Thailand At His Best

[henryalleman]

Today I went to Chaeng Wattana because its about 1.5 KM from my home.

Till my surprise they could not help me, but they send me to the new immigration office at Nonthaburi. Any sensible deccision would be to locate it at the government center at Rattana Tibet, but then you don't know Thailand;

They located it at Bang Yai in the middle of nowhere, in the midst of the fields, about 3 km from the main road( outerring9)

While I was there they receive a dozen phonecalls from people who where hoplesly lose the way

Direction,

If you come from Nontaburi you drive to Phra Nang Klao bridge and take number 9 direction Bang Bua Thong, about 1.5 Km after carefour there is a small soi( there is a sign IMMIGRATION NONTHABURI.

After 2.8Km you will see a small Thai condo, turn left and after 500 meter you will see Nonthaburi Immigration. Realy in the midle of Nowhere.

There is no buss going there and I doubt if any Taxi driver know it.

BTW advise the people who go Chaeng Wattana and who have no car to take a taxi at Laksi station or MO-Chit. Because immigration its not in the first building you see but building B about 1KM further,in the back, there is no shuttle buss or any other transport available.

Its an gigantic building a real show off, but totaly unpractical in the atrium you can put a football field and still have plenty of place. But the offices are still very small.

They should shoot the archtitect who create this monster

[Guest]

Are you saying the Nonthaburi office is now open for business? Just a week ago I went to the 3rd floor at Chaengwattana

(Region 3).

[henryalleman]

Today I went to Chaeng Wattana because its about 1.5 KM from my home.

Till my surprise they could not help me, but they send me to the new immigration office at Nonthaburi. Any sensible deccision would be to locate it at the government center at Rattana Tibet, but then you don't know Thailand;

They located it at Bang Yai in the middle of nowhere, in the midst of the fields, about 3 km from the main road( outerring9)

While I was there they receive a dozen phonecalls from people who where hoplesly lose the way

Direction,

If you come from Nontaburi you drive to Phra Nang Klao bridge and take number 9 direction Bang Bua Thong, about 1.5 Km after carefour there is a small soi( there is a sign IMMIGRATION NONTHABURI.

After 2.8Km you will see a small Thai condo, turn left and after 500 meter you will see Nonthaburi Immigration. Realy in the midle of Nowhere.

There is no buss going there and I doubt if any Taxi driver know it.

BTW advise the people who go Chaeng Wattana and who have no car to take a taxi at Laksi station or MO-Chit. Because immigration its not in the first building you see but building B about 1KM further,in the back, there is no shuttle buss or any other transport available.

Its an gigantic building a real show off, but totaly unpractical in the atrium you can put a football field and still have plenty of place. But the offices are still very small.

They should shoot the archtitect who create this monster

Are you saying the Nonthaburi office is now open for business? Just a week ago I went to the 3rd floor at Chaengwattana

(Region 3).

Yes, they are open for bussines since yesterday. When I came in the just delivering new desks and chairs.

About 6 people working there; and even it was still primitive the people where very helpfull, the transition from my non-immigrant O multiple entrance to retirement visa took about 15 minutes.

[Pib]

Wow, I live just down the road a little in Khet Talingchan of Bangkok from the new Nanthaburi Office. Since my residence address is Bangkok, I don't guess I can use the Nanthaburi office for anything like 90 days reporting, extension of stay, etc? Or can I?

[Amadeus]

Just came back. Wow, what a sight, it REALLY is in the middle of a rice field. DEAD SERIOUS. I've actually filmed it, I'll post it later.

I went by motorcycle so it wasn't too far from home (I live next to Central Rattanathibet).

So the direction from Central Rattanatibet (or Nonthaburi Government Center)

1. Drive north on Rattanathibet Road, going to Bang Bua Thong.

2. You go straight for a while, maybe 10 km, past Phra Nang Klao Bridge.

3. At one point, you will see a sign indicating Carrefour (It's for Carrefour Bang Yai). If you look well there will also be a blue "Nonthaburi Immigration" sign warning you that you will have to turn left on the next overpass.

4. On the top of the very next overpass, you turn left, you'll go round until it brings you on a new main road (look like Bang Yai's main road). Go straight on it.

5. At one point (1-2km) you will see Carrefour. You still have to go straight.

6. Look VERY closely for a "Nonthaburi Immigration" blue sign in English under a tree. After it you have 2 choices : left is going to Nonthaburi Immigration, right is U-Turn. You take left.

7. You'll enter a very small soi. You will start seeing many rice field, buffalos, etc. Don't panic, you actually ARE going the right way !

8. After driving 3 km, you'll see the immigration blue sign (in THAI only !!!!!) telling you to turn left on a small soi, which you see to be a dead end with the immigration office.

Took me 15 minutes from home by motorcycle (going 110km/h). So your best bet otherwise : take a taxi from Nonthaburi and tell them to go to Carrefour Bang Yai and follow my instructions afterwards.

1 hour later : already back at the office by motorcycle, next to Central Chitlom, writing this out !

By the way thanks to henryalleman for the directions, would NEVER have made it out without them !

[henryalleman]

Wow, I live just down the road a little in Khet Talingchan of Bangkok from the new Nanthaburi Office. Since my residence address is Bangkok, I don't guess I can use the Nanthaburi office for anything like 90 days reporting, extension of stay, etc? Or can I?

Are you dreaming? LOL

[Guest]

THanks for those very clear directions. I'll go take a look on Monday.

[Pib]

I went to the Nanthaburi Immigration Office by following the directions above. The specific GPS coordinates are: 13°54'07.54"N, 100°23'08.53"E. It it is definitely out in a rice field.

Using the directions posted above, be sure you are heading north on Frontage Road of #9/Kanchanapisek Outerring Road. Approx 1.5 kilometers past the Bang Yai Carrefour you will see an intersection were you must either turn left (this soi leads to the immigration office) or turn right (this is a U-turn that gets you going south again on the outerring road). And if you are looking closely after passing Carrefour you will see a blue sign under a tree saying turn left to go to the immigration office...you'll turn left at above mentioned intersection about a half kilometer later.

You then drive 2.5 kilometers down this narrow and traffic busy soi to reach the immigration office. The soi is basically running through rice fields and next to a klong for much of the way. At the 2.5 kilometer point, you'll see a "government looking building" on your left in the rice field and you then reach the office by turning left on a little soi...there is also a blue sign in Thai saying turn left to the office. A few hundred meters later you are in the middle of the rice field and the middle of the immigration office parking concrete parking lot. Plenty of parking.

There were only about a half dozen cars parked in the lot when I was there around 2pm. I didn't go in...I just wanted to fine the place and get some GPS coordinates. The office is easy to find "after you find it once."

[Maestro]

Thank you very much, Pib, for the GPS coordinates. I have now moved the placemark on Google Maps to the correct location.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=q&sou...304ca6c84ceab32

--

Maestro

[Guest]

I'd like to clarify the above directions a little.

Driving from Rattanatibet, follow it until the road ends - it then curves around in a loop to join Highway 9 - Kachanapisek Road. Continue on past Carrefour as mentioned and stay on the left side. Before the next overpass, there is a blue "Nonthaburi Immigration" sign pointing left. Take the narrow side road to the left of the overpass (don't go up the overpass), then turn left at the bottom. Follow this soi for 2.8km (as measured by my car), going past St Peters College on the left. The canal is on the right. The road is a bit windy, then on your left look for a bright blue housing unit, with a fire hydrant on the left of a small soi entrance. The Thai language sign says "Bang Rak Pattana". Turn left and you'll see the immigration office. (Flag flying outside). The building is not new and immigration are on the ground floor on the right, while the upper parts house the local sub district office.

If anyone comes from the other direction of Highway 345, ignore the "Nonthaburi Immigration" U-turn sign as its in the wrong place.

If you're going to have a little moan about where the offices is, and it is well out of the way, think about the office supervisor who has to commute from his home in Rayong every Monday, and then return on Friday.

The staff were helpful but the office was very quiet. They have a two page sheet of information, but only in Thai.

[lazygourmet]

Thank you very much, Pib, for the GPS coordinates. I have now moved the placemark on Google Maps to the correct location.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=q&sou...304ca6c84ceab32

--

Maestro

What a good news:

I am living in Kunalai Village...

What a bad news:

No more excuse to spend all the day in Bangkok for my extension...

Anyway, thanks for the information!

[puyaidon]

Went to the new Nonthaburi Immigration office for my 90 day report. Other than arguing with my better half about what soi to use, we got there. Yes, it is in the middle of rice paddies and a big building considering they are only using one office. Suspect it was a police station before.

Anyway, took longer to get there from Pak Kred (I am only 8 kilometers from main immigration on Chaengwattana) than to get the stamps for the 90 day report. But walked in with my form and passport and five minutes later, back into my car and leaving. Five or six people working with two desks that had customers. Even though very new with few people, very efficient and fast. Did hear one immigration lady speaking English to a foreigner with his wife so some foreigners with no Thai speaking ability will be helped.

I have been to the Authudya and the Nonthaburi offices now and both seem very good. I have to thank those who gave directions. They did help.

[lopburi3]

Flame removed - please do not attack others on a personal level. We depend on varied input to keep this forum and readers updated. Thanks.

[katasyd]

The directions were spot on.

I was in and out of there in 40 minutes and there was roughly 5 people there waiting.

I love this place much more than Chaengwattana.

[Maestro]

Glad to know that my map was of help. Many immigration offices are still missing on that map and your comment has reminded me to track down those missing offices, get their GPS coordinates. A bit difficult with me sitting in Switzerland. How I miss the time when I was travelling the length and breadth of Thailand, on business.

[Guest]

There is some good news about getting to Nonthaburi immigration, although its 2-3 years in the future, the Purple line train currently under construction will have a terminal station in Kanchanapisek quite close to the soi where immigration is located.