Can anyone explain why Immigration is so busy now?

[giddyup]

I can never remember crowds like there are now pre Covid, and surely there aren't the same numbers of tourist here as before.

[Celsius]

there are

[Orinoco]

Maybe a few Chinese are trying to get real visa's  

 

Ps, Think immigration have been on a go slow from the start of covid, and they want to keep it that relaxed way. 

Just my thoughts on it.

 

 

Edited January 30, 2023 by Orinoco

[pattaya1234was]

Many Russians are trying to lengthen their stays here-at the moment most are booked in on Package Tours of a month or less.

[GypsyT]

It was on news China has 226 million (!) who are traveling.....

And now they can to come here too.

 

"China saw 226 million domestic trips during the Lunar New Year holiday, state media reported, a 74% surge from last year after the government."

 

[orchis]

50 minutes ago, giddyup said:

11.81m tourists in 2022 - up from just 400,000 the previous year.

that's x 30. immigration woke up slowly.

[foreverlomsak]

If I remember correctly, not sure seen here or the paper we can't mention, that Pucket has said that only extensions of stay and 90 day reports are being done there, for anything else go the Pattaya office. 

[giddyup]

28 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

It was on news China has 226 million (!) who are traveling.....

And now they can to come here too.

 

"China saw 226 million domestic trips during the Lunar New Year holiday, state media reported, a 74% surge from last year after the government."

 

Not talking when, but now. Don't recall seeing many Chinese at immigration, I think most are on package holidays.

Edited January 30, 2023 by giddyup

[CharlieH]

Posts removed, please do not state "he said, I heard, this or that" its total speculation and gossip and will be removed if you cannot support any "claims" you make.

[swm59nj]

Because of the Covid situation having less impact.  And restrictions eased. More people, more crowds At immigration 

[Scouse123]

Maybe more people seeking extensions of stay!

 

Just a wild guess!

[animalmagic]

1 hour ago, GypsyT said:

It was on news China has 226 million (!) who are traveling.....

And now they can to come here too.

 

"China saw 226 million domestic trips during the Lunar New Year holiday, state media reported, a 74% surge from last year after the government."

 

Those domestic trips would be mostly migrant workers returning to home villages and provinces for the first time in a few years.  That was previously not allowed due to the strict covid policies banning internal travel.

[DPKANKAN]

Did my 90 days at 8.33 this morning in and 8.36 out....done????????????????

[giddyup]

5 minutes ago, DPKANKAN said:

Did my 90 days at 8.33 this morning in and 8.36 out....done????????????????

That's outside.

[giddyup]

25 minutes ago, swm59nj said:

Because of the Covid situation having less impact.  And restrictions eased. More people, more crowds At immigration 

But there's not more people. Tourists are still down 50% prior to Covid.

[carlyai]

Lazy lazy people. Can't even check the 90 day on-line extension until you ring them. 

Work ethics? Job satisfaction?  -zzzzzzzzz

[Thingamabob]

Always very busy around Christmas, the new year, and Chinese new year. Nothing new about that. Add catch-ups after the covid restrictions. Hardly surprising it's all a bit hectic.

[giddyup]

9 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Always very busy around Christmas, the new year, and Chinese new year. Nothing new about that. Add catch-ups after the covid restrictions. Hardly surprising it's all a bit hectic.

It's a month since New Year and Xmas.

[kinyara]

2 minutes ago, giddyup said:

It's a month since New Year and Xmas.

Don't forget for a lot of countries Thailand extended it to 45 days on arrival, so you arrive pre-Christmas when numbers were clearly picking up and it's about now you would go down and get an extra 30 days if you had planned on staying.

 

I think the Russian market and the element that wish to remain for as long as possible is the most obvious non-normal factor. If they can somehow get 1 year visa's they could well also be opening bank accounts and getting driving licenses each of which requires residence certificates from immigration.

[ozimoron]

34 minutes ago, giddyup said:

But there's not more people. Tourists are still down 50% prior to Covid.

There's no other plausible explanation. More people at Immigration translates to more people here in Thailand. My anecdotal observations in Pattaya bear this out. I've never seen so many tourists here (other than the Chinese tours who are yet to arrive) at any time including the 2 years before covid.

[DPKANKAN]

36 minutes ago, giddyup said:

That's outside.

No! I went 'in' the Immigration office at 8.33 am

Did 90 days report.

I came 'out' at 8.36 am

That is in the Immigration office for 3 minutes and did not even need a ticket!

 

[tykeuk]

9 minutes ago, DPKANKAN said:

No! I went 'in' the Immigration office at 8.33 am

Did 90 days report.

I came 'out' at 8.36 am

That is in the Immigration office for 3 minutes and did not even need a ticket!

 

Was that at Khon Kaen. As mine was the same in and out like a flash

[ozimoron]

Just now, tykeuk said:

Was that at Khon Kaen. As mine was the same in and out like a flash

Yeah, huge numbers of tourists in Khon Khaen. ????

[DPKANKAN]

Just now, tykeuk said:

Was that at Khon Kaen. As mine was the same in and out like a flash

No Kanchanaburi

[Foghorn]

All got new phones , divided up the scam money over the year 

[ozimoron]

It might be due to the Immigration vehicles I see driving around Pattaya with the camera box on the roof. I read that they have facial recognition cameras to detect over stayers. Can anybody confirm that's true or not? Asking for a friend, lol. Actually, if true, it's a good thing, especially lately.

[kinyara]

Is there a way that people access these topics without going through the regional sub-forum heading !!

How many times ????

[ignore it]

It's because people are already beginning to trust the RTP and not social media 

Edited January 30, 2023 by ignore it

[whereyougo]

3 hours ago, GypsyT said:

It was on news China has 226 million (!) who are traveling.....

And now they can to come here too.

 

"China saw 226 million domestic trips during the Lunar New Year holiday, state media reported, a 74% surge from last year after the government."

 

Brace yourselves for the diesal tour bus invasion

[LosLobo]

Perfect Storm!

1) TM are being more capricious and pedantic than in the past.

 

2) Massive influx of Russians who are now not welcome in Europe and other countries and are here avoiding the war.

 

a. They are now extending their 45-day holiday Visa Exempt and looking for extensions and also Non O visas and others for long stay.

 

b. Resident Certificates for bank accounts, buying cars and getting driving licenses etc.

 

c. Also moving from temporary accommodation into renting property and buying houses which require changes in TM30 etc.