A Thai friend just told me that Immigration has had some large budget approved to move the office from Jomtien to Baan Amphur, though he didn't know anything about when. He knows someone high up in Immigration as he does work for him, and that's who told him. I think he said that the current office will be used then for business visas and the like, but everyone else will just have to schlep down to wherever it will be in Baan Amphur. Apparently, the design for the new office is complete and it will be much bigger than the current place, with a large car park. He mentioned 300 or 400 million Baht as the budget.

Given that the bulk of users in the Jomtien office are people with visa waivers or short-stay visas looking for an extension, and many of whom won't have transport, it wouldn't be very convenient for a lot of people so I'm a bit doubtful. Given the parking and access chaos that the place causes to residents and businesses in Soi 5, though, I'm sure the locals would welcome it. I only live about 1,500 m away from the Jomtien office so it's convenient for me, apart from the car parking, but I'd be quite happy using a bigger, more modern office in Baan Amphur.

Has anyone else heard anything to this effect? If the budget and design are already approved then it's far from new news, though it's the first I've heard of it. Anyone?

There is an unfinished football stadium on the dark side that could probably be converted into an immigration office. The bleacher seats would be perfect for all the people waiting around. It would actually be useful, other than the eyesore it has been for years.

Ka-Ching.

Great, long overdue, they need at least double the staff, they are all stressed out hence the farang fatigue

I remember the Immigration Office move from Pattaya Soi 7 to Jomptien - where the land was donated by a famous German restaurant guy. Surprised they have the money to start again elsewhere.

9 minutes ago, johnnybgood said:

I remember the Immigration Office move from Pattaya Soi 7 to Jomptien

Yes, that didn't seem that long ago.

BTW, it was soi 8. Good memories going to that IO.

Everything keeps moving further out, I miss the land office not being Suksubai. ☹️

Edited Wednesday at 07:42 AM5 days by SAFETY FIRST

Well I hope the move to somewhere much bigger as its far too crowded at the current location.

Bahn Amphur would suit me just fine (just down the road)...its very easy to reach from Pattaya with the new 10 lane motorway they recently built.

If they keep 2 locations then perhaps even better as long as the smaller location is used for the smaller amounts of 'business'

I think it would be great for the very overworked staff and for the hoards of visa applicants.

Hope not. That wouldn't be too convenient for a lot of people. But, that didn't stop the Land Office from relocating to out in the middle of nowhere, where they have already outgrown both the parking and the facility itself.

4 hours ago, johnnybgood said:

I remember the Immigration Office move from Pattaya Soi 7 to Jomptien - where the land was donated by a famous German restaurant guy. Surprised they have the money to start again elsewhere.

Surely you mean Soi 8?

Behind the Sailor Bar.

Before they made us Schlep to Jomtien.

1 hour ago, newnative said:

But, that didn't stop the Land Office from relocating to out in the middle of nowhere,

Apologies for thread ****ing but where is it now?

I had heard it had moved but not to where.

Moving Immigration out that far would be a very poor move for most and for me surprising but TIT. (Taxi firms, baht bus mafia and Bolt etc would be over the moon......😒)

Remember when Samui immigration moved across the street in Nation.

Then built a new office in Maenam.

Yes, Immigration in Jomtien should move to the dark side.

4 hours ago, johng said:

If they keep 2 locations then perhaps even better as long as the smaller location is used for the smaller amounts of 'business'

But there is..

I use the EEC office in Chonburi, one stop WP and extension of stay.

But I work.

Move more of it ONLINE would eliminate a lot of show up in person to stand in lines BS and hassle for a lot of people....what a concept.

Of course agents would not approve as it would severly limit their "income" and "disbursements" received from people who pay someone else to sort it all out for them.

1 hour ago, TaaSaparot said:

Surely you mean Soi 8?

Behind the Sailor Bar.

Before they made us Schlep to Jomtien.

He always used the back door.

4 hours ago, pomchop said:

Move more of it ONLINE would eliminate a lot of show up in person to stand in lines BS and hassle for a lot of people....what a concept.

Of course agents would not approve as it would severly limit their "income" and "disbursements" received from people who pay someone else to sort it all out for them.

Think they are planning an App for that. 90 day and annual extensions included too eventually.

https://www.visasupdate.com/post/thailand-thim-immigration-super-app-2026

5 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

Remember when Samui immigration moved across the street in Nation.

Then built a new office in Maenam.

Yes, Immigration in Jomtien should move to the dark side.

The office in Nathon in the early 00's was small but rarely very busy. They were actually quite pleasant to deal with. One of the IO's there was forever trying to set me up with his sister. No idea what she looked like but I had to make my excuses every time I made a visit.

Nothing like the miseries at Maenam (especially the 'portly' lady....)

11 hours ago, newnative said:

Hope not. That wouldn't be too convenient for a lot of people. But, that didn't stop the Land Office from relocating to out in the middle of nowhere, where they have already outgrown both the parking and the facility itself.

Somewhere on Sukhumvit i wouldn't mind, easy to get to. Transport office in the worst, middle of nowhere, least convenient location they could find

4 hours ago, Keeps said:

The office in Nathon in the early 00's was small but rarely very busy. They were actually quite pleasant to deal with. One of the IO's there was forever trying to set me up with his sister. No idea what she looked like but I had to make my excuses every time I made a visit.

Nothing like the miseries at Maenam (especially the 'portly' lady....)

Mr Nok always wanted 5000 baht for my yearly extension, refused to pay so I had to wait for hours.

No problems in Maenam

15 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Yes, that didn't seem that long ago.

BTW, it was soi 8. Good memories going to that IO.

Everything keeps moving further out, I miss the land office not being Suksubai. ☹️

Pig and Whistle for breakfast later !

A new bigger office and more staff.

Most likely only increase the paper work and bureaucratic nonsense.

More Little men sitting in big chairs.

Nice.

12 hours ago, topt said:

Apologies for thread ****ing but where is it now?

I had heard it had moved but not to where.

Moving Immigration out that far would be a very poor move for most and for me surprising but TIT. (Taxi firms, baht bus mafia and Bolt etc would be over the moon......😒)

It's way north of Pattaya off of Sukhumvit on the way to Sri Racha, about as far north as the Do Home big box store.

11 hours ago, pomchop said:

Move more of it ONLINE would eliminate a lot of show up in person to stand in lines BS and hassle for a lot of people....what a concept.

Of course agents would not approve as it would severly limit their "income" and "disbursements" received from people who pay someone else to sort it all out for them.

Totally agree. The first thing they should do is eliminate having to go into Immigration for the first 90-day report after you travel out of the country. I had to do that a few weeks ago and the place was packed--I think there were 40 or 50 people in the queue ahead of me--years ago you could sail in and be in and out in a few minutes. More people should be able to do this easily on-line rather than in-person. Better still, eliminate the 90-day reports all together after your first one-year extension.

14 hours ago, topt said:

Apologies for thread ****ing but where is it now?

I had heard it had moved but not to where.

Moving Immigration out that far would be a very poor move for most and for me surprising but TIT. (Taxi firms, baht bus mafia and Bolt etc would be over the moon......😒)

They moved it up to Laem Chabang, easy to get to as long as you have a car. Thai people seem to call the area Rong Po, I'm not that intimate with the various neighbourhoods of Laem Chabang.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/VVkwAKeXD7PcuiAZ6

If they were smart. They could easily grab one of the several abandoned stores in the Avenue Mall, or just have a separate office for the 90 day and retirement visa’s. That would clear out the massive amount of people going to one location. 90 day online is great, until you go on a holiday and have to go in person, and it would be great if they could let us do the yearly retirement visa on line, but that will take awhile. Even if it does get approved, we all know how the original 90 day program went. Only time will tell us what is going to happen. Unfortunately TIT and they don’t think as simple as most of us do.

4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Somewhere on Sukhumvit i wouldn't mind, easy to get to. Transport office in the worst, middle of nowhere, least convenient location they could find

It is only a couple of years since they moved the Sri Ratcha immigration office.

You only have to look where they put that to see how much regard they have for convenience.

17 hours ago, newnative said:

Hope not. That wouldn't be too convenient for a lot of people. But, that didn't stop the Land Office from relocating to out in the middle of nowhere, where they have already outgrown both the parking and the facility itself.

Do you mean the Land TRANSPORT Office? The people who deal with vehicles licensing etc?

15 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

But there is..

I use the EEC office in Chonburi, one stop WP and extension of stay.

But I work.

This place ?

It has moved.

16 minutes ago, Greenhill said:

Do you mean the Land TRANSPORT Office? The people who deal with vehicles licensing etc?

No, I'm talking about the new Land Office for real estate.

Simple answer do it all online, move into the 21st century. Oh how silly of me we're talking about Thailand 🤣😂🤣

One of the reasons I stay in Chanthaburi and visit Pattaya/Jomtien when the mood hits me is the immigration office. I just renewed my extension today, and it was a breeze. I filled out the four forms in the morning, off to the bank at 9:30 to get the required letter, then straight to immigration, both less than a kilometer from my condo. Out of immigration just after 10:00. I was one of three people needing their services.

On another note, someone mentioned above a requirement to do the 90 day report in person after a visit out of country, but that doesn't happen here.