@Kieron ******

sounds proper wrong. Please answer as much as you can. Private message if you can. what was the actual crime charge ? Did you go to criminal trial at law court, in front of a judge ? No cctv of you finding the phone that night? Who stopped/searched you ? Police ? Pattaya police ? In uniform ? How many ? What was their initial request ? Money ? 300k ? There on the street ? The phones owner was with them ? Surely there were many people in the area 6pm in pattaya ? But they accurately picked you out ? Phone was unlocked ? How long before they took you to police station ? In what way did you disrespect the police ? It could be simple as that. I know two guys busted, one was decent, struck a deal, paid up and shipped out, other one was a dick, spent two years in nick.

How much money did you have in your bank at the time? What price of accommodation were you at ? Do you think you were targeted or unfortunate and random ? I think maybe a simple hustle got out of control, maybe driven by you, and once you cross the line it's hard to come back. Another thai fella was instantly offering 1million baht cash to the arresting officers, they refused, into police station, press and camera crew waiting for the snapshots, station chief not playing ball, they wanted him. Then he's on the front of newspapers and websites and social media and there's a lot of people need pleasing once you get there. I always have 50k cash in my safe just incase small problems. And a reliable friend back home who has been versed, and can ping 1million at the drop of a hat. He'd also get on a flight and deliver it in person 12 hours later such is the importance of not crossing over that threshold into a police station, which is when shit gets formal. You got to pay everyone in authority on duty. Someone's day off ? They hear there's been an arrest. Ker-ching. They want money or life becomes difficult again. You get a court date, you're paying a judge too. Back on the street, most cops will accept quick surprising low amounts, I'm surprised that corruption goes on. But obviously prices go up if you farang, paying money in nice hotel/villa etc, but hold your ground, make them doubt.

@Dan ******

hold on. You've been here 6 weeks only ? 😳

@Bradley *********

interesting to hear. No gap inbetween whatsoever ? And when was this please ?

@Dan ******

marriage can get messy. Best avoided. You only need 2 years. So education visa, thai language, intermediate followed by advanced, 9-12 months each year. and a few months of tourist visa. Make sure you apply for your retirement visa in good time and get ducks in a row. Just use and agent. Otherwise you can be left waiting a few months and you don't want to be stuck in Vietnam waiting for a visa. Although not the end of the world. Speak.to an agent. Money well spent. Two years is easy.

Try to speak to an agent here that could grease the palms at a soft border point, to increase likelyhood or even guarantee re-entry. Try to get at least a 60 day tourist visa from a neighbouring country, if not another METV. Then re-enter and explore education visa. 9-12 months, for 40-50k. What part of Thailand you stay now ?

@Steve *********

that's interesting to know. And of course, act serious/be serious, even if just for fun.

@Stacey ***************

its a fair question concerning the ease of opening an account.

@Alessandro *********

they might have taken photos previously, but what they did with them, who knows, but it wasn't Biometrics based. Maybe just for show, to scare people from trying their luck if banned etc. But Biometrics was rolled out in 2021 onwards. They didn't have mine on my last entry Dec 2019, but they got me on my exit May 2022. I could see on the system there was no previous record of me on the Biometrics. -thailand-to-use-biometrics-scan-to-identify-travellers

@Rogerio *****

well if you've never been asked, then it can't be true. Or at least you've not gone as far as to deny that very true fact, based on soley your experience. But yes, I can categorically confirm that immigration 'can' and sometimes 'do', but 'not always', ask you for the 'three proofs' of 20,000 baht or equivalent in cash, proof of accommodation booking, and proof of onward travel before visa expiry, and they can refuse you on any of these. That you haven't been asked, says that you must appear to thai immigration as a genuine tourist and give no reason for questioning, but those they don't like the look of, can be asked, and refused. It is written and printed and displayed in many immigration offices and check points.

@Steve ******

'digitally' and 'stored' and 'Thailand' or 'thai immigration' can't all be used in the same sentence I'm afraid. It just doesn't make any sense.