Any TM30 update?

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Gaybutton
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Re: Any TM30 update?

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Bob wrote:Geez, they know our address from our annual extensions, our 90-day reports, and even from our TM6 departure cards.
To me, the sensible thing to do would be to establish an online reporting system that actually works, along with requiring address reports only if your address changes.

Wouldn't that make sense? And if it does, that is precisely why I believe it will never happen . . .

I can't make any sense out of this idea of having to submit an address report if you travel within Thailand. Can someone explain to me what purpose that is supposed to serve?
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Re: Any TM30 update?

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Why Immigration won't hire some 18-year-old techie to design a reasonable online system is beyond me. Designed simply, one would just go to the Immigration website and click on a button that said 90-day report. Up would come a page where you would insert your last name and your passport number (or just your departure card number), push a submit button, and then a page would come up with all your information. Then you'd have two choices: (1) click on a button that says something like "Same address and print" or (2) click on a button that says something like "New Address" and you'd then fill in the new address and print it out. This, of course, would be far too simple.

I do my 90-day reporting by mail because I've never been able to get the online doohickey to work. In a way, I've wished that Immigration would make it mandatory that everyone does it by mail or online so it would eliminate (in Chiangmai) another horde (up to 200 per day) people showing up to clog up the office (thus allowing another officer or two to be available to do more important work). Alternatively, charge those that insist on showing up in person and use that money to hire another officer or two.

It could be easy and simple....which is probably why it'll never happen.
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Re: Any TM30 update?

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Bob wrote:Why Immigration won't hire some 18-year-old techie to design a reasonable online system is beyond me.
They've talked about an online system for years. They even put one online. Trouble is, it doesn't work or intermittently at best. What's so difficult about establishing a working online system?

I don't understand what they need these address reports for in the first place. Unless I'm missing something, it would seem far more reasonable and would actually make sense if people have to submit an address report when they first establish an address and never have to report again unless their address changes.

For example, I've lived at the same address ever since moving to Thailand years ago. My address has never changed. What do they need with me reporting the same address every 90 days?

Oh well, as Geezer says, "The day I don't like it in Thailand anymore, I know where the airport is."
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Re: Any TM30 update?

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PeterUK wrote:here's the latest from Phuket immigration
This whole thing goes beyond absurd. At least they only require you to do an address report upon returning to Phuket. I don't know how they could expect people to report to an immigration office when traveling in Thailand since there are thousands of places you might go that are nowhere near an immigration office.

Hotels are supposed to do the address reporting when you're staying somewhere other than your registered home address. That's fine, but suppose you're not staying at a hotel. What if you are staying at a friend's home? What then, especially if it's out in the boondocks somewhere and the nearest immigration office is hundreds of miles away?

And it seems to me that Phuket's requirement to submit a new address report upon returning from a foreign country violates Thailand's own immigration law. What happened to the obligation to submit an address report only after 90 days upon return from a foreign country, assuming you have a reentry permit? Having to report virtually immediately must be loads of fun when returning from a long haul trip, your destination is nowhere near an immigration office, and it's a weekend. That gives a whole new meaning to "You can't go home again."
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Re: Any TM30 update?

Post by Dodger »

Reporting in (TM30) only applies to those holding Tourist Visas who leave Thailand and then return again. Non immigrant (Retirement) Visa holders DO NOT have to report in...other than the routine 90 day reporting.

Regardless if a farang is holding a tourist or a Non immigrant visa he Does Not have to report in to anyone if traveling within the Kingdom.


If Immigration up in Chiang Mai is manufacturing their own twisted policy (and I seriously doubt this is happening) I would suggest paying the fine to the immigration officer with a smile and a nod and then report it to your Embassy immediately for clarification.
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Re: Any TM30 update?

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Dodger wrote:Reporting in (TM30) only applies to those holding Tourist Visas who leave Thailand and then return again.
Even that makes no sense to me. Most people traveling on a tourist visa or the 30-day privilege are going to be staying in hotels and the hotels supply the information to immigration. Why should a tourist have to go to immigration to report where he is staying, especially if he is staying nowhere near an immigration office?

I've heard if you are staying far from an immigration office and not staying in a hotel, it is acceptable to report to the nearest police station. I don't know whether that's true, but that's what I've heard.

I could kinda-sorta see it if the tourist is staying somewhere other than a hotel, such as with a friend, but that seems like a ridiculous inconvenience to the tourist.
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Re: Any TM30 update?

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Gaybutton wrote:Most people traveling on a tourist visa or the 30-day privilege are going to be staying in hotels and the hotels supply the information to immigration.
Could be wrong...but I don't believe there is a requirement for hotels to report anything to the immigration offices. Evan if they were they (The Thais) don't have the types computer systems/programs or necessary training and skills to support the tracking of people effectively.

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Re: Any TM30 update?

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Dodger wrote:Could be wrong...but I don't believe there is a requirement for hotels to report anything to the immigration offices.
I'll put it this way - hotels are required to take down the information immigration requires. If and when anything actually gets reported to or collected by immigration, your guess is as good as mine.

Bottom line: If you're staying in a hotel, it's the hotel's responsibility, not yours.
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Re: Any TM30 update?

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PeterUK wrote:Are board members bothering to report to Immigration when returning from a trip abroad or just waiting for 90 days and then reporting?
This is a "just in case" response if nobody else has a definitive answer. I have not been out of Thailand for nearly 6 years, so I really don't know.

Obviously the safest thing to do, no matter what anyone else tells you, is to report to immigration. I have not seen anything on this or any other boards that would suggest a serious necessity to do so, but if it is the law and you don't comply, then whatever happens next time you do go to immigration will be the same as it always seems to be - at the whim of the officer you're dealing with.

There is a discussion about this on ThaiVisa, but bear in mind that the most recent post was November of 2017 and most other posts were submitted in 2016: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/94 ... f-arrival/

Speaking only for myself if it were me, I would report. For the 90-day address reports, in Pattaya I'm usually in and out of immigration in less than 5 minutes. I'd rather go through the inconvenience than have to spend the next 90 days worrying about what's going to happen next time I'm in immigration.
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Re: Any TM30 update?

Post by Bob »

It seems that every area of the country is treating the TM30 issue differently. Here in Chiangmai, one is required to have an original TM30 filed for one's address and then one is currently required to update only upon return to the country to that same address. They are not strictly enforcing the 24-hour rule here (officers have told me 4-5 days after returning is fine and I've actually exceeded the 24-hour time period several times without any issue or comment).

Although I've read Pattaya Immigration is one of the places that the TM30 rules are starting to be enforced, I have no actual clue as to what's really happening there. Presuming, Peter, that you have the original TM30 Receipt of Notification on hand (hopefully stapled in your passport), you can't go wrong by stopping by at the Pattaya office within a few days of return and ask them if you need to update (if so, it ought to take no more than 5-10 minutes). Up here, they are fining people 1,600 baht for any violations but it seems that they're only making a point of doing that when somebody is asking for an extension of any kind.
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