By Tarin Angskul

   

PHUKET (NNT) - A group of volunteering expats is now assisting with services at an Immigration Office in Phuket, making it easier for other foreigners contacting the office.

 

The volunteers called the Phuket Immigration Volunteers or PIVs was formed to help people needing the services of the Immigration Office in Phuket.

 

Carmen Keppler, a member of the PIV group, said she was impressed with the assistance given by others when she contacted the immigration office, as she was required to show several documents each visit.

 

She said the PIV group was founded by other expats in Phuket having the same impression, as sometimes communicating in English leads to miscommunication, as Phuket is home to a multinational community.

 

The group, consisting of expats from many countries, provides assistnce with multilingual communications as needed between foreign clients and local officials.

 

The group now includes expats from Germany, China, Hong Kong, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, among others.

 

Carmen said she is happy to be able to help many other people with her volunteer work.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-08-27

 

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43 minutes ago, webfact said:

The group now includes expats from Germany, China, Hong Kong, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, among others.

 

Glad to see the British keeping their end up......????

Just amazed Immigration accepts such easy way of conducting business. Foreign involvement might make the cash cow system bleed.

Really can't see this as news, there have been farang volunteers at Phuket Immigration for many years (can't say for exactly how long, but certainly in my 14 year tenure here).   As with all expats here, there is a turnover of people so a mix of nationalities of the volunteers at any given time.   Their website is excellent at providing current information for all aspects of using Immigration:   http://piv-phuket.com/

do they have work permits??

as Phuket is home to a multinational community

 

Oh the poor dears, and I suppose the rest of the country does not have multinational communities

13 minutes ago, JoePai said:

as Phuket is home to a multinational community

 

Oh the poor dears, and I suppose the rest of the country does not have multinational communities

Feel free to start your own xxx immigration volunteers.

4 hours ago, Pmbkk said:

 

Glad to see the British keeping their end up......????

Not only in the IO

1 hour ago, rodknock said:

do they have work permits??

In this special case they don´t need work permits.

They are of great help.  My thanks to all of them

2 hours ago, Myself said:

In this special case they don´t need work permits.

Just like us volunteers with the Thai Tourist Police.

 

Embarrassing loss of face more like ! ????

I think it’s a great idea to have these very helpful people on the spot, I’ve seen the Volunteers on walking street and really, at least they understand what’s going on , there’s always misunderstandings where different languages are concerned. Shame there are not any in Jomtien Immigration!! There’d be much less of a queue. There is ( was?) a very helpful young guy in the outside shop, but there should be a few foreigners inside. 

16 hours ago, rodknock said:

do they have work permits??

Good point. My understanding is that a work permit is required for any work including volunteer work

3 hours ago, RobU said:

Good point. My understanding is that a work permit is required for any work including volunteer work

As they are working under the direct supervision of the Royal Thai Police they are exempt of the WP rule.

2 hours ago, merijn said:

As they are working under the direct supervision of the Royal Thai Police they are exempt of the WP rule.

Thanks for the information

8 hours ago, RobU said:

Good point. My understanding is that a work permit is required for any work including volunteer work

I think thou, one can remain on their Non-Immigration O or OA visa if doing volunteer work.  One does need to meet other critieria, such as providing appropriate documentation to immigration (passport copy, fill in some custom form, evidence of a certain amount of funds, letter from employer where one is doing volunteer work, and address where one lives).  I may have the details inexact - but I think it is something like that.  Given the Immigration volunteers are working for immigration, I suspect this is rather simple requirement for these volunteers to meet. I assume immigration then given them the appropriate (work) permit to be volunteers supporting immigration.

Please don`t copy and paste news without some investigation.

The PIV are not new. They work for the immigration since 2004 after the tsunami.