Chiang Mai Mail Interview With Immigration

[Tung_Thaid]

Chiang Mai Mail item in issue August 5 - "Immigration Chief Talks Candidly with Chiang Mai Mail".

Chiang Mai Mail's website hasn't updated their on line content for the whole story to be read on line as yet.

The interview was with Pol. Col. Prayut Chommalee - the Superintendent at Chiang Mai Immigration.

One change new to me:

"From next month people requiring extension visas will be required to have their picture taken by an official at the Immigration Office and also have fingerprints done at this office. This process may take longer, however it will enable us to complete our job more effectively. It will still cost 1900 baht. Work permits are now 3000 baht."

[K2K]

Thanks for the info -

That makes sense as Thais have to under go the same ID check, so fair enough for 'aliens'.

Wish they would issue us with 'Alien' ID cards as well then would make more sense than risking carrying passports around - I guess in time it will come.

[haybilly]

Thanks for the info -

That makes sense as Thais have to under go the same ID check, so fair enough for 'aliens'.

Wish they would issue us with 'Alien' ID cards as well then would make more sense than risking carrying passports around - I guess in time it will come.

Alien ID cards--dream on--tantamount to actually acknowledging our presence--can't see it.

[TheWalkingMan]

Thanks for the info -

That makes sense as Thais have to under go the same ID check, so fair enough for 'aliens'.

Wish they would issue us with 'Alien' ID cards as well then would make more sense than risking carrying passports around - I guess in time it will come.

I always wondered about that. The Thai ID card system seems to be well maintained and it should be a snap to implement something similar for long term (more than 90 days) visa holders.

Has anyone with the ear of immigration ever suggested this?

TheWalkingMan

[papajohn]

Thanks for the info -

That makes sense as Thais have to under go the same ID check, so fair enough for 'aliens'.

Wish they would issue us with 'Alien' ID cards as well then would make more sense than risking carrying passports around - I guess in time it will come.

I always wondered about that. The Thai ID card system seems to be well maintained and it should be a snap to implement something similar for long term (more than 90 days) visa holders.

Has anyone with the ear of immigration ever suggested this?

TheWalkingMan

Commander Ripley wants all Aliens and Predators to have ID cards

[Mario2008]

story seems now online:

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/current/news.shtml#hd3

[ricklev]

I would have enjoyed hearing the explanation for forcing all of us to pay at our embassies for residency letters to transfer vehicles and renew driver's licenses. I can only imagine the real reason......, but I'm pretty sure that whatever reason I speculate might be true is really not the real reason.

[Mapguy]

This is a good article in the Mail. I wish that they would have thought of it sooner, and follow-up interviews would be quite useful.

Here is a clip from the end of the article. I include it because it is significant about volunteer work in Thailand, about which there has been great discussion previously on this forum:

One additional question if I may. Can foreigners, with or without a work permit, work or serve on a committee?

Yes they may work on a committee; however, Immigration may keep an eye on them.

Thank you for sparing the time to talk to the Chiang Mai Mail.

This interview took place with the co-operation of Chiang Mai Mail and Chiang Mai Friends group.

Now, there isn't any specific reference to working as a volunteer, but I suggest that there is some subtlety here.

Edited August 5, 2008 by Mapguy

[Ulysses G.]

Thanks for the info -

That makes sense as Thais have to under go the same ID check, so fair enough for 'aliens'.

Wish they would issue us with 'Alien' ID cards as well then would make more sense than risking carrying passports around - I guess in time it will come.

I always wondered about that. The Thai ID card system seems to be well maintained and it should be a snap to implement something similar for long term (more than 90 days) visa holders.

Has anyone with the ear of immigration ever suggested this?

TheWalkingMan

Commander Ripley wants all Aliens and Predators to have ID cards

"Predators"? Wouldn't it better to not allow them in Thailand?

[Tung_Thaid]

The "fingerprinting" at Chiang Mai Immigration did indeed start as of 1st August - but currently is more random than ALL extension applicants.

I expect that they will use their own judgement as to who it is applied to. So we may not have a report of it happening in ThaiVisa. But its still current policy there and can apply as they see fit.

[Viceroy]

The "fingerprinting" at Chiang Mai Immigration did indeed start as of 1st August - but currently is more random than ALL extension applicants.

I expect that they will use their own judgement as to who it is applied to. So we may not have a report of it happening in ThaiVisa. But its still current policy there and can apply as they see fit.

Thanks. What about the new photo policy?

[Tung_Thaid]

The "fingerprinting" at Chiang Mai Immigration did indeed start as of 1st August - but currently is more random than ALL extension applicants.

I expect that they will use their own judgement as to who it is applied to. So we may not have a report of it happening in ThaiVisa. But its still current policy there and can apply as they see fit.

Thanks. What about the new photo policy?

Might not end up as "random" as is now the case for photos / fingerprints.

That might be more a case of getting their systems up and running and "currently under trial" which is why at the moment it is random.

Those of us going for an extension in the next few weeks will know more.

[cloudhopper]

Wonder how long before we're all piss tested, DNA sampled and injected with an RFID chip?

[chiangmaibruce]

Yes, not a bad article. I have always been fairly treated there, so no complaints from me.

One line that tweaked my curiosity was:

"What annoys you and your staff most when foreigners report to the Immigration Office?

When foreigners come to the Immigration office and try to 'control' the situation"

Do you reckon he was referring to them/us making suggestions and/or offering constructive criticism or just being plain impatient and pushy? Sure it could be just arrogance/rudeness he was referring to, but it could also be something else.

I know it's in our nature (generalisation here) to step in and take the role of facilitator if we sense lack of order or direction or lack of progress (in a business setting at least). Obviously a bit of a fine line between this and being rude - even in a western cultural setting. We are also conditioned to offer feedback.

Not the Thai way at all. Here, to do so is like being invited into someone's home and asking "why don't you put the sofa over there instead?" What do others think (speculate)?

[sriracha john]

This is a good article in the Mail. I wish that they would have thought of it sooner, and follow-up interviews would be quite useful.

Here is a clip from the end of the article. I include it because it is significant about volunteer work in Thailand, about which there has been great discussion previously on this forum:

One additional question if I may. Can foreigners, with or without a work permit, work or serve on a committee?

Yes they may work on a committee; however, Immigration may keep an eye on them.

Thank you for sparing the time to talk to the Chiang Mai Mail.

This interview took place with the co-operation of Chiang Mai Mail and Chiang Mai Friends group.

Now, there isn't any specific reference to working as a volunteer, but I suggest that there is some subtlety here.

subtlety or subterfuge?

There's nothing "significant" about volunteer work in the interview... other than the other portion of the interview:

Another mistake is regarding work permits; foreigners are not allowed to work whilst applying for their work permit.

Although we cannot comment about individual cases, many foreigners come here on a tourist visa and work illegally. We investigate these cases thoroughly, sometimes over a long period of time, using various methods, including hidden cameras, to prove the person is working. Once we have the evidence we produce it to the courts.

If by "committee," he means as organizing "committee" of groups such as the Chiang Mai Friends Group then MAYBE they are ok, but all the volunteers under them certainly aren't.... it's way tooooooo much of a stretch for them to be considered as "committee" members. What applies to the actual volunteers is perhaps best addressed by my quote of the interview.

But then again, as they were the ones participating in the interview, perhaps they did ask the most obvious and most direct question of, "Are volunteers ok without a work permit?" to which he replied, "Hel_l No"... which would account for the omission of that portion of the interview from print and instead replaced by the subterfuge question of, "Are committees ok without a work permit?" to which he replied as quoted. Otherwise, why ask such a lame excuse for a question???

Afterall, as long the Chiang Mai Friends group is sorted, who cares about the volunteers that they coordinate?

Edited August 6, 2008 by sriracha john

[papajohn]

Thanks for the info -

That makes sense as Thais have to under go the same ID check, so fair enough for 'aliens'.

Wish they would issue us with 'Alien' ID cards as well then would make more sense than risking carrying passports around - I guess in time it will come.

I always wondered about that. The Thai ID card system seems to be well maintained and it should be a snap to implement something similar for long term (more than 90 days) visa holders.

Has anyone with the ear of immigration ever suggested this?

TheWalkingMan

Commander Ripley wants all Aliens and Predators to have ID cards

"Predators"? Wouldn't it better to not allow them in Thailand?

Sorry UG, you have to be a movie buff to get it.

[Ulysses G.]

Ripley and Arnie.

Got it!

[sylviex]

There's nothing "significant" about volunteer work in the interview... other than the other portion of the interview:

QUOTE Another mistake is regarding work permits; foreigners are not allowed to work whilst applying for their work permit.

Although we cannot comment about individual cases, many foreigners come here on a tourist visa and work illegally. We investigate these cases thoroughly, sometimes over a long period of time, using various methods, including hidden cameras, to prove the person is working. Once we have the evidence we produce it to the courts.

If by "committee," he means as organizing "committee" of groups such as the Chiang Mai Friends Group then MAYBE they are ok, but all the volunteers under them certainly aren't.... it's way tooooooo much of a stretch for them to be considered as "committee" members. What applies to the actual volunteers is perhaps best addressed by my quote of the interview.

But then again, as they were the ones participating in the interview, perhaps they did ask the most obvious and most direct question of, "Are volunteers ok without a work permit?" to which he replied, "Hel_l No"... which would account for the omission of that portion of the interview from print and instead replaced by the subterfuge question of, "Are committees ok without a work permit?" to which he replied as quoted. Otherwise, why ask such a lame excuse for a question???

Afterall, as long the Chiang Mai Friends group is sorted, who cares about the volunteers that they coordinate?

Have to agree with that analysis.

We are told,

This interview took place with the co-operation of Chiang Mai Mail and Chiang Mai Friends group.

Considering the issue of receiving a work permit if volunteering with the Friends was never resolved to potential volunteers' satisfaction, it's not surprising that the Friends might not wish either for the question about WP's to be asked or for the answer to be printed.

A person holding a position such as Superintendent at Chiang Mai Immigration, knowing the attention his words might receive from the foreign community, would probably request all questions in advance and prepare answers. The interview does appear to proceed in orderly fashion until that last, "One additional question if I may. Can foreigners, with or without a work permit, work or serve on a committee? "

Hmmm.

We have already learnt that the Friends will fudge.

Why is CM Mail cooperating in the fudgy subtle subterfuge ?

As for ID cards, I think they could be a very practical idea for many reasons.