I think it's partly the anti-farang xenophobia of the BKK hisos and then just the simple fact that BKK has no way to grab monthly cash from long-stay COVID farangs... so perhaps they don't give much shit about local businesses dying. Economy-wise, the hisos think health tourism, ganja farming, and exports are the future and do not threaten their class standing in Thailand. An overly-Westernized lower-class is a threat to them, however... that and the general laziness of Immigration and gov agencies, they want the most bang for their buck which is short-stay tourists who come and pay a lot of money, "love Thailand" and then leave without asking too many questions... I wouldn't be surprised if retirement visas become increasingly more difficult to obtain over the next decade too

@Jay ****

nice thanks for sharing... do you mind mentioning the list of documents you needed besides the letter printed out in order to get 30 days more of COVID extension? thanks!

Hahahaha.... touche mate

Just lazy as hell... the leader of the office is a grumpy gay dude who has been there for years, when I tried to ask a few follow up questions for clarity he just sneared and walked away, clearly just waiting for the 4pm bell to go home and didn't want to work.

That's me... I think it's simply not true that Thai police care about us and are planning some secret surprise extension for us in late Sept... I think they are just lazy as hell and angry that Thai Parliament voted already to extend our visas (etc) so they come up with new excuses everyday to avoid working. It really just that simple... the only way they get off their butt is if you pay a ton of "tea money" to an agency.

Idk that kinda assume all the offices "know" about some surprise announcement and have our best interests at heart instead of just being lazy/etc as for why they are telling you to come back later (in my experience, they tell you to come back later anytime they can avoid working that day).

Interesting, I wonder where this was. The list of paperwork is hilarious, no relation to a temp 30 days stay for people already here 6 months... it seems to be a game to frustrate foreigners into leaving imo

@Kool ******

Probably right, besides having forgotten the password again for their 25th Gmail account.

Perhaps true re: the embossed, but it sounds like U.S. Embassy already "agreed" with Thai gov that email/PDF was going to be fine, usually they are very careful not to say things on behalf of the Thai gov unless they are sure. So it seems like the non-BKK offices are again clueless as to what official policy is, or they are making up excuses to delay dealing with COVID extensions (this could also be ordered by BKK behind the back of foreign embassies, to try and frustrate more foreigners into leaving etc idk).

I can't imagine working in an embassy in Thailand, it must be shitshow dealing with LOS policy while trying to update news bulletins for their citizens... no wonder so many embassies just refuse to play along with some of these tongue-in-cheek demands from LOS officials ffs