Phuket Immigration Launch Mobile Visa Unit

[george]

Phuket immigration runs mobile visa unit for tourists

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Immigration Bureau said Thursday it planned to launch a mobile unit to extend the visas of tourists early next month.

The bureau said it was a pilot project aimed at promoting tourism in the coastal resort town after it was hit by the devastating tsunami late last year.

Pol. Col. Vithawat Bruanasompop, superintendent of Phuket Immigration Police, said the service would be made available for two months at Had Kata and Had Bang Tao beaches.

''Phuket is the first province to have the service which is part of the local tourism promotion policy. We aim at providing an efficient and impressive service to tourists, without compromising national security,'' he said

Pol. Col. Vithawat said the mobile unit would be stationed at hotels along Phuket's beaches, except for Patong where an immigration office was located. The mobile unit would give short visa extensions of up to 15 days.

''This will help a lot of tourists who want to stay on after their visa runs out. The service will also help bring Phuket's tourism industry back to normal as soon as possible,'' the immigration police chief said.

However, those tourists who wanted a longer visa extension would still need to visit the local immigration office.

--TNA 2005-03-17