Immigration Office Construction Update

[CMBob]

Quite a bit of construction progress since April and, by the looks of things, perhaps open for business by about May of next year?  The building has to be 5-6 times the space as the old blue office there and the parking area (if they allow users to park there) is also 4-5 times the old space available.  Photo taken this morning:

 

Would note that Building 3 is still open for business (TM30 and I think some other esoteric services) and it appears that all the migrant laborers are now getting their immigration work done at the old blue building we used to use.

[BuddyDean]

Well, I for one, plan on still going to Promenade every week to get my old beers at Rimpang and shop for curling irons.

[scottiejohn]

44 minutes ago, BuddyDean said:

Well, I for one, plan on still going to Promenade every week to get my old beers at Rimpang and shop for curling irons.

But I thought you(she) was bald!

[worgeordie]

Wonder, where the "Agents" office will be ?

regards worgeordie

[BuddyDean]

1 hour ago, scottiejohn said:

But I thought you(she) was bald!

I am, but that sales staff are so pleasant, and so many fond memories of dealing with the wonderfully efficient people on the ground floor, that I will continue to spend an hour each way going to Prom.

[scottiejohn]

Shine on, each to their own!

[Thailand]

50 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Wonder, where the "Agents" office will be ?

regards worgeordie

Not far away! 

[BuddyDean]

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

Wonder, where the "Agents" office will be ?

regards worgeordie

One of the few things that will be closer than the 711.

[scottiejohn]

Wonder if there will be more Staff, more efficiency, more parking, more common sense, less forms.......  Ooops sorry I was dreaming.

Keep those agents offices around the City, especially the one practically next door to me!

[Thailand]

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

Wonder, where the "Agents" office will be ?

regards worgeordie

How about a mobile agency in the back of a truck or something similar and then they could park right outside, or anywhere that gets the passing traffic and could simply be driven away in the event of unwelcome visitors? 

[Mapguy]

Clever!!

[cyberfarang]

I dread to think what immigration have in store for us once the new building is in operation?

 

More staff, better facilities, reasonable wait service and no need to use an agency, don`t believe it. I wager that one way or another it will cost us more with more hurdles to jump over. Think about it; this project must cost a lot of money and who`s going to pay, it won`t be the Thai tax payer that`s for sure.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2017 by cyberfarang

[NancyL]

Last week went to @Prom, got a re-entry permit, did some banking business at Bangkok Bank where everyone remembered my name despite my being there only four or five times, had lunch at Ragu because you can't eat every meal at Duke's, took in that new blockbuster Thor (didn't really see the point to the rave reviews), yes bought a new curling iron at Chi Chang where they carefully completed the paperwork and warranty documents like I'm buying a major appliance and visited that shiny new visa agent, Tian to inquire about their price to handle a medical extension.  Despite leaving my phone number, no one ever got back to me with information.  Maybe because when they called Imm. to bring up the list of required documents, the Imm. employee tipped them off about who I was.  Oh well, that's OK.  My inquiry was genuine.  I really did  want them to help process a medical extension for someone in a gov't hospital where they don't handle medical extensions for their patients.  But, it's OK.  The poor guy died.  On overstay.  Tian missed a big opportunity to get 5 or 6 thousand baht from him just before he died.

[sappersrest]

What on earth has your outing to Promenada got to do with the new immigration building near the airport???

[Dante99]

5 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

I dread to think what immigration have in store for us once the new building is in operation?

 

More staff, better facilities, reasonable wait service and no need to use an agency, don`t believe it. I wager that one way or another it will cost us more with more hurdles to jump over. Think about it; this project must cost a lot of money and who`s going to pay, it won`t be the Thai tax payer that`s for sure.

 

 

Excellent Mr. Cyber.  Always expect the worst.

[NancyL]

9 hours ago, sappersrest said:

What on earth has your outing to Promenada got to do with the new immigration building near the airport???

Well, someone mentioned curling irons earlier in the thread.  Won't be able to have a "fun day out" in the new building, but then again, it's not that far from Central Airport Plaza, is it?

[CMBob]

13 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

I dread to think what immigration have in store for us once the new building is in operation?

 

More staff, better facilities, reasonable wait service and no need to use an agency, don`t believe it. I wager that one way or another it will cost us more with more hurdles to jump over. Think about it; this project must cost a lot of money and who`s going to pay, it won`t be the Thai tax payer that`s for sure.

All of the receipts (well, the ones that show up on the books) of Immigration operations here in Chiangmai go to the head office in Bangkok and that office funds all operations (construction, salaries, etc.) up here.  

As to your other comments, I personally believe (perhaps wishfully) that a lot of our perennial problems will be solved once the new office is in full operation.   Time will tell, of course.

[cyberfarang]

Here is my prediction.

 

I predict once the new immigration building opens and is in operation that most of the immigration work will be placed into the hands of the private sector, i.e. companies/agents. Non profit Immigration procedures dealing with Burmese and other poor neighbouring countries will still be dealt with by the police, we, the so-called rich Farlangs, Japanese and Chinese will left to the tender mercies of the private companies. No one will know exactly who is running these agencies but it will be a jobs for the chosen few. I would not mind betting that the new building in progress is being financed by the private sector. I also wouldn`t mind betting that there are lawyers, big company owners, expat clubs and present private agencies now gearing up for a piece of the action. It will mean that applicants will have to go through this system, there will be no more straight dealings with immigration for 1900 baht. 

 

This system has already begun in Chiang Mai, as immigration have reduced the number of slots available to applicants per day and the agencies have gained a greater prominence here. Once this happens what we pay for immigration services will be the sky`s the limit. A  similar process is already being prepared in Bangkok, whereas private companies will be taking over certain police sections.

 

Wish I could be wrong, but I believe the writings already on the wall.

[Dante99]

It is just your imagination getting carried away with you.

 

 

[cyberfarang]

10 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

It is just your imagination getting carried away with you.

 

 

I sincerely hope so. But judging from past experiences when somethings have been considered as being a good thing and a fair deal, sooner or later big business starts muscling in and taking over. Also taking into consideration that Chiang Mai most likely has the most amount of elderly retirees in the whole country (not sure of the numbers in Bangkok and Pattaya), then Chiang Mai seems like the most logical place to first install this system. Doubt they would bother with Chiang Rai as it probably wouldn`t be worth these companies while.

 

Again hope I`m wrong, but I`m bracing myself for it anyway.

[sappersrest]

Privatise it all cuts out the dead wood and free competition will make people  more accountable. and drive down prices.

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by sappersrest

[BuddyDean]

Unless it is a private monopoly.

[Dante99]

6 hours ago, sappersrest said:

Privatise it all cuts out the dead wood and free competition will make people  more accountable. and drive down prices.

 

Ideal world theory.

Edited November 23, 2017 by Dante99

[Lizard2010]

Well if people actually read about the new building

They would have read that it took 2 years from deciding to rebuild

To have the funds approved by the Government

So the theory about private business funding  has gone out of the window

I dont think the Government wants to loose control of the reins

IMHO