Immigration Police Ordered To Facilitate Services

[george]

Immigration police ordered to facilitate services

BANGKOK: -- Acting immigration police chief, Pol. Maj. Gen. Suwat Thamrongsrisakul, has ordered some 100 heads of immigration police checkpoints nationwide to speed up their works, especially on providing services to foreign tourists.

With an aim to restructure as well as changing the image of Immigration Police Bureau, Pol. Maj. Gen. Suwat who was recently appointed acting the agency chief yesterday told chiefs of immigration checkpoints that services must be carried out faster by eliminating unnecessary procedures, for example, extension of tourist visa.

He said students would be recruited to assist in service operations and to release vital information through a computerised system, which would benefit both Thais and foreigners. Outsiders will also be invited to scrutinize operations of immigration police with an objective to prevent corrupt practices within the agency.

The newly appointed immigration police commander denied that he was involved in the transfer of his predecessor Pol. Lt. Gen. Amarin Niemsakul.

--TNA 2005-07-17

[Backpack_thailand]

Never had a problem with the immigration team here in Kanchanaburi, always professional, polite and willing to help!

Unfortunately can't say the same about other offices around the country!

[Thetyim]

I never had a problem with Nan.

Always polite and very helpful

[RickFarang]

Never had a problem at Soi Suan Pluu, either, except the wait, which is what this fellow's admonishin is all about.

It would be very nice if the 90 registration could be done by mail, telephone, or over the world wide web. This would save many from having to take half a day out of their lives every 90 days just for this (that comes out to 2 full days a year, quite a bit of overhead.)

Funny, the way the article reads, it sounds like they might speed things up in the offices by eliminating visa extensions for tourists. I really doubt that tourists will not be able to exend their stays, but I also really doubt that Immigration will forego the opportunity to collect the extension fee, so this (like many news stores in the English speaking press here) leaves me a bit puzzled about what was actually said.

[faranginbkk]

I have a BIG wish. Get rid of the 're-entry permit'! Or, at least process it together with the visa. As it is now, it's just another form to fill in, pay some money and wait in another queue. I don't mind paying the fee, but it should be done together with - and not in addition to - getting your visa processed.

I was soooo happy when the customs at the airport finally decided to let go of the 'customs declaration form' - which nobody cared about anyway! The forms were probably just thrown away, or stored in large bins in a state owned warehouse.

Re-engineering please

[hardy1943]

Never had a problem with the immigration team here in Kanchanaburi, always professional, polite and willing to help!

Unfortunately can't say the same about other offices around the country!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mae Sai,

Also very polite and very helpful

[alex_4000]

quote rickfarang: It would be very nice if the 90 registration could be done by mail

+++

it can! i know many farangs who do it by mail regularly.

send your form early, use ems and enclose return postage/envelope - thats it.

works for bangkok anyway, you should ask your office the next time youre there...!

[francois]

hi'

sometime ago, there was only Penang in Malaysia ... and it was "very much" up to them, useless to ask for an non-o if you did not have the papers(all of them)

when Mae Sai opened it was a big news(at least for expat in the north), no need to go to Bangkok anymore and some more train and nothing to do really. then some more opened too ...

we all have seen Mae Sai closed and reopened ... but at least in the past years ChianSen was here and as they had a lot less people to proceed with, it was fast and gentle, only this boat trip ...

now, they decided to "facilitate" this visa renewal at the borders ...

they did not understand a thing ...

spend money on bus, train, food and night sometime does not bring anymoney to the government. for sometime I thought, anyway the money goes to Thai people, now I ain't sure that Thai's are waiting for foreigners to make good businnes at the borders, look and watch the majority of customers on those markets are Thai.

and it's also a long time that a lot of us think that they just should ask us to come to the immigration office every 3 months or so and pay "the stamp",

anyone who goes to border spend at least a few thousand baths, so why don't they ask us the same and we don't leave home for just a stamp ...

just my view on this ...

francois

[Thailand]

Chiang Mai equally no problem but do agree with earlier comments re 90 days and re entry permits.

[Thetyim]

Mae Sai,

Also very polite and very helpful

How many years have you been going there?

My experience

First year = Great

Second year = OK

Third year = No tea money, no visa extension

[rexall]

quote rickfarang: It would be very nice if the 90 registration could be done by mail

+++

it can! i know many farangs who do it by mail regularly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is only if you are on a scheme that does not require you to do a "visa run" every 90 days. It seems like a "no brainer" to me. Would you rather give your 1,500 baht to Thailand or buy a visa from Lao or Cambodia that you are only going to use for a turn-around at the border? It seems strange. Overnight, Thailand could generate revenue of 1,500 baht, three times a year, multiplied by thousands of farang currently doing visa runs--and not one person would complain about it! What could the possible downside be? And what is being accomplished by the insistence on these visa runs except enriching the treasuries of Lao & Cambodia and being a pain in the ass to "B" & "O" visa holders every 90 days?

Aloha,

Rex

[esbkk]

Never had a problem at Soi Suan Pluu, either, except the wait, which is what this fellow's admonishin is all about.

It would be very nice if the 90 registration could be done by mail, telephone, or over the world wide web. This would save many from having to take half a day out of their lives every 90 days just for this (that comes out to 2 full days a year, quite a bit of overhead.)

Funny, the way the article reads, it sounds like they might speed things up in the offices by eliminating visa extensions for tourists. I really doubt that tourists will not be able to exend their stays, but I also really doubt that Immigration will forego the opportunity to collect the extension fee, so this (like many news stores in the English speaking press here) leaves me a bit puzzled about what was actually said.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

HAS BEEN AVAILABLE BY POST FOR A LONG TIME!

I HAVE DONE NOTHING ELSE, EXCEPT ON THE DAY WHEN I EXTENT MY YEARLY VISA.

ASK FOR APPLICATION FORM AND SEND PHOTOCOPIES OF PASSPORT -FRONTPAGE, VISAPAGE AND TW FORM WITH STAMPED SAE (BAHT 35.00 EMS)

YOU'LL GET YOUR REGISTRATION, NEW APPLICATION FORM AND ALL THE PASSPORT PHOTOCOPIES BACK WITHIN 5 TO 6 DAYS.

[wgowin]

Wish they would change to be like other countries and eliminate the Permanent Resident Book, the Police Book and the re-entry procedures for Residents.

Example: I am working in Kuwait, but am a Permanent Resident of Thailand and travel there frequently. Every year I have to pay for an 'extension" on a permanent visa because I need also need reentry perment (5.300 Baht or so now a year). Every five years, I need the police book updated.

Here in Kuwait I have Civil ID good for two years and come and leave as I wish. They only stamp entry and exit in my passport and I don't need to carry another book or two with me and no reentry fees either. They also did away with customs and even immigration forms for new arrivals, etc.

Wake up Immigration...get with modern times.

[udon]

In 5 years I've only seen tea-money change hands 4 yrs ago at the .My border by the mini bus drivrs at the rate of 20bt a pax.

Never anywhere else and I think that border was cleaned up a fair while ago.

I just wish the regular plods were as honest as the Immigration cops..

[John K]

This fall under the 60-20-20 of Thailand.

80% of what you hear in Thailand is accurate information,

20% has varying degrees of accuracy, and

20% is just bull.

[Foggy Bottom]

Seems a number of people are doing something wrong

Last time I crossed the border was March 2001 - have been on annual extensions ever since and turn up at Immigration every 90 days to tell them I still haven't changed address - it's only a pain if you forget and wait longer than 90 days .... then the fine is more than the cost of a new annual visa.

For those whining about border trips on B & O visas - get down to immigration and find out why you're not getting annual extensions that require no border bounce - odds are you're missing one or more of - workpermit , income tax number , "qualifying" document. Your own fault for trying to circumvent the system, instead of adhering to it.

I used to be on annual B, but now am on annual M, and in both periods have had great experiences when dealing with Chiangmai Immigration - this year they did the annual renewal in under 30 minutes from start to finish ..... they applied common sense - tourists go to one window, 90 day+ go to a different one - hardly rocket science.

As Immigration don't look for documents proving address for the 90 day address registrations, the practice should be considered as another form of compulsory registration at your consulate or embassy - if someone needs to find you in an emergency (e.g. parental illness or death) they'll go to your consulate or embassy first, if they don't have an address on file, they check with Immigration on behalf of the enquirer - imagine how frustrating for all concerned if the entry/exit records show you're in country but no-one can find you? Personally, I consider it as a safety net for anyone trying desperately to locate me, and in that light I simply have no worries about it at all.

Now workpermit renewals were a different story until Bangkok One-Stop really F****d me around and then did the same to Chiangmai workpermit office, causing a four-month headache for everyone up here - now Chiangmai give me a service better than an Elite card holder and the entire annual renewal was done in under 5 minutes this year.

Here's hoping it stays that way.

Can't comment on re-entry permits - never needed one.

[farangnoi]

Had a 2 day overstay once in 2001, went to immigration Bkk, payed the 400 bath fine, without a problem (tourist-visa) They even told me how to do the borderrun to Aranyaprathet, in detail.

[richard10365]

I never had a problem in Nong Khai.

[robsamui]

If the new immigration chief ever gets to read this, he could become a very popular man...both with his employers and with us grunts...

All he has to do is to scrap border runs for those with any sort of 1 year visa that requires a 90 day border run.

Having to go out every 90 days is a pain. It costs money.

So give us a choice: EITHER to go across the border and back...OR pay a fee instead of this.

I'm sure that many would be willing to hand over 1,500 or 2,000 baht...I would.

Rob

[george]

The Immigration Bureau will not scrap the "border runs", as it was not supposed to be "possible to do" it in the first place.

The former Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau was a big fan and a member of our forum, and we welcome the new Commissioner to join thaivisa as well.

Good luck with the improvements!

[robsamui]

The Immigration Bureau will not scrap the "border runs", as it was not supposed to be "possible to do" it in the first place.

-------------------------

Can you explain this a bit?

I'm delighted that Thai officials keep an eye on what's being said...but rather wonder about the degree of criticism that is often quite openly expressed...!

Rob

[Thug]

That immigration office in BKK, located in Suan Plu, sucks. With all my respect to you all fellow board members, that's all I gotta say. I remember going to that office and having to wait hours, besides having to face the fact that I could see those bitches (the girls who work there) playin with kids while us poor farangs waiting in line for the ###### sake of the help and attention. And the worst is that we can't complain to/about these individuals, as they are hired by themselves basically they are their own bossess. It seems like they are on a holiday enjoying a drink and watching TV while we wait like dumbasses.

[Heiniken]

This fall under the 60-20-20 of Thailand.

80% of what you hear in Thailand is accurate information,

20% has varying degrees of accuracy, and

20% is just bull.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah and if you look at your numbers again you are going in to the 20% Bull category - 60-20-20 / 80-20-20 ??? Doh !!!

[Estrada]

That immigration office in BKK, located in Suan Plu, sucks. With all my respect to you all fellow board members, that's all I gotta say. I remember going to that office and having to wait hours, besides having to face the fact that I could see those bitches (the girls who work there) playin with kids while us poor farangs waiting in line for the ###### sake of the help and attention. And the worst is that we can't complain to/about these individuals, as they are hired by themselves basically they are their own bossess. It seems like they are on a holiday enjoying a drink and watching TV while we wait like dumbasses.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Amazing, I have never seen this in eleven years and around 50 visits. But if you have the attitude ###### shown above, I am not suprised they ignored you.

For Thais the word for work "Tham Nahn", translated means "play at work". Work has to be Sanuk. Sanuk is having fun at work and you were definitely not fun.

The immigration officers have staggered breaks on the job, as they do not now close at lunch time. So some are not serving you because they are on their break.

If you treat them with respect, they will treat you with respect.

[Thug]

And who said I treated them disrespectfully??

I simply showed up as an innocent farang who needs to get that visa done. Now if they gonna work on a serious job like this one and behave like children, then its not my fault. These bitches who work there are arrogant, unwilling to help and LAZY. That's the word yeeeah.

[ernieK24]

What a ###### crybaby.....for chrisake, if you don't like it in Los, get your ass back to where you came from. You're a guest , not a citizen of the country. You're not obligated to suffer the indignities you claim you're going through. If you don't like it.....LEAVE. Otherwise just quit complaining, and ENJOY, like the rest of us. It's guys like you that give us ALL a bad reputation. Everybody on this earth is not quite as fast, and obviously, as effecient as you are, so make allowances please, and ENJOY.....ENJOY.....ENJOY.....!

[Boatabike]

Never had a problem with the immigration team here in Kanchanaburi, always professional, polite and willing to help!

Unfortunately can't say the same about other offices around the country!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Couldn't agree more Kanchanaburi immigration are just bloody wonderful..!

They gave me tea money to say that!

Never had a single problem in 15 years.

[dezeure]

Mae Sai,

Also very polite and very helpful

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How many years have you been going there?

My experience

First year = Great

Second year = OK

Third year = No tea money, no visa extension

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quite true unless you know some high ranking officer there personally... Then things go quite quickly and smoothly. You even don't have to wait the waiting lines... they stamp it off in a different office in Suan Phlu and in less than 30 minutes you are in and out with a new (long) extention, without exiting the country.

[dezeure]

This fall under the 60-20-20 of Thailand.

80% of what you hear in Thailand is accurate information,

20% has varying degrees of accuracy, and

20% is just bull.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah and if you look at your numbers again you are going in to the 20% Bull category - 60-20-20 / 80-20-20 ??? Doh !!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

80+20+20=120 percent... Hmmm I learned it different in high school...

[atulmangalmurti]

this should not be another painting of immigration building --- i still remember the enforcement of rule "90 days" started and building got new paint . keeping us imagining that the fine collected from 90 days was used to perform the job.

as PR holder i suggest to eliminate those books(blue and red), remove endorsment, re-entry procedure. get a smart card and we pay when enter the country, no more forms to fill. place entry and exit stamps on passport.