This seems a recurrent issue. Folks misinterpret the validity of the visa with the period of stay. Years ago I ran into a lady who was past the exit date stamped on her passport but kept insisting she had a 3 month visa.

@Dave *******

mileage varies from office to office. Phuket wants both a bank statement and a bank certificate, resembling a letter, both signed and stamped, no more than 7 days old, indicating the account balance of 400k for at least 2 months before submitting the extension application. Each of these certificates are 100 THB. This is in addition to the bankbook printed transaction on the day of application. I just did mine last week.

On another note, last Monday I arrived at the IO at 9:35 am, and they told me all the queue numbers had been given out by 9:10! So the next day, I put the wife on the line by 8:00 am, while I went to the bank for the bankbook update, and when I returned at 8:40, we got number 26. They were by number 12 before shutting for lunch. I got lucky and number 26 was called at 2:30 pm. We were out by 4:30 pm. Moral: be there by 7:00 am. Again, YMMV, as situation is always fluid.

Thanks for sharing!

@Bennett *******

ah, ok. Times are a changin'

@Bennett *******

the USA embassy/consulate used to add pages to a passport. That was years ago. Did they stop doing that?

My landlord gave me a powed of attorney doc to file my address first time with imm. No prob.

@Russell ******

you got it! Many people like it here, want to stay, and also want to "own". The benefit is that the land they buy sells for more than the cost.

@Russell ******

sorry, cannot comment about what details are in the company info, after all, it is private, and the other two "nominees" each hold less than 51%. This type of business does not generate funds. It is a front. On the other hand, many foriegn companies set up businesses. They have to be blessed by the Board of Investment, BOI, get all the permits, drop money on the co., and hire a few locals. There have to be a minimum of them before a work permit can be issued to a foreigner. It can be done. There are many multi-national companies doing buss here but it takes $$$. I used to know a guy who ran a sole proprietorship. He had to report income in excess of 50k/mo for tax purposes, and get a Non-O buss based visa every 3 moths. This allowed him a work permit. No visa extensions, and yes, visits to embassies outside the country ever 3 mo. Lots of leg work. That was >10 ago. YMMV.

@Russell ******

well, that is the purpose. Picture this: the 2 or more who, on paper "own" the 51%, want to sell the buss that you have funded 100%. Since you are a minority holder, they leave you holding the bag. This is, of course, if they can get together and talk about it. Mostly this "business" is setup as an offshore company so it could buy land normally forbidden to foreign nationals. You would then control it, not them. An old trick by now and even the government, on occassion, threatens to stop this practice. Chinese, Indians, Europeans, and others, have lots of investments here using business companies as front. Clever.

@Ludwig **********

that's what I thought but have never met such. Owning is not working. I have read that about 20+ years ago the police showed up at a bar and arrested (then deported) a foreigner bar owner for "working" at the bar he owned. Their argument was that he was there talking to customers and in their view, that was "work".