Self isolating, but still have to run the gauntlet at Immigration.

[giddyup]

At 79 I'm trying my best to stay safe, only venturing out a few times a month to buy food. At my age getting Covid is pretty much a death sentence. Yet I'm still forced to renew my yearly extension at Immigration next week. Not only does this require a trip to the bank for the letter, a visit to the photocopy shop for all the paperwork, followed by two visits to Immigration, one to submit the paperwork, and another to pick up my passport. God knows how many people I come in contact with during this, and social distancing, fergeddaboudit.

What will happen if there is ever an outbreak of Covid with Immigration staff?

[Kenny202]

Had those thoughts myself this week when I had to renew my parent visa. Apart from all the other stuff had to do a 20km round trip to buy 100 baht of treasury stamps something to do with my home rental. Mind you was nowhere near as bad as renewing my drivers license

[ezzra]

Bureaucracy knows no Covid nor it allows room for better and safer ways of going about these process, BUT, if enough people will complain about the perils people like the OP put themselves just to do the paper's run for the visa/permit renewal, maybe, just maybe things will be changed... 

Edited July 18, 2021 by ezzra

[david555]

Same for me next month ret. ext.  , (and my own country send me on a mission to find some official to sign and stamp my yearly proof of life for my pension pay  ....) ????

Edited July 18, 2021 by david555

[Gsxrnz]

Ben Franklin would have a thing or two to say about the OP's predicament.

[jacko45k]

Then use an agent. 

[giddyup]

5 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Then use an agent. 

Will they come to my house, pickup and then deliver my passport?

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Will they come to my house, pickup and then deliver my passport?

I have read of one that offered that facility.... but sorry, can't remember the name. Even if it is 2 trips to their office, a bit easier.

[topt]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

Will they come to my house, pickup and then deliver my passport?

probably if you paid enough........

 

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

I have read of one that offered that facility.... but sorry, can't remember the name. Even if it is 2 trips to their office, a bit easier.

Not really that much easier, maybe have contact with less people though.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

Not really that much easier, maybe have contact with less people though.

No bank visit or copyshop......

[couchpotato]

17 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Will they come to my house, pickup and then deliver my passport?

If you are in Pattaya, yes they will for most immigration requirements. One agent who will do this has their office on Soi Chaiyapruek (on left side just up from Jomtien beach Rd).  VIP maybe?

[Airalee]

Understand your concern and if my 90 day reporting at Muang Thong Thani last Wednesday is anything to go by, being that there were only two other people there besides myself (the time before there were more than 100 people), I think there are many people who feel the same as you and are acting accordingly.  No idea what the situation will be when it comes time to extend my visa in October at Changwattana.  

[bbko]

Pattaya Immigration allows customers to set up appointments, so that should help cut down wait times, and use those easy to buy online N95 masks, also visit banks and small photoshops when they aren't busy.

[Rimmer]

I renewed my yearly visa last week in Soi 5 on Wednesday, there were very few people in the bank, few in the copy place at the side and few in the immigration building, then just one person in front of me at the renew desk, total time in and out maybe 10 minutes,   same when I went the next day to pick up the passport.

 

Dont know if the gods were pleased with me but every traffic light from Ban Ampur on the way to the bank and again to Immigration were all green as well ????

[giddyup]

5 minutes ago, Rimmer said:

I renewed my yearly visa last week in Soi 5 on Wednesday, there were very few people in the bank, few in the copy place at the side and few in the immigration building, then just one person in front of me at the renew desk, total time in and out maybe 10 minutes,   same when I went the next day to pick up the passport.

 

Dont know if the gods were pleased with me but every traffic light from Ban Ampur on the way to the bank and again to Immigration were all green as well ????

Hope I'm as lucky. What day of the week did you go? I figured this Tuesday.

Edited July 18, 2021 by giddyup

[Rimmer]

9 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Hope I'm as lucky. What day of the week did you go? I figured this Tuesday.

Wednesday.

 

PM sent with more detail

[BE88]

1 hour ago, bbko said:

Pattaya Immigration allows customers to set up appointments, so that should help cut down wait times, and use those easy to buy online N95 masks, also visit banks and small photoshops when they aren't busy.

Good advice and in addition wear rubber gloves and so impossible to contaminate yourself that you only take off when you are at home and throw it away immediately wash your hands naturally, if you follow these recommendations exactly you do not run any risk.

 

[bkk6060]

I did mine recently.  3 pm after most had picked up their passports not crowded.

But, this sounds like a case where an agent certainly could be used.  I bet they would gladly pick up your passport at your house.

Good luck in whatever you decide.  If you go 2 masks, gloves, do what makes you feel safer.

[giddyup]

6 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I did mine recently.  3 pm after most had picked up their passports not crowded.

But, this sounds like a case where an agent certainly could be used.  I bet they would gladly pick up your passport at your house.

Good luck in whatever you decide.  If you go 2 masks, gloves, do what makes you feel safer.

Are HazMat suits readily available?

[jacko45k]

On 7/18/2021 at 1:42 PM, giddyup said:

Will they come to my house, pickup and then deliver my passport?

One agent I know...

Full Door to Door Services for residents in Pattaya and Jomtien.

www.mots-services.com

[ExpatDraco]

Even at 79 Covid isn't a death sentence. People really should get a grasp about basic statistics.

[Doctor Tom]

19 minutes ago, ExpatDraco said:

People really should get a grasp about basic statistics.

It's not statistics that can kill you. 

[ExpatDraco]

1 hour ago, Doctor Tom said:

It's not statistics that can kill you. 

No, but at least you can put things in perspective. But people who are scared aren't open for logic, statistics nor reasoning. Fear is primordial and overrules higher brain functions. And that's what the media and politicians did. Inspire a continuous stream of fear into people. Same thing that happened in 1939.

 

It's like arachnophobia. People who suffer from it will almost never conquer that fear.

Edited July 20, 2021 by ExpatDraco

[Doctor Tom]

19 minutes ago, ExpatDraco said:

No, but at least you can put things in perspective. But people who are scared aren't open for logic, statistics nor reasoning. Fear is primordial and overrules higher brain functions. And that's what the media and politicians did. Inspire a continuous stream of fear into people. Same thing that happened in 1939.

 

It's like arachnophobia. People who suffer from it will almost never conquer that fear.

'Perspective' is in the eye of the manipulator.  If a career in research has taught me anything, it's that the manipulation of statistics is an old established art form, that can tell you anything you want them to, or that someone else wants you to know, or wants to make you think you know. I would need to know a lot more about the process validity and procedural rigor of data collection and interpretation, than just looking at a graph produced on social or main stream media. 

[Alwaysthailand]

On 7/18/2021 at 1:36 PM, jacko45k said:

Then use an agent. 

BEST advice from jacko45K....death is the other option based on your analysis.

[ExpatDraco]

17 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

'Perspective' is in the eye of the manipulator.  If a career in research has taught me anything, it's that the manipulation of statistics is an old established art form, that can tell you anything you want them to, or that someone else wants you to know, or wants to make you think you know. I would need to know a lot more about the process validity and procedural rigor of data collection and interpretation, than just looking at a graph produced on social or main stream media. 

In Belgium we have the Sciensano website. Those are the official stats: https://epistat.wiv-isp.be/covid/ Enjoy the data. And I'm pretty sure that even on this site the Covid deaths are way exaggerated. Most elderly people didn't die from Covid but with Covid.

 

 

It's not only statistics, also logical thinking and simple maths. If you would believe the media half of India has been cremated by now. Italy the same. Media is blowing all this Covid <deleted> out of proportions to get attention. They should be held responsible for all the fear and economic turmoil they caused. And the economic tsunami is still to come.

 

People on welfare that are pro lockdowns should not receive any money until the lockdowns are finished. That would mean solidarity with all those economic active people who lost their jobs for a disease you need to be tested to even know you had it.

Edited July 20, 2021 by ExpatDraco

[ding]

Somewhere in Thailand there's a stamp being made for this very issue...

????️

[ding]

6 hours ago, ExpatDraco said:

People on welfare that are pro lockdowns should not receive any money

Did someone pee in your Mekong?

[ExpatDraco]

8 hours ago, ding said:

Did someone pee in your Mekong?

No, they want the working class to not earn any money because of lockdowns why would they get paid? And to make matters worse, it isn't the working class that's targeted by Covid, but the elderly. Besides with their welfare income they can stay at home and be safe. Let the rest of the world do it's thing.

Edited July 21, 2021 by ExpatDraco