OK, went to Kap Choeng yesterday for my confirmation of house papers/residence. Was told by the people I used for my license renewal that I would have to have that. So on arrival one of the Immi officers started chatting to my wife as we were sorting paperwork out front while I had a smoke. She was told to go over to the building next to Immi proper (the cop shop I call it, to the left of the main Immi building). I heard them talking and he was explaining the need to be doing the TM30. He showed her something on the wall for her to photograph and use with LINE I was told. To do the reports. One of those weird square thingies. Like these.
Just an example of the code thingie I am talking about. 
He got me online to their TM30 reporting site, set me up with a username and password. Then got me over where I could change the password to something I could easily remember. It's all set up. Went through the whole thing with my wife. She asked why we haven't had to do this the past 20 something years I have lived here. He said old law, new boss wants to do this, basically. Told her it was her responsibility to do this as the house book is in her name. Gave her a phone number as well. He said this is the best way to do this, as it saves one 'oil and driving time' to do the report. Do on line rather than have to drive up to report this crap in person each time.
They were very nice and polite and friendly. No hassles really. Just schooling her on what to do and setting it all up for us to do online. The young officer doing this knew his stuff and how to show a Thai wife how to do it easily. Nice guy and treated my wife with consideration and respect. He took his time and she learned and understood what was wanted after he schooled her a bit.
I would suggest anyone going up there with their S.O. to go in there and get her tutored on it and set up the account and get that square thingie (IR code?) on their phone. And get the PW changed to something you can remember if you need to do it yourself.
Then into the main Immi office to get the papers done to get a new driver's license. 2 passport photos are needed for this just so you know.
Ran into Alf from Norway and Gary from Scotland while in there. Was old home week.
Then off to lunch in Prasat at a sister/cousin's place.
My sister-in-law and daughter couldn't believe the hassle needed to go through just to get a driver's license renewed. They were along for an education in why the heck it takes so long to do this stuff up in Kap Choeng. Wednesday's are their day off from work. At least my daughter's idea to use the driving school to do most of the DMV stuff turned out to be a good idea and was pleasant enough, and no need to be with the crowds in the DMV while waiting for the testing and such. Fast, simple, comfortable, and easy. With no crowds and 'government officials'. 300 baht all in.
After lunch we went to the driving school my daughter went to to learn how to drive and get her license a while back. This was good as they have everything there to do the same as you would have to do at the motor vehicle registry. No lines or crowds. Use your thumbprint to show you watched 'the movie' in an air con room. Once started you can leave for an hour, go out and have a smoke, whatever. Do the reflex test, color blind test, and depth perception test as well there. When done you scan your thumbprint in again and you're done. We basically had the place all to ourselves. The school is out on the courthouse and monkey house prison road. Off to the DMV for the photo and payment after. And done. New 5 year driving license.
The thing is this all took, driving to Kap Choeng round trip to get the TM30 house registration stuff, the DMV paperwork and residency papers, etc about 6 f**king hours to do. It is ridiculous, time consuming, and why the hell they do not have an office at the local cop shops, at least in the bigger cities, to do this stuff is beyond me. Sis and daughter could not believe the hassle a farang has to go through these days for this stuff. And think it is crazy. Was good for them to see what we have to go through.
Personally I think it is just another way to get more money from everyone involved, Thais and farangs, and the 'good guys' will get the shaft and will end up paying the bulk of these 'fines'. It will not stop 'terrorists and bad guys' and help find them or trace them once they have done something. The bad guys will not be staying somewhere that will require them to show a passport or ID, and they will not be reporting themselves for chrissakes. And it would be easy for them to stay in a place that does not report the comings and goings of farangs. There's plenty of places operating under the radar for tax purposes, and unlicensed and unregistered for whatever other reasons they do this.
Bad guys do not play by the rules.
They need better control of entry of these sorts of 'tourists' and immigrants to begin with right in the airport customs. Like the Aussie biker boss stopped and sent back to AUS. There needs to be much more of that, up to date computer access to Interpol and FBI from all the countries so they know who NOT to let in, and other ways to keep the undesirables out to begin with. And a real hard sustained crackdown on unregistered B&B's and flop houses, 'resorts' etc. that do not do the reporting they are supposed to do. Here's the thing. I believe the person that was letting the Erawan bombers stay in their place just came in legally with no bad things on their record, at least from what I remember reading back then. The bad guys stayed with him/her/them. Before they did their bombings the ones with the apartments rented they let them stay in just f**ked off out of the country, for good, the day or two previously before the shit happened. How can you stop this? You really can't. Or to do so things are going to have to become a lot stricter and more repressive for all involved, to the point that many farangs and visitors will no longer want to visit or stay here any more. Which will hurt Thailand and its people, and those good decent people that love coming here and living here.
Just my experience and just my humble opinions on it.
