I'm Australian, over 50 who has a long stay visa expires on 6th April 2010 and intend to apply for a further 12 months. I was going to go to the Bangkok Immigration office but on reading various forum and government info, it now appears I have to apply in my area. Can someone confirm this please??

I just renewed a retirement visa at an immigration office that is not in the area of my official residence. So much for the new rules and directions. Bottom line, I think each office makes it's own calls and as usual there is little adherence to blanket rules and regulations. As long as you have some supporting documentation as to where you reside and that matches your immigration office location there should be no problem. Smaller is better and Bangkok is a zoo.

Actually Bangkok is excellent in my experience - but was very crowded under the old system. You are required to do in the location you live now.

Bangkok will not do extensions for non Bangkok residents. I live not far from that office but cannot use it because I live in an adjoining province.

When all of these changes happened, I was confused. (I lived in Pathum Thani.) I decided to go to the BKK immigration in Nov 09 to renew my Non-Im visa. I went in and got the application. It was an organized zoo. As I walked out to get a photo taken, I saw a sign. It said that for foreigners living in Pathum Thani to follow the arrow to a small office on the next floor. This small office had only a few people waiting so I knew it would be a walk in a park to get my visa. As it turned out, the clerks instructed me to go back to the immigration office in Pathum Thani. They gave a map that I, nor the taxi driver, could make out since it was a really bad copy of a bad copy. I got the phone number to the office but no one answer.

Any how, I finally got there. The office is really small with less than 7 people waiting. After less than 30 minutes of waiting, I got the visa and a multi-entry permit. I also went to the same office in Pathum Thani in January 2010 to report my 90 days. I had completed the from before hand. The clerk took my passport and application, then processed the paperwork. It took me less than 15 minutes from the time I exit the taxi to the time I got the new 90 days.

I really prefer this change because the clerks at the Pathum Thani remember me and not really busy like BKK.

Thank you for your replies, I will "risk" it at my local immigration office.

Thank you for your replies, I will "risk" it at my local immigration office.

Pretty routine. You should not have any problems.