I posted the following this morning on the visa forum:

I would like to make an appointment to discuss a sensitive, important and difficult issue with a reasonably senior immigration official at the immigration office in Chiangmai, without trying to get there by raising the issue first with any of the front-desk officials at the counter.

I would appreciate any advice about how I might go about doing this, either here or in the form of a private message.

I have received some helpful general suggestions, but nothing concerning the Chiangmai immigration office itself. I am reposting here in the hope that someone here may be able to offer more specific advice.

Just walk in - explain as you have in your post and they will refer you to the duty officer if you feel comfortable with him OK, but if you would like to go the next rung up give him the same spiel and ask to speak to the CO. They are a reasonable mob in there and I am sure that you will get a satisfactory response providing your request is genuine, reasonable and courteous.

I would try to have a Thai that knows the officials contact them and accompany you. I wish I could remember the guy who did it for me. It makes a big difference.

I would like to make an appointment to discuss a sensitive, important and difficult issue with a reasonably senior immigration official

Are you sure that such an issue is best discussed with an official and not first with a lawyer? Those folks are mostly good and helpful but I am not sure that their work is much about sensitive or difficult issues.

Thanks to all who have offered their thoughts and suggestions both here and in private messages. Considering all of your advice (as well as some that I received in response to my earlier post on the visa forum), I have decided that I am going to try to find someone, probably a lawyer, who has a relationship with one or more senior officials at the immigration office that would make it possible for him or her to arrange an introduction on my behalf, but will discuss the issue first with that person to confirm that he or she agrees such a meeting would be advisable.

Personally I would go to the immigration office near Carefour at the Business Park. It is the head office for the northern region and the people there are much more helpful as they don't have to deal with the throngs of persons that show up everyday at the office the airport.

The officers working near the airport have to follow strict orders and are less likely to be helpful.

The Chief of Immigration for the region is a nice person and speaks good English. go to the counter and ask to speak to the chief (forgot his name).

His name is 'Chief Mairoo'

[joke]55555, sorry, the heat is getting to me......

Speaking of Immigration....

I was there today. There have a lot interns working in the office which is restricting their ability to accept bribes. I had to laugh when I saw one guy try and slip a couple hundred...only to have it returned after the officer realized that three interns were watching.

In addition, their processing time has greatly sped up. Rather than a several hour wait, I was in and out within 30 minutes. Gotta love intern season.

Speaking of Immigration....

I was there today. There have a lot interns working in the office which is restricting their ability to accept bribes. I had to laugh when I saw one guy try and slip a couple hundred...only to have it returned after the officer realized that three interns were watching.

In addition, their processing time has greatly sped up. Rather than a several hour wait, I was in and out within 30 minutes. Gotta love intern season.

Those interns are extremely helpful and quite knowledgeable about the procedures. They also speak excellent English and are very friendly. Some of them are very cute!