2018 Retirement Extension Report from Chaengwattana BKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Successfully applied for and received my latest retirement extension and re-entry permit today at Bangkok Immigration headquarters at Chaengwattana. A few things different from my last visit there a year ago, but overall, pretty much the same and no big or troublesome surprises.

 

A couple of the things that were different from a year ago:

 

New Govt Complex Shuttle Bus

--the local authorities seem to have replaced the large older red BMTA free shuttle bus that ran between the main CW Road and the Government Complex building housing Immigration with a new but much smaller white colored and still free mini shuttle bus. The result was, every time I saw the new mini bus coming and going, it was literally packed to the gills with passengers, not nearly the same seating space as the old red BMTA buses they used to use.

 

Request for a Map to our Home

--for years, I've been bringing a paper printout of a map to our home in BKK with me on my annual Immigration visits, just in case I was ever asked to provide such a map. And in many years of renewing retirement extensions here, never once have been asked to provide a home map -- until today. The front line extensions officer handling my paperwork specifically asked my wife in Thai to draw a map to our home, and was surprised when I then pulled such a map out of my folder to give to her.  I asked the front-line Immigration officer if today's request was just a one-time thing, and she said no, I ought to plan to bring such a map on future visits as well. So we'll see what happens next year with that.

 

New Outside Queue Tickets System

For many years at CW Immigration, everyone just arrived to Immigration and waited in a long queue prior to the office opening in the morning, and then when the doors opened at 8:30 a.m., everyone more or less just followed the line to go inside.  But this year, I found Immigration has started a relatively new queue tickets system for the early morning arrivers, where an officer outside the Immigration entrance starts handing out numbered queue tickets starting at 7 a.m., apparently up to the number 300. And those are the first people to go inside once the doors open based on their queue ticket number.

 

Today, we arrived at about 8:10 a.m., and my wife managed to snag queue ticket #297. But it's really not a big thing either way, as once they've reached their 300 queue tickets limit, then there's just the same old regular queue without tickets to go inside the Immigration office same as always. And then once inside, they had another set of 3 different queues to the Immigration front counter area where you get your actual ticket number for the specific service you need -- extension, re-entry permit, 90-day report or whatever.

 

The retirement extension documents requested part was the same as always, apart from the home map item:

--TM 7 retirement extension form printed double-sided on one page, with your phone number written on the top of the back page and a color 4x6 cm photo pasted in the box on the same back page.

--Hand signed portrait orientation photocopies of:

* your passport face page

* your original visa stamp page or carryover page from an older passport

* your most recent extension stamp and entry to Thailand stamp pages

* your current airport departure card

--and of course, your original consulate income affidavit if relying in the income method, or bank books and original bank letters if relying on Thai bank deposits.

 

And then finally, the 1900b retirement extension fee.

 

On the passport photocopies issue, my general understanding and advice over the years has been that Immigration, at least in BKK, only needs a photocopies of your latest retirement extension stamp and entry into Thailand stamps, and NOT all the many prior extension stamps and entry stamps that may be in your passport. The officer confirmed that today when I asked her about it. But then she also kept the prior extension and entry stamps that I had provided in my photocopies set to pass along to her supervisor, and didn't take them out to return to me as some others have done in the past.

 

Anyway, in terms of timing, we arrived 8:10 am, went inside Immigration just shortly after 8:30 am, had our extensions queue ticket and were waiting in the extensions area by 8:45 a.m.  Had 12 applicants waiting ahead of us when we sat down. Immigration had 4 or 5 desks/officers handling extensions today. We were called to the front line officer at about 9:30 a.m., and finished with her and her supervisor by about 9:45 a.m.  Then waited another 15 minutes or so until 10 a.m. to get my passport back with the new retirement extension stamp all done and official.

 

For my retirement extension, I rely on the consulate income letter instead of the Thai bank deposits method. And today, just the same as in past years, was not asked to show or provide any backup documentation for my monthly income. Though, as always, just as a safeguard, I had brought along with me printouts of the past 3 months of pension, bank and other statements showing my income.  Haven't ever been asked to see any of those during the entire time I've been living in Thailand.  And I saw no sign today that anyone else around me in the extensions area was being asked for income documentation either, as I heard no wailing or crying or shouting, and the various officers seemed to be moving applicants through in a pretty efficient, quick manner.

 

As soon as I had the new retirement extension stamp in my passport, went back to the front Immigration desk to get a queue ticket for the re-entry permits section, then immediately went downstairs to one of the copy shops to get a single photocopy of my new extension stamp to add to my re-entry permit application paperwork.

 

--TM8 re-entry permit application form printed doubled-sided on a single sheet, with your phone number written on the top of the front side, and your 4x6 color photo pasted in the box on the back side.

--Hand signed portrait orientation photocopies of:

* your passport face page

* your original visa stamp page or carryover page from an older passport

* your most recent extension stamp and entry to Thailand stamp pages

* your current airport departure card

And then pay the 1,000b fee for a single entry stamp, or the 3800b fee for the multiple/unlimited entries stamp for the one-year period.

 

In terms of timing in the re-entry permits area, we arrived there about 10:25 a.m., only had to wait 5 minutes to submit my application by virtue of having gotten the re-entry queue ticket previously as soon as we finished the retirement extension part, and then had to wait about 45 minutes until 11:15 a.m. to finally get my passport back with the new re-entry permit stamp inside.

 

So, the entire process of getting both the retirement extension and the re-entry permit took overall from 8:30 a.m. until about 11:15 a.m. -- just under 3 hours.

 

In terms of travel, we took BTS to Mochit and then a meter taxi from Mochit to Chaengwattana. The street traffic on the street that runs along the Mochit BTS station was a nightmare because of rail line extension work going on immediately to the north. So it took us about 15 minutes once inside the taxi just to progress up the street to the corner intersection where we turned to get onto the expressway. And once there, encountered the new and higher expressway fee of 70 baht just to make the trip to CW. But there was no traffic on the expressway, and we arrived to CW by 8:10 a.m., so the entire taxi trip from Mochit to CW via expressway took about 25 minutes. Taxi fare was 120b plus the 70b expressway toll.

 

On the trip back home, we caught the blue air con BMTA bus #166 right at the doorway entrance to the Government Complex building that travels along the expressway back to Victory Monument. 18b fare per person. Bus trip back to Victory Monument took about 30 minutes overall.

 

So, that's it for another year!!!

 

Edited August 23, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

BTW, here's what the new, smaller version of the CW Government Complex free shuttle bus looks like, the one that runs from main CW Road back to the Government Complex building at the far end of Soi 7:

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

One other side note -- continue to be surprised and dismayed at the pretty much absence of even functional English among the typical Immigration staff at CW.

 

The extensions officer who handled my paperwork today spoke very little English, and much preferred to speak with my wife in Thai. And that's pretty much the same as I've encountered in past years, though the extensions supervisors often do seem to be more English capable.

 

But even moreso, this morning, the front counter area inside the Immigration office had 3 Thais manning the counter -- a younger woman in a uniform T-shirt, a younger male officer in a regular uniform, and a middle-aged woman in regular uniform.

 

I had a simple question about what person (who) hands out the queue tickets early in the morning outside the Immigration office. And when I went to ask, neither the younger woman or the younger male officer had the slightest clue of what I was trying to ask them in English. But, as it turned out, the middle aged female officer did speak and understand English passably well, so managed to deal with her OK.

 

You might think, in Bangkok Immigration of all places at the front counter handling the influx of visitors, they could manage to staff it with at least a couple officers who speak and or understand English. But, apparently that's just a pie in the sky idea here.

 

And FWIW, in contrast and reflecting the current trends in visitors to Thailand, I seriously doubt I would have had any better luck with any of the three front counter Immigration staff at CW if I had been speaking Chinese instead of English. But that's just my guess...

 

[Pib]

TallGuy,

   I did my annual renewal of retirement extension of stay yesterday.  When I was reading you post I thought I was reading my own Trip Report I do for myself each year which I use to refresh my memory when it comes next renewal time.  Below is a cut and paste of my trip report for yesterday.   My trip started off from my western Bangkok moobaan and I drove to CW.

 

 

Quote

 

Trip Report on 2018 Retirement Extension

22 Aug 18/Wednesday
 

Applied 22 Aug 18 on a Wednesday…approx. 43 days before current extension expiration date

-  1 Copy of TM 9 application with photo

 - 1 Copy of passport main page, Visa page, and latest extension page

 - 1 copy of Arrival-Departure Care

 - 1 copy of 90 day address report

 - 1 bank letter, copy of bank account passbook main page, and pages covering at least 90 days before
 application period.  All of this was provided by the bank.   Cost of bank letter Bt100 and it took approx. 30 minutes to get. 

-  1 map where I lived.  First time this had been asked for.  I drew out a map….a very bad map of the area close to my moobaan.  Next year print out a Google Map which shows my house say approx. 2 kilometers around the house.

-   Bt1900 application fee

 

I left home around 6:20am and arrived immigration around 7:45pm.  This time since immigration had a new method for people lining-up at the immigration front door which opens at 8:30am.   New method to add some order to getting through the front door…stop A-holes jumping line…not even being in line.  An immigration officer outside the front doors was handing out queue numbers.  I got queue number 257…. immigration rep handing out queue number said come back at 8am.  I went and ate breakfast.  Came back at 8:15am and they were forming-up a l…..o……n……g line based on queue numbers….looks like around 400 people were waiting to get in.  Immigration opened at 8:30am…took about 5-10 minutes for me to get through the front door where the one long line then branched out into 4 lines…..1 line for 90 day address reports and 3 lines for everything else.  Took about 5-10 minutes to get an L30 queue number for the long stay section.  I then went down to the bank to get the bank letter.  This took about 30 minutes.  After getting the letter I went back to immigration and they were up to approx. L21.  Took about and 15-20 minutes for my L30 number to be called. Saw first immigration officer who asked for the map plus all the other standard docs…then she sent me to a second immigration officer for recheck/more initialing off….then told to got wait for passport….about 10 minutes later the trainee bought out my passport.  I’m done at 9:58am…probably my fastest completion time ever.

 

Just in case I had completed/printed out/took along my Yellow Book, Pink ID card, DTAC bill to show current address, and my various pension income statements.  Also had a Foreign National Info 2-page doc completed in cased they asked for it which they didn’t.

 

Since things went so smooth in terms of traffic not being too terrible and the process going fast on a Wednesday, maybe Wednesday is the best day to go….but who really knows.

 

 

 

[BobTH]

Thanks TallGuyJohninBKK for your detailed report, and also Pib. I had recently heard about them asking for a Map to Your Home and like you I have always taken a nice one I had printed off of Google Maps. Like you also I have never been asked for it in the past. The person that I heard the new require  from prior to you and Pib's confirmation said they would not accept a Google Map Copy printout and they were made to make their on by hand. So since I heard that, I took the time to make a nice hand drawn map in preparation of getting my extension based on retirement in two weeks. Did they accept a internet printed map from you? Just wondering, I will take both with me, but just curious. Thanks. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

35 minutes ago, Pib said:

TallGuy,

   I did my annual renewal of retirement extension of stay yesterday.  When I was reading you post I thought I was reading my own Trip Report I do for myself each year which I use to refresh my memory when it comes next renewal time.  Below is a cut and paste of my trip report for yesterday.   My trip started off from my western Bangkok moobaan and I drove to CW.

 

 

Where did you post it, Pib. I didn't see it. Can you include a link here? Thanks!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

12 minutes ago, BobTH said:

Thanks TallGuyJohninBKK for your detailed report, and also Pib. I had recently heard about them asking for a Map to Your Home and like you I have always taken a nice one I had printed off of Google Maps. Like you also I have never been asked for it in the past. The person that I heard the new require  from prior to you and Pib's confirmation said they would not accept a Google Map Copy printout and they were made to make their on by hand. So since I heard that, I took the time to make a nice hand drawn map in preparation of getting my extension based on retirement in two weeks. Did they accept a internet printed map from you? Just wondering, I will take both with me, but just curious. Thanks. 

 

In my case, the officer originally handed my wife a totally blank piece of paper and wanted her to hand draw a map to our home.

 

In my folder, I pulled out and gave the office what I had, which was a screen capture printout of the Google Maps page for my home area, with me having hand drawn on that on our street a small square box with an X inside and then a brief handwritten note indicating that was our home location with the actual street address.

 

The officer accepted that just fine.

 

That's funny about you apparently having heard something about the maps thing before. I had scanned the threads in the weeks/prior to my CW visit, and hadn't seen anything relating to them asking for a new document. So much for that.

 

 

Edited August 23, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Pib]

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Where did you post it, Pib. I didn't see it. Can you include a link here? Thanks!

It's the quoted text in post #4 above.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 minute ago, Pib said:

It's the quoted text in post #4 above.

 I mean, didn't you post it in some thread here? That's what I was asking....the link to wherever you posted it originally.

Edited August 23, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Pib]

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Where did you post it, Pib. I didn't see it. Can you include a link here? Thanks!

It's the quoted text in post #4 above.

[Pib]

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 I mean, didn't you post it in some thread here? That's what I was asking....the link to wherever you posted it originally.

Only in this thread.

[Pib]

The map I drew could not have been used by the greatest map reader in the world to find my home.  It looked like it was drawn by a 5 year old using finger paint and who hadn't learned to even spell one word yet.  But it was accepted from the first immigration officer taking my application and the second one doing the review.  They happy...I happy.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

59 minutes ago, Pib said:

-  1 Copy of TM 9 application with photo

 

 - 1 copy of 90 day address report

 

 

Two tidbits about that....

 

1. I think you mean TM7 form re the retirement extension, not TM 9.

 

2. I didn't bring today, nor have I ever included in my extension paperwork, a copy of my 90 day report slip. Wasn't asked for it today, and never been asked for it before.

 

The only time I can recall being asked for it in the past was once at CW when I was applying for a residency certificate. Couldn't figure out why they wanted a copy of my 90-day report paper for that, especially when they already had my prior current 90-day report in their computer system. But, they wanted it nonetheless.

 

BTW, about the Krungsri branch in the basement at CW, I popped in there today to ask a question that had been nagging me.  I know they issue bank statement letters there for Immigration as Pib described above.  BUT, I wasn't sure if that CW branch would issue bank letters to Immigration for Krungsri customers who have their accounts at OTHER Krungsri branches.

 

And, the Krungsri staff person I spoke with this morning confirmed that they'd issue the bank letter for Immigration there regardless of which Krungsri branch your account is hosted at (not just CW branch accounts), same as Pib described above, 100b fee and typically within 30 minutes or so.

 

I don't know if that same "customer friendly" policy on the Immigration letters (issuing letters regardless of your home branch) applies to the various other banks that have branches in the basement of the Government Complex building.

Edited August 23, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Pib]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Two tidbits about that....

 

1. I think you mean TM7 form re the retirement extension, not TM 9.

 

2. I didn't bring today, nor have I ever included in my extension paperwork, a copy of my 90 day report slip. Wasn't asked for it today, and never been asked for it before.

 

The only time I can recall being asked for it in the past was once at CW when I was applying for a residency certificate. Couldn't figure out why they wanted a copy of my 90-day report paper for that, especially when they already had my prior current 90-day report in their computer system. But, they wanted it nonetheless.

 

Yea, TM7.    I include the 90 day list because it was on a checklist of docs to provide I download one time from immigration.  And one year (around 3 years ago) I forgot to include a copy of the 90 day report...the immigration officer reviewing my package then directed me to go make a copy to include in the application while she continued processing my package....I run downstairs...pay a few baht for a copy....then take it back to the officer...she now happy....I happy.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

TallGuy,

   I did my annual renewal of retirement extension of stay yesterday.  When I was reading you post I thought I was reading my own Trip Report I do for myself each year which I use to refresh my memory when it comes next renewal time.

 

 

Great minds think alike Pib... 

 

I try to do an annual thread on the retirement extension application process for two reasons:

 

1. It's kind of a way of giving back for all the helpful advice I get here on this and other topics thru the year, and lots of people seem to have questions and uncertainties about all the details involved.

 

2. Like you, doing a written recap of today's experience helps me remember and recall all the details I need to think about next year, including any new wrinkles like this year's home map request, when it comes time to repeat the whole process all over again!

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 minutes ago, Pib said:

I include the 90 day list because it was on a checklist of docs to provide I download one time from immigration.  And one year (around 3 years ago) I forgot to include a copy of the 90 day report...the immigration officer reviewing my package then directed me to go make a copy to include in the application while she continued processing my package...

 

That's the thing about Thailand and Immigration. It's always potentially a quirky adventuresome experience. You never quite know when someone's going to throw a curve ball at you, so always best to be prepared.

 

FWIW, I always remove the original 90-day report slip that I keep paper clipped in my passport before going to Immigration or other places where my passport is going to get manhandled, like at the bank, because I don't want to lose that slip.

 

However, last night at home, as I was getting prepared and removing the original 90-day slip, I mulled that over, and decided just as a precaution to include a spare photocopy I had in my backup documents folder (along with my home map copy, etc etc.), just in case.

 

Wasn't asked for the 90-day report slip today. Haven't been asked for it in many years of extension filings at Chaengwattana. But I did have a copy with me today in my backup documents folder, just in case I ran into your same officer from years back!

 

Boy Scouts motto -- be prepared.  Better to have too much than not enough.

 

[Pib]

Over the years my annual renewals at Chaeng Wattana Immigration have be easy and quick.  The staff has always been courteous, professional, and efficient.  Plus, I get my bank letter at the branch in the immigration building same day.  Heck, I usually spend more time driving to and from Chaaeng Wattana from my western Bangkok home than I do within the immigration office.

 

It's really easy and quick....hard for me to understand why some people pay agents big money to help them repeatedly each year especially since the paperwork requirements are minimal.   But that's OK...it's their money.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 minute ago, Pib said:

Over the years my annual renewals at Chaeng Wattana Immigration have be easy and quick.  The staff has always been courteous, professional, and efficient.  Plus, I get my bank letter at the branch in the immigration building same day.  Heck, I usually spend more time driving to and from Chaaeng Wattana from my western Bangkok home than I do within the immigration office.

 

It's really easy and quick....hard for me to understand why some people pay agents big money to help them repeatedly each year especially since the paperwork requirements are minimal.   But that's OK...it's their money.

 

Not everywhere is as comparatively easy as Chaengwattana...

 

And in fact, a few other offices seem to offer downright unpleasant/demanding/miserable experiences, Chiang Mai and a few others among them that have oddball/out of policy document requirements, either blanket or sporadically....

 

Things like, requiring MFA certification of consulate income letters, requiring retirement extension applicants to pay for and present evidence of a medical exam, queues that require getting a space in the middle of the night (Chiang Mai), etc etc...

 

In our case at CW today, we left home at 7 am and got back home by about 1 pm, so it was a 6 hour odyssey including travel time. The better part of a full work day.

 

 

 

[Pib]

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Not everywhere is as comparatively easy as Chaengwattana...

Amen Brother!!!  No argument there.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

26 minutes ago, Pib said:

Amen Brother!!!  No argument there.

 

BTW, the other issue about the whole Immigration experience is REPETITION.

 

We've both been doing it here in BKK for many years now, and so there's some familiarity by now, fortunately.

 

But I also remember my first time or two going down to the old Suan Plu Immigration office, and being totally bewildered, not knowing where to go, how to do, no one around who I could really speak to easily in English, etc etc....  But then thru the years, I learned from Lopburi, Joe and others, and everything got easier and I knew more.

 

So I always try to remember, everyone approaches these kinds of things from their own individual background and experience, or lack thereof.

 

And then of course, as regards agents, there's folks out there who don't actually meet the specific Immigration requirements, and decide to pay agents to help them get past what otherwise would be denials if they tried to do things on their own....

Edited August 23, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[sinbin]

4 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

back page and a color 4x6 cm photo pasted in the box on the same back page.

In Buriram I was told next year not to bring a 4x6 cm photo as the officer takes it on his computer camera. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just now, sinbin said:

In Buriram I was told next year not to bring a 4x6 cm photo as the officer takes it on his computer camera. 

 

In BKK, every year including for past years, they've always used the little webcam camera attached to each officer's computer to take a new photo every time I go for retirement extension. Same occurred today. But at least in BKK, they're still asking for the printed color photo attached to the paper application.

 

Perhaps that will change in the future at some point. But hasn't happened yet.

 

[Pib]

Yea, the Suan Plu Immigration office off Sathorn Rd was (is) like going to a run down and extremely crowded bus station with no/little air conditioning and practically no parking.   I don't miss going to that place. 

 

I know when the move from Suan Plu to Cheang Wattana occurred many farangs, especially those that lived in central Bangkok,  didn't like the move because getting to Cheang Wattana in northern Bangkok was going to be a challenge for them.   But for me in western Bangkok the road distance between my home in western Bangkok to Cheang Wattana or Suan Plu was basically the same, and instead of going to a immigration office that was like a run down, over crowded bus station I got to go to a modern air conditioned complex facility which also had banks, restaurants, and other shops.  IMO a lot more better and it was simply a smart move since the Thai govt has so many other govt buildings in the Cheang Wattana area....they have pretty much centralized many of their govt facilities to the Cheang Wattana area and the two HUGE complex buildings there.

[Pib]

The photo is not suppose to be over 6 moths old but up until this year when I got a new photo made when I happened to be at a photo shop having some family pictures enlarged/printed out.   I had used the same photo for 9 years.  I don't know what motivated me to get a new photo because I'm still just as "hansum" as I was 9 years ago.   And yea, Chaeng Wattana has been taking photos of the applicant as you set at the application desk for years now.....at least 5...maybe more....maybe that's why they never seemed to care if the photo you put on the paper application still really looked like you.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

One thing I noticed today, maybe moreso than in past years, is that the Government Complex building appears to have kind of become a local mall for the Thais who work nearby at places like TOT and CAT headquarters, among others. In particular, I noticed tons of uniformed TOT and CAT staff coming and going out of the building today.

 

When I mentioned about the small Govt. Complex shuttle bus being overloaded, it wasn't with farangs going to Immigration for their approvals. But it was lots of Thais coming and going from the Govt. Complex building, especially during the lunch hour period, presumably to use the food courts, bank branches, shops, and today at least, the main floor interior open courtyard was really filled with a bunch of food and other pop-up retail shops.

 

You know you're really in a Thai mall when you can find and spot counters for AIS, True Move H and DTAC all arrayed hawking their wares...as is the case in the basement level of the Government Complex.

 

Edited August 23, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[ChouDoufu]

if you're coming from the west on public transportation, bus #150 runs from bangkapi mall (happyland) to pakkret, stopping in front of the MFA building.  AC buses run every 30 minutes-ish, taking about 45 minutes.  line runs north from lad phrao to hwy 304, then heads west, avoiding (for now) the construction congestion on ramkhamhaeng and lad phrao.

[Chassa]

And then finally, the 1900b retirement extension fee.

 

For 8 years 2000b at Udon Thani. 

[MJKT2014]

18 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

-TM 7 retirement extension form printed double-sided on one page, with your phone number written on the top of the back page

…..

--TM8 re-entry permit application form printed doubled-sided on a single sheet, with your phone number written on the top of the front side 

Thanks for a most informative post.

 

For the love of Buddha is there any discernable reason why a TM7 needs a phone# on the back and a Tm8 needs it on the front? I think I will put it on both sides just to be sure.

Edited August 24, 2018 by MJKT2014

[James2020]

18 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

So, that's it for another year!!!

Thanks very much!  I used your report last year to do my first ever retirement extension and it was so helpful.  I have a few months to go before a year is up, but I'll be sure to bookmark this page.

[ubonjoe]

28 minutes ago, MJKT2014 said:

For the love of Buddha is there any discernable reason why a TM7 needs a phone# on the back and a Tm8 needs it on the front? I think I will put it on both sides just to be sure.

Perhaps a old requirement from when the TM8 form only had one page.