Reentry Permit At Chaeng Wattana

[AyG]

Once upon a time, in those far-off halcyon days one could turn up at the airport, check in, then spend 20 minutes or so getting a reentry permit.

Today I went to Chaeng Wattana to secure the same stamp. Things started badly. The 14 km trip along Ram Intra took 2 hours. The traffic was slow, even by Bangkok's glacial standards. Why on earth did they choose such an inconvenient location? (OK, I know. They just don't give a fig about foreigners.)

I arrived much later than expected, at 11:30 and, of course, the Immigration department shut at midday for an hour. Everybody was thrown out. At least the seats in Immigration have padding and backs. I spend an hour wandering around, sitting on the uncomfortable flat things outside Immigration and sitting on the equally uncomfortable bases to the plants in the atrium. At least things outside were a little cooler than the over-heated, stuffy environment inside Immigration.

Eventually my number was called at 2 p.m. - a full two and a half hours after I'd arrived. It took a further 30 minutes to secure the stamp in my passport. (Why is it that Immigration officers don't extend common courtesies such as using "please" and "thank you" in either Thai or English?)

The drive home wasn't too bad - a mere 40 minutes.

Still, 5 hours 40 minutes versus the old 20 minutes at the airport - time that I'd have had to spend at the airport, anyway. I guess it shows just how much Thailand values its guests.

<rant over>

Edited March 23, 2011 by AyG

[beechguy]

I hate to tell you, but they do issue them at the airport again, 06:00-24:00. Actually, i don't mind the location at all myself.

[WarpSpeed]

Downtown used to be ten times more inconvenient, crowded and time consuming with nil chance of finding parking and having to navigate beck home through afternoon rush hour..

Next time don't go Ramintha there are numerous other routes one such being the toll road just because you choose the slowest due to much of it being under construction and it has the roundabout, isn't reason to fault the location..

While you were wondering around in teh A?C!!! Versus the digusting previous location with no where to wait comfortably? There are numerous places in the new building to sit in comfort and watch the honey's on their lunch break, it would be my number 1 stop were I single..

Sorry rant completely unjustified IMO nothing really of merit except having to go to immi at all but that's a given regardless of location...

JFYI I never spend more then 30 minutes and as little as 10 at Immi it all comes down to planning which you can't blame them for the lack of on your part..

Edited March 23, 2011 by WarpSpeed

[lopburi3]

Not to rain on the rant but we did have the heaviest rain in a long, long time this morning throughout Bangkok and some of city also had power outage. These events do have a rather negative effect on morning traffic. As of tonight most of city is still at close to flood level.

[ETatBKK]

two other less exhaustive solutions :

Re-entry Permit at Suvarnabhumi Airport - this service was re-commissioned since Jan 2011. cannot find any 'official' announcement yet. but, this is a point of risk - if anything goes wrong, hmm . . .

Re-entry Permit ONLINE - download the TM8 in PDF, fill up and email back to Immigration. next day go to 'Soi SuaPlu' at Sathorn and bring passport, two photos, money, then get the queue ticket, wait again . . . very mechanical but it is at the centre of the city :-)

http://bangkok.immig.../location3.html

Edited March 23, 2011 by ETatBKK

[up-country_sinclair]

two photos

Two photos? I thought I read on the immigration website that it was one.

Now that I think of it, can someone provide an updated list of required documentation to bring to immigration for a re-entry permit?

For example, which pages of passport must be photocopied? My understanding is the photo page, visa, departure card and most recent entry stamp.

The fee is 1,000 baht, right?

And finally your passport and a completed TM-8.

[ETatBKK]

CORRECTION - one photo ! thanks . . .

the Thai Police Immigration web site has good information what is required too !

two photos

Two photos? I thought I read on the immigration website that it was one.

Now that I think of it, can someone provide an updated list of required documentation to bring to immigration for a re-entry permit?

For example, which pages of passport must be photocopied? My understanding is the photo page, visa, departure card and most recent entry stamp.

The fee is 1,000 baht, right?

And finally your passport and a completed TM-8.

[samran]

Even from the centre of BKK, I find the new location more convenient. Trying to find a car park at Suan Phlu was a nightmare.

The new facilities are larger, better amenities and MUCH better parking. Even took my daughter last time and she hooned about on her scooter inside (what I call) the indoor football field.

As others have said, you could have done the online re-entry permit and the airport now has them again.

Easiest of all, simply get a re-entry permit as a matter of course when you extend your visa. Well worth it in my opinion.

[Searat7]

I got my Re-entry permit at Suan Plu last Fall . In and out in 15 minutes. I believe that this service is still offered there on Saturday mornings only.

[Tod Daniels]

I make the trip to Changwattana 3 or 4 times a month. I've found even from Lower Sukhumvit Road, if I use the expressway take the DinDaeng choice (NOT the Changwattana one), then switch to the elevated 'toll way' (which hardly anyone uses) I've gotten out there in as little as 15 minutes. Sometimes it takes longer to actually get ON the expressway from Sukhumvit than the entire rest of the trip .

I'm gonna hafta agree with other posters; I much prefer spending time at Changwattana than the old Suan-Plu location, even when it was good (which I never experienced it to be). Theres more than ample parking, several restaurants, TWO Thai food courts, most banks have an office there, photo-copy shops, a 7/11; all accessible without ever leaving the building.

Compared to what Suan Plu was, its heaven on earth dealing with Changwattana. The office itself is set up WAY better, delineated into clearly marked sections, enough seating, the customer service people when you first enter are FAR superior to the staff at Suan Plu; who answered questions, handed out the forms AND gave you your queue number (which made that area a HUGE choke point).

Honestly I cant see a SINGLE downside to the new place, even looking with a critical eye.

I agree with other posters; you could have got there by a different route or gotten your re-entry permit a different way as well. That really WAS some heavy rain the other night, especially in some areas of Bangkok. It brought the entire city to its knees that morning.

At least you got what you wanted. Sheesh, I can only imagine how long this post woulda been if you didn't .

Oh to answer your question; Why is Thai Immigrations out there at Changwattana? You mean why is it located in the area where almost all Thai governmental agencies offices are located and why is it in a building called; Government Complex Building?

Hmm, I'll let you puzzle that one out yourself.

Edited March 24, 2011 by tod-daniels

[alantheembalmer]

OP you have my sympathy, at least.

The last time I went to CW to do my 90 day reporting, it took me 2 hours to cover 25 km, and I too arrived at 11.30am, (and there was no rain on that occasion, just Bangkok traffic)

At noon they all went to lunch, and then we resumed at 1.00pm. I was finally seen at 2.30pm, so only 2 hours to do a 90 report! There was only one clerk doing the paperwork, and she was doing that at an absolute crawl. I looked at the number of the ticket of the man standing next to me, and I calculated that at the speed the queue was diminshing, he would have to return on the following day.

At least I could do the 90 report by mail, which I did, on the next occasion.

I tend to agree with you that the re-entry permit section is, for me, always the slowest to deal with, not withstanding the 90 day fiasco above. Also, even if they do issue re-entry permits at the airport, I would be loath to rely on it, except in a dire emergency, knowing the vagaries of the immigration service.