GuyDow

As an addendum to my previous post and the questions which followed, let me just say that I can read Thai and as I sat waiting to be processed I copied down the names of the provinces which were listed on the announcement which was posted on the wall outside room 509. Those were the eight provinces which were listed. And sorry, Nakorn Prathom was not among them.

Thanks for that, even though it wasn't the answer I wanted.

They only process people who live in the following provinces: Pathumthani, Nonthaburi, Saraburi, Chainat, Lopburi, Ang Thong, Singburi, and Ayuthaya. And they appear to be very strict about this.

You are completely sure this list is correct? I really want Nakorn Pathom to be in there as well!

Moved to here.

You will find a pinned topic at top of first page about yellow tambien bahn here also

Could you be a bit more specific? I've looked and I can't find it, not for the first time as my wife will confirm!

Thanks

I need to send some money to one of my family in Australia (about £500). It's not urgent so I really want to find the cheapest way to do this. I could do this by interbank transfer from one of my accounts outside Thailand. However there are significant charges involved in doing it this way.

Are there any cunning methods of sending money overseas from Thailand that anyone is aware of?

If I were to get there at 09.30am (collecting bank letter first), does anyone think I'd be out before lunchtime (12 noon) for a marriage extension?

Depends on how many people have the same idea on the day. You really can't say one way or the other. If its a hassle for you to get to Suan Phlu, go as early as you can and hope for the best.

It's easy for me to get to Suan Phlu. There have been occassions when there have been so many waiting I've just gone home and tried again the next day.

Arrived at 09.45 and left with my extension at 13.30.

When they went off for lunch I was two numbers away.

Same thing happened to me last time. When they resumed at 1300 I was finished and out of the building by twenty past.

Need to go to Suan Plu tomorrow to renew my extension of stay, would be grateful for an idea of the current waiting times.

Due to other commitments cannot get there until after 10.00, am I better waiting until after lunch?

Thanks

They close for lunch from 1200 to 1300. By that I mean they all just s*d off and leave you sitting around with no explanation offered. If you get there at 1000 you might get seen before the lunch break if you are lucky.

If you go just after 1300 you are guaranteed a long wait while they catch up after lunch. However on one occasion when I got there at 1430 I was told there were over 70 people waiting and there was no chance I would be seen that day.

There is no easy answer. I'd go at 1000 and hope for the best. If you haven't been seen by 1200 slope off and get some lunch yourself.

So what happened? Did Bangkok deal with you or were you sent elsewhere?

Into what language would you like to have the following translated?

...... and they processed my papers with no problem.

Try translate.google.com and see if you get an intelligible translation.

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Maestro

The OP said "Tried using Samut Prakan in the past " and then "Got in the car and drove to Bangkok" . He then went on to ask what he should do now.

I want to know how he fared on this occasion, not "in the past".

Try to keep up.

I just stumbled across this issue today. Been kinda buried in other things lately. Was planning on going to Bangkok immigration on Thursday, extension expires on the 31st. Have gone to Bangkok for the past 4 years. I live about 1KM inside of Samut Prakan.

Has immigration moved files between offcies? Do I need to go to the Bangkok office and have files transferred? In the past this took a while to do. Sounds like I would need to go just to check and see where the files are.

Like most, I am not happy with this at all. Tried using Samut Prakan in the past and was greeted by a down right belligerent staff who told me I would need to leave the country. Got in the car and drove to Bangkok and was told by the staff there that Samut Prakan doesn't know what is going on and they processed my papers with no problem.

So what happened? Did Bangkok deal with you or were you sent elsewhere?

Bangkok bank didn't want to give me a bank account only in my name but only together with my wife.

Try Siam Commercial Bank. They were happy to open an account in my name only.

I just stumbled across this issue today. Been kinda buried in other things lately. Was planning on going to Bangkok immigration on Thursday, extension expires on the 31st. Have gone to Bangkok for the past 4 years. I live about 1KM inside of Samut Prakan.

Has immigration moved files between offcies? Do I need to go to the Bangkok office and have files transferred? In the past this took a while to do. Sounds like I would need to go just to check and see where the files are.

Like most, I am not happy with this at all. Tried using Samut Prakan in the past and was greeted by a down right belligerent staff who told me I would need to leave the country. Got in the car and drove to Bangkok and was told by the staff there that Samut Prakan doesn't know what is going on and they processed my papers with no problem.

If you've been dealing with Bangkok I'd start by going there, particularly if Samut Prakan is as bad as you say. The worse that can happen is they send you back to Samut Prakan.

I'll 'shut-up' on this issue now, the message I'm getting is that I'm wasting the time of the forum by posting.

I agree with you and, frankly, it's always worth moaning about such nonsense.

I can just about understand sending you to the same immigration offices for most of your dealings but re-entry permits are different. Immigration don't need access to your records to give you one. In fact, are there any grounds for refusing a reentry permit if you have a valid visa and passport, fill in the form and pay the fee? It's just a stamp in your passport to keep your visa alive.

All that is needed is a supply of the forms, a rubber stamp and a cashbox to put the proceeds in. I don't see why they can't offer them at all points of entry and exit to the Kingdom. Indeed, and here's an idea they might like, they could even charge extra because you had not gone to your designated office!

I too read the interview with the Poo Yai from Immigration and he seemed like a sensible fellow. Just shows you can't believe what you read in the newspapers.

I was almost ready to have her ask her boss and see what he had to say, but I decided to leave it at that and told her that I'll just apply with the 40k+ monthly income option.

Did it occur to you to say "whoops, sorry!" and leave at that point. Then come back in the afternoon or next day and try another desk?

Not sure if this would work, maybe she'd spot you and rat you out. Just interested to hear other opinions on this one since there are usually 3 or 4 desks working at Suan Phlu and you'd be unlucky to draw the same officer twice.

Apart from that, the entire episode is a disgrace to the Immigration Department. Suan Phlu is the one place they should be able to get it right.

I did as everyone else said and went to Ayuttaya and did my 90 day report but then was told I needed a NEW letter from the US embassy saying what my pension was and photos of my family in front of my house and that I would also have to go to the Bangkok office to file for my 1 year extension.

It makes me want to cry. People complain about Suan Phlu and I can understand why. However the guys there do know what they are doing. In my experience, if you have done your homework and go with the right paperwork, they process you efficiently once you get to the head of the queue.

You do not need to go anywhere else though as it can be done in Bangkok.

Where do you live?

The reason they gave was that too many farang were abusing the privilage by not being where they claim to be.

And having the farangs go to the office resolves this problem? I think not. It would be funny if it wasn't such a monumental waste of time, money and energy.

..... but am even more confused

Join the club. It's a complete shambles and anyone who claims to understand what's going on hasn't really been listening.

I'm going to carry on going to Bangkok until I am told otherwise and hope that they get their act together in the meantime.

Acording to this you have to go to Samut Sakhon if you live in Nakhon Pathom

Quite. There isn't an immigration office in Nakorn Pathom.

When I went to immigration last month (90 Day report at Lad Phrao) they couldn't decide if I should be sent to Ayutthya or Samut Sakon. They eventually processed my report and told me to go to Suan Phlu next time.

I intend to continue going to Bangkok (Lad Phrao / Suan Phlu / Chaeng Wattana) until they refuse to deal with me and send me elsewhere. Going to either Ayutthya or Samut Sakon is massively inconvenient for me.

I wonder if the people in Nonthaburi 500 meters away will be allowed to deal with the new office or will they still have to travel several kilometers away to the Nakhon Pathom office.

There's an immigration office in Nakhon Pathom? Really? Where is it exactly?

And, at the very least, if a province does not have an immigration office, expats living in that province should be able to get a reentry permit at any immigration point.

I don't see why you should not be able to get a re-entry permit at any point of exit/entry where immigration have a presence. It's only a stamp in your passport and doesn't require access to your files. Having to go to one specific office to obtain a re-entry permit is a massive waste of time and money.

As for the 90 day reports. It is a mess. No one has a clue as to what the rule is.

Spot on! But does immigration know this and will they do anything about it?

Before I left the building I decided to check out room 507 just to see where it was located. On the door was a sign which said in English "Central Administrative Region" or something to that effect. There was also a list of eight provinces posted over the window on the right which I assume are the provinces which this office serves.

Interesting.

Last week I had to do a 90 day report. I usually go to Suan Phlu but this time I thought I'd try the OneStop office in Lard Prao.

I handed in the form and they established that I live in Nakorn Pathom and was on a retirement extension. A long discussion then ensued between several of the officers as to where I should be sent in future. Both Ayutthaya and Samut Sakorn were mentioned. Eventually an officer completed the paperwork and gave it back to me. She then told me that I should go to Suan Phlu next time, and this is just for a 90 day report!

Hopefully things will have settled down a little by the time I am next due to report.

I went to Suan Phlu immigration today to report my address, which foreigners are supposed to do every 90 days.

They told me that since the changes came into effect on Feb 15, I can report my address only at the immigration office which issued my visa (a non-immigrant , which is in Lad Phrao.

That's a most unwelcome development. Until now I understood that you could do your 90 days reports anywhere convenient. I was hoping to continue doing my 90 day reports in person in Bangkok (I don't fancy reporting by mail), even if I was sent elsewhere for other visa business.

So it now appears that out-of-towners have to do everything at their assigned office. Can others confirm this?

I told an I/O that I live within a km or two if the boundary of Bangkok "No Mind, you have to go to Ayuddyha" was the reply. (for everything except 90 day reports).

That is a pain, albeit not unexpected. I'm in Bangkok several times a month anyway and it's a lot more convenient to do my immigration stuff there than any of the other places that they might redirect me to.

..I read that they will need a copy of my file from BK..this is correct? and that I cannot get a copy until I get I letter from Ayutthaya asking for it and I don't really want to make two trips there.

If you can't get Ayutthaya on the phone and you know your file is in Bangkok, I'd start by going to Bangkok. You never know, they might bend a little on your location if you are just over the borderline and you smile nicely. If not, they'll tell you where you have to go and deal with your file.

Very interested to hear how this plays out since I will be in the same situation later this year.