Huge queues filmed at Pattaya immigration

[Sprog71]

At 82 I am not going near immigration, but Thailand may introduce the Death Penalty for overstay.

[stephen tracy]

45 minutes ago, Longchop said:

Was there this morning. Joined the line at the jomtien thani hotel at 6am. Got to the entrance gate at 8am. Always amazed at the dumbo falangs every time I go immigration. There was fighting at the gate because of line jumpers, dumbo falangs holding everything up becaue they had arrived with no documents and expected immigration to have someone to prepare everything for them. <deleted> in the line in front of me yapped on an on the whole time as to what the Thais were doing wrong and how he could manage everything so much better (t shirt, shorts, no face mask,) was turned away at the gate for the third day running,  told come back tomorrow.. how many days will he line up for hours to be turned away before the penny drops??.

 As always I was dressed respectfully, quietly kept to myself in the line, had all my paperwork well prepared, was admitted right away, was treated promply and very well by immigration staff, concluded my business and was out of there and eating breakfast at 9am.

 

Were you able to taste it?

[lamyai3]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"What if someone comes down with the virus as a result of this and dies?"

It's only a matter of time before a cluster of covid-19 cases are directly contact traced back to an immigration office. 

[jimmjam]

12 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

It's only a matter of time before a cluster of covid-19 cases are directly contact traced back to an immigration office. 

Yeah, a cluster<deleted>

[Longchop]

1 hour ago, sapson said:

 

How very charming of immigration, you were only exposed to NO social distancing for just the 3 hours from

6am to 9am,........perhaps you should drop them in a thank you letter and some lunch.

Join the line and keep at least a metre behind the person in front, politely request the person who joins behind you to do likewise (a hard smack in the gub will do the trick if they insist on crowding you) once inside the premises the floor was marked and was easy to keep my distance from others. 

[elliss]

3 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

It's should be called the expendables queue at the last revenue saloon ????

 

 We'll  meet again ,  in another 90 days,  hopefully .

 

Edited April 8, 2020 by elliss

[johng]

11 minutes ago, Longchop said:

a hard smack in the gub will do the trick if they insist on crowding you) once inside the premises the floor was marked and was easy to keep my distance from others.

You didn't go to Jomtien immigration ?????   smacking people in the gob...jeez  you know that could kill someone ?

[yogi100]

1 hour ago, ChaiyaTH said:

If everyone were to do like you, you would have the same problem again. So the fault is still with immigration. You just been street smart.
A tourist is supposed to shop on flip flops, shorts and t-shirt actually, even that might look funny to us expats. Expecting otherwise is actually strange.
It is just what comes with tourism, curse of the spell (cow behaviour, complaining as its holiday time lost, poor clothing, hangover, shaving less etc).

If it were not for tourism and tourists there would be hardly any ex pats.

 

The vast majority of ex pats discovered Thailand as tourists. They liked the cheap prices, the weather and the women and decided to settle there.

[Rimmer]

Some off topic posts removed

[daveAustin]

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

perhaps the WHO should be informed.

 

they might be good for something after all.

Who?

[transam]

Bet those that work behind the desks at this immigration office are not very happy about their situation....????.....Let alone those outside.....????

[Badboldie]

I think you can kiss your <deleted> goodbye to the automatic visa extension now they have opened a new immigration centre.

 

[johng]

5 minutes ago, transam said:

Bet those that work behind the desks at this immigration office are not very happy about their situation....????.....Let alone those outside.....????

Yesterday they had  perspex screens  and everyone whore face masks  but it was packed and total chaos,

a few of the  immigration officers where rather short tempered at the end of the day.

[DrTuner]

That immigration building is too small on a normal day. Maybe in the year 2478 we'll see Thai immigration move into online submission of forms and a visit is only required on special occasions. Probably not.

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, Sprog71 said:

At 82 I am not going near immigration, but Thailand may introduce the Death Penalty for overstay.

At 82 it might be a death penalty to mix in close quarters with a covid crowd at immigration.

[jmccarty]

24 minutes ago, johng said:

Yesterday they had  perspex screens  and everyone whore face masks  but it was packed and total chaos,

a few of the  immigration officers where rather short tempered at the end of the day.

I can only imagine, for now! Those IO staff are at as much risk or more than front line medical workers!  Very sad that they will lose some of their ranks with this just doing what is not meant to be a hazardous job.

Edited April 8, 2020 by jmccarty
clarification

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

perhaps the WHO should be informed.

 

they might be good for something after all.

Maybe more useful than our own embassies who seem to be quieter than Anutin at the moment?

[Sydebolle]

This will haunt the Thailand tourism sector for a loooooooong time. How can you harass people with absolutely brainless laws like a 90 days notification (which dates from the Vietnam war days). 

Speaking to some tourists they unisono said, that once they are allowed to leave they will for sure never ever come back to a country herding them like convicts, prisoners and thieves. 

But the TAT will be happy to welcome trillions of Chinese and the bar girls will be more than delighted to get one barfine off for three or four other quality tourists from Southasia. 

Good luck, you just killed the goose laying golden eggs - for good! 

[ratcatcher]

5 hours ago, sungod said:

Dont worry, 'The kids are alright'

Most of these folks "Won't get fooled again" because they'll be "Going mobile"

[ratcatcher]

1 hour ago, DrTuner said:

Maybe in the year 2478 we'll see Thai immigration move into online submission of forms and a visit is only required on special occasions.

2478 was 85 years ago, this year being 2563. I doubt much would have changed in the land even if there was an Immigration Dept.

[Puchaiyank]

OMG...look at all those "dirty foreigners"!  Did I see one spit to the ground?  Horrors!  Where is my slingshot?  ????

[Pattaya46]

4 hours ago, Badboldie said:

I think you can kiss your <deleted> goodbye to the automatic visa extension now they have opened a new immigration centre.

Wrong ????

Automatic visa extension has been approved and signed already... 

[HashBrownHarry]

2 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

This will haunt the Thailand tourism sector for a loooooooong time. How can you harass people with absolutely brainless laws like a 90 days notification (which dates from the Vietnam war days). 

Speaking to some tourists they unisono said, that once they are allowed to leave they will for sure never ever come back to a country herding them like convicts, prisoners and thieves. 

But the TAT will be happy to welcome trillions of Chinese and the bar girls will be more than delighted to get one barfine off for three or four other quality tourists from Southasia. 

Good luck, you just killed the goose laying golden eggs - for good! 

Why are they worried about overstay or extending their visas then if they never plan to return?

[jack7106]

8 hours ago, Surelynot said:

30 new infections in Pattaya today. Wouldn't be surprised if a good proportion of those arose from visits to the IO. That being the case, the lockdown will do nothing to alleviate the problem.

Love your work Thailand – waited seven hours and then was told to come back tomorrow. Any wonder people have lived here for many years are starting to look elsewhere including myself????????‍♂️????????????????????

[HashBrownHarry]

1 minute ago, jack7106 said:

Love your work Thailand – waited seven hours and then was told to come back tomorrow. Any wonder people have lived here for many years are starting to look elsewhere including myself????????‍♂️????????????????????

you waited 7 hours for nothing?

 

the mind boggles....

[jack7106]

5 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

you waited 7 hours for nothing?

 

the mind boggles....

Then the next day, was there for approximately three hours and given 22 days instead of the normal one month extension. Cost was still 1900 Baht. Looks like my time is just about up after 24 years????‍♂️????????????TIT

[HashBrownHarry]

1 minute ago, jack7106 said:

Then the next day, was there for approximately three hours and given 22 days instead of the normal one month extension. Cost was still 1900 Baht. Looks like my time is just about up after 24 years????‍♂️????????????TIT

Wow - what a carry on.

 

Sad times when long time residents are giving up the ghost but yeah, 'is it really worth staying anymore' must really be considered.

[scoutman360]

Some are probably saying, Those pesky foreigners. Why are they here in Thailand? If they would just leave with the tourists, this would not be a problem.

[rickudon]

So why did they all turn up  today? Lack of planning, panic? Bet if they were back in the UK 3 weeks ago they would be the same ones storming Sainsbury's and buying everything.

[thaibeachlovers]

OMG. Do the authorities just not realise, or just don't care? It's mind boggling.

 

For the first time I'm happy not to be in LOS. I didn't see how long it is taking to get to the front of the q, but I couldn't last that long, however long it is.

 

Are the people running the office so dim they can't set up a big tent, or commandeer a big building to process the crowd- the existing office is obviously unable to cope? Have they even put extra officers on the desks.

 

BTW, are they still requiring irrelevant documents and multiple photocopies etc?