Three weeks ago I went to Chiang Wattana on a Friday to get the same O extension for being over 50. I arrived at CW at 06.10 and was queue number 71. At 08.30 when allowed in I got ticket L 6. I got called at 08.40, having used Tod's list of what to take I put all my papers on the table and paid for my stamp at 08.50, Tod's list being on the nail I had nothing extra to sign or say (used embassy affidavit for financials) and at 09.00 my passport was handed back to me, mission accomplished. Well nearly, then a 2 hour wait for ME.

The market buys the rumour and sells the fact. The rumours in, hard exit, anything better and the pound benefits from the 1.30 area, my guess.

@Robert ********

thank, would be interested, but have a suspicion the the Thai immigration authorities are probably asking embassies for solid guarrantee of income, in light of the US lose process that they started cracking down on recently. So would be interesting to know what they asked of the UK embassy that they said no to and ended up canning the process.

@Jp ******

I've been prepared from the day before and had all my previously prepared letters and statements pushed back at me and told that they needed to be done on the day of application. That's why I went embassy way, so easy and simple.

CW only accept a letter issued on the day of extension application and want to see a transaction in the account on that day as well.

@Jp ******

With the bank option I to wait for the bank before queuing then am stuck at CW for most of the day

Time's the issue, I prefer to get to CW early, queue, get early interview and finished in 30 mins.

The UK embassy needed to see evidence of your income and if they were satisfied with the evidence you sent them they detailed this on the letter they sent to for immigration. As it happens I sent them tax info which they accepted. Sounds similar to the Dutch system. My guess is that the Thai immigration services want more.

@Steve ******

embassy application online, simple, letter returned by post, no visit to embassy required.

@Steve ******

at Chiang Wattana?

You have to make a transaction in the account on the day of application and get a statement on the day of application. This all make preparation very difficult.

Embassy letter easy, fill in a form, send evidence of income to embsssy and go to immigration with complete paper work already and complete.