Regional Thai Immigration Offices.

[chowny77]

Today I just read on Thai visa that trains that were destined to travel from BKK to Chiang Mai now have to stop in Uttaradit because of the recent flash floods from the mountains that has washed away part of the tracks. Also parts of the roads have also suffered the same fate. Now the my main reason for my question is, how am I suppossed to go to my regionalized Immigration office in Nan if there are no roads to reach there between Uttaradit and Den chai/ Phare. I could easily go South on the no.11 highway to P'lok in an hour and get my stamps. I wonder if the Thai Immigration heads even thought about the potential risks of natural disasters which might make things difficult for visitors to their country. I am sure that if I call them, they will say it is my fault and that if I do not report in time I have to pay. Just thought I would throw this out and see what other members thought about this problem.

Cheers

[Mario2008]

Stamps for what? If it is 90 day reporting, you can report by mail.

I don't know about main roads being blocked, but you can call the highway department. Or go by bus, they might take a d-tour, but wlll get you to Nan. But doesn't seem that the major roads.

As it concerns flash floods, a lot of roads will be open again on Monday.

[chowny77]

What really was my main point was "why", if there are problems getting to Nan because of natural causes, which we can not control, I can not go to a nearer immigration office with none of the hassle and obtaining my 1 yr visa stamp. It seems retarded to make people travel over 230km to chance their lives with incompetent busdrivers, through mountain roads when I could just jump in a car and go 90km on the highway to my nearest immigration office. This regionalizing of immigration offices was maybe one of many terrible decisions made to hinder farang. They have not done it with the police so why did immigration department decide to come-up with this brain-fart of an idea.

[beano2274]

What are you complaining at?

I live not even 2kilometers from Chaengwattana (I can even see part of it from my condo), but in Nonthaburi, so I have to travel over 25 kilometers to the local Immigration office.

TSB

[chowny77]

25km is not quite the same as 230km. Maybe my math is alittle off........so maybe that is why I am complaining alittle. I am not in BKK but further a field. Maybe if you saw outside the BKK box you might have similar feelings. I travel 50km 3 times a week just to do my volunteer job.

Regards

[ripstanley]

If you want to live in this country then you have to play their game. If you disagree you can complain all you like but they are the bosses

[beano2274]

25km is not quite the same as 230km. Maybe my math is alittle off........so maybe that is why I am complaining alittle. I am not in BKK but further a field. Maybe if you saw outside the BKK box you might have similar feelings. I travel 50km 3 times a week just to do my volunteer job.

Regards

What am saying is that I can see the immigration office, and have to travel far away, not so far as you, but in the opposite direction to where I wanna go.

I think you should find out if the roads are that bad, and how you can get to Immigration.

The introduction was not to hinder foreigners, it was made to make it easier for the Immigration department.

[beano2274]

And when there were the floods last year in Bangkok, my local branch opened an office in a PTT station, the information given here and on their website was that it was for everything, but upon getting there it was only for 90day reporting, and I needed an extension, so had to go to Suan Phlu with the wife for another extension. Had to get the full stamp at Chaengwattana 30 days later. Then a month later had to do my 90days, this was in the local office at Bangyai.

But at least I had the chance to get my extensions and everything else done, without worrying if they were gonna charge me for being late because of the flood situation at the time.

So was hats off to them time.

Edited June 9, 2012 by beano2274

[chowny77]

Sorry beano2274. I did not mean to get upperty at you. I am just still getting amazed everyday in the land of T.I.T. I understand that it maybe making things easier for the immigration department but in some cases it sucks to go so far for the samething just down the road. It was good to hear that the BKK department got their act together to help with farang visa/ flood issue. I just get worried around this time of year with my visa coming up and the rainy season. The weather in the mountains can be very dangerous for driving.

[Mario2008]

In almost all countries governments use systems of regions, etc. There are always cases of the office (hospital, police station, immigration, etc) you have to go not being the nearest to you.

It is a bummer and regarding immigration in Thailand I'm in the same situation as you that the nearest is a few hours closer then my assigned office. But it is the way of live.