2009-06: Project:  Bust the Myth - That Visa for Thai to W.A. (Australia) is ETREMELY DIFFICULT?  if so why? 
so many people "Thai and Aussie" are vehement in view there is an anti attitude towards visa for Thai to Australia? 
The criticism does not have sound logic so we visited the Immigration office Bangkok, ask questions, asked for their support and processed visa applicants..
What we discovered....... 
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2009-07: Visit Immigration office in Australian Embassy in Bangkok
The officer (Mr. Faithfull)  was very helpful, we will produce an article pending data from other Govt dept.
Discovery: (we were told)
FACT: 1 Applications are assessed by Australian Immigration officers (not Thai staff)
FACT 2: Aprox 85% of applications are successful
FACT 3: The majority of unsuccessful applications result from lack of information by the applicant or when contacted for more information the applicant fails to respond or will not supply additional information.

Our conclusion: The applicant does not understand the question or has something to hide

FACT From Feb 2009 to Dec 2009 we have been involved with 6 visa applications.
FACT: The majority have been rejected?  This is a absolute contradiction of fact quoted by the Embassy Officers 
We presented our audit (link below) to Government agencies. We received negative response and attitude, we published the Audit 2010-January (see link below)

FACT:Post Dec 2009 We meet with the Chief Migration officer Bangkok. The meeting gave is clear instructions on how to present our applicants to comply and support the Immigration office process.
We added "best practice" tips to our webpage on Visa from our contact with the Immigration office. 
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Fact:   The majority of our Visa applicants continue to be refused. 
Fact: all applicants are assisting an Australian Base Business promote Bilateral Business, Community and Travel - Australian and Thailand .. the facts are tabled hereunder:-
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2009-08:  Discovery: Tourism Australia (TA) website list "Recommended Travel/Visa agents" in Thailand.
We contacted tourism Australia seeking contact with the recommended Thailand based visa agents.
 2009-09:  (TA)  gave ambiguous responses, avoided any real assistance and created obstacles for us to contact their agents in Thailand?.
              We contacted WA Tourism & WA Govt depts., seeking assistance. They opted for "No response" or rhetorical answers which had no actionable outcome.
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2009-10: The data we collected from Immigration office Bangkok in 2009-07 was drafted but STILL waiting other govt dept., to confirm info. 
The dis interest by staff and Senior officers of Tourism Australia give evidence they are not serious about promoting Australian Tourism to Thailand.
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2009-11The following is our best guess at helpful hints re Visa applications. 
The information should only be considered general guide (seek advice from a qualified person).
Website link:  Thai Travel WA click here (we embedded the immigration website page about Visa options, includes good checklist documents)
SUMMATION OF VISA:     TOURIST VISA FOR THAI TO WA
Critical issues:-
1. Applicant's must show independent capacity to cover cost of living during visit and
2. show objective evidence there is a genuine reason or a dominating influence that they WILL leave prior to expiry of the visa and
3. show objective evidence of their genuine employment or financial independence
or if there is a personal relationship then show objective and substantial evidence the relationship has existed for a significant period

why these critical issues?
Avoid substantial costs chasing delinquent travellers, therefore the mindset or focus for Immigration officers is "if in doubt - keep em out" (Prevention is better then cure).
tip: Produce very strong and clear evidence of a controlling influence that the person WILL LEAVE on or before expiry of the visa.
Myth:  Sponsorship or Financial Guarantee for a Tourism Visa:  Answer:  NO - there is no such thing
The only supporting statement for a Tourist visa is a "Letter of invitation". Calling it sponsorship or guarantee does not make it so. There is no provision in Tourist Visa guidelines for a Sponsor/Guarantor (only Business visa)

warning for 1st timers :The Immigration websites will be difficult for 1st timers, if you call someone you will face obstacles.
3rd party advice/comments 
Many people willingly give you advice, but often it's not current knowledge or not quantified. It's free but not accountable so ask competency questions ie., how do they know this, when did they collect the intelligence and from whom.
The Public Servants:-
they are difficult to approach; based on their view; understaffed, overworked and under paid, therefore it's not their problem and you should be refer to the website. There is some logic to this but it's the manner in which they dictate (no empathy). but what's worse is their work culture...
The officers will not accept an responsibility for their comments, they do not give advice and each officer is allowed to use discretion and interpret the rules and their supervisors will not override (it's a club culture, not a service culture)
Go to the experts
In Australia they are Expensive
they are qualified, but sadly it does not mean they are good at their job (ask competency questions; experience and examples of their work)
In Thailand they are Inexpensive
often not qualified, they (loving thais) offer to help but often it's not really helping (ask competency questions)

CONCLUSION
Unfortunately some people tell you stuff that ain't true, declare to them your recording their name and detail of the discussion as reference (this makes some (not all) people more accountable).
You must focus on giving them (visa office) more comfort statements than necessary. Consider they will look at every chance to refuse a visa rather then approve. 
Make their job easier and they might be positive (haa haa).
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2009-09 a Thailand National holding a Biz Visa contacted us requesting to join our Cultural exchange (free visit to Perth WA), she suggested her many years import/export experience with her Aussie Employer will valuable to our projects. We promptly agreed to sponsor her costs. 
During her stay we discovered she HAD NO BUSINESS SKILLS SETS, she lied about her employment and her personal history and her reason for visiting WA (she was lassoing more Boyfriends!)  
We sent her home - she left behind a large phone bill!
We did not check her history because as she has a BIZ VISA we know the Immigration office Bkk is fierce - they look for any reason to refuse visa (our experience).
We subsequently reported the matter to Immigration office Bangkok and asked. How can she get a BUSINESS VISA let alone ANY VISA when our applicants are refused yet they are functioning to support and Australian Based business to create Bilateral Trade. The dept refused to discuss the matter.
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2009-11 contacted all known Government offices in Australia seeking support to collect data about Visa and tourism to Australia.
All deptartments declined to assist other than "rhetorical answers"; refer to a website (in many instances no reply) . we let them know the website links they suggest don't work - they got offended?
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2009-12 our Thailand employee applied for a SHORT TERM BUSINESS VISA.
To assist Australian based Business promote Australian Import/Export Products and Study tourism West Australia.
Our applicant (our employee) was refused for incidental discretionary reasons which no one at Immigration office BKK can or will explain.
The officers misquoted her history (from another persons file) and a variety of comments that contradict the rules and guidelines - when queried that refused to discuss?
 2009-12 Australian Tourism office for Thailand said, in regard to Visa to Australia "everything is ok - we have no problems" ?
                     We invited them to view the audit - they don't wish to get involved?
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2010-01 we audited the process for everyone to inspect at this link
  2010-02 The Business Visa was approved.
    The positive result required personal visit to Bangkok and correspondence consuming more than 50 hours of human resource in our office and the immigration office?
    The additional evidence was something like a school certificate from 20 years earlier? 
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2010-05 sponsor cost of Thai Volunteers to visit WA, inspect International Languages school/s and Promote to students Thailand. 
Both applicants (applied at different dates) were refused visa for incidental discretionary reasons which no one at Immigration office can or will explain why their process and decision contradicts what we were told by the Chief Migration officer in Jan 2010?
We requested a meeting, after mutliple pursuit we scored a meeting with a Senior officer in Bangkok. On arrival the Senior officer delegated the meeting to another officer, who was not privy to the case and did their best to explain but was not able to render specific content of that case.
The contraction of fact:
the assessment officer was Thai not Australian, they assessment officer omitted to follow the procedures (letter of apology received) but refusal upheld.  We intended to reapply but the applicant was too disgusted by the mistreatment.
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2010-06 We sponsored our Thailand employee to W.Aust for study STUDENT VISA.
The visa process was protracted and substantial, once we had verbal contact with the assessment officer (Thai) the matter became seamless.
The employee created substantial media about Tourism WA - completed promotion of Tours Thailand to Business groups in WA and returned to Thailand
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2010-11 We sponsored the same Thailand employee back W.Aust - promote our tours to Thailand SHORT TERM BUSINESS VISA. 
After waiting 23 days (normally -7-10 days) we declared we are flying to BKK and request a meeting to ensure everything is ok
During the next 4 days we received no reply to our 3 requests for meetings
The application was then refused for incidental discretionary reasons which no one at Immigration office can or will explain.
We waited 14 days in Bangkok while the Embassy visa staff refused to reply to all emails and phone call contact for a meeting?
At the same time the applicant met High ranking Embassy officials at a social event, they phrased her achievements quoting our work as "highly specialised and ground breaking". 
We acknowledged their phrase and support and declared their visa dept refused her visa to come to Perth to lead the 1st tour Group of WA Biz people on 28/11
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From 25/10 to date (so far 14/11) no staff, supervisor or Senior officer from Visa dept Bangkok has responded to our request for a meeting to "please explain" 
We want to know why the decision was delayed and why the dept uses discretion to obstruct an Australian based Business trying to conduct and promote Biz in Thailand & Tourism Australia?
We are collating a detailed audit for readers  - link
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We do not compete, we compliment and support goodwill groups linking W.A. and Thailand.   Trust only movement (not words).
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Please attach you comments to this article or email Thaivisawa@austhai.biz

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE CONFUSED AND FRUSRTATED (THEM AND US)
EVERYONE CAN TRY TO BE POLITE, TRY TO UNDERSTAND (THEM AND US)
PLEASE MAKE TIME TO START AN ARTICLE SO EVERYONE CAN SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE.