BKK CW Immigration - any impact from flooding in Laksi area?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Quote

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has set up temporary shelters in the Bang Khen, Lak Si, Don Mueang, Sai Mai and Lat Krabang areas, in case residents there need to be evacuated if their houses are flooded, said Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt today (Sunday).

 

Anyone been out or around BKK CW Immigration in the past couple days? Any info if there's any impact there, either on their operations or access to the area, from the flooding that's apparently occurring in the Laksi area?

 

[paulbrow]

There is some localized road flooding following a heavy rain, but nothing other than that yet.

[bamnutsak]

I went last Thursday and it was fine. CW Road is a bit slow because of the monorail construction.

 

You can check Google Maps Traffic layer which often reveals flooded section with a dark red line.

 

I was surprised how un-crowded Imm was. Lightest ever.

 

 

[Searat7]

I am there now. Taxi from Silom. Very quick. Saw no water problem at all. 

[klauskunkel]

Went this morning bus #166 Victory Monument to Building B. Left at 9am, arrived at 9:20. No problems.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I just came back from BKK CW this morning.

 

Fortunately, dry as a bone on the way, while there, and on the way back. No water or flood impact at all, for the time being...

 

However, since the last time I was there a year ago, they're going crazy with huge new construction all around the Government Complex property, with major new buildings going up...  So getting in and out is a bit more hectic than usual.

 

But Immigration itself, this morning, was about as un-busy as I can ever recall it being on a regular weekday morning. So now's a good time to go, if you've got any biz to do there.

 

PS - Thanks for all the feedback above!!!  ????

 

 

Edited September 13, 2022 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[SmokeandIce]

On 9/12/2022 at 9:01 PM, bamnutsak said:

I went last Thursday and it was fine. CW Road is a bit slow because of the monorail construction.

 

You can check Google Maps Traffic layer which often reveals flooded section with a dark red line.

 

I was surprised how un-crowded Imm was. Lightest ever.

 

 

My experience also. No flooding issues.

 

It only took me 1 1/2 hours to get my Non O retirement extended for 1 year 

[ThailandRyan]

GF Just received a call from her daughter who lives out on the backside of Laksi near Sai Mai, lots of flooding this morning out that way and school will be closed for the next 3 days.  They are apparently stuck in their Moo Ban due to the water at the front being to high to drive through right now.  Not sure what if any flooding near CW there may be.

[DrJack54]

Hopefully can add a question here re CW.

Going to need to drive car to CW for extension.

Do you just drive around looking for a car park or.....

Any suggestions welcome.

 

[Crossy]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Hopefully can add a question here re CW.

Going to need to drive car to CW for extension.

Do you just drive around looking for a car park or.....

Any suggestions welcome.

 

 

If you get there early there's on-road parking right opposite the entrance to the immigration building. I've never needed to park anywhere else.

 

[Captor]

On 9/13/2022 at 12:14 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I just came back from BKK CW this morning.

 

Fortunately, dry as a bone on the way, while there, and on the way back. No water or flood impact at all, for the time being...

 

However, since the last time I was there a year ago, they're going crazy with huge new construction all around the Government Complex property, with major new buildings going up...  So getting in and out is a bit more hectic than usual.

 

But Immigration itself, this morning, was about as un-busy as I can ever recall it being on a regular weekday morning. So now's a good time to go, if you've got any biz to do there.

 

PS - Thanks for all the feedback above!!!  ????

 

 

I was there yesterday also and I agree. It was fine at Immigration. However the infrastructure around CW is a huge mess. Be prepared of no parking, only a few taxi´s and buses. And when they came they were full already.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 minutes ago, Captor said:

I was there yesterday also and I agree. It was fine at Immigration. However the infrastructure around CW is a huge mess. Be prepared of no parking, only a few taxi´s and buses. And when they came they were full already.

 

When I was there Tuesday, it was easy to wait for and catch regular meter taxis at the exit from the Government Complex B building right outside where Immigration is located.

 

When I was there, there was a queue of them parked, empty and waiting, right along the curb at the entrance area there.

 

They're also still running the internal shuttle that takes people from the B Building to the top of the soi along CW Road.

 

But agree about the local roadways within the Government Complex area right now...

 

It took my taxi almost as long to maneuver out of that current mess, as it did to make it all the way back to Mochit once we got on the highway.

 

 

Edited September 14, 2022 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Captor]

Just now, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

When I was there Tuesday, it was easy to wait for and catch regular meter taxis at the exit from the Government Complex B building right outside where Immigration is located.

 

When I was there, there was a queue of them parked, empty and waiting, right along the curb at the entrance area there.

 

They're also still running the internal shuttle that takes people from the B Building to the top of the soi along CW Road.

 

Maybe it depends on what time? I was there waiting for a taxi between 16-16.30 I think it was. I then gave up and jumped on a bus to the main road. From there jumped on another bus and then MRT to Nong Khaem. There were so many people on the 2 buses so if I not catch covid yesterday (with or without face masks) then I will never get it.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

One nice thing I did notice on the way TO Immigration from Mochit meanwhile...when taking the paid tollway out to Laksi...

 

There used to be an odd, typically Thai exit from the expressway there that took you off onto surface streets and traffic congestion before you could finally get to the corner of CW Road and turn down toward Soi 7 and the government complex.

 

Now, with all the rail line associated construction there, they've redone the Laksi intersection and, believe or not, there's a regular curved downward exit from the tollway that descends and puts you right onto CW Road heading in the right direction... They seem to have gotten that part right, at least.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just now, Captor said:

Maybe it depends on what time? I was there waiting for a taxi between 16-16.30 I think it was. I then gave up and jumped on a bus to the main road. From there jumped on another bus and then MRT to Nong Khaem. There were so many people on the 2 buses so if I not catch covid yesterday (with or without face masks) then I will never get it.

Ya, I was leaving there there mid-morning... 10 to 11 am... Perhaps you got caught in the afternoon rush hour and resulting dirth of taxis.

 

That's why I always try to get there early in the morning... miss the morning rush hour out, take care of my business quick, miss the lunch break at Immigration, and miss the afternoon traffic on the way back home! ????

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Couple other details of my BKK CW visit on Tues:

 

--They're still requiring the COVID questionnaire form to be completed prior to entering the the building where they do NOT ask about your vax status, but DO ask about all kind of other COVID-related things in the prior week -- have you had any recent symptoms, have you been around COVID positive people, have you traveled internationally, have you tested positive, etc etc.

 

--Also, they are enforcing the face mask wearing policy in the Immigration offices at BKK CW.  While I was sitting inside there waiting for my queue number to be called, there were two other farang guys sitting nearby at various points who were NOT wearing face masks...  And in short order, one of the female IOs came up to each of them, and said 'MISTER!" and told them to put on their face masks. They also chided another guy who was wearing his mask below his nose.... So, come prepared!

[Captor]

25 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Ya, I was leaving there there mid-morning... 10 to 11 am... Perhaps you got caught in the afternoon rush hour and resulting dirth of taxis.

 

That's why I always try to get there early in the morning... miss the morning rush hour out, take care of my business quick, miss the lunch break at Immigration, and miss the afternoon traffic on the way back home! ????

 

 

Yeah, that will be my plan next time! Lesson learned ????

[mnomad]

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Couple other details of my BKK CW visit on Tues:

 

--They're still requiring the COVID questionnaire form to be completed prior to entering the the building where they do NOT ask about your vax status, but DO ask about all kind of other COVID-related things in the prior week -- have you had any recent symptoms, have you been around COVID positive people, have you traveled internationally, have you tested positive, etc etc.

 

--Also, they are enforcing the face mask wearing policy in the Immigration offices at BKK CW.  While I was sitting inside there waiting for my queue number to be called, there were two other farang guys sitting nearby at various points who were NOT wearing face masks...  And in short order, one of the female IOs came up to each of them, and said 'MISTER!" and told them to put on their face masks. They also chided another guy who was wearing his mask below his nose.... So, come prepared!

Yeah that was strange, many of the staff double masked too, and one or two young women even had face visors on and gloves on, on top of the desk being surrounded in plastic glass. That said there was at least two staff, two aunties, openly walking around unmasked so it was all a bit surreal. I wouldn't read into them chiding farangs, doubt its covid related, it seems a past time for some of younger female IOs, I seen it happen for someone missing there number for 30 seconds or paper in wrong order..

 

I missed the telephone number on the entrance form and was promptly chided for this, like they are going to do anything with them, like they are contact tracing at all?, just all very strange
 

Edited September 14, 2022 by mnomad
clarification

[Captor]

8 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Couple other details of my BKK CW visit on Tues:

 

--They're still requiring the COVID questionnaire form to be completed prior to entering the the building where they do NOT ask about your vax status, but DO ask about all kind of other COVID-related things in the prior week -- have you had any recent symptoms, have you been around COVID positive people, have you traveled internationally, have you tested positive, etc etc.

 

--Also, they are enforcing the face mask wearing policy in the Immigration offices at BKK CW.  While I was sitting inside there waiting for my queue number to be called, there were two other farang guys sitting nearby at various points who were NOT wearing face masks...  And in short order, one of the female IOs came up to each of them, and said 'MISTER!" and told them to put on their face masks. They also chided another guy who was wearing his mask below his nose.... So, come prepared!

I saw the same. A mum was talking with her child and at that minute she took away her mask and then the dragon came within 2 seconds and pointed at the face mask. Look like Anutin did a good job in creating fair for covid among the people.

 

[ThailandRyan]

Just returned from CW after heading to the Sai Mai Area.  The GF's daughter was with the stepmother at her workplace in the basement of CW where she works.  As John said in his post above they are still making you do the Covid questionnaire upon entering the building.  Traffic was a real pain, but no water anywhere.  It started raining as we went out the backside and back to the freeway/expressway.  The construction out front is a true nightmare, but as @TallGuyJohninBKKsaid they now have a dedicated ramp that takes you on down to the entrance of CW.  Unfortunately, coming out the backside you have to drive a few extra KM to get to the U-Turn and head back to the freeway.  All in all it will be easy going once the road destruction is done.  I also noticed quite a few new MooBan's being built in the area. 

Edited September 14, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

50 minutes ago, Captor said:

Yeah, that will be my plan next time! Lesson learned ????

Depending on when the last time was that various folks were there...

 

BKK Immigration seems to now have a newish COVID inspired queue system at opening in the morning that's a big improvement, compared to what it was the last time I was there a year ago.

 

This week, when I arrived about 8 am prior to the official 8:30 am opening of the Immigration Office, there were three IOs sitting at a table in front of the closed IO entrance handing out entry queue tickets and TM forms to those that wanted/needed them. When I arrived, I walked right up to their desk and NO ONE was in line waiting for their service.

 

At 8 am, they gave me an entry ticket number of 136, which I soon realized relates to what now are long rows of wooden chairs that snake along the side of their office heading back a long way. Each chair has a number tag pasted on the back, which corresponds to the queue ticket number they've given you (i.e., that's where you sit to wait in socially distanced style).

 

By about 8:15 or 8:20 am, they began allowing the queued up chair folks to line up and then enter the actual Immigration Office, and then onward to the line at the IO's front counter where you get the real queue ticket number for service at whatever Immigration section you're headed to.

 

The entry into Immigration was all very orderly and organized, and they had an IO checking every queue ticket number outside to make sure no one was cutting into the line or going out of order relative to their queue number....

 

A far cry from the old days of long standing queues outside the IO office, people without queue tickets cutting line, and a general mob rush into the IO office once they opened the doors. None of that is occurring now under the current system, AFAICT.

 

[Captor]

9 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Depending on when the last time was that various folks were there...

 

BKK Immigration seems to now have a newish COVID inspired queue system at opening in the morning that's a big improvement, compared to what it was the last time I was there a year ago.

 

This week, when I arrived about 8 am prior to the official 8:30 am opening of the Immigration Office, there were three IOs sitting at a table in front of the closed IO entrance handing out entry queue tickets and TM forms to those that wanted/needed them. When I arrived, I walked right up to their desk and NO ONE was in line waiting for their service.

 

At 8 am, they gave me an entry ticket number of 136, which I soon realized relates to what now are long rows of wooden chairs that snake along the side of their office heading back a long way. Each chair has a number tag pasted on the back, which corresponds to the queue ticket number they've given you (i.e., that's where you sit to wait in socially distanced style).

 

By about 8:15 or 8:20 am, they began allowing the queued up chair folks to line up and then enter the actual Immigration Office, and then onward to the line at the IO's front counter where you get the real queue ticket number for service at whatever Immigration section you're headed to.

 

The entry into Immigration was all very orderly and organized, and they had an IO checking every queue ticket number outside to make sure no one was cutting into the line or going out of order relative to their queue number....

 

A far cry from the old days of long standing queues outside the IO office, people without queue tickets cutting line, and a general mob rush into the IO office once they opened the doors. None of that is occurring now under the current system, AFAICT.

 

We saw the three IO´s as well but it was not so organized and no tickets or TM-forms. We just needed to write the purpose of the visit in a form and then they waved us trough the x-ray controlled gate. But now one looked into the screen as far as I could see. It was all very relaxed. This was about 13:00 after we had been eating lunch in the other building were they do the legalization. In the new Immigration building there was a food fair that will last only for 10 days. After that I hope there will be other places were we can eat lunch.  I saw nothing like that yesterday other than the food fair in the government main building. Anyway, I will go much more early next time.

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, Captor said:

We saw the three IO´s as well but it was not so organized and no tickets or TM-forms. We just needed to write the purpose of the visit in a form and then they waved us trough the x-ray controlled gate. But now one looked into the screen as far as I could see. It was all very relaxed. This was about 13:00 after we had been eating lunch in the other building were they do the legalization. In the new Immigration building there was a food fair that will last only for 10 days. After that I hope there will be other places were we can eat lunch.  I saw nothing like that yesterday other than the food fair in the government main building. Anyway, I will go much more early next time.

Downstairs in the basement of the Immigration building at CW are many places to eat, as well as a food court. It is also where all of the banks are at for folks needing an annual letter and copies of the passbook, well a few have moved out, but K-Bank is still there.  Places to make copies as well as get your photos done as well.

Edited September 14, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[Captor]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

Downstairs in the basement of the Immigration building at CW are many places to eat, as well as a food court.

OK, good- to know. I did only see the food fair all over the place.

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, Captor said:

OK, good- to know. I did only see the food fair all over the place.

That is what they have sometimes as well as Clothing bazaars in the big center court of the main floor. Downstairs has a lot of different stuff including some of the phone centers, my GF's Daughters Stepmother works for AIS in the basement, on top of that you have the government pharmacy as well as a few other small pharmacies.

[Captor]

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

That is what they have sometimes as well as Clothing bazaars in the big center court of the main floor. Downstairs has a lot of different stuff including some of the phone centers, my GF's Daughters Stepmother works for AIS in the basement, on top of that you have the government pharmacy as well as a few other small pharmacies.

Is that were the banks are also? For the updated bankbook statement before the extension. Maybe also the letter stating about the 400 000 thb. I had plan to do that the day before in Nong Khaem but may as well do it there if they have the Bangkok bank there. Or maybe the bank want a appointment for that?

[ThailandRyan]

6 minutes ago, Captor said:

Is that were the banks are also? For the updated bankbook statement before the extension. Maybe also the letter stating about the 400 000 thb. I had plan to do that the day before in Nong Khaem but may as well do it there if they have the Bangkok bank there. Or maybe the bank want a appointment for that?

Yes the banks are downstairs, but you need to check to see if your bank has an office down there.  I can not remember which banks have left..... @TallGuyJohninBKKmight remember if Bangkok Bank is still downstairs or even @DrJack54.  I use K-Bank so they are there still.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

.  I use K-Bank so they are there still

Bangkok Bank has branch downstairs however they not long ago had issues and temporarily closed branch.

I assume they are back up and running now.

SCB for some reason does not have a branch at CW. 

[Captor]

17 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Yes the banks are downstairs, but you need to check to see if your bank has an office down there.  I can not remember which banks have left..... @TallGuyJohninBKKmight remember if Bangkok Bank is still downstairs or even @DrJack54.  I use K-Bank so they are there still.

That sounds very good. I will check that up, thank you very much!

[DrJoy]

26 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

SCB for some reason does not have a branch at CW

They have a branch at BIG C very close by.

 

Big C, Chaeng Watthana 1,

96, Moo 1, Thanon Chaeng Watthana, Thung Song Hong, Lak Si, Bangkok 10210