Chaos at Chaeng Wattana: Tourists queue for extensions as State of Emergency looms

[webfact]

Chaos at Chaeng Wattana: Tourists queue for extensions as State of Emergency looms

 

 

Thai media reported that the situation was chaotic at the Government Complex in Chaeng Wattana, Bangkok yesterday as tourists stranded in Thailand due to the coronavirus outbreak swamped immigration to get visa extensions. 

 

Thai Rath said that there were tourists of all ages and descriptions and all nationalities packing the complex inside. So much so that immigration had to utilise the multi-purpose area outside for queueing purposes. 

 

Only then could some semblance of social distancing be achieved. 

 

 

Earlier pictures inside showed people packed in, almost like sardines. 

 

Some immigration staff yesterday - fearful of contracting the virus - had double layer face masks. 

 

Others had special facial shields as extra personal protection. 

 

 

Some tourists had a version of hazmat suits - rainwear with hoods - in an effort to keep possible infection at bay.

 

TNN reported that there were 1,000 people applying for extensions. 

 

 

Thaivisa has just reported that additional facilities to extend tourist visas and do 90 day and address (Article 38) reports have been opened from today at the Muang Thong Housing estate a few kilometers away from the complex off the other side of Chaeng Wattana Road inbound. 

 

Source: Thai Rath | TNN Thailand

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-03-26

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[keith101]

So much for social distancing .

[Just1Voice]

I look at photos like that and am soooo thankful that I live in Chiang Mai and not BKK

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by Just1Voice

[SwissTony77]

This is resolved today. Chaeng Wattana Is back to relative normality. They have moved 90 day reporting and tourist visa extensions to Muang Thong Thani. 
I arrived at 7.30am for the non-o extension by marriage stamp (30 days after the application) and was done in 40 minutes and on my way back home. Very well organised and no queues whatsoever. 

[Happy Grumpy]

Social gatherings: Banned.

 

Travel: Keep 2 meters distance between passengers.

 

Foreigners needing visa extensions in order to stay legal: Thousands of you must gather together in extremely close proximity for hours on end.  

 

 

 

Good job! 

[GeorgeCross]

3 minutes ago, SwissTony77 said:

This is resolved today. Chaeng Wattana Is back to relative normality. They have moved 90 day reporting and tourist visa extensions to Muang Thong Thani. 
I arrived at 7.30am for the non-o extension by marriage stamp (30 days after the application) and was done in 40 minutes and on my way back home. Very well organised and no queues whatsoever. 

 

hahaha nice! guess we know which sections need optimizing in future. better online tourist extensions and 90 days that work for all (or are scrapped altogether)

 

[pokerface1]

These immigration officers are at very high risk as they don't have eye protection in fact neither do there customers. Boxing stadium scenario x 2

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Two people I know went very early yesterday, got their ticket numbers and never got their extensions. Some roving officers had later told them there would not be enough time to service them. So they went home. One of them said there were thousands of people. He met one guy who had a ticket number 20XX (forgot last two digits) and met a French couple who got to CW to line up at 3 am. Don't know if they got their extensions.

 

What a travesty. Indonesia solved the problem by granting all foreigners amnesty, no fines, no fees. 

[Happy Grumpy]

2 minutes ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

Indonesia solved the problem by granting all foreigners amnesty, no fines, no fees. 

The way to do it.

 

If wanting to stop the spread, get rid of all instances where 1000s of people need to gather together in close proximity.

 

What if there is one super-seeder in that lot. Perhaps gave it to 20 others. Will it be in the news like the boxing stadium?

 

Super Seeder at Immigration office where 1000s of foreigners were forced to gather goes onto infect 1,000 people around Thailand?

[lujanit]

The very least Prayut who says he is now in charge of the virus fightback is to provide all IOs with proper PPE.  The IOs must be sh!t scared and who could blame them.

[bbi1]

55 minutes ago, SwissTony77 said:

This is resolved today. Chaeng Wattana Is back to relative normality. They have moved 90 day reporting and tourist visa extensions to Muang Thong Thani. 
I arrived at 7.30am for the non-o extension by marriage stamp (30 days after the application) and was done in 40 minutes and on my way back home. Very well organised and no queues whatsoever. 

They didn't move it, then ADDED ANOTHER LOCATION for it to be done.

 

"The Region 1 immigration has decided to open an additional tourist visa extension office at Muang Thong Thani from today. 

 

Tourists can go to a new building that is part of the police central investigation unit there."

 

 

[smedly]

37 minutes ago, lujanit said:

The very least Prayut who says he is now in charge of the virus fightback is to provide all IOs with proper PPE.  The IOs must be sh!t scared and who could blame them.

so protect the Thai staff but (deleted) the foreigners - is that what you are saying

[Phuketshrew]

Travesty - and all for the sake of the mighty baht they are raking in. but hey, at least they will be able to blame further spreading on the great unwashed - ai farang.

[Ventenio]

then fine the farang for lack of social distancing, arrest them, they will all get covid, then make them pay and blame them for the chinese virus.

 

before you wondered if you are wanted.  now you know. 

[scram]

1 hour ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

Indonesia solved the problem by granting all foreigners amnesty, no fines, no fees. 

But Thailand is different, it's all about money.

[mok199]

Makes thailands toxic air seem almost irrelevant ...ALMOST..

[NightSky]

6 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

I look at photos like that and am soooo thankful that I live in Chiang Mai and not BKK

 

Ok Jack 

[NightSky]

6 hours ago, SwissTony77 said:

This is resolved today. Chaeng Wattana Is back to relative normality. They have moved 90 day reporting and tourist visa extensions to Muang Thong Thani. 
I arrived at 7.30am for the non-o extension by marriage stamp (30 days after the application) and was done in 40 minutes and on my way back home. Very well organised and no queues whatsoever. 

 

 

...your brown envelope will be delivered shortly!

Edited March 26, 2020 by NightSky

[Venom]

6 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

I look at photos like that and am soooo thankful that I live in Chiang Mai and not BKK

 

In Chiang Mai you need to stay indoors anyway because of the horrendous air quality and 2.5 pm level pollution, it's unhealthy to go outside and breathe! So you guys should be able to adapt much more easily to the lock down.

 

But then again, Coronavirus attacks the respitory system so living in the most polluted city in the world during such an event may not be the best strategy. 

 

Good luck with that! 

[BKKBike09]

6 hours ago, SwissTony77 said:

This is resolved today. Chaeng Wattana Is back to relative normality. They have moved 90 day reporting and tourist visa extensions to Muang Thong Thani. 
I arrived at 7.30am for the non-o extension by marriage stamp (30 days after the application) and was done in 40 minutes and on my way back home. Very well organised and no queues whatsoever. 

"well organised, no queues, done in 40 minutes" - in fact, as Swiss Tony would have said, "visiting Immigration is like making love to a beautiful woman" ...

[lopburi3]

5 hours ago, bbi1 said:

They didn't move it, then ADDED ANOTHER LOCATION for it to be done.

 

"The Region 1 immigration has decided to open an additional tourist visa extension office at Muang Thong Thani from today. 

 

Tourists can go to a new building that is part of the police central investigation unit there."

 

 

Actually they moved 90 day and K (tourist visa) extensions there.  From reports I have read all must go there for those services.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 hours ago, SwissTony77 said:

This is resolved today. Chaeng Wattana Is back to relative normality. They have moved 90 day reporting and tourist visa extensions to Muang Thong Thani. 
I arrived at 7.30am for the non-o extension by marriage stamp (30 days after the application) and was done in 40 minutes and on my way back home. Very well organised and no queues whatsoever. 

 

Did you also go to MTT to see if all the tourist extension applicant people had simply been shifted to enormous queues there???

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[bbi1]

17 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Actually they moved 90 day and K (tourist visa) extensions there.  From reports I have read all must go there for those services.

Reports where? Source please?

[daoyai]

I left the "kingdom" before this started my new home says, no worries, after the crisis passes you will have six weeks to deal with your overstays, no fines, no penalties.  stay home.  so glad to be gone from Thailand.

[Yorkshire Tea]

9 hours ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

 

 

 Indonesia solved the problem by granting all foreigners amnesty, no fines, no fees. 

I bet that idea never entered their minds here in thailand ????

[giddyup]

9 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

I look at photos like that and am soooo thankful that I live in Chiang Mai and not BKK

 

Air like the Swiss Alps?

[URMySunshine]

In the UK now all you need to do is an email to the Home Office and you get an automatic extension to May 31st. Not that difficult. 

Edited March 26, 2020 by URMySunshine

[billd766]

9 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

I look at photos like that and am soooo thankful that I live in Chiang Mai and not BKK

 

I am even happier as I live in rural Khampaeng Phet and my next 90 day report isn't due until late May. The KPP office is quite small and not always that busy.

 

I have enough things to do to keep me busy in self isolation

Edited March 26, 2020 by billd766
added extra text

[Chazar]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Thaivisa has just reported that additional facilities to extend tourist visas and do 90 day and address (Article 38) reports have been opened from today at the Muang Thong Housing estate a few kilometers away from the complex

idiots, anything but  cancel it  all and give everyone an amnesty for 1-2  months......and I should  follow this govts  advice.

[billd766]

8 hours ago, smedly said:

so protect the Thai staff but (deleted) the foreigners - is that what you are saying

Absolutely the right idea if you think about it.

 

Firstly most farangs only go to the Immigration Office 4 or 5 times a year yet the Immigration staff are there 5 days a week and have a far greater chance of catching Covid-19 than the average farang visitor.

 

If in a room with 12 Immi officers, 1 or 2 of them are passive carriers, how many farangs can they infect in a week?

 

The protection is not only for them but for us as well.