Fully Concur with both of you, but it is what it is and I doubt very seriuosly it is going to change. Now I personally know guys who have taken on Nong Khia with the help of attornies, and I have presonally taken them on myself and won.

Why do you think that all the time I post things about wanting a true retirement visa, look at places like Malayasia, the Philippines and Equador. The uncertainity each year of what is coming next, Until such time a there ia real retirement program, I doubt that anything is going to change.

I do beleive singling out Nong Khai is the wong approach, it's not just Nong Khia, it's the entire system. It is what it is and if you have a driving desire to stay here as I do you have to adapt.

Now what is Nong Khai's attitude I can't speak the commander But I can speak for one immigration office when I asked a simple question I was invited to take my business to Bangkok. Now I have been given alternatives to maintian my visa, so it becomes my choice. If things ever got beyond the head games we see today, I will take my business to Bangkok, go watch some good movies and make it a shopping trip.

In watching the other thread it appears the Pattaya is on a fast track so maybe that is even a better office to work with them Bangkok, I don't know.

Now heres a thought if Nong Khai does infact demand an original Embassy letter at each renewal, you might a well process the annual in Bangkok you got to be there anyway.

So lets look at this in it's totality, did all four cases mentioned here end up with an annual visa? Did anyone loose control of your aspect of visa control, or did we choose to process here, there are lots of alternatives.

But if you make that decesion to process here, you know what it is, it's posted all over this forum and many others. So you really didn't lose control you have choosen to give it away.

Is it fair no, but many things in life are unfair.

Living in any foriegn country in my mind is the ultimate lesson in adapting.

ray23 wrote:Fully Concur with both of you, but it is what it is and I doubt very seriuosly it is going to change. Now I personally know guys who have taken on Nong Khia with the help of attornies, and I have presonally taken them on myself and won.

Why do you think that all the time I post things about wanting a true retirement visa, look at places like Malayasia, the Philippines and Equador. The uncertainity each year of what is coming next, Until such time a there ia real retirement program, I doubt that anything is going to change.

I do beleive singling out Nong Khai is the wong approach, it's not just Nong Khia, it's the entire system. It is what it is and if you have a driving desire to stay here as I do you have to adapt.

Now what is Nong Khai's attitude I can't speak the commander But I can speak for one immigration office when I asked a simple question I was invited to take my business to Bangkok. Now I have been given alternatives to maintian my visa, so it becomes my choice. If things ever got beyond the head games we see today, I will take my business to Bangkok, go watch some good movies and make it a shopping trip.

In watching the other thread it appears the Pattaya is on a fast track so maybe that is even a better office to work with them Bangkok, I don't know.

Now heres a thought if Nong Khai does infact demand an original Embassy letter at each renewal, you might a well process the annual in Bangkok you got to be there anyway.

So lets look at this in it's totality, did all four cases mentioned here end up with an annual visa? Did anyone loose control of your aspect of visa control, or did we choose to process here, there are lots of alternatives.

But if you make that decesion to process here, you know what it is, it's posted all over this forum and many others. So you really didn't lose control you have choosen to give it away.

Is it fair no, but many things in life are unfair.

Living in any foriegn country in my mind is the ultimate lesson in adapting.

Ray, I agree with your post but you got this part wrong. Nong Khai Immigration will accept the Embassy letter from Laos. They accepted mine. They did keep my original and told me I must get a new one each year.

It would be very hard for them (next year) to not accept the Laos letter as they have set a precedent.....but.....TiT

No I understood that what I'm was sayng is if they demand a new letter from the embassy each year, my position would be to go to Bangkok and do the complete processing there, rather then Laos. You see I'm still working wiht my original letter from three tears ago. Keeping your original is a change in proceedure to me.

That would really be prefenece in where to obtain that letter, in my case a great excuse to see some english movies, shop for things I can find here.

Before I renew next year and find out if that is the intent. If so I will get my bank letter here, contact some of those who have renewed in Bangkok and find out what he proceedure is there. Get ready and make it a short holiday.

By the way Arjay did they keep your original letter from your embassy?

Bangkok kept my original letter last year,accepted the copy this year!

I have used the original for 7 years now including last month without problem. However it has been translated into Thai and certified by thr Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Maybe thats the difference.

Isn't that intersting right back to the original things different things happen at different times, must just be part of the system.

I just wonder if it might be a situation of the individual officer wanting proof in the file that he made the rigth decesion in granted the renewal?

Ray wrote:By the way Arjay did they keep your original letter from your embassy?

Interesting you should ask that. They did last year, because I gave them the original.

This year I got wise. I got a couple of photo-copies beforehand, picked the best and the worst and then handed those in, having only counter-signed the obvious copy. So they took both, no question or comment, presumably thinking one was the original, and the other the copy.

So I still have my "embossed" original.

Ok that is exactly what I have been doing for years, on the same letter. I was lucky I had guys at the VFW who personally walked me through the proceeduers. Guess having resources like a good VFW service officer can pay off. Doesn't sound like any change at this juncture. I have been told by others from the VFW there should be no problem in using the original letter for at least five years. Guess it may be a while before I see that english movie