Immigration Visa Unit At Bumrungrad Hospital

[george]

IMMIGRATION: Hospital set to host visa unit

BANGKOK: -- A new Immigration Bureau visa unit will be opened today at Bumrungrad International Hospital on Sukhumvit Soi 3.

The unit – set up to accommodate foreign tourists and investors and help turn Thailand into an Asian health hub – will be officially opened on the hospital’s third floor at 10am.

The new service is also open to foreigners not being treated at the hospital.

--The Nation 2005-08-17

[Crossy]

I'm a bit confused, this link:-

http://www.komchadluek.net/breaking/read.p...en&newsid=76049

Says:-

"The non-immigration visa extension service will be especially for those receiving the medical treatment."

So is it for all??

[Maestro]

I'm a bit confused, this link:-

http://www.komchadluek.net/breaking/read.p...en&newsid=76049

Says:-

"The non-immigration visa extension service will be especially for those receiving the medical treatment."

So is it for all??

"The proof of the pudding is in the eating."

_Miguel de Cervantes

[Maestro]

I'm a bit confused, this link:-

http://www.komchadluek.net/breaking/read.p...en&newsid=76049

Says:-

"The non-immigration visa extension service will be especially for those receiving the medical treatment."

So is it for all??

I missed yesterday's Nation, but here's a quote from todoy's:

QUOTE

Bumrungrad becomes the first hospital in the Bangkok area with such a unit on its premises. Immigration officers will be stationed there every Wednesday to receive visa-extension applications from in-patients, out-patients and any other foreigners wanting to extend their visa, said Dr Sinn Anuras, medical director for the Bumrungrad Group.

UNQUOTE

Source: http://nationmultimedia.com/2005/08/18/nat...l_18371705.html

Still, until you've tasted that pudding, you won't know for sure.

[george]

Update:

Bumrungrad opens visa-extension centre

BANGKOK: -- Bumrungrad Hospital, in co-operation with the Immigration Bureau, opened yesterday a visa-extension centre at its facility, the first to be based at a Bangkok hospital, to better meet the need of its foreign patients whose number is expected to surge to 400,000 this year.

``We've seen 100-150 international patients every month who need to extend their visas for longer stay in Thailand. Established in co-operation with the Immigration Bureau, the centre offers real benefits and conveniences not only to our patients but also to their family members,'' said Mack Banner, chief executive of Bumrungrad International, the operator of Bumrungrad Hospital.

Several of the patients who come to the hospital to receive healthcare services, as well as their relatives, are on visitor visas.

Those who need to stay longer for medical treatment must apply to extend their stay in Thailand.

Under the agreement, Bumrungrad International and the Immigration Bureau will provide more efficient and convenient services to overseas patients and any foreigner seeking entry into Thailand for medical treatment.

Currently, the Immigration Bureau operates another visa-extension centre at Bangkok Hospital in Pattaya.

The bureau plans to open more centres at hospitals, mainly in big cities, to support the government's policy to turn Thailand into a regional medical hub.

The hospital has seen a significant increase in the number of foreign patients in recent years, with growth rate now outpacing that of domestic patients.

Bumrungrad Hospital booked revenue of 5.8 billion baht in 2004, an increase of 1.189 billion baht from 2003 as a result of the continued growth in hospital operations.

Its in-patient and out-patient revenues increased at the same rate, at 27%.

The hospital treated 360,000 overseas patients registered from 190 countries around the world in 2004.

International patients accounted for 49% of the total in 2004, with Thais representing 51%.

Some 74% of the patients paid the bills themselves, 13% paid for them by insurance companies, and another 13% catered for under corporate contracts.

BH shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 22.10 baht, down 40 satang, in trade worth 13.52 million baht.

--Bangkok Post 2005-08-18

[yeti]

I've tasted the pudding, and it didn't taste that good.

I called Bumrungrad, and they confirmed that the immigration office is open every wednesday between 10 am and 3 pm, for everybody, patient or no.

So today I arrived at 12:20, went to the 3rd floor of the main building, international patients service. Tables were there with Immigration sign on it, but nobody.

I went to the Food Court to have my lunch, saw 2 immigration officers chatting together.

At 1pm my lunch was over, theirs was beginning.

Went back to the 3rd floor. At 1:20 saw someone from Bumrungrad at the table, asked if it was possible to have a tourist visa extension. She told me it was ok, asked for my passport and picture, went to make copies, filled in the form for me, then asked me 2100 THB (200 for Bumrungrad service charge ). And then told me to wait until immigration officers would come back from lunch.

They arrived at 1:30, and began to process passports they were given before going for lunch. The trick being that they don't have a computer, they need to call the Central Immigration Office for each passport ... and it takes time

I had my visa extension at ... 2:15.

It's convenient to have an Immigration Office at a walking distance from a Skytrain station, but it does not compensate for the time lost