Retirement extension at Chaeng Wattana -- which line for queue number?

[retiree]

At Chaeng Wattana, are the queue numbers for retirement extension given in the same entry room as all the others (e.g. for the re-entry queue)?

Or are the queue numbers for the retirement extensions given out at a separate station just inside the large processing room?

Also, how early is it advisable to arrive in order to get a queue number in the low 2 digits?   

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Retiree

[MikeN]

All queue numbers are issued at the same counter, just inside the entry door to the main room. how early ? …..very early ! I've found it is better to arrive around 11.30am, get your queue number then while Immigration is closed for lunch go get any bank letters or photocopies you need, have something to eat, and then come back. The queue seems to move a lot faster after lunch, many numbers called do not seem to get answered.

[berybert]

 How long do you want to be in the queue to get an early ticket number so you can avoid being in a queue. Not an easy question to answer.

 

 

[impulse]

Last week, I showed up around 7:00 AM on Tuesday, walked over to the guy in uniform and asked him where to queue up.  He handed me #134 and suggested I come back around 8:00.  The good news was that there is a walking market to eat and browse on the same floor, and more to do on the lower floor.  That's where I got my passport photos and copies of appropriate passport pages.  All open early so it's not just sitting around waiting for the queue.  Eating, coffee, browsing, ATM's and services galore.  A very pleasant surprise.

 

At 8:10, they started herding people into the formal (stand-up) queue by groups of 10, by number.  At 8:30, the doors opened and we piled into the room(s) and into another set of 3 or 4 queues where they figured out which window I'd need, based on what I was there for, and gave me a ticket for that queue.  Mine was window  K1 and I was #6 for a 30 day extension.  Not bad, going from #134 to #6. 

 

FYI, I had a signed TM7, the departure side of my TM6, and a signed copy of a couple of passport pages.  The nice lady at the photo place downstairs knew which pages to copy.  That was it for a 30 day extension to my visa exempt entry.

 

10 minutes in that queue (sitting comfortable) and I got called in, paid the 1900 baht, laid out my paperwork and was then sent back to sit and wait for them to stamp my passport.  15 more minutes sitting, and the nice lady came out with my stamped passport and a receipt for the 1900 baht fee.  Out the door by around 9:15.

 

All in all, a pleasant experience once I got to Chang Wattana.  I have to say, I was surprised at the amenities compared to most visa type places I've ever dealt with.  But getting there from Mo Chit was one of those frustrating taxi deals where the first 4 taxis I asked pretended to not understand where I wanted to go.  (Edit:  I broke my own rule and approached standing taxis instead of flagging down a moving taxi)  The 5th guy was great, as was the guy who took me back from CW to the MRT.

[berybert]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

Last week, I showed up around 7:00 AM on Tuesday, walked over to the guy in uniform and asked him where to queue up.  He handed me #134 and suggested I come back around 8:00.  The good news was that there is a walking market to eat and browse on the same floor, and more to do on the lower floor.  That's where I got my passport photos and copies of appropriate passport pages.  All open early so it's not just sitting around waiting for the queue.  Eating, coffee, browsing, ATM's and services galore.  A very pleasant surprise.

 

At 8:10, they started herding people into the formal (stand-up) queue by groups of 10, by number.  At 8:30, the doors opened and we piled into the room(s) and into another set of 3 or 4 queues where they figured out which window I'd need, based on what I was there for, and gave me a ticket for that queue.  Mine was window  K1 and I was #6 for a 30 day extension.  Not bad, going from #134 to #6. 

 

FYI, I had a signed TM7, the departure side of my TM6, and a signed copy of a couple of passport pages.  The nice lady at the photo place downstairs knew which pages to copy.  That was it for a 30 day extension to my visa exempt entry.

 

10 minutes in that queue (sitting comfortable) and I got called in, paid the 1900 baht, laid out my paperwork and was then sent back to sit and wait for them to stamp my passport.  15 more minutes sitting, and the nice lady came out with my stamped passport and a receipt for the 1900 baht fee.  Out the door by around 9:15.

 

All in all, a pleasant experience once I got to Chang Wattana.  I have to say, I was surprised at the amenities compared to most visa type places I've ever dealt with.  But getting there from Mo Chit was one of those frustrating taxi deals where the first 4 taxis I asked pretended to not understand where I wanted to go.  (Edit:  I broke my own rule and approached standing taxis instead of flagging down a moving taxi)  The 5th guy was great, as was the guy who took me back from CW to the MRT.

You can get a van from Mo Chit to CW, Just walk out by the park and turn right once down the stairs, the last rank is where the vans leave from. Vans are every few minutes so no need to mess around with taxi drivers. 25 baht. 

Also 166 bus from Victory Monument will take you there for 18 baht, though I tend to get that for the way back. The bus stops right outside the front of the IO.

[impulse]

7 minutes ago, berybert said:

You can get a van from Mo Chit to CW, Just walk out by the park and turn right once down the stairs, the last rank is where the vans leave from. Vans are every few minutes so no need to mess around with taxi drivers. 25 baht. 

Also 166 bus from Victory Monument will take you there for 18 baht, though I tend to get that for the way back. The bus stops right outside the front of the IO.

 

Good info. 

 

It's funny how many threads and posts there are about CW, and getting extensions, and the paperwork needed.  Yet simple, basic things like how best to get there, what to expect, where to queue up, whether there's coffee in the building, and how much time it's going to take out of a day are taken for granted or buried deep in the search function between guys calling each other names for the type of visa they're seeking.  So many guys (myself included) forget that we were once first time visitors and not old hands.

 

[retiree]

Thanks, all.

Impulse -- I guess that now they are giving out numbers to replace the long, snaky queue waiting for the place to open.

Sounds like 7 - 7:15ish is the sweet spot to minimize total wait.

 

> How long do you want to be in the queue to get an early ticket number so you can avoid being in a queue. Not an easy question to answer.

Yes, I appreciate the apparent existential dilemma, Berybert ?  Clearly, the relation between the two queues isn't linear -- 7am vs 8am

outside adds hours to the wait inside.   If only Google Maps tracked line lengths as well as traffic conditions ...

[retiree]

And a final report.  In at 7, got #100 (7:30 was #174, but it looked like a pretty slow day).  Inside with #13 (starting from #6) at 8:40.  Called at 9am.  On to re-entry queue with #62 at 9:40.  They were at #26, but one of the helpers pulled me out of the throng for 'priority' service (in tribute to my aged visage, apparently, although I give the necktie some credit).   Taxi from Victory Monument 150 out, 190 back (but the van from Mo Chit via Skytrain sounds much better for rainy days).

 

Conclusions:  the outside queue number system is a vast improvement, and yes, 7ish looks like the optimal time.   Thanks again for the advisories,

Retiree

[zydeco]

Is this something new? A line in order to wait in line? Is that all day or just when Chaeng Wattana opens at 7 am?

[zydeco]

Okay, once more. Here is the question. Does this line for getting line work all day or just when the doors open at CW at 7 am?

[buick]

2 hours ago, zydeco said:

Okay, once more. Here is the question. Does this line for getting line work all day or just when the doors open at CW at 7 am?

it is not an all day thing.  if you arrive after they open (after 8:30), you head to the usual area inside to get your queue number.  the other line mentioned here is if you arrive before the office opens.  i arrived early once (about 7:30am) and it wasn't all that fun standing in line for an hour before the office opened.  this new queue system helps alleviate that issue.  i haven't experienced the new queue system, but i assume you still end up standing in a line for 30 minutes before they open the doors.

[zydeco]

@buick Thanks very much for the answer. Much appreciated.

[berybert]

The queue number system goes up to number 300 I believe, you are then asked to join another queue which start on the opposite side of the doors to the IO, that queue then join the back of the numbered queue. I was probably number 400 in the queue but was still inside the IO in less than an hour.

I would advise printing off any forms you need and doing them before you leave for Chang Wattana. There's something quite satisfying walking straight into the second queue and watching 100 people who were there before you sitting down filling in their forms.