all aware of the bogus visa stamps and visa services and the lack of press attention its receiving despite serious implications and numerous internet reports.
I've been reading so much contradictory information coming out of governement sources in the press and on Thai internet sites, i've heard the stories, and i am concerned, but i personally know of 3 people who have left Bangkok and flown to Singapore and returned the same day all have previously used what are now being termed dodgy visa services, (despite the one used by my freinds was advertising in the Bangkok Post and being a law firm!), and they had no problem, no extra checks and no lengthy flicking through all the passport pages, this didnt happen on entry or exit. I personally know of noone that has been detained, arrested or had any extra attention paid to them at any border, yet press reports have us believe some 650 have been detained to date and had passports confiscated. Whats the truth? Does anyone know? or is this just a huge bluff on behalf of the powers that be to get rid of the undesirables in Thailand, and to be honest i can't blame them for doing so, some of the wasters in the bars put us all to shame.
Factual info if its available please.
Peace
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:23 pm on Sep. 24, 2003
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BigDUSA
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IMHO and it ain't worth much. I think if you come thru the airport they don't check but if you come in from Cambodia by walking across the boarder they may check to see if you have any dodgy visa stamps. Pure speculation on my part.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 9:33 pm on Sep. 24, 2003
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Yurune
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The UK press had a report about 6 (or so) Britons arrested and still in custody for dodgy visa stamps.
They named them and interviewed a father....
Then again...the UK press thinks there's an old B-52 on the moon.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:35 pm on Sep. 24, 2003
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ThaidUp
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I read the same reports that Yurune read it sounds definitely real. From my understanding these people were exiting together. Who knows what they look like, but what else does a immigration officer have to base their opinions on, so if they are the backpaker types and dressed accordingly they probably got scutinized more; to their demise.
The problem from what I read is mainly this. People who were too lazy to do the VISA run themselves paid money for someone else to do it. Some of these "services" were too lazy to do the runs themselves and seen it was easier to copy a entry stamp. Now this is a big problem. When immigration punches in your passport number and things don't jive look out. There have also been reports of many people "losing" their passports and filing for new ones at their embassy. Smart thing to do if you used a questionable service in the past.
Now Meatywsg, it the services used by your friends actually took the passports to the border and had them stamped, it would be hard to prove this stamp was not valid, but fake stamps is probably another story.
Here are a couple of links to Thaivisa.com and some articles:
http://www.thaivisa.com/index.php?514&backPID=514&tt_news=541
http://www.thaivisa.com/index.php?514&backPID=514&tt_news=553
http://www.thaivisa.com/index.php?514&backPID=514&tt_news=544
All of this is a result of the Thai immigration being bamboozed by the #2 terrorist. Def a big loss of face in the world community, so appropriate measures are being made to correct the situation.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 11:05 pm on Sep. 24, 2003
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Meatywsg
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I've been keeping an eye on Thaivisa's site, but whilst theres lots of info over there its from non-important government officials like Phuket or ChiangMai so i'm still sceptical about why nothing has been covered in the Nation or Bangkok Post or some senior official from bangkok hasn't stood up.
My situation is slightly different, i've been living here for nearly 4 years now, on a non-immigrant B visa, no work permit, i am not a bum or a waster and frequent the bar scene once a fortnight at most. Due to my work i often leave LOS to visit other countries in the Asia region, so have never personally used a visa agent for such a stamp. I did however 3.5 years ago, use a very famous chap on soi 23, called Lars who arranged my original Non immigrant B visa for me whilst i was in the Kingdom. As i had only just arrived in LOS and had stumbled into an employment opportunity, and because this is what my company recomended and all my colleagues to be also used Lars's service, i had no reason at all to suspect anything wrong. I am now, fully aware that these types of visa cannot be procured under any circumstances whilst you are in LOS, (the Houston visa stamp should have tipped me).
My concerns are that i have been here for 4yrs not paying tax or using a work permit but conducting business on behalf of my employing company based in Hong Kong.
I would like to ask the reasoning behind washing your passport or claiming to have lost it. As i understand it, your embassy won't give you any grief, but after they issue the new one, don't you have to head on over to Bangkok Thai immigration office and explain what happened so they can put an entry stamp in? surely you cant just leave thailand on a blank passport with no entry stamp? and if you cannot, do you not think immigration are going to scrutinise every detail when you go there with your nice and clean passport? also if you did use a dodgy service, your barcode on your passport wont be in the system, so you still get caught. Am i missing something on the 'get a new passport thing'?
As always your opinions are always appreciated
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 12:30 am on Sep. 25, 2003
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nokna
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you mean that there is not a B-52 on the moon?.
next you'll be telling me that i did'nt see Elvis in my local chip shop.............
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:49 am on Sep. 25, 2003
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ThaidUp
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Meatywsg You have a couple of issues. One how did you obtain the VISA extensions? When you get you original VISA it is usually good for a single entry. You can apply for a multiple rentry permit and you will be allowed to exit/re-enter as many times as you like ONLY up to the expiration of the VISA or VISA extension date. so you have four items:
1. Your original VISA in your case type B
2. Extensions to the original VISA
3. Single or Multiple Re-entry Permits
4. Any Entry/Exit Immigration Stamps
In order to get extensions of your VISA you are usually required to submit a large amount of paperwork including receipt for paying taxes. Again I do not know how you got your VISA extended. Once you get your VISA extended it is easy to get a multiple re-entry permit. Only pay a fee.
The advice of loosing your passport is good for people who come here on a tourist VISA and do the VISA run every 30/90 days and have some questionable stamps if they used a service. Right now the numbers of lost passports have gone thru the roof and because of this are being looked at carefully by Thai immigration.
When you lose a passport you have to get:
1> A Thai police report
2> Passport from your Embassy
3> Thai Immigration stamp
The Thai Immigration computers have your last entry date in them and are reported NOT to have your complete entry/exit history.
I do not want to be an alarmist, but in your case, I would seek a good immigration lawyer on how to proceed. You have three problems:
1. Your original VISA is questionable
2. You have been working 3.5 years without a work permit.
3. You have not paid any Thai Income taxes.
I am sure all this can be handle with the right lawyer with proper "connections", but in light of the current environment, I would not want to try exit/entry at this time or handle this problem yourself.
There is talk of ammensty and I think this will happen. Everyone is give a chance to fess up and pay a fine after a proper background check. The main intent of the Thai government is to locate any possible terrorists. That is why this started in the first place.
Do you think the Thai's want to pollute their jail cells with a bunch of backpackers? (Not that you are one)
In Summary, get a good immigration lawyer and drink heavily, I am sure things will work out OK
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:26 am on Sep. 25, 2003
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Arramsey
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Meatywsg ,
I am not being judgemental about you so please don't take this the wrong way .
BUT I do think that the subject of this Thread is an absolutely illegal activity . So for the continuing long term good of this Forum I suggest that BK delete this entire Thread .
Meatyswg - Thaidup has given you some very good advice . Maybe you could PM him on this subject .
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:00 am on Sep. 25, 2003
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Meatywsg
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Arramsey> apologies if you feel that way, i agree what i am asking strays somewhat from the legal side of the line but wanted to ask fellow expats there thoughts. On the same note should we not close the threads discussing double dildo action at Eden, or maybe the threads advising us which bars offer on site Bj's or ST rooms? All of which are illegal and at the moment under scrutiny from the boys in brown (thank-you soooooo much APEC).
I take your point, and will leave with one final answer to my original question.
I just rang the Brit Embassy and they are advising that if you have used any type of 'visa service' in the last year you should surrender your passport INTACT (do not wash it, spill coffee on it or lose it) and they will impound it. Once impounded a new one will be issued, and a letter stating that the old one was impounded. You MUST then goto Bangkok immigration to request an entry stamp, this is where your problems may/may not start. After you leave the Embassy there is NOTHING more they can do to help you. They did tell me that figures of arrests/ detentions found in chatrooms of 300 or 600 are hugely exagerated, but some have been arrested. On arrest a 3,000GBP bail can be paid and you will be on bail in LOS with no passport awaiting a court hearing, if you cannot post bail you will be detained in prison until the court date. I was also told that a lot of the embassies are currently jointly negotiating an amnesty of some description with the Thai immigration authorities. This was a conversation ALL of which was off the record.
Thaidup> thanks very much for your information it helped me and prompted my call to the embassy.
BK - fell free to delete this thread if you feel it could harm your board or any other party in any way. My intentions were not malicous - by the way i hope to meet you sometime at one of your roundtables, so far i've always been stuck somewhere, maybe next month.
Peace to all,
Meaty
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 3:20 am on Sep. 25, 2003
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ThaidUp
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Meatywsg, No problem 3,000 GBP is a lot of BF's I would imagine once at trail you choices would be jail or forfeit bail for the fine.
Good Luck bro
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:33 am on Sep. 25, 2003
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