Pattaya Immigration office rammedHundreds of people queuing outside today

[Bruno123]

13 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

             I started  this thread  7 months ago when the IO was very busy. Is it still just a busy these days .I have to domym9    

 

Makes no difference; as if it is, you just hand your passport in at the desk outside, go off for a cool drink at the beach and return perhaps an hour later. No stress.

[The Hammer2021]

11 minutes ago, Bruno123 said:

 

Makes no difference; as if it is, you just hand your passport in at the desk outside, go off for a cool drink at the beach and return perhaps an hour later. No stress.

Thanks. Understood.

[jacko45k]

12 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

             I started  this thread  7 months ago when the IO was very busy. Is it still just a busy these days .I have to domym9    

Had a report of  friend doing retirement ext. of breezing in and out. Beware 6th shows red on my calendar and songkran the week after. 

[aussiexpat]

15 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I started  this thread  7 months ago when the IO was very busy. Is it still just a busy these days .I have to domym9    

I was there 0930 last Wednesday and 1330 on Thursday. I only had to go to the tent outside to get final stamp but both times there was no-one in the queue to enter the building

[petermik]

On 4/4/2022 at 6:04 AM, jacko45k said:

Had a report of  friend doing retirement ext. of breezing in and out. Beware 6th shows red on my calendar and songkran the week after. 

Following reports of large queues I made an appointment 3 weeks ago for my retirement extension done yesterday 5th April....got am email reminder the day before....all very efficient methinks...turned up 15 minutes early 13.15 and was told to take a ticket and join the queue....what but I make appointment and show my phone with the information on.....join the queue and take a ticket is what I had to do...so much for the appointment system but it did allow me to avoid the queuing in the tent and walk right up to the door instead LOL......in and out in one hour total.

[aussiexpat]

2 hours ago, petermik said:

...so much for the appointment system but it did allow me to avoid the queuing in the tent and walk right up to the door instead LOL......in and out in one hour total.

The tent has nothing to do with getting a retirement extension, so you didn't avoid anything other than lining up in the wrong spot lol

[petermik]

3 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

The tent has nothing to do with getting a retirement extension, so you didn't avoid anything other than lining up in the wrong spot lol

The tent is for folk queuing to get in the front door....for whatever business they intend to do....apart from a 90 day report where there is a seperate area to the right of the car park.

[In Full Agreement]

On 12/13/2021 at 3:07 PM, jacko45k said:

Your post had me on the phone..... I have the bank deposit and said I would get the bank letter and was told 10,000 baht. Not really small.....

 

You're going to the wrong agent.

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, In Full Agreement said:

 

You're going to the wrong agent.

I did not go anywhere, I phoned. The extension  was very much due and shopping around to save a few thousand baht did not seem important. I also wanted a place where I could park a truck nearby....

[JimTripper]

On 12/13/2021 at 12:35 AM, Guderian said:

Why would you wait until the very last moment to do these things that are both important and completely predictable in their timing?

What difference does it make when you go if the line is always there?

Edited April 7, 2022 by JimTripper

[champers]

I went for my annual retirement extension today and queued from 2 till 3 before getting in the building where I was told "come back tomorrow". I know the guy next to me was told the same and I guess others were too. They appear to be short staffed, maybe to the point of being overwhelmed.

[sometime]

1 hour ago, champers said:

I went for my annual retirement extension today and queued from 2 till 3 before getting in the building where I was told "come back tomorrow". I know the guy next to me was told the same and I guess others were too. They appear to be short staffed, maybe to the point of being overwhelmed.

Always the same after a holiday

[Kenchamp]

Did a 90 day report today. Left passport there and told to pick up in 2 hours. Never seen so many there

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, champers said:

I went for my annual retirement extension today and queued from 2 till 3 before getting in the building where I was told "come back tomorrow". I know the guy next to me was told the same and I guess others were too. They appear to be short staffed, maybe to the point of being overwhelmed.

Are you saying  they did not even take your paperwork? Or did they review it and tell you to return to collect your passport with the Extension in it? (As per normal).

You picked a bad day immediately after a holiday..... as you say, maybe a few went off for Songlran already too. 

As I live quite a distance from there myself, I would not have been amused to be sent home callously. 

[champers]

6 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Are you saying  they did not even take your paperwork? Or did they review it and tell you to return to collect your passport with the Extension in it? (As per normal).

You picked a bad day immediately after a holiday..... as you say, maybe a few went off for Songlran already too. 

As I live quite a distance from there myself, I would not have been amused to be sent home callously. 

I didn't even get past the front desk. I told them I wanted a retirement extension and they sent me away. This was at 3pm.

I went early this morning and all is sorted now; will collect my passport Monday p.m. 

By the way, Immigration is closed from the 13th to the 15th for Songkram.

[petermik]

20 hours ago, champers said:

I went for my annual retirement extension today and queued from 2 till 3 before getting in the building where I was told "come back tomorrow". I know the guy next to me was told the same and I guess others were too. They appear to be short staffed, maybe to the point of being overwhelmed.

Not short staffed I was there at the same time to pick up my passport....plenty of folk manning the desks inside....one or two even found the time to exit the building to pick up their Lazada/Shopee/Grab deliveries.

[champers]

5 minutes ago, petermik said:

Not short staffed I was there at the same time to pick up my passport....plenty of folk manning the desks inside....one or two even found the time to exit the building to pick up their Lazada/Shopee/Grab deliveries.

I think there is normally one bloke and one lady doing the retirement extensions (there was today). If a lot of folk turn up for retirement extensions then some will be dissappointed.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, champers said:

By the way, Immigration is closed from the 13th to the 15th for Songkram.

Don't they also shut for the 19th.... ?

[The Hammer2021]

Last time I went when I started this thread therevwerw massive queues outside.  Is this still  the case?

[aussiexpat]

On 4/3/2022 at 5:09 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

 I started  this thread  7 months ago when the IO was very busy. Is it still just a busy these days .I have to domym9    

26 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Last time I went when I started this thread therevwerw massive queues outside.  Is this still  the case?

You asked the same question 5 days apart. Did you not read any of the responses in between lol

[Wongkitlo]

Was quiet today. Walked straight in at 11 am but closed for the rest of the week for songkran

[BigStar]

Went for another retirement extension today.

 

Relatively short queue today at 1 PM. Waited 10 min in the queue and once inside I waited 10 min at Desk 8 for my number. Besides the two usual IOs, man and woman, an additional young guy was working Desk 8. He was similarly thorough, pleasant, and professional. Took him little more than 5 min to check my papers, pport, and bankbook, take my pic, and give me the ticket to pick up the pport on Friday.

He didn't give me that annoying notice to return to show my bankbook again after 90 days. In fact, I’d included the notice signed already w/ my papers, but the IO took it out and handed it back. I dunno if that's a break extended to everyone or just the cool people, but it was welcome.

 

The extra day for processing surprised me. Must be all that back office work processing agents’ submissions. Didn’t bother me.

 

On the way out, the queue outside was empty. Not that many people waiting in the 90-day report area, either.

 

All in all, another perfectly satisfactory experience, very smooth.

 

Stopped by the TQ on the back for a cold one, a ritual I can recommend after any visit to Immigration, and found business surprisingly good given the situation. I think it’s gonna make it.