Immigration told to clean up their act: Employ a "service mind" - no playing on phones and no bribes

[webfact]

 

Daily News Thai Caption: Laying down the law!

 

Chonburi immigration was paid a visit yesterday by a top brass assistant commissioner determined that they clean up their act as more tourists and migrants enter the country following decisions to reopen from central government.

 

Pol Lt-Gen Prajuap Wongsuk was laying down the law, reported Daily News who used vocabulary akin to "rod of iron".

 

The Lt-Gen and his entourage first paid an inspection visit to the Ban Laem crossing now open in Chanthaburi where he checked matters and advised staff how to help visitors to Thailand and migrant workers.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Then it was off to Chonburi's immigration office where Prajuap had a nine point checklist for immigration staff.

 

#7 was an order for the office to have contingency plans ready to cope with an expected influx of more tourists now the country was more fully open again.

 

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He said that immigration was a first contact in Thailand for many tourists and they needed to present a good face to protect the image of the country.

 

This meant having a "service mind" when it came to dealing with visitors to immigration. 

 

That meant a swift service and no waiting in outside tents or in long embarrassing queues. 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

#8 was even more direct.

 

Get off your phones and don't take bribes, he ordered.

 

Other orders were to ensure efficiency, strike a blance between following the rules and giving possible leeway, helping tourists, checking visa extensions diligently and making sure the blacklisted were caught.

 

Also he urged checks on overstayers, checks on people on warrants, correct use of technology in doing their job as well as advice to agents and people from Myanmar to have all their paperwork in order. 

 

All this was important for the image of Thailand, he said. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-05-06

 

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[RafPinto]

Let's see.
I am due next week.

[spidermike007]

Total nonsense. Pol Lt-Gen Prajuap Wongsuk was laying down the law. That is as fake as it gets. On my last visit to immigration, they actually had the audacity to refer me to a visa agent, where I could pay a bribe, and immigration would get it's share. Not sure if they have ever been more corrupt than they are today, and Wongsuk is getting rich from it. 

 

Articles and actions like this are meant only for the most naive amongst us. 

[bbko]

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

Get off your phones and don't take bribes, he ordered.

Those two BMW's 530s parked out front aren't going to pay for them selves.

[ezzra]

Just now, webfact said:

Get off your phones and don't take bribes, he ordered

Like Duh... you really need to tell your officers NOT to take bribes? and how many times this was told over the years, Thai system with no bribes is a dead system, nothing will move and nothing will be done, bribes is the proverbial grease that keep this country bureaucracy rusty machine going...

[PJPom]

Hate to say this but I have never had a problem with my IO, this only goes back six years so fingers crossed. Certificate of residence given with a smile and no fee, acceptance of my yearly income without question, no fuss and no bother, am I just lucky ?.

[Rimmer]

A troll post has been removed

[BangkokReady]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Pol Lt-Gen Prajuap Wongsuk was laying down the law, reported Daily News who used vocabulary akin to "rod of iron".

Said the man dressed in military style uniform.  That'll bring out the service mind, guaranteed!

 

No playing on phones, no bribes, be nice to tourists... sounds mai sanook.

[Jerno]

Bribes, what bribes. There are no bribes happening.  How dare he insult his fine, upstanding, fair-minded, efficient staff who treat visitors wonderfully.  

[Moonlover]

30 minutes ago, PJPom said:

Hate to say this but I have never had a problem with my IO, this only goes back six years so fingers crossed. Certificate of residence given with a smile and no fee, acceptance of my yearly income without question, no fuss and no bother, am I just lucky ?.

Why do you hate to say it? You should be proud that you can say it. Very often good service is the result of a good 2 way interaction, not just a smiley IO.

 

I'm the same as you. I've always had excellent service from the IOs in Sakon Nakhon and I'm happy to be able to say that. ????

[Ohyesuare]

No bribes and being more friendly will probably last a day after he's gone. Even when getting my Elite Visa sticker affixed, you'd think they'd at least have a somewhat friendly IO handling the process but nope, didn't look or acknowledge me at all for most of the time and a kind of unfriendly demeanor when forced to. Also tried to drag the process for a long time for invalid reasons. The Elite Personal Liason was the complete opposite though and very friendly and helpful and did her job well at least. Very happy to no longer have to set foot in immigration offices anymore as I'll just have an agent do the yearly extensions for me.

[Adumbration]

My last visit to immigration all but a handful of staff were in hospital with covid.  The main building was locked and all customers had to sit outside in the blazing sun on plastic chairs.  There was a shoddy number system used with only one customer allowed inside the building at a time.

 

Among the other very disgruntled customers sitting with me on the plastic chairs was an Australia bloke in his late eighties and an old German in a wheel chair.

 

I have been here a very long time and dealing with immigration is high on the list of things that I despise in Thailand.

Edited May 6, 2022 by Adumbration

[worgeordie]

He needs to come around every week,just to keep them

on their toes , as they soon fall back into their old ways.

 

Having said that my last extension at Chiang Mai immigration

went very well , just over half an hour, never have I been asked

for or paid a bribe to any Immigration official.

 

regards Worgeordie

[ikke1959]

As I wrote several times again.... Educate them to be friendly, helpful and welcoming tourists, instead of grumpy lazy officers behind the desks.. and I know not everyone is grumpy and lazy, but in some countries the immigration are very very friendly....In Thailand you have the feeling if you enter the counter that you are  sought criminal some times

[billd766]

I have been dealing with Immigration for over 20 years and the worst office used to be at Suan Phlu.

 

Since I retired in 2009 the best office was at Nakhon Sawan followed closely by Kamphaeng Phet with the 3rd place going to Mae Sot.

 

I have never been sent to an agent, nor has any I/O asked me for  bribe.

 

The KPP I/O office needs to be firmly nailed or cemented to the floor as it tends to up sticks and change location every couple of years.

[DezLez]

2 hours ago, PJPom said:

Hate to say this but I have never had a problem with my IO, this only goes back six years so fingers crossed. Certificate of residence given with a smile and no fee, acceptance of my yearly income without question, no fuss and no bother, am I just lucky ?.

No so much lucky as you probably have a really good agent!!!  ????

[darrenr]

Arrived Bali yesterday process so easy and streamline! But immigration officer asked me 20 questions , how long you stay, why are you here , where are you staying , do you have a return ticket and what date you leaving , then has my passport in his hand and says what’s your full name and date of birth , felt like saying you want me to submit to a cav.ty search as well , he could see my photo on my passport (mask down)

 

I am regular visit to Thailand but won’t be going until they get rid of that Thailand Pass.

 

Bali only has the online immigration form to complete 3 days before no issue , but also have paper copies as well on plane or arrival

 

after hearing the problems with The Thailand Pass , i think I will Pass !

 

thailand is going to lose a lot of market share to Phillipines and Vietnam which reported i news has returned to approx 70-80% of pre pandemic levels , what’s Thailand at ?

 

[Card]

Been dealing with Jomtien immigration for 3 years  I always find them hard working and efficient with no hint of any kind of bribe required. I wouldn't pay one anyway.

[San Fran Dan]

2 hours ago, PJPom said:

Hate to say this but I have never had a problem with my IO, this only goes back six years so fingers crossed. Certificate of residence given with a smile and no fee, acceptance of my yearly income without question, no fuss and no bother, am I just lucky ?.

Korat immigration and Bueng Kan have been great , Udon ok but yak yak Germansn wanting marriage extension they hate this last one paperwork 

[jacko45k]

This is rich.. it has got far more corrupt during Covid and now one is pressured to go via an agent with extra requirements and long queues!

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Why do you hate to say it? You should be proud that you can say it. Very often good service is the result of a good 2 way interaction, not just a smiley IO.

Well the OP refers to Chonburi Immigration and that poster, although not mentioning it, says he lives in Krabi. We all know differing offices offer wildly differing services. I actually have a vague recollection of mention Krabi making up its own rules.

[vandeventer]

Taking bribes can be stopped [maybe] ,but taking the girls off their Mobile phones and doing a days work for a days pay may be asking too much.

[tonysilly]

55555555++++ Wrong !! Tell that to the police and Tourist police.   What a Joke!!! I like paying immigration. Faster.   I like paying police.  No problem.  

[SomchaiCNX]

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

He needs to come around every week,just to keep them

on their toes , as they soon fall back into their old ways.

 

Having said that my last extension at Chiang Mai immigration

went very well , just over half an hour, never have I been asked

for or paid a bribe to any Immigration official.

 

regards Worgeordie

Indeed, but the guys in Australia are real A holes compared to them, here they at least smile when they scr... you. 

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

The fct that it is in the news what was said and why it was said is probably more enlightening as opposed to whom it was said.

It is clear that the fact this makes the news, tells us all they know how their Immigration OFFICERS work and showing us all they are on top of everything is just Political sense, but a waste of time in reality. 

[a340bangla1]

1 hour ago, Card said:

Been dealing with Jomtien immigration for 3 years  I always find them hard working and efficient with no hint of any kind of bribe required. I wouldn't pay one anyway.

Totally agree. Papers in order, the last 3 years I was in and out within 20 minutes. When once a copy of one page of my passport was missing, he went and made the copy himself.

[Tarteso]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

good face to protect the image of the country.

 

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, a340bangla1 said:

Totally agree. Papers in order, the last 3 years I was in and out within 20 minutes. When once a copy of one page of my passport was missing, he went and made the copy himself.

Sadly, when I went with my papers in order, the queue looked like it might take 3 years.... off to an agent!

[recom273]

Is that the main immigration office in Pattaya?

 

Not the biggest waiting room is it?

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Get off your phones and don't take bribes, he ordered.

Nice try...