Lost My Passport At Chomtien Immigration Office!

[plahgat]

Hi!

Nightmare happened today!

Today March the 5th 2013, I went to the Immigration Office at Soi 5 Chomthien to extend my Double Entry Tourist Visa

for another month.

I arrived at the office about 11:00 am, entered and told the Thai officer sitting to the left of the entrance I wanted to extend my visa and he gave me the application form and told me to be back at 13:00.

I returned back at 13:00 pm and handed over my filled in application, passport and a photo to the same officer and he sticked a queue-number #167 to my application form.

When I received back the paperform I noticed that my passport and photo was gone, and I presumed that he had taken it for some further processing along the line, and I taught it would be given back to me at the other end, so I never asked about them, and didn't give it a second thought!

I waited for almost 3,5 hours more until my number was up, and was directed to another officer's desk, were the officer to my surprise asked me where is my passport, I was expecting him to have it and was going to hand it over to me!

I told him I had given it to the officer at the entrance, and when I went to ask him about my passport he went very angry and started to shout at me, "why should I have kept your passport", I said I didn't know and that I don't know the process!

I told him I thought he passed it on to someone else for further processing.

I tried to tell him in a as calm tone as possible that I remembered giving it to him, but didn't receive it back and suggested that it maybe had felt down somewhere behind his counter, but he refused to even look and stopped talking to me!

People was staring at us and situation got very awkard, I asked what should I do now I have no passport!?

After some silence he just said come back tomorrow, maybe someone got it and will give it back.

Quite shocked I walked out and took a bathbus back to Pattaya without my passport!

Will go back again tomorrow to see if they have found it.

There is a farang "officer" on duty at the Immigration Office, but didn't see him when I realised my passport was missing, he probably gone home by then because it was getting late, maybe I should talk about it with him tomorrow if the passport doesn't show up

Just in case it doesn't turn up, what should I do?

Should I report it to the police/tourist police, or should I just go to BKK to my Swedish Embassy and tell them that I have lost my passport and how, and have them issue a new one?

Will my Double Entry Tourist Visa still be valid and how to get a new visa sticker in my passport?

My Tourist Visa will end on 13 of March, and I think you must extend it at least 1 week before that date?

I still have the photo copies of my Passport, Double Entry Tourist Visa and my arrival/departure date stamp.

Would be greatful for any advice!

Thanks in advance!

Plahgat

[Crossy]

Ok, keep calm (yes, I know).

Go back tomorrow first thing, if it's turned up all well and good, if not next stop the local police and make a report that it's lost.

Then visit your embassy website to check the next step in getting a replacement, start the process.

Wait.

Once your new PP turns up head to immigration with your new PP, a copy of the police report, enough Baht to pay 500 a day overstay and a smile.

Your visa is toast, however immigration will be able to place your current stamp in the new PP.

Go and get a new visa.

[plahgat]

Ok, keep calm (yes, I know).

Go back tomorrow first thing, if it's turned up all well and good, if not next stop the local police and make a report that it's lost.

Then visit your embassy website to check the next step in getting a replacement, start the process.

Wait.

Once your new PP turns up head to immigration with your new PP, a copy of the police report, enough Baht to pay 500 a day overstay and a smile.

Your visa is toast, however immigration will be able to place your current stamp in the new PP.

Go and get a new visa.

What do you mean by my current stamp?

You mean the stamp with my arrival date?

You say that my Visa is toast, does it mean that I only have the normal 30 days and the other 30 plus days that I have already stayed will be considered as overstay!?

That will be quite expensive if so!!!

Plahgat

[lopburi3]

He means your second entry is lost - until the 13th should be fine as will be in records.

But with any luck you will get your passport back tomorrow so I would not worry about it until/if you find that it has not appeared.

[Jingthing]

According to this there is a Swedish consulate in Pattaya:

http://www.swedenabroad.com/en-GB/Embassies/Bangkok/Contact/Embassy--Consulates/

including passport application services. I don't know if that includes lost passport cases. Embassies deal with such cases all the time but yes, if it doesn't turn up, I can see why you call this a nightmare.

I agree a police report will be needed if it doesn't turn up.

One thing that concerns me about your story is the reception you got when you reported your passport missing. Do you think they got the message that your missing passport specifically should be searched for?

It's very sad but not at all surprising to hear of the unpleasant reaction you got when you reported your passport missing.

Best of luck and if it doesn't turn up, I reckon there are people experienced with lost passports who can continue to help you here during the process.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Jingthing

[plahgat]

One thing that concerns me about your story is the reception you got when you reported your passport missing. Do you think they got the message that your missing passport specifically should be searched for?

It's very sad but not at all surprising to hear of the unpleasant reaction you got when you reported your passport missing.

Best of luck and if it doesn't turn up, I reckon there are people experienced with lost passports who can continue to help you here during the process.

I was quite shocked as well, nobody came to my "rescue" or tried to sort it out to help me, and I was totally frozen out by that officer that I had assumed somehow misslaid my passport.

All the farangs around me looked shocked as well, and some I later talked to outside were appauled as well with the arrogant treatment he gave me, and some also said he's wellknown for his bad behaviour against tourists!

I recognise his face well, have seen him in there for quite a few years, but always behind one of the desks handling the visa applications, and thought it was quite surprising to see him do one of the more menial and simple work as handling out applications and queue-number tags!

To be honest I'm not sure that my missing passport has been reported to anyone else in there, cause I was so shocked and mentally stunned by this so I only walked out of there and jumped on the first bathbus back to Pattaya!

I certainly won't get much sleep tonight... if any, and will be very nervous to go back again tomorrow!

If the farang "officer" is there I think I will adress him first if possible.

Now I can only pray for a miracle!

Plahgat

[Hugh Jarse]

Good luck, truly a nightmare scenario for anyone.

[Jingthing]

Of course, everything is fine if the passport is there for you tomorrow, but I am wondering whether leaving the office the way you left it was the best way to handle it. I really don't know. I wonder if it would have helped to ask to see a senior officer, someone in charge and make a report of what happened more official. I realize the gatekeeper asked you to leave and he was also the gatekeeper to see someone with more authority, so any attempt like that may have backfired. I am not saying you did wrong, I just know I wouldn't be happy to have to leave the office as you did.

I am also going to say something that is probably very paranoid. Does anyone else see the potential problem of showing up at immigration with no passport, no police report, no passport pick up ticket, and no document from immigration documenting the loss incident? This is one reason I posted the Swedish consulate in Pattaya link. I'm wondering if the OP should contact them before going to the office. Again, paranoid, I know, but ...

Edited March 5, 2013 by Jingthing

[plahgat]

Things might have been solved already!

Thanks to a guy on another forum who personally knows this Immigration officer, my problem is hopefully solved!

He has contacted the officer and according to him he's not angry at me and has asked me to meet him at the office tomorrow,

and has promised to have my passport by then!

Plahgat

Edited March 5, 2013 by plahgat

[Jingthing]

Wow. Hope that all works out as reported.

[wayned]

Wow. Hope that all works out as reported.

I thought that you were paranoid! Ever thought about a pair a stainless steel bracelets! Just kidding, but who knows.

[plahgat]

Wow. Hope that all works out as reported.

I thought that you were paranoid! Ever thought about a pair a stainless steel bracelets! Just kidding, but who knows.

The thoughts actually crossed my mind as well, and I'm a little bit nervous to what will happen today!

He has asked me to meet him today at 12:30, I think that is during their lunch-break.

I hope to have good news though later today though.

Plahgat

[harrry]

Wow. Hope that all works out as reported.

I thought that you were paranoid! Ever thought about a pair a stainless steel bracelets! Just kidding, but who knows.

The thoughts actually crossed my mind as well, and I'm a little bit nervous to what will happen today!

He has asked me to meet him today at 12:30, I think that is during their lunch-break.

I hope to have good news though later today though.

Plahgat

Any last requests.

Hope things turn out OK they generally do here if you let them.

[davejones]

Wow. Hope that all works out as reported.

I thought that you were paranoid! Ever thought about a pair a stainless steel bracelets! Just kidding, but who knows.

The thoughts actually crossed my mind as well, and I'm a little bit nervous to what will happen today!

He has asked me to meet him today at 12:30, I think that is during their lunch-break.

I hope to have good news though later today though.

Plahgat

Maybe he realized after you left that he had mislaid the passport, but doesn't want to lose face by reporting it or giving it back in the office. So if he meets you during his lunch break, he can give it back, claim he looked for it and found it, etc. But sounds like very good news. Hope you get it sorted. Sounds like a very stressful situation.

[cheeryble]

The lesson being that a lost passport is not a nightmare....it's an inconvenience.

Don't let a "nightmare" stop you thinking clearly. The fact was that if you gave the guy the passport it very it very likely indeed hasn't fallen into the hands of an applicant, it's probably behind the desk somewhere.

Of course he reacted strongly, he panicked too, it's his job and promotion/demotion.

The ultimate lesson being stay calm and read a book.

[Jingthing]

No, ACTUALLY losing your passport can be a nightmare. Best avoided! There is no universal lesson here about losing passports. Yes in this case there was a great lead as to where it might be (still at immigration).

[moe666]

let us know what happen

[wayned]

Outside of immigration at unchtime! Might be expecting a "finders fee"! But consider the options!

[plahgat]

OK, guys I'm back in my room!

Arrived at Immigration Office 5 minutes before scheduled time at 12:25.

Crowded with people waiting even outside blocking the entrance.

I stayed put outside as someone said that there wasn't anyone behind the counter to give them their application forms.

While I was waiting outside I started to think of the possibilty of myself having lost my passport before I entered yesterday,

and then recalled that I had it up while I filled in my form at the copymachine shop next door, but I was also pretty sure I put it down in my bag again, because I can clearly remember looking back at the table when I left and it was empty. I'm also pretty sure I gave it to him when I handed over the papers, and I'm 100 % sure I remembered that I thought it was strange that I didn't receive back my passport but only the application forms.

Just to be really sure and to be prepared for the meeting I asked the people in the shop if they have found any passport at the tables yesterday but they all denied having seen any.

Finally the queue started to move, and since I was not sure I was supposed to wait in the queue or not I squeezed myself inside and stood opposite the counter, and then saw it was my "friend" the officer from yesterday that was working!

After a while or eyes met and he gave me a blink of recognation, and I blinked back with a forced smile!

I waited for the long line of people to thin out and walked up to the counter.

I then stood in silence and waited for his first move, he then asked me why I was angry at him yesterday!?

I told him I wasn't angry at him at all, but he just kept repeating "why I was angry at him yesterday"!

I tried to smile at him, but he only gave me the "evil eye" and stared at me!

I new what he was expecting so to get out of the gridlock, I gave up and said simply sorry and that I might have lost my passport outside yesterday and that it probably was my fault!

He then seemed to relax and just said "yes it was your fault"!

He still didn't mention anything about my passport so I started to get worried, and asked him if he had found it or not?

He then replied that "someone" had given it to him this morning, and then he opened a drawer and pulled it out and handed it to me.

I waied to him and said thank you, and he said it was better I came back earlier tomorrow to do my extension and repeated it was no hurry since I still got until the 13th of March.

I then left and felt relieved to finally get out of there!

So that is probably it!

Only thing is tomorrow I have to go back and do the same procedure over again, only this time I will keep my eyes on my passport the whole time!

Plahgat

[TommoPhysicist]

Nice to hear it all ended well.

[harrry]

So the Big Smile, Black Hair, White Teeth Policy promised by the OIC in his CityLife interview did not last long.

[manarak]

To be honest, the earlier post about the officer being aggressive and arrogant was telltale.

I'm happy the officer finally gave it back.

Plaghat, are you usually displaying submission when dealing with Thai authorities? He might have wanted to display his power to you.

[plahgat]

To be honest, the earlier post about the officer being aggressive and arrogant was telltale.

I'm happy the officer finally gave it back.

Plaghat, are you usually displaying submission when dealing with Thai authorities? He might have wanted to display his power to you.

I very seldom have anything at all to do with Thai authorities, except once a year when I extend my Tourist Visa.

I always try to keep a low profile dealing with them and do everything in a correct way to avoid any confrontation.

I'm sure he wanted to show his "superiority" over me and have me down on my knees especially in front of all the other foreigners in the office, just to show his "powers"! I try to respect all people the same regardless if they are rich or poor, farang or Thai.

I will probably never know what really happend to my passport in there, only one man knows that and I'm sure he will never tell the truth!

Plahgat

[lopburi3]

One off-topic post removed.

[candypants]

Leaving was the only option, if in fact the guy had it, he can now return it saying he found it on the floor in the men's room and hand it back to you having done you a favour.

EDIT:

I just read to the end of the thread, i knew it.

he probably would have given it back to you the day previous if approached differently at the time.

Edited March 6, 2013 by candypants

[SurfRider]

.
As soon as you realized your passport had disappeared and you got no satisfaction from the agent, you should have demanded to talk to the boss. He resides in an office on the 2nd floor. If the problem was still not resolved, you should have called the police and filed a lost passport report immediately. My bet is that somewhere in that interchange your passport would have "mysteriously" re-appeared . . .
.

[candypants]

to be quite honest i believe this approach would have guaranteed he never saw his passport again.

[plahgat]

to be quite honest i believe this approach would have guaranteed he never saw his passport again.

Maybe I would have disappeared mysteriously as well!

plahgat

[plahgat]

By the way anyone know if there still is an Immigration Office in Sri Racha or if it has ben merged with Pattaya/Chonburi?

Plahgat

[LeCharivari]

There's considerable coverage of this particular individual here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/620194-staff-changes-at-chonburi-pattaya-immigration/

The best thing that can be said about this episode is that, having clearly failed to return the passport or to look for it, at least he didn't just throw it away when he realised it was his fault.