39 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I gotta ask - what service were you denied by the actual employees?

I had just returned from the US. I deliberately allowed my marriage visa to expire, so I could convert to a retirement visa. After I got the 15 day extension, I was told I could get a 90 day, non immigrant O, which would then be converted to the one year retirement visa. Except when I came back for that, they told me I needed some sort of letter from my embassy, that same day, which is impossible to get, and they knew that. So, what is the solution I asked?

 

Oh, here is a phone number. Call them, and they can hook you up. For a substantial fee. And who gets a cut of that fee? It is so blatant they are selling agent services in the immigration offices now. That is how fake and spectacularly disingenuous Wongsuk, and this whole story about immigration being straight is. 

the overriding culture in the Thai police, civil service, or any large organisation - immigration, telephones, car tax etc etc is those behind the counter are "OFFICERS" - they inherently have authority and demand respect. A true civil service is to SERVE the public but this doesn't exist in Thailand. Where I come from respect is something you EARN not GET with a badge or uniform.

So I don't see this Pol Lt-Gen Prajuap Wongsuk's dictum having much effect.

Hmmmm…. “Service mind “ is an interesting phrase. I wonder what it means ? Mind you, I don’t mind as long as I get service in Immigration

 

1 hour ago, fulhamster said:

you've never been to the Jomtien office then

No I haven't. In my earlier days I used to go to Suan Phlu (terrible parking there), in 2009 when I retired I went to Mae Sot as I was living in rural Kamphaeng Phet.

 

2010 for several years  I used Nakhon Sawan as they had opened an office, then for the next 5 or 6 years it was hunt the KPP office.

 

Their latest office is in a large building about 4km from Global house heading north. The office in KPP city was getting a bit cramped for all of them I think.

Is there some hotline or app to report issues foreigners experience and name the party....?

What? They use the word Service?? 

The "service" at Immigration Jomtien is not the best one, to put it mildly.

Cattle brought to the slaughter house even get a better treatment, visitors to Immigration get the treatment without sedation: long queues in the heath and in the sun,

waiting for hours, on hot days not even a fan (only after having asked for it and then the guy has to ask for permission from his chief), old and disabled people not able to sit down, no water. Especially during Covid it was almost a suicide mission to visit this place.

Inside a total mess,  dangerously crowded, at the reception desk too little time to get all the necessary info, sometimes receiving completely wrong info and when you confront an officer with the different info, then the person shouts at you: I TELL YOU NOW!! As if you are some low rank soldier in the army or a stupid child at school. Oh, how I would have liked to give this person a strong answer or to report this person to his manager. But it will not change anything. It will only worsen your own position, because loss of their own face they can not tolerate. But treating farangs like <deleted> seems to be an accepted standard procedure by several officers.

Never getting a bill for paid residence certificate fees, also after specifically asking for it!

I am not the only one who does not get a bill.

An officer who could give me an easy and special visa treatment if i paid something like 20.000 THB.

My girl friend having to extend her visa, one day waiting for hours to submit the application, then having to come back a few days later to get her visa there, waiting from 08 am till 17:30 pm (9,5 very hot hours!!) and at he end of the day being told to come back the next day.

As if you are some piece of s..t.

In the street people told me that they give this hell-treatment on purpose: they like you to handle everything trough an expensive agent, so they can share the profit together.

Maybe not true, but it shows a dangerous situation, people lose trust.

I wish Thailand all the best. They can use tourism and long term expats.

But how can Thailand attract "the rich and famous" if they treat PAYING CLIENTS like this.

It is such a pity. Immigration should / could be the first and best impression of Thailand.

Sorry to see, but understandable, that many foreigners have reconsidered or are reconsidering their position here (while many of them having brought in millions of THB).

Well, I've been here over 7 years, haven't witnessed any corruption yet. I don't say it doesn't happen, but the culprit must be those who are ready to pay for extensions while they are unable to meet the lawful requirements.

7 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 ?.

Yes...

 

4 hours 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.

The 90 day report needs to go.  Probally a third of traffic at that IO.  The grumpy rude male officer at the reception desk needs to retire. Its too small a government building to handle the amount of business.  

27 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Well, I've been here over 7 years, haven't witnessed any corruption yet. I don't say it doesn't happen, but the culprit must be those who are ready to pay for extensions while they are unable to meet the lawful requirements.

Many meet the lawful requirements but cant be hassled with the shuffling in IO and bank lines and piles of paperwork.  Some people wash their own car; others pay for the service.   World all over

35 minutes ago, toho said:

What? They use the word Service?? 

The "service" at Immigration Jomtien is not the best one, to put it mildly.

Cattle brought to the slaughter house even get a better treatment, visitors to Immigration get the treatment without sedation: long queues in the heath and in the sun,

waiting for hours, on hot days not even a fan (only after having asked for it and then the guy has to ask for permission from his chief), old and disabled people not able to sit down, no water. Especially during Covid it was almost a suicide mission to visit this place.

Inside a total mess,  dangerously crowded, at the reception desk too little time to get all the necessary info, sometimes receiving completely wrong info and when you confront an officer with the different info, then the person shouts at you: I TELL YOU NOW!! As if you are some low rank soldier in the army or a stupid child at school. Oh, how I would have liked to give this person a strong answer or to report this person to his manager. But it will not change anything. It will only worsen your own position, because loss of their own face they can not tolerate. But treating farangs like <deleted> seems to be an accepted standard procedure by several officers.

Never getting a bill for paid residence certificate fees, also after specifically asking for it!

I am not the only one who does not get a bill.

An officer who could give me an easy and special visa treatment if i paid something like 20.000 THB.

My girl friend having to extend her visa, one day waiting for hours to submit the application, then having to come back a few days later to get her visa there, waiting from 08 am till 17:30 pm (9,5 very hot hours!!) and at he end of the day being told to come back the next day.

As if you are some piece of s..t.

In the street people told me that they give this hell-treatment on purpose: they like you to handle everything trough an expensive agent, so they can share the profit together.

Maybe not true, but it shows a dangerous situation, people lose trust.

I wish Thailand all the best. They can use tourism and long term expats.

But how can Thailand attract "the rich and famous" if they treat PAYING CLIENTS like this.

It is such a pity. Immigration should / could be the first and best impression of Thailand.

Sorry to see, but understandable, that many foreigners have reconsidered or are reconsidering their position here (while many of them having brought in millions of THB).

Spot on!  An agent told me during the shutdown …business was so slow for all. IO  have car payments too.  

4 hours ago, SomchaiCNX said:

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

That was exactly the impression I got on my one and only trip to Australia, but it was some years ago!

Lol.
Never, in all the years I've been going to Immigration, have I ever had them tell me to go to an "agent" nor have I ever been asked for a bribe.

But then, when I go to Immigration I have all my paperwork in order and ready, before I arrive. I also shower and wear clean clothes (something a lot of Caucasians seem to think is a waste of time when they go there).
I've stood in line with some stinkers that would make your average Afghani smell almost bearable.
(And I spent 10 years working in Afghanistan.)

I do find it a bit odd that, considering the lack of tourists over the last 2 years(ish), Jomtien Immigration always seems as busy as it was before the covid crisis.

No matter which day of the week, there always seems to be lines of people, just like 2019 and before.

Oh well, still have a couple weeks before I have to worry about it again. Plenty of time to get all my ducks in order.
 

8 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 ?.

That's great to hear. Where?

9 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Let's see.
I am due next week.

Don't get your hopes up. ????

 

I predict 'business as usual', next week, next month, next year...

2 hours ago, toho said:

Never getting a bill for paid residence certificate fees, also after specifically asking for it!

yeah, I tried too but you'll never get that because it's supposed to be free.

Typical.  They wait until things start picking up and then make a show of getting things in order.  They had two years of downtime to fix any problems, what was everyone doing during then?  It sure wasn’t working hard to fix any problems.  

5 minutes ago, koele2 said:

Typical.  They wait until things start picking up and then make a show of getting things in order.  They had two years of downtime to fix any problems, what was everyone doing during then?  It sure wasn’t working hard to fix any problems.  

They had two years of downtime to fix any problems, what was everyone doing during then?  

 

from the sound of it, playing on their phones and taking bribes...

3 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

Well, I've been here over 7 years, haven't witnessed any corruption yet. I don't say it doesn't happen, but the culprit must be those who are ready to pay for extensions while they are unable to meet the lawful requirements.

You know nothing, I have well in excess of a million in my account & they still want me to pay, just blatant graft.

 

Oh, I've been here for close to 11 years, Pattaya/Jomtien immigration, the most corrupt office in Thailand.

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Wait for the land borders to re-open and the little "tip" per head for crossing starts up again.

Never had that from the Thai side ever. Cost me 100 baht to leave Laos into Cambodia. And Excessive fee entering Cambodia from Thailand 'coz i wouldn't use a tout and got called into their office to pay, before on line visas. 

1 hour ago, Kalasin Jo said:

That's great to hear. Where?

Trat is no problem but have strict rules to follow no Tips necessary if you follow their rules. 

10 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

You know nothing, I have well in excess of a million in my account & they still want me to pay, just blatant graft.

 

Oh, I've been here for close to 11 years, Pattaya/Jomtien immigration, the most corrupt office in Thailand.

Another good reason not to live anywhere near Pattaya.

28 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

You know nothing, I have well in excess of a million in my account & they still want me to pay, just blatant graft.

 

Oh, I've been here for close to 11 years, Pattaya/Jomtien immigration, the most corrupt office in Thailand.

Not all IO offices are the same. What he said is what he knows. I agree with him and I use a different office than he or you do.

 

A lot of the time it is down to the arrogant farang demanding "HIS" rights and p1ssing  the staff.

 

I have always found that if you are clean and tidy, talk politely and quietly you can get more stuff done, more quickly than going in and demanding.

 

I find that this works for me and has done in 3 different IO offices in the last 13 years.

8 hours ago, jacko45k said:

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!

Not everyone is pressed to go to an agent.

 

I didn't see much difference during Covid other than people wearing masks.

Too little, too late.
Damage have already been done by these f....g immigration suckers.
Where was Prayuth and his "cleaning up the country" all these years?
Lots of east Asian countries have taken the meat over ...

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Cost me 100 baht to leave Laos into Cambodia.

Was that one of those weird 'overtime fees'?

1 hour ago, Confuscious said:

Too little, too late.
Damage have already been done by these f....g immigration suckers.
Where was Prayuth and his "cleaning up the country" all these years?
Lots of east Asian countries have taken the meat over ...

He was feeding at the trough with the rest of his cronies 

14 hours ago, webfact said:

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

That would be refreshing, but I'll believe it if and when I can see it with my own eyes. ????

 

 

This could be avoided if they had F-35 fighter jets flying overhead and submarines manning the nearby canals. 

From what I have  experienced of them they are very hard working and efficient- superb compared to British  public servants who are refusing to  go to work and just won't or can't deliver public services including passports and driving licences.

8 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

Well, I've been here over 7 years, haven't witnessed any corruption yet. I don't say it doesn't happen, but the culprit must be those who are ready to pay for extensions while they are unable to meet the lawful requirements.

What do you think all those "offices" in the yard and on the road outside are for?