6 hours ago, brianthainess said:

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. 

Thailand into Cambodia via Aranyprhathet...

You had to get your Cambodian entry visa on the Thai side before crossing 1,000 baht.

You then walked towards the gate into Cambodia.

Thai officer stationed just inside the Cambodian side taking 300 baht per head...

he checked your passport [loaded] you then entered Cambodia or crossed over the narrow road to join the queue entering Thailand.

7 hours ago, billd766 said:

Not everyone is pressed to go to an agent.

 

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

The queues I encountered were way beyond what I had seen previously. There were a couple of possible reasons... I had had to obtain a new passport, which took much longer than expected, so I was attending well into December, rather than my usual end of November. Also, Covid measures, people were not being allowed inside except in small numbers, limited seating outside... long queues down soi 5 and people left to suffer in the heat. I used an agent for the first time ever, and I have been here a while. 

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Get off your phones and don't take bribes

I though that are essential parts of that job.

Yet another in a long line of prancing peacocks getting his photo op.

Meaningless mumbo jumbo, the middle fingers were probably up as he closed the door on his limo pointing him towards highway 7.

17 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

Yes it is Pattaya immigration, and the queue can be out the door & through the carpark down to the road when immigration has been closed due to a holiday or two, considering that Pattaya probably has the highest concentration of expats than anywhere else in Thailand it could really do with a larger office & probably a separate building for the 90 day reporting. 

Should just do away with the 90 day report anyway. People come here to this Banana Republic for a good happy retirement, not to be treated like criminals. only my loving wife, family, and property keep me here.

16 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

I think they learn it from their dour-faced complaining customers.

Can you blame them when they are treated like ex prisoners on parole doing their 90 day reports?

 

16 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

The biggest problems are the office is too small and in the wrong location, it should be in Central Pattaya, there is a huge empty top floor in the Avenue Shopping Centre which would be ideal.

I think dealing with the public no matter where isn’t the best of vocations, I have found here also Bank Staff never appear to be happy very rarely smile or acknowledge you. I think both jobs Immigration and the Banking sector is stressful because of the amount of paperwork which they have to sort through.

Yes, I think it's time this Banana Republic was brought into the computer age, they are still in the last century.

15 hours ago, freedomnow said:

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

Not for a country that is so backward, they depend on a law they call something like the Defamation Act to cover their own backsides.

Off topic about Perth and Melbourne removed

I sometime wonder about the people who post on this site as I have lived in Pattaya for 16 years and have visited Immigration many many times.  I have had small and a couple of large problems and were always handled very efficiency an quickly.  The immigration personnel who helped me were always friendly and very helpful.  I have never seen any of the negative stuff that is talked about on this site.

19 hours 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.

Totally agree , been going to Immigration for 15 years, never had a problem, never see them on their phones only when it is Immigration work, never been ask for a bribe, never been referred to an agent, this is for extension of stay for retirement, the first three years Bangkok the rest at Jomtien , always do it myself because it is so easy, I think the only people that have problems are the ones that do not have everything in order or not enough money, same with bribes for police at road stops, I dive a car and ride a motor bike, been stopped about 7 - 8  times never ask for money never had to pay ever, I have a proper helmet for the bike and licence for car and bike, most of the time just get waved me through, why are the others being ask for money , maybe they have something wrong. ???    

Yes it's corrupt and always will be but if Immigration operated by the book I think it's fair to say a lot of their customers wouldn't be here. Let's face it, it can't be an easy job dealing with the multinational flotsam and jetsom that rock up daily.  What I see in the 30 minutes I spend there every year renewing my visa tells me a Netflix " Year in the life of Chonburi Immigration Office " series would make for complusive and hilarious viewing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21 hours ago, recom273 said:

Is that the main immigration office in Pattaya?

 

Not the biggest waiting room is it?

Yes it is too small. My wife has been saying for years that they need to build a new one bigger with customer parking in a more convenient location

24 minutes ago, Happy Howard said:

Yes it is too small. My wife has been saying for years that they need to build a new one bigger with customer parking in a more convenient location

If they levelled the bars across the road at Rompho market that wouldn't be a bad option for a new office. They could keep the current one and split the type of business handled between the two. 

1 hour ago, Happy Howard said:

Yes it is too small. My wife has been saying for years that they need to build a new one bigger with customer parking in a more convenient location

How is that representative of a service that relies upon tourists - world class destination, not. 

On 5/6/2022 at 11:06 AM, 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? The IO gives  a great service. There is a tiny but vociferous  minority of Thai haters and  Thai bashers on this forum who constantly criticise every aspect of Thailand,  Thai life, Thai culture, Thai  people etc.  But bitter  depressed and negative people can't be allowed  to spoil things for people like  you who feel forced to regret telling the truth  about your positive experiences  here. 

12 hours ago, Thunglom said:

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

They are part of a brilliant service  network providing much  needed help to hundreds of people.

39 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

12 hours ago, Thunglom said:

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

They are part of a brilliant service  network providing much  needed help to hundreds of people.

To provide plausible deniability for bribes.

15 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

To provide plausible deniability for bribes.

You think tu mut..lol..'

Plausible deniability'..LOL Where do you think you are? In a CIA James Bond movie?

I get help, advice photo copies, translations etc etc. It's a great service  provided  by people with initiative providing a needed help.  Such set ups are common  in other developing countries to provide  services  to locals  and foreigners. It makes life easier.  Its normal. Its nothing sinister.

 

20 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

You think tu mut..lol..'

Plausible deniability'..LOL Where do you think you are? In a CIA James Bond movie?

I get help, advice photo copies, translations etc etc. It's a great service  provided  by people with initiative providing a needed help.  Such set ups are common  in other developing countries to provide  services  to locals  and foreigners. It makes life easier.  Its normal. Its nothing sinister.

 

You think too little. From the Thailand Current Immigration Act (1979) *

 

Rate of fees, working fees, and other expenses (page 38)
_________________
Fees

(3) Application for extension of temporary stay in the Kingdom
under Section 35, per person, each time 2,000 baht

 

So why are some on here paying 15000 baht or more for their extensions?

 

* http://web.krisdika.go.th/data/outsitedata/outsite21/file/Immigration_Act_B.E._2522.pdf

Just now, jerrymahoney said:

You think too little. From the Thailand Current Immigration Act (1979) *

 

Rate of fees, working fees, and other expenses (page 38)
_________________
Fees

(3) Application for extension of temporary stay in the Kingdom
under Section 35, per person, each time 2,000 baht

 

So why are some on here paying 15000 baht or more for their extensions?

 

* http://web.krisdika.go.th/data/outsitedata/outsite21/file/Immigration_Act_B.E._2522.pdf

I choose what to think about and do not live in a world  of judgemental neurosis. I am grateful  for the services  offered as I don't own a photo  copy machine nor do I speak Thai!  I have lived in many countries and know how things  work. I also  know the UK is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. I regard your  obsession and focus  as potentially a form of displaced racism. I appreciate and support 100% the services  offered by the kind and  helpful people in the offices and shops around the immigration office. God bless them.

 

5 hours ago, maake55555 said:

I sometime wonder about the people who post on this site as I have lived in Pattaya for 16 years and have visited Immigration many many times.  I have had small and a couple of large problems and were always handled very efficiency an quickly.  The immigration personnel who helped me were always friendly and very helpful.  I have never seen any of the negative stuff that is talked about on this site.

Me the same. In 30 years here and meeting hundreds of people the only time I hear about this stuff is on this forum.

7 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I choose what to think about and do not live in a world  of judgemental neurosis. I am grateful  for the services  offered as I don't own a photo  copy machine nor do I speak Thai!  I have lived in many countries and know how things  work. I also  know the UK is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. I regard your  obsession and focus  as potentially a form of displaced racism. I appreciate and support 100% the services  offered by the kind and  helpful people in the offices and shops around the immigration office. God bless them.

 

I just read what was printed. But you had no problem telling me what to think about.

2 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

I just read what was printed. But you had no problem telling me what to think about.

Yeah. It's  a discussion. Hopefully you will take my advice BUT up to you! Some people find Thailand is an excellent  place to feel morally superior and revel in their own  sanctimony.

1 minute ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Yeah. It's  a discussion. Hopefully you will take my advice BUT up to you! Some people find Thailand is an excellent  place to feel morally superior and revel in their own  sanctimony.

What advice?

On 5/6/2022 at 1:39 PM, billd766 said:

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.

Nakhon Sawan is by far the best. Helpful, courteous and professional.

It is surprising how many long-term stayers in Thailand have no idea what they rely should be paying to stay in the country legally. They prefer just to fork out 15/20 thousand baht and get a stamp on their passport. I know of several instances where the poor people have got into all sorts of trouble when it turned out their "stamps" were not legal in one way or another. Some just avoided regulations but others actually thought their stamps were bad fide.

BTW -I used to avoid Jomtien (before that Pattaya Soi 7) like the plague. I used Sri racha for years until a talking frog turned up and started creating problems.

I've used others around the country over the years, but the key seems to be to avoid major tourist/expat centres

2 hours ago, streetlite said:

Nakhon Sawan is by far the best. Helpful, courteous and professional.

When I used to do my 90 day report, by the time I had closed the door and got my passport out, the lady was waiting to run it through the machine and print out the form. In and out in a couple of minutes with a smile and a thank you very much.

 

In KPP last time it was about 3 minutes as the room is much larger and the reports done by a man but still excellent service.

As long as you run a monopoly provider for stamps, approvals etc. you literally can charge what you want and treat your victims likewise. 

Having said that, there are nice[r] offices than Jomtien but it might have to do with their clientele. Some service seekers are really off the scale and should be sent home to dress properly, get a shave and leave their catch-of-last-night at home ..........