Bangkok Immigration Moves On September 28!

[dukkha]

Went to RASA tower yesterday, took longer waiting for the lifts than it did to do the sign in...painless... Dukkha

[cwdavi1]

I was at the new location yesterday getting my multiple re-entry permit (I'm on a retirement Visa). The taxi driver taking us there was confused even after my Thai girlfriend gave him the address and directions but we got there without too much trouble. The offices seemed to be staffed by the same people from the old location and they were all working very hard, I didn't see anyone take even a short break. Much to my surprise there were a lot of people there for various services, I thought it would be almost empty and I could sail in and out. I had forgotten that I needed a photo but got one made in a copy ship on the lower level after a lot of wandering around looking for somewhere to get one taken (immigration sent me to a 7-11 which does not do photos) I finally found it. After that it took about two hours to get my permit. I don't know why it took so long to get it issued, there were about 25 people ahead of me when I got in line with the photo, but I didn't see any holdups on the part of the Thais, they were simply doing their job and that's how long it took for some reason. Hopefully they will get things smoothed out and it will be faster in the future. Someone getting a 30 day extension rode with me and it took him just as long so it wasn't just re-entry permits.

The return trip was a mess. There were no taxis in front of the building. My girlfriend found out there is a free shuttle bus from there to the main road that runs about every five minutes. It was a large bus, not a mini-van. We caught it out to the main road, sorry I don't know the name. By then it was after 5:00 and traffic was horrible. We tried to catch a taxi back to Ploen Chit but were turned down by the two taxis we saw so finally we caught a mini-van to Victory Monument for 20 Baht each. We couldn't get a taxi there either, traffic was so bad, so we just caught the sky train.

I'm sure that eventually there will be taxis waiting outside the immigration office but next time I go I think I'll pay the taxi to wait for me. I advise anyone that goes there soon to plan their exit strategy as carefully as one to get there. For those who have cars and the nerve to drive in Bangkok there is plenty of parking.

The new location is actually pretty nice, the only problem is getting there and back. The lower level has a large collection of shops and restaurants including an S&P. I had an excellent meal at a small restaurant for 80 Baht. The menu wasn't in English so obviously they're geared towards the Thais working in the building. You can even buy a PC on the lower level if for some strange reason you need immigration services and a new PC at the same time.

One person I talked to reminded me that 90 day reporting doesn't have to be done in person. I didn't do it remotely before because I didn't want to mail my passport but this individual said that he sends his by messenger so it's safe. I think I'll do my 90 day reporting that way from now on.

Wayne Davis

[lopburi3]

Thanks for the report. Mail 90 day reports have never been officially accepted for those living in Bangkok; but some have done so. In any case you never mail your passport - only copies of the important pages - so it is safe in that respect.

[jamesjdaly]

.....there is a free shuttle bus from there to the main road that runs about every five minutes. It was a large bus, not a mini-van....

For once in their lives, Immigration have come up with a good, sensible idea!!

[rook]

Hi, my informer told me two weeks ago that Pathum Thani people

will be going to the new police station at Sam Khok for visas,

but things change so much I have not reported what could still

be wrong, but is normally correct. We will soon find out.

[jfchandler]

For those who may find themselves in need of cash in connection with their visa activities at the new Chang Wattana Immigration office, there are fee-free AEON ATMs in at least two locations in the area:

Carrefour Changwattana, 2nd Floor

Tesco-Lotus Changwattana, 1st Floor

Maybe someone can advise if there are any Government Savings Bank offices/ATMs (the other fee-free banking option) in that area???

[ianh68]

Map and Building Plan

From the government road map it appears that Chaeng Wattana Road is NE of the building. If you go NE from the floor plan you arrive at the road on the right of the building. Is that Chaeng Wattana? (It doesn't look like it). Can you confirm? What I need to know is which entrance on the floor plan comes in from Chaeng Wattana. There appear to be three entrances (not including the car park).

[lopburi3]

Building is on Soi 7 - there is no entry from Chaeng Wattana to building. Chaeng Wattana is about a km North; at start of Soi 7.

Edited September 29, 2009 by lopburi3

[Pib]

Map and Building Plan

From the government road map it appears that Chaeng Wattana Road is NE of the building. If you go NE from the floor plan you arrive at the road on the right of the building. Is that Chaeng Wattana? (It doesn't look like it). Can you confirm? What I need to know is which entrance on the floor plan comes in from Chaeng Wattana. There appear to be three entrances (not including the car park).

For those of you who may have drove your own car to the new Chaengwattana location, how's parking? I see the buidling has a car park but is it available to anyone, was it packed, etc? Thanks.

[Guest]

Those of us living in the provincial area around Bangkok - Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani etc now have to use Changwattana. I was there today. The Bangkok Immigration office is on the 2nd floor (street level as you walk in from the car park). Provincial Region 3 office is on the third floor. There are small signs in English as you enter the main door pointing to Bangkok office only. The building is huge, and has shops, cafes, banks, lots of ATMs, etc. The same building houses lots of other government offices too.

The PR3 office handles 90 days reports, visa extensions etc.

The building entrance is about 2km from Chaengwattana Road at the far end of Soi 7. The car park is large but it was full at 10am today and is totally exposed, no cover for vehicles or pedestrians. Extra parking along the top end of the unfinished road and around the corner to the right. The shuttle buses mentioned run right around the whole government complex. Taxis can drive right up to the building entrance.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Guest

[mrtoad]

For those who may find themselves in need of cash in connection with their visa activities at the new Chang Wattana Immigration office, there are fee-free AEON ATMs in at least two locations in the area:

Carrefour Changwattana, 2nd Floor

Tesco-Lotus Changwattana, 1st Floor

Maybe someone can advise if there are any Government Savings Bank offices/ATMs (the other fee-free banking option) in that area???

There are a number of banks on the basement level, along with food courts.

[samtam]

One person I talked to reminded me that 90 day reporting doesn't have to be done in person. I didn't do it remotely before because I didn't want to mail my passport but this individual said that he sends his by messenger so it's safe. I think I'll do my 90 day reporting that way from now on.

Wayne Davis

Thanks for your report. I think I'll use a messenger in future. Does anyone have any idea how much this service usually costs?

[popshirt]

One person I talked to reminded me that 90 day reporting doesn't have to be done in person. I didn't do it remotely before because I didn't want to mail my passport but this individual said that he sends his by messenger so it's safe. I think I'll do my 90 day reporting that way from now on.

Wayne Davis

Thanks for your report. I think I'll use a messenger in future. Does anyone have any idea how much this service usually costs?

For almost four years now I have never done 90 day reporting in person. I have used the mail a number of times, there are instructions somewhere in this forum about how to do that (stamped return envelope, etc.) and never had a problem with it. I have also sent an employee to do it for me; he takes a motorbike taxi from the house and returns in about a hour.

[jfchandler]

Popshirt...by various accounts.... mail in reporting is allowed in many of the provinces...but supposedly not for those living in BKK.... To what immigration office have you been doing your mail ins???

For almost four years now I have never done 90 day reporting in person. I have used the mail a number of times, there are instructions somewhere in this forum about how to do that (stamped return envelope, etc.) and never had a problem with it. I have also sent an employee to do it for me; he takes a motorbike taxi from the house and returns in about a hour.

[popshirt]

Popshirt...by various accounts.... mail in reporting is allowed in many of the provinces...but supposedly not for those living in BKK.... To what immigration office have you been doing your mail ins???

For almost four years now I have never done 90 day reporting in person. I have used the mail a number of times, there are instructions somewhere in this forum about how to do that (stamped return envelope, etc.) and never had a problem with it. I have also sent an employee to do it for me; he takes a motorbike taxi from the house and returns in about a hour.

Bangkok (Suan Plu)

[opalhort]

Popshirt...by various accounts.... mail in reporting is allowed in many of the provinces...but supposedly not for those living in BKK.... To what immigration office have you been doing your mail ins???

Reporting by mail from within BKK is possible. See this Topic

But I'm not sure how things are since they moved.

opalhort

[Maestro]

…I had forgotten that I needed a photo but got one made in a copy ship on the lower level after a lot of wandering around looking for somewhere to get one taken (immigration sent me to a 7-11 which does not do photos) I finally found it…

This is useful information for other members, I think. “Lower level” means floor -1, I guess. If the shops have numbers, it would be helpful if the next member using the photocopy shop could post the shop's number, to make it easy to find it. I plan to add this information to the placemark for the Chaeng Watthana Immigration Office on Google Maps.

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Maestro

[Maestro]

...For those who have cars and the nerve to drive in Bangkok there is plenty of parking...

It seems that the immigration office occupies a small area of the building, on the ground floor. What is the building in general? How many floors does it have? Is it a shopping complex, an office building, or what?

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Maestro

[Maestro]

From the government road map it appears that Chaeng Wattana Road is NE of the building. If you go NE from the floor plan you arrive at the road on the right of the building. Is that Chaeng Wattana? (It doesn't look like it). Can you confirm? What I need to know is which entrance on the floor plan comes in from Chaeng Wattana. There appear to be three entrances (not including the car park).

The East side of the building, which faces Chaeng Watthana soi 7, is where a taxi or your driver would drop you off. The entrance closest to the immigration office is on the South side of the building.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp...013797&z=16

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Maestro

[Maestro]

From the government road map it appears that Chaeng Wattana Road is NE of the building. If you go NE from the floor plan you arrive at the road on the right of the building. Is that Chaeng Wattana? (It doesn't look like it). Can you confirm? What I need to know is which entrance on the floor plan comes in from Chaeng Wattana. There appear to be three entrances (not including the car park).

The East side of the building, which faces Chaeng Watthana soi 7, is where a taxi or your driver would drop you off. The entrance closest to the immigration office is on the South side of the building but il looks like it is not possible to drive up to that entrance. Can anybody give details about this?

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp...013797&z=16

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Maestro

[Hawkup2000]

I have to do a 30 days extension on a TR visa tomorrow. And forgotten which pages in the passport I need to copy. Anyone know?

I guess the photocopy store in Soi Suan plu will see less customers these days...

[Mario2008]

I have to do a 30 days extension on a TR visa tomorrow. And forgotten which pages in the passport I need to copy. Anyone know?

I guess the photocopy store in Soi Suan plu will see less customers these days...

ID-page and all your visa stamps and permission to stay, don't forget to also make a copy of your arrival card.

[Maestro]

…

I have to do a 30 days extension on a TR visa tomorrow…

For future reference, something of which you may not yet be aware: it is not necessary to wait until the last day of your permission to stay to apply for your 30-day extension. Doing it early you lose nothing; the 30 days are always added onto the end of your current permission to stay.

Enjoy you stay in Thailand!

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Maestro

[VSteve]

Hello everyone! Can't tell: Is Suan Phlu really still open? I have to do 30 day extension..

so for non immigration o visa holders we still go to suan phlu?

Suan Plu will only remain open for visa issuing, visa extension and 90 days report for the special labor of 3 nationalities (Laos, Cambodia, Mynmar ). All other immigration matters will be handled at Chaeng Wattana from Monday 28th September.

[thaiphoon]

so for non immigration o visa holders we still go to suan phlu?

Suan Plu will only remain open for visa issuing, visa extension and 90 days report for the special labor of 3 nationalities (Laos, Cambodia, Mynmar ). All other immigration matters will be handled at Chaeng Wattana from Monday 28th September.

Hello everyone! Can't tell: Is Suan Phlu really still open? I have to do 30 day extension..

Unless you are a national of Laos, Cambodia or Myanmar you will need to go to Chaeng Wattana.

[beechguy]

Hello everyone! Can't tell: Is Suan Phlu really still open? I have to do 30 day extension..

so for non immigration o visa holders we still go to suan phlu?

Suan Plu will only remain open for visa issuing, visa extension and 90 days report for the special labor of 3 nationalities (Laos, Cambodia, Mynmar ). All other immigration matters will be handled at Chaeng Wattana from Monday 28th September.

Go to the new office at Chaeng Wattana.

[bigbadwolf]

Please note that most immigration procedures will be handled on the new address per Monday September 28!

The date of October 1 is not correct any more! Check first!

This was posted on Suan Phlu where I was today.

Did_my_90_day_notification_on_7.doc

[bigbadwolf]

I think you should leave this open until after the first week of the opening of the new offices. It will be very interesting to hear the comments of the first week's operation of the new offices. The traffic will be horrendous of course but interested if there will be any improvements to the office operations.

Did_my_90_day_notification_on_7.doc

[zombie]

I did my 90 day report last week.I went to the One Stop place at Rasa 2 Tower.I got there at 3:40.No queue,so done in a few minutes.It's convenient-just 6 or 7 minutes walk from Central Ladphrao.It's convenient-take the subway to Phahonyothin,then walk up Phahonyothin Road.Rasa Tower is just before Soi 19.

Rasa 1 and 2 have a common entrance.You go into the entrance,and walk to the back,past the Rasa 1 lifts,to get to the lifts for Rasa 2,then go up to the 16th floor.

[Maestro]

A nonsensical post about "the next election" has been deleted.

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Masestro