PHOTOS: Immigration at Chaeng Wattana heaving with foreigners desperately trying to extend their visas

[Ian Nagle]

1 hour ago, RandolphGB said:

This is why I made a last minute visa run on Saturday. Long queues at CW, paperwork and putting my fate in the hands of a Thai immigration officer were the last things I wanted. 

Instead you spent the best part of a day inside a mini van with several other people. A well thought out plan.

[legend49]

Just another positive why I choose to use a visa agent.

[garygooner]

30 days won't be enough. Should be 90 days to ease the crowds at imm. Hopefully by then tourists will be able to return home. 

[MyTHaiMyKe]

What happened to the rule of no more than 10 in a group? It does not count for immigration? Immigration just wants to collect money for extensions and overstay fines!!! They don't care about the CHINA virus! Hope they all get the CHINA virus, it would serve them right! Payback! When they have no immigration to work, because they are all in isolation.

[mike787]

If you don't plan, this is what happens...

[animalmagic]

 

The expected announcement by PM in the near future may include border closures and rules on social distancing to PREVENT the spread.  Hordes at Immigration offices undermines this effort.

The simple solution is to announce that ALL Visas will be valid until a certain date in the future, to be advised in a future announcement.  They can use a fixed date in time or period of days after individual expiry dates.  It doesn't have to be for a long period as long as the arrangement is renewed if circumstances dictate.  Thereafter all who have benefited from this will have a specified period of time to leave the country or approach Immigration for Visa extension.

Anyone who has the contacts to suggest this solution should do so.

[Ventenio]

now we know;     Life = 1900 baht

 

look at all those people risking death ......  it's really crazy.    An overstay is 500 baht a day.  

[ThailandRyan]

Has anyone heard if the Service Centers for the Myanmar, Laos and Cambodian foreigners are still open and available.  My Girlfriend has to do a 90 day report soon, and because of the type of Visa, Non-LA she can not do it on-line.......Normally ques of a 1,000 are there daily, at least at the Lat Prao Central location.   Any info would be helpful...

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

no social distancing measures were in place. 

If a party of 100 people are going to be prosecuted, they must also prosecute Immigration for this.

[rumak]

1 hour ago, Happy Grumpy said:

Lighten the immigration laws during this emergency, so foreigners here can self isolate or practice social distancing, thus lessening infection rates, or make them gather together in their thousands for hours on end.

from the looks of that photo........ they are a bit too late.   one would not have to yell fire to

cause a stampede,  just let out a loud sneeze .   that should do it

[Wiggy]

1 hour ago, dabhand said:

Why are the Embassies not making protests to the Thai government on this serious matter?

 

Instead they are merely scuttling around to provide Immigration requested paperwork, rather than firing back at yet another example of completely unnecessary red tape.

 

Yes, I am looking at you, the British and US Embassy.  Once again you are failing your fellow citizens. 

 

 

I feel that long gone are the days where embassies were representatives of their citizens abroad, and have now become trade missions. Their citizens are becoming a hindrance.

[sapson]

7 minutes ago, animalmagic said:

Thereafter all who have benefited from this will have a specified period of time to leave the country or approach Immigration for Visa extension.

Anyone who has the contacts to suggest this solution should do so

Exactly, time for a certain site to grow some.....and make contact!

[sanemax]

Live report :

 

"Just back from CW after getting tourist visa exemption extension. Arrived at 6.45am and got entry number 700! By 8am that was almost double! Thankfully counters opened at 7am again, and I was all done by 11.15am."

[sammieuk1]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Having to deal and chase all kinds of permits and visa in my 30+ years in this country it is apparent that it is not within the powers that be to have compassion or understanding of a dire situations and the sights of suffering foreigners due to circumstances beyond their control  doesn't seems to invoke any special considerations....

Not whilst there is still a chance of baht extraction it would appear????  

[Snow Leopard]

Anal because this is what they always do. Brainless and Ruderless. Utterly, Utterly stupid. They should tell everyone to isolate and kick the can down the road. Where is the leadership. Money to be made. 

[TTSIssues]

I know what’s a good idea, let’s crowd everyone together in one place and really share the virus around! The sheer stupidity just beggars belief - for both the foreigners and the poor immigration staff. Whoever decided this was a good idea needs to lose their job immediately.

[30la]

1 hour ago, anterian said:

Why not give the local police station the power to do 90 day reports, after all they are all part of the same organisation. 

Or 7/11...

[Jackie66]

9 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Live report :

 

"Just back from CW after getting tourist visa exemption extension. Arrived at 6.45am and got entry number 700! By 8am that was almost double! Thankfully counters opened at 7am again, and I was all done by 11.15am."

Well that seems impossible but i guess no reason not the believe ????  7am to 11:15am = 255 minutes = 2.75 people per minute (one extension done every 22 seconds). Sure i messed that up somehow ???? I did these calculations when i was waiting there on Friday and had number 636 ???? Arrived 1pm was done 7:30pm.

 

Did they convert most of the desks to Tourist extentions? Not just the 3-4 K desks?

[stuhan]

If you say online reporting is hit and miss why have i only had 1 problem in nearly 3 yrs.Remember you have to use the correct browsers and timing is an important factor+ 1 mistake in your application and it won't work.I have found online very good, and easy..... So i cannot agree with you.

Edited March 25, 2020 by stuhan
proof

[Chazar]

nice to see it  all under control and  2  metres  apart..........good  job Thailand

[Chazar]

8 minutes ago, Jackie66 said:

Friday and had number 636 ???? Arrived 1pm was done 7:30pm.

hope you wai'd  them for the service

[ponder]

So quite soon the government will be trying to trace people who visited Immigration offices or who were in contact with any individual who did so during the social distancing period.

 

They could start with immigration officers, taxi drivers, people who used buses, other public transport, supermarkets...

 

Anyone in this category should then be made to return to the immigration locations and queue up so that  they can be identified (to update paperwork) and exterminated in order to help reduce the number of fatalities caused by the virus.

Edited March 25, 2020 by ponder
Misspelling

[Chazar]

19 minutes ago, Snow Leopard said:

Where is the leadership.

been  disbanded..............Future Forward

[Chazar]

13 minutes ago, 30la said:

Or 7/11...

or  simply  do  everything  online

[Chazar]

2 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

Were they not arrested for being part of a large gathering? 

 

 

Lighten the immigration laws during this emergency, so foreigners here can self isolate or practice social distancing, thus lessening infection rates, or make them gather together in their thousands for hours on end.

 

 

Thailand's decision:

 

 

 

Well done Thailand, great decision. :handclap: 

slow  handclap

[balo]

"Let's keep the distance so we can infect Thailand. "  Thanks. 

[Toany]

please, don't forget that the immigration officers are just doing a very difficult job.  They do not make these stupid rules.  Give them a smile and be nice back to them

[Mattd]

Just been talking with two colleagues who have returned from CW and their PR interview, they confirmed it was madness, although they said a lot of precautions being taken prior to them being allowed in to the interview room.

Big boss of Immigration came out at one point and seemingly told others to get the people waiting there processed, as from tomorrow it will be closed, this is not confirmed, but certainly the vibe they picked up on.

[ratcatcher]

                                 

                               "CORONA VIRUS BREEDING CENTER, ENTER AT YOUR OWN PERIL"

 

[sanemax]

4 minutes ago, Mattd said:

 

Big boss of Immigration came out at one point and seemingly told others to get the people waiting there processed, as from tomorrow it will be closed, this is not confirmed, but certainly the vibe they picked up on.

Huge news if true