Renewing Retirement Extension

[Britboy]

2 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

While the agency fee has remained the same, there was one difference from the last couple of years that make it a bit easier. I no longer had to make a trip to Jomtien Immigration for the sole purpose of having my picture taken. Instead the picture was taken at Maneerat's office.

Great they don't need the pic now.

You do have to go to immigration for the initial retirement visa. Mine had lapsed during my time back in the UK during Covid, so had to go through the process again when I returned at the end of June. Having said that, because of Maneerat's connections I skipped all the queues, entered via the exist, straight to desk 8, snap taken and out within 2 minutes.

2 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

That experience was a test of patience. I was second in line, but waited close to 30 minutes for my number to be called. At one point there were four bank employees looking busy doing who knows what for about 15 minutes while there were no customers at the windows. Should have brought a book to read as I could have at least been productive with the wasted time.

Every time I've been in that Beach Road branch of Bangkok Bank I've had exactly the same problem. They are pathetically slow and as you say, staff milling around trying to look busy but not serving customers. So bloody frustrating. Customers in line should come first rather than faffing about with crap they could do when there are no customers waiting.

Having said that, every time I finally got to be served, the girls were friendly and helpful.

[Bazle]

34 minutes ago, Britboy said:

You do have to go to immigration for the initial retirement visa. Mine had lapsed during my time back in the UK during Covid, so had to go through the process again when I returned at the end of June. Having said that, because of Maneerat's connections I skipped all the queues, entered via the exist, straight to desk 8, snap taken and out within 2 minutes.

Mine, also, had expired during Covid, and I got a new one via Maneerat in June. 

However, I was not required to go to Immigration. 

[Britboy]

1 minute ago, Bazle said:

Mine, also, had expired during Covid, and I got a new one via Maneerat in June. 

However, I was not required to go to Immigration. 

No idea why I had to then . . 🤔

[Bazle]

Just now, Britboy said:

No idea why I had to then . . 🤔

Did you use your own money, or was that "facilitated"? 

[Britboy]

The latter . . . 😉

Maybe that's it, if you were the former . . 😂

[Jambo]

I am going to have to start all over again after I have my hip replacement operation on the NHS.

Or I die whilst waiting for my turn.

Whichever comes first. 🤣

[Bazle]

3 hours ago, Britboy said:

The latter . . . 😉

Maybe that's it, if you were the former . . 😂

I was. So I think it's a reasonable guess what caused the difference. 

[ChiFlyer]

11 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

Just completed my extension to stay. Was surprised how crowded Maneerat's office was this morning, but since I was only picking up my passport I was in and out in five minutes.

While the agency fee has remained the same, there was one difference from the last couple of years that make it a bit easier. I no longer had to make a trip to Jomtien Immigration for the sole purpose of having my picture taken. Instead the picture was taken at Maneerat's office.

Overall I rate Maneerat's service as excellent. When I stopped in last Thursday afternoon there was no line, so only spent about 10 minutes at the office while they completed the paperwork. Once they were done with me they sent me off to the nearby Bangkok Bank branch for the wonky proof of deposit.

That experience was a test of patience. I was second in line, but waited close to 30 minutes for my number to be called. At one point there were four bank employees looking busy doing who knows what for about 15 minutes while there were no customers at the windows. Should have brought a book to read as I could have at least been productive with the wasted time.

One curiosity at Maneerat. For those looking for an agent to help open a bank account, their fee is 3700B for age 50 - 63 and 4700B for those 64 and older. When I asked about why us old farts have to pay more, their reply was it was for insurance. Didn't take that discussion any farther as I'm sure it would have done my head in listening to their convoluted reasoning for the insurance requirement.

Well written as usual.

My situation is different, but I was in Maneerat's office on the 25th of October and it was smooth sailing. I had previously communicated with them about what I wanted to do.

Basically, I entered Thailand on an OA about 6 years ago when there was no OA insurance requirement. When the OA insurance requirement was "invented", it was grandfathered onto existing Retirement Extensions of Stay that originated from a OA. Pissed me off? Yeah.

I have pretty decent insurance based in the US that covers ER and ER related in-patient within Thailand. Chonburi Immigration will not accept this as it is not on their "approved kickback (IMO) list".

My plan all along had been to exit Thailand and re-enter in effect killing my OA originated permission to stay. Due to Covid that became complicated. I recently made a border run to Vietnam and re-entered Thailand on a 45 day visa exempt permission.

I went to Maneerat (several PA friends had recommended them) a few days later.  I gave them the required paper work for an extension to a 90 day O and a 1 year extension of stay after that. The lady I worked with was impressed with my prep work to the point that she gave me back 1000 of the 25,000 fee and also tossed in a single re-entry permit. Waiting for a call (expected in about 2 weeks) to pick up my passport.

Given my situation, I did have to go over to Chonburi Immigration to have my picture taken. But the Maneerat lady gave me a clearly marked package where I was able to bypass the long queues that existed that day in order to have my pic taken. I was out of Immigration in under 10 minutes. The queue to get in looked to be an hour long mid-afternoon.

 

[Yessongs]

Great info gents, I still use wifey's friend pictured here. She was here a few weeks ago to get all the things she needed to get my retirement extension done.  She told me she is " swamped" with guys from mostly Europe and America getting all their documents ready to marry Thai girls that she had to hire 2 more girls.

I asked about the 90 day report that you can do online and she is very open and honest and tells me " It works sometimes, but alot of the time it just doesn't for some reason" Being that she is in the business I asked her " Well......why don't they figure it out and get it fixed so everyone can use it all the time" Then she said to me " Mike, this is Thailand"  

Oh yeah, I forgot where I am at now LOL! 

[forcebwithu]

1 hour ago, Yessongs said:

Great info gents, I still use wifey's friend pictured here. She was here a few weeks ago to get all the things she needed to get my retirement extension done.  She told me she is " swamped" with guys from mostly Europe and America getting all their documents ready to marry Thai girls that she had to hire 2 more girls.

I asked about the 90 day report that you can do online and she is very open and honest and tells me " It works sometimes, but alot of the time it just doesn't for some reason" Being that she is in the business I asked her " Well......why don't they figure it out and get it fixed so everyone can use it all the time" Then she said to me " Mike, this is Thailand"  

Oh yeah, I forgot where I am at now LOL! 

My experience with the online 90 day report system over the last year has been good. I may have lucked out, but every time I needed to use the system it's been up and running.

They've also made several improvements to the system. The system requires you set up an account, but once created you'll get a 2 week reminder email your report is due. Log on to the system and bring up the form. Enter your name and nationality and click on the magnify glass icon to pre-fill the rest of the report with the last report's info. Submit the report and quite often you'll find it's been immediately approved.

A couple of quibbles.
- They include in the email my full name, nationality and passport no. Good info to have as a first step to identity theft.
- The email doesn't contain a link to the online reporting system, but does have a useless link to a pdf with phone numbers and text, all in Thai.
- The magnify glass icon is not very intuitive as to what it does, and has no "hover" text to explain it pre-fills the form. Wonder how many people end up manually filling in the form like I did the first time until someone directs you to the icon.
- They could do away with the TM47 completely as the same info is on the TM30.

[ChiFlyer]

3 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

My experience with the online 90 day report system over the last year has been good. I may have lucked out, but every time I needed to use the system it's been up and running.

They've also made several improvements to the system. The system requires you set up an account, but once created you'll get a 2 week reminder email your report is due. Log on to the system and bring up the form. Enter your name and nationality and click on the magnify glass icon to pre-fill the rest of the report with the last report's info. Submit the report and quite often you'll find it's been immediately approved.

A couple of quibbles.
- They include in the email my full name, nationality and passport no. Good info to have as a first step to identity theft.
- The email doesn't contain a link to the online reporting system, but does have a useless link to a pdf with phone numbers and text, all in Thai.
- The magnify glass icon is not very intuitive as to what it does, and has no "hover" text to explain it pre-fills the form. Wonder how many people end up manually filling in the form like I did the first time until someone directs you to the icon.
- They could do away with the TM47 completely as the same info is on the TM30.

Agreed in that I have found the reliability of the online 90 day reporting system to be very good over the last year or so. Prior to that it was rather hit or miss (miss probably winning the contest). 🙂

 

[KWA]

Another vote for the newish online system.  Never failed me even after a trip out of the country.  9 minutes between emails acknowledging receipt and giving approval when I used it a few days ago.

 

[Britboy]

5 hours ago, Yessongs said:

I asked about the 90 day report that you can do online and she is very open and honest and tells me " It works sometimes, but alot of the time it just doesn't for some reason" Being that she is in the business I asked her " Well......why don't they figure it out and get it fixed so everyone can use it all the time" Then she said to me " Mike, this is Thailand"  

Oh yeah, I forgot where I am at now LOL! 

Interesting change in Maneerat's advice on this.

When I got my 3 month O and 12 month retirement I asked about doing the 90 day report online. It was the male who answered my question and he said best for us to do it first time but next time I can complete a form for you that will mean you can report online from thereon in. 500 baht he quoted.

When I went back a couple of weeks ago, it was a lady who served me (not Fon). I told her what the guy had told me, she said "what he said is rubbish, forget that". She said, as you have explained above, "for some people, sometimes, it works. For others it doesn't". Give it a try before your next 90 day, if it works, great, if not, come here and we'll do it for you".

Can you or another BM give me the link/URL to the website please?

 

[KWA]

7 minutes ago, Britboy said:

Can you or another BM give me the link/URL to the website please?

https://tm47.immigration.go.th/tm47/#/login

[Britboy]

4 minutes ago, KWA said:

https://tm47.immigration.go.th/tm47/#/login

Thanks KWA, much appreciated.

Have just completed the registration, let's see what happens. Says I'll get an email.

I don't have to report until the end of Jan, but be good to get on the system anyway.

[KWA]

15 minutes ago, Britboy said:

Thanks KWA, much appreciated.

Have just completed the registration, let's see what happens. Says I'll get an email.

I don't have to report until the end of Jan, but be good to get on the system anyway.

I should also have said that the system will create a crazy password for you that'll be in the "registration accepted" email. Copy and paste it from the email to get it right, but one of the first things you will want to do is change it.

Some IOs seem to be pernickety about the address although it seemed straightforward to me.  Ask when the time comes if you need any pointers.

Applications are accepted up to two weeks ahead of the due date (15 days in Thai) so for the first one I would recommend doing it early so you have time to address any issues.

Edited November 8, 2022 by KWA

[Britboy]

13 minutes ago, Britboy said:

Thanks KWA, much appreciated.

Have just completed the registration, let's see what happens. Says I'll get an email.

I don't have to report until the end of Jan, but be good to get on the system anyway.

Update:-

Got a reply within 5 minutes, registration successful and provided a password.

Accept the t's and c's and get 2 choices below the following heading:-

Notification of staying in The Kingdom (Over 90 days) – TM 47

Options are "New Application" or "Check the status of Application". Well, neither apply right now as Maneerat did my 90 day report at the end of Oct, so will wait to mid-Jan and give it a try.

Anyone know how long before the actual expiry date one can apply?

[Britboy]

3 minutes ago, KWA said:

I should also have said that the system will create a crazy password for you that'll be in the "registration accepted" email. Copy and paste it from the email to get it right, but one of the first things you will want to do is change it.

Some IOs seem to be pernickety about the address although it seemed straightforward to me.  Ask when the time comes if you need any pointers.

Applications are accepted up to two weeks ahead of the due date (15 days in Thai) so for the first one I would recommend doing it early so you have time to address any issues.

Thanks KWA, you just answered my question. We posted at roughly the same time.

It didn't give me the option to change the password, but didn't look tbh. As you say, I cut and pasted it and my laptop has remembered it. Will keep the original email just in case.

[john luke]

I renewed my Thailand Retirement Extension today using Maneerat Transport & Travel Visa and Tour service, Pattaya 13/2, Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150.  The cost was 12000 baht including a multi-entry re-entry permit.  

When renewing previously, staff in Maneerat shop took my photograph on a mobile phone actually in the shop.  On this occasion the procedure was different in that I had to go to the Thailand Immigration Office, Jomtien, where I was met outside by a member of Maneerat Staff, who took me inside and then with his phone took a picture of me with the 'retirement extension; counter and sign in the background.

I am not sure why the change in procedure, other than perhaps to prove one is in Thailand at the time of making the application.  

I am informed the retirement extension will be ready for me to collect on Thursday.  

[CampariO]

2 hours ago, john luke said:

When renewing previously, staff in Maneerat shop took my photograph on a mobile phone actually in the shop.  On this occasion the procedure was different in that I had to go to the Thailand Immigration Office, Jomtien, where I was met outside by a member of Maneerat Staff, who took me inside and then with his phone took a picture of me with the 'retirement extension; counter and sign in the background.

I am not sure why the change in procedure, other than perhaps to prove one is in Thailand at the time of making the application.  

I did my extension with Maneerat a couple of month ago and they took my pic in a bank branch nearby. 

[john luke]

On 7/24/2023 at 6:46 PM, john luke said:

I renewed my Thailand Retirement Extension today using Maneerat Transport & Travel Visa and Tour service, Pattaya 13/2, Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150.  The cost was 12000 baht including a multi-entry re-entry permit.  

When renewing previously, staff in Maneerat shop took my photograph on a mobile phone actually in the shop.  On this occasion the procedure was different in that I had to go to the Thailand Immigration Office, Jomtien, where I was met outside by a member of Maneerat Staff, who took me inside and then with his phone took a picture of me with the 'retirement extension; counter and sign in the background.

I am not sure why the change in procedure, other than perhaps to prove one is in Thailand at the time of making the application.  

I am informed the retirement extension will be ready for me to collect on Thursday.  

Received a phone call just after lunchtime today.  Passport and extension ready for collection.