This will surely brush many people up the wrong way BUT it must be said!

For me to register and comment I had to have some motivation and here it is!

Recently we needed to complete our visa process to be able to work in the region. The final step required one last stamp from immigration! (It seems it was too much to ask, too much hassle.)

In fact we felt it was a few too many foreigners un welcome; making this stressful frustrating event almost un achievable:

The distance travelled over half a dozen visits to complete our administration stay is ridiculous. Ubon is one of the biggest towns in Thailand YET the immigration office is situated 40 ks outside (which we fell is where they would have like us to stay!)

The civil servants power play wasted our time! OUR employers time! The students quality teaching time! And of course petrol!

The paper pushers continued to nit pick and find complications where they saw fit as we went back and forth covering hundreds of kilometers.

Obviously this could have been diminished if we had brought some sort of offering. But as the anger built there was little respect or compassion for the officials.

Please and thank you, good morning and good afternoon were rudely stamped out with the impolite cries of "I want..." "You must.." from the egocentric frustrated officer.

So eventually after the i's were dotted and the t' s crossed, they could no longer realistically continue to ignore our paperwork and resentfully stamped our passports deliberating as they struggled to hand them over and ask for them back once more, just in case they could see a flaw!

This is without doubt the rudest and most in efficient immigration office I have visited in Thailand. Congratulations.

Now at least we are tranquil for 1 year, unless my comments get us throw in jail or out of the country!

Goodbye Good riddance and good luck to any foreigner following in our footprints.

Mirror mirror on the wall........

Mirror mirror on the wall........

+1. I bet the OP doesn't complain with the same venom about the insurmountable barriers placed in the way of Thais wishing to work in his native country by the local Immigration Gestapo.

Mirror mirror on the wall........

+1. I bet the OP doesn't complain with the same venom about the insurmountable barriers placed in the way of Thais wishing to work in his native country by the local Immigration Gestapo.

If you are referring to me "I have been on the opposite side when applying for visas for my Thai wife when she lived in Europe" so I can be non biased

Yes I have witnessed civil servants un enthusiastic attitudes and their un productiveness in Europe It seems to be a general requirement

If your are going to do something do it right and do it efficiently. Perhaps that is why I don't aspire to be one of them in any country

I am a trouble shooter as well as a trouble maker and I resolved all problems for my wife to make her stay in my country possible

Un like me she does nt know the requirements or law of my countries So I explain clearly and easily the steps we have to do

I remain confused and frustrated as laws constantly change to make our processing as complicated as possible and of course filter the demand of those willing to stay

Does that sound reasonable and accurate?!

Reading you topic I suspect a good deal of your problems were self induced.

But I have also read another post about them being very picky when doing extensions for working or teaching.

Shame there is no mention of what Immagration had the problem with.....what were they not picking?????

Edited July 18, 201312 yr by Dave8237

Reading topic it is Ubon immigration office located in Phibun.

The distance once out of town is an easy drive on a four lane road with very little if any traffic to contend with. In fact once you exit the city it is non stop from there to one stop light in Phibun where you make a right turn.

Edited July 18, 201312 yr by ubonjoe

I also fail to see how the OP was discriminated against. There seems to be an implication in his post that there was an expectation that he should have been granted his papers without all the I's dotted and the T's crossed.

I think it is all you the way you come , be nice polite , I have never had a problem ever many years

I think a lot of the issues is the working in an immigrations department must be a pretty crappy job. Not sure what it pays but I reckon they are not the highest paid people around.

Then look at their actual work tasks ... dull boring and very repetitive

Then you add the people they deal with

Poorly dressed vacationers

Stinky unwashed backpackers

Unprepared people missing this that and the other

Their job sucks in my opinion

So if the give a person a tough time ... tough noogies

Maybe they people a hard time just for fun

Then they go to lunch or coffee break and talk about the poor sucker they denied

Then they go to lunch or coffee break and talk about the poor sucker they denied

Before being critical of the system, the OP should remember he is a guest in Thailand, and we have to go through the hoops if we want to stay here.

Personally, I have never had any issues with visa or work permits if you have all the papers in order, and if the officer wants more information, just grin and bear it; we are guests as I said.

The language of " I need" and "I want" is just basic English phrases and the way most Thai's would talk. I would like to know how fluent the OP is Thai ?

Reading you topic I suspect a good deal of your problems were self induced.

But I have also read another post about them being very picky when doing extensions for working or teaching.

Reading you topic I suspect a good deal of your problems were self induced.

But I have also read another post about them being very picky when doing extensions for working or teaching.

How can any of our dilemma be self induced when we are relying solely on our employers and the civil service within their system, where they are familiar with their language and their laws. We simply go back and forth as told when necessary within our deadlines. My criticism is more about Thai communication or the lack of it which occurs so frequently. Agreed we may not be fluent enough to understand, but making us go back and forth endlessly is a simple power show deliberately inconveniencing all concerned.

Reading topic it is Ubon immigration office located in Phibun.

The distance once out of town is an easy drive on a four lane road with very little if any traffic to contend with. In fact once you exit the city it is non stop from there to one stop light in Phibun where you make a right turn.

Granted it s a straight road but why so far out?! When you consider the amount of inhabitants in Ubon Surely this justifies an immigration office within the city limits Or for the officials to be more sympathetic when badly informing the customers who are the ones who are going back and forth!

Before being critical of the system, the OP should remember he is a guest in Thailand, and we have to go through the hoops if we want to stay here.

Personally, I have never had any issues with visa or work permits if you have all the papers in order, and if the officer wants more information, just grin and bear it; we are guests as I said.

The language of " I need" and "I want" is just basic English phrases and the way most Thai's would talk. I would like to know how fluent the OP is Thai ?

Basic language yes but the way it is said and professional personnel have a duty to be respectful (as are we) There is no need for bullying or threatening behavior.

We are courteous and abide by the Thai code. We are well aware of such things but expect the same in return given our status! We are after all supposedly here to be helping improve language learning and bridging cultural differences. We grinned and cursed under our tongues but surely there is a limit to patience and time wasting.

Ka pom!?

I also fail to see how the OP was discriminated against. There seems to be an implication in his post that there was an expectation that he should have been granted his papers without all the I's dotted and the T's crossed.

Not so I would expect it. However the labour office and Bangkok headquarters already check paper rigorously Immigration usually just verify the checks and stamp the papers (all being well) And what do they do with all these papers? There must be a huge storage somewhere

Been there and done that but not in Udon. I get sick of haveing to pay graft money everytime I walk into Sakhon Nakhon Immigration.

They actually tell me, today it is going to cost you$$$$. Even for a free visa extension transfer to new passport, and refusing to give the change of 300 or 400 Baht.

The head of the office usually has his Mercedes blocking the entrance, when he does come to work, to split the proceeds of the days take.

Two hours to transfer visa extension and entry stamp and re-entry permit to new passport, while they took time to deal with every 90 day report that came into the office, before completing mine.

They should be investigated and charged with fraud. Are you there Sakhon Nakhon Immigation, Khun Somchai????

I must be missing something. Immigration sent back paperwork that was not correct, and when it was correct, they issued the visa.

I must be missing something. Immigration sent back paperwork that was not correct, and when it was correct, they issued the visa.

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This is simple All I am stating is why 8 jouneys Why not 1 simple clear instruction Clear communication That's all !

I must be missing something. Immigration sent back paperwork that was not correct, and when it was correct, they issued the visa.

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This is simple All I am stating is why 8 jouneys Why not 1 simple clear instruction Clear communication That's all !

Because it is Thailand get use to it

Messing the non Thais about is a national sport, be it Immo, banks, labor office, customs office, local government office,lawyers or the police.

It's also a way I feel that middle management both earn a living and justify there existence, amongst all the shuffling and office politics that are so ingrained within Government and regular offices in Thailand.

Many (normally) retired expats will shout "maybe it's you, chill out, TIT, if you don't like it etc etc but if your trying to achieve something for work or a business, it's just plain incompetence and gets in the way.

It broke my heart after 14 years here but we relocated our company and some key staff to another country within Asia, due to this continuous (worsening in my view) B.S

Thailand misses out we turn over several million dollars, all taxable all paid to Thailand in the past, we have just employed another 12 staff members taking the total to 25 that could of all been Thai's.

The main driver behind the move out of Thailand our lawyers and Thai partner!

I agree with the OP and have experienced similar, fine if things are wrong we can fix them , but why, oh why not make it ALL clear from the outset.

I must be missing something. Immigration sent back paperwork that was not correct, and when it was correct, they issued the visa.

alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

This is simple All I am stating is why 8 jouneys Why not 1 simple clear instruction Clear communication That's all !

Because it is Thailand get use to it

Once forgiving Twice annoyingly acceptable 3 times Being awkward

4 times Being deliberately inefficient 5 times Being un acceptably and shamefully disrespectful

6 times Being ridiculously incompetent or rudely uncaring 7 times Unbelievably incompetent

Reading topic it is Ubon immigration office located in Phibun.

The distance once out of town is an easy drive on a four lane road with very little if any traffic to contend with. In fact once you exit the city it is non stop from there to one stop light in Phibun where you make a right turn.

Granted it s a straight road but why so far out?! When you consider the amount of inhabitants in Ubon Surely this justifies an immigration office within the city limits Or for the officials to be more sympathetic when badly informing the customers who are the ones who are going back and forth!

I live in Bangkok and it takes 45 minutes by taxi to Chang Wattana

You had a short hop on a traffic free road ... you are so lucky to be in Udon lol

Reading topic it is Ubon immigration office located in Phibun.

The distance once out of town is an easy drive on a four lane road with very little if any traffic to contend with. In fact once you exit the city it is non stop from there to one stop light in Phibun where you make a right turn.

Granted it s a straight road but why so far out?! When you consider the amount of inhabitants in Ubon Surely this justifies an immigration office within the city limits Or for the officials to be more sympathetic when badly informing the customers who are the ones who are going back and forth!

I live in Bangkok and it takes 45 minutes by taxi to Chang Wattana

You had a short hop on a traffic free road ... you are so lucky to be in Udon lol

Yeah well u have to put up with traffic jams and mad tuk tuk drivers We just have jungle and rice fields lol

Flame removed.

"given our status"

What status would that be ?....In Thailand generally farangs dont have any status in the eyes of offiicialdom...to them your just another annoying English teacher thats all...

Reading some your hysterical posts, one suspects you had better learn to chill if living in Thailand for any length of time, and I am still trying to find the discrimination imposed on you by immigration.

flame/grammar comment removed.

OP i can not help but wonder, after the first time when you realized it was going to be a headache, was it not easier or more sensible to either make a gift or get someone else to make a gift?

You had spent hours driving, easy few thousand baht in gas, car service, lost hours of your life, stress, most likely a few hairs as well.

Like it or not, this is how it works around here and personally i am happy to pay an extra to speed up the process and perhaps to overlook few wrong commas or dots.

These days i get either my lawyer or accountant to renew my visa and WP, because its easy, painless and totally stress free. The few thousand baht for the service i am happy to pay, so i do not have to worry at all

Reading topic it is Ubon immigration office located in Phibun.

The distance once out of town is an easy drive on a four lane road with very little if any traffic to contend with. In fact once you exit the city it is non stop from there to one stop light in Phibun where you make a right turn.

Granted it s a straight road but why so far out?! When you consider the amount of inhabitants in Ubon Surely this justifies an immigration office within the city limits Or for the officials to be more sympathetic when badly informing the customers who are the ones who are going back and forth!

That reminds me, I have to travel from Ubon to Phiboooon to do my 90 day reporting. Why did they have to stop accepting the 90 reporting by mail? I don't have a problem telling my school I need the day off, but the school has 10 western teachers and about 10 other foreign teachers. I;m sure the time-off does add up.

Once forgiving Twice annoyingly acceptable 3 times Being awkward

4 times Being deliberately inefficient 5 times Being un acceptably and shamefully disrespectful

6 times Being ridiculously incompetent or rudely uncaring 7 times Unbelievably incompetent

There's a tough crowd here. You need to be specific to get any sympathy. Spell out exactly what was missing, what information you didn't supply, etc, and you might get some.