How (not) to File a 90-Day Report in Sakon Nakhon

[johntren]

1. Arm myself with passport, completed form, four photocopies of everything, money, my Visa File and Mr. Fixit. Drive to SN Imm.

2. Take off shoes and enter, trying not to notice state of floor.

3. Eleven o’clock and no queue. There is hardly ever a queue at SN Imm.. Assigned to Trainee, who glares at my passport then shouts, ‘Overstay!’ and marches over to see Sgt. Major Wiroj, with whom I have dealt amicably before. He patiently points out to her that I have left and re-entered Thailand since the last Dire Warning about pains and penalties for not filing a 90-day report was stapled into my passport. Rips out said Dire Warning and trashes it.

4. S/M W. consults wall chart from which he deduces that 90 days from the date of my last entry (22^nd April) is 7^th July. (That day was the 17^th.) You do the math, but here’s a hint – 7^th July is wrong. Very wrong. S/M W., beaming broadly, says ‘Never mind’ and disappears into another office, whence he emerges clutching a copy of the vital page in my passport, which I am required to sign. No mention of a fine for ‘late’ filing.

5. Mr. Fixit engages in a rapid exchange of pleasantries with S/M W. after which Mr. F. hands over 100 baht. In return I get a computer-printed receipt stapled into my passport, and I am legal.

6. Outside, the conversation goes like this. Me: What was the 100 baht for? Mr. F.: The photocopy of your passport. Me (thumping Mr. F. with bulging Visa file): I have four copies of everything in here. I showed them to you before we left. I showed you twice! And since when did a single photocopy cost 100 baht, even in Thailand? Mr. F.: ‘He said you had to pay for the copy and when I asked how much he said Up To You, so I gave him 100 baht. Never mind, he’ll be even nicer next time.’

7. Go home. Fire Mr. Fixit. Find there is nothing in the fridge for lunch. Reinstate Mr. Fixit and send him shopping. Reflect gloomily on my next application for a visa extension, due in the spring of next year. Compose email to friend, saying, ‘I do love Thailand. It’s just. So. Amazing.’

[riclag]

Hi ,What does S/M W mean.If I'm not mistaken you paid a kick back. I to live in SN part time.You got out of it cheap if you overstayed. In my opinion.

[lopburi3]

He did not overstay. He did not pay a fine or a bribe but his wife compensated well for a photo copy. S/M = Sergeant major as noted in his post.

[diyer]

Quote:

‘He said you had to pay for the copy and when I asked how much he said Up To You, so I gave him 100 baht. Never mind, he’ll be even nicer next time.’

He might be nicer next time because he'll expect more

[TommyUK1960]

Immigration everywhere can piss you off not just Thai Immigration.

They must have a degree in "How to Piss people off".

[lopburi3]

Second posted rant on same subject removed.

[luanghans]

"The majority" of posts about Sakon Nakhon immigration have been of high praise.

The trainee there at the present is an overtly eager beaver trying to impress his boss.

There have been other trainees, so I imagine eventually he'll move on.

Always bring change. There is no change in the till after the early birds are done.

Unless of course you'd like to leave an "unofficial" tip.

Been going to the Sakon Nakhon Immigration office since it opened (Oct 2009).

I have a shot or two before I go there. It relaxes me, nothing perturbs me.

Hans

[johntren]

Thanks Hans . To clarify: I really like living in SN and the whole experience made my day. I still chuckle whenever I think about it. I thought others might laugh too, but obviously got the tone a bit wrong. I've been to other immigration offices here ... give me SN any day!!

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