digitalchromakey

Thai Consulate in Penang are now advising applicants for new Non Immigrant B Visas that along with the other required paper work, they no longer consider the WP3 Receipt alone to be satisfactory evidence of the WP3 Work Permit Application process being complete.

Applicants are now being asked to additionally produce a Letter of Acceptance from their local Labour Dept proving that their WP3 Work Permit application papers have been successfully filed.

This is a new move and was certainly not the case as recently as February of this year, when the WP3 receipt was still accepted in its own right.

My local Labour Department (Phuket) advises that they are now being asked by agents to produce such a letter of Acceptance, which if it is requested takes them Seven working days from the date of issue of the WP3 Receipt.

I know that under certain circumstances Thai immigration can change the entry status to a non-immigrant entry (change of entry) for 2,000 THB.

For example an applicant who is otherwise eligible for an Extension of Permission to Stay based in the Case of Retirement (Police Order 777/2552 Case 2.22) and  who is on a tourist visa entry can do this.

A friend of mine is currently on an extension based on Case 2.20 being a Family Member of someone who has been permitted to stay based on Business in the Kingdom of Thailand (Case 2.1).

Now my friend wants to move to an extension based on 2.11 as a Family Member of an alien who has been permitted to stay temporarily in Thailand for study in an educational institution as set out in clauses 2.8 or 2.9. Their child is now already on a one year 2.9 extension.

Phuket Immigration are currently saying that the original non-immigrant O visa entry status (held when the 2.20 extension was obtained) was invalidated by this 2.20 extension and that my friend must leave now first leave Thailand to obtain a new non immigrant visa and then re-enter.

Is there any way to restore the non-immigrant entry status without leaving Thailand and obtaining a new visa?

Just been through the new lights at the first U Turn going north from the Toyota Dealership - after Boat Lagoon.

Wow this is a pretty bizarre junction concept, with three sets of overhead lights for three lanes - where two sets can be green and one red or even better, two sets red one green.

All this is very worrying given the local habit of using the most convenient lane at signal controlled junctions, irrespective of painted/signed lane markings.

Simultaneous red and green lights will always cause confusion; It's probably most dangerous at night when you cannot clearly see the fluorescent reflective straight on / U -Turn signs on the high overhead gantry, that 'explain' the role of the individual lane lights (which do not employ illuminated filter arrows).

This has to rank highly amongst the most worrying traffic layouts I've seen since the one-way system in Patong and the (in) famous traffic lights at Chalong Circle, which I recollect lasted for about less than a week before the junction was turned back into a roundabout.